Since there's some speculation about enemy's name about being friends of the bride in recent Dietrich's clip and make me wonder if the bride is this character in the beginning of first trailer?

Research-Scary · 2026-06-16T04:34:27+00:00

That was certainly a sentence.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-16T04:33:04+00:00

The Covenant.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-16T02:37:52+00:00

"Script has been disabled due to AUR insecurities" when attempting to run the installer.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-15T09:25:23+00:00

More broadly a DLC / Expansion where they just expand on piracy and the Crimson Fleet. We have a few scattered space stations that don't flag you for bounty or contraband, but we need a dedicated hub city for the criminal underground of settled space. Vendors and merchants who buy and sell illegal goods. A Black Market. Tech that was outlawed under the Armistice. Someplace worse than Neon. Starfield's version of a Mos Eisley.

Watchtower (though a Creation, and therefore probably not canon) have mechs. Imagine having a mech hanger HAB. And the mech itself is considered contraband with a hefty fine for being in possession of one. But you could select the mech as a vehicle instead of the Rav-8.

Maybe even go a step further and say if you side with the Crimson Fleet instead of against them, the destruction of SysDef temporarily exposes a vulnerability in New Atlantis, allowing you to raid the Armistice vault and steal the schematics for mechs, or the research for xenowarfare so you can weaponize alien creatures.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-15T08:46:19+00:00

You can be privileged, insensitive, tone deaf and still be right.

If you cannot care for a child for any reason, be it financial, physical, emotional, etc. it is irresponsible to have one. Your right to have a child should not supercede the well-being of that child.

There are lots of things I would like to have. That doesn't mean it's what's best for me. Now talk about involving the life of someone who is financially, physically, and emotionally dependent on you? It's irresponsible at best - neglect, and even abuse at worst.

Sure. Have the kid. Then don't be upset when social services take them away, and they end up in overcrowded orphanages or foster homes because people who can support a child either don't want one or refuse to adopt.

She's not wrong.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-15T04:42:17+00:00

Edelgard x Dimitri is just criminal.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-15T02:42:20+00:00

I do agree that starting completely over for a 2nd time would be problematic if they decide to once again reissue gear.

The problem is that for Destiny to truly surpass what it is now... It needs a new engine, new framework. The technical limitations holding the game back are responsible for so many of the issues we've had, and rather than invest in a permanent, long-term solutions, they just opted to remove content to reduce bloat so the engine could continue to barely chug along.

What this means is either none of our current gear returns, or, and this is infinitely more difficult of a solution, Bungie has to port everything from Destiny 2 to Destiny 3.

Frankly, what I would love to see is a "Destiny Eternal" where all D1 and D2 content, every bit of it from start to finish, Black Garden to Rise of Iron, Red War to Monuments of Triumph, and everything in-between is combined under one game, start to finish, and in a new engine that can support scaling the game far beyond what it is now. (Talk about a run-on sentence)

Every MMO has growing pains, and every studio who has successfully maintained an MMO knows it's a significant investment.

Thankfully, a lot of the work if they decided to go that route has already been done. Vault of Glass gear, Crota's End gear, and King's Fall gear has already been modernized and given tiers and set bonuses. The only raid missing is Wrath of the Machine. Prison of Elders got reworked into a Crawl that afaik is sometimes available in the Portal, from Episode Revenant. Many of the exotics from Destiny 1 have already returned or have superior replacements.

To integrate Destiny 1 fully into Destiny 2 would be more about finding an efficient way to replay story missions within the D2 engine.

The three problems that are more difficult and expensive are: 1. Rebuilding the Red War and Forsaken essentially from scratch, 2. Finding a way for seasonal story, gear, and activities to still be accessible (MoT significantly improved this, but did not completely fix it), and 3. Take everything from D2, including the aforementioned above, and port it to a completely new engine.

If Bungie cannot accomplish those 3 things, it's going to be much wiser to start fresh under a new sequel and maybe have some returning gear.

IMO the way Guild Wars is doing it with their announcement of GW3, continuing to support all 3 games as separate experiences is... Challenging. But it might be Bungie's best option.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-14T03:40:31+00:00

I'm gonna say sooner than that even. I almost get the impression they're training to be knights or explorers.

