THE MIGHTY NEIN: Alone & Together

“6) Tolkien’s hero was average, and needed help, and failed. This is the place where most fantasy authors, who love to simultaneously call themselves Tolkien’s heirs and blame him for a lot of what’s wrong with modern fantasy, err the worst. It’s hard to look at Frodo and see him as someone extra-special. The hints in the books that a higher power did choose him are so quiet as to be unnoticeable. And he wouldn’t have made it as far as he did without his companions. And he doesn’t keep from falling into temptation. A lot of modern fantasy heroes are completely opposite from this. They start out extraordinary, and they stay that way. Other characters are there to train them, or be shallow antagonists and love interests and worshippers, not actually help them. And they don’t fail. (Damn it, I want to see more corrupted fantasy heroes.) It’s not fair to blame Tolkien for the disease that fantasy writers have inflicted on themselves. […] Fantasy could use more ordinary people who are afraid and don’t know what the hell they’re doing, but volunteer for the Quest anyway. It’s misinterpretation of Tolkien that’s the problem, not Tolkien himself.”

—

“Tolkien Cliches,” Limyaael

(via mithtransdir)

The whole point of The Lord Of The Rings… like, the WHOLE POINT… is that it is ultimately the hobbits who save the world. The small, vulnerable, ordinary people who aren’t great warriors or heroes.

Specifically, Sam. Sam saves the world. All of it. The ultimate success of the great quest is 100% due to a fat little gardener who likes to cook and never wanted to go on an adventure but who did it because he wasn’t going to let his beloved Frodo go off alone. Frodo is the only one truly able to handle the ring long enough to get it into Mordor - and it nearly kills him and permanently emotionally damages him - but Sam is the one who takes care of Frodo that whole time. Who makes him eat. Who finds him water. Who watches over him while he sleeps.

Sam is the one who fights off Shelob.

Sam is the one who takes the Ring when he thinks Frodo is dead.

Sam is the one who strolls into Orc Central and saves Frodo by sheer determination and killing any orc who crosses him. (SAM THE GARDENER GOES AND KILLS AN ACTUAL ORC TO GET FRODO SOME CLOTHES LET’S JUST THINK ABOUT THAT). And then Sam just takes off the Ring and gives it back which is supposed to be freaking impossible and he barely even hesitates.

Sam literally carries Frodo on the last leg of the journey. On his back. He’s half-starved, dying slowly of dehydration, but he carries Frodo up the goddamn mountain and Gollum may get credit for accidentally destroying the ring but Sam was the one who got them all there.

Sam saved the world.

And let’s not forget Pippin and Merry, who get damselled out of the story (the orcs have carried them off! We must make a Heroic Run To Save Them!) and then rescue themselves, recruit the Terrifying Ancient Powers through being genuinely nice and sincere, and overthrow Saruman before the ‘real’ heroes even get there.

Let’s not forget Pippin single-handedly saving what’s left of Gondor - and Faramir - by understanding that there is a time for obeying orders and a time for realizing that the boss is bugfuck nuts and we need to get help right now.

Let’s not forget Merry sticking his sword into the terrifying, profoundly evil horror that has chased him all over his world because his friend is fighting it and he’s gonna help, dammit and that’s how the most powerful Ringwraith goes down to a suicidally depressed woman and a scared little hobbit.

Everything the others do, the kings and princes and great heroes and all? They buy time.  They distract the bad guys. They keep the armies occupied. That is what kings and great leaders are for - they do the big picture stuff.

But it is ultimately the hobbits who bring down every villain. Every one. And I believe that that is 100% on purpose. Tolkien was a soldier in WWI. His son fought in WWII. (And a lot of The Lord Of The Rings was written in letters to him while he did it.)

And hey, look, The Lord Of The Rings is about ordinary people - farmers, scholars, and so on - who get pulled into a war not of their making but who have to fight not only because their own home is in danger but so is everyone’s. And they’re small and scared but they do the best they can for as long as they can and that is what actually saves the world. Not great heroes and pre-destined kings. Ordinary people, doing extraordinary things because they want the world to be safe for ordinary people, the ones they know and the ones they don’t.

