#' i hate when people highlight the problem and not realize its a problem :( '

[firelxdykatara]

what bugs me about azula redemption discourse is the fact that people genuinely think azula lied that zuko killed the avatar to show she cares for him. if she cared about him, she wouldve had the courtesy to warn him instead of blindsinding him during the meeting. That just added to his anxiety and while her fears of what ozai would do if her if she disappointed him are validated by ozai's actions, that gives her no right at all to knowingly put her own brother in the position. she literally said, "you can't treat me like zuko!" in the finale, which says a lot about how aware she was of how zuko was treated, and the fact that she recognized that that's not how she would like to be treated.

Oh yeah, this is a pretty wide-spread problem in the atla fandom in general but I notice a lot of it in specific azula-stanning (and usually zuko-hating) corners, where it's like 'Azula never even really did anything bad and how dare people call her one of Zuko's abusers for sibling rivalry stuff' as if gleefully crowing to your brother that your father is going to kill him or watching with a smirk of satisfaction as your father brutalizes him is all just 'normal sibling rivalry stuff'. Nevermind what came later, like actually trying to kill him.

So we end up with this kind of discourse that relies on making up a bunch of stuff that honestly doesn't make sense nor fit in with what we do know of these characters and the situation, but because they can do enough mental gymnastics to make her out to be The Real Victim Here then anyone who doesn't agree just hates abuse victims or whatever.

The fact is, at its most charitable interpretation, Azula was bare minimum hedging her bets. Because this scene:

comes before Zuko's meeting with Ozai, where we hear this:

And then, as if that weren't enough, we have Azula herself admitting it:

I feel like a lot of Azula stans who insist she was just trying to help Zuko, that she cared for him and was just trying to help him return home with honor, missed this part of the conversation, or just conveniently forget about it when it comes to defending their fave. But while Azula initially claims she did it to help Zuko out of the goodness of her heart, she comes right out herself and says she doubts Zuko's conviction about the Avatar's death, and she doesn't want any blowback to fall on her if and when the Avatar eventually resurfaces.

She was, at bare minimum, covering her own ass, with little regard for how it would ultimately affect her brother (for whom she has little care or concern, according to how we see their relationship playing out). Lines like you can't treat me like Zuko help to highlight this, because while, yes, they are both victims of the same abusive parent, Azula also became an active agent in Zuko's abuse, and the realization that to their abuser they are both just as disposable even after everything she did for him within that framework is a huge part of what led to her complete psychological breakdown in the finale.

[blazehedgehog]

Were you ever a fan of the Angry Video Game Nerd, and have you ever heard about the TheCinemassacreTruth? I never realized that James Rolfe (Angry Video Game Nerd) had a hate group.

I was an early enough fan that I remember the days where he was kind of the biggest deal on Youtube for a long time, and then as Youtube began to grow and diversify, Mike Matei made some angry posts on his DeviantArt about how Youtube staff were starting to snub them.

Youtube was starting to chase advertising money, and obviously, AVGN (back then still called the Angry Nintendo Nerd, I believe) was very raunchy. There was a time where I think they even disabled AVGN's monetization status because the toilet humor was so extreme. The first inkling of problems some creators still face to this very day.

Like a growing number of people I have fallen off of AVGN in recent years. I outright unsubscribed last year. James has said several times that he's going to quit doing AVGN, but he never commits. At first, that was okay, because he still seemed to have passion for AVGN. But the show has felt like its coasting on fumes for a while now. "I'm so angry at this retro game!" does, in fact, have its limits, especially when, if James tackles something newer, you get a strong sense that he really doesn't care, because he's not really a gamer by his own admission. AVGN as a character, and James himself, have struggled to grow or evolve.

This was further highlighted by the FoldingIdeas video, "I Don't Know James Rolfe."

Even though the video is framed more from the perspective of "James Rolfe hasn't grown very much from that kid making home movies, but then again, neither have I" -- it did highlight a growing distaste I'd developed for AVGN. So I pulled the plug.

I have absolutely zero interest in a Reddit called "TheCinemassacreTruth" and I would advise anyone reading this to be wary of such places. Sharing anger can sometimes be helpful to making you feel better, but building a community based solely on anger is dangerous and unhealthy. I would not take any joy in endless "ISN'T JAMES SO STUPID NOW? ISN'T SCREENWAVE THE WORST? I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY'RE SNEAKING MIKE INTO NEW VIDEOS AGAIN" posts.

Like, its obvious James is still doing this because that's one of the ways he supports his family, and Screenwave is, for better or worse, just running a business. Petty peanut gallery behavior does not serve you or them.

I broke the cycle. Maybe you should, too. Negative engagement is still engagement to the algorithm, so just disengage.

[sr71blackbirdd]

The fastest way to take your writing to the next level

Hello, writers of tumblr!

I know many of us had vastly different experiences with high school English/Literature classes. I had one of the best English curriculums in the United States as a result of going to an IB, former business prep school (it got converted to a public school). That being said, most of my advice here comes straight from the English classroom, which may make many of you recoil or wince as you brace yourselves for “read the classics”.

And that is my advice.

But hear me out, I’m going to take this to a next level as well. Firstly, why do you think we get better at writing as we age? Practice, yes? I would argue that a 20 year old beginner writer is starting at a different place than a 12 year old beginner writer, however. As someone who started writing more seriously at around 9 or 10, stopped for years as I realized it wasn’t a viable career, and got back into it at 15, you could argue this was just muscle memory, the same way you can remember how to ride a bike after years out of practice even if you’re wobbly at first. I would argue something different, I wasn’t wobbly at 15. My writing was the best it had ever been. Why? Because I had just finished The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. I found myself imitating his technique, copying his voice, making something with far more complex symbolism, metaphor, etc. notes of Shelley, Achebe, Shakespeare, Cervantes, could be caught as those were the authors I had been forced to read for school.

But it is important to note this all happened because I made myself think about literature. I wrote essays, some of the best in the class, and wrote even more about these books when class was done. I did research into these history, social dynamics, problems, struggles, author background, etc. in order to place these works in the context of their time. I relentlessly analyzed why these were the stories that stood the test of time. Most importantly, I researched literary movements.