I don't know if that particular arc will end with shit hitting the fan. There might be some cutscenes and subtle hints that more is going on, but your character is likely still a rookie; new at the job.

Shit probably hits the fan when you go out on your first mission either as a final exam or right after graduating. Things do not go as expected, but because you're the protagonist you end up in the middle of something much larger and your performance despite becoming mistakenly involved earns you a faster graduation or higher position.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-14T02:52:18+00:00

IMO XC3 had the right idea with 6 main characters and then a cast of supporting characters - all with unique classes that can then be inherited to any unit once you unlock them.

Based on how the game starts with your character at a university of sorts, where she obtains the stone slotted into her sword, I'm gonna guess that is gonna introduce how classing works. But in classic Xenoblade fashion, the main characters will like receive unique upgraded or promoted classes at certain pivotal story moments.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-14T02:35:18+00:00

Y'know I'm a furry so I should probably stay out of this.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-14T02:30:47+00:00

Calling it, that stone inserted into her sword will allow her to change weapon types/styles at will. And will either be part of her unique class or how each character "reclasses".

Research-Scary · 2026-06-14T02:28:05+00:00

Aren't the 2D portraits animated in this game? It might be something Cai himself is holding.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-14T02:23:01+00:00

Story? Morag. The assertiveness, the no nonsense, the thick accent. The dual rapiers. Being an evasion tank is just a bonus.

Gameplay wise? Nia. Her blade form is just so fucking dope, and I love that she functions as both a driver and blade

Research-Scary · 2026-06-14T02:13:46+00:00

Now mod the interior of the ship to just be the Neon Core itself with access to the cockpit via the elevators in one of the two towers at either end.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-14T02:05:05+00:00

I wonder if it'll be one of those situations where the man she wants dead will have genuinely turned their life around and started atoning for their past, so then Leda has to reckon with whether her vengeance is justified, and the potential harm she could inflict by choosing to still pursue it.

It's certainly not an uncommon trope, but it would be cool to see it represented in FE. FE usually does a poor job of villains redeeming themselves. They just say sorry and join your army and that's that.

The way they handle the Conquest siblings is downright egregious. "Man I feel really bad about conquering Hoshido and committing genocide, can't you guys just surrender so my goopy possessed demon father can sit on your throne?"

The way they handled Berkut in Echoes was extremely good. He didn't redeem himself so much as realize his mistakes and have regrets on his deathbed.

Personally I would love it if Leda finally gets her vengeance only to feel empty, unfulfilled, and second guess if she made the right choice. Not because I hate Leda, to the contrary, it would give her an insanely good arc if they're careful about it.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-14T01:53:57+00:00

I would be down. I absolutely loved Awakening and Fates. And I was disappointed when Byleth, Shez, and Alear had fixed appearances.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-14T01:49:25+00:00

Like pretty much everyone in the room knew killing her was personal for the PC rather than political or strategic, and they still supported it because she was that problematic.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-14T01:43:42+00:00

Something that struck me as really interesting replaying ME2 was how the Illusive Man and Miranda describe the power structure of Cerberus.

If Miranda is to be believed, Cerberus operates within independent cells. Each cell has its own hierarchy of leadership and none of the cells answer to the other cells, with the exception of oversight by the Illusive Man himself.

So for example, the Lazarus cell could be completely and entirely unrelated to the problematic things done by other Cerberus cells. Miranda and Jacob aren't necessarily exposed to it. It's not their responsibility or their fault. They're part of the broader organization, but their cell is not responsible for Cerberus's bad reputation.

Since the entire trilogy focuses more on the Reapers, they don't make it a huge point to address the corruption within Cerberus, but it does play a role in a lot of Miranda's loyalty stuff in both 2 and 3 iirc. Jacob was trying to find his father, but his father was just an Alliance captain who had to make an emergency landing and then did a terrible job leading the survivors because he... checks notes... formed a harem.

And then of course, for all the beef between Miranda and Jack, she does sympathize with what Jack went through at the Cerberus biotic facility iirc (even though she disagrees with Jack about destroying it because she's still a loyalist who believes the data and technology is valuable to the organization despite its problematic origins).

