MISBEEHAVIOR

jack's curry entry

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thread summary: jack wainwright and Zev Harcourt pick back up on a Ranger assignment to investigate an aggressive Combee swarm on Route 103, nearly a year after their initial encounter with the swarm when it attacked Slateport. After catching up on each other's lives during their travel down the route, they find the hive and the enraged Vespiquen inside.[break]

why is it important?: This thread rekindled Jack and Zev's friendship after Jack's nearly yearlong absence from Hoenn. It allowed Jack to show his vulnerable and naive but also hopeful personality while exploring some of the horrors and emotional wounds he faced in Galar, juxtaposed with Zev's typical facade hiding his dark interior. This thread also positions Jack's return from Galar as more battle hardened and experienced in the harsher parts of life, setting him up as a more conflict-oriented character. The story also reinforces Jack's care for Zev, even though the other man only sees Jack as a sometimes useful tool, potentially allowing for an impactful future betrayal of Jack by Zev.

THE END OF THE BEGINNING

Isaac's Curry Entry

[break][break]thread summary: Making a choice is easy. Committing to that choice is the hardest thing in the world. As Isaac stands on the cusp of delivering Caleb Harcourt from Team Rocket's clutches, Cillian Quinn ascends from the deep to give him a final, painful lesson in the consequences that his actions hold. What should have been a quick and easy escape is now dragged into a forcible last stand.[break][break]To say it goes poorly is an understatement. Isaac's dear companions are systematically torn apart, one by one, piece by piece. All the while, Cil brings an ever-growing menagerie of horrors to bear, their overwhelming might snuffing out any shreds of hope Isaac could bring himself to cling onto. Only a miraculous intervention from Isaac's final teammate, first to fall but last to perish, saves him from going gentle into the good night.[break][break]Despite everything, a silver lining hangs around the cloud of shadows Cil casts. Caleb is freed from his bondage. So, too, is Isaac, who takes his first, shaky steps into the freedom that he had fought so hard to create. Despite what he fears, it isn't a road he walks alone. As he makes his way out from the crucible, a mysterious figure makes its presence known . . .[break][break]why is it important?: Dear god, where do I even begin? This has been a story brewing since Isaac's first taste of real Rocket action in Mt. Pyre. If I'm being honest, I was expecting him to go into a villain arc. With two of Rocket's most vicious and cruel members as his mentors, his best friend and brother sucked back into the organization's fold, and his most beloved Pokemon taken from him by the League, the road seemed all too clear.[break][break]Then he refused.[break][break]In that moment, I learned a lot about Isaac. He values people strongly, no matter which side of the region divide they fell along. He's true to himself, and won't just let that change because someone yells at him hard enough. He'll bend like hell, but he'd rather die than break. Finally, as he found on both sides of the line he walks, that refusal to give in comes with sacrifice.[break][break]Those same core, overarching motifs continued to inform Isaac's character for the entire year going forward. All of those motifs, and the plotlines that spiraled out from within them, ended up coming to a head in this single, beautiful thread. For all Isaac's growth, he's come full circle in a sense; he laid his life down for a man like a brother to him, and for his rights and his wrongs he paid the ultimate price.[break][break]At the same time, the circumstances couldn't be more different. The Isaac on Mt. Pyre was just starting to find himself. When the dust settled, he fell back in line, even as that seed of doubt took root inside of him. He still hung onto Rocket's justifications, even as he fought a madman's war for space rocks and petty conquests. He still convinced himself if he kept close to what few friends he had everything would be okay, even as they were slowly dragged down a darker road.[break][break]What changed? Everything! Isaac has gone from an unproven runaway to multi-talented and decorated. He's gone from a relative recluse to beloved by many. His put-upon swagger is starting to blossom into genuine self confidence. Nothing symbolizes this better than actually reigning as a king in Motostoke for 20 years, a role he took to with an aptitude that still surprises him.[break][break]All of these experiences, all of these bonds, all of these trials and triumphs alike are what gave Isaac the strength to stand toe to toe with Cil. Fun fact; these were literally the symbols that stood against him! Each of the Pokemon that had fallen was a Pokemon that, in one facet of Isaac's life or another, lead him to success. As Cil stripped these Pokemon's lives away, one by one, it was like he tried to strip away everything Isaac had strived for.[break][break]Yet even as they fell, even as Cil planted a boot on his throat and a gun at his head, Isaac refused to break.[break][break]Isaac's biggest fear had always been coming full circle. He would be alone and directionless, doomed to sink back into the grey haze of life as a runaway with no prospects. Now, his greatest fear has come to pass, but Isaac has risen above it. He has no direction, but the possibilities stretching before him are endless. For the first time in his life, he can't wait to face them head on.

