I have a question regarding this post you made. https://www.tumblr.com/aydaptic/647017627257012224/the-ending-of-bioshock-infinite-with-dlc
I understand if you need to time to brush up on it before answering my question.
For Fanfiction purposes, let’s say there is a universe where, instead of Booker, the Luteces send Jack to Columbia, fresh off the plane crash, and before he enters Rapture.
Is it possible to do this after OUR Elizabeth is dead, or would it be impossible?
If impossible, then let’s say this outcome leads to a third Elizabeth that destroys the Siphon. Would this then have to be done before Elizabeth goes back to Rapture after dying?
And is it possible that, due to her journey with Jack, she might decide to spare him because of his influence?
I am very much looking forward to your take on this.
Hi there!
Impossible. It's always hard to structure an answer when there are several complicated factors that tie in, but I'll try to make it easily digestible. You have three questions. So let's start with the 1st.
1.)
Q: "Can the Luteces send Jack to Columbia after the plane crash?"
A: "No."
The plane crash happens after Columbia is entirely erased. They can't go into a past that doesn't exist. Neither can Elizabeth.
(1912) Elizabeth starts the Columbia purge. Visually, we know that it takes time to do an entire purge. The Elizabeths standing over Booker at the Sea of Doors disappear one by one. Not instantly.
(1936 or 1956, I don't remember) Jack is born.
(end of 1958) Start of BaS: Ep1.
(end of 1958) Columbia is entirely purged.
(end of 1958) Fontaine gets the code phrase.
(end of 1958) Fontaine kills Elizabeth.
(1960) Plane crash.
The future can't exist without a past.
Elizabeth giving Fontaine the code phrase and dying is the past. Jack on that plane is the future, and direct result, of Elizabeth handing said code phrase over. Jack can't be on that plane until Fontaine has been given the code phrase.
Columbia exists on borrowed time after BioShock: Infinite's main game ending. That's why -- in BaS: Ep2 -- Elizabeth has very little time to go back to get a hair sample. As Elizabeth says, Columbia is "fading" when she goes into the Tear in The First Lady airship, so she has to be quick.
By the time of her final death, Columbia would've been entirely erased. The only thing left of Columbia is the two Luteces -- who exist out of time -- meaning that the Luteces are still up and about regardless of Elizabeth. Columbia, however, is gone.
That said, Jack can visit Columbia at any point from year 1936/1956-1958 before Columbia is 100% purged. Before Elizabeth's final death.
I repeat... Columbia was erased before she died.
2.)
Q: "If impossible, then let’s say this outcome leads to a third Elizabeth that destroys the Siphon. Would this then have to be done before Elizabeth goes back to Rapture after dying?"
A: "I don't understand your question."
What's "this?" Lutece taking Jack to Columbia? A third Elizabeth destroying the siphon? Elizabeth and Jack meeting?
Unless I answered this question in my other replies, I need you to be specific and clarify what you mean in a comment on this post. Don't send another ASK and just comment below. I prefer having everything in one place.
There are no other Elizabeths -- including those with powers -- after the beginning of BaS: Ep2. All of the Elizabeths (not Annas) were merged when she went back. Siphon or no. All the Elizabeths are one entity in BaS: Ep2 regardless of the siphon.
So how to work around this?
If you want Elizabeth to interact with Jack at all, and let him into Columbia, it either...
needs to be done before the complete Columbia purge (...which happened shortly after Elizabeth got the hair sample Dec 31st, 1958)
or...
you need to directly go against Elizabeth's canon death and a Lutece to portal in + grab her before Fontaine puts a wrench in her head. She still won't have her powers, but she'd be alive, and Fontaine would have the code phrase to push the story forward for Jack. This is the only way Elizabeth and Jack can interact after her journey in Burial at Sea.
3.)
Q: "And is it possible that, due to her journey with Jack, she might decide to spare him because of his influence?"
A: "Spare him from what? Being manipulated by Fontaine?"