Ordinary people matter. They can save the world without being great heroes or kings or whatever. And that is really important and I get so upset when people miss that because Aragorn and Legolas and Gimli and Gandalf and all the others are great characters and all but they are ultimately a hobbit delivery system.

It is ordinary people doing their best who really change the world, and continue doing so after the war is over because they have to go home and rebuild and they do.

If nothing else, I have to reblog this for the phrase “hobbit delivery system.” So accurate it hurts.

(via elenilote)

What I love too is how even the foretold king and the assorted great heroes themselves all come to recognize that their main (and by the end, only) role is to distract Sauron. To the point that by the end they’re all gathered up before the black gates of Mordor in order to keep his attention focused on them, with only the hope - not the certainty - that they can buy Frodo whatever remaining time he needs, if he’s even still alive.

One thing the movies left out but has always been such a key part of the books for me was how when the hobbits returned home, they found that home had been changed too. The war touched everywhere. Even with all they did in far-off lands to protect the Shire, the Shire had still been damaged, both property and lives destroyed, and it wasn’t an easy or simplistically happy homecoming. They had to fight yet another battle (granted a much smaller one) to save their neighbours, and then spent years in rebuilding.

(via garrusscars)

In many ways, the entire POINT is that homecoming. A quest, an adventure, is defined by the return home, and the realization that not only have YOU changed, so has your home.

(via mymyriadmusings)

“My friends, you bow to no one.”

(via sorrelchestnut)

@daisyfornost

(via roselightfairy)

if anyone is need of a long, entertaining adventure with a hero who never set out to be a hero but was just TRYING TO DIG A TUNNEL DAMMIT, Ursula Vernon’s Digger and its delightful wombat heroine might be up your alley. 

(via beatrice-otter)

this is all so good and important i only have to add as i am contractually obligated to do that gollum didn’t “accidentally” destroy the Ring, frodo’s geas took effect and kicked his ass when gollum broke his word, so the credit for that goes back to Frodo again who absolutely anticipated he would do so and set up the geas for just that reason

posting all of these kids together again because that’s how decisive i am

A Cautionary Tale

There are as many tales of Mandalore’s fall 

as there are Clans that remain.

Every tale is different, every tale is the same; 

the other Kryze sister is to blame. 

Dried Blood in my Father’s Beskar

and more from the same series

top Vor things, no particular order:

Piotr, who wouldn’t accept Miles as his grandson until he was like five, asking if maybe Miles failed the Imperial Academy physical test because the instructor was a jealous prole

the end of Warrior’s Apprentice when Miles finally tells Baz his house colors and Baz nearly faints, and Miles tosses, “Break him in gently, Elena!” over his shoulder as he walks away

Gregor being like 95% sure that neither Miles nor Elena would ever point a loaded cannon at him

I’m almost entirely certain Simon isn’t actually, legally technically, sworn to Aral in any way, but every single person treats them as such

“Vor really does mean thief.” -drunk, furious Duv Galeni

Aral Vorkosigan, Admiral, Regent, Prime Minister and Viceroy, wears bright, floral shirts in his downtime. 

“Let’s see what happens” (every. time.)

“But of course. Every Vor lady go to the capital to shop.”

when Vordrozda draws the needler in the Council of Counts, in the presence of the emperor, and fully half of them, these old men with the status, stuffiness, and average age of the UK’s House of Lords, get up and run forward to tackle him

Miles, what have you done with your baby brother?

when Miles reluctantly admits to Ekaterin that they would have had to sacrifice her and Professora Vorthys for the good of the station and Komarr, if it came to it, and Ekaterin replies, “Of course. We’re Vor.” And you can hear Miles’ jaw hit the floor, because coincidentally it’s the same sound my jaw is making, because holy mothergrubbing shit, if you were not convinced by this point that they were perfect for each other…

when Richars says “Lady Alys doesn’t have a seat on the Council of Counts” and five days later, Alys has whipped up like seven votes against him, mostly by talking to various Countesses and their daughters

when Miles shows up at Ivan’s office in Memory to requesition him, and Ivan is like, “NOPE” until Miles explains that it’s for Illyan, and Ivan is like, “…about time. Mother’s been complaining” and falls in behind him.

