Brian Laborn - Tumblr Posts
you're gonna go far kid undersiders animatic send post
depends on the candidates I guess? and who's to say they even bothered voting? but speculative alternate history is one of my hobbies so lets dive in.
Scion is credited as 'the first parahuman' and was discovered floating above the atlantic on the 20th of May, 1982. Earth Bet 'begins' a little earlier at 1978, during Jimmy Carter's term, but it isn't until Scion that Parahumans start showing up with regularity, since everyone thinks he's the first. So our point of divergence is about halfway through Ronald Reagan's first term. I'm australian, so you'll have to bear with me here on the details, but I'm fairly certain Ronald Reagan was one of the more goofy presidents. Something about star wars, and a psychic wife? He might be all about the comic book superheroes coming to life. Also he's apparently halfway through implementing 'Reaganomics' (again the details are unclear to me) which wikipedia describes as 'economic deregulation' and cuts to both taxes and government spending. I imagine this could be what eventually creates that NEPEA-5 bill that freezes rogues out of the economy and further criminalizes non-hero parahuman activity in north america, likely as a response to those same rogues/the elite taking advantage of Reagan's deregulations?
On the 18th of January, 1993, the Protectorate (the team consisting of Alexandria, Hero, Eidolon and Legend) are sworn in under President James D. Griffin (who was the Mayor of Buffalo, NY from 1973-93, but lets assume he left that position before 1993 to become President). Now this one's a little interesting because the earliest a President can start actually running the country would be the 20th if I'm not mistaken? So either President James Griffin was elected after Reagan (assuming Reagan served his second term, which is rather likely) and one of his last acts before the President-Elect is sworn in is to swear in the Protectorate, or, and correct me if I'm wrong here and you just don't do that in the USA, but instead President-Elect James Griffin is asked to fulfill his duties here two days early. I don't think that's usually done, but it might be possible. (Addendum here because I realized a bit late, but James could've been going on his second term here instead. It's possible.)
This means no George Bush Senior (and likely no Junior either without his dad to pull the strings) in the former case, and no Bill Clinton in the latter case.
There's maybe some interesting political science to go through here. President James Griffin is most likely a democrat as he was in OTL, and if he was a democrat, he'd fit right into the spot Bill Clinton would be occupying following twelve years of the republican party under Reagan and Bush Sr. If instead the former, we've got a democrat shake-up after Reagan. George Bush Sr was Vice-President with Reagan going through both terms, which probably had a factor in his popularity going into the 1988 elections. Lets look how OTL voted, and we'll see that Bush wins with 53.4% of the popular vote with 426 to 111 in the electoral collage.
That's a daunting place for a democrat to win in Worm's timeline. I think the easiest explanation is the existence of parahumans. Comparatively, Clinton's 1992 election will show 370-168 in his favor. I suppose that George Bush Senior's popularity might have taken a credible dive during his presidency, with the growth of the parahuman crisis and the Slaughterhouse Nine growing into an S-Class threat after Jack killed King in 1987. What really nails this home, though, is Vikare's death in 1989 during the stadium riot. Wildbow wrote that this is would be considered the end of the 'Golden Age', which suits Ronald Reagan's delusional political period perfectly.
So, operating off that, lets say that James Griffin replaces Bush, and one of his last actions is to swear in the Protectorate and form the PRT as we know it.
Wildbow mentions a President Bradley and his/hers? preservation act in response to the Endbringers and he guesses 8-9 attacks in America in 20 years. Okay lets figure this out a little. Behemoth, 19th December 1992. 3rd appearance, attacks New York 26th March 1994. The Preservation Act is passed likely to give international victims a helping hand. I remember reading, but can't find a link for it, that the USA initially had big hopes when they rebuilt New York, but that as time goes on and the Endbringers become more numerous and more frequent in their attacks, less cities in the USA can be rebuilt like Manhattan was. So now we have President Bradley, who might have been elected in 1992 following James Griffin, unless Griffin secured his second term. If President Griffin managed to win his second term, then President Bradley is likely to have won the 1996 election as a Republican, since political data shows that democrats rarely get more than 8 years, and almost never get more than 12, with the last example of that being JFK and LBJ, and JFK got shot.
