How 'Sly Cooper 5' Should Start....

Platonic Love Meme: Sly and Penelope (p.1)

I saw this “Platonic Relationship Meme“ here on Tumblr. And I decided to try it with Sly and Penelope from the Sly Cooper series.

Thieves In Time Redux Meme #15

Seriously, fans? Why does Sly get to have all the fun?

I know having Penelope go that hard is a bold move, but come on. If she started this whole mess, and feels a need to correct her mistakes, shouldn't she end it herself?

We can even have her feel like she has to do it alone, or else her attempt to atone for what she did won't count.

But because I'm not a monster, let's also have the rest of the playable cast join her so they can kick some skunk tail!

And for good measure, Penelope also gets to finish Le Paradox off. Complete with a speech on what she learned about friendship.

Of course, she will have to be told her attempt did count. And that she nailed it. And no, Sly will not be lost in time.

Kinda went hard for two characters who I don't think made any sort of eye contact ever lol

2024 saw me bring these four together for the events of Thieves In Time...

I'd actually been working on it for 10+ years, but 2024 was when I finally decided to turn that story into a full length fanfiction.

Thieves In Time Redux Meme #7

During Something's Fishy (Episode 1), instead of a hacking segment, we get a "protect Bentley" segment...

What Bentley thinks happened: Murray took out most of the guards. He's sure Penelope got at least a few of the smaller ones.

What actually happened: Murray and Penelope each took out half of the guards. Murray swears she took out a little more than half.

Is Murray trying to make his little sister look good? Maybe. But both of them did pull their weight. Too bad Bentley didn't see any of it...

Moral of the story: Don't underestimate this mouse girl. Sadly, that's a lesson Bentley won't fully learn until Episode 2's Jail Break...

Creating Compelling Character Arcs: A Guide for Fiction Writers

As writers, one of our most important jobs is to craft characters that feel fully realized and three-dimensional. Great characters aren't just names on a page — they're complex beings with arcs that take them on profound journeys of change and growth. A compelling character arc can make the difference between a forgettable story and one that sticks with readers long after they've turned the final page.

Today, I'm going to walk you through the art of crafting character arcs that are as rich and multi-layered as the people you encounter in real life. Whether you're a first-time novelist or a seasoned storyteller, this guide will give you the tools to create character journeys that are equal parts meaningful and unforgettable.

What Is a Character Arc?

Before we go any further, let's make sure we're all on the same page about what a character arc actually is. In the most basic sense, a character arc refers to the internal journey a character undergoes over the course of a story. It's the path they travel, the obstacles they face, and the ways in which their beliefs, mindsets, and core selves evolve through the events of the narrative.

A character arc isn't just about what happens to a character on the outside. Sure, external conflict and plot developments play a major role — but the real meat of a character arc lies in how those external forces shape the character's internal landscape. Do their ideals get shattered? Is their worldview permanently altered? Do they have to confront harsh truths about themselves in order to grow?

The most resonant character arcs dig deep into these universal human experiences of struggle, self-discovery, and change. They mirror the journeys we all go through in our own lives, making characters feel powerfully relatable even in the most imaginative settings.

The Anatomy of an Effective Character Arc

Now that we understand what character arcs are, how do we actually construct one that feels authentic and impactful? Let's break down the key components:

The Inciting Incident

Every great character arc begins with a spark — something that disrupts the status quo of the character's life and sets them on an unexpected path. This inciting incident can take countless forms, be it the death of a loved one, a sudden loss of power or status, an epic betrayal, or a long-held dream finally becoming attainable.

Whatever shape it takes, the inciting incident needs to really shake the character's foundations and push them in a direction they wouldn't have gone otherwise. It opens up new struggles, questions, and internal conflicts that they'll have to grapple with over the course of the story.

Lies They Believe

Tied closely to the inciting incident are the core lies or limiting beliefs that have been holding your character back. Perhaps they've internalized society's body image expectations and believe they're unlovable. Maybe they grew up in poverty and are convinced that they'll never be able to escape that cyclical struggle.

Whatever these lies are, they'll inform how your character reacts and responds to the inciting incident. Their ingrained perceptions about themselves and the world will directly color their choices and emotional journeys — and the more visceral and specific these lies feel, the more compelling opportunities for growth your character will have.

The Struggle

With the stage set by the inciting incident and their deeply-held lies exposed, your character will then have to navigate a profound inner struggle that stems from this setup. This is where the real meat of the character arc takes place as they encounter obstacles, crises of faith, moral dilemmas, and other pivotal moments that start to reshape their core sense of self.

Importantly, this struggle shouldn't be a straight line from Point A to Point B. Just like in real life, people tend to take a messy, non-linear path when it comes to overcoming their limiting mindsets. They'll make progress, backslide into old habits, gain new awareness, then repeat the cycle. Mirroring this meandering but ever-deepening evolution is what makes a character arc feel authentic and relatable.

