“Now don’t we look like a couple a good lookin guys~” “Pete. I don’t think anyone can make this shirt look good…”
Happy Exchange Day @sohkbarr ! I had a lot of fun with this one, especially finding really awful shirts that Pete could push on Kingston. He’s lucky he only got the neon floral, it could’ve been much much worse. @dim20exchange
there’s something… neat about kingston receiving the powers of the waking world from a dragon and pete receiving the powers of the dream world from an orphan
A dragon, even though it’s a fantastical, otherworldly beast, is all about protecting its tangible horde. A lost, abandoned orphan is strikingly real, but they have so much to want, to dream for.
Kingston has a loving family, a home, a meaningful job he enjoys and is good at, and is surrounded at all times by people he cares about who care about him in turn. His life is a dream for many people. Because of this, he has so much more to protect. Kingston’s “horde” is all of the people of New York City, and the city is his lair.
Pete, separated from his family, just kicked out of his apartment, without any type of companion, is alone. His life has been gritty and made hard by all of unfortunate realities of the world. Because of this, he has so much more to wish for. The unyielding realness of his life led to him trying to dream up his own reality, at first through hallucinogenics and then through his magic.
there’s something… neat about kingston receiving the powers of the waking world from a dragon and pete receiving the powers of the dream world from an orphan
A dragon, even though it’s a fantastical, otherworldly beast, is all about protecting its tangible horde. A lost, abandoned orphan is strikingly real, but they have so much to want, to dream for.
Kingston has a loving family, a home, a meaningful job he enjoys and is good at, and is surrounded at all times by people he cares about who care about him in turn. His life is a dream for many people. Because of this, he has so much more to protect. Kingston’s “horde” is all of the people of New York City, and the city is his lair.
Pete, separated from his family, just kicked out of his apartment, without any type of companion, is alone. His life has been gritty and made hard by all of unfortunate realities of the world. Because of this, he has so much more to wish for. The unyielding realness of his life led to him trying to dream up his own reality, at first through hallucinogenics and then through his magic.
Anyways, it’s about the parallels.
New York City being Kingston’s horde is the most important thing I’ve ever heard in my life
Ally:Gives Pete the last name Conlan, which means “hero,” implying that they did research into the meaning of surnames to find one that parallels their character’s goal, heart, and journey
Emily:Gives Sofia the last name Bicicleta because that’s the Italian word for bicycle and Sofia is Italian
to be fair ally also gave a character the last name “applebees” so
What I mean: I think Pete “The Plug” Conlan is such a profound and meaningful character to me because of the origin of his status as the Vox Phantasma. The idea of the abscence of emotional ties and a feeling of home that has permeated his whole life being the things that make him strong because of his personal conviction to developing his own dreams and becoming who he knows he is is so refreshing and meaningful in a media landscape that is so bogged down by a concept of power through emotional bonds and self-sacrifce like Kingstons’s which, although it is beautiful and a powerful parallel for Pete, is much more traditionally glorified. It’s refreshing to see a hero gain power from self-sufficiency rather than the traditional story of emotional bonds and “the power of love” which can alienate lonelier viewers.
i’m finally finishing up the unsleeping city now tht i hav dropout again and god. i rlly do adore the anti-parallels btwn kingston & pete. kingston being the voice of the people, giving up his dreams, his ambitions, his everything to help his community thrive. and pete, the voice of those very dreams, with no community that ever felt like home, no one to ever attach himself to, with only his own desires to drive him. two incredibly different people that find themselves at odds but come together the most, alongside the fact that their magics cannot flourish without the other like… holy fuck can i breathe please this is all so much i lov them
Whoever put Twin Size Mattress on a Pete the Plug playlist: I’m crying I would threaten to kick the shit out of you behind a Waffle House but sadly I cannot I am otherwise occupied (see: crying)
Ally:Gives Pete the last name Conlan, which means “hero,” implying that they did research into the meaning of surnames to find one that parallels their character’s goal, heart, and journey
Emily:Gives Sofia the last name Bicicleta because that’s the Italian word for bicycle and Sofia is Italian
![ahhhhh i’ve finally done everyone!!!![Emily] [Zac] [Murph] [Siobhan] [Lou]](https://64.media.tumblr.com/65581748bed062ba3b455c9ac41f4fa1/7258ea776ce008ea-f2/s1280x1920/97fe584098d6de6ca4c9b0a3d46c63f7aebf0f84.png "ahhhhh i’ve finally done everyone!!!![Emily] [Zac] [Murph] [Siobhan] [Lou]")
