​
Thirty-four years have passed since the June 4th anniversary. Although the Chinese Communist Party authorities have kept their secrets and prohibited discussion, there are still people commemorating it every year outside the wall.
But I want to say that the June 4th student movement was not "spontaneous by the masses", but a political movement initiated by politicians. Just like the Cultural Revolution was initiated by Mao Zedong, and the Fourth Five Movement was initiated by Deng Xiaoping, the June Fourth Movement was initiated by Zhao Ziyang to seek justice for Hu Yaobang and attack Li Peng, Chen Yun, and even Deng Xiaoping.
June Fourth was inspired by Deng Xiaoping's April Five Movement. Deng Xiaoping's inspiration for launching the April 5th Movement came from Mao Zedong's multiple student movements in 1966-68, or the Cultural Revolution.
Mao Zedong's inspiration for launching the 66-68 Student Movement came from the May 4th Movement. The May 4th Movement was actually a campaign initiated by Liang Qichao, Wang Daxie, and Lin Changmin against the then President Xu Shichang, the then Minister to Japan Zhang Zongxiang, and the then Minister of Communications Cao Rulin.
Liang Qichao launched the May Fourth Movement, which was inspired by the Boxers around 1900.
The reason why it is said that from the Boxer Rebellion to the June 4th Movement was manipulation by politicians rather than "spontaneity of the masses". These movements all have an essence. They are not opposed to the regime and strongly support the regime. They are only dissatisfied with certain specific issues. Issues are really just a matter for politicians.
Expressing support for the regime in the parade has a very heavy operational color. For example, the Boxer Rebellion’s slogan of “supporting the Qing Dynasty and destroying the foreigners,” June 4th’s actions of “supporting the party’s leadership” and “swiping away the counter-revolutionaries who stained Chairman Mao’s portrait with ink” all clearly showed that these movements supported the government.
This strange parade movement has been passed down. In ancient China, there was no concept of democracy, but it also paid attention to public opinion. That is what Confucianism calls "the people are the most important, the society is second, and the monarch is the least". "Whoever wins the hearts of the people wins the world." Theory.
So in an authoritarian era where there is no concept of voting, how do we reflect the hearts of the people? Of course, adjectives such as "auspiciousness" appearing in various places, common people "eat pots of pulp", "loyal to the emperor and patriotism" and "swear allegiance to the emperor to the death".
Of course, language is pale, in addition to adjectives, but also action. For example, the common people offered their most precious local specialties as tribute, and the officials wrote a persuasion form to express their loyalty with the sincerity of the tribute.
At least in the Han Dynasty, there were records of politicians forging public opinion to achieve their own goals. For example, when Wang Mang usurped the throne, people all over the world expressed their support, and there were various auspicious signs. These are obviously forged.
After understanding the tradition of falsifying public opinion, it is relatively easy to understand that the Qing Dynasty organized the Boxer Rebellion, Liang Qichao initiated the May Fourth Movement, Mao Zedong initiated the Cultural Revolution, Deng Xiaoping initiated the April 5th Movement, Hu Yaobang initiated the 1986 Student Movement, and Zhao Ziyang organized the 1989 Student Movement.
This is all in a place where there is no voting right, inciting the masses to create momentum.
Similar to this is the North Korean masses, who march against the United States at every turn, "spontaneously" for Kim Il Sung, and cry to death after Kim Jong Il's death.
In authoritarian countries without the right to vote, these masses incited by politicians are seen as "voting with action."
What is the real public opinion? In a democratic country, in addition to using polls to understand public opinion, of course there are parades to reflect public opinion.
It's just that in unmanaged democracies, people usually only march because of their own interests. For example, the North American truck driver parade is because of the vaccination mandate for the truck driver group and so on. The French demonstrations are mostly due to rising prices.
"Pro-government" marches occur only in authoritarian countries. The Boxers, the May Fourth Movement, the Cultural Revolution, August 6th, and 1989 were actually demonstrations in favor of the government. Because these demonstrations support a certain policy of the government and are controlled opposition groups. The Boxer Movement supported the government’s confrontation with foreigners, the May 4th movement supported the government’s external toughness, the Cultural Revolution supported the government’s (Mao Zedong) overthrow of Liu Shaoqi, the August 6th movement supported the government’s (Hu Yaobang) reform of the electoral system for people’s congresses, and the 1989 student movement supported the government’s (Zhao Ziyang) Discussing for Hu Yaobang is a step closer to suppressing "conservatives".
A truly uncontrolled demonstration will not be under the banner of "supporting a certain decision of a certain person in the government". Take Qing as an example:
In the Qing Dynasty, there were countless uncontrolled opposition groups before the Boxers. The early anti-Qing Fuming Triad Organization and the White Lotus Sect, Wu Sangui and other forces did not count. In the late Qing Dynasty, there were also Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Xiaodaohui, Nian Army, Xinjiang Uncontrolled opposition forces such as the 70% khanate of Aquba and the so-called "Sun Party", that is, Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary party.
At this time, the Qing Dynasty needs to launch a mass movement so that the masses can find something to do and someone to vent their anger on. Otherwise, they might join some anti-government organization.
So the government took advantage of the desire of the masses to vent, organized a group of gangsters who practice martial arts, and made up some slogans to let these gangsters beat foreigners.
This trick was actually used before in Sanyuanli when fighting against the British. Mobilizing the masses to resist foreigners is an old routine of the Qing Dynasty. You can see the jingle compiled by the Qing Dynasty for the Boxers, "Red light shines, the world laughs. Kill foreigners first, then kill foreign religions" "God helps fist, boxers... demolish railways, pull wire poles, and urgently destroy steamers. Foreign devils, kill all Slogans such as "The Great Qing Dynasty will be able to unify the rivers and mountains" can be seen to be made up by educated people. At that time, the generation of farmers in the Yellow River Flooding Area in Northeast China, what kind of foreign religion did they know, what about steamships?
What foreigners endanger is the rule of the Qing Dynasty, not the peasants. You must know that farmers in normal countries protest, usually to protest against low food prices or land mergers and environmental pollution. In ancient China, it was fleeing famine and peasant uprising. The peasant movement, which took the initiative to support the government and help the government defeat its opponents, was the first of its kind in the Qing Dynasty during the two thousand years of imperial rule.
Farmers are farming in the fields every day, and they suddenly want to help the government against foreigners. Naturally, someone instigates and writes songs.
Nineteen years after the end of the Boxer Movement, when Liang Qichao was facing his political opponents, he suddenly remembered the Boxer's move to mobilize the masses. Therefore, students were mobilized to protest the Paris Peace Conference, and the May 4th Movement was launched.
In fact, students usually only protest the high price of food in the cafeteria and the bad food. Does the Twenty-One of the Paris Peace Conference have anything to do with students? Obviously someone provoked. If the students really cared so much about the territory, then Mongolia became independent, Manchukuo was established, and the Chinese Soviet was established, why didn’t there be large-scale demonstrations by students?
The May 4th Movement was quite a big mess, which left a deep impression on Mao Zedong, who was 26 years old at the time. He was addicted to rebellion and wanted to find an opportunity to engage in a movement like the May Fourth Movement all his life. So in order to defeat Liu Shaoqi, he finally imitated the May 4th Movement and instigated the 66-year student movement. It also has a nice name, the Cultural Revolution.
It was created by combining the New Culture Movement of the year and the creativity of the revolutionaries. The purpose, of course, is to defeat Liu Shaoqi. In fact, among those students who rose up to protest against Liu Shaoqi, how many of them could get in touch with Liu Shaoqi, why did they hate Liu Shaoqi so much? Of course it was Mao Zedong who did it.
While criticizing Liu Shaoqi, a Soviet cadre, he incidentally criticized Deng Xiaoping who carried out Liu Shaoqi's line. The students criticized Deng Xiaoping's younger brother, Deng Shuping, and committed suicide. His son jumped off a building and became disabled.
The student movement launched by Mao Zedong undoubtedly left a deep impression on Deng Xiaoping, so he also learned the technique of organizing the masses to "express public opinion", so he first wrote to Mao Zedong to show his weakness, and secretly cooperated with Ye Jianying, Chen Yun and others to try to launch a mass movement for revenge. The two political allies Chen Yun and Ye Jianying were carefully selected by Deng: Chen Yun offended Mao in the late 1950s when he launched an anti-adventurous movement, and his home was ransacked twice after the Cultural Revolution. Ye Jianying was criticized thoroughly because of the February countercurrent incident.
It can be said that Deng, Chen, and Ye belonged to the people who had been criticized by Mao Zedong and then came back to "make meritorious service". The three hit it off and imitated Mao Zedong's way of mobilizing the masses to launch the Fourth and Fifth Movement, trying to use public opinion to oppose Mao Zedong and the "Gang of Four". ".
As a result, the April 5th Movement in 1976 was broken up by Jiang Qing's mobilization of Beijing military police and workers with wooden sticks in just two days. Deng Xiaoping was defeated again. It's a pity that Jiang Qing and the others didn't see that Chen Yun and Ye Jianying belonged to Deng Xiaoping, which laid the groundwork for the subsequent crushing of the Gang of Four.
Next came the 86 Student Movement. In fact, Hu Yaobang Wanli thought that Deng Xiaoping was about to fight the conservatives to seize power, so he created a wave of "public opinion" to support Deng Xiaoping. Due to the huge momentum of the 86 student movement, Deng Xiaoping, who was unwilling to make a democratic transition in his heart, launched an action to criticize bourgeois liberalization without hesitation. In fact, it was criticizing Hu Yaobang.
The depressed Hu Yaobang died of massive myocardial infarction in 1989, so Zhao Ziyang organized a commemorative event for Hu Yaobang, imitating Deng Xiaoping's 1976 drama of using the dead to overwhelm the living. That is, the 89 student movement.
This time it was even bigger than the 86 student movement, so that in the end Deng Xiaoping had no troops to transfer in Beijing, so he could only put down his old face and send troops from other places to suppress it.
From the Boxers to the May 4th, from the May 4th to the June 4th, politicians manipulated public opinion time and time again, using the blood of the masses to achieve their political goals, which has to be thought-provoking.
The government's methods of inciting public opinion are also very similar: pulling one faction against another, compiling songs, leaflets, and big-character posters. Open one opening and close the others. The masses are limited to certain slogans and cannot oppose the government or someone in the government.
For example, the Boxers allowed you to kill foreigners but not to oppose the government, the Cultural Revolution allowed you to criticize Liu Shaoqi but not the party to criticize Mao Zedong, June Fourth allowed you to commemorate Hu Yaobang and even called for democracy, but you were not allowed to attack Chairman Mao or oppose the Communist Party, etc. You just have to think about it, whoever wrote the texts about helping the Qing Dynasty and exterminating the foreigners and distributed them among the people, and whoever wrote the texts commemorating Hu Yaobang took the lead in posting big-character posters in universities, you will know who is behind the scenes
We can say that most of the mass movements after the establishment of the Communist Party of China were not spontaneous, but belonged to the "controllable opposition".
The truly uncontrolled mass movements are the exile of the Dalai Lama in India, the repeated armed protests of the Uighurs, the armed protests in Shadian, Yunnan, the appeal of Falun Gong, the 315 incident in Lhasa in 2008, the July 5 incident in Xinjiang and a series of ethnic conflicts after that, To the recent Tonghaina family camp incident and so on.
It can be seen that these mass movements not controlled by the Communist Party are fundamentally different from controlled movements such as the Boxer Rebellion, the Cultural Revolution, and June 4th. The uncontrolled mass movement is more like a traditional peasant uprising, the Hui uprising.
With this understanding, when the next "mass movement" comes, you can simply judge whether it is led by some politicians or a movement not controlled by the government, and then decide whether to participate and how to participate.
It is not to say that the mass movement led by the government can only be used as a pawn. If you have a clear understanding, you can use it in reverse. The mass gathering of 100,000 people organized by Ceausescu is a good example.
And the recent mass movement to overthrow the government in Sri Lanka also illustrates the great potential of the power of the masses. If the millions of students and citizens had walked into Zhongnanhai instead of going on a hunger strike in the square on June 4th, perhaps the political situation would have changed long ago.

​
Thirty-four years have passed since the June 4th anniversary. Although the Chinese Communist Party authorities have kept their secrets and prohibited discussion, there are still people commemorating it every year outside the wall.
But I want to say that the June 4th student movement was not "spontaneous by the masses", but a political movement initiated by politicians. Just like the Cultural Revolution was initiated by Mao Zedong, and the Fourth Five Movement was initiated by Deng Xiaoping, the June Fourth Movement was initiated by Zhao Ziyang to seek justice for Hu Yaobang and attack Li Peng, Chen Yun, and even Deng Xiaoping.
June Fourth was inspired by Deng Xiaoping's April Five Movement. Deng Xiaoping's inspiration for launching the April 5th Movement came from Mao Zedong's multiple student movements in 1966-68, or the Cultural Revolution.
Mao Zedong's inspiration for launching the 66-68 Student Movement came from the May 4th Movement. The May 4th Movement was actually a campaign initiated by Liang Qichao, Wang Daxie, and Lin Changmin against the then President Xu Shichang, the then Minister to Japan Zhang Zongxiang, and the then Minister of Communications Cao Rulin.
Liang Qichao launched the May Fourth Movement, which was inspired by the Boxers around 1900.
The reason why it is said that from the Boxer Rebellion to the June 4th Movement was manipulation by politicians rather than "spontaneity of the masses". These movements all have an essence. They are not opposed to the regime and strongly support the regime. They are only dissatisfied with certain specific issues. Issues are really just a matter for politicians.
Expressing support for the regime in the parade has a very heavy operational color. For example, the Boxer Rebellion’s slogan of “supporting the Qing Dynasty and destroying the foreigners,” June 4th’s actions of “supporting the party’s leadership” and “swiping away the counter-revolutionaries who stained Chairman Mao’s portrait with ink” all clearly showed that these movements supported the government.
This strange parade movement has been passed down. In ancient China, there was no concept of democracy, but it also paid attention to public opinion. That is what Confucianism calls "the people are the most important, the society is second, and the monarch is the least". "Whoever wins the hearts of the people wins the world." Theory.
So in an authoritarian era where there is no concept of voting, how do we reflect the hearts of the people? Of course, adjectives such as "auspiciousness" appearing in various places, common people "eat pots of pulp", "loyal to the emperor and patriotism" and "swear allegiance to the emperor to the death".
Of course, language is pale, in addition to adjectives, but also action. For example, the common people offered their most precious local specialties as tribute, and the officials wrote a persuasion form to express their loyalty with the sincerity of the tribute.
At least in the Han Dynasty, there were records of politicians forging public opinion to achieve their own goals. For example, when Wang Mang usurped the throne, people all over the world expressed their support, and there were various auspicious signs. These are obviously forged.
After understanding the tradition of falsifying public opinion, it is relatively easy to understand that the Qing Dynasty organized the Boxer Rebellion, Liang Qichao initiated the May Fourth Movement, Mao Zedong initiated the Cultural Revolution, Deng Xiaoping initiated the April 5th Movement, Hu Yaobang initiated the 1986 Student Movement, and Zhao Ziyang organized the 1989 Student Movement.
This is all in a place where there is no voting right, inciting the masses to create momentum.
Similar to this is the North Korean masses, who march against the United States at every turn, "spontaneously" for Kim Il Sung, and cry to death after Kim Jong Il's death.
In authoritarian countries without the right to vote, these masses incited by politicians are seen as "voting with action."
What is the real public opinion? In a democratic country, in addition to using polls to understand public opinion, of course there are parades to reflect public opinion.
It's just that in unmanaged democracies, people usually only march because of their own interests. For example, the North American truck driver parade is because of the vaccination mandate for the truck driver group and so on. The French demonstrations are mostly due to rising prices.
"Pro-government" marches occur only in authoritarian countries. The Boxers, the May Fourth Movement, the Cultural Revolution, August 6th, and 1989 were actually demonstrations in favor of the government. Because these demonstrations support a certain policy of the government and are controlled opposition groups. The Boxer Movement supported the government’s confrontation with foreigners, the May 4th movement supported the government’s external toughness, the Cultural Revolution supported the government’s (Mao Zedong) overthrow of Liu Shaoqi, the August 6th movement supported the government’s (Hu Yaobang) reform of the electoral system for people’s congresses, and the 1989 student movement supported the government’s (Zhao Ziyang) Discussing for Hu Yaobang is a step closer to suppressing "conservatives".
A truly uncontrolled demonstration will not be under the banner of "supporting a certain decision of a certain person in the government". Take Qing as an example:
In the Qing Dynasty, there were countless uncontrolled opposition groups before the Boxers. The early anti-Qing Fuming Triad Organization and the White Lotus Sect, Wu Sangui and other forces did not count. In the late Qing Dynasty, there were also Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Xiaodaohui, Nian Army, Xinjiang Uncontrolled opposition forces such as the 70% khanate of Aquba and the so-called "Sun Party", that is, Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary party.
At this time, the Qing Dynasty needs to launch a mass movement so that the masses can find something to do and someone to vent their anger on. Otherwise, they might join some anti-government organization.
So the government took advantage of the desire of the masses to vent, organized a group of gangsters who practice martial arts, and made up some slogans to let these gangsters beat foreigners.
This trick was actually used before in Sanyuanli when fighting against the British. Mobilizing the masses to resist foreigners is an old routine of the Qing Dynasty. You can see the jingle compiled by the Qing Dynasty for the Boxers, "Red light shines, the world laughs. Kill foreigners first, then kill foreign religions" "God helps fist, boxers... demolish railways, pull wire poles, and urgently destroy steamers. Foreign devils, kill all Slogans such as "The Great Qing Dynasty will be able to unify the rivers and mountains" can be seen to be made up by educated people. At that time, the generation of farmers in the Yellow River Flooding Area in Northeast China, what kind of foreign religion did they know, what about steamships?
What foreigners endanger is the rule of the Qing Dynasty, not the peasants. You must know that farmers in normal countries protest, usually to protest against low food prices or land mergers and environmental pollution. In ancient China, it was fleeing famine and peasant uprising. The peasant movement, which took the initiative to support the government and help the government defeat its opponents, was the first of its kind in the Qing Dynasty during the two thousand years of imperial rule.
Farmers are farming in the fields every day, and they suddenly want to help the government against foreigners. Naturally, someone instigates and writes songs.
Nineteen years after the end of the Boxer Movement, when Liang Qichao was facing his political opponents, he suddenly remembered the Boxer's move to mobilize the masses. Therefore, students were mobilized to protest the Paris Peace Conference, and the May 4th Movement was launched.
In fact, students usually only protest the high price of food in the cafeteria and the bad food. Does the Twenty-One of the Paris Peace Conference have anything to do with students? Obviously someone provoked. If the students really cared so much about the territory, then Mongolia became independent, Manchukuo was established, and the Chinese Soviet was established, why didn’t there be large-scale demonstrations by students?
The May 4th Movement was quite a big mess, which left a deep impression on Mao Zedong, who was 26 years old at the time. He was addicted to rebellion and wanted to find an opportunity to engage in a movement like the May Fourth Movement all his life. So in order to defeat Liu Shaoqi, he finally imitated the May 4th Movement and instigated the 66-year student movement. It also has a nice name, the Cultural Revolution.
It was created by combining the New Culture Movement of the year and the creativity of the revolutionaries. The purpose, of course, is to defeat Liu Shaoqi. In fact, among those students who rose up to protest against Liu Shaoqi, how many of them could get in touch with Liu Shaoqi, why did they hate Liu Shaoqi so much? Of course it was Mao Zedong who did it.
While criticizing Liu Shaoqi, a Soviet cadre, he incidentally criticized Deng Xiaoping who carried out Liu Shaoqi's line. The students criticized Deng Xiaoping's younger brother, Deng Shuping, and committed suicide. His son jumped off a building and became disabled.
The student movement launched by Mao Zedong undoubtedly left a deep impression on Deng Xiaoping, so he also learned the technique of organizing the masses to "express public opinion", so he first wrote to Mao Zedong to show his weakness, and secretly cooperated with Ye Jianying, Chen Yun and others to try to launch a mass movement for revenge. The two political allies Chen Yun and Ye Jianying were carefully selected by Deng: Chen Yun offended Mao in the late 1950s when he launched an anti-adventurous movement, and his home was ransacked twice after the Cultural Revolution. Ye Jianying was criticized thoroughly because of the February countercurrent incident.
It can be said that Deng, Chen, and Ye belonged to the people who had been criticized by Mao Zedong and then came back to "make meritorious service". The three hit it off and imitated Mao Zedong's way of mobilizing the masses to launch the Fourth and Fifth Movement, trying to use public opinion to oppose Mao Zedong and the "Gang of Four". ".
As a result, the April 5th Movement in 1976 was broken up by Jiang Qing's mobilization of Beijing military police and workers with wooden sticks in just two days. Deng Xiaoping was defeated again. It's a pity that Jiang Qing and the others didn't see that Chen Yun and Ye Jianying belonged to Deng Xiaoping, which laid the groundwork for the subsequent crushing of the Gang of Four.
Next came the 86 Student Movement. In fact, Hu Yaobang Wanli thought that Deng Xiaoping was about to fight the conservatives to seize power, so he created a wave of "public opinion" to support Deng Xiaoping. Due to the huge momentum of the 86 student movement, Deng Xiaoping, who was unwilling to make a democratic transition in his heart, launched an action to criticize bourgeois liberalization without hesitation. In fact, it was criticizing Hu Yaobang.
The depressed Hu Yaobang died of massive myocardial infarction in 1989, so Zhao Ziyang organized a commemorative event for Hu Yaobang, imitating Deng Xiaoping's 1976 drama of using the dead to overwhelm the living. That is, the 89 student movement.
This time it was even bigger than the 86 student movement, so that in the end Deng Xiaoping had no troops to transfer in Beijing, so he could only put down his old face and send troops from other places to suppress it.
From the Boxers to the May 4th, from the May 4th to the June 4th, politicians manipulated public opinion time and time again, using the blood of the masses to achieve their political goals, which has to be thought-provoking.
The government's methods of inciting public opinion are also very similar: pulling one faction against another, compiling songs, leaflets, and big-character posters. Open one opening and close the others. The masses are limited to certain slogans and cannot oppose the government or someone in the government.
For example, the Boxers allowed you to kill foreigners but not to oppose the government, the Cultural Revolution allowed you to criticize Liu Shaoqi but not the party to criticize Mao Zedong, June Fourth allowed you to commemorate Hu Yaobang and even called for democracy, but you were not allowed to attack Chairman Mao or oppose the Communist Party, etc. You just have to think about it, whoever wrote the texts about helping the Qing Dynasty and exterminating the foreigners and distributed them among the people, and whoever wrote the texts commemorating Hu Yaobang took the lead in posting big-character posters in universities, you will know who is behind the scenes
We can say that most of the mass movements after the establishment of the Communist Party of China were not spontaneous, but belonged to the "controllable opposition".
The truly uncontrolled mass movements are the exile of the Dalai Lama in India, the repeated armed protests of the Uighurs, the armed protests in Shadian, Yunnan, the appeal of Falun Gong, the 315 incident in Lhasa in 2008, the July 5 incident in Xinjiang and a series of ethnic conflicts after that, To the recent Tonghaina family camp incident and so on.
It can be seen that these mass movements not controlled by the Communist Party are fundamentally different from controlled movements such as the Boxer Rebellion, the Cultural Revolution, and June 4th. The uncontrolled mass movement is more like a traditional peasant uprising, the Hui uprising.
With this understanding, when the next "mass movement" comes, you can simply judge whether it is led by some politicians or a movement not controlled by the government, and then decide whether to participate and how to participate.
It is not to say that the mass movement led by the government can only be used as a pawn. If you have a clear understanding, you can use it in reverse. The mass gathering of 100,000 people organized by Ceausescu is a good example.
And the recent mass movement to overthrow the government in Sri Lanka also illustrates the great potential of the power of the masses. If the millions of students and citizens had walked into Zhongnanhai instead of going on a hunger strike in the square on June 4th, perhaps the political situation would have changed long ago.

​
Thirty-four years have passed since the June 4th anniversary. Although the Chinese Communist Party authorities have kept their secrets and prohibited discussion, there are still people commemorating it every year outside the wall.
But I want to say that the June 4th student movement was not "spontaneous by the masses", but a political movement initiated by politicians. Just like the Cultural Revolution was initiated by Mao Zedong, and the Fourth Five Movement was initiated by Deng Xiaoping, the June Fourth Movement was initiated by Zhao Ziyang to seek justice for Hu Yaobang and attack Li Peng, Chen Yun, and even Deng Xiaoping.
June Fourth was inspired by Deng Xiaoping's April Five Movement. Deng Xiaoping's inspiration for launching the April 5th Movement came from Mao Zedong's multiple student movements in 1966-68, or the Cultural Revolution.
Mao Zedong's inspiration for launching the 66-68 Student Movement came from the May 4th Movement. The May 4th Movement was actually a campaign initiated by Liang Qichao, Wang Daxie, and Lin Changmin against the then President Xu Shichang, the then Minister to Japan Zhang Zongxiang, and the then Minister of Communications Cao Rulin.
Liang Qichao launched the May Fourth Movement, which was inspired by the Boxers around 1900.
The reason why it is said that from the Boxer Rebellion to the June 4th Movement was manipulation by politicians rather than "spontaneity of the masses". These movements all have an essence. They are not opposed to the regime and strongly support the regime. They are only dissatisfied with certain specific issues. Issues are really just a matter for politicians.
Expressing support for the regime in the parade has a very heavy operational color. For example, the Boxer Rebellion’s slogan of “supporting the Qing Dynasty and destroying the foreigners,” June 4th’s actions of “supporting the party’s leadership” and “swiping away the counter-revolutionaries who stained Chairman Mao’s portrait with ink” all clearly showed that these movements supported the government.
This strange parade movement has been passed down. In ancient China, there was no concept of democracy, but it also paid attention to public opinion. That is what Confucianism calls "the people are the most important, the society is second, and the monarch is the least". "Whoever wins the hearts of the people wins the world." Theory.
So in an authoritarian era where there is no concept of voting, how do we reflect the hearts of the people? Of course, adjectives such as "auspiciousness" appearing in various places, common people "eat pots of pulp", "loyal to the emperor and patriotism" and "swear allegiance to the emperor to the death".
Of course, language is pale, in addition to adjectives, but also action. For example, the common people offered their most precious local specialties as tribute, and the officials wrote a persuasion form to express their loyalty with the sincerity of the tribute.
At least in the Han Dynasty, there were records of politicians forging public opinion to achieve their own goals. For example, when Wang Mang usurped the throne, people all over the world expressed their support, and there were various auspicious signs. These are obviously forged.
After understanding the tradition of falsifying public opinion, it is relatively easy to understand that the Qing Dynasty organized the Boxer Rebellion, Liang Qichao initiated the May Fourth Movement, Mao Zedong initiated the Cultural Revolution, Deng Xiaoping initiated the April 5th Movement, Hu Yaobang initiated the 1986 Student Movement, and Zhao Ziyang organized the 1989 Student Movement.
This is all in a place where there is no voting right, inciting the masses to create momentum.
Similar to this is the North Korean masses, who march against the United States at every turn, "spontaneously" for Kim Il Sung, and cry to death after Kim Jong Il's death.
In authoritarian countries without the right to vote, these masses incited by politicians are seen as "voting with action."
What is the real public opinion? In a democratic country, in addition to using polls to understand public opinion, of course there are parades to reflect public opinion.
It's just that in unmanaged democracies, people usually only march because of their own interests. For example, the North American truck driver parade is because of the vaccination mandate for the truck driver group and so on. The French demonstrations are mostly due to rising prices.
"Pro-government" marches occur only in authoritarian countries. The Boxers, the May Fourth Movement, the Cultural Revolution, August 6th, and 1989 were actually demonstrations in favor of the government. Because these demonstrations support a certain policy of the government and are controlled opposition groups. The Boxer Movement supported the government’s confrontation with foreigners, the May 4th movement supported the government’s external toughness, the Cultural Revolution supported the government’s (Mao Zedong) overthrow of Liu Shaoqi, the August 6th movement supported the government’s (Hu Yaobang) reform of the electoral system for people’s congresses, and the 1989 student movement supported the government’s (Zhao Ziyang) Discussing for Hu Yaobang is a step closer to suppressing "conservatives".
A truly uncontrolled demonstration will not be under the banner of "supporting a certain decision of a certain person in the government". Take Qing as an example:
In the Qing Dynasty, there were countless uncontrolled opposition groups before the Boxers. The early anti-Qing Fuming Triad Organization and the White Lotus Sect, Wu Sangui and other forces did not count. In the late Qing Dynasty, there were also Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Xiaodaohui, Nian Army, Xinjiang Uncontrolled opposition forces such as the 70% khanate of Aquba and the so-called "Sun Party", that is, Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary party.
At this time, the Qing Dynasty needs to launch a mass movement so that the masses can find something to do and someone to vent their anger on. Otherwise, they might join some anti-government organization.
So the government took advantage of the desire of the masses to vent, organized a group of gangsters who practice martial arts, and made up some slogans to let these gangsters beat foreigners.
This trick was actually used before in Sanyuanli when fighting against the British. Mobilizing the masses to resist foreigners is an old routine of the Qing Dynasty. You can see the jingle compiled by the Qing Dynasty for the Boxers, "Red light shines, the world laughs. Kill foreigners first, then kill foreign religions" "God helps fist, boxers... demolish railways, pull wire poles, and urgently destroy steamers. Foreign devils, kill all Slogans such as "The Great Qing Dynasty will be able to unify the rivers and mountains" can be seen to be made up by educated people. At that time, the generation of farmers in the Yellow River Flooding Area in Northeast China, what kind of foreign religion did they know, what about steamships?
What foreigners endanger is the rule of the Qing Dynasty, not the peasants. You must know that farmers in normal countries protest, usually to protest against low food prices or land mergers and environmental pollution. In ancient China, it was fleeing famine and peasant uprising. The peasant movement, which took the initiative to support the government and help the government defeat its opponents, was the first of its kind in the Qing Dynasty during the two thousand years of imperial rule.
Farmers are farming in the fields every day, and they suddenly want to help the government against foreigners. Naturally, someone instigates and writes songs.
Nineteen years after the end of the Boxer Movement, when Liang Qichao was facing his political opponents, he suddenly remembered the Boxer's move to mobilize the masses. Therefore, students were mobilized to protest the Paris Peace Conference, and the May 4th Movement was launched.
In fact, students usually only protest the high price of food in the cafeteria and the bad food. Does the Twenty-One of the Paris Peace Conference have anything to do with students? Obviously someone provoked. If the students really cared so much about the territory, then Mongolia became independent, Manchukuo was established, and the Chinese Soviet was established, why didn’t there be large-scale demonstrations by students?
The May 4th Movement was quite a big mess, which left a deep impression on Mao Zedong, who was 26 years old at the time. He was addicted to rebellion and wanted to find an opportunity to engage in a movement like the May Fourth Movement all his life. So in order to defeat Liu Shaoqi, he finally imitated the May 4th Movement and instigated the 66-year student movement. It also has a nice name, the Cultural Revolution.
It was created by combining the New Culture Movement of the year and the creativity of the revolutionaries. The purpose, of course, is to defeat Liu Shaoqi. In fact, among those students who rose up to protest against Liu Shaoqi, how many of them could get in touch with Liu Shaoqi, why did they hate Liu Shaoqi so much? Of course it was Mao Zedong who did it.
While criticizing Liu Shaoqi, a Soviet cadre, he incidentally criticized Deng Xiaoping who carried out Liu Shaoqi's line. The students criticized Deng Xiaoping's younger brother, Deng Shuping, and committed suicide. His son jumped off a building and became disabled.
The student movement launched by Mao Zedong undoubtedly left a deep impression on Deng Xiaoping, so he also learned the technique of organizing the masses to "express public opinion", so he first wrote to Mao Zedong to show his weakness, and secretly cooperated with Ye Jianying, Chen Yun and others to try to launch a mass movement for revenge. The two political allies Chen Yun and Ye Jianying were carefully selected by Deng: Chen Yun offended Mao in the late 1950s when he launched an anti-adventurous movement, and his home was ransacked twice after the Cultural Revolution. Ye Jianying was criticized thoroughly because of the February countercurrent incident.
It can be said that Deng, Chen, and Ye belonged to the people who had been criticized by Mao Zedong and then came back to "make meritorious service". The three hit it off and imitated Mao Zedong's way of mobilizing the masses to launch the Fourth and Fifth Movement, trying to use public opinion to oppose Mao Zedong and the "Gang of Four". ".
As a result, the April 5th Movement in 1976 was broken up by Jiang Qing's mobilization of Beijing military police and workers with wooden sticks in just two days. Deng Xiaoping was defeated again. It's a pity that Jiang Qing and the others didn't see that Chen Yun and Ye Jianying belonged to Deng Xiaoping, which laid the groundwork for the subsequent crushing of the Gang of Four.
Next came the 86 Student Movement. In fact, Hu Yaobang Wanli thought that Deng Xiaoping was about to fight the conservatives to seize power, so he created a wave of "public opinion" to support Deng Xiaoping. Due to the huge momentum of the 86 student movement, Deng Xiaoping, who was unwilling to make a democratic transition in his heart, launched an action to criticize bourgeois liberalization without hesitation. In fact, it was criticizing Hu Yaobang.
The depressed Hu Yaobang died of massive myocardial infarction in 1989, so Zhao Ziyang organized a commemorative event for Hu Yaobang, imitating Deng Xiaoping's 1976 drama of using the dead to overwhelm the living. That is, the 89 student movement.
This time it was even bigger than the 86 student movement, so that in the end Deng Xiaoping had no troops to transfer in Beijing, so he could only put down his old face and send troops from other places to suppress it.
From the Boxers to the May 4th, from the May 4th to the June 4th, politicians manipulated public opinion time and time again, using the blood of the masses to achieve their political goals, which has to be thought-provoking.
The government's methods of inciting public opinion are also very similar: pulling one faction against another, compiling songs, leaflets, and big-character posters. Open one opening and close the others. The masses are limited to certain slogans and cannot oppose the government or someone in the government.
For example, the Boxers allowed you to kill foreigners but not to oppose the government, the Cultural Revolution allowed you to criticize Liu Shaoqi but not the party to criticize Mao Zedong, June Fourth allowed you to commemorate Hu Yaobang and even called for democracy, but you were not allowed to attack Chairman Mao or oppose the Communist Party, etc. You just have to think about it, whoever wrote the texts about helping the Qing Dynasty and exterminating the foreigners and distributed them among the people, and whoever wrote the texts commemorating Hu Yaobang took the lead in posting big-character posters in universities, you will know who is behind the scenes
We can say that most of the mass movements after the establishment of the Communist Party of China were not spontaneous, but belonged to the "controllable opposition".
The truly uncontrolled mass movements are the exile of the Dalai Lama in India, the repeated armed protests of the Uighurs, the armed protests in Shadian, Yunnan, the appeal of Falun Gong, the 315 incident in Lhasa in 2008, the July 5 incident in Xinjiang and a series of ethnic conflicts after that, To the recent Tonghaina family camp incident and so on.
It can be seen that these mass movements not controlled by the Communist Party are fundamentally different from controlled movements such as the Boxer Rebellion, the Cultural Revolution, and June 4th. The uncontrolled mass movement is more like a traditional peasant uprising, the Hui uprising.
With this understanding, when the next "mass movement" comes, you can simply judge whether it is led by some politicians or a movement not controlled by the government, and then decide whether to participate and how to participate.
It is not to say that the mass movement led by the government can only be used as a pawn. If you have a clear understanding, you can use it in reverse. The mass gathering of 100,000 people organized by Ceausescu is a good example.
And the recent mass movement to overthrow the government in Sri Lanka also illustrates the great potential of the power of the masses. If the millions of students and citizens had walked into Zhongnanhai instead of going on a hunger strike in the square on June 4th, perhaps the political situation would have changed long ago.

