Application
Nov. 19th, 2019 07:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oohforeshadowingUser Name/Nick: Naomi
User DW: N/A
E-mail: asyndeta@gmail.com
Other Characters: Elijah Kamski, Hilda Spellman, Rose Quartz
Character Name: Double Trouble (the showrunner has strongly hinted this is a 'stage name' but it's what they answer to sooo)
Series: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Age: Ehhhh. Seems older than most of the main cast so I'd say 20...ish...?
From When?: The end of Season 4, after abandoning Catra - there's no near-death scene at this point, but as a confirmed turncoat in the Fright Zone something could very easily have happened to put them at risk.
Inmate/Warden: Inmate. Double Trouble isa messy bitch who lives for drama amoral, pretty meanspirited and completely unprincipled.
Arrival: Agreed to come on board given the unpleasantness of the alternative.
Abilities/Powers: Primarily, DT is a shapeshifter, able to completely embody someone else - including voice and clothes. In terms of nerfing, I'd like them to retain the ability to transform into Flutterina - which will be used for giggles, since it won't last as an actual ruse - and the ability to transform into any of their former disguises or Barge passengers for up to 60 seconds. Long enough for a shenanigan but not a lengthy conversation.
Otherwise, DT is an accomplished fighter - able to hold off She-Ra - which doesn't seem to be connected to the form they're in. (Even as Flutterina, they were able to take down an armoured Horde soldier.) In their default form they also have a long tail which is prehensile but we've only seen it able to handle small objects, so that's what I'll stick with.
They can also blink sideways with nictating membranes and can lick their own eyeballs, so there's that.
Personality:
Double Trouble's affect is dramatic to the point of melodrama, confident to the point of smugness, lavishly prideful and given to self-flattery. The opportunities to create drama, cause chaos, ruin friendships and generally make problems for others are rarely if ever passed up, even when not strictly necessary in the pursuit of a greater goal. Case in point: when DT turns on Catra in the season finale, they could just walk away, but don't. Instead, they carry out a devastating character assassination and then leave, having burnt that bridge for the rest of time. That sadism shows itself in other ways; they take great pleasure in Bright Moon falling into disarray, and confide in Glimmer that they can't cry on cue without imagining children falling. 'They're tears of laughter but no-one can tell the difference!'
While taking every opportunity to mock people behind their backs (as Glimmer: 'If only I'd been there to sparkle at it!'), DT is generally cordial to both enemies and friends - with the exception of Glimmer, whom they at first wrongly assess as being too soft and twinkly to lead in wartime. They're also extremely bold, seeing no problem with stalking into Hordak's private space as Adora, overdramatically 'dying' on the furniture and then teasing him over his inner sanctum. (Although they do end up hiding behind Catra after mayybe pushing it too far.) They will also take any and all opportunities to tease people over their appearances (Glimmer's outfit, Bow's inability to wear a real shirt, Adora's hair poof, etc.).
They have absolutely no principles. Double Trouble is initially motivated by money when they approach Catra in the Crimson Waste, but that becomes superseded by the simple need to survive; on learning about the Heart of Etheria, a superweapon controlled by the Rebellion, they immediately switch sides and start feeding the Horde false intel. A tertiary motivator is just The Drama, including turning Glimmer and Adora against each other and emulating multiple characters to sow confusion over responsibility for a recent failure. They seem to find Hordak's world-conquering ambitions and the Rebellion's hopes for peace and freedom to be equally laughable. Loyalty or any concept of the Greater Good has no meaning. The only thing that matters is identifying the winning side and then getting on it, at all costs.
Behind Double Trouble's apparent insouciance lies a great deal of perceptiveness; of course, as a spy and infiltrator these are necessary skills. DT frames it in dramatic terms (because of course they do), referring to 'character study' and 'transforming', instead of simply imitating someone else. This perception allows DT to impersonate Catra so effectively that Adora couldn't tell, and to identify a central conflict between Glimmer and Adora and using it to drive a wedge between them. They are, however, not immune to others' performances: when it becomes apparent that there's a spy in Bright Moon, DT falls for Glimmer and Adora's performed feuding and is led into a trap which reveals them to be the infiltrator. They're gracious about giving credit where it's due.
All of this being said, there are small hints of a softer side which suggest that Double Trouble isn't immune to the concept of friendships, doing good by others, etc. - and is more likely to be consciously resistant to those things, just in case it becomes an issue. This comes across after they save Catra from falling debris and are very quick to remind her that it was about saving a source of income and not a friend. However, the aforementioned character assassination - in which DT spells out Catra's desperate, self-sabotaged need for love and validation - is framed as being 'for your own good'. While DT definitely took some sadistic satisfaction over having so precisely mapped out Catra's character, DT's voice actor has stated that it also came from a place of wanting her to understand herself better and adapt her behaviour. Given that their relationship is likely unsalvageable, Double Trouble actually did this at some cost to themselves.