Mark haphazardly enlisting Elena as an armswoman-simple

Ivan explaining the secret code of Gregor’s suit choice to the Arquas

this list could go on for so long; I’m going to stop it with a reminded that Aral Vorkosigan wears bright Hawaiian shirts, and also honorary mention to the time Bel Thorne pretended to buy Mark’s charade of being Miles so they could go rescue a bunch of clones from Jackson’s Whole. That was the most Milesian thing anyone non-Miles has ever done, with the possible exception of sinking ImpSec.

(grabs you by the shoulders) you have to make room for new experiences in your life. you have to go through the unpleasant work of leaving your comfort zone, even if just for a few minutes at a time. because if you don't, your brain will trick you into stagnation. you will start to believe that the world can barely fit you in it. but that's not true. it's the opposite way around. you can fit the whole word inside of you. your task is only this: to welcome it with open arms

I have no excuse

Rogues in leather jackets! (Or faux-leather if you prefer)

Warriors in flannel (part 1) Warriors in flannel (part 2) Mages in crop tops Advisors in Kigurumi

I am not a genius, because I am not smart enough to know that everyone is stupid. But I am content, because I am just smart enough to know that everyone is brilliant.

me because what’s better than boundless optimism

I like Shadowgast as much as the next person but...what if, by some miracle of fate, they managed to get Molly back.

DA Romances as Told by Marriage Tweets

Alistair

[Wedding] Priest: They’ve written their vows.

HoF: *recites beautiful vows*

Alistair: *takes out notecard* I love you and cheese the same amount.

Zevran

Zevran: My partner messaged me to say they’re excited to have barbecue ribs with me tonight, so I made sure to compliment their sexting skills. 

Morrigan

Child: *crying because it isn’t her turn with the tiara*

Morrigan: ‘Tis important to share, girl.

HoF: You’re 35. Give her the tiara.

Leliana

Leliana: I’m secretly investigating how many decorative pillows I can put around the house until my wife loses her shit.  Current count: 23.

Anders

[RSVPing to party]

Hawke: *whispers into phone* Is it ok if I bring my weird roomate?

Anders: *from behind* STOP CALLING ME THAT!

Isabela

Hawke: I’m glad I got married.  Everyone deserves a sidekick!

Isabela: Good point, Robin.

Merrill 

Hawke: We need milk, eggs, and bread. Write it down.

Merril: No need. I’ll remember!

Hawke: [one hour later] What’d you get?

Merrill: A panda!

Sebastian

Hawke: Until I got married, I didn’t know it was possible to chew gum arrogantly.

Fenris

Fenris: We got invited to two parties this weekend.

Hawke: Wow. We finally have friends.

Fenris: We’re skipping both, right?

Hawke: Obviously.

Solas

Inquisitor: I’m still waiting for my husband to apologize for what he did in my dream last night.

Sera

Sera: *pulls back curtain while wife is in shower* Are we - stop screaming, its just me - Are we out of Cheetos?

Cullen

Cullen: [Leaving for work] *gives wife quick kiss* *spends 10 minutes saying bye to the dog*

Bull

Bull: You gonna drink that entire bottle of wine?

Inquisitor: You didn’t marry no quitter

Bull: *nods* My Queen.

Dorian

Inquisitor: I love you.

Dorian: You should. I’m a goddamn miracle. 

Cassandra

Cassandra: *watches Inquisitor sleep* I just love him so much. He’s my everyth-

Inquisitor: *snores*

Cassandra: I CAN’T LIVE LIKE THIS.

Josephine

Josephine: *Runs back into house which is on fire*

Inquisitor: What are you doing?!

Josephine: I just wanted to straighten up a little before the firemen get here.

Blackwall

Inquisitor: My husband won’t let me pick up wood at Home Depot because he doesn’t want it scratched or bent, but I can take care of his children daily. 

Hawke family fleeing the Blight

I have some thoughts on my Hawke having to deal with another Blight and keeping her family safe again. But that's too long for this post, so I'm just gonna add it to my list of Dragon Age fics that I still need to finish...