Ugh, some MCs didn’t even consider him a friend 
He was just a decent partner when Sidestep was fighting criminals.
Now he’s still around MC trying to get them to confess, pressures them to return to their hero life or tries to send them to therapy… I’m sure he’s already tried to investigate their source of income or find out where Step lives!!! 
Creep.
It is a process where you separate different liquids (like different density) from one another. If I remember correctly. What is funny is that in Germany we say decant whine. It’s when you get the liquid whine out without disturbing the sediment on the bottom. So yeah interesting choice of word
In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, “decanting” is the term used to describe the births of the mass produced citizens of the World State.
They’re draining the liquid out of the cloning vat while leaving the solid substance(Sidestep) behind, makes perfect sense imo.
It’s used that way in English too! I always figured the choice of word for vat-grown clones was supposed to be kind of unsettling—like you said, it’s not normally a word used for humans, so it sounds weirdly clinical and dehumanizing in that context.
Yep once again a way for the farm to dehumanise their subjects.
You can have all that while being a genuinely good Sidestep with the best of intentions, it’s pretty easy actually.
I personally went with a strength/speed Step, although technically I think only the strength is really required, and even then you could replace it with telepathy, but if I’m honest I’m not 100% sure about that, and I’d rather keep telepathy hidden here so no +20% subtlety bonus
Anyways, aside from that, just get said subtlety up to 80 through rebirth, and enough arrogance to call yourself Sidestep, after which if you don’t humiliate/hurt Herald and don’t make Ortega afraid or sympathetic, they both declare you their nemesis at the end of book 1.
Next up is Steel, pretty easy, just claim you are the one that put the bomb on Carter’s Mansion, and you become a priority target, even if you’ve kept people safe until now and have like 80 empathy.
Argent comes next, and the key to turning her into our nemesis without doing anything overtly evil is to steal the regenerator. There are many paths to achieve this, but I recommend to steal from criminals to keep with the hero theme in order to be able to infiltrate the auction as Sidestep, so even if you don’t know about the regenerator you can find argent and steal it from her, carrying it on your shoulders with your enhanced strength.
Finally, to really bring home the absolute menace that you are, go to the meeting as yourself, with your 81 Subtlety, say no to HG and then kick him in the face.
And now everyone hates you and you can do all this while genuinely being a nice person, with high empathy, justice, no kill, reputation anarchist.
Or, you know, just burn the world down, that’s an option too.
I appreciate your reply, but I’m actually aware you can have a playthrough where everyone wants to take down the villain 
(though there are probably people who are glad to get the information so they can try a playthrough like that)
I just don’t have a playthrough like that myself which is probably why the writing on my comment created an impression I was unaware of it (I just already have 8 playthroughs and i dont want to create 9th playthrough just for “everyone wants to take down the villain” playthrough, too much work lol)
Is there any relationship between Tia Elena and Marcia? Is there a short story on the Patreon about how they were close friends long ago while Tia Elena was still living in the city? And if it’s not, could it happen?
It is funny to get everyone to hate the villainsona while loving Step.
Ortega: I’m coming for you bastard! And your friend Hollow Ground… they are connected somehow, I know it… mumbles something
Argen: Fuck off, this villain is mine!!!
Herald: Calm down Argent, we’re a team 
I̶’̶m̶ ̶g̶o̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶a̶t̶ ̶u̶p̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶c̶o̶p̶y̶c̶a̶t̶,̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶i̶t̶.̶.̶.̶.̶
Steel: Busy with politicians.
Sidestep: 
So, I’ve been feeling kinda down today, and it has nothing to do with Fallen Hero, but it made me write this long post to keep myself busy, and hopefully someone here will find it interesting. I’m a huge music fan and always listen to music while reading, and it turned out that a lot of the songs on my playlist fit perfectly with Fallen Hero, so much so that sometimes it feels like they were inspired by it. 
I’m not going to post too many songs here because maybe none of you even share my taste in music, but I wanted to share four songs that I think go particularly well with Fallen Hero.
First we’ll start with a song that I deemed a soundtrack of Rebirth, because this song has a strong villain debut vibes. I still remember the evening when I was playing Rebirth for the very first time, and I was blasting this song in my headphones while my Sidestep was fighting Rangers after blowing up the museum. It felt so badass! Bonus points for this song for the fact that the singer is singing from inside a vat-looking thing, and that he has some interesting-looking tattoos. 
