#* ☆ CATRA MELOG‚ character study.

[antispopausandstuff]

my newest modern AU

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it's only one of them, but eh.

'Everything Changes' ( name is being workshopped ) is the most school-centered ( i think i'll write them in a college setting instead of a high school one ) out of all of the other modern AUs i have. not that i would write a whole lot about the subjects, cuz i'm not going to college-

keep these in mind:

everyone will have modern names ( the original ones can be nicknames instead, though not for all ), with a few exceptions.

i'll be giving everyone degrees if they're in the college and if i know what degree they'd go for.

most of the ships will either be not canon or given more spice to be acceptable fanon ( seamista is not included, we hate seamista in this house ).

the already adult characters will not be included in the college, unless they are a teacher ( for ex, Spinerella and Netossa ), and will likely only be involved in subplots.

i will project as i see fit!

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( will be formatted as surname, first name, to avoid confusion and respect cultures that usually have this format of title )

Students . . .

Randor Wicker Adora - 18 - Digital Arts Major // History Minor // Animal Care Minor // Foreign Languages Minor

Tomioka Ginna ( Glimmer ) - 18 - Aviation Major // Journalism Minor

Asharia Beau ( Bow ) - 18 - Computer Technology Major // Game Design Major // Ethnic Studies Minor

Wicker Catrina ( Catra ) - 18 - Criminology Major // Media Studies Minor

Deung Soojin ( Scorpia ) - 19 - Physical Fitness Major // Woodworking Major // Cosmetology Minor

Suwannarat Mazu ( Mermista ) - 19 - Photojournalism Major // Cinematography Major

Garcia Phil ( Perfuma ) - 19 - Plant Sciences Major // Animal Care Major // Gender Studies Minor

Jin Fuyi ( Frosta ) - 16 - Foreign Languages Major // Culinary Arts Minor // Journalism Minor

Noble Faye ( Flutterina ) - 16 - Graphic Design Major // Ballet Major // Metal and Jewelry Arts Major

Hall Shan ( Seahawk ) - 18 - Drama Major // Music Performance Minor

Jackson Kyle - 18 - Animation Major // Biomedical Sciences Major

O'Neil Lonnie - 18 - Mechanical Engineering Major // Boilermaker Minor // Media Studies Minor

Valenzuela Rogelio - 19 - Foreign Languages Major // Ironworking Major // Cognitive Sciences Minor

Trouble Double ( fake name ) - 19 - Drama Major // Criminology Minor

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Adults . . .

Tomioka Arisu ( Angella ) - 44 - Mother of Ginna, Wife of Micah, College Dropout, CEO of Business

Tomioka Micah - 43 - Father of Ginna, Husband of Arisu, Culinary Professor

Mihara Chiyo ( Castaspella ) - Aunt of Ginna, Sister of Micah, Sister-in-law of Arisu

Wicker Sera ( Shadow Weaver ) - 50 - Mother of Adora and Catrina, College Dropout

??? Harlow ( Hordak ) - 51 - Partner of Eden, Technician & Florist

Perez Eden ( Entrapta ) - 49 - Mother of Emily ( robot child ) & her inventions, Science Professor

Noble Prince ( Peekablue ) - 32 - Older Brother of Faye, Drama & Music Professor

Taylor Hara ( Huntara ) - 45 - Legal Guardian of Soojin, P.E Professor

Randor Mara - 34 - Biological Mother of Adora, Assistant in Arisu's Business

Hughes Lin ( Light Hope ) - Friend of Mara, Mathematics Professor

Razz Madame - 64 - Adopted Mother of Mara, Pseudo-Adopted Grandmother of Adora ( 'pseudo' due to not legally related ), History Professor

Biko-King Nalia ( Netossa ) - 36 - Wife of Sadie, Gymnast Instructor

King-Biko Sadie ( Spinerella ) - 36 - Wife of Nalia, Creatives & Dance Professor

Asharia George - 43 - Husband of Lance - Father of Beau, Historian

Asharia Lance - 42 - Husband of George - Father of Beau, Househusband

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Pets . . .

