TheTombedSpirit

[thetombedspirit]

The Walking Dead Games: Demigod AU

I'm back on my TWDG season 4 hyperfixation, and lately I've been thinking of the possibility of a Percy Jackson AU, where Clementine, AJ and the Troubled Youth as demigods of Camp Halfblood.

And while I have a good idea on what some kids could be the child of, I'm struggling with a few.

Here's what I got so far:

Clementine as: Daughter of Athena

AJ as: Son of Ares

Louis as: Son of Apollo

Marlon as: Son of Ares

Mitch as: Son of Hephaestus

Willy as: Son of Hephaestus

James as: Son of Hades

Brody as: Daughter of Hermes?

I'm considering Aasim as a Satyr and Ruby as a Dryad, Omar as a Demeter kid, Tenn and the Twins as Athena children, and Violet as an Aphrodite kid, but if anyone has other ideas for what Godly Parent these kids would have, then let me know, please!

[thetombedspirit]

Descendants Rewrite: Origins of Auradon and the Isle of the Lost

Now, when Disney first announced that they were making a 4th movie for Descendants, I was at first sceptical, concerned and curious as to how this would go, but I was immediately hooked once Wonderland was implicated.

Wonderland is my absolute favourite when it comes to fantasy lands, be it the wholesome Disney version, the dramatic Tim Burton version or the nightmarish American McGee’s version, so I was happy to hear about its place in the world-building among Auradon.

However, as I previously mentioned in my last post, I wasn’t too happy with the execution of some of the movie, that felt it had a lot of plotholes that don’t really get addressed throughout the movie.

Now, while I liked the movie and its overall premise is interesting, the canon-stickler in my brain is screaming at me at how everything was so out of whack that I wondered how some of these decisions got greenlit.

I’m just saying, a movie can be as good as it wants, but some things need to make sense; otherwise, people like me go online and complain about it or make rewrites about it.

Which brings me to this post, as I would like to discuss what I would’ve done with this movie and maybe even the origins of this franchise itself.

But before I get into the fourth and fifth movies, I want to briefly talk about the origins of Auradon and polish it up a little bit, so that the heroes are not totally reprehensible for trapping a bunch of people and their children on a tiny-ass island. Because honestly, it never sits right with me that the main reason I’ve been hearing is that Adam and the other heroes allowed the Villains to be resurrected just to boot them and their children onto a tiny prison island, just to feel extra secure.

So, without further ado, here's my version of the origins of Auradon:

The Origins of Auradon

So, once upon a time, a long, long time ago, there were several different kingdoms and regions spread out, separated from each other, in a magical world where sorceresses, monsters, princesses and princes were spread out far and wide.

Now, these princes and princesses have had their fair share of battles with various villains, with the majority of those villains meeting an untimely (and sometimes gruesome) ending to their story. These villains, of course, all ended up in the only place that villains go – the Underworld. Villains such as Maleficent, the Evil Queen and Ursula, while the surviving Villains were either incarcerated, like Cruella De Ville and Jafar or in hiding like Captain Hook and Lady Tremaine.

And that didn’t sit well for some villains: one in particular.

Maleficent, the Dark Fairy of the Moore.

She did not like the fact that she, the most powerful villain of them all, was reduced to a wandering soul in the Underworld, while those who scorned her got their happily ever after.

So, she went to the only person capable of setting them free – Hades, God of the Underworld. She knew he was still fuming over having lost his chance to take over Olympus. So, she cut him a deal. He resurrects her and the other Villains and helps her take over the mortal world, and she, in turn, will help him overthrow Olympus. The good ole’ ‘you scratch my back’ and so on.

Hades, never one to back down from a good deal, agrees.

And so, each and every villain that had ever died at the hands of the heroes was brought back to life before releasing and rallying any living villains. And just like that, Maleficent and Hades had an army powerful enough to conquer the world and the heavens.

The heroes soon heard of their former villains bid for revenge and, under King Adam, the former Beast, and Belle, his Beauty, rallied the heroes to fight back against the Villains.

It quickly escalated into a brutal and ongoing war that took nearly three years of their lives. A lot of shenanigans happened during this period, such as Tremaine secretly funnelling money to Maleficent and Hades’ cause. Finally, it took the collaborative efforts of the three most powerful magic users in the realm: Merlin, the powerful Wizard of Camelot; the Fairy Godmother herself, Fae; and Hekate, the Greek Goddess of Magic. Together, they pulled their magic together to push back against Maleficent’s magic and push all the villains onto a prison island and sealed them all away. Even Hades himself wasn’t spared; he, too, was imprisoned on the island.

And just like that, all the villains are all locked away on a miserably tiny island, with the big-name villains quickly marking territories for themselves, with some villains aligning with others, such as Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Cruella and Jafar forming a coalition and taking over territory in the more ‘affluent’ part of the island (‘affluent’ being a very loose term here. VERY loose).

Anyway, shortly after the imprisonment of the Villains, Adam, Belle and all the other heroes, decided it was better to stand together and united their kingdoms into one nation, with Adam and Belle being crowned as High King and Queen of the United States of Auradon.

Anyway, that is the new backstory for my version of the Descendants Universe, which I feel is much better for the palette then “Beast and the other heroes have a meeting and decide its perfectly ethical and moral to resurrect the toughest villains that have ever roamed the land and imprison them on a tiny island, including the God of the Underworld, possibly risking a Walking Descendants situation”. In fact, how funny would that be if that was the plot of the 3rd movie where Mal would have to consider releasing her dad, since if she doesn’t, literally all of Hell would break loose?

While I still have your attention on the Origins of Auradon, I'd also like to post my personal layout of Auradon.

Central Auradon

Central Auradon is the crown state of the United States of Auradon, wherein the Beast family, King Adam and Queen Belle, rule as the High King and Queen, where they are situated in their castle home, the Beast’s Keep. Central Auradon’s neighbours are Ebony Hills in the North-West, the Olympic Lands in the South-West, and Evangeline's Light in the West. There, they live with their son, Ben, and govern the entire kingdom under Adam’s firm grip and Belle’s fair judgement. It is also where Auradon’s most prestigious high school, Auradon Prep, was founded under Beast, as a welcome place of education for all youths of the neighbouring kingdoms. Well… almost all (but that changed, didn’t it?).

The school is run by none other then the Fairy Godmother, who serves as the Principle and protector of the school. The neighbouring sites and buildings include the Museum of National History, which involves attractions such as magical artifacts like the Genie’s Lamp and Maleficent's Spinning Wheel, as well as statue depictions of history’s most prolific villains like the Evil Queen and Cruella De Vil. Other historical sites include Quasimodo’s Bell Towers and The Cat’s Meow Opera House, run by Madame Bonfamille.

Their neighbouring kingdoms of the state include Églantine Castle, home of Queen Aurora, the famous Sleeping Beauty. She lives with her husband, King Phillip and their daughter Audrey. They serve as members on the Grand Council and take the security of their home very seriously, or at least Queen Leah, Aurora’s mother, does. Églantine is also neighbour to the Fairy Cottage, the place where Aurora was raised and a frequented summer home of the family and the Moors, home of the fairies Flora, Fauna and Merriweather.

The second neighbouring kingdom is Verre de Charme, home to Queen Ella, more famously known as Cinderella. She lives there with her husband, King Christopher Charming and her two children, Chad and Chloe. The Charmings value hard work and compassion above all else and support Ben’s new declaration 100%. Queen Ella herself tends to her gardens personally and always fixes breakfast for the family. Verre de Charme rules and cares for the citizens of their village, Glass House Villa. And every once in a while, Queen Ella sends servants to continue the upkeep of Tremaine Manor, which has been abandoned since Lady Tremaine and her daughters were sent to the Isle of the Lost, something that Ella vehemently protested. Ella was all too happy to invite the Tremaines back into their home when the Isle’s barrier was torn down.

Central Auradon uses little magic in terms of the hard times dealt to King Adam and Queen Aurora, though the good that came of it from Ella’s experience did ease people's concerns about the usage of magic.

New Camelot

New Camelot is an island country that sits North of mainland Auradon, where King Arthur rules as the Once and Future King, living with his wife, Queen Guinevere, in Pendragon Castle. With the help of the great wizard Merlin, Arthur rules Great Albion as a wise and true king. Merlin resides in his cottage,and teaches at Merlin’s Academy for the Magically Inclined.

The village of Nottingham and Sherwood Forest sit near by, home of the altruistic Robin Hood, who works as the sheriff alongside the G.M.D Agency, where Basil the Mouse Detective resides and works on numerous cases, the Dalmatian Plantation Home, run by the Radcliffe Family and their Dalmatians, Pongo and Perdita, where they help many little critters find a new home. There is also Mrs. Darling’s School for Lost Children, a children’s home run by Wendy Darling until they find loving families. And there is a small cottage on the far edge of Nottingham, where Alice from Wonderland is rumoured to live as a recluse.

