Polites - Blog Posts

EPIC: The Musical is a fucking bomb. Seriously, it’s good

but also, listening to it all the way through is not helpful in trying to remember the songs, especially when the brain switches up the lyrics

My brain went: “Let’s see where you’ve been! When does a man become a meteor?” And I’m like “No, it doesn’t work that way.” And the visual in my head is Mr. Jalapeño shoving MICO then the cast rowing during the livestream of the cast listening to it

Bout to start writing a time travel fix it fic for epic where some random crew member gets sent back in time after being murked by zeus. His name is Steven-dave and I love him already.

What do you mean I clearly have a favourite Epic character? I love polites and all the non polites equally.

Polites. Polites I fucking love you. I love you, I have always loved you and I will always love you.

If there are one million Polites fans, I am one of them.

If there is one Polites fan, that is me.

If there are no polites fans, the very concept of my existence has been wiped from every universe and timeline.

No one could ever make me hate you polites, you can never do any wrong and you are perfect.

If Polites was alive during 'keep your friends close' then odysseus would have just been napping on polites lap and polites would be glaring at the crew like 'I may greet the world with open arms but I swear to the gods I will greet your face with my tightly closed fist if you try to get this bag open.' He would look at Eurylochus and go 'Try me, I dare you. Try and get this bag open and see how well that goes for you. I swear Eury, do NOT test me.'

Polites > everyone else ever

two small gifts for @wukyma and @porado

Thank you both very much for your feedback, for your comments and support, it is very important to me 🥺🧡 I love you and hope you like it!! 🤧🤧

I also quit my job and will try to make at least a couple more pictures in the near future.

My Epic the Musical obsession has been violently reawakened after the Vengeance Saga, and I felt the need to make this:

"John Wick brutally murdered everyone who broke into his home and killed his pet, and everyone in the audience cheers him on. But when I, Polyphemus, do the same, I am called a 'monster who killed a beloved character'. What a double standard!"

Currently thinking about how the death of Polites fractured the dynamic of the crew which led to quite literally the rest of the Odyssey in EPIC the musical. The entire crew relied on this man and NO, I am not exaggerating.

Polites served as the temperance of Ody; the diplomatic and optimistic council who was a liaison between the captain and his crew. Why? Well, Polites is never acknowledged to hold any power in the crew (we're talking EPIC canon here) but is clearly respected and valued by the captain. This combination is familiar; the crew is comfortable approaching Polites because he's their equal and Polites is comfortable approaching Odysseus with their problems because they're friends. That is his role.

Now I have my own issues with Eurylochus but I do think he's written well. And I also do not think he is fully in the wrong. HOT TAKE I KNOW, but hear me out: Eury was Ody's right hand. Odysseus is clever but he's also pretty humble (excluding the whole "I am the infamous Odysseus" but Bro had a right to crash out there). Odysseus does not surround himself with "yes-men", he surrounds himself with friends who are willing to challenge him. Case and point; Eurylochus and Polites.

Polites challenges his morals and instincts - Polites is always trying to ensure that Odysseus is doing what is best for himself. "You can relax my friend" is not something you tell your leader to do casually. It's what you tell your friend to do when they're working themselves too damn hard. "Greet the world with open arms" is not what you tell your commanding officer who you're trusting to get you home.

Eurylochus challenges his decisions. Always does, in every scene and NO that is not a flaw. He serves as a point of resistance so that Odysseus is forced to consider every option carefully. He makes sure Ody has considered the worst-case scenario and is fully prepared to back him up when that happens. Bro was ready to burn the Lotus island down if his friends didn't come back. Eury is the guy who's willing to strike first and make the difficult decisions, much like Ody is. He is a good second in command.

The point is: the two filled massively different roles in the crew. Eury is supposed to challenge Odysseus and question his decisions - that is his job; to make sure that his captain is making the best decisions for the crew. Polites is supposed to support Ody; he is a friend, a confident, and a source of trust and camaraderie.

What makes them such a well-oiled machine is that they all have specific roles and they are good at them. Ody makes the plans and decides what battles to fight, Eurylochus takes initiative and counterbalances Polites optimism, Polites offers ethical and moral support while counterbalancing Eury's cynicism. That is why the crew works so well.

Odysseus has someone to rely on and someone to challenge him. The crew has someone to confide in and a second in command to consider their needs. They have a captain who listens to both. Eurylochus and Polites have each other to balance out and a captain who values their opinions.

It works. It's balanced. It's a powerful type of leadership.

Then Polites dies, and so does that balance.

Eurylochus finds himself having to fill two roles. He has to question his captain and calm the crew. He has to place complete trust in Odysseus as Polites did, but he can't. His and Ody's relationship has always been based on challenging one another to ensure that they're considering every angle. He has spent his entire life being critical of Odysseus' plans because he knows that's what he's supposed to do. He doesn't have blind faith, he's a realist - optimism and trust were Polites forte.

Odysseus finds himself without that support and line of connection to Polites. He grows disconnected from the crew because of it and flounders when it comes to dealing with Eurylochus.

