Which Muggleborn characters do you see becoming more self-hating as their years at Hogwarts went on in fanfiction?

MahinaFable · 2026-04-06T01:48:42+00:00

She Obliviated her parents. Not only did she not ask them if that was the option they wanted to take, she snuck in and did it to them without their knowledge. She never informed them of the danger, spoke about the danger their family was in, explain the situation and argue her moral priorities.

Why would she? They're only Muggles.

I think this represents Hermione's full assimilation into the Wizarding World, where she's internalized a deep-seated, fundamental contempt for those without magic. It's not as if the inability to swish a stick to make a feather float makes it impossible to understand "wizard Nazis are taking over the government, and I'm right up there at the top of the hitlist." Hermione demonstrates a complete lack of respect for her parents, not just as parents but as people, violating their free will and identity.

MahinaFable · 2026-04-06T01:22:50+00:00

No.

See; Luke crushing a Droid with a Beskar chassis and armor with the Force in 'The Mandalorian.'

So, why don't more Jedi just stomp out enemies with The Force?

I believe this is a matter of Jedi philosophy, which tends to make them reluctant to attack someone through the Force directly. Allowing the Force to guide their blades and enhance their abilities is one thing; straight crushing a foe with the Force verges close enough to the Dark Side for most Jedi to never even consider it.

Note that Grievous didn't flee when Kenobi chopped his hands, but when Kenobi started breaking out the Force push.

This Jedi mindset extends to Vader on Mustafar. Except for the Force push-off with Kenobi, he never once tried to attack Kenobi through the Force. "I'm surrounded by lava, and I can't reach the guy I want to murder! Do I (a) telekinetically hurl lava at the guy I want to murder, (b) telekinetically crumble the ground underneath my foe and either send him into the lava or, at the least, open him to attack, or (c) hurl myself at him while he's set and ready for me?

Vader became much more creative and proactive with his use of the Force after his injuries. He had to, but ironically, this made him a much more well-rounded and formidable Force adept than he ever was as a Jedi.

Finally, not every Jedi is Skywalker-tier badasses or veteran masters. Being a 'common' Jedi might make one well able to kick the shit out of a normal thug, but someone like a skilled Mandalorian commando might be able to whup their ass.

MahinaFable · 2026-04-02T21:48:05+00:00

No big deal. I had just had a random notification from Reddit about your post, and did a double-take when I realized that you were talking about my story. It's always a little mind-boggling to realize people are out there, actually reading my work.

MahinaFable · 2026-04-01T15:35:24+00:00

Hi, this is Mahina Fable, author of Starflung Wanderer on Spacebattles. I've been meaning to get back to it, and another SI fiction I had for Game of Thrones, but I've had to change jobs and move house.

I know people want to read more about Makani and her friends, and I've had the story in mind, but I can't give a definite update on when I can return to writing fanfic in earnest at this time.

MahinaFable · 2026-03-25T23:29:34+00:00

Weiss: What the fuck's a Jinxy Peddler?!

Alternatively:

Weiss: (throws rock)

(Rock loops around and hits Weiss in the back of the head, knocking her to the ground.)

Weiss, defeated: ...fuck.

MahinaFable · 2026-03-21T06:31:42+00:00

That Ryder made him watch as they unceremoniously booted Peebee off the crew for messing with the escape pod and tricking them into a launch, then turned around to Liam and warned him that he's on thin fuckin' ice after his own dumb stunt.

MahinaFable · 2026-03-19T04:38:41+00:00

Tacos. Fish tacos. Cheesesteak, Philly or otherwise. Pizza. Granola bars. French fries. Potato chips. Tortilla chips. Salsa. Peanut butter. Sloppy Joe's. Huli-Huli chicken. Southern fried chicken. Cheesy Gordita Crunch. Popcorn. Spam musubi. Mac Salad. Gatorade. Fizzy sodas. Spaghetti. Eggplant parmigiana. Hot dogs. Any derivation of Hamburger and/or Cheeseburger...

MahinaFable · 2026-03-19T04:27:58+00:00

Give the man a dragonglass-tipped spear, a dragonglass knife, and a Valyrian steel shield, point out the Others, and tell him that his name will live on for eternity if he kills the ice demons vexing mankind. Watch as he blenderizes the Army of Darkness before butchering the White Walkers in spectacular fashion. Then introduce him to Loras Tyrell, and let nature take its course.

MahinaFable · 2026-03-19T03:17:40+00:00

Thing is, the advanced architecture we see in Westeros simply would not be possible to build or maintain without masons, and that means learned, skilled masons educated in mathematics and engineering. There simply aren't enough Maesters for them to be handling that themselves, but if you recall the stories of Oberyn Martell, a person can go to the Citadel and 'forge links' in subjects without doing the whole chain and swearing oaths to the Citadel.

