Sly Cooper - Blog Posts
Thieves In Time Redux has a lot of firsts. For example, I've never seen other rewrites...
…have Penelope be responsible for the story happening while joining the boys for the adventure from the beginning.
...have Sly feel bad about not only faking amnesia, but ditching his friends on Kaine Island.
...have Murray only refer to Penelope as "Sis".
…have Penelope participate in Jail Break with Carmelita and Tennessee.
…have the boys be confined separately during Jail Break.
…have someone (Penelope) get sick during the story.
…have Penelope participate in The Grizz's boss fight.
…make one of the heroes (Penelope) deal with an evil impostor.
…have Sly give up on his future with Carmelita.
…have the boys discover Penelope's involvement in Le Paradox's scheme during Episode 5, later than in canon.
…have Penelope start (and end) the final boss fight with Le Paradox.
…have the entire gang fight Le Paradox together.
sex is fine but have you ever thought about all the ways you’d rewrite a flawed piece of media that shaped your life and holds a special place in your heart despite its unfulfilled potential
So my rewrite of Thieves In Time is full of awesome and wholesome moments, like the following...
Penelope teaming up with Carmelita and Tennessee to break the boys out of Toothpick's prison, and gaining Bentley's respect after she personally frees him. (Episode 2)
The boys taking care of Penelope when she's sick, and it being the last push she needs for her change of heart. (Episode 3)
Murray and Penelope fighting The Grizz together, and Murray letting her finish their opponent off. Also Bentley deciding not to interfere with that boss fight and let Penelope take care of herself. (Episode 3)
Sly apologizing to Penelope for ditching everyone on Kaine Island. (Episode 4)
Penelope escaping from that tower all by herself, even jumping a guard several times her size to get her weapons back. (Episode 4)
Bentley and Penelope finally doing a proper love confession after defeating the latter's impostor. (Episode 4)
Penelope impersonating her impostor to save Sly and succeeding. Also her declaration of loyalty during the same scene. And making it through the entire episode without getting found out. (Episode 4)
Penelope finally recognizing Murray as her older brother. (Episode 5)
Penelope taking charge as mission leader before the blimp raid (and nearly cracking under the pressure). Also the boys promising to forget about her upcoming expulsion if she succeeds. (Episode 6)
Penelope fighting Le Paradox. The entire fight scene. (Episode 6)
I know some of these scenes weren't documented in the abridged version. The full story, if it's ever finished, will contain them.
Here's a little tale about how my obsession with Sly Cooper got started... Super abridged, of course.
It actually happened right after my senior year of high school. I found it on the floor in my room one night. I decided to give it a chance...
Cue the beginning of my obsession. This happened during the summer of 2008. Before the storytelling trainwreck that is Thieves In Time ever existed.
Even more so if you want to talk about it.
Here's a link to it in case you somehow missed it.
Here's a few lessons you might learn from reading Thieves In Time Redux...
-Love Redeems. So does friendship.
-People do strange things when they panic.
-They also do strange things out of both love and hate.
-Faking amnesia is a bad idea.
-There's no shame in asking for help.
Thieves In Time Redux: Full Story Previews
A few months back, I posted a few previews of my full Thieves In Time rewrite on DeviantArt. I thought I'd repost them here.
All of them are set during Episode 0. You know, the museum heist.
I can't wait to fully explore these relationships that Thieves In Time vanilla completely ruined...
Preview #1: Link
Preview #2: Link
Preview #3: Link
Preview #4: Link
Well, this was a wild election year. Please excuse me while I continue onward with rewriting Thieves In Time...
Thieves In Time Redux Boss Fights
I haven't talked much about the boss fights yet, apart from Le Paradox.
For those of you who haven't read my little fanfic yet, I managed to rope Penelope into all six of them.
I wasn't sure how to rope her into the El Jefe or Toothpick boss fights at first... then after some thinking, I put her on aerial support for Sly.
How many other rewrites have both Murray and Penelope fighting a boss together? None? Great news: They both get to fight The Grizz. Let your imagination for that run wild.
We can't have our heroine be the boss of Episode 4, so I thought I'd bring back an old villain: Sir Raleigh.
Miss Decibel's boss fight... isn't finished yet.
Then there's Le Paradox... Here's a link to that recap.
