#(so lbr you know you want to)

[claraoswalds]

#mrs flood who are you: time lord edition

[beatcroc]

something about perspective, representation, or finding beauty in imperfection, i don't know. i mostly just wanted to say that fake pep looks like shitty ice cream.

[dollypopup]

hm. idk, maybe the reason Luke Newton isn't announcing new projects or posting any Bridgerton content is because some of you demons treated him like hot trash instead of a creative that you wanted more work from and he decided fuck it, this isn't worth the stress. you know, like a lot of creatives who get mistreated do?

like this is a man who went from couch surfing in a friend's house and bartending to make ends meet, deciding that the Bridgerton audition was the last one he'd do before he quit, to suddenly being recognized on the street because that last audition propelled him to star in a global show where fans who have zero media comprehension blamed him for his character's actions and literally stalked him at any hotel he happens to stay at. he went from being a dude doing musical theatre and shopping at thrift stores and recording random songs with friends and posting silly memes on Twitter to being harassed on his only social media page and his friends insulted and his partners bullied by his supposed 'fans' and anything he posts being so microanalyzed that he can't do a damn thing without someone coming out the woodwork screaming about how he's the WORST and won't he think of the FANS!?

like damn he can't have a girlfriend without being harassed, he can't travel without being harassed, he can't like or not like social media posts without being harassed, he can't post a fucking MEME without being harassed, he can't take a vacation or cut his hair or hold someone's hand or just live his life without being blamed for some bullshit or another. but yeah, okay, 'when will Luke Newton come back?' as if it isn't your fault he's AWOL now

[essektheylyss]

I am absolutely agonizing over pov and narrators for this draft that I am literally nearly done with, and it did make me wonder how much importance other writers give these things. So I am running a poll.

To preface, the following notes and elaborations on the options:

"Crucial" would mean that it has a significant impact on your writing process up to and including impacting your ability to progress.

"Important but not crucial" would mean that you consider it, and it does have an impact on the story you're telling, but it does not significantly hinder your process.

"Inconsequential" would be something like, you kinda just pick something and go with it, and do not find yourself rethinking that later.

I ran out of room with the options regarding one or both being important at the start, but that can be either crucial or merely important. If you mess around with your pov or narrators within, say, the first 10% of a draft, but don't really worry about it once you feel like you've settled on something, these are the options for you.

If you feel so inclined, elaborate in the tags on what kinds of things you weigh when you think about one or both of these! I'm curious!

[lucienne-thee-librarian]

Just to minimize my chances of being genuinely misunderstood OR deliberately misinterpreted, and crucified for something I don't think, How Dare You Say We Piss on the Poor website etc...I'm gonna say this right up top. I absolutely understand why people don't like Thessaly as a character, if anyone does completely unironically stan her as some kind of feminist hero who Did Nothing Wrong uwu, I personally see it as a bit of a red flag. I don't like terfs real or fictional. In a vacuum, I could even completely sympathize and agree with the people who want her cut.

HOWEVER.

It's really something to me to see people clamoring for her to be cut, because she carries and expressed an ugly indefensible prejudice (transphobia) in words towards (1) person. Meanwhile Hob fucking Gadling enacted one of the most violent forms of antiblack racism I can even think of against thousands no, millions of people, the ripple effects of which still affect billions more today. Just a little light idk, profiting off the fucking slave trade and had to be told by someone else that it was bad...and he's a fan favorite.

People are saying Thessally being Dream's love interest reflects badly on him or is somehow endorsement by the narrative (?!?!?!?!?!? Didn't she (SPOILER ALERT AS IF IT MATTERS BY NOW) help participate in his extended assisted suicide? She's not painted as a great person to me just another character what are y'all SMOKING whatever fine. It's fine this is fine.) But shipping Dream with Mr. Former Slaver is not only not verboten or frowned on widely in the fandom but its THEE most popular pairing by far. So...why the difference?

Like where are the same fans who are saying Thessaly shouldn't just be more clearly shown to be wrong, she shouldn't even be in the show at all when it comes to Hobert's crimes??? Yes, transphobia is indefensible. Isn't racism?

And I hear the cries of "it's fiction!!!" Already rallying (if anyone who needs to hear this even sees it lol) to which I say:

HORSESHIT. I KNOW you don't, deep down, really agree because if you did, why get upset about Thessaly being included??? Why does what she said to one person matter if it's Just Fiction You Guyze. Fictional characters are allowed to do bad things and fiction isn't reality sweaty....except when you only apply that standard to fictional racists you like and simp for, but fictional transphobes you don't are SO HARMFUL they shouldn't even be portrayed in fiction.

