Oisin: “Liked My Ping Pong Ball Trap? Figured You All Wouldn’t Be Clever Enough-“

sharing my new lockscreen with the world<3

seeing that they’re doing another minis auction and it’s their biggest one yet and for fantasy high so presumably gonna make bank and they’re doing it to help send aid to Palestine rather than make a profit made me weep, i truly think no other streaming service can come close to comparing to dropout

Had some thoughts about the themes emerging in Neverafter so far in another post’s notes that I may as else clarify in my own.

(BBEG is Capitalism truthers beware ig, there’s a lot of me talking about why I don’t like that theory and find it reductive.)

Ok. So. I guess I’d like to start saying that I get why people enjoy a good “haha bad guy is capitalism” joke, because everyone who plays dnd hates capitalism—especially right now, considering current controversies. BUT, I find the common posts of “OMG Neverafter’s bad guy has GOT to be capitalism/Disney” very irritating because it feels less like people picking up on the clues the narrative is putting down and more hammering their own biases of what they want the series to be about into the narrative.

Like, some people keep saying the moral is that Disney sanitizing everything is bad but like… literally nothing about the setting (aside from some fairy tales Disney used appearing) suggests that. The stories are getting worse, darker, closer to their older versions. And the characters don’t want that! Non-Disney versions of the stories aren’t framed as better like you’d think a “Disney Bad” narrative would—in fact, several characters would much prefer to be in their Disney versions right now, whether or not they should be. That kinder versions of the story—which would include the Disney movies—are vanishing due to the carelessness of a select few is presented as a bad thing.

If the theme of the story was that sanitation of fairy tales is bad, don’t you think we’d start off in more “Disney” style versions of the stories? You could easily make a horror story about the dread of being trapped in a “perfect” world. But that’s not what’s happening.

One of the horrors of the Neverafter, courtesy of Cinderella’s visit, is that bad things keep happening no matter what you do. Cinderella’s mother always dies. She always becomes a servant to her Stepmother. Over and over again. Why? What is making this so?

It’s the horror of predestination, of bad things happening to you because someone has decided they should no matter what you want. It’s a much bigger and baser concept than Historic Versions vs Disney Versions, or even Characters vs Disney.

As the conversation with the Librarians and Mother Goose’s encounter with the Inkwell seem to suggest, the conflict is moreso Characters vs Authors.

The question Brennan seems to be posing through Neverafter’s world and story isn’t “Isn’t Disney So Awful?”, it’s “In a reality where storybook characters are real people, is it moral or ethical to make those characters suffer for a good story?”

Or, removed from the trappings of the setting, the question is: “Is it moral or ethical to make real people suffer to make a good thing?”

Good children, good spouses, good futures, good ideals, good communities—and, in a Capitalist society, good profits. But what is good enough to sacrifice people for? And what is “Good” at all?

PROJECT 2025 MUST BE STOPPED 🛑

Vote Accordingly.

"If I'm Not Good" | Worlds Beyond Number Animation

SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 22 of @worldsbeyondpod's "The Wizard The Witch and the Wild One"

I noticed another parallel to the Children's Adventure in the latest WBN episode, and I decided to put far too much effort into making it everybody else's problem.

Neverafter: Trouble in Tuffeton

Before the episode tonight, I wanted to get my thoughts out for last week's episode.

Wow, so much happened and I think we got some really interesting answers but also very much nowhere near having enough.

There were some really wholesome moments in this episode. Like Gerard trying to guard Miss Muffet from the reality that happened to the people in the cocoons. And his moment with Ylfa and trying to reassure her that she wasn't some monster. Plus the absolute fondness that his voice held when speaking of Elody and her strength. My heartstring strung up tight. I was so unsure of Gerard when we first met him but I shouldn't have doubted Murph. He is such an interesting and complex character that it takes a second to really appreciate and look at him wholely.

And Mother Goose's little pep talk to Miss Muffet even while Brennan was having too much fun with the soundboard, it just shows that these adults, though Gerard's adulthood was unnatural in some means, recognize that these are still two very young girls who are still kids and shouldn't have to be so emotionally and mentally aware of the horrors that the world has around them but have to for survival. But here comes Mother Goose and the ever-growing and developing Gerard helping them shoulder it all that they can.