NEW WORDS FOR OLD DESIRES

julien's curry entry

thread summary:
Delilah Silph invites Julien to meet her at the Silent Icelands, one of the mysteries of Hoenn. There, she gives him a rundown of recent events in the region and offers to form an alliance with him, in order to get to the bottom of what is happening and set things right. In the end, Julien agrees.

why is it important?:
Julien is new to Hoenn, an outsider; he was rebuffed by FERNANDO SILPH and has been met with caution by other members of the League Council. If he is to achieve his goal of truly understanding what plagues the region and safeguard Kalos, then he needs allies. Delilah offers the first opportunity to do just that.

[attr="class","olliecurry"]

OPEN ARMS

ollie morales's's curry entry

thread summary: newly-minted head ranger ollie morales meets freya morningstar for drinks, as they discuss their incoming AQUA meeting. they discuss anxieties about taking their new positions, mentions of goodbye galar, and the future up ahead.

why is it important?: this is an important thread for ollie because it is a first glimpse at his future as a HEAD RANGER. ollie's ascension to head ranger is no small thing — others may consider this an inevitability, but for ollie, this is a very specific and intentional decision that marks a change in his character development.

[break][break] on the outside, ollie seems like the perfect pick for head ranger. he has been a ranger as long as his best friend and fellow head ranger Laurence Anderson, helped Razz Kingsman get into his seat, is close with important leaguers such as illeana reyes and PENELOPE LIVY, is the older brother of one angelic Eva Morales, and is - in general - a beacon of light in the league.

[break][break] however, on the inside, ollie struggles more than one might expect. this is because ollie is - in general - a flighty individual with commitment issues. he likes being able to do what he wants, when he wants it. he doesn't like being tied down to any one thing. it's only because of his loyalty and passion for the rangers that he becomes ranger captain of evergrande; and it's only because of his trust in dahlia goode that he accepts the head ranger position.

[break][break] freya morningstar is the first person without prior ties that is able to encourage and support ollie in his new position. while he appreciates the words and thoughts of people like Razz Kingsman (excalibur), Eva Morales (the hero's crown), and even willow atkins (head ranger) don't mean as much as they should. because they're his friends.

[break][break] but freya is someone new, and in this thread, they have an easy, carefree banter that will carry into the rest of ollie's career.

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"yeah? what, you want to run away together, morales?" she says just as cheekily, happy to be dragged from more dour thoughts.

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"yeah," he grins, eyes twinkling with mirth. "think we could get away with it?"

this goes without saying, but i adore crow as always!! she's an amazing writer and rp partner. i love bouncing ideas off of her and creating character dynamics like this — both which are easy to write and also deeply meaningful. looking forward to see where these two go!!!

ULTRA PLANT: SHG

shred's curry entry

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thread summary: Shred Zeppelin, howard slayte, and Grigori Sokolov venture into the Ultra Plant for the first time. The group studies the ruins, encounters the local flora and fauna, and has several avoidable brushes with death. Starting with a zipline over a ravine, turning into exploration of an alien yet familiar facility, before a battle against a colossal Regieleki, with everything ending in a chaotic escape from the alien world. It's got comedy, it's got action, it's got vaguely deep introspection. It's fun for the whole family, like a Marvel movie, but it has a Strong Powerful Elephant in it![break]

why is it important?: While not as grand or important as some of the other threads presented, there's a certain simplicity in the premise to ULTRA PLANT: SHG that makes it a solid introduction to Shred, Howard, and Grigori as characters. No prior understanding of backstory or motivation is required, and while there are further Ultra Plant threads with the same characters (Shoutout to ULTRA PLANT: SHG #2), the thread is mostly self-contained. It's a fun little glimpse into a group of characters who'll assuredly get involved in bigger and better things later on, even if right now they're spending two rounds of posts struggling to get a vent open.

