Astarion is afraid: "He is so afraid. So, so afraid. Of everyone, besides you, who he ought to fear most." -Sceleritas Fel, about Astarion

"He is afraid. He is afraid because all he has ever known is you and me, and without us he is nothing." -Cazador Szarr, about Astarion

He wants to be safe: "I'd see how to safely keep the powers this mind flayer's worm has given me." - Astarion, wishing on the magic mirror

"I'm doing this for you, too, you know. To make sure we're both safe. Forever, for good." -Astarion, to romanced player, about Ascending

"You are safe. The winds of fate blow you to the warmest of hearths in the most cordial of inns. Your seething passions lead only to pleasure. The touch of the sun comforts your flesh, but never burns it." -Naoise Nallinto, giving Astarion a vision of his deepest desire, safety

He gets his wish: "You were patient. You cared. I feel safe with you. Seen." -Astarion, confessing his love

"This little adventure of ours has taught me that we can't let our lives be ruled by fear. Or else we never really live. I'm not afraid. Not of you, not of your darkness, and not of our future." - Astarion, to romanced Durge

Jesus Christ, Astarion.

After reading Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie I have come up with my own Captain Hook design....

Here's all my citations for why he looks the way he does!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

★ Described as having a swarthy skin tone, which means an olive or tanned complexion; "Hook nodded. He stood for a long time lost in thought, and at last a curdling smile lit up his swarthy face. Smee had been waiting for it. 'Unrip your plan, captain,' he cried eagerly," (Barrie 90).

★ Outfit modeled after King Charles the Second of England; "In dress he somewhat aped the attire associated with the name of Charles II., having heard it said in some earlier period of his career that he bore a strange resemblance to the ill-fated Stuarts;" (Barrie 81).

★ Loves flowers (Yes, actually.), hence the floral patterns on his vest and jacket; "Thus defenceless Hook found him. He stood silent at the foot of the tree looking across the chamber at his enemy. Did no feeling of compassion disturb his sombre breast? The man was not wholly evil; he loved flowers (I have been told) and sweet music (he was himself no mean performer on the harpsichord)..." (Barrie 191).

★ His hair is distinctly dark and curled; "As dogs this terrible man treated and addressed them, and as dogs they obeyed him. In person he was cadaverous and blackavized, and his hair was dressed in long curls, which at a little distance looked like black candles, and gave a singularly threatening expression to his handsome countenance." (Barrie 80).

★ Eyes of periwinkle blue, forget-me-nots; "Dark as were his thoughts his blue eyes were as soft as the periwinkle.." (Barrie 189). and, "His eyes were of the blue of the forget-me-not..." (Barrie 80).

★ Specifically the little thumbnail of him with red pupils represents a later trait we see in the novel, in which when he angers his eyes become red, "His eyes were of the blue of the forget-me-not, and of a profound melancholy, save when he was plunging his hook into you, at which time two red spots appeared in them and lit them up horribly." (Barrie 80).

★ Hook has a sort of sophisticated air to him because it is heavily implied in the story that he came from a high-class college in England before Neverland, "To reveal who he really was would even at this date set the country in a blaze; but as those who read between the lines must already have guessed, he had been at a famous public school; and its traditions still clung to him like garments, with which indeed they are largely concerned. Thus it was offensive to him even now to board a ship in the same dress in which he grappled her; and he still adhered in his walk to the school's distinguished slouch. But above all he retained the passion for good form." (Barrie 203).

Note: The grey hair streaks isn't really mentioned in the novel, but I thought it would be a cool (obvious) contrast between Hook and Pan.

Matching cones

ASTARION

this this this

THIS THIS THIS

they're not MEANT to have longevity. they're meant to be exciting for 5 minutes and then forgettable as soon as netflix releases their next bingeable dopamine source, which you're then also supposed to forget in favor of the next thing. streaming services aren't trying to make cult classics or beloved cultural artifacts, they're trying to sell you a new show each month so you don't cancel your subscription. it's the TV equivalent of fast fashion.

I have talk about what a failure Cazador is after killing Gortash again and reading every note in his office

Cazador isn't mentioned at ALL. The tyrant of the City didn't bother to send an invitation or put Cazador on any list of notable nobles. Heck. Lady Jannath made several lists, but not Cazador.

Nobody in the Gate gives a shit about Cazador. And that's beautiful.

Cazador was truly stuck in his pathetic excuse of a castle, torturing people, believing that he was much bigger than he actually was, believing that he was this powerful god who could become even MORE powerful. In truth, he was just a scared pathetic little man who never amounted to anything (sound familiar?). And not a single noble/person in power in the Gate actually cared about him or his power lol.

I repeat, Lady Jannath canonically is more powerful and influential in the city than Cazador. That's actually amazing.

Stop defending Cazador with this post and just admit that he took a massive L as the kids say.

"But he's been gathering power and is staying low" please read the post again

Me poking act 1 Astarion with a wooden spoon like you'd do with a feral cat to get them acclimated to touch

Act 2

Companions' Wishes

Wyll:

Shadowheart:

Gale:

After all these years

Finally, I have them all

Shadowheart 🤝 Durge

“Who the fuck am I”

Gale 🤝 Karlach 🤝 Durge

“Something inside me wants to destroy”

Shadowheart 🤝Gale 🤝Lae’zel 🤝Durge

"The gods are screwing with us"

Astarion🤝Wyll🤝Durge🤝Karlach

"Being a tyrant’s favourite pet sucks"

Durge 🤝Shadowheart🤝Lae'zel🤝Minthara

"Turns out I'm in a cult"

hit it, Neil!

me: ^ me: doesn’t do art

I’m a big fan of spawn Astarion but ascended Astarion is so comically evil that he has his charms. Like I’m positive he’d be dead in a week without your Tav/Dark Urge.

Favorite video of all time, always reblog

this is easily the best one. the slight facial expression change once he finishes talking. the horribly unnatural fall into the water. the nailed swimming animations. the ragdoll. this man is a national treasure

Astarion would throw you over any surface if you waggle your eyebrows at him this, Astarion would be super-kinky that-- me personally, I'm an "Astarion would, after wildly vacillating between all the sex and none of the sex, land on missionary lovemaking 3x a week and be extremely happy about it" truther.

Cover illustration from H. G. Wells’ The Invisible Man - 1912.