#choosing sides

[shabolt]

I just watched this enchanting animated short film called ‘Tellervo’ (absolutely recommend it is so pretty and intriguing) and it reminded me of a trope that is used a lot but seldom used to its best effect: Hunters going turncoat. Many series and shows from She Ra to Star Wars to like 70% of YA dystopian fiction.

People whose goals are to destroy the other faction only to realise some things and change sides. But it seems almost without fail these stories always do this by making the protagonist’s previous faction look much worse, whilst presenting the rebels or the other faction as always being good guys who you just lacked perspective on.

What Tellervo does differently though, and what I like about it, is neither faction is inherently malicious, and the protagonist gets to see the flaws and strengths of both sides of the fence before she finally chooses her side:

The townsfolk just want to be able to hunt and procure resources without the threat of the “druid” (for lack of a better term) killing many of their people. The druid on the other hand just wants to protect the forest from harm, and only seems to retaliate against bloodshed by doing no more than making things even (ie using her magic to transform a hunter into a deer after that hunter slew a deer)

More interestingly, seeing this harsh truth of things knocks the protagonist out of their infatuation with the druid (at least for a moment), to the point she heads back to her town and strongly considers rejoining her previous faction (who think her dead).

So that in the end, when she is brought to a situation that requires her to choose between the druid’s life, or the life of one of her townsfolk, she can weigh the odds, and actually decide on a choice.

This kind of minimum fault nuance is just soooooo good in fiction, and paired with the exceptional art of this animation is a wonderful media experience. Love it.

[pyrthcamelot]

let's choose a side

Angel Tango by Fish in a Birdcage

Devil's Dance by Metallica

Voting ended onJan 27, 2024

[billykaplan-666]

Billy and Teddy’s Friday of Obscurity!

So this is a more recent issue but one I’ve never really seen talked about, Civil War II Choosing Sides #3!

This is a rare issue where I actually really love both of the covers for this issue, I do like the variant a little more just because it’s always a blast to see the gang in their Volume 2 art style, by Jamie McKelvie!

This is another collection of stories with the first being about Kate dealing with the blowback from Hawkeyes actions in the Civil War II storyline. It’s another short character focus on how Kate feels left out of Clint’s decisions making since he’s terrible at communicating and including her, as well as dealing with blowback from the media coverage.

In the end Billy ends up realizing Kate needs some comfort and tracks her down, with a snarky joke from Teddy about how she needs to seek them out more often, especially when she needs help. I really enjoyed that one honestly, nice to see some Teddy humor. With another blow from Billy about her angst.

David and America also show up to help cheer up Kate with a strange excuse from Billy and Teddy about how Tommy and Noh-Varr are busy in space. Another jab from Teddy about communication as well, with a little note about how they’re in the New Avengers.

Ending with a nice walk off into the sunset moment with a little heartwarming ‘your friends got your back message’ to it.

Strangely as we see in War Scrolls there always seems to be a plot point about how bad Kate is at communicating with all the old Young Avengers but specifically Billy. It’s a narrative choice that’s interesting but kind of baffles me because it’s never resolved really we always just kind of hear about how poor of a communicator/friend Kate has been to Billy. Hopefully that’s resolved soon since it’s a little depressing.

Overall a fun issue with some really awesome covers, I recommend the read!

[joezy27]

HAWKEYE - Kate Bishop & The Young Avengers

Civil War II - Choosing Sides (2016) #3 Variant cover by Jamie McKelvie & Matthew Wilson

[palatinewolfsblog]

Choosing Sides (for a wild old Lady ✌️👩‍🦱).

[flamingredanon]

question about your rhmg au theory of henry being the traitor: what if henry had regrets about the whole thing?

Henry just gets an update about another Toppat base being taken down and while he should be happy about, he isn't for some reason.

Maybe Henry goes to his room for awhile and really think, is this revenge really worth it? All Henry ever grew up with is pain and being told the Toppats were the cause of his pain because they killed his father. But it was only Reginald that killed Terrence, not the entire clan, and Reginald hates that he had to take Terrence's life but the Toppats would of continued to suffered if he didn't step in.

Did an entire group of people really deserved to be slaughtered because of one person? Did a man have to lose his whole identity and become a weapon to the Government all in the name of revenge?

Henry would just curl up in his bed for a good while thinking, should he stop this madness and help the Toppats because they treated him like family? Or should he just continue helping the man that was practically his second father because the Toppats are still criminals?

Henry would have to choose a side, and whatever he chose, he would have to face the consequences of his actions.

[dramoor]

[thecrayreport]

“It’s awful dangerous, this, don’t you think?” the vampyre asked with a quirked brow. “I mean, we’re out in the open, about to kill someone while hundreds of humans are watching. Color me mistaken, but whoever planned this drank too much apple cordial.”

May stopped twirling her dress to fix her eyes onto the other woman, who, until that moment, had been staring at the many bodies milling about around them. She cupped Rosie’s face, lifting her head away from the crowd and up toward her. Heat rose in Rosie’s cheeks as she stared into the fae’s soft blue eyes for the first time since she had met her all of two weeks ago.

“You’re an undead predator,” May replied, “and I’m an unstoppable juggernaut. Don’t worry about these simple commoners and embrace the queen you really are. Good?”

Rosie struggled for words, but nodded, falling her head back down to her chest. May sashayed away, a goddess in a sea of plainclothes mortals. Rosie watched her until she disappeared behind a booth, but in that moment, she felt something pierce her heart. Perhaps it was a knife, once as sharp and twice as deadly, warning her of the dangers that came with being near the common folk? Or perhaps it was the hands that shoved her against the crowd as others fought to get into the event?

Or maybe, and this was the worst of all, it wasn’t a weapon meant to kill her. Maybe, like a message sent on the wings of an eagle, it was an arrow.

Introducing May and Rosie, my friend and I’s oc’s and characters in our story, “Choosing Sides”, a tale rife with supernaturals and the crimes they commit! Although I colored them, the original lines fully belong to @calormen​ in their amazing lineart pack! I highly suggest checking out their content, they’re a really awesome person and deserve every interaction!