Also it has a funny Xurkitree who is Mildly Irritated, and mark my WORDS, he will prove INTEGRAL to the fate of Hoenn.

ROCK N' ROLL

Howard's Curry Entry

[break]thread summary: Howard Slayte and Michael Navidson do some basic training in Granite Cave and talk about life over some beers. Simple as, really.[break]

Why is it important?

SPOILER: Click to show

For the past few months, I've consistently written Howard Slayte as someone who shouldn't be taken seriously. His POV was intended as a lighthearted view on Hoenn and the shenanigans that occur, while also being my main character on the site. Almost every single thread he appears in reflects this, with a lighthearted personality with a penchant for humor and drama. He's not meant to be in the limelight, he's just a funny side guy.

Yet why is that the case?

In this thread, Howard and Navy discuss their perspectives on life, and their experiences growing up in a world that has been walking towards and averting multiple disasters. Despite the jokes, these are two characters who have been altered by the events of Hoenn, and their perspectives reflect this. Navy is an experienced person who has climbed to the role of Gym Leader, despite his past. Howard is an archaeologist not just because he likes fossils and history, but because he finds it easier to look towards events that have happened than to look forward.

So, the mask comes off for a moment. The jovial archaeologist is replaced with a scared man who has contemplated his place in the world, and has come to accept that there's no place for him in an era of ongoing history. He doesn't want to die, but he's not strong enough to do anything about it. He simply cries in his apartment. Navy also looks backward, but he also looks to protect the things he cares about. His Pokémon, his little girl, the town he's been elevated to protect. He was risen up to the position, but he has also risen to the occasion.

The Battle

SPOILER: Click to show

The battle going on between Shirley (Aerodactyl) and Junior (Tyranitar) mimics the conversation that the two are having. Howard has never been a strong trainer, and it shows in how Shirley struggles to do substantial damage against Junior. She's a predator, but her senses and skills cannot compete with someone who was forced to mature in order to fulfill a role. In my eyes, this is akin to Navy.

While Howard laments futility, Shirley continues to go in on attacks anyway. His spirit maybe be battered, but hers holds strong. All the same, Junior reveals the sleeping giant, and almost thrashes her. Yet, instead of allowing his Pokemon to grow stronger through combat, Howard forcefully ends the encounter, as is expected from his character.

Where's Howard Going?

SPOILER: Click to show

I think this is a subtle turning point in how Howard will be written on Hoenn moving forward. He's still a funny guy, but he's a funny guy with more complexity than was initially assumed. It also marks a small change in his perspective, even if he doesn't realize it yet. The first step to solving your issues is to admit you have them, after all. How will this affect Howard's proactivity moving forward? What happens when his mask with Team Rocket falls off and Navy knows who he is? Will Howard ever shower?

I, personally, cannot wait to find out.

REASONS

paxton's curry entry

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thread summary:

Post GOODBYE GALAR, Paxton goes to visit Eris Halla to catch up with her after the disturbing reports about her status amongst the League ranks. He tries to talk through with her the past couple of months he's missed and deliver some bad news as well. When his attempts to make Eris see why she's essentially self-sabotaging all the efforts Chu-e Choi made to protect her from Rocket, things go sideways and the thing thread that held their relationship together for the past year or so finally snaps.

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why is it important?:

Paxton and Eris lost their parents right when the Kanto conflict kicked off. Paxton was already enlisted by the time he returned to the tragedy. Though he never found Eris' body, he always held out hope he'd find her. And during the process of leaving Kanto, he did find find signs of her still being alive. She becomes a hope he desperately needs to survive, and vows to make it out of Kanto alive if only to find her. He goes to Hoenn and becomes a police officer, sticking around the League to acquire enough connections and resources to find his sister who seemingly fell into his lap serendipitously over the course of months.

Their reunion, much like all their other meetings, is incredibly brief. And the relief of finding her alive and well is swiftly replaced by stress and worry. With no communications, and no real information on who exactly had her in their care, Paxton was reliant that the girl would show herself long enough for him to discuss her lifestyle.

