#lynx's rambles

[emeraldthelynx]

But consider an AU where Dr. Light took out a patent for X. Dr. Cain may have found X, but he doesn't own the rights to Reploid production. That goes to Dr. Light's only heir, who just so happens to also be the subject of the patent.

[emeraldthelynx]

X, You Okay There?

Can I just ramble about how X definitely had depression after the Elf Wars and most likely during it?

This whole rant is brought on by the absurd amount of depictions I've seen of Cyber Elf X being a cheery, ethereal fae-like entity and, man. Why? Let's see, X went through at least eight wars during the X series, but at least during that time, he had friends and people that could pull him out of depression. We see in X7 how he's retired from fighting for a while, because he's so tired. At this time, however, Zero is still active. Alia and Signas are still at Hunter Base. Axl comes along. X may have retired from fighting at that point, but he wasn't locking himself in his room and refusing to talk with anybody. And he was completely allowed to retire. Zero was still active, the Hunters weren't going to fall apart if X stepped aside. X could shed the burden of the world off his shoulders for a bit. He could not once the Elf Wars started.

We know very little about the Elf Wars. We know that Weil is responsible, we know that the casualties were incredibly high, and we know that, for at least part of it, Zero had no body. X was fighting a war where 90% of his race was wiped out, and 60% of the already dwindling human race also perished. Who knows how many of X's friends perished during this time. We know that the Baby Elves were able to control any Reploid they infected, and not in a 'virus turns you evil and filled with rage.' No, it was more like a puppet. One that Weil was able to pull the strings of with the use of the Mother Elf, essentially Zero's daughter. Until a new body for Zero is built (another thing X has to think about because what if it doesn't work?), X is most likely fighting friendless. Axl is not in the Zero series, (because X8 hadn't been resolved, and still isn't...) but it's unlikely that X and Axl are fighting in the same units during the war for however long Axl was alive for. You can't put the two strongest people together in one group all the time. And then Zero comes back. (And that's another can of worms about Zero's new body.) Axl is not there in the audio drama when X and Zero take down Omega with a Final Strike attack. Since none of the X characters besides X and Zero are present in the Zero series, this means that everybody else that X knew are wiped out. Zero is literately X's only link to happier times. The only person who really understands him and all the grief he went through.

And Zero seals himself away.

This is Zero's solution when things get too hard. X is cornered by Vile? Kamakaze attack. Space station falling towards the planet? Pilot the shuttle into it with a risk of not surviving the attempt. Had to fight X because of the virus that you carry? Sacrifice so you don't have to talk it out later.

Evil man steals your body and you get to actually see what you were designed for? What your body can do? Seal yourself away so this new body can't turn out like the old one.

And this leaves X alone. He can't step aside like he did in the past. There is nobody else at his level anymore. He is the only one who can fight the threats. And not only is he fighting, he's ruling. He's building Neo Arcadia. He's making sure that the surviving humans and Reploids don't die out. He's keeping an eye out for the Dark Elf. He is Master X. He's the Caesar Augustus of his time, the ruler who has been living forever and nobody, or very few, cannot remember a time where he was not ruling. So when finally sees a chance at rest, a chance to sleep, he pulls a Zero. He seals the Dark Elf away in his body so it cannot harm anybody else. Capcom is very sketchy about when exactly the Guardians were built. If they were built before X was sealed, that means that X didn't even care enough to stay with his children. He just wants to rest. He wants to stop. (He didn't kill himself, but he gave up. He has never given up outright before.) Sounds like depression to me. For however long a time between the sealing and Copy X coming to power, X is at rest as a Cyber Elf. He doesn't interfere.

Then Copy X starts killing Reploids. Ciel builds the Resistance. And X decides to do something. He decides to wake Zero up. He still isn't directly involved, but he does what he's always done. When things are too hard, turn to Zero for help. And even after everything, X leaves the fight to Zero. He cares again, but he is still so tired. He cannot fight anymore. By Zero 3, he seems to be a bit better, but he's fading as a Cyber Elf cannot last forever. Where are the giggles and airheadedness that some depictions add? They are not there. This turned out to be a longer, more convoluted ramble than I planned, but my point remains. X is always teetering on the edge of depression, but until the Elf Wars, he always had somebody to pull him back. And the one person who always could is not there.

[emeraldthelynx]

...It's really annoying when you have motivation to do so many things, but then you physically cannot do so many things.

[emeraldthelynx]

Something something it's really cool that X and Zero regained the friendship that their fathers lost.

[emeraldthelynx]

Here's a little piece of writing advice.

'Said' is an invisible word.

Do not worry about using it too much. Just imagine a text punctuated with 'exclaimed,' 'cried,' 'yelled,' 'queried,' 'squealed,' and 'snapped' instead of 'said.'

Said is your salt, the others, your Italian seasoning and curry powder. Useful in the right places, but salt can work just about anywhere.

[emeraldthelynx]

Okay, a Zelda thing I've been thinking about. ALttP's Link's Dark World rabbit form. A lot of depictions I've seen of Link's feelings on this have him feeling guilty or frustrated at the form, and seeing it as a point of cowardice.

The thing is, this form was chosen in Japan. Rabbits are associated with selflessness in Japan. That's one of Link's biggest traits, selflessness. So it only makes sense that he would turn into a rabbit. He's meek and small, but he's got a heart of gold.

And, from my own experience with rabbits, they are sass masters. Yes, they can get spooked, but they flip their food dishes, hide under cabinets and stuff so you can't get to them, and make grumbling noises when they're grumpy. I had to grab one of my sister's rabbits when it slipped out of its harness once, and I really had to hold onto it so it wouldn't escape. This was a meat rabbit, seven pounds of pure grumpy rabbit muscle, and I'm pretty sure I still have tiny scar on my arm from its claws.

My point is, rabbit does not automatically equal coward/weak/scared which means that those traits should not be automatically added onto Link. (I will note that Bugs Bunny, Peter Rabbit, and Ber Rabbit are all examples of the rabbit as a trickster in western media. Another Link trait.)

[emeraldthelynx]

I, don't really have a good way to explain it, but...

[emeraldthelynx]

Connecting the dots