Role of the Giver – The Knight

Those born
with the Role of the Knight are devoted and reliable. Or at
least, they want to appear reliable to those they care about. Insecurities,
fears, doubts, they don’t tend to share them, even with their most trusted and
loved partners, unless they’re being pressed or in dire need to vent. Rather,
Knights have a tendency to mask their true feelings in order to showcase
themselves in a specific manner. They want to feel necessary, to know others
trust them to give advice and offer help, and will rush to the aid of those who
need it in a heartbeat, no matter the risk or how monumental the task, if they
are needed, they will answer the call. Knights dislike inaction and will seek
something to do, even in situations where it’s inadvisable to do so. As long
as, in the end, they feel as though they have contributed and been useful in
some way, as long as they managed to help others in some way, they will be
happy. At their best, they are nurturing and great friends, always there when
you need them the most. At their worst, they can be obsessive, reckless and
needy.

Knights may try to take charge of a situation, to try and live to the
expectations of responsibility and reliability they themselves created, which
doesn’t tend to end well for them. While not completely incapable of doing so,
they’re most effective supporting their team rather than leading it, following
the will of their Aspect, or aiding others through it. They cannot
be Lone Heroes, and can only shine with the support of others, and specially,
by supporting others. This tends to make Knights likeable and good to have
around, even those who aren’t specially fit for fighting are capable of
bringing ease with them. However, this need to aid others can be a heavy crux.
Regardless of the situation, Knights are quick to blame themselves for
mistakes, even if they themselves weren’t necessarily responsible. Furthermore,
this instinct to aid anyone in need of help can easily lead them to rush ahead
without thinking in the consequences, putting them in jeopardy.

Being one of the Giver Classes, Knights are the Passive counterpart to Pages,
and similar to them, their strengths lie in Serving. Providing,
Weaponizing, Using or Distributing their Aspect in some way, or coming to other
people’s Aid through the use of their Aspect. Knights are a versatile Class,
just as well suited to keep those they care about from harm, as they are to
Serve a crushing defeat to those who tried to harm them in the first place.
Resourceful, quick to act, God help whoever dares lay a single finger on those
a Knight is in service of, they will know no rest until they have ensured their
loved ones are safe.

homestuckexamination:

Role of the Giver – The Page

Those born
with the Role of the Page are a well of potential. Pages tend
to liken themselves to others or create an ideal persona in their minds, which
they then proceed to emulate and hide behind. Wishful, disconnected between
their inner world and how they present themselves, their nature radiates
innocence and kindness. They don’t take well to change, and would rather live
in a static lie than accept a truth that’d shift what they’re used to. A Page
may, however, be more aware and perceptive than they appear to be,
intentionally shutting themselves away beneath their fabricated persona, in an
attempt to lose accountability and tip-toe around unpleasant topics. Due to
this, they may come off as daydreamers, childish, and sometimes even outright
mean. And while they can definitely be rude, a well meaning Page is as charming
as can be. Striving for their ideals, working towards their own goals, they can
easily inspire others to want to spend time together, to help them out, to
achieve what they want. At their best, they are inspiring, easygoing, likeable
dreamers. At their worst, they can be manipulative, selfish and infuriating.

Pages have a long way to go if they desire to obtain mastery over their Aspect.
They are presented with one of the toughest challenges when it comes to
discovering their self worth and true potential. Their development is slow,
slower than that of the rest, and for this reason they need the help of others
to fully mature. With their inspiring personalities, rather than directly
making use of their Aspect, they tend to draw others to take control or aid
them through it, although they may also call upon their Aspect to shield
themselves from unpleasantness and hardship. Their strengths initially lie in
the bonds they build with people and how persuasive they can be, or at worst,
in how desperately and obviously they need help. But once matured, their drive,
power and range of possibilities are second next to none.

Being one of the Giver Classes, Pages are the Active counterpart to Knights,
and similar to them, their strengths lie in Serving. In the case of
the Pages specifically, it’s them who tend to be Served. Offered help by
others, and Stockpiling their Aspect’s power for themselves, to begin with they
may find it difficult to make direct use of their Aspect, forcing them to rely
on others to steadily improve. This only makes the road towards maturation and
self-improvement harder for Pages. However, if they manage to overcome the slow
rise to their full potential, they may tap into the immense stockpile of power
that is their Aspect. Making full use of their powers, a fully realized Page is
an unstoppable powerhouse, a beacon of their Aspect capable of facing even the
strongest of foes. Patience is key for the Page, and those that wronged them
while they were still growing, will eventually face the consequences of their
actions.