Swift Wind - Shire Horse, Adora's Best Friend - Sassy, Picky w/ People ( due to Sera and Catrina's mistreatment of Adora ), Playful

Melog - Birman, Just Friend ( maybe ) - Calm, Gentle, Patient

Imp - Microbat, Harlow's Kid ( he calls them that ) - Loud, Mischievous, Energetic

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extra bits of info . . .

Adora is deaf, Rogelio is still mute, and Eden is hard of hearing

Adora and Catra aren't talking in the beginning ( had a fight previously and Catra won't reconcile )

Kyle, Lonnie, and Rogelio were involved with crime as kids ( not of their own choice ), got a clean slate through Harlow

Fiyu and Micah bond over food and rough childhoods

Soojin is an orphan ( mothers died at a young age ) and had been in the foster care system for a long time until Hara ( an orphan as well ) came along

when Mara and Adora see each other again, Adora doesn't recognize her but has a strange feeling ( Mara didn't know if she should say anything, so she kept quiet and tried to be casual )

Sera took Adora in, as a baby, when she was Lilian ( Light Spinner )

Prince and Faye don't get along, Faye hates that he's her professor ( they'll learn, eventually )

Arisu and Chiyo talk and hangout on weekends

Phil and Mazu are childhood friends

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that's not everything, obviously, but i might actually draw for this AU soon-ish? hopefully? i dunno, i like this universe and the progressing storylines a lot.

i wanna make more posts like this, just talking about AUs at length, despite still keeping it sorta vague. i'm really wanting to talk about my 'Until It Ends' AU esp, since it's very high-fantasy and just gives me magical thoughts.

if you want to read about my other AUs, i made a masterlist of sorts. it'll likely be updated slowly as more ideas come to mind, but i won't put the details for this one on the list just yet.

[johannas-motivational-insults]

Jo’s Top 10 of 2020

I see lots of artists doing that thing where they post a piece from each month of the year... unfortunately my content creation isn’t necessarily consistent and it’s hard to track what month individual fic chapters were posted in, but I figured I’d do something similar and post my Top 10 pieces of content I created in 2020, what they’re about and why I love them. I actually did get a fair amount done this year thanks to the lockdown, but I’ve narrowed it down to these ten that I’d like to reflect on. (To be fair, I’m probably forgetting something huge. Feel free to leave comments if you think I passed over something important lol.)

10. Friendship in the Horde (meta): This is something I’d wanted to write for a while but finally got around to finishing in February. It’s basically a sociology paper lmao, an analysis of the social hierarchies and systems of the Horde. It was also a convenient excuse for me to gush about Catralonnie, an underrated (friend)ship. But honestly this was an important piece for me because I have always identified with the Horde characters way more than any of the rebels (other than Adora, who grew up in the Horde) and part of why is how they are in an unsafe environment and end up forming relationships that are helpful for survival but hinder them psychologically. And I think to understand the Horde characters and really evaluate their motives and choices you need to understand this first.

9. The Sting in My Eyes: On the surface this is just a run of the mill hurt/comfort oneshot, but it was a really important post-canon processing fic for me. I had a lot of feelings about Catra’s relationships with Shadow Weaver and Melog in season 5, particularly about how Catra must have felt really conflicted after Shadow Weaver told her what she wanted to hear all those years but in a way that felt unearned and out of the blue. It was really cathartic for me to write a scene where she struggles with those mixed feelings but has Adora and Melog to help her process them. And I had long associated the song the title is from with Catra and Shadow Weaver’s relationship, and the way she died trying to redeem herself really solidified that connection.