I yet again need you to be more specific. Comment, on this very post, what exactly you mean. I'd be glad to answer :)
kris-thoughts: immediately, "damn, that is a good one." 😂 i love the originality of it (i have never seen it used anywhere else, in any context!!?) one of the terms of endearments in my family was "sweetpea," so this also brings up some nostalgic vibes!! 🥹 okay, here i go!
----------------
❆ snowpea ❆
----------------
Elsa followed Jack through the bustling market, hovering well above the crowd—(he was still uncomfortable with the feeling of passersby shifting through him; she'd noticed this the very first time they'd been on duty together)—but Elsa was amidst the throng of people, winking in and out of existence in ripples of shimmering blue; Jack hated the feeling of disBelief, and Elsa didn't love it, but it was better than feeling nothing at all.
"Stick close, newbie!" Jack called down to her, weaving through stalls like a gust of wind. Several patrons in the crowd held their coats tighter about their shoulders.
Elsa peered at the various stalls in lieu of releasing the sigh that sat heavy in her chest. The Guardians had been rotating their mentorship duties for weeks now, each taking a turn to guide her through her transition into this strange new role, and Jack's turns were always... Hmm.
"You all right back there?" he called. Elsa nodded back. He grinned down, that impish look in his eye, a deep slant to his smirk, "Are you sure you don't want me to carry you?"
Elsa merely glared, and kept walking. Then, as an afterthought, a concept of manners— "No, thank you."
(She had so many questions she never asked, but when she was quiet for too long, Jack did his very best to poke and prod her into some type of reaction.
Elsa, unfortunately, was not as immune to his prodding—or above reacting—as she might have liked.)
She quickened her pace to keep up with this restless, reckless Guardian—a winter spirit, yet so unlike her, so utterly—
Her curiosity was instantly piqued by the vibrant produce lining the wooden stands.
(Don't you miss the joy of tasting these flavors on your mortal tongue?
How can you stand knowing that you do not need it?
Don't you feel that these tastes become less delicious, less enjoyable, when your body no longer finds sustenance in food—
when the only thing your soul requires is Belief?)
Among the carrots, cabbages, and bundles of herbs, a pile of green pods caught her attention. She stopped.
“What are these?” Elsa asked, pointing to one from the pile. She dared not reach for one, knowing that her hand would pass right through in a sea of busy Adults, but she could imagine it—the pod was smooth and crisp between her fingers.
"These? You've never seen these before?"
Elsa resisted another sigh. If she had, would she be asking? No, no, Elsa—he doesn't mean anything by it. Sometimes, if she explained something rationally, Jack was more likely to take her seriously.
"In all my years, both when I lived in Arendelle while Anna was still alive and all the decades I've roamed after, I've never been in a region that trades this product." She saw him shift his weight from foot to bare foot as he considered her seriousness.
But of course, he had to make everything a game; he grinned down at her, his staff slotted into the slant of his shoulder, and cheekily asked, "What do you think they're called?"
She tilted her head. Fine. "Well... how does one eat them?"
“Look, you eat the whole thing—pod and all. Here, watch the master.”
He snagged one and held it up. Elsa pushed down the violent wave of envy that stole her breath—she hadn't yet learned that particular trick, how to make the world revolve around her and bend to her will even amidst all the disBelief. None of the adults noticed when a pod disappeared into thin, cold air with a loud crunch. Jack seemed oddly aware of her stare, but perhaps not fully perceptive of all the complicated emotions within it.
"Uh," Jack backtracked, rubbing the back of his neck, grinning in obvious discomfort and bravado. "Sorry. Do you want one?"
"What makes them special?"
Jack didn't insist on offering her one, for which she was gratefuldisappointedresentfulrelieved. He continued to rub the back of his neck and fuss with the hood of his clothing; she knew that she should be making a more concentrated effort to warm up to him ("Play nice, Icepop," Bunny—Bunny!—of all people!—had said), but Elsa was feeling particularly out of sorts today, and was therefore feeling less charitable than usual.
“Other than the fact they have ‘snow’ in the name?”
Elsa blinked.
Jack swiped another and bit into the pod with exaggerated flair, crunching loudly. “See? Snappy, sweet," he crunched some more, "so—basically the vegetable version of you.”