The thing that has guided my entire current work in progress and allowed me to stay so steadfast and dedicated, the thing that developed my voice, was understanding the literary movements. I can go over a brief breakdown of the biggest modern ones:

Classicism - Using values and concepts from Ancient Greek and Roman literature. When the movement sprung up, it was largely a revitalization, The Odyssey, the Iliad, and stories inspired by those. Circe would be a more modern example I believe. This movement was characterized by simplicity, proportion, clear structure, restrained emotion, and explicit appeals to intellect. Classicism was also a fairly classist movement but set up the foundations for

Romanticism - basically the tradwife of literary movements, RETVRN, all about an embrace of nature, emotion, humanity, all the stuff that came before that science and industrialism junk. Romanticism has two major subcategories: Dark Romanticism (Example: Frankenstein, Mary Shelley) which highlights a sinful or evil nature in humanity and examines our capacity for evil; Romantic Nationalism (Example: The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales) which was HUGE in France and future Germany around the Napoleonic Wars and emphasized the beauty of the nation state and the need to protect it.

Realism - By far one of the most significant for historical analysis. Realism was not just an art movement, it was a social movement. The goal was to show the wealthy, literate folk who could afford to go see art the plight of the lower rungs of society. Of course some realists tackled different issues. Tolstoy reportedly hated writing about poor people, but War and Peace is a masterpiece of Realism because of its focus on the perils of war. Dostoevsky, any of his books, but most famously Crime and Punishment, stand out as the most significant realist books in the literary canon. The style is often marked by a very plain manner of diction.

Aestheticism - the most SIGNIFICANT aestheticist novel of all time has to be The Picture of Dorian Gray. Featuring intense commentary on what art is and how meaningless it is (in a way that ironically makes it deeply meaningful), Wilde captures the very tenets of the Aestheticist movement. Don’t think, just make something pretty. Aestheticism was a criticism of both Realism and Romanticism, the dominating movements of the time. It argued art is just pretty and the technique should speak for itself. Wilde himself claims that Realism doesn’t work to convince people of the plight of the poor and romanticism is evil and corrupting in his most famous novel.

Modernism - The Trial by Franz Kafka, To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Stranger by Albert Camus, what do all of these novels share in common? A defiance of literary norms and the time period they were written in. They wanted to make something new and challenge what was normal and expected of writing at the time. They aimed to encompass societal themes in a way that was new and different. The Trial for example was the most painfully accurate depiction of Antisemitism I’ve ever read, despite the absurdity of it all.

Contemporary/Post-Modern - Contemporary does not encompass every work published after the 90s despite what the name may imply. Contemporary art/literature, much like its forefather modernism, aims to push boundaries. What is art? What is a story? Contemporary art pushes a meta-narrative and the most compelling example I can think of is The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, which explicitly asks the reader what makes a story true: material reality, or the feelings it gets at? Another story I can think of that I would consider contemporary art isn’t a book at all, but rather the online animated series ENA, ENA doesn’t have a clear metanarrative but its presentation is exactly what contemporary art aims for.

Of course, there are more movements than just these, but these are the ones that many classics fall into. If you need a reading list for rapid development of your writing, just look at the works I compiled in this list.

Happy writing!

[violetganache42]

Highlights from tonight's watch party filled with framing, whodunnits, and mystery galore (Sorry about your laptop problems and all our lag complaints, WriteBackAtYa):

"No":

Scrooge and the triplets making an appearance

Mortimer's voice

Mickey being a people pleaser

WriteBackAtYa commenting how we love saying our favorite characters' names whenever they appear onscreen

Me: "PLUS INTEREST?!"

"Duckman of Aquatraz":

Story Blossom: "Would've been awesome if Webby kissed a shark in the new series" spamtoon: "its okay because huey kissed a worm"

ACAB!!!

Even in the original series, Louie is always trying to talk his way out of shit

The idea of Glomgold walking into court blasting Queen's "We Are The Champions" in a similar vein as the "All I Do Is Win" scene

"WHY, BEAKLEY?!"

Duckburg's court and its judge fucking suck

"NOT THE PAINTING!"

Scrooge effortlessly defeating the prisoners in arm wrestling

MORE SCROOGE AND WEBBY MOMENTS 😭💖

Mad Dog being a mama's boy

This whole episode showcasing how prisoners are people too

melcat33: "Mad Dog was like 'this is my comfort millionaire'"

The Scrooge x Mad Dog ship setting sail

This episode also reminding us on why the legal system sucks

Glomgold taking the time to hang up a painting of Scrooge

"McMystery at McDuck McManor!":

Donald fleeing to his car like:

"Literally the oldest person he knows?"

The entire table read of this episode from Disney Channel Fan Fest 2018

Scrooge being a sulking Grumpy Gills. XD

DJ Daft Duck

Godfrey and I being on the same wavelength yet again (To quote Godfrey, "Insert 'Perception Check' by Tom Cardy")

Scrooge being SO against celebrating his birthday that he straight up lagged and froze the Discord stream (Dude, WTF?)

THE BUTLER DID IT

Mist Opportunity

"I hate this already."/"OH, YEAH. :)"/"You can't get that helmet off, can you?"/"OH, NO. :'("

Black Arts Beagle is best Beagle Boy

DT-87

The stream lagging on the part where Scrooge walks into a sliding glass door 😭 (I know it's because of WriteBackAtYa's laptop, but for the sake of levity, let's say it was Scrooge's doing again and he did it because that part fucking embarrasses him.)

Mark saying Glomgold sucks at the whole "trying to kill Scrooge" thing (Rare Mark Beaks W)

THE DUKE IS BACK

"Since when did I have to become the adult in the room? I'M NOT CUT OUT TO BE THE ADULT!"

Huey doing a Scrooge impression

"Don't kill me! I barely lived! #YOLO #FOMO #AHHH"

Duckworth's reaction to seeing the axe fall down to the floor

Duckworth and Beakley's beef with each other

"Clock Cleaners":

Snoozer male stork

Learning A New Hope was paired with "Duck Dodgers in the 24th 1/2 Century" for its screenings

Realizing we were watching the edited version of the short where Donald says "Aw, nuts."

The return of Max's real mother

The Great Mouse Detective:

Me sharing which DT/DWD character would be who in a GMD-themed AU way before the movie started

Us getting excited at hearing Alan Young's voice

Cheerful music playing right after a sad moment (Hiram getting kidnapped) = Last Crash ending vibes

A new server emoji of Mark Beaks getting shot point blank for dabbing

Tokuvivor: "The world's smallest violin" Caroline: "Let me play you a song on the world's smallest violin" Me: "Basil, this is serious."