According to Migration 17.3, there's a President Gillen in 2009. Assuming President Bradley won the 1996 election and replaced Bill Clinton and then won his second term to the 2000s election, I reckon President Gillen is our George Bush Junior stand-in. In the context to which he's revealed, the Travellers and Madison and a cut-off newspaper headline, I reckon he's getting his version of 9/11 here in 2009 after also winning his second term, with this being the first time the Simurgh has attacked in the USA. It's taking place in December, so he might be getting ready to pass over to the President-Elect, and it might explain why he's willing to order the extreme measures we see in the Traveller's interlude; it's his second term, he's handing the reins over to the next President, he can afford to take a hit here to ensure a massive national security threat is handled. If President Bradley is a republican, President Gillen might be a democrat. Bill Clinton and George Bush junior both got their second terms, I could see it happening here too.
So now that we've got a loose idea of who's whom, we come to the final question: Who is President in 2011 and what party are they from? If we're following the pattern, then instead of Obama's 'Change' campaign with the Democrats, we've got a Republican President in 2009, who will probably be running for re-election in the 2012 election. Considering that the world, and North America, is in a considerable state of turmoil in recent years; the second-latest Endbringer attack hit Brockton Bay, Cauldron outed and the PRT is being purged, Alexandria's death, I'd say that this republican president is unlikely to be able to win his second term. So Democrats get to see the USA through Gold Morning.
Phew... oh, what was the main conceit for this post? OH! Right. As for who votes for whom; Brian who is the world's youngest 40 year old man is very proud of going to the voting booth this year. He will be voting Democrat because Brockton Bay's local politics have been saturated with Neo-Nazis over the last couple decades and the death of the E88 has resulted in a sudden lack of funding for much of the republican nominees across New England. He's eager to do his part.
Lisa is voting Democrat because she's the one who set her local Senator up in the first place, after the Mayoral election went back on schedule after Coil's death. The Undersiders are a considerable influence on the state's senators, owing to their relevance around inter-reality trade.
I wonder which way Brian and Lisa voted in the 2012 election. Pretty sure they both would've been old enough at that point, and neither of them were convicted felons, so...
Wait why did Brian get a shadow power. Why is he a shaker. It doesn't even remotely relate to his trigger event. Girl what problem did your power solve.
@lakesbian
"Maybe in a kinder world I'd know you better"
How i wish they had an arc we're they'd improve their relationship!! Please after interlude 10. I was hoping for them to slowly build friendship but noooo! And the thing is TAYLOR WILL NEVER FIND OUT HOW REGENT WAS THE REASON WHO GOT THE EVIDENCE ON SOPHIA AND GOT INTO JUVENILE!! she thinks it was tattletale's DOING! (btw. I love you lisa!)
please this art is just my wishful thinking on how i wish we no Taylor got to know more of Alec. Cause in some different way i think they would be trusted friends. I miss you my boi!!!!
Brian definitely. Its part of his carefully casual macho aesthetic to wear 'masculine' animals and black/grey muscle T-shirts.
I agree that Rachel would not go out of her way to buy one, but would accept it as a gift and (depending on who gave it to her) would become a treasured item (from Taylor).
Theo might wear it but it's because Hookwolf gave him it (to 'toughen him up') and he burns it in a trash barrel with absolute contempt before he leaves for the Chicago Wards (He cannot risk losing or destroying it beforehand in case Bradley asks about it).
Hookwolf in theory, but he does not wear shirts. Crawler, also in theory, but he cannot wear shirts anymore.
The funniest answer is Siberian, but no pants. It's a little ripped up from the battle going on. Manton is playing Animals by Maroon 5 on his radio loudly.
Armsmaster.
