#hellscream

shhhh, they think.

sfw version and I swear IF GROM’S TIDDIES SET OFF THE TUMBLR POLICE, WE HAVE A PROBLEM!!!

Anywho, here is my Patreon

https://www.patreon.com/tangledstrings

Overlord

just. saying that one up front loud and clear. Overlord for sure. anyway.

first of all, this is a goddamn magical girl anime, you KNOW it's all about the flourishes and twirls and poses and catchphrases and sparkles and witty back-and-forths. heck, i think it's a staple of the genre to have some degree of plot armor for the posing and flourishing because sure that's impractical and dangerous in a real fight and will make you vulnerable, but. the vibes. gotta have the vibes.

of the heroes, Thunderblast and Airachnid are actually tied for blatantly showiest, in different ways. Thunderblast has a very deep seated notice me, need me, pay attention to me drive that expresses itself as always being up front and loud, stealing the spotlight, jumping in to act when she isn't necessarily needed, showing off to grab attention and keep optics on her, making herself not only useful but interesting, either appealing or infuriating so everyone will see her and keep seeing her and she won't have to be alone in the dark, and it's a lot of physicality that seems unpracticed and unnecessary in actually fighting an enemy. Airachnid on the other hand uses attention as a form of control, to manipulate emotions and change perspectives and control narratives, to maneuver enemies where she wants them and force them to make exactly what assumptions about her she's leading them to make, hunting through mind games instead of through secrecy. so her physicality is not always big and loud and proud, sometimes it's sly and creeping, or blunt and flippant, or intimidating and predatory, so her flourishes and showing off are specifically tailored to the situation instead of just motion for motion's sake

Drift. Drift is SO big on swishy swords and quick pirouettes and sweeping bows and coy winks and fancy footwork, it's ridiculous. everyone rolls their optics at him except Rodimus who is just egged on by this. Rodimus is more blunt flaming brute force than Drift's delicate swift skill but he is absolutely a show off, both for his own fun "bro what if i did a sick kickflip" and also to try and impress neg Drift. Cheetor likes to sit back and watch them both be ridiculous at each other, but he finds cool twirls and spins fun too. of course he's fast enough that he can flip his daggers as quick as a helicopter rotor if he wants to and still have time to spare to stab someone coming at him, so it poses significantly less of a threat for him than others. most of his showing off is in his sheer speed and flexibility, with some impossible acrobatics he can pull off with ease that makes Rodimus and Drift jealous

Triptych isn't usually big on showing off and posing and stuff, but it depends on which mask is on: Mournsong is no-nonsense and economical, Predator will puff up and move as threateningly as possible, and Farsight has been known to (very badly) try ballet in the middle of a duel just for kicks. Hellscream can be pretty showy, but that's just like, his entire fussy bird personality, so no biggie there. Missy is usually practical but in moments of solemnity or significance she will absolutely rely on an almost ritual economy of motion that makes everything look deliberate and ethereal, especially when cityspeaking. it's like watching a spiritual experience instead of a show off, like she's forgotten anyone else is looking

Sixshot is very flourishy but completely unintentionally, they're a sixchanger, they can't help it! but they do have a weapon particularly suited to fancy twirls and use it for such indiscriminately. Elita 4 is all about the cool, cute, kawaii vibes, so she is all in on the poses and the blowing kisses and the teehee hand over mouth and the twinkletoes dancing across a battlefield. her gravikinesis makes this ridiculously easy so it doesn't endanger her too much. Elita 2 actually likes to copy her a bit specifically to make enemies underestimate her, before she moves in and guts them with speed and practicality. Scourge loves the idea of flourishes, but uh, is a little less coordinated than he'd like to be? trying to spin his hammer has absolutely resulted in someone getting the Forge to the face, sometimes himself. so he's only actually cool and competent when he isn't thinking about it, which makes his showiness less showing off and more just unconsciously cool

Optimus isn't very flourishy! he has his moments, sure, but he doesn't have any handheld weapons to twirl and isn't really given to dramatics, so he's pretty down to earth, comparatively. his most striking moments are when he's standing tall and firm and giving some sort of inspiring speech, rather than a cool flourish. Galvatron is not like that. he's not really twirly or intricate, just brutal, and his showing off is more in loud yelling and dramatic pauses before a powerful blow. Elita 1 would rather skip to the stabbing part than swish her sword around, thanks, or just punch someone, that works too. this means she's absolutely just decked Galvatron while he's still in the middle of some witty banter

Ultra Magnus is very practical in his movements, as is Elita 3, although neither of them are above some cool swishy motions with their weapons, and Elita 3 has a habit of moving along with the metal she's kinetically manipulating, a bit like bending but not full-on martial arts. Abominus is also more controlled, but this comes from an awareness of his own size and threatening stature, and he's careful to only ever come across as dangerous when he wants to, otherwise he moves very precisely so he doesn't hurt anything on accident. Elita 5 is also conscious of her large frame and large weapon and doesn't flourish very much, except with her flames which she makes into beautiful patterns and colors just for funsies to show off

Soundwave and Cyclonus are the least flourishy, Soundwave because he is nerfed by his own inner dialogue/argument and Cyclonus because this guy is just that stoic. sure he'll twirl his swords some but also why do a cool spin when he can just. teleport. boom, he's there, done

for antagonists aside from Overlord, uhhhh