Reblog If You Believe Fanfics Are As Valid As Books That Were Published And Sold By Authors Who Write

Thieves In Time Redux Van

Remember the view of the van's sun visor? Those three photos it had? Instead of the Bentley/Penelope photo, we get this...

And at the end of Episode 4, it's replaced with a new photo starring these four as they are now, with Murray picking his brothers and sister up from behind. Cuuuuute!

I'd love to see someone draw that. Have Penelope sandwiched between Sly and Bentley. She is the main protagonist of my fanfiction, after all...

I'm assuming Carmelita takes the picture for them...

I'd draw it myself, but I'm no good at drawing art. Again, I'm just a writer with big ideas.

The other two photos can stay the same.

"I know the bar is in hell (especially back in the early 2000's) but I'll always appreciate that Penelope was just allowed to be…a character. Sure she absolutely had some conventional love interest trappings but she was unambiguously brilliant to the point that she could outpace Bentley in some fields and was designed to be cute but not super sexualized. She's actually kinda scruffy (affectionate) in a way you don't see much with fictional women, she's got the battered overalls and messy hair and big clunky welder gloves and actually looks like she gets her hands dirty on the regular."

Confessed by: Anonymous

Here’s your intermittent reminder that Penelope the mouse

is introduced as explicitly a better RC specialist than Bentley

a top-tier engineer and mechanic

so good at dogfighting than when she became a combat pilot “at a young age” she was instantly elevated to celebrity status

very convincing at pretending to be a different age and gender???

apparently wasn’t lying about being a trained boxer

can hack pretty good

easily matches and contends with Bentley’s intellect and could, therefore, plan heists pretty good

just fuckin picked up a sword and used it to murder a guy who had dedicated his life to being an old-timey pirate captain, and, by extension, swordfighting.

Penelope could kick the ass of the collective Cooper Gang at any point and the only reason she doesn’t is to be polite

Internal conflict writing ideas

Not everything has to be fight scenes

—Losing something of emotional value and remembering its history and why it’s important to the character

—Reliving a traumatic event

—Running into an old friend who’s either completely changed since they’ve last seen each other or far too similar, leaving the character to wonder about how they’ve matured and grown compared to this other person

—Internally deciding if they should voice a fear or concern to the group, even if they might look silly or ridiculous doing so

—Friends vs family in terms of choosing who to follow and listen too

—Feeling unqualified to work on a project or be apart of the adventure

—Romantic feelings for someone they shouldn’t and dealing with how they should proceed internally. (THIS MEANS RIVALS OR FORBIDDEN ROMANCE. NOT ANYTHING ILLEGAL!!!)

—Thinking about mortality and death after being reminded of an late friend/family passing

—Being less talented at something years later when they used to be the best in that field

—Finding an old photo that carries much more emotional significance now than it did X years ago.

Writing Notes: Subplots

Subplot - a side story that runs parallel to the main plot.

It has a secondary strand of characters and events that can infuse important information into the main storyline.

Also known as a minor story, a subplot creates a richer, more complex narrative arc in novel writing and other storytelling mediums.

When crafting a narrative, a writer’s job is to create a compelling story.

One way to do that is through subplots—secondary storylines found in novels, plays, television shows, and movies.

In creative writing, a subplot can reveal more about secondary characters, create plot twists, and add another dimension to a story.

Most importantly, a good subplot raises the stakes for a main character.

An Example: Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare weaves several subplots throughout this tragic love story.

The backstory of the long-running feud between rival families, the Capulets and Montagues, creates the central conflict in the play—two young lovers from warring families desperate to find a way to be together.

The subplots involving the warring families create dramatic plot points that escalate the tension, like when Romeo’s best friend Mercutio is killed by Juliet’s cousin Tybalt.

4 Types of Subplots

When coming up with writing ideas to enhance your main plot, think of using one or more subplots. These could include any of the following:

Mirror subplot: A smaller-scale conflict mirrors the main character’s in order to teach them a valuable lesson or illuminate how to resolve the conflict.