I literally sit beneath eight tiers of scheming ambitious entities that represent primal law suffused with evil. The path from this realm leads to an infinite pit of chaos and evil. Now, tell me again how you and your ilk are the victims in this eternal struggle. - Asmodeus (Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes)
The plane of Nessus is incredibly unique compared to the other planes of Nessus. This plane floats in a swirling crimson void that encompasses them from all directions. The plane itself is flat in its surface, devoid of trees or changes in elevation. The desolate plane, unlike any other plane of Baator, is finite in its size. It stretches 2,500 miles from east to west and 1,100 miles from north to south. The flatness of the plane leaves no place for any creature to hide.
A system of crisscrossing gorge and canyons marks the only true changes in elevation in the plane. In these gorges, canyons, and the network of caves that connect them, live the billions of devils of Nessus. These structures have an infinite amount of space even given the finite nature of the plane. These gorges and canyons often cross, forming towering plateaus.
The canyons and gorges are each distinct and travel to specific locations. However, they all look exactly alike. More importantly, most of these canyons are missing from most maps of the plane. A few maps that were drawn by suicidal or brave adventurers can be found but tend to be extremely pricey. A map of a square mile section of Nessus can easily cost as much as a small castle.
A few of these canyons have bridges that span them. These few bridges are heavily guarded by Asmodeus's elite guards and a host of traps. Rare unguarded bridges are death traps that will inevitably break and send any crosser to their death. The shallowest canyon is 200 feet deep, and the remaining canyons and gorges are usually deeper. Devils in Nessus who cannot fly are encouraged to stick close to the caves and crevasses. In emergency situations, the devils must climb the walls using some sparse handholds or frayed ropes. It is not uncommon for devils to fall to their deaths as a result.
Directions in Baator are unlike the directions of the Material Plane. The strange nature of these planes makes the standard compass rose useless. Most Archdukes simply established the standard compass as a means of travel and mapping for their own planes, arbitrarily assigning a point as north. Asmodeus however, decrees that his own castle should be the northern most point despite its central location on the plane. The strange decree further complicates maps of Nessus making navigating the plane even harder.

DISCOVERY

Nessus was the first layer of Baator to be created and was the original plane of Hell to be created when the Gods of Celestia signed the Pact Primeval. The plane was granted to Asmodeus and his ilk by the Gods so they would not have to witness the punishment rendered to mortal souls. On the plane, the devils first began their plans to corrupt mortals. It was on this original plane that these devils, still somewhat angelic in nature, worked with the Ancient Baatorians to administer their justice. The plane, bleak and barren, was slowly built up and expanded into a tiered infinite plane. The plane was rapidly built into a major factory for manufacturing more devils and harvesting divine energy from the mortal souls that the devils corrupted. The only brief delay in construction of the plane came during a short, but vicious, war between Mephistopheles, the former right hand of Asmodeus, and the Arch-Devil. After the war ended, the construction began anew and the two made amends.
When the Gods discovered that Asmodeus and his devils were luring mortals into disobedience and corruption, they once again put Asmodeus on trial. When the trial proved useless and Asmodeus was acquitted of the charges, the Gods were furious. They threw the devil back to Baator, sending him hurling from the tip of Celestia.
When Asmodeus crashed into Baator, the force of the impact tore a stretch of the initial plane and killed many of the plane's original inhabitants and mutilated many of the others who were not powerful enough to withstand the impact. As the devil continued to fall with his stretch of the original Baatorian plane, the devil carved new planes. Eight new planes formed before the devil and the plane he had rent from the original stopped falling. Asmodeus continued to fall deep into the plane till he came to rest under a massive pile of rubble, bleeding and badly hurt, in the deepest part of Nessus, which came to be known as the Pit.
When the devil eventually recovered, he made this deepest, finite plane his home as a reminder of his fall. From Nessus, the Arch-Devil slowly retook control of the remainder of Baator and resumed his lawful duties.
The creation of the plane of Nessus was not known to the mortal races for millennium. Asmodeus is a jealous guard of his plane and entrance to Nessus requires a letter of permission from the Arch-Devil himself. The first documentation of the plane of Nessus for the Prime Material Plane comes from the philosopher, Philogestes. Philogestes sold his own soul to Asmodeus for the opportunity to document information about Baator. Though, he was given permission to observe and record details about the plane of Nessus, Philogestes could not detail everything. Much of Nessus remains a mystery to those who dwell on the Material Plane.

Travel

The easiest way to travel to Nessus is to be invited by the Arch-Devil onto the plane. Very few mortals have ever received this privilege.
For those who have not received a personal invitation, the only way to enter the plane would be through the plane prior to it, Cania. From Cania, adventurers could sail along the River Styx into Nessus. This path is extremely perilous. For starters, the river is incredibly difficult to navigate. Directions in the Nine Hells are confusing. It is just as likely that sailing along the river could lead to Maladomini. Additionally, the river’s currents are unpredictable, forming whirlpools, eddies, and undertows that can challenge even the most experienced sailors. Moreover, the Styx is guarded by roaming bands of devils as well as undead which are drawn to any sources of life. The river is also known to create illusions and mirages which can mislead travelers. It would be advisable to hire a devil in Cania to act as a guide on the waters.

THE LOCALS

Nessus is different from the other layers of Baator because it has a much higher proportion of the greater devils compared with the lesser devils. The most common kind of devil that is found on Nessus is the pit fiend, though horned devils are a close second. In addition to devils, a few other creatures traverse the planes of Nessus. While hellhounds are a common beast in Nessus, a special breed of hellhound known as the Nessian hellhound roams the plane. These are far more vicious and deadly than the original hellhound. The Nessian hell-hounds form packs with the regular hellhounds and hunt the plane for intruders or lesser devils. There are a few other fiendish beasts that are not devils on Nessus, but there are no mortals who live here.
Asmodeus, a tall, red-skinned devil, with dark horns and elegant clothing is the Lord of Nessus. Known as the Dark One, the Lord of Lies, and the Prince of Evil, Asmodeus is the Arch-Devil of Baator. He rules the plane with an iron fist of law and conducts himself in a soft-spoken, articulate, and ruthlessly logically. Those who look closely at the Arch-Devil will notice that though the devil holds himself with poise and elegance, he is covered in injuries that have not healed. These injuries were sustained by Asmodeus when he was thrown from Celestia. Asmodeus carries himself in public as though the injuries no longer affect him, however they still hurt tremendously, and Asmodeus focuses much of his energy on recovering from the injuries.
Asmodeus is the undisputed master of Baator and exercises complete control over the plane. The Arch-Devil can alter any of the planes at will and can also alter the forms of any of the other Archdukes of Baator. In some cases, he can also kill the others, which causes some of the Archdukes to fear him greatly. With his dominance over Baator, Asmodeus spends much of his time focused on the conquest of other planes, especially the Prime Material Plane and Celestia. Asmodeus receives the energy from any soul collected by any devil or Duke of Baator. For the time being, He spends his time using the energy to heal his own wounds. Once his wounds have healed, Asmodeus intends to use the collected Divine Energy to forge a temporary truce with the Demons and use the truce to destroy the forces of Good once and for all.
Asmodeus is a schemer in every sense. The devil is a smooth talker who only engages with non-devils to corrupt them. One example of such a corruption is the corruption of Zariel, a celestial, into the once Archduke of Avernus. Asmodeus is one of the few devils to never father any Cambion, considering himself far superior to any such creature. A few tieflings also receive the blessing of Asmodeus. These tieflings are far more intelligent than any other and are given a superior mastery over fire. These tieflings are resistant to flames from any creature except those commanded directly by Asmodeus.
In addition to his unsurpassed intellect and charm, Asmodeus is an unmatched combatant, well-versed in both magic and weapon-craft. Asmodeus earned his fame when prior to the creation of Baator, the then-angel was ambushed by a demon invasion without his troops. The Gods sent an army of angels to defend the invasion, believing Asmodeus to have been overwhelmed. The angels arrived too late, however. Instead of finding an army of demons, the angels found that Asmodeus kept the invasion at bay and even pushed the defense into an offense into the Abyss, bolstered by their reinforcement. Though the Archdevil has not fought at the front lines of the Blood Wars, his combat prowess has not decreased.
Once a year, the Arch-Devil holds a feast at his palace in Nessus's Pit, Malsheem. To this feast, the Arch-Devil invites the other Archdukes, devils who have earned a seat of honor, and a few select mortals that have earned his respect or interest (for better or worse). The feast is an enormous affair, and the only time of the year when the pathway to the palace becomes available for creatures other than the Dukes of Nessus to traverse, though it is still heavily guarded to prevent intruders from reaching the palace. The purpose of the Feast is to serve to touch base with the dukes to ensure that Asmodeus's plans are going according to plan, to ensure Hell's superiority in the Blood War, reward devils who have performed exceptionally enough to gain the Lord of the Nine's attention, and to contract mortals who may be useful to himself. These feast feature extravagant performances, a plethora of delicious food and drink, and as much vice as any being could desire.
Adramalech is the right-hand of Asmodeus and serves as the Arch-Devil’s chancellor. His preferred form is that of an elderly human man with a gray beard. His eyes change color to reflect his mood, green when he’s happy and orange when upset and black all other times. In this form, the only features to identify him as a devil are two small, crimson horns that protrude from his head and a single forked tail. He prefers to dress in hues of green and purple.
This devil is tasked with maintaining all records regarding the Nine Hells. In this role, he constantly updates the number of souls collected, the various contracts that exist between devils and mortals, and presides over the court of Devils which settle disputes regarding contracts. Adramalech also tracks every torment caused to devils and the names and locations of any devils not in the Nine Hells. Somehow, despite this busy schedule, Adramalech also finds time to maintain an extensive spy network among the pit fiends which collect information. Adramalech stores this information and the true names of all devils in a tome he calls “The Infernal Record” which is colloquially known to mortals as the “Book of Fire”. Adramalech finds stress relief by torturing the souls of mortals in an extensive dungeon network which lies below Fortress Nessus. He especially despises Humans and Elves and takes special joy in causing them pain.
Adramalech has full authority to give orders to devils. This power was given to Adramalech because he is the only devil in the Nine Hells who shows no desire to usurp the Asmodeus. As a notably weak devil, Adramalech understands that even if he were to somehow become an Arch-Duke or Arch-Devil he would be easily overthrown. Instead, he enjoys the power and control he wields over the Nine Hells from the safety of Asmodeus’s right hand. Adramalech enjoys a small cult of followers in the Prime Material Plane who kidnap and sacrifice human and elf children to him. Because Adramalech is so physically weak, he is constantly guarded by a legion of Pit Fiends.
Phongor is the left-hand of Asmodeus and a rival of Adramalech. This devil usually resembles a human male with pink skin and eyes which glitter even in the shadows. He has oily black hair, two small twisting black horns, and red hooves for feet with a similarly colored tail.
Phongor serves as Asmodeus’s Chief Inquisitor. It is his duty to uncover secrets or to find information that Asmodeus wishes to find. Phongor is considered the most feared devil in Baator after Asmodeus because of his penchant for torture, his prowess in combat with a wickedly sharp whip, and his ability to sniff out secrets.
Phongor’s rivalry with Adramalech is because he knows that the Record Keeper does not know his true name. Adramalech frequently sends spies to try to find Phongor’s true name as it is the only one, he does not know. In response, Phongor sniffs out these spies and viciously kills them because he knows that his secret allows him to maintain an even position of power in Nessus with the Chancellor. His prowess at finding information for Asmodeus means that he holds equal value currently for the Arch-Devil. Phongor spends much of his time ensuring that Asmodeus is well informed regarding the events of every plane. To do so, he has enlisted some of Adramalech’s spies to work for him and tortures information out of other creatures as he needs.
While Adramalech and Phongor serve as Asmodeus’s right and left-hand respectively, his favorite servant is his executioner, Alastor the Grim. A horrifically scarred and broken winged pit fiend, Alastor is considered the strongest of the Pit Fiends. Rumored to be one of the first devils born from Asmodeus’s blood, Alastor the Grim does not speak or act independently of his master. He always accompanies the Arch-Devil acting as a bodyguard and as the executioner for whomever displeases Asmodeus. It is a common belief that if the Nine Hells were destroyed and Asmodeus could only save one creature other than himself, he would choose Alastor the Grim. Alastor the Grim also commands the personal armies of Asmodeus.
There are always six generals in Nessus for Asmodeus’s armies. These generals are constantly changing as the devils vie for power and control.

NOTABLE LOCATIONS

There are two types of notable locations on the plane of Nessus: geographical features and infernal constructions.
The first major geographical feature of Nessus is the river Styx, which enters Nessus through a hidden (and heavily guarded) location from Cania. The river reaches its lowest point in Nessus in a lake known as the “Forgotten Lake”. From here, it sinks into the plain and drips into Gehenna (an outer plane not connected to the Nine Hells).
The Forgotten Lake is rumored to be the place that beautiful memories go to die. When mortal souls are first brough to the Nine Hells, their memories are stripped from them and sent here. Here, the thoughts are broken down and destroyed. Should a creature look into the waters, they will see beautiful memories that slowly corrupt into fiendish nightmares.
Several other rivers also off shoot from the river Styx to fill the rest of Nessus. One of these, indistinguishable from the others, is the river Lethe whose waters are known to cause complete memory loss.
Several notable gorges are also spread throughout the plane. Reaper’s Canyon is Nessus’s canyon of death. Here, no injuries heal, and death finds creatures twice as quickly as elsewhere. Sicknesses and disease are far more powerful. Another canyon is known as Hell’s Lips and is the epitome of gluttony. Mortals that find themselves here may become overcome with insatiable thirst and hunger. One fissure that travels from north to south on the plane is “The Nest”, which houses hundreds of nests for fiendish wasps.
The most noticeable geographic location in Nessus is the large winding canyon that sinks deeper and deeper into the plane, The Serpent’s Pass. This canyon, carved from Asmodeus’s fall, carves to the deepest point of Nessus, which in unknown even to most devils.
At the center, and northern most point, of the plane is a large pit which houses the city of Malsheem. Built from stone and Baatorian green steel, the city stretches in multiple layers along the gorge. Over time, the ever-expanding city has slowly begun to form tunnels into the walls and floor of the pit. This large structure, designed by Asmodeus, is home to millions of devils, perhaps the strongest in the nine hells. Here, Asmodeus keeps his personal army, waiting to conquer the planes with it. At the center of the city of Malsheem is the Fortress Nessus.
Fortress Nessus sits at the deepest point of the Serpent’s Coil but rises far above the rest of the plane. Decadent and bleak, the fortress seems to be a failed recreation of the home of the Gods. Here, Asmodeus resides and rules. The fortress has not been mapped previously and seems uninhabited at all times of the day. Despite its appearance, the fortress is teeming with devils and dangers. Below the fortress is an extensive dungeon which houses the souls of humans and elves for Adramalech to torture. Fortress Nessus also houses the Infernal Records.
The last location of note for Nessus is Tabjari, which lies in Reaper Canyon. Tabjari is a copper citadel which serves as the library, vault, and armory for Asmodeus. Tabjari is nearly impossible to enter. Its entrance is a highly guarded secret. The entire structure is heavily guarded by traps, magic, and devils. The security of Tabjari is even greater than the security in Fortress Nessus because it houses Asmodeus’s greatest treasure, one of the original copies of the Pact Primeval.

MYSTERIES

There are many mysteries with the plane of Nessus for the curious adventurer to find, though at great personal risk. Many of these mysteries remain because adventurers who chose to explore the plane did not return.
The first great mystery of Nessus is how to enter the plane. Though there is an entrance via the river Styx, this passage would require that adventurers travel through the other 8 planes of Baator to find their way into Nessus. Still, this river entrance is hidden and extremely well-guarded. Finding and mapping this location would make one rich beyond definition.
Another great mystery of Nessus comes from a rumor that Asmodeus is still greatly weakened by his wounds. A common rumor within the Outer Planes is that Asmodeus’s true form lies still broken and beaten within Fortress Nessus. Many of the other Archdukes and the Demon Princes of the Abyss spend a significant amount of time trying to find out if the rumor is true (and the location of Asmodeus’s true form) with the hopes of conquering the 9 hells.
The fortress Nessus hold many other secrets, such as information about the weaknesses of the Archdukes, that could hold much value for any being that could find them.
Tabjari holds one of the original copies of the Pact Primeval, which provides the place around it with enormous power. In this place, magic is said to achieve feats that would be otherwise impossible. For this reason, its location is deeply sought. Additionally, the copy itself provides significant strength to the devils. If it were to be stolen, it would greatly turn the tide of the Blood War in favor of the Abyss.

SURVIVAL

Surviving Nessus is horrendously difficult for those that have not been personally invited by Asmodeus. Travelers should equip themselves with means of surviving some of the hottest temperatures in the planes, second perhaps only to the plane of fire. Likewise, they should equip themselves to survive frigid temperatures that exist in some of the gorges. Because Nessus is finite, it can be more easily mapped than any other planes. Perhaps a daring adventuring group would be able to find some enemy of Asmodeus who has a map of the plane. Another duke of the nine hells may have such a map and forming a pact with one may be wise for finding a way through Nessus without Asmodeus’s permission. If not, the safest way to traverse the plane would be to make some pact with the Arch-Devil.
For those who attempt to sneak onto Nessus, stealth is the best option. The plane teems with a seemingly infinite number of the deadliest devils in the nine hells. Direct confrontation with a small group will only draw more of them towards a party. Additionally, it would be wise to find some way to carry provision onto the plane because food is sparse. Nessus is also covered in a dense fog of noxious fumes which make breathing difficult. Adventurers should account for this trait and find some way to filter their breathing as needed.

Toolkit

Nessian Hell-Hound
Large fiend, neutral evil
Armor Class: 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 129 (13d10 + 52)
Speed: 50ft., fly 50ft.

CR: 10 (5,900 XP)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
[+6]	[+3]	[+5]	[-3]	[+1]	[+0]

Saving Throws: DEX +6, CON +8 Skills: Perception +4, Stealth +6 Damage Resistances: Cold, Fire Damage Immunities: Poison Damage Vulnerabilities: Radiant Condition Immunities: Poisoned, Sleep Senses: Darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 14 Languages: Infernal, Common
Traits
Devils Sight. Magical darkness does not impede the hell hound.
Actions
Multiattack. The hell hound makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Hellfire Breath: (Recharges 5-6). The Nessian Hell-Hound unleashes a 10 ft cone of fire that deals 40 (9d8) fire damage. Creatures caught in the cone must make a DC17 dex save, taking half damage on a successful save.
With this, I have finally finished an entry for each of the Nine Hells for the Atlas project. I started writing about the Nine Hells in 2018, five years ago. After 4 years of writing and rewriting this article, it’s finally done which is a weird feeling. Nessus was especially hard to write about because I wanted it to feel dangerous, mysterious, and hard to understand. Hopefully, this is useful to some people. Moving forward, I’m planning to update the older entries with better information.
Check out my previous entry for the Atlas of the Planes project: Cania
Write Your Own Atlas Entry!

I'm still on the older patch just because I've been trying to optimize a good england run for awhile and i had a save start where burgandy, aragon and castile all started friendly. From start date to 1452 it was all about consolidating territory. I didn't do any of the typical tricks like selling maine.
Screen caps and save download
https://imgur.com/a/K7Rjv3B
Save file for 1.34.5 only mod i'm running is betterfontmod though this file is only good til Jun 17, 2023 2:59 AM
https://file.io/BSig0eMYNlHT
Pre-War of the Roses
I sat on my lands until march 1448 when the war of the roses triggered. Think my 60% manpower hit like a few months prior for the mission. I hired the white company because they had a 3 siege general and i needed 9 units to reach force limit which put me 1 over FL but figured the 3 siege general was worth. In those first 4 years I didn't do much save for upgrading cot's in calais and cotentin at the start by taking all 6 monopolies. Reason for monopolies is 3 fold. 1) You want low influence on your estates to gain crown land faster so I only took the +1 mana and monopolies and 2) the extra money to upgrade cot's is nice and 3) the mercantilism as england is actually super good because of your end node for trade(6 merc is 12% trade power modifier which is like 25% of a marketplace on every province). I dev'd Lincolnshire at some point when i got an event for -10% dev cost using some mil to get it to 10 dev so i can upgrade it's cot. I believe i also upgraded york right after the war of the roses triggered so i had my age objective filled super early for 5 cot's. Minor tip but mothball your fleet save for your barques prior to war of the roses and lower army maintenance. I ended up taking 3 normal loans to grab a navel doctrine(enemy ship capture) and to upgrade york. Not sure how optimal the doctrine was though as i end up WAY over ship force limit(like 60/40) which was costing me like 3-4 ducats a month until i could finish the 100 year war and sell ships.
War of the Roses
I save scummed a bit to get a good ruler(5/6/6). That likely didn't matter all that much but it speeds up ideas a few months. There's a trick to the war of the roses as well that works in 1.34 which I assume works in 1.35 as well but I haven't tested. If you put a unit in every province in england/ireland except mann you can force spawn the rebel stack in mann. Also works with parking 1 ship in a port. The benefit of this is the rebel spawn is only 9 units which is very handy because the stack spawns with i believe higher morale(might be tactics) which makes them a pain to effectively kill when they are say a 16 stack. Also killing the stack on an island instant wipes it though you do take a dice penalty when fighting it.
100 years war
I curried favor with castille, aragon and burgundy for most of the first 4 years until i got to 9ish favors. Burgundy was first so I swapped him to Portugal doing the same. After I got to 9 favors I started to improve relations on nations I know would get the biggest AE hit(liege and Aachen typically get huge values doing this strat) as well as put my third diplomat to improve relations with burgundy. Once you get the union with france burgundy has a habit of instantly desiring your provinces so much that you need around +200-ish relations with them in order for them to stay ally and not flip hostile. Idea overall though was to get people to like 70-80 relations then work on someone else.
In my case, I may have save scummed a bit to make sure the surrender of maine didn't fire prior to the war of roses i honestly don't remember. It's not that uncommon however for it to not fire until 1448 either and it doesn't *really* matter that much so long as it fires after you have 10 favors with the lads.
As for fighting the war, it's pretty simple when you can call in burgundy, aragon, castille and portugal. Some minor advice though is that I'd recommend sieging down chartes and paris yourself to start and then Haut-Poitou and in my case france ate all of Brittany so i also sieged down Brest. In my experience, if you leave the ai to their own devices on the continent they can get kinda dumb not knowing to reinforce battles rater than sitting on a siege so it's kinda better if you siege and let them focus on killing france + ally stacks. France typically wont target you if you keep your stacks big enough around the sieges. I also got a bit lucky that Henry Tudor was a 4 siege general though that's not really needed. I made him a general hoping for him to die to get a heir with more than 12 points(still hasn't happened in 1464).
Irish/Scotland wars
This part is kind of important. I like to fight scotland during the france war because if you wait until after they are no longer a valid rival. So once i did those 4 sieges in france to help the ai out a bit i moved my men to england to fight scotland. They had allied tyrone so I first started a war with LeinsteThomond co-bellgerenting both but not Tyrone so they wouldn't be a part of the Scot war. In terms of the Scot war the goal should be to take all of lowlands directly via conquest(set Lothian as war goal as it's the highest value province) and then to humiliate + money. Reason this is so important is otherwise filling the humiliate goal is a pain and ideally you want to get ages objectives asap. Also make sure you take the war of the roses mission for AE reduction prior to peace out.
Mopping up the rest of Ireland is pretty straight forward. But concentrating dev on the lowlands, ulster and connacht should put london at 30ish dev iirc to fulfill your 3rd age objective.
Peacing out france + post war
In terms of peacing out france... you're gonna get coalitioned. There's just too many hre minors but if you managed relations well enough no one will actually declare on you. However, make sure you take the religious diplomats prior to enforcing the union. You want to wait until after the irish minors and scotland are dead because you don't want to give more influence to get less crownlands. I took the union, had them revoke cores on my provinces and took money for a full 100% in January of 1452 which left me a coalition of a lot of random western german minors, denmark and i think austria was in it but i quickly got them to +50 opinion. Also in my game Castille had rivaled Aragon so directly after peacing out i used up my remaining favors with aragon for money or soldiers i forget then rivaled them instantly breaking the alliance. Reason for this is i was over relations and i want dip for exploration and also because castille has a bad habit of rivaling you once you take france and in my case they didn't seem to do this when we shared a rival.
This is kind of another important bit. I think the best way to play england -> GB is colonial and this is likely still true in 1.35 if you choose the GB route instead of the Angevin route. IMO england is the best colonizer because they have the best economy to support over limit. Also once you finish exploration ideas, there is a parliament issue(charter colonies) which gives +1 colonist and +20 global settler. The biggest drawback is colonial range but there's a trick to this. Once you get the 3rd idea in exploration you have enough range to reach both gibraltar and tenerife. So, if you keep focus on dip to start the game, get only level 4 ideas in dip and bank dip until you can get level 5 admin asap, you very quickly will be able to get the 3rd idea before castille given they have a trash ruleheir and you can upgrade via war of the roses. And once you colonize tenerife, you have enough range to reach the west indies.
Additionally, since castille likely depleted their manpower vs france they may not have their mission to go in against granada yet which is typically my next play in order to finish the gibraltar mission and to get alhambra. Probably wanna give the other 2 provinces to castille so they don't hate you however. I would also recommend co-biligerenting Morocco to take Demnate. The 10% trade efficiency from it at max is huge. Like i'm sitting at 31.97 ducats from trade in 1464 and that's only going to get bigger.
In my case, Castille had their starting ruler die during the 100 years war with enrique taking the throne which i was thrilled about because 0/0/0 meant they'd be slower to colonize though you still will beat them to tenerife if he doesn't take the throne. I figured they would just be slower to columbia which meant i had more time to both grab africa and pieces of the new world. However, i got kinda lucky in that enrique died without an heir in April of 1453. I considered save scumming it because my typical play is to let spain form and then force pu them but I figured this was probably better in the long run given they wouldn't colonize now(went religious instead).
Burgundy was the most lucky i've ever been with them in a run. Previous best for inheriting them was like 1481. In this game, Charles didn't take the throne until like 1455 or later but he died in August of 1463 and I got the horse event in April of 1464.
General thoughts on playing england efficiently
As I said before, to me colonizer england makes the most sense unless you are in 1.35 and go Angevin. My preferred path is exploration, expansion, religious and then diplo. In previous runs using this I've been able to get economic hegemony in like the 1550-1600ish range but I suspect i may be able to do better this run. The basic idea here is you want to grab a colonial nation in the west indies then grab all of west africa and by doing that you can force most of the trade in the new world and old world to flow to the english channel. And with explo/expansion you get 4 colonist with the parliament and given england's economy especially if you inherit burgundy you're able to run like 8-9 colonies by 1500 while rushing toward micronesia for the great project. Once you get to like 1505 is roughly when you'll get admin 10 for religious and that then allows you to deus vault the old world as you please. Diplo is there purely for the war score cost which fits in great with the age bonus and england also gets claims on malta. That part can be a bit tricky because of the rng of iberian wedding but if you can manage the 5 year truce after rivaling Aragon then go in against them for the islands you get claims on you can take that prior to castille getting them.
Also, i've found doing these runs with england has helped me understand optimizing my economy better. That's part of the reason i haven't gone to 1.35 is because i keep restarting this run after i realize i could do something economy wise way better. Stuff like best way to handle trade companies took several tries. Also understanding where and when to build buildings. Even stuff like which monuments are worth investing into which is to say... most aren't until you're stupid rich. Versailles is pretty good given you get 10% tax for level 1 though the further levels are less worth until you are stupid rich. Alhambra is probably worth maxing for 5% AE. Only other one I'd consider upgrading is probably the one i mentioned in morocco just because 10% TE scales very well with how you will be playing.
Another reason I think this path is best for england is simply because you're gonna hit your gov capacity quick. In my current save i'm at 729/750 running all 3 +100's from the estates in 1464. I'll get 200 more shortly when i hit empire rank but with the +1/1/1 age objective you tend to grow faster than you get gov capacity and courthouses don't show up until the 1490-1500 range. Admittedly, the Burgundians are a large part of that but half of that was just the british isles and that's before you integrate france. I tend to just sit with them as a PU even when i can integrate because i don't have the GC.
Edit: One minor trick with england is wait until December 1444 before you pick an issue from parliament because assuming you take the +1 mana you will almost always be able to take an issue which gives you 5% crownland back starting at 10% rather than 5%
Edit 2: Another thing I forgot to mention that i did save scum for is if england doesn't have a consort there's a chance for this event to pop which gives you either a 3/4/3 ruler(Margaret of d'Anjou), a 3/4/3 consort +100 mana from each or the third option which is +100 mana from each and a 50% cheaper level 2 statesman. You want to marry the 4 allies you have because relations improves favor generation but ideally you don't want them to give you a consort hence save scumming given you can't do much to change whether you get one when you marry. If you get this event you want to choose the +100 mana and the 50% cheaper statesmen because you don't keep the 3/4/3 ruler as the war of roses still progresses. It's not super likely to happen prior to march 1448 which is typically when the war of roses will start unless you either get stability(increases how long it takes) or if you get a legitimacy hit which speeds up war of the roses if you're under 90. The mean time to happen is 200 months(almost 17 years) but it's a really nice boon to get if it does happen(it did in this save).

