i hate monopoly it is like some old white guy was sitting around and then thought to himself, what if we could make capitalism fun? well you tried and you failed dipshit
astrophobe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_board_game_Monopoly it was actually created by a Georgist to illustrate the principle that rent makes landlords richer and tenants poorer. She designed it to be incredibly not fun, to show that if you don’t own property you experience an inevitable foreseeable slow dwindling of your resources until you eventually go bankrupt. She figured that through Monopoly people would be so bored and frustrated that they would understand how terrible the system of rent is
Then Parker Brothers patented it, mass-produced it, people bought it because people have terrible taste in games, and the original creator experienced an inevitable foreseeable slow dwindling of her resources until she died impoverished and obscure
Her name was Elizabeth Magie and her game was stolen by Charles Darrow.
Darrow went bankrupt after the 1929 Stock Market Crash, so when he saw his neighbors playing the game, he copied down the instructions, and published his own version of the game.
Then he sold it to the Parker Brothers who popularized the game. Darrow became a millionare within the year. Despite this, Hasboro currently lists him as the sole creator on their website.
Magie was amazing, and not just for her game. She liked to mock societal standards of the time through theater and even made national headlines mocking the institution of marriage. She supported herself until her mid 40s, proving that marriage was not the only option for women, before tying the knot herself.
Elizabeth Magie is attributed with this, “Girls have minds, desires, hopes, and ambitons.” Dont forget her name.
Magie actually had a second set of rules for a more fair game to show how the system could be improved. The game was meant to be unfair to illustrate the unfairness of runaway capitalism at first, and then switch to a new set of rules, which provide a much more even playing field (and a much more fun game). Darrow scrapped this second ruleset when he stole it, eliminating the teaching purpose and also all the fun. Here’s the original rules, with the second ruleset included
Ainchase Ishmael. Two faced representative of God.
Celestial - New race.
Two faced
His story is deeply connected to the lore
Exterior: Appearance and personality created to naturally blend with the world. (Soft, polite, gentle, social, laid-back)
His true form is revealed only when he unleashes his true power, who looks like a “typical” celestial in the Elsword lore, which appears mysterious/ expressionless face/ only acts toward fulfilling the mission.
Incorporated the “intervention” aspect of his character into the awaken system to portray his duality within the game.
vs Demons - When facing demons who defies Ishmael’s ideologies
“It’s outrageous to think that I have to work with such impure things.” (Disgusted)
He starts saying rude things he would never say normally, or instinctively react in a negative way.
vs Henir - Dominion of darkness and chaos “…” (Surprised)
He becomes speechless for a while from shock. It’s like he stopped functioning because he doesn’t know how to cope with the situation.
Lofty: Executor
Melee specialist utilizing weapon projection and creation mode. He avoids human emotion and human contact.
A transient period where he heads toward becoming the perfect, emotionless representative of God in his 2nd class.
Pure White, Silent, Watcher, Melee, Serious, Holy
Because he specializes in a fast melee battle with daggers, long sword, and spear created with creation magic, we stayed away from big silhouette and went for more tight suit-like fit, while showing less skin at the same time for more of a strict and serious feel.
Arme Thaumaturgy
The perfect representative of God who has his eyes only on the mission. His hair is one color now that his determination for the mission is clear. A bigger silhouette that displays a celestial dignity. His coloring is monotonous which reflects his cold, logical personality. Minimized the revealing of skin.
Design elements derived from priests, as he is a follower of God. Though he is a representative and his atmosphere should reflect that, his priest-like design should not be overdone, or become reminiscent of the stereotypical image of an angel in renaissance works, as the celestial realm in the Elsword lore is more close to the world of “nothing,” visually. His awakened form should appear as a mysterious being with powerful force as if he was possessed by a God.
Richter
Richter’s design should succeed Arme Thaumaturgy’s characteristic “clean, perfect, cold” feel while making sure it does not feel as if he added on decorations to adorn himself for his appearance’s sake.
Clean, symmetric appearance to reflect his position as the Judge, one who keeps neutrality. His outfit is in a straight-lined, “still” silhouette to appear dignified. Minimized the revealing of skin to emphasize on his sacrosanctity.
To show a noticeable progression of time after the 2nd job to a character who does not age while also adding to the “godly” image, we gave him longer hair.
There were more gold details in the earlier drafts of his design. However, much of that was removed for a more neat and simple priest design as the previous design looked too extravagant. We also wanted to show a more tight-suit style like when he was Arme Thaumaturgy, so his Spiritualism outfit is a suit form without the priest cape.
Lofty: Anpassen
He has lessened his burden of the mission and accepted the experience he’s gathered in Elrios, starting to believe in the bond between his friends.
Power of El, Active, Free, Fluffy, Street-fashion
An all arounder who uses eids, a fusion of circulation magic (power of the El) and creation magic (power of God). His hairstyle reflects his effort to keep his appearance while he stays in Elrios along with thick, cozy over-fit leather jacket, comfortable sneakers. The modern look of his style shows his full embrace of the culture he was previously foreign to. He still carries around the cylinder-shaped ornaments, made up of creation magic which symbolizes God’s power, reflecting his hesitance to completely be free of his responsibility as the God’s representative.