Barge Reactions: Etheria in general is weird as hell, and Double Trouble seems to have been living in an especially weird/grim corner of it. Magic, superpowers, nonhumans, talking animals, burning snow etc. are all pretty much par for the course - if anything, the high proportion of Physically Regular Humans will be the thing that stands out. Breaches, floods and other nonsense will be incredibly welcome due to DT's high capacity for Drama™.
Path to Redemption: As mentioned, Double Trouble isn't all bad. The capacity for friendship and even loyalty is there, but deliberately suppressed, which is almost certainly a defence mechanism. The Crimson Waste is pretty much Backstabber Central so no surprises there. A warden will need to make themselves vulnerable and be tolerant of a lot of bullshitting at first, even to stand a chance of accessing anything more honest or sincere. They should also be prepared for drama at varying levels of pettiness. 'Let's talk about your childhood' won't wash here; what DT needs is to learn the personal benefits of forming solid networks that they won't abandon and/or betray as circumstances dictate. The selfishness is probably set in stone but can be redirected.
A reformed villain or someone with experience in the field might have slightly better luck than a dyed-in-the-wool hero, but I won't rule anything out.
History: We know nothing about DT's history pre-canon; the only thing we really know about them is that they are probably not a Princess, given that all their Runestones were accounted for at the end of Season 4 and non-Runestone princesses are quite rare. They appeared as a background character at Princess Prom, so likely either sneaked in or was someone's plus-one. (The original Double Trouble - who never appeared in the show - was described as Glimmer's cousin, but given the whole-lizard person thing plus the fact Glimmer doesn't recognise them? Yeahhh no.)
Some things can be inferred. From their priorities - survival, money and The Lulz, in that order - it's likely they had an upbringing where those things weren't guaranteed. Also, DT first appeared as a mercenary working out of the Valley of the Lost, which isn't many people's first choice of home base.
I don't see this as a barrier to entry; regardless of their past, it's the way they're choosing to behave now which is the issue. In terms of gameplay - if you asked them about their history they'd just lie, and floods involving personal history can be skipped or finessed until canon reveals more. After that, there's the wiki.
Sample Journal Entry:
[Double Trouble's cabin is their obnoxiously pink-and-pastel room at Bright Moon, and they themselves are sprawled across a nest of cushions like they're posing for boudoir photography.]
So, darlings, I understand that this [airquotes!] 'Christmas' is an important festival to at least some of you. And in the apparent spirit of the season, I am choosing to give some of you a gift.
The gift of honesty.
Where to begin?
[Their body shimmers green-black, features vanishing, to reform as Hilda Spellman. The voice is hers but the affect is very much Double Trouble's, and they look down at this new body with despair.]
I understand you're a few centuries old but there's no need to dress like you're already dead. And - knitted accessories? [They flick at a crocheted flower pinned to her cardigan.] You're killing me. It's hard to believe you and your sister are related, she is quite the snappy dresser.
[Shimmer, shift: Jon Sims.] Also? I am begging some of you to take better care of yourselves. [They lift the scarred hand which didn't do well out of meeting Jude Perry, runs their fingertips against the worm scars on Jon's face.] Archivist, you look like you staggered out of your own grave and fell into an active volcano. Don't we have healers on board?
[Luke Skywalker:] You, keep the pyjamas in the bedroom. Maybe out and about you could be a little more daring? Mmm? [At which point 'Luke' is now wearing a Leia-esque metal bikini.]
[Freeza:] And here we have the opposite problem. Civilised people wear clothes. If you're self conscious about your complete lack of aesthetic, I'm here to help, darling.
[Peter Nureyev:] Now, this look? This, I can't find fault with. Most of you could do with letting yourselves be more flexible.
Sample RP:
Never has such a wealth of backstory been so carelessly strewn across a public medium.
Double Trouble could spend days immersing themselves in the exposition and gossip, and without motivation to do much else, they do. They watch video post after video post, mimicking the way their fellow passengers talk with their hands and tilt their heads. Listens to audio messages, rehearsing the way a voice rises and falls, the shape of their vocabularies.
Maybe for nothing. Maybe just to cause a little trouble - who are they kidding, a lot of trouble - later on. What becomes immediately clear is that Flutterina won't fly here - so to speak. Adore and Glimmer, the Barge's passengers are not. These people are expecting to be lied to. Besides, a diminutive warden with no warden perks? Highly suspect.
Maybe they need to craft a new character. Someone who'll turn heads, divide opinion, incite a little squabbling amongst the ranks. Hmm. What would rile up this bunch of ne'er-do-wells the most efficiently? Would would get under the skin of these lost souls?
