i would say that the real important thing that happens that arc is that Mon Mothma, somewhat accidentally, pulls rank hard on shit-au-Vader in a way that makes it clear in his mind that she is the one 'holding his leash'
because you can't write darth vader unless you admit that he has a massive chip on his shoulder labeled CLASS ISSUES and - wait no where are you all going wait come back QUICK HERE'S ANOTHER COMMISSION THIS TIME BY JAKFACE CW FOR EYE CONTACT,
not written after that: the immediate aftermath of leia cursing under her breath as she wrangles him into a giant towel burrito like an angry cat and makes him go down to the medical bay to have bloodwork taken so he doesn't come down with space chicken pox in the middle of another mission
incidentally that whole arc ends with him collapsing into bed, and then his duct-tape'd arm falls off again.
the arc also has chapter titles referencing malaria because it turns out crash landing was a perfect opportunity for Somebody to realize that he ain't in a suit with its own air scrubber no more and that maybe he should have made sure his vaccinations were up to date Whoops!
for context, this is actually a commission showing a specific moment i've written (! one of the very fuckin few)
his other arm is currently in a sling because it got a bit stuck in wreckage and so he just went "well, yolo lol" and chopped it off to rewire back in later. he did duct tape it to himself though because carrying your own arm was a bit suspicious so it's uhh "broken"
also someone's just punched him for cheating at cards
hence look of "oh you just fucked up."
Commence Bar Fight.
then of course to complete the stealing the vibe, we see how many people have discovered things about themselves as soon as he delivers the I'LL GRIND YOU UNDER MY HEEL! line, and suddenly there's even more people who consider my horrible au vader a dilf.
i mean it's not my fault he comes out looking so good in commissions ok?????? (maybe slightly my fault) (shh)
i'm back on my darth vader bullshit.
LIKE THE DIALOG. THE DIALOG WORKS SO WELL WITH EXTREMELY MINIMAL CHANGES Y'ALL.
just make moon bunny become hell wolf for more appropriate symbolism, do a cover of Wayward Daughter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMv9uiQsXvg with the male/female choruses swapping parts, maybe kick in a little electric guitar to make it appropriately edgelord, find someone who can growl out an appropriate FROM MORTAL HUSK, I RISE AAANNEEEWWWW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XzV8X31j9o and bip bop bam there it is
i'm back on my darth vader bullshit.
and instead of gosetsu, it is luke.
of course it is luke.
taking the blow for him, even as the emperor seeks to destroy him.
"stay behind me, father!"
"why?" he half-begs, half-wonders. "you have no place here!" this is meant to be a self-inflicted punishment, if his power only comes from his own suffering -
and the spectre of luke begs him to survive.
"perhaps," vader says,
"but it is too late for me. there can be no redemption."
i'm back on my darth vader bullshit.
and the spectre of obi-wan comes - "fight like your life depends on it, dear brother. you wouldn't like to disappoint me again, as on mustafar..."
"if it isn't the cold-blooded little worm. always crawling through my rotten heart."
and finally, of course
the emperor himself, instead of zenos
"your pitiful fortunes can bring you no lower, darth vader..."
"you have come to deliver judgment for my failure? cut me down, then! surely it is a simple task!"
i'm back on my darth vader bullshit.
"come forth, shades of the dead! curse my name! strike my body! fill my soul with blackest malice!"
and now come the spectres of the council -
"worthless excuse of a jedi! you're nothing but trouble!" "a font of misery, that's what you are!"
"yes, the dearest jedi order. i was the bane of your existence unto the very end!"
and now come the spectres "of the republic" and "of the empire" - both howling in accusation of vader's failure to command them
i mean honestly tho,
even almost all the lines of dialog work too!!!!
"why does it fade away?! ...ah. i understand. it feeds on my hate, on my suffering..." SURE SOUNDS LIKE AN EX-SITH-LORD FALLING OFF THE DARK SIDE TEETOTALERS BANDWAGON AND DISCOVERING IT ALL AGAIN. it works perfectly for someone who has tried so hard to be in the light for so long but is remembering the easy, quick destructive power of the dark side
so ffxiv is the first game that really did boss battles with extreme pomp and circumstance that i've ever played
so of course one of the entertaining-questions-to-ask-myself has been "if this character i wrote had a boss battle like an ffxiv primal, what would it look like? how would their story get told this way?"
i had easy answers for most except my pet-au-version of darth vader
then
the tsukuyomi fight dropped
and i was just like "oh. yeah ok it's that but masc" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njYgggITz2g
perhaps an actual Opinion on the meta, now that i've done some reading
somewhat ironically, someone not immediately stepping down in such a situation shows that they very much need to do so; a person who understands what they have done wrong and wishes for it to not happen again will immediately ensure that they do everything they can so the situation will not occur once more.
an apology standing as incomplete as that - and being glossed over - shows that it's not really much of an apology.
perhaps an actual Opinion on the meta, now that i've done some reading
an apology wherein someone acknowledges they sexually harassed someone, and that their status as moderator gave them the power to do so - or at least a big incentive for people to keep quiet about it and not challenge it - is incomplete unless it includes no longer having that power over other people, at least until they can show they have learned and changed.
in which a wigglytuff questions the reasons behind something being in poor taste, not doubting that it's in poor taste however
wait hold on i thought "drank the kool-aid" is in poor taste because it's referencing the Heaven's Gate cult and their ritual mass suicide via poisoned beverages, how is it racist
is it a good joke?
no absolutely not it's been done into the ground
but y'know sometimes it's just so tempting when they line it all up for you THAT good yknow
apparently people on twitter are debating that a smash brothers tourney is going to have a therapy dog room and i am so, so tempted to rip in there and poke at the salty mcwhiners with "oh i see, it's because they figured a slobbery, affectionate dog grooming you was an upgrade from your usual 'didn't shower for seven weeks', i can see why you may be upset with this outcome" but i'm not gonna i'm gonna just tell the tired old joke here instead
honestly though the loan word we need - again, probably from german - is "the sensation at looking at someone's interest - say, in their DeviantArt favourites - and knowing instantly that, despite the pictures being safe for work in technicality, this is absolutely somebody's wank bank material"
i may say let's just call it DeviantArt because it seems the website is a good 80% people doing the "i'm not touching you, i'm not touching you" approach to following the "no outright porn" rule
30 y/o - token cishet - tumblr refugee. spoonie/15 chronic conditions in a trenchcoat/actual cyborg. just hangin' in there