One thing that is unique about Great Albion is the numerous magical passageways within its land. In the Sherwood Forest, a great tree stands, serving as a passageway to the grand Hundred Acre Wood, a place where toys come to life and sing and dance and indulge in a small smackerel. In the sky, right above New Camelot’s tallest tower, is a passage of stars called the Starway, which would take you straight to Neverland, where you can fly and live out your childhood forever. On the other end of the Sherwood Forest, not too far from Alice’s Cottage, is the Rabbit Hole, which leads straight down to Wonderland, known for its whimsical ways and curious creatures. And finally, in a sheltered lake in the caves of the Sherwood Forest, is a whirlpool which leads to the land of Prydain, known for its mysteries and secrets.

However, these magical realms, while whimsy and exciting, are not to be trifled with lightly; The Hundred Acre Wood is prone to Woozle infestations and should those enter with embittered hearts and joyless imaginations are to be forever trapped in an impenetrable fog. Neverland is only accessible to those that Peter Pan trusts with Pixie Dust, and the children who decide to stay must surrender their shadows to Peter Pan so that they can never grow up. Wonderland is said to be run by a ruthless queen, who sealed off the Rabbit Hole after a violent war with Beast’s armies and Alice reportedly lost her mind after her journey there. And finally, Prydain is home to the most vial dark artefact ever conceived; the Black Cauldron, able to resurrect an army of the dead. As such, it has been encouraged to leave these magical realms to their own devices.

Armed with none other than Excalibur, Arthur protects New Camelot and these realms from those who might do them harm. Or in case such realms decide to perform a hostile takeover.

The Divine Lands

The Divine Lands is a neighbouring state of Auradon, situated in the southwest of Central Auradon by the coastline. It is under the rule of King Eric and Queen Ariel, the fabled mermaid princess in their kingdom, New Atlantica. What is most fascinating about the Divine Land is that its magic is not from fairies or wizards, but from actual Gods. Ariel herself is the daughter of King Triton and the granddaughter of Poseidon, God of the Seas. With these relations, she is also related to the famed Demigod, Hercules, who resides in the neighbouring village over the hills, New Thebes.

Within the seas, there is the Merpeople kingdom of Atlantica, where Ariel’s father, Triton still rules to this day, with her eldest sister, Attina standing beside him as royal advisor. And in the heavens, rest the kingdom of the Gods, Olympus, where the God of Thunder, Zeus still rules to this day.

The village of New Thebes is also home to numerous temples that were erected in the name of the Gods and the Merpeople, as well as Thatch’s Museum of Ancient History. Though no-one is quite sure where he lives…

Despite sharing a land with the gods, King and Queen Eric and Ariel rule the land, as Hercules advocated that mortals should rule the humans while the gods must only protect them. Ariel was sceptical about accepting Villain Kids into Auradon, but in the end, concluded that Ursula was family, and by extension, so was her daughter, Uma. And she at least deserved a second chance.

Seven Sun Hills

Seven Suns Hills is a neighbouring state to Central Auradon, sitting North-East of the crown state, where the famous Queen Snow White rules with a fair hand. She lives in the White Castle, alongside her husband, King Florian and her son, Samuel. It is also home to various sites and stores, including the Seven Dwarves' Cottage and the Diamond Mine where they work, as well as Geppetto and Son’s Little Wooden Heads Workshop.

Their neighbouring kingdom is the Kingdom of Corona, home to the famous Queen Rapunzel and King Eugene, who together govern and care for the village of Old Corona. It is also home to sites such as the Snuggly Ducking Pub, where she and Eugene often go for a time of merriment and fun.

Sitting between the two kingdoms is a woodland forest known as the Great Forest, home to the Great Prince of the Forest, Bambi, a dear friend of Snow White, who frequently drops by on her way to visit the Dwarves during the holidays.

Both Queen Snow and Queen Rapunzel serve as members on the Grand Council and have mixed feelings about leaving all the villains on the Isle, but they were adamant on getting the children away from the Isle, so wholeheartedly agreed with Ben’s proclamation.

Seven Suns Hills share a neutral stance on magic, recognising that it was the user that magic was dependent on, not magic itself. Snow White and Rapunzel have worked hard to make the Seven Suns Hills Kingdom a safe haven for all, with the support and love of their husbands, Florian and Eugene. The Seven Suns Hills Kingdom is a popular place to visit, namely for the wide variety of jewellery and woodwork, as well as the Floating Lights Festival.

Evangeline's Light

Evangeline's Light is a neighbouring state of Central Auradon, situated East of the region, ruled by Queen Tiana and King Naveen, the famous Frog Prince and Princess, who value hard work, the pursuit of your dreams, and the making of new ones. Tiana and Naveen stand out from the crowd of royalty: instead of living in a palace, they live and rule at their restaurant, Tiana’s Place. They are best known for their food, namely Tiana’s ‘man-catching’ Beignets and classic Swamp Gumbo. It is also home to the Foxworth Family and the Rescuers HQ, where they frequently go across the world to save lives. Evangeline’s Light features a diverse landscape that many call home, such as Pearl and her farm animals at Patch of Heaven Farms in the Old West. The Bayou, where Louie the crocodile, the fireflies and Mama Odie’s Boat can be found.

And up in the mountains, where the lights touch the earth, lives Kenai and his bear family nearby the Salmon Run. And just on the outskirts of the coastline, live Lilo and Stitch on their island paradise, Hawaii. Though there is not a lot of magic in this part of Auradon, Evangeline’s Light is no less magical. Under the rule of Queen Tiana and King Naveen, they rule the region with a can-do attitude and a drive for making things better. You just have to dig a little deeper.

They serve as members of the Grand Council and needed some convincing about allowing the children of the Isle of the Lost to live in Auradon. In the end, Tiana and Naveen agreed that it wasn’t fair that the children's dreams were effectively crushed before they could even dream them, and so agreed to allow them to move here.

Abgrabah

Agrabah is a far-off land far south of Central Auradon, under the rule of Sultana Jasmine and her husband Aladdin, who, with the help of the Genie, protect the land and its riches from those who wish to exploit it. They govern the city of Agrabah and defend the Cave of Wonders, a far-away, magical cave that hoards and protects the most powerful of treasures. While they are not close neighbours with the states of Auradon, they are close allies.

Deeper south of Agrabah, there is the Pridelands, a vast and powerful savannah where the lions roam and rule, all under the command of King Simba. In the far west lies the jungle home of legendary Tarzan, who protects the jungle and his family group of gorillas. He lives with Jane in his treehouse, and not too far from there is his father-in-law’s Field Lab.

A land with its own unique wonders, whether it’s in the streets of Agrabah, in the Pridelands or in the Jungles of Africa, the land is filled with adventure and hope for a bright future.

The Imperial Kingdoms

A far away in the far East, the Imperial Kingdoms rest. The Emperor earned his voice in the council for distributing weapons and other military means of defence during the War for the After. – The Emperor’s Palace (Home of the Emperor/Capital); Fa Mulan’s Village (Fa Mulan and Li Shang’s Home); Mulan’s Martial Arts and Fencing Academy (Fighting Camp);

The Emperor earned their voice in the council for distributing weapons and other military means of defence, such as swords, bows and arrows and cannons, so long as Mulan serves as his faithful ambassador to the kingdom, as a reward for her service in the war.

The Jungle Rhythm Islands

The Jungle Rhythm Islands is a far-off island situated in the North-West of Auradon, living under the command of the village chief, Mowgli, who protects both the village and the jungle from those who would harm them, be it poachers or animals who break jungle law. Counselled by Bagheera and Baloo, Mowgli acts fast with the pack of wolves to protect them all.

Mowgli frequents the Wolf Den and visits Baloo many times in the Ancient Ruins, which have since been remade into a fun getaway for the animals. He also opened his jungle home to the elephant mother-and-son duo, Jumbo and Dumbo, after they were released into the wild when their circus act was retired. Dumbo quickly assumed control of the herd, due to his miraculous flying abilities.

So, there are my new Origins for Auradon and the structure of the kingdoms. Hope you like it!

Next, I'm gonna pop up my version of the fourth and maybe fifth movie, which will include a little backstory on certain characters.

Stay friendly, people!

[thetombedspirit]

Descendants: Rise of Red - The Do's, Don'ts and WTFs

Now, let's get one thing clear: I love the Descendants franchise! It gives me Ever After High vibes, I love the characters and the story behind it.

That being said, while I liked 'Rise of Red', I didn't love the direction it went with its storytelling.

But in order to talk about why I didn't like it, I need to go over the plot, and as I do, I'll go over bits I liked, bits I didn't like, and then maybe post a rewrite version of what I would have liked to happen, because that's how I show my love.

So, Spoilers ahead and let's get into it.

The story opens up a little while after Ben and Mal's wedding, and Uma is now the principal of Auradon Prep (Which is a choice, having a teenager be in charge of other teenagers, but okay), and she proposes to Fairy Godmother to invite Princess Red, daughter of the Queen of Hearts, ruler of Wonderland.

