Felt like doodling some critters, so decided to doodle @spedles Swap Tenna interacting with my Swap Tenna (or Umbra as I call the shadowy freak)
Spedle's version of Tenna in the swap AU (especially with post benefactor vibes) is adorable, so I just had the need to doodle him interacting with the freakazoid I got. was a delight to do tbh, and I may doodle them again down the line (or maybe the swap Spamtons cause their vibes are totally different teehee)
Also got a bit of Tenna NEO going cause like. why the hell not <:p
Got some recent motivation to make Umbraswap!Tenna's ref sheet, so here's the critter
Even been pondering some story elements regarding his downfall, and I have a more solid idea on how that happens. might share such happenings via a comic eventually (or an info dump if I cannot properly art what happens).
[Bonus doodles below the cut heeh]
Big Shot Era Tenna design reveal RAHHH. Went for a cutsie vibe for him in the AU as it also helps to influence why Spamton appears the way he does during the events of the AU (when the usual Deltarune plot gets underway).
This feels a lil overdue, but I've got the coloured ref sheet sorted for Umbraswap Spamton (finally)
Fun fact: The secondary colour on Spamton doesn't actually affect his glow (it's just the vibrant off-white colour that is his glow). It's one of the weird quirks Cyber Addisons have (in my overall personal headcanon atleast)
Also, because I feel bad for giving jack shit in the way of Swap Spamton stuff, there will be a HUGE wall of infodumping text below the cut for those interested in learning more about this AU's Dark World Boss of Chapter 3 :]
An Addison who has been the ruler of a dark world for atleast 10 years, Spamton is the boss of Game World: A place that was once TV World that has since shifted to be moreso about games. Which is... an odd direction for an advertising darkner to go down.
Spamton has the same on screen boisterous confidence as he's become well known for over the years, even having some habits be similar to that of a face long gone (such as a saccharine tone with a few subtle standoffish tones to his body language). Though, behind the scenes, especially when no eyes are on him, this on-screen vibe is muddled and chaotically mushed together with his true self: A bundle of unconfident and stress filled nerves just making it through each day. He can overthink very easily, and has almost slipped a few times. Yet, there is a hint of spiteful confidence that is adding fuel to the flames with having to keep up such a front. A darkner thrusted into the role of another should not have to pick up the pieces and build a new life to fill in that gaping hole like a puzzle piece, yet here Spamton is seemingly doing that!
But he wasn't always in this position. Spamton was once a sponsor to the now long gone TV Time of a dark world era lost to time. Even appearing on stage as a special guest from time to time because of the potential a certain CRT darkner saw in him. Spamton grew close to this reclusive figure, and eventually got close enough that they would open up and the pair became great friends. Some employees would say there was more to their blossoming relationship than they let on. But we cannot get proper confirmation on that anymore.
One day, Spamton was offered a contract that would split the ownership of the show (and by extension, the dark world) between the two. This split ownership would also come with a surge of new power for the cyber darkner as it was apart of said contract. However, things went awry shortly after Spamton agreed and signed. The TV darkner suddenly leaving the entire dark world, forcing Spamton to take the brunt of both of their roles as a singular darkner. An eventual but stronger surge of dark world related power hit the Addison from the CRT being disconnected entirely from the dark world due to unknown circumstances; he only knew this happened since the feeling came with such an underlying gut feeling. Such a feeling would also add fuel to the fire as he now has a resentment for this old friend. Though he does still offer up sponsorships from time to time; keeping one of the many things of his past still going.
With the TV gone that was originally apart of TV World (it got donated to the Librarby due to a lack of use), Game World has instead latched onto a gaming computer that was acquired some time after. This light world item hosts the Cyber City darkner amongst many others, and is also what has allowed for the transition to a more game centric function.
Because of this, it allowed TV World to be more easily reshaped in a way to cater to a newer audience. Focusing moreso on games, and even having a few microtransactions thrown in here and there. Long time viewers and players, both darkner and lightner, can still feel a sense of familiarity amongst everything if they look deep enough.