At Royal Rumble 2023, Asuka returned after a brief hiatus, sporting a deranged look reminiscent of her days as Kana. And since that point, the Empress of Tomorrow has solidified her powerful aura, winning the Elimination Chamber match and avenging her disappointing loss to Bianca at WrestleMania 39 by dethroning the EST at Night Of Champions. And while Asuka has been Raw Women’s Champion before, this time feels…different…
Monday Night Raw (5/29/23):
Following Night of Champions with the crowning of Asuka, it would appear the landscape of the women’s division has changed. While some individuals are surely eager to go after singles gold, this isn’t initially the case for the Way. In a backstage interview with Byron Saxton, Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell express their desire to go after the Women’s Tag Team Titles, only to be interrupted by the lunatic duo of Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville. Deville tries to get under the skin of the pairing, particularly LeRae, mocking her struggles to get victories as of late. However, Candice retorts that Sonya and Chelsea haven’t done anything either, their only actual success as a duo being making Adam Pearce question his own sanity. After a few more moments of bickering, Green tries to slap LeRae, but Hartwell blocks it for her, shoving Chelsea to the ground. Sonya shoves Indi back, and Candice in-turn attacks Deville, forcing several officials to have to separate things.
This results in a singles match later in the evening between Deville and LeRae, with Sonya trying to make an example out of the “Poison Pixie”. It’s a fairly back-and-forth encounter, with LeRae starting the match off hot, but Sonya is able to adapt, using her MMA background to her advantage with increasingly strong shots. However, as Sonya gains control, her emotions also start to fluctuate a bit. Rather than just go for the win at points, she decides to inflict further damage, regularly targeting the right arm in particular with a combination of stomps and armbars. However, the turning point of the match comes when Deville kneels down, once again looking to apply some type of submission hold…only for LeRae to transition it into the Garga-No Escape! While Sonya doesn’t submit, it gives her enough breathing room to mount a comeback, eventually hitting her signature springboard moonsault to finish things.
Candice LeRae def. Sonya Deville via pinfall
After the match, Candice and Indi take a moment to celebrate the win…BUT HERE COMES ASUKA! The Raw Women’s Champion is in the building, and she looks as maniacal as ever. She makes her way towards LeRae…and offers a handshake? Candice is definitely hesitant to accept, and for good reason, as when she starts moving her hand out…ASUKA HITS HER WITH A ROUNDHOUSE KICK! Indi tries to avenge her downed partner, but Asuka takes her out with a spinning backfist. The Empress moves back towards LeRae, staring at the injured right arm…AND SHE APPLIES A VICIOUS ARMBAR, SNAPPING IT IN THE PROCESS! Asuka eventually lets go, with Johnny Gargano and a medical official coming out to tend to LeRae while Adam Pearce wants to know what’s wrong with Asuka…to which she merely replies with a sinister smile…
Monday Night Raw (6/5/23):
About half-way through the show, Johnny Gargano comes to the ring, ready to give an update on his wife Candice LeRae. He says that while LeRae is unable to compete, it’s only for a short period of time, and the fracture to her arm was small enough as to where she won’t require surgery. However, Gargano also says that LeRae wanted him to pass along a message…which is why he’s calling out Asuka to the ring! On cue, the Empress comes out, looking at Johnny Wrestling with a curious look. Gargano says that once upon a time, he and his wife both had respect for Asuka’s accomplishments, especially her record-setting run in NXT. However, with the actions of last week, they no longer have those sentiments, and when LeRae returns from this set-back, she’s challenging you for that Raw Women’s Title! As Gargano says this, Asuka just begins giving a deranged laugh. No one in the arena knows what to make of this…until Asuka picks up a mic…to simply say…bye bye…
As Asuka makes her way to the ring apron, Gargano is left staring in confusion at what transpired…but suddenly, the lights go out! When they turn back on…a trio of masked men are destroying Johnny Wrestling! He tries to fight back, but he’s just overpowered, and left to be stomped on as Asuka just watches on from ringside, enjoying the carnage. The biggest of the three hits Gargano with a top rope splash, before what appears to be the leader hits…a wheelbarrow neckbreaker. As the individual hits this, Asuka comes back into the ring, standing alongside the figures. She whispers something to them, and they move their hand to the top of the masks, pulling them off to reveal…IT’S SAnitY! Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe, and Killian Dain are all back in WWE, and it appears they’ve aligned themselves with the Empress of Tomorrow. But the question left to be answered… Where is Nikki Cross in all of this?
Monday Night Raw (6/12/23):
In a backstage segment early in the show, the camera shows Nikki Cross backstage, alone and looking down, drowning in her own crazed thoughts…until Eric Young enters the shot. Cross raises her head, looking expressionless while a smile slowly creeps across the face of Young. He asks her…
“Won’t you join us?”
However, before Nikki can answer…HERE COMES JOHNNY GARGANO! He dives at Eric, looking to get revenge on one of the men who decimated him the week prior. He’s successful initially, but soon enough, Wolfe and Dain rush in, prying Johnny off Young and starting to beat him down. Luckily for Gargano, he came prepared, as he too has backup in the form of Dexter Lumis! SAnitY backs off as Dexter comes in with a steel chair, but not before Young mouths the words…This isn’t over…
Monday Night Raw (6/19/23): Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis vs. Eric Young and Killian Dain
With the tensions continuing to rise between the Way and SAnitY, it was inevitable they’d have to square off at some point, and Adam Pearce decides to see if a tag match can resolve this. The match starts off with Gargano and Young, Johnny Wrestling anxious to annihilate him while Young is more amused than scared. Johnny is able to get the upper hand initially, a superkick giving him the brief opportunity to then apply a Garga-No Escape. However, Killian Dain breaks up the hold by just hitting a Senton on Gargano’s back, a tactical maneuver to give Young the chance to gain control. However, Lumis enters the ring as well, grabbing Dain and trying to set him up for a side slam. However, Killian avoids it, and the pair move to the outside of the ring to brawl. By the end of the match, Gargano is weakened, but he’s still got the power of adrenaline on his side. He’s able to tag in for Lumis, getting in a flurry of offense against the big man Dain, including a pair of superkicks to knock him off his feet. However, as he goes for the One Final Beat, Young grabs his foot by the ring apron, preventing him from springboarding into the ring. Gargano’s able to kick him away, but when Johnny does go for the maneuver, Dain catches him, planting him in the center of the ring. He follows up on it with a splash from the top rope, with Young tagging in as he does so. And with Killian shoving Lumis off the apron, Young is able to hit the Wheelbarrow Neckbreaker to finish the match.
SAnitY def. Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis
After the match, Asuka makes her way to the ring, standing alongside SAnitY once again. She looks at the downed Gargano, now with a disgusted look on her face rather than an evil grin. She turns to Young, who nods and motions for Dain and Wolfe to pick Johnny up. But right before Asuka can seemingly hit him with the Mist…Here comes Nikki Cross! She rushes to the ring, sliding in and looking right at Asuka as she does so. Young walks up to her, asking her the question…
“Are you with us, Nikki?”
Cross stares at Young for a moment…then to Wolfe…then to Dain…then to Asuka. It’s to the Raw Women’s Champion that she gives the longest stare, Nikki’s eyes slowly growing wider and her expression becoming more intense. And with that, she mutters just a few words…
“You hurt my friends…she hurt my best friend… now she will pay.”
And with that, Cross dives onto Asuka, unleashing a flurry of strikes and catching everyone in the ring by surprise. However, Young pries Nikki off of the Empress, to which Cross responds by starting to attack him! However, it’s short lived, as Asuka runs up behind Nikki and drops her with a roundhouse kick. She quickly gets her locked in a crossface chickenwing as well, Nikki unable to escape and ultimately passing out. Before she fades, she’s left to only see the disappointed looks on the face of the SAnitY members…”You made the wrong choice Nikki”. But the attention soon shifts back to Gargano and Lumis now. They’ve slowly risen to their feet, and Gargano, looking directly at Young, demands another fight! Young sighs, seemingly bored at the prospect of SAnitY having to dismantle those two again…but it shall be done. However, before they can move in for the kill, we suddenly hear crashes echo throughout the arena. They happen for a few seconds, before the lights dim slightly. An unfamiliar melodic theme starts playing, sounding slightly reminiscent of that of a final boss, but as the lights turn back on, it changes back into the more recognizable song…
…NO ONE WILL SURVIVE! IT’S TOMMASO CIAMPA! After being on the shelf for months, he’s finally back, and as he gets into the ring, he looks at Johnny Gargano…there’s no shortage of history here. And while there’s a momentary tension as to what he’s gonna do, he sides with his former DIY partner, making it a more fair fight! Unfortunately, he doesn’t get the chance to lay into any of SAnitY, as they decide to make their exit, already having made a statement with the victory and assault on Asuka, nothing more needed to be done…tonight, at least.
Monday Night Raw (6/26/23): Indi Hartwell vs. Asuka - Non-Title Match
In her first match since beating Bianca at Night of Champions, Asuka looks to prove why she’s the champion. She starts off the match well, not letting Indi get any momentum by just rocking her with a series of kicks to the chest. After dragging Hartwell to the outside, Asuka begins going after the arm, slamming it several times into the ring post before deciding to inflict some pain to the skull with a tiger suplex. This momentarily causes the ref to check on her, potentially looking to end the match…but Asuka isn’t willing to let that happen. She gets Indi back in the ring, lining her up for a running hip attack…BUT HARTWELL TRANSITIONS IT INTO A GERMAN SUPLEX! Despite having just been on the ropes, Indi managed to use what she had left in the tank to take down Asuka, and as she gets to her feet, she feels the crowd surging behind her. She starts taking it to the Empress, getting her backed into the corner and landing a few solid chops. However, she gets a bit overzealous, trying to get Asuka on the top rope for a potential suplex attempt, only for the former Kana to kick her away and land a knee directly to the back of Indi’s neck. And with that, Asuka remains in the power position, eventually locking on the same Armbar that injured Candice LeRae and forcing Hartwell to tap or get snapped.
Asuka def. Indi Hartwell via submission
But before Asuka really has a chance to even get up…HERE COMES NIKKI CROSS! She runs out with a kendo stick, furious as to what transpired the week prior, and gets in a few shots on Asuka before Alexander Wolfe attempts to pry the weapon away. In response, Nikki shoves it into his gut, before hitting him with a swinging neckbreaker and sending a message to Asuka that she’s just as much of a force to be reckoned with. And it’s later announced that this match has been declared official for Money In the Bank: let’s see if these two dangerous competitors can live up to their classic from NXT…
Money In The Bank (7/1/23): Nikki Cross vs. Asuka (c) - Raw Women’s Championship
Despite not having a stipulation like their Last Woman Standing Match in 2017, the match is still intense from start-to-finish. Cross runs at Asuka immediately, getting in some shots with the elbow to the side of the face. Asuka is forced to a sitting position, allowing Nikki to gather some steam from running along the ropes before landing a kick to Asuka’s jaw! Unfortunately for Cross, her frenzied nature ends up backfiring, as when the action shifts to the outside, Asuka dodges a running attack and sends Nikki nearly head first into the barricade! With Nikki instinctively grabbing her head after the missed maneuver, Asuka sees what to target, dragging Cross to the ring apron and repeatedly crushing her skull into the ring post. And as the action shifts back into the ring, it’s just more of the same, Asuka being momentarily hit by mini-bursts of offense, but the damage inflicted on the skull clearly affecting her. This is evidenced when Cross has Asuka lined up for the swinging neckbreaker, potentially able to get her the win…only to collapse before she can properly hit it. With that, Asuka is able to apply the Asuka Lock, and as happened a couple of weeks ago, Cross passes out in the hold.
Asuka def. Nikki Cross via submission pass-out to retain the Raw Women’s Championship
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On the Raw after Money in the Bank, Candice LeRae would make her return from injury, calling out Asuka for a match…only to learn she isn’t in the building. But she decides to still issue a challenge, saying that while she wanted the Raw Women’s Title initially…now it’s about more than that. Asuka took out Candice’s friends and family, and left her away from the ring for too long…now, she wants to beat Asuka for vengeance first, gold later. And later on, it’s confirmed that the match will be taking place when Asuka returns…except it’ll be for the title as well! Pearce claims that the decision is due to Asuka’s recent actions, as after all, letting someone try to break someone’s limb after a match with no repercussions is a pretty bad look. But while this choice of action would normally upset some superstars…it might just put a smile on Asuka’s face…
Monday Night Raw (7/10/23): Candice LeRae vs. Asuka
Before making her entrance, Candice LeRae gets herself prepared with the rest of the Way, with Nikki Cross sitting in a corner nearby as well. Indi tells her to be cautious…Asuka’s a very dangerous competitor. LeRae of course knows this, but she’s caught off-guard by some words of wisdom from Nikki several feet away:
“Destroy her.”
Candice looks at Nikki, who’s staring back at her with something in her eyes…A look of needing something… wanting Candice to kill the Empress. LeRae nods, and she heads out to the ring, more confident than ever…And she truly gives it her all. LeRae’s strategy is simple: prevent Asuka from using her signature kicks. And for most of the match, she executes on her plan, moving herself back whenever she senses a roundhouse coming and catching Asuka off-balance. However, this was never going to last, and once Asuka lands a kick to the gut, she’s able to gather steam. And while this doesn’t finish LeRae, the “Poison Pixie” even managing to hit a springboard moonsault AND lock in a Garga-No Escape at various points, Asuka eventually locks in an Armbar on the previously-injured limb that Candice can’t overcome.
Asuka def. Candice LeRae via submission to retain the Raw Women’s Championship
After the match, the rest of the Way comes out, helping Candice to her feet. As they do so, Asuka stares at them, and then begins…counting them? The Way and the commentary team are confused, but as Asuka only counts four people…a maniacal expression overtakes her. She starts walking quickly to the back, and a few moments later, it becomes clear what her intentions were…
As the Way walks backstage, they’re horrified to discover a brutalized Nikki Cross! They rush over to her, asking who did this…and to no one’s surprise, she says it was Asuka. However, it soon becomes clear to Gargano…Ciampa might be next! While Indi and Candice stay with Nikki, Johnny (and Dexter to a lesser extent) start rushing through the halls, trying to get to the right locker room…but it’s too late, as SAnitY and Asuka are seen moving away from it! While Lumis stands guard, Gargano rushes inside, and finds Ciampa not just taken out…but also sprayed by Asuka’s mist! Johnny rushes over, giving Tommaso a towel, but as Tommaso wipes the mist off his face…there appears to be a dark look in his eyes, something not seen in him since when he destroyed DIY…
Remaining Build To SummerSlam:
While Ciampa, Gargano, and Lumis keep their attention towards SAnitY for a bit, Asuka shifts away from LeRae, Hartwell, and Cross, having beaten all three after all. With an open mic, she begins giving one of her standard energetic promos, seemingly wanting to know who her next challenger is gonna be…even though no one is ready for Asuka. It’s not long before someone interrupts though…and it’s someone who Asuka has grown familiar with in 2023…It’s Bianca Belair! The EST remained off television for several weeks following Night of Champions, but now, she’s back and angrier than ever. Bianca grabs the mic straight out of Asuka’s hand, and cuts a quick promo:
“Asuka… you say no one’s ready for you. But you’re wrong… because I’ve ALWAYS been ready for you. I proved that at WrestleMania 39, when I beat you clean in the center of this ring. And what did you do? You had to use that mist, that cursed, blinding mist. And you know what? Congratulations, it got you the title, but not for long. Because I say we have ONE MORE MATCH. But I think it’s time to have a match where no excuses can be made, and there are no rules to be broken. Asuka… At SummerSlam…I challenge you to HELL… IN A CELL!”
The crowd are clearly in favor of this stipulation…And it appears Asuka is too! She starts nodding repeatedly, and Bianca just stares on with a prepared look, perhaps fazed in the past by Asuka’s personality traits but now just ready to finally vanquish her and get the Raw Women’s Title back in her possession. In the remaining weeks, Bianca competes multiple times, getting the ring rust off with multiple victories, while Asuka is content with sitting at ringside for both contests…studying her competition…
SummerSlam (8/5/23): Bianca Belair vs. Asuka (c) - Hell in a Cell Match for the Raw Women’s Championship
We’ve finally made it to the Biggest Party of the Summer, and what better of a place to host it than in Detroit at Ford Field (definitely no bias as a Lions fan)! Once both Asuka and Belair are locked in the cage, the match starts at a feverish place, Bianca hitting a strong shoulder tackle only for Asuka to respond with a spinning backfist a few moments later! As the dust settles on the first fifteen seconds, the competitors look at each other, giving a momentary smirk and scoff apiece before continuing with the action. Bianca showcases her power, getting the Empress lifted in the Gorilla Press position and just hurling her at the cell wall! The several-foot fall to the floor certainly adds to the blow, and Bianca continues the assault outside the ring, slamming Asuka’s head repeatedly into the cage! However, she decides to look under the ring for a weapon, a table quickly catching her eye. She pushes it into the ring, but makes the mistake of turning her back to Asuka while doing so, the former Kana grabbing her from behind and hitting a Tiger Suplex onto the floor!
With Asuka now the lone woman standing, she follows up Bianca’s decision to look under the ring, pulling out a kendo stick. She feels it around in her grasp, getting a good feel for the damage she’s about to inflict. Once Bianca groggily gets to her feet, Asuka just decimates her back, hitting the stick ten times in immediate succession! However, Bianca’s able to dodge an eleventh shot targeted towards the throat, pulling the kendo stick to her and snapping it in half! Asuka looks briefly stunned, but not before she gives a condescending set of claps. In response, Belair grabs her, picking her up for a powerbomb and sending Asuka’s back to connect with the ring apron! Bianca then drags Asuka into the ring, proceeding to set up a table and initially primed to hit a K.O.D. through it. However, Asuka grabs Bianca’s hair, weakening her grip momentarily and presenting an opportunity to escape. Upon doing so, Asuka roundhouse kicks Belair, before getting her positioned on the table, climbing to the top rope…AND HITS A SPLASH ON BIANCA RIGHT THROUGH IT! 1-2-KICKOUT!
Despite the table spot being unable to put away Bianca, Asuka appears unfazed. She exits the ring, bringing a pair of steel steps back into the squared circle. Asuka picks Belair up, seemingly trying to hit a brainbuster on it…But Belair dodges, landing backwards on the steps before turning around and hitting a mini-elevated Spear! This leaves both women down for a few moments, but Bianca rises to her feet first. She gets in some of her signature offense, including a spinebuster on the steel steps! However, her attempt at a K.O.D. on the steps doesn’t work in her favor, with Asuka once again avoiding it. And unfortunately for Belair, Asuka is able to hit her with a suplex on the steps, this being the key factor for the rest of the match-up. With Bianca’s power lessened a bit AND Asuka’s submission hold targeting the back, she faces a tall task, and is ultimately unable to overcome it, the Asuka Lock resulting in a pass-out.
Asuka def. Bianca Belair via submission pass-out to retain the Raw Women’s Championship
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After an impressive victory at SummerSlam, Asuka has definitely proven that she’s going to be difficult to beat. But soon enough, she finds herself confronted by a potentially harmful numbers game…
Monday Night Raw (8/7/23): Damage CTRL Promo
Despite recent events not going so well for Damage CTRL, with Dakota Kai tearing her ACL and neither Iyo Sky nor Bayley able to capture the Money in the Bank briefcase, they’re still determined to get momentum back on their side. Bayley makes the bold decision to call out Asuka, saying that if she were actually a fighting champion, she’d consider accepting a match for the title. Asuka comes out, grinning at Bayley trying to goad her into a title opportunity. Asuka looks at Bayley as just another poor soul to be destroyed, but Iyo…Iyo has potential. Asuka even tells Sky…”Bayley isn’t your friend…but I am…”
This seems to get in Iyo’s head, as she begins looking questioningly at Bayley, who attempts to diffuse the situation by just pointing out Asuka being a freak who gets in people’s heads. In response, Asuka kicks Bayley square in the gut, and when Iyo instinctively goes to fight, Asuka shakes her head…I don’t want to fight you… You don’t need to be part of this…
Remaining Build To Extreme Rules:
Over the coming weeks, Bayley becomes a little more sympathetic, her intentions appearing less out of pure arrogance and more about striving to win championship gold back and improve her honor. She goes on a winning streak, but when confronting Adam Pearce about getting a confirmed title shot, he says there’s one more person she has to beat…Iyo Sky.
At this same time, Iyo looks perturbed whenever she’s on television, still at Bayley’s side but signs pointing to her being less convinced than when Damage CTRL began. And after Bayley does defeat Iyo to earn the #1 Contendership, Sky is just left sitting in the ring, staring down at the mat whilst utterly disappointed. Bayley offers her a handshake, but Asuka stands at ringside, motioning her to come roll out of the ring and stand tall with her. In response, Iyo moves in neither woman’s direction, rolling out to the entrance ramp and walking away alone, uncertain of what her future holds.
But with Extreme Rules approaching, there must also be a stipulation, and after a set of assaults from Asuka leave Bayley staring at the lights, Bayley decides it’s in both of their best interest to settle on…A Last Woman Standing Match! Asuka can try to keep putting her down, but she’s gotten back up each time, and come the PPV…The reign of the Empress will be history.
Extreme Rules: Bayley vs. Asuka (c) - Last Woman Standing Match for the Raw Women’s Championship
In a rematch of their TakeOver: Dallas encounter, the feel of the match is similar to what it was several years ago. Bayley, despite having been around in WWE longer, is the underdog, looking to prove herself against a terrorizing monster who we’re unsure can truly be beaten. The action quickly spills out of the ring, with Bayley even managing to hit a quick Bayley-To-Belly Suplex. Unfortunately, Asuka gets up before even a count of 5, disturbing Bayley. The action spills into the crowd for a while, with Asuka suplexing Bayley on the staircase and the former “Hugger” sent tumbling down for a solid five seconds. But eventually, Bayley recaptures the momentum, finding a trash can with weapons and using a kendo stick to start wailing on Asuka. And as the action approaches a set-up table, Bayley is able to not just prop her up on it, but successfully hit an Elbow Drop from a ledge through it as well! Bayley gets up at a count of three, and while Asuka is left stunned by the move, she recovers at a count of 8, continuing the match-up.
From there, the match spills back closer to the ring, with Bayley putting Asuka in the ring before grabbing a table. She sets it up, but Asuka manages to recover in time to avoid a Bayley-To-Belly through it, instead tossing Bayley to the side momentarily before going at her with a running hip attack. Asuka keeps control for a bit, but as she looks to put Bayley through the table…Here comes Iyo Sky! She slowly walks to the ring, not attacking Asuka initially, but giving Bayley enough time to send Asuka off the top rope and to the floor. However, with the action back on the outside, Asuka looks to be a bit desperate, using her signature Mist to blind Bayley! After this happens, Iyo rushes over to Bayley to try and help…But Bayley shoves her down hard to the floor, thinking it was Asuka! Meanwhile, the real Asuka appears behind Bayley, dragging her back into the ring. Asuka decides to lock on the crossface chickenwing, attempting to pass out Bayley, but this seems to only increase the fire in her spirit, Bayley able to back her into a corner to break the hold. Bayley rubs her eyes, improving her vision, and she drags Asuka to the table, seemingly able to hit the Bayley-To-Belly through the table this time…
…BUT IYO HITS BAYLEY IN THE BACK WITH A STEEL CHAIR FROM OUT OF NOWHERE! Bayley falls to her knees, slowly turning around with a look of heartbreak and pain on her face. Iyo returns the look with an icy cold stare, before Asuka pops-up behind Bayley, applying the Asuka Lock to pass the former “Role Model” out. But given this requires a ten count for Bayley to be down, and Asuka wanting to see what Iyo can do…she motions to the table. Iyo nods, getting Bayley set-up, climbing to the top rope, and hitting a Moonsault, crushing Bayley’s ribs, her friendship, and her hopes of winning the match in one fell swoop.
Asuka def. Bayley via KO to retain the Raw Women’s Championship
After the match, Sky raises Asuka’s hand, signifying the start of an absolutely lethal new duo in WWE…
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
With Iyo Sky now having made her allegiance clear, Asuka would appear set-up to remain dominating moving forward. However, the enemies she’s made over the past several months aren’t so quick to forget what transpired, which could potentially create problems…
Build To Survivor Series:
Despite having already made an impact to this point, Asuka and Iyo Sky aren’t just going to put away challengers…it’s time to take out everyone. After a singles win on Raw, Becky Lynch would be blindsided by Iyo, being laid out with several shots of the Steel Chair before a Moonsault to cap things off. The following week, Bayley expresses her dismay at being left alone, to which Asuka and Iyo interrupt, immediately kickstarting a brawl that would seem to favor them once again…Until out comes Becky Lynch! Despite having been bitter rivals earlier in the year, Becky makes the save for Bayley, the pair nodding at each other afterwards to signify a slight respect…We don’t have to like each other… but there’s a bigger threat to be stopped…
But soon enough, this action spills past just being a two-on-two situation. Zoey Stark, the former tag team partner of Iyo Sky in NXT, decides that Becky didn’t suffer enough during their rivalry after helping Trish at Night of Champions, and that it’s worth it for these veterans like her and Bayley to be ousted. Along with that, Asuka’s power and general craziness draws the interest of the Unholy Union known as Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn, the pair pledging loyalty to The Empress and perfectly willing to destroy Becky and Bayley. However, there are several other competitors backstage sick of seeing Asuka gaining an army, with Bianca Belair and the Way coming to the save to help even the odds. And of course, after a brawl featuring all of these competitors, William Regal comes out briefly to make his patented announcement:
“WAR GAMES!”
To determine which team gets the advantage leading into Survivor Series, we get ourselves a strong match in Iyo Sky vs. Becky Lynch, really the catalyst of what’s led into a two-on-one situation into an upcoming 5v5 match inside a destructive steel structure. Becky more than holds their own, but Iyo Sky shines even brighter, a cheap shot by Stark eventually allowing Iyo to hit the Moonsault and give the “heels” the advantage.
Survivor Series: Bianca Belair, Bayley, Becky Lynch, Nikki Cross, and Candice LeRae vs. Asuka, Iyo Sky, Zoey Stark, Alba Fyre, and Isla Dawn - War Games Match
Kicking off the match is Zoey Stark and Becky Lynch, with Becky initially successful in getting Zoey downed, but Isla Dawn coming in presents a problem. She’s initially able to hold her off, but a chop block by Zoey Stark and a subsequent attack of the leg leaves Becky in a rough spot. She’s able to get some assistance, with Nikki Cross coming in with a trash can lid and just whacking Zoey and Isla around with ease. However, Alba Fyre is next to come out, and upon seeing Cross staring her down from inside the cage, she grabs a kendo stick, ready to defend herself. While Nikki initially gets the advantage, Stark and Dawn are able to pull Nikki back, sending her into the steel cage repeatedly. Bianca coming in next is a game changer however, the EST taking control of the match-up and getting a slight breather while awaiting the fourth competitor…which is Asuka!
But as the rest of the field comes in, with Asuka being the last entrant for her team and Bayley for the opposite side, the action starts to get more and more intense. With all of the competitors brawling in one ring, Iyo sees the chance to hit a Moonsault from the top of the cage, wiping out everybody (including herself)! However, a table being brought into the mix benefits the bayfaces, Bayley hitting Fyre with a Bayley-To-Belly through it (she finally got to hit it… just not on Asuka). However, the ending sequence comes down to Asuka and Iyo on their feet against Bayley and Becky, back where it essentially first started…AND IT ENDS WITH IO HITTING A MOONSAULT ON BAYLEY! 1-2-3!
Team Asuka def. Team Becky via pinfall
Just like that, Iyo Sky has once again proved her worth, defeating her former stablemate to win the match for her team and cementing herself as a force to be moving forward. And though a fairly small shot, we can see Asuka glance over at Iyo, a slight frown on her face for a moment before moving back to stand with the rest of her team. What could that mean…
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Build To Royal Rumble:
Despite the result of the War Games Match, Becky Lynch isn’t through with either Asuka nor Iyo by a long shot. She fights off both of them over the coming weeks, along with picking up several singles victory, establishing herself as the next #1 Contender. And as Lynch points out, she and Asuka have history at Royal Rumble. Asuka beat her in singles action in 2019…before Lynch went on to win the Royal Rumble and headline Mania. But this isn’t about the Rumble match now…it’s time to put away the Empress.
As for Iyo, she also has a run of singles success, carrying a lot of momentum heading into the Royal Rumble Match. And soon, we learn that she requested training from one of the most respected female competitors in the locker room, a former NXT UK Champion…Meiko Satomura! While Satomura doesn’t intend to compete right away, she’s more than willing to help Iyo, with vignettes being shown of them together and Satomura even being at ringside for her matches. However, as this keeps happening, Asuka’s looks towards Iyo become more and more strained. Sky is abandoning me… after all I did for her… something’s going to change soon enough…
Royal Rumble: Becky Lynch vs. Asuka (c) - Raw Women’s Championship
Earlier in the night, Iyo Sky does indeed win the Royal Rumble match, punching her ticket to WrestleMania. This doesn’t seem to affect Asuka’s thoughts however, the Empress looking as ruthless and as calculated as ever en route to using an Armbar to submit Becky after a pretty back-and-forth encounter. And while Asuka proved herself the master of the Armbar between the pairing, Iyo Sky coming out with Meiko Satomura to acknowledge the title win seems to aggravate something in Asuka. Her grin has become a definite frown, and she stares an icy dagger through the pairing. Something isn’t right here…
Asuka def. Becky Lynch via submission to retain the Raw Women’s Title
Build To WrestleMania:
In a conversation between Meiko Satomura and Iyo Sky on an episode of Raw, Satomura asks if Sky would be willing to use her Rumble Victory position to challenge Asuka. Sky doesn’t look too convinced about doing that, which Satomura says is fine, but it’s advisable to weigh all her options. However, in the background, Asuka can be seen, carefully listening to the conversation.
A week later, Satomura addresses the WWE Universe. She’s made the announcement that she wants to have one last run before she retires, and wants to face some of the best names this women’s division has to offer…which is why she’s challenging Asuka for Elimination Chamber! Asuka comes out, her face paint being more red than usual…but while it looks like she’s having to contain herself, she shakes Satomura’s hand, seemingly paying respect to a legend.
Elimination Chamber: Meiko Satomura vs. Asuka (c) - Raw Women’s Championship
Unfortunately for Satomura, this retirement run of sorts looked to hit the ground before it could even get going. While she catches the Empress off guard at the beginning of the encounter, as time moves on, Asuka appears to be getting more and more angry. This comes to a boiling point when after one Tiger Suplex, Asuka hits another…then another…then another…then another! The ref pleads for Asuka to quit the assault, which she does…only to pull a Bryan Danielson and just start repeatedly kicking Satomura in the face! This goes on for disturbingly long, and when it’s become clear that Satomura is passed out, the ref calls for the bell, him having made the discretion for the match to end.
Asuka def. Meiko Satomura via ref stoppage
After the match, Iyo Sky rushes to the ring, checking on the woman who’s helped her out tremendously over the past couple of months. Asuka looks down at Iyo, a look of disgust on her face, before demanding to know who Sky is facing at WrestleMania. And it better be a specific answer…
Iyo Sky: “I… CHALLENGE… YOU!”
The crowd roar in approval, Asuka somehow shocked initially…until a smile comes across her face. I’m not surprised you made that choice…but unfortunately, it’s the wrong one...it’s a shame this has to happen Iyo…so much potential…
WrestleMania 40: Iyo Sky vs. Asuka (c) - Raw Women’s Championship
Despite that inner monologue running through Asuka’s head at Elimination Chamber, Sky proves why she’s not to be taken lightly. On the Grandest Stage of them All, Iyo just looks…better. Having been around Asuka for several months, she knows the mechanics of her offense, doing a good job at avoiding those signature kicks while also having the speed advantage. And at the end of the match, Sky proves herself superior over The Empress of Tomorrow, hitting the second Moonsault of the match to pin Asuka, and end a spectacular title run while opening a new chapter for another one.
Iyo Sky def. Asuka via pinfall to win the Raw Women’s Championship

So, last session i improvised a little ditty i think you guys may enjoy. Some of it needs work but i think it could be a fun addition...
Some context. My party just dined with strahd after being invited by him as "compensation" for what happened during the feast of st. Andral. I modified the feast a bit and used it as a plot by the Wachters to sieze power and please strahd. During that encounter they also met anastrasya and volenta, almost killing the latter while the former ravaged the city (i did the LBH thing where ana is a martial powerhouse and volenta is a rogue, she underestemated the party so they almost killed her and she now has a vendeta against them.)
After the dinner while the party stayed the night at ravenloft, the brides were sent out to the three major cities of barovia to send a message to the party, and remind them who's land this is...
Anastrasya went to barovia, with the instructions to bring ismark into line and invite him to the inevitable wedding with his sister... ana, not liking the idea but instructed to not kill ismark did what she does best and tore through the ranks of the barovian militia, hospitalising ismark and forcing donovich to take over (my players hadn't dealt with/found doru yet so that will become a problem soon...)
Ludmila went to krezk, to check on the abbot, and pressure a repentant vampire in hiding i added to the city (this one i havent run yet so it's a bit nebulous)
And finaly dear volenta, the reason for the post went to valaki, to punish the partie's allies the martikovs and turn the town against them... Volenta is the rogue archetype and a master trap maker, she also had something to prove after her near defeat so with a few spawns to help she set up a diabolical set of traps...
As the party approached valaki they saw a man on the road, he was tied to a post like a scarecrow and dressed to resemble our wizard. To their surprise he was still alive but when they tried to help the man, a hidden blade emerged from the wood, burying itself through his heart and slaying him instantly... Horrified but thinking they can be more carefull the party went on, next was a man resembling our rogue, a boastfull sort, he was also tied up in a simillar manner. Checking the pole the party found a simillar trap, and while here they just flubbed the role, causing the trap to trigger and kill the man in the same fashion, this was only the first of two traps, with explosives in his boots (the rogue bragged to be more nimble and "light on his feet" than volenta during their previous fight)
The next was our kenku druid, for whom they managed to remove a booby trapped crow mask before realisinf he had a blade as well, but located elsewhere, so when my party tried to put something over his heart to block the blade it was in the wrong spot killing him...
Penultimately was our bard, who's blade they neutralised but didnt manage to get rid of her explosive laden lyre before it was too late...
And finaly, standing in a mockery of full plate stood our paladin stand in. He was covered head to tow in armor, and bearing the symbols of the morning lord and the keeper of the feather. The party agonised, and checked all angles before removing his helmet with a mage's hand... But there were no traps on this one... just the drained corpse of adrian martikov...
And that's it. Volenta just rose from laughing stock to the most hated villian in the campaign :)
This was all improv, but i think with a bit of extra thought you can have something diabolical to really send a message to your players and make the brides threats on their own right!
Hope you liked it 😈

Table of Contents

1. Russo-China rejects Biden
2. ZNPP as potential Chernobyl
3. Biden's Ukraine is desperate enough for scorched-earth tactics
   1. Battle of the Bulge at Bakhmut
   2. Fresh meat
   3. Teixeira leaks
   4. BRICS vs NATO
4. ZNPP's weak point is diesel fuel
5. Ukrainian saboteurs caught by ZNPP
6. BB / Red Skull / Inb4source / Q
   1. BB sent Q
   2. BB warns Zaporizhia is pivotal
   3. RS gives ZNPP sabotage warning
   4. Ukraine HVT: Nuclear tit for tat
   5. Inb4source / Red Skull 4chan posting history

Note: links redacted. See bottom for link to original.

Summary

Ukraine has allegedly sabotaged Zaporizhia to melt down like Chernobyl, to stop the Russian invasion and justify NATO peacekeepers.
Here's Biden's plan to avoid another Kabul:

• NATO operators sabotaged the ZNPP backup diesel generator fuel storage, causing it to leak.
• NATO is targeting diesel fuel shipments. See captured Ukro saboteurs with NLAWs.
• When diesel reaches zero, Ukros will shell the lone power line, breaking it for the 8th time.
• Up to 6x Chernobyl meltdown ensues. Territory Russia captured is ruined.
• NATO establishes "no-fly zone" and sends "peacekeepers".

Russo-China rejects Biden

"Don’t underestimate Joe’s ability to fuck things up." – Barack Obama
Clearly we underestimated him. Americans can hardly believe that Biden blew up Nord Stream 2, essentially attacking our colony "ally" Germany. Perhaps they're still reeling from Kabul falling faster than Hanoi.
Normally Russia endeavors to cooperate with the sitting US president. However, Russian state media has begun airing the Hunter Biden laptop images, of Hunter engaged in drugs and pedophilia with preteen girls. This is retaliation for Biden crossing Russia's red line by repeatedly trying to sabotage Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). That's why Russia is willing to assist in the impeachment of a sitting US president, which is obviously an extreme step to take between two countries with enough nukes to blot out the Sun.
Rumor has it that China has also turned on Biden, which would make sense: China's economic backing allows Russia to survive US sanctions. China wants Taiwan, and Russia wants East Ukraine. They would be stupid not to cooperate.

• SHOWTIME FORMOSA; SMART MONEY IS SELLING TAIWAN EDITION pol BB May 17
• China Calls Biden a Fake President and Lloyd Austin a Fake Defense Secretary Michael Baxter May 30
• China declines US request for a meeting between defense chiefs Reuters May 30
• Xi Jinping tells China’s national security chiefs to prepare for ‘worst case’ scenarios CNN June 1

ZNPP as potential Chernobyl

A Redditor explains:

Kawaii-Gopnik Russia really needs that powerplant without any leak, to provide industry of surrounding regions with energy, but very few people understand contexts of the current situation: Soviets built complicated and very well ballanced energy system, including not only NPP, but also cascade of hydro power plants. Donetsk, Dnepr, Zaporozhe and Kharkov regions are just one big power hungry plant. NPP itself is reliant on hydropower and quality of water in Dnepr river. In case of really bad "accident" Russia will forget about development of the newly accuired regions, lack of energy produced by NPP is significant, nearly 30-40%. Accident will affect south of Ukraine with russian majority. It will also be also disaster for ecology of the WHOLE Black Sea. Rose of winds will spread nuclear dust to the West - Poland, Romania, Czechia and further. Nuclear zone will stop russian army from further territorial expansion. This will be border formed by Dnepr and nuclear zones.

The basic facts are documented by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Even while shut down, ZNPP needs external power grid or diesel to prevent its reactors from overheating.
Russia controls ZNPP. A nuclear "accident" would give NATO pretext to intervene, so Ukraine keeps trying to cause one.
How bad is this? Well, Chernobyl is in Ukraine. That was a 1k MW reactor. ZNPP has six. It is the 9th largest NPP in the world.
Hopefully the containment response would be much better than Chernobyl's, but that's hardly something to count on during WW3. Russia's nuclear doctrine includes pre-emptive strikes; who knows what they'd do. The USSR nearly launched twice during the Cold War.
Imagine if China assisted Texas in seceding from the USA to rejoin Mexico, and then caused a reactor meltdown at Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant when the USA retook it. A lot of Southerners would want to lob a few nukes back at China. They might demand it.
It is foolish to assume WW3 will not happen because it hasn't happened yet. One should look instead at the historical record of continual warfare, and the difficulties in preventing WW3 so far:

• List of nuclear close calls Wikipedia
• WW3: Historical close calls Wikipedia

Thus one cannot rule out a radiation release 6x as bad as Chernobyl. Not that Ukraine needs anything so dramatic. It merely seeks a pretext to justify direct NATO intervention to "protect" ZNPP. A small leak will suffice.
Even if there is a major radiation leak, it will occur in Russian-annexed separatist territory, and help Ukraine defend her new border. Scorched earth is a valid tactic, whether the fire is conventional or nuclear. Ukraine survived Chernobyl and knows it can survive ZNPP too.

Biden's Ukraine is desperate enough for scorched-earth tactics

Battle of the Bulge at Bakhmut

"We have been working on the counter-offensive with Ukraine for 4-5 months." – Victoria Nuland
Why is Ukraine so desperate?
Ukraine depends on NATO aid to fight Russia. NATO aid depends on Democrat willingness. Democrat willingness depends on US public support. Therefore the illusion must be maintained to the American public that Ukraine is winning. For this reason, Ukraine has committed its reserves to a costly failed counter-offensive. Bakhmut fell regardless.
James A. Donald summarizes the strategic picture:

So, bright new plan. "The Greatest Ukrainian Offensive". The Ukraine would build up a big reserve of fresh troops, then suddenly hurl large chunks of them at particular points on the front. They would, the Americans planned, cut through a point in the front lines, penetrate to Russian rear areas, wreak havoc on those areas, and force Russian troops in danger of being encircled to hastily retreat from territory that had been slowly gained at enormous cost in grinding attritive warfare. I do not know how big the Ukrainian strategic reserve was, but if it was two hundred fifty thousand, they have now committed most of them to grinding attritive warfare, and cupboard is looking as bare of men as it is of artillery and rockets.

The USA expected to break Russia economically; China's economic support prevented that. Despite PMC Wagner's heartfelt complaints, Russia is unlikely to run out of convicts anytime soon. Russia is rotating divisions through Ukraine, seasoning reservists for a looming WW3. Russia's historical appetite for losses is much higher than its current losses. This is essentially a civil war, and the Russia bear considers being carved up an existential threat. By underestimating Russia's resolve, NATO is repeating the error of Napoleon and Hitler.
Despite having plenty of weapons, Ukraine's military manpower is exhausted and demoralized. Raw conscripts are thrown at the front lines with minimal training. Medvedev predicts that the Ukraine will cease to exist; half its people have already fled.

Anonymous Sat 27 May 2023 04:59:49 No.428438077 Report 428437208 Yeah, the killing has been excessive since they pretty much destroyed 95% of Azov fags and assorted true believers in the first 200k dead, now they overshot it by 100%. About 12% of the non-Russian speaking population's prime military aged men in Ukraine are dead or crippled. 12-20% of the same demographic has fled the country. It's over, desu. They are seeing much more of the polish and romanian mercs now, since they literally lack the manpower.

Western mass media wrongly assumes that Russia is losing because it does not take the entirety of Ukraine in a blitz, as the USA did to Iraq. However, Russia does not want West Ukraine; the people there do not like Russians. Russia has captured the territory it wants, and is now using the rest of Ukraine as a kettle or cauldron, in which to conveniently destroy whatever NATO wishes to send. This is a good way for Russia to gradually learn how to fight NATO armies in a low-risk environment.
The Spartans had a rule never to war too often against the same enemy, lest they train up a nemesis. It was foolish of NATO to believe that Russia had forgotten the lessons of attrition warfare that it learned so recently in Afghanistan.