Elsa raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Is that supposed to entice me?”
"You're more than welcome to try one," Jack heavily hinted, side-eyeing the basked. Take one. Try it.
But failing in front of Jack was one of Elsa's least favorite things to do.
"What is the name?" Elsa insisted.
Jack could never stay still. He gripped his staff and leaned his weight forward, dropping to eye level as he hung off the staff before him, peering directly in her face. “Snowpeas. Fitting, huh?”
She had the strangest, most bizarre urge to blush.
With the promise of ice hovering just beneath her skin, Elsa kept her perfectly expressionless mask in place and said, "Are you making that up?"
For the first time, Jack looked truly surprised. "What! No!"
"They're green."
"They're—it has to do with the harvest, okay! They thrive in cooler climates, eye-ee, the reason why we are here!"
Elsa regretted ever teaching him about id est, because now he used it at every possible opportunity. She was about to press him again when his posture shifted—and something in the air gave way, ever so slightly.
“C’mon, give it a shot. It’s good! Think of it as part of your training," and then, in a voice that was uncharacteristically uncertain, "Trying new things?”
Elsa couldn't resist a second glance at that. His tone... but Jack merely gripped his staff with both hands, leaning into he wood, waiting patiently... the picture of innocence. Elsa looked closer. The picture of... ?
But no, Elsa dismissed the very idea. Jack is too cocky, too careless to care about my opinion of him.
With a slight incline of her head, Elsa turned to the basket and stared at the pods. She tried to ignore the sensation of Jack watching her intently. Why does every outing with him end up like this?
"Elsa. Don't think. Just reach out and grab one."
"How am I supposed to just—"
But then his weight was pressing her forward—his shoulder into her shoulder, his hand into her lower back—and the shock of the sudden movement forced her to extend her hand—which landed squarely in a pile of pods, and reflexively closed around a handful of—of—
"Snowpeas," Elsa whispered, in shock, at the mound of green things in her hand.
She yelped as she was suddenly lifted into the air.
"Jack!" Elsa cried, looking down at the vast crowds below as Jack flew over them, headed toward a nearby rooftop. "Was this necessary!"
Jack's laughter floated on the wind, and stuck between her ribs; she very purposed denied each and every offer for him to carry her for a reason.
"You want a bunch of Adults to see a handful of snowpeas floating in midair?!"
"I—"
"Yeah, yeah, here," Jack set her down—surprisingly gentle—on her feet, on the rooftop. Elsa was slightly surprised to see that she was still clutching a handful of snowpeas in her grasp. Jack was counting them, pointing to each one. "North did say you were an overachiever." His smirk was entirely too self-satisfied.
Elsa was about to retaliate; she was sure of it. She was sure—
"Don't you wanna try it?"
Still. Retaliation could wait...
With a sigh, Elsa plucked one of the pods from her palm and took a tentative bite. The pod snapped between her teeth, and her eyes widened. It was unexpectedly sweet and fresh—a hint of spring in the middle of winter.
But her face was answer enough, apparently, for Jack leaned on his staff, a self-smug thrill of victory in the line of his posture. Elsa chewed, contemplating. She was still irritated, of course, but also... pleased, in spite of herself; Jack, for whatever reason, could tell.
"See?" he leaned forward, and his voice lowered in his quiet victory. "I knew you could do it." Jack’s grin softened. “Baby steps, Snowpea,” and then he made his way toward the nearby fire escape.
"S-snowpea?" Elsa echoed, aghast.
"Hey! There's a fire escape over here! Unless you want me to carry you back down?"
Still baffled but eager not to be caught off guard again, Elsa quickly stepped over to the fire escape; she was still processing snowpea, when he glanced down at her hand, and said, "You're gonna share half of those with me, right?"
"I will," Elsa promised, extending her hand—and then snatched her hand back as he reached for hers, "If you promise to never call me 'snowpea' again."
Jack grinned. "Certainly."
Happy with her trade, Elsa shared two of the four remaining pods with him.
For the rest of the night, as they roamed the village and brought Fun and Healing to the Children, Jack kept his promise, for which she was gratefuldisappointedresentfulrelieved.
