#(as opposed to now where neutrals are more common)

[turtleblogatlast]

I unironically love how blatantly late 80’s early 90’s all the brothers’ styles are in “The Clothes Don’t Make the Turtle” because like…of course those are their styles! The majority of the media they grew up adoring is heavily influenced by that time period, so it makes perfect sense that they all took inspiration from it. It’s honestly super cute to see, they’re such kids I swear.

[luckyladylily]

This is specifically in Utah. It also effects more than just LGBTQ groups. Any resource directed towards any minority in state funded higher education, public education, and governmental employers is now illegal. It literally bans all "Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion" initiatives, claiming they are discriminatory, as well as the mere mention of the words. Apparently the word "Equality" is so prejudice that is has to be banned by state law.

This is shutting down the LGBTQ resource center at the university I went to. It consisted of one small common area, one tiny office, and a single occupant gender neutral bathroom. There was a single shelf with LGBTQ literature, and sometimes posters up about various identities (one of these posters is actually where I first heard about asexuality, which helped my wife immensely in identifying her own asexuality.)

This is in the most progressive university in the state. Apparently that is too much for republicans to allow.

The Black Cultural Center, American Indian Resource Center, and Center for Equity and Student Belonging are also all being shut down as well.

And honestly this is hardly the worst thing this law is going to do. All publicly funded education is now banned from talking about concepts like diversity and equality. Every governmental employer now *legally* cannot so much as discuss diversity problems.

And really this is just the latest bullshit Utah republicans have done trying to legislate minorities into hiding, into subservient roles, or simply out of existence all together. There is very little that can be done here at the state level because it's a red state controlled by a conservative cult. We just don't have the numbers to oppose these things.

It doesn't have to be like that at the national level. The easiest way to stop these things is to not have representatives that will try to push these laws in the first place. It makes a difference, a huge difference. Salt Lake City, the biggest city in Utah, is a comparatively progressive place and tends to get democrat leadership because of it. The difference between the kind of laws Salt Lake City puts out compared to the state at large is night and day.

Voting is not the only thing, the first thing, the last thing, or even the best thing we can do. But it does make a tangible difference. So I guess if you wont do it for your own reasons, do it for people trapped in deep red areas of the country who's only real hope of legislative protection is at the national level.

[entropyvoid]

Y’know before things went to shit a popular topic amongst jewish users on this site was about cultural Christianity, and a large part of that discussion was pointing out that certain ways of talking/acting/thinking were rooted in Christian culture, and were not culturally neutral, and the expectation of Jews (and people from non-culturally-Christian backgrounds in general) to conform to them was an expectation to assimilate and abandon our own cultural ways of talking/acting/thinking.

And this collective conversation has largely been abandoned as Jews on this platform now have much more loud and blatant forms of antisemitism to worry about

But I can’t really stop thinking about how ostracization, public shaming, guilt, conversational shut-downs, harassment, and throwing ad hominem buzzwords at various people to not have to engage directly with opposing ideas enough to form an actual counterargument have all been a serious issue with how people operate in left-leaning online spaces for a long time now, and how those things are also very common methods of group control in a lot of the more… well, controlling and loudly bigoted sects of American Christianity, with roots in American Puritanism.

And I think a lot of people who want to think of themselves as leftists or even activists should really take a step back and more deeply analyze their methods/praxis of realizing their ideals and how they interact with other people, whether or not they’re actually willing to be constructive about things, etc.

Like is burning bridges, shutting down conversations, refusing to engage intellectually with things you don’t like, callouts, etc… actually helpful and useful? Why is this the method so many default to, and where does it come from?

[the-desilittle-bird]

AN - Writing for our dear Sasha for the very first time. And so I kind of decided to start with headcanons. Hope you all like it.

Requests are open and well appreciated!

Thank you and have a great read.

Being a Princess and Meeting The Darkling

Warnings - Scheming Aleksander for a while.

GIF Credits to @inknopewetrust

You were the middle child of the Tsar and the Tsaritsa. Which means you were older than Nikolai and technically, second in line to the throne. But you never wanted to be a Queen, you just thought you weren’t meant to be.

At the age of 15, you were sent away from the capital to complete your education and learn about politics and what not.

You were a bright student, as the educators complimented, and a quick learner.

Years outside and relatively alone, you understood the world more closely, learning and watching from the shadows as Grisha were discriminated. They were Grisha, never Ravkans; something you didn’t like.

On your 18th birthday, you were summoned back to the court, to pick up on your duties as a princess.

Despite your lack of interest in politics, you forced pleaded your father to give you a seat on his Royal Council, the very place where all his decisions were taken.

The court was enthusiastic, spreading word of your arrival and speculating all and everything days before you arrived.

“I have heard that the princess has a big nose.”

“No, I have heard she has became quite the beauty.”

“She is stupid, they say.”

“Are you out of your mind? Everyone is aware that the princess is a bright learner.”

“She supports Grisha, or so I have heard.”

While Aleksander met most of the gossips with a straight face and a neutral, if not dismissive approach, he was taken aback by the last of it. To know that the princess supposedly supported as well as sympathised with his people.

But he remains quiet, carrying on his duties as the General of the Second Army.

The day you arrived in the Grand Palace was a day of a grand feast. The Queen and King wished to welcome their only daughter with the fanciest feast of the year.

You were never fond of feasts and grand dinners your family hosted but as the feast was kept in your honour, you put on your best smile and mingled with a flute of champagne in your hand.

That was when you first met the Black General— the infamous Darkling.

You found him intriguingly handsome and equally mysterious. A combination that had your stomach at unrest, but in the most pleasant manner.

A polite conversation began, which might have started from your studies and your experience outside of Os Alta but ended with you both agreeing to your common ideas about Grisha.

“I believe that Grisha should also be given as much respect as any other First Army officer.”

“Much few think that, moya tsarvena.”

“Then surely they don’t understand what your people contribute to Ravka.”

Turns out, you were more kind hearted than the rest of the Lantsov Family, a revelation that had Aleksander taking a deep breath.

He found you beautiful but equally smart and confident. And saw what could be his chance to usurp the throne.

A perfect plan started weaving in his mind. Seduce you; make you fall in love with him; ask the king to marry you both. Now that would be a slightly tricky part, given the Tsar’s hatred towards Grisha. But if he did say anything against the union, rumours could be easily planted in the common people. A story of true and pure love that the King opposed. Being married to you would make him a prince, that would mean that he would have an unsaid claim to the throne. Then he only needed to stage an assassination of your entire family, minus you of course. With all the Lantsov dead except you, you would ascend the throne with him by your side.

With a classic plan set, he had asked you for a dance, which turned into another and then another while words flowed smoothly between you two.

“I hadn’t took you for a dancer, moi soverenyi.”

(Chuckles) “It is not the best of my traits.”

“Well, I would like to disagree.”

At the end of the feast, you realised that you had spent most of your time with the Darkling, something that did not go unnoticed by the courtiers.

“The princess has been by the Darkling’s side throughout the feast.”

“Do you think he has worked his magic on her?”

“She does not know what she is getting into. Meddling with him is never safe.”

But you didn’t care, at least not for that night in particular.

You bid each other good night, and much to your surprise, he pressed a gentle kiss on your knuckles, making you flush red.

“It was lovely to make your acquaintance, my princess. I hope to be in your presence more often.”

Aleksander lay in his bed that night, restless and his mind evaded with you.

Your smile, your kindness, your eyes, your confidence. Everything had made him wish to acquaint himself and his plan had faded into the background for brief moments that lasted too long.

In the darkness of his room, with his shadows looming high in the corners, he found himself pondering upon you which lead to him asking himself:

Have I fallen for the princess?

The idea frightens him. The thought that someone could have more power upon him. Especially that someone being a mortal; an otkazat’sya. That someone being You.

“What have you done to me?” He groaned quietly, his dark eyes staring into the shadows of his room. All while his mind pictured you beside him, clad in a dark nightwear, sleeping soundly.

[decepti-thots]

spurred on by your Drift and Roddy post from earlier, i'm terribly curious about your take on Prowl and Rodimus' dynamic/relationship? i never read through LL so i may be missing context but my read on the Overlord thing was very much that he was forced onto Rodimus, much the same way Megatron was, but i never really see anyone talk about them in relation to each other

I am going to first answer this purely based on the text of the comic, which is all I consider to be definitively canon. Then after we establish what I feel about that, I'll bring up some word-of-god as additional optional context.

Based on what we see in the comic in early MTMTE, we establish very clearly that Prowl and Rodimus do not get on, and specifically that Rodimus openly detests Prowl. He mocks him to his face; it's neither subtle nor very surprising. And in the Costa run, we see in Prowl's burn book he has a low opinion of Rodimus, so. We can assume they are openly disdainful of each other as members of command and that this is long-running.