Erbluhen Emotion
Free-spirited “nerdy boy” / carefree and soft image. Big collar, wide sleeves, long coat reminiscent of a magician. A more active image has been implied through the use of a modern fashion choice such as sneakers and half gloves.
Design derived from Loki of Norse Mythology; adept at different kinds of magic, carefree, and enjoys making fun of others. Smart enough to lie extremely well. Front bangs are positioned so that his emotions can be better expressed through his eyebrows. Winter street-fashion: carefree style - a layered look with a leather jacket, high top, boots.
Bluhen
Emotions in bloom. A conductor of emotions who reveals his true self and grows together alongside his human friends. Focus point on Ain’s emotions as he walks the future he chose through his own will and not the mission he was given.
He had a light and upbeat image in the 2nd job, and now he is dressed more prepared for the new journey ahead: to match his theme as a “conductor,” his outfit is a conductor’s attire remodeled to appear a bit more casual and fantasy-like. Fur added for a cozy and soft image. His design reflects his image when he first met the El Search Party; he keeps the earrings from his previous 2nd, 1st, and even base class.
His silhouette in Spiritualism becomes bigger as his awaken level increases to echo his concept as a “blooming” emotion. His “intervened” appearance appears longer in this Spiritualism to coincide with the fact that he is Ain who grows together with humans. His eids changed due to the fact that he now belongs to a different God, and that his emotions are in full bloom. Instead of the symbol composed of God’s power, the eids are formed of light particles as they were at the beginning of time.
Lofty: Wanderer
A wanderer consumed by chaos in search of himself. Ain who is confused by the expansion of the injury he’s received in Henir.
His power of creation begins to deteriorate due to the increasing influence of chaos from within while his Henir mark continues to grow. His desire to hide his unstable condition as a representative of God is reflected in his hood, and bandages over his body.
Apostasia
Absolute ruler of the Void who betrayed the God. Ain who abandoned the Goddess and his mission and accepted chaos instead.
Void/ Freed from worldly experience/ Eye of the Storm/ Chaotic
He was being watched through the rifts of chaos and slowly consumed by unknown things in his 1st job - now he’s reached a point where he can accept and control them. He understands human emotions and all of the cycle of life, recognizing that they’re all meaningless things that will eventually disappear in time. His bangs cover his eyes to hide his emotion. The mark is left to spread over his body. His hair is duller now, and he’s let go of the pendulum from his hand. His awaken form shows him changing into a completely new being, not a divine celestial, as a result of accepting chaos.
Herrscher
The master of the void who calls everything to his side. He was reborn inside the void. His design should show that this is the result of abandoning the Goddess and choosing chaos and void.
His newly reborn body exists separately within the void, after accepting the chaos in his 2nd job and abandoning his previous body he’s received from the Goddess.
Normal: Parts of his body are hollow to show that his empty shell is constantly breaking apart. To express his unstable and neglected state, hands crawl up toward him from the ground as if to devour “abandoned” things.
Spiritualism: His main body in the void takes over his shell. He gains strength and willpower, which completes his breaking and empty body. Including his weapon, everything appears as a full, complete version without any trace of breaking or shattering. His true self seen in the void during Hyperactive is portrayed as a black silhouette to allow people to freely imagine what he could be. Apostasia’s Absorption (the floating eye thing) appeared to be watching Ain through the rifts of chaos, whereas Herrscher’s Absorption aids him by his side.
For one thing, something I’ve noticed about myself is that I just have a thing about angsty characters, and characters with like angsty tragic backstories. And while Pearl certainly isn’t the only character in SU that has an angsty tragic backstory, I think both the specific manifestations of her angst–and how it’s used to explore questions of agency and power dynamics–as well as the gradual and subtle way her Tragic Backstory TM is revealed, is super compelling.
I also really like mentor-types and devoted guardians. And all the Crystal Gems are that to Steven…but the way she expresses that is the most like explicit I think, and I love it.
(Also, like, her anxiety and neuroticism is something I super relate to, tbh)
Why I Don’t
When I watch the earlier seasons of the show, it’s a little painful just how much Pearl likes to rag on Amethyst at first. (Though, knowing what we know now about her, I wonder if that has something to do with like a subconscious manifestation of her guilt about the Kindergarten. It does seem to get better after On the Run…)
Favorite Episode
As far as whole episodes go, I really like Rose’s Scabbard,A Single Pale Rose, and Sworn to the Sword because a) they’re angsty masterpieces, and b) they’re also really well-done and subtle in how they reveal things about Pearl and her backstory.
But Pearl is also such a wonderfully strong character despite what she thinks about herself, and I love episodes that highlight that strength. Back to the Barn springs to mind, as well as a few moments in Marble Madness, in It Could Have Been Great, in That Will Be All, and in a slightly different way, in Mr. Greg.
Also she’s been great in the Diamond Days arc so far!