Learning Vincent Price is in this movie

Sharing a GMD Lorcana card during "The World's Greatest Criminal Mind"

"Flaversham."/"Whatever."

teleportzz: "literally every man in this is so gay so far" puffywuffy8904: "or are they just european" Story Blossom: "Or are they gay AND european?"

Basil's face when Toby sat on Olivia's command

OLIVIA SAYING UNCLE BASIL 😭💖

Hiram and Olivia reminding Puffy and I of Scrooge and Webby (I AM GETTING FUCKING EMOTIONAL ABOUT IT AS WE SPEAK.)

Ratigan upon learning Fidget's list is missing:

Basil x Dawson being the movie's equivalent of DWD91!Drakepad

Story Blossom pointing out how Miss Kitty is basically Goldie

The bar fight scene in a nutshell:

"There is no Queen of England."

Ratigan's royalty drip

WriteBackAtYa: "He's supreme like a taco from Taco Bell"

Basil trying to imprison Ratigan: "Officer, arrest that man!"

The entire Big Ben scene and how well the 2D and CGI animations blended together

Learning that the ballroom scene from Beauty and the Beast was the first Disney and Pixar collaboration

According to melcat33, Basil not skipping leg day saved his life

puffywuffy8904: "and they were roomates" Me: "Oh, my God. They were roommates."

Ratigan's "Goodbye So Soon" diddy playing during the end credits

[sherlockgracie]

I haven't reflected on death in awhile. but this past week it has been at the front of my brain. and it all just culminating today was weird.

i started a new job that i genuinely am enjoying and have coworkers who are caring and wonderful (And Queer) people. i dont feel like im having to stretch myself thin and im getting paid more than i ever have for any job.

and i guess it just made me think that 6 months ago i was planning on not making it to here. i was so stuck in where i was and everything i was trying wasn't working. somehow i made it through it all. the highs and lows of these past 5 months. i have had more change and excitement and genuine joy in my life in the past 6 months (starting back in December) than i have had in the past 2-4 years.

i keep getting this crawling feeling under my skin. that i wasnt ever supposed to make it to this point. that somehow im an affront to everything including myself just for being here still. my ocd tendencies have gotten really bad lately. i dont think im actually ocd i think i just have tendencies since i have psychosis. but the point is i work in a kitchen at a hospital and work directly with patients too. i washed my hands 8 times in the span of a few minutes because i kept feeling like that if i didnt wash them one more time someone i bring food to would die. i got some highlighter on my hands the other day and i scrubbed and scratched my hand so hard it started bleeding. i almost had a full breakdown because in preparing a bunch of things i was one item short in a group of items because i had miscounted and i swear in that moment it felt like i was going to kill someone.

this is to say im so confused at why im suddenly feeling all this now that im feeling so at ease from my job. i dont know why my brain really wants me gone. we occupy the same space and it really wishes we didnt. Im glad im not dead though.

i did just watch my dog pass though. she was so so special and how am i just now realizing all that. i loved that dog and i feel like i ran away from her when she started to get worse. i didn't actually but it feels like that happened.

but its made me think that i run away a lot when things get bad. when things get bad my instincts are to leave and isolate, spiral inwards. its not even physically running away. its removing my emotions from the situation. its trading control over to one of the others in my brain. its when i feel stuck and in the lowest of despair, turning to suicide. when im overwhelmed and stressed the first step is always to get away from everything and everyone. its to go where nobody else is. even if that means walking in the snow for an hour. and then once im alone i get to talk to them up there. who are always there with me and know me better than anyone else. then who hate me as much as i hate them. and eventually ill get them to quiet down too. fucking coward.

like what always happens when im feeling a lit of emotions Jeff Rosenstock always has a song that captures all my feelings into a song. that song right now is Everybody That Loves You by Bomb! The Music Industry.

Specifically the line that the song is named after,

"Everybody that loves you

will be leaving someday soon

they've got problems to undo

They've got paperwork to do"

and thats really helpful. just because they arent right there telling me they care about me doesn't mean they dont. when someone leaves my life its not because they hate me or i did something wrong, its just a different time of life for them. i dont stop loving people i cared about in the past and don't see much anymore. i love them still so much. why would it be any different for others.

[yzafre]

I am sorry I have no clue what the Gibbs slap is but whatever that’s not really what I am here to ask about. You talked quite bit about Mikey Donnie and Leo. So I am curious what is your opinion on Raph? /gen question

Oh, man, comments that make you realize you're aging. So the specific post I was talking about was this one, and the Gibb's slap... I'm referencing a(n extremely) recurring gag in NCIS. Probably has a better name, but this is how it was referred to in my social circles growing up.

Now obviously NCIS didn't invent the idea of slapping someone upside the head, but I have a suspicion that it widely popularized it, given how popular I remember NCIS being through the 2000s.

As for Raph: this is re: my post on 2003, I'm guessing?

So, a thought that I'd had and forgot to add to my big post is how. Okay so there's a common fandom vibe that Raph is extremely hot tempered and constantly fighting with Leo, and that's.

Okay so he does have a temper, but as things go one he's more grumpy and impatient? Made more obvious that when everyone gets flattened in S6 the grumpiness is his main thing - "I hate the future grump grump", ect

And while he does argue with Leo, the only time it was really explosive was the City at War arc, which was..... a pressure cooker, and also the best showing of why Raph makes such a good Lancer for Leo in this series.

Leo has a lot of.... Noble idealism? Which is nice in theory but gets him in trouble sometimes - see city at war, and I also mentioned in the "thoughts" post I thought it contributed to his breakdown arc.

Raph, on the other hand, is immensely practical and has an insular, "just our little world" protectiveness (sort of, put a pin in this).

Neither of these things are good in isolation, but they balance each other out! And Raph really does care! See: him still following Leo everywhere even as he yells at him thought city at war.

This attitude is also what makes episodes like Lone Raph and Cub or the one with the old woman so interesting! Because his "others aren't my problem" thing only really holds up as long as the "other" remains faceless. Once there's an identity attached to it, his empathy kicks in, which prompts him to act where idealism wouldn't.

Also! Raph has a strong understanding of handling a working through negative emotions - from his own experience - and also has the presence of mind to apply that understanding to other people (mostly Leo, admittedly).