Double hums to themselves and opens another archived transmission. They've never shied away from a project.
Special Notes: nahhhh
User DW: N/A
E-mail: asyndeta@gmail.com
Other Characters: Elijah Kamski, Hilda Spellman, Rose Quartz
Character Name: Double Trouble (the showrunner has strongly hinted this is a 'stage name' but it's what they answer to sooo)
Series: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Age: Ehhhh. Seems older than most of the main cast so I'd say 20...ish...?
From When?: The end of Season 4, after abandoning Catra - there's no near-death scene at this point, but as a confirmed turncoat in the Fright Zone something could very easily have happened to put them at risk.
Inmate/Warden: Inmate. Double Trouble is
Arrival: Agreed to come on board given the unpleasantness of the alternative.
Abilities/Powers: Primarily, DT is a shapeshifter, able to completely embody someone else - including voice and clothes. In terms of nerfing, I'd like them to retain the ability to transform into Flutterina - which will be used for giggles, since it won't last as an actual ruse - and the ability to transform into any of their former disguises or Barge passengers for up to 60 seconds. Long enough for a shenanigan but not a lengthy conversation.
Otherwise, DT is an accomplished fighter - able to hold off She-Ra - which doesn't seem to be connected to the form they're in. (Even as Flutterina, they were able to take down an armoured Horde soldier.) In their default form they also have a long tail which is prehensile but we've only seen it able to handle small objects, so that's what I'll stick with.
They can also blink sideways with nictating membranes and can lick their own eyeballs, so there's that.
Personality:
Double Trouble's affect is dramatic to the point of melodrama, confident to the point of smugness, lavishly prideful and given to self-flattery. The opportunities to create drama, cause chaos, ruin friendships and generally make problems for others are rarely if ever passed up, even when not strictly necessary in the pursuit of a greater goal. Case in point: when DT turns on Catra in the season finale, they could just walk away, but don't. Instead, they carry out a devastating character assassination and then leave, having burnt that bridge for the rest of time. That sadism shows itself in other ways; they take great pleasure in Bright Moon falling into disarray, and confide in Glimmer that they can't cry on cue without imagining children falling. 'They're tears of laughter but no-one can tell the difference!'
While taking every opportunity to mock people behind their backs (as Glimmer: 'If only I'd been there to sparkle at it!'), DT is generally cordial to both enemies and friends - with the exception of Glimmer, whom they at first wrongly assess as being too soft and twinkly to lead in wartime. They're also extremely bold, seeing no problem with stalking into Hordak's private space as Adora, overdramatically 'dying' on the furniture and then teasing him over his inner sanctum. (Although they do end up hiding behind Catra after mayybe pushing it too far.) They will also take any and all opportunities to tease people over their appearances (Glimmer's outfit, Bow's inability to wear a real shirt, Adora's hair poof, etc.).
They have absolutely no principles. Double Trouble is initially motivated by money when they approach Catra in the Crimson Waste, but that becomes superseded by the simple need to survive; on learning about the Heart of Etheria, a superweapon controlled by the Rebellion, they immediately switch sides and start feeding the Horde false intel. A tertiary motivator is just The Drama, including turning Glimmer and Adora against each other and emulating multiple characters to sow confusion over responsibility for a recent failure. They seem to find Hordak's world-conquering ambitions and the Rebellion's hopes for peace and freedom to be equally laughable. Loyalty or any concept of the Greater Good has no meaning. The only thing that matters is identifying the winning side and then getting on it, at all costs.
Behind Double Trouble's apparent insouciance lies a great deal of perceptiveness; of course, as a spy and infiltrator these are necessary skills. DT frames it in dramatic terms (because of course they do), referring to 'character study' and 'transforming', instead of simply imitating someone else. This perception allows DT to impersonate Catra so effectively that Adora couldn't tell, and to identify a central conflict between Glimmer and Adora and using it to drive a wedge between them. They are, however, not immune to others' performances: when it becomes apparent that there's a spy in Bright Moon, DT falls for Glimmer and Adora's performed feuding and is led into a trap which reveals them to be the infiltrator. They're gracious about giving credit where it's due.
All of this being said, there are small hints of a softer side which suggest that Double Trouble isn't immune to the concept of friendships, doing good by others, etc. - and is more likely to be consciously resistant to those things, just in case it becomes an issue. This comes across after they save Catra from falling debris and are very quick to remind her that it was about saving a source of income and not a friend. However, the aforementioned character assassination - in which DT spells out Catra's desperate, self-sabotaged need for love and validation - is framed as being 'for your own good'. While DT definitely took some sadistic satisfaction over having so precisely mapped out Catra's character, DT's voice actor has stated that it also came from a place of wanting her to understand herself better and adapt her behaviour. Given that their relationship is likely unsalvageable, Double Trouble actually did this at some cost to themselves.