Like. Give me a big fat BREAK. This looks like bullshit, no? I'm sorry, but I'd love for someone to try and give any other explanation besides one personally offended you or hit home for you, and the other doesn't.

And if that bothers you or you feel like it says something negative about you...idk what you want me to say??? You can't control how other people perceive you and that's how people outside this majority-of-the-fandom bubble see it. You don't need to respond, I just wish and genuinely hope this gives you a moment to think about why fans who ARE bothered by both (and not just paying lip service to being bothered by the one but railing against the other) are so frustrated with people saying everyone is welcome but in practice only bending over backwards for the comfort and emotions of themselves, and people they can easily relate to.

You don't have to like Thessaly (I don't. I find her an interesting antagonist, I don't stan her. And frankly imo likability is not. the point of her character) but you'll pardon me for feeling more than a bit cynical and side eying people's motivations for what seems a...pretty obvious double standard, on what fictional crimes related to real world issues matter to y'all, and which clearly don't. Either actually bring the same energy to the table for fictional people who committed atrocities, even if against a group you're not part of and thus don't feel the need to empathize with, or just carry on, but accept that you don't have the SLIGHTEST room to talk about cutting characters who do immoral things. And you also need to accept that you look like a hypocrite when you do.

[tennessoui]

au where jedi healers take a vow not unlike jedi temple guards, but instead of wearing a mask and becoming anonymous, they give up their sight and wear blindfolds to allow the Force to guide their every action. it’s also supposed to blind them to their patients’ differences, which used to be symbolic but since the war between the jedi and the sith broke out, has become much less so

because jedi healers are supposed to heal regardless of if their patient is a jedi or a sith, when they’re deployed on battlefields after the fighting is over, they use the Force to heal every injured person they come upon.

anakin skywalker, who was chosen from the creche and agreed to follow the Healing path at the age of 9, thinks it’s sort of stupid that they have to wait until after the fighting is over to begin to help because he can feel people dying in the Force, he can feel their pain--

young general kenobi, who remembers his old creche-mate anakin skywalker and how blue his eyes once were, thinks it’s beyond foolhardy that this healer is stealing out across an active battlefield, blindfold over his eyes and bending down to heal karking darth maul and single-handedly diverting all of obi-wan’s attention away from the droids and sith legion because now he has to make sure he’s ok he can’t just leave him to the whims of the Force, he’s unprotected and he’s going to get himself killed----

it’s a headache and a half for everyone involved because general kenobi keeps abandoning his battle strategy and sometimes even position to ensure healer skywalker’s safety and healer skywalker keeps dropping everything and everyone the moment he feels obi-wan kenobi get hurt in the Force to rush to his side, Force Vow of Healing Equality be damned.

but......the Council keeps deploying them to the same battlefield because healer skywalker is never more effective as when he knows he must heal fifty mortal wounds before he can rid general kenobi of a headache, and general kenobi is never as ruthless as when skywalker is on the field close to him, in potential harm’s way

despite how much they insist they hate each other 

[kitausuret]

Alright, I have to admit I have not kept up at all with the Carnage/Flash side of Venom comic verse these past few years, so - who is Aria? The few issues I've read centered on Flash during these wacky symbiote times did not contain her, and the Marvel comics wiki gives me nothing. But you have me curious.

Hey there, friend! You wanna know who Aria is? Well, that's exactly what I'm here for. You're right, though - I'm not sure she even has a wiki article yet. She doesn't even have a last name! But I'm all for those underappreciated characters, so, let's go.

(All the following panels will be by Gronbekk/Perez from Carnage 2023.)

(Carnage #1)

We first meet Aria as the bartender at the very on-the-nose-named "Pour Decisions" bar. "Wait, isn't Flash an alcoholic?" Well... yeah. But Aria doesn't know that. And As you can see by the narration, it doesn't have the same effect on him that it used to. But, you'll see this is just another demon he has to battle.

Aria is clearly familiar with Flash - he's become a regular by this point. He's also a bit of a loner but he still knows how to put on the charm. But also, Aria understandably shows some concerns about him.

Flash is seeking purpose in his life, but he's not finding it. Aria knows he's well-meaning, but as always, Flash sometimes gets himself into trouble when he tries to help. It's too bad!

Because Flash is the best, he does apologize for his ill-timed heroics, and like, honestly, who can stay mad at him? Not Aria, even with her perfect hair. (I love her hair.)

(Carnage #2)

She also calls him out on looking like a damn mess.

She's SO into him though and it's so cute. I'm gonna cry. She wants to take that boy home and [redacted/saved for fanfic].

Aria unfortunately vanishes for most of the rest of the series, but since we're appreciating women, let's appreciate Liz for a second here too, after she and Flash take down Carnage.