Another of my favorite Raph moments was... Both the S1 farmhouse episodes? The one where he helps Leo make the swords is a showing of the above about handling negative emotions. The "waking Leo from a coma" episode, on the other hand, highlighted his internal conflict between how deeply he feels things, and his (un)willingness to admit to or show it. Great stuff.

As for the... A couple tags on the "thoughts" post have described it as "meanness" related to my comments on the writing changing in the later seasons - even if I don't really like it, I also don't tend to hold it against the character, since I understand (and experienced, and participated in!) the cultural context that writing came from. Especially when there's obvious affection showed in the same seasons - as much as S6 was a mixed bag, I consistently enjoyed its depictions of them roughhousing and playing around.

While I personally connect to him less than the other characters, I do like Raph and his writing, flaws included (...when the writing is good).

Thanks for the ask!

[realfinemood]

Template by raysoffrost

Just a whole lot of babbling about my girl and her violent traumatized friends! Spoilers for the game, specifically the ending and a whole lot about Lae'zel's story and Astarion's romance, and also a bit about a squid.

[Did I romance Astarion this playthrough? Yes. Was it Brecca's most important relationship? Absolutely not.]

Lae'zel - Lae'zel was Brecca's best friend in game from the start, even if that start was having a sword pointed at her. But given the situation it was the objectively correct reaction to her so she didn't mind. Not only was Lae'zel a great fighter but seemed to already know a solution for the exact problem they were having? Perfect, sign her up. Even later on, when they seemed about to turn and Lae'zel came to kill her, Brecca was just impressed at her thought out plan, even if she's glad she convinced her to wait the night just in case.

(They've decided to never talk about how the second day knowing each other, Lae'zel went on about wanting to taste Brecca's sweat.)

Brecca had zero knowledge of Githyanki before meeting Lae'zel. But she trusted Lae'zel and went along with it, despite hating everything about the creche once they got there and agreeing with Astarion that the "cure" was absolutely going to be something like getting their heads cut off. [Getting a nat20 to beat the DC30 persuasion roll to convince Lae'zel to get out of the machine before it killed her was honestly the highlight of dice rolls the whole game.]

Brecca would've been wholely supportive of Lae'zel's new mission to take down Vlaakith on its own, but finding out they had been using a captured person's power this whole time made it her 100% on board the Free Orpheus plan. When it turned out they needed someone to turn into a mindflayer, Brecca was terrified Lae'zel would hate her for refusing to make that sacrifice herself - thankfully she didn't seem to blame her. Nothing could be more satisfying than Lae'zel killing the Emperor while Brecca was busy getting Orpheus to the brain. She hopes that when Lae'zel takes down Vlaakith, she takes what she learned traveling with them with her.

Wyll - For someone who has recently decided to be a better person but isn't 100% sure how to do that, Wyll was a shining beacon of How To Be A Good Person. In the beginning, Brecca definitely had him on a pedestal. But the more time she spent with him, the more she saw how being a hero meant sacrificing himself in ways that just weren't fair. She refused to let him chain himself to another pact to save his dad when there was clearly another way, and surprised that everyone else seemed to see it differently. When they went to find Ansur, she let Wyll take the lead as she certainly couldn't claim to be the hero when he was right there, and fully supported his decision to be the Blade of Avernus and help people on his own terms.

Astarion - Despite Astarion bitching and complaining about all her goodie goodie choices in the beginning, Brecca liked him in a "best friend who also annoys the hell out of you" way. She liked him because he's funny and good at shit she's not and yeah he's an asshole but still fought and had her back anyways and that was the important thing.

[The gnome slave comments were almost breakup material admittedly - my characters are either big gnome fans or gnomes themselves, take your racist nonsense elsewhere my guy.]

As for the romance itself, she's 2/2 on not realizing she was attracted until she was hit over the head with it. His lines are terrible, but they're at least so obvious even she can tell it's flirting. She definitely doesn't believe he liked her from the start, unless headbutting someone trying to slit your throat is romantic. She felt like something was off, and didn't like the implication that he was paying her back, but believed when he said it was just an excuse. When he finally explained that he was doing it for protection, the one thing she'd promised to do from the start, she didn't feel betrayed or manipulated. Just upset that he'd thought he had to pay with something she could've done without for something she was always going to do anyways.

When they finally confronted Cazador (something she kept putting off the more Astarion seemed interested in doing the ritual himself) he convinced him he could be the better person and set the 7000 free. She definitely didn't fail to persuade him and pissed him off by refusing to help, causing him to leave the party saying he hopes she dies screaming. After the world is saved, they (and Shadowheart) join them in the Underdark to help get them started in their new lives. And once that's started, they're off to find a way to let him walk in the sun again.

Shadowheart - Brecca took a long time to warm up to Shadowheart. The constant digs at Lae'zel in the beginning and the refusal to share anything about herself was a huge hurdle. But once they started going in the Shadowlands it made sense to bring her, and she started finding the actual person under there. Her amazingly terrible powers of persuasion failed her when they found the Nightsong, so she was extremely proud when Shadowheart decided on her own to not kill her. They grew closer after that and while Brecca doesn't know if she agrees with her choice to end her parents suffering, she plans on helping her start her new life and is welcome to stay with her and Astarion as long as she needs. [Shadowheart and Astarion both died during each other's final important fight and I like to believe they're close friends. As she never spoke up in the ending, I chose to believe she ran after Astarion while Brecca handled Karlach.]

Karlach - In another life, they don't get sick from almost transforming the night Karlach wants to talk at the fire. Or Karlach asks her to spend the night at the party before Astarion gets a chance to. It's probably for the best, as Brecca doesn't take not being able to fix her engine well, and takes Karlach's acceptance of dying even worse. She's beyond grateful that Wyll stepped up at the end and convinced her to go to Avernus with him, because helplessly watching Karlach die would've broken her.

Jaheira - They got off to a rough start, Brecca super not a fan of being told to go somewhere for safety and being restrained the first step in. But she got over it and Jaheira appreciated her jokes about her age (she wasn't actually trying! She's a halfling, a century is really long time!) and decisions that apparently reminded her of Minsc. Now she's happy to have a new elf grandma.