Already, off the bat, I have something I love: worldbuilding. Fun fact: when the first James Cameron movie came out, I liked it but wasn't as enraptured with it as I was then; but then Avatar 2 came out, and introduced a new custom of the Na'vi culture, with more worldbuilding and characters, and now Avatar is top 10 in favourite franchises.

So, to hear that Wonderland is finally getting included in the Descendants universe was a big boost (even if no screen time was initially given to Wonderland itself in the movie).

Anyway, that's when we're introduced to our new protagonists: we have, of course, Red, the rebellious daughter of the Queen of Hearts, and Chloe, the by-the-book daughter of Cinderella.

2. Now, for one, I love that other villains are being given a spotlight, whether it's via a villain kid or having a role in the movie itself. And while I initially had my reservations about Cinderella having another kid and letting them be a protagonist, in a roundabout way, it kinda makes sense. Cinderella has, in my opinion, the best character build-up, because she, again, in my opinion, has the better sequels than most Disney princesses. I know Mulan, Belle, Ariel and Aurora have sequels, but the fact that I only watched Ariel's and Cinderella's speaks volumes, I think. And one of those sequels even features time travel, so points for continuity, I guess.

And I kinda liked how they brought in Brandy Norwood and Paolo Montalban to reprise their roles as Cinderella and Charming, respectively, even if it implies that Chad's adopted, but at the same time, that makes sense 🤣 and I liked that everyone exclusively referred to Cinderella as Ella, since 'Cinderella' is canonically a cruel nickname given to her by her stepfamily. The only thing I don't like is the fact that almost EVERYONE has coloured hair now, when that was exclusively a VK thing, with HKs like Audrey only getting highlights. Like, even the parents were getting coloured hair, and I'm just over here like -

Moving on, we finally get to Auradon, where it's revealed that the Queen of Hearts, or Bridget, was friends with Ella during their time in school, then called Merlin Academy. And that apparently, Bridget used to be nice and kind before a cruel prank on her was pulled and she was never the same.

3. And immediately, we are back into one of the things that made no sense to me.

WHY were the heroes and villains in school together? Like, correct me if I'm wrong, but the first movie seemed to imply that the heroes and their respective villains were off having their own adventures play out as usual, until Beast decided it was a good idea to unite all the kingdoms into one coalition of states, the United States of Auradon, while also simultaniously deciding that it was a good idea to ressurect and relocate some of the most dangerous villains in the land and boot them off to discount Alcatraz.

But now we're being told that the parents all just went to school together. Like Aladdin. The street rat. The guy who had a whole song montage over stealing a loaf of bread. Or Fairy Godmother. Ella's Fairy Godmother. Who's now the same age as her when Red and Chloe go back in time. And Morgana's son, Morgie. For some reason. And not Morgana herself, but whatever.

Not to mention the fact that instead of a ball that Ella's forbidden and sabotaged from going to, it's just a school dance.

Like, it makes no sense to me to retcon the parents' epic adventures and dumb it down to high school drama. That's stupid.

Anyway, back to it. Bridget stages a coup and has Red order Ella's execution. Red, wanting to stop this and prevent her fate from becoming as cruel as her mother's, takes out a time-travel pocket watch that she stole from inventor Maddox Hatter and prepares to travel back in time by a few minutes to steal her mother's magic playing cards. Chloe intervenes, and the two end up all the way back to when Bridget and Ella were in high school (SO STUPID!). Anyway, the girls agree to work together to rewrite history so that Bridget never becomes evil, essentially befriending their mothers.

They meet Bridget, who is indeed as sweet as they come, and help her hand out some cupcakes decorated with Wonderland Flamingo feathers, which turns things pink when eaten. And around now is where we are introduced to the villains of the movie. We got teenage Captain Hook, teenage Hades and Maleficent, we got the son of Morganna, Morgie Le Fay and... Uliana. Ursula's baby sister.

4. Here's another thing that's bugged me. Really the only one that doesn't bother me here is Captain Hook, as every pirate's gotta start somewhere before he's the captain of his own ship. But why the fuck is there a VK here amongst these OG villains? And while a part of me is glad that Morgana finally got some credit in a movie she should have been a part of from the start, The Sword in the Stone, I also feel a little bumped that Madem Mim never got any love here.

That woman was an icon who had a song about how she could have made herself more beautiful and appealing but proudly struts her stuff as a self-proclaimed 'ugly old creep'! Pop off, queen!

Either way, I actually liked Morgie and thought he was a fun addition. Everything else about this OG Villain group can kick rocks. Cause, someone PLEASE explain to me why Hades, the literal GOD of the UNDERWORLD and Maleficent, the woman Beast himself said was the worst villain in the land when his own son suggested inviting her daughter to Auradon; yeah, those two. WHY are they lackies to Ursula's baby sister?!

Uliana is what ticks me off the most, because, if you wanted Ursula to be part of the story, why not just have it be Ursula!? And also, Ursula already has a baby sister: Morgana.

I probably understand why they couldn't use her, cause it was already confusing enough to have the son of Morgana Le Fay, we didn't need to drag in TLM!Morgana in to confuse any further, but that still brings up the point as to why not just have it be Ursula! And more so, why is SHE the one in charge of the villain clique and not Maleficent?

It's even more bonkers when you take into account that in some vein or another, Uliana is Hades' great-niece. Hades is Poseidon's brother, whose father is King Triton, who is occasionally recorded as Ursula's brother, making Hades Uliana's great-uncle! And yet, she's the one calling the shots?

Moving on, Uliana hassles Bridget and steals the Flamingo Feathers off her cupcakes cuz they apparently taste delicious. However, Bridget warned Red beforehand that eating too many would be problematic. And, sure enough, Uliana starts mutating, turning into a flamingo-human hybrid. One thing leads to another, and Uliana is officially humiliated in front of the entire student body. This causes Red and Chloe to realise that Uliana's the one that pulls the prank and decides to keep an eye on her.

On top of that, at some point, they go to Ella's house and accidentally break a vase, causing Ella to take the blame from Tremaine and that'll mean that she'll miss the dance - which I guess means that she'll get to have her 'escape to the ball' moment later, even though that doesn't get touched on at all. I'm just pointing it out to say that it happened.

Later on, Red and Chloe follow Uliana and her crew to their hideout to find them brainstorming ways to get back at Bridget. Finally, they decide to steal Merlin's magic cookbook to give her a treat and turn her into a monster in front of the school. Now, Red and Chloe have differing opinions on how they should handle the problem. Red, of course, wants to just steal the book first so that Uliana can't use it, meanwhile Chloe wants to tattle to Merlin, which would reveal their time travel situation. They go their seperate ways for a bit, with Chloe going to hang out with her teen mom (not like that) and Ella teaches Chloe that things are not always black and white and that the ends justify the means, such as, stealing a magic cook book so that a girl won't become evil and execute you in the future. Chloe then decides to help Red steal the book.

The girls have a bit of trouble with a magical security system, before the villains seemingly win and get the book, only for one last security messure to activate, petrifying Uliana, Hook, Maleficent and Hades (Morgie was outside as the lookout) as the book freezes anyone wicked. We get a swet moment where Red opens the book, revealing that deep down, she's truly good and the girls consider the whole thing mission accomplished.

5. Awesome.

SO WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THIS WHOLE MOVIE!?

If the book could freeze anyone with wicked intent this whole time, then what was the point of worrying about this prank?

Not to mention that this apparently means that the OGVKs are frozen for years, so I guess Mal and Harry Hook don't exsist anymore, since, you know, their parents are frozen.

No joke, I was expecting the girls to attend the dance and chill for a bit, only to realise that since the book would have frozen Uliana regardless, then that means that she wasn't the cause of the prank, and the girls would scramble before seeing Morgie about to pull some Carrie-esqe prank on Bridget and then Red would just shove Bridget out of the way and take the hit, saving Bridget and really affirming that Red was good, willing to suffer humiliation if it meant preventing her mother from becoming evil.

Like, COME ON! That would have been much better than what we got. Not only does it actually utilise Morgie as more than a filler character, but it would have been such a cool twist for the girls to realise that they hadn't changed history just yet.

But instead, we got the lamest of loopholes for the stupidest of reasons.

But yeah, the girls call it a job well done, go back home, and instead of a coup, Bridget throws a party to celebrate her daughter's attendance at Auradon Prep, and the movie ends with a reminder that meddling with time has consequences.

Cool. Like I said, this movie was alright, with an interesting premise and good characters, but the execution fell flat, thanks in large part to continutiy errors and plotholes.

Kinda like Miraculous all over again, it started strong with an interesting premise, but then fumbled the ball as the series progressed.

I might do a rewrite version of the Descendants universe later, but for now, I just wanted to get my opinions out there.

Have a good one, peoples!

[thetombedspirit]

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

This may be a very random, out of pocket thing to say, but I thought it, so I can't stop thinking about it.

So... I think it would have been better if the movie just killed off Evelyn then recast her.

