#temperance ending

[merymeou]

Liking silverv makes me like the temperance ending more. This is probably because I have evil and malice in my heart.

[pawpsyche]

When you accidentally take over the body of your situationship, killing her in the process, and now you're haunted by her reflection every time you look in the mirror

[frecklef0x]

“Just promise me one thing, asshole... you won't forget me.”

[irisesandviolets]

Daydreaming again about Johnny in the Temperance ending's immediate aftermath being so absolutely broken over losing V, that it is directly comparable to the trauma of war and getting his arm blown off by a bomb (as we can see in the "staring at the ceiling fan" parallel). And the only person he dared to reach out to accuses him of not only wanting this outcome but intentionally manipulating his way into making it happen, then banishes him from the city.

Envisioning him lying curled up on the bed in his Pacifica apartment trying not to cry because it sounds like her but failing miserably and the only thing that gets him out of that bed is wanting to do right by her body. The way that he still writes the journal/status updates like she's still there to read them.

[gobald]

Though nothing will keep us together We could steal time, just for one day We can be heroes for ever and ever What'd you say?

[serpent-century]

A Thing of Beauty, I Know

——— Day 7: (will) Never Fade Away

[7-inches-of-satanic-panic]

when u think about it the Temperance ending is lowkey just V and Johnny swapping places because V would be stuck in Johnny's head forever after that

[nightcitycitizen]

okay so johnny is very obviously already mentally ill (PTSD, high-functioning cyberpsychosis, and i'm putting all my chips on him having some type of personality disorder), but imagine how much worse it is post-temperance ending with a cis fem v.

johnny felt gender dysphoria being in v's body when he had those glimpses of control, but he couldn't really place it until v vanished into mikoshi. it's a certain itch, an inability to get comfortable even when surrounded by the softest silk. and it clicked -- yeah, johnny's more familiar with cy'ware-related dysphoria, but he's not an idiot.

v was right from the beginning... this isn't his body. it's hers, always has been, always will be. it was fun at first, but now that this is johnny's normal, his everyday? it's more annoying and grating than anything else. johnny doesn't like being catcalled, called "ma'am" or "miss." sure, v wasn't cool with being catcalled either, but it just brings his attention to his now more womanly features; his smaller frame, his breasts, his vagina and womb -- and not to mention the way women are punished for masculinity, even though johnny's just dressing the way he always has.

he ties himself in knots trying to moralize a ripperdoc visit, because modifying himself really is that easy. top and bottom surgery would be a breeze, and he could even get his face and frame back if he wanted. but this is v's body... what if she comes back? what if she comes back and discovers the man she trusted most turned around and disrespected her body -- something that johnny knew was out on loan?

johnny had a case of chronic asshole syndrome before he died. he hurt rogue, alt, kerry... everyone he touched, from stranger to most intimate. but if there's one person he'll stick it out for, one person he'll weather this storm for? it's v. he just needs to wait in this quiet, personal purgatory -- it's the closest he'll get to repentance, after all.