Gale - Poor Gale was in a different story from the start. Brecca smiled and nodded through his magic talk and long speeches, gave him shoes to eat when needed without complaint, and was down to fight Mystra for him because what the hell. What was intended as friendship apparently meant way more to Gale, resulting in an extremely awkward and confusing conversation about not telling him about Astarion. In the end, he left to find the crown with a confusing offer to let her be his Chosen if she ever came around to the Become a God plan. Because nothing says Chosen of the god of magic like a barbarian who knows one spell.

Halsin - Brecca genuinely isn't sure why Halsin apparently likes her so much. He's been a kidnapped damsel in distress twice and both times she's taken probably way longer than she should've to come get him. Also sure she likes tall people but he's like three times her size how would that even work.

Minsc - Brecca met Minsc way too late to have any real opinion on Jaheira's weird friend, other than confusion that he keeps insisting his hamster is talking even though she can speak with animals.

Emperor - [I the player made the Dream Visitor look like Brecca's d&d fiance. Brecca the bg3 character has not met said fiance, so has no emotional attachment to this form.]

Brecca was highly suspect of having a random person talking in their heads, telling them to eat the tadpoles when they were trying to get rid of the one they already had. But they at least seemed to be helping at the moment so she tolerated it right up until the moment she learned who they really were.

It wasn't even that he was a mindflayer - she likes Omeluum! It was he was using a captured person's power. It was the constant "I've never lied to you" while actively hiding information. It was that she was always supposed to trust without questioning, meanwhile the one time she tried to keep something private he forcibly went through her mind to find it. Nothing he showed her about Stelmane was a shock, and when he couldn't wait two seconds to see if Orpheus would help them and instead immediately turned to join the brain, she couldn't say she was surprised. Just glad that she never has to hear his voice in her head again.

[fiapple]

Look, as someone who’s struggled with substance abuse myself, there are a fuck ton of problems with the Venom storyline in Legends of the Dark Knight. I could complain about things such as how the drugs/steroids impact Bruce is under-explored/overly simplistic, or the way his recovery is a flaming dumpster fire from the moment he smashes through the wall of the phone booth, for ages. It is very, very clearly a story about addiction by someone who had never been an addict themself.

(Particularly his recovery, I hate you panel where Bruce has holes torn in the gloves & feet of his costume & is foaming at the mouth like a rabid animal in spite of them being too cowardly to even depict the vomiting part of withdrawal, i hate you so much.)

That being said, it’s really fucking annoying when people take the infamous “I hate junkies” panel out of context. I do think it’s an example of poor writing in so far as, again, being overly simplistic, however internalized stigma is a real-life phenomena that deserves to be addressed &, moreover, the dramatic irony utilized to display it is beyond obvious. Additionally, it highlights the position Bruce is in as a hyper-privileged addict & how that makes his experience of it different, and how rich addicts will often separate themselves from the working class ones as a means of maintaining power through reinforcing harmful rhetoric about drug problems within working class communities. Another real life issue that is important to discuss.

The point they’re trying to make is a) he’s been pushed to a point by his substance abuse that the symptom of aggression has entirely robbed him of compassion (another part of the plot I don’t think is handled with anywhere near enough care, yet for some reason that’s never the point people make when bringing up the panel in question) & b) to the point where he is so inconsiderate of his own behaviour that he does not even realize he is saying it as an addict himself (aka the denial stage of addiction, a stage he does not stay in.)

Again, I’m not trying to claim that it’s particularly good writing, or well-done social commentary, or a moment where the storyline respects its subject matter- as stated I think that, though certain political elements they attempt to explore are important, it is severely lacking in how it maintains the integrity of those elements. What I am saying is that the point it’s trying to make is obvious, & trying to use it as proof of a genuine hatred of addicts on the part of Bruce’s character is willfully misleading if not a display of ignorance of the text.

Venom is a storyline that, though conceptually interesting with certain salient political themes, merits a lot of criticism for its handling of addiction & recovery. So it is frustrating to see people try to make a false claim about a fictional character’s worldview for whatever reason instead of addressing the real-life-with-real-world-impact issues within the storyline’s mishandlings instead.

But hey, this is the DC fandom we’re talking about, it’d be unrealistic to expect people not to miss the forest for the fucking trees. Most don't care to address the sociopolitical elements of comics or the accountability on part of the writer thereof, because that would mean analyzing how it does/does not line up with your own world view. And that’s scary for fuckers who don’t wanna risk feeling incorrect or uncomfortable, or who are afraid opinions considered normative may be harmful.

Instead they wanna blame dudes made of paper for flaws that aren’t even genuinely aspects of their character, or at least not aspects in so far as how they’re presented in fan spaces.

[bulgariastreets]

The Complex Conflict in the Balkans

Christian-on-Christian Violence

Many English Christians might not realize that most of the current violence in the Balkans involves Christians fighting other Christians. Various Christian “bands” roam the region, terrorizing villages and forcing them to switch from the Greek Church to the Bulgarian Church or vice versa, often using brutal force. Turkish soldiers occasionally pursue these bands and swiftly deal with them when caught, resulting in more killings.

Deep-Rooted Hatreds

The situation in the Balkans has changed over time. While Christians still harbor hatred towards the Turks, they now hate each other even more. During a visit to a village near Koritza, close to the border of Macedonia and Albania, I asked an innkeeper about his allegiance. He replied, “I find it best to be a Greek,” because a Greek band was active in the nearby hills. This highlights the fear and pragmatic decisions villagers make based on which band is currently in power.

The Real Problem

The real issue for those who care about the Balkan people is not just addressing Turkish incompetence but finding a way to stop the civil war raging between rival Christian churches. The atrocities committed by these church factions against each other are as terrible and inhuman as any perpetrated by the Turks. Meanwhile, the Turks watch and laugh, seeing no need to kill Christians when they are so intent on killing each other Tours Bulgaria.

A Confused Kettle of Fish

The Balkans is a confusing and tangled situation. The average person knows it’s too complex to fully understand and often wonders why the Great Powers don’t just agree to remove the Turks from Europe. However, the Powers cannot agree on this because the real question is: Who will control the Balkans once the Turks are gone?

Interests of the Great Powers

Russia and Austria have their own interests in the region. Russia aims for Constantinople, and Austria covets Salonika. Russia liberated Bulgaria from the Turks, intending to use Bulgaria as a stepping-stone to the Bosphorus. Austria has used Serbia to prepare a route to an Austrian port on the Aegean Sea. Both Russia and Austria were surprised and disappointed when Bulgaria and Serbia, instead of being grateful and compliant, started to assert themselves and dream of expanding their territories without interference from their northern neighbors.

