Random aRTD ramblings

[yuuago]

So, I was re-reading Chapter 5 today, because I was looking for some pages to use for a photoset, and I got kind of distracted. This is a chapter that I tend to skip on re-reads; in fact, a lot of the time I just re-read specific chapters: 3, then 4, and then I skip directly to 7. This is because ch3 has Åsa! (and Riikka <3 ) and ch4 has the Kuikkas and the gorgeous landscapes and the moose of Hiisi and that scene where Hannu almost drowns and looks really attractive while doing it [/cough]. And then ch7 of course has the awesome scenery and the Swan and Kielo and Hannu in my favourite outfit annnnd those REALLY DRAMATIC scenes with Ville. So.

Anyway. I was re-reading it. And... holy shit, why do I skip this chapter? Well, thinking on it, it's probably because I'm not a fan of Anu - I usually appreciate grumpy older ladies in leadership positions, but she doesn't click with me for some reason. And also, I confess, I'm not really a fan of Hannu's outfit in this chapter. Nothing wrong with it, but it does not compare to ch3 or ch7, I must say. ...Yes, apparently his costume-changes influence my decisions on what to re-read. I DON'T KNOW, DON'T LOOK AT ME.

But holy hell, there are so many good things in this chapter. I swear, like 60% of it is just Hannu and Ville snarking each other in a most delightfully them way. AND ALSO. This chapter has the scene that, the first time I read it, basically made me squeak and start shipping it even though I didn't want to ship it because Ville is still a dog at this point, and I just kind of assumed at the end he'd go back to being a dog. ANnnnnd by that I mean the whole comfort-scene, where Ville digs a burrow and takes Hannu into it and protects him because shortly before that Hannu literally collapsed from exhaustion (and... also because of the head injury, which I didn't catch on to at that point on the first readthrough, though to be fair it's easy to miss).

AND ALSO. HOLY SHIT. That scene where Hannu is dangling from the tree and Ville is just barely hanging onto him and Hannu's like "I'm going to die here"... The despair on his face, I love it. And then he finds a way out of it, of course, but. Yes. I don't know, I just love it when he's in horrible situations. I mean, I love "hero in peril" situations in general; they're AWESOME, yes, good, give me more. But with Hannu in particular I guess it's just - he's a jerk, so somehow I don't feel bad? Whereas if Ville were in such dire trouble, that would be very... no thank you. NO DOGGY WHUMP, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Ville is too sweet and adorable. Too good for this world etc.

...Whereas Hannu is, to paraphrase a tumblr post: burnt cinnamon roll, has literally been through hell and back, slightly charred.
(Which is exactly how he likes his buns, actually, so it fits. You are what you consume, Hannu.)

Also, p279: "Didn't we establish that I'm the amoral asshole in that scenario?" My dear Hannu, you're an amoral asshole in all scenarios, and that's why I love you to pieces, you huge jerk. :D (Also "I'm going to kill you and eat your face!" fff I just. FFFF. Not to mention that top-of-page faceplant... siiiigh I love Minna's art.)

Also-also, p320: "As long as they don't bother me with stuff, I don't care what others do with their lives." On the one hand, so very Hannu. ...On the other hand, I feel you, bro. I FEEL IT. SO BAD. I have so many of those "I don't give a damn about what you do, as long as you don't bother me" moments. ...Then again, I wonder, perhaps he's just puffing himself up, full of hot air, you know, he doesn't really mean it -- BWAHAHAHA no, I can't pretend he doesn't, he really is just so very himself. :')

Siiiigh I love this comic. <3 I love this comic SO MUCH.

Comments

[kanadka]

oh oh was it the literal bear hug? That was it for me. Ville-as-bear was just too precious, the bumbling-animal aspect really suits him :D

[yuuago]

YES!! That was it. Siiiigh Bear-Ville is just way too adorable. (Ville in general is just way too adorable) But yeah, that bear-cuddling, the whole... protective aspect of it, that was the nail in the coffin. I shipped it hard even though I felt weird about it. (The ending was such a relief, ffff)

[kanadka]

ME TOO, OMG. At first I was like "well, it's not... you know what, maybe this will just be That One Ship. Maybe I could stick 'em in a spirit world for Extra Mission #92 in which Ville is a person. It's not insurmountable." But I was very very relieved at the ending. :'D

[yuuago]

"This isn't the weirdest thing I've ever shipped, but it's still pretty weird," basically. :'D In my case at least. Relief indeed. (And so perfect. Ah, that ending!)

Though now that we're on the subject, "Maybe I could stick 'em in the spirit world for another mission" continues to be an idea that sits over my head, because as much as I love aRTD's ending, it doesn't offer anywhere to go in terms of like... postcanon magic stuff. (And Hannu getting his ass kicked by supernatural stuff, I will be honest.) So I keep trying to think of directions in that way that I can go. It's... hard. x_x

[kanadka]

ahh I was in the same boat. Just more spiritual shenanigans with Hannu and Ville (sounds like a sitcom? could be a sitcom) but perhaps not this particular myth. And that was basically my best ideas for fic. But hey! there's thousands of myths out there, right? right? Suppose we don't even need to stick by Finnish mythology either. I had a burning need for Trickster Raven-Hannu interactions (specifically ones that get Hannu's ass kicked or have him taken down a peg or two) the moment I finished the series.

That said, at the same time, I found the ending really satisfying. :D And not just because "oh thank god he's not a dog". Everything wrapped up so neatly!