Barge Reactions: Etheria in general is weird as hell, and Double Trouble seems to have been living in an especially weird/grim corner of it. Magic, superpowers, nonhumans, talking animals, burning snow etc. are all pretty much par for the course - if anything, the high proportion of Physically Regular Humans will be the thing that stands out. Breaches, floods and other nonsense will be incredibly welcome due to DT's high capacity for Drama™.
Path to Redemption: As mentioned, Double Trouble isn't all bad. The capacity for friendship and even loyalty is there, but deliberately suppressed, which is almost certainly a defence mechanism. The Crimson Waste is pretty much Backstabber Central so no surprises there. A warden will need to make themselves vulnerable and be tolerant of a lot of bullshitting at first, even to stand a chance of accessing anything more honest or sincere. They should also be prepared for drama at varying levels of pettiness. 'Let's talk about your childhood' won't wash here; what DT needs is to learn the personal benefits of forming solid networks that they won't abandon and/or betray as circumstances dictate. The selfishness is probably set in stone but can be redirected.
A reformed villain or someone with experience in the field might have slightly better luck than a dyed-in-the-wool hero, but I won't rule anything out.
History: We know nothing about DT's history pre-canon; the only thing we really know about them is that they are probably not a Princess, given that all their Runestones were accounted for at the end of Season 4 and non-Runestone princesses are quite rare. They appeared as a background character at Princess Prom, so likely either sneaked in or was someone's plus-one. (The original Double Trouble - who never appeared in the show - was described as Glimmer's cousin, but given the whole-lizard person thing plus the fact Glimmer doesn't recognise them? Yeahhh no.)
Some things can be inferred. From their priorities - survival, money and The Lulz, in that order - it's likely they had an upbringing where those things weren't guaranteed. Also, DT first appeared as a mercenary working out of the Valley of the Lost, which isn't many people's first choice of home base.
I don't see this as a barrier to entry; regardless of their past, it's the way they're choosing to behave now which is the issue. In terms of gameplay - if you asked them about their history they'd just lie, and floods involving personal history can be skipped or finessed until canon reveals more. After that, there's the wiki.
Sample Journal Entry:
[Double Trouble's cabin is their obnoxiously pink-and-pastel room at Bright Moon, and they themselves are sprawled across a nest of cushions like they're posing for boudoir photography.]
So, darlings, I understand that this [airquotes!] 'Christmas' is an important festival to at least some of you. And in the apparent spirit of the season, I am choosing to give some of you a gift.
The gift of honesty.
Where to begin?
[Their body shimmers green-black, features vanishing, to reform as Hilda Spellman. The voice is hers but the affect is very much Double Trouble's, and they look down at this new body with despair.]
I understand you're a few centuries old but there's no need to dress like you're already dead. And - knitted accessories? [They flick at a crocheted flower pinned to her cardigan.] You're killing me. It's hard to believe you and your sister are related, she is quite the snappy dresser.
[Shimmer, shift: Jon Sims.] Also? I am begging some of you to take better care of yourselves. [They lift the scarred hand which didn't do well out of meeting Jude Perry, runs their fingertips against the worm scars on Jon's face.] Archivist, you look like you staggered out of your own grave and fell into an active volcano. Don't we have healers on board?
[Luke Skywalker:] You, keep the pyjamas in the bedroom. Maybe out and about you could be a little more daring? Mmm? [At which point 'Luke' is now wearing a Leia-esque metal bikini.]
[Freeza:] And here we have the opposite problem. Civilised people wear clothes. If you're self conscious about your complete lack of aesthetic, I'm here to help, darling.
[Peter Nureyev:] Now, this look? This, I can't find fault with. Most of you could do with letting yourselves be more flexible.
Sample RP:
Never has such a wealth of backstory been so carelessly strewn across a public medium.
Double Trouble could spend days immersing themselves in the exposition and gossip, and without motivation to do much else, they do. They watch video post after video post, mimicking the way their fellow passengers talk with their hands and tilt their heads. Listens to audio messages, rehearsing the way a voice rises and falls, the shape of their vocabularies.
Maybe for nothing. Maybe just to cause a little trouble - who are they kidding, a lot of trouble - later on. What becomes immediately clear is that Flutterina won't fly here - so to speak. Adore and Glimmer, the Barge's passengers are not. These people are expecting to be lied to. Besides, a diminutive warden with no warden perks? Highly suspect.
Maybe they need to craft a new character. Someone who'll turn heads, divide opinion, incite a little squabbling amongst the ranks. Hmm. What would rile up this bunch of ne'er-do-wells the most efficiently? Would would get under the skin of these lost souls?
Double hums to themselves and opens another archived transmission. They've never shied away from a project.
Special Notes: nahhhh
