VERY LONG YAP about my personal thoughts on Tf!Legs after the rescue. The stream was SO interesting and I can't stop thinking about it.
I think every character's reactions and opinions are justifiable and understandable from their point of view.
I think it's way more fun and interesting to now think about reactions of each of the characters because it's SO cool how much it makes sense when you take into account what they've been through and what kind of people they are. (Cough, Osteon, Cough, Tf!Legs)
I watch Legs as my main pov, so I am most likely biased, however, tf!Legs being REALLY pissed about Osteon watching the rescue makes so much sense.
I don't think tf!Legs is inherently surprised by this and with everything he heard about Osteon, he is likely able to admit that it wasn't at all unexpected that they would do this. Rather, his anger is a result of the distressing amount of danger he had been put through in a small window of time, as well as a direct conflict with his own moral outlook.
I think many people have experienced a feeling of betrayal and frustration when a person in a higher position, capable of helping, is present and available, and yet they don't help, for the sake of a higher purpose. And in this situation, Osteon in the position of the Head of Security, an alumni dragon rider, who observed the mission and did not participate for the purpose of performance evaluation of the future Dragon Riders.
Tf!Legs in no way will ever prioritise the Kingdom over the lives of his friends. Ever. And that is the exact opposite of what the Crown wants. Tf!Legs doesn't speak up about it to Academy personnel (because obviously), but it is still a fact he stands strongly behind.
He doesn't want to lose these people he cares for and isn't easily going to forgive Osteon for forgoing the option to ensure the least amount of harm done to his friends for the sake of evaluating and giving feedback after everything already happened.
Because despite knowing he can expect it from a Queen's knight, when tf!Legs is actually put in this situation, right after someone he cares about had been captured and bodily mutilated, and in his eyes having it directly CONFIRMED that their capability as soldiers is prioritised above their lives — he is witnessing the exact thing he had been expecting at the worst possible time, at the cost of his friend's awful situation. And he feels Betrayed. Disappointed. Angry. Just REALLY pissed off.
We can talk about how the students signed up for being Dragon Riders, ergo Soldiers, themselves and they should have expected it but. They didn't know what that meant. They had no information on what threats and what responsibilities Dragon Riders face. Most students did not sign up themselves, they received an invitation and were compelled or decided to follow. Some did not get a choice, they woke up in the elevator.
And for those who knew of Dragon Riders and knew of the War, who is to say what they heard was truth? Tf!Legs never heard of Corruption before the Academy, why would details about the exploits of Dragon Riders ever reach a village in the south? And on that note, why would it reach most of the other cities and villages situated further from the Capital?
And rather, when the Kingdom promotes and celebrates the Great Dragon Riders, do they ever tell the public about how many Riders they have lost? About what specific magic does to people? About what operations they're involved in and how many lives the Riders have to take? No, they don't. They write fables of The Great Riders and Terrible Storm Ravens and keep hush about any sort of rebellion brewing up in their Kingdom.
Yes, the Academy and Kingdom is acting exactly as expected. The students who signed up for it did not have the option of an informed decision, and thus I feel the justification of "They knew it was a Military Academy" doesn't really work.
They're all pawns in a game they weren't told the rules of, all while being pawns in numerous other games that they don't even know about. I think that is definitely getting to tf!Legs more and more with every move the numerous factions against the Riders make.
Tf!Legs is intentionally complicated and difficult. He is well meaning, but oftentimes unfair. He gets angry, bitter, miserable, sometimes cocky. Even when he wants to be gentle and kind his intentions aren't enough and his actions are often unhelpful or even harmful to those he wants to help. His first experiences with genuine care from other people happened like three months ago. When people need that care from him, he's working with little experience. It doesn't excuse any harm he does, but it explains it. Understanding him is still important.
I think his anger towards Osteon from this situation will mellow. During the talk with Scott in his chest tf!Legs already admitted that he thinks Osteon probably means well. Bitterness might remain, especially with how most importantly it will take time for tf!Ambear to heal from the whole ordeal and how tf!Legs will need to support her during it.
His anger comes from being immovably stuck in a system and in a world that is constantly out to get him and his newfound friends (some for who he cares for as deeply as for a family he never had) and from having it proven that the higher authority of this world has ultimately no care for their lives beyond practicality. All while he is desperately trying to leave behind the life where he was seen as nothing more than a tool in a shed.
That being said, I think the discussion about the rescue operation got a bit intense, which I empathise with because wow, that made me think and feel A LOT.
Anyway, Osteon is such a layered and nuanced character and I am probably nearly just as delighted as cc!Legs (going off of what he said on stream) about the direction Bones has taken with her character and where this story is heading. I think we should give the creators a tiny bit more credit. They're weaving a wonderful story with numerous perspectives of diverse and unique characters. And above all — they know what they are doing.
"The livestock guardian would hold it's own under moonlight, to fight for the flock inside the barns keep. In the face of the fox he would remain victorious. To the wolves would it throw itself under pasture, the first meal of beasts that would take their fill from the flock one at a time until none remained."
Companion piece to Purplefirekitty's fic "A ring of Pain" (Found here)
I've had the urge to do a "classically painted" animals and in discord purple mentioned something too good to miss. Please forgive the sheep quality, I've seen two up close, refused references and did it purely from memory.
If I had a nickel for every critically acclaimed narrative precision platformer with a female protagonist iconically associated with the colour red whose lead developer came out as trans within a year of its release, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot, but etc.
kianamaiart
gracieabrams
stormborns
blakekathryn
ellievsbear
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
baratheonpilled