Now, before anyone calls me a hater, I have nothing against Maria Bello, I thought her portrayal of Evie was okay, but I loved Rachel Weisz's portrayal of the character even more and was bumped when she wasn't in the picture.

And then I briefly remembered The Meg 2 and how they killed off Suyin and then the gears started ticking.

If Evelyn were to pass away, natural causes or otherwise, that would have been a much more intriguing and deep reason for the rift between Rick and Alex, who are now the only family the two have (besides Jonathan, of course). I just thought it'd be a unique twist.

[thetombedspirit]

Velma Redo

It was bound to happen. It was bad enough that they came after my preteens with Dragons: The Nine Realms, now they have the audacity to brutalise my childhood? They basically snatched up my childhood, eviscerated and pulled out it’s entrails, framed them and called it art. Granted, I only saw the first episode, but trust me, once was enough and I’ve heard enough from other reviewers.

So, like Nine Realms before, I decided to try my own hand at redoing this abysmal show because redoing bad shows is both fun and stress relieving.

Now, starting off with Velma Dinkley of course (I will be using Picrew for this: https://picrew.me/secret_image_maker/GWQo0ayzr7bd5eKF )

Alias(es): V, Velm, Dinkley, Dinkle-Toes, Von Dinkenstein

Occupation: Amateur Detective-for-Hire, Research Assistant, Volunteer Liberian, Aspiring Book Writer.

Species: Human

Age: 15

Relative(s): Detective Dave Dinkley (Uncle), Angie Dinkley (Mother), Dale Dinkley (Father)

Ethnicity: Indian-American

Gender: Cisgender Female

Sexuality: Asexual Lesbian

Hair: Brown Bob cut

Skin: Almond Brown with freckles

Eyes: Amber

Attire: Orange sweater, maroon jogger pants, red slip-on shoes, a black hoodie, a maroon beanie, square glasses, red headphones, twin ear studs in each ear.

Friends/Allies: Daphne Blake (friend-enemy-friend) Norville “Shaggy” Rogers (ex-boyfriend-best friend) Fred Jones (former crush-friend)

Hobbies: Mystery Solving, Writing Stories

Likes: Mystery novels, crime shows, crime movies, true crime documentaries, being smart, facts and science

Dislikes: Competing intellectuals, being proven wrong, things not making sense, being alone, her body image, being abandoned

Velma was once a sweet and awkward girl that was obsessed with ghosts and monsters, her absolute favourite always being Frankenstein. She would go out everyday with her best friend Daphne and pretend to look for monsters and protect the town. Her parents were private investigators and loved her very much. Life was good. 

Until one dark and stormy night, she saw a ‘strange monster’ take her parents away. She tries to tell the police about what she saw, but they just think she made it up and eventually concluded that her parents left and abandoned her. Shortly after, Daphne tells her that they can’t be friends anymore and abandons her. Upset that she lost her best friend and she couldn’t remember her parents’ kidnapper, she began to hate anything related to the supernatural and instead turned to logic and facts.

In her teens, she become an A++ student, but is alone, cynical and cold at the world, her only friend being her ex-boyfriend, Norville “Shaggy” Rogers. One day after school, she and her detective uncle, Dave, end up in a car accident, which leads Velma to find a strange tree stump, from which she starts experiences hallucinations of a woman being tried for witchcraft and being burned alive. Scared she’s loosing her mind, she goes to find reason and logic. But there was no time to as the next day, a student was murdered out in the woods, right on the tree stump that Velma found.

Daphne Blake

Alias(es): Daph; Danger-prone Daphne; Miss Blake, Crush (Band Name)

Occupation: Amateur Detective-for-Hire, Secret Hex Girls Band Member, Heiress of Bubbly Blake Products, High School Reporter for Crystal Clear Facts

Species: Human, Wiccan-In-Training

Age: 16

Relative(s): Nedley Blake (Father), Elizabeth Blake (Mother) Helen Black (Grandmother)

Ethnicity: Asian-American

Gender: Cisgender Female

Sexuality: Bisexual

Hair: Long straight red hair – As Crush – Red hair tied into a high ponytail, curls and a black streak on her fringe.

Skin: Pale Ivory (beauty mark under left eye)

Eyes: Emerald Green

Attire: Green sleeveless high-neck, purple jacket, pink leggings with purple skirt, purple heels, pink heart necklace, heart hoop earrings, purple headband – As Crush – Red tube top, black studded jacket, black ripped jeans, red knee-high boots, gold pentagon star necklace, gold crescent moon earring, red devil-horn headband, black lipstick.

Pet(s): Precious (fluffy white cat)

Friends/Allies: Velma Dinkley (friend-enemy-friend) Fred Jones (crush/on-and-off lover/friend) Norville “Shaggy” Rogers (friend)

Hobbies: Acting, Writing Music, Reporting

Likes: Solving Mysteries, Writing songs and playing music with The Hex Girls, Reporting genuine stories, proving that she’s capable, acting

Dislikes: Her parents treating her like glass, being forced to hold up the façade, fake news and hearsay, being forced to break ties with Velma, her friends being hurt

Daphne and Velma were once best friends and stuck together like glue. But Daphne was quite clumsy and had the habit of getting in all sorts of trouble, earning her the nickname “Danger-Prone Daphne”. Her parents blamed Velma for their ‘precious flower’ always getting hurt and forced Daphne to cut ties with her or they could make life very difficult. The next day, Velma’s parents disappeared and Daphne genuinely thought that her parents hired someone to hurt them. So she cut ties with Velma, leaving the girl to go through her troubles alone.

Years later, Daphne appears to be the perfect daughter; Heir to the Blake fortune, President of the Drama Club and Head Reporter for Crystal Cove High’s newspaper, Crystal Clear Facts. She hangs out with the popular girls, whose idea of roughing it was a mall without high-speed Wi-Fi. But every fortnight, she joins the Hex Girl’s at Ma and Pa Skillett’s Diner as her Hex Girl persona, Crush, and sings her songs with the band.

She was on her way home through the woods when she suddenly hears commotion: something crashing in the distance, vicious howls and roars and screams of a man in pain. Daphne hides away in terror until the noise stops. As she carefully makes her way home, she sees something. The Hex Girls gathering around a tree stump that was covered in someone’s blood. She watches as Thorn collects the blood in a small vial and talks about how ‘she is coming. Coming to bring suffering to Crystal Cove. We have to get ready’. Thorn then performs a spell, disappearing in a veil of smoke with the others. Daphne is stunned and scared and rushes back home. She is so stunned by what happened, she says nothing all day until assembly; where the principal reveals that a student was found murdered on a tree stump out in the woods. Daphne immediately suspects the Hex Girls were the culprits and begins her own investigation to solve the murder.

Fred Jones

Alias(es): Frederick Herman Jones (Full Name) Freddy, King of Crystal Cove High

Occupation: Amateur Detective-for-Hire, Amateur trap-maker, Baseball Player for the Crystal Cove Freaks, Assistant Mechanic at Mean Machine Mechanics

Species: Human

Age: 17

Relative(s): Skip Jones (Father) Peggy Jones (Mother) Eddie Jones (Uncle)

Ethnicity: African-American

Gender: Cisgender Male

Sexuality: Pansexual

Hair: Black curly hair in a fade style

Skin: Chocolate brown, seems to always be wearing a band-aid somewhere

Eyes: Dark brown

Attire: White T-shirt bearing the face of the Crystal Cove Freak, the mascot of Crystal Cove High, a blue Letterman jack with the first letter of his name printed on the breast, blue jeans, white sneakers, black ear studs in each ear. He carries an orange neckerchief in his jean pocket.

Friends/Allies: Velma Dinkley (friend), Daphne Blake (crush/on-and-off lover), Norville “Shaggy” Rogers (drug dealer-bully victim-friend)

Hobbies: Reading true crime books, playing baseball, working with cars

Likes: Daphne, Daphne being herself, Working on cars, inventing his own traps, being the star athlete, keeping fit, staying ahead of class, having real friends, protecting his friends

Dislikes: Eddie encouraging him to cheat, People finding out that he used steroids in a game, bullying Shaggy, his inventions not working, his friends in danger, Daphne putting on a façade for her parents.

Fred Jones was always a hyper and inquisitive child. But if there was anything he liked to do, it was make things, anything really, but specifically traps. His parents had a severe rat problem, so he laid a series of ingenious, humane traps to catch all the rats and release them far from their home. Their parents were proud of his ingenious way of thinking, though his uncle Eddie, a professional wrestler, felt it was a waste for a ‘strapping young man’ to not bulk up and be one. “What if a man breaks into the house and robs ya? You not gonna scare him away with a mousetrap”. This would give Fred certain anxieties about not being strong enough to protect his family and put aside his inventions.