Balkan Ambitions

At the same time, the Greeks began to remember their historical claims to large parts of the Balkan region. Romania, situated on the other side of the Danube, also shocked everyone with its bold claim that the Balkans were really Romanian territory. Each nation in the Balkans began to assert its ambitions, further complicating the situation.

The Balkans remain a complex and volatile region, with deep-rooted hatreds and conflicting ambitions among various Christian factions and neighboring powers. The challenge is not just to remove Turkish rule but to manage the intense rivalries and civil strife among the Balkan peoples themselves. Only by addressing these internal conflicts can there be hope for lasting peace and stability in the region.

[bulgariabalkan]

The Complex Conflict in the Balkans

Christian-on-Christian Violence

Many English Christians might not realize that most of the current violence in the Balkans involves Christians fighting other Christians. Various Christian “bands” roam the region, terrorizing villages and forcing them to switch from the Greek Church to the Bulgarian Church or vice versa, often using brutal force. Turkish soldiers occasionally pursue these bands and swiftly deal with them when caught, resulting in more killings.

Deep-Rooted Hatreds

The situation in the Balkans has changed over time. While Christians still harbor hatred towards the Turks, they now hate each other even more. During a visit to a village near Koritza, close to the border of Macedonia and Albania, I asked an innkeeper about his allegiance. He replied, “I find it best to be a Greek,” because a Greek band was active in the nearby hills. This highlights the fear and pragmatic decisions villagers make based on which band is currently in power.

The Real Problem

The real issue for those who care about the Balkan people is not just addressing Turkish incompetence but finding a way to stop the civil war raging between rival Christian churches. The atrocities committed by these church factions against each other are as terrible and inhuman as any perpetrated by the Turks. Meanwhile, the Turks watch and laugh, seeing no need to kill Christians when they are so intent on killing each other Tours Bulgaria.

A Confused Kettle of Fish

The Balkans is a confusing and tangled situation. The average person knows it’s too complex to fully understand and often wonders why the Great Powers don’t just agree to remove the Turks from Europe. However, the Powers cannot agree on this because the real question is: Who will control the Balkans once the Turks are gone?

Interests of the Great Powers

Russia and Austria have their own interests in the region. Russia aims for Constantinople, and Austria covets Salonika. Russia liberated Bulgaria from the Turks, intending to use Bulgaria as a stepping-stone to the Bosphorus. Austria has used Serbia to prepare a route to an Austrian port on the Aegean Sea. Both Russia and Austria were surprised and disappointed when Bulgaria and Serbia, instead of being grateful and compliant, started to assert themselves and dream of expanding their territories without interference from their northern neighbors.

Balkan Ambitions

At the same time, the Greeks began to remember their historical claims to large parts of the Balkan region. Romania, situated on the other side of the Danube, also shocked everyone with its bold claim that the Balkans were really Romanian territory. Each nation in the Balkans began to assert its ambitions, further complicating the situation.

The Balkans remain a complex and volatile region, with deep-rooted hatreds and conflicting ambitions among various Christian factions and neighboring powers. The challenge is not just to remove Turkish rule but to manage the intense rivalries and civil strife among the Balkan peoples themselves. Only by addressing these internal conflicts can there be hope for lasting peace and stability in the region.

[hotbulgaria]

The Complex Conflict in the Balkans

Christian-on-Christian Violence

Many English Christians might not realize that most of the current violence in the Balkans involves Christians fighting other Christians. Various Christian “bands” roam the region, terrorizing villages and forcing them to switch from the Greek Church to the Bulgarian Church or vice versa, often using brutal force. Turkish soldiers occasionally pursue these bands and swiftly deal with them when caught, resulting in more killings.

Deep-Rooted Hatreds

The situation in the Balkans has changed over time. While Christians still harbor hatred towards the Turks, they now hate each other even more. During a visit to a village near Koritza, close to the border of Macedonia and Albania, I asked an innkeeper about his allegiance. He replied, “I find it best to be a Greek,” because a Greek band was active in the nearby hills. This highlights the fear and pragmatic decisions villagers make based on which band is currently in power.

The Real Problem

The real issue for those who care about the Balkan people is not just addressing Turkish incompetence but finding a way to stop the civil war raging between rival Christian churches. The atrocities committed by these church factions against each other are as terrible and inhuman as any perpetrated by the Turks. Meanwhile, the Turks watch and laugh, seeing no need to kill Christians when they are so intent on killing each other Tours Bulgaria.

A Confused Kettle of Fish

The Balkans is a confusing and tangled situation. The average person knows it’s too complex to fully understand and often wonders why the Great Powers don’t just agree to remove the Turks from Europe. However, the Powers cannot agree on this because the real question is: Who will control the Balkans once the Turks are gone?

Interests of the Great Powers

Russia and Austria have their own interests in the region. Russia aims for Constantinople, and Austria covets Salonika. Russia liberated Bulgaria from the Turks, intending to use Bulgaria as a stepping-stone to the Bosphorus. Austria has used Serbia to prepare a route to an Austrian port on the Aegean Sea. Both Russia and Austria were surprised and disappointed when Bulgaria and Serbia, instead of being grateful and compliant, started to assert themselves and dream of expanding their territories without interference from their northern neighbors.

Balkan Ambitions

At the same time, the Greeks began to remember their historical claims to large parts of the Balkan region. Romania, situated on the other side of the Danube, also shocked everyone with its bold claim that the Balkans were really Romanian territory. Each nation in the Balkans began to assert its ambitions, further complicating the situation.

The Balkans remain a complex and volatile region, with deep-rooted hatreds and conflicting ambitions among various Christian factions and neighboring powers. The challenge is not just to remove Turkish rule but to manage the intense rivalries and civil strife among the Balkan peoples themselves. Only by addressing these internal conflicts can there be hope for lasting peace and stability in the region.

[blgrll]

The Complex Conflict in the Balkans

Christian-on-Christian Violence

Many English Christians might not realize that most of the current violence in the Balkans involves Christians fighting other Christians. Various Christian “bands” roam the region, terrorizing villages and forcing them to switch from the Greek Church to the Bulgarian Church or vice versa, often using brutal force. Turkish soldiers occasionally pursue these bands and swiftly deal with them when caught, resulting in more killings.