Bentley and Penelope holding hands Appreciation Post
replayed the sly cooper series recently and I missed these two so badly
Thieves In Time Redux Meme #18
I know, this one's a bit overdone.
Thieves In Time Redux: Why Toad Town?
Check this post out for context.
You may be wondering why there's so much music from Paper Mario: The Origami King associated with this project. This was actually a decision I made quite recently.
For now, I'm only talking about Origami King's Toad Town.
I started work on Thieves In Time Redux long before Origami King ever existed. It was just a massive stroke of luck to see OK's Toad Town of all pieces work so well together with the progression of my little story. Or more specifically, a certain mouse girl's evolution into the true hero I know she can become.
Take Toad Town Ghost Town, for instance. It's assigned to Episode 1, the beginning of our heroes' time traveling adventure. Not only is it perfect for Feudal Japan, it's also perfect for the beginning of Penelope's character arc.
Might as well talk about each step in the music's progression. Toad Town - Red Streamer Removal is assigned to Episode 2. Perfect for a wild west town, is it not? Here, Penelope is beginning to understand the consequences of her actions, mainly through what happened to Sly and Carmelita.
My favorite, though, is Toad Town - Blue Streamer Removal. Assigned to Episode 3, that's when Penelope undergoes her change of heart. It happens after she gets placed on bed rest and needs the boys to take care of her.
Then there's the more heroic shift in tone that comes with Toad Town - Yellow Streamer Removal. In which our heroine successfully strikes down her own creations without being discovered as their creator.
Episode 5 gives us Toad Town - Purple Streamer Removal. Penelope's nearing the end of her character arc, and the boys are proud of her. Too bad Le Paradox outs her as his mole at the end of the episode.
Toad Town - Green Streamer Removal gives us the end of her character arc with Episode 6. After her journey across time, Penelope has changed for the better, she's been found out, and she's willing to take responsibility for what she's done.
How in the heck did freaking Toad Town manage to retell my entire fanfic so perfectly? Even I have no clue... But I'm so glad it turned out that way.
Long story short, I love how the music progresses to its final form.
About Thieves In Time Redux's final boss fight...
I wanted to talk about the gameplay end of the fight scene. Remember how the vanilla boss fight was mostly QTEs? We'll only be seeing QTEs in the first and final phases.
The first phase, of course, has Penelope fighting Le Paradox, in an attempt to redeem herself.
As the fight progresses, the button commands increase in difficulty until they eventually become impossible for a human to complete. When that happens, Sly will join the fight and begin Phase 2.
You'll take control of Sly, Bentley, Murray, and Carmelita one after the other (in that order) as they enter the fight. No, you won't get to control the ancestors when they join in.
The final phase has you controlling Penelope again as she restarts her duel with Le Paradox. More QTEs follow, but now they're easier as our heroine gives her speech on what she learned about friendship.
I find it a bit hard to believe that after 11 years of Thieves In Time, and combing through several rewrites...
My rewrite is somehow the only one that has Penelope fighting Le Paradox at the very end.
Why does she end up fighting him? Simple. She feels it's something she has to do as part of her redemption quest. If she can't do it all by herself, her attempt to atone won't count.
After all, this is her mess. She needs to be the one who finishes cleaning it up. What better way is there than taking Le Paradox down?
This, of course, leads to the final lesson she needs to learn: Atoning for her crimes doesn't mean she has to try to fix everything all by herself. She is allowed to ask for help.
Thieftober hosted by @thiefnet-archives
Day 8; Memories
Let's now go over all the change Bentley goes through in Thieves In Time Redux... I don't think I need to say who he's referring to...