I think this negativity, the open disdain, is where the read that Rodimus was somehow 'made' to take Overlord comes in. Why the hell would Rodimus do a favour for someone he didn't like? One he does not stand to benefit from? It therefore tracks it was somehow coerced.

The big question though is... if that was the case, why did Rodimus not bring it up to Drift. There's a post-RiL scene where Rodimus bemoans that he agreed to do it because he realizes it was a stupid-ass decision now it's all gone to shit, one Drift opposed, in The Sound of Breaking Glass:

“This is my fault, not yours. We were standing in Prowl’s office, and he was trying to convince me that bringing Overlord onboard was ‘right and proper’, and you called me an idiot for even considering it.”

If Rodimus had been pressured, even blackmailed, he'd be taking this opportunity to cuss out that Prowl forced him to, or perhaps even to cuss himself out for bowing to whatever pressure Prowl subjected him to. He does not. He says Drift called him an idiot for considering Prowl's persuasion. And what that says to me is that Prowl indeed just persuaded Rodimus, seemingly by painting it as a contribution to the post-war Autobot cause that would reflect well on Rodimus.

Which makes sense, because while they respond to it very differently, Rodimus and Prowl have one thing in common; they are unhappy with how the war ended and how anti-climactic their defeat of the Decepticons has been. Prowl continues to spiral into treating the war as ongoing as he becomes conspiratorial, while Rodimus leaves the planet entirely in an attempt to restore it to a 'golden age' and elide the issue of making co-habitation with Decepticons and Neutrals work. But they're both in denial about this just... being how things are now. As much as Rodimus loathes Prowl personally, he's also presumably being buttered up as someone who understands the risk isn't gone, the Autobots need to still act like they're not done with things, and look, we need that phase sixer, Rodimus, you understand that...

Basically: I think he agreed out of a combination of ego and like... that sense that at least Prowl shared a dissatisfaction with the compromises everyone else was making and which Rodimus felt they shouldn't. And as an impulsive person inclined to trying to make big grand moves and act decisively, but whose judgement often winds up instead simply making him reckless, I find it completely plausible, and have always assumed this is how it went.

As for word of god... well, turns out that was apparently also how Roberts saw it, more or less. Which I found out after the fact. Hah. He's spoken about how he basically thinks that Prowl went 'oh well, if you're not able to step up for the cause, I'll find someone who can do what needs to be done' and Rodimus got defensive and talked himself into it while Drift, I assume, dropped the sycophant act for once and rightfully called him stupid as hell for it. LMAO.

[snarky-art]

The Winx’s main family trees with general info about genetic traits on the planets their family hails from included!

This was done at the request of @charmixpower and I did it because I love er.

Please note that the hair colors present on the grandparents of the Winx aren’t necessarily accurate to what it would be at the age I’ve drawn them as. Many would be less saturated in color, graying, white, streaks, ya know,, older age stuff. I just did it for the sake of showcasing the phenotypes and where the parents and the Winx get some of their physical traits from.

General notes and trivia of what’s written down down here below the cut because cursive is hard to read for some people and also general ID stuff! + some additional info, relationship info for couples and the extended family I just didn’t write down on the pics and some real world cultural influence updates for certain worlds and groups in my rewrite!

Stella’s Family Tree

-Luna’s given name is Margaret, and Luna is a name taken on by whomever is chosen to be the head Priest of The Temple of The Moons. She was also known as Raza while she was apart of the group of priests working for the previous Luna, titles for other lower priests being given variations for moons and light

-The name Luna is the Solarian version of the name for the Priest whose head of The Temple of The Moons. The title to Lunarians is Delia.

-Luna actually has a lot of siblings, 14 to be exact, and they’re all girls

-Darcy’s mom is named Hestria, and her Father is named Leander

-There are two groups of Lunarians in terms of phenotypic traits: A group who’s ancestors traveled outside of the inside of the moons vast inner workings of caves and caverns later on, and those who’s ancestors stayed primarily inside, only gaining access to outside light and moonbeams through holes and entryways to the surface. These spots where moon beams shine down were highly revered in the past and still hold a cultural significance to both groups of Lunarians, but hold a stronger significance for those that stick more closely to the way of life involving staying in the cave systems within the moon more. Travel and life on the surface is very common in the modern day and the general attitude towards staying underground is more neutral now, but there are still small groups with more extreme views on it and see outside travel as something more foolish and disrespectful to The Moons, and small groups who inversely see those who hold those views as “backwards” and “stuck in the past.”

-the pupils of both Lunarians and Solarians are different, with the colors matching to the variance of shades that the magic of the respective cores of the Suns and the Moons have, showcasing their connection to this magic as apart of their own Magical Core. The same goes for the variety in colors for their pupils, the color influenced by the colors of the Moons and Suns energy in general though as opposed to their cores.

-On average, Lunarian hair color is less intense and less saturated than Solarian hair color. Stella gets her blond from her mother, but the intensity of its color is bolstered by the traits from her dad’s side.

-Lunarian cultural dress and cultural aspects in general is based primarily of of Romani people, with some general Slavic influence as well and some Greco Roman stuff intermingled with it as a result of Solarian culture

-Solarian cultural dress and cultural aspects are based predominantly on Greco Roman and Aztec elements

-Radius is a title for that which is to act as the main ruling figure of Solaria, which is a term that includes both the planet of Solaria itself as well as Lunaria, which is under its dominion to an extent still as a result of an Imperialist past. They are set more as equals in the current day with Lunaria being free to follow their own traditions and cultural practices now as they wish and set their own rules of governance, but there are still issues with the planet Solaria seeing itself as being able to overrule certain things in terms of governance if they deem it right to do so. There’s still sociocultural clashes too and more reparations needed to properly make up for the Imperialism the planet of Solaria is responsible for in its past and to an extent current day, and it’s a common point of contention talked about in political courts and meetings.

-Radius’s given name is Ciro

-Radius does have a brother named Helios, and despite Helios being older, he didn’t take his studies and duties as seriously and chose to pass off his title as next in line to inherit the title of Radius to Ciro. It is important to note that while the title for next in line isn’t inherently tied to birth order, it is the most common way it is done.

Flora’s Family Tree

-Alyssa has 4 siblings, 2 sisters, 1 brother, and 1 sibling. Them, Alyssa, Rhodos, Flora, and Mielle all live in the same large tree in their settlement, which is in a more rural area of Linphea on the outskirts of a bigger city type settlement (still very nature based in its architecture and set up, just with a lot more commerce and a big population, you know,, city stuff lol)

-Rhodos has 1 sibling, a sister who didn’t get along very well with their parents (they tried to enforce a rigid “follow in our footsteps as farmers and continue the family line the same way we did” since she was the oldest, and that was just about as far as possible from what she wanted, which was to travel and research and study. They gave Rhodos much more freedom as the younger sibling, and this really upset his sister for obvious reasons. Rhodos agreed and would listen to her vent and support her wants, but wasn't able to say much to their parents because they were so stubborn. Their parents pushed too hard, and eventually instead of pushing back anymore, she just left) and now lives on the planet furthest from the Sun the Moons of Marigold revolve around where it’s coldest. He and his sister still stay in semi regular contact and despite her relationship with their parents being rocky, they still get along very well and she visits Linphea at least once a year.

Notes from the picture:

*leaves and greens for ears are typically dominant over flowers/petals and other colored things

Sclera: varying shades of green from chlorophyll like blood

Iris: tend to match part of the plants on the ears, although can match colors of other plants their parents had

Pupils: similar to sclera, but darker as like our eyes, they're connected to the brain

Tecna's Family Tree

-The people of The Binary Conduit, which Zenith is apart of, are based off of a mix of different Glacial Peoples and Far North groups, including for specific influences on the designs I've chosen here belonging to the Tadar, Teleuts, Nenets, Inuit, and Yupik people specifically.

-The Binary Conduit is a place with a wide variety of cultural groups, but a very similar shared setup for how technology is integrated into their surroundings and environment, the primary goal being for it to co exist alongside the nature of the many planets.

-Somewhat similar to Linphea, there are many smaller settlements and a few big city hub areas on each of the planets. However, while on Linphea the smaller settlements and towns are stationary, there are some groups that choose to move to different spaces throughout the year for different reasons such as climate, food, resources, etc. or as a way to continue the tradition of it regardless. This is less common now than it was in the past due to newer technology, but its still considered an important tradition of the way many of them lived in generations long past, and it isn't uncommon for it to still be done by some groups as a way to honor and appreciate that.

-Tecna has no siblings, but does have many cousins, aunts, and uncles on her dad's side.