In response to this post
Which character from Worm--or from anything Wildbow--would wear a Three Wolf Moon T-shirt?
the undersiders are really funny because every single teenager on that team is fucked up in a unique and extraordinarily weird way and yet all of them are convinced that they're the single normal person on the team. every undersider team meeting involves all of them thinking "what freaks....i'm the only normal one here" simultaneously
hs x worm (classpect) (if u think im wrong do tell!)
Taylor Hebert- Witch of Rage
i think she's a witch of rage due to rage players dealing in destruction of the intolerable and rotten things in the world to make a change. she also is willing to sacrifice everything to make this change like other rage players do. she also does not let herself be deluded when something bad happens as the rage player does. she is like the witch due to the class being one about finding the strategic exploits of the world and messing with established structures (normally social) and often they turn into outsiders. witches will also neuter parts of them self for their selves and their friends.
Brian Labron - Knight of Life
brian is a knight because the knight is a class about duty and not for the players on sake. they are protective as well as armored (emotionally so). they are reliable and steadfast but can seem unapproachable despite the opposite being true. he's a life player due to him caring and nurturing aisha. he also has a cautious nature which is a sign of a life player.
Lisa Wilbourn - Mage of Light
the mage is someone who learned the hard way and wants "bone-deep comprehension" when they understand. mages tend to be harmed by their aspect and tend to have a tragic tale. they tend to have much internal conflict with their power. light is the aspect surrounding knowledge, exploration and relevance. it is the aspect that pry's secrets and creates certainty where they shouldn't have any. their need for knowing can turn unhealthy and become debilitating for some leading to a crisis.
undersiders doodles that im having fun with while chilling, very low effort. might post more ms paint doodles that i've done/am doing cus its satisfying to see them here
i've posted this before but one of my incontrovertible brian headcanons is that grue is an absolutely unhinged grand theft auto ass getaway driver however brian has never gone more than 2 miles above the speed limit and genuinely judges people for poor parallel parking
the undersiders are really funny because every single teenager on that team is fucked up in a unique and extraordinarily weird way and yet all of them are convinced that they're the single normal person on the team. every undersider team meeting involves all of them thinking "what freaks....i'm the only normal one here" simultaneously
hs x worm (classpect) (if u think im wrong do tell!)
Taylor Hebert- Witch of Rage
i think she's a witch of rage due to rage players dealing in destruction of the intolerable and rotten things in the world to make a change. she also is willing to sacrifice everything to make this change like other rage players do. she also does not let herself be deluded when something bad happens as the rage player does. she is like the witch due to the class being one about finding the strategic exploits of the world and messing with established structures (normally social) and often they turn into outsiders. witches will also neuter parts of them self for their selves and their friends.
Brian Labron - Knight of Life
brian is a knight because the knight is a class about duty and not for the players on sake. they are protective as well as armored (emotionally so). they are reliable and steadfast but can seem unapproachable despite the opposite being true. he's a life player due to him caring and nurturing aisha. he also has a cautious nature which is a sign of a life player.
Lisa Wilbourn - Mage of Light
the mage is someone who learned the hard way and wants "bone-deep comprehension" when they understand. mages tend to be harmed by their aspect and tend to have a tragic tale. they tend to have much internal conflict with their power. light is the aspect surrounding knowledge, exploration and relevance. it is the aspect that pry's secrets and creates certainty where they shouldn't have any. their need for knowing can turn unhealthy and become debilitating for some leading to a crisis.
undersiders doodles that im having fun with while chilling, very low effort. might post more ms paint doodles that i've done/am doing cus its satisfying to see them here
i've posted this before but one of my incontrovertible brian headcanons is that grue is an absolutely unhinged grand theft auto ass getaway driver however brian has never gone more than 2 miles above the speed limit and genuinely judges people for poor parallel parking
Do you think Grue ever got compared to the guy from Despicable Me? Like I need to know if that movie came out on Earth Bet because imagine your Brian Laborn and you decide your Supervillian name will be an old English word to try and get street cred from the other villains. Then you just get compared to the funny Russian guy from a children's movie.