And for days after, he did not call her snow pea, but she wondered what it would mean if he did—and she wondered what that meant.
First off, hello! Hope you've been well, my friend! Second, I was wondering if perhaps you knew of a post for Frozen 2 concept art for a villain that had a skull and a pelt on it, and if you could link it? I remember seeing it, but I don't remember where. Thank you, and I hope you're doing great!
Hmmm I indeed remember seeing it, I think it's from the concept art book... I just searched and I think I actually never reblogged it. Try searching on google! Sorry!
Hello, Kris! I think I might’ve already gotten the gist of it, but it’s been some time. What exactly IS Academia Mode? Are you still in school, or is this your actual job, and it just happens to be involved in the education system?
Many thanks!
hahah no worries!!! that is a good question 🤣😭😭🙏 for me, academia mode is currently finishing the 5th and final year of my doctoral program and includes (but is not limited to lol):
data collection, analysis, write-ups
writing python programs to support my data cleaning, data coding, stats, and data analysis/visualizations
applying for GRANT MONEYYYY
submitting abstract proposals to conferences (and applying for MORE GRANT MONEYYYY)
reporting research findings (writing journal article manuscripts, preparing conference slides)
writing my actual dissertation manuscript lol
supporting and instructing my research assistants
sharing my research with mainstream public audiences
writing my non-fiction book based on my ongoing dissertation research
teaching classes, grading papers, holding office hours, fielding emails, writing letters of recommendation for all sorts of students' fellowships/grad admissions/grant applications, teaching students how to strategize their personal statements, grant purpose letters, and other aspects of apps, etc.
peer-reviewing others' journal manuscripts, providing feedback to colleagues (blind review or not)
assisting with my advisor's research and textbook manuscripts (proofreading, copy-editing, internet sleuthing, finding more up-to-date citations, occasionally writing rough drafts)
writing chapters for edited volumes on various topics
READING. all the time. reading new literature and research articles constantly. ALL THE TIME. writing 1-pagers and mini-annotated bibs for future lit review use, etc.
WRITING. all the time. professional-speak, academic-speak, insructor-speak.
getting paid to travel to conferences to present my research (GRANT MONEYYYYYY)
by may 2025, i'll be a Ph.D.!!!!!! [screams]
academia mode! ✨🤣🤣🤣😭🤣💕 every day, i think about how lucky i am that i get paid to do what i do 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹 hope you are having a magnificent day, and thank you for the ask!!
"Come on," he had urged her, gently pulling her by the wrist down to the docks, down to the sailboat he'd assured her was safe, promising an adventure, a sunset, an evening of respite before her bodyguards inevitably swept her away, and—something she'd admittedly not known she'd wanted, even as it now thrummed, foreign and once-familiar, in her veins—fun... even if only until the sun finally set.
So I’ve always wanted ask you this. What kind of points do you set for yourself that you have to do to portray Jack and Elsa respectively? Because your characterization is always spot on and consistent, and as someone writing their own Jelsa fic now, I’ve always wondered how you always nail them.
step 1:
JUST KIDDING. or am i
honestly, though, first of all: thank you so much!! 😭😭😭💕💕💕💕💕💕😭😭😭😭😭💕💕💕💕💕😭😭🙏🙏 and congrats on your foray into jelsa fic writing!!!!
second... i have been thinking about this question a lot over the last day or so, but i'm afraid my answer might be pretty disappointing 🥲 i don't have any specific points or benchmarks that i try to hit in terms of the portrayal of the characters—they are just jack and elsa. 🥲🥲🥲
although!! now that i think about it!! i suppose it is fair to say that across my stories i consistently incorporate (adapted, direct, referential, evocative) plot structures from the frozen/rotg movies, and jack and elsa often behave similarly in each contextual situation—despite the overt differences in settings/universes—depending on their current stage of character growth.
i'm grateful that you and i are just lucky that we both like my interpretations of them! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
BUT LET US OPEN UP THE THE DISCUSSION—any other jelsa readers or writers have any other recommendations or insights?? 💖💖💖💖💖
