#ALL THE WAY SINCE SEASON 1

[sapphoismymuse]

I CANNOT BELIEVE THE SILLY LITTLE THEORY THAT HARROW GOT SWAPPED WITH THE BIRD WAS REAL

I’VE BEEN CLINGING ONTO THAT HC FOR FOUR YEARS I’VE NEVER FELT MORE VALIDATED OH MY GOD

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Thank you all for an incredible 500 days of love and support. I offer you: answers to questions that no one has asked.

(As always, more can be found in the tags <3)

[infinitelystrangemachinex]

Jayce and the fallacy of the butterfly effect in Arcane's narrative

If Jayce's symbol is the butterfly, then my theory is that we're going into a full "butterfly effect" narrative in Act 2. Either we'll watch it happen, or we'll only see Jayce come out the other side of it changed by the experience, knowing - or more importantly, THINKING he knows - what to do to change the future. Literally, to "defend tomorrow."

tl;dr: Jayce will encounter the butterfly effect in season 2. Viktor and Mel both foreshadowed this in season 1. I think Jayce will fixate on Viktor and will believe that stopping or changing Viktor either in the past or the present - most likely the present - will mean he can save the future. I believe this will lead to an even worse tragedy and may have the same effect as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Ekko's approach to changing the future by sticking closer to the present - considering only tiny increments of time to alter more immediate future outcomes - will be the superior approach. I also think that Jayce attempting to change the future will create the conditions that push Viktor to become the Machine Herald.

One of the most common reactions even the casual viewer had to Arcane season 1 was this: "If [character] had just done this one small thing a little differently, [tragic event] wouldn't have happened!"

Arcane has been called a Greek tragedy for the main reason that because of how well built up the characters' personalities and reasonings are, there's no other way season 1 could have gone. There was no stopping the multiple tragedies that occurred, because with one event leading to another, the chain of seemingly inevitable events goes too far back to identify what one singular event caused everything, what one character made what one decision to put our characters on the terrible paths they walked.

Arcane is about to investigate this idea in its own narrative, and I think that Jayce will be the character to stumble into the flawed idea that you can change one event, or stop one character, and change the future for the better. This is because Jayce struggles with a few very interesting character flaws, one of them being that he believes himself to be the main character, and it is therefore his responsibility to intervene, be a hero, and fix things.

Viktor and Mel both foreshadow Jayce's future encounter with the butterfly effect.

Recall that Viktor said: "There is always a choice."

Jayce sees choices in black and white, believes that he has no other options but to go along with what he's persuaded and pushed into, and acts too boldly with too much power multiple times.

Recall that Mel said: "We can't change what fate has in store for us, but we don't have to face it alone."

Jayce tries to solve big problems on his own, and though he delegates to Enforcers and the like, Jayce relies on his reasoning and his alone to make important decisions if he doesn't simply become persuaded - usually through strong emotions like fear - by other characters. In addition, since Mel is specifically talking about Viktor's plight here, it's worth mentioning that while Jayce did say that he would help Viktor in acts 2 and 3 of season 1, Jayce does wind up leaving Viktor to face his fate alone. When Jayce tries to change that fate in s2 ep1, ep2 shows that only tragedy can come of this as well.

Viktor and Mel's statements here are not contradictory. Viktor makes the point that you can always make a choice. In context, he's literally referring to the classic "secret third option," because given a choice between aggression and passivity, war and surrender, Viktor chooses to defuse the bomb instead. Mel, interestingly, seems to believe that destiny is fixed in a broad sense, and she operates as a politician and diplomat and investor who navigates that line of destiny in the most optimal way possible. In reality, in context, she is referring to the fact that Viktor can't change the way he was born and so he has no way to change his fate and therefore must face it, which is true - she's only missing the information that Viktor actually does have the means to change his illness and his body. Her wisdom still applies however, because he'll have to accept the hand that fate deals him after he makes that choice. Will he face it alone, or not?

There is always a choice, there's even secret third options, because having a fate doesn't mean that you are doomed to make only one possible series of choices. What it does mean is that each choice comes with a hand that fate deals you. It is impossible to know what all of these branching choices and consequences are in advance, and it is just as impossible in hindsight - the branches are too complex and the end outcomes are all equally meaningful, just different. If Arcane season 2 is to be a tragedy, it may show us that each possible outcome is still tragic if you fall for the fallacy of the butterfly effect.

Jayce is counseled by some of the wisest, cleverest characters with the deepest life experiences in Arcane, but he hardly ever takes that counsel to heart. If he does, he still acts on that counsel in flawed ways that have unintended consequences. This will come to a head in season 2.