Nehming Names 9h Russia's prudent caution in directly engaging the West is bringing dividends in perhaps unexpected ways. Russia is gaining strategic knowledge of the actual capabilities and weaknesses of our weapon systems and military tactics, with our supply of munitions draining to militarily unsustainable levels, as it engages allied forces in Ukraine. Russia is aware of the continuing progress of the Great Awakening in the West, that is, the knowledge that Western governments, military, and institutions are run by an elite hostile to their heritage populations, and therefore expects to see declining support of Western governments by their citizens. Russia can also see the precipitous decrease in every societal metric in the West: social cohesiveness, general morality, public health, financial stability, military readiness, etc.With these three degradative processes in play, the most strategic thing Russia and China can do is to bide their time, as time itself will act to sap the strength of the West to militarily engage their foes.

Fresh meat

Russian conquest of Kiev would air Biden's dirty laundry to the world, from Burisma kickbacks to pedophilic field trips and worse. This would result in US "regime change". A distant Chernobyl is a small price to pay, for top Democrats to avoid the hangman's noose.
Poland is itching to invade. Victoria Nuland is scheduling NATO air exercises. USAF propaganda asserts that Russia's air force is a joke. The question is, do Americans still believe Biden's false prophets of victory?
If not, they just need a little "encouragement": 9/11, Gulf of Tonkin, Pearl Harbor, Lusitania, Remember the Maine… Keep those rural Whites busy lest they make trouble at home!
Most Americans cannot find Ukraine on a map. (To be fair, it hasn't been on the map very long.) However, the architects of Biden's Ukraine policy, such as Victoria Nuland, Jake Sullivan, Antony Blinken and George Soros, tend to have grandparents of Eastern European origin. I am sure for them it feels important. There's no place like home.
A Redditor explains:

tinglevibestoo I listened to a former CIA agent talk about Ukraine the other day. He said that Ukraine is running out of time. It's not that they don't have the weapons. We've sent them a ton of weapons. It's that they don't have enough troops and they're running low on troops. That's how Russia will win. Ukraine can't sustain the manpower. It totally makes sense to use a nuclear false flag as a reason to bring in the extra manpower. Everyone would deem it justified too because it's a threat to the neighboring nations and it'd be an environmental (climate change) catastrophe.

Teixeira leaks

Some will bring up the US intelligence leaks by Jack Teixeira to support the idea that Russia rather than Ukraine is desperate. Unlike Snowden, Teixeiera was obviously a major security risk for patriotically-motivated leaking, with numerous red flags in his previous and ongoing behavior. Therefore Teixeira was probably a deliberate leak by US intelligence, using a patsy to generate the initial leak and then add whatever extra info they wanted released in the resulting confusion.

• Jack Teixeira Wikipedia
• Discord member details how documents leaked from closed chat group Washington Post

Teixeira's leaks served several purposes for the Biden administration:

• Allowed the mainstream media to walk back their false forecasts of Ukrainian victory.
• Provided a right-wing scapegoat for Ukraine's defeat.
• Justified increased social media monitoring and censorship.

Most importantly, it mitigated the potential political fallout from another catastrophe like Kabul, should Kiev fall.
The 4chan leaker BB/Inb4source asserts Teixeira was a patsy.

BRICS vs NATO

The foundation of the US empire is the petrodollar, which allows the USA to tax the world via digital debt seignorage. This is why the creation of BRICS as an independent financial and trading system rendered war between NATO and BRICS inevitable, as Kim Dotcom predicted. The US republic is a thalassocratic empire as arrogant as democratic Athens, and it is addicted to financial plunder. The Empire cannot afford to lose the USD's reserve currency status.
Reserve currencies and empires both have lifespans, and the USA has reached the end of both. It is at the stage where hubristic foreign misadventures prove fatal, and Ukraine and Taiwan will prove too much for the American eagle to handle. This is no longer WW2; the USA cannot win a two-front war against BRICS.

• Gold Reserve Fiat Currencies Monetary Gold
• World Reserve Currencies last on average 100 years. The US dollar has been the reserve currency for 76 years. Satoshi Chris

That is why Biden's NATO is desperate; the Empire is unravelling as the European Union and other allies such as Turkey and India lose their faith in NATO.
The fact that none of this is common knowledge speaks volumes about who controls public schools and owns mass media corporations.

ZNPP's weak point is diesel fuel

The situation at ZNPP is tenuous and grim, workers report:
Europe’s largest nuclear power station is on the frontline of the Ukraine war. SkyNews Twitter
The fact that the backup diesel reactors have not been maintained is particularly concerning, considering they have already been used 7 times.
UN nuclear chief raises alarm over Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia plant Al Jazeera
Ukraine keeps trying to force a crisis at ZNPP to justify NATO intervention. In other words, Ukraine keeps shelling ZNPP to cut the one power line that still connects it to the grid.

Atlas

This is extremely dangerous, external power is required for reliable cooling of the reactors and pools containing spent nuclear waste. Western media spent months last year pretending Kiev wasn’t shelling ZNPP.
Notice that the Russian side keeps ZNPP connected to the power grid, while the Ukrainian side pretends it cannot until the Russian invasion ends:

• Update 153 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine 2023 April 13
• Update 159 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine 2023 May 22
• Russian nuclear terrorism in action: ZNPP switches to emergency generators for the 7th time Ukrainian World Congress
• Kiev blocked all IAEA’s initiatives on ZNPP security — Russian Foreign Ministry
• Grossi says Zaporizhzhia principles 'step in right direction' IAEA

As you can see, Ukraine is not interested in being reasonable. Russia is happy to leave the NPP free of heavy military equipment, but Ukraine demands the removal of all troops and landmines from ZNPP as well. That would leave the plant undefended, which is obviously unacceptable.
(This is how perverse incentives work. A little ally with nothing to lose can start a world war. It's almost like dividing the world into two hostile nuclear alliances is a bad idea.)
When ZNPP loses external power, huge diesel generators automatically switch on to keep the reactors cool. How much diesel does this consume? Truckloads per day:

Anonymous Sat 27 May 2023 05:18:50 No.428439721 Report Quoted By: >>428463646 428436425 Still easy to transport diesel enough to keep them going In what? If NATO ops and Mercs are sabotaging trucks coming in, what do you think they are gonna carry diesel in to the plant? Is Russia gonna pack in rotopack Jerry cans on their back. Fill a truck up with 5 gallon cans and hope they make it past the snipers and sabotage? Do you have any clue how much fuel those big generators suck down in a day? Those generators to run the plants during shut down or failures are huge 500kw or bigger they are the size of whole 18 wheeler trailers. Those things will drink 50 gallons an hour. You gonna haul in 2.5 gallon rotopacks one at a time to keep it going?

Nuclear power plants have tough shielding. Allegedly the diesel generators are hidden underground. However, the diesel fuel supply is still vulnerable.
Normally the diesel generators have enough fuel for 10 days. However, ZNPP's diesel stockpile recently dipped to 4 days, according to 4chan leaker Inb4source.

Ukrainian saboteurs caught by ZNPP

On May 27, Ukraine accused Russian of planning to cause a leak at ZNPP:

OSINTdefender The Main Directorate of Intelligence for Ukraine has announced that the Russian Military is preparing for Large-Scale Provocation in the coming hours at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Southern Ukraine that will reportedly Simulate an “Accident” at the Plant causing the Emergency Leak of Radioactive Substances which will be Blamed on Ukrainian Forces.

Then Russia announced it had caught saboteurs (presumably Ukrainian) in ZNPP's city:

Saboteurs who were preparing terrorist attacks on the NPP were detained in Energodar. They had with them maps and schematics of the nuclear power plant with marks for strikes that could lead to a nuclear catastrophe. The suspects are involved in collecting and transmitting information about the facilities of the Zaporozhye NPP on the instructions of the Ukrainian authorities. To communicate with the curators, they used foreign satellite systems, as well as foreign weapons for strikes and equipment for conducting reconnaissance and sabotage activities.

• Translated source message is from Telegram group Slavyangrad Chat.
• Original source message is in Russian from Telegram group WarDonbass, sent May 28 at 23:12.

Enerhodar is the city that contains the ZNPP: See Enerhodar Wikipedia
Some object that the footage is "staged". Of course it is staged. The primary consumer of the helmet-cam footage is Russian military intelligence. The evidence shot was staged for their benefit. The short edited video that was released to the public has distorted voices, and avoids showing any faces. Thus even if the footage is authentic, it is still "staged".
The ZNPP maps displayed in the video don't appear to match the announcement text. The maps could simply show where diesel fuel trucks need to go. Russia does not wish to advertise the specific nature of ZNPP's vulnerability.
The saboteurs appear to be 3-man team, equipped with 3 rifles and 3 NLAW missile launchers.
The saboteurs had 5 frag grenades. Normally soldiers carry 2 or 3 grenades, but heavy weapons soldiers don't have to. The three smooth grenades are RGD-5s, a cheap outdated Russian model. The Russian troops removed the fuses from the grenades on the evidence table to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Some object that Ukrainian saboteurs wouldn't be so careless as to have printouts of the reactor map. However, the saboteurs' presence in Enerhodar already makes their target obvious. Presumably multiple teams were sent to intercept Russian diesel shipments.
The Enerhodar saboteurs would've been notified when satellites spotted their target. Until then, they should hide in the safehouse behind blackout curtains to avoid detection. The fact that these saboteurs were caught napping suggests a degree of incompetence, compared to other teams who presumably either avoided detection or fought back. One can assume that Ukrainian specops have suffered extreme casualties.

BB / Red Skull / Inb4source / Q

BB sent Q

Qanon has lost a tremendous amount of popularity, as patriots grew disillusioned with the slow pace of the promised Great Awakening. They did not understand that Q is subordinate to a higher power with an agenda that does not necessarily include their survival.
Q aimed to help Trump save the USA. Q was sent by "Burning Bush", whose agenda is judging humanity, on the eve of WW3 and runaway de-terraforming. BB's personas started posting to 4chan's pol by 2016, whereas Q started in October 2017. (4chan is like the wild west of the Web: The world's spooks congregate there to exchange intelligence.)
BB goes by several nicknames; he began posting anonymously as "Inb4source" in 2016. A recent message implies the USA/Israel is Babylon the Great, and God (meaning him) has returned to judge her:

The world has turned it's back on *od now *od Is turning His back on the world. He Who Lets has been REMOVED. THE ANGEL OF DEATH HAS COME THE HARVEST OF THE TARES HAS BEGUN. And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. (Earthquake Lights) And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. (nothing ever happens) Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, inb4source

BB claims responsibility for the historical pendulum swinging rightward, via figures such as Elon Musk. His method of influence is the butterfly effect.
"Burning Bush" claims to be God. One can think of him as the God of the Old Testament, or as a pagan god like Zeus, or as merely a transcendent extraterrestrial. However, he also claims to inhabit a human-looking body, lives on a ranch in the USA, has children, caught COVID19, etc.
Whatever one's theology, the relevant portion of BB's message is that the USA did not sufficiently embrace the opportunity offered by Q. Anyone who has read the Old Testament knows what happens next: Ignore the prophet, reap the consequences. Thus Q's slogan "Nothing Can Stop What Is Coming" should be understood in the Biblical sense, like Noah's flood: The Ark is optional.
(As far as I know, Q is still posting to Truth Social. I don't follow that site.)
Paul Furber is the chief priest of BB. Before that, he was a major early proponent of Q. See Furber's book for many verifiable examples of fulfilled predictions and proven scoops.
BB normally identifies himself by the unique image hash of his burning bush picture. (Nobody can generate that hash unless they possess the original image.) However, BB also posts as an anon users nickname "Red Skull", for his signature images of red skulls. As Red Skull, BB avoids the extravagant Biblical claims of BB, but the style and modus operandi and interests are obviously the same – as are his implied godlike powers.
I recommend focusing on facts and trying to prevent nuclear WW3, rather than getting hung up on theology. BB is not asking anyone to worship him or sacrifice chickens. He does prescribe prayer and a life of action governed by virtue.
I certainly do not recommend taking everything anonymous spooks say at face value. If you are, like most people, unable to think in shades of gray between binary true and false, this essay is above your reading level.

BB warns Zaporizhia is pivotal

BB has repeatedly warned that keeping Zaporizhia intact is critical to the survival of NATO citizenry:

the Ukrainians attacking the Nuclear Power station in the hands of the Russians spewing radiation over enough territory that the Russians will turn Kiev into a furnace.

– BB 2022-9-24
Find other warnings by searching for keyword "nuclear".
Those who find it difficult to believe that nuclear weapons would be used in WW3 as in WW2 should note that COVID19 is already a bioweapon WMD deployed for WW3.

RS gives ZNPP sabotage warning

On the morning of May 27, BB's persona Red Skull leaked that NATO specops had sabotaged external power to ZNPP.
His scenario is plausible and severe enough to warrant investigation.
Here are relevant posts, datestamped 2023 May 27 0300-0500:

it's a little less than ten days… Until Nato SpecOps melt down the Uke Nuke plant and blames it on you.

He continues:

Nato SpecOps have sabotaged power to the nuke plant. As of this posting, 6 days of diesel fuel remain to provide power to pumps to cool the plant and spent fuel pool. Diesel shipments are being targeted and terminated.

He adds:

So now I need to tell you Russia intends a pre emptive strike if nuclear capable F16's are delivered.

On the evening of May 27, Red Skull updated:

Doesn't look good at Nuke Plant. Russia has 4 days to get more fuel to the generators. They are working on clearing a flight path. Ukraine will try to stop them on orders of U.S. Uniparty.

Sounds like a severe leak, to lose 2 days of fuel in under 24 hours.

Ukraine HVT: Nuclear tit for tat

On 28 May Red Skull asserted that:

• Ukraine just did an underground nuclear bomb test in a borehole, to contain the radiation.
• Russia may retaliate with a pre-emptive strike at any time, against 1-2 high-value targets.
• West Ukraine may be reduced to the stone-age.

Red Skull approved of this anon's summary:

Nuclear warheads that USA/UK sent. Specifically for the purpose of being exploded in Ukraine. The false flags will never stop until all out WW3 is declared, or until you root out the pedophile demon cult that is running the show and sending you monkeys to war. War for really no good reason at this point. The cities are destroyed, just withdraw. Ukraine is a kettle right now, a kill box. Do you understand what that means? And it was created on purpose.

On May 30, Putin announced that Russia had destroyed the Ukrainian military intelligence headquarters. Photos confirm the damage.

• Putin confirms strike on Ukrainian military intelligence HQ RT
• Putin Strikes Back - Destroys GUR Bunker? Simplicius

Intelligence chief Kyrylo Oleksiyovych Budanov may have died in the strike.

Inb4source / Red Skull 4chan posting history

Inb4source has posted on 4chan since 2016, but he doesn't always use an image hash identifier, making it impossible to verify the identity of all of his early posts. As his popularity grew, others began adopting his catchphrase ">inb4source".
18016 posts on pol contain ">inb4source".
The first page of results suggests Inb4source is a pro-Trump military intelligence officer. He began posting in Aug 2016, before Trump's inauguration.
Another early Inb4source catchphrase is "I AM The Source." This has a double meaning, both theological and journalistic.
The catchphrase doesn't appear in every Inb4source post. Searching for it yields 437 results, too many of which are irrelevant results.
Searching for both phrases together yields 50 results that look to be mostly legitimate. One could then search for additional posts by each unique ID from a session.
Searching for image hashes is a reliable method of ID verification, assuming no one else has the image. I know of two such images that Inb4source/BB uses: both are red skulls, giving him the nickname RS.

• 325 results
• 314 results

RS just announced that his devices (phone, computers) have been compromised, casting doubt on the legitimacy of future RS posts. This may be a response to my publication of his warnings regarding Zaporizhia onto Reddit and Gab; the timing is suspicious. I first mentioned Inb4source on Reddit 7 days ago, and Red Skull on Gab yesterday (as of morning June 3). I do not know of any other analysts writing about him or connecting him to his BB persona.
When evaluating his warnings and predictions, remember that publishing info about ongoing events can affect the outcome, and is often intended to do so. Unlike the concept of Biblical prophecy, the future is mostly probabilistic. However, he is certainly good at scooping the news.
Someone else can do an in-depth Q-proof style analysis of his accuracy; my focus here is Zaporizhia.
Read original with links here.

SmackDown Episode #1241
Venue: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza (Wilkes-Barre, PA)
Attendance: ~9000

Results of Tonight's Show

Match	Stipulation	Winner
The Brawling Brutes vs. Austin Theory & Pretty Deadly	Six-Man tag Match	Austin Theory & Pretty Deadly
Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. Hit Row	Tag Team Match	Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
Zelina Vega vs. Lacey Evans	MITB Qualifying Match	Zelina Vega
Montez Ford vs. LA Knight	MITB Qualifying Match	LA Knight

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Tonight begins with a tribute to the history of Roman Reigns' championship reign, running through his successful defenses and showing how many other champions whose reigns he has outstood.
  
• Austin Theory greets us from the ring. It's a special night because of Roman's title celebration, but what if you combined it with the greatest US Championship reign (aka Theory's reign) you'd have 1209 days. It's inspiring, like being the guy who beat John Cena at Wrestlemania. He knows he'll have a 1000 day celebration, maybe more thousands, but if he keeps being given guys like Sheamus he'll be US Champion forever. But he's here for those who do what was right, and that's why he's teaming with Pretty Deadly tonight. They join him in the ring and note it was their pleasure destroying those ugly gremlins, the Brawling Brutes. They want to show Austin their appreciation for him as a champion and gave him a YESSS BOYYYYYYY.
  
• Paul Heyman is speaking at Solo Sikoa backstage, talking about how they need to make tonight special especially after everything that happened at Night of Champions. He's going to go talk to Adam Pearce to make sure the Usos are nowhere to be found.
  
• Earlier today the OC was chatting backstage about taking out Hit Row.
  
• Post-match, AJ Styles takes down Top Dolla with a Phenomenal Forearm. And Cole attempted something that I'm not sure could be called a "rap"
  
• Adam Pearce is pre-emptive with Paul Heyman. The Usos's travel was canceled and he's promising there will be no issues.
  
• Seth "Freakin'" Rollins vs. Damian Priest World Heavyweight Championship match announced for Raw!
  
• It's the Grayson Waller Effect with guest Raw Women's Champion, Asuka. They replay Asuka's win over Bianca Belair at Night of Champions. Waller notes Money in the Bank is coming soon, plus Bianca will likely be coming for the championship again soon again, right? Asuka pops off with her screaming craziness and Waller agrees. IYO SKY interrupts, and the two begin screaming at each other in Japanese. Waller tries to interrupt when Bayley's music hits. She says obviously a member of Damage CTRL is going to win the Money in the Bank... and is then interrupted by Shotzi who wants to crush her dreams. And is interrupted by Lacey Evans, who says the contract is coming home to her. AND IS INTERRUPTED by Zelina Vega who says they're all underestimating her. It becomes a screaming argument while Grayson Waller giggles and says he loves America. Asuka reminds everyone that nobody is ready for her just in time for Bianca to attack from behind, with officials attempting to separate them.
  
• Cameron Grimes is talking to Adam Pearce about wanting to get his hands on Baron Corbin, but he's a free agent now showing up in NXT.
  
• During the break while they were cleaning up after the Grayson Waller Effect, Lacey cheap-shotted Zelina ahead of their match.
  
• After Zelina's win, the LWO meet to celebrate backstage, ahead of Santos Escobar also having a MITB qualifying match next week. Rey Mysterio says he can see it, Santos & Zelina, Mr & Mrs Money in the Bank.
  
• Post-match, LA Knight pulls out a super-tall ladder and poses with the dangling Money in the Bank briefcases.
  
• Spooky winter forest with spooky weirdos sacrificing things over a fire… it's a vignette for Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn.
  
• Triple H joins us in the ring tonight. He says we will be talking about this man for generations, welcome the Tribal Chief, the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns. Roman, Solo & Paul join the ring and Triple H congratulates him on a reign that hasn't happend in almost 40 years. To commemorate this, Triple H reveals the new WWE Undisputed Universal Championship belt. Roman removes the old WWE Championship belt and Triple H fastens the new title around his waist. Roman asks the entire universe to acknowledge him... and the Usos' music hits.
  
• Jimmy stares down Roman in the ring while Jey paces. Roman tells Jey to kick him in the face. He needs to fix this, kick him in the face. Jey continues pacing and as Roman again demands him to kick Jimmy in the face and fix this, Jimmy says the only one that needs fixing is Roman. He did what he did because he was being a brother, and brothers treat brothers with love and respect... and lately Roman hasn't been such a good brother. What kind of brother manipulates, betrays, and beats down his own family? He's going to protect his brother, including Solo, as Roman will eventually turn on him too, use him up and kick him in the dirt. Roman says the only reason why the crowd champs Uso is because of him. He's the Tribal Chief, and Jimmy's the imposter. Roman says why don't we hear from Solo who he's loyal to & who he runs with. Solo stands contemplating with the mic in his hand before acknowledging his Tribal Chief... but these two here are his brothers. So then walks over to stand beside the Usos.
  
• Jimmy asks Roman, do they want to run this thing together or does he want to be on the Island of Relevancy all by himself? Roman tells Jimmy to shut his mouth but Jimmy hits him. As it looks to spin up Jey stands between them, telling Roman that they need him and they don't need to fight like this. Jimmy agrees saying they're stronger together, and let's run this place together. Jey is still pacing as Roman sweats it out before finally embracing Jimmy in a long hug... and replies... "no." Solo hits Jimmy with a Samoan Spike.
  

Additional Plugs

• Revisit the live thread
  
• Check out our SquaredCircle Twitter account for all sorts of AMA announcements and interaction!
  
• Join our SquaredCircle Discord for live chat!
  
• Be sure to follow @WWE on Twitter and Like WWE on Facebook!
  
• Like other wrestling promotions? Perhaps you're looking for other subreddits related to wrestling? There's a sub for that! Check out /AEWOfficial, /luchaunderground, /njpw, /ImpactWrestling, /ROH, /indiewrestling, /Wrasslin and more!
  

Next week's Smackdown will be live from Des Moines, IA.

Hey y'all, I grew up hearing about the legacy of doc martens, and I had finally gotten a pair of my own for my birthday in February, the 1460 mono patent leather lace-up because they're my style but also on sale, (though I had bought them at the previous marked down price $120...) and I had planned on breaking them in to wear on a study abroad trip (that I'm leaving for in less than 48 hours) and to be an everyday shoe for me, for theoretically, years.
The thing is that the instep part of the shoe is physically killing me when I wear these. Like I've done the frozen water trick, I've been slathering and massaging them in mink oil, I've done the double-layered thick socks and heat dryer. It hurts SO MUCH when I put these on, I feel the pain radiating in my bones, up my shin, and in my knee. I felt like I got the right size because when I tried on a size up, my heel lifted and barely stayed on.
I've now been doing more research and I'm seeing how people are leaving DM behind because of the drop in quality and I have seen Rose Anvil's videos on DM and I've read about Solovair. I'm honestly feeling a little heartbroken because even on sale, these were a big ticket item for me to ask for and receive, and I feel like it was wasted because they hurt so much to wear them.
Does anyone have any advice on breaking in the instep so they're salvageable? I know they won't be ready for my trip at this point but I'm still wanting to hear any advice. Please help.

This will be a long post, so I'll start by providing a condensed summary.
The full analysis for each song will be below.

Tl;Dr

"Life Is But a Dream" is an album that explores the different stages and aspects of life, emphasizing that life is merely a temporary experience. The album plays with diverse themes, such as childhood, dreams, love, personal struggles, and individuality.
"Game Over" deals with different stages of life, from childhood to adulthood. The song suggests that life is just an ordinary experience that passes by and we must cherish every moment of it.
"Mattel" focuses on the artificial and superficial aspects of society, suggesting that people are only living in a façade without truly understanding their purpose.
"Nobody" delves into the idea of one's self, exploring the concept of being alive yet feeling nonexistent in life. It contemplates the complex nature of human existence.
"We Love You" sarcastically talks about society's obsession with materialism and constant growth, which often leads to a loss of genuine connection with others.
"Cosmic" describes the cyclical nature of life, celebrating the beauty of different eras and experiences that have shaped us as individuals throughout time.
"Beautiful Morning" ponders the idea of living through various struggles and pain, questioning what truly makes life beautiful, despite all its suffering.
"Easier" encourages looking at the brighter side of life and suggests that it's better to let go of hardships and focus on the positive aspects.
"G" is a highly satirical and possibly sarcastic song about people's need for approval and importance, questioning the self-indulgence in seeking such attention.
"(O)rdinary" explores the desire to experience human emotions and feelings, yearning to understand others and live an authentic life.
"(D)eath" deals with the theme of mortality and the feeling of release that comes with embracing the inevitability of death, as seen through the protagonist's dreams.
"Life Is But a Dream" is an instrumental piece that culminates the album, offering introspection and contemplation on life as a whole, using the beauty of music to help express this sentiment.
Overall, the album is an exploration of the human experience, touching on life's darkest and brightest moments. It serves as a reminder that despite all the trials and tribulations we face, life is ultimately transient and beautiful. The band uses an introspective and often satirical lens to piece together different aspects of life, urging listeners to contemplate the brevity of existence and the importance of holding onto significant experiences and connections.

In-Depth Analysis

Game over

"Game Over" is a reflection on life's different stages and how they define an individual's journey, ultimately leading to a realization that life is an ever-changing series of experiences.
In the song, different moments in life are described through various words and phrases, such as "Crawling, Walking, Fleeting, Glory" and "Secret, Toothless, Fairy, Pillow." These seemingly contradicting moments all contribute to the complexity of life, with the pre-chorus exemplifying the idea of ordinary and extraordinary coexisting in an individual's journey. The song's chorus, "As it may," repeats to signify how life will continue no matter what happens.
The post-chorus, "Days are fine and come on time / But years leave with nothing to find," highlights the idea that time is fluid and creates a sense of disorientation when observing life's passage. This sentiment is further emphasized in the second verse, which details more specific instances and how they continue to change as life goes on.
Towards the end of the song, the narrator realizes that they don't belong in their current life and decides to let go. The outro reflects on the concept that life is merely a dream, with the narrator swinging from their family tree and saying goodnight.

Mattel

"Mattel" depicts a world made of plastic and artificial elements, a metaphor for a superficial and shallow society. The lyrics describe a character made of vinyl skin and plastic bones, who is unable to express emotions or have any personal depth, representing how people can become detached from their true selves.
The line "I've smelled the plastic daisies and it seems we've found ourselves in hell" emphasizes the idea that this artificial, materialistic world is a form of suffering, as it lacks real emotions and genuine connections. The character struggles to find meaning in this environment, feeling trapped in a loop and surrounded by people who only play pretend.
The bridge conveys the emptiness within the character, mentioning the phrase "just smart enough to know nothing at all." This demonstrates the character's self-awareness of their own superficiality and how they can't escape it in this world. The ending of the song, with the repetition of the word "burn," possibly signifies a desire to destroy this fake world and start anew, seeking authenticity and meaning.
As the song fits in the context of the album, it serves as a reflection on societal materialism and the potential loss of identity and connections, with the protagonist desiring genuine experiences and emotions. This theme recurs throughout the album as the characters grapple with addressing and overcoming these challenges in various ways.

Nobody

“Nobody” evokes the existential themes, exploring human identity and self-discovery. In the context of the album, "Nobody" plays a role in balancing the explorations of human experience with a more introspective and spiritual focus, centering on the idea of transcending physical existence and uniting with divinity.
In the lyrics, the use of phrases like "I am all" and "I am none" reflect the idea of embracing one's insignificance in the grander scheme of existence while simultaneously recognizing the inherent power and potential that resides within every individual. The chorus line, "I am the one in everything / I am alive, I am the dead, I am a man without a head," evokes the idea of existing beyond traditional concepts of life and consciousness.
The line "float like a feather through space and time outside a dream" underlines the theme of transcending one's perceived limitations, seeming to achieve a higher state of being. The song's message revolves around the idea of 'shedding weight as I am coming undone,' which can symbolize letting go of the trappings of material existence to reach a purer, more spiritual plane.
"Nobody" can also be seen as an exploration of identity, with the protagonist undergoing a transformation and rebirth as they move beyond their body and earthly ties. This arguably ties in with the overarching themes of the album "Life Is but A Dream," as it seems to remind the listener that life is fleeting and the pursuit of self-discovery and transformation is essential.
In conclusion, "Nobody" is a thought-provoking and introspective piece that complements the broader themes and messages of the album. The song encourages personal transformation, asking the listener to abandon the trappings of material existence and seek out their true identity, transcending the boundaries of the physical world.

We Love You

"We Love You" speaks to the never-ending search for power, success, wealth, and social status, emphasizing that as people strive for these things, society continues to love and support them. The lyrics consist of phrases and words that represent desires and motivations, creating a sense of urgency and an insatiable appetite for more.
The refrain and chorus highlight how society admires those who constantly chase success, even as they sink "unto the mud." This suggests that the pursuit of these desires ultimately leads to one's downfall or demise, whether it be physically or mentally. The song can also be interpreted as a criticism of materialism, with the repetition of phrases related to superficial or external achievements.
Within the context of the entire album, "We Love You" contributes to the overall theme of life, death, and human experience. The album explores various aspects of life, from its fleeting nature to the search for meaning and identity, and "We Love You" encapsulates the darker side of the human desire for success and material gain. By examining these themes, the song encourages listeners to reflect on their own motives and pursuits, questioning whether their actions ultimately lead them towards true happiness or self-destruction.

Cosmic

"Cosmic" explores the theme of everlasting connections and the cyclical nature of life, love, and pain. In the context of the album, it appears to be a reflective piece on past experiences and the idea of meeting again in different lifetimes.
The song's lyrics demonstrate the resilience of relationships and connections that can cross time and space, as well as the notion of fate. Lines like "We loved so many times, and in so many lives sometimes we got it right" and "It found its way back in, until we meet again into that good night" speak to the cyclical nature of love and the concept that some connections can weather multiple lifetimes or experiences.
The imagery of "chasing through the stars beyond forever" and "dancing in the wind as roses born again" convey a sense of drifting through time, searching for these connections in various forms and scenarios, while the repeated phrase "there you'll find me" implies a constant presence, always waiting for a reunion.
Furthermore, the song touches on themes of loss and the transient nature of life, as demonstrated in lines like "fade - from all that was before we shut another door, but not a last goodbye." This speaks to the idea that while things may come to an end, there is always the possibility of renewal in different forms.
In conclusion, within the context of Avenged Sevenfold's album "Life Is But a Dream," "Cosmic" can be interpreted as a contemplative piece on the power of everlasting connections, the cycles of life and love, and the concept of finding each other again throughout time and space.

Beautiful Morning

"Beautiful Morning" contemplates personal struggles and the complexities of life while seeking solace from the unknown or divine.
In the first verse, the speaker asks the divine to save them, allow them to hear, and experience the beauty of life. The refrain "You walk on water but the water swallows you" signifies the price people can sometimes pay for extraordinary abilities, wealth, or fame. This line can be interpreted as the speaker questioning the existence of God and/or their religious beliefs.
In the second verse, the speaker lays in a tomb, feeling alone and empty, which could represent internal struggles and feelings of being lost and helpless in their own life. The chorus poses a contrast between the speaker's emptiness and the unique yet otherworldly person "like no other." This could highlight the complexities of human nature when confronted with external forces causing personal struggles.
The bridge of "Beautiful Morning" presents a contrary view, describing a perfect day where everything seems bright and beautiful. This vision is juxtaposed against the song's darker themes, signifying a fleeting moment of happiness and solace. The guitar solo in the song might symbolize an emotional turning point, filled with both darkness and hope.
The third verse suggests that the speaker acknowledges and embraces their issues, but ultimately, the song ends with a repetition of the chorus and a reminder of the struggle between seeking solace from external forces and finding strength within oneself. Overall, the song can be interpreted as an exploration of the balance between self-reflection, doubt, and the transient beauty found in life, with the phrase "Beautiful Morning" symbolizing hope amid emotional turmoil.

Easier

"Easier" explores the concept of facing hardships and the desire to escape from life's challenges. The song's lyrics convey a message of finding solace in the idea of walking away from difficulties, with the hope of seeing brighter days ahead.
In the first verse, the lyrics describe being shaped by "peaks and valleys," likely referring to the ups and downs of life. The protagonist laments feeling tied to the physical world until they die. The chorus then introduces the idea of walking away as an easier option, with the belief that there will be better days in the future.
As the song progresses, the second verse reinforces the transient nature of life, where things you love become goodbyes, and the protagonist is ready to face the end of their journey. The outro repeats the idea that it's easier to walk away, emphasizing the need for detachment and acceptance in dealing with life's challenges.
In the context of the album, "Easier" fits in thematically with other songs that explore the experiences and struggles of existence. The album often addresses the doubts, fears, and complexities of life while also seeking hope and solace in the face of these challenges. "Easier" serves as a contemplative reflection on coping with adversity and searching for a sense of inner peace amidst life's difficulties.

G

The song "G" can be understood as a satirical commentary on the concept of God and the notion that divine intervention plays a role in people's lives.
The lyrics of the song suggest an inflated sense of ego and self-worth, as if the singer is proclaiming themselves to be a godlike figure:
"I am the man Six days of bullshit, a wave of my hand And you know what I need Put your hands together, get down on your knees."
The lyrics also touch on the superficial aspects that are often tied to religion and spirituality, such as compliments on one's appearance and style:
"It's so chic and we love What you've done with the place Compliments you with style and grace."
The chorus highlights the idea that people often attribute random or coincidental events and blessings in their lives to a higher power, with lines like:
"Can’t tell me that all I see ain't a gift from the fabulous one."
The song serves as a critique of the human tendency to create idols or gods in order to explain the unknown and provide a sense of comfort or guidance. Within the context of the GOD trio in the album, "G" represents the exploration of what it might be like to have godlike power and the consequences that come with it.

(O)rdinary

"(O)rdinary" appears to take on the perspective of someone or something yearning to become human. As part of the GOD trio, "(O)rdinary" deals with the theme of power, control, and the human experience. The lyrics ask questions such as "Will you give me my own soul?" and "Will you let me take control?", indicating a desire to take on the qualities and experiences of a human, despite potentially not being one.
This theme of wanting to be human and understand the human experience is further emphasized with lines like "I wanna see the things that you see" and "I wanna know the secrets inside." The line "Tell me how to dream" also refers to a human ability that the subject of the song wishes to experience.
Within the album's context, this song represents a desire to have ordinary human experiences and emotions, in contrast to the idea of being a god or something extraordinary, as portrayed in other songs like "G" and "Nobody." The subject of "(O)rdinary" seeks connection and understanding, longing to experience life through the eyes of the human subject.

(D)eath

"(D)eath" addresses the theme of death as a relief from the struggles and dissatisfaction experienced in life.
Throughout the album, various aspects of life are explored, such as the artificiality portrayed in "Mattel" and the pursuit of power and success in "We Love You." However, in "(D)eath," listeners are presented with an alternative perspective: death as a form of liberation from life's challenges.
The lyrics in "(D)eath," particularly the lines "I stare out in the distance of the city scene… I leap into the darkest night / Wind on my face, it satisfies / I never have felt so alive..." describe a character contemplating their life and finding relief in the idea of death. This person feels a sense of freedom and exhilaration in the moments leading up to their death.
In contrast with the other songs in the album, which focus on various struggles and frustrations in life, "(D)eath" offers a reprieve from these hardships. It represents an escape from societal pressures and a chance for authenticity and self-realization. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the song does not necessarily promote or glorify death; rather, it explores the theme as a means to understand the complexities and challenges of life within the context of the album.