Lost in the time
In the way, gone but not forgotten
New secret crimes
To repay, now the walls have fallen
And so it’s now or never
I’m breathing in, I’m breathing out
I’ll cut the ties that hold me down
I’m breathing in, I’m breathing out
I’ll be the enemy
Caught quicksand grip
Pull me in, whisper faith in sickness
Soon kill the myth
I’ll begin, be the first to witness
And so it’s now or never
I’m breathing in, I’m breathing out
I’ll cut the ties that hold me down
I’m breathing in, I’m breathing out
I’ll be the enemy
I’m breathing in, I’m breathing out
I’ll cut the ties that hold me down
I’m breathing in, I’m breathing out
I’m breathing in, I’m breathing out
I’ll be the enemy
This song is a soundtrack of a daring and arrogant mob boss or thief. The lyrics have strong Retribution vibes, down to a couple of phrases literally describing some things that can happen in this book.
This is shaping up to be the best day
Walk down the street like it’s a ballet
Being me, I got to say it’s gourmet
Maybe 'cause I just robbed the bank
Why do you still think that I’m charming?
Just here to crash another party
This tux is feeling kinda starchy
But I like it
Oh, what a day to be me
Like I’m on the silver screen
In a high-speed car chase scene
I could get away
But I love the chase
Man, everyone’s after me
'Cause we’re at the apogee
And they think they got me beat
There’s just no escape
It’s a perfect day
Yeah, everyone’s after me
Just here to make a little trouble
Won’t use the door if there’s a window
Why can’t you see I’m not the hero?
I’m not the hero
I’m not a hero, no
Kill all the lights in the casino
Just wanna get another Van Gogh
Can’t trace the call, I’m on a payphone
(You could try, though)
Oh, what a day to be me
Like I’m on the silver screen
In a high-speed car chase scene
I could get away
But I love the chase
Man, everyone’s after me
'Cause we’re at the apogee
And they think they got me beat
There’s just no escape
It’s a perfect day
Yeah, everyone’s after me
What a lovely day
Got the sirens coming my way
In my black Aston V8
Yeah, I love this game
It’s the perfect day
Got everyone after me
Like I’m on the silver screen
In a high-speed car chase scene
I could get away
But I love the chase
Man, everyone’s after me
'Cause we’re at the apogee
And they think they got me beat
There’s just no escape
It’s a perfect day
Yeah, everyone’s after me
Everyone’s after me
Got everyone after me
Everyone’s after
Everyone’s after
Everyone’s after me
This song is RO’s POV about Sidestep after they discovered the truth about them being a villain (especially fitting for Ortega and Herald). I like how some of the lyrics that figuratively represent a toxic partner become more literal when placed in the context of Fallen Hero (i.e. Sidestep wearing several masks).
I wake up in the bed you made
The one where you’re supposed to lay with me
I smell you on the pillowcase but don’t see your face and that’s okay with me
I’d never thought I’d see the day
I’d see you as somebody I could hate
I guess that’s just the price I pay for the blood-red flags that I walked past every day
Who are you when I’m not looking
You’re like an angel sent from Hell
Despite those lies that hooked me, when I’m not looking you are someone else
Someone else
Someone
Who are you when I’m not looking
I doubt you even know yourself
Despite those lies that took me, when I’m not looking you are someone else
Hey
Is it me
Did I fly you away
Am I wrong, are you not who I say
If I call which one of you will answer
Anyway
Who are you when I’m not looking
You’re like an angel sent from Hell
Despite those lies that hooked me, when I’m not looking you are someone else
Who are you when I’m not looking
I doubt you even know yourself
Despite those lies that took me, when I’m not looking you are someone else
Someone
When I’m not looking you are someone else
This song is my soundtrack for the Heartbreak dream sequence from Rebirth. I think this song fits this scene very well because of how ethereal and dreamlike it sounds, and how it builds up in intensity throughout the song, just like the dream becomes more and more messed up. The lyrics are ambiguous enough to allow for a Fallen Hero-friendly interpretation: I interpret “they” as the Farm/people who experimented on Heartbreak; and “our hearts collide” and stuff like that as about Heartbreak entering Sidestep’s mind. All in all, this is one of the most beautifully constructed songs I’ve ever heard, so I recommend listening to the whole song.
Too late
They hate
You’ve jaded
Too late
They hate
You’ve jaded
They’ve faded
From your heart
They’ve ripped it all apart
Our worlds collide
Inside our souls collapsing
In their thoughtless ways
Our hearts collide
They’re correcting
They’re correcting
They’re correcting
They correct my heart
They’re rejecting
They’re rejecting
They’re rejecting
They reject our hearts
Now we’re all stoned
They’ve ripped it all apart
Collapse, collide
They’re correcting
They’re correcting
They’re correcting
They correct my heart
They’re rejecting
They’re rejecting
They’re rejecting
They reject our hearts
Now we’re all stoned
They’ve ripped it all apart
Collapse, collide
Our hearts collide
That’s all, thank you for listening! 
the 2 first are a bit meh for my taste, especially the 1st one. I already have Linkin Park to drool over, don’t want an imitator lol
But I like ‘Someone Else’, and as you said…it really could fit both the MC or Ortega. (Harold doesn’t exist dun dun dun lol).