Viktor and Jayce both have a butterfly following them around in season 1. The butterfly effect refers to one small seemingly insignificant event changing the course of history, and changing that event therefore changes history. Viktor bled over the railing of a Hexgate in season 1:

And Heimerdinger sees what we can only assume is Viktor's blood contaminating (?) the Hexgate in s2 ep3:

This might be the seemingly unimportant "inciting incident" that Jayce (and Heimerdinger and Ekko) settle on as something that should be avoided or erased by changing the past (if they time-travel with Ekko, for example).

I doubt that, if this is what this crew chooses to fixate on, it will be the only event that is considered as something to change. But let's take this and run with it for the sake of discussion.

As silly as it sounds, how do you stop Viktor from allowing his blood to come into contact with the arcane? Stop Viktor's involvement with the Academy entirely? Don't invent Hextech at all? But what if someone else invents Hextech besides Jayce? What if future tragedy befalls Piltover because it didn't invent Hextech?

The possibilities and what-ifs could branch on forever. But because Jayce is who he is, and because his tragedy with Viktor is still raw and recent and frightening, I think Jayce's butterfly effect experience will have to do with Viktor.

My personal prediction is that the timeskip between s2 ep3 and ep4 will be Jayce experiencing a timeline where Viktor, taken over by the Hexcore, brings about an apocalyptic event similar to what Heimerdinger experienced in his past. Either Jayce and co. can't go into the past to change the present, or Heimerdinger and/or Ekko advise strongly against it to avoid a paradox. This will lead to them re-entering the canon Arcane timeline before this apocalypse, but still after the timeskip. Jayce, believing that destroying Viktor and his cult will save the future, and believing that resurrecting Viktor was Jayce's mistake to fix, attacks him. But the consequences don't unfold the way he hopes, because trying to change fate once the cards have already been dealt has led to tragedy before.

The butterfly is a symbol of something other than just the butterfly effect - change, evolution, and rebirth. If the butterfly symbolizes the butterfly effect for Jayce, then I think it has a different meaning for Viktor - the change and rebirth meaning.

I've always found it very interesting that we see a similar-looking butterfly on Progress Day... but made of metal.

Every time Viktor's situation changes, he adapts and evolves. If Jayce attacks him, if his cult is destroyed, if the Hexcore is causing Viktor to decay, if all of these things happen at once - he'll just evolve again, and I think the Machine Herald is the next step. And the Machine Herald will be a triumph for Viktor, but Jayce will believe that he's created something even worse. The resulting feud will be a personal nightmare for both of them.

I think this still allows Viktor to use his own agency to choose to become the Machine Herald (the MH will probably be the "secret third option" that saves Viktor, or there will be a secret third option that ends the feud) while still allowing Jayce to be offended and horrified at whatever the Machine Herald represents or is trying to do in the undercity. Introducing the element of time travel allows Arcane to explore the meta concept of tragedy and fate that season 1 was built on while showing that you can't "solve" a tragedy, because there are other terrible possibilities lurking behind alternate choices. Especially if what you're trying to change is singular people or events and not systems of power.

This is why Ekko's approach with his Z-drive will be superior to Jayce's sweeping attempt at changing the future. Ekko's goal has always been societal change. He creates his own punk society in the undercity, more progressive and successful than anything Vander or Silco ever created, and a better bastion of safety, hope, and progress than what Heimerdinger founded in Piltover. Trying to change systems by going back in time is most likely futile. But taking what Ekko has already built in the Firelights, curing his tree, and fighting for the Firelights' survival bit by bit by optimizing the present with the Z-drive shows that:

It's more worth it to focus on becoming wise (Ekko's mask is an owl) and making choices you won't regret

It's best if you don't face your fate alone (act as a collective and take care of each other)

Consider every option, not just the obvious black and white choices

Maintain and fix what you've already built instead of abandoning it once things get difficult

Adapt as needed if the choices you made lead to dark consequences, and once again, stick together and take care of each other when the bad times do come

That's my Act 2 but, ultimately, my season 2 prediction based on the butterfly symbolism we've already seen. Ekko's involvement is what will give the series the at least partial happy ending that the creators have referred to. I personally don't think that the Viktor/Jayce feud will end quite so well, but maybe, they will still survive.