-Magnethia has a much smaller family than Electronio, with 2 sisters. Her older sister is married and has 2 children and the other, her younger sister, is happily single with no interest in ever marrying and has a child she adopted. Both of her sisters are also in the research field, Magnethia's emphasis being Cultural Anthropology, her older sister's in Geology, and her younger sister's being Art History with an emphasis in Northern Zenethian Cultures.

-As mentioned in some previous posts, Electronio is part Melodian. A key difference to note as a result of this is his metabolism. Zenethians and those of The Binary Conduit in general tend to have a slower metabolism and also consume less food. Due to the genetics from his dad, he has a faster metabolism and does consume more food, and this is something that was passed down to Tecna as well, granted it isn’t as intense as their dad’s.

Notes from the picture:

-Their magical core color shines in the catchlight of their eyes as their magic flows closer to the surface of the skin. This is to help keep the skin warmer to deal with the cold present on the planet and is a trait shared by most within The Binary Conduit

-not included in the picture, but fun fact: this means it’s not uncommon for babies or those who have lighter skin to glow in certain parts of their body or all over from the way the magic is shown flowing under the skin in vein like patterns.

-There are 2 hair color variation sets: one that is more vibrant and saturated and one that is much darker in color.

Musa’s Family Tree

-The variation in skin tones found in Melody are not uncommonly separated by different provinces and sectors of the planetary group.

-Ho-Boe’s family comes from a more southern area of Melody and his parents are both merchants who run a stand in the market area of their town with them specializing in herbs and flowers. His mom had a beautiful singing voice and could play the magical realm’s equivalent of the Erhu and his father was able to play the magical realm’s equivalent of the Guzheng, Diza, and Pipa. They would both regularly play at different restaurants, bars,and local festivals and concerts and their music was really well loved within their community. Ho-Boe grew up with music as a result, and learned to play all the instruments his parents played (minus the Diza, he had too much trouble with his breath control and didn’t like it enough to want to get better at it) and then some.

-Matlin and her parents are from a northeastern part of Melody and was born into a family of high ranking performers who all worked or would go on to work in Opera’s seen by nobility and high ranking members of their society. Matlin liked it a lot, but after seeing Ho-Boe perform after he saw HER perform and he invited her to one of his gigs (like his parents he too enjoyed performing regularly at different random events and eateries), she gained a love for the style of performance and music he partook in, a less rigid and in her eyes compared to what she grew up around and doing, rawer version of it. She was never really allowed to see this kind of performance because of the strict rules her family adhered to as a way to maintain and uphold their status, and she really fell in love with it, and eventually Ho-Boe after sneaking out and performing together and going to different shows together in secret. She always felt a little stifled by her parents and the restrictions of the life she lived, but it never bothered her enough to say or do anything about it. After learning and seeing how Ho-Boe lived, she finally understood what she really wanted, and her parents and most of her sisters didn’t accept that. Like in the show, she chose to leave it all behind and start a new like with Ho-Boe, and they eventually had Musa.

-She eventually did reconcile with her family to an extent, her father being much more supportive in the end than her mother, but they still loved her in their own way, and she accepted and loved them in her own way too, her being much closer to her dad though. She also had 2 sisters that adamantly supported her and her wants from the start, and she stayed in regular contact with them even during her time of estrangement. Her other sisters came to accept her choices with varying degrees of said acceptance, with the 3rd oldest sister never really accepting it at all and being cold to her for the rest of her life.

-Ho-Boe’s parents adored Matlin from the start and welcomed her with open arms. She was invited to every family dinner, festival, reunion, get together, etc before she and Ho-Boe even started dating, and everyone did tease Ho-Boe about her because they knew he liked her from the start (yes they teased him in front of her some too. She thought it was very funny and endearing how hard Ho-Boe would blush and how flustered he got)

Notes from the picture:

About Matlin: has many sisters, all performers.

-bonus not written down: she has 10, with her being the 6th born. She was closest with her sister born right after her, the 1st born, and the 3rd born. The 3rd born was the one who never truly forgave her for choosing to leave them and their family for Ho-Boe and his way of life and the music he performed, and this hurt her incredibly badly. She grieved the loss of their relationship the most when she left and until the day she died there was still a sting from the way she was shunned even after reconciling with her family.

Aisha’s Family Tree

-Land Androsians are in terms of appearance based mainly off of the Zulu, Ndebele, and a few other general inland areas of Africa along with some Indian influence (this is very broad I know but it just depends on the region they’re from on Andros for specifics here)

-The Sea Androsians in regards to their appearance are based off of the areas of The Middle East with an emphasis on Morocco, Iran, the Amazigh peoples, and areas of Polynesia (similar to the Land Androsians, specifics depend on what region they’re from)

-Generally, Land Androsians have darker skin and hair with less color variety for hair when compared to the Sea Androsians

-Teredor’s mother was the Ruler for The Royal House of Androsia (the name the Land and Sea Androsians use to refer to their place of inhabitance and rule which is separate from the Merpeople and their deep sea kingdom). She took on the role as The Land Androsian for the diplomatic marriage and married someone of Sea Androsian identity who acted as their representative in the rulership. As is customary, Teredor was then assigned as a Sea Androsian for the line of rulership, and married Niobe, someone who was considered a Land Androsian. This means as is customary, Aisha is formally considered a Land Androsian in regards to her role in leadership.

Notes from the picture (and general expansion on what is in the picture):

Labeled General Trivia:

-eyes of Sea Androsians commonly have an iris color that matches their fins, with a more saturated ring of this color around the pupil, and then a darker version of this color for the pupil. This is the result of different lenses that allow for better underwater sight

-this is also why the sclera isn’t white, it’s part of an effect of eye protection for underwater use

-intermingling of Land and Sea Androsian populations and genetics is what results in typically more extreme ear fin size variation and eye color, function, and lens variability. This is whye on of Teredor’s parents (the one with pink hair) has white sclera instead of a blue or green tinted one.

-sometimes iris color varies away from fin color for Sea Androsians and can take on colors of their parents eyes. It’s more common for Androsians with both Land and Sea Androsian genetics to have this happen.

-gills on neck are common for Sea Androsians and typically match the colors of the fins on their ears, but sometimes match a color or color variation of one or both of their parents. This can sometimes happen to the ear fins too.

-land Androsians don’t have them (gills) and the intermingling of genetics from those from the Land of Androsia and those of The Sea part of Androsia result in not every Sea Androsian having them, and some of those who would be classified or identify as Land Androsians do have them

-status as Land or Sea Androsians within the “common” inhabitants (ie not rich nobility or royalty) if they are born into a family that has a combination of traits and family from spaces traditionally associated with one status or the other is fairly fluid for most now with variability on what the individual identifies with, where they live, how they’re raised, etc. Some choose to identify as both, and a term of Beach Androsian is sometimes used and becoming more common in the modern day. It’s a term from the last few hundred years as intermingling has become more common and less of a “reserved for royals” status thing within the attitudes of the general public. It’s a term that was coined by those who wanted to acknowledge both parts of their heritage, but wanted a more succinct concrete term to use for themselves.

-Bonus info: The more casual breakdown of a rigid Land Androsian and Sea Androsian dichotomy is something of an area of contention for those in the higher ranking echelons of society. Teredor cares less than most nobles about it, fairly indifferent to those outside of high ranking society doing it, but a little more reserved about it all together for those who are royalty. Niobe cares more about it and has a lot of grievances and is on par with most nobles in terms of her issues with it. Part of her and Teredor’s arc with becoming more open and accepting of Aisha’s wants and needs is unlearning this concern and being more receptive to it.