Bentley during the prologue: Please tell me you're still in one piece! (During Penelope's segment)
Bentley during the prologue (again): I'm glad you made it back. And thank you for saving me from that guard's wrath. Am I worrying too much? (After Penelope's segment)
Bentley during Episode 1: Stay behind me and Murray. This place is dangerous. Did those guards back there hurt you? (During Something's Fishy)
Bentley during Episode 1 (again): I hope you learned your lesson. You nearly gave me a heart attack when you ran off! Then again, we might have lost Sly if you hadn't done that... (After Altitude Sickness)
Bentley during Episode 2: You really didn't have to jump in there and take those stings for me… but thank you. Let's get your injuries patched up. (After Cooper For Hire)
Bentley during Episode 2 (again): The way you broke me out of that prison was incredible! I was wrong to underestimate you! (After Jail Break)
Bentley during Episode 3: If only you'd told me sooner… Why didn't you say you were sick? (After Getting Stronger)
Bentley during Episode 3 (again): I'm positively speechless. You and Murray worked so well together against The Grizz! Feel free to go back hom-- Wait, you're staying? (After OP: Jurassic Thievery)
Bentley during Episode 4: You want to help Murray tear that tavern apart? The one that's loaded with those massive guards? You know what? Go for it! (During Short Supply)
Bentley during Episode 4 (again): Breaking yourself out of a tower and striking down the Black Knight?! Is there nothing you can't do?! (After OP: Frog Trap)
Bentley during Episode 5: Your services will definitely be required in this perilous structure. I'll have tea and cheesecake ready for you when you get back. (During Copy Cats)
Bentley during Episode 5 (again) This whole mess was your doing?! Young lady, you are in big trouble! (After All Rolled Up)
Bentley during Episode 6: I'm willing to wipe your slate clean if you put an end to what you started and-- You want to lead us to victory? I hope you don't let us down. (Before the final mission)
Bentley during Episode 6 (again): When I said "put an end to what you started", I didn't mean "fight Le Paradox all by yourself"! Please come back safely... (During the final mission)
Bentley during the epilogue: I knew you wouldn't let us down! Of course you can stay with us! Just never betray us again! (After the final mission)
So yeah. Thieves In Time Redux through the eyes of Bentley.
Thieves In Time Redux Meme #17
Let's do a meme starring our very own Sly Cooper for a change... This happens during Episode 3, right after Carmelita comes back...
Sly does this after taking advice from Bentley to be more honest with Carmelita. He takes that advice. It backfires. Horribly.
Guess what? Penelope gets to see them fighting. Again. Another peek into that dark future. She does not want her relationship with Bentley to turn into whatever those two are doing. If you've been paying attention, she's just gone through her change of heart by now.
Our heroine then decides to keep her secret of betrayal... Kind of like what Sly tried to do with Carmelita... That's not going to blow up in her face at all!
So far, I'm only still at the first episode of Sly 2, but It's impressive how much Sly Cooper 2 feel like the natural growth of the characters.
Sly 1 is a "beginner" thief that rush into his ennemy's lair with barelly any preparation, coming up with plans on the fly.
Sly 2 is about an experience Thief that reworked his methods. Now, his companions are much more involved in the operations. Now he carefully stake out and test the security before going for his target. He knows all the importants move of the thievus racoonus.
Trying to pull myself out of a rough patch so thought I’d do a headshot of this angel. Did start as only a sketch but I got carried away
Thieves In Time Redux Meme #16
Spoiler alert: Penelope is not straight up evil in this fanfiction. I don't want to reveal her motive for "siding" with him until I finish Episode 0 of the story... That would be Chapters 1-6. In case you forgot, Episode 0 covers the Paris museum heist.
I'm aware my WIP fanfiction shares a name with a WIP comic series. I wish us both luck in our writing.
Regarding A Certain Poll...
For those of you who picked Sly to still fight Le Paradox, don't worry. I already have a solution. Sly still gets to participate.
Let's first set the stage for Episode 6. Penelope has been keeping her secret of betrayal all game. She also underwent a change of heart. At the end of last episode, Le Paradox outed her. This happened right when Sly, Bentley, and Murray's trust in her was at an all time high.
Thankfully, by the time this reveal happens, Penelope has already finished her march towards heroism and refuses the skunk's offer to rejoin him.
The boys are furious with Penelope. But she has a chance to redeem herself... if she behaves during the blimp raid. She doesn't think she'll be allowed to stay if she simply does as she's told, so she does them one better... and volunteers herself as mission leader.
Who better to lead our heroes to victory than the blimp's chief designer herself? It does take a bit of convincing, but Bentley, Murray, and Sly in that order do end up agreeing.
You all remember what else happened at the end of Episode 5: Carmelita's kidnapping.
Near the end of the rescue mission, Penelope feels a need to pursue the villain of this story. In her mind, she can definitely finish atoning for everything she did if she defeats him... all by herself. If she doesn't (or can't) do it alone, her attempt won't count. She gives chase. Bentley in particular tries to convince her not to, but his pleas fall on deaf ears. She gives him one last kiss before running off in tears.