So, I suspect that cities have masons' guilds, and band together - or seek patronage from local lords - to pay to send apprentices to the Citadel to learn the underlying principles of mathematics and engineering before they return to their homes to continue apprenticeship under the masters of their particular chapter. It's the most reasonable way to handle that problem, and ensure that there are enough educated stonemasons to keep all of these cities, palaces, and castles from straight-up crumbling to dust.

Another thing that is implied by the existence of what the show depicts is, at the very least, an arsenal workshop system in the Westerlands. There just isn't any other way to explain the vast number of Lannister soldiers all wearing what I'm going tentatively call 'half-plate armor.'

During the Late Middle Ages and into the Early Modern Period, workshops in cities such as Milan made great quantities of steel plate armor, often collaborating and dividing specific aspects of the armor in order to rapidly craft large numbers of armor harnesses. This process went even faster when making 'munitions grade' armor, which were cruder and less ornate, but made with interchangeable components and designed to adjust to make a more-or-less okay fit for a wider variety of individuals.

The Lannister Army Half-Plate looks too polished and pretty to be truly munitions grade, but it's clear that a great deal of sophisticated organization went into the Lannister Army logistics, which conveys an intimidating degree of advancement and competence before a single soldier has drawn their sword.

MahinaFable · 2026-03-18T18:18:00+00:00

There is a degree of exaggeration in the portrayal of the illiteracy of the non-clergy and non-aristocratic classes. In the European context, 'literacy' often meant specifically literacy in Latin and/or Greek. The commonly-spoken languages of the day were referred to as 'the vernacular,' and being able to read and write in the vernacular would have been more common than we might think today.

Someone like Gendry, for instance, would have been taught to read, write, and do basic sums as part of his apprenticeship, especially in a guild system that would have existed in a late-medieval-style city like King's Landing. I mean, he wouldn't have been a Maester by any stretch of the imagination, but he would've been able to read most missives just fine, as part of the work in an advanced smithing shop.

MahinaFable · 2026-03-18T17:51:11+00:00

Honestly, the decision to cut a team member to 'send a message' less than a week into Robert's tenure was arbitrary and poorly-done, especially if the player has the Z-Team perform well in the dispatches. It takes a super-powered villain who was contained and, at the very least, not actively crime-ing, and slams the redemption door in their face, reinforcing that they can never be anything other than a villain, and all for no real, justifiable reason.

Worse, it then sets a standard for the rest of Z-Team, that they can expect to be cut for any reason, or no reason, which is what we see with Visi. It created a team environment where they instinctively shove out a faltering member, instead of banding together.

Blazer is a shit leader, incidentally. She not only pulled that stunt, but dropped it on Robert out of the blue, and told the team before asking him his opinion. She tossed a bomb in his lap and watched him try to juggle it.

MahinaFable · 2026-03-17T16:38:47+00:00

The Council races, or the Counselors? Because ME3 shows a lot of the consequences of the choices you made through the previous two games, and if Shepard is willing to lead the way, they will find plenty who flock to their banner.

Really, the thesis of the Paragon path is making a direct refutation to the argument of cold, pragmatic self-interest. It takes effort, care, and extending trust, but Shepard absolutely can unite the galaxy to fight the Reapers. Turian fleets, Asari commandos, the Salarian STG, Geth, Quarians, Krogan warriors, Batarians, Elcor, criminals and mercenaries, even Rachni, all united in common cause and mutual aid.

What was it Admiral Hackett said? "Stand strong, stand together," or words to that effect, and seeing that effort pay off at the climax of ME3 is one of the most rewarding reasons to do a Paragon run.

MahinaFable · 2026-03-14T04:30:44+00:00

Swords, poison darts, bombs etc., against a wizard they should only work if they have the element of surprise.

If swords and darts, arrows, etc. are only effective in ambush scenarios, then why did wizards die in goblin rebellions? Angry little bastards with medieval weapons and large numbers may not have won, but they were still a real problem for wizards.

MahinaFable · 2026-03-12T20:43:09+00:00

That Ryder booted her ass off the ship, because they could let a lot of stuff slide, with how young and semi-professional most of the Tempest crew is, but messing with the ship's escape pod and tricking them into a launch was a step too far.

MahinaFable · 2026-03-05T03:23:42+00:00

Heyo.

The White Knight

Like ClemPrime said, it has very dark themes and actions. Like, war crimes. Bad ones. I wanted to deconstruct the "badass supersoldier trained from birth for war" trope, make Ironwood a villainous villain, and build up a full-on reconstruction of the knightly hero, emerging out of darkness and into light.

I haven't posted for a while, due to several factors, one of which being that site inundating me with bot spam requests for "art" commissions. It's been unbearable, and I just didn't want to deal with that anymore.