In his teens, Fred is having a hard time. Before his first baseball game, Eddie pressured Fred to ‘get a little boost’ to win. Fred initially refused, wanting to win by his own strengths, but Eddie insisted. So Fred went to the best known drug dealer in the school: Norville Rogers a.k.a Shaggy. Shaggy gave him the ‘boost’ as requested and Fred was able to win the game. Guilt ridden for cheating, his anxieties bubbled into misplaced anger, often taking it out on Shaggy via threatening him to never say anything. He and Daphne often hook up during this period, with Daphne feeling like he’s holding something back.

One day, Fred and Eddie are called into the principal’s office, with evidence that Fred was taking boosters during the game and is thus suspended from the next game. Fred immediately assumes Shaggy ratted him out and goes to confront him. He follows Shaggy into the woods and is about to confront him when a strange animal suddenly attacks Shaggy. Fred is in shock before a Great Dane appears and lures the animal away, leaving the wounded boy on the forest floor, bleeding out. Fred steps up and takes Shaggy out of the woods and too the hospital. Fred is quiet the next day. His teammates aren’t talking to him and he’s not sure to describe what he saw last night. Then he hears about the murdered student at assembly and couldn’t help but wonder: was the thing that attacked Shaggy the killer? And was Shaggy its’ intended victim?

Norville “Shaggy” Rogers

Alias(es): Norville (Real Name), Shaggy, Shag, the Invincible Shaginator

Occupation: Amateur Detective-for-Hire, Small-time drug dealer, Dog walker

Species: Human (formerly) Werewolf

Age: 17

Relative(s): Sheriff Colton Rogers (Father), Paula Rogers (Mother), Margaret Rogers (Little Sister)

Ethnicity: Canadian-American

Gender: Cisgender Male

Sexuality: Straight

Hair: Dusty blonde in a really unruly style, shadow beard

Skin: Ivory

Eyes: Light Brown

Attire: A lime green t-shirt and hoodie with baggy brown pants, black Velcro shoes, a red beanie over his head, three black ear studs in each ear, a pair of red headphones

Pet(s): Scooby-Doo (Great Dane)

Friends/Allies: Velma Dinkley (ex-girlfriend-best friend) Fred Jones (client-bully-friend) Daphne Blake (client-friend)

Hobbies: Eating, sleeping, Dog Walking, watching scary movies, listening to music

Likes: Anything to do with Scooby-Doo, Fake monster effects, Halloween, Dog walking, eating, sleeping, KISS band, Wülfsmöøn band, Hex Girls band, having actual friends, the pros of being a werewolf (I.E super strength, super speed, super senses)

Dislikes: Real monsters and ghouls, Scooby-Doo in danger, being alone, his friends in danger, the cons of being a werewolf (I.E the extra appetite, the bloodlust, the full moon illness) being used as bait, dealing drugs.

Shaggy was always a quiet child, a loner. Never really interacting with others. He got alone better with the dogs from his father’s K9 unit then he did with kids his own age. This isolation only grew with the disappearance of the Dinkley couple, though he did reach out to Velma in her time of need, earning her friendship and ending his loneliness. All he ever wanted was a dog of his own, but his parents always refused.

In his teen years, he has gotten himself into a bind. He has gotten to using creative substances, mostly weed, behind his father’s back as a method of decompressing from anxiety attacks. But he soon fell in deep and suddenly became the biggest name in the school for drug dealing. He hates that it got this far, but he knows that he can’t pull out or tell his dad, as word would get out and ruin his father’s career. One such deal was giving Fred a booster for his baseball game, which lead to Fred constantly threatening him to keep it secret or he’ll tell his father. So Shaggy was officially stuck. Aside from that, his life was… fine. He and Velma dated for a while before deciding it was better to remain friends and they stuck together through thick and thin.

He ends the day with decided to head to his secret cabin in the woods, not wanting to deal with his dad at the moment (unaware that a disillusioned Fred was following close behind) when something big suddenly tackled him to the ground, biting into his shoulder. Shaggy screams in agony, but vaguely makes out a dog, a Great Dane to be exact, lead the animal away as Fred picks him up and takes him to the hospital. Despite the viciousness of the attack, Shaggy comes out of it alright, though he is very dizzy and tired. All he knew was that he was feeling… hungry. Like, hungrier then usual. And his senses appear to be in overdrive, able to hear and smell things he wouldn’t usually hear or smell. And on top of it all, that Great Dane seemed to be following him around everywhere. 

When the principal announced the murder of a fellow student, Shaggy wondered if the thing that attacked him killed the girl. He tries to forget the whole ordeal, but stumbles upon the Great Dane again, who upon further inspection, is heavily malnourished and scared. Shaggy brings the dog home and gives him a bath and a nutritious meal; during the bath, he discovers that the dog had a collar with a name: Champion. Shaggy speaks honestly and tells him that he doesn’t look like a Champion and thinks of something else. Spying the box of dog food labelled Scooby Snacks, he asks: “What do you think of Scoobert, or Scooby for short?” Scooby barks, seemingly in agreement. And so Shaggy finally found his own Man’s Best Friend.

Scooby-Doo (this art was made by u/ArtMakerProductions)

Alias(es): Champion (former name) Scoobert-Doo, Scooby-Doo

Occupation: Guard Dog (Formerly) Rogers family pet, Amateur detective dog, Therapy dog

Species: Dog (Great Dane)

Age: 7 years

Relative(s): *** *********** (Former owner) Shaggy Rogers (Owner) Colton Rogers (Family) Paula Rogers (Family) Margaret “Maggie” Rogers (Family)

Gender: Male

Fur: Brown with black spots on his shoulders and back

Eyes: Brown

Attire: Leather red collar with spiked studs and the name “Champion” engraved (formerly) A felt blue collar with a Scooby-Doo themed name tag, with his name and Shaggy’s phone number on the back.

Friends/Allies: Norville “Shaggy” Rogers (Owner/Best Friend), Velma Dinkley (Friend) Fred Jones (Friend) Daphne Blake (Friend)

Likes: Shaggy, His friends, Scooby Snacks, Being petted, his Scooby-Doo collar, Trying to make everyone happy, keeping everyone safe

Dislikes: His friends being hurt/in danger, Doing something immoral, Scary monsters

Scooby-Doo didn’t have a good rearing as a pup. A nameless pup, he was sold from owner to owner and given many names, but none would ever stick. Eventually he came into the care of a certain character that was in need of a guard dog, and was given the name “Champion”. The man hoped for Champion to be a guard dog to help hide his more illicit secrets. It would be witnessing this secret that causes Champion to run in terror. Angered, the man sends ‘a friend’ to ‘take care of the worthless mutt’. This friend would chase Champion all through the woods, causing a car to crash and an innocent young man getting caught in his chaser’s jaws. Champion couldn’t let the boy die and attacked the monster, bringing his attention back to him and fleeing once more. It was only with the break of dawn did Champion truly escape.

The next morning, Champion crossed paths with the young man the monster attacked, who saw the Great Dane’s abused state and brought him home for some well deserved rest, cleaning and nourishment. Upon finding the red collar and reading the name “Champion” the dog whined and scuttled away, prompting Shaggy to get rid of the collar. Figuring the poor animal needed a new name, his eyes fell on the television, where the commercial for the pet food brand “Scooby Snacks! A treat so good, your furry friend will sing the words: Scooby Dooby Doo!” and so, Scooby was given his brand new name, a name that he was sure would stick this time.

While the most cowardly dog ever met, Scooby’s more then makes up for it with his undying loyalty to Mystery Inc. always pulling through for them no matter how scared. He comforts them in their darkest hours, protects them in their moment of need and is always there to put a smile on their faces with his goofy antics.

[thetombedspirit]

SCOOBY-DOO ORIGINS IS COMING!

I have never been more excited for anything in my life, especially when the kickstarter Scooby-Doo got cancelled, so fingers crossed that this goes well (and doesn't get cancelled because of the naysayers that have nothing in their lives to do but bitch and whine)

So, to semi-celebrate, I'mma list a couple of things that I'm excited for, things that I hope to see, and things that I hope not to see.

Thing I'm Excited For

#1 Shaggy and Daphne being old friends

I like this addition to this reimagining, as I personally feel that it's a call back to their stand-alone series, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, where Shaggy, Daphne and Scooby, alongside Scrappy and Flim Flam, had an entire show to themselves with no Fred and Velma present. Ever since the Kickstarter pilot, I have said that if anyone was going to start Mystery Inc. it was either gonna be Fred and Velma working together, or Daphne and Shaggy being thrown together. It also kinda makes sense as technically, both Daphne and Shaggy are rich kids that come from old money (if you follow the OG Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? series)

#2 Scooby Doo

Personally, I do not mind that Scooby cannot talk in this iteration. There are some things that need to be sacrificed if we're going for a more realistic, mature rendition of the show, and to have that, we cannot have a talking puppy, especially as that puppy is apparently a witness to a supernatural murder. It kinda ruins the mystery if the dog can just tell you what he saw.

And even still, if supernatural elements are gonna be abound, then what's to say that Scooby won't eventually talk via some magical means, either way.

At least we actually have Scooby in the actual show (Velma 2019🤬)

And I mean, just LOOK AT HIM!!!

