#manu hell alt

[randomnameless]

Revisiting Doro and Billy's support lines bcs of the last post :

At times I wonder if Karen had to take her annual leave and Bob was put in charge of writing the wlw content, amping it up to eleven because it could be popular with the target audience who doesn't like old women holding hands because yikes, but younger ones are okay.

Doro doesn't call F!Billy gorgeous out of the blue in their C support

Doro doesn't call Billy easygoing, but says that's their pov and it "might" make them popular, whatever that means.

"Bob, I know you're taking over Karen this week, but remember, we must erase every mention of "human blood" or anything. Did you read the memo we gave you?"

"I got it, no mention of Billy being a dirty half blood, right?"

"No! No mention of human and non human blood at all! Our people could get strange ideas about the plot otherwise, like wondering why our main lead wants to erase another race's blood from the world!"

"Ooh yeah. Sure. I'll edit it."

Confirmation it was Manu who found Doro in the alleys of the city!

are they the fodlan equivalent of miccy/sothe?

"No one ever saw me Billy-sensei, I mean the true me who was an oprhan drinking muddy water save for Manuela. Thank you for being the only who can know about the real me just like Manuela."

JP version is more upfront this time than Bob's one : by removing the Manu mention, lolcalised Doro doesn't forget Manu in this "alone b4u" set up.

See?

"That's why I'm looking for someone who would take in an orphan girl lingering in the alleys of the imperial capital, someone curious like that just like Manuela"

:/

And let me get it straight (lol) : this isn't bashing a ship, i'm too old for that, but bashing the writing, Doro describes Manu to a T... and yet, this set up has her end up with Billy.

"I'm looking for a partner like Manuela, this is why, instead of asking her out, I'll ask you out."

And the JP version is even more explicit on the "same sex pairings" matter :

Doro wonders if F!Billy would be ok with ending up with a woman - something that doesn't matter to Doro in her other endings with women, ah but who am I kidding she's not married, she just :

"performs passionately for her beloved emperor" while Supreme Leader makes time to regularly attend those "passionate" sessions,

or "dedicate the rest of their lives to each other" or have a relationship full of light and love.

Did Bob and JP!Bob thought they needed to highlight the "wlw" side of the Doro/F!Billy ship for marketing related reasons? Even when their support is all about Doro wishing she could end up with, basically, Manuela, something she can actually do?

But Doro/Manu wouldn't be as popular or as marketable as an avatar ship, so they get a traditional "they're married in all but name" ending - when the F!Billy one can be used to demonstrate progressive* values ?

Tldr : I found a Billy support worse than Rhea's S-support ! This game never ceases to surprise me!

Doro in her A-support basically tells them she's looking for a partner just like Manuela - who's still around and with whom she can end up with - but ends up with them instead!

*young women holding hands can marry, but only with your female avatar!

[randomnameless]

"Karen! Look at this text! It suggests this woman wants to take money to let people look or enjoy her beautiful skin!"

"How terrible! We have to think of the children Susan! We cannot let them be exposed to such adult themes in a game that is mostly about warfare and corruption!"

"Let us change this by saying this woman might believe looking at her means wanting to start a pure relationship."

[randomnameless]

Note how the "gently" adverb was nuked, so was the opposition with Supreme Leader "strongly" pushing people forward !

Of course, Pat had to add a hilarious "but you with your own flesh and blood" mention, that makes people laugh when you realise this route is all about getting rid of what remains of the Goddess' flesh (aka her kids) and how her "flesh and blood" aren't, well, around anymore since Supreme Leader's allies killed and destroyed her a long time ago ^^

(But Billy's there, who's also part of the Goddess' flesh and blood, and yet, in this route, they're not the one encouraging people to move forward).

Also, Pat'n'pals created the opposition between "watch" and "support", Pat's Sothis only "watches" but never intervenes or is never involved, unlike Supreme Leader who "supports" people with her own flesh and blood (that is totally not related in any way shape or form to the Goddess!!!) to push people towards a "better" future.

More importantly though...

OG!script is more explicit about what Manu believes the Goddess' teachings are : the Goddess supports them and holds their hands ("gently wraps around our back"), but it's up to people to make the first step.

Supreme Leader? Strongly "pushes" people's backs to move forward, to the "future" - note how Pat added "better"!

In a way, in this support that is supposed to be Supreme Leader's realisation that religion not BaD etc etc, Manu's surprisingly insightful : in the CoS faith, it's up to the people to make the first step to where they want to go. Under Supreme Leader's, uh, guidance, she pushes people forward, they don't get to pick whether or not they want to move, nope, they are pushed forward to the "future" - not a better one, and definitely not one of their choice of their making, since they're not the ones who take that first step, they're forced to take it!

Maybe the lolcalisation's agenda and own biases made them unable to write a more """"faithful"""" line to the og!script, so instead they went with the traditionnal "religion BaD never does anything for u while I support u with my own blood and tears to push you towards a better future"

JP!Manu doesn't lick her boots as much as Pat's Manu does, but gives a laugh saying it's a drastic thing she does, and somehow, how it's true that some people cannot stand unless they're pushed by her.

No examples are given, and we sure as hell know this isn't why Manu joined Tru Piss because she gives the reason later in that support :

Manu doesn't stop believing in the Goddess or the CoS, but follows Supreme Leader because becoming one of her consorts is a nice prospect - which is made even clearer in the og script where she, uh, doesn't drop the topic when asked by a blushing Supreme Leader...

Tl;Dr : Manu is brutally honests and explains the core differences between the Supreme doctrine and the CoS - which was lolcalised by Pat and his team at r/atheism - and is more upfront about her presence in the BESF being motivated by Supreme booty.

[randomnameless]

Uh...

