Something a little different...
Jun. 28th, 2025 08:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rosa_heartlilyA year ago we were celebrating Oldest Grandson becoming an adult, enjoying Younger Grandson and the dog, and I edited a story and played Tunic.
Today I got the cleaning done early, then went to get my hair cut. I'd messaged the hairdresser yesterday but got no response - but it's not the sort of place you really need an appointment for, so I just rocked up. Turned out they'd lost their phone in the wilds of Scotland. They also couldn't take card payments *sigh* Also, there was a queue building up behind me, so they just sprayed my hair with water - not quite the 'cut and blow' I was expecting! And they cut my fringe shorter than I wanted *double sigh*
I'd left husband by the suitcases sculpture on Hope St, so I collected him and we continued our walk. I got some cash out and bought meal deals for us both, then we went to the little garden with the dove sculpture to eat. There was a sunny patch for husband to sit in and shade for me - perfect!
Then we headed home and I dropped off the cash at the hairdresser's - and they charged less than usual, so that was something.
Back home, I came upstairs to play some ECHH. I got another building up in my town, then headed back to the boss I was stuck on yesterday - and defeated it in a couple of hits. Partly due to levelling, but also making better use of my rune lens abilities :) I got to the Treefolk Village (shades of Eruyt!), then stopped. This evening, I Did The Puzzles and got to the boss fight. Just about got through and then there was ANOTHER boss. This is a game that only allows you to heal at inns - not at save points and not when you level up. I'd used my healing and revival items on the fights through the puzzle area and the first boss, and MP items are like hens' teeth. So, after getting wiped out by the second boss, I went back to the village (which I wasn't sure I could do but was VERY grateful I could) and stocked up on items. Now I'm back at the save point before the boss, because I just couldn't face it again.
In between I had a bath and washed my hair, which I combed over to the other side and... it works!
Tonight, I decided to watch something off my Tivo list, and chose Lee. Talk about a badass!
I've been watching some YT videos about the ending of Clair Obscur.
Interesting idea (not mine) - Verso didn't die in the fire, but somehow faked his death.
I keep circling back to why I still think I chose the 'right' ending. I do struggle with the idea that Renoir and (especially!) Verso were right, but I have one issue I can't get past and a couple I can sort of accept the arguments. I do totally agree that the Maelle ending gives her the best chance of healing, surrounded by people who care about her and will support her, as opposed to her family who really don't seem to give a single fuck about her. She might even get to a point where she can leave the canvas and show Renoir was right to trust her, because that's another of Verso's jabs - 'You lied to your father', aka, 'You're a liar just like me...'. I do, do, DO get all that. But...
My issues:
- Maelle's age - she might have lived for 32 years (16 years as Alicia and 16 after being born in the canvas as Maelle) but she has the emotional maturity of a 16 year old at best. Do you want a 16yo goddess deciding everyone's life? I accept that with Lune, Sciel and Gustave to guide her she has a fighting chance - IF she listens to them and doesn't decide she's a goddess and can do what she wants. I've heard a number of times how kind she is, how she wants to help - but she sees how miserable Verso is at the concert and seems completely oblivious. I mean, on the one hand - fuck Verso the lying, dirty scumbag that he is, right? But a kind person doesn't keep someone around to torture them.
- Young Verso - Maelle's ending depends on the enslavement of a child. Now, we only have adult Verso's word for it that young Verso is tired, and one of the videos pointed out how he recognised the people in his canvas as real people. But again, young Verso has a child's maturity. He might agree to whatever Maelle (who is also Alicia, his beloved sister) asks. Even if it isn't enslavement, it's exploitation. But, again, the strong, supportive adults should mitigate the worst of it. And kind Maelle may even make things easier for him - again something suggested in one of the videos.
- Bringing back the dead - OK, this is the full stop, for me. The immovable block. The reason Life is Strange irked me all the way through is that it begins with 'saving' Chloe, a choice I would never make unless the game forced my hand. Bringing back Gustave and Philippe, who didn't gommage, is, for me a big, fat 'NO!'. And will Maelle stop at those two? Or will her desire to help lead her to raise others?
Now, one of the videos pointed out that Verso is working under a false dichotomy. He sees only two options, and only one fulfils what he wants, so doesn't discuss his thoughts with the others. But what if he did? Could they have found a 'third way' together? For example, what if Maelle could take a copy of Verso's canvas, (my suggestion)? She could then run her canvas in any way she wanted - with all the caveats above.
But, ultimately, it's still a fantasy. I don't believe living in a fantasy is healthy. Maelle will have to face reality at some point - and I believe sooner is better than later. Of course, it's easy for me to say that when I haven't gone through what Maelle's gone through! My other suggestion is that maybe Maelle can find a life in the real world away from her terrible, terrible family, find a real life Sciel, Lune and Gustave to help her grow.
The other thing watching these videos has shown me is how much I missed! Not that I thought I'd done everything by any stretch of the imagination but Julie and Simon in particular are Important, and I knew nothing about them. If/when I do replay, it'll be with a guide!