Hey first I want thank you for help me see dirkjake and especially Jake’s character in a new and more friendly light, I was not a fan of the ship and despised Jake sm, but all you metas and analysis helped me to understand him and his relationship with Dirk better Now, I did read your series about classpect system and I want know your opinion about Mages of Hope? It’s actually my classpect result and I’m curious

I’m happy to hear you like Jake more now! He’s p much my favorite character more often than not.

Mage of Hope has been the classpect I identified with for a longass time. I might be flirting with Maid now, though.

A Mage is the active version of a Prophet. So it’d be one who Knows hope or Knows through Hope. That could mean getting future visions, or just being a knowitall expert on matters where fantasy and beliefs are concerned (that’s what I aim for).

It’s basically a kind of fortuneteller or magician who can attain immense knowledge of and perform literal miracles through their Aspect.

It’d be easier to list things a Mage of Hope couldn’t do, to be honest!

Why do you not support the inversion theory?

To start with, let me be clear that I have a ton of admiration and respect for people like BKEW and Dahni. Writing like theirs nourished teen me’s love for Homestuck for years, and I quite literally wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t spent years devouring all of it. I understood Homestuck through inversion theory terms for a long ass time, and had a lot of fun with it! So this isn’t me trying to dunk on anyone or “”debunk”” anyone’s approach to fanon-building, or whatever.

I’m only interested in attaining a better understanding of the text of Homestuck itself, and I think “Inversion Theory” ultimately holds us back from doing so right now. That said, Inversion Theory is an overly broad term that leads to a lot of confusion. So let’s break it down into Aspect and Class inversion.

Aspect Inversion:

This has canonical backing, in that Calliope says that in players resistant to their true calling or corrupted by outside forces, player abilities might manifest in defiance of one’s Aspect. So I’ve always loosely agreed with this part.

That said, I’ve never been sure that Aspect “switches” always happen across complementary Aspects. I’ve been harboring the suspicion that any player sufficiently stressed could manifest their powers as any other Aspect, depending on the circumstances and influences at play.

I now have reason to think this is true, given Xefros’ weird focus on Time and Time-Travel while being linked to the traditionally Time-linked Rustblood Caste. I’m not sure if this is canonical yet (excited to find out in Act 2), but indications so far point to the idea that each Caste strongly encourages/outright pushes characters into particular patterns of thought.

Which means Xefros–who is a Rage player–is experiencing some of the detrimental effects usually associated with Inversion, along with a LOT of references to thinking in terms of Time,, as opposed to Hope.

I’ve picked up on a few cues suggesting something similar is going on with Dammek and Breath–the Aspect associated with bronzebloods. So for the most part, I just feel that Aspect “inversion” as a concept might be limiting our understanding. But that’s just a guess for now, and it seems to me most of the transitions in Homestuck DO qualify as Inversion, in that they involve the opposite Aspect heavily.

Class Inversion:

My problems with Class inversion are more intense. For one thing, inversion models p much always cast Pages as Passive and Knights as Active, which I think I’ve made clear I don’t buy at all. So my ability to engage with the system is mostly broken from the outset.

For another, where I’m uncertain and curious about Aspects, I’m absolutely sure the idea of Class inversion limits our reading of the text.

It’s biggest problem is that it narrows characters down into game mechanic templates that restrict what they can do and how they can act in ways that don’t seem super logical to me. A Maid who has “inverted” must always be a Bard,
for example.

This discounts a lot of instances of quite similar, also unhealthy behavior that manifests outside the expected model, and misses a lot of the mechanical weight that Homestuck gives to any given characters’ stated interests, ambitions, and self-images.

Homestuck is a deeply Jungian work–his ideas are paralleled in Circumstantial Simultaneity, A bunch of Gnostic motifs, and in the case of the Classes, Archetypes. Jung believed Archetypes were patterns of behavior that arose from the collective unconcious–such as, perhaps, the act of theft, or of destruction.

Those patterns of behavior would then be contextualized by culture into more specific symbols. A thief might look like a burlap sack in one culture, and like a guy in a suit in another. But both would engage in the same behavior pattern–one associated with taking from others to benefit oneself.
(Jung didn’t literally write about a Thief archetype, though. At least, not that I’ve found so far. This is just an example!)