The "blessing of many children" was erased, but what is it supposed to mean?

The students of their new school blessed them, or Seteth and Manu held hands so much that Flayn ended up with dozens of half-sibs and it's after getting their "many children" that Manu accepted to become his wife?

and we're supposed to believe she's a Supreme Bullshit exclusive unit, when she clearly lusts over him regardless of Billy's existence!

[randomnameless]

"Susan, do you think this japanese game is a bit too weird? How can women dedicate their lives to each other? What about their husbands?"

"It must be a cultural difference Karen. Let's say they lived together, it feels less weird than this "dedicate the rest of their lives to each other". Or we can borrow Chantal's idea and make them cousins instead."

[randomnameless]

Hey! For the character ask game: 2 and 3 for FE4's Julia and 20 for Rhea?

Julia first!

Favorite canon thing about this character?

That's a hard question lol, because canon!Julia is... well, Kaga put it in words better than anything I could, but to him, she was designed as a Falchion with legs... Make of that what you want :/

Favourite thing would be... the line she has with not!Julius, asking Loptry why the fuck is he ruining her life - sure it's not much, but through this line, we see some anger and backbone for a character who was fridged by the plot, and cannot even have a line about her Father's death when she earlier called him the "kindest man" she ever knew.

Sure, it can feel like "sad uwus" for Oldvis, but in a game where family feuds are at the forefront of the plot, Julia lashing out at Loptyr for ruining her life should, at least, have had a line about her dad's demise.

So yeah, favorite thing from canon is "wow Julia can be angry and emote!".

I know, it's not much, but I'm willing to take everything at this point lol

Least favorite canon thing about this character?

Everything!

More seriously, from the amnesia convenient subplot (which is completely stupid because, much like Deedee, Julia isn't killed before Chapter 10, when her unit dies she's "caught" by the big boss of the map and returns to you at the end of the chapter iirc, so if, say, Blume, Danan or even Travant "caught" her, that plot would have been lifted because you can't make me believe those three never knew who she was, especially since she's, looks wise, a carbon copy of Deedee and shares the same name as the imperial princess who went 'missing') to the lack of lines regarding her dad's death - sure it's played as some "she knows what's most important in this current situation, it's to rekt Loptry" but the epilogue??? Nothing???

Seliph even hammering that only Azelle's children have a bond and duty to Velthomer???

Granted, the most egregious thing in canon would be the fact that she can be killed - and the game can still be beaten bcs fuck the narration and the "only the book of naga can defeat loptyr" I guess, Seliph must be able to save the world single handedly, even if it runs contrary to his characterisation that basically amounts to "I feel like fraud".

---

For Rhea !

Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn’t matter?

I would say... Surprisingly or not, Manuela!

Not only because Manu is a Nabatean friend (which makes her Supreme Bullshit exclusivity in Nopes completely weird) but because I think Manu's deeply anchored in that "mundane life" Rhea aspires to, but avoids due to her function, let it be eating or just chatting with friends, etc etc.

In a verse where the cat is out of the bag and Manu knows Rhea's ears are pointy, I feel like they could still be able to talk about random things, from children in the monastery to fashion, food and maybe songs - Manuela singing what is basically Sothis' lullaby meant for Rhea is just something Rhea would feel especially emotional about, because it's still sharing a song from her mother, from Nabatea, to a human who in turn, can share it around and make that memory live on!

Manu wouldn't be a "best friend" as in a friend with whom Rhea would have a lot in common, but a "best friend" in the way that, thanks to Manu, Rhea will finally be able to "live" in the Fodlan she's protecting even if it means going out for a drink or sharing soup recipes, and I believe she would value a relationship like that.

[randomnameless]

Shower thoughts,

On top of being the only one, bar player privilege, to know Seteth currently has a daughter and had a wife, the one who rushed to her death to save Flayn, and one of the ones who immediately went to Rhea's side after she ate missiles and is on death's door -

Canon Manu also knows the song of nabateans (some verses Rhea isn't usually singing).

Add to that her book lusting after male nabateans, wouldn't that make her in a world where the uwu hammer rusted and disappeared, something as close to a family friend the nabateans, with all of their need for secrecy, have ?

Manu honorary lizard confirmed

[randomnameless]

Who's your favorite pairing/couple with a Nabatean?

Manu and Seteth !

I'm on copium trying to deal with Nopes sinking that ship lol

(Nopes AU : Manu is actually a spy using theater troupes and spectacles to smuggle intel about the Imperial army ?)

But more seriously, Manu is the idiot who charged headfirst against the Death Knight to save Flayn, she started to sing after hearing Rhea (even if she thinks it was the goddess) and she treats her after the nukes in SS and VW, obviously not put off by the fact that, uh, Rhea turned into a giant lizard to protect them all.

Also I love her supports with Seteth, she's her living disaster self and yet from all of his support partners (Billy excluded bcs avatar status - even if he doesn't tell her about his daughter in the supports, it's only in a paralogue!), she's the only one Seteth feels comfortable/trusts enough to reveal he has a daugher and could envisage settling with someone else after the death of his wife.

And I'm a sucker for "grumpy/flirty" duos

Also, the possibilities for nabatean nonsense is endless with Manu, poor Seteth will have to deal with his daughter "Brother did I tell you how awesome King Dimitri is? BTW, I have to pose for Ignatz today, he's going to make an awesome and fierce and cute painting, see you later!", his sister "Cyril grows up so fast, I used your shirt and trimmed it to craft him a new shirt! Why should I care if you don't have any shirts left? Go and buy some, oh, and btw, I took your purse to buy sweets" and Manu "instead of grading papers we could maybe drink a little, and then a bit more, and then we could talk about a possible partner for you? Like the woman standing in front of you? Who cares about paperwork, let's fu-"