8. Hail Mary, chapter 6: This was supposed to be a short chapter mostly about the backstory between Catra and Scorpia in this au, with some Catradora yearning thrown in. It evolved into a massive, sprawling thing that is very atmospheric in terms of how the setting and vibes are described and how in the moment it feels. Hail Mary is like that sometimes but that type of narration is usually about football games rather than parties, so this chapter was a fun change of pace in many ways. It was really nostaglic for me to write too, the nerves of being a teenager at a party with your crush and how intense everything feels. And the Scorptra stuff really is delicious, it was nice seeing them have that conversation they never got to have in canon and truly make up, and the tiny sliver I added of Catra’s earlier history was heartbreaking in the best way. So this was not what I intended to write, but it turned out way better for it.

7. A Better Son or Daughter (AMV): I’ve done other Adora AMVs, but this one is really my iconic piece. The song is perfect for Adora, so perfect it’s on Noelle’s Adora playlist. The vid itself is a character study about Adora’s mental health struggles and the way she represses them, as well as a tribute to her resiliency and her eventual triumph of getting to a better place in her life. This is a song that gives me a lot of feelings and once I was making it about Adora it gave me even more, so this was a very satisfying piece to complete. I wish Noelle had gotten a chance to see it but oh well, maybe down the line.

6. Hail Mary, chapter 12: This is the chapter that much of the fic had been building to, Catra and Adora in conflict because Catra finally got the chance to be Adora’s hero and Adora shot her down. It’s painfully analogous to canon, both in terms of how (I suspect) Catra felt in Thaymor and Adora’s tendency to victim blame because she’s so pragmatic. There’s definitely some tones of Taking Control in there but Lonnie does a much better job of examining Catra’s psychology and needs than Glimmer did in canon (a writing error imo, Glimmer should have had more insight). Adora just wants to help but sometimes in her quest to do so she disenfranchises others, and this was a much needed look at that aspect of her character. It’s also an excellent illustration of what it’s like to play a peacekeeping role in an abusive household and how stressful it is trying to protect others while also protecting yourself.

5. Unstoppable (AMV): This is not my favorite Catra AMV I’ve ever done, but it might be the cleverest. The soundtrack is a song about mental illness masquerading as a song about being a bad bitch, which is basically Catra in a nutshell. The lyrics are incredibly fitting for her and her arc as it develops over seasons 1-4. The vid itself takes a hard turn in the interpretation of the lyrics, going from talking about how no one can stop Catra to how she can’t stop herself because she’s in such a terrible sunk cost fallacy spiral, and I think I got several death threats over that twist lmao. As someone who primarily deals in angst, there’s hardly a better compliment to be paid.

4. Demons, chapter 31: This one got real dark on me. The concept of this chapter was originally an examination of how comparing abuse can get really dicey but you also have to respect that other people have had different experiences from you and you have to be careful not to equate things or make it sound like you’re talking over someone else. I guess it’s also a bit of a look at how autistic people (like myself) will often explain why they can empathize so others know they understand rather than saying empty platitudes, but that can come off as insensitive or like they’re making things about them. I mean, in this case Adora kinda was making things about her, but she was provoked into it by a parade of comments insinuating she didn’t suffer at all, which was also unfair. Anyway it’s one of the more important Catradora fights in Demons and something I’d written bits of over a year prior, it was that important to the plot, but it also took a turn I was not originally planning. I finished the chapter when I was in a really bad depressive and self-loathing spiral and that bled onto the page, but it worked perfectly for Catra in this scenario... that push and pull of feeling like the world has hurt and victimized you mixed with knowing you’ve done some bad things yourself and feeling like you don’t have a leg to stand on when mourning the ways you’ve been hurt. It’s intense as all fuck but it’s excellent.

3. Hail Mary, chapter 11: Speaking of dark Catra content, this chapter... whew. It was really something else, to read and to write. I have written flashbacks in Demons that are more detailed and even include explicit violence but because those scenes are always in flashback form I never really got the chance to sit in the head of an abuse victim waiting for the other shoe to drop for an entire chapter like I did here. It’s quite different from the rest of Hail Mary stylistically and is both highly sensory and extremely internalized. It took me back to some terrifying moments in my own life so it was difficult but also extremely cathartic to write. It’s important too because it really sets up where Catra was at mentally heading into her big fight with Adora, and that chapter is in Adora POV. This chapter is ranked so high simply because it’s... polished, as @malachi-walker put it. It almost is its own story within the story and really noteworthy as a piece all its own.