The Classes are heroic Roles–their parts in the narrative as characters in a story. But Homestuck is a narrative where fantasy falls in love with itself, where characters have deeply impactful interests that move and shape them, just like ours do to us.

So when Vriska tries to live out her Mindfang fantasy, and rope Tavros along as her Summoner…

It’s not a coincidence that she dresses up as a fairy, and thinks in terms of a Sylph’s key verb–or close enough to it if you go with Create, same difference. And hey, doesn’t Vriska spend this arc insisting she only wants to make Tavros stronger? Get him to take charge and be powerful? Why, that almost sounds like…

What Aranea does effortlessly, by virtue of being a Sylph.

This is legitimate, compelling nuance that is lost under Inversion theory.
And I can pull it out for close to every character. Dirk, AR, and Terezi’s fixations on being Knights, Roxy’s early flirtations with prophecy, Jake’s occasional references to wizardry, etc.

There’s a LOT of depth here, is what I’m saying, and in my view, the system is way more flexible and well-executed than what we’ve understood up until now. Even if inversion theory were literally canon (and its not, wp people debunked it YEARS ago.) I don’t think I’d want to trade it for what I see in the system now, personally.

What do you think about fan aspects or classes? I personally don’t like them, because the 14 classes and 12 aspects we have are broad enough to fit any personality or power set

I mostly haven’t engaged with fan classes and aspects, so I’m not sure I can say. But there are circumstances under which I can imagine them being crafted in some pretty interesting ways, provided enough depth and foresight. This is particularly true for the Classes, I think–I can see a different story describing the same rough existential behaviors through different Archetypes, and I think that approach has a lot of room for character depth.

For example, it seems to me Maids and Sylphs are linked to Fairies in Homestuck. This is because they “Make” their Aspect, and Homestuck describes them as “Made of” their Aspect in turn. That roughly translates to both classes coming off as sorts of Elementals, embodying their Aspects very intensely. But you could parse the concept of an elemental any number of other ways–you just portray any “imaginary” being strongly related to a concept. Creator Goddesses, Angels, Demons, w.e–seems to me like all of that parses pretty easily.

So I could see a class that has the same fundamental verb and active/passive alignment, but slightly different cultural connotations and presentation that comes along with a different name. That’s an approach I think I’d likely find interesting. And that’s just one example–I can think of other ways one could tease and complicate the system.

The potential is there, I think. I have a friend who’s thinking about writing on this subject in more depth, so I’m hoping I see that happen :B

wakraya:

Castes, Aspect-Binding and Deviations

So with the reveal of the Expanded Zodiac and the explanations of the Aspect Players, people have been wondering how come Xefros is a Rage Player apparently. There’s things fitting his Character Arc and his possible Growth that indicate he could definitely lean towards Rage, however, the references to Time are still there.

Then it dawned on me.

These two symbols? The first is Ariborn, the second, Libries. Now why is this important? Because the names are, obviously, combinations of the names of the True Symbols.

Within every Caste, individuals may be Prospit or Derse and any Aspect as needed, however, there are True symbols. The Human Zodiac Symbols, the Symbols of the Beta Trolls and their Ancestors, of the Dancestors. These specifically match their Prospit Moon and Aspect as expected. And they are ‘True’ symbols, that is to say, there’s some significance to them.

This is because everything that shares any part of the Symbols’ Root is Bound to its Aspect as well. With Libries, it’s evident- -RIES at the end comes from Aries, making it a combination of ‘Libra’ and ‘Aries’. And… That’s exactly the thing. Libra is within the symbol’s root as well. In Xefros’ case? -IBORN at the end states Derse and Rage, but AR- at the beginning denotes its connection to Aries.

The castes are not limited to the Aspect of their True Symbol, however, they still seem to be partially Bound to this Aspect. That is to say, while each specific individual will have their own leanings and convictions and Aspect, their Caste will also determine either a facet of them or what Society expects from them. Not all Rustbloods are Time Players- But by being Rustbloods, they’re tied to Aries inseparably, and thus, tied to Time in some way.

This is why Xefros seemed like a Time Player but is actually a Rage Player- At the beginning of Hiveswap he’s being contained, oppressed by Dammek’s attitude and the Society around him, not letting him grow. And thus the only thing that showed through was the natural Time leaning all Rustbloods have. Now though, Joey is giving him more confidence and making him believe in himself, and you better believe this Rust boy isn’t going to be Time-Bound anymore, and it’s going to start Serving some Rage.