The distance between them only worsened with the revelation of her Rocket connections, and dahlia goode labeling her as a threat in official documents. After accumulating so much paperwork around herself, and pushing the League's boundaries too far, Paxton is forced to deliver the bad news. He's barred from her adoption, the only true reunion he looked forward to. All time spent together and communications exchanged would have to be monitored and supervised.

Despite this, Paxton is fairly confident he can get Eris to turn it around. He believes in the League and in Commissioner Goode, and more importantly, he has faith Eris will understand. When he goes to see Eris, however, she doesn't react well. Conversation gets tense, and Eris says something she can't take back. Paxton won't let her. It's at this point that Paxton realizes the sister he had so long ago was just as dead and burnt as his parents. Their delicate relationship snaps, and the distance between each other is too great to overcome. Paxton compartmentalizes this realization for later, and moves straight to his update. Fueled by his frustration, he dresses her down and essentially challenges her to look herself in the mirror and accept the consequences of her actions. Despite everything, he gives Chu-e Choi the credit he deserved in bringing Eris to the League. And finally, lets her know he will no longer be able to see her.

Paxton steps away, tired and tired of fighting so hard for someone he didn't know anymore. He has to come to terms with his grief, and accept some things can't be repaired. He lets go of her, and is ready to move on and find purpose in something else. He has no idea where to start, but at least he can finally close the Kanto chapter of his life and continue the slow and steady healing journey he has put himself on.

Le Léthé

elisabeth's curry entry

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thread summary: After the events of TREACHEROUS WAVES, Elisabeth seeks sanctuary with BARNABY FINCH in Mauville Hills. She reveals to him how her psyche suffers from her competing Avatarships, only to learn that Barnaby has known of Tapu Fini's patronage ever since Goodbye Galar. In a moment of intense vulnerability, she confesses her past history with FERNANDO SILPH, the encounter with his alternate self in his RVL route, and how it culminated in her Tapu Fini Avatarship. Although she doesn't say so in words, she confesses another secret -- that she is emotionally compromised by her relationship to BARNABY FINCH, a man who now holds the power to ruin her if he ever wants to. How fortunate that for now, he doesn't.[break][break]

why is it important?: As much as I enjoyed exploring the psychological toll of Elisabeth's Avatarships, that isn't what I love most about this thread. Dove and I have built an extensive history between our characters, and I'm delighted at how this thread more than any other one we've done has managed to really show the reasons these characters are drawn to one another -- and what makes that chemistry so toxic beneath the seemingly benign surface.

A core defining characteristic of Elisabeth is that she is lonely, and especially weak to manipulation from romantic partners. She struggles to lie and to tell when people are lying to her. She is self-aware of this, having had to kill her late husband after being isolated, gaslit, abused, and betrayed. However, her coping methods of dealing with this leave her all the more vulnerable to certain kinds of manipulation. If you tell yourself you don't need love, if you isolate yourself and tell yourself not to trust others, then the few times you do decide to trust someone you become drunk on the very thing you always deny yourself.

In other ships, I often explore this by showing how Elisa looks to romance people who are doomed to never make her happy. FERNANDO SILPH and GIDEON GRAVES are both doomed from the start, because she knows her life as a Rocket will make it impossible for them to go anywhere serious. But this is by design. It's a subconscious way of protecting herself from being too vulnerable, and it's why she resisted her feelings for BARNABY FINCH as long as she did. Barnaby knew her past, knew her crimes, and knew her pain. He would feel too 'real.'

Being wanted for the person you pretend to be is hollow, however. It leaves you feeling empty and unlovable in the aftermath. Those failures are why she inevitably gives in to her feelings for BARNABY FINCH, which escalate quickly. It's addicting to Elisabeth to be wanted and to be cared for by someone who has seen her at her absolute worst. She's afraid of being hurt, but she can't stop herself from pursuing what she so badly needs: acceptance.

In this thread, the reality of the Elisabeth x Barnaby relationship is shown in all its intricacies. Barnaby is no knight in shining white armor. He is no soulmate who will take away Elisa's pain, or love her unconditionally. He's a narcissist that views her as a cherished possession: a Rocket underboss and dual-Avatar who relies on him more than anyone else in the world, and who will share her own supernatural gifts with him freely if he asks. All he has to do is say and do the right things, and she's transparent enough that doing this is easy for him.

