So there were two reviews in the reblogs for The Boy Who Found Fear At Last that I wanted to respond to, but I didn't want to spoil for anyone that didn't read the last chapter, and worked killed me over the weekend, so I'm doing them now. Spoilers for the last chapter behind the cut!
ohgeeogie said: i take it back.
yes.
also the voice is rashena and she is like the mad voice of reason and seriously she needs to get out of that locket and beat the shit out of pitch it needs to happen
if it isn’t for real I will be crying but also jesus christ NORTH
and also JACK, but there isn’t a capslock or boldface or italicization of his name that can properly express the many, many, many, emotions I have for him at this point in the story and seriously—even with what’s happened at this point, I’m still wondering what will happen for the last few chapters if this fic runs as long as KoCM.
There’s honestly so much I want to say, and I think I’m gonna have to hold it out for a proper review in the future, but I mean this sincerely, guys—You three who run GoSU like some three-headed author Cerberus thing that drinks from a shot glass of eyeball-produced saltwater—this has been one hell of a ride.
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Haha, not talking about the voice yet. You will see. In the last chapter, all will be made clear. As for Jack, well, he's not okay right now and getting okay is more a journey than a destination you can teleport yourself to. You're going to see a struggle just as difficult - and just as brave - as him surviving the maze.
We've got the shotglasses ready. The ones we fill with eyeball water.
Also, North still owes Baba Yaga a challenge...
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pkpixel said: That was AMAZING!!! OhMyGosh! AUGH! I just-I can’t even-I’m still reeling from the emotional backlash of it. I wish I was as good of a writer as you all so I could properly put into words just how horrifically terrific this chapter (and entire story) is. I was actually cringing and almost squirming at parts and at one point even closed my browser, haha. But that ending! Oh man! You were right when you said this was a different take on Dark!Jack. It completely caught me off guard (seriously, I gasped and everything ;-P). I want to gush over this some more but I don’t want to spoiler other readers. Fantastic work you guys. Thanks so much for sharing this! :-D
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You have no idea how psyched we are that we surprised people with that. No idea. We were kind of making use of the fact that other stories that go in other directions exist though, but hey, sometimes that's what makes a good story. Reacting to other stories out there and putting a new twist on something.
We really see two of Jack's strongest qualities being resilience and compassion - because without those, he wouldn't have survived those three hundred years alone intact. And he was more than intact - he was kind to kids, he took joy in their joy, he tried to bring happiness and wasn't bitter towards anyone, just bitter at his situation (and Manny). If he could go three hundred years alone and still love the kids, we figured that he was the type that might be strong enough to go more time alone, in darker circumstances, and still hold onto that. We tested that in this chapter and while he's not okay, we figured that Jack just isn't the kind of person that could be happy causing misery to innocents - and in the end, that's what makes him a Guardian. The fact that the only thing he wants to give them is joy and the safety that allows them to have it.
In the end, his compassion and the ability to be resilient enough to hold on to it when he was hurting was what saved him. The part that took the most daring, that was hardest for him to muster up, was actually more believing he deserved better. That was the part he'd been damaged enough to wonder about. But he was never going to hurt those kids and that's actually where Pitch lost him. The moment he started talking about that eternal dark and how Jack would be the ONLY happiness they had? That was where Jack got his groove back.
Because ain't nobody going to take away all the joy they deserve to have.