(Carnage #8)

I'm always giggling at this. Flash doesn't get why there are so many damn symbiotes these days, either.

So even though Aria saw Flash initially as a mess (which he was)...

...after nearly dying at Carnage's hand multiple times/almost losing his mom/being trapped in the Darkforce Cube etc etc, he decides he's got to put himself back together. I do like the panel of him fixing one of his prostheses a lot. It's a nice touch we haven't seen the likes of since Space Knight. (Nice job, Gronbekk & Perez!)

I love this scene where she makes him a mocktail. A fruity little drink. And he does love it. Because who wouldn't.

Like, oh my God, even Liz sees it. She's definitely hinting that if Flash doesn't snatch up Aria, she will.

And then my most FAVOURITE Flash/Aria scene... that truly solidifies that maybe possibly there's a chance for them??? MAYBE??

THAT BOY IS GETTING LAAAAAAAAAAAID ahem. Anyways.

I just, I really love this! It's spot-on with the fact that when Flash is really into someone, he's kind of awkward! But he's soooo sincere and Aria is SO into it. He's taking active interest in what she's into! He's pulling himself together! He's living again!

I want Flash/Aria to happen so badly like, you don't even know. I want them to go jogging in crop tops together. I want them watching birds and getting coffee and her giving him That Look fifteen more times. I want him to treat her RIGHT and for this to be his best relationship since Betty.

But mostly, I just want Aria to survive the next goddamn event.

[odessastone]

My favorite part of writing Lifeweaver is playing up his usual silly goofy funney guy act, then throwing in a “his family hasn’t talked to him in 10 years” or “every day he grapples with the knowledge that he could be killed at any moment and his creation used to usher in an ecological dystopia the likes of which we’ve never seen before”

[ssaalexblake]

I love yaz x 13 x dhawan!master because the immediate thought after thinking about That nightmare of a ship is 'wow, most concerning Throuple Ever' but then you think for another two seconds and they don't actually beat 12 x Missy x Clara in the most concerning throuple awards and, like, damn. That's an achievement.

(this is because of Clara btw. Yaz is, at least, Some kind of calming or positive influence in throuple land on the feral racoons she's cohabiting with. Clara's probably the Cause of the issues in the other throuple. It's not 12 or Missy that's winning them the crown of most concerning, it is most definitely Clara's fault.)

[hailsatanacab]

@the-witchhunter - this is incredibly disturbing, i love it. fair warning, i took it more in the direction of that oglaf comic (nsfw) where Vlad fully doesn't realise that this is a love shrine, this is a completely normal thing that you do for your arch enemy!

———

“Daniel! I can explain!”

“Oh… my… God...”

“Daniel, really, it’s not what it looks like!”

“Really?” Danny breathes, shocked and honestly kind of fighting down the urge to vomit. The thermos slips from his fingers and clatters to the ground, the sound echoing far too loudly in the enclosed space. “Because it looks like you have a shrine dedicated to my dad in your closet.”

“No, that’s not—it’s more complicated than that, Daniel. You wouldn’t understand.”

“I don’t think I want to understand.”

“Your father is a ridiculous man, Daniel. I hate his stupid face so much. Look at him!”

Vlad turns back to the actual shrine, with actual candles and actual flowers and actual photos of his dad with… Holy crap, did Vlad cut out Mom in each of the photos? What the fuck? 

Wait… Look, Danny tries not to look too closely at the weird things Vlad has hidden around his mansion dedicated to his mom, but he’s fairly sure that the pictures of her he’s cut out (in heart shapes—yeah, Danny’s definitely going to barf) are the ones Vlad’s put in his other weirdo closet shrine that Danny also wishes he’d never seen.

“Why don’t you just have one shrine? Why have—no, you know what, I don’t want to know. I think I’m just gonna leave.”

Yeah, that sounds like the best option. Danny takes a cautious step back, very ready to get back home, bleach his eyeballs and maybe never look at his mom and dad ever again. Or, at least, not until he has successfully blocked this from his mind forever.

He only gets one foot out the door when Vlad lashes out and grabs him. The day just keeps getting better and better, really, doesn’t it? Even as he twists and turns, he can’t get out of Vlad’s ironclad grip and he’s pulled even farther into the closet. 

Panic rises in his throat as Vlad shuts the door—what the fuck is happening? He doesn’t want to be dragged into Vlad’s creepy shrine to his dad, what the fuck? What the fuck!

“I loathe your father, Daniel, I hate him with the very core of my being. Look at him!” 