Life Is But a Dream

"Life Is But a Dream" is an instrumental track from Avenged Sevenfold's album of the same name. The album itself explores various themes, including life experiences, identity, and existential questions. Although the title track has no lyrics, its placement at the end of the album signifies a conclusion or reflection on the themes presented throughout.
The song's title, "Life Is But a Dream," can be seen as an acknowledgment that life is fleeting and ephemeral, much like a dream. This idea is also present in other songs throughout the album, such as "Game Over," where the lyrics "Days are fine and come on time / But years leave with nothing to find" express the passing of time and the fragility of life. Similarly, in "Nobody," the character describes themselves as being "boundless" and "free," suggesting an awareness of life's transience.
The theme of identity is also prevalent in the album, with songs like "Mattel" and "(O)ordinary" exploring the concept of self-discovery and the search for one's own soul. In "Mattel," the singer describes having a "vinyl skin" and "plastic bones," questioning their own humanity and the nature of their existence. In "(O)ordinary," the lyrics ask, "Will you give me my own soul? / Will you let me take control? / I wanna see the things that you see / I wanna be the human that you be."
Finally, the album explores existential questions and the nature of reality, as seen in songs like "Cosmic" and "Beautiful Morning." In "Cosmic," the lyrics describe a journey through time and space, with the singer declaring that they will follow their loved one through the stars "beyond forever." In "Beautiful Morning," the character grapples with the meaning of life and questions whether they truly belong in their current existence.
By ending the album with the instrumental "Life Is But a Dream," Avenged Sevenfold leaves the listener with a moment of introspection to reflect on the themes and emotions that have been explored throughout. The absence of lyrics allows the listeners to draw their own conclusions and contemplate the fleeting, dream-like nature of life and its complexities.

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Intro

To preface this review, I just need to say that this is going to be a very, very long read. Going through it myself just for the fun of it takes around 30 minutes — it's almost 7k words of text, including lyric references. So for the best experience, listen to the album beforehand to understand what the hell I was thinking when I wrote this review, play the album while reading, and set a good amount of time aside.
Another thing to get out of the way: yes, this is 9 months late 😭 I'm not sorry — when I find an album review online it's always around a paragraph per song or even shorter. It makes sense from a journalistic perspective, but I want to do this album justice, hence taking 7 months to write out all my thoughts.
This shit is comprehensive, and possibly a bit too overanalyzed and wordy, especially in Talk that Talk and Trouble. Each song review will compose of my commentary going over the song, writing the details I noticed through months of listening, followed by a conclusion. Also, mild swearing warning, I like implementing a touch of "French" when I'm very emotional about something. Anyway, onto the review!
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Between 1&2 💞

Album Review
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TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT
TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED
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Talk that Talk 🎙

Lead producer: collapsedone
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One of the most perfect TWICE songs.
I think this is one of TWICE’s best-sounding title tracks. Warm modulated synths, a thrumming bass line, distant bells, shimmering synths — the purpose of this song is to be fun and my god is it excellent at it, like… Sana and Chaeyoung are saying knock-knock-knock and beep-beep-beep as if they’re some kind of car. So much fun.
Further along in the verse, Dahyun’s voice sounds so full and smooth with that harmony layered on top. Tzuyu coming in with the Yes or Yes, Push & Pull, and 1 to 10 references — these are 5 years of song references in one line. And Jeongyeon closes the pre-chorus accompanied by a rising synth to drop into chorus one. Jeongyeon slays pre-choruses.
The drums accelerate, the synths start blasting, and Jihyo opens to that party of a chorus with her godly vocals,
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Tell me what you want
Tell me what you need
A to Z da malhaebwa
But shijageun ireoke have
Talk that talk ttak han madi
Talk that talk L-O-V-E
deullyeojweo ooh
Now now now now now yeah~

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During Sana's Talk that Talk~ lines there’s this ascending synth bell that gently rings with the descending melody and it sounds absolutely gorgeous. And the choreography during that part of the chorus is so so so so fun: the talking hands bit, spelling L-O-V-E, concluding with the deullyeojweo ooh! Oh my god Jihyo the deullyeojweo ooh…
Have I mentioned this song is fun?
Speeding through verse 2; Chaeyoung’s little part with the cat ears popping in the music video is adorable; Momo’s part with her stretching her arms out looks so damn cool; and Dahyun with her replay part sounds so lovely — although I think it sonically sounds a touch random, it makes sense thematically.
And now for this pre-chorus. Mina and Jihyo leading into it sound great BUT JEONGYEON… Now, she is my ult bias, and this pre-chorus sounds almost identical to the first one, but the way she holds that final note, enunciating and holding that now~ for one more beat before the chorus drops sounds so goddamn perfect — the song teeters on a cliff edge. Jeongyeon slays pre-choruses.
Dropping into the second chorus and man, Jihyo powered through that first chorus, but the way Nayeon delivers it just hits different. She has this indescribable “pop” voice (I promise this wasn't on purpose) that stands out and shouts this is THE chorus. I think this is especially apparent in how both lead into their choruses where Jihyo starts the chorus at 120% power while Nayeon waits until [Tell me] WHAT YOU WANT to full-send it. Later in the chorus, she also highlights “malhaebwa” in a similar way.
Another deullyeojweo ooh! Nayeon travels to Narnia, and Mina the engineer strikes again in this heavenly, underwater-esque bridge,
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The simple words “I love you”
That’s all I wanna hear
Without hesitation, I’ll go up to you
I’ll make it simple
And just tell you I love you

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The word “love” is said for the first time in the song. There’s a funky keyboard-like instrument behind Chaeyoung’s part. Jihyo, Chaeyoung, and Nayeon take the initiative in their lyrics, professing their love before closing the bridge.
And now for the pièce-de-résistance: this final double chorus is exceptional — 40 seconds of crack-laced euphoria; Jihyo switches up the chorus and the choreo, Dahyun comes in with her airy and fluttery “Talk that Talk”, Momo comes out of nowhere with “oh yeah it sounds so good!” — you’re damn right it does, and this is where the song SOARS.
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han beon deo~ haejweo
geurae banggeum geu mal~

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Nayeon outright shouts “Tell me what you need” and then Jeongyeon sings the above lines in such an ethereal, warm way that the first line ascends while the second line descends, causing a lull in the song before the finale with Nayeon finishing off the song with the final deullyeojweo ooh! What a party. What a song.
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THE GOOD

• The synths of all time
• The chimes during Talk-that-talk~
• Jeongyeon’s pre-chorus going into Nayeon’s chorus
• The entirety of that magical, double-shot, final chorus and outro
• Solid line distribution

Needs Work

• The opening hook (Tell me what you want) and accompanying choreography could be “catchier”

Core Memory

• Singing (and dancing) my heart out when this song played at a K-pop club

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Lyrics and theme-wise, if this were to have been TWICE’s last comeback, they’ve once again built upon the theme they've been doing since debut: a Bildungsroman, a coming-of-age story.
This song’s chorus is so honest yet so simple; it asks the listener, in this case, the other half of the relationship, to be more upfront and open with their love (never be scared of love) that before the relationship can continue and flourish there has to be a foundation and commitment of love between each other.
TWICE debuted with a song about making your crush go ooh ahh. Years later, they started maturing after asking “What is love?” by imagining their crush responding with “yes” when asking them out — and now concluding with the phrase “Talk that talk, [talk that] L-O-V-E”, being upfront with the relationship, wishing their partner to also be happy, to commit to them, to feel the love that they want to impart on them. From gawking like ooh-ahh to talking out your shared love like real adults — to having a true relationship between (one and) two.
And can I just say before finishing off Talk that Talk's review that this is such a fun and repeatable song with many little intricacies hidden in the nonet’s vocals and the production. This is the third draft I’m writing about Talk that Talk and its original word count pretty much quadrupled.
Harkening back to TWICE’s roots by combining mature thinking with youthful character, an incredible ending to look forward to, and just simply being a club-banger that’s easy to listen to, TTT is an easy 10/10.
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WATCH ME GO WATCH ME GO
RULE THE WORLD
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Queen of Hearts 👑

Lead producer: LDN Noise of SM
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If there was one B-side to promote in a live clip, this was a solid choice.
Helmed by LDN Noise going headlong into the Western boy-group rock-band aesthetic, Queen of Hearts is a boom-boom-clap song through and through. The drums are very prominent throughout the song, only giving room to riffs of electric guitar in the chorus to drive and continue the momentum of the music.
And speaking of the chorus, vocal line each got a chorus to flex and they did not fuck around,
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You ain’t ready for it
Watch me go~ watch me go~
Rule the world
Know you never doubted baby
I’mma go run the whole universe~

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Cymbals crashing, drums booming, and 3MIX belting all just so sound so equally good.
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Baby I was born to rule~~
Yeah I’m the queen, I’m the queen
And it’s all because of you~~
That I’m the Queen of Hearts

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These long, held-out notes performed by Jihyo and Nayeon are simply exquisite. Along with the shredding guitar, the drum set coming in full, and the interludes by Dahyun, Momo, and Chaeyoung, this is the part of the song that always, always, gives me goosebumps — it sounds so visceral, so energetic, so fun, so triumphant. Boom-boom-clap songs can be hit or miss with people, but there is no denying that the payoff from the first part of the chorus to this second part is worth the wait.
The theme of the song so far has been kind of spread around the song. The chorus alludes to it with the line "And it’s all because of you." But Mina shows more sides of it in the second verse, especially with the phrase
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And now that I’m surrounded by all my girls
We be shining bright like diamonds and pearls

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It sounds really lovely — in a very cheesy and affectionate kind of way, as it rightfully should — the song is about the girls and their fans. But the bridge is where the song indeed shows its colours
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Screaming out my name
See it in the stage lights
Feel so lucky just to have ya
Cause I know deep down I was meant for something bigger! Greater!
I know you’re seeing what I see
Yeah I’ll be everything you need
I know I’m gonna walk the walk
And talk the talk to be~ [the Queen of Hearts]

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This is a song CONCEIVED TO BE PERFORMED FOR THE FANS. It’s meant to be loud. It’s meant to be unapologetic. It’s meant to be sappy. And it’s all the more wonderful for it.
This is the TWICEiest shit ever.
Like Talk that Talk, Queen of Hearts also has a killer closer. The production already started to grow from the bridge, but now the guitarist finally went Super Saiyan and instead of supporting the drums, they both take the centrepiece in tandem, ending the chorus with a little shred.
Then finally, the closing moments of the song even manage to squeeze in some more sappiness.
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So thank you for the memories
You’re all the ones who made me~
So thank you for the memories
That I’m the Queen of Hearts

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I still can’t believe that this banger is a FAN SONG out of all things. Truly, the TWICEiest shit ever.
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THE GOOD

• Adorable fucking lyrics
• Unrelenting, roaring chorus
• English and vocal flex
• Addicting guitar riffs

Needs Work

• Chaeyoung rapping in English in their Korean songs somehow slaps harder than her English rapping in their English songs, nonetheless, in QoH, it fits with the sound of the song

Life Highlight

• Walking home from a K-pop festival with this song playing, felt like a Queen of Hearts

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I love these types of rock songs with how grunge and head-bang-able they are, there is just a certain nostalgic and cheesy quality to them that feels so appropriate and cozy. I don’t love putting them on repeat, because in this case, I do believe there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Perhaps more shredding, maybe even a guitar solo to rock out to, or more gusto from the drums, cymbals, bass guitar, or an accompaniment(!) of ad-libs from 3MIX to support Jihyo’s final chorus? A ONCE can dream of a truly bombastic rock song from TWICE. But then again that distracts from the core of what this song is: a fan song undercover as a rock song.
Queen of Hearts has so much sweetness in its lyrics and message that it's overflowing. The drums, guitar, and vocals can be as loud and intricate as they can, but the theme of this song is what makes it special from TWICE’s other rock songs, especially for fans of this type of sound — it’s a 9/10 for me.
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I WANNA WANNA WANNA
TAKE YOU TO THE BASICS
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Basics 🌈

Sole lyricist credit: Chaeyoung
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Quite possibly the jammiest (pun intended) song of the album.
A song written by the Strawberry Princess herself — an event similar in frequency to other artists' releases with her last song being 2020’s silky Handle It — Basics first starts with an understated and dreamy delivery. After the first stanza, however, a bouncy Miami bass line emerges, revealing the true nature of the song: this is a classic summer bop!
This is especially apparent in the first rap.
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dareun aedeulgwaneun dalla
Ain’t beggin’ for love
nappeun geon anijana ige naraseo
eodiro twilji molla
Like rainbow bubble gum
geureoni nal kkwak butjabadweo

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Syllables are pronounced in a relaxed nature, bars often starting with an "ah" sound, flirty lines in English — this rap features a production full of pop with R&B flourishes and, in my opinion, this is Chaeyoung’s bag. Also, the line rainbow bubblegum is so adorable and so Chaeyoung.
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I wanna wanna wanna take it to the basics
da weonhae weonhae weonhae? seodureuji ma Baby
ppeonhae ppeonhae malhae mweohae da al tende
Ah yeah ah yeah ah yeah ah yeah

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That chorus is pure pop with a Miami bass backing; you better be bopping your head to the melody, if not booty poppin' to the bassline. Chaeyoung loves rhyming in the first half of the chorus to enhance its catchiness and it's damn incredible: the “wanna”, “weonhae”, and “ppeonhae” all combine to create these imperfect rhymes that continue momentum without feeling repetitive.
After the very Boy With Luv-sounding “ah yeah ah yeah, ah yeah ah yeah” comes an 8-bar split half and half between Chaeyoung and Momo. Coming from the chorus, the production completely cuts out for the first 2 bars. This adds tension; the song yearns to have that bass beat thumping again and all we have in the audio space in those 2 bars is Chaeyoung spitting and she delivered.
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taneun deut tteugeoun samak wie
yeppeuge pieonan jangmi gata
joshimseure naege dagaol ttae
nado moreuge jjilleobeoril tende

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Translating to:
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Above the hot, burning desert
It’s like a rose that bloomed beautifully
When you come to me slowly
I will prick you unconsciously

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The rap feels slick, effortless, and confident. Her diction remains sharp when enunciating each syllable but she doesn’t let the flow of her rap waver or build as her 4 bars go by, it’s just smooth consistency throughout. Even the lyrics possess an aura of laid-back collectedness that is just so her.
The things Chaeyoung can do when given her pen.
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THE GOOD

• That sweet summer vibe of a chorus
• The “spaceship” post-chorus is killer
• Chaeyoung devoured this song
• Sure-footed, confident lyrics

Needs Work

• Perhaps an alteration of that ah yeah ah yeah line
• The way Jihyo did her pre-chorus line is good, but Mina’s is great

Core Memory

• After donating my hair, walking down the rainbow-coloured areas of downtown Toronto with this song playing was very… fitting

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This song is summer bliss distilled into 2:56 of MP3. It’s dreamy, the raps are satisfying, and the ending is charming. I will say that although the second half of the song adds the stunning “spaceship” post-choruses and a floaty bridge with an incredible drumbeat-drop transition to the final chorus, the raps of the song make it feel a bit front-loaded. And in an album stacked with incredible finishers, it feels more apparent.
With that said, it’s an 8/10 bop for me. This song is so radio-friendly and easy to put on and it feels exactly what Chaeyoung would make if given the reins to produce a pop song all on her own. The lyrics are nonchalant but full of conviction, the wordplay is intricate, the production is playful, and it’s not too bombastic — the song's just a nice vibe. Songs like Basics are the standard for good, simple, repeatable pop music and I’m happy that Chaeyoung got to test her pen in this genre.
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BABY WE’RE IN
TROUBLE TROUBLE
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Trouble 💃

Sole lyricist credit: Jihyo
Background vocals: Jihyo
Lead composer credit: Jihyo
Vocal director credit: Jihyo (an assumption given her contributions in First Time)
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One of the most enjoyable songs I’ve heard in a while.
There is an underlying tension within the first 4 bars of the song, Jihyo and Nayeon confidently open it to a nondescript array of synths and then the stanza ends, Momo announces “Let’s go”, the beat drops and it hits you:
This is a club song.
Dahyun's relaxed delivery contrasted with Jeongyeon's staccato flow, the wobbly synth beat with the sprinkle of that house piano, Sana dramatically slowing the song down only for Tzuyu to build it back up until the chorus drops,
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• Nayeon opens it using a breathy tone, with vocal chops serving as harmonies
• The blooming of the house piano takes centre stage and the song ascends into euphoria
• A random drum roll capped off by a cymbal crash
• Jeongyeon’s pronunciation of the word “trouble” almost being a growl
• Chaeyoung slyly admitting “I like this trouble”
• The entirety of Tzuyu’s tro~oh~oh~ouble yeah~
• Sana using her deep voice for the na~na~na~na
• Jihyo leading the vocals during the synchronized T W I C E chant

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This chorus is perfect. Toronto’s residential market needs this song injected into its veins because god damn this song has SO much house in it.
And then. AND THEN. ANOTHER KILLING PART. This rap fucking slaps.
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gamchweo bwatja geugeon Fake
ppajin hamjeongeun Sweet cake

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During the first 2 bars, Chaeyoung is keeping it calm because that trip of a chorus just ended and the song needs a breather, but I don't think anyone expected her to SNAP this hard afterwards:
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You cannot resist this
Cannot miss this, such a bliss
Ima put it down down
Oh yeah, better kiss kiss

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Below is the structure of her this portion of the rap, I’m not that well versed in this technical aspect of music theory but I digress, this is all in the span of around 5 seconds where it’s:
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Triplet-triplet
Quadruplet-triplet
Quadruplet-doublet
Doublet-quadruplet

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Now, 25/5 = 5 syllables per second isn’t groundbreaking, but goddamn it these 2 bars sound so nice — if there is one part in this album that I always repeat, it’s these bars. The addition of that first quadruplet for “cannot miss this” in the midst of all the triplets sticks out and accelerates the flow of the rap while the following doublets and quadruplets help to destabilize and slow the rap down as the verse closes. And can I just point out:
THE MAIN VOCALIST WROTE, DIRECTED, AND COMPOSED THIS SONG ‼
Chaeyoung of course delivered the fuck out of her verse but THIS is what you get when you have a member not only write the words they’re saying but also the melody and flow with which they sing it. This is what you get when one member knows the others so well that when they write a song, they know how to make the group as a whole exceed. This is what you get when the artists you stan love doing artist shit.
And. AND. That's not all — with how much I mentioned I love a damn good outro to close a song, this outro slaps as well:
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Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this trouble be-be [Momo]
Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this trouble bay-be [Sana]
Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this trouble bay-beh [Chaeyoung]
Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this trou-ble [Jihyo]

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What an outro.
Like, come on, Nayeon’s imitating a police siren for crying out loud. And this is all after her ad-libs in the final post-chorus; after the pianist going full tilt and playing that piano as if it was their last chance to ever play; after that final T W I C E chant by all the members come these blissful 20 seconds at the very end.
What a song.
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THE GOOD

• The theme of relishing in an uncontrolled love
• Sana and Mina’s melody in the pre-chorus
• Chorus
• Post-chorus
• Rap
• Outro
• Wees and woos

Needs Work

• Mina’s line of “falling down, falling down, falling down low” in verse 2 feels a bit too abrupt of a change

Core Memory

• While writing Trouble's review I had this song on repeat for my whole subway commute and I must've been so distracting, just head-bopping and being so invested in enjoying a song

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Need I say more, easy 9/10. The only reason I place Talk that Talk above Trouble is because of what that song represents but besides that, this song is one of the best “international” sounds they’ve put out. Actually, I haven’t listened to Eyes wide open in a while but this song is up there with one of the most sonically pleasing pieces of work they’ve done.
Clubbing TWICE music has always been a thing since TT was birthed in 2016, and has been a staple of their discography since 2019’s Fancy You and Feel Special mini albums, but Trouble unapologetically dives into and fits the house genre so well you’d think that this is TWICE’s bread and butter sound.
Trouble is Jihyo’s magnum opus. What a song.
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BRAVE BRAVE BRAVE
FOR YOU
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Brave 💖

Main producer: Slow Rabbit of HYBE
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I first thought this was just a good song, then I read the lyrics.
Gentle guitar plucks, shimmering synths, a distant keyboard in the right ear, in the left an occasional glockenspiel, the melodic oohs from the members — this song is PRETTY.
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The night that was unusually dark
Above this terrifying world, felt so lonely
The world has grown in the time of wandering
So hard to breathe

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Mina and Chaeyoung open the song with how they feel lonely and that it's hard to breathe and now suddenly the song sounds bittersweet — I was not expecting the song to be more emotional. Brave describes a situation where the singer is in a darker place in life and it isn't until another person gives them hope by calling them 'brave' that they find the drive to keep on going.
Once the chorus hits, the melodies pick up, more guitars get added, and there’s even an electric guitar hidden in the mix somewhere, and the song drops the emotional front to reveal a mid-tempo pop song to dance to while crying in the club. The song as a whole still carries this melancholy feeling, but now with the added support of this chorus acting as a light amongst the gloom.
Continuing on in the second verse there's this gorgeous, well-placed break in the song that just lets it settle back into the gentle back and forth after that chorus. Only a seasoned producer would risk this much empty space in a song and Slow Rabbit went to fill those shoes.
Back onto the chorus, I'll take this moment to once again commend Slow Rabbit with the mixing of the song, because 4MIX will undoubtedly sound good in the chorus, and the interludes from Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Mina also sound really good, but undoubtedly the highlight of the choruses are these lines:
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Oh na na na neon nal naige hae [Momo, then Tzuyu, then Momo]
On and on and on
Brave brave brave for ya [Dahyun, then Chaeyoung, then Mina]
Oh na na na neon nal sum shwige hae [Sana, then Momo, then Sana]
On and on and on oh trust me babe

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Momo, Sana, and Tzuyu form this beautiful, surprisingly catchy, second half of the chorus accompanied by a guitar drop. It should not turn out this well with how conflicting the "na"s are with the guitar melody but it creates this gentle bopping ebb and flow that just feels so lush and mellow.
Diving into the bridge reveals that the listener of the song is revealed to not only be capable of supporting the singer through direct words but also through their thoughts and dreams; no matter how they convey their wishes to this person, they will always try to push themselves to be their truer, better selves for it. And, as can be discerned, this can be a song interpreted to be about ONCEs. About how they push TWICE to be their best selves despite the breathless hardships they face.
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THE GOOD

• Special lyrics
• Pleasant sound to vibe out to
• That gentle break after the first chorus
• Jihyo’s high note at the end
• A Nayeon Jeongyeon joint high note ⁉️
• Just pretty vocals throughout

Needs Work

• Potentially hard to comprehend without translating the Korean lyrics

Core Memory

• Form of Therapy’s life motto revolves around the word “brave”. I don’t know where I got that from, but I remembered it right before watching his album reaction

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I’m actually spoiled with the TWICE members’ easy-to-understand songwriting when a song like this pops up where it isn’t written by a member and the thematic bits are mostly in Korean I just tend to put it aside in favour of the other songs on the album. And, especially for a song focusing on a theme like this where the English phrases don’t do the Korean lyrics enough justice, it does place a barrier on the listening experience a bit, dropping it down to a 7/10 from an 8/10.
With that anecdote out of the way, this song is just such a vibe, man. I know that sounds super hippy to say but Brave is so mellow and smooth that I can’t help but sway a little when that chorus hits. And then I remember what the lyrics say and I stop and cry a bit on the inside. This song is so pure, raw, and full of heart — we need more songs like these where they just reminisce about life while putting up an upbeat front. Don't mind me just crying while dancing the night away.
This isn't the first time this theme has been sung by TWICE either, they've long trodden this path of supportive, confiding, up-lifting songs with Young & Wild, Rainbow, Queen, Go Hard, Depend on You, even this album's Queen of Hearts, and, of course, Feel Special. Brave just adds another on top of an already stacked lineup, unique with its mellow somberness.
Also now feels like a good time to get into my rating system:

• 7/10s are songs are ones that are simply good throughout or great songs with apparent flaws
• 8/10s are great songs with standout characteristics
• 9/10s are borderline perfect songs where I sometimes can't comprehend how great they are
• And 10/10s are the best of an artist's discography, songs that encapsulate their ethos perfectly or expand upon them in a meaningful way

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I SEE THE LIES
ON THE TIP OF YOUR TONGUE
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Gone 💨

Sole lyricist credit: Dahyun
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Who the fuck pissed off Dubu this time??
It’s getting quite rare to see TWICE pull off brand new sounds because, with now 190 original songs under their belt, they’ve done so many genres and sub-genres varying from hyper pop, to bossa nova, to whatever 2020’s Go Hard is. So it’s surprising to know they’ve still got tricks up their sleeves and Gone is one of them.
The song starts with strings swinging back and forth and vocal chops dancing from ear to ear, teasing what’s yet to come. Jihyo enters the song with a whisper and the song sets its pace. A stagnant drum pad moves the song along and typical song progression would have Mina continuing the build but — it doesn’t. The song continues to simmer, adding a hint of high hat to the pot. And then, Sana and Tzuyu come on and surely the buildup must boil over right?
Silence, until…
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I see the LIES on the top of your tongue

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The strings emerge again on full blast, the simmer turns into a rolling boil, and the anger of the song is revealed.
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All the fate I had towards you
Fades like a fog, gone, gone
Your flipping mind of doing this and that
I’m tired of it, it’s meaningless
In the beginning, it was hard to believe
With that, hatred increases

​
The singer is so scorned and burned from this relationship that they reminisce about all the effort they’ve put in since the beginning, but their “partner” is so unconcerned and unfaithful that they’ve just about had enough of the relationship altogether.
This has been Dahyun’s thing coming from 2020’s Bring It Back, 2021’s Cruel, 2022’s That’s all I’m saying, and even 2023's Don't Blame It On Me — emotionally charged breakup songs that make you feel as if she’s gone through a dozen bad relationships. Dispatch, do your job better, or don’t, I don’t really know.
Another highlight of the song is the post-chorus going into the bridge. This segment reiterates the structure from the first post-chorus — a barrage of drums supported by the rhythmic strumming of a bass guitar in the back along with a consistent synth filling out the soundscape. But this time, it’s Dahyun and Chaeyoung on the rap:
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I can’t stand it anymore [Dahyun]
My patience, invisible
I can’t find it, it’s all gone
Even if I try to turn back, it’s too late [Chaeyoung]
There’s no use anymore
It has left, it’s long gone
You, with flipping mind, you are out [Momo]
I know that you know what I’m talking about [Dahyun]
Nothing you could say that could turn this around
I’m gone

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Continuing the disrespected theme of the song, Dahyun notes that she’s finally had enough and Chaeyoung adding on that there’s no point salvaging what was once there for all of it is long gone. Momo and Dahyun round it off by telling the listener that there’s no point trying to reason with them or playing naive, they fucked up and there’s no coming back.
Can I just say, it is a bit of a shame that Chaeyoung’s rapping popped off in this album whilst Dahyun only has this one verse that she shares with Chaeyoung, but it just sounds so good how Dahyun eases in after the chorus with her light rapping tone and transitioning into her singing. She even holds the “gone” in a little crescendo for some added pizzazz.
And, there’s no way I’m not going to talk about Momo’s vocals in this bridge. Damned if she only got 1 line to use it in, her lower register is incredible. She sounds so smooth singing in this tone. All of TWICE do in particular and there is nary a weak vocal performance in this album.
To close the song off, a wash of synths gets to have their shine in the spotlight, showered with Nayeon’s belting, signifying the dramatic and drawn-out conclusion of this partnership.
​
THE GOOD

• They’ve still got a few surprises left
• Thundering chorus
• 2nd rap and bridge combo
• A bitter, crumbling relationship theme

Needs Work

• I’m not a huge fan of the mixing during the first post-chorus, where Momo's vocals were fighting with the production, which is disappointing because Momo is capable of an insane flow
• The post-chorus in general, specifically the first one, can be a bit tiring on repeat listens

Core Memory

• Actually, I think this song sounds like a mix between GOT7's Not By The Moon, BLACKPINK’s Love To Hate Me, and Dahyun’s Bring It Back. I don’t know where I got this thought came from, but it stuck

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Going back to that point about the first post-chorus as a whole; songs that have the production continue unchanged into the post-chorus/2nd verse are very hit or miss for me — see TWICE's Don't Call Me Again for an overbearing example. The first post-chorus could use some work because the post-chorus going into the bridge contrasts Dahyun’s light tone nicely with the hard-hitting production, continuing the energy until it slowly fades into silence at the end of the bridge.
Back to the song as a whole, as much as TWICE has been experimenting with their sound for the past 4 years now, I’m happy they’re still finding new ways to explore what they’re capable of. And for that alone, even though I’m not a big fan of songs like these where they rely on sounding “big”, Dahyun’s lyricism and the thrill I receive every time I indulge myself in this song when I listen to it for the first time in a while elevates it to an 8/10. Keep on breaking hearts, Dubu.
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INVINCIBLE
SUPERHEROES
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When We Were Kids 🧸

Sole lyricist credit: Dahyun
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Press play to reminisce, pull up lyrics to cry.
This song is so beautiful. I’m totally not writing this song review, crying on the bus, reminiscing about my childhood, while just having turned 21. I don’t know if these are happy or sad tears but this song is so beautiful either way.
Warm synths, muted piano, a gentle high hat, the younger members starting off the song — this has to be up there for one of the softest TWICE songs ever. And as it should, it’s one of the TWICEiest songs ever. And then Nayeon comes in,
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Invincible superheroes, we wanted to be adults
To the higher, clearer world

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The chords start swelling, the high hat keeps pace, and then the harmonies come in,
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Remember when we were kids
When we were kids, we didn’t know
If we could go back
I will love it even more
Remember when we were kids

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Jihyo takes up the second half of the chorus as it drops, trading the strings for an almost R&B synth production — if choir R&B takes off, this song started it. The song relishes in this cacophony of warm sounds until going back into its sparse and peaceful verses.
This time, the hints of piano are louder, little twinkling synths begin to shimmer, the drum buildup comes and Jeongyeon drives the song straight into the chorus. No time for the strings to build like in Nayeon’s — this song loves its chorus so much.
And can I just take this time to appreciate the amount of Jeongyeon vocals in this album. Her voice is so clean, stable, and projected — but also more tender and soft compared to the more pronounced tones of Nayeon and Jihyo.
The bridge comes in, repeating the phrase
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I wish that I could meet
Could meet the younger me

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Giving the song time to rest, before building back up to the last chorus — this time led by Jihyo, transitioning from the bridge with her own unique lead-in, completing the 3MIX trifecta. And interestingly enough, Chaeyoung follows up in the second half of the chorus, rather than another member of the vocal line. She really did pop off in this album.
As the last chorus begins to close, the percussion at its strongest, the harmonies as prolific as ever, the background choir vocals cranked up to their Sunday best, is the song going to end? Of course not! This is an album full of banger endings as if the songs don’t want to actually end, and When We Were Kids being the album closer very much indulges in that feeling.
After a brief refrain, supported by Nayeon’s high note with a touch of vibrato, the song almost dives back into a fourth chorus. Nayeon and Jeongyeon harmonize — an especially rare and heavenly moment. And the song repeats the bridge, reiterating that they want to meet their younger selves, this time with the more lush R&B production before closing with silence, a few piano notes, and Tzuyu singing the last line of the song
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Oh, we were kids

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Reflection, acceptance, hope. What a song.
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THE GOOD

• Heavenly vocals throughout
• Generous harmonies
• Relatable, heartfelt lyrics
• Euphoric chorus
• Great closer to the album

Needs Work

• Refrain after the last chorus, "Back when we were kids," could’ve been executed better

Core Memory

• For an album titled Between 1&2, I don’t think anything hits harder than finishing the song reviews, with this song in particular, during your 21st birthday

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I wrote the first part of this review at the beginning of November 2022. Then university, life, and other things got in the way of my headspace for me to feel confident about wrapping all of this up. In a way, I felt like I just didn’t want this review to end because of the joy that writing gives me. I didn’t want the happiness to end. And then it hit me, after watching a YouTuber rank animated movies and them placing Spirited Away at the top and explaining 'why' reminded me of just how important growing up is, and by extension this song.
This theme is important for both the rookie TWICE members in 2015 and the teenagers who would follow their journey and grow up with them, facing life’s obstacles along the way. Hardships that used to only involve family, crushes, and social media, evolve into working and commitments and all the struggles that adult life brings. Being a kid and enjoying the simple things in life is one of the most sought-after moments we want to relive because we took growing up for granted. The only thing we can do now is look back on ourselves with fondness and rose-tinted lenses.
TWICE’s original marketing was to resonate with people through their senses and their hearts. That was during their debut, and I think it still holds up today. In my opinion, touching people through their emotions is what TWICE does best and makes them one of K-pop’s all-time greats. It was never about having the best numbers — it was always about being the best idols. And to think that this journey of maturation and growth would occur from 2015 all the way to this song, being a fitting nod to TWICE’s 7th anniversary, I don’t think anyone at the company nor the group would ever imagine that they could get this far. It’s these nine women or none — 9/10.
This song honestly deserves a 10/10 with how much I noticed other people reminiscing their childhoods after I heard this song, it is such a widely-relatable message, but I am determined to limit myself to one 10/10 song per album and if I were to decide between TTT and WWWK, I'd give it to the one's that's more repeatable — Talk that Talk just has this electric energy about it.
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Epilogue

And finally here is the end. If you made it this far in one sitting then I commend you, because I could not write this whole word jumble in one sitting. As alluded to, I started writing this album review sometime in October, after a series of edits the first draft was finished in March, and now here's the final draft in June.
I truly love this album. It got me through some important parts of my life, both good and bad, and it is just a pleasant listen throughout. Getting to relive this album again this week before finally completing the review has been an exciting journey. Brave hit me harder this time, after being overshadowed by the other gems of this album, and When We Were Kids finally got me to tear up and not just be emotionally satisfied.
I feel like there's something for everyone on this album. From the exhilarating thrills of TTT to the anthemic euphoria of QoH, the clubbing dichotomy of Trouble and Brave to the blissful glee of Basics, and the sweet reminiscence of WWWK to the thundering anger that is Gone. Like Eyes wide open, I liken Between 1&2 as a pop music taste platter — there's such an eclectic mix of pop, house, and dance in this album that there's bound to be a song that someone will love, like, and dislike.

Hi there,
I am a candidate from a Western European country choosing between a few MBA programs, including Ross, Fuqua, McCombs (with near full scholarship). I am aiming for a job in management consulting. MBB preferred, but I'd be okay with EY-P, Deloitte, Strategy&, LEK, and what not. My main motivation for immigrating to the US is because salaries are much higher in America and the taxes are lower.
The purpose of this question is that from the perspective of many in my country, the US seems de facto divided into two, with blue and red states seeming to be like two completely different countries. From one state to another, you have very wildly different laws on major topics like abortion, LGBTQA+ rights, vaccines, and gun control, with some places in the American South having high populations that don't believe in basic things like evolution, climate change, or vaccines.
I do not view myself as left wing at all. I vote conservative (Center-Right) in my own country. I think my country's taxes are too high and our welfare state is unsustainable long term, and even feel our country was too lax in admitting way too many Syrian refugees without properly integrating them. However, even our mainstream right wing party is pro gay marriage, pro abortion rights, pro vaccine, and pro gun control, and the members are highly educated typically and do not dispute the scientific consensus on climate change. In the US, it seems much of the modern day Republican supporters are rednecks, hillbillies, and hicks with very low levels of education, and they view Trump (and DeSantis) as their God-Emperor.
It seems the most developed areas of the US include NYC, SF Bay Area, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, DC, and Los Angeles, with places like Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Arkansas being quasi-third world shitholes. The Midwest seems mixed with Michigan seeming MOSTLY OK, Minnesota being fine, but Indiana is also shithole territory. The national parks in these Republican states look beautiful, but too bad the residents are idiots.
I have heard in Texas places like Austin are liberal, but it does not matter if the state as a whole is hard right. I am a woman, and despite being a European conservative, abortion access is very important to me. I am single so in the case I get pregnant from sex, I want to be able to plan my pregnancy and terminate if I want to. I also don't want to live in a third world country where banning drag shows and trans care is the norm.
Is my view correct? Should I reject Fuqua and McCombs for these political reasons, and go to Ross? Should I aim for jobs in NYC, SF, Chicago, DC, etc?

