"YET, IF I WERE NOT TO SPEAK UP NOW...I WOULD RISK LOSING THE MOST PRECIOUS OPPORTUNITY OF MY LIFE"
Done with my MC+Zayne art inspired by his Dawn and Devotion memory.
It took me too many days to get it to a place where I feel completely happy with the results.
I hope I did it justice!!
As always, some details are missing as I was unable to put them in due to my skill level right now and a carpal tunnel flare up, but I got it to the point I wanted!.
I had to give her a curly updo. It was a must and I am very, very happy I did!!
💙❤️
Inspiration pictures;
Very simple edit with Mr Darcy's voice.:
I used these as inspiration for poses, her hair, the scene with the swans and the building in the back:
This movie has such an important significance in my life. It helped me through PPD and my own PTSD as well and I couldn't not draw something whem I learned they were using it as inpiration for his memory.
Damn what's happening? I just woke up to see Zayne as Mr. Darcy? 😳 Is this supposed to be an AU? Or are they roleplaying?
But on the other hand, they are releasing a multi right before the big version update, that's crazy stuff 👀 Infold I'm watching you rn, what are you cooking? 👀👀
As I said in a previous post - I love how these cards are all a sort of commentary on a meta level. They highlight each LI's general narrative, story beats and tropes + they underline some of each LI's core personality traits.
After seeing them all, I think these cards also explore the theme of fate - what do the LIs and mc do when they're faced with a destiny that's already been written for them? Do they accept it? Do they follow the roles they've been given? Or do they rebel? If so, how?
I find these premise really intriguing, and I'm glad the writers decided to dedicate a banner to these themes. I'm still of the opinion that they don't necessarily bring anything new to the table - they're a summary of sorts - but they're very nice to have as a reference point for each Li's storyline and characterization.
I think this played a role in how much I liked each card though - I've spent so long analyzing Xavier's and Rafayel's characters, motivations, storylines and narratives that I didn't find their cards groundbreaking. Then again, they were never meant to be, and I think they all did what they were meant to do, and did it nicely at the very least. Still, being less familiar with Zayne's, Sylus' and Caleb's lore played in their favor in this case I suspect.
Also: the more I look at the titles, the more I love how meaningful they are for the cards' storylines (and Lis broader narratives).
General "how much I enjoyed the memories":
Loved:
Sylus: Finale Undone (this card! I think I'll rewatch it again and again. I love Sylus in this, I love the stting, I love mc and I love their relationship. Lovely, no notes!)
Zayne: Dawn and Devotion (It was soooooo good! It really underlined who Zayne is and his approach with mc)
Liked:
Xavier: Runaway Hearts (it's sweet, it's cute, it does underline many an important point in themes and characterization but. I have spent so much time analyzing Xavier's narrative and character that it failed to capture my attention. It also felt rushed in many places, especially when compared to Zayne or Sylus)
Caleb: Up Close (also cute, kinda whimsical, not quite fairytale-esque. I like that we glimpse a bit of a side of Caleb we don't often see. Less rushed than Xavier's perhaps, but I still wish it had more space to breathe)
Ojectively not bad but not my cup of tea:
Rafayel: Sunset on Canvas (it's romantic, Rafayel is delicious as always but... Idk I felt it lacked something, as if narrative and characterization didn't have enough time to properly settle and develop, they were too busy running to the finish line. Then again... this really isn't my genre, so maybe it's clouding my judgement a little bit)
more (and spoilers!) under the cut
Note1 : Kitty lads dividers from @qintten
Note2: My bias(es) are Xavier and Rafayel. I love the other boys but I simply do not have the time to give them all my attention. Corrections and additions about their lore are welcomed!
Finale Undone: I love that we get to see Sylus as a normal human being without his superpowers, and that doesn't really change his attitude or his problem solving strategies. He's still king in his own castle so to speak; a go getter who ends up exactly where he wants to be. He's brutally and elegantly efficient at the same time. His trust is hard to gain, and mc has to work for it since he has no memory of her. I love that about him - he takes his time to know people, but once he decides he likes you he's there for you and will do anything in his power to make a future together a reality. He won't coddle you, but he manages to strike a balance between being protective and expecting you to pull your own weight and stand your ground, trusting you to do your part.