Deep-Rooted Hatreds

The situation in the Balkans has changed over time. While Christians still harbor hatred towards the Turks, they now hate each other even more. During a visit to a village near Koritza, close to the border of Macedonia and Albania, I asked an innkeeper about his allegiance. He replied, “I find it best to be a Greek,” because a Greek band was active in the nearby hills. This highlights the fear and pragmatic decisions villagers make based on which band is currently in power.

The Real Problem

The real issue for those who care about the Balkan people is not just addressing Turkish incompetence but finding a way to stop the civil war raging between rival Christian churches. The atrocities committed by these church factions against each other are as terrible and inhuman as any perpetrated by the Turks. Meanwhile, the Turks watch and laugh, seeing no need to kill Christians when they are so intent on killing each other Tours Bulgaria.

A Confused Kettle of Fish

The Balkans is a confusing and tangled situation. The average person knows it’s too complex to fully understand and often wonders why the Great Powers don’t just agree to remove the Turks from Europe. However, the Powers cannot agree on this because the real question is: Who will control the Balkans once the Turks are gone?

Interests of the Great Powers

Russia and Austria have their own interests in the region. Russia aims for Constantinople, and Austria covets Salonika. Russia liberated Bulgaria from the Turks, intending to use Bulgaria as a stepping-stone to the Bosphorus. Austria has used Serbia to prepare a route to an Austrian port on the Aegean Sea. Both Russia and Austria were surprised and disappointed when Bulgaria and Serbia, instead of being grateful and compliant, started to assert themselves and dream of expanding their territories without interference from their northern neighbors.

Balkan Ambitions

At the same time, the Greeks began to remember their historical claims to large parts of the Balkan region. Romania, situated on the other side of the Danube, also shocked everyone with its bold claim that the Balkans were really Romanian territory. Each nation in the Balkans began to assert its ambitions, further complicating the situation.

The Balkans remain a complex and volatile region, with deep-rooted hatreds and conflicting ambitions among various Christian factions and neighboring powers. The challenge is not just to remove Turkish rule but to manage the intense rivalries and civil strife among the Balkan peoples themselves. Only by addressing these internal conflicts can there be hope for lasting peace and stability in the region.

[bulgariafestivals]

The Complex Conflict in the Balkans

Christian-on-Christian Violence

Many English Christians might not realize that most of the current violence in the Balkans involves Christians fighting other Christians. Various Christian “bands” roam the region, terrorizing villages and forcing them to switch from the Greek Church to the Bulgarian Church or vice versa, often using brutal force. Turkish soldiers occasionally pursue these bands and swiftly deal with them when caught, resulting in more killings.

Deep-Rooted Hatreds

The situation in the Balkans has changed over time. While Christians still harbor hatred towards the Turks, they now hate each other even more. During a visit to a village near Koritza, close to the border of Macedonia and Albania, I asked an innkeeper about his allegiance. He replied, “I find it best to be a Greek,” because a Greek band was active in the nearby hills. This highlights the fear and pragmatic decisions villagers make based on which band is currently in power.

The Real Problem

The real issue for those who care about the Balkan people is not just addressing Turkish incompetence but finding a way to stop the civil war raging between rival Christian churches. The atrocities committed by these church factions against each other are as terrible and inhuman as any perpetrated by the Turks. Meanwhile, the Turks watch and laugh, seeing no need to kill Christians when they are so intent on killing each other Tours Bulgaria.

A Confused Kettle of Fish

The Balkans is a confusing and tangled situation. The average person knows it’s too complex to fully understand and often wonders why the Great Powers don’t just agree to remove the Turks from Europe. However, the Powers cannot agree on this because the real question is: Who will control the Balkans once the Turks are gone?

Interests of the Great Powers

Russia and Austria have their own interests in the region. Russia aims for Constantinople, and Austria covets Salonika. Russia liberated Bulgaria from the Turks, intending to use Bulgaria as a stepping-stone to the Bosphorus. Austria has used Serbia to prepare a route to an Austrian port on the Aegean Sea. Both Russia and Austria were surprised and disappointed when Bulgaria and Serbia, instead of being grateful and compliant, started to assert themselves and dream of expanding their territories without interference from their northern neighbors.

Balkan Ambitions

At the same time, the Greeks began to remember their historical claims to large parts of the Balkan region. Romania, situated on the other side of the Danube, also shocked everyone with its bold claim that the Balkans were really Romanian territory. Each nation in the Balkans began to assert its ambitions, further complicating the situation.

The Balkans remain a complex and volatile region, with deep-rooted hatreds and conflicting ambitions among various Christian factions and neighboring powers. The challenge is not just to remove Turkish rule but to manage the intense rivalries and civil strife among the Balkan peoples themselves. Only by addressing these internal conflicts can there be hope for lasting peace and stability in the region.

[bulgariaifos]

The Complex Conflict in the Balkans

Christian-on-Christian Violence

Many English Christians might not realize that most of the current violence in the Balkans involves Christians fighting other Christians. Various Christian “bands” roam the region, terrorizing villages and forcing them to switch from the Greek Church to the Bulgarian Church or vice versa, often using brutal force. Turkish soldiers occasionally pursue these bands and swiftly deal with them when caught, resulting in more killings.

Deep-Rooted Hatreds

The situation in the Balkans has changed over time. While Christians still harbor hatred towards the Turks, they now hate each other even more. During a visit to a village near Koritza, close to the border of Macedonia and Albania, I asked an innkeeper about his allegiance. He replied, “I find it best to be a Greek,” because a Greek band was active in the nearby hills. This highlights the fear and pragmatic decisions villagers make based on which band is currently in power.

The Real Problem

The real issue for those who care about the Balkan people is not just addressing Turkish incompetence but finding a way to stop the civil war raging between rival Christian churches. The atrocities committed by these church factions against each other are as terrible and inhuman as any perpetrated by the Turks. Meanwhile, the Turks watch and laugh, seeing no need to kill Christians when they are so intent on killing each other Tours Bulgaria.

A Confused Kettle of Fish

The Balkans is a confusing and tangled situation. The average person knows it’s too complex to fully understand and often wonders why the Great Powers don’t just agree to remove the Turks from Europe. However, the Powers cannot agree on this because the real question is: Who will control the Balkans once the Turks are gone?