I could have sworn I reblogged this ages ago when it was posted but it seems…not???

Anyway, consider this the basis for all my Classpect speculation going into Hiveswap: Act 2. I’m currently of the opinion Wak hit it out of the park, and the reading seems to hold well with both Xefros and Dammek in Hiveswap Act 1.

Not sure at all that it’s true, but I am very sure it’s interesting. I expect we’ll know for sure once we get a chance to meet all these dang new troll kids :B

homestuckexamination:

Role of the Visionary – The Seer

Those born
with the Role of the Seer are seekers of knowledge. They have
an innate awareness of their surroundings and a knack for learning, recalling
and analysing their interests, no matter how difficult or dense they may be. As
such, a Seer’s inner world may be as confusing and complicated as their
interests, making it sometimes hard to get to know them properly. On top of
that, they tend to struggle with grey areas, dividing in their mind what’s
right and wrong. This black and white point of view can be biased, muddling in
turn the insight a Seer may be able to offer otherwise. They can become easily
frustrated when presented with choices or situations that don’t fit their
divide of the world, and need to eventually learn not everything in the world
is as clear as it seems to them. When they think something is right, they will
try hard to share it with others, and won’t easily back down on their word. At
their best they are capable, intelligent and always eager to offer advice to
others. At their worst, they can be pedantic and zealous about their opinions
and thoughts.

Seers don’t need to be specially comfortable with their Aspect,
rather, their Aspect determines what kind of insight and information comes more
naturally to them, or what they have an easier time understanding. As such,
intrusive thoughts are their enemy, and paranoia can easily take hold of them
if they’re not careful, making them obsess playing scenarios in their minds
over and over. If something manages to muddle their vision and presents what
they thought to be true as wrong, a Seer’s sense of self can easily be
shattered, doubts about themselves and regrets about the outcomes they should
have been able to predict will plague their mind, and the healing process won’t
be an easy journey. Seers tend to be well meaning, however, and even when
things aren’t going too well for them, they’re open to talk and listen to those
they care about, to offer whatever little bit of help they may be able to.

Being one of the Visionary Classes, Seers are the Passive counterpart to Mages,
and similar to them, their strengths lie in Knowing things.
Understanding, Learning, and Guiding others through their knack for the subject
in general, they can be powerful aids when it comes to planning and strategy.
This doesn’t mean they’re completely meant for utility, however, as with their
insight and awareness, a Seer can use that which they have seen to bend causality
to their whims. Once they know the outcome, they can focus on reaching it or
preventing it. Precision, Subtlety, Cunning, a Seer adept in the arts of combat
may become completely untouchable, and perform feats others would have deemed
completely impossible. For those they care about, they will bend the future if
they need to.

homestuckexamination:

Role of the Visionary – The Mage

Those born
with the Role of the Mage are naturally insightful.
Introspection and learning more about themselves is as important to them as
learning the ins and outs of what has become important to them. They have an
idealized view of how the world around them should work, and will strive to
make their Reality pleasant and bearable for themselves, even when it may not
be the best path for others. Mistakes can weigh heavy on a Mage’s shoulders,
but their biggest enemy is the immutability of a world they don’t deem fair and
that has wronged them in the past. Due to this, while eager to share their
knowledge and interests with those they trust, they may become reclusive if
they fall to the clutches of self-deprecation and lack of agency. At their
best, they are deep, optimistic and great teachers to those willing to learn.
At their worst, they can be fatalistic and isolate themselves from their peers.

Mages find their Aspect coming quite naturally to them, they
barely need to try to understand their strengths and weaknesses. As such, they
will use the insight they know is there to lead others and change fate in ways
that suit them. However, this insight isn’t always appreciated, and as such, a
Mage may begin overthinking what should be simple and straightforward, sending
them down a swirling spiral they need to escape as soon as possible. Their
struggle is that of their desires and wants versus the inevitability of reality
around them. Confident and stubborn Mages will push forward with all their
might and not let anything stand in their way of what they want, but if they
become disillusioned with the way things are, they may fall prey of complacency
and acceptance against their better desires. And yet trying to change the
unchangeable may come with a heavy price for them. Striking a balance between
what they can do and what they want to do is vital for them, lest they push
themselves too hard.