I'm quite curious about the like twig construct-like creatures and if we will be seeing more of them. If I understood correctly, they came from The Great Fairy but our sneaky little Pib ruined her plan. Maybe we'll even see a briar construct-like creature eventually. I'm not sure about that one but at this rate, I wouldn't even be surprised anymore. (Yes, I would but nonetheless.)

Now, for the ending of the episode...

Holy...

Shit...

So much happened so fast. THE ART!!! The absolute rawest statement from Brennan. "The face of a divinity you don't worship, the fucking smile of a devil that you never believed in." The best move of Gerard throwing Pinnochio that sword of truth. Mother Goose quickly and I think a smart move too, of shoving Rosamund in the closest cause we all know The Stepmother wants her. And the image of this Fairy, something that is so powerful and induces fear, being so afraid of seeing The Stepmother that she ripped out her own eyes!!!! And then of course, "reality shatters." I can't even imagine where the fuck we are going next. I'm so glad Scheherazade was able to grab them and seemingly pull them somewhere safe.

I can't wait to watch the next episode. It drops in last than 30 minutes for me so I will be watching it very soon. I still need to put my reaction to Misfits and Magic up but that is next. I'm still in the stars so I'll talk to you guys later.

scrolling twitter today and then coming over here is like walking out of a burning building and then walking into the calm remains of a building that burnt down 5 years ago and has been reclaimed by nature.

A Starstruck Odyssey

This was such a funny campaign to watch. There was so much chaos and just fun little bits. I really loved it so much. Plus I love the sci-fi genre especially when it's fun and creative like this. And I think it was great that this was based on Brennan's mom's comics and universe she had built. Getting to hear little bits about the world outside of the context of their campaign really helped fill out the worlds even more.

I definitely think that Skip was one of my favorites. Him and Sundry Sidney. I loved everyone but I think their two stories I liked the most. One running away and finding himself since he lost all of that time to do so. The other redefining what she was thought to have been. Everything but turning into anything. It was so interesting watching their interactions with the NPCs that pertained to their stories.

I think my favorite scene was actually the Junkmother scene. The way Brennan portrayed this being that found beauty in the thrown side and outcasted bits and androids. Connecting with Sid on the want of bringing these thrown-out droids back into the light. And the art of her was really cool. Plus I always love when the editing has those multiple voices overlaying each other. It's such a small detail but I think that it really polishes off characters that are greater than average beings.

The sense of urgency stuck through the entire way through, mainly due to the credits but I think that really worked. It kept the story and the characters moving forward. I feel like sometimes there are lull moments, which aren't bad but depending on the campaign they may not work as well. Even during downtimes, the characters were working on things or banking in Margret's case. Which kept everything moving forward and I think it helped immensely.

Overall, I think this campaign is in my top favorites because of just how silly it all was. The giant "dog" and all the different factions coming after our spacers, just all of it tied up so beautifully. It was so much fun and I can't wait to watch more.

I'm not quite sure what campaign I'm gonna watch next. I started the first episode of Coffin Run but we will see. I have one more post about the last two episodes of Neverafter coming soon. I want to get that out before this upcoming Wednesday. So, until then, I'll talk to you guys later.

you know that expression, "dance like no one is watching you?"

try writing like no one is going to read it

it's easier to let yourself go and just enjoy the process of creation when you aren't also playing 6 dimensional chess with your insecurities and anxieties

write because you have fun writing and if you never post it anywhere that's totally fine because you enjoyed your time with the process

Neverafter: Once Upon a Time

Holy cow, wow this episode. Definitely my favorite episode thus far in this season.

The beginning was such a good set-up for what to expect from this outcome. I like that it ended up being not quite a time loop and not quite a new story all together but in a way combined the two.

Out of everything I have completely watched, I like that a couple of times now Brennan has pulled the characters in for these one on one moments. Like in the first season of The Unsleeping City and now in Neverafter. These have been some of my favorite storytelling sections. They build in these intimate moments that just delve further in compared to the intimate moments when everyone else is around.

Can I just say, I teared up when Emily started crying during her scene. I love how involved everyone gets with these characters. It pulls at my happy little heartstrings.

I like how everyone now has changed in a way. Both from their lived memories of this past story now to these moments of technically unlived stories that they have gained from taking the place of this different version of themselves. Even the artwork reflected that which I fucking loved seeing.

The preview looked so crazy and I can't wait for next week. This campaign just keeps getting better and we are so early in so I can only imagine what insanity we are about to witness.