This is seen clearly in the song: Luck Runs Out

Eury was not in the wrong for pointing out how fucking crazy it is to casually ask the Wind God for some help. Sure let's go knock on a god's door and ask for loose change; HELLO!? There are so many ways it could've gone wrong and it has always been Eury's job to point such flaws out. It's what he's always done - probably what he's done for Ody throughout the war.

But Odysseus? He just lost his best friend and his mentor. His entire support system is crumbling, so being challenged by the one person who he needs to have his back pushes him into a dangerous space as a leader.

On the one hand, he cannot afford to have Eury question his every move, especially since Polites isn't there to challenge him for Odysseus. Especially now that he doesn't have Polites instilling trust in the crew - he can't afford Eury's challenges to eroding what trust remains in his disheartened crew.

On the other, pushing Eurylochus away and demanding staunch obedience from him is so out of character for their relationship that all trust between Captain and SOC is suddenly up in the air.

That is why Eurylochus opens the windbag. Not because he wanted "treasure", but because the captain who demanded he "be devout" is not the captain he's followed all this time. The captain who sits awake for four days, eyes following every crewmember with a glimmer of distrust is not the Odysseus Eurylochus knows.

Eury knows Odysseus with Polites. If Polites had been alive, he would've been able to quell the crew's distrust because he would have had full trust in their captain. Odysseus would've been able to trust his crew because he could trust Polites. He cannot trust Eurylochus to have that same blind faith, because Eury doesn't have it; and the crew knows it.

Everything's changed since Polites

It's not a throwaway line; it's what the crew whispers to Eurylochus. He's different. He's changed. Odysseus is not the same. Maybe it is treasure. Maybe he's lying to us. How do we know? How do you know?

And Eurylochus doesn't know. He isn't certain. Odysseus is his friend and his captain; that's a difficult power dynamic to balance.

So Eury opens the windbag, because he doesn't trust Odysseus. It's a different sort of mistrust though - not one of constructive criticism from a friend, but earnest dangerous mistrust of your superior.

Eurylochus leads the mutiny, because that was always his role as Ody's right hand; to question and stand against what he felt was wrong. To speak for the crew as another leader.

But Eurylochus never wanted to be captain. He never wanted to betray his friend. He felt he had to - Yes, he was willing to leave crewmates behind in Circe's lair because he has always been willing to make those hard calls.

Odysseus? He so rarely does what Eurylochus wants to do because they are not the same person. Eury doesn't want Ody to be him (Eury has flaws, but ambition is not one of them. He recognizes he isn't a good leader hence he immediately falls back on Ody's judgment after the holy cow bit) - he wants Ody to listen to him and consider his insights. So for Odysseus to sacrifice six of their crewmates without a word to his friend - without consulting anyone - without leaving space for his right-hand man to question him... that is when Eurylochus loses faith in Odysseus. Because that is not his captain. He doesn't know who it is. But his captain would never.

Hypocritical? Yes. But also rather insightful.

And Odysseus? He loses the last pillar of support he has in the crew, not because Eurylochus changes - not even because he changes. He loses it all because it is doomed to fall apart without Polites. It was all doomed to fall apart when they lost their counterbalance.

It is not Ody's mercy or ruthlessness that kills them. It is not Eury's distrust. Both of those existed far before it all went to shit. It was Polites dying. It was the fact that the three of them were so well suited for leadership as long as it was the three of them.

It had to be the three of them.

Now tell me he wouldn't do that

The Whole Album is so good, but I felt that "Would You Fall In Love with Me Again" Took the cake as the song from the Album to get an on Release Artpiece from me

Enjoy this speed paint, and uuuuhhh yeah I think i may do an image for each song from this saga cause i have ideas for ALLLL

Also some close ups

Peep the blood on his hands, mans has done things, but she loves him regardless ;w; Also homie is crying cause he has been waiting for this moment, nah, fighting for this moment for 20 years now Also the Olive Tree in the background uwu

Also i HAD to had Polites, ya already know hehe

HE IS SO HAPPY ODY FINALLY MADE IT HOME SAFELYYYYY

Also sure yeah I included Eurylochus as well uwu (peep the horns made out of lighting, yeah i know what you did Eury ewe, but I include u none the less uwu)

This whole journey has been amazing, it's bittersweet to see EPIC reach its end, but i'm glad it ended so happily (in the song, RIP IRL Ithaca)

This one killed me 😭

G a s p

You did not just say that in the tags!!!

Ray, how are you so cool?

and why do you simp for ANTONIUS?!!!???? you Simpppppppop! 🫵

(this is not Cole i swear)

Idk, person who is DEFINITELY NOT Cole 🤨 it comes naturally hehehhehhehehheheh/jjjj

In regards to the second question.....

HAVE YOU EVEN PERCEIVED THIS MAN WITH YOUR EYES?!?! OR HEARD HIS VOICE?!?! ahem... Anywaysssssss

Does anyone have an Ibuprofen? I have a headache-

Epic ATLA AU remake (this time with Penelope!)

This is also a DTIYS on Instagram, if anyone's interested.

I never knew I needed this in my life, I LOVE IT

Epic x ATLA AU that nobody asked for

I know the politics does not make sense at all, I just wanted to see them as benders

Under appreciated moment in the Troy saga!!