Cue the final boss fight. Penelope vs. Le Paradox. Over the course of their duel, the skunk says a few things to make her lose her focus...
"Those friends of yours will never forgive you, even if you can take me down!"
"Why do you bother trying to redeem yourself? It's hopeless!"
"You'd be much better off if you rejoined me. Just in case your precious friends don't take you back. I'll be your friend."
Of course, our heroine tells him to stuff it. She'd rather die a hero than live long enough to betray her friends again.
And then... Penelope gets disarmed. Knocked down. The villain nearly gets his chance to finish her off... only for Sly Cooper to jump in and save her. Turns out he heard most of that conversation.
This wasn't what she wanted... Now her attempt won't count! But Sly says that's not how redemption works. She is allowed to ask for help.
Like the heroes they are, Sly and Penelope double team the villain, and are soon joined by Bentley, Murray, Carmelita, and the ancestors.
With her morale restored, Penelope takes it upon herself to finish the skunk off. Complete with a speech on what she learned about friendship.
The game ends with Sly not getting lost in time, and Penelope staying with her friends.
Thieves In Time Redux Characters: Deep Dive
Time to dive deeper into each of these character arcs. Namely, the lessons our four heroes will need to learn by the end of the story.
I don't need to remind you how poorly written Thieves In Time was. What a storytelling trainwreck.
If Sly 3 was about a seasoned gang of thieves pulling the heist of the century, Thieves In Time Redux is now about a less experienced member learning the ropes and building on her foundations. With, of course, a helping of betrayal mixed in.
Note that Thieves In Time Redux is an AU where Penelope gets dragged into the events of Thieves In Time as a playable character.
First up, Sly.
In canon, Sly jumped into this time travelling adventure because the "old itch" hit him like a truck. We can do better than that. Let's have his initial motivation instead be more about him missing Bentley and Murray. He can still have the itch. But no way is that going to be his number one reason for coming back. Also, when he starts thinking about Penelope now being on the main roster, it leads to him regretting how he ditched all his friends back on Kaine Island...
And when Carmelita comes back for Episode 2, let's just say things won't be pretty... I'm sure you can guess what he needs to do.
Bentley's turn. With Penelope now dragged into the adventure, our favorite turtle now gets a new character arc to navigate.
Bentley is perfectly fine with Sly and Murray risking their lives on the regular... but Penelope, his beloved girlfriend? Not so much. At the beginning of this story, she doesn't have a whole lot of experience yet. The fact that she was nearly kidnapped during the prologue doesn't help. This leads to Bentley being overprotective, but only towards her.
Long story short, Bentley will need to learn to let go of all that fear and let Penelope soar, because spoiler alert! She's actually a badass. It might even save their relationship...
Time to talk about Murray.
Instead of Murray feeling useless from out of heckin' nowhere, he... doesn't have much of an arc to follow. You'd think he'd now have nothing to do, but since Penelope is here for the ride, guess what? Murray has been seeing her as a younger sister. He even goes as far as only calling her "Sis". His focus is now on being a good older brother.
While Murray doesn't get a lot of development here, he does end up being incredibly wholesome.
Which brings us to our main protagonist, Penelope.
I'm not going to reveal her motive here. But I did change it from canon. No longer is she after "something something fame/money/power". As she spends time with our other heroes (and sees how much they care about her), she realizes that her motive isn't worth chasing after.
The lesson she needs to learn is obvious. And it's all about friendship.
I don't even know how to begin covering the ancestors and villains... That'll be for another day. And Carmelita? She's in the same boat.
Thieves In Time could have been so much better. So here. Here's one way it could have gone without ruining the characters.
I already stated earlier that it would make more narrative sense to have Penelope (fully reformed) fight Le Paradox during the end of Thieves In Time Redux. But what do you think?
Drop a comment if you picked "secret third option".
Thieves In Time Rewrites...
A lot of rewrites will do one of two things with Penelope.
One route has her following canon and being straight up evil.
Another route has her being kidnapped and either blackmailed or brainwashed.
Thieves In Time Redux not only marries both routes (in that Penelope is responsible for the game's events, and escapes from a kidnapping situation), but also takes a third option. It has her dragged into the adventure so she can learn a lesson or two about friendship.
Sly4 AU where Penelope is really missing, and there's a jealous doppelganger.