There’s no goddamn way in hell Danny is looking at any of the pictures, no thank you. He squeezes his eyes shut and wishes he were somewhere, anywhere else, when Vlad jerks his arm forward so he comes nose-to-nose with the largest framed portrait of his dad in the very centre of the table, smiling with his doctorate and a very unfortunate 80s mullet. Dear God, no.

“I hate his smug face! I hate his stupid fashion sense, you have no idea how much I detest that orange jumpsuit of his, how much I want to claw it off him and tear it to shreds! If I have to listen to him say another boneheaded, idiotic, ridiculous thing, I will—I’ll rip his throat out with my teeth! You don't know how long I spend here looking at him, imaging all the ways I'll have him grovelling at my feet. One day, Daniel, I'll have him one day...”

———

The sun was going down when Danny finally managed to escape and find solace in Sam and Tucker. He's not going home. Not yet.

“Danny, are you okay? We were so worried, we couldn’t get hold of you for hours! Where were you?”

“Sam, Tuck… Vlad, he…”

“Holy shit, Danny, you’re shaking, are you alright? What happened, what did he do?”

“I think… I think he wants to fuck my dad.”

[autistic-beshelar]

ah yes dungeon meshi, the manga where an autistic man gets repeatedly bullied by people he thinks are his friends and not a single person supports him

[mykashg]

if you meet that standard SHE'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU

[levil0vesyou]

Y'know I used to always say I liked kids in person but not in theory (reverse from my feelings towards dogs) but I think I finally realised how to word it more accurately. I like kids as people, but not as a responsibility. I do not trust my ability to take care of a kid even temporarily if there's no well-adjusted adult nearby I can ask stuff and call if anything happens, but I love the passion children have for their interests, their fearlessness wrt breaking societal rules they haven't been forced to learn yet and their curiosity about almost anything that's even remotely interesting. I like children, I just don't like being given responsibilities I'm not equipped to handle

[viktortittiforov]

been seeing posts making fun of that "escaped the alt right pipeline" guy for saying that what made it easier for him to get sucked into that pipeline was ppl on the left making him feel like he was evil for being a man and like. my dudes. misandry isn't a thing but that doesn't mean statements like "i hate men" "men drop dead challenge" etc don't have any impact. some posts are making it sound like the guy said "well it was all your fault because you weren't niceys enough to me 🥺 everyone needs to coddle me" but that's really not the point of that post or what he said at all. like some of the reactions i saw are blatant misrepresentations and exaggerations of what was actually said.

i've heard several men, men who are and have been leftists for years say or imply or otherwise suggest that statements like those above do make them doubt their worth or whether they can/should have a place in leftist movements, etc. and of course these statements won't have that impact on every man and obviously even the men affected don't all just turn around and immediately become alt right trolls or whatever. but like. i think the impact these statements do or do not have largely depends on the wider context of a person, and a man who has plenty of (leftist) friends will probably be a lot less affected than a man with little to no friends at all, much less leftist ones. it absolutely can be alienating to some men to hear these things, and i don't think it's hard to imagine how men who feel alienated by the left and then get lovebombed or otherwise manipulated by the alt right might be more inclined to join the latter, especially if they are lonely and seeking community and don't have a strong and well-informed political stance yet. stating that is not the same as saying men need to be coddled by everyone else. neither is it saying you need to be polite to literal nazis. and neither is it saying this is all it takes for these men to take the alt right path. surely you can see how seeing any of these meanings in that sentence is just misinterpreting it on purpose.

the way i see it the guy was just cautioning everyone not to make it easier for the alt right to recruit people into their fucked up ideology, because they are actively recruiting and using manipulative tactics to do it; it's not a matter of mere individual choice. but some people seem to be choosing to ignore or even ridicule that message, and i invite those people to ask themselves: who benefits from you ridiculing a person for sharing their experience with the (likely) intention of helping you see how you might be making the alt right's job easier? who benefits from you putting your energy towards that? who benefits from you dismissing that person's experience as totally invalid? is it in line w/ your values, or leftist values, to ridicule someone for maybe unintentionally overstating the influence of the left in men getting recruited by the alt right, if they mean well? why are we once again turning so readily against people who are on our side?

and i'm not even going to get into how statements such as "men are the worst", when repeated often enough and with little clarification or reflection, can easily lead one down an essentialist line of thinking that eventually has them thinking of men, manhood and/or masculinity as inherently evil, and into how that line of thinking is incorrent, counterproductive and often harmful, as well as one of the cornerstones of terf ideology.

[sunfyredarchive]

friendly reminder that my aegony speaks high valyrian just fine !

[ruby-red-inky-blue]

adulthood is, i'm discovering, being wildly excited because i might be able to turn my lone beloved ikea chair into a set of four, and get *gasp* an actual dining table. with four equally good chairs