Tell me, after looking into those soulful eyes and tell me you won't just walk into the ocean for him? I would burn down all of society for this puppy, and if those smarmy-ass naysayers that have clearly never seen a real Great Dane puppy before bully and complain, I will track their address and burn their houses down, all in the name of this sweet, innocent bean!!

#3 The Cast

I'm quite happy with the selection of casts and how they're described in the summary.

I know my friends had doubts about whether they could make them work, but I just said, if they could make the punk chick from Lemonade Mouth look nerdy enough to be Velma, then they could do it again with Abby Ryder Fortson XD. McKenna Grace was surprised, but I love her in everything else she's worked on, and I can't wait to see how she portrays Daphne. And looking forward to seeing how Tanner Hagen and Maxel Jenskins bring Shaggy and Fred to life.

Things I Hope They Do

#1 Set in 1960/1970

This is a small thing, so I won't be too bummed if they don't do it, but I just think it'd be a cool shout-out if the show takes place during the 1960s, specifically 1969, the year that Scooby-Doo first aired. Not to mention it would add to the spookiness if the gang were relegated to using technology from that era, walkie-talkies, cellphones, and so on (I'm no expert here, but you feel me, right?)

#2 Danger-Prone Daphne + Resourceful Daphne

I want Daphne to fall into all sorts of trouble, but at the same time, I want her to be resourceful enough to get herself out of trouble if necessary, kinda like how she is throughout What's New, Scooby-Doo! where she pulls something out of her purse and fashions a car battery out of random items. Nothing that crazy, obviously, this is a realistic, mature rendition, after all, but even something as simple as using make-up to disguise herself or using tweezers and a nail file as a lockpick in order to get into places she definitely shouldn't.

#3 Himbo Trap Nerd Freddy

He needs to be a trap nerd, guys! PLEASE! He can be a buff himbo and a trap nerd! Even a closet trap nerd is enough!

#4 Scooby's Moments of Courage

Scooby has had moments where he swallows his fear and chases the monster away, especially when his friends are in danger. So, even as a puppy, I want him to stand between Shaggy and the monster and just bark his little heart out.

Things I hope they don't do

#1 If Scrappy is added...

Do NOT make him a literal demon spawn, I swear to GOD. I doubt they will add Scrappy in, with Scooby himself being a puppy, but seriously.

The poor pup has had enough villainization and deserves the credit he got for preventing the show from getting cancelled.

The villainization of a literal child who just wants to hang out with his uncle and make him proud needs to stop.

#2 No animal abuse

If these naysayers keep complaining about the puppy not looking like Scooby-Doo enough to have them even CONSIDER cropping the poor pup's ears, I WILL BURN NETFLIX TO THE FUCKING FLOOR AND DANCE IN ITS ASHES.

[thetombedspirit]

Gamers have become brain-rotted morons

We have so many cool games that come out, and almost as soon as they're announced, we get people that probably never even seen a joystick in real life complaining about its potential shit.

Let's go down a list of notable games that have been released and what their controversy was, to the games that are being released now.

#1 Ghost of Yotei

Never personally played this, but I want to. Features wandering mercenary Atsu on a quest for revenge, and off the bat, people complained that the story was "woke" and "agenda-driven", even though woman samurai were indeed a thing, referred to as Onna-musha, but I digress, and I'm in no way an expert.

And then there were the incels that felt that every game featuring a warrior woman needs to have large exposed breasts and bikini armour likes its an old anime show.

#2 Silent Hill F

Basically the same as GOY, even though this game does nothing to hide its themes of feminism and the rough traditions women in Japan had to endure in the era this game was set in. Never mind the cool-as-hell monster designs, the themes the story is trying to convey through its variety of characters and its multitude of endings, or the gameplay itself.

Not to mention the number of people who complained about not being able to get a peek under Hinako's skirt as she vaults over objects. 😑

#3 South of Midnight

I actually played this game recently and I loved every minute of it! The lore, mythos and over-arching story, the characters and creatures and the overall design of the setting, outfits and especially the creatures!

So why was this getting backlash - simple. The main protagonist is a young black woman, Hazel, on a self-imposed quest to rescue her mother after a hurricane sweeps their house farther into the creature-infested regions.

This game features diversity, the status quo between rich elites and downtrodden workers, $l@very, and so many more that hit right in the feels.

This game had so many beautiful and in-depth themes, and it was getting flagged all because of the skin colour of their protagonist.

#4 Pragmata

The Pragmata controversy centres completely on the online sexualization of a literal child. An android child, but it's still disgusting and problematic. There was even issues surrounding the fact that your a grown man having a father-daughter relationship with their young, plucky sidekick, as if games like Last of Us and The Walking Dead didn't thrive on this theme.

#5 God of War: Laufey

Let me tell you, when the announcement for this teaser came out, I literally dropped whatever I was doing to throw it on, and I loved it! Finally getting an in-depth depiction of Laufey, getting to see other Gods from other Pantheons like Sekhmet, the Egyptian Goddess of War, Begtse, the Tibetan/Mongolian God of War. Not to mention the fighting style we get to see, which is the embodiment of grace and elegance, getting to see the Afterlife of the Gods that Odin kept crowing about (hehe, crowing, cus of the ravens...) and possibly see Gods from Kratos' past like Ares, Zeus or even Thor.

But no. People are bitching that they're not gonna be playing as Kratos in this game (even though he's a Hope God now, post Valhalla). Never mind that Feye bascially kickstarted the beginnings of God of War 2018, which in turn led to Ragnarok, never mind that Feye is an established, unique and clearly important character. People are crapping on this game because they're gonna have to play as a middle-aged woman (who is literally a Frost Giant, but whatever, I guess).

#6 Until Dawn

I shit you not, the graphics and the game look stunning, and I cannot wait to see what supernatural element these characters will be up against (if there is a supernatural element, 🤞).

But the comments I see on TikTok (of course, the gathering circle of sound-minded individuals) and the first complaints I hear about this game are -

"Where is the old cast?" "Why is it called Until Dawn 2 if it's taking place during the day?" "It's not the same game!"

First off, how on earth do you expect the entire cast to be thrown into another situation where they could die until dawn? And that's not even mentioning the fact that those characters could have died in the last game. And even if they did all survive, did you honestly think that after the last time they were cramped together in a place with no way out, they would want to go again? Jess would be traumatised and likely not want to leave her house ever again if she survived, Mike could be disabled after having cut off his fingers, and Josh would be a freaking Wendigo at this point. Never mind the remake that features him alive and Sam having that epilogue scene.

I can guarantee you that if it were me who survived all that BS on Washington Mountain, just for the gang to say "Hey, want to spend the night at this potentially haunted tropical island that could have all sorts of NEW things that could potentially kill us, like snakes, spiders, deadly predators and a possible maniac with a machete?!!" I would block their numbers and find new friends.

Second off, it's called Until Dawn 2 because it's a stand-alone sequel. Take the Life is Strange trilogy. Each game featured different characters, but they all had one thing in common: someone with supernatural abilities. Max can time-travel, Daniel has telekinesis, and Alex is an empath. You can have an enjoyable experience with a game franchise with new characters; you don't need old characters to hold your hand.

But honestly, it's concerning that people watched this teaser, which clearly depicted moments during the night, and then cried out "BuT iT's TaKiNg PlAcE dUrInG tHe DaY😭" as though day doesn't eventually fall into night and then dawn like it does every single goddamn day.

The point I'm trying to make here is that it is getting ridiculous the amount of shit people are willing to pull out of their ass to try and dog on a game and boycott it before it even has a chance to be playable. Like, would you rather people just stop making games solely for your taste and comfort? How is that fair to the developers and creators of these games that put actual time, work, effort and money into them, unlike the degenerates that promote their games with AI slop and piss-poor acting?

At least these people are willing to put in the backbone to make their games with their own two hands.

I garuantee you that if franchises like Hunger Games or Divergence were released this year, incels and "anti-woke" would have had a fucking aneurism over these badass women wanting to overthrow their corrupt governments.

[thetombedspirit]

Rewatching Phineas and Ferb, specifically the caveman episode and you know what would have been niche?

During the caveman version of "Gitchee Gitchee Goo", instead of caveman gibberish, the chorus lyrics should have been "'I love you' means 'Gitchee Gitchee Goo'.

It's small and unimportant, but I just think it be funny if the whole time, the gibberish lyrics they used in the song was really caveman talk this whole time 🤣

[thetombedspirit]

A Dragon Could Exist

A dragon COULD feasibly exist; you just need to apply real-world science to make it happen.

For example, the average cow produce greenhouse gasses through belches and farts (deadass I'm serious), due to one of their four-chambered stomachs breaking down their food, resulting in cows literally belching and farting methane, which is highly flammable and easily ignitable. According to papers, this is entirely based on the cow's diet, usually high-fibre foods like grass and hay. It's also highly buoyant, meaning said hypothetical dragon could realistically need to refuel on these gasses for both means of defence and flight requirements.