2. Demons, chapter 26: This chapter is very similar thematically to Hail Mary 12, just based in the canonverse. It deals with one of the core (but highly neglected by fandom) conflicts between Catra and Adora, where they both need to feel like they can take care of and protect the other but also detest feeling weak or vulnerable themselves. It leads to Adora’s ego making Catra feel disrespected and Catra’s behavior confusing Adora and making her think she’s an ungrateful brat rather than someone who needs so badly to be needed, just like her. There’s definitely some power struggles in this chapter but finally they’re able to get to the heart of it and seeing them talk it out is so satisfying. Getting this chapter published was also important to me on a personal level because, like I said, this aspect of their conflict and relationship is rarely acknowleged for how important it is when really it’s one of the deepest conflicts between them in the series. It’s a scene I started writing pretty much as soon I knew I was extending the fic into something longer because I just needed them to have this conversation, so finishing it was so satisfying.

1. Satisfaction, chapter 3: This chapter took me a really long time to write, both in terms of time to get it published and time I actually spent working on it. It’s the crown jewel of a fic that’s really important to me and I had to get it just right, so I spent more time agonizing over every detail and rewriting things to get them absolutely perfect than I usually do (I’m a perfectionist anyway, but this took it to a whole other level). But in the end it was worth it, because this chapter is damn fine. It’s really hot, as you’d expect from a smut fic, but it’s also an excellent character study of how both Catra and Adora were affected by their abuse and trauma and the issues it raises for them in terms of sex and intimacy. Also, come on, we need more BDSM fics out there that focus on the actual point of it all (the trust involved) and promote communication and do the character work to explain why they might be into it in the first place.

BONUS (from December 31, 2019): One of my favorite pieces of 2020 technically came out in 2019, but I posted it on New Years Eve so most people first saw it in 2020. It’s an absolute banger of an AMV called I’m Not Jesus that’s all about Catra and Adora’s anger towards Shadow Weaver and their refusal to forgive their abuser. Funny enough this came out before Adora’s iconic “I will never forgive you” line, and Shadow Weaver definitely made things more complicated with how she went out, but I think the sentiment still applies.

[chrmatiica-moved]

TAG  DROP     -     SHE - RA  &  THE  PRINCESSES  OF  POWER  ;  PART  ONE.

[multaes]

      TAG  DROP  PART  3

[johannas-motivational-insults]

SPOP Fic/Vid Masterpost

Last updated: January 2021

I’ve gained a bit of notoriety and a lot of followers on Tumblr for my blog content, so I just wanna take a minute to introduce myself and my work to any new followers who might see this (or old ones who have missed new content). Nothing wrong with a little shameless self-promotion, right?

Hi, I’m Jo, and I'm actually primarily a fic writer and vidder. I’ve just been writing a lot of meta and making gifsets for SPOP because I Just Have A Lot Of Feelings. I’ve also written fics for The Hunger Games and The 100, but here’s my SPOP works in case you are looking for more content:

Fics

Demons: Catra and Adora working through the abuse they suffered at the hands of Shadow Weaver, as well as their unresolved feelings for each other. Unapologetically dark and angsty, but in a deep and cathartic way. (longfic, WIP)

Satisfaction: Half porn, half character study. Examines how Catra and Adora’s hangups and trauma could influence their sexual dynamics. Top Catra and Top Adora, so there’s something for everyone so long as you don’t mind a little kink. ;D (short chapter fic, complete)

The Sting in My Eyes: Post-canon hurt/comfort fic. Catra is still working on expressing her emotions in healthy ways, with Melog’s help. She and Adora ruminate on their mixed emotions over Shadow Weaver’s final act and their relationships with her prior. (oneshot, complete)