Today I got the cleaning done early, then went to get my hair cut. I'd messaged the hairdresser yesterday but got no response - but it's not the sort of place you really need an appointment for, so I just rocked up. Turned out they'd lost their phone in the wilds of Scotland. They also couldn't take card payments *sigh* Also, there was a queue building up behind me, so they just sprayed my hair with water - not quite the 'cut and blow' I was expecting! And they cut my fringe shorter than I wanted *double sigh*
I'd left husband by the suitcases sculpture on Hope St, so I collected him and we continued our walk. I got some cash out and bought meal deals for us both, then we went to the little garden with the dove sculpture to eat. There was a sunny patch for husband to sit in and shade for me - perfect!
Then we headed home and I dropped off the cash at the hairdresser's - and they charged less than usual, so that was something.
Back home, I came upstairs to play some ECHH. I got another building up in my town, then headed back to the boss I was stuck on yesterday - and defeated it in a couple of hits. Partly due to levelling, but also making better use of my rune lens abilities :) I got to the Treefolk Village (shades of Eruyt!), then stopped. This evening, I Did The Puzzles and got to the boss fight. Just about got through and then there was ANOTHER boss. This is a game that only allows you to heal at inns - not at save points and not when you level up. I'd used my healing and revival items on the fights through the puzzle area and the first boss, and MP items are like hens' teeth. So, after getting wiped out by the second boss, I went back to the village (which I wasn't sure I could do but was VERY grateful I could) and stocked up on items. Now I'm back at the save point before the boss, because I just couldn't face it again.
In between I had a bath and washed my hair, which I combed over to the other side and... it works!
Tonight, I decided to watch something off my Tivo list, and chose Lee. Talk about a badass!
I've been watching some YT videos about the ending of Clair Obscur.
More thoughts...
Interesting idea (not mine) - Verso didn't die in the fire, but somehow faked his death.
I keep circling back to why I still think I chose the 'right' ending. I do struggle with the idea that Renoir and (especially!) Verso were right, but I have one issue I can't get past and a couple I can sort of accept the arguments. I do totally agree that the Maelle ending gives her the best chance of healing, surrounded by people who care about her and will support her, as opposed to her family who really don't seem to give a single fuck about her. She might even get to a point where she can leave the canvas and show Renoir was right to trust her, because that's another of Verso's jabs - 'You lied to your father', aka, 'You're a liar just like me...'. I do, do, DO get all that. But...
My issues:
- Maelle's age - she might have lived for 32 years (16 years as Alicia and 16 after being born in the canvas as Maelle) but she has the emotional maturity of a 16 year old at best. Do you want a 16yo goddess deciding everyone's life? I accept that with Lune, Sciel and Gustave to guide her she has a fighting chance - IF she listens to them and doesn't decide she's a goddess and can do what she wants. I've heard a number of times how kind she is, how she wants to help - but she sees how miserable Verso is at the concert and seems completely oblivious. I mean, on the one hand - fuck Verso the lying, dirty scumbag that he is, right? But a kind person doesn't keep someone around to torture them.
- Young Verso - Maelle's ending depends on the enslavement of a child. Now, we only have adult Verso's word for it that young Verso is tired, and one of the videos pointed out how he recognised the people in his canvas as real people. But again, young Verso has a child's maturity. He might agree to whatever Maelle (who is also Alicia, his beloved sister) asks. Even if it isn't enslavement, it's exploitation. But, again, the strong, supportive adults should mitigate the worst of it. And kind Maelle may even make things easier for him - again something suggested in one of the videos.
- Bringing back the dead - OK, this is the full stop, for me. The immovable block. The reason Life is Strange irked me all the way through is that it begins with 'saving' Chloe, a choice I would never make unless the game forced my hand. Bringing back Gustave and Philippe, who didn't gommage, is, for me a big, fat 'NO!'. And will Maelle stop at those two? Or will her desire to help lead her to raise others?
Now, one of the videos pointed out that Verso is working under a false dichotomy. He sees only two options, and only one fulfils what he wants, so doesn't discuss his thoughts with the others. But what if he did? Could they have found a 'third way' together? For example, what if Maelle could take a copy of Verso's canvas, (my suggestion)? She could then run her canvas in any way she wanted - with all the caveats above.
But, ultimately, it's still a fantasy. I don't believe living in a fantasy is healthy. Maelle will have to face reality at some point - and I believe sooner is better than later. Of course, it's easy for me to say that when I haven't gone through what Maelle's gone through! My other suggestion is that maybe Maelle can find a life in the real world away from her terrible, terrible family, find a real life Sciel, Lune and Gustave to help her grow.
The other thing watching these videos has shown me is how much I missed! Not that I thought I'd done everything by any stretch of the imagination but Julie and Simon in particular are Important, and I knew nothing about them. If/when I do replay, it'll be with a guide!