And by means of igniting, apply the biology of the Bombardier beetle; inside their bodies, they store two separate chemicals, called hydroquinone and hydrogen peroxide. When in trouble, they internally mix the two chemicals in a separate storage room inside its body. This chamber contains water and enzymes. As soon as the chemicals mix, they react violently and become as hot as boiling water. The beetle will then shoot out the boiling hot, poisonous spray at whatever is bothering it.

You could also apply spitting cobras to this, obviously referring to the fact that they can projectile spit their venom at anyone who could bother them.

And finally, its power of flight can be attributed towards Quetzalcoatlus, the largest known flying animal with a wingspan of 10-11 metres and a height comparable to a giraffe. So realistically, you could ride one if you wanted to.

So, theoretically, a dragon could exist. You just need to apply four stomachs, at least three different types of gases and chemicals in that stomach, venom glands within the mouth and the flight mechanics of one of the largest pterosaurs in the world.

Theoretically. Feel free to debunk me

[hyperfixatedfandomer]

Watching the Mageseeker game made me kinda dislike Luxanna damn—

She’s so…insufferably ignorant and hypocritical, which is obviously explained by her privilege and status at first, but the fact that she retains all that ignorance and entitlement months later? Insane.

Her brother’s friend greenlit the massacre of millions of people and her brother participated in it. A massacre of HER KIND, yet she doesn’t care and forgives both of them with ease, which brings up a number of disgusting implications. Implications like Luxanna being performative in her activism, Luxanna not actually caring for the lives of mages, and Luxanna still being an avid supporter of the upper-class people before the oppressed minority she is part of.

She came at Sylas with incredible vigor for "betraying her", but the betrayal in question was Sylas saving himself from death at the last second by using her magic. Her lack of detailing of what part, exactly, she is angry about, directly implies that she is angry at him for not quietly dying.

Is that what she wanted Sylas to do? Die? In what universe is that a sane expectation to have?

I might get the whole "outing my secret" thing, but with how strongly she holds onto that grudge, months later, it creates an implication that she hates not being seen as Demacia’s sweetheart anymore. That now, when her status as a minority has been revealed, her life will never be as simple and cushy as before.

Is that the kind of person she is? A spoiled brat forced into political activism out of need? She sounds suspiciously venomous about Sylas’s act of self-defence.

And sure, she refused to leave the people she made vulnerable because she though her naive vision of a hidden utopia was going to succeed, but it doesn’t cancel out her other actions, just contradicts them, not to mention that she got state-instituted power from the king himself in the end. A king who changed the law not because committing war crimes against the innocents is bad, but because the woman he was fucking broke up with him, VERBATIM.

What kind of person does that make Lux? What kind of person is she, if she hangs out with rotten people and forgives their crimes, but cannot forgive Sylas’s self-defence and the "audacity" to fight against his oppressors? One of his wards within the rebellion is a child who lost both of his parents, in spite of them being model citizens and hiding their magic. Another of his friends is an ex-Mageseeker who defected because his husband got kidnapped and put into a dungeon, and another is a direct ancestor of Durand, the sculptor of petricide, who was tortured in secret laboratories meant to EXPERIMENT ON MAGES.

Does Lux dislike them too? Does she dislike them for "daring" to be angry after all they suffered?

Implications, Riot. IMPLICATIONS.

[onyxonline]

In the wake of the Harry Potter Series remake trailer being out I need to do some spring cleaning to ensure that my followers aren’t a bunch of Harry Potter/JK Rowling asskissers, dicksuckers, or “but Harry Potter is my childhood” chuds

Ahem

DO NOT FUCKING WATCH THE REMAKE YOU FUCKASSES, SHE IS THE MOST VILEST DOWNRIGHT DISGUSTING TERF ASS B I T C H THAT HAS OPENLY STATED THAT SHE HATES TRANS AND HAS USED THE MONEY SHE GETS FROM CONSUMING HARRY POTTER CONTENT TO LITERALLY FUND ANTI-TRANS POLICIES, NONE OF THE OLD HP ACTORS FW HER AND SHE GREENLIGHTED THIS REMAKE BECAUSE SHE’S A PETTY HATEFUL WOMAN I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR “ermmm separated the art from the artist 😜😜😜😜😜😍😍😍😍😍” BECAUSE THAT ONLY APPLIES IF THE ARTIST IS DEAD. SHE IS ALIVE AN ACTIVELY HARMING MINORITIES AND HER BOOKS ARE FUCKING MEAN SPIRITED AND HIGH KEY RACIST

[lolychichi]

"A Cat in the Circus"

A Digital Circus comic 🎪✨

↓ [all parts below] ↓

Act 1: "A New Cage for a New Pet"

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Act 2: "A Dozen Ways to Pet a Cat"

Act 3: "Just a Purr Away"

[thetombedspirit]

Hey you guys know the fact that Varang and the Mangkwan have a bowl made from a skull called Artsut?

And Artsut is the name of Tsu'tey's mother, who poisoned Jake in the comics in an attempt to seize control of the clan, leading to her, her husband and her son to be banished, though Arvok went his separate ways.

So... now all I can imagine is if Tsu'tey lived and continued to act as Olo'eyktan (Jake still Toruk Makto, so he still has his own importance) and the Mangkwan kidnaps him or something and has a demented little tea party "between leaders" where she served him something in his own mother's skull!!!

Like I can imagine the visceral shock and horror Tsu'tey would feel, because despite her crimes, she was still his mother.

...

...

...

My mind can be a very disturbing place to live sometimes.

[thetombedspirit]

MIRACULOUS: What If Akumatized Heroes Couldn't be Controlled

Randomly thinking about Miraculous and all of the possible ways that its writing could have been better, and here's one for you to chew on.

Imagine that while the standard Butterfly Champion is inclined to obey the Butterfly Holder, what if, in the case of other Miraculous Holders, the User absolutely can transform them, the Butterfly Holder has zero control over them, making them even more dangerous because they are a free agent with even more power than they would regularly have.

So imagine that every time Hawkmoth considers Akumatizing a hero, he has to take into account that whoever he's Akumatized is not gonna heed a word he says, and whatever hold he does have is always gonna be shaky, as an Akumatized Miraculous Holder is gonna be extremely volatile and unpredictable.

So, half the time, Hawkmoth ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT AKUMATIZE A HERO, because there are a MILLION WAYS that it could backfire, not just on him, but the entire world.

But... every once in a while when he feels particularly frustrated, he decides "F*ck it! Let's see what happens! And who knows! Maybe it'll all work o-"

AKUMATIZED HERO BLOWS UP THE SUN OR SOMETHING EQUALLY CATASTROPHIC

[jester-nonconforming]

People still tend to lump JK Rowling in with the category of ~problematic artists~ and I need everyone to understand that is not the problem with her. She is not comparable to anyone who wrote a piece of fiction you hate, or someone who made rude comments in 2015 and has since learned better.

She is far more like Elon Musk. She is a radicalized person with an extreme amount of social and financial power, and for YEARS she has been using that power to try to influence her government into hurting vulnerable people, on purpose. And she has succeeded. THAT is the problem with her, and THAT is why spending money on her books is so dangerous, not because her books aged badly.

Critiquing her work is fine, of course (I personally was never a fan so I really don’t care) but you NEED to understand that fiction is not the main issue here. And I truly think acting like she’s the same as the rest of any giant list of ~problematic creators of the week~ waters down how dangerous she is.

[decadent-trans-girl]

[casceth]

i have to reblog this again because i go insane when people act like the problem with her is "its cringe for adults to like kids media" or like "the books sucked anyways" like those are completely irrelevant and try to shift the blame and focus from the active harm. even the fact the books also have bioessentialism and antisemitism is a whole different conversation

[sharkboxes]

[thetombedspirit]

Avatar crack

Seven-year-old Neteyam: hey, Lo'ak! Guess what?

Six-year-old Lo'ak: what?

N: I got a berry stuck up my nose and I can't get it out.

N & L: ...

L: I got a stick!

[thetombedspirit]

Mufasa - Why Taka is Unworthy

The only thing that I enjoyed about the remake of The Lion King was the added details of Scar's Reign and Sarabi and Senzi's characterization. Seeing how Scar ran the Pridelands rather than just seeing and hearing about the end result adds more impact, and Sarabi walked so that Epic! Penelope could run when it came to staying loyal to her husband and kingdom. And Shenzi's characterization was not only cold and badass but accurate to how hyena clans operate and I loved that.

Other than that, I was diving into Live Action Lion King, hoping to witness a more epic retelling of the story. Instead, we basically got a bland rehashing of a story we've already seen before, with nearly expressionless characters, not to mention the most annoying reiteration of my favourite side characters, Timon and Pumbaa. Instead of the sweet gay dads that we could have had from the 1 1/2 movie, I got two annoying dudes that I wish would stop talking.