Contrasting subplot: A secondary character faces similar circumstances and dilemmas as the main character but makes different decisions with the opposite outcome.

Complicating subplot: A secondary character makes matters worse for the main character.

Romantic subplot: The main character has a love interest, and this relationship complicates the main plot.

6 Tips for Writing Better Subplots

When you’re writing a book, always brainstorm the best subplot ideas that can deepen the tension and make your main character’s scenario more complex.

Try these tips when you craft your next narrative:

Ensure that your subplots play second fiddle.

A subplot exists to support your main storyline but should never overpower it.

Subplots should end before the main plot.

The exception to this rule is a romantic subplot, which often concludes in the final scene.

Give your subplots a narrative arc.

Subplots are stories, too.

Create a narrative framework for each, though on a smaller scale than your main plot.

Use this technique to tell a supporting character’s story that affects the protagonist’s actions.

You might even incorporate flashbacks as a subplot, mirroring a character’s journey with something that happened in their earlier days, like high school.

Write character-driven subplots.

Just like your main story, characters should drive the action in a subplot.

Create foils that can highlight qualities in your main character.

These characters will either help or hinder the protagonist in the story.

Try a new POV.

Your subplot might provide information that your main character is unaware of.

If your main plot is told in first person, try changing the point of view in the subplot to third person.

Figure out how to connect the subplot and the main plot.

There are numerous ways to use subplots.

A parallel subplot runs throughout the entirety of the story, showing different sides of the same plot.

This builds suspense as the reader waits for the two plots to collide (think The Fugitive).

You can also write small, isolated subplots.

Briefly introduce a character who drops in early on, then revisit their journey near the end of the story to shed light on the deeper meaning of your main plot.

Ramp up the tension with a subplot.

Propel your main story with information revealed in your side stories.

Subplots are a strong medium for foreshadowing events, so use them to drop hints and clues.

Source

i was thinking in the shower about how things would have turned out had Bentley managed to break into the Cooper Vault without needing to recruit anyone. for starters, there wouldn't be a Sly 3 lol... i mean Sly and Bentley would definitely have gone after Murray so An Opera of Fear and Rumble Down Under would have happened i guess but for the sake of the post let's say they wouldn't have asked the Guru to join the gang. so no Netherlands and no China meaning no Penelope and no Panda King, and by extent no Dimitri because of no deal in Netherlands.

removing Sly 3's secondary characters kinda puts things into perspective in terms of character development. in Sly 1 we collected Thievius Racconus pages as we got closer to the truth and Sly learned new tricks and honed his skills in preparation for his encounter with Clockwerk. Sly 2 was just a traumatic trainwreck altogether like SP really put the gang through the wringer idk how they survived.

in Sly 3 this development is brought about through the secondary characters and their relationships with the protagonists. Penelope drives a wedge between Sly and Bentley forcing the latter to muster up the courage and step outside of Sly's shadow for a minute; Panda King's return demands Sly to mature and let go of the past; Dimitri tests the gang's patience; both Penelope and Panda King contribute to the Murray van storyline which kinda exhibited that yea! in the long run, Murray might be the dummy of the group as Dr Michael chastises at the end but he is definitely the heart of the gang.

but if all this never happened then how would Honour Among Thieves play out? funny thing is, even if they recruited the extended gang, shit hit the fan almost immediately upon arrival so i'm assuming the same would apply if the original trio had tried to pull it off on their own? no? as a sidenote: i'm also thinking that Sly 2 is the only game in the series that kinda had like the aspect of urgency if you think about it. someone stole the Clockwerk parts and they were going to rebuild him so tick tock bitch. Sly 1 and 3 however don't really have that sense of time pressure. the Fiendish Five were sitting on their asses for literally a decade before Sly popped up for the pages and don't even get me started on the possibility of Dr Michael managing to crack the Cooper Vault open like what a loser lmao. with this in mind, Bentley would have the time to develop his tech in order to do the tasks that the extended gang members would have done. i mean if he managed to build a time machine surely he could make his tech waterproof ?