[musicalmoritz]

i’ve been following you for a little while because i’ve been considering getting back into TBHK. it was one of my strongest fixations but i was totally put off by the fandom’s reception of one part of the story until i dropped it entirely.

i thought i’d ask to see if the fandom has changed at all since i was last in it, and you seem really good at analyzing media: what’s your take on the amane/(possessed) tsukasa sa theory? i won’t argue regardless of what your opinion is! i’m just curious to see how the fandom is treating the story now. i miss the series alot ngl

Have I finally made it as a TBHK fan creator now that I’ve gotten an ask abt the SA theory?? Jk jk, that was a terrible joke I’m sorry guys

Before I get into this I wanna say thank you for being so respectful, people tend to have very strong feelings in this theory (for good reason, it’s a serious subject) and that can lead to pitchforks whenever it’s brought up. I’m going to try to discuss this as neutrally as possible but I will warn you that I’m very biased. I love Tsukasa as a character and the Yugi twins as a sibling duo so as much as I try to see both sides, I simply don’t want this theory to be true and that plays a large role in how I perceive it

TW: This is going to contain more mature themes than my usual posts. Talk of incest, abuse, sexual assault, sex, trauma, PTSD, and a very brief mention of lesbian fetishization

Starting off with how the fandom as a whole talks about it, people are very against it nowadays. When the anime first came out it was super popular, but now you can’t even mention it without someone telling you never to bring it up again. I have only posted about it once and it was a joke about Tsukasa and Teru both having allegations made against them (tho the Teru ones are way less common and only made by fans who want them to be true bcuz they hate him or ship him with his brother). So far I’ve strayed away from going in depth with my thoughts on it, writing this feels like I’m swinging a bat at a hornet’s nest. If your problem with the fandom was that they denied this theory, then I would continue to stay away from it. People on here are more open towards it than TikTok tho so if you still want to get back into the fandom, I would recommend staying on Tumblr. Someone made ONE post implying it on TikTok recently and the entire fandom was shitting on them for like a week. Those instances are rare, I like the fandom overall, but it has its toxic moments and areas just like every fandom

Okay now onto the theory itself. I’m not going to pretend I don’t see where it comes from, there are some scenes in the manga that are drawn and worded weirdly. Most notably the scene in the Picture Perfect Arc where Mei wrote “Brother Lover” on Amane’s face made me wonder if they were trying to imply something. I have since learned that other translations don’t have the incest implication, but it’s still odd to me that they allowed that in any version. Still, he just looked kind of annoyed as opposed to getting flustered like he would have if something was going on with him and Tsukasa (the way he gets flustered when his feelings for Nene are brought up). So I viewed that scene more as a dark humor joke from Mei, I don’t think it was meant to imply anything serious between the twins

There is another scene in that arc, however, when Nene sees Tsukasa clinging to Amane and Amane does get flustered. He starts blushing and says “um…we were just…” and doesn’t really finish his sentence. This made me raise an eyebrow, but I also wouldn’t take it as confirmation that there’s anything romantic or sexual between them. It could very much be viewed as Amane being embarrassed. I feel that the strongest evidence for the incest theory comes from this arc, but that’s only if you want to run with the scenes I mentioned. I also find it strange that people never use these scenes as evidence, only panels that are drawn kind of weird. Fans seem to be stuck on a lot of early scenes with this theory which weakens its substance

For the record, I will not be analyzing the scene from the anime intro. That has already been debunked, the shadowy figure wasn’t Tsukasa, it was a representation of Hanako’s guilt. Although I disagree with the theory, I’m trying to be fair to the campaigners by debunking the stronger pieces of evidence

The strongest evidence for this theory comes from the art, which is just as important to the story as the writing. With manga and graphic novels, the art tells half the story. It shouldn’t be overlooked, so I understand how some fans lean into it. Look back at the official art I put at the top of this post, it’s weird. Hanako is leaning over Tsukasa while Tsukasa holds his chin/lips and arm. They’re posed like a couple. We would never see the Minamoto brothers posed like that. In other scenes, we see Tsukasa touching Amane’s face or holding him from behind. They’re very touchy with each other, more-so than the other siblings in the series

I have two reasons for not taking these type of scenes/arts seriously in a romantic sense. One is that Tsukasa is simply an affectionate character, and Hanako is the same way. I think it’s more part of their behavior than being specific to each other. Secondly, if it’s intended to be taken in an incestuous way then I genuinely believe it’s fan service. That’s one part I don’t deny, AidaIro have certainly given us reason to believe the twins are like the Property Brothers. I just don’t believe it has any place in the actual story or their dynamic. Fan service is common in TBHK and sometimes it veers into problematic territory. Just look at the scene where Hanako possesses Nene to assault Aoi, and then Kou gets flustered by it and can’t help. A random lesbian fetish scene that is never brought up again and plays no role in the story other than moving us from A to B. I have also heard that there’s incest in some of the other works they’ve made, so it’s not a reach to assume they’d throw in a little fan service for the Yugi twins. How seriously you want to take those scenes is up to you, personally I will continue to deny it until we’re given undeniable confirmation

Back to the twins just being affectionate, we see them act that way with lots of characters. Tsukasa is clingy to Sakura and Mitsuba too, sometimes very suggestively. That doesn’t mean he’s into them. I will say that Hanako is most notably clingy to Nene, someone he’s in love with, but we see him get close and friendly with the other characters too (he sat on Kou’s side and booped his nose during their first meeting). And Tsukasa is the one who initiates their physical affection 99% of the time, Amane’s been receiving it since early childhood so him copying Tsukasa’s behavior makes sense. Romantic relationships in adulthood are determined by the way we interact with our families as children so him repeating these actions in a romantic context doesn’t indicate anything abnormal. In fact, it’s a very realistic portrayal of how our love languages and attachment styles evolve over time

And keep in mind, they’ve been that way since they were three years old, it’s just the way they interact with other people and each other. Tsukasa is a very childish character too, one who has very little concept of personal space and boundaries. So him being a little too clingy with his brother might not mean anything. Again, you could read into it if you really wanted to, but the way he interacts with Amane is nothing out of the ordinary. It aligns with his usual mannerisms, if it were specific to Amane then he wouldn’t act that way with the other characters (Amane was also clingy with Nene before he fell for her). Think of it this way, you don’t see Akane holding Teru’s hand or confessing his undying love to Nene. Characters are going to act differently in their platonic relationships vs. romantic/sexual, and we don’t see that difference with the Yugi twins

A difference we do see with them, however, is that Tsukasa isn’t physically aggressive with Hanako the way he is with everyone else. He never attacks him or tries to hurt him, in fact every time he sees him he gets overjoyed and tackles him in a hug. He has no problem hurting him emotionally and mentally, but we never see any physical aggression between the two. This leads me to believe that the SA theory is invalid, it doesn’t line up with how Tsukasa treats Hanako currently or in any of the flashbacks. If anything sexual took place between them, it would have had to be consensual, because the more solid evidence backing this theory focuses on Hanako’s side of things. He’s very possessive of Tsukasa, and he doesn’t experience a trauma response when they’re touching normally. If it’s an intense scene and Tsukasa is telling him horrible things while touching him, then he freezes in place and starts crying. But when Tsukasa is just hugging or clinging to him, he only gets embarrassed. Hanako does show some signs of PTSD, but that trauma is rooted in him killing Tsukasa. If the trauma were anything sexual, we would see him experience those same trauma responses he displays in violent scenes when Tsukasa touches him in any context. At the very least, we’d see him get way more uncomfortable than being mildly annoyed

(Note: I am aware that not everyone reacts to trauma and PTSD the same way. I do not have any trauma of my own so I am going off what I have heard throughout my life from others sharing their stories. I am in no way trying to invalidate anyone’s experiences, no matter how you react to your abuser your feelings are valid and I hope you get the help you need)

Another common piece of evidence used is that Hanako is hypersexual. I believe this is a serious misuse of the term, hypersexuality is so much more than being a pervert. People who are hypersexual usually think about sex all the time, they engage in excessive sexual behaviors and even think about it in completely normal contexts. This is a common response to many types of trauma, not just sexual. It’s a way for people to gain back control after they’ve been abused, or sometimes it’s a problem that arises from porn addictions or a weird relationship with sex. Even if Hanako were hypersexual, that wouldn’t necessarily indicate SA. He has canonical trauma aside from that, and it could also come from the pent-up frustration of being a middle schooler for 58 years

This is another situation where we have to account for the context. You can’t just take one element of a character’s canon personality and run with it, that’s the leading cause of mischaracterization. You have to consider how that behavior lines up with their other traits. Hanako is an allosexual boy who has been 13 for literal decades. Middle school boys are already one of the horniest species on our planet, it’s an awkward time when you’ve just learned those feelings exist and what they mean but you’re not emotionally mature enough to do anything about it. That usually goes away in the next few years when teens start getting into relationships. Now imagine that feeling staying with you for fifty-eight years. That’s over half a lifetime of being stuck in a transitional period. You have so many strong feelings, but you can’t do anything about them. Not just because of maturity, but because there’s no one to do them with. It makes sense that you wouldn’t know how to act when you get your first girlfriend (not excusing any of his weird behavior btw, frustration is not an excuse and it doesn’t make the way he treats Nene and Aoi okay. But it’s still important to understand his reasons, especially in this context)

I also want to note something I don’t see pointed out often, which is that most of the major scenes of Hanako’s pervertedness occur when he’s talking to Kou. TBHK has a very realistic portrayal of male friendship imo, and this is one of those examples. Having a girlfriend isn’t the only thing Hanako’s missed out on, he also hasn’t been able to make any friends his own age. He’s trying to get Kou to engage in “locker room talk” as a way to bond with him. Whether he’s trying to convince him to share his own preferences, or just wanting to mess with him, it brings them closer in a way. One of the main ways Hanako expresses affection is by annoying people, but I do think part of it is because he wants to be able to talk about hot girls with his only male friend. Sadly, he got stuck with the only middle school boy who respects women