But Mufasa definitely improved on the formula and laid down a road for any possible sequels, especially with Kiara and her little brother. My money is on him being Kion, as he's the version of Kiara's brother who got screen time. But that's for another post, right now I want to get into why Taka/Scar was never the right option for the King of Milele for all the naysayers that clearly didn't watch the same movie.

Taka's Upbringing - While Mufasa was learning how to hunt with the Lionesses, namely Taka's mother Eshe, Taka spent most of his time with his father, Obasi, whose idea of being king was just lazing about in the shade all day and letting the lionesses do all the work, which in turn ends up being his downfall: the guy couldn't even put in the effort to climb a tree when he thought an elephant stampede was happening, instead opting to duck and cover in the roots. Kiros even sang it in "Bye-Bye", "You say you're the king, but you lie around in the shade, out of shape, unafraid." I found a lot of comments on that scene stating that Obasi could have easily won due to his size compared to Kiros, but I disagree. Cause, like I said, Obasi couldn't even climb a tree, and his pride was severely outnumbered; if I was to take a gander, that "size" they were referring to was most likely fat. Kiros was more fit and agile, and his pride wasn't playing by the rules of lions - they were playing for keeps, and that meant fighting dirty, like, say, ganging up on one lion to take them out before moving on the next one. If this really was a fight by the rules, I'd assume that would mean a fight to the death between Obasi and Kiros, like most real-life fights between male lions over territory, and maybe he would have had a chance. But that clearly wasn't the case here.

Even Taka's desire to hunt with the lionesses holds no sway to Obasi, as he felt that such things were beneath a king's station. Obasi's teachings impact Taka heavily even as a cub when, during the race, Obasi cheats to give Taka a head start, but Eshe abolishes him for it, saying Taka must earn it - which is completely valid. If your son was going to be king, wouldn't you rather he got it on his own without Daddy's interference? And when Obasi finds out that Taka basically left his mother for dead, what does Obasi do? Does he offer advice? Does he punish Taka for his cowardice? No, he instead encourages Taka to lie about his cowardice, stating that deceit is a king's most powerful weapon. The whole time, through their entire upbringing, Obasi kept insisting that one day, Mufasa would betray Taka, essentially planting the seed in his head that Mufasa always intended to stab him in the back.

Obasi's entitlement could also explain Taka's specisim. Which brings up my next point

Lions Over All —If there is one thing that I love about Mufasa, it's how it unintentionally or intentionally explains why the Prideland Lions operate so differently from real-life lions, governing over all animals rather than just themselves.

We see very early on that Taka has a low opinion of other animals that aren't lions through "I Always Wanted a Brother". "When I am king, no other animal will break my stride," "No other animal will break our pride," "Our prey may run away but they can't hide" Taka seems to only see other animals as prey meant to be hunted, which I suppose is valid, it would be weird to have a discussion with a zebra while chowing down on one. But what really emphasises his superiority complex was when he and Mufasa were discussing the birds, and how they watch the world freely. While Mufasa seems to admire their freedom, Taka is dismissive of the entire conversation "When I'm king, they'll (the birds) do as they're told." "No one looks down on me!" "Okay, it's getting old."

And we don't just get examples of this from the song. We see his dissociative ideals about other animals when the brothers meet Sarabi, Zazu and Rafiki. Taka is quick to mock the idea of Sarabi's father hiring a bird to protect her and to tell Rafiki that they are lions when the mandril questions why he would run from them when they were planning to eat him. And I find Taka's use of words ironic when told not to eat Rafiki "Wonderful, another misfit stray we're not supposed to eat." Uh... Are you forgetting that your own brother is a stray? That could have gotten eaten?

But, if there is one thing that I like about this added speciesism, it also explains why Scar is not that pressed about his subjects fleeing the Pridelands, both in the OG and in the Live Action - because he never saw them as his subjects; they were simply his prey. When questioned about his overhunting, he states that he's "perfected the kill", which I never really understood up until now. How is catching one antelope with the help of hyenas perfecting any hunting strategy? (I suppose at least he's more fit than his old man since he actually participates in these 'hunts'). Even exiling Zazu in the Live Action has some weight to it in more ways than one, which I'll explain when we talk about his entitlement to Sarabi. However, one of the main points is that Zazu is a bird, not a lion, and ergo, in Scar's eyes, he has no place in a pride of lions except as a menu option.

Taka and Sarabi do NOT go together as it seems - When Sarabi first comes onto the screen, she quickly shows herself to be a very capable huntress, even able to evade Mufasa's heightened senses from his time training with the Lionesses. She's pretty, clever, and she's a princess. But he has no idea how to talk to girls and asks Mufasa for advice, who, despite his own feelings, gives anyway. Mufasa even gave Taka the credit for saving Sarabi's life during the elephant stampede. But it's clear as the journey continues that Sarabi's affections fall more on Mufasa than Taka, who takes this sullenly. And then, when Sarabi finally realizes who actually saved her and confronts Mufasa about it, Mufasa still refuses. Mufasa has been hung up on the condition that he wouldn't be where he is now if Taka never saved him and that he is nothing but a stray. But Sarabi sees more than that.

And that was always the key to their growing relationship. Taka may have loved Sarabi, but his love was superficial at best and obsessive at worst, as Taka probably felt entitled to Sarabi as they were both royalty and what little he did know about her, he only got from Mufasa, such as the smell of duck flowers on her fur. But Mufasa saw more than that in Sarabi, and she saw him in a way that he never allowed himself to see while in Obasi's pride. And that is what brought them together.

This obsession with Sarabi is one of the many things that tip Taka over the edge and push him to betray them to Kiros. When Scar eventually takes the throne, he exiles Zazu and supposedly Rafiki, too, from ever coming near Pride Rock, further isolating Sarabi from her friends after losing her husband and son. Even still, he tries to have Sarabi submit to being his queen, calling her 'selfish' for remaining loyal to Mufasa. Scar continues to try to wear her down, threatening her with starving the lionesses by having the hyenas eat first and abolishing her for choosing Mufasa over him. He states that he tried to make her understand what a 'true' king could be as if she wasn't born into a royal family to a king who was clearly fitter for the role than Scar is and even trying to beat her into submission when she tells him that he was nothing compared to Mufasa, who in Scar's mind, was a stray who stole his destiny from him.

Taka's Betrayal - Taka's decision to betray the path to Milele was poorly conceived for a multitude of reasons, as we've previously discussed, but the biggest was trusting that Kiros would even keep his word in the first place.

Follow me here: Say the Outsiders succeeded in killing off all the lion prides in the savannah, effectively making Kiros the one and only Lion King. Chances are, things are never going to be the way Taka wanted them to be, that is, if he even lives to tell about it.

Because chances are, after all the other lions are gone, Taka is likely next to fall to Kiros' slaughter now that he has outlived his usefulness to him. After all, Kiros now has Milele under his rule, so what could possibly be next for him other than to make absolutely sure there is nothing left, like, say, the last surviving heir to one of the previous Lion Kings, could stand in his way of ultimate rule over the lion kingdom. And if Taka is spared, chances are he just gonna receive the same treatment that Mufasa did as the stray that no one wanted, but probably worse, as this time even the Lionesses aren't gonna show pity on him like Eshe did to Mufasa. In fact, he'll probably go the way the media sees Omega Wolves, as canon fodder to beat out stress.

And even if Taka can stomach all that, if it meant that he could have Sarabi all to himself, chances are Sarabi would rather be dead with Mufasa than be Taka's consolation prize, probably as one of the last lions standing rather than bowing in submission to Kiros tyranny. So, even if Taka succeeded in betraying Mufasa the first time and lived to tell the tale, he would quickly come to regret it as he realized how truly alone he is, having betrayed everyone around him. Long story short, Taka/Scar in no way possible was worthy of ever being the king, and it was never down to his bloodline or even because he was weak. As Sarabi said in the 2019 movie, "A true king's power is his compassion". And Scar had none; none for his family, none for his pride, and none for others of the Pridelands. His only drive was to fulfil the destiny that Obasi drilled into him, simply over the fact that it was his right as the true-blooded son of a king.

But if there was one thing I loved about Taka's rise to Scar, is that it all has probable reason for it. From Obasi's influence to his unchecked love for Sarabi, having his right to the throne taken away is a much better reason to seek the throne than we ever got in previous iterations of the story. In the OG, Scar seemed to only want the throne for the sake of having it; in a Tale of Two Brothers, it was mostly jealousy and daddy issues over Ahadi seeming to prefer Mufasa and his duties as king over him; in The Lion Guard, it was a lion conspiring with a cobra to control Scar by planting seeds of how the most powerful (i.e the one with the Roar), should be king, as well as a seemingly childish act on Mufasa's part to start giving your brother a nickname over an attempt to take the throne.

But here, we actually have a cohesive reason for Scar to want the throne and it was because he expected it and "prepared" for it (looking at you Obasi), his entire life, only for it to have it snatched away by the very lion who you called brother, whose life you saved and who you trusted with all your heart. It's no excuse for all the deplorable things he did.

But it's a good motive.