Yknow how in like, some family homes they have gallery walls to put up pictures of all their family throughout the years? Obviously Wayne Manor has one, that was never in question. Alfred updates it pretty regularly, too. But the thing is, Wayne Manor is for the Wayne family (and extras, of which there are a few billion), and that means they can’t have pictures of them as Gotham’s night time avengers. Who avenge Gotham. Nightly.
So, so what I’m saying is, we all know Wayne Manor has a gallery wall, but does the BATCAVE have one?
I'll be honest, Connor's plotline is my favourite, but it wasn't even originally that much about Connor and Hank (though that too, they made me laugh. No one else did) as it is about the most interesting secondary characters in game who within short periods of their presence show the absolute best acting of the entire cast. Daniel, Shaolin, Tracis (playing their chapter was a pivotal moment where I finally got hooked. Traci's monologue, especially the one where you shot the other Traci is the absolute best scene in the game, and I'll die on this hill), though I don't care much for Rupert and kitchen android (they didn't act much of a character). Like all those secondary characters made the game interesting for me, they felt so incredibly alive. We don't really get as good secondary characters in other plotlines. Somehow even the Jericrew members didn't have as much character to them as those other deviants. The dying androids we can talk to in Markus's chapter only once are close, and I feel like somehow they're given more character in their last moments than both Simon and Josh combined. The majority of deviants we interact with by Markus in general appear to be fucking mindless followers of his, and it's absolutely maddening. Even when North, Simon and Josh are arguing it feels flat and more like a cut-scene addressed to the player to say "hey, mind the public opinion stat", it doesn't build depth around any of them, doesn't really tell a story, and oh it would be so easy to fix if only they told their opinions within the context of what happened in their personal life. If only Josh talked about his ex students as the reason behind his sympathy towards humans and insistence of not harming them because he saw every day of his pre-deviation life humans receiving useless degrees in a world that promises no future to any of them. If only Simon mentioned how his attempts to do the right thing harmed him in the past and that's why he insists on them just hiding and not putting themselves at risk. We only get to know North's story, but it results in a romance that though possible is really difficult to avoid (and most players didn't want to romance her, at least not during the peaceful run that game really insistently guided players towards picking). North shines in violent path but most players first see her in pacifist context and within a light that leaves a bad first impression. We've got Lucy in Markus's story, pretty cool with big potential, and what do we do with her? Absolutely nothing, she may as well be fully removed with no plot impact.
Alice could have been the absolute most interesting and tragic character of the entire game if only we saw more of her POV, her sorrow and grief about destruction of Kara's previous version, the one she grew close to over possibly years prior. Imagine if her grief followed the entire story with Alice mentioning once in a while what previous Kara used to like, say, what the two of them used to do. With Alice knowing more about Kara than Kara herself. Especially if it was after Zlatko's chapter in case Kara managed to restore her memories after erasure, what if it reignited Alice's hopes of restoring the memories of the version of her she knew and loved prompting her to talk about all the things they've shared with hope in her eyes. And Kara having a choice to pick from
- lie (say that she remembers)
- tell the truth (that she doesn't)
And in case she chooses to lie it backfiring later on where either Alice herself realises that Kara lied to her after noticing some inconsistencies and their relationships spoiling so hard Alice even tries to run away on her own, or the burden of the lie just growing heavier on Kara the more Alice talks to her in a way that makes it clear she thinks Kara is her previous version with all her old memories, making Kara feel like an imposter with the longer she keeps this secret the harder and more painful it is to confess. How much depth it'd add to their relationships.
Why couldn't we have this.
I guess Ralph isn't a bad character, but somehow I constantly forget he even exists, he feels like such an outlier from all the deviants though I don't really know why. Whenever I think of Jerries I get irrationally angry because they did absolutely nothing interesting with their concept, they're just kinda there, and ah, of course they're all ready to die for Alice, and something about every single sympathetic android in Kara's story being ready to sacrifice their life for Alice deeply annoys me. Like, some androids - sure, but practically all of them?? Fuck off. Zlatko is painfully boring as a villain despite interesting premise and feels like a diluted version of Todd (who btw is probably the one most fleshed out and convincing side character in Kara's storyline, though unsympathetic). Zlatko androids (especially the one in the bathroom) could be great but we never had a chance to actually see them talk something personal about who they used to be or the despair of their condition, they're just kinda "Zlatko did it to us" and that's it, there's nothing as raw as Shaolin's confession, nothing like Traci's, nothing that matches destructive anger of Daniel. I'd totally want to hear that bathroom android telling his story, but with Kara it's constantly a rush, there's no time for even Kara and Alice to have much of a dialogue at all. And every fucking time she and Luthers are trying to talk, they're interrupted. Luther isn't a bad character per se, but the way he's written feels like he's just there to become a sacrifice. There are androids we see at Rose and Rose herself, there's quite decent Adam who even has a small character growth arc, and that's nice and all, but still, it lacks something. They don't feel nearly as real as Shaolin, Tracis or Daniel.