As for ‘Archive’, surprised actually. It’s good. And it’s so hard to find a piece for that moment that was Heartbreak. Because it’s the most poignant moment in the 1st book, so right and so wrong at the same time.
Hope you are feeling better today! 
Tsk…listening to music make me wanna make words rhymes!
Here goes nothing!
if the world is right
I’m wrong
if the world is wrong
I’m right
Without fright I take flight
Los Diablos I shall Smite
after I took a bite of the hollow ground
facing nocturne as a knight
all seeing in the blurriness of white
It would be the last fight
if only I was born right
Ortega would have a good night
As I cite my right on the Heartbreak site
I take my birthright and erase the nightmare tonight.
Overall, I’d say I agree with your musical selection to represent these games, the first 2 I feel are specially fitting to Fallen Hero, while the third one is more of a generic lover revealed song, and that last one is… Unreal, I’d say, fitting of a heartbreak song in that half the time I had no idea what was happening, but your interpretation helped a bit with that.
Alright, I’m gonna start adding songs of my own as they pop into my mind that I think could fit the series. The first one is kinda obvious
No one in this series is really in a good mental state, and they would be completely out of place in a crowd of regular people, not only because of their status, but because it’s imposible to hide the damage that the world has caused, in every sense of the word.
“What have you done? Is this what you wanted what have you become”
This is a beautiful villain reveal song, and not a nice one, but a monster reveal with the massacre tag, as Ortega stares horrified at the man we’ve become.
And this, I feel, fits specially well with an Outsider Step, trying to reconnect and feel, and yet still going deeper and deeper into their darkness.
i always think this song fits well with a not so villainous sidestep https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz5Zgd4sy98
Yay people sharing their favorite tracks to listen to for the games. Guess I will repost my track for my main Step who has the outside scar
and here are two tracks for my second Step who has life and hunger for motive and scar
And here is a song that I think might fit Ortega from losing Step to their suspicions now that they are back
Following the trend - behold the sappiest song that instantly was labeled by my brain as perfect for my tsundere Sidestep x Herald romance
(I’m describing it in a humorous tone, but my heart breaks into a million pieces each time I hear this song)
If I was your hero, would you be mine?
I know this ain’t a fairytale, this is real life
But if I were to save you, would you do the same?
And catch me if I’m fallin’, fallin’, fallin’, fallin’?
And this one is for my anarchist Sidestep with life motivation with some references to Ortega&Argent romance. Perfect for the hunger scar, though my Sidestep had the outsider one.
I’m dreaming of a better life, oh in comfort let me rest my eyes closed
I’m tired of the rules we bide, no, I will burn all the world and its lies
I’ll reach and make it mine—that sly heart beating
The last one is for a more villanious anarchist (anger scar, revenge motivation). Catch him if you can, Steel.
My Sidestep has a lot of Crane Wives. Rebirth is probably Curses, and Retribution is probably Never Love an Anchor.
The Duality of Ortega and Sidestep.
I love all the music recs, I enjoyed listening to all of them (and the author joined us too, yay!).
I want to share a few more songs with you guys.
Ortega x Sidestep song. Imagine the situation: Ortega learns that Sidestep is the villain, Ortega is betrayed, and Sidestep is heartbroken and afraid of losing Ortega forever due to their villainous ways. 
Another Ortega x Sidestep song (this pairing keeps inspiring the bards all over the world! 
) When Ortega discovers the dark truth about Sidestep they can’t simply give up their love, so they try to understand Sidestep and save them from the darkness.
To be fair, this song can fit other pairings, but I associate it with Ortega because in one of their scenes when at Ortega’s house, Sidestep said “please just hold me”. Ah, I loved this scene, it made me cry!
You know the world can’t understand your pain
You see the world just look at you with hate
You feel the weigh that’s crushing down
And whisper can you save me now
You know I can
Because I know your darkness
And I know you’re not heartless
You know I can
Because I know your darkness
You contemplate if life is just a game
And it is clear to me you feel betrayed
It’s getting colder all around
You whisper can you hold me now
You know I can
This song I think describes Sidestep’s years after escaping the Farm for the second time, and before their villain debut in Rebirth. Their mental state is slowly deteriorating more and more, and they realise that becoming a villain is the only way out, but this decision does not come lightly…
Evil anarchist Sidestep with a puppetmaster scar:
Evil Sidestep with a friendless scar (evil Steps songs are my favourite 
):
I’m sorry for spamming music again, but Fallen Hero is so cinematic, I can’t help but find a ton of “soundtracks” for it. It’s a testament to how well-written and inspiring FH is.