Seems like that Spamton is hesitating to fully wipe this energy out of the dark world. A knot of complicated emotions that are refused any acknowledgement is the main hurdle that is stopping Game World from being fully changed to AD World. Maybe in another timeline, Spamton would've had the gall to full send embracing the Addison nature in him.
---------------------------------------------
Though this may have one wonder about the prophecy. Is the Lord Of Screens still a thing? Is there something entirely new? Well... The Lord Of Screens is still a piece to the prophetic timeline, yet it's moreso one cast aside like that of the Queen's chariot. In this world, the Lord Of Screens has already been cleaved by the time your journey starts. Yet you are unaware of this until certain pieces fall into place.
Yet, there is another piece to the prophecy. One that is more prominent in our story. The new Lord Of Screens "replacement" if you will. What is it? Well...
The King Of Games Goes Out With A Slash
A hot streak for a Big Shot has to end eventually. You truly thought one could outlive a fate no one knew about? No no no, it's inevitable. Those in such a rank are prone to the prophecy using their life as a string woven into a larger tapestry.
Heeh, ended up getting some recent motivation to do a symmetry type ref for Umbraswap Tenna NEO as well as a few design tweaks here n there. Got a version with and without the shadowy wings <:3
Despite bein NEO, I find that the design is like a weird mix of NEO and EX in a way? But since NEO means new, and this is technically a "new Tenna", the NEO naming still feels fitting :]
Sup chat, I just recently uploaded a new bit of AU writing to AO3. It's Umbraswap related, and basically goes over how this AU's equivalent to the contract signing went (including some build up prior).
https://archiveofourown.org/works/82770806
also made a bit of complimentary art for this here post as an extra lil treat >:)
Been going apeshit rabid developing both DeltaRoads and Umbraswap behind the scenes (the brainworms yearn for these AUs rn), so did the most logical thing someone in my position could do: fuel both fires by drawing both AUs Tennas interacting. I feel like they'd get along if given the time to stew in each other's presence. Perchance multiversal CRT buddies... they even have shadow motifs in some way!!! So something in common there atleast (besides being alternate variants of the same guy)
Also, I just needed to entertain the idea of a fusion between the two because of course I gotta.. (it can happen thanks to Delta Roads' worldbuilding too... sniling sneetly)
Maybe they'd have a name like Shadow Showstopper or some shit. Idk... (not even required, I just like thinking of funny lil names for the fusions that capture the overall vibes in some way)
heeh, another Umbraswap related post cause I needed to doodle Tenna after figuring some plot stuff out (as a lil treat for myself mainly)
Last doodle is related to Tenna's equivalent to Spamton's puppetification in the AU. Which, as far as I'll share rn via a TLDR, lead to the majority of him turning into a shadowy mass. Benefactor bs lead to all his internals turning into sludge; and his limbs, tail, antennae and screen were soon to follow after getting cleaved, shoved to the ground, and blacking out (this shoving did lead to the belt buckle crack as well as Tenna fully losing his screen face). It was a long yet painful experience for him all throughout.
Thinking of either writing a fanfic or making a comic that shows this shift happen and properly contextualizes that TL;DR (feel free to let me know which one may be more interested in. I'm a lil curious about such)
Now I did get a little inspired by what Spedles has shared for their Swap Tenna's downfall as of rn (it has done some psychic damage OUGH /pos), BUT I did have the general idea of shadow mass transmutation being a key part of Tenna's transformation ever since I properly designed him (since it ties into the themes I want to explore with him in the AU); that doodle from them just gave me a bit of inspo on how to properly execute the transformation so that it made sense.
I'm hoping to get more content about Spamton in the AU done at some point (especially a ref sheet). The AU ain't gonna be properly complete without the other half of this swap getting any development too afterall... <:3