I know everyone is still getting over the thunder saga (which is so fair) but listening to the remastered Troy saga reminded me of one of my favourite moments (musically) from the entirety of epic.

It’s in Open Arms (bc of course it is) and it’s when Polites and Odysseus first encounter the lotus eaters. It starts at 1:08 minutes in, where you can hear the chorus in the background building up this beautiful scale of notes like some kind of heavenly choir, and then they go back down again and it’s just?! So pretty?!

Like I don’t know what the musical term for it (I haven’t done music theory since high school) but it’s so pretty and it gives me so much serotonin. Definitely one of my favourite moments so far.

I may or may not have written a fanfic based on my last post, but i have never written before. And it is probably also confusing? 😅 Idk i still wanted to post it bc i am curious to see what others think! Criticism is welcome but please be nice :).

(Also i crossposted this on AO3)

Having a trident pushing you under the water for a while isn’t nice.

What Odysseus didn’t expect though, was to open his eyes to what he assumed was the underworld.

This can’t be. He thought, I’m supposed to return to Penelope and Telemachus!

WAIT!

Is that liquid gold splattering on his hands?

How?

AAAAH

His vision suddenly switched, was that.. Poseidon lying there? And why was he being stabbed by his own trident?

HOW DOES IT FEEL BEING HELPLESS?!

Was that his voice? But it can’t be, he is supposed to be in the underworld. Well he is actually supposed to be home with his son and wife but-

Odysseus? My son?

Mom? Was that his mom? So he is dead… oh gods, what is he going to-

AAAH

Why is there still screaming

Ody?

Eurylo-

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO KNOW PAIN?

Why does his reality keep on being flipped

URGHH

I WATCHED ALL MY FRIENDS DIE IN HORROR

Captain?

Polites! He is good with emotions and feelings and stuff, he could he-

CRYING AS THEY WERE ALL SLAIN (UGH)

He can’t see

All he saw was gold

I HEARD THEIR FINAL MOMENTS

CALLING THEIR CAPTAIN IN VAIN

There they are! He could see them. They look worried, i need to-

LOOK WHAT YOU’VE TURNED ME INTO

LOOK WHAT I’VE BECOME

ENOUGH!

He can’t handle this.

Everything keeps on switching.

Is he really dead?

ALL OF THE PAIN I’VE BEEN THROUGH

STOP!

Is he really dead if at the same time he is causing this god so much agony?

HAVEN’T I SUFFERED ENOUGH?!

He has but is the person who is saying this him?

Who is this?

STOP!!

But he didn’t stop when i BEGGED YOU

TOLD ME TO CLOSE MY HEART

Odysseus?

Captain?

Son?

YOU…

Answer please!

ODY!

YOU SAID THE WORLD WAS DARK

MONSTER!

That’s what he was wasn’t he? It’s what he called himself. Even a god thought he was a monster now.

But didn’t he say that ruthLESSNESS IS MERCY UPON OUR-

ALRIGHT! PLEASE

After everything you’ve done, how will you sleep at night?

Can he sleep when he’s dead? He did a lot of things, but he didn’t do this? Will he still be able to do sleep if he could? Did he really do this? He didn’t. No he didn’t. But who did? Is there anyo-

Next to my wife

But i’ll never see my wife. I’m dead.

Then who will sleep next to my wife?

Some EPIC doodles but with very low quality.

Elpenor in therapy, talking about how he died and nobody noticed or cared.

Perimedes in therapy talking about how he doesn’t love anybody (lies) and ‘can’t fail if he doesn’t try’.

They’re gay your honor i am the boat ‼️

HELP

I need someone to beta read and OdyPoli Fanfic I've been writing. This would include changing errors, giving suggestions and helping me come up with chapter names pls.

OdyPoli Fanfic on Ao3

Penelope is dead, Odysseus is at a crossroads, Polites doesn't die. and they all suffer!! Yippee!!

Please read I promise it's good! My friend says so.

what if odysseus never took polites’s headband off, it just got more and more buried in his growing hair as his mercy was not yet gone, just hidden?

what if after the crew was struck by lightning in thunder bringer, zues doesn’t vaporize them completely, and just leaves a little scrap of all of their capes left, so now little colored scraps of fabric dot the battlefield of all of the men odysseus just chose to have die?

then, what if, after that, he takes the scrap of eurylochus’s cape and ties it around his wrist? (edit: what if odysseus gave it to citemine after he got home and she wears it as a hair tie…)

what if, during 600 strike, odysseus only has the strength to stab a god because polites, eurylochus, and the other 598 men are all holding the trident with him, he just can’t see it?

what if, instead of attacking odysseus along with the others in thunder bringer, eurylochus runs up and stands in front of odysseus, protecting his brother one last time before he dies? (hehe got that one from a fanfic)

…what if?

Hermes and Tiresias (feat. Mr Pancake)

They’re friends and you can’t convince me otherwise 😭

Also yes that is a statue of Hermes he is painting! I have no idea where it’s from I just looked up “Hermes statue” and that photo popped up so I said “yeah okay”