#harp rambles

[Was gonna add this as a reblog to my previous argument for torsewell post but then it got away from me and came back a monster]

For sure I really want more Torse because I love him so far and am a staunch "robots are hot" believer, but I also see Torse & Maxwell as just a genuinely good match.

Throughout the episodes we've gotten so far, Murph has emphasized Maxwell's fixation on fair fights & good matches, which bleeds into a fixation on fairness & equity in general.... though Max's definitions of those terms veer a bit from the norm. Our neurodivergent king, just like me fr

Max never uses weapons (beyond improvised ones) in battle, asks after the rules in the fighting pit, and justifies his actions against the Fehujar by claiming they broke the rules first. His understanding of fairness is rigid, but he'll opportunistically use or create loopholes for himself. I adore him, what a fun guy :>

And socially, Maxwell repeatedly, vocally disapproves of any potential relationships (amongst anyone) that would be between someone & their subordinate. He shuts down Marya's teasing about Freyja and any overt ardor from Freyja herself because he is her boss and that would be an abuse of power. Maxwell expresses those same sentiments about Olethra shipping Dawderdale and Daisuke.

Max's respect for Barney Ballaste comes from his skills as a technically excellent fighter with good sportsmanship. During the fight (and after I think) he likens his opponent to a Revington man, someone who would be Maxwell's own peer. His equal.

Torse is an ally, rather than a subordinate, and more importantly he is a competent fighter who has proven he can hold his own in seemingly hopeless situations. He is willing to kill and die for his cause and his companions, understanding the vast expanse between his physical abilities and that of others'.

Like Maxwell, Torse's peculiarities around fighting are often treated by outsiders as inconvenient, unnecessary, or nonsensical. As Torse has told the crew, there is a tiny window for him to switch between his wind-up hearts. We've already seen how dangerous that moment of vulnerability can be for him, alongside the perpetual vulnerability of keeping his back-up heart on his person, a constraint reminiscent of the dangers that come with Maxwell's exhaustion after fighting as The Max.

There are safer ways to battle than what they've chosen, being in the fray and paying a price in the aftermath, but their methods are non-negotiable for them. (Well, Torse's was negotiable but Olethra failed that roll v_v)

I think Maxwell would respect that about Torse, and vice versa. Torse, more than anyone we've met so far, is an equal to Max in skillset, station, and belief system. And that equivalence, that connection, is something Maxwell deeply values.

[Tangential spoilers for parts of Fantasy High and Neverafter. Completely avoidable, just skip the section between the orange lines]

There's something weirdly moving about Torse singling out Maxwell to ask if the Zephyr's crew would ever go on an adventure in Zern.

I think it's kind of beautiful that Maxwell has been treated as someone who's only now developing sky eyes, a newbie adventurer, but here Torse seeks his help specifically. He turns directly to Max & refers to the ship as "your family's vessel", addressing him as not only an adventurer, who will of course continue adventuring, but the exact kind of adventurer his world needs.

Not to project neurodiversity (I will) but I do really adore that there's a character that doesn't treat Maxwell's serious, disciplined behavior as something that needs to be broken away from to be a proper adventurer. So many of Murph's characters feel like they're reckoning with the alienation of not being able to be what everyone expects they should be.

I love how naturally Cloudward, Ho! avoids Olethra's deadname while also weaving her transness into her identity & backstory.

I'd hoped we'd get a casual mention or two (bc trans Beardsley PC is a given) but then the Gotch patriarch got corrected on her gender and her parents get shown to be her staunchest supporters. Then moments like those were creating depth in Olethra, other characters, & the world.

Longspot Gotch misgendered Olethra because he's always dismissed his father's eccentric investments. Comfrey MacLeod was useless to him until he could seize her assets, one being the MacLeod homestead. He hasn't interacted with or checked in on the MacLeods in years, hence why he got Olethra's gender wrong and seemingly only knew her as Hutch's kid.