We as a fandom tend to focus on these scenes as “omg Hanako’s a pervert,” or for people that ship him with Kou it’s “aww he’s teasing his boyfriend,” but I think the purpose is more-so to build a realistic friendship dynamic. I find it funny that the fandom as a whole leans more into the teasing explanation whether they ship Hanako and Kou or not, it’s funny to me that we all automatically go with the gay interpretation. But Hanako often uses jokes to cover up his deeper feelings, he acts like he doesn’t care when he actually cares very deeply. So him playing up his pervertedness in an attempt to make friends seems very on brand

My last piece of evidence against this theory is a bit silly and a lot of ya’ll aren’t going to want to hear this but Hanako is most likely straight

*the crowd boos me*

I know, I know, I love the bi headcanon too and I think it makes sense, but unlike with some of the other characters I don’t think it has a place in canon. He acts overly friendly with Kou sometimes but if you’re going to assume they’re queercoded, you have to assume the same about Aoi and Nene (both affectionate friendship that look a little queer sometimes). Shipping aside I read them as a purely platonic duo, if there are feelings on either side then it’s more likely Kou since he’s bisexual. Lots of people point out the scene where he flirts with Kou as a girl, and I agree that was gay af but I kinda think he was just trying to mess with him. And keep in mind that the first thing he wanted to do as a girl was look at girls changing in the locker room (yuri yuri lesbian yuri wlw gay gay lesbian yuri)

This isn’t to bash anyone’s headcanons btw, I headcanon Hanako as bisexual and I do ship him with Kou. I’m just saying that I wouldn’t bet my money on him being intended to be bi in canon. In my post about possibly bisexual TBHK characters I included him as an honorable mention, I just haven’t seen enough substantial evidence so far to believe he was intended to be interpreted that way

I’m aware that sexuality isn’t the biggest obstacle for Tsukasa and Amane, but it’s a relevant mention. If Hanako doesn’t like men, I doubt he’d want to be with his brother of all men. Even if he liked men that would be a terrible option. AidaIro have also confirmed in one of their official arts/doodle skits that Nene is Hanako’s first love, which further leads me to believe nothing happened between him and Tsukasa. You don’t get with your sibling if you’re not ride or die about it. And as I mentioned before, anything that happened between them would have had to be consensual in order to be in-character and line up with the evidence surrounding the incest theory

Lastly, I do believe the love between the brothers is somewhat genuine. It’s horribly toxic, Hanako left Tsukasa in some sort of void for decades and now he continues to keep him around as a yorishiro despite knowing it makes Tsukasa miserable. He loves him so much that he can’t let him go even when it would be good for Tsukasa. That’s selfish, it’s toxic, and on Tsukasa’s side things aren’t much better. He adores his brother but he also resents him for everything he’s done. He hurts him emotionally and attacks his friends. And, of course, Amane killed Tsukasa. Not exactly Brother of the Year

But through all of this, you can’t deny that the love is there. Fans who believe Amane hates Tsukasa kind of miss the point, Tsukasa wouldn’t be Amane’s yorishiro if he hated him. He loves him dearly but in a very complicated way. Adding romance or lust to that love frankly doesn’t make sense to me, it’s adds an unnecessary layer that doesn’t line up with the rest of their dynamic. It feels like a “yes and” to their story. I have read analyses that explain both sides, and ultimately I remain against this theory

I hope this helped you understand my perspective!! I tried to be fair to both sides but as I mentioned, I’m very biased. This is a very uncomfortable subject so it was difficult to write about, but I like tackling more complex topics. I don’t block people who believe this theory unless I dislike the way they talk about it, some people insist it’s canon to the point of hating Tsukasa for it or saying the series is bad. But for those that are more open-minded about this theory, I don’t mind interacting with them. In general though this is something I try not to think about lol

[genocidehim]

Lalo and Nacho both becoming obsessed with you after you serve them at a restaurant and stealing you away to be a part of their throuple

notes: gender neutral, throuple, unhealthy obsession, smut, superficial description of sex scenes, unhealthy non-canonical behaviour. words: 719

Normally, Nacho didn't usually coincide much with Lalo, both had completely different personalities and very opposing ideas, but in that way they fit together quite well as a rather... complicated couple.

But if there was one thing they both immediately agreed on, it was the attraction they felt for you when you attended to them that night at the restaurant where you worked.

What had you done to get both of their attention at once? Nacho wondered, and Lalo preferred to keep his deductions to himself. It could have been your kindness in serving them, perhaps the way you looked, because of course, physical attraction was a very powerful factor in this attraction, but there was something else, and Nacho wasn't sure.

Over time, that small liking turned into an obsession. Lalo wasted no time investigating you while Nacho refused to participate in the silent stalking. However, he was always the first to ask Lalo about the things he had discovered about you; name, family, economic status, and even your romantic relationships.

Lalo seemed fascinated with you, as if his idealized version of you was slowly filling the void that had changed between him and Nacho like the missing piece.

Lalo was convincing, he managed to sweeten his ideas to Nacho so that he began to fantasize about the idea of both possessing you, having you under their control, using you for their pleasure. Nacho didn't seem very convinced with the idea if it involved your lack of consent, but Lalo assured him that it wouldn't be like that, that you would fall for them if they played their cards right.

It was a two-against-one hunt, and unfortunately, you were not prepared for what was to come.

Their lunches and dinners at the restaurant where you worked became more and more common. Then unexpected encounters at parties you attended started happening until that pair became a recurring part of your life, not just regular customers. When you waited on them, they always followed the same dynamic; Lalo was bold in flirting with you and very explicit, while Nacho played the role of the quiet guy who gave you sweet looks and small smiles.

You noticed how both of them seemed to be able to coexist happily while trying to get your attention at the same time, without any jealousy or annoyed looks from either of them, as if they were playing on a team. And that was exciting, having two very attractive men joining forces to capture your attention.

At some point where they knew your work schedule and had enough time to offer to take you home, the topic was approached and it came up naturally.

Against all odds, Nacho was the first to take the step when they were alone. An unexpected kiss at the entrance of your house that ended in some passionate and sweet sex. Then came Lalo, who approached you in his own car while taking you home. He couldn't hold back his desires and had to park in the middle of a lonely road to fuck you against the back seat until you were dizzy and speechless.

Then came the mutual flirting, then the shared caresses. Lalo loved to approach your mouth and take care of your lips while Nacho used his skilled hands to caress and masturbate your pussy until it was dripping and squirting.

Although those encounters were infrequent, they intensified when both agreed that you should be part of their strange non-formal relationship. Now their sexual encounters were more common and needy, ending with one of them fucking you while the other was masturbated to exhaustion by you. But when obsession became the main theme of that dynamic, everything got worse for you.

Now you practically lived at Lalo's house, and he started making excuses for you not to go to work. Then came your resignation and ruined friendships due to Lalo's possessiveness, under the harsh gaze of Nacho, who didn't seem to agree with ruining your life just to keep you close to them. However, he was a very hypocritical asshole because deep down, Nacho loved the idea of knowing that you would be available for some casual sex twenty-four hours a day.

Both of them were obsessively possessive of you, but one hid it better than the other.

[jupiterswasphouse]

WASP REVIEW - BUZZLEGUM (VIVA PIÑATA)

[Image ID: A render of Buzzlegum from Viva Piñata /End ID.]

Now this is a pretty fun design! Admittedly, I don't know much about this franchise, as I completely missed its seemingly fairly brief and small peak, and the designs within the game seem fairly fantastical in nature (being that they are, quite literally, piñatas), which makes this a bit of a tough one, but I think there's still enough to work with!

First off, almost nothing here is segmented accurately, having one real body segment, fairly straight (just barely curved) single-segment antennae, and stubby little legs that don't seem to have any joints. I get the feeling the artists were a lot more used to working with squishy, vertebrate designs, which is fair enough, there's only so much you can do with a simplistic piñata design, but either way, this is further confirmed with the shape of the head, which is almost sock-puppet-like, with eyes that resemble that of a small bird. Always disappointing to me when depictions of insects don't show off how truly wild their mouthparts can be!

[Image Source: Wikimedia Commons | Image ID: A colored diagram showing the mouthparts of a grasshopper (A), honey bee (B), butterfly (C), and mosquito (D) /End ID.]