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No matter how terrible a weapon the Terrans have produced to use upon you, know this: They've got something worse they didn't want to use. - Wemterran analyst
Desperate times call for desperate measures. - Codex of Forbidden Truth
That's the worst thing I've ever seen. - Everyone, sooner or later.
The worst you've seen so far. - The smartass next to them.
Magnus hummed to himself as he reached up and plucked a lemon from the tree.
The day was pleasant. A warm breeze, the artificial sun was shining, and the orchard park smelled of plants, growing things, fruit, and the faint scent of water from the lake.
He heard the sounds of power armor behind him and sighed.
Of course you have to ruin my day, he thought.
Outwardly, nothing changed.
Inside, Magnus activated his combat systems, putting them on either standby or low power.
"I can hear you," Magnus said, starting to peel the lemon as he turned around slowly.
The two Sword Knights stood facing him, blaze rifles leveled, roughly a hundred meters away.
"We have to secure the SUDS facility," Sword One stated.
"Mommy said so," the second one said.
Magnus nodded. "And we should always do what our mothers tell us to do," he said agreeably. He nodded down toward the lemon he was peeling. "Want a bite?"
"No," Sword Two said.
"Enough with the fruit!" Sword One said.
"What? I like fruit," Magnus said. He held up the lemon. "This one in particular. It has certain acids that I need. The vitamins and minerals in it are crucial to a healthy and happy life."
"If swear to God, if you say one more word about fruit..." Sword One said, letting the threat hang in the air.
Magnus smiled, taking a bite out of the lemon and slowly chewing it, enjoying the sour acidic taste.
"We have to kill you. You aren't authorized to be here," Sword One said.
"And your mother told you to," Magnus said, swallowing the bite. He smiled. "You sent the Tome Knight to kill my sister and the Rose Knight to kill my Captain."
Sword Two nodded. "By now, your sister is dead and the Captain has killed that alien."
Magnus chuckled, taking another bite and chewing slowly.
"What's so funny?" Sword One asked.
Magnus kept chewing and smiling.
"ANSWER ME!" Sword One shouted.
Magnus held up his hand, making a show of chewing and then swallowing.
"That you think my sister is dead," Magnus said. He chuckled again. "Archaic armor. Out of date weaponry I wouldn't use for home defense. Against us. The Twins."
Magnus gave no clue that he had read Captain Nakteti's messages on his retinal link.
"You have a sword. We have guns," Sword Two sneered.
"And a lemon," Magnus held up the half-eaten peeled lemon.
"THAT'S IT!" Sword One screamed.
For Magnus everything suddenly slowed down as his mind and body went into overdrive. He let go of the lemon and it seemed to hang in mid-air as he moved forward, drawing his sword. He could feel the 'sleeper' implants in his muscles go offline, feel his full strength flowing into his body as his muscle tissue purged the ATP-blockers that normally filled his muscle tissue.
The two armored figures were stock still to Magnus as he moved up to them, came to a stop, his foot throwing up dirt as he skidded sideways, sword back behind his head.
One stroke and he pivoted smoothly, turning and making another stroke.
The sparks were just starting to flash. The lemon was only a few inches lower than it was.
Magnus stepped behind them, the tip of his sword biting deeply into the backs of the knees on first the right legs, then the left legs of both armored men.
He felt the crunch of metal and circuitry.
But no soft spongy feeling of flesh.
He finished up with running back to the lemon, which had dropped a foot, sheathing his blade, and grabbing the lemon out of mid-air.
Sparks hadn't even shot from the backs of the Chronotronic Knight's knees. Their hands were just starting to drop from the wrists, the rifles just starting to fall into two pieces.
His systems went back to standby.
The hands dropped to the ground, still holding the rifle. Sparks shot from the backs of the knees and the amputated wrists.
Both Chronotronic Knights screamed.
Magnus took a bite of the lemon, chewing slowly as he walked forward.
"You know," he said conversationally, "If you're going to pick a fight with someone, you really shouldn't drop your hands before you pull the trigger."
He stopped and looked down at them. "You might want to be sure you can stand and fight too."
Sword Two looked up. "You cheated," he said.
Magnus frowned. It sounded like the armored man was crying.
"All's fair," Magnus shrugged. "You tried punching way out of your weight class."
"Mommy's going to be mad my hands fell off," the other one said.
To Magnus it sounded like he was weeping. He frowned as he popped the last of the lemon into his mouth and moved around behind Sword One.
"Well, let's get a look at you," he said, reaching out and feeling under the edge of the helmet.
"No. Don't. You're not supposed to look at us," Sword One said, trying to move forward on his knees.
"Mommy doesn't want people to look at us," Sword Two said.
Magnus stepped back, his frown deepening.
He hadn't felt any emergency catches or any other way to remove the helmet.
It felt more like a robot's head than a power armor helmet.
"Magnus! Don't! Don't kill them!" Nakteti's voice rang in his ear.
"Why not?" Magnus asked, looking at where both of the armored men were pushing around their hands with the stumps of their wrists.
When she told him, his eyes opened wide and he stared at the two weeping Knights with horrified eyes.
"Menhit redeem us," he whispered.
-----
The cherry broke free of the branch with an almost inaudible snap, the fruit bright red and full of sweet juice filled pulp.
Surscee lowered her hand and looked at the cherry, smiling.
To her, fruit was better tasting then the scientifically designed to appeal to the broadest palates nutri-forge template driven foods.
True, it had a small bee-kiss on one side, but that little brown imperfection made her smile.
She used a thumbnail to split the cherry at the seam and shuck the pit out, sucking the juice off of the pit before tucking it into a pocket on her leather skirt. She popped the cherry in her mouth and slowly turned around.
"Sooner or later, you have to make a decision," Surscee said, smiling. "You can stand in the bushes until the anomaly burns out if you want, but you might get bored."
"The final two SUDS layers are separating," came the synthesized male voice of the Tome Knight.
"Indeed," Surscee said. "That is why we can pick the fruit now. Before, the overlapping temporal zones made it impossible to pick them. This," she hefted the stem in her hand. "Means that we were successful."
"I cannot permit unauthorized access to this facility. It's mankind's one edge against a universe that Momma says wants nothing more than to destroy us," the Tome Knight said.
"I could say the same," Surscee said. "An archaic violent relic of a time nine thousand years in our past. Scarred by the Glassing and riven by The Scream. Out of time, your people dead and gone, the war you are fighting taught to children in school with all the passion of a bread recipe, your enemy now one of our most valued allies."
"That changes nothing!" the Tome Knight said.
The voice suddenly changed to that of a little girl.
"I'll kill her mommy. I won't let her get away," the Tome Knight said.
"That voice isn't your mommy," Surscee said, turning away.
"Yes it is," the Tome Knight's voice was male again.
"Your mommy isn't here," Surscee said. "Just as my mother is not here," she reached up and plucked another cherry.
"She won't get away, mommy," the little girl voice.
"Did it hurt?" Surscee asked, pitting the cherry with her thumbnail.
"Did what hurt?" the male voice again.
"What they did to you. Before they sealed you in that armor. When they sealed you in that armor. Did it hurt?" Surscee reached up and plucked a trio of cherries touching each other. She turned around, pitting them with her thumbnail.
"Does it hurt now?" she asked.
The Tome Knight was holding still.
"Your head hurts. Your angry," Surscee said softly, walking forward slowly. "What are you, Knight of the Tome? In that armor, what are you?"
"Mommy says not to tell," the Tome Knight said. The blaze rifle was leveled at Surscee. "I'm sorry, but mommy says you have to die."
Surscee brought her hand up, rings of light filled with glowing runes around her hand, wrist, and forearm.
The Tome Knight pulled the trigger.
The golden-white beam hit something in front of Surscee's palm, a rippling field full of runic script appearing.
Surscee kept walking forward, chewing on the cherry in her mouth. Still holding the cherries in her hand, she used her thumb and forefinger to release the catches on the front of her leather bustier, the exposed top slope of her breasts already glimmering with sweat.
The Tome Knight screamed in rage and pulled the trigger again.
Surscee held her hand out, wrist cocked, the beam hitting the field in front of her palm, as she kept walking slowly forward. She held out two fingers from the hand she was holding the cherries with, making a quick set of runes.
The rifle started to dissolve.
"MOMMY SAYS CHOP YOU UP!" the Tome Knight screamed, dropping the crumbling rifle and reaching for the force blade on their waist.
Surscee used her thumb to pop another cherry in her mouth as she took another step forward. She drew a quick rune with her cherry juice stained fingers, stepping through the glowing rune as she did so, sweat running down her back, her shoulders steaming as the sweat evaporated.
The Tome Knight held out the force blade handle and thumbed the trigger.
Nothing happened.
They clicked it again.
Surscee shook her head. "It will avail you not. I disabled it as soon as you raised the rifle," she said.
A halo of light appeared around the Tome Knight's clenched fist, shining edges with runes moving in a circle in the middle of the halo.
The Tome Knight stared at the force blade as Surscee took another pair of steps forward.
"You face a sorceress, whose knowledge far exceeds your own, child," Surscee said, the words more habit than thought through.
"I'M NOT YOUR CHILD!" the Tome Knight screamed, distortion filling the voice, throwing away the force blade handle and shaking their hand.
Surscee frowned.
"I can hit you to death!" the Tome Knight said, raising their arms and preparing to rush forward.
Surscee made quick motions and chains of burning blue fire leapt up from the ground, going around the Tome Knight's waist, their wrists, their ankles, their chest, around their neck. The chains clattered as they tightened.
The Tome Knight went over backwards with a cry of rage, screaming louder when they were pulled spread-eagle.
Surscee tossed the last cherry up in the air, opening her mouth and catching it, before walking up and stopping next to the Tome Knight.
"No. Mommy says I have to kill you," the Tome Knight said.
Surscee frowned at how it sounded like the Tome Knight was weeping behind the synthesized voice.
"What are you in there?" she asked softly. "Ion bonded warsteel laminate. Nanite protective layer in the laminate," she touched the chest.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" the Tome Knight screamed. "MOMMY! HELP ME, MOMMY!"
Surscee leaned forward to look into the optics of the helmet, uncaring that her breasts dropped from her loosened bustier beyond the fact that she could feel the heat rush off of her.
She froze at the odd noise the Tome Knight started making.
The Tome Knight was stock still, staring at Surscee's exposed breasts.
And making a lip smacking sucking sound.
"Oh, by the dark and fell fallen Titans Fyzar and Monstersano," Surscee said, her hand going to her mouth with shock. "Bellona protect me from such evil."
-----
Nakteti looked away from where Surscee was standing at the head of the medical bed, gently stroking the helmeted forehead of the Tome Knight.
"They're what?" she asked Chuck.
"It's hard to explain. I don't even know how it was done," Chuck said.
"Try," Nakteti said.
"They're children," Surscee said softly. "No, they're infants," she stroked the forehead of the helmet. "Enraged infants."
"But I thought the Digital Omnimessiah cured that," Nakteti said. "The Second Miracle."
"These... these..." Chuck said.
"People," Magnus said, his voice hard and brooking no argument. "Call them people, if nothing else for what they could have been."
"These people," Chuck's shoulders slumped. "Are enraged infants impressed with SUDS recordings of trained Combine troops. Who knows what else was done to them."
"But we've been working for years," Nakteti protested.
"Chronotrons keep them from changing too much. They're basically frozen like that," Chuck said. "This... this is monstrous."
"Are he in pain?" Magnus asked, looking up from the Knight of the Sword his hand was resting on.
"He was, till I overrode the suit interface," Chuck said. "They feel damage to the suit as if you had done it to their bodies," he gave a defeated sounding sigh. "They're young enough that their brains never discerned the difference between their own bodies and the armor. To their brains, they're one and the same."
"Can you do anything?" Surscee asked.
Chuck shook his head. "I wouldn't know where to even start. I barely understand what was done to them, much less how it was done. Without that, I have no idea how to undo it."
"The Old Gods preserve us," Nakteti said, shaking her head.
"It might be more merciful just to kill them," Chuck said.
Magnus looked around the room in the empty medical center, saw everyone's face, and gave a sigh of frustration.
"I'll do it," he said, drawing the knife from his belt. He looked at the others. "Why don't you go outside."
"I will stay," Surscee said, her voice soft and gentle. "I will not leave my brother alone to perform such a terrible task."
"As your liege, I will stay to witness what was done by my will," Nakteti said.
"Well, that means I can't leave. I'm not going to be the guy who leaves," Chuck said.
"Digital Omnimessiah grant me the strength to carry the burden of what I must do," Magnus said solemnly, placing his hand on the left side of the Sword Knight's chest, lowering the dagger to aim at the side of the armor. "Give me the guidance to do what is right, what is merciful, no matter how heavy the task is."
There was a light buzzing sound, like bees.
"Stay thy hand, Magnus."
Nakteti turned and stared.
The Digital Omnimessiah stood at the doorway, made up of flowing blue code with splotches of silver here and there.
"I am with you. Let me guide you along this dark path."
Nakteti went down on one knee.
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Robert's Rebellion Theme Song: The Czar Mastodon

Don't stay; run away He has ordered assassination Don't stay; run away The henchmen are gathered and waiting Don't stay; run away Your role as usurper is found out

This is part of a series exploring the hidden motives and actions of the main players during Robert's Rebellion, named LBJ in reference to the influence of Lyndon B. Johnson and the Vietnam War on GRRM's views and writings on war. LBJ also indicates considerations over whether Lyanna + Bobby B = Jon Snow. Previous installments include:

• Rhaegar Had To Be A Warrior
• Why Did Rhaegar Crown Lyanna?
  • Ice, Ice Baby?
  • Political Suicide?
  • Was She 'A Very Kinky Girl'?
• The Forging of Lightbringer: Blue Flowers & Narrow Visors
• Rhaegar Mistakenly Crowned Lyanna
• I am not fond of fish, but when fish is served, I eat it.
• All is fair in love and war...
• Kingsguard Loyalty
• Southron Ambitions & Lies
• The Return of the Prince: Éowyn at the Trident
• Mirror on the Wall: King Robert vs. Queen Cersei

Previous parts argued that Robert Baratheon was complicit in a plot to overthrow the Targaryen dynasty. This scheme used Rhaegar's mistaken crowning of Lyanna at Harrenhal to form a believable, malicious lie that the crown prince abducted her. Certain members of the infamous STAB alliance, with assistance from the Martells and Tywin Lannister, all secretly conspired together to place a pliable pawn as king, wrestling control from a dynasty that no longer had dragons to enforce their rule. Lurid evidence was given which shows Robert had Rhaegar tortured, as Cersei tortured the Blue Bard, and we also saw more subtle hints that Lyanna herself attempted to avenge her family at the Trident, with the aid of innate skinchanging abilities.
This part aims to provide additional evidence that Robert lived up to his moniker, the Demon of the Trident, casting him as close to black as grey can get. King Robert is an avatar for all the worst flaws of Westerosi culture, a man enabled to wield massive power who yet skirted any sense of responsibility and chose to commit a mountain of moral transgressions in service to his personal desires.

Robert's face was dark with anger. "How many times must I tell you to hold your tongue, woman?"
Cersei's face was a study in contempt. "What a jape the gods have made of us two," she said. "By all rights, you ought to be in skirts and me in mail."
Purple with rage, the king lashed out, a vicious backhand blow to the side of the head. She stumbled against the table and fell hard, yet Cersei Lannister did not cry out. Her slender fingers brushed her cheek, where the pale smooth skin was already reddening. On the morrow the bruise would cover half her face. "I shall wear this as a badge of honor," she announced.

- A Game of Thrones Eddard X

The Horned Demon of the Trident

Next had come King Robert himself, with Lady Stark on his arm. The king was a great disappointment to Jon. His father had talked of him often: the peerless Robert Baratheon, demon of the Trident, the fiercest warrior of the realm, a giant among princes. Jon saw only a fat man, red-faced under his beard, sweating through his silks. He walked like a man half in his cups.

- A Game of Thrones Jon I
tenor.com/view/gaston-antlers-gif-23720815
Robert Baratheon bears a striking resemblance to Gaston from Beauty & the Beast, who imprisons his romantic interest and lies to incite violence against a rival. Gaston is driven by jealousy of the Beast and humiliation over Belle's rejection. Disney’s adaptation of Beauty & the Beast was released in 1991, just five years before A Game of Thrones was published.
Video: Gaston Beauty & the Beast
Video: George RR Martin on Writing for Beauty and the Beast
Martin has shown keen interest in Beauty & the Beast; adapting the tale for TV in the late 80s was a high point of his career. He even named his bookstore in Santa Fe Beastly Books, and named the cinema next door for Jean Cocteau, who also adapted the tale and created an earlier version of Gaston). This concept of kidnapping one’s romantic interest and blaming it on a rival to incite violence also crops up in The Princess Bride, which Martin has stated is his favorite fantasy film after the Lord of the Rings series.
Behaving like Prince Humperdinck from The Princess Bride or Gaston from Beauty & the Beast, driven by rage over the incident at Harrenhal and a family history of Targaryen betrayal, Robert lied about his queen of love and beauty and made Rhaegar out to be a beast, having them both kidnapped (with the help of his allies) but pretending otherwise as a pretext to win the throne. He then had to bury this secret, as he would lose support if it was known that the rebellion was built on such a malicious lie.
Martin is obviously inspired by Disney. In the last part, we showed how the torture of the Blue Bard, ordered by Cersei to extract a confession to undermine Margaery, is meant to reflect the story of Snow White, in which her vain and wicked step-mother is told by a magic mirror that the princess is more beautiful, leading her to send a huntsman to kill her. The huntsman takes Snow White into the deep of the wood but lets her flee, presenting a boar’s heart to the evil queen instead. Similarly, Robert is a huntsman who is killed by a boar, with the aid of strongwine supplied by his evil queen. Additional elements of Disney's Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs can be seen in parallels between Robert's only loss at Ashford and Dunk's trial at the Ashford Tourney in The Hedge Knight.
When Dunk travels to the Ashford Tourney, he recites lyrics from the Seven Dwarf's song Heigh-ho.

Off to Ashford to see the fair maid, heigh-ho, heigh-ho, Dunk thought miserably as he dug.

- The Hedge Knight
Like Snow White had Seven Dwarfs to defend her, Dunk defended himself in a Trial by Seven at the Ashford Tourney, and Rhaegar was accompanied by half a dozen companions when he went missing, enough to defend himself in a Trial by Seven. A troupe of a half dozen comic dwarfs also appear in The Mystery Knight, using pig bladders, like Robert was piss-drunk when he was killed by a pig. Dunk was championed by Robert's grandfather, Lyonel Baratheon, who defeated Robert Ashford during the tourney. Lord Lyonel later rebelled against the Iron Throne, after Duncan the Small betrayed the Laughing Storm by breaking off a betrothal to his daughter, similar to how Rhaegar betrayed Robert by crowning his betrothed at the Harrenhal Tourney. Duncan the Small's betrayal led Egg to arrange a marriage between his daughter Rhaelle and Lyonel's heir, which put Robert Baratheon in the line of succession; this family history would color Robert's perception of Rhaegar's betrayal, driving him to improve upon his grandfather's revenge.
Steffon was the name given to Robert Baratheon's father; Dunk was betrayed by red-apple Steffon Fossoway at Ashford, which led his cousin Raymun to create an offshoot branch, the green-apple Fossoways. A tender, protective Fossoway husband is used at the Purple Wedding to demonstrate how callous it would have been for Rhaegar to intentionally crown another women with his pregnant, delicate wife Princess Elia present. A poison apple brings down Snow White, after the evil queen discovers the huntsman replaced her heart with a boar's heart, conjuring up Robert's death scene which reminds Ned of his promise to Lyanna:

“Serve the boar at my funeral feast,” Robert rasped. “Apple in its mouth, skin seared crisp. Eat the bastard. Don’t care if you choke on him. Promise me, Ned.”
“I promise.” Promise me, Ned, Lyanna’s voice echoed.

- A Game of Thrones Eddard XIII
"The quarrel between Green and Red Apple Fossoway in the Hedge Knight story is another example of 'discordant apples'... At a tournament of all places." - The Blue Rose of Discord by u/Bronze_Age_472

The reason for the Trojan War according to myth, was a beauty contest. Three contestants were seeking someone to judge their beauty; Hera, Athena and Aphrodite. Aphrodite won the contest, but only after she bribed Paris with Helen wife of Menelaus. Paris the judge, votes for Aphrodite by giving her an Apple. The other goddesses were furious and the conflict escalated out of control. The Greeks rallied around Menelaus and went to war with Troy.
The Blue Rose is a metaphorical "apple of discord". Like the apple of discord, it is nothing by itself, but in the right context leads to a larger conflict. It symbolizes how small things can create huge conflicts, how things quickly spin out of control. When Rhaegar gave the crown to Lyanna, nobody was happy... Just like the Judgement of Paris right before the Trojan War.

Like Rhaegar and Lyanna are often compared to Paris and Helen, figures of the mythical Trojan War, Robert is clearly meant to be considered relative to a maiden's fantasy, such as Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs or Beauty & the Beast:

Would that Ned had been able to say the same. Fifteen years past, when they had ridden forth to win a throne, the Lord of Storm’s End had been clean-shaven, clear-eyed, and muscled like a maiden’s fantasy. Six and a half feet tall, he towered over lesser men, and when he donned his armor and the great antlered helmet of his House, he became a veritable giant. He’d had a giant’s strength too, his weapon of choice a spiked iron warhammer that Ned could scarcely lift. In those days, the smell of leather and blood had clung to him like perfume.

- A Game of Thrones Eddard I
In the last part, we used the evil queen's magic mirror from Snow White to provide insight into Robert through Cersei. Like he projected Lyanna onto Cersei on their wedding night, Robert projects his own actions onto Rhaegar, while caressing the cheek of Lyanna's statue and secretly lamenting to himself that he was with her sexually just once:

The king touched her cheek, his fingers brushing across the rough stone as gently as if it were living flesh. “I vowed to kill Rhaegar for what he did to her.”
“You did,” Ned reminded him.
“Only once,” Robert said bitterly.

- A Game of Thrones Eddard I
This subtext is mirrored by Jon Connington's love for Rhaegar, as he laments that Rhaegar ass-ended his tower only once. Connington then states that all the women cried to Rhaegar's music, like Lyanna cried at Harrenhal, reinforcing the link between this passage and the scene in the crypts.

Yet when they parted, Jon Connington did not go to the sept. Instead his steps led him up to the roof of the east tower, the tallest at Griffin's Roost. As he climbed he remembered past ascents—a hundred with his lord father, who liked to stand and look out over woods and crags and sea and know that all he saw belonged to House Connington, and one (only one!) with Rhaegar Targaryen. Prince Rhaegar was returning from Dorne, and he and his escort had lingered here a fortnight. He was so young then, and I was younger. Boys, the both of us. At the welcoming feast, the prince had taken up his silver-stringed harp and played for them. A song of love and doom, Jon Connington recalled, and every woman in the hall was weeping when he put down the harp. Not the men, of course. Particularly not his own father, whose only love was land. Lord Armond Connington spent the entire evening trying to win the prince to his side in his dispute with Lord Morrigen.

- A Dance with Dragons The Griffon Reborn
Robert's false accusation of rape mirrors Lord Mathis Rowan's daughter's lie which landed Dareon, a singer and harpist, like Rhaegar, on the Wall.

It made her angry to see Dareon sitting there so brazen, making eyes at Lanna as his fingers danced across the harp strings.

_

He is a man of the Night's Watch, she thought, as he sang about some stupid lady throwing herself off some stupid tower because her stupid prince was dead. The lady should go kill the ones who killed her prince. And the singer should be on the Wall.

- A Feast for Crows Cat of the Canals
Jon Snow ends up at the Wall as an indirect consequence of Rhaegar being falsely accused of the rape of Lyanna. Jon later betrays the Watch to save (fake) Arya and is murdered as a result, like Arya murders Dareon for desertion; if she understood why Dareon took the black, maybe she'd be more forgiving of his betrayal. She might not be, because of the same conditioning that prevents Ned from showing mercy to Gared after he was chased south of the Wall by a direwolf. Likewise, if Rhaegar told Robert that he crowned Lyanna by mistake, Robert would still be unable to forgive the public humiliation he suffered as a result. And so despite Rhaegar's willingness to defend himself in a Trial by Seven, Robert went along with the rebel's plot to overthrow the Targaryen dynasty, which involved abducting both Rhaegar and Lyanna, and stashing her in a tower for the duration of the rebellion.

He found himself thinking of Robert more and more. He saw the king as he had been in the flower of his youth, tall and handsome, his great antlered helm on his head, his warhammer in hand, sitting his horse like a horned god. He heard his laughter in the dark, saw his eyes, blue and clear as mountain lakes. “Look at us, Ned,” Robert said. “Gods, how did we come to this? You here, and me killed by a pig. We won a throne together …”

- A Game of Thrones Eddard XV
Horny as ever and near the tower of joy, travelling alone to maintain his secrets, Robert sought out his lady love after his only defeat at Ashford; fear of death has a way of driving men back into the womb. Robert claimed Lyanna at the tower she was imprisoned in, and she used his hunting knife, the one given to him as a gift from Jon Arryn, to defend herself.
Remember what Ygritte told Jon Snow, outside of the tower Queenscrown?

“A man can own a woman or a man can own a knife,” Ygritte told him, “but no man can own both. Every little girl learns that from her mother.”

- A Storm of Swords Jon V
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A teenage human trafficking victim who was initially charged with first-degree murder after she stabbed her accused rapist to death was sentenced Tuesday in an Iowa court to five years of closely supervised probation and ordered to pay $150,000 restitution to the man’s family.

Speaking of knives...
★ King Robert sent the Catspaw by u/M_Tootles:

• In this scenario, Robert’s “mad”, wine-soaked “master plan” was to arm his mercy-dealing catspaw with a Valyrian steel and dragonbone dagger for which he personally had no use but which he decided in his pie-eyed state would, when intentionally left at the scene of Bran’s unfortunate but ultimately justifiable end, look like the “signature” of a retribution-seeking Targaryen sympathizer, for It Was Known that the Targaryens hated not just Robert, but also Ned Stark, one of “the Usurper’s Dogs” whom they held personally responsible for the murder of Rhaegar’s children.
• And then there is the tourney he throws in honor of Ned, whose prizes just so happen to add up to exactly one thousand gold dragons for every silver stag the catspaw was paid, which looks an awful lot like the act of a man suffering from a guilty conscience. As does Robert drinking and hunting himself to death.

If blaming a Targaryen for his own misdeeds worked once, why wouldn’t Robert try it again?

This was something else: poison in the dark, a knife thrust to the soul. This he could never forgive, no more than he had forgiven Rhaegar. He will kill them all, Ned realized.

- A Game of Thrones Eddard XII
Sometime after his loss at Ashford, Robert appeared at Stoney Sept wounded and alone, while waiting for Ned to bring reinforcements from the North.

He had lost it all at Stoney Sept, in his arrogance.
Robert Baratheon had been hiding somewhere in the town, wounded and alone. Jon Connington had known that, and he had also known that Robert's head upon a spear would have put an end to the rebellion, then and there. He was young and full of pride. How not? King Aerys had named him Hand and given him an army, and he meant to prove himself worthy of that trust, of Rhaegar's love. He would slay the rebel lord himself and carve a place out for himself in all the histories of the Seven Kingdoms.

- A Dance with Dragons The Griffin Reborn
Robert fathered his bastard Bella in a brothel before the Battle of the Bells, a nod to Belle from Beauty & the Beast. This is just one of many acts that depicts his bestial nature; despite being in the midst of a war he claims to be fighting for Lyanna, Robert still found time to fuck all the whores at the Peach:

As she sat in the common room in her stupid girl clothes, Arya remembered what Syrio Forel had told her, the trick of looking and seeing what was there. When she looked, she saw more serving wenches than any inn could want, and most of them young and comely. And come evenfall, lots of men started coming and going at the Peach. They did not linger long in the common room, not even when Tom took out his woodharp and began to sing “Six Maids in a Pool.” The wooden steps were old and steep, and creaked something fierce whenever one of the men took a girl upstairs. “I bet this is a brothel,” she whispered to Gendry.
“You don’t even know what a brothel is.”
“I do so,” she insisted. “It’s like an inn, with girls.”
He was turning red again. “What are you doing here, then?” he demanded. “A brothel’s no fit place for no bloody highborn lady, everybody knows that.”
One of the girls sat down on the bench beside him. “Who’s a highborn lady? The little skinny one?” She looked at Arya and laughed. “I’m a king’s daughter myself.”
Arya knew she was being mocked. “You are not.”
“Well, I might be.” When the girl shrugged, her gown slipped off one shoulder. “They say King Robert fucked my mother when he hid here, back before the battle. Not that he didn’t have all the other girls too, but Leslyn says he liked my ma the best.”
The girl did have hair like the old king’s, Arya thought; a great thick mop of it, as black as coal. That doesn’t mean anything, though. Gendry has the same kind of hair too. Lots of people have black hair.
“I’m named Bella,” the girl told Gendry. “For the battle. I bet I could ring your bell, too. You want to?”

- A Storm of Swords Arya V
This bestial nature and Ned's willingness to enable it is put on full display when Robert returns to the Trident in A Game of Thrones. Robert allows Lady and Mycah to be killed as vengeance for Joffrey’s injury, despite later admitting he knew his heir was lying. Joffrey sustained this injury at the Trident because he drunkenly misperceived the fight between Arya and the butcher’s boy, and cruelly acted on his ‘chivalric duty’ to defend noble ladies. Likewise, Robert (and everyone else) misperceived Rhaegar’s intent when he crowned Lyanna, and his fervor for vengeance led him to go along with a plot to abduct her and pin the blame on Rhaegar, like Joffrey lied about what transpired during the fight. Both Lady the direwolf and wolf-blooded Lyanna were held accountable for crimes they were innocent of; Lyanna’s crowning may have suggested to Robert that she actively enticed Rhaegar, like rape victims are routinely scrutinized for their attire and other non-sexual behaviors to suggest they somehow invited their rapes. Ned went along with these obviously unjust actions, out of loyalty to his friend and king, and to prevent further harm to his family.

All Ned could do was take her in his arms and hold her while she wept. He looked across the room at Robert. His old friend, closer than any brother. “Please, Robert. For the love you bear me. For the love you bore my sister. Please.”
The king looked at them for a long moment, then turned his eyes on his wife.
“Damn you, Cersei,” he said with loathing.
Ned stood, gently disengaging himself from Sansa’s grasp. All the weariness of the past four days had returned to him. “Do it yourself then, Robert,” he said in a voice cold and sharp as steel. “At least have the courage to do it yourself.”
Robert looked at Ned with flat, dead eyes and left without a word, his footsteps heavy as lead. Silence filled the hall.
“Where is the direwolf?” Cersei Lannister asked when her husband was gone. Beside her, Prince Joffrey was smiling.
“The beast is chained up outside the gatehouse, Your Grace,” Ser Barristan Selmy answered reluctantly.
“Send for Ilyn Payne.”
“No,” Ned said. “Jory, take the girls back to their rooms and bring me Ice.” The words tasted of bile in his throat, but he forced them out. “If it must be done, I will do it.”
Cersei Lannister regarded him suspiciously. “You, Stark? Is this some trick? Why would you do such a thing?”
They were all staring at him, but it was Sansa’s look that cut. “She is of the north. She deserves better than a butcher.”
He left the room with his eyes burning and his daughter’s wails echoing in his ears, and found the direwolf pup where they chained her. Ned sat beside her for a while. “Lady,” he said, tasting the name. He had never paid much attention to the names the children had picked, but looking at her now, he knew that Sansa had chosen well. She was the smallest of the litter, the prettiest, the most gentle and trusting. She looked at him with bright golden eyes, and he ruffled her thick grey fur.
Shortly, Jory brought him Ice.
When it was over, he said, “Choose four men and have them take the body north. Bury her at Winterfell.”
“All that way?” Jory said, astonished.
“All that way,” Ned affirmed. “The Lannister woman shall never have this skin.”
He was walking back to the tower to give himself up to sleep at last when Sandor Clegane and his riders came pounding through the castle gate, back from their hunt.
There was something slung over the back of his destrier, a heavy shape wrapped in a bloody cloak. “No sign of your daughter, Hand,” the Hound rasped down, “but the day was not wholly wasted. We got her little pet.” He reached back and shoved the burden off, and it fell with a thump in front of Ned.
Bending, Ned pulled back the cloak, dreading the words he would have to find for Arya, but it was not Nymeria after all. It was the butcher’s boy, Mycah, his body covered in dried blood. He had been cut almost in half from shoulder to waist by some terrible blow struck from above.
“You rode him down,” Ned said.
The Hound’s eyes seemed to glitter through the steel of that hideous dog’s-head helm. “He ran.” He looked at Ned’s face and laughed. “But not very fast.”

- A Game of Thrones Eddard III
Most assume Gregor Clegane is the giant in armor made of stone in Bran’s vision of the Trident… yet he wasn’t present during the events Bran envisions. This dark shadow is a better fit for Robert, a veritable giant who won the throne at the Trident, who is first introduced as having gained eight stone, with a girth to match his height (like a mountain), and whose blood turns black when he is mortally wounded by a boar.

He looked south, and saw the great blue-green rush of the Trident. He saw his father pleading with the king, his face etched with grief. He saw Sansa crying herself to sleep at night, and he saw Arya watching in silence and holding her secrets hard in her heart. There were shadows all around them. One shadow was dark as ash, with the terrible face of a hound. Another was armored like the sun, golden and beautiful. Over them both loomed a giant in armor made of stone, but when he opened his visor, there was nothing inside but darkness and thick black blood.

- A Game of Thrones Bran III
It would not be unusual for Bran to see both a person’s physical form and their shadow at the same time; this is how shadows work. Ned undoubtedly experiences inner turmoil in this scene, going along with injustice in service to a cowardly king despite the pain it causes his daughters. So, it's easy to see how the shadow with the face of the hound and the golden shadow are both cast by Ned, depicting a light and dark side at war within himself, representing his competing duties to his king and children which led him to execute Lady and accept Mycah's unjust death. It's not unusual that Ned would have multiple shadows, a dark and a light side making him grey as the direwolf on his sigil; recall, Stannis tells us that some lights cast more than one shadow:

King Stannis pointed a finger. “There you err, Onion Knight. Some lights cast more than one shadow. Stand before the nightfire and you’ll see for yourself. The flames shift and dance, never still. The shadows grow tall and short, and every man casts a dozen. Some are fainter than others, that’s all. Well, men cast their shadows across the future as well. One shadow or many. Melisandre sees them all.”

- A Clash of Kings Davos II
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Alfie Allen: You know, I asked him about who Jon Snow’s real parents were, and he told me. I can’t say who, but I can tell you that it involves a bit of a Luke Skywalker situation. It will all come to fruition eventually.
This series will conclude next time with a foray into Ned's inner turmoil, examining thoughts and actions which indict his friend and king. To preview where this series is headed, in its full audio/visual glory with greater detail, look here.

I think about this sometimes, it seems like there's a cut-off in the early '60s where "oldies" kind of splits from "classic rock." Like you don't necessarily think about Elvis, Otis Redding, Jerry Lee Lewis etc. as classic rock, maybe not even the early Beatles stuff. But then shortly thereafter you get Hendrix, the heyday of the Stones, Led Zep etc. and that's pretty much the heart of the genre.
And where exactly does it end? It seems like stereotypical "80s Music" is kind of its own thing, but some of the biggest classic rock acts were still going strong through that decade and beyond. Still had commercially viable stuff from the Stones, Aerosmith, Petty, Springsteen, ZZ Top, tons of folks.
I was born in the mid '70s so around the early 2000s I started hearing stuff I listened to in high school on "classic rock" stations sometimes and man that'd make me feel prematurely old ha ha. Black Crowes, Guns & Roses, etc. Not looking to argue with anyone, I was just curious about the perception of others, especially if you're considerably older or younger than me.

