#text analysis

[maritessa]

I post these text analysis on TikTok but idk if people of Tumblr would be interested

[remytheratking]

There's something incredibly interesting about reading a story that follows a perspective tied to a villain's instead of a hero's. Especially when you consider the moral differences between the two parties.

Spoilers for Midnight Strangers below the cut

While Grian is not necessarily a villain himself, he finds himself tied to the Bamboozlers. Aiding them is a crime, yet he does it willingly.

During this we see what exactly it is like to understand more of the villains and stop falling for the heroes' propaganda.

It turns the role on its head. If this story was being told in the perspective of someone who was connected to the heroes and not the villains, we would've seen why they were heroes much more than we do. Including the black and white thinking of society. We would see the idolization and selfless acts of these heroes, like Joel, Gem, or any of the G's. Instead we see how they're flawed. How Joel's relationship with Lizzie makes his hero work messier than it had before. How the G's are willing to hurt a civilian badly enough that he's half dead just to gain their independence from the Agency.

Instead, Grian has connections to the Bamboozlers. If this fic was written from the perspective of a hero, we would likely have felt the inclination to dislike these characters. Instead they feel so much more human. They still joke around, they still go to the grocery store, they have pets that they're willing to take to the vet to get checked out. They still have moments of weakness, they can still get badly hurt. And they can still absolutely fall in love. Even despite their past with murder, torture, and disrupting the peace, these people still feel like humans just like everyone else.

Not to mention how entertaining it is to read about a villain who has fallen in love. Or really gotten deep into any type of relationship, whether that be romantic or platonic. Scar was willing to drop the killing and torture because Grian asked him to, even though that was something the group did frequently. He remained a criminal, but changed his habits regardless.

And he still doesn't have the morals of a hero.

Which is the most interesting part to me. In stories, if the hero were to fall in love, they would eventually have to make a decision. Save the person they love, or save the city (or whatever the stakes are). In most cases, they somehow manage to save both things. But, in some they do not. If they were to choose their love over the city, they would be called selfish and in turn villainized. If they saved the city, they would be adored by the population, but they would have lost the one person they had a deep connection to.

Villains don't have to abide by those morals. They don't have to make that choice. In fact, if their loved ones got hurt, they would likely lash out to a harsher degree. And, they would continue until that person is returned to them alive. Preferably unharmed.

That's apparent in Scar. In all the Bamboozlers really, but especially him. In this newest chapter when he called up the G's and threatened them? Endangering innocent civilians until they agreed to his terms? Then learning that they hurt Grian, and now he'll likely hurt the G's back? Assuming Grian doesn't continue to ask him to stop killing people, i honestly predict at least one of the G's will be the one to die, given the character death tag in the description.

And I personally cannot wait to see that. The finale will be fantastic I just know it.

I've binged this fic over the past two days and it has ruined me in the best possible way. Kudos to the author. It's fantastic, and their writing definitely sounds like they should be a published writer at some point in their life (if they want to of course).

[iamnmbr3]

Love how Harry can always tell Draco's exact mood, thoughts and expression from tiny tells in his voice without even looking at him.

[iceeollie]

So I just discovered and read the entirety of 17776 and WOW. BIG spoilers under the cut and a VERY long discussion ahead

First of all, I was surprised to be greeted with an article style story as a first impression and then further surprised with the bait and switch into the blog style the story is seemingly known for.

Second of all, I looked at everything, obviously. All the pictures and videos, because I was so enamored and eager to understand more. There were a lot of really interesting details, which I'll get into now.

Throughout the story, it's reiterated that people are thousands of years old because they stopped aging. You see that sentiment, and you might think, 'Oh wow, that's interesting.' And move on, because it's just words.

But then there's these score cards with the details (and scores) of a person, with one of the details being the year they were born. I don't think any of them were in the 2000's. And, as the name of the story suggests, the story takes place in the year 17776.

Seeing the actual numbers gave me this hard to explain deep, almost gut sinking sensation. Because I would do the math in my head every single time and sort of pause in horror as I realized just how LONG these people have been conscious and alive. For me, numbers have always meant more than phrases, and this REALLY hit the mark for me.

I think I remember reading something once that said that IF humans had longer lifespans or lived forever, our brain, as it is, would be unable to hold and process all of the information that comes with that. A majority of people forget more of their life the longer they live it, and that's only 80 years of information on average. (Not taking into account infantile amnesia.)

It's impossible to imagine living 197 times our current average lifespan, with that multiplier only increasing since, as it's presented in the story, time is infinite. If you're curious about where I got that number, here's my process:

17776-2026= 15,750 years. 15,750/80≈ 196.875

round to the nearest whole number= 197

Another thing that really stood out to me was the reiteration of the lack of children. Throughout the story, it's this sort of devastating thing that humanity has come to terms with, almost. I say almost because there was this a segment where this girl was recounting to her boyfriend about a time she was diving in the partially submerged city of New York City and she saw a mural where a mother was holding her infant child. They both got quiet and seemed sad about it and pivoted onto another topic, that being the 500 game (I think? I was too fixated on their reactions to the mural)

Another example of this is when the space probes were talking about the Bee ballroom. JUICE got on the topic of sidewalks and how, now, people just. walk in the middle of the street. JUICE seemed confused as to why sidewalks were needed in the first place until they all remembered: children.