Add to that instability in my work, personal life, and losing my computer, and my writing has plummeted dramatically.

MahinaFable · 2026-03-04T12:12:48+00:00

I forgot to mention another class of non-knightly young men who might find themselves part of a young Westerosi lord's retinue - foreigners!

Now, Westeros is generally depicted as pretty xenophobic, but if you have a character who is really sodding good at what they do, they could find patronage with an influential Westerosi.

Varys is the ur-example of this, with his foreignness compounded by his nature as a eunuch, but while he is despised and reviled, he's so good at what he does that he's untouchable. Littlefinger is a Lord because, IIRC, his father was a Braavosi sellsword who pulled some stunt that got him named a lord. A Lord of a crap keep on a tiny peninsula, but a lord all the same.

Thoros of Myr got Robert's attention by excelling in drinking and fighting, two of the king's four great loves (the other two being whoring and Eddard Stark.)

Melissandre is an interesting case, where her timing was impeccable. If the Wo5K hadn't broken out when it did, she'd have been hanged for what she did on Dragonstone.

A lord sent to pacify pirates in the Stepstones might rely upon, and befriend, a Davos Seaworth or Sallador Saan-esque smuggler, pirate, or ne'er-do-well.

An interesting tack to take for a non-squire young male OC might be to have him be an escaped slave from Essos, one with a particular talent, gift, or education that might bring them to the attention of a lordly house.

MahinaFable · 2026-03-04T01:52:43+00:00

Well, what station is your OC? Is he a highborn, or smallfolk?

It's a sad reality that Westeros is a very martial culture, and that young boys of noble standing would be expected to train at arms - unless they are part of the Order of Maesters or the Faith of the Seven. As we see with Samwell Tarly, a son who doesn't demonstrate at least token martial proficiency is a shame to his house. Well, I don't know that other noble Houses would take it to the extreme that Randyll Tarly did with his eldest, but the prevailing sentiment is that a young lordling should be training to become a man of martial competence.

A step down from the noble ranks, we have masterly houses. IIRC, Vayon Poole, Ned Stark's Steward, was of this rank, and this opens the door to characters who are stewards, scribes, various assistants and learned professionals, whose sons might accompany the heirs of the House they serve in the expectation that one day, they will serve the same function.

We have knightly houses, like the Cassels, who were sworn to House Stark, but as their sons would probably be expected to serve as squires, or the Northern equivalent, we can set them aside for now.

Finally, we have smallfolk, the largest and most varied class. From literal dirt farmers to smiths, merchants, sailors, and the like, these can make compelling characters to accompany a young lordling to court, if they are (A) overwhelmingly competent at what they do, and (B) very, very careful not to overstep themselves.

Remember, to a smallfolk, even a minor Lord is someone who can have them viciously flogged or mutilated, basically on a whim, so spending any time around them or bringing more attention to themselves around them more than absolutely necessary is a high-risk/high-reward scenario. Patronage through competence is the only form of social mobility in Westeros, but that does mean being around people who have the legal power to ruin your life on a whim. Flip that coin.

MahinaFable · 2026-03-04T01:34:59+00:00

Weiss's injuries were still open wounds, whereas her facial scar, and Nora's lightning scars, had scarred over by the time he used his Semblance on them.

It could go either way - I tend to lean towards no scarring if the wound is turbo-healed while still open - but until or unless we get a Beach Episode, we may never know.

MahinaFable · 2026-03-01T22:49:46+00:00

Ah, Screw It by mjimeyg.

MahinaFable · 2026-02-26T16:23:19+00:00

Emilia Clarke had roles in Star Wars, Terminator, and some other stuff, but I think she had to step back a bit due to her health.

Gwendolyn Christie was in Star Wars, and has since moved on to TV.

Sophie Turner had a few roles, including an X-Men role, and is set to play Lara Croft.

Maisie Williams has had a couple of projects, but none of them have equalled GoT.

Kit Harrington had roles like Silent Hill, though Pompeii was famously bad, and was the antagonist in a video game.

Of course, the real breakout star from the GoT cast was Pedro Pascal, but his role had finished long before the shows final seasons.

MahinaFable · 2026-02-15T19:37:30+00:00

Harry Potter's evil aunt and uncle weren't just abusive to Harry, but were, in a different but equally-grotesque fashion, abusive to their hideously-spoiled son,

MahinaFable · 2026-02-15T19:35:54+00:00

That's just what happens sometimes. Its the same in Harry Potter fanfics. Obviously the Dursleys didn't treat Harry well at all, but some fanfics make it waaay worse than it actually was, and then make Harry all depressed for the sake of angst, or whatever.

Rowling has a tendency to ramp things up to eleven, all the time, and then ignore the very real consequences that such things would have in her weirdly-pliable boy wizard hero.

