Hello, Sua.

Okay I need to talk about Nicholas Leung's voice work for Dan Heng in 2.4. (Actually I already have, but I need to do it some more.)

All of it is phenomenal, and I've seen talk about his delivery of the little exchange before you enter the Shackling Prison as well as when you ask if Dan Heng is okay once you're inside. Those lines all hit me like a truck and the voice acting was a huge part of why, but I specifically want to draw attention to the next part of that conversation.

It's the Trailblazer asking about why they're actually down there, and his response is just explaining the Karmic Mirror. But the delivery of those lines is baked into my brain. He tries so hard to pull himself together, go back to being the Trailblazer's helpful exposition dump, tender moment's over, business as usual - and he can't. He very audibly has to pause mid-sentence, gather himself and take a very shaky breath to avoid breaking down completely. He sounds legitimately on the verge of sobbing. Even though if you're just reading the text it doesn't seem emotional at all, there's no real tonal indication that this is the very next thing he says after vocally blaming himself that the Trailblazer is here with him and apologising for the fact that he's struggling. It adds SO much to the whole scene. Nicholas Leung I owe you my entire life you put so much heart into this character thank you 😭🙏

(Also if anyone has a recording of this part... please send it to me please I'll draw you a silly picture or something in return)

So I just realized smth from the new animated short (which I also posted abt because Arles hands becoming less dark when she's with Clervie is so wholesome but so sad) BUT

I think she'll have second thoughts abt making Lyney be the next head of the hearth cuz she'll realize she's becoming like the previous knave or "Mother" who forced the children to compete to become "king"

She even uses the term "King" in the trailer iirc instead of "head of the house of the hearth" or just "head" or "father" or "knave"

And we know she doesn't want to be like the previous head because instead of being a "mother" that acts like she cares but actually doesnt, she calls herself a "strict and unfeeling father" despite the fact that she clearly does care

So maybe she'll realize she's becoming like the previous knave, forcing Lyney to do things he doesn't want to so he'll become the next "king", even if those things don't involve killing other house members

She's clearly empathetic considering she held a funeral for a literal spider, so it's not like she has no feelings or emotions at all

And pierro called her "poor, mad, cursed knave" suggesting she didn't really want to be the next knave—another reason she might empathize with Lyney and have second thoughts

AND their fight also mirrors hers—she fought alone against her "mother" after all her family died, but because of Arle's changes Lyney fights his "father" with the help of his siblings

And hopefully the outcome won't be one of them dying

SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP WTF

everyone was expecting her fight to be her testing / training the Traveler BUT THIS!?!?!

(spoilers for Lyney / Lynette / Freminet lore, it's found in their character bios / voicelines but doesn't spoil anything in the archon quests)

The siblings standing up to her and her fighting them???!??! This is so insane I—

It definitely looks serious considering that she's gone into her crazy balemoon form, and the fact that Freminet is blocking her very deadly looking strike and also going straight for her head

I know Lyney has a voiceline about having to become the next head of the House of the Hearth, and not wanting us to tell his siblings because they'll worry

Perhaps they find out here and all 3 decide to convince Arle to let Lyney make his own decision about that matter

It also seems that they got assigned a mission they don't want to complete, perhaps involving someone they know or don't want to kill (Freminet saying Lyney is hiding the person Father is looking for, Lynette asking why Arle's backed them into a corner, etc)

Judging by the opening lines of the trailer (some familiar faces not being present, etc) and details in the siblings' voicelines it's clear they're sent on dangerous missions and are always avoiding death by the skin of their teeth, and definitely aren't living normal lives

Also Freminet says that crying is looked down on / considered weak by Arle, so he always bottles up his emotions and lets them out at the literal bottom of the ocean; their childhood was definitely not great, even if Arle saved them from even worse fates

Like they never really experienced a normal childhood so I doubt they realize that the stuff going on in the House of the Hearth isn't anywhere near ideal

The special program also implies that Arle is very strict and the siblings have been affected negatively by this (stuff Daman / Lyney's VA says, etc)

I really hope that Arle sees their logic and backs down so I don't feel entirely terrible about pulling for her / liking her character because if she's willing to kill any of the siblings I'm going to be absolutely furious at her—

We do know she cares about them and gets very angry when they're mistreated or when they want to risk their lives when their are other options (her anger at people in Freminet / Lynette's past and when Lyney wants to risk his life and get a delusion to be able to perform on the same level as Lynette, before he got his vision)

ALSO I'm not going to ramble abt this as much but CYNO'S STORY QUEST!??!?!? From what I gather it seems Sethos was another candidate to receive the god's power (that Cyno has) and feels that he should have gotten it rather than Cyno for some reason?? Can't wait to see what's up with that as well

(also not Cyno and Yoimiya getting second story quests before Venti help—)

trailer link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYZW7wH3pVM&t=58s

STATEMENT: Topaz's Stoneheart form would be extremely weak, far weaker than Aventurine's. Reasoning: Numby.

Evidence 1: Aventurine's Stoneheart form is very shiny

Evidence 2: Topaz's Cornerstone is of a similar making to Aventurine's, and is also quite shiny; it is also undamaged, unlike Aventurine's Cornerstone

Evidence 3: Based on Evidences 1 and 2, it is clear that Topaz's Stoneheart form would be EVEN SHINIER than Aventurine's

Evidence 4: Numby likes to eat shiny things, therefore Numby would try to eat Topaz and would be nibbling on any shiny part of her Stoneheart form, jumping all over her and generally being a nuisance, and not paying any mind to us or anything else that Topaz is fighting. Trotters are also known to be extremely nimble, so Topaz would be unable to neutralize Numby.

Conclusion: this is clearly canon.

home is any four walls that enclose the right person 🤍

everyone talks abotu the jane doe ass wipeouts but honestly these ones are sm funnier to me,, like why does she look like that?? 😭

(not my images, they came from this thread on X-itter)

i know we'll reunite one day, up there in the clouds

afternoon nap 🍰☕

Dr. Ratio: I've read 20 textbooks on romance and human relationships. I followed all the instructions. Why does he still think I hate him?

Dr. Ratio: I likened him to a beautiful bird ("The Attini Peacock boasts one of the universe's more jarring songs, and your choice of attire is somewhat peacock-esque").

Dr. Ratio: I complimented his abilities ("He's not awful to work with").

Dr. Ratio: I playfully implied that he'd look better without his clothes ("I keep telling him the flashy outfits are just making his job harder").

Dr. Ratio: I indulge in his whims ("You could easily squash me with just a pinch"—"If that is your wish, I will do so without a moment's hesitation").

His rubber ducky he was talking to all this time: … (can you please be normal for like 5 minutes and just go and talk to him?)