His info is that out of date. I'd bet he even forgot Olethra's deadname. When Longspot casually remarks "congratulations to the young lady" and moves on to discuss repossessing her home, he demonstrates how irrelevent the MacLeods are to him, his compulsive use of ettiquete, and how he values propriety while being morally bankrupt.

Hutch and Artemesia loudly supporting Olethra's transfemininity immediately textures their specific brand of libertarianism. They're not just allies AND homestead libertarians, their allyship is directly informed BY their beliefs in sovereign citizenship and individual freedom.

Plus, if Hutch didn't easily treat Olethra as his daughter, repeatedly make Olethra's transness a point of pride, or didn't mention it at all, I would've had a much harder time believing they'd willingly let Olethra off the homestead. Their familial closeness would've felt way less fleshed out and sensical.

Bc irl libertarians (in my experience) would NOT support their trans daughter like that and WOULD hypocritically confine her. Hutch and Artemesia's support of Olethra speaks to their values, care, & protectiveness. It makes them characters, rather than caricatures. I knew they'd say they love each other bc it felt earned!

Hutch's parenting of Olethra hints at what Comfrey was like as a parent, too. How he values freedom, self-ownership, and eccentricity like she did. Yet Hutch channels his feelings of abandonment from being 2nd to Comfrey's work into being a very present parent with Olethra. He's emotionally vulnerable, values her as a person, listens to her input, and does creative projects with the entire family.

Olethra openly tells her dad she's leaving instead of sneaking off because their relationship feels safe enough to do so. She can adventure without anxiety because her family is a firm anchor at their homestead, but hearing Bert sing still makes her homesick.

It's a family dynamic decision I absolutely appreciate for our transfem PC, especially because I know Beardsley and Brennan don't avoid addressing transphobia and abusive families. Beardsley's transmasc PC Pete in Unsleeping City has an extremely transphobic father who gets cursed when he tries to say Pete's deadname. Pete has to break harmful ties to live his life truthfully. He has to find happiness despite his family's cruelty.

So Olethra getting to have a ride-or-die, passionately supportive, loving family means everything. Especially with the transphobic panic that's been fomented by bigots irl.

Because transness isn't simply tolerable or ignorable. It's loveable and admirable and beautiful. Hutch thinks his daughter's identity is worth fighting for. He's inspired by her, proud of her, not despite her transness but for it. I'm so glad they went this route for Cloudward, Ho! It's very cathartic.

AND Olethra's transness makes her dynamic with Marya so much cuter. Olethra clearly adores all of the Wind Riders, but she has a particular attachment to Marya! Her runaway luggage has Marya merch she made by hand. She specifically seeks Marya out when she wants to get Monty on the crew.

Olethra hides behind Marya when Lord Mordecestershire confronts them, despite Marya's thin frame and short stature. Despite having the options of ripped 6ft tall Van, built af boxer Maxwell, broad charmer Monty, and actively extremely protective Daisuke. It's comedic, but also very in-character.

How's this relate to Olethra's transness? Well, think about the recording from the Wind Rider Society's first expedition. Marya is the youngest pilot in Wind Rider Society history at around 18 years old. She's fierce, quick with a gun and brilliant with their airship. She's a highly respected, awkwardly charming, self-assured young woman who wears a beautiful silk pirate shirt and a tactical corset.

Her femininity and her feralness coexist with ease. I can see how she'd become an important figure for a young transgirl living on a libertarian homestead, comfortable with guns and raised to be scrappy.

Again, I just love how irrelevent Olethra's deadname is but how important her transness is. It isn't something that's slapped on or glossed over. Being a transwoman is an essential, undeniable part of Olethra MacLeod. Do not separate. It boosts her character & the overall story. It makes me so happyyyyyy

Now that I've regained coherence I just wanna ramble about all the cool intersections and parallels we already see in the premier:

Olethra and Maxwell are both grandkids of 2 very important figures to the OG Zephyr crew, but Maxwell's grandfather was the wealthy benefactor whose wealth funded the aeronauts while Olethra's grandmother is the former leader whose MIA status jumpstarts the entire journey.