so the entire heist goes according to plan with the possibility of them tripping that stupid alarm still at play. i never intended to do a full play by play "what if...?" of Honour Among Thieves but suffice to say Carmelita would 100% show up to save the day even with the change of context. i think the most important change would be that Bentley's run-in with Dr Michael would go down very differently. i don't think he'd defend Sly; i actually think Dr Michael would get to him even without Penelope's introduction because she only brought out feelings that were brewing deep in Bentley's subconscious (especially after the end of Sly 2, becoming disabled for a cause that was never his and that dedication arguably never being reciprocated). he might not have shown it in the moment but i think that conversation would significantly shape Bentley's character and if Sly got out of the episode unscathed, the gang would probably split. leaving the Guru behind would also give Murray the motive to go his own way.

it's clear that Sly 3's secondary characters helped the gang get over some unspoken issues they had between them, even if they got resolved behind each other's backs (because Bentley only vents to Penelope about his feelings and doesn't go straight to Sly, who, in turn, doesn't even know there's an issue to begin with). personally, and i feel kinda stupid for suggesting something so simplistic in relation to how this game would be better like 7-8 years after being on this godforsaken website and analysing it to the point where it feels like the bible, i feel like one more episode would help really flesh out the problems the gang had. we never get direct acknowledgment or accountability from Sly and it feels like he's too focused on entering the Vault to care about Bentley's feelings, or anyone else's for that matter (there's like 7 anon asks gathering dust in my inbox about why i have anti-Sly sentiment and that number better not go up). all it takes is a 'you know what guys? you should enter the vault with me after literally sticking by me since childhood and risking your lives fighting my own battles' and they shoot up the van like it's a guest on Wendy.

Sly 2's ending proved that the protagonists aren't Riverdale characters who just go through weekly life-threatening events without any guilt, trauma and anxiety; and then in Sly 3 we get high-stake situations akin to the ClockLa saga, like the Dragon snatching Penelope, but because it's crammed between episodes instead of games, the characters come out of it seemingly unfazed. the complete lack of recognition for all of this makes it seem like Sly is an awful leader for the gang. like i think Penelope would genuinely snap when she got taken hostage by LeFwee after the dragon thing.

i think the internal politics of the gang could have been explored way better but i understand that juggling that and the introduction of one new character per episode would be impossible. i'd love to see Bentley confronting Sly, Murray realising that he's getting more support about what matters to him (the van, the Guru's wellbeing) from the literal strangers they've recruited than his best friends, Sly realising that his lack of involvement in the gang's friendship is what turned Dr Michael against ConnEr. maybe Honour Among Thieves could have been a two-parter honestly. maybe the Dimitri Dr Michael piranha hybrid bossfight should have never made the cut.

Medium Support for Cooper

Penelope wasn't informed that Carmelita went to this gym. Alternative of Carmelita because her chest fur is inconsistent.

This was posted on my Patreon and Ko-fi weeks ago. If you'd like early access and exclusive art you can support me there!

my thoughts upon completing Flight of Fancy for the 2648134th time

1. Penelope (under the Black Baron disguise) serves as a pretty solid combat match for Sly. Bentley over binocucom claims the Black Baron has trained for 10 years as a boxer. Why is Penelope thus regarded as so useless out on the field by herself, and only used for her RC car, when she’s actually a decent fighter, especially when you count this was all made more difficult underneath a massive costume?

2. Penelope mentions in a cutscene that she used the Black Baron disguise because of strict age requirements. The age requirement would probably be either 18 or 21, considering the ruthless and unforgiving nature of dogfighting. Does this mean she’s still a minor when Bentley is dating her? (Or, has she been using the Black Baron as a persona for a few years now?). Still…..d r a m a . 

Bentley I thought you had more morals than this

Murray wasn’t kidding when he said you’ve got more devious over the years

The time has come for Act 3. This covers the final two missions of the episode.

You might have to fill in some of the blanks yourself, but Penelope somehow winds up in a final duel with her impostor, with her signals jammed.

It's during this duel that Robo-Penelope reveals something to the player. The real Penelope designed Le Paradox's blimp. Robo-Penelope did everything else.