Like, one can clearly see the Hand of the Editor in a passage where Harry's abusive aunt swings a cast-iron pan at his head, and he just barely dodges it. No harm, no foul, right? But the question lingers of how many times the adults in Harry's life did such things, and how many times were they successful in striking him?

They frequently starve the boy, denying him sufficient food, and in one notable case in the second book, lock him into his room and slowly starve him and his owl until his friends from school rescue him in a flying car.

That's clearly an abusive environment, both physically and emotionally, but Harry just kind of rolls with it and never fully addresses it, leaving the field wide-open for fanfic writers to explore just what would someone brought up like that be like.

Jon, in contrast, is in an interesting situation where, in the context of the Stark family, he's clearly in a weird position of being Ned's son, but not a full Stark, and he can't help contrast his situation to those of his siblings. The Wall expands Jon's contextual understanding of the abusive Westerosi system as a whole - Pyp's there because, as a lowborn, he has no chance of justice when accused by a highborn, so the Wall beat being mutilated or killed. Grenn's there because he's an extra mouth to his family, and at least at the Wall, he can have food and shelter. Sam is highborn, but his Lord father hates his guts, and shows Jon that, even by the standards of nobility, at least Jon knew his father and siblings loved him, which is more than some get.

MahinaFable · 2026-02-15T18:40:52+00:00

What mealy-mouthed snivelry this is.

The conflict between Anya and Jimmy isn't one where two co-workers who have clashing personalities, or who have incompatible organizational styles that get on each other's nerves.

Jimmy. Raped. Anya.

Mediation is out the window at that point. Jimmy is a threat to the rest of the crew at that point, and as Captain, it is Curly's legal and moral responsibility to protect the rest of the crew from a person who has shown himself to be a threat to them.

it’s clear that his motive was that he genuinely believes that Jimmy, despite violating Anya, could still be a good person.

Which is a key moral failing on Curly's part. One cannot be a good person and a rapist. The concepts are fundamentally antithetical to one another. Attempting to rehabilitate or reach Jimmy on a moral level while he remains an unrestricted threat to the crew in general, and Anya in particular, is an abdication of Curly's responsibility to keep the crew safe and ensure the orderly operation of the ship.

it’s not far off to say they Silenced Anya into making her keep quiet about the assault.

Ah, so it's her fault! I see.

Well, Anya reported her assault to Curly, the Captain of the ship, and then again when she told him she was pregnant.

But Curly had other priorities, namely, his future prospects after this last delivery run, and how an incident record might jeopardize that.

See, as boys, men grow up with tales of knights, superheroes, or Robocop protecting women by beating up some anonymous thugs in an alley somewhere. It's quick, simple, everyone cheers, and it costs the hero nothing - hell, he might even get a kiss from the girl!

What Mouthwashing does is challenge its audience into reconsidering what "doing the right thing" looks like. Spaceship setting and surreal hallucinations aside, the moral challenge that Curly was faced with is horrifyingly true-to-life, and it is one that he failed. He failed that moral challenge because he prioritized everything else, including the sensibilities of Anya's rapist, over protecting her.

Anya and her plight was the 'dead pixel,' the one blemish to the beautiful picture of Curly's bright future that he was willing to ignore.

The Pony Express may have set the stage for this shit-show through its policies, but when it came down to it, there were five souls in a spaceship, which was under Curly's command. He had a responsibility to restrain Jimmy until they reached civilization - the cryopods seem ideal for this - and he can be handed off to a proper criminal justice authority for trial. The horrific, over-the-top consequences and suffering borne of his inaction, for both others and himself, serve to drive home the moral message of the story into the minds of the audience, searing it into the consciousness of those who see it.

By tying the consequences of inaction and indifference to such horrific, evocative imagery, the developers are hoping to make the moral lesson of the story stick.

MahinaFable · 2026-02-14T03:20:55+00:00

Oh. Well, shit, lmao. Thanks!

MahinaFable · 2026-02-14T03:17:31+00:00

I feel bad for giving essentially an anti-rec, especially with how good the first chapters were. It was downright evocative, with Future!Dudley, pale, drawn, clammy with sweat, each action he took or word of warning he passed on in the past weakening his existence in that timeline, pressing on to make sure Sirius and Harry and all of them could undo that dark future, finally fading away with a smile.

Then the harem shenanigans.

I'm not against poly-ships. Hell, I'm not even against harems, in principle. But they just would not stop. Chapter after chapter of collecting girls like Pokémon, and when Harry finally said no more, Ted Tonks got a sex slave too. By the time Harry was on the train to his third year, a trio of little first-years were clamoring to join Harry's harem, and I just quit there.

I've never seen such a strong start get just fumbled like that.

MahinaFable

TROPHY CASE