Furthermore with the fact that their body segments are fused, their coloration seems mostly the same throughout where the meta- and mesosoma would be on a real honey bee, which isn't entirely accurate, as the stripes are all on the metasoma of a real honey bee but stop as soon as we reach the more solidly colored mesosoma. This design reads more like some solitary bumble bees, even though in gameplay this bee is closer too a honey bee. I like the patterns though! They also seem a bit too wide for a honey bee, more like a carpenter bee or bumble bee here as well.

[Image Source: Jupiter's Wasp House, ie Myself, and Honey Bee Suite | Image ID: A photo of a black and yellow/orange honey bee on a human finger, followed by a photo of a bumble bee in flight /End IDs.]

The legs are a bit too far apart, reaching down to about where the metasoma would be, when they should be all connected to the mesosoma. But at least they have the right number of legs! The same, unfortunately, cannot be said for the wing count, as they appear to have two wings as opposed to the requisite four wings, they're also slightly too far back, if we want to include the "neck" as part of the mesosoma area here.

As for their behaviors, they seem fairly straight forward. They do seem to possess stingers according to one line on the wiki but whether or not they use it is unclear to me. They do, though, nest in hives, which can be bought without necessarily having to be entirely produced by the bees themselves, about accurately to how beekeepers in the real world do it! Presumably, from their, the Buzzlegums would produce wax combs within, but this doesn't seem to be shown, and the idea of it is further thrown for a bit of a loop by the fact that there are, inaccurately enough, two, entirely separate hives for housing and for the collection of honey, as opposed to how real honey bees would store their honey in combs of their hive. On the other hand, the main hive does appear to be quite literally overflowing with honey, so why the honey isn't just collected from there is a complete mystery to me.

[Image Source: wildalongtheway | Image IDs: Two renders, one of the Buzzlebee Home and the other of the Honey Hive, followed by a real photo of an abandoned wild honey bee hive in a tree /End IDs.]

The Buzzlegums, of course, produce honey by way of visiting a flower in the garden. They seem to have a fairly neutral effect on the flowers they visit, instead of having a particularly positive effect by way of pollination, but it at least gets the part of bees having to visit flowers to feed and produce honey right!

They also appear to get angry around and fight with Raisants, which is accurate enough if one or the other invades a bee or ant nest, but not necessarily the case if they encounter one another out in the open. Also, I have to say, the Raisants have notably more accurate designs, but that's a story for another time.

For now, all in all, I can only dock so many points for inaccuracies given the premise and world of the game, but they're just alright in my books not much more or much less! They're fairly cute but don't drop much of the goods when you really crack them open, so they'll be leaving the fiesta with a score in hand that isn't all too bad but doesn't exactly wow the entomological tastebuds...

-

Overall: 5/10

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This wasp was suggested by an anonymous user, leave your wasp review suggestion in the replies, tags, or askbox!

[adarkrainbow]

How did Perrault and Madame d'Aulnoy portray fairies? Were they any different from each other? If so, how?

Oh yes there are major differences between the two (even though they are both supposed to be from the same universe, according to madame d'Aulnoy).

Now, they have a lot in common. All women knowing powerful magic. All equiped with magic wands. All experts at transformations, on themselves or others. All mistresses of occult art and with a gift of prescience. Stuff like that.

However the main difference between Perrault's fairies and madame d'Aulnoy's fairies would be... I'll say moral alignment?

There is no "wicked" or "evil" fairy in Perrault's fairytales. All of his fairies are good or neutral. As opposed to madame d'Aulnoy's fairytales where fairies are clearly and neatly divided into good fairies and evil fairies. It is especially spectacular because madame d'Aulnoy was the first one to do what I would call the "Glinda vs Witch of the West" dichotomy - all of her good fairies being these beautiful, tall, young ladies covered in riches and somptuous dress (or beautiful weapons when they are more soldier-like), while all of her evil fairies are these deformed, monstrous, ugly and frightening things - dressed in rags or in animal skin, too tall or too small, collecting difformities or so thin you can literaly see through their skin... (Though one has to be careful, as good fairies can turn evil due to conflict of interest, evil fairies can also turn good if turns out a higher power is not on their side, and these ugly wicked fairies can disguise themselves as beautiful nymphs, the same way the pretty good fairies can disguise themselves as repulsive animals or ugly hags, but the point stays that there's a neat divide of "good versus evil")

That's not the case with Perrault, where all the fairies seem to be on a "good neutrality" as I'll call, where they all pretty much just put curses on people if they are offended or someone failed a ceremony, but the rest of the time try to help people around.

The most jarring example would be how the episode of the "fairy baptism" are treated.

In Perrault's Sleeping Beauty, the fairy who puts the curse is not particularly evil. She is just offended and angry at having been left out and ignored, and she thus places her curse more as a retaliation towards the parents for not showing her the honor required, not out of any evil intention (it is similar to the fairy in Diamons and Toads who curses those that insult her, like the wicked sister). Meanwhile when you look at babies that receive curses in madame d'Aulnoy's stories, the cursing fairy usually is very clearly a wicked and evil person. In "Princess Mayblossom" or "The Green Snake", the cursing fairies are the evil Carabosse or Magotine, a far cry from the elder neutral force that is the old fairy of Perrault's Sleeping Beauty. The closest equivalent there is to her is the Crayfish Fairy from "The Hind in the Woods", who is actually a fairy that just got offended and insulted by not being invited but otherwise is not an evil person per se.

In fact the Crayfish Fairy is this one example of a "good fairy turned evil" I evoked before, as she starts out helping the queen, but then turns on her the minute she is not properly rewarded. Opposed to her would be the unnamed fairy of "Gracieuse and Percinet", who works for the antagonist the entire time, until she discovers that Gracieuse became the favorite of the queen of fairies (and is the girlfrend of the queen's son) and quickly makes sure to "repair" her mistake by straight up murdering her former boss. And if you want an example of one of those ugly fairies disguising herself as beautful - the Fairy of the Desert, from The Yellow Dwarf.

In summary; madame d'Aulnoy was the one who actually created this common fairytale idea of wicked fairies versus good fairies (it isn't much surprising when you remember she literaly invented the name "Carabosse" which became the most famous name of any evil fairy), whereas Perrault stayed by a more "benevolent but still neutral" idea of fairies.

Also, that's something I think Tony Gheeraert highlighted - in madame d'Aulnoy's stories fairies are explicitely immortals. In Perrault's stories it is vaguely implied they can die - simply because of how the old fairy from Sleeping Beauty was thought to have maybe died due to how long she didn't come out of her tower.

Outside of that both types wield wands, both types have tons of awesome powers, and both types have a thing for otherwordly chariots pulled by the strangest beasts - dragons being a huge favorite among fairy steeds.

[deeply-unserious-fellow]

In the mood to give my weird, probably biased WOY hot take rn so here it goes: Wander and Hater would not last in a romantic relationship.

Like, I do GET the appeal of them as a pairing? It's enemies to lovers! Everybody loves a good enemies to lovers. Plus, WOY really LOVES doing that thing where they throw a LOT of romance coding into non-romantic relationships(Deathglare gets a lot of this too lmao), and Wander is just like. Weirdly flirty? With Hater especially but also just in general. Like I get the impression that that man fucks. He and Jeff have probably had a one-night stand. But I don't think their personalities are compatible for a long-term romantic relationship.

First of all: they're both really impulsive and flighty. Which I guess could work in a relationship if both partners were completely insync with eachother, but Wander and Hater. Aren't. They are not. Plus, putting two people with short attention spans together with nobody to keep them in check is a RECIPE for disaster. There's also Hater's temper, which I don't think any amount of character development would be able to take out completely, and Wander's penchant for frustrating. Everybody. He is a very frustrating person to be around. And while I don't think a long-term romantic SkeletonDance would turn ABUSIVE, like that is ABSOLUTELY taking it too far, I do think it would be VERY unstable. They have the EXACT wrong traits in common, and the traits they DON'T have in common just straight up don't mesh well. I could see them getting together impulsively, because there is some chemistry there, but eventually the relationship would deteriorate from a combination of opposing values and goals, mutual short attention spans, and Wander getting on Hater's nerves. They'd break up, and depending on the circumstances it could end up VERY MESSY. They work better, in the long term, as friends then as romantic partners.