The main takeaway from this card on a meta level is all in the title: when mc enters Sylus' life, he does everything he can to rearrange reality for a future together. Through trust and teamwork, he and mc literally rewrite the story - they give fate the finger and say "not today. Or tomorrow. Or ever. We're getting our happily ever after bitch".
(Unhappy) Finale Undone - (and rewritten into a happy ending).
After all, that's what his broader narrative is about, right? A cursed creature, doomed to be alone, encounters someone he's destined to kill... And they decide they're soulmates actually, that they will share the rest of their existence. They manage to find each other again. And possibly, hopefully rewrite their ending.
Dawn and devotion: Darcy Zayne has my whole heart actually. I'm not really into romance usually but if done a certain way romance does have me by the throat. This is an example. They were engaged but! Mc refuses the engagement! Because she wants to find Zayne! Not knowing Zayne is her should-be fiancè! And Zayne being Zayne decides that ok, fair enough, let's respect her decision. And frees her from the engagement. And after that mc has to find a way to connect with him again and build a relationship from scratch. Soooo delicious! Them getting to know each other again! Here's where I wish this card was 1 hour long so it had more time but. I think it was still done well even with the time restraints.
I think it's great that we saw what makes Zayne... well, Zayne. He genuinely loves his work and helping people, he will do it regardless of circumstances and personal gain - it's his true call in life. He is skilled, dependable, thoughtful and unassuming. He's also utterly incapable to suspect mc might actually be into him, that he brings joy in her life with his mere presence, just by being himself. He seems convinced she should explore her options and find a better candidate... Isn't that Zayne across all universes? Quietly and waveringly offering his unconditional support, expecting nothing back. Not seeing himself as a potential romantic partner, realistically speaking.
When it comes to fate, it seems they were destined to just... pass by each other. It was mc who took the initiative, who made herself a presence in his life and, ultimately, managed to get him to move and do something about what he wants. Once their feelings were finally declared and clear to both of them, once they were honest with each other, that's when they reached their happy ending. It seems the courage to be honest about your feelings with yourself and with your partner is key to rewrite fate here.
Dawn and devotion is a good title for the card and an apt descriptor of Zayne's narrative - quiet devotion is his middle name and, with mc, he can stand in the dawn of a brand new day - the happily ever after of one story and the bright, hopeful beginning of a new one. (Also a nod to dawnbreaker I'm sure)
Runaway Hearts: cute, cute cute! This card gives me cuteness aggression. Amids all the fluff and cuteness and fairytale-esque vibes we still have Xavier with his rather depressing background. Nothing tragic this time, but he still lives a rather dehumanizing reality - he's the heir of his house, meaning there's a world of expectations on his shoulder, but he's allowed no space to be a human being. He's supposed to be his role. Other than that nothing about him matters. He has to constantly put his foot down to defend anything that he values but isn't strictly beneficial to his role as heir and his house - horse racing? He likes it, wants to do it for himself, but that too is at risk of being used by his house.
This is quite the empty existence and of course he jumps at the chance of something different, of a chance of actual life and not just a meaningless sequence of performative acts. When someone looks at him and actually sees a fellow human being, with preferences, thoughts, dreams and feelings - of course he's intrigued, of course he won't let go! I am a bit annoyed that his relationship with mc seemed to just... spark into existence within a few minutes of them knowing each other, but it does make some kind of sense. After all, throughout every universe, Xavier is always quite direct about his feelings, though it takes time for him to open up about other stuff.
Like in his main narrative, mc and Xavier look at the story that's been written for them, at the roles they're supposed to play and go - no thanks. (Well, in main narrative it took them a while to get there. Mc did stick to her role quite faithfully in her second (?) incarnation on Philos).
And! The heartwarming thing about this card is that... they do manage to run away to a world where they can just be themselves (and hopefully live happily ever after). On the first try! Sweet. In that sense it's almost a Lightseeker happy au.
