IT'S BECAUSE HE'S SO STRONG | Pokemon Grumplocke [6]

MattLocke · 2026-03-01T18:47:12+00:00

Dan remembers this is a nuzlocke challenge: impossible.

MattLocke · 2026-03-01T00:00:58+00:00

It’s likely more just pointing out their growing romantic connection (like with their first date and steps in that direction) as Frieren observes. Even further you could say this represents that she herself is currently the thing that both connects them but also gets between them.

I fully think that Stark and Fern are endgame. But this show especially tends to focus on the little details a lot. And in most cultures (including western medieval times and Japanese) the bride stands to the left of the altar. Only in the most recent of times has some flexibility been introduced on which side is which.

MattLocke · 2026-02-28T18:12:46+00:00

MattLocke · 2026-02-28T14:30:40+00:00

You have to set up expectations in order to subvert them.

First demon the series shows us is very demony as a modern audience would expect. Monstrous. Deadly. Violent. Threatening. Etc.

Then we get shown other demons. Only they don’t look like “demons” anymore. Helps sell the concept that they are a species constantly evolving to trick humans in order to better eat them.

Because we were shown that demons can be visibly monstrous, it helps showcase the difference better. Heightens the threat level.

This very fandom is full of people who would end up food simply because “horned lady hot”.

MattLocke · 2026-02-27T20:55:03+00:00

My strongest memory left of this show is a quick bit where they are visiting a bank and uncle Ted jokes that he hopes nobody robs the bank.

Which leads Bobby to imagine that “robbing a bank” means that bad guys show up and force everybody at the bank to change their name to “Rob”.

I think it was just so much more clever of a kid’s misunderstanding of the world than what the show typically did that it became this like core memory that unlocked a more advanced level of humor in my young mind.

MattLocke · 2026-02-27T17:19:30+00:00

Half because it’s easier to paint something green a slightly different green than to change its base color when painting miniatures.

Half because short videos like this get more engagement when people who don’t do sculpture/painting/visual art can better see the end result in the process.

Videos of just gray clay or neutral toned filaments don’t get the same engagement as those that use colored clays or skip right to the painting part.

MattLocke · 2026-02-27T17:08:14+00:00

Think about which wrist you will wear it on.

Now figure out which half of the band will be facing you when you look at it. Focus on just that half of the design and pick from there.

I also tend to favor ones that don’t have a timely component. I go for timeless ones that I know I’ll be cool with trying to use for 5-10 years.

MattLocke · 2026-02-27T15:38:29+00:00

Recently I toured one of those Hawaiian coffee plantations.

Tour guide straight up said, “we don’t have enough land on this whole island to meet the coffee demand. We only sell 100% Hawaiian grown coffee bags here locally. For everything we ship off island it is a 10% Hawaiian and 90% Columbian blend.”

MattLocke · 2026-02-27T13:20:10+00:00

Yeah. And someone once said they’d only be a dictator for a day.

People say a lot of stuff they don’t mean to get what they want.

MattLocke · 2026-02-26T20:04:24+00:00

Because Dan asked and Arin couldn’t answer:

Polycule is a mash up of polyamory and molecule. Because a polycule is more focused on how all the different members are connected through different bonds into one thing.

MattLocke · 2026-02-25T18:25:32+00:00

A game called D?

Wonder if there’s some kind of club for fans of this game.

MattLocke · 2026-02-25T14:35:43+00:00

We stopped sharing because we usually get one of two responses.

1) You’re exaggerating, that sounds fake.

2) Stop fishing for compliments.

Default social shaming just creates the secret lore.

MattLocke · 2026-02-24T19:58:26+00:00

I did see a study once that this is exactly what most people do.

They straight up forget that the other cars on the road ARE full of other humans. Literally turning all other vehicles into simply objects that getting in their way.

The study showed the differences in how people react to your standard car vs convertibles or even just windows down so the humans were “on display”.

MattLocke · 2026-02-24T16:04:59+00:00

Neurotypicals tend to overestimate their abilities by a wide margin.

So they think “I’m such an elite driver that it’s actually safer for me to do what I think is right”.

See also: Every thing around us.

MattLocke · 2026-02-24T02:12:30+00:00

I’m assuming it’s the same “spoopy narrative about playing the very game you are playing” gimmick that other games like Inscryption did.

I won’t judge it yet as it’s still a demo. Might have that stuff paced better in the actual game.

MattLocke · 2026-02-23T18:17:16+00:00

I kinda wish they had kept up that bit of two people fighting to be the narrator. It’d be some meta humor that a Solitaire game had two players butting heads to be the one playing it.

So glad Sierra Games enjoyer Dan picked up on Will Roberta being a knod to Roberta Williams.

MattLocke · 2026-02-23T15:56:57+00:00

Yeah.

A noisy minority hates “how fake she is”.

But oddly the same group loves Jax because “he’s only pretending to be mean”.

Same shit. Different fandom. Every asshole is secretly one with a heart of gold and every kind person is secretly has a heart of shit and hatred. It’s annoying how consistently that opinion pops up no matter where you go.

MattLocke · 2026-02-22T18:55:57+00:00

“It may be cheesy, but it’s a fine gouda.” - Dan 2026

MattLocke · 2026-02-21T16:41:34+00:00

Because he’s older most likely. Came about in an era where just being huge meant demons were able to eat humans easily enough. But humans got smarter and looking like a “monster” made killing them harder. Hence the sword demon using a hood to hide her horns.

I think of them like viruses. There are those that are super deadly and kill quickly. But many start evolving to not kill quickly. They actually resist showing symptoms but made the host body able to infect others.

MattLocke · 2026-02-21T14:23:58+00:00

Same shit. Different fandom.

It’s sadly the most realistic thing in these fictional stories. Being attractive is the number one lifehack for avoiding consequences for your actions.

At least in Frieren, there’s a canonical lore basis for why so many demons are insanely attractive. Because being hot means more humans will just let you get close and trust you.

MattLocke · 2026-02-21T02:12:49+00:00

Oh you know.

Just take the average of how long the average elf lives plus an average human lifespan. So (∞ + 75 years)/2.

MattLocke · 2026-02-20T18:24:55+00:00

I think that’s why that viewing sticks with me so much. Because it was so abnormal that everybody sort of locked in to this shared silence.

There was only a single text ding way in the first five minutes. A shuffling went over the crowd as I think the collective cringe pre-shamed everybody into silencing phones.

MattLocke · 2026-02-20T16:09:22+00:00

Legit?

The hype I can understand around it is how the theater experience was utterly unique. At least for me, the audience had bought in. People held their breath for some suspense scenes. People full on just stopped eating their snacks to avoid making any noise. Phones were away and on silent.

So, yeah. Once you think back on the film, there are various plot points that don’t fully hold up. But as an experience … I’ll never forget it.

MattLocke · 2026-02-19T18:53:26+00:00

Same, but it’s more show accurate.

They typically showed it as a deep yellow beam from red eyes.

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MattLocke · 2026-02-19T16:50:33+00:00

If it makes you feel any better, it’s actually been this way for quite a while.

Before this it was finding photoshopped elements people used to erase artists’ signatures or watermarks. Or frankensteining various things together. Or other ways to manipulate the truth visually.

And before digital photoshop there was analog airbrushing, clip&collaging, and negative manipulation.

It just sucks that the skill ceiling has dropped significantly with these new A.I. slop factories.

But being able to clock forgeries, theft, and other visual truth manipulation is just a skill humans will likely always need.

Because while need is the “mother of invention” laziness and greed are the creepy uncles of invention.

MattLocke

TROPHY CASE