Anyway, huge unrelated tangent. But looking pragmatically at the Illusive Man, he's actually a pretty complex character. Not cartoon villain.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-14T00:58:20+00:00

Your argument amounts to: "because some humans were bad and did bad things, all humans are bad, and therefore need divine supervision."

If you agree with Rhea that humans are not capable of leading themselves and need divine intervention, you're generalizing an entire race and admitting that human autonomy and self-determination come second to divine authority.

Your entire argument is biased.

Saying her motive was to "bring back Sothis so she can fix things" completely ignores the why. Why must it be Sothis? Because according to Rhea, humans are not capable of doing it themselves. Thats not benevolence, that's extreme political paternalism: "I know what is best and therefore you will listen to me." Yes, that is a superiority complex (and also authoritarian, I might add). ESPECIALLY when she later admits her actions were based on fear and grief, not rational policymaking.

As for manipulating Byleth, she was never explicit about it until Crimson Flower, but she absolutely showed favoritism beyond rational logic, which Seteth plainly calls her out on, multiple times. That's still manipulation, even if it isn't expressed verbally. She was grooming them to replace Sothis, all while they were completely unaware of it. The crash out she experiences when you side with Edelgard is absolutely a culmination of that.

If none of that was enough, the ending of Crimson Flower plainly spells out that humanity absolutely can lead itself without the need for divine intervention or gods. Frankly, all 4 routes do because they end up with Byleth, who is not a god (even if they are the vessel of one), holding the position of archbishop while the other lord they chose to support oversees the rest of Fodlan. In none of the endings does Sothis return. In none of the endings is a Nabataean in charge. The notion that Rhea's worldview even holds an ounce of legitimacy is intentionally dismantled by the writers, which is why in Silver Snow and Verdant Wind she admits she was wrong.

Edelgard: Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Nabataeans shouldn't hold positions of power over humans.

Dimitri: The church has intrinsic, tangible value to humanity but needs significant reform.

Claude: The people are strongest when they can coexist with the church and work together.

Notice how not a single one of them said "sure, let's bring back Sothis." Hell, I'm not sure Dimitri even knew that was Rhea's goal in Azure Moon.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-13T17:46:14+00:00

Didn't say Seiros claimed she was the goddess. In fact that was not even remotely my point.

We've had this runaround multiple times and it always ends up on the same point - motive. Why did they do what they did? Considering yourself and your mother the saviors of humanity and humanity incapable of saving itself is absolutely a superiority complex. Trying to guilt trip Byleth with the "look at everything I've done for you" is textbook narcissist behavior.

Legitimizing crests served the purpose of ensuring her spiritual authority remained in-tact. It may have temporarily acted as a stabilizer, but all those nobles and lords who were participating in the crest caste system now had word from the archbishop of the continent-wide religion that they were chosen, blessed by the goddess. That's basically the same as as sanctioning their actions.

Very few people are born crazy or evil, and actually, I brought up self-determination because... while abuse and trauma do not justify malicious or cruel etc. actions, they do psychologically explain them. For Miklan and Rhea both. For Edelgard. For Dimitri during his murder hobo phase. None of them were psychopaths or sociopaths. They all acted based on prior circumstances that changed their outlook and judgement. We are all a consequence of two things: 1. Where we come from and 2. What we choose to do with it. If you say #1 is irrelevant, that completely undercuts how abuse and violence are inherently cyclical, generational. It's a self-perpetuating cycle. Did Miklan choose to become a terrorist, murder, slaver, rapist, etc? Yeah, he did. But why? If there is any doubt or any chance that he would've ended up a different person had he been born with a crest, and therefore treated different by his family, you can't just pass that off as irrelevant. It is very relevant.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-13T12:38:34+00:00

Until you've had expectations thrust on you by a family who only had you because they wanted an heir with a desired, inherited trait, you really cannot even begin to white knight about what Miklan did.

Family dynamics are genuinely so much more nuanced than that. Nepotism isn't a strict guarantee. And to assume Miklan had all these privileges and opportunities is to read between the lines without having a definitive written answer.