Olethra and Maxwell's interactions with the OG members are already being colored by their grandparents' yawning shadows. I can see Maxwell having to surpass the barrier of Being An Outsider, while Olethra gets burdened by what the OG crew believes MacLeod would want for her. Especially Daisuke for Olethra, since he promised his ex-wife to protect her and has spent YEARS doing just that.

And, on the flip side, the entire OG Zephyr crew is gonna be dealing with their celebrity status among the newbies AND how long it's been since they've worked together. The chasm of time between that time and the present. The chasm between who believed in Zood (in MacLeod) and who didn't.

On a lighter note!!! Olethra is such a big fan of all the OGs but I really adore all the hints that she grew up with Marya specifically as her gender ideal. You can see it in their character art ofc, but there's also an instance of Olethra firing off a gun that is ENTIRELY reminiscent of Marya in the opening film reel. Marya wore (and still wears) a TACTICAL CORSET. That's the kind of gender expression that cracks eggs wide open.

Speaking of eggs and closets. It's VERY fun how Maxwell and Olethra's queer identities are woven into the narrative. Olethra was raised by violently supportive libertarian parents who place prime importance on an individual's freedom to do whatever the fuck they want and WILL kill you about it (and also secret bodyguard Pappy). Her transness is explicitly confirmed and supported multiple times, it's integrated into one of the first references to her. (I really hope Beardsley gets to dive deeper into Olethra's experience living her gender, they and Brennan always do such a phenomenal job of it!)

Meanwhile, Maxwell was raised as the 7th son of a (formerly) wealthy family, who are entirely preoccuppied with Keeping Appearances and Following Etiquette. "Rowdy" being a word offensive enough to send the family into hysterics, Maxwell's gloves covering his fighter's hands, his glove biting compulsion, and the entire fight club 28 perception check make homosexuality not even subtext. That's just text.

What are you doing covering up the evidence of the intricate rituals you use to touch the bare skin of other men? Why do you have oil in your back pocket if not to be constantly prepared to get oiled up and bloody with other men?

It's just fascinating how the integration of Olethra and Maxwell's relationships with their identities already sets them up to have such a dynamic. Your father is batshit, but he supports you unconditionally and goes out of his way to remind you of it. My father is buttoned up, acceptable, and smothers my passion in order to shove me into acceptability. Your grandmother is our mission and the Zephyr's heart, my father is an antagonist and our last name is... on the Zephyr.

We are both adults just now climbing out of our family's shadows.

Like COME ON MAN. THAT'S GOOD SHIT.

Also I'm ecstatic about the tension established between Maxwell and Monty before Monty is even introduced, because the dyamic between Lou's "you can't help but love 'em" charmer PCs and Murph's "2nd place winner of the cringefail dude competition" loser PCs is always such an underrated part of intrepid hero campaigns.

Maxwell bringing "3 star goodreads reviewer who Has Some Notes" all the way to the party where we meet beloved author and environmental activist Monty is a killer bit already. I need it to be the twin flame to "You have to promise not to be mad, Gerard". I NEED IT.

(Content Warnings for discussing all the stuff in Akechi's childhood specifically, bad parenting, neglect, mental illness. Take care of urselves)

waking up to the tags @1derpu2 added on another post of mine about Akechi ("#I don't think I could survive in his position") had me thinking of a 15-16 year old Akechi, and how survival even feels to him.

Because arguably Akechi has been in survival mode since he was born. Even with a mother doing her best to provide, poverty fundamentally rewrites the brain especially at such a young age−

(Tangent: Akechi's dessert blog actually reminds me of Brennan Lee Mulligan during the d20 Misfits & Magic actual play discussing his character [Evan Kelmp, an unhoused orphaned kid] ordering from desserts at restaurants in order to maximize caloric intake for his money bc stuff on the dessert menu actually tends to contain the most calories– ANYWAYS)

–and he also can feel the underlying tension in how his mother is treated, how he himself is treated, how there is no support network for them. I can imagine that's part of the lure of an ensemble kid's show like Featherman: reliable companions who take your hand rather than slapping it away.

I've done a lot of reading into attachment styles and attachment trauma (bc it's interesting and also haha ;] trauma) and it is a really cool lens to view the differences between our two Wild Cards Akechi and Akira.

adding a reblog with an attachment theory rundown! actual discussion of akechu attachment stuff below cut

cause the aa universe is fictional but still based off irl systems, and the dark age of the law wouldn't merely involve the courts. we just happen to experience the whole tangled mess from that angle. but it's obvious from simon's whole shtick (and also so many other things) how fucked the treatment of both the accused & convicted is. justice isn't served if the sentence a convict serves in itself is unjust

and i just cant imagine these very justice-minded individuals, who have their own experiences with themselves or loved ones being incarcerated, not doing shit about that. at the very least theyd be a part of a literacy access group, but with their life and career experiences theyd def have momentum

But I feel like when A draws, their art style is almost always implied to be representational and realistic. 1:1 sketches in a notebook. And as a fic writer who's understanding of art is very second hand, I get it dude. I feel you /gen

I do love naturalism, don't get it twisted!! (I shan't milord /ref) But there's a lot to explore with styles, techniques, & subject matter. Soooo

I have some proposals that might better fit your ships/blorbos of choice. Or just be fun!

Artist ship fic prompts/ideas:

A hates portraiture. Haaaates drawing people. Doesn't make no damn sense. They love doing still-lifes & landscapes (objects & places) though, and their feelings for B are revealed in how many of their pieces are of B's objects, objects B gave them, or important places in their relationship.

A hates drawing people, but loves drawing animals. Animal forms just make sense, and they're cooler! They keep drawing 2 animals together over & over, and those animals have a striking resemblance to A and B....

A does animal focused drawings typically seen as "cringe" in the mainstream. This is my Warriors OC it's a medicine cat like you're a medic. This is how we'd look as a cool dragons. I love you.

A is struggling financially and has started doing furry art (maybe they're a furry themselves). They've refused to accept what they see as handouts, or don't want to owe favors, so B commissions A to design them a fursona. And keeps commissioning them. Perhaps even anonymously. Sugar Daddy but if that daddy were a meerkat/raccoon hybrid.

A has a very cartoony or simplified style, and when drawing their friends they must choose what to emphasize or simplify. What A thinks their most easily recognizable elements are. B has some self-perception & self-esteem issues, but seeing what A focuses on makes them look at themselves in the mirror differently.

A has synesthesia and all their works that B is drawn to are actually how A perceives B's voice. Laughing, singing, talking fondly, even screaming.

Abstract or color-focused artist A. You are yellow to me because yellow is the happiest color. You keep changing colors in my mind's eye because you're always showing me new sides of yourself. This is your motif, it is in all of my works.

I am the kiki to your boba, and I think that's beautiful.

A does mixed media or collages, and they keep putting in physical elements from their life with B. Music sheets of B's favorite songs, corners from letters B's written, receipt paper from late-night diner trips, etc.

B is very expressive or physically active. They move through the world with intensity. So when A needs practice with gesture drawing, their chosen subject is usually B.

B is the only person who can accurately guess what the hell A's trash sculptures are supposed to mean (or they help them come up with fake meanings to please an art prof).

Here's a little bird paperweight I made. I love you. Here's a clay figurine of your favorite video game character. I love you. Here's a piece that's too flawed to sell, but you thought it was cute so have it. I love you.

I only ever doodle in the margins of my notebooks but our little doodle selves are going on an adventure. Also all these singular eyes are based on yours.

Hmm this got away from me. Maybe I should actually write fic,,,, nah.