[mushyfart]

OHHH MY GOD,,,, MY SHAYLA😭😭😭😭MY SHAYLA😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

I hate this man, blow him up with a nuclear bomb

[isthatacalzone]

me: *seeing people yell about how they did Glintshore & Percy's death in the show*

also me: ..................anyway

[celaenaeiln]

Would love to know your top dick fanfics! any ship any relationships just a big long list of all the dick fics thats you love

You asked, I deliver! Here it is. This is my YEARS worth of saved fics, probably reaching a decade now. I typically don't save fics but these were fics that blew my mind so much that I had to save them so I could read them on repeat:

Camthisky - https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4269959/CamsthiSky

✨Batbros wreck havoc - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12365941/46/Batbros-Wreak-Havoc

✨That torturous thing known as time travel - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11539451/1/That-Torturous-Thing-Known-As-Time-Travel

pupeez4eva - https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2363156/pupeez4eva

(puppez4eva also has an ao3 account which I found out when I left fanfiction.net for ao3 and that might be better for those who aren't also into naruto)

BatFamily moments - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11698022/1/BatFamily-Moments-VOL-1

Snuggle time

What a real brother would know - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7268072/1/What-a-Real-Brother-Would-Know

Rags to better rags - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12457859/1/Rags-To-Better-Rags

✨Cat-astrophic adjustments - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4336565/1/Catastrophic-Adjustments

Home

Bat family mayhem - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8922187/1/Bat-Family-Mayhem

100 rules for robins (past and present) - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10424988/1/100-rules-for-Robins-past-and-current

United, for a while

Batfam volume - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11698022/116/BatFamily-Moments-VOL-1

Beware the nice ones - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10597298/1/Beware-the-Nice-Ones

RobinNightwing drabbles - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11926575/21/RobinNightwing-drabbles

Everybody loves nightwing - https://archiveofourown.org/works/6006628/chapters/13794196

An old and faded wish - https://archiveofourown.org/works/12350700

U be the moon - https://archiveofourown.org/works/18569830/chapters/44018758

A bunch of ridiculousness - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8020829/1/A-Bunch-of-Ridiculousness

Deaged Bruce - https://archiveofourown.org/works/11487030

Danger Do Not Touch - https://archiveofourown.org/works/17478185/chapters/41361302#workskin

Snapshots - https://m.fanfiction.net/s/8392189/1/Snapshots

Well I never - https://archiveofourown.org/works/606644/chapters/1231622#workskin

Bed birds- https://archiveofourown.org/works/7134476

The emotions of dick grayson - https://m.fanfiction.net/s/12377406/1/The-Emotions-of-Dick-Grayson

Best friend Wally https://archiveofourown.org/works/642436/chapters/1622493#workskin 

Reverse Batman - https://m.fanfiction.net/s/11476348/12/

Hurt Bird - https://archiveofourown.org/works/12055692/chapters/34959071#workskin

Greatest of ease - https://archiveofourown.org/works/14356827/chapters/33139035

Roy Dick Wally Road trip - https://archiveofourown.org/works/12110007

✨Wild Child Day - https://archiveofourown.org/works/16142630

Let me see what you can do - https://archiveofourown.org/works/274663

Senses - https://archiveofourown.org/works/2191305

100 - https://archiveofourown.org/works/178329

Ghost - https://archiveofourown.org/works/16553459/chapters/44800156#workskin

Learn something new everyday - https://archiveofourown.org/works/16917948

the life we live - https://archiveofourown.org/works/9823250/chapters/35898534#workskin

Snippets - https://archiveofourown.org/works/7937443/chapters/34070646#workskin

How could he - https://archiveofourown.org/works/20101399/chapters/47615518

Prodigal - https://archiveofourown.org/works/19001299/chapters/45122143

Oh, haven’t you heard - https://archiveofourown.org/works/18368177

A zoo for canines - https://archiveofourown.org/works/20140072/chapters/47713588

I trust no one else - https://archiveofourown.org/works/20643143/chapters/49020776

Talon and Slade - https://archiveofourown.org/works/20405788/chapters/48403030

Magic language - https://archiveofourown.org/works/20216167

Massage revenge - https://archiveofourown.org/works/13401747

Finding- https://archiveofourown.org/works/20203798/chapters/47874247

Harem of Older Men - https://archiveofourown.org/series/1365526

Truth of death - https://archiveofourown.org/works/19998694

Talon family - https://archiveofourown.org/works/15887310?view_adult=true

Incubus - https://archiveofourown.org/series/1382872

What do you mean JT is dead - https://archiveofourown.org/works/1321426

Blue Lips TigerDick - https://archiveofourown.org/works/5053699/chapters/12054683#workskin