SO, now to address my biases, because there are a few, and I think it's important to acknowledge any potential flaws in your perspective while making an argument. First one being: I just prefer other Hater ships? Like yall know me, I'm a Deathglare girlie til the end lmfao. They're LITERALLY my OTP, you can see the influence the pairing has had on me in pretty much every other ship I've obsessed over since. But like... I'm also a multishipper, and Deathglare isn't exempt from that. I don't have any alternate pairings for Peepers(because he doesn't really interact w/ anybody outside of the main 4 and Dom for some reason and I don't like him w/ any of them except Hater), but I DO have a pretty big one for Hater, and that's Skullhunter(Hater x Ripov). Idk I just think they're kinda cute! And uh. Also a rarepair. Like there's NO content for them omfg- probably because Ripov only had one episode and there are already much more popular Hater pairings... bUT I'm getting off topic, what does this have to do with my potential anti-Skeletondance bias? Well, both of my Hater ships are VASTLY overshadowed by Skeletondance. Like I think Skeletondance is the MAIN pairing in the WOY fandom, and both of my prefered Hater ships kinda get left in the dust, at least in terms of content volume. I believe that at least part of what leads people to hate on popular things in a desire to have what THEY like be mainstream so it's easier to find a community, and I am not exempt from that. I generally like to believe I'm neutral on Skeletondance overall, but there might be some subconcious jelousy directed towards people who prefer Skeletondance that makes me think the pairing just wouldn't work. Also, I headcannon Wander as aromantic, which definitely influences my interpretation of their relationship akrngosmfmekkfoemfke

So uh, yeah. That's why I don't think Skeletondance would work long term, plus a little dissection of things that might've skewed my perspective a bit! Idk why I made this tbh, I might be going insane-

[fromsupernaturaltof1]

hihi was just wondering what your thoughts on daniel's performance? i promise this is NOT hate i love this smiling man so much😭😭 but do you think he has a real shot at an rb seat? he seems really low on the standings and his car stopped for a sec in jeddah i believe? (correct me if i'm wrong tho)

So what are you thinking? I think this season a lot of it depends on how much he can improve and whether or not Christian stays because I believe he has a lot of influence on Danny switching to rb but i'd like better/ more accurate insight :)

sorry it took me so long to answer, I was at work!

there're two different things here, Daniel's performance and the redbull seat.

let's start with the performance:

I promise you, it's not as bad as it looks. the 2 race weekends are easily explainable. Bahrain quali was his fault, he made a mistake and also the car didn't have enough front end for Daniel's preference, they only fixed that IN the race. Saudi qualifying, he made a mistake in one corner and dropped 4 tenths (his gap to Yuki is around 1 tenths all things considered), this time there was too much front, basically they haven't found the sweet spot of the car balance that Daniel would be most comfortable in. Daniel matched Yuki in all the places except one corner. compare that to his mcl days where he was lacking everywhere compared to Lando as shown below:

His race pace is by all accounts either matching Yuki or faster:

(fyi there was something wrong with his car in Saudi too not to mention the pitstop, the assumption rn is the sensors, we don't know how much that affected his race, see here)

He just needs to fix his qualifying and find the right car balance.

now the redbull seat, there's a lot of external circumstances that dictate whether he gets the seat or not, it's not just on his performance, it on Checo's, it's on who is in control of redbull racing and whether they think Daniel will be better for the team (not just on performance) or not. we need a bit more time to pass before it becomes clearer where it's going. I believe he has a great shot. As far as I know , both the Austrian side and the Thai side like him. He's almost neutral when it comes to that. Probably the only common ground atm lol. Max would NOT oppose to have him and he gets on well with Jonathan Wheatley (and Horner like you said). Checo will struggle as we go to tracks that don't suit him, if Daniel starts performing by then, he'll be back in the conversation. F1 is a pendulum that keeps swinging all the time and it swings fast!

I hope it answers your questions 😅

[guess-that-ship]

S10 Round 1

Not the sharpest bisexuals in the shed

Red's job is to kill people. He has a very annoying second best friend who seems like a tagalong, but is actually terrifyingly competent. Second Best Friend (2BF) has no other friends, possibly due to his spectacular failure to act normal around anyone, ever, and is some twisted type of lawful neutral with a carveout for whatever Red needs, while Red's only other friend is an animal and his sense of morality is a caricature of jingoism—until now, when he's starting to regret his past. They're very violent, and they're both really, really dumb.

2BF is obsessed with Red, way more than Red is with him. However, 2BF is fiercely loyal to him and only him, making him the most reliable backup Red will ever have, and giving 2BF a reason to be more careful about who he kills. When Red chokes, 2BF has his back. Where others are inclined to use Red's dad as leverage, 2BF is very protective of Red and understands the dad as an abuser, as opposed to Red being his legacy. 2BF is also the one who can get through to Red when Red is making bad choices. In spite of 2BF's inability to process emotions in a typical way, he manages to get Red to talk about his own feelings, albeit through the dumbest conversations possible.

While they build good relationships with other coworkers, no one quite gets them like they do each other. They have fun together. They have threesomes (still gay if it's a three way). They blow up shit for giggles and accidentally injure each other and laugh about it. 2BF would die for Red if he had to—but he'd rather kill for him. Red, for his part, appreciates the deepening of their relationship from surface level antics to serious emotional sharing.

The Saviour and The Tainted

cw: attempted murder, burying someone alive

The island is all she ever knew, and by birthright it was rightfully hers to inherit. But soon as the legal proceedings finished, a mysterious Oracle knocked at her door to point an accusing finger at the Tainted one, declaring her unfit for the role. Only she, the Oracle, could be the rightful leader of this island. Within the blink of an eye, the Tainted lost all she ever had and became a prisoner in her own home. One night, however, a man snuck into her house, with promises to bring justice to her and end the Oracle’s corrupt reign. She agreed and played along, though she easily saw through the facade---this “man” was actually a woman in disguise. Whatever reason the Savior had to hide her identity, the Tainted one remained weary.

The Savior kept visiting her at night for months to come to bring news of the outside world, but with every late night spent together sharing secrets, the air between them shifted. An alliance to defeat a common enemy turned into something more affectionate, and nightly debriefs turned into shared moments until the early hours of the morning. But old habits die hard, so the Tainted one decided to ruin what they had before the Savior could break her heart or betray her. Just as the Savior finally bared her heart to her, the Tainted held the Saviour close to her and snuck the incriminating flower in her hair, and watched as the other woman, who fell into her trap, grew dizzy and confused as she writhed in pain. The Tainted could do no more as her beloved collapsed, and was carried off to be buried alive.

Against all odds, the Savior survived and crawled her way out, for she made a promise she had to fulfill. With a little help she brought down the Oracle and her accomplice, revealing the truth behind the island’s mysterious ruler. Her mission accomplished, the Savior left the island and took the freed woman's heart with her. The woman had her home and freedom restored, yet what her heart truly desired will never be within her reach again.

[plethoraworldatlas]

In the weeks leading up to President Biden's withdrawal from the presidential race, most of the editorial boards, party activists, and elected officials calling for him to end his reelection campaign focused on only one issue: age.

But there was another reason President Biden needed to drop out: Gaza.

Long before President Biden's debate meltdown sparked panic in the Democratic establishment, his support for the Israeli government's war in Gaza sparked outrage in the Democratic base, where 56 percent of the party's supporters have described the war as a genocide.

At least half a million Democratic voters protested President Biden's support for the Gaza genocide by voting uncommitted or submitting blank ballots during the presidential primaries earlier this year, including over 100,000 people in Michigan, 88,000 in North Carolina and 46,000 in Minnesota.

Over 1 in 5 Democrats or independents in key swing states said they were less likely to vote for President Biden due to the war, according to a YouGov-AJP-Action poll in May. Over a quarter of those voters said that an immediate and lasting ceasefire, full entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and conditions on military aid for Israel’s war were the minimum policy changes needed to secure or solidify their votes for Biden.

Many Democratic voters were alienated even more by President Biden's failure to call out reports of anti-Palestinian racism and Islamophobic violence with the same fervor he uses to call out reports of antisemitic rhetoric, as well as his criticism of the diverse, overwhelmingly peaceful student protests on college campuses.

Frustrated voters included Muslim Americans, Arab Americans, Black Americans, young people and others who helped carry him to victory in 2020. If those voters ended up supporting third party candidates or boycotting the presidential race altogether in November—as some promised to do if Biden remained on the ticket and did not change course—they could have easily tipped the results in Michigan and other key swing states.

Now that President Biden has withdrawn from the presidential race, Vice President Kamala Harris has a chance to turn the page, chart a new course, and win back those voters, including American Muslims.

That's what our coalition of American Muslim political organizations is calling on her to do.

Vice President Harris has already neutralized the concerns of voters worried about President Biden's age. Now she must address the concerns of voters who opposed his support for the war on Gaza.

Many American Muslims are open to supporting Vice President Harris if she distances herself from President Biden's Gaza policy, respectfully engages with all of our community leaders, picks a vice presidential nominee who does not have a history of explicit hostility towards our community like Governor Josh Shapiro, and commits to concrete policy proposals that would stop the genocide, end the broader occupation of the Palestinian people, and establish a just peace.