In return, she just has to need him more than anyone else. And in this moment, with Wo-chien isolating her and Tapu Fini hellbent on her own mission of vengeance, he's the only person left in the world she truly trusts.

Giving him exactly what he wants from her.[break][break]

(Note: shiv gave permission for me to use this since only the first post is July.)

MOUTHFUL OF LIES

frank's curry entry

thread summary:
A typical rendezvous for Frank Caffey and DAMIEN RUSSO becomes a hostile encounter as a fight breaks out between them. Ultimately, Frank wins, but not because he is right.

why is it important?:
I have been writing Frank for several months now and find him a slippery character whose true personality eludes even me. He is, at times, whimsical and lighthearted; at others, he is calculating and professional. Generally, he comes off as a people pleaser and mediator, because he knows that if people like him, he'll benefit from the relationship.

But Frank is not a good person. His darkness lies in the way he is willing to hurt even the people he loves in the pursuit of whatever he wants. It is a selfishness that taints every relationship, and he has lost what is dear to him as a result. But despite all the references to his past, there hasn't been an opportunity to showcase this truth about Frank until this thread.

MOUTHFUL OF LIES is him at his worst. He denies the truth because he doesn't like it. He hurts his lover because Damien stands up to him. He wants everything to be nice and fun, even if life is hard. No, because life is hard. And other people be damned if they try to get in his way.

SMOG: Josh and Eris

JOSH DEVLIN's curry entry

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thread summary:

On a routine assignment to the Interdream Zone in the Second Battle of Dewford, Josh comes prepared to battle and capture Paradox Pokémon for study. Instead, the mists manifest and force him to relive the lowest moment of his life: the day he brutalized Eris Halla in the name of the Great Raikou.

While pleading with and praying to his god, Josh discovers that the Eris in the mists is no illusion: it is the real Eris. As Josh gets choked up and tries to make amends with the person he tried to take the life of over a childhood idol he had never truly met, Eris is understandably wary of Josh as he approaches. He goes so far as to completely disarm himself and approach Eris in as obviously vulnerable of a state as he can. This leaves him open to attack from the next illusion the Interdream Zone presents: a manifestation of Josh's first dream about Raikou, presenting imagery where the Beast killed Aslan and nearly killed him. Eris intervenes, breaking apart the illusion with a Stone Edge attack from one of her powerful Pokémon. 

Eris calls Josh a liar, which breaks his heart. Her heart remains hard to him after his acts of innocence and kindness. Shortly afterward, an Iron Jugulis attacks all of them, both the electric felines working together to repel the mechanical dragon. Before Josh can get a chance to properly thank Eris, she leaves the Interdream Zone, but not before making eye contact with him. [break][break]

why is it important?:

This is the first time Josh has been able to confirm Eris is alive and kicking since their fateful encounter seven months ago, which had far-reaching consequences, some of which he is still dealing with today. He had his Gym taken away from him for three agonizing months. He will be unable to gain a position on the AQUA Initiative by running for the currently-open Elite Four slot due to an almost certain veto from MATIAS SILPH . He is still working for the Rangers without pay to fill his community service requirement. King Zing the Beedrill is still in League custody, and he dreads the possibility that the Pokémon may never return to him. Perhaps the greatest damage done, though, was to his self-confidence.

In the moment Eris makes eye contact with Josh, he at last musters the will to have a true retrospective of what he had done that awful day. Every person he had talked to about it, most notably Elinor Anderson , ollie morales , and Eva Morales , had forgiven him already for what he had done. In this moment, Josh puts the past behind him. He refuses to whitewash the incident, and details are still largely a League secret, but in this moment, he has broken the last chain that binds him to the lowest moment of his life.

He at last forgives himself.

I am very excited to have at last wrapped this seven-month-long redemption arc for Josh. While some of the consequences of his transgressions are still ongoing, I couldn't ask for a better capstone thread from MYRIASCOPE, and she was the one who took the initiative to approach me about writing this thread in the first place. I am excited to see where the relationship between Eris and Josh goes from here, and how his increased self-confidence will affect plots, particularly his Champion Assessment, going forward.

