darkcloudexists

[darkcloudexists]

[darkcloudexists]

I love when people draw stolas all fluffy and poofy GAWD so cute

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what i've been up to the past 20 minutes

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SHARKS SHARKS SHARKS SHARKS SHARKS

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I have two Roman Empires. They surround Reuben and Gantu. (Third one is in the reblogs!)

My Roman Empire is how Reuben literally stopped being rude to everybody when Lilo gave him a name. A NAME. From the 65 episodes, all those insults he spewed out… that snarky attitude he gave everybody… all the hurt feelings he caused ended at this moment. You never see him being mean to Lilo, Gantu or Stitch ever again. He literally considers something as simple as being given a name affection.

He went the entire show without a name, just being called 625. Meanwhile, if not all, most of the other experiments had a name. Pretty sure it made Reuben feel that he was irrelevant, forgotten and most of all: failed. Perhaps that's ONE of the reasons he STAYED so rude throughout the show and like for half the Leroy and Stitch movie; the time he was simply a number?

My second Roman Empire is about how Gantu… this intimidating, strict, ruthless guy

...did not like being evil. He was seeking emotional validation.

"Am I good enough?" I can only imagine him asking himself that after hearing Hamsterviel, Reuben or his father's negative voice in his head. I don’t care if Reuben was “struggling too”, he still didn’t have to project so much.

When Gantu got vulnerable with Reuben in episode 28, he talked about how his father was very authoritarian and strict. He also talked about how his peers looked down on him. Can't imagine how bad he wanted to prove his daddy and peers wrong. He truly did try. It's awful because he even talks about how his life would have been better if he would have stuck with his girlfriend. Deep down, being the captain isn't what he wanted. He wanted to live a normal childhood. Sacrificed it, though, all for his dad.

His first attempt at being what his father pushed him to be was under the Grand Councilwoman. However, after the chaos he and stitch had, she fired him. This is why he had such a hate for stitch throughout the entire show. Not because of selfishness, not because he was evil, but because stitch ruined the pathway that gave him that sense of superiority and validation.

Throughout the show, no thanks to plot armor and gags and jokes, he is constantly failing to capture experiments AND is being ridiculed. It's by everybody- Lilo, Stitch, Reuben, random people. Sometimes it's physical, sometimes it's verbal. It definitely has an effect. Might as well be physical and verbal abuse because of how often and harsh it is.

It’s not normal to call yourself a failure because you don’t know where a street is.

There’s this episode where he prefers to be a guy named “Uncle Chester”. While he’s Chester, he doesn’t have to worry about Hamsterviel’s ruthlessness and doesn’t have to be bullied every single episode. He was delusional as Chester but at least he was happy. He pointed out how he was unhappier as Gantu.

But

There is nobody that affects him as much as Hamsterviel does.

I've ALWAYS been asking myself, "why doesn't he just squish Hamsterviel? Hamsterviel is all bark no bite!" Hamsterviel is the most demanding, controlling, manipulating, obnoxious, and most of all- DEGRADING boss that Gantu has had. However…

Could it be that he resorts to Hamsterviel and never hurts him because it's another chance to prove himself to a figure like his father?

He sees toxicity as another chance to prove himself. Doesn’t matter all the suffering he does.

As long as the job gets done, right?

But I mean, hey.

Gantu is hot.

[darkcloudexists]

The symbolism in the Blitz merch is so real rn...

All of Blitzø’s Halloween merch heavily features the full moon in some sort of capacity. I mean it makes sense to fit his werewolf look, but...

The poster/playmat design explicitly features him going feral whilst staring at the full moon. (Sweet Jesus, he is so hot)

But the shirt design? This motherfucker is wearing a gold chain that's just been broken, and right behind him is the full moon.

Also funny little tidbit:

Most characters have a funny little backdrop to go with their costume...

Ozzie's backdrop is a giant computer to fit with his mad scientist look.

Stella's backdrop is literally just blood splatter.

Sallie Mae has bales of hay for her scarecrow look.

Verosika features a spaceship and a heart shaped planet for her Astronaut costume.

But Stolas...

Doesn't have any fancy bells and whistles like a grave marker or flying bones or whatever...