Favorite Season
I really like her arc in the early part of Season 5. I think it’s subtle, and often overshadowed in light of the big revelations about her that happen later in the season, but I think she has some tremendous moments of growth that happen between I Am My Mom and A Single Pale Rose.
I’ve spoken about this with a few folks–and written a few fics about it–but I think Steven’s misinformed act of self-sacrifice in I Am My Mom brought into sharp focus for Pearl the idea that maybe doing exactly what Rose would have wanted and doing right by Steven are mutually exclusive. I think before I Am My Mom she thought that they were the same thing–or at least that she could do both–but when Steven sacrifices herself in part because of her silence, because of the silence that Rose wanted, she realizes that maybe she has to choose. And, in a move that is radical for her and everything we know about her character up until that point, she chooses Steven over Rose.
She decides that he needs the truth, and I think a lot of the early part of Season 5 is her trying to figure out a way to give it to him. She becomes a lot more explicit and intentional in her attempts to break the gag order–e.g. in Gemcation–which ultimately culminates in A Single Pale Rose.
Favorite Line
Ugh, I love all of her angsty monologues, and there are a lot of them, but I think if I had to pick like one moment in which I’m like in awe of her strength and like her will, I’d say it’s her little speech to Holly Blue Agate at the end of That Will Be All, in which she just like turns everyone’s expectations of her on their head:
“You’re really gonna tell the Diamonds that you allowed a band of traitorous rebels to infiltrate a highly secure facility, and escape right under your careful watch? Doesn’t seem like a wise thing to do, Holly Blue. So do yourself a favor, and keep your mouth shut. That will be all.”
Favorite Outfit
Lol I’ve never really thought about it. I like her design regardless of what she’s wearing, but I guess if I had to pick, I’d say I like her 80s look with the legwarmers we see in flashbacks.
or else the rebel look she sports in Last One Out of Beach City:
OTP
Tbh I’m not much of a shipper, and like despite romantic love being a major plot point in her story, I find Pearl’s ongoing relationship with agency much more compelling. So I’m going to take a page out of @meskime and @bibliomatsuri‘s books and say that I ship Pearl with Personal Agency.
Brotp
I really love the mentor/teacher relationship she has with Connie. :)
Head Canon
Pearl hasn’t shapeshifted since she had to shapeshift into Rose Quartz to stage the shattering of Pink Diamond. She can’t–it’s too traumatic.
Unpopular Opinion
Pearl really was free–at least technically, if not fully psychologically–when she decided to stay with Pink Diamond and fight for Earth. Rose/Pink explicitly telling her “You don’t have to do this with me” freed her of the obligation. (Psychologically, however, it was much more complicated. She didn’t really know how to have desires outside of what her Diamond wanted, and so psychologically I’m not sure she was able to conceive of not staying to fight with Rose.)
During the War, she was terrified, and even though she was technically free she clung to her programming–to this idea that her purpose in life was to protect her Diamond–as a sort of coping mechanism.
(If anyone is interested, I wrote a ficlet that explores this a little.)
A Wish
I’d love to see at some point Pearl explicitly acknowledge that there was something of an unhealthy power dynamic in her relationship with Rose. She’s hinted at it a little, I’m not quite sure she’s fully there yet, but I think she’s getting there.
An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen
I have a hunch that White Diamond is going to possess her in Battle of the Heart and Mind, I simultaneously want and don’t want this to happen, because dear G-d, the angst, but also like YES, THE ANGST!
i hate to ruin everyone’s fun BUT you guys are so annoying. georgia o’keeffe very specifically stated how much she hated it when people, especially men, sexualized her art. male art critics pushed the interpretation of her artwork as sexual onto her and it upset her VERY deeply:
“When people read erotic symbols into my paintings they’re really talking about their own affairs,” O’Keeffe said. Still, the sexualized misconceptions of her work devastated her. “I almost wept,” she wrote of one review in 1921.
now, because of some immature dudes in the art community, her work has been sexualized forever, and her paintings are now sexual objects. so like…making pussy jokes about her artwork isn’t just annoying, it’s disrespectful to everything she worked for, and it’s like rubbing her legacy in her face.
also “all of her paintings are like that” is just plain wrong. she did a series of extreme close ups of flowers (which is where these paintings come from) but that was just one series of paintings
she also loved painting landscapes, and was particularly inspired by desert landscapes in new mexico:
she also painted bones, particularly skulls. like flowers, she was inspired by the abstract shapes that bones make:
her artwork is extremely cool and she deserves to have a legacy other than “flowers”
Also, part of the reason people were so quick to interpret her work as sexualized pieces instead of the cutting edge explorations of color and abstraction they really were, was because of her relationship with photographer Alfred Stieglitz, who helped launch her career.
For Stieglitz and much of the male avant garde, eroticism was what set their work apart as ~edgy and exciting, and so O’Keeffe kinda got pigeon-holed by association. It’s a real testament to how a lack of diversity in the art world stifles artists’ own voices in regard to their own damn work.
aresnakesreal
astrophobe
blackcollarcitizen
insecureghosts
daredevilbf