John 14:16-17, 26: And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you to the age— the Spirit of truth, whom the world is not able to receive, because it does not see Him nor know. But you know Him, for He abides with you and He will be in you.... But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and will bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you.
John 15:26: When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes forth from the Father, He will bear witness concerning Me.
John 16:7, 13-14: But I tell you the truth, it is profitable for you that I should go away; for unless I go away the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you... But when He the, Spirit of truth, shall come, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak from Himself, but whatever He may hear, He will speak. And He will declare to you the things coming. He will glorify Me, for He will take from that which is Mine and will disclose it to you.
Translating "Paraklétos"
The translation above (BLB) uses the term "helper," other translations will variously use: advocate, comforter, intercessor, counselor, etc. These are all translating the Greek word παράκλητος (paraklétos). The word itself is variously translated, not because it is difficult to understand, but because we don't have one solid English word that encompasses everything the Greek word means. This word describes someone who is para, or "close" by another and is in defense of them. This can be in defense in regards to comforting or helping with a problem, but this word is also used in legal defense, someone who advocates on another's behalf as an intercessor before a court or an audience. This is why all of these translations are used. Each does represent a different aspect of what this word means. In context, Jesus is comforting his apostles in these chapters. John 13-17 (and part of chapter 18) are all of Jesus' last night before his trials begin. John 13-16 is the "upper room discourse" where Jesus has his final words with his apostles. Chapters 14-16 are mostly repeating the same few points over and over. Namely, that Jesus will show us the way to the Father through the Spirit which will comfort them after he dies. He will soon die, and they will be comforted by the Spirit of truth. John 17 is called Jesus' "high priestly prayer," this entire chapter is Jesus' prayer to the Father. Chapter 18 is when Jesus is captured and taken to be tried. These statements about the Holy Spirit, Spirit of truth, or paraklétos, are found in the above listed verses in chapters 14-16. Jesus is comforting his apostles by telling them things before he goes to his death. He goes on to explain that he will ask for another comforter to come and comfort the apostles after he is gone. For this reason, the context seems to me to be best translated as "comforter," or "helper," because this Spirit is coming to comfort and help the apostles through the period of time after losing Christ, and as they go one their great commission. For the course of this article, we will generally leave the word untranslated for this reason.
Who is the paraklétos? The Holy Spirit
The paraklétos is the Holy Spirit. "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another paraklétos, that He may be with you to the age—the Spirit of truth... But the paraklétos, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name..." (John 14:16-17, 26). The Holy Spirit is the paraklétos that the Father will send in the name of Jesus. The paraklétos, Holy Spirit, and Spirit of truth are all equivalent terms referring to the same thing. The paraklétos is the Holy Spirit.
The 3 Trinitarian Arguments
In these passages, many Trinitarians will use them to argue three points.
-1 That the Holy Spirit is a person, due to the fact that "he" is used and not "it."
-2 The Holy Spirit is someone other than the Father or Jesus because the Father sends him, Jesus sends him, and the Spirit is "another" being sent. It follows that if the Holy Spirit is a person, and another, then you have a third person of the Trinity here.
-3 The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father due to what is said in John 15:26, the Spirit ἐκπορεύεται (ekporeuetai), or, "goes forth, proceeds from" the Father. In the doctrine of the Trinity, the procession of the persons (how the Son and Spirit come from the Father) advocates that the nature by which the Father generates the Son is through begetting, while the Spirit proceeds, or spirates. Depending on the stance on the filioque, the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, or the Father through the Son.
Argument 1, "He"
Looking at argument 1, we find that the Trinitarians do have a particular point here. In Greek, you have grammatical gender. A particular word will have grammatical gender associated with it. Common examples are "logos," or "word," which is grammatically masculine, and "sophia," or "wisdom," which is grammatically feminine. The Greek word for Spirit Πνεῦμα (pneuma), is grammatically neuter. When using a pronoun associated with the subject, the pronouns' grammatical gender must match the subject. So, if we use a pronoun associated with a grammatically feminine word, the corresponding referring pronoun must also be in the feminine gender. Our subject here is "Spirit." Which is grammatically neuter. Therefore, the associated pronoun should be grammatically neuter. However, something different occurs in these passages that we would not expect to see. While referring to a grammatically gendered word, the gender changes to a masculine when the referential word is used.
"But when He (ἐκεῖνος, ekeinos, masculine), the Spirit (Πνεῦμα, Pneuma, neuter) of truth, shall come, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak from Himself (ἑαυτοῦ, heautou, masculine), but whatever He may hear, He will speak. And He will declare to you the things coming. He (ἐκεῖνος, ekeinos, masculine), will glorify Me, for He will take from that which is Mine and will disclose it to you." (John 16:13-14)
As we can see, while the referential pronouns are referring to a grammatically neuter word, we have them in the masculine. Compare this to Matthew 15:22:
"And behold, a Canaanite woman from the same (ἐκείνων, ekeinōn, neuter) region (ὁρίων, horiōn, neuter) having approached, was crying out saying, 'Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.'"
The subject here, being "region," which is grammatically neuter, is paired with the same pronoun used in John 16:13-14 above, but it is also in the neuter gender.
Grammarians say that John is "breaking the rules of Greek grammar" by doing this, and this is for the purpose of referring to a person. The reason why John would change the grammatical gender from a neuter to a masculine is for the purpose of showing that the subject is specifically masculine.
Some Unitarians' Response
Many Unitarians argue that the Holy Spirit is not someone, but, something. It is "God's power," or "an active force." It is a rather impersonal object that's used by God, not a person. If the above argument from the grammar is correct, then this would disprove the Unitarian claim. It is my understanding and opinion that the objection above is correct, and this does disprove the Spirit in this case to be something rather than a person. The Spirit is not "it," but properly, "he." My argument is not against the case made for the grammar, but my argument is against the Unitarians, such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, that claim that the Spirit is nothing more than an impersonal force. Under the study notes in the NWT (New World Translation, the translation made by the Jehovah's Witnesses), they say the following:
Study notes on John 14:16:

When Jesus spoke of the holy spirit, an impersonal force, as a helper and referred to this helper as ‘teaching,’ ‘bearing witness,’ ‘giving evidence,’ ‘guiding,’ ‘speaking,’ ‘hearing,’ and ‘receiving’ (Joh 14:26; 15:26; 16:7-15), he used a figure of speech called personification, that is, referring to something impersonal or inanimate as if it were alive. In the Scriptures, it is not unusual for something that is not actually a person to be personified. Some examples are wisdom, death, sin, and undeserved kindness. (Mt 11:19; Lu 7:35; Ro 5:14, 17, 21; 6:12; 7:8-11) It is obvious that not one of these things is an actual person. God’s spirit is often mentioned together with other impersonal forces or things, further supporting the fact that it is not a person. (Mt 3:11; Ac 6:3, 5; 13:52; 2Co 6:4-8; Eph 5:18) Some argue that the use of Greek masculine pronouns when referring to this “helper” shows that holy spirit is a person. (Joh 14:26) However, Greek grammar requires masculine pronouns when the activity of “the helper” is described since the word for “helper” is in the masculine gender. (Joh 16:7, 8, 13, 14) On the other hand, when the neuter Greek word for “spirit” (pneuʹma) is used, neuter pronouns are used.​

Study notes on John 14:17:

spirit: Or “active force.” The Greek term pneuʹma is in the neuter gender and therefore, neuter pronouns are used when referring to it. The Greek word has a number of meanings. All of them refer to that which is invisible to human sight and gives evidence of force in motion. (See Glossary.) In this context, “spirit” refers to God’s holy spirit, which is here called the spirit of the truth, an expression that also occurs at Joh 15:26 and 16:13, where Jesus explains that “the helper” (Joh 16:7), that is, “the spirit of the truth,” will “guide” Jesus’ disciples “into all the truth.”

Study notes on John 15:26:

That one: The Greek demonstrative pronoun e·keiʹnos is in the masculine gender and refers to the helper, which is also in the masculine gender.​

Study notes on John 16:13:

that one: Both “that one” and “he” in verses 13 and 14 refer back to “the helper” mentioned at Joh 16:7. Jesus used “the helper” (which is in the masculine gender in Greek) as a personification of the Holy Spirit, an impersonal force, which is in the neuter gender in Greek.​

link to the Study Bible of the NWT
In other words, the NWT is arguing that the reason these pronouns are in the masculine, even though they are paired with the neuter "Spirit," is because they refer back to the word "paraklétos," which is grammatically masculine. They are saying that John is not changing Greek grammar to note that the Spirit is masculine to indicate that it is a person, but that these pronouns refer to the masculine word "paraklétos."
Then they explain that the reason why God's "active force" would be called "the paraklétos," and doing things that someone would normally do, not something, such as bearing witness, testifying, hearing, etc, is because this is simply personification. They then give a list of other things in the Bible that are personified to justify the fact that the Bible does this at times.
Their end result is to uphold that the Spirit is an impersonal active force that God uses, and Jesus here reifies the Spirit and speaks of it as if it is a person doing personal things.
Objections to the Jehovah's Witnesses Response
Does their answer fly? I don't think so. First, I am not convinced that a good grammatical argument could be made that the referential pronouns are referring back to "paraklétos" and not "Spirit."
Second, while personification is a common figure of speech in the Bible, it does not justify this to be the case here, it only posits it as a possibility. The notes of their study Bible give no definitive proof of either claim thus far. How do we explain the Spirit as doing all of these things if it is merely a personification? One example they give is that of wisdom, in which it is personified in the statement, "wisdom is proved righteous by what she does." We can explain this metaphor. The results of what someone does from wisdom is the personified action. But with the Spirit, how it comforts, and how it testifies is never explained by these notes. While personification is assumed, we should have an explanation for how these personified metaphors apply in reality. In other words, if we are going to assume metaphorical language, we must have an explanation for the metaphor. Far too much is said in these passages to just assume it to be metaphorical.
Third, they argue that, "God’s spirit is often mentioned together with other impersonal forces or things, further supporting the fact that it is not a person." They argue that the Bible mentions "holy spirit and fire" or having "joy and holy spirit" this emphasizes that the Holy Spirit must not be a person. However, by this same logic, in the passage in question, the Holy Spirit would be proven to be a person. Since the Holy Spirit is mentioned as "going forth from the Father," who they admit is a person, why wouldn't this mean the Holy Spirit is a person here? What about Matthew 28:19, "the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?" The two things mentioned alongside the Spirit are persons, even by JWs standards, so why should we not use this line of reasoning to assert that the Spirit is a person? Even in the infamous verse in the NWT of Genesis 1:2, where God is mentioned as being with his Spirit, we should then infer that the Spirit is a person. As a side point, this would also disprove their theory on Proverbs 8:22 being about Jesus preexisting as God's wisdom and being created. Why not use the same "personification" argument here with wisdom? Why not argue that because wisdom is mentioned with other things that are not persons, such as the Holy spirit in their own listed example, we should conclude that God's wisdom is not a person in Proverbs 8?
The arguments here are circular, and I do not buy them to be accurate. It is to start with the assumption that the Holy Spirit is entirely impersonal and then to make ad hoc arguments to justify the assumption. When we read in these passages that the Holy Spirit is how the apostles will be comforted, shown truth, and will testify to them, this can not merely be a personification. How does the Spirit comfort and testify to us?
The Holy Spirit, More Than Power
The Holy Spirit is not just a force God uses, nor is it just God's power. Zechariah 4:6 says: "Then he said to me, 'This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.'" Some argue that this "might" and "power" refers only to human might and power. God does not say, "Not by your power, but by my power." The contrast isn't between just human power and divine power. It is between power and God's Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God's power (Luke 1:35) but is not than simply this. The Spirit is also God's word (Psalm 33:6), God's wisdom (Proverbs 8:22-31), God's presence (Psalm 51:11), the angel of his face (Isaiah 63:9-10), God's intercessor (Romans 8:26-27), the mind of God or the communication of it (1 Corinthians 2:11), and much more. To reduce God's Spirit down to just his power is to ignore the entirety of Pneumatology and the many statements about what God's Spirit is and does. How, then, should we define the Spirit to encompass all of what the Spirit does? The Spirit is the nature of God. Compare 2 Peter 1:4, "partakers of the divine nature," with Hebrews 6:4, "partakers in the Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit communicates everything God wishes to communicate. That is to say, every communicable attribute of God can be communicated by his Spirit. It is his very self. God is Holy, and God is Spirit (John 4:24). The Spirit of God is what he is. God is power. God is love. When we receive his power, his love, when we receive his Spirit.
The Spirit communicates the person of God to us. There is what's called the "transcendence, immanance problem" in philosophy. How can God be transcendental, residing in heaven far above us, and yet omnipresent, here with us? How is he both transcendent and immanent? God is a person, and he resides in heaven. And yet he also resides in us, and we reside in him (John 14:23, 1 John 2:24). The Spirit is how he resides in us. The Spirit of God communicates the person of God to us. His own presence resides in us. This person resides in us by his Spirit.
The Lord is the Spirit
When Jesus was raised from the dead, he received this same Spirit in full (Acts 2:33, 1 Corinthians 15:45, Colossians 2:9). In the same way God resides in heaven and resides in us, so also does the Son by the same Spirit. These are not two different spirits. The Bible says that we only know one Spirit (Ephesians 4:4). Jesus was raised from the dead by God's Spirit, and he himself became clothed in that Spirit. It became his own nature. This is what a new creation is. A man of flesh who is now Spirit. When Jesus was raised from the dead, he says that he has flesh and bone, unlike a spirit (Luke 24:39). Yet, he appears in locked rooms and in a different form (Mark 16:12). He breathes the Holy Spirit onto his apostles (John 20:22). Jesus is the same body that rose up from the tomb, the same body nailed to the cross, with the same holes in his hands and side. Yet, he has the Holy Spirit within, his own breath, his own life source. "The second Adam, Life-giving Spirit" (1 Corinthians 15:45). No longer a body of flesh with life made to be a living soul, but a body with the Spirit of immortality clothing it.
Who is the Paraklétos? Jesus Christ
In the topic passages, we are talking about the paraklétos, who we have clearly identified as the Holy Spirit (which is not a very contested claim). If we read 1 John 2:1, we find: "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you might not sin. And if anyone should sin, we have a paraklétos with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One." Jesus Christ is identified as the paraklétos "with the Father." John is talking about the risen Christ and says that he is the paraklétos. "We have (present tense verb) a paraklétos with the Father." Is Jesus, then, the Holy Spirit after resurrection? Yes. "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all having been unveiled in face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.... For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:17-18, 4:5). As plainly as it can be, the Lord is Jesus, and Jesus is the Spirit. How many spirits are there? "One Spirit" (Ephesians 4:4). Jesus Christ has been made the Holy Spirit now that he has been resurrected. So, too, will we be "who are being conformed to the same image."
The Holy Spirit "Was" Another
The Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of the Lord, the Holy Spirit, all of these terms refer to one and the same Spirit after Jesus' resurrection. A common objection raised is that the Holy Spirit is something that comes down upon Jesus at his baptism. "I saw the Spirit descend and remain upon him" (John 1:32), and other objections which show a distinction between Jesus and the Spirit. This is not to the point. We, now, receive the Spirit as a down-payment (2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Ephesians 1:14). You put a deposit on something that you do not yet own but have some partial claim to. The Spirit is granted to us as a partial reward for what is to come at resurrection and glorification. The Spirit that we have now is not ours. This is the same for Jesus in his ministry. God gave Jesus the Spirit as a deposit for what he would receive in full at resurrection. The Holy Spirit becomes the Spirit of Christ only after resurrection. To argue that the Spirit is someone or something else during Christ's ministry does not change the facts presented here. Jesus becomes the Spirit. That is the resurrection body Paul speaks of at length in 1 Corinthians 15 (verse 12 ff). A body of glory by the Spirit of the Lord of glory. This is why we are the body of Christ. Because Christ has been raised in a body of Holy Spirit, and when we partake in that Spirit now, which is his body, we become his body. This is truly what Jesus means when we ask us to eat his body, his flesh, and drink the blood of his life. What has the body of Jesus become? Life-giving Spirit.
The Holy Spirit, a Person? Who?
John 14:23 says: "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and will make a home with him." This is just before and after he has introduced the paraklétos to us. When we receive the Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of the Father and will be the Spirit of the Son, then both the Father and Son are in us through that Spirit in us. One Spirit in us, the presence of both of these persons. 1 John 2:27 says: "And you, the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But just as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things and is true and is no lie, and just as it has taught you, you shall abide in Him." What is the anointing we receive? Is it not the anointing of the Holy Spirit? When we are anointed and receive the Spirit, then we abide in Him, and he abides in us.
When people argue about the Holy Spirit being a person in John 14-16, the argument does not prove the Trinity to be true. The question is, "Who is the person of the Holy Spirit?" There is no reason to assume that the Holy Spirit is another person, not the Father or the Son. When "he" abides in us, the Spirit of truth, in these verses, is the resurrected son. He, the risen Lord, will be in us, with us, and testifying to us, comforting us. This is not personification of something. The personal presence of Christ is in us. He is immanent. He is with us, as our paraklétos from the Father.
Argument 2, "Another" Paraklétos
"And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper." Jesus says that the Father will send another. How, then, can I say that this is Jesus? Because the resurrected Jesus is another helper, a different helper than the Jesus in his ministry. This is what they did not and could not yet understand. Paul refers to this resurrected Jesus in the same way. Romans 7:4, "Likewise, my brothers, you also have been put to death to the Law through the body of Christ, for you to belong to another, to the One having been raised out from the dead, so that we should bear fruit to God." We died in Christ, to belong to another in his resurrection. In this context, Paul is talking about the union of Israel to the old law, and he likens this covenant to a marriage covenant. At the death of one party, the covenant is broken. "'Til death do we part." After death, the covenant is broken. There is no law holding the marriage together. Likewise, Israel died to the law when they died together with Jesus in their baptism into his death. Water baptism. We die to ourselves, we die to the flesh, which the law governs over, and we are raised in the Spirit. Spirit baptism. We receive the Spirit of another. The risen Jesus. Have you ever wondered why Acts 13:30-33 says that God had to beget Jesus when he was raised from the dead? Have you ever wondered why Colossians 1:18 and Revelation 1:5 call Jesus the firstborn from among the dead?
Paul also says this in 2 Corinthians 5:16-17: "Therefore from now, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have regarded Christ according to flesh, yet now we regard Him thus no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, the new has come into being." The Jesus that went to the cross to die was the first comforter. The comforter in the flesh. But this flesh was nailed to cross, and what rose from the grave was another comforter. A new creation. This is why we are also a new creation when we are "in Christ," by dying with him in baptism and raising with him in the same Spirit that raised him from the dead.
"I will send another paraklétos. We have a paraklétos with the Father, Jesus Christ." Another. The resurrected Jesus. A new man, a new body, begotten of God again, life-giving Spirit. Jesus is saying that he will send the Spirit of Christ to us. And when we receive this Spirit of Jesus and the Father, they are abiding in us, at home in us, and we abide in the them in that same Spirit. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will receive you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also. And you know the way to the place I am going." Where did Jesus go? Was he not ascended to heaven? He isn't talking about going to heaven when you die. He's talking about where you will reside when you receive his Spirit. "Seated with Christ in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 2:6). This is now for those of us who have been filled with the Spirit, and heaven has been opened to us (see Acts 7:55-56). Notice that Paul uses the aorist tense, which is a past tense verb in this verse. God has already, past tense, seated us with Christ in the heavenly places. Paul goes on in verses 8-10 to explain that his audience has already received forgiveness and grace, and they have already been created in Christ for good works. That is to say, they have already received this Spirit. they are seated with Christ already in heaven. Not when they die, not after resurrection, but now. "I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you" (John 14:18). He says this just after he speaks of the paraklétos coming to comfort us. Jesus isn't talking about coming back at his return. This isn't comforting to them. He still has not returned. He's talking about coming back in the Spirit.
John 14:16-17, 26 Explained
John 14:16: "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you to the age—."
Jesus will ask the Father on our behalf as mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), and he will give us another helper. Not the helper they had in the flesh, a new helper in the Spirit. The risen Christ. And this Spirit of Christ will be in us until the end of the age. The Church age. That is until his return.
John 14:17: "the Spirit of truth, whom the world is not able to receive, because it does not see Him nor know. But you know Him, for He abides with you, and He will be in you."
The Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, which guides us into all truth. The world does not receive the Spirit of Christ. They have the Spirit of the world. They do not know or see the Spirit we have received. They do not understand or faith. But the apostles know him, the Spirit of truth, because they see the Spirit in Jesus while he is alive. They will have that same Spiritual deposit when they receive him.
John 14:26: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and will bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you."
The Father will send in the name or authority of Christ. God will have given Jesus all authority (Matthew 28:18). We receive the Spirit in the name of Jesus. He is our way to the Father. The Spirit will teach us all truth, so that we have no need anyone should teach us (1 John 2:27).
John 15:26 Explained
John 15:26: "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes forth from the Father, He will bear witness concerning Me."
The Spirit goes out from the Father. It is essentially part of him, which goes forth. But this part of him is given to Jesus, who participates in the shared Spirit. This is what makes us a family. We will all share in what the Father is. The Spirit of God is sent from the Father through Jesus, and that Spirit will bear witness concerning Christ. This means that when we receive that Spirit, we show and display the mind and nature of Christ, and Christ is formed among us. "We will be like him." This is not about a distinct person proceeding forth from the Father's essence as a new and separate center of self-consciousness. The consciousness and personhood of the Spirit are the same consciousness, the same person as he who sends it. If the Father sends his Spirit, the Father is in us. If the Spirit proceeds from Jesus, then Jesus is in us. Since the Spirit becomes a shared Spirit that both are sending, then both are in us by this Spirit. This is why Jesus says that he will send the Spirit from the Father. His Spirit is that which he received from the Father (Acts 2:33), and they both are present in the same Spirit. This is why the Holy Spirit is sometimes very vague in the NT as to which person sends the Spirit. Because it is very much a blended act. Romans 8:9: "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him." The Spirit, the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Christ are all interchangeably terms here. All are the same thing.
John 16:7, 13-14 Explained
John 16:7: "But I tell you the truth, it is profitable for you that I should go away; for unless I go away the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you."
If Jesus does not die on the cross, the Spirit can not be poured out to us. Why? Because we can't be a clean and holy temple for the presence of God to reside in if we do not become sinless by dying to our flesh in Christ. If Jesus goes to the Father, he will send the Spirit to us. Because Jesus does not receive the Spirit in a way that he can pour it out upon us unless the Father elevates and raises him. Jesus must be changed (1 Corinthians 15:51).
John 16:13-14: "But when He the, Spirit of truth, shall come, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak from Himself, but whatever He may hear, He will speak. And He will declare to you the things coming. He will glorify Me, for He will take from that which is Mine and will disclose it to you."
The Spirit guides us, individually, into all truth because each of us individually receives this Spirit personally when we are anointed. "He will not speak from himself, but whatever he may hear, he will speak." The Spirit does not possess a separate consciousness from the Father or Son. The Spirit says nothing from himself, the one speaking in the Spirit is the one who sends the Spirit. What Jesus communicates through his Spirit, this is what we hear. But this paraklétos is the risen Christ. He, the resurrected Jesus, does not speak from himself. He speaks what the Father has told him. "A man who told you the truth I heard from God." Hebrews 1:2 says that in these last days (a reference to the resurrected Christ), God has now spoken to us in a Son. The Son does not speak from himself. He speaks only what he has heard from the Father.
Applicable and Explanatory Context
Other scriptures from this discourse from Jesus illustrate his points.
John 14:2-4: "In My Father’s house there are many mansions. And if not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will receive you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also. And you know the way to the place I am going."
In my Father's house are many mansions. Places of residence in the Father. Receiving the Spirit of Christ is not just about the Father and Jesus being in us, but about us also being in them. Being in them where they are. Seated at God's right hand in heaven. "Seated in the heavenly places."
John 14:11-12: "Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me; but if not, believe because of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, the one believing in Me, the works that I do, also he will do. And he will do greater of these because I am going to the Father. "
We should believe that the Father is in Jesus by his Spirit because of the works that the Father does through Jesus (Acts 2:22). The one believing in Jesus will do "the greater of these works" (not "greater than these). The verse literally says, "the [one] believing in me, the works that I do he also will do and greater of these will he do because I go to the Father." He's talking about us doing the works he did and the greatest of those works. The greatest work Jesus did was love his neighbour and share the gospel. These are the works we are to do "because I am going to the Father." We do the works of God too because we are to receive the Spirit of God just as Jesus did. This is how Jesus demonstrated perfect love. This is how Jesus was guided into the truth of the gospel. Because he received the Spirit of God, and so also will we.
John 14:20: "In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you."
In what day? The day we receive the Spirit of life. We will know Jesus is in the Father because we will experience what that is like. For those of us who have received this Spirit, we know that we are in God, God is in us, and we are in Christ, and he is in us. "In that day," the day you receive the Spirit. We will understand how the Father in him did the works because they will be in us doing their work as well.
John 14:21: "The one having My commandments and keeping them, he is the one loving Me. Now the one loving Me will be loved by My Father. And I will love him, and will show Myself to him."
"I will show myself to him." How? As the paraklétos. Heaven is opened. "I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago—whether in the body, I do not know, or out of the body, I do not know; God knows—such a man, having been caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows— that he was caught up into Paradise, and he heard inexpressible words, not being permitted to man to speak." (2 Corinthians 12:2-4)
John 14:23-24: "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and will make a home with him. The one not loving Me does not keep My words. And the word that you hear is not Mine, but that of the Father having sent Me."
"We will make our home with him." Think back to, "in my Father's house are many abodes." We receive them in us when we receive their Spirit. The words we hear are that which he received from the Father. "He will not speak from Himself, but whatever He may hear, He will speak." Jesus will teach us the truth from God as the word of God. "In these last days, God has spoken to us in a Son."
John 14:27: "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it fear."
Jesus, here, is our comforter, leaving with peace. Jesus will give us peace once again when he returns to us in the Spirit. As another comforter.
John 14:28: "You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away and I am coming to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I."
Jesus is going away through death to ascend to the Father. He is coming back in the Spirit to us. Jesus knows his apostles will be sad at his death and his ascension in losing him. But this is how Jesus comforts them. They should rejoice because he is going to come back again to comfort them. "The Father is greater than I." His reason for mentioning this is because the way in which he can comfort and strengthen them in the Spirit he will send and receive from the Father is greater than the way he can comfort them now. They should rejoice at Jesus' leaving them. Not because they want to see him go, but because they will understand that he will come back to them in the Spirit once he does. He must ascend to the Father to receive his Spirit and inheritance to be able to pour out that blessing on us.
John 15:4: "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch is not able to bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither you, unless you abide in Me."
They can abide in Jesus by the Spirit he will pour out upon them.
John 16:16: "A little while and you behold Me no longer; and again a little while and you will see Me."
You will see me. Not someone else named the Spirit of truth, but you will see me. Jesus. We will see him where he is in heaven when we receive him to ourselves in the Spirit.
John 16:19-22: Jesus knew that they were desiring to ask Him, and He said to them, “Do you inquire among one another concerning this, that I said, ‘A little while and you do not behold Me, and again a little while and you will see Me’? Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and will lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be grieved, but your grief will turn to joy. The woman has pain when she is giving birth, because her hour has come; but when she brings forth the child, she remembers the tribulation no longer, on account of the joy that a man has been born into the world. Therefore, you also indeed have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you."
Their pain will turn to joy when they see him again. He will come back to them as their comforter. They will be grieved when Jesus dies, just as a woman who has a child is in pain during the child birth. But after the pain comes relief and reward. After losing him, they will receive him and see him again, in the Spirit. "No one will take your joy from you." Even when Jesus ascends, they will still rejoice because they have not lost him. They still have him by the Spirit.
John 16:33: "I have spoken these things to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world."
Summary
The paraklétos is Jesus, who is the Holy Spirit in resurrection. When he ascends to the Father, he receives his inheritance to pour this Spirit out upon us. "Therefore having been exalted at the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out this which you are both seeing and hearing" (Acts 2:33). This is when the Spirit is poured out on Pentecost. Jesus pours out the Spirit from God because he has received his promised reward. "We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One" (1 John 2:1). Jesus is going to be raised as another. A new creation. In doing so, he will grant us the Spirit he has received in full, yet we only now receive as a deposit of what is to come. We will receive this same Spirit in full when we are changed and raised up to glory. "When he, the Spirit of truth shall come, he will guide you into all truth." That is the Spirit of Christ. The personal presence of Jesus himself.

it been a month (sorry but am even more poor now so i cant buy anything, i still have a few but i have to space it out)
am i sitting here at 10 pm (i write the review in multiple days sometimes lol) making a review because i have to declutter my cloths and am TERRIFIED, yes absolutely is it wort it yes
it a few days later and now am watching the fast and the furious am at the 8 right now, ill probably be done by tomorrow, it a fun marathon, right now the best one is the first, but like as a kid my fav was always the 3 one, guess when we grow up our taste grow up too lol
what's a duet: it a concept created by osmofolia (am pretty sure as i never seen it before) where a perfume is made by 2 perfume, so lets say you have exquisite corps that's the perfume you buy, when you receive it you gonna have 2 bottle, vanilla milk and smoked lavender musk, when you layer them on your skin, they become exquisite corps! but the fun part is that you have 3 perfume, and the 2 bottle you get are amazing layering notes (as it their hole purpose) so you can add them to any perfume you want
LIKES: tea, patchouli, tart fruits, close to skin smell, greens (grass, moss, leaf's of all sort (tomato leaf yum)), atmospheric/realistic, citrus, frankincense, cedar, most fruits actually, soil, roses, lavender, salt, sage, cannabis, rosemary, cozy gourmand, marshmallow, smoke, cinnamon actually most spice, pine/fir, violet leaf/violet, i like stuff that feel wet (fog, ocean, rain), ambergris
DISLIKES: ozone, aldehyde, oud, sandalwood, cinnamon leaf, big silage, white floral, especially tuberose and gardenias, but also just florals in general, alcoholics, vetiver, perfumy perfume, most milk, tar, when company say “for woman” or “for man”
HATE OR LOVE no in between: Hay, jasmine, incense, pink pepper, fancy woods, most resins, iris/orris, petrichor
to your attention: this is not really a critique, but it still normal i don't gush over everything, am talking about my taste not trying to sell you anything, i like all the company i talk about and if i don't i will say it. i am a bitch but don't let your feeling get hurt over a little dumb post please ;) love yall lets do this
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HONEY DUST you mean pollen right?
notes: pollen, hay, honey, beeswax, powdered sugar
though: so on the bottle there the name of the duet (what a spellcaster leaves behind) and a number not the name of the note, and when i got them i was too lazy to look it up to make sure i wrote the right name so i just did it by memory, so now on my bottle it written "pollen" lol. i do think it perfect for this perfume it super dusty to the point were if you have pollen allergy i would tell you to stay away from this, it also gives me the same harshness grass perfume give me sometime but it not at all green wish is kinda weird too maybe the hay? idk but it welcome, this perfume is the mix of comforting sweater and seasonal allergy, weird but i love that in a perfume
color: golden yellow dust of pollen in a gold ornate jar sitting on a red tinted wood table
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ANTIQUE BOOK if vanilla ice cream and white wood had a child
notes: paper, leather, glue, old book, cedar, vanilla, cetalox
though: every single book fragrance is either super chemical or super woody marshmallow there just no in-between and this is a woody marshmallow that dry down to a sandalwood-y thingy, i don't hate it but i do think it better as a addition to another perfume then by it own. but on it own i think it perfect for the book ladies that are a little (a bit) more conservative then me (and always ladies in a non gendered way lolll i just have a booktok person in mind and shes a woman, but it not a woman perfume none are)
color: a hard cover book with no letter printed on any of the page (your gonna say, oh a drawing pad, nah, a small hard cover where they just made a mistake on the print and there nothing) and also you know the wood you can find around lake and the sea, it super white and soft, that but in a 2x4

WHAT A SPELLCASTER LEAVES BEHIND cream pollen
notes: pollen, hay, honey, beeswax, powdered sugar, paper, leather, glue, old book, cedar, vanilla, cetalox
though: this is interesting the antique book note almost lost itself in the honey dust, but then you smell honey dust on it own again and your like ok i see it much more chill on the dusty-ness, i get it i get it, it also a perfect on the name i love it! what a spellcaster leaves behinds it so descriptive and cute and definetly perfect for the perfume, you can imagine the scene, a big dusty book closing, the dust particule going everywhere, someone closing a candle and then a door.
color: a huge dusty, very dusty book, with gold corner and yellowing pages
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VANILLA MILK sweet brown milk (smell better then it sounds)
notes: cream, caramel , heliotrope, vanilla, milk, musk
though: that's not for me, for sure, i mean to be fair my skin don't work with anything milk, my only love is milk shaka from Damask Haus, to me this is sickly sweet, but i don't think most would think that, if you like a milk caramel this is for you for sure, this is concerning because of the realism, i mean it smell like warm milk, and the thick light brown caramel that looks like melted plastic but actually taste pretty good, just very artificial, witch is weird cuz caramel sauce is so easy to make and i don't get why restaurant and ice cream shop don't make it themselves it like 3 ingredient, butter, sugar and cream, (brown sugar if you want butterscotch) but anyway you also have a bit of a floral note but it just adds to the warm milk, really interesting i see this being very popular with the gourmand people
color: a room temperature glass of milk forgotten on a oval shaped table, you know the big ones in wood, with a super big feet underneath, they always have some middle piece of broderie made by some grand mother and and a flower pot full of fresh flower (white heliotrope this time) on the other side of the table there a caramel cream pie
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SMOKED LAVENDER MUSK gay fur
notes: lavender, smoke, oakmoss, musk
though: lavender smoke is a pretty common mix, i don't particularly care for but i love this, it fun it sexy and the lavender pretty realistic. if you know a bit about queer history, lavender been a symbol of gay-ness (lol) since the end of the 19th century, and idk if it since i know this fact that i believe all lavender perfume are gay, well this not the exception (i really don't think there one, it like violet) idk know why exactly but this perfume is just very queer to me, only downside, cuz it really smell good, it that it doesn't last super long contrary to vanilla milk that's super persistent
color: light purple fur coat, and a black leather cat suit with cowboy boots and a big chunky belt, but truly it just a smoke lavender love

EXQUISITE CORPS They are cold like porcelain
notes: lavender, smoke, oakmoss, musk, cream, caramel , heliotrope, vanilla, milk, musk
though: you know i bitch a lot about name accuracy but this is spot on, does it smell like a crops, i mean no, not that i know of (and idk every dead i seen was in dust form not corps form) but it has this cold creaminess mix with the floral it just exactly the name. this is amazing if you put just a little bit of the vanilla milk (my opinion, but don't you think this concept is amazing for that you can dose your 2 perfume to make exactly the combi you prefer) i just think it better when it the smoky floral that take the lead it more mortuary less floral caramel
color: cold, soft but lifeless skin. resting on a pile of white and purple flower, white coffin, 2 small marble column on each side to witch rest on top flower pot. people crying
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7/11 STEAMED MATCHA LATTE a dammed good matcha latte
notes: steam, matcha, warm milk, green tea, cream
though: this is the best of them all, by far, on it own, it just so perfect, the matcha super realistic, it super creamy it has this amazing grass quality and i just sweet enough, as a tea note lover THIS, IS perfect. i were it the most out of the 6 and any combination of the 6. oh last thing it kinda also smell like white chocolate just so you know but there literally nothing else i can say to this perfume it a perfection in simplicity
color: white chocolate and matcha ganache, i kinda want to make a matcha latte recipe but it would be too long cuz there way to many step to make a fancy matcha latte, you'll have to imagine it lol
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COLD RAIN ON PAVEMENT perfectionism
notes: cold air, humid air, puddles, rain, concrete, tar
though: i hate ozone/aldehydes, but objectifly this one is not too bad, osmofolia has a goesmin single note that is actually realistic rain this one is not (to me) but it still adjacent, it wet, bright, soapy and and a bit floral, i mean ofc i wont like a perfume that give me a headache, but that's not the perfume fault right like, i know this perfume is beautiful, it gives me Ghibli rain scene, like in Arrietty, Totoro or Kiki the Little Witch, it rain but in a very aesthetically pleasing way, am doing a fast and furious marraton but after i feel like watching all the ghibli movie
color: walking next to a flower shop after the rain, a little brightness in the thick of the concrete jungle

ON THE CORNER OF JINHU ROAD too pretty
notes: steam, matcha, warm milk, green tea, cream, cold air, humid air, puddles, rain, concrete, tar
though: every one that read my reviews know 2 thing for sure about me, i hate ozone/aldehydes like we seen right before and i have weird references, well weirdly i don't hate this, i mean not on me it would still give me a head ache like ozone/aldehydes always do but it pleasant, i think it the creaminess, it kinda chill out the harshness of cold rain on pavement, but it still has the buzz-ness, it like a soapy, after the rain drinking a matcha latte (that has some kind of white floral syrup in) it pretty, too pretty for me
color: walking next to a flower shop after the rain, a little brightness in the thick of the concrete jungle but the flower shop is also a coffee shop and you get yourself a matcha latte
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MIX AND MATCH, if you get it you get it if you don't you don't ok
Matcha + Milk = Brown Sugar Matcha Latte
Matcha + Lavender = Dirty Matcha
Matcha + Book = White Chocolate BonBon
Matcha + Pollen = Fancy HoneyBee With Her Little Tea
Milk + Book = Alpha, Eating At The Library
Milk + Pavement = Frolicking, Naked After The Rain
Milk + Pollen = Sexy Picnic
Lavender + Pavement = Smoking In The Flower Field
Lavender + Book = Gay Woodworker
Lavender + Pollen = Ashtray, Potpourri
Pavement + Pollen = Electric Bee, Buzz Buzz
Pavement + Book = Little Bookstore In Old Montréal
Pollen + Book = Reading in the Sunroom
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i could do a combi of 3 perfume but that just to much work, but if you do please share in the comment your favs lolll
this month as been kinda hell, am still working on my move (to no where lol) and am nowhere near done, now am starting to make the boxes (tomorrow) and it stressing me the fuck out, anyway on that note, how do you make pr? loll (half joking) cuz yeah i miss doing these review, but dont worry i still have maybe 5 review left if i don't count the discontinued stereoplasm
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also, have a great night love xoxo

Hi lovely people,
We just came back from our first trip to Japan and it was truly a memorable trip. We spent over 3 weeks in Japan from 07th May until 30th May. WE LOVE JAPAN! Can't wait to come back.
A little bit about us: We are both ~30y olds and enjoy a mix of urban, outdoor and culture during our holidays. We are foodies, but not hard-core as in we don't specifically organize our trips around restaurants. There are so many restaurants in Japan, it is hard to get a bad meal. We enjoy just wandering around neighbourhoods. Mostly low/mid-budget stuff with a splurge once in a while.
Our travel itinerary can be found here
General comments

• Time period of travel: We arrived 7th of May which is the last sunday of Golden week. We specifically wanted to avoid Golden week, as we heard it can be crazy busy due to domestic travels. And we also didn't want to go too late in May because June is rainy season in Japan. We were pretty lucky with the weather overall as we only had a couple of days of rain, most days were sunny and we even had some days of sweltering heat :O
• Like other people suggest, try to get in shape before you go! We are both in average shape. Almost every day we walked around 20.000 steps or more. The only rest days we had were the days where we were switching between cities, i.e. sitting in trains for longer periods of time. No complaints ;). I brought two pair of shoes: water-proof hiking shoes and one pair of light-weight running shoes. Switching between shoes was nice, I didn't have any blisters during my time in Japan luckily. All the walking compensated all the eating though!
• Check whether region specific JR passes might work for you. We decided against getting the nationwide JR passes as they didn't fit our needs and were expensive and instead opted for a regional JR Setouchi area pass. It was perfect for the Shimanami Kaido. We could travel from Osaka to Onomichi -> Hiroshima/Miyajima -> Kyoto. And it also gave us access to Nozomi shinkansen (fastest) and a great ferry ride between Matsuyama and Hiroshima.