Right next to him is his little skeleton butler imp.

~~~

I'm probably thinking way too heavily on this symbolism, and it's all just coincidence, but like... wow...

[darkcloudexists]

Actually, the "F" on my passport is for faggot, not female.

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I hate how Mojang says they won't add sharks bc "we won't make hostile mobs based on real animals" BITCH MAKE IT NEUTRAL OR BETTER YET, PASSIVE!

Make people want to breed/keep them around for underwater builds because they scare away drowned! Make them drop their teeth every few minutes like how chickens lay eggs as an alternative way to craft arrows or a new item! Add sharks to Minecraft in a positive way!!

Achievement called "friend, not food" for breeding sharks using fish!

Have variants based on which ocean they spawn in!

Upon killing a shark, it drops JACK SHIT!!

Edit:

Reblogs were turned off due to the fact that this post's popularity completely overwhelmed me and it was way too much for my stupid nurodivergent brain, so I did what I had to to not fuck myself up more. You're welcome to repost.

Edit 2: reblogs are back on

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there are 3 types of shark

“Yea that’s a shark”, “what in the hell”, and “:3”

do you see the vision

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necklace carpet sharks are SO silly and beautiful and it is of upmost importance that you all look at them

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in honor of shark week starting tomorrow 🦈

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yeah man we can tell

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[darkcloudexists]

Stolas as a Privileged Character

Introduction

This is obviously not my Harvest Moon Essay, but I felt passionately enough on this topic to discuss Stolas so take it or leave it guys lol.

A mutual of mines reposted this post that lowkey had replies that ticked me off. One of the characters in the line up being Apple White from Ever After High who I cannot stand.

The main characters I will be discussing are Stolas, Pink Diamond, Zuko (ATLA), and Apple White because I know the source material of each of these characters.

The reason this essay is being written is purely to show the difference from Stolas to a character like Apple White.

Why is Stolas Successful at getting Sympathy as a Privileged Character and not Apple White?

The reason Stolas is successful at gaining the audience's love because he is not purely just an aristocrat or rich individual, but he is an individual who has been hurt by the same system that benefits him.

While Stolas is privileged as a Goetia, being a repressed gay man still puts him in an awful position. Stolas is also a victim of abuse who has developed much empathy for individuals like Blitz who have been hurt by the same system as him. Clearly in differing ways, but still harmed by the same system that doesn't allow them to simply live.

Stolas is as much of a victim of the system as much as he is a benefactor of that system. Yes it provides wealth and money, but it actively harms his life.

Think of Pink Diamond. Yes, she is a privileged character, but Pink was actively abused into submission by the same system that hurt gems just like her. Both her and Stolas make mistakes that cause accidental harm despite both being empathetic and kind individuals. Those choices had caused damage, but it was never their intent to hurt those they loved.

Zuko, while a spoiled prince, he is also an abused and hurt son who simply wants to gain back his father's favor. We know Zuko was kind like his mother and was taught gentleness and kindness by her, but he became callous and angry due to his father and sister. Zuko had no one in his corner to protect him. However, having a loving Uncle and an environment that was willing to be patient with him fostered a world that Zuko could grow to see the errors of his ways.

All three of these characters make mistakes due to their position and privilege, but they all work in their stories to right their wrongs and do BETTER. They actively choose to change when reality hits them.

Slight tangent here, but to ANYONE who says Stolas "neglected" Octavia, LEARN TO USE A FUCKING DICTIONARY, the literal DEFINITION of neglect is;

": to leave undone or unattended to especially through carelessness"

NEGLECT FUCKING IMPLIES THAT HE NEVER FUCKING CARED FOR OCTAVIA, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED, SO SHUT THE FUCK UP!

Moving on, why is it Apple White is the one in this line up I do not like?

Personally it is because Apple actively chooses to harm those around her for her own benefit and she does it knowingly.

Stolas never realized he was harming Blitz.

Pink didn't know she was hurting life instead of creating it.

Zuko didn't realize the harm he was causing others and himself for a long time.

All of these characters had to face reality at some point. However, when Apple White is slapped with reality, she actively does everything to maintain the status quo and what benefits her. She actively bullies and outright mistreats Raven while also ignoring how her friends will be harmed if they followed their "happy endings". Hence why many fans do not like Apple White. Her motivations actively harm the people around her and cause danger while actively deflecting the blame onto Raven for not signing the damn book.

When writing a privileged character that you want to be likable, you need to give us SOMETHING to empathize with beyond them "not getting their way". It actively sabotages the character from being likable.

Also the way Stolas is written.

The Stolas and Blitz Dichotomy and Why It Works so Well

Stolas and Blitz are purposely written in tandem with one another to give perspectives of Hell from varying views.

Both Stolas and Blitz have very similar backgrounds as I noted in the Stolas and Via v.s. Loona and Blitz essay. Both Stolas and Blitz are the respective disappointments to their groups or families. Both suffer due to that fact and are both immensely abused by not just family, but those around them

This dichotomy of how it doesn't matter who you are you can still be abused is heavily important to their dynamic and why people are rooting for Stolitz. They're so similar despite being WORLDS apart.

Why is it so many don't really root for Apple in the same regard with her friendship to Raven. While I could be- talkin a bit outta my ass since I haven't fully watched Ever After High, but the dichotomy between Raven and Apple isn't as clean cut. It makes it incredibly hard to relate to or understand Apple when she is actively doing things AGAINST Raven's best interests, needs or wants.

Hence why I didn't entirely like her being put in a lineup with Stolas. Stolas made unintentional harm, while Apple made active and knowing harm that she exacerbated purely for her benefit.

Even when reality hit her.

A similar dichotomy is set up for Zuko and Aang in Season 1 Episode 12 of Avatar. They're two characters from differing backgrounds, but both struggled with the fact their lives were altered by things and choices they didn't realize would affect them. Aang ran away from being the Avatar due to the conflict and issues it caused. Everyone wanted Aang to be an Avatar when he was just a boy. His life- fundamentally being altered by adults around him who wanted to send him away. Zuko being permanently scarred and dishonored by his father, being banished he was fundamentally wronged by the people who were supposed to protect him. This dichotomy between Zuko and Aang in this episode allows us to humanize Zuko and empathize with his issues. The same can be said for Stolas via Blitz, allowing us to see him from a similar view we see Blitz.

Conclusion

Not sure if I'll keep this up, but this is more an "info dump" than a solid essay. Hope this all made sense.