Interests of the Great Powers

Russia and Austria have their own interests in the region. Russia aims for Constantinople, and Austria covets Salonika. Russia liberated Bulgaria from the Turks, intending to use Bulgaria as a stepping-stone to the Bosphorus. Austria has used Serbia to prepare a route to an Austrian port on the Aegean Sea. Both Russia and Austria were surprised and disappointed when Bulgaria and Serbia, instead of being grateful and compliant, started to assert themselves and dream of expanding their territories without interference from their northern neighbors.

Balkan Ambitions

At the same time, the Greeks began to remember their historical claims to large parts of the Balkan region. Romania, situated on the other side of the Danube, also shocked everyone with its bold claim that the Balkans were really Romanian territory. Each nation in the Balkans began to assert its ambitions, further complicating the situation.

The Balkans remain a complex and volatile region, with deep-rooted hatreds and conflicting ambitions among various Christian factions and neighboring powers. The challenge is not just to remove Turkish rule but to manage the intense rivalries and civil strife among the Balkan peoples themselves. Only by addressing these internal conflicts can there be hope for lasting peace and stability in the region.

[bgbisera]

The Complex Conflict in the Balkans

Christian-on-Christian Violence

Many English Christians might not realize that most of the current violence in the Balkans involves Christians fighting other Christians. Various Christian “bands” roam the region, terrorizing villages and forcing them to switch from the Greek Church to the Bulgarian Church or vice versa, often using brutal force. Turkish soldiers occasionally pursue these bands and swiftly deal with them when caught, resulting in more killings.

Deep-Rooted Hatreds

The situation in the Balkans has changed over time. While Christians still harbor hatred towards the Turks, they now hate each other even more. During a visit to a village near Koritza, close to the border of Macedonia and Albania, I asked an innkeeper about his allegiance. He replied, “I find it best to be a Greek,” because a Greek band was active in the nearby hills. This highlights the fear and pragmatic decisions villagers make based on which band is currently in power.

The Real Problem

The real issue for those who care about the Balkan people is not just addressing Turkish incompetence but finding a way to stop the civil war raging between rival Christian churches. The atrocities committed by these church factions against each other are as terrible and inhuman as any perpetrated by the Turks. Meanwhile, the Turks watch and laugh, seeing no need to kill Christians when they are so intent on killing each other Tours Bulgaria.

A Confused Kettle of Fish

The Balkans is a confusing and tangled situation. The average person knows it’s too complex to fully understand and often wonders why the Great Powers don’t just agree to remove the Turks from Europe. However, the Powers cannot agree on this because the real question is: Who will control the Balkans once the Turks are gone?

Interests of the Great Powers

Russia and Austria have their own interests in the region. Russia aims for Constantinople, and Austria covets Salonika. Russia liberated Bulgaria from the Turks, intending to use Bulgaria as a stepping-stone to the Bosphorus. Austria has used Serbia to prepare a route to an Austrian port on the Aegean Sea. Both Russia and Austria were surprised and disappointed when Bulgaria and Serbia, instead of being grateful and compliant, started to assert themselves and dream of expanding their territories without interference from their northern neighbors.

Balkan Ambitions

At the same time, the Greeks began to remember their historical claims to large parts of the Balkan region. Romania, situated on the other side of the Danube, also shocked everyone with its bold claim that the Balkans were really Romanian territory. Each nation in the Balkans began to assert its ambitions, further complicating the situation.

The Balkans remain a complex and volatile region, with deep-rooted hatreds and conflicting ambitions among various Christian factions and neighboring powers. The challenge is not just to remove Turkish rule but to manage the intense rivalries and civil strife among the Balkan peoples themselves. Only by addressing these internal conflicts can there be hope for lasting peace and stability in the region.

[bulgariamelnik]

The Complex Conflict in the Balkans

Christian-on-Christian Violence

Many English Christians might not realize that most of the current violence in the Balkans involves Christians fighting other Christians. Various Christian “bands” roam the region, terrorizing villages and forcing them to switch from the Greek Church to the Bulgarian Church or vice versa, often using brutal force. Turkish soldiers occasionally pursue these bands and swiftly deal with them when caught, resulting in more killings.

Deep-Rooted Hatreds

The situation in the Balkans has changed over time. While Christians still harbor hatred towards the Turks, they now hate each other even more. During a visit to a village near Koritza, close to the border of Macedonia and Albania, I asked an innkeeper about his allegiance. He replied, “I find it best to be a Greek,” because a Greek band was active in the nearby hills. This highlights the fear and pragmatic decisions villagers make based on which band is currently in power.

The Real Problem

The real issue for those who care about the Balkan people is not just addressing Turkish incompetence but finding a way to stop the civil war raging between rival Christian churches. The atrocities committed by these church factions against each other are as terrible and inhuman as any perpetrated by the Turks. Meanwhile, the Turks watch and laugh, seeing no need to kill Christians when they are so intent on killing each other Tours Bulgaria.

A Confused Kettle of Fish

The Balkans is a confusing and tangled situation. The average person knows it’s too complex to fully understand and often wonders why the Great Powers don’t just agree to remove the Turks from Europe. However, the Powers cannot agree on this because the real question is: Who will control the Balkans once the Turks are gone?

Interests of the Great Powers

Russia and Austria have their own interests in the region. Russia aims for Constantinople, and Austria covets Salonika. Russia liberated Bulgaria from the Turks, intending to use Bulgaria as a stepping-stone to the Bosphorus. Austria has used Serbia to prepare a route to an Austrian port on the Aegean Sea. Both Russia and Austria were surprised and disappointed when Bulgaria and Serbia, instead of being grateful and compliant, started to assert themselves and dream of expanding their territories without interference from their northern neighbors.

Balkan Ambitions

At the same time, the Greeks began to remember their historical claims to large parts of the Balkan region. Romania, situated on the other side of the Danube, also shocked everyone with its bold claim that the Balkans were really Romanian territory. Each nation in the Balkans began to assert its ambitions, further complicating the situation.

The Balkans remain a complex and volatile region, with deep-rooted hatreds and conflicting ambitions among various Christian factions and neighboring powers. The challenge is not just to remove Turkish rule but to manage the intense rivalries and civil strife among the Balkan peoples themselves. Only by addressing these internal conflicts can there be hope for lasting peace and stability in the region.