Taking these steps will set her apart from not only President Biden, but also from President Trump.

Most American Muslims do not want Donald Trump to return to office for perhaps obvious reasons. The former president has made it clear that he plans to round up undocumented immigrants as part of the largest mass deportation in American history, reinstate the Muslim Ban, stack the federal civil service with political loyalists, and pursue a foreign policy just as or even more, immoral than President Biden’s foreign policy.

...

Vice President Harris now has the opportunity to contrast herself with Trump on this issue in ways President Biden could not. She has already built up some goodwill in the American Muslim community by using a noticeably more humane tone when discussing Palestinian suffering compared to others in the administration.

[sky-is-the-limit]

The bucktommy shippers really don’t understand anything related to this show to a baffling degree. A lot of them have literally just started watching the show since bi Buck became canon and they just have no clue what they’re talking about. I have been here since the beginning of season 3, and have been a dedicated Buddie shipper not because I just want to see men kiss but because they genuinely have the potential to be an amazing queer slowburn and their chemistry is top tier. Anyway I just want to say a few things.

Firstly, we don’t dislike the finale because of one 55 scene bffr. We dislike the finale because it took away a daughter from a lesbian couple and gave her to a straight couple (albeit probably temporarily), because the pacing was super weird and nothing seemed to have any emotional weight, and because they brought back a geriatric racist misogynist freak of a man for no reason.

Also the “Ryan doesn’t want Eddie to be gay” stuff is nonsense. Ryan is literally the person who came up with Buddie as a shipname, I’m dead serious him and Oliver were discussing what it would be and Ryan picked Buddie! He’s been supportive of the ship since the very beginning. He’s always said that he’s open to the possibility of Buddie happening. Him referring to Eddie as heterosexual means literally nothing because Oliver was also obviously not calling Buck bi before it became canon in the show. Ryan calls Eddie hetero because that’s canon, he can’t just say whatever he has to stick to what is shown in the show. Also they’re very conveniently forgetting the interviews with Ryan that were released after the finale in which he says that Eddie is no longer looking for a mother for Chris, that with Buck he can see what it’s like to have someone at his side to always have his back as opposed to how it was with his ex-wife, and he also used the word partner and referred to Eddie’s future love interest in a gender neutral way.

On top of that Oliver is a very transparent guy, he’s an actor but he can’t pretend to like people or storylines for the life of him. When Buck was together with Taylor, Oliver made it very clear how much he hated that ship on his social media. Now with BuckTommy he never shares or interacts with anything from that ship, the only time he did was some fanart of their first kiss and that makes a lot of sense because that’s when bi Buck became canon. But since then, not a word from him, the only things he posts and interacts with are Buddie related or just more generally related to the whole show. It’s very clear what his preference is, and even though he isn’t the writer he’s still number 3 on the call sheet and if he cannot be bothered to put his all into BuckTommy scenes because he hates that ship, eventually the writers won’t really have a choice.

Also anyone with common sense can tell after that finale that Buddie are endgame, it’s so incredibly clear which ship has the chemistry and emotional depth to last in the long-term, and it’s not the ones in that 55 second scene.

I hear you!!!

My main concern with this entire discourse, is that people are putting words into the acotrs' mouths and share it as factual.

I don't have much to add due to my extremely limited (to zero) knowledge but yesterday I watched another episode from s6 (I tune in whenever they show a random episode at 2am 😭) where Buck passed out on Eddie's couch as he was getting them beers and that was such a cute, intimate scene!! I can definitely see the chemistry between the characters.

[mitspeiler]

whole hog for my girl jila julianna and whichever other incarnations

My darling girl Jileyna, originally known as Julianna and affectionately nicknamed Jila by the people (you).

✨- How did you come up with the OC’s name?

Julianna originally was just a name I picked with very little logic behind it. I needed a ttrpg character to play and extropolated "Julianna" from Julian of Norwich, a spiritual writer (she was originally a D&D cleric!). Jileyna came about from mangling her name a bit (with @fvriva's help) so it could keep some of the same sounds but not sound western, when I changed her setting from the Forgotten Realms to my original setting.

🌼 - How old are they? (Or approximate age range)

24-25. Her exact age isn't known because she was a foundling.

🌺- Do they have any love interest(s)?

Yes and no. fvriva is pushing for her to hook up with her OC, Baran, for thematic reasons. I'm not opposed to it. Whenever i get back to the Areatam novel though, she will probably have a different love interest.

🍕 - What is their favorite food?

For a proper meal it's the red gourd curry she makes. The red gourd is a staple food in areatam, hearty and grows anywhere, so this is a fairly common food, enjoyed largely by peasants and religious ascetics. That said she develops a taste for sweets. In D&D her favorite food was tiramisu.

💼 - What do they do for a living?

Julianna is a religious ascetic; in D&D she was a cleric with an acolyte background. In Areatam she is alternately referred to as a nun or monk by players, depending on what's funniest, though the actual word used in the setting is bhante which is gender neutral. She lived and worked in a large temple, where all the bhantes take turns doing all the essential tasks for maintaining the temple. However, in D&D she was an illuminator.

🎹 - Do they have any hobbies?

She likes cooking best of all the work she does at the temple, and draws on her own time. She continues to do these things outside of it.

🎯 -What do they do best?

What she does best is dole out massive amounts of damage with the destructive magical power welling up inside of her. Followed by cooking.

🥊 -What do they love to do? What do they hate to do?

Jileyna loves her hobbies, and sitting in prayerful contemplation, and successfully commanding the lightning. She hates unsuccessfully commanding the lightning, because she hates feeling like she is bad at things, which is common due to her being rather clumsy.

❤️ - What is one of your OC’s best memories?

As Julianna, it was an incident in which she finessed a social interaction in a dungeon. The party entered a neutral goblin camp and watched an improvised performance of a play they were putting on. Julianna transcribed and illustrated the play and sold it back to the goblin leader for information, earning the approval of the party. In Areatam, Jileyna's best memories are yet to form, though she likes to remember the free time she spent discussing philosophy and the shaping arts with her mentor Sebron.

✂️ - What is one of your OC’s worst memories?

In D&D, it would be the day they fought Tiamat, a horrific battle in which one party member died. Though the party emerged victorious, and Tiamat was slain (by Jila's own hand even!) it was a dark day that she would not soon relive.

🧊 - Is their current design the first one?

Nope! As Jila originated in D&D her appearance was originally more western, featuring blonde hair. Her equipment was more western in style and she was also more muscular. Now she is thinner, dark haired, and has glasses. My artist and party members insist she is flat-chested too though I have made it clear she is not lmao

🍀 - What originally inspired the OC?

A former friend and I were crafting a setting whose premise was that the earth and a fantasy world merged together in some kind of cosmic event. I started making up random characters, of which I vaguely got the idea for a half-elf cleric who was a devout christian and the daughter of Zeus. This was a joke character, and I pared the premise down to actually be like, good

🌂 - What genre do they belong in?

High fantasy always

💚 - What is your OC’s gender identity and sexuality?

Pansexual cis female

🙌 - How many sibling does your OC have?

None, but also hundreds of brother and sister bhantes.

🍎 - What is the OC’s relationship w/their parents like?

She does not have parents, though in the D&D setting she was originally going to be my bard character's half sister. This did not however wind up going anywhere. In Areatam I plan to leave the idea of her birth parents entirely untouched. They don't matter. In terms of having an adult figure that raised and influenced though, she could be said to have two father figures, Sebron, a soldier who retired into the cloth, and Abbot Behoom. They both mentored her in different ways, though of the two Sebron is more fatherly while Behoom is more paternalistic. If that makes sense at all lmao. She likes them both though.

🧠 - What do you like most about the OC?

I like how she grew out of being a joke character into an actual good character that I like and enjoy writing thinking about. That can't be said for all my joke characters

✏️ - How often do you draw/write about the OC?

Pretty often. I have used her in 3 rpg campaigns (one fell through, the other was fun but I didn't feel fulfilled in terms of character growth, the third is ongoing) and I have also written a few chapters of a novel set in her new original setting.

💎 - Do you ever see yourself killing off the OC?

No she is going to live forever

💀 - Does your OC have any phobias?

No, though she is full of religious terror over the concept of corruption. In Areatam certain actions and behaviors accrue corruption, which is like a physical manifestation of sin. It alters your magic to become uncontrollable and causes you to become evil. Many people over the course of their lives will accrue a small amount of corruption but it's definitely looked down upon to have any significant amount, even before it starts becoming actually dangerous.

🍩 -Who is your OC’s arch-nemesis or rival?

None relly but let's say Tiamat for fun

🎓 🍥 - How long have you had the OC?

uhhhh 2018 I think