With this reveal, we finally understand why Penelope has been behaving so strangely. She's been acting out of guilt. She feels undeserving of the boys' friendship. Even so, she's willing to pull every last bit of her weight to make sure they never get hurt again.

Note: Imagine this playing during the Penelope/Robo-Penelope mirror match.

After defeating her impostor, Penelope, now consumed by an overwhelming amount of guilt, feels the need to confess her treachery to someone. She decides on telling Bentley, knowing full well doing so would break his heart all over again.

Then again, he does deserve to know the truth, does he not?

Cue Penelope's painful confession to Bentley. The only thing she doesn't reveal is her true motive, as she doesn't want to justify anything she or her impostor did.

And that "motive" relating to money, fame, power, and Bentley's potential? All fabricated by her impostor.

After that and a tearful apology, she tries to leave the Cooper Gang forever... only to be stopped. Bentley asks her if any of her treachery was worth it. She says it wasn't, and all she did was lose everyone she cares about.

Guess what? Bentley is satisfied with that answer. He forgives Penelope, believing that being kidnapped, impersonated, and hated by everyone she loves was the perfect punishment for her attempted betrayal. He also refuses to leave her or punish her further, now that she's learned her lesson.

Sly and Murray are spared from learning the truth until after our heroes leave Conquest Island.

Finally, the rest of the Robo-Cooper Gang is destroyed, followed by their creator, Sir Raleigh, getting royally clapped.

Penelope remains reinstated, even after Sly and Murray learn the truth.

As for what happens afterwards... I'm not sure. This is all during Episode 2 of 6.

I want to believe Penelope was kidnapped and impersonated. She still designed the blimp. Her impostor (an evil robot) did everything else. Even her motive was fabricated.

Here's something that could happen in Sly 5.

When the boys (Sly, Bentley, and Murray) eventually find out and take her back, she's going to be a guilt-ridden mess hell-bent on destroying her impostor and her creator for breaking Bentley's heart and making everyone hate her, with several measures of self-loathing for nearly doing the same thing herself.

The reunion scene would need to happen early in the episode in which this story takes place, during the second mission, and no later. That way, the player can get used to her being fully playable for the first time ever before the boss fight.

All three boys, while elated to have Penelope back, will quickly notice that something is seriously wrong with her. They think her impostor did everything, including designing the blimp. When they ask her what's wrong, she refuses to elaborate.

Bentley is especially concerned, but incredibly proud of his reinstated girlfriend for her enduring loyalty.

Cue Penelope pulling her weight several times over during her return episode and defeating her impostor, only to be consumed by all the guilt and confess to none other than Bentley about her treachery by the end. The only thing she doesn't reveal is her motive, saying it doesn't matter because what she did was wrong.

And because I love a good, happy ending, she will be forgiven. She's already spent the entire episode proving herself in spades. As for Sly and Murray's reactions? I'll leave that for you to decide. Would Sly drive himself crazy over not knowing her motive? I think he might.

I realize she will need a very sympathetic motive for this idea to work.

The Case For Morph Wrenches

I know boxing/swordfighting is a popular choice for Penelope's potential moveset, but... I want to go in a different direction with her.

Sly has his cane. Bentley has his wheelchair. Murray can clobber foes into next week with nothing more than his fists. Carmelita has her shock pistol.

We can't have two fist fighters on the team. Let's do something fun for our favorite mouse girl. She's a genius, right? Let's capitalize on that aspect...

What if Penelope dual-wielded a pair of morphing wrenches that can turn into, say, a giant hammer or a shield?

With the wrenches, she can quite easily defend herself and break stuff.

With the hammer, she could knock out guards. It'd be slow, but effective. And obviously noisy.

With the shield... well, that's obvious enough.

I even want her to inherit Bentley's old pickpocketing magnet.

If she ever does come back to the side of good, I want her classified as The Wild Card.

And if any enemies even think about looking at Bentley wrong... let's just say they'll have an extremely rabid mouse up their ass with an arsenal of weaponry at her command.

The possibilities are endless. Think about it.