Being one of the Visionary Classes, Mages are the Active counterpart to Seers,
and similar to them, their strengths lie in Knowing things.
Their Insight about their Aspect and Themselves is unmatched, and will Teach
and Guide others through that which they find important and relevant to their
interests. Foresight, Planning, Mages will not be taken by surprise easily, and
will fight back with all they have in order to change that which they don’t
agree with. They’re miracle workers that will take hold of their Aspect to both
ensure things go smoothly, and to directly engage those who dare oppose them. A
Mage’s conviction is nothing to shrug at, and if you stand in their path, they
will show you the hard way.

homestuckexamination:

Role of the Innovator – The Heir

Those born
with the Role of the Heir are bound to malleability. They
aren’t just open to changing themselves, they are also heavily inclined to
influence change in others. This knack to affect others may not present itself
directly, but something of their own or related to them could hold a similar
effect. Heirs are open, yet care about others and the impact they may have on
them enough to hide facets of themselves, things that could drag their partners
down or make them uncomfortable. Those who dismiss the influence they hold upon
others can, unwittingly or otherwise, become a detriment to the rest. And as
change permeates their lives, these tend to build up and escalate towards a defining
moment or series of defining moments that truly alter them, and that will shape
who they are and how they interact with others. At their best, they are
friendly, understanding and caring of their friends. At their worst, they can
be distant, stuck-up and easily manipulable.

Heirs are at risk of losing themselves to their Aspect if they
allow it to influence and change them enough. Their Heir’s Aspect factors
heavily in their environment, being a main source of influence in their lives,
and culminating in this defining change they may inherit. As such, they need to
grow and mature, to learn to take hold of their Aspect before they’re
irreparably changed by it, making their will and goals important to hold on to.
A confident, determined Heir is a powerful and versatile force that can
accomplish anything they put their mind into and can shift the tides of battle
in a heartbeat, but they shouldn’t lose sight of what’s important for them,
lest they lose themselves.

Being one of the Innovator Classes, Heirs are the Passive counterpart to
Witches, and similar to them, their strengths lie in Changing things.
Manipulating, Converting and otherwise Controlling their Aspect, they are adept
at shaping their powers and shifting them to suit them in battle. Heirs may allow
their Aspect to flow through them and shape them but they’ll occasionally take
direct control of their powers to attack. They can easily contribute to any
situation, as they are adaptable and good at keeping up with the rest of their
group. Don’t take a Heir lightly, even those who are more carefree may bite
back if pressed too far.

homestuckexamination:

Role of the Innovator – The Witch

Those born
with the Role of the Witch are ambitious and practical. They
desire bringing a change they perceive as positive to the world around them,
and may just as well change themselves to suit a more idealised self.
Passionate about that which they love, they can be heavily influenced by their
interests and by their surroundings, and show the same amount of passion about
that which they hate. Witches dislike wasting time, and would rather use their
resources and energy in furthering their goals, which makes them reliable when
it comes to find a practical solution. However, this trait is a double edged
sword, as they may quickly dismiss that which they can’t grasp as easily, or
which requires an inordinate amount of time and effort from them, preferring to
focus on their own interests and making them avoid what isn’t worth their time.
First impressions are important for them, and they can be quite stubborn about
what they do and do not enjoy. At their best, they’re positive, hard working
dreamers. At their worst, they can be neglectful, resentful and closed-minded.

Witches’ lives are permeated by the presence of their Aspect,
partially in their interests and that which they want to bring change to, and
also as an element of their environment bringing change to them, and which they
may overcome. They are not pushovers, but bad influences in their surroundings
can easily wear a Witch out, and eventually, consume their passion and will. As
such, in order to be happy, they must cast away these oppressive forces that
try to impose on themselves, assert their agency and ideals. For, once a Witch casts
aside that which has been holding them back, their sights will quickly set on
their goal, efficiently, and without a rest.

Being one of the Innovator Classes, Witches are the Active counterpart to the
Heirs, and similar to them, their strengths lie in Changing things.
Transforming, Modifying and Manipulating their Aspect, themselves, others, and
their surroundings as they see fit, a Witch’s powers’ versatility knows no
bounds. Much like how they change everything through the use of their Aspect,
even the tides of battle quickly shift under the heel of a Witch. Efficient in
combat as they are with everything else, it’s better to stay out their way,
lest they cast a spell on you.