Moments of Truth

As your character wrestles with their internal demons and existential questions, you'll want to include potent Moments of Truth that shake them to their core. These are the climactic instances where they're forced to finally confront the lies they believe head-on. It could be a painful conversation that shatters their perception of someone they trusted. Or perhaps they realize the fatal flaw in their own logic after hitting a point of no return.

These Moments of Truth pack a visceral punch that catalyzes profound realizations within your character. They're the litmus tests where your protagonist either rises to the occasion and starts radically changing their mindset — or they fail, downing further into delusion or avoiding the insights they need to undergo a full transformation.

The Resolution

After enduring the long, tangled journey of their character arc, your protagonist will ideally arrive at a resolution that feels deeply cathartic and well-earned. This is where all of their struggle pays off and we see them evolve into a fundamentally different version of themselves, leaving their old limiting beliefs behind.

A successfully crafted resolution in a character arc shouldn't just arrive out of nowhere — it should feel completely organic based on everything they've experienced over the course of their thematic journey. We should be able to look back and see how all of the challenges they surmounted ultimately reshaped their perspective and led them to this new awakening. And while not every character needs to find total fulfillment, for an arc to feel truly complete, there needs to be a definitive sense that their internal struggle has reached a meaningful culmination.

Tips for Crafting Resonant Character Arcs

I know that was a lot of ground to cover, so let's recap a few key pointers to keep in mind as you start mapping out your own character's trajectories:

Get Specific With Backstory

To build a robust character arc, a deep understanding of your protagonist's backstory and psychology is indispensable. What childhood wounds do they carry? What belief systems were instilled in them from a young age? The more thoroughly you flesh out their history and inner workings, the more natural their arc will feel.

Strive For Nuance

One of the biggest pitfalls to avoid with character arcs is resorting to oversimplified clichés or unrealistic "redemption" stories. People are endlessly complex — your character's evolution should reflect that intricate messiness and nuance to feel grounded. Embrace moral grays, contradictions, and partial awakenings that upend expectations.

Make the External Match the Internal

While a character arc hinges on interior experiences, it's also crucial that the external plot events actively play a role in driving this inner journey. The inciting incident, the obstacles they face, the climactic Moments of Truth — all of these exterior occurrences should serve as narrative engines that force your character to continually reckon with themselves.

Dig Into Your Own Experiences

Finally, the best way to instill true authenticity into your character arcs is to draw deeply from the personal transformations you've gone through yourself. We all carry with us the scars, growth, and shattered illusions of our real-life arcs — use that raw honesty as fertile soil to birth characters whose journeys will resonate on a soulful level.

Happy Writing!

hiii heehee hoohoo

this little fountain area was my fav part of the venice level

please reblog if you leave a like!

Da Gang

Penelope no you’re not supposed to eat meat raw.

Bentley’s First Mission (Disco Demolitions) Appreciation Post

Sly: How’re you holding up out there in the field?

Bentley (obviously not fine voice): Fine, fine…I’m just fine.

One of my favorite Sly 2 missions is Disco Demoltions, because it’s at once adorable and just so funny. And BEAUTIFUL just look at the pretty colors and all the neat design details, like how the spiral in the middle of the dance floor is designed to look like Dmitri’s tail! But a Sly Cooper Trilogy level being Really Pretty is sorta just…that’s just how Sly Cooper Trilogy levels be

This mission is the first time you ever play as Bentley. But if you’re an 8-year-old who’s nervous about playing as Bentley–it’s his first real solo mission, so Bentley is also very nervous about playing as Bentley!

It takes place in a building Specifically Designed to make Bentley uncomfortable. If someone asked you “where would a nerdy awkward turtle feel like he Really Does Not Belong” the correct answer would be “the dance floor of a funky disco.” Like… imagine how much this mission’s tone would Not Work if it took place anywhere else…it wouldn’t be hilariously anxious/awkward if you were bombing Dmitri’s wine cellar. It HAS to be a disco dance floor 

Your goal is to bomb the pillars and shake the disco ball loose. But this nightclub isn’t guarded by the little guards, but by the Giant Scary Flashlight Guards™– who tiny Bentley stands no chance against in a fight. And because there’s basically nowhere to run you have to sleep-dart them before they catch you or you’re pretty much dead.

But if you miss a sleep-dart shot/misplace a bomb, the Giant Scary Guard™ will spot you… so the mission is always one tiny mistake away from disaster. If you have bad aim/have never done it before (like if you’re a kid playing the game for the first time) a Giant Scary Guard™ WILL catch you and you will have to frantically RUN and BOMB and RUN!!! It’s a series of nerve-wracking explosions and “I GOtta hURRY and BOMb him BEFORE HE WAKES UP” as Bentley’s gameplay animation looks utterly anxious and terrified….

But

But all the while that funky disco music is playing

So its like.

BLAM! BOMB EXPLOSION! (Guard shoots you, Bentley screams) *funky nightclub music goes ‘’Ooh-OOOOOOOOOOH”*