Hail Mary: High school football au where Catradora are best friends and teammates but there is some frustration brewing under the surface for both of them. Meant to mirror their pre-canon relationship, with plenty of references to canon events along the way. (medium(?) chapter fic, WIP)

Solidarity: Adora cuts her hair short to match Catra’s in hopes of making her feel less self-conscious and better about how hers was cut without her consent. (oneshot, possibly to be a twoshot in the future)

Full Hearts: Fluffy domestic Catradora future fic. (twoshot, complete)

Aural Fixation: Shameless Catradora smut. Adora wakes Catra up by nibbling on her ears to get her hot, and she pays the price for it. (oneshot, possibly to be a twoshot in the future)

Done Waiting: Angsty Scorptra post season 3, Scorpia confronting Catra for the way she’s treated her. (oneshot, complete)

Love, Adora: My angsty backstory for Adora’s letter to Catra in the Rebel Princess Guide. Only read this if you want to cry. (oneshot, complete)

Live With It: My sequel to @jaelav3‘s horribly tragic oneshot congratulations. Adora dealing (or not dealing) with her guilt and grief six years after slaying Catra in battle. This is another one you should only read if you want to cry, obviously. (3/ 4-5 chapters published)

Vids

Catra - CTRL^^^: An examination of how Catra’s need to be in control is really really hot impacts her relationships and mental health and ultimately sends her spinning out of control. (rock, seasons 1-4) Catra and Shadow Weaver - Mercy: A snapshot of Catra and Shadow Weaver’s toxic and tumultuous relationship throughout the series (a.k.a. Shadow Weaver being The Worst™ greatest hits). (rock, seasons 1-5)

Adora - A Better Son/Daughter: A tribute to Adora’s struggles with anxiety and her hero complex, and to her eventual happy ending. (This one starts slow, stick with it through the instrumental start and you’ll be rewarded with lots of tears!) (indie ballad, seasons 1-5)

Catra - Unstoppable: A look at Catra’s need for validation and tendency to suppress her emotions, and how her quest for power turned into a train wreck she couldn’t stop. (pop, seasons 1-4)

I’m Not Jesus - Catra and Adora vs. Shadow Weaver: A song about not forgiving your abuser. Examines Catra and Adora’s feelings about Shadow Weaver being “one of the good guys” after joining the rebellion. (metal, seasons 1-4)

Catra - Behind Blue Eyes: A character study of the hurt hiding beneath Catra’s villain facade, her lifetime of silent suffering. (rock, season 1)

Scorpia/Dina Mashups - She-Ra x Superstore Crack: A collection of some of Lauren Ash’s best lines from Superstore dubbed over scenes from She-Ra. Laughs guaranteed! (crack, seasons 1-5)

Catradora - Roadside: A total angst fest, all about Catra’s feelings of abandonment and betrayal and the consequences she suffers after Adora leaves the Horde. (For some reason this one never took off, but it’s a real tear-jerker.) (rock, season 1)

Catradora - Under Your Scars: An Adora-centric look at Catradora’s falling out and her undying affection for Catra. And she was yearning. (rock, seasons 1-2)

Scorptra - You Belong With Me: A snapshot of Scorpia’s feelings for Catra and her frustration with Catra’s obsession with Adora. (pop, seasons 1-2)

She-Ra crack: She-Ra x The Lion King (plus bonus Disney!): Exactly what it sounds like. Includes odes to the Best Friend Squad and Superpal Trio, a gaggle of musical numbers, and lots of gay jokes! (I like to think the cast and crew saw this one after seeing them make one of the exact same jokes, but it’s probably coincidence tbh.) (musical/crack, season 1)

Catra - King of Pain: A look at the cycle of trauma and suffering that Catra never seems to be able to escape. (acoustic rock cover, seasons 1-2)

Adora - Monster: A look at how the great expectations placed on Adora and her resulting ego and messiah complex end up alienating others and paralyzing her with feelings of inadequacy and guilt, and how important it is for her to learn to accept the help and love of others. (pop, seasons 1-5)