Japanguide has a nice overview of all the passes : https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357.html

• Be flexible (That's how we like to travel). I mapped out most of the sights beforehand according to must-see's and mapped out what other interesting sights there would be in those areas. The day before or in the morning, we would decide what we would do roughly, sight-see according to neighborhood and just wing it a little bit. We just love to wander around and see what we come across, mixed with some google maps + "explore" function. Some days you are just tired and just want to hang out in a park, or you have temple-fatigue and want to do something entirely else. Same with food/restaurants, we usually just used google maps to see what kind of great restaurants were near us at that moment. We haven't lined up more than twice our whole time there and still ate wonderfully. We do tend to avoid overly hyped stuff anyways. I do keep in mind that everyone has their own ways.
• Buy e-sim if possible, it is the cheapest and easiest way. My partner bought an e-sim and it was so convenient! My phone unfortunately didn't support it and I had to buy a sim. I opted for getting one at BIC camera, which was the cheapest I could find. 10GB for 30 days for 3200 yen.
• Keep plastic bags for trash. Buying food from conbini, and eating it somewhere? say yes to that plastic bag, because you will need it to stash your garbage until you are back at your hotel where you can throw it away or you find a garbage bin at the train station per chance. I read about this a lot on this subreddit, but still I found it astonishing the lack of trash cans. Fascinating how the streets of Japan are so damn clean.
• Try Pokari sweat. :) I tried it for the first time there and I was hooked immediately. It is awesome! Best electrolyte drink ever and it definitely saved me during those hot sweaty days there. CC lemon is also great!
• Go for a haircut or some other beauty/massage treatment. The hospitality is amazing in Japan. You won't regret getting pampered in Japan. They have all kinds of crazy treatments. I got the best haircut of my life for 4400yen.

Trip report

PS. I am not mentioning everything we did in this post. I will just mention highlights. It is still a long read though ;).
D1 - D2 Osaka
We landed at Kansai airport. Before our trip, we also bought train vouchers for Osaka online (https://www.howto-osaka.com/en/ticket/). Best decision ever, because the journey was rough and we were exhausted by the time we landed. We only had to exchange our vouchers at the station and off we went.
Osaka was nice city to start with as it is a more manageable "smaller" city whilst recovering from our jetlag. Despite being smaller, I do think it is worth a visit. Osaka is so iconic at night. We stayed at a spacious Airbnb near Kuromon Ichiban market.

• Takoyaki :) We had our first try of takoyaki at Takotako King instead of one the places at Dotonbori to avoid the crazy lines. You can sit down, have a beer and yes the takoyaki is amazing. It should be crunchy on the outside and deliciously goeey on the inside, doused with sauces and katsuobushi. Man, I wish I could go back and eat it again. It is true, you can't get great takoyaki outside of Osaka, at least I didn't get that same crunchy gooey combo again in other cities.
• Discount sushi from Takashimaya department store. For the budget-minded, this is a no-brainer. Around 7PM, an hour before closing time, you can get delicious fatty tuna maki at discount prices in the basement of takashimaya. Other foods at the department store food floor such as the fresh mochi are delicious also. Takashimaya is my favorite department store for food I think!
• Osaka castle - Our first castle in Japan. The green roof and the golden ornaments are beautiful and unique!
• Dotonbori - iconic :) fun to walk along. The queues are long there. We avoided eating at Dotonbori.
• Shitenno-ji - beautiful pagoda with buddha statues inside. Do pay the fee to go inside and see the garden. You can also go into the pagoda and walk up.
• Huge fan of Shotengai's, Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street. They are so quintessential Japan.
• Ramen Tendo, the first ramen joint that we tried in Japan, so it has a special place in my heart. They specialize in chicken broth with lots of umami katsuoboshi flavor. Noodles were great too, very bouncy. Delicious! Little did I know that this ramen joint was really one of the best we would have this trip. It set the bar high for sure!
• Visit a local grocery store. Maybe it is just me, but I love to browse at local grocery shops (KOHYO namba Minatomachi) and be fascinated by all the different things they sell. It is also a great place to buy food souvenirs, like miso, green tea etc. Lots of pre-cooked meals/ fried stuff. Just a wider selection than your typical conbini. And again discounts if you go ~1hr before closing time.

Skip Shinsekai: We visited during the day and it felt very empty to me. More like a tourist-trap, the eateries didn't look appealing to me. Maybe during the evening this area is more fun.
D3 Nara
We did Nara as a day-trip from Osaka.

• Yes, to feeding the deer. It is touristy, but it is so much fun to be chased by cookie-crazed deer. One more thing: deer's fart a lot. We were wondering where this weird high pitched sound was coming from, those are actually deer farts.
• Todai-ji is very impressive, definitely a must visit.
• Just wander around in Nara park, it's very lush and beautiful and has many more shrines and interesting sights, such as manyo botanical garden. I wish we had one more day to explore Nara but oh well maybe next time :)
• We ate lunch at Magura Koya, a small restaurant run by a lovely elderly couple. Delicious tuna dishes. I had a tuna sashimi bowl and my partner the fried tuna set meal, so fresh!
• We had the best pork bun at Hourokutei at the end of the Higashimuki shopping street. It's a small hole in the wall, but omg the squishy-est juicy-est porkbuns ever.

D4 Onomichi
After staying in Osaka for 3 days, we headed west for the Shimanami Kaido. We decided to stay in Onomichi (Hotel Beacon Onomichi) for the night before we started our two day bike trip. For this part of our trip, we picked up our 7-day Setouchi area pass at Shin-Osaka JR station. I just want to mention that I really love the hospitality of the staff in Japan. The JR office people were so nice and helpful. We reserved our seats for the shinkansen and off we went to Onomichi. Onomichi is a lovely little seaside town to just stroll around and take in the views. I really recommend spending at least half a day here. Don't skip it!

• Senkoji park observatory - we walked up to the observatory (ropeway available), please walk up as there are lots of nice alleyways, shrines and cats along the way :). The view is amazing, especially at sunset.
• Cat alley: honestly, every alley is cat alley.
• Onomichi Shotengai - very retro, lots of cute shops. We bought a nice poster from a little granny there.

D5 & D6 Shimanami Kaido -> Matsuyama
The next day, we picked up our reserved cross bikes from the general bike rental and off we went. Honestly, biking the shimanami kaido was the highlight of our trip. We took two days to bike the whole way, one day would definitely be too rushed for us. We stopped at Ikuchi island (Shimanaido NEST) for our halfway stay.
The sights along the way were great! It was so much fun to go down-hill, the uphills were do-able. We had great weather also, not too hot and no rain. Everything was clearly indicated, we just followed the blue lines. I felt very safe biking in Japan. PS. My butt did hurt from the saddle, so be warned! Bring some cushioned pants if you want to be safe side.

• First pitstop after the first bridge was Hassakuya. You have to stop here! They have delicious strawberry and citrus daifuku! The citrus had a bitter aftertaste, but they are famous for their citrus so its definitely nice to try.
• Just enjoy the views, stop everywhere to take pictures. There are lots of things to explore along the way.
• Stop at roadside stations such as > tatara shimanami park and yoshiumi iki-iki-kan. Especially before you take on the last bridge just do a little pit stop. It's a nice place to take some pictures of the insanely long bridge and have a citrus/vanilla soft cream.

https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/ for more info and bike rental
We decided to bike one-way from Onomichi to Imabari and we have no regrets. I liked that we ended the bike trip with the longest bridge (4km!!). Imabari is very industrial, but after the fun long way down from the last bridge and being exhausted from biking you just want to get to the station and stuff yourself with pastries from the bakery at the station and go on to your next destination. Thus, we immediately took the train to Matsuyama. Originally, the plan was to enjoy the famous onsen in Matsuyama, but we didn't have enough time and we were also pretty tired. After checking-in at the hotel, it was already 4, we made our way to Matsuyama castle but unfortunately, we were too late to go in. It was still nice to view it from the outside and walk around the park. We planned to do sightseeing in Hiroshima the next day, so there was no more time to explore Matsuyama further.
D7 Hiroshima -> Miyajima
After Shiminami Kaido, we headed towards Hiroshima/Miyajima. We took an early ferry from Matsuyama. The ferry was included in the setouchi JR pass, so we gladly took advantage of that. It's a nice way to get to Hiroshima, just one last view of the Seto inland sea. One remark: if it is not JR serviced transportation, you do have to obtain separate tickets. Normally, just showing your setouchi JR pass is enough to get onboard the train, but for the ferry you do have to go to the ticket desk and show your JR pass to obtain the ferry tickets.

• Peace memorial museum - a history we must not forget and do not want to repeat
• We tried another Hiroshima speciality for lunch: Hiroshima Tsukemen. This tsukemen is GREAT. One of my favorite dishes. We ate at Tsukemen Karabu Tokaichimachi. The spicy umami dipping sauce is very addicting!

Surprisingly, it was very hard to find affordable good accommodation in Hiroshima. It was the weekend and two weeks before G7, so maybe that was the reason why it was harder to find accommodation. In the end, I found a nice simple hotel on Miyajima island and it was a good decision after all! After a long day in Hiroshima, we made our way to Miyajima to stay two nights. Staying on Miyajima island is lovely especially when all the day-trip tourist leave.
D8 Miyajima
Honestly, Miyajima is truly magical. Another highlight of our trip! We started the day early to get ahead of the crowd and that made it all so much more enjoyable. Seeing shrines and temples without a crowd is truly 1000x better! If you can stay at Miyajima island, do it! You don't have to splurge on expensive ryokan (although it would have been nice). We stayed at Sakuraya, which was very budget-friendly.

• Itsukishima Jinja - Nice but Daishoin and surrounding nature were the highlights for me.
• Daishoin - it is the most beautiful shrine complex I have seen in Japan this trip. I think it's because it was so quaint and it was embedded in the hill, surrounded by lush green nature. There were multiple complexes. There was a pathway studded with Jizo statues, buddist cave, prayer wheels and much more. While we were there, a ceremony with a monk was ongoing and everyone could participate in helping burning the origami peace cranes made by children, to make their wishes come true. We bought a little peace crane made from the ashes to remember this moment.
• Mt. Misen - we hiked up from Dashoin. It was ~2hrs? of steep stair climbing, 500m elevation gain. A challenge for sure but we definitely earned our way going down by ropeway :P. Views are great! go go! There is a bus to the ropeway so you don't have to suffer if you don't want to.
• Momijidani park - If you don't like Momiji trees, you can't be my friend.
• Snack along the Miyajima ometesando street. Crowded, but the cakes are great!

One remark, our hotel didn't include dinner and all the restaurants on the island close quite early. Luckily, with our setouchi JR pass, we could take the ferry for free, so went to the mainland for dinner. Just keep this in mind, when booking your stay.
D9 - D13 Kyoto
We took the early train to Kyoto and checked in at Tokyu stay Sanjo-karasuma. We had 5 days to explore Kyoto and by this time we had lost our FOMO a little bit and also decided to take it a bit more slow. We still ended up walking a lot anyways but at least we were sleeping in.
The day we arrived,15MAY, was supposed to be Aoi matsuri so we headed to Kamo river to see the festival. Unfortunately, the festival was postponed due to the slight rainfall and we had no clue! but we were next to Kyoto botanical garden and we decided to visit that instead!

• Kyoto botanical garden: it is a lovely garden with a huge variety of plants and trees to see. Really well maintained and during our visit there was a great rose garden in bloom. I recommend going there! It has a nice japanese garden section too with momiji trees and moss. A greenhouse with orchids. Lot's to see here. Only 200 yen.
• Arashiyama area - I really loved this area, not just for the bamboo forest. Togetsukyo bridge and Katsura river were the highlights for me. You can walk along the both sides of Katsura riverbank. A nice way to get to the bamboo forest and bypassing the busy beginning at the start of bamboo forest is by walking along the katsura river bank into Kameyama park and following the signs to Okochi sanso garden. You will end up at the backside of bamboo forest, which is the nicest part. We went more north to visit Pottery Tanuki, this area was very nice and quaint to walk around; bamboo, shrines and traditional houses everywhere.
• South kyoto - Fushimi Inari + Uji day trip - We visited fushimi inari around 9am and it was already very busy! If you hike deeper into the Tori gates, it gets more quiet. We decided not to hike to the top, but instead do a little loop and we stumbled upon some lovely fox shrines. After Fushimi Inari, we took the train just a little bit more south to Uji. If you like matcha, visit Uji. It is a scenic little town with lots of matcha specialized cafes. We ate at Torikiku, famous for their matcha soba and udon. I had the best matcha icecream dessert at Nakamura Tokichi Byodo-in. Again, the river views are beautiful! It's a great daytrip from kyoto. On the way back to kyoto, we spontaneously decided to visit the Gekkeikan Sake museum. It's a small museum, mostly about the history of Gekkeikan, but for 500 yen entry fee, you also get 3 small sake tastings. Fun for an hour or so. I wouldn't go all the way here just for the museum, but for us it was a nice stop on the way back to Kyoto.
• Gion - visit Gion in the evening and just wander around the little streets. Hanamikoji street is one of the more famous streets there.
• We ate amazing gyoza lunch at Gyoza-dokoro Sakemasa. Best gyozo of our trip.
• Higashiyama area - Heian jingu shrine, visit the attached garden for a fee, definitely worth it! We ate amazing mazesoba and ramen for lunch at Menya Yamahide. We also visited Kyoto handicraft center in this area where we bought an ukiyo-e painting. There was also a vintage antique market at that day. We just browsed a bit around the market and honestly that was a day worth of exploring :).

I didn't mention everything we did in Kyoto here. We also had so much more planned for Kyoto, but didn't get around to it, which was totally fine! We were also a bit temple-fatigued by that time and needed a slower pace. Hopefully next time, we can visit some of things we skipped. Furthermore, some days were incredibly hot (30 C degrees and humid) or we had whole days of rain. On those days, we decided to go shopping instead.

• Sanjo Meiten-gai shopping arcade , Compasso teramachi. One long shopping street between Omiya and Kyoto-kawaramachi station. My favorite shops were: Standard products, Tokyu hands and Loft.

D14 - D15 Takayama
After spending 5 days in Kyoto, it was time to leave the city and head for the Japanese alps. We took the shinkansen to Nagoya, where we changed to a limited express to Takayama. It took around 3 hours to get to Takayama, but we didn't mind. Train travel = resting time for our legs! Also, the views from the train were great!! I really enjoyed this train trip to Takayama. We arrived around noon and immediately checked in at our hotel (Hotel Kuretakeso Takayama). We had two nights in Takayama to explore the town.

• Hida beef - it's the wagyu of this area and I found my favorite place to eat it: Ajikura Tengoku. We went there twice for lunch, because it was that good. It was our first time in Japan to try yakiniku and sukiyaki. I really do appreciate the taste of wagyu but only in small amounts. I couldn't eat it everyday, because it's really so rich and yes paying for the premium cuts really does make a different in taste and texture of the wagyu beef.
• We really loved Takayama. Again, if you have time, stay overnight and wander around the streets during the evening when all the daytrippers leave. The town has such a nice vibe and it still has a very local feel to it.
• Miyagawa morning market. Fun to stroll around
• Hikaru museum - we stumbled upon this via google maps. It's a mayan temple-inspired building, very unique. You could visit the place just for the architecture itself, really impressive. It has a very nice collection of art. When we reached the top floor, there was a whole exhibition dedicated to a specific religious person. We didn't know beforehand but this museum is connected to a cult. Suddenly, it all made sense why this museum was so unique. We didn't mind, but it definitely puts the whole experience in a different light. It's a 1-hour walk from downtown, there is no direct bus connection unfortunately.
• Hida folk village - Open-air museum with nice re-builds of traditional mountain houses. We spend over half a day there. You can see local craftsmen doing their thing and you can also participate in pottery for example. There is a lovely pond and it is just pleasant to walk around. it's only a ~10 min. busride from Takayama bus station. You can buy combined entryfee+bus combo tickets at the bus station.

D16 Kamikochi -> Matsumoto
After checking out of our hotel in Takayama, we took the 7am bus to Kamikochi. We were only going to spend a day here, and then continue our way to Matsumoto to stay overnight.After ~1 hour of bus, we finally made it to Kamikochi. The Japanese alps are amazing. I wished we stayed longer in this area, but just the bus ride alone to Kamikochi was already a great with the views. We decided to hop off at Taisho pond bus stop and walk along all the major sights in the park. We had no specific plan. Just hike around as far as time allowed. For lunch, we stopped at this cute teishoku restaurant, where we ate katsu curry, a big lunch to fuel our walking. We also saw wild japanese macaques and lots of wildflowers where blooming during our time there.At the local shops, we bought some yummy pastries to snack on. I had the tastiest baumkuchen with cheesecake center and my partner had a chocolate ganache cookie. I really regret not buying more kamikochi pastries to take home while we were there.After spending the day walking around, we hopped on the 4pm bus towards Matsumoto. Checked in at Tabino hotel lit Matsumoto, where I relaxed in the onsen.
Tips:

• We were only carrying backpacks, so we hiked with them until we reached the kamikochi bus terminal, where you can drop off you bag at the storage for a small fee.
• Reservation is mandatory for the bus Kamikochi -> Matsumoto, you can do it online or while you are at the busstation before hiking.
• Transportation in the Japan alps is mostly by bus, do reserve ahead if you go at peak times. Main bus company is Nouhi bus: https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/.)

D17 Matsumoto Tokyo
After sleeping in, we did some sightseeing in Matsumoto before we moved on to Tokyo. We really liked wandering around in Matsumoto. Lots of cool shops with local crafts. We didn't know but the biggest national crafts fair is held in Matsumoto. Unfortunately, we were only able to stay for one day, but next time we would love to visit this crafts fair!
Matsumoto Castle - I really like the interior of the castle. It has been renovated, but still contains that castle feel. It is 5 story castle and you are allowed to climb all of it. It also included a pretty extensive gun/weaponry exhibition. Do arrive early because you do have to line-up within the castle to get from one floor to the other. This is due to the steep stairways, on which they allow only one-way traffic at a time.
Matsumoto city art museum - There was a nice exhibition from Yayoi Kusama. We didn't know but Yayoi Kusama was born in Matsumoto. It is a good replacement exhibition if you aren't able to snatch up tickets for Yayoi Kusama museum in Tokyo.
Nakamachi street and Frog street - street with persevered houses with craft shops, cafes, brewerys. What more do you want.
After spending the day in Matsumoto, we took the train to Tokyo, our last destination of our stay. We decided to stay in Ueno (Hotel resol ueno). This hotel was located close to Ueno JR.
D18 - D24 Tokyo
Last 7 days in Tokyo. By this time, we were just enjoying everything at a much slower pace. Tokyo is huge! Staying near the JR line is indeed a must like everyone said. I could go on hours about Tokyo, I am just going to mention some highlights here.

• Anmitsu at Anmitsu Mihashi. My favorite dessert! It contains agar jelly, mochi balls, red bean paste, fruit and a scoop of matcha icecream.
• shopping in Ginza - It's nice to go during the weekends when they close of the streets for cars. We liked visiting flagship stores of Muji, Uniqlo. Go to Itoya if you are a stationary freak.
• Ueno park - Museums, shrines, Lotus pond. Have a look at their website, there are almost always events in the park. :)
• Tsukiji market - very busy, but fun to have a look. Lines everywhere. Look for sushi restaurants that open around 11am, line up at one of those places. I don't think it has to be the one with 4.5 rating and 1000 reviews. Why? There are so many good restaurants in Tsukiji area. We went to Tsukiji Kagura Sushi.
• Hamarikyu gardens - Bonsai pine trees pruned to perfection. Ponds filled with sea water, thus there were seabass, little sardines and jellyfish in the water. Very special! You also had a nice skyline view from the park which is a cool contrast! It was nice and quiet.
• Tokyo Skytree - best view :) it also has a great shopping complex attached to it.
• Asakusa area - Senso-ji
• Yanaka Ginza - we went during the weekend and there was live music, little stalls and just very lively in general. Really nice to spend a morning. Largest preserved cemetery, which apparently welcomes visitors a lot for flower viewings. It is a preserved neighborhood with traditional houses and lots of shops selling crafts, gifts, souvenirs, and unique snacks.

That's it!
For 24 days, we spend around ~2500 euro p.p. (excl. 1000,- flights). This amount includes food, transportation, entrancefees and shopping/gifts. so average is ~100 euro/day. We didn't track every cost. Hotel costs were 900,- pp, which ranged from 50,- to 120,- per night accommodations. The conversion yen/euro is also great at the moment, so it might have contributed!
I hope you enjoyed my trip report. Let me know if there are any questions.

A little info, The staff claims Mojang/Microsoft have personally looked at their store and deemed them to be within the EULA, bs but if you say something they will straight up ban you. You can also "donate" a min of $200usd to one of the owners when he streams, and you get a "stream item" something with thorns 1000, Sharp 100, and so on, sooo op that its impossible to compete. The club ranks are allowed to bully and harass players without ranks and don't even get a warning. The club ranks also can get away with other rule breaking. like duping, was once a player with the $900+ club rank and a player with a middle rank, both were duping together, middle rank for a perm ban while the club rank got a 1 day ban. Staff is all also complete power hungry shits. An admin once ignored my claim protection so he could kill me while I was on my claim just so he could collect a bounty.
20ReplyShare📷level 2revot15· 1y ago
Lmfao
8ReplyShare📷level 3Odd_Connection9808· 1y ago
Nah bro you are just captain the performium server is fine all those things you just said are lies if u dont like the server then leave and if u got banned it is for a reason
1ReplyShare📷level 2ShinySnorlaxFloatie· 1y ago
I agree this server needs to go down but isn't the owner a decent coder? Seems thet are playing it rough and safe. Idk if there is a dupe glitch to abuse?
6ReplyShare📷level 3MessageMany5967OP· 1y ago
He claims he is, but from things in game I think alot of the codes are copy and paste or bought elsewhere. Like the mystery boxes are a straight up copy of Hypixels. I had a friend join me on Hypixel from there and they couldn't believe how many things were the exact same. and RGA/staffs response when questioned before they ban...."Performiun was first"
6ReplyShare📷level 4ShinySnorlaxFloatie· 1y ago
Hypixel has had that stuff since what 2014-5? I honestly doubt that. I forget if that code is on their github?
3ReplyShare📷level 1Jd-gamer65· 1y ago
Wait, isn't this the server that Doni Bobes plays on? Didn't know it was p2w, geez.
11ReplyShare📷level 2MessageMany5967OP· 1y ago
He is part owner of this server. Along with RGA
13ReplyShare📷level 3Jd-gamer65· 1y ago
Aw, fuck. Guess I'm unsubbing.
13ReplyShare📷level 2MrCyberdragon· 1y ago
Yeah, I used to like Doni and RGA, they were legit funny. But I knew something was up when RGA started making rant vids ordering people not to hack on their servers and don't you dare just VPN and alt around an IP ban "it ruins it for everyone". Didn't know it was this bad, RIP. Will never watch again.
1ReplyShare📷level 1thedudenamedray· 1y ago
Yo this server uses that fake player plugin to make it look like they have a bunch of people playing. Mods claim it’s people playing mini games lmao.
12ReplyShare📷level 1turtle_mekb· 1y ago
"vpn whitelist", that's just bullshit, you have to pay if you don't want to give them your ip, (or use a private proxy which is what i'm doing soon)
8ReplyShare📷level 2MessageMany5967OP· 1y ago
They used to straight up ban people that would join with a vpn, it was like an auto server thing. You'd see people asking why they were banned all the time in their discord. And it was all because their vpn was active.
5ReplyShare📷level 3turtle_mekb· 1y ago
that's actual bullshit, straight up banning them, like bruh if everyone complains that they got banned for that all the time, just kick them instead. imagine some kid wanting to join their favourite server, not knowing what a vpn, but their friend used it on their computer for something else, getting straight up banned for no reason and not knowing what they did wrong. or what if the vpn ip list thing they used, what if it had a false positive and i get banned without a vpn
2ReplyShare📷level 4MessageMany5967OP· 1y ago
There were several kids asking in the servers discord why they got banned. They said they joined and the server immediately banned them. Reason was vpn. Kids would say they don't have one, don't know that is etc...and staff was always like "maybe its your service provider" was so dumb. Then they put this in the webstore...
3ReplyShare📷level 5turtle_mekb· 1y ago
so they just ban people for that without reason, mods are completely useless, like bruh why can't you just unban them if they don't know what they did
1ReplyShare📷level 6MessageMany5967OP· 1y ago
The "unban team" is complete shit. Many times you can't even appeal cause they will also ban you from their forums. You appeal the ban, the staff has their own rules, says no and will close the ticket without even letting you respond
3ReplyShare📷level 1AdamRawlyk· 1y ago
Bruh you can even buy those ranks permanently either… you have to get it like a fucking subscription service?!?! FFS XD
7ReplyShare📷level 2Tinyzooseven· 1y ago
Like $200 a month is absolutely insane, rather buy a new pc every few months or an xbox series s like every month
10ReplyShare📷level 3AdamRawlyk· 1y ago
You could literally put that in a savings account and set up for retirement XD
5ReplyShare📷level 2MessageMany5967OP· 1y ago
The clubs all have the same commands at rank. Gold = Iron rank, and so on. A few extra commands at the top 3 and with Diamond, Vip, and MVP you get 2-3 hour early access to new servers (getting claims nearest spawn) and a screenshot in game with RGA...lmao
5ReplyShare📷level 3AdamRawlyk· 1y ago
Excuse my french… but what a fucking scam XD
6ReplyShare📷level 4MessageMany5967OP· 1y ago
I know right. I had someone gift me a diamond rank once for some unknown reason. So cringe in the "private discord" you get too with those ranks. You also get perks like the gems with these ranks, but you have to buy them a very specific way or you don't get them. I didn't get the I think it was 2,500 gems when I was gifted the rank, I asked the support/owner and they said it was purchased a way that I wasn't entitled to the gems.
5ReplyShare📷level 5AdamRawlyk· 1y ago
Ok, that’s literally a scam. If you purchase something. You should get the thing you purchased, no?
Like you wouldn’t go into a physical store, buy a game. And they take out the disc and say “you can’t actually have the game cuz you didn’t buy it right” like come on! XD
1ReplyShare📷level 6MessageMany5967OP· 1y ago
It was like you buy with a gift card, you don't get everything like you would if you bought with a credit card.
2ReplyShare📷level 1minecraft_min604· 1y ago
all i can say is on tf2 theres a vip where u can use op guns and other commands but only for fun. however, the have a rule in which if youre caught abusing them, vip is gone and no refund. this on the other hand, seems to cater to those who abuse vip or whatever this is
5ReplyShare📷level 2joonasky82· 1y ago
team fortress 2? cause if that's what you're talking about I'll tell you why all of that is wrong, except the guns part lol it's been 5 years
1ReplyShare📷level 1Avaneesh_Naik· 1y ago
Doni bobes... UNSUBSCRIBED
4ReplyShare📷level 1CookieDoughKat· 1y ago· edited 1y ago
Using a throwaway account for safety issues:
Used to be a moderator for this server back in 2019-2020; A player had been heavily harassing me for a week and saying horribly inappropriate things towards me in voice chats and private dms
Reported it to a Sr Mod for help and they brought it up higher ups and an Owner said it wasn't their issue and to just tell me to block them. Didn't find out until months later when another Sr. Moderator had been talking about it to a different moderator who had brought it up to me.
I left the team and regretted it for some stupid reason - and sent them a support ticket apologizing for everything and mentioned to an Admin that I had felt issues weren't looked into and they threw it down again - When I told people - they posted my support ticket publicly and told everyone that I never reported any harrassers and was being a "drama queen".
Super happy this server is being posted in here.
3ReplyShare📷level 2MessageMany5967OP· 1y ago
I believe I remember who you are and I remember how awful this was to read in the discord and how it was handled from what was told publicly. I'm sorry you went through this.
1ReplyShare📷level 1lolitstrain21· 1y ago
Holy shit MVP for a year is 950 dollars? What the fuck. Let's get to destroying it.
2ReplyShare📷level 2MessageMany5967OP· 1y ago
the webstore lists the rank as having everything the same as the highest "normal rank" but also says this in the description. "Direct access to lead the community with this prestigious Rank!"
2ReplyShare📷level 1MessageMany5967OP· 1y ago
little update, since post went up they turned on some sort of super slow chunkloading, causing the entire server to load like they hosting from some Walmart hotspot.
2ReplyShare📷level 1Outside-Return1737· 1m ago
I know this is an old post but, i just got perm banned for extreme hate speech because i said i was gay once and apologized for not knowing gay was a banned word
2ReplyShare📷level 2MessageMany5967OP· 1m ago
I got permed banned for saying they got the "discount server package" because it lagged so hard.
2ReplyShare📷level 1ComradeKerbal· 1y ago
Thats bad also what versions is it?
1ReplyShare📷level 2MessageMany5967OP· 1y ago
last I played it was 1.17 but I'd imagine they have a 1.18 server. That's what they do, wait a while when a new version is released. Then release a new server and immediately stop support for the older version. Except for people who pay money to transfer items from old server to new server. Think it's like $20 for each "op" weapon and armor piece.
3ReplyShare📷level 1Ok_Stand_4948· 4m ago
People's lives are dependent upon this game and rga has a family people have to eat and be clothed he's got to pay the bills somehow
0ReplyShare📷level 2MessageMany5967OP· 4m ago
lmao thanks for this laugh...go worship Rga some more lmao...sad
1ReplyShare📷level 1AlgorithmScent· 1y ago
You need ranks to tpa? Why? Another thing. This server is protected to hell and back because a YouTuber owns it. What the fuck
1ReplyShare📷level 1lolitstrain21· 1y ago
We should make a lag machine or something
1ReplyShare📷level 1VirginViper· 1y ago
I believe that them using Valves Cosmetic Crate Icons is actual fucking copyright
1ReplyShare📷level 2MessageMany5967OP· 1y ago
oh shit I just saw that, straight up copy and paste
2ReplyShare📷level 1Nathator97· 1y ago
i think this server is about to take a huge L
1ReplyShare📷level 1Kirrmeet· 1y ago
/fly is only usable in hub but still p2w tho
1ReplyShare📷level 2MessageMany5967OP· 1y ago
it's not, you buy it you can use it on all the servers.
2ReplyShare📷level 1Funny_Entrepreneur17· 1y ago
had to make a throw away account so i could post this safely he does make his own plugins, some of them at least, and after working for him for 7 years i can honestly say he is the worst to work with. i wouldnt say its pay to win but RGA is pay to much to have fun, this isnt his only server as well. he own a skyblocknetwork as well. hes been called out for years for padding player count, and spoofing votes to get it higher on vote sites. there is so much i could go into in all my time working there
i worked with him through 2 S.A/ grooming cases that were swept under the rug and watched as a discord admin was harassed by one of the "co-owners" GF at the time. Don't get me wrong the Discord admin was kinda a bitch, but for RGA to let the Berry Admin make war against them and tell them to Commit Sewer slide was a little terrible. it ended with the discord admin leaving the server. not sure where they are now but i hope they got help after that.RGA doesnt give a shit about his staff and what happens on the team, he instead leaves that up to "admins" while he is off making fake hacker videos and fake troll videos.
1ReplyShare📷level 2MzzteryRose· 1y ago
I usually linger without talking but since you mentioned me I thought I should. Your right I was kinda a bitch, sorry for that. I was going through some shite at the time id rather not bring to light again. I did end up getting help, I really needed it and being pushed where I was ended up being the final sign.
1ReplyShare📷level 1Mother-Art8247· 1y ago
Agree, It's a pay 2 win server and it's hard to dupe or hack on it.