GR4CELESS

You had me in the first half. She was there, but she didn't force you to listen to her story. She just existed. Like, sure, she was clocky; that's just how it is for girls who transition later in life. She mentions that she's been on a journey, and if you, the player, choose the appropriate dialogue option, she'll tell you her story, which, oddly enough, might be the less realistic thing. There are a lot of trans people who would prefer not to share that, because there are a lot of not-trans people who will change their tune and use information about a person who no longer exists to hurt the person they've transitioned into.

Zagreus (and Melinoë presumably) on the other hand are not obviously pan until you, the player, start pursuing same-sex relationships. Given that Hades and II are based on Greek mythology, it might come as no surprise, but it's not like there's an aspect of facial or body shape that obviously identifies someone as being lesbian/gay/bi/pan like there tend to be for trans people (especially femmes and women, ESPECIALLY in a world without cosmetic surgery, hand-wavey magic aside). She didn't hurt you, so be happy that some people did feel seen and move on with your life.

We clearly need help. Will it be from wherever you're from?

There was a nagging feeling in my memory that this was the actual ending, or that the snake bit the kid and then easily swam back across the river

When I was growing up I (caucasian) for some reason had a couple cassette tapes of American First Nations folk tales. One has been looming in the back of my mind, mostly with regard to personal relationships, but it seems relevant in politics and so many other areas of life.

Paraphrased version in my natural tone goes something like this:

A young person is preparing to wade across a river when they notice a rattlesnake on the same bank. The snake seems to be giving an indication that it wishes to cross the river, so the child approaches the snake and asks if it wants a lift, because they were raised to treat all living beings with kindness. The snake looks over the child as if to say "you sure, human? I mean, that's nice and all, but I am a rattlesnake. Didn't you ever learn to leave us alone?"
The child persists, saying "well yes, I can see and hear that you are a rattlesnake, but I was raised to treat all beings with kindness, and this river is deep and fast. If you try cross it alone, you'll be swept away. But I have long legs and steady feet, and hands to carry you with, and I have eyes to see that you need help if you wish to cross the river. So I offer you this aid, which I can provide in this moment, and ask for no payment, only that you do not bite me as we cross."
The snake pauses, looks the kid over again, then relaxes its coils and stills its rattle. The child picks up the snake, and begins to wade across the river. As they cross, the child speaks to the snake, saying "remember this kindness, snake. The next time you or your children see a human, remember that we helped you cross this river, and let us pass in peace. We don't eat rattlesnakes, and rattlesnakes don't eat humans, we need not engage in conflict in the future."
The snake remains quiet and still until the child finishes crossing the river, at which point the snake rears back, tenses, and strikes the child in the throat. The child instantly collapses, the snake's venom coursing through their veins, swiftly poisoning their heart and brains. With their dying breath, the child turns tear-filled eyes to the snake as if to ask "why? Why would you kill me after I helped you cross the river? Why, after an expression of kindness and an offer of assistance, with no expectation of payment beyond decency in return, would you betray my trust?"
The snake replies, "because I'm a fucking rattlesnake you naive twit, what did you think was going to happen?" The snake leaves and the child dies.

Remember, snakes are snakes, and humans are humans, which makes it all the more disappointing when humans act like snakes (and also when snakes don't act like humans)

Vibroblade

• Broken Earth trilogy and Great Cities duology by N. K. Jemisin
• Pretty much anything I've ever read by Adrian Tchaikovsky but special attention to Shattered Earth series, Children of Time series, and lately Service Model

Whoa Max Dubler mentioned! I used to ride longboards and this guy was one of the only openly gay people in the major leagues, as it were. Although I think a lot of us turned out not to be so straight or cis after all 😅

Came to put this here, always happy to find more Pebis Prager ytps though 🤣🤣

Meanwhile Bart only grows taller

High five!

I'm thinking he is being pressured by people with international buying power whose names are also on the list maybe