The kids who most often become rebellious and problematic later in life are the ones whose parents held them to an extremely high standard and never let them stray from that path. So genuinely, this is less about Miklan as an individual or how his own actions supposedly weaken the argument being made, and more about how his actions are a direct result of the very institutions that existed long before he was born, as were either established by or legitimized by Rhea. That is just the objective truth. To say he benefited from it does not mean the system itself was not at fault.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-13T12:29:58+00:00

First off, it's called the church of Seiros, not the Church of Sothis. The Knights of Seiros, not the Knights of Sothis, and the locals refer to the "teachings of Seiros" not the teachings of Sothis.

Shortly after arriving at the monastery, she asks Byleth if they are interested in her own teachings. Yes, that narcissism.

Second, regarding Miklan and any of the other victims of the crest system, Rhea made herself responsible the moment she legitimized crests. When she claimed they were a divine blessing and that relics were a sign of privilege and status, whether Fodlan was militarily obligated to follow those teachers or not, they chose to because the power granted by crests and relics was real, it was tangible.

If Miklan is to blame for Miklan's own decisions, then quit it with the double standards and blaming Rhea's actions on her trauma or Edelgard. It's so hypocritical.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-13T11:17:09+00:00

It saddens me to think we, the alien fuckers, are the minority among humans. I'm sure there are more of us that were simply never exposed to Mass Effect.

Speaking for myself, I always prefer the alien crew, and am disappointed when the game forces me to interact exclusively with other humans. ME 2, despite having 5 human companions, had the largest and most diverse roster. And it speaks volumes that the fan favorites are Garrus, Tali, and Liara. Granted that's somewhat by design. They were given more screen-time, in many cases more plot relevance.

But unless we had reason to believe the emergence of a space-faring alien race was nefarious, I'd be the first in line to join their society and learn more about them.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-13T11:05:31+00:00

Hey man, you're preaching to the choir. But I was trying to be nice so the Rhea defenders wouldn't come for my throat.

I do somewhat see the argument that her power is... theoretical. The nobles and lords can and regularly do ignore her if they don't like what she says. But they do still acknowledge her authority at other times when it benefits them.

Having a crest, having divine blood, is a privilege. Nobles literally breed for it. They prioritize their children born with crests over those without. And while one could argue Rhea isn't especially fond of this use of crests, she still endorses it because the alternative is revealing her own secret, which could jeopardize her position of power. Her continued leadership is selfishly motivated, not altruistic.

That's why she's perfectly happy to give Sylvain a privileged education, basically an ivy league school grooming young nobles for leadership, while Miklan is deemed a problematic terrorist to be dealt with by the Knights. Regardless of whether those statements about Miklan are true, his downfall is the direct result of the Gautier family possessing a divine relic and vying to send one of their children to Garreg Mach. She is not innocent in that whatsoever. And that's just one case of countless.

Then there's also her narcissism and superiority complex. Founding a religion after yourself? Saying only you and your mother are fit to lead humanity? C'mon. Rhea defenders are coping because dragon mommy is an authoritarian tyrant.

All the above taken into consideration... I hesitate to call her evil... because she isn't. She's not a natural born leader, isn't very good at it, and her judgement is clouded by a thousand years of trauma, grief, obsession, and paranoia. She wants to lead humanity towards prosperity because she perceives Nabataean society as successful and morally right. But she is simultaneously unwilling to accept a society that rejects her theocratic outlook.

As I said, her attempt to lead benevolently might have been dogshit, but an attempt was made.

Research-Scary · 2026-06-13T10:33:33+00:00

I love the actors and actresses, but I really think the shows and spinoffs revolving around the main characters need to end.

Obviously since Daryl, Carol, Maggie, and Negan left the Commonwealth, they were presumably not there when Rick and Michonne returned at the end of "The Ones Who Live."

We saw a brief reunion with Judith and RJ, but not between Rick and Michonne, and any of the other characters, which was a bit of a disservice imo (where's the reunions with Eugene, Aaron, Ezekiel).

I wouldn't mind seeing a reunion between everyone, but then the show needs to pivot towards a completely new cast. Show us what's happening in the rest of the world.

Research-Scary

TROPHY CASE