Runaway hearts truly encapsulates the essence of Xavmc. On a planet where everyone is supposed to be happily immortal, efficiently rational and unquestioning of the status quo, Xavier and mc meet each other, like each other and ultimately follow their hearts. They free themselves of the stifling roles they were supposed to play and find happiness everyday life, in the simple things - and in each other. To do that though they had to run far far away, across time and space - literally.
Up Close: I have little to say about this one, not because i didn't like it but because Caleb is the last LI introduced and, consequently, I still have a lot of catching up to do with him. I'm also still turning this specific memory around in my head. What sticks out to me is the fact that mc and Caleb manage to interact through.... a glitch basically. They're from different dimensions, they weren't supposed to meet each other. A nod to his last myth, where they're separated into two different dimensions? That's an unparalleled level of separation in this batch of memories.
Caleb does his best to find mc again but he can't. In the end it's mc who makes her presence known again - and through a kiss they finally reunite.
I'm not sure what that means for Caleb's narrative. Up to now it seems they really stressed the "from the same source" point - now it seems they're underlining the forced separation on different planes of existence and their quest to reunite.
The tile reiterates this concept of closeness; they started very close, got separated and are now fighting to get that closeness back, physically and figuratively.
Sunset on Canvas: Raf, oh Raf. Poor fishie got stuck with the one tragedy of the banner. Now, to be fair - tragedies cab be deep and impactful, endings don't need to be happy to be meaningful. And I do think the writers managed to spell out a very important facet of Rafayel's character: he doesn't care if his ending isn't a happy one, what matters to him is the journey -with mc, if he has any say in it. This is in line with Raf being rather pessimistic in general, though it's not immediately obvious. He's a planner when it matters, he never leaves things up to chance because he doesn't trust fate (and to be honest, he really really has no reason to. As this card so nicely exemplifies.) He's learnt to accept life is had and fate is cruel, and he has a talent for turning suffering into art. And so, when mc enters his life he... makes the best of it, takes his happiness when and where he can, fight for a better future but... he doesn't exactly hold his breath for a happy ending.
What stuck with me the most is his easy acceptance when mc refuses to leave him on the sinking ship. We know that, again and again, when faced with impending death, mc arranged things so that she'd take the burn of it and Raf would survive. When their positions are inverted though Rafayel respects mc's choice and just does his best to bring her comfort in their final moments. I just. I need a moment.
This card was a mix of romance and tragedy, which are two main ingredients in Rafayel's storyline.
Rafayel and mc try to team up to defeat fate but, no matter what they do, fate just won't leave them alone. That damn iceberg stalks their ship with singleminded stubbornness and manages to sink them. Thanks iceberg. What I find interesting (read: me clinging to hope like the iceberg clung to his role in this story) is that everytime Raf and mc failed to subvert fate, one of both of them operated with incomplete information. God of the Tides Rafayel had only vague information to give mc to find the artifact; Sea God Rafayel had just awakened with incomplete powers and memories while Catellan mc lived a rather difficult life with no recollection of previous incarnations. In this card Rafayel has no idea why whales and fish adore him and respond to his singing. So! If current mc and Rafayel manage to put together enough information... maybe...?
One grievance I have with this memory: Rafayel still has a connection with Lemuria and the ocean. Why. Why did he drown then. How. Was he too busy conjuring up the final illusion? How come he managed to do that and not breathe underwater? Was it the wound on his head? Was that the real reason he died? Are you telling me Lemurians have some vague healing powers but he could do absolutely nothing about his wound? Not entirely implausible but still rather infuriating.
Anyway, onto the title!
Sunset on Canvas is lovely - it takes two of the most important aspects of Rafayel and puts them together. Sunset are a recurring theme in Raf's stories - partly because of their beauty and artistic value, but I think they also work as an apt metaphor for Lemuria, the ancient civilization that is now in decline and has seemingly almost reached its end. It's also one of the many elements that highlights Rafayel's connection with the sun. (More of this on the other behemoth of a post I'm working on, the birds and Raf one. Ugh, I'll finish it yet!.) Sunset also ties in with the recurring theme of endings in raf's story. And what does Raf do with both beauty, life and sorrow and suffering? He transforms it all into art. Sunset on Canvas.