I think my biggest question, besides the obvious one of why humans stopped aging and dying, is why children stopped being a thing. Aging and dying, I understand, those are both things that are commonly eliminated in many stories with sci-fi elements. But children is a new one that really catches my attention because children are how we evolve. They're how we not only develop new physical features but cultural features as well.

Each generation is shaped by the way the previous generation was raised. Without that, there's stagnation, which is exactly what happened in 17776. Humanity has settled into an infinite stalemate due to the lack of change and not needing to worry about the future with the fact they eliminated all of their issues like disease, food, housing, etc.

There's nothing and no one to combat, nothing and nowhere to explore, nothing to learn or discover, just nation-sized, cross-country football games that go on for thousands of years at a time and various other sports, hobbies, and obsolete jobs.

The concept of immortality, especially one this boring, is a terrifying concept to me. If I was told I would live forever from this day forward, I think I'd break down and go crazy. I can barely handle the fraction of the lifespan I've lived already, much less 197 times that with no end in sight.

The way 17776 is presented, progresses, and ends is extremely unique, in my opinion. I don't think I've read anything like it. To anyone who has read this far, first of all, thank you. Second, if you have the time, I really recommend reading it. It's a bit slow a first, but I really think it's a great thought piece. It's just a single Google search away.

[mxliv-oftheendless]

Hey, so a while back, I saw an AMAZING thread from LOTR fans about Frodo cursing Gollum and placing a gea on him and so damning Gollum to inevitably fall into Mount Doom and take the Ring with him—and how this is a recurring theme in the Legendarium where curses and oaths have real power and are not to be messed with. And while again the thread was AWESOME, it also made me think of something.

So we all know how Boromir tries to take the Ring from Frodo in Fellowship of the Ring, and then when Frodo fights back, Boromir screams that he’ll kill them all and curses him and all halflings to darkness. Given how we’ve established that curses have serious power and all of them come to pass—is Boromir laying a curse on Frodo? Because you could argue that it worked on Frodo but all the other hobbits seem to not be damned to darkness (I would argue the Scouring of the Shire doesn’t even count because the hobbits were able to rebuild). So what’s going on? Is it that Boromir didn’t really mean it? Did the curse only fall on Frodo?

[towerofsew]

Everything Is A Trans Allegory If You Think About It Enough

[aroace-number-eight]

Eight and Five both grapple with "I was wronged very deeply by the person who was entrusted with my life" and "the human who mentored me at my loneliest helped me recognize the value of human life" in VERY different directions which led to some of the climactic debates between who is worth saving in war times

Which gives us the angle of choosing pacifism or annihilation that gives way more depth into their final argument in the Everglades

[marshmallow619]

a very long observation on phainon and kiana’s character arcs as seen through an insane persons ramblings

I think we’re all aware that Phainon is a Kevin variant, and that Kevin himself is a variant of Kiana. So I’m just gonna put my brainrot of their character differences and similarities here.

I will also be referencing the Everlasting Flames animated short from Hi3 as I feel it is a pretty good representation of Kiana’s character arc and motivations in a nutshell (if u look in the corner u’ll find me crying over kiana again, my bby)

actually i think every hsr player should watch the hi3 shorts, they are literally that good, the visual and narrative storytelling gives the basic context of whats happening and why you shou be invested in it. i wish they did this for pt 2:(

i need to eat hoyo’s storyboards

also both the cn and jp va’s do such a great job in their interpretation of the characters. Graduation Trip’s cn dub needs more views.

also includes recent amphoreus spoilers ahead!

Both Phainon and Kiana have, by this point, experienced the sacrifices of their companions, friends and lovers (Mei, and Mydei but Phainon doesn’t know that yet rip). They’ve been given the trust and hope of these companions to do the right thing and to fight for the good of their world.

Everlasting Flames, is the crystallization of Kiana’s want to be with her friends and family again, the result of so much loss in her life that she couldn’t control. Himeko sacrificed herself so Kiana could make her own choices, as Sirin took away Kiana’s ability to choose. Mei left after becoming a Herrcherr to save Kiana from the Honkai contamination of hosting 3(?) Herrcherr cores in her body at the same time. (Think of it like Honkai radiation poisoning). These were sacrifices that were made by the people around her because Kiana was too weak to do so. So as she strengthened her resolve throughout the story to never have to make these sorrowful partings ever again. Fu Hua nearly left her in Shattered Samsara (in a really nice callback to Kiana’s words to Mei in Lament of the Fallen, ‘This is my mission,’ getting Kiana to realize the pain this must’ve put Mei through seeing her shoulder everything by herself), but Kiana IS stronger now. She can fight to keep Fu Hua by her side, now. She can fight to keep her friends. No more sacrifices for Kiana’s/the world’s own good.