Tell him I said hello - https://archiveofourown.org/works/9697898?view_adult=true

Boy hostage - https://archiveofourown.org/works/13600854

Robin Criminal Mastermind - https://archiveofourown.org/works/18942745

Joker and Wing - https://archiveofourown.org/works/20639540/chapters/49011164

Couldn’t whisper when you needed to shout it - https://archiveofourown.org/works/20821637

Bromance - https://archiveofourown.org/works/4452272

Sladin soulmates - https://archiveofourown.org/works/21726103/chapters/51826423

✨Sladin Maldives - https://archiveofourown.org/works/18823036

God Sladick - https://archiveofourown.org/works/16218494

Demon Grayson- https://archiveofourown.org/works/16407932

Barkeep - https://archiveofourown.org/works/4999171

Catfish- https://archiveofourown.org/works/17097887

Stray - https://archiveofourown.org/works/23456077/chapters/56228041?view_adult=true

Lost boy - https://archiveofourown.org/works/6613165

Crisis - https://archiveofourown.org/works/21661624

Families ever changing - https://archiveofourown.org/works/

Contradiction - https://archiveofourown.org/works/24436804

When September ends - https://archiveofourown.org/works/17423009/chapters/41016644

Ready or not - https://archiveofourown.org/works/23947594

The road to ruin - https://archiveofourown.org/works/24227572/chapters/58371814

Pause in the pendulum - https://archiveofourown.org/works/25395340/chapters/61582948

No point in running away - https://archiveofourown.org/works/25529035/chapters/61941064

Road - https://archiveofourown.org/works/24227572/chapters/60365311#workskin

Strength in lack of continuity - https://archiveofourown.org/works/25155724

I can’t hear you, I can’t see you - https://archiveofourown.org/works/24920668

Without using your hands - https://archiveofourown.org/works/24413746

Haven - https://archiveofourown.org/works/4673621

Three in the morning - https://archiveofourown.org/works/19077334

Beyond the night - https://archiveofourown.org/series/1849201

Starry eyed - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12889765/1/Starry-Eyed

Your call may be interrupted - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10942380/1/Your-Call-May-Be-Interrupted

Simplicity - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8581631/3/Simplicity-yeah-right

End days - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10468069/1/End-Days

Shenanigans - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12542326/1/Shenanigans

Nightwing’s confession - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12895421/1/Nightwing-s-Confession

Oh you pretty thing - https://archiveofourown.org/works/4154436

Apprentice au - https://archiveofourown.org/series/2836

Follow Me - https://archiveofourown.org/works/25120675

Mayfriend - https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayfriend/pseuds/mayfriend/works?fandom_id=236208

Part 2

Part 3

[yeetusthemighty]

HEY YOU!!

DO YOU LIKE NINJAGO? AND MUSIC??

WELL DO I HAVE THE PROPOSITION FOR YOU!!

I am going to try to make a playlist for EVERY. NINJAGO. SEASON!!

but I have almost no ideas [two songs is not enough playlist for a whole season]

Sooooo…….

Reblog this post or send me an ask with all of your favorite songs that you associate with Ninjago seasons!! [please tell me which]

I’ll listen to it and put it on the playlist of whatever season you tell me to!

[This could be about the season as a whole, or even just a character in that season!]

[These will all be public on Spotify even while I’m still making them, so anyone can listen to them whenever they want!!]

And even if you don’t want it on the playlist, still tell me the songs!! I am always looking for more songs to imagine Ninjago related stuff to

[saras-almanac]

This ask-and-answer was screenshot and somehow ended up on my for you page and I had to clip out the bottom of the answer because I feel worked up about it—probably just being tired and unable to sleep. For context this was part of an ask about what storylines someone didn’t like and also why they think people who just started watching don’t deserve to have opinions.

Something really ironic about this post and how “learning who Buck truly is would no longer allow you the ability to mold him entirely out of your Tommy headcanons” coming from a group that has largely molded both Buck and Eddie completely based on a fanon ship… Very much ship and let ship but the audacity of saying this is insane because if the extreme buddie shippers actually watched the show as well, they’d understand how and why Buck’s relationship with Tommy is so different from all his previous relationships, why it hits differently for Buck and the audience, and exactly why it does feel like it has the potential to be endgame. And literally even if you ignored the entire rest of the series and just watched season 7, it’s still very clear that was the intention?

Also the idea that somehow Tevan shippers have shown up and entirely created this idea that Buck can’t speