So Tenna is clearly a big Zelda fan. Or. Xelda. Whatever the deltarune equivalent is. Kris and Asriel probably played together a lot right. Asriel taking over for the hard puzzles and the boss fights while Kris messed around in minigames. Since Tenna is so minigame pilled.
I think he gets crazy excited when Cerise plugs in their gamcube and shorts out the first time NGRJAVEN which humiliates him. Low-key. Even though it wasn't his fault, given he was still knight damaged around that point. Eventually when Cerise is visiting his dark world he suggests they play together some time. And Cerise is like well it's not a two player game. But we can. They play Majora's mask for him which he pogs out about because he didn't know there was a sequel to OOT.
She suggests they play smash. Tenna picks Cp Falcon because. Well that's like an action hero to him he's got no special attachment to the F-Zero franchise he's just Hollywood brained. Cerise plays Sheik and kind of beats his ass the first few times. Which jokerizes Tenna. He starts flagrantly cheating. Which makes Cerise laugh. Which encourages further terrible gaming behavior. Can you still win against me if I've reversed all your controls daisydoo. I think not.
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watching any creature feature makes me want to work more on the silly monster movie au tho............ where tenna is a. weird demonic entity from another realm that feeds on extreme emotional responses (joy, fear, doesnt matter so long as its a Lot) and he just happens to posses things like TVs or loudspeakers. radios or cameras. whatever he can. TVs preferred of course. and he takes the form of like a huge pile of pale ants when he's not crawling inside the electronics. or a person. to inhabit. slowly building up a true form. inspo taken from stuff like hellraiser... and other places. media.
tenna would give the warmest sweetest aftercare after a rape, especially one where he knows heâs gone too far. as though if heâs as nice as possible after the fact he can negate the severity of what he just did
cracks each of my knuckles individually
tw: can you read the ask again for daddy ok thank you kitten. vague allusions to noncon, stalking, weirdo aftercare. reader was sort of playing the field right dating around idk maybe that's cheating to you but it wasn't official. ??? this one is kind of mean he's a little kooky here. mdni!
Tenna is good at this. He's an entertainer first, a hedonist that feels his best when YOU'RE feeling your best. Your pleasure is his pleasure, he gets off getting others off... If he pushes the envelope, it's just because you don't know what's good for you. And he could be very, very good for you.
Most people in the past haven't bothered to resist him. And why would they? He's an attractive guy. He's got his looks, and he can be charming when he wants to be. He's accustomed to getting his way. Even if it's... been awhile.
The first few times you say 'no thank you' when he asks you to come up to his penthouse, he really doesn't pay it much mind. He's a celebrity. He understands why you might be shy. You've only been dating for a few months, and he doesn't mind a chase. He likes it, actually. Likes to have a goal in mind. You play games to win prizes, and what a prize you are. Absence makes the heart grow fonder!
He finds a few of his gifts in the trash, and that stings a bit more. Maybe you're not a perfume person. Maybe you're allergic to flowers- (he'd know that already? He's been watching. Most people don't know when he's watching. He can walk pretty quietly, for a guy his size. So why, why...) it's just so odd. Some days you'll accept them. Some days you won't even bother to take them home.
He really does like you. And it seems like you like him too. That's what he thought. He really did.
When he catches you with that... other man... he wonders if this is why you never invite him home. He wonders how many other men there have been. He considers breaking the window he peered through to see you both tangled up together, but he doesn't, because he's just that nice. He's nice even as he breaks into the other man's car to check for a wallet. Learn a name. Learn an address.
He leaves you a note in your mailbox. It's not from him of course. He's not the one you let into your home. But now he knows how he can get in. Sets up a date, a time. Finds the key under the mat that day, while you're still at work, and nearly breaks his own teeth gritting them. So the other man can get a key no questions asked? A single stupid note in your mailbox about wanting to make you dinner, and he gets invited in? But not Tenna.
He doesn't bother making dinner for you. You haven't earned that. He's the one who's been spending time trying to earn you, and he has.
You don't live in a very nice part of town. He thinks about that when you get home, walk inside. When he steps out of the shadows and grabs you by the hair. When you scream, and scream, and nobody comes to help you. It disgusts him. Breaks his heart. He'll have to move you somewhere nicer. He thinks that as he yanks your clothes off, pushes you down on the floor.
He wanted the first time to be special, but there's nothing special about all this. He realizes when he's done he was rougher than he ever meant to be. This is why he hates getting angry. He's not himself, not who he wants to be for you. He almost cries when you flinch away from him, but he can't blame you when you're hurt. His hands are gentle now, claws tucked in, and he runs his thumb across the cuts on your thighs and back. Soothes away the red welts, the blood. Carries you to the bathroom, ignoring the way you weakly kick.
He jokes lamely that he's mostly water proofed. CRTV's are all hot air, empty inside, so spills or splashes don't hurt him like a flooding would. You say you know he's empty, and he goes quiet as he wipes you down. Keeps the water lukewarm, so it doesn't burn, but not so cold you get sleepy. Takes his time tending you, your body, your hair. Tells you how pretty you are. How he could never resist you. How he understands why others can't either, even if it's not okay.
It's fine now. Now, you know. You'll know for next time. He drains the tub, he picks you up with just one arm, the other hand clutching at a first aid kit. He chuckles when you say there won't be a next time. Lies you on the bed, bandages your limbs. You're so much smaller. He points that out, and somehow, you seem to shrink in his grasp. Maybe that's for the best? You're easier to take care of like this. And taking care of you is what he's always really wanted.
He'll make you dinner. Or he'll order out. He'll remind you that the cops won't believe you if you reach for the phone, but he won't say it hatefully. It's a bad part of town after all, and he's not a bad man. The cops know that already about him. He'll dry your tears, he'll say he's sorry. He'll offer to buy you ice cream, chocolate, any movie you want to see. But he'll come back once he's got it. And he'll keep taking care of you, whether you appreciate it or not.
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Ultimately teaching the kids and teens how to act is healing for Tenna because it allows him that connection he craves with other people but takes you know. The ego out of it. This isn't about you. It's about these kids. For Cerise they probably will never be well enough to go back on stage and sing and dance, but they can long enough to get the awe and adoration of the next generation of stars. She can teach them what to watch out for, who not to trust, how to say their lines. Give examples with that big ass CRT she likes so well. And keeps joking that she married(?) she's got a certificate up on the wall and everything.
Of course if I'm right and at some point the dark world will start clashing with the light world these kids are in for a goosebumps ass scare when Cerise coughs shortly after the power goes out one evening and Tenna thoughtlessly jokes that Cerise can only be excused if she coughs in his mouth next or whatever whacky shit he would say to her by this point in their relationship. And she's like. What in the Goddamn. Lights a match and Tenna is straight chillingggggg leaning hallway against his rolling TV stand. Turns his smile towards one of the gawking teens and shoots them with a finger gun. And then when they react in sheer terror he's like. Oh I Am Not Meant To Be Here Right Now. There's noâ there's no fountain.
Like he would really prefer his partner want kids, but so long as you like kids and are nice to them and are okay when he talks about the kids he cares for and works with on the job that's acceptable. He wants to be his partners #1 priority and he wants to put his partner and their family above everything else except maybe his job, which he takes seriously, and you'll have to take seriously too. But as long as you don't make fun of the production of tv or acting or management he'll be happy to talk your ear off about it. What else⌠he doesn't mind if his partner has had endless sex or none at all, because he's been sexually active himself. or hes happy to provide a virgin with his expertise. he will get jealous if you talk about it TOO much though so maybe don't say any past partners names. he wont end things with you but he'll end things. for the other guy. he loves fatties and autists and freaks and goths and alts and butches and fems and he genuinely does want to hear you talk about your favorite video game or movie or what youve done throughout the day. Like hes not faking enthusiasm. He wants to know. He wants to be included. If it was a game on your phone though he'll be mad. #play that shit on me instead boy. its me boy. your ps5. speaking to you. inside your brain. leave your job. you dont need it.
being ace/aro is not a dealbreaker. he wants to be desired so he'll struggle with it and pout and think he can just fuck you into wanting his body but if you give him enough attention he may straight up forget like he might be like ok im their special exception. im jerking off to that btw. an aro partner is similar in that he'll panic and think he just needs to woo them harder but if you can make it clear you want to be with him and you're not gonna abandon him for someone else he'll start getting like evil anime villain about it mwahaha. well i suppose i never have to worry about them cheating or getting any funny ideas about running off with someone else. its just me. just tenna.
the biggest hurdle i think is if you're a sex negative person. i think he could be reassured that he's still adored even without banging- i mean he's had the parental lock on for god knows how long. but getting it off, well. he also assumed he'd be getting off you see. giving him permission to jerk it to your panties or to masturbate to you while you sleep is probably nice for him but expect some sulking that he isnt allowed to return the favor. he doesn't like to owe people. he likes it when people owe him.
"so what is a deal breaker" if you prove you dont value him. He considers himself a gift hes giving you and he wants to be valued. If you steal from him or cheat be prepared. "For?" Be Prepared.
If you needed money you should've just asked him. If you wanted sex you should've said so. Don't imply that he can't care for your needs. He'll be triple hurt if it's emotional cheating, bc then it'll seem to him like sex is all you had and he hadn't been treating this like one of his flings. So he'll feel off balance and lash out. So. Be prepared.
cerise and tenna both want children very very badly, of course, but i don't want them to get everything they want. i suppose. i want them to be happy, i want them to heal together. i want them to do their villain couple slay. but it can't be perfect. cerise is less sick thn they were, but they'll always be chronically ill. tenna will always be narcissistic bpd. and that's okay! they're both getting treatment. but there's no treating cerise's infertility, and um obviously tenna is a television anyway. but they still HAVE children in their life. cerise opens the theater after they sell the shop while tenna of course opens the darkworld equivalent of a community theater. i doubt there's many darkner children aha bc TOBY WONT TELL ME HOW IT WORKS anyway. its fine though because tenna loves having the kids in cerise's class in front of his screen.
i know most people have like one or three month obsessions then are more passive about it but i'm coming up to a year of almost exclusively focusing on tenna. and i'm scared. i had a feeling that he would stubbornly weasel himself into my brain and sit there for most of my life. i assume you're in a similar boat. shout out to the real tenna fans. all three of us. thanks for all your tenna takes the day i found your blog was probably one of the best days of my life đ§đ§ for me personally he's quite versatile and i've never gotten tired of writing about him even if it's me sometimes saying the same things over and over. because i don't think any other character scratches the itch he does for me. not even bojack or whoever else people like to compare him to - đŹ
what the hell anon why are you so sweeties... take my hand and let me ramble a bit
confession I've actually started to sour on the bojack comparison. Don't mind it when my many tenna mutuals do it bc they probably know what theyre talking about for their own interp and I think if every single person inb fandom shared the same interp of a character it would get hugely boring fast but. I saw it a lot on the bluesky circles I poked into and it started to really grate. Bc really when you peel back the layers beyond the initial surface comparison (both fading stars, and. actually thats it) they don't really have much in common. Tenna doesn't really... do the bojack thing. Wallowing. He's way too hands on and he doesn't really feel a lot of guilt or regret. He doesn't stew in his failures bc he doesn't think he can fail. He only thinks he's trash when he can't measure up to his own standards and when he lets his family down- when like. Bojack loves letting his family down and his self esteem is shit lmao Tenna has major fluctuations between supreme arrogance and panicked terror that he can't meet the impossible standards he's made for himself (always be fun always be available put on a show 24/7 never let the kids go unentertained for even a second spend every singular moment with them... buddy quit huffing glue thats literally- even TVs arent meant to always be playing. you are gonna short yourself out.) there's also a lot bojack does that tenna just. would rather kill himself thn do. and probably vice versa I doubt bojack has the balls to be willing to embarrass himself like tenna does. bojack has like a neverending supply of shame and tenna has exactly zero. idk outside of bojack saying he used to be famous- and tenna wouldnt say that btw he would say he's still famous- i really dont... i dont fuck with the comparison in my personal writing. but also youve seen my HCs theyre very specific. sometimes he's not even a TV he's the concept of a man. im most attracted to him when hes metal though just think of how clean he feels and he'll be warm in the winter and cool in the summer if you turn him off and press against the glass... and then he'll get really frustrated and horny bc what the heck you are supposed to watch me!!! but also don't stop cuddling. <<< impossible to please this guy.
tldr: i think tenna could dribble bojack like a basketball and slam dunk him thru a hoop i don't think they're talking about the similarities they dont even share that many of any time soon.
i've seen maybe like... two characters that actually remind me (vaguely) of my tenna vaguely and thats clyde introdemo and josef creep. oh and seth milchick severance. three guys. guys that have a lot of pride in their work and spiral when they can't attain their insane lofty goals and they're all a little menacing and also super silly and sincere. and sometimes they kill people #they kill people!!!
i like tenna bc well, its like you said. theres a lot of room for super interesting character studies and analysis and interpretations. it just makes me a little sad to see the mass fanon everyone has agreed on. its boring its bland it has little basis on the tenna we see in ch3. not saying everyone has to share my exact takes (again. thats... it would be boring if literally everyone did that all the time. what would any of us DISCUSS???) but dam... you dont even think hes tempted to spike your drink a little... you dont think he wants to electrocute you when you glance at other men... thats not my tenner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i love to imagine every tv in DR has similar... dispositions. not saying they all have the same personality but they're all a little obsessive and emotional and passionate and probably jerk off to humans. and are fond of kids and small animals and they kill people again i think they all kill people. and worse. but also its just a part of the artistic process. gotta crack a few eggs for good tv! i don't mind, say, the concept of something like a defernull tenna but you gotta give him the same earnestness beneath it all and a gentle streak and yk he cant be serious all the time he has to be hiding his goofy goober power level to seem more, yk, intimidating. but thats not really what we were talking about i just got distracted. tenna has a lot of range that not many folks explore... i want to talk about the implications of his behavior and how he reacts to having a family of his own and what hes like going through a divorce and how many windows he breaks with bricks bc he saw his kids meet his ex wifes new boyfriend. my pansexual menace who claims hes bi bc being 'pan' is hippie shit. hes racist he thinks other darkners are stupid he's mildly sexist he seems to believe boys are yucky hes a rapist hes a family man hes a clown and a professional hes a genius hes a fool hes 15 feet tall hes sexy hes a seducer he probably eats bugs and above all he is on substances that have him saying shit like glooby thinking its a real word
Cerise loves asking Tenna about his body. Not just in the sexy way when they're starting to get romantically and sexually involved but just like⌠do you feel cold? Hot? (He makes a smarmy joke about always feeling hot around his cerises pieces. And she beats him with a washcloth as he giggles.) Does he have a preference? He talks about how he's actually not fond of the heat. He likes it cold. The colder the better.
But that puzzles her, since he always avoids the snowy part of Cerise's dark world, and that's where it's coldest. But he just shakes his head and smiles. He doesn't know if he's allowed to like the snow anymore. He's not sure if he wants to. Besides, he loves the sun, so... you can't usually have both. He's accustomed to asking for impossible things.
He asks her things too, not strictly impossible. Not always trying to be a pervert either, but usually. Lmao. She tells him about her diet, how she can really only process sugars and raw meat. Fruit that's over ripened is best, and that's what she stuck to when she was younger, because eating raw meat by the handful made the producers disgusted. Not cute! Not her brand! Not good for the fans to see! Which makes Tenna's smile get thinner. But he doesn't say anything. Because he's done worse to himself, for less valid reasons, when it came to succeeding in the business.
And Cerise did succeed. She's still a household name. But Tenna just wants to know more. And more. Whatever she'll tell him. Everything. It feeds his ego to know she doesn't tell anyone else, and she likes how he puffs up, how he feels so important just because she gives him what he wants. That charms her, and it makes him feel young again when she gives him that smile.
So he asks Tenna, when Tenna says as much: were you ever young? Which makes Tenna HUFF. Most darkners just don't age like that, but it depends on the humans that surround them⌠Tenna was bought by Toriel back in college, so that's how he sprung out of non-existence. Around that age. Which makes Cerise GUFFAW bc ofc⌠born a party boy. The leather pants give him away. He SCOWLS and turns up his nose at her. What did you picture? Some tiny little TV boy running around chasing lowesflies? And Cerise is like pause what are lowesflies. And Tenna flounders for a minute. They're⌠christmas lights⌠but they'reâ they're like lightingbugs, that Lightners show on TV. Tenna knows more than most about the ways the darkworld and lightworld are different thn most darkners.
So Cerise hums, and leans back, imagining a small Tenna playing catch with lightning bugs made of Christmas lights (apparently from lowes) in the Dreemurrs living room. Which makes them feel such a wave of cuteness aggression and baby fever they are immediately pissed the fuck off that they can't get pregnant with one of those little novelty CRTVs. What the fuck. You should be tiny and small. And cute. And call me mommy. Crosses arms. If you can't give me babies.
This has him floundering. What are you asking him to do- you- is this roleplay? Cerise wants him to act like their son???? And Cerise shrugs. It could be fun. Sometimes, Cerise says, you're like a father to me. Sometimes it feels more like you're my older brother... but sometimes you're SO immature, Tenna, that I feel like your mommy. Which is fine. I like it when you comfort me, when you take care of me like a father- but I like getting into mischief too, like you're my big sibling teaching me stuff about parties and alcohol. And I like cleaning up your messy fits, too, I like holding you when you're throwing a fit. I like being the provider, on occasion. And you would be so cute all small. And you won't give me a baby anytime soon. So. Would you let me dote on you? Or are you gonna have another tantrum? do you need spanked.
he jokes. he's good at that. being silly. says he's usually the one doing the spanking. cerise turns serious. asks why. asks if he enjoys it. and he's caught wrongfooted by em again. says he does, he enjoys it, but. not all the time. he wants em to want it, his partner. wanna be treated that way. says he... doesnt always mean to be rough, or break things. cerise says he's not a brute. and you can break the things you fix. toys or otherwise. playing hard is playing with love. to be loved is to be changed. stuffed toys, they lose their buttons when you cuddle them. thread wears out. it can all be fixed. its not bad to love hard. he decides they should just stop talking for a bit. offers to take cerise dancing. cerise sighs. smiles. takes his hand.
because really, it's not like he's afraid of being vulnerable sexually,
It's just about every other kind of vulnerability. He wants to be! And he's willing to microdose on it, to get what he wants. Show enough of his softness, expose his belly to lure someone in enough to clamp down hard. Bear trap of a man. But Cerise is a needle in the softness, digging, searching. Precise and vaguely painful, surgical where they look for the core of him, and⌠in sex, they spoke about it as a pair pretty easilyâ before they were personally intimate.
The rape is key, right. It's something that always happens between them, the worst of Tenna's lack of regard for consent exposed to Cerise in the height of his weakness. Circumstances change from au to au obviously, but he must always inevitably assault Cerise. And Cerise must forgive him after, with conditions.
In canon the first time they're intimate, it's notâ neither of them finish, because they call it off as they've barely started. Tenna has exposed his wires, Cerise is slowly taking him in, and they think this is different enough from the sex they were subjected to in their youth they won't drop. But they drop super hard, they call Tenna daddy for the first time, and they are both mortified for different reasons. Tenna because he enjoyed being called daddy during sex, and Cerise because they know Tennis isn't their stepfather, and they know he isn't demanding sex from them to punish them. This isn't meant to be a punishment. So Cerise breaks off one of his antenna and runs away. Doesn't visit for awhile, and Tenna thinks it's because Cerise could tell yeah. That he took some perverse enjoyment in their vulnerability, in the way they were triggered by the intimacy, and the fact he still thinks of himself as their family even as they've started to explore a sexual aspect of their relationship.
Cerise fetishizes the concept of rape to a certain extent, but not the abuse they went through. They want to be wanted, but they do not want to humiliate themselves for the pleasure of someone who doesn't care for them at all. Cerise was only ever raped as a punishment, for missing a cue or for forgetting their lines. They want to have sex with someone who loves them, that they love in return, as best as they are able. They want to try everything with Tenna, but they need his vulnerability, and his soft parts. And he's not ashamed to give them that, insofar as it doesn't sacrifice his control of the situation. He sees himself as giving, right. I'll grovel as a gift. I lower myself because I can. Even as I lower myself, I'm still miles above the rest. Even as I crawl on the fucking ground I'm better than all of you. But he's not sure if that's true, with Cerise, who sees him so clearly. And of course he wants to have every kind of crazy sex imaginable with them, but he knows about their trauma and he knows they're going to try to psychoanalyze him after he busts. Not immediately they know he's got dom drop lmao and one of their favorite things to do is praise and stroke over his face to watch the way his screen ripples and hear the way his body physically reacts. The whine of him, inside, calling for them.
It's actually easier for him, to let someone be his mommy dom, then try to daddy dom or do sib/sib stuff, because it's a less sensitive issue TO HIM. SEEMINGLY. Worth noting. He was Kris and Asriel's older brother, but I don't think he's thought of himself as Toriel or Asgore's kid for a long long time. But up until like. 3 months ago he was still holding the hope he could have Kris and Asriel back, and be the brother-father he used to be.
Trying to keep Cerise in the category of 'family', being terrified to mess things up with his new family⌠it's one thing to joke about sex. He joked about asses with Kris and he shouted frenzied relationship advice to a fumbling Asriel during his first brushes with girls in the living room. Sex is just a part of life, and Tenna wants to laugh with Cerise. Tenna wants to be what Cerise needs, but he can't be out of control again. And Cerise just keeps pushing his buttons. It feels like they're teasing him. Doing it on purpose.
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Is there a situation where Tenna could be raped by a person he likes? I fear most ways of scaring him would just make him horny, as well as most means of hurting him... And then there's the fact that he'd have no problem forcing most anyone to stop doing something he truly doesn't like. I feel like it'd be challenge to truly noncon him
read the ask. if it triggers you scroll past it. MDNI pleeeease
i actually do quite like this question bc it's something i've also thought about endlessly. and i think. WHEW ok this is gonna sound problematic. understand i say this in good faith and i know this isn't real.
anyone can be raped irl. but i think with tenna. its hard to 'rape' him in general, bc his confidence is such he will convince himself actually i wanted that shit + my libido is insanely high + sex is awesome and i should have as much as i can.
like unless he's already in a committed closed relationship, and some other person manages to slip him something (i also hc he's immune to most substances unless he specifically fucks with his own TV settings. which he only does when he's gonna party. but in this scenario let us say he can be roofied) I just don't think he would ever see a situation as rape. "O they want me" and that's with someone he's not even super into. and like. even high as balls if you pissed him off he could use wizard lightning so he'd have to be bound. in the end he'd view it as someone 'stealing' something he only wants to give to his romantic partner. how dare you come between us. i will fry and eat you now.
For a crush. He wants to be in a 24/7 free use relationship, and he wants it both ways. He wants to be able to pick them up whenever, wherever, and fuck them up against the wall or over a table or whatever. and likewise i think he'd nut instantly if his partner mounted up while he was sleeping and rode him and he woke up to their little somno indiscretion bc we're assuming here his partner didn't ask. so if they drugged him or tied him up or jumped him as he was turned off for the night to sleep / charge or whatever he would cum. again. i know anyone can be a victim. and he is still being raped if he hasn't consented to a 24/7 free use situation with whoever he's in a relationship with. but he doesn't see it that way and never will and feels immense satisfaction whenever his partner gets off on him.
he would be sort of pissed if his crush or partner assaulted him while he was unplugged and didn't record it though bc what the hell... greedy... he wants to see also. and you didn't even give him the chance to moan like a whore for you. he can moan in his sleep he knows that he's loud af. you're literally mean to him. pouts. but again it's not- he wouldn't be traumatized he would just wanna try some new crazy kink with his special someone. hope crush likes being overstimmed and bitten all over and suspended upside down from the ceiling by his gut wires like he's some kind of insane mechanical spider.
Buckle up dudes, cause I'm back with another yap sesh (hey, shouldn't I be writing and reading up on fanfic prompts...? *sweat drop*)
So, Iâve talked a LOT about this man already from character analysis posts to fanfiction and thereâs still a lot of things left to say and observe about this man. Thus, I wanted to write up this piece in order to just dump my thoughts on some things that have been on my mind for a while. Just take it as my usual rambles and nightly musings.
Note: I do get into a rather touchy topic at the end (one that I feel many have struggled with and can be triggering. I know I kind of was when writing it, so skip number 3, if it's too much).
1. He is malnourished
Look at how proud he is, the big guy beating up the little one smh. Just awful...
I remember first seeing this being talked about by a certain Norton fan on Twitter (itâs always Twitter lol) who mentioned they never hear talk about how malnourished Norton is. This is true. I always thought it interesting how small Norton looked for apparently being a miner who has worked all his life in the mines. Whereâs the muscle?
Right here, of course! Right~?
And no, his washing board doesnât count in cosmetics like his summer fit andâŚthe recent âFoolâs Goldâ fit (I still canât believe theyâve done thisâŚlol).Â
But on a more serious note, we can see in his character trailer how he compares to the other miners and well, they certainly looked better physique-wise. For Norton, itâs highly probable that going to the shelter to look after Benny is one reason he is the way he is.
Itâs said in his recent birthday letter that he would bring fresh bread for Benny to eat but would eat moldy biscuits instead. Norton also mentions to Alice in the affection system about having to eat stale bread in this quote: âUnderstand me? You ever eaten stale bread, stuck in your pocket for three days, covered in dirt and grime?â
He kinda looks the same size as Benny here, ngl. Well, that is...certainly something...
Considering his black lung disease, which only debilitates him further, one can only guess that how physically weak he must actually be. It just may appear that he is okay because he has had to be in survival mode for most of his life and both his mind and body donât know any other way to live. You know how you hear those stories of people somehow surviving or doing incredible feats of strength due to an adrenaline rush? Thatâs basically Norton but that rush is every day of his life.
You guys ever see what a black lung actually looks like? God, no wonder Norton really does sound like he is hacking up his lungs when you play as him in game...
His body is a wreck, mates. And itâs a wonder he is somehow holding it together especially when you also take into account that he has been traveling here, there, and God knows where in search of the treasure from Bennyâs list of 13 mines. All to end up with nothing but a magnet that only just barely improves his situation in life.Â
Whatâs even worse is that even at the manor, he could partake in better and more nutritional food but it appears he doesnât. His favorite foods to eat are milk, bread, and teaâŚwhich isnât a lot but thatâs all he could afford for most of his life. Even if he did eat something else, likeâŚsay, foie gras, then how would his body react?
I canât remember which one of you guys mentioned this but someone did say that since his body is too used to consuming the usual poor meal of bread and milk that eating anything else could upset it. The body needs time to acclimate to other types of food which sounds kinda messed up but itâs true.
Anyways, this point was a bit longer than I thought it would be so onto the next.
2. Heâs lonely
The affection system really was a treasure trove of lore.
I feel like this is rather a more obvious one as the whole affection system is testament to this fact. Like this dude acts like he really really REALLY wished Alice would leave him the freak alone and even says as much in the beginning at low affection. Yet, as he grows more familiar with Alice (rather begrudgingly I may add), he slowly but surely opens up.Â
I mean, at full affection he becomes a yapper and answers her questions without too much fuss. He even seems to carry the conversation sometimes though he does have his limits and even tells her that theyâve talked long enough and to go do something else (which again just implies that theyâve been talking for a whileâŚwowee, what progress from him simply saying ââŚâ)
âTomorrowâs another day. More work. More tiredness. More loneliness. Same old grind.âÂ
Norton is, uhâŚvery relatable if youâve workedâŚpretty much any job in our current society. Yet, of course, in his case, it's 10 times worse and he has been stuck doing it since he was a child. Let that sink in, especially those of you who work at rather lackluster jobs you wish you could escape from.
But itâs interesting that he does admit not just being tired but lonely as well. And that makes sense. The only person we know of that was even the remotest bit close to Norton was Benny who was a close friend of Norton's father and by extension was a family friend to Norton.
Yet, while that old man did seem to hold some good intentions in the beginning (see Norton's 2023 birthday letter), itâs possible there were some ulterior motives at play for both parties. Which seems clear when we know Norton absconded with Bennyâs list without the man knowing until it was too late.
Speaking of, I feel as if when Iâm talking about this aspect of Norton, many of you are envisioning Prospector Norton, yes? But may I remind you that âFoolâs Goldâ is Norton too.
When I was editing my video last night, I accidentally paused on this shot and golly, no wonder Alice just bolted cause that smile is devilish.
Itâs kind of hard to envision this big somewhat monstrous rock creature with such a malcious smile is any bit lonely but letâs take a bit of a more closer eye to it, yes?
For instance, take a look at his deduction notes. I always found it interesting that Prospectorâs Deduction notes are all labelled with words of positive connotations: Kindness, Diligence, Efficiency, Persistence, Patience, Courage, Alert, Share, Wisdom, Lucky.Â
Best quality I can probably get on Tumblr (sigh)
And then you read the notes underneath each one and itâsâŚkind of sad to read. I wonât list all but here are some in order as you go down the list:
Kindness: âIs that an Olive Branch you just threw, orâŚâ (First deduction quest)
Diligence: âThe more effort, the more rewards?â
Persistence: âPeople wonât be unlucky forever, right?â
Patience: âNext timeâŚâ
Alert: âYou need to be more cautiousâŚâ
Lucky: "That's only because the rest are just unlucky." (Last deduction quest)
As you can see from the ones I selected, it feels as if Norton slowly over time loses his goodwill and morals as he became more jaded with the world and the fate that was handed to him. No matter how much he worked or strived to better his life, nothing worked and he continued to be looked down on and mocked by those who technically SHOULD have been more empathetic since they were in the same position as him.Â
Yet, âWhat else can the son of a miner be but a miner?âÂ
A quote that has been said by Norton a handful of times but have you ever stopped to wonder if it originated from him? Itâs seems plausible that those who saw his efforts and ambitions would say such a thing to him because in the society they lived in, the poor would always remain poor and the rich would continue to fill their pockets with the hard earned efforts of those working in the slums.
That quote was probably hammered into Nortonâs head from a young age to the point a part of him started to believe it. He says in the video that he "once thought the same" implying that his view of being stuck as a miner's son changed. Unfortunately, it probably coincided with the sharp sour feeling that the whole world truly was against him. So naturally, his jadedness and disappointment turned into bitter anger and resentment towards the apathetic and mocking world he grew up in.Â
But heâs still a human being at the end of the day even as a hunter.
Y'know...looking at these images is making me wonder if I'm wrong here. Maybe I should rethink this...
Well, anyways! Letâs take a look at âFoolâs Goldâsâ Deduction quests: Shrewd, Lonely, Sophisticated, Willful, Gloomy, Greedy, Arrogant, Hypocrite, Ruthless, Numb.
Well, theyâre certainly more negative in connotation this time, eh? But what I really find interesting is the fact that itâs his Hunter identity that have words like âLonelyâ and âGloomy.â âNumbâ also stands out. The rest are what one typically thinks of when they think of âFoolâs Gold.â He is seen as the more violent and ruthless side of Norton who mercilessly regards others as just stepping stones to his greater success. This isnât wrong, but itâs also not the full picture of who he is.Â
Alright, hands up, how many of y'all are into this crazed psycho man, hm? Cause I've seen the likes on that FG abs post. I know what y'all are.
And understandably, he feels less sympathetic than Prospector because of how he is presented. They even mention his dehumanization as âFoolâs Goldâ in his concept video. In this instance, it's both in body and mind. He is supposed to feel less human and more the physical embodiment of all those negative ideas from above in this rock creature that he has become.
Yet, that also includes the more âcolderâ words that seem unlike the bloodthirsty violent pickaxe wielder weâve come to love and hate (for me at least, the traumaâŚthe trauma I get from FG players know no bounds!! AhemâŚ)
Lonely: âThe loneliness of separation must be endured on the climb up.â
Iâll also include the note for this one: âA coin: Stained by ash, footprints, tears, and dirt from the slums.â
Sophisticated: âWear a mask for the sake of survivalâ
Note: âA note on the back: What a detestable person! Wagging his tail like a dog in front of the overseer!â
Gloomy: âThe other side of kindness and affability.â
Greedy: âMerely retaking what the heavens owe.â
Numb: âForget them and stay away from the dark underground.â Note: âMaybe it can keep me away from misfortune and darkness.â (Last deduction quest)
I think after reading this, itâs pretty clear that the petrification of Norton Campbell isnât just a physical thing we see with him being made of mostly rocks as âFoolâs Gold,â but also the hardening of his emotions and heart. I mentioned this before in a recent post but in order to survive and attempt to thrive in a world full of pain, coal dust, and mockery, he had to become the very monster that suppressed him for so long with little regard to treating him like an actual human being.Â
I even mentioned how as a hunter, itâs interesting Norton uses his pickaxe to create âunstable groundâ where each time he uses his pickaxe it mimics almost what one would think a mine crumbling and ultimately collapsing would feel and sound like. He subjects the survivors to the same pain and trauma that haunted him day in and day out in those mines, every day thinking it could be his last. (I say this as someone who actually has been jumpscared by the sound of his pickaxe and the walls exploding like a mini earthquake around me.)
"Unstable Ground" is the title of his base trait and the trait that makes him who he is. He inflicts it on others, just as he felt it back in those mines.
The fact he says this to Alice in the affection system both backs up my argument but also feels a bit saddening in a way.
Because did he necessarily want to become that way? Of course not, but he was forced to in order to survive because at the end of the day, Norton Campbell simply wants to. Live. A. Better. Life.Â
Which seems impossible to achieve.
Let me say here that it's not like Norton just decided one day to throw away his morals and kinder nature, he did mentally struggle a lot. I mean, he was struggling so badly against himself that it went from a mental struggle to a physical struggle, holding his head and clawing at his face (which is not caught in the GIF above but you will see it when watching the video).
It means, he is fully aware of why going to the darkside is a bad idea but succumbs anyway because it became too much, the constant struggle to survive, the failed ventures with the 13 mines, the constant ridicule, forcing himself to suck up to his superiors, etc. etc.
âHe tired easily, and his lung disease worsened, but this physical pain was nothing compared to the âinfectionâ spreading from those finer wounds. Whenever the infection began, he felt a fear of falling into an endless void. This fear was more pronounced in dark environments as if he had been placed in the bottomless mine where he had spent his life trying to escapeâ -from his character introduction.
While I know âFoolâs Goldâ isnât traditionally seen as being someone youâd look at and think âAww, how lonely he must beâ or âI wonder if that senseless smile of his also masks some of his painâ (it probably doesnât but who knows?), but in this section I also wanted to point out how this identity of Norton tends not to be casted in too many different lights outside of the violent, almost senseless murderer people like to cast him in.
*Nortalice Shipping Alert* Just wanted to warn that Iâm about to step into shipping territory. Ye have been warned.
But since Iâve lately been itching to explain some thoughts behind my writing process (thanks to @tempestimes), I wanted to say this is why I sometimes write âFoolâs Goldâ the way I do.Â
Probably the best instance I can think of is in my very first nortalice fanfic, âSun-kissed Snowâ (aww memoriesâŚas if it wasnât like 2 months ago lol). It would be better to just show you guys what I mean:
My whole thought process was (if I can recall correctly), was that due to the constant harassment of the others, Enchantressâ curse was the final straw that showed him the hell that he had try to escape from all his life. Iâm not sure exactly what Patriciaâs curse does to hunters but they way they react to it, it must not be good.Â
Also, have you heard how Norton sounds like when he gets shot? He sounds like a creature (lol I say this with love I swear), but he definitely be growling in displeasure. Also, if you're wondering I did nothing to deserve that...we were even having a rough match as you can see (sadge)
But naturally, with Aliceâs help, her comfort, and warmth matched the sun he had always been striving to reach, to seeâŚand well, thatâs why he comes out of his dark spell and recovers.Â
Speaking of Alice, Iâve thought before how much I make the two rather touchy feely which I understand is out of character when you really think about it canonically. I think @nightwonder7 put it real nicely in a recent post of theirs:
Hope they don't mind me putting their post here. It just really liked it.
So I suppose my own life experiences and my love language is spilling into the words I write, apologies to those that are brought out of the flow of my story when I do that.
But, I do want to say in my defense that not only do I feel as if âFoolâs Goldâ would be more touchy feely, not just because he is all about unrestrained and wild emotions, but because of howâŚhow should I put thisâŚ? Possessive he would be.
Okay, listen, before the fanfic troupe police pull up to my door at how cliche and overused the whole possessive jealousy trope is ESPECIALLY in fanfictionâŚIâŚI got a reason for saying that, alright?
If you look back at his deduction quest, specifically âGreedyâ it aligns with the fact that a lot of things in Nortonâs life has been taken from him. Despite working hard and striving to do his best with the hand given to him, life still stole so much from him whether that be his health, his happiness, his childhood, his will to see another day (which Iâll get to a bit later), but you name it, and itâs more or less been taken from NortonâŚor there never was anything to take because this man has virtually not even received too many opportunities to better his life.
Oddly, I do think the recent essence can be an example of this. His greed to find the treasure of this galaxy ended up causing him suffering with the fact he even ended up in a black hole for a bit while also losing his "friends." Yet, he still forcibly mastered the black hole and became the abyss itself and in turn ended up being the one to become a black hole sucking anything that got to close in despite still suffering it's effects...
But back to his current actual reality, considering Norton has had very little agency in his own life especially acting as the quiet, diligent miner who worked hard to please his bosses, itâs no wonder he flipped the switch and forced himself to wear a mask, numb the least important emotions, and ditch being the mining poster boy and greedily take what he felt was owed to him from the actual blood, sweat, and tears, heâs had to pour into his daily life in order to survive.
A bit too lazy to put the images and edit it but I'm sure you guys can figure out who is who.
Itâs a meme but itâs truly embodies what his two identities are like with each other.
So if one good person comes along and makes him feel human again, and taps into that small part of him that reminds him that life isnât so bad, then why not stay around that person? The jealousy and possessiveness that could come out of such a relationship stems not from just been greedy and taking what he feels is owed him, but also because he would be afraid to be alone again.
And so I guess thatâs another reason I use physical touch a lot in these stories because a lot of the time when people are seeking something or someone in moments of desperation or reassurance, they want to feel that thing or person to makes sure that this real? Are you real? Is this what itâs like to feel the touch of another person? The warmth of another person? It almost feels to good to be true but this physical distance where they can feel each other isnât a lie.Â
And the added bonus that the other person actually reciprocates their touch meaning they're not disgusted or turned off by them. It's a sign they like them since touch is such an intimate sense that it feels almost sacred when it happens with someone like him and someone like her. Simply put, it's a physical sign of acceptance of the other, flaws, shortcomings, and all.
And in a life where one is constantly belittled, ridiculed, and taught to feel lesser of themselves just because society tells them so, well...feeling like someone accepts you is almost to incredible to believe but that small part of you clings to that hope because it's human nature to do so. And this can apply to any of us.
I lowkey hate the fact that a part of my stupid trolling brain is out here thinking Norton's probably like with that little grin of his: "Oh, she definitely wants me." LOL
Someone call 911 cause I need an MRI, please.
Okay, âŚdid not think this would be so freaking longâholy. How did I have this many thoughts? Well, Iâll finish this point here, but I do have one more point that I warn again, itâs a bit of a sensitive topic as it pertains to the loss of oneâs life.
3. The will to live was at least at one time, non-existent
This point may be a bit controversial but I saw a tweet last night talk about how the Golden Cave incident wasnât just Norton trying to blow up his fellow miners, but it was also a possibility that he was also trying to end his own life.
And itâs not the first time Iâve seen this brought up. I think itâs understandable to read the incident that way if you comb through his lore and get a feeling for his character and story through a little careful analysis. I think itâs also helpful if you yourself can relate to Norton in any way and have feltâŚwell, such ideations. Thus, it could be seen a bit as projecting but considering the dark nature of IDV and the nuances the painstakingly put into the lore, itâs unfortunately not a far-fetched conjecture.Â
Considering he already had to come to terms with the fact that every day he ventured into those mines to work, it could be his last, I think itâs more so he was ready to die because heâs faced death practically every day. While you can learn to cope with that, how much of a mental toll that takes and how that can affect you as a person is something that canât be understated.
Anyways, due to the nature of this topic, I donât want to ramble too much into it especially as it can be triggering.
Credit to feimao_salmon (Just reminds me of his affection system emote...)
Though I will say that one of the reasons I admired his character was due to the fact that he still clung onto some hope to change his future and still managed to keep a rather healthy view of himselfâŚI mean, he does of a lack of self worth (as seen through the affection system) but he always felt like he deserved more despite his conditions, despite being a poor miner. A lot of people would simply sit there and accept their lot in life (which is basically his fellow miners).Â
So, letâs give him some credit for that. I also want to say that if he had any ideations, I donât believe they exist now at the manor at least. So thereâs good news at least.
Right so, thatâs it for this post. It got uncharacteristically heavy at the end there and Iâm not sure how to end this in a more light-hearted way.Â
I suppose I can leave this here to give you all a good laugh perhaps?
I really hope this crossover comes back because this is one of Norton's cutest fits in my opinion.
It's the bunny ears that's doing it for me.
And for the nortalice fans.
Proper credit to all the artists and original owners in each tweet! I don't claim any part of the art or videos above! I just wanted to share them to those on tumblr who don't want to venture into the godforsaken pit known as Twitter.
A good day/night to you all!
(Watch me write all this and be proven completely wrong in Cage of Yesteryear or something...)
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were alice and norton exploring the manor at night and she just went âmr campbell i think we need to continue this discussion PRIVATELY in my bedroomâ and he was like ââŚokâ