TRASH

Elinor Anderson's curry entry

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thread summary: After being forced to resign from the League Council, Elinor finds herself in a turmoil of emotions. Unable of coping in a healthy manner as frustrations of what she’s sacrificed for this alongside old childhood trauma’s rearing their ugly heads. She finds the nearest humanly uninhabited Island to take her frustrations out on.
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Unfortunately the traveling therapist Isaac Merlo stumbles upon this sight and ever the meddler he attempts to make her feel better about the whole situation (And perhaps for a moment he succeeds?)[break]
why is it important?: Ever since the Darkest Day Elinor has been the type of character to give her all for Hoenn and its League, misguided as she might have been, she skyrocketed herself to the Pyroar’s Den better known as the Council, heedless of any advice others might’ve given her.
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And here we are. They used her and threw her away at the sight of inconvenience. Some might call it an opportunity to heal and care for herself. But Elinor sees the truth of it. And so while she descends into her definitely self-fueled fiery lake of frustration and anger, I intend for this moment to act as sort of a counter-weight giving her some pause from going all “Hoenn Shall Burn”

TWO TONED

tempest's curry entry

[break][break]thread summary: Tempest attacks the Dewford Gym to try and draw out and distract Michael Navidson.[break][break]why is it important?: I really, really like the writing in this thread. I was pretty proud of my fighting writing (It's not always my fave and I consider myself pretty mediocre at it LOL) and Teddie's writing was fantastic. I signal boosted this one before in the server for that very reason, even! It's mostly just Tempest and Navy clashing but it still came out to a very fun and unique plot. It also spurred on the start of other faction conflict threads between other members, which I was proud to have helped cause even if it wasn't my idea! (Teddie is the cool one for helping to set that up!)

On the Ic part of it, I think that this thread is one that really pushes what I'm trying to make Tempest into IC. Tempest has had some big characters arcs IC already; he was made to be a meme character who died as soon as event that needed more Rocket blood was over. Then I kept him, instead, because he was so fun to write! I even kept the more meme parts of him and thought deeper about why those pieces of him would be there instead of changing them. That's led to one of my most fun character's lore wise to create in a really long time! He's went through his more 'baby rocket' stage and bloomed into a real villain.

This thread ties into that because I really want to have him be more aggressive with the League and push a lot of the faction conflict we love to see on-site. Tempest is coming into his self, shedding off old insecurities and striving forward in leaps and bounds in confidence.
It fits in a lot with the current 'arc' I have him in, where he is able to work on himself and raise up his self esteem. He feels like he is in a lot of people's shadows right now, mostly his husband's, and he really wants to rub in people's face that he is his own person and not just a pretty bed warmer for Cillian. He has his own goals and thoughts; even if a lot of them are very similar to the man he loves.

This thread showcases him taking on a more active role in the organization as well as being ready and willing to do whatever it takes to please Rocket- it's a big step in proving his competency and that he isn't a stupid as he thinks he is right now.

Overall: just a real fun thread and it was 10/10 Teddie is an excellent RP partner and I 10000% rec threading with him if you haven't already!!!

THE CHOICES WE MAKE

gunner's curry entry

thread summary:
Immediately after accidentally setting fire to the POG Bank headquarters in Slateport City, Gunner Graves and PENELOPE LIVY return to Ever Grande via Corviknight taxi. During the trip, he learns about her new status as the Avatar of Chi-Yu and makes the choice to support her, regardless of what they know and don't know about the Ruinous Beast.

why is it important?:
I try to write Gunner as the kind of man who, despite having all the right reasons, makes all the wrong choices. He wants to keep his family safe, so he lies to them about his profession. He wants to protect his home, so he commits criminal acts while his government turns a blind eye. He wants to bring criminals to justice, so he inflicts pain upon them.

He wants to support his boss during a challenging time, so he doesn't stop to question the morality or motives of her new patron.

My hope is that these early threads pave the way for Gunner to become a darker, less heroic character than I feel he is often portrayed despite the conscious choices he makes. I want to explore themes of "choosing the lesser evil" and "the end justifies the means." I want him to choose the morally worse choice again and again until it's too late, and he must live with the consequences of his actions.

And then we shall see if he chooses to embrace who he is, or if he breaks under their weight.