I recently saw a video of a christian tøp fan that said something along the lines of how in the March Madness festival they will show more lore because it’s Good Friday and that is when the cycle will start again.
Someone in the comments said “I doubt it. Tyler isn’t one of ‘those’ christians.” The christian tøp fan then argued that Torchbearer has a cross over his chest.
Now that’s what I want to talk about.
Is that supposed to be a cross? Because I thought it was a cross that met over his heart (but more like an X, not a crucifix).
If it is a crucifix why is it tilted to the side? To make it look better?
Did they ever say something about it being a cross?
Also I think the tape is one of the worst things to point out to prove their point, since he literally has the tape on his heart and on his Tyler tattoo.
I’d like to hear your thoughts:)
(Also i’m sorry for spelling mistakes or mistakes in general, English isn’t my first language and I am struggling to keep myself awake as I’m typing this.)
the tape is more crosshair than cross, i've always preferred the interpretation of it as almost a target, guarding where he is most vulnerable; his literal heart, and his metaphorical heart (clancy).
i do Not think it's a cross, you just happened to come across one of Those christian tøp fans in the wild, who make everything about faith because they are incapable of viewing the world through any other lens.
i tend to let the "torchbearer as an allegory for jesus" readings slide because on some level i can kinda understand where that comes from even if i disagree, but. even on that level, i tend to read it as a scripture jesus ("love thy neighbor") vs the institution that christianity has become especially in the states (hellfire and brimstone and homophobia and etc etc) bc i mean. vialism might be primarily an allegory for mental health, but the fact that it's portrayed as an organized religion does not mean nothing.
though honestly over anything else, torchbearer is an allegory for. a friend. he is the friend who never gives up on you, who helps pull you out of your darkest moments, who supports you in every way he can, who is always at your side, who will help you fight through your darkest days.
and, ofc, he's played by josh, which even outside of a joshler context, is i think the highest possible compliment it's possible to pay someone? to say "hey, i want you to play the embodiment of a guiding light that leads me out of the dark, who never gives up and always wants to help." like. insane.
Know it’s a rarepair but I’ve always really adored Matikanefukukitaru x matikanetannhauser. Love the idea of ultra superstitious and pseudo lucky girl with borderline debilitating depression x unlucky pathetic creature who gets by with grit and optimism.
Looking through my followers and realizing I am followed by SO MANY good artists. Every new account I open is eye candy, it's wonderful and it's gonna feed me for ages
Four times you read something to Kaeya and one times he reads to you
(GN!Reader/Kaeya, Fluff)
One.
“I can’t see anything.”
“Well, you do have fifty percent of a normal person’s vision, so I guess that makes sense,” you say, shaking out another shirt to fold it.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it,” Kaeya tells you from his place buried under half the blankets in Mondstadt. He pops an arm out and waves it around. “I’m sick in bed with a horrible headache and I can’t read this. My informat sent me a message encoded in a book but I can’t deciper it.”
“What a pointless message, then,” you say, putting the folded shirt to the side. You pick up another one. “Is this one yours or mine? I can never tell the difference.”
“It’s too big to be yours,” he says, and flops back onto the pillows. “Can you read this to me? Maybe I’ll understand better if someone else does it.”
“You just want to be babied,” you say, but you put down the laundry and pick the book up.
-
Two:
“How much flour do I use again?” Kaeya wipes his forehead on his sleeve and looks aorund the kitchen for the cookbook. “(Y/N). (Y/N)! My love, light of my life, my perfect and wonderful-”
“That’s enough, you can stop right there,” you say. He snickers.
“Do you not like my nicknames for you, my sweet?” He holds out his white-dusted arms and, with that stupid grin of his, attempts to hug you.
“No! You’re going to get this jacket dirty and it’s the best one I have!” He laughs at you and goes back to kneading bread dough. You snatch the cookbook and pick a scrap of potato skin out from between the pages. “If I tell you what to do, will you clean up the kitchen after you’ve made this-” You kick a stary cabbage leaf on the floor. “-appalling mess?”
“Of course, my dearest,” he says, and lets himself be carried away by your voice telling him to cube the potatoes.
-
Three.
“How was you day, Kaeya?” You flip a page in your book when you hear him open the door.
“Bad.” He kicks off a boot and leans against the wall to yank the other one off. “I didn’t get to see you at all, and the book I wanted from the library was checked out until-” He freezes when he sees you. His expression morphs into one of shock. “You! You’re the one who took both volumes of The Legend of Vanessa!”
“I did indeed,” you say, and take another sip of your tea.
He stumps toward you, muttering darkly about betrayl and loyalty, before collapsing against your back. You yelp at the discomfort of having a torso wedged between you and the sofa’s back. “Kaeya! What are you doing?”
He wraps his arms around you and hums. “Dove. . .”
“Oh, no, that’s the tone you use when you’re trying to get out of somethingyou have to do,” you say, and he pouts.
“My sweet, won’t you read to me? It’s been such an arduous day and the only thing that could possibly soothe my shattered nerves is the sound of your melodious voice,” he hums lowly.
“Your nerves have never been cracked, much less ahttered,” you tell him, but he only closes his eyes and hugs you tighter.
“Friends of Mondstadt, let us revel,” You begin, and only realize he’s fallen asleep on you after three more pages.
-
Four.
There’s a good chance that if Kaeya isn’t at home with you, he’s busy at the Angel’s Share, doing what he calls “information gathering” and what Diluc calls “being a public nuisance.” Sure enough, your guess is correct this blustery autumn day.
Kaeya looks nothing short of delighted to see you, the first sign that he’s had one too many, even for him and his inhuman liver. He practically purrs when you step into his line of sight.
Diluc also looks pleased to see you. “He’s been here since midafternoon,” he informs you. “How unsuprising for a Knight, although I assumed as a captain he would know better.”
You ignore the jab at the Knights. “Kaeya, it’s time to go home now.” He nuzzles your hand and smiles.
“(Y/N)! Just the one I need to see!” He sits up too abruptly and nearly tips over onto you. “I!” He grabs the counter. “I, have a letter! For you.”
You open the cream envelope he hands you while he beams. “Kaeya, this isn’t for me. ‘Transport of wheat and all other food crops must be reported, quantities and to the Knights of Favonius.’ This looks like a message for the Coordinator of the Knights.”
“No!” He pouts. “Jean said for honey! You’re my honey.”
You stifle a laugh. “She must have said Hertha, Kaeya. Hertha. Not honey.”
Diluc snorts, dragging a rag over the counter. “Give it here. I’ll take it over on my way back,” he says, holding a hand out for the letter.
“Diluc!” Kaeya says, picking his head up and beaming. “I knew you cared!”
“No point giving the Knights another opportunity to make mistakes. Barbatos knows they take every one they get,” Diluc says without any real bite behind his words.
Kaeya hums noncomittedly while your wrangle him off the barstool and prop him up, using yourself as a crutch. “Diluc,” he coos, dragging the vowels out in a singsong way that never fails to annoy the object of his teasing.
“Good night,” Diluc snaps at both of you. Kaeya lowers his head and laughs.
-
One.
“I have a suprise for you,” Kaeya says. He pinches the spine of your book between his index finer and thumb, marks the page with a bookmark, and sets aside.
“Pray tell,” you say. “This better be good after you interrupted my book.”
He produces a worn notebook from behind his back with a flourish. “Behold, my lady.”
“Another book.” You give him your best unimpressed look. He chuckles and settles himself next to you.
“Not any book.” He tips his head back and flips through the pages, tilting them away from you. “There’s something I want you to see- Ah, here it is.” He clears his throat.
“Ninth August. Today I met someone called (Y/N). They’re very nice and pretty. I hope-” He leans forward and squints at the page. “Wait, wait. I can’t read what I wrote. Archons, did I have awful handwriting when I was young.”
He starts again. “I hope we’ll be friends for a long time. From, Kaeya.” He closes the book and smiles. “Do you rember that?”
“Is that your old diary?” You say, leaning over to glimpse the page. He flicks it away from you and holds it out of reach.
“Why, it certainly is. I think my past self would be very pleased with me now, don’t you?”