And she continues to reaffirm this in Everlasting Flames, as she fights the Herrcherr of Domination who tries to beat Kiana down. To get Kiana to see the world as the ugly, and dirty place it is. But Kiana keeps rejecting this, because why would a ugly world have the people she loves in it? Why would they fight at all if everything was as horrible as the Herrcherr said it was? Himeko fought so that Kiana could see the beauty in this world, so she will not let her sacrifice (nor anyone else’s) be in vain.

(ahem, Phainon anybody?)

I LOVE how the Herrcherr of Flamescion is literally made up of the gifts from the people Kiana loves. When she uses the Void powers, Kiana’s hair is let down to flow freely, freeing her from the restrictions of the past. When Bronya’s gives her help, Kiana’s hair is then tied into a long ponytail with hair ornaments, that kinda mimic Mei’s horns. Fu Hua gives Kiana gauntlets and strengthens Himeko’s broken sword, turning it from the broken past into something that will cleave the future into being. And Himeko’s sword speaks for itself. Throughout Hi3rd’s story Kiana strives to become worthy of the love and trust everyone has given her, and her new battle suit is representative of that. Made up of the gifts from everyone she loves.

Her final monologue starts at about 4:52, and it’s a perfect encapsulation of everything this short shows it is. “It sure isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but there are people who’ve taught me to never give up. […] I love them, and I love what they love.” She (and Phainon) loves the people around her deeply, and the world through those people.

(also, doesn’t Moon Halo sound like Bronya and Fu Hua singing to Kiana? if the star rail devs make the chryso heirs sing a song like this u’ll never see me again)

Ok, now to talk about the boy himself.

Phainon is very likely to be the Lord Ravager being trapped in Amphoreus.

(I actually kinda hope this journey is to teach him the joys of humanity? like through all of these cycles that it’s worth protecting and preserving, thus changing his subconscious mind about uh. u know. destroying everything? idk)

His journey throughout this patch has mirrored both Kevin and Kiana’s arcs very closely - obviously lol - and he too has experienced the sacrifices of his companions for the greater good of the flamechase journey. But the thing is, is that he and Kiana take this, and internalize it in different ways. Kiana takes this sacrifice and says ‘no more, I will make a happy ending with my own 2 hands.’ Phainon - in inverse - sees the sacrifices made, especially after they beat Aquila, to get him to reach that Era Nova that no one else will see. And he asks, ‘What was the point? If the you of the present, the you who shines so brightly in my memory, doesn’t get to see this, then why?’

His sword, Dawnbreaker, is a gift of hope from Aglaea so that he may deliver them to the next dawn. But Amphoreus’s story is not like that of Hi3rd’s, and the flamechasers never have a happy ending. Phainon’s love for the world is fueled by his love for the people around him, but when those people are gone, what’s left? His memories?

The memories of destruction, and loss?

Kiana uses her love to fuel her desire to fight for a better world, and the people in it. Phainon is left alone as the sole Chrysos heir standing, so what is a world if the people he loves isn’t in it? He’s granted the task of rebuilding Amphoreus from his perfect memory, but the memories of a person can never be the same as the real deal, since his memories are shrouded by Phainon’s own perception of these people. Perfect memories seen through an imperfect lens.

And this is why, Phainon still differs from Kiana despite their parallels. And even Kevin ended up the ‘final villain’ of Hi3rd, because of their similar but ultimately very different views on humanity.

(ALSO, if you’ve seen the Phainon leaks, he doesn’t have any physical momentos of the other Chryos heirs and actually resembles Sirin greatly.)

The Elysian Realm in Hi3rd ends in it’s complete and utter destruction to take out the Herrcherr of Corruption (sentient computer virus) once and for all. I think, based on this, that Anphoreus will likely end the same way. take out the simulation with the ravager in it.

Or something suitably devastating.

Take away Shaoji’s pen hoyo.

I think my favourite quote from the Elysian realm is this: “ The thirteen heroes were not perfect. But they were the only ones which showed up.” And to apply it to Amphoreus whole sale would be a bit weird. Because the Chrysos heirs ARE destined to be heroes. The flamechasers in Hi3rd weren’t, they were just some random people who decided to step up.

I think (and I really mean think, this is a crack theory at the end of a long rambling post) that maybe Phainon might just be going through this loop, like I originally mentioned above, as some sort of. Sisyphian task? As a way to appeal to the person under the Lord Ravager that he is now. He was a human, and he wasn’t perfect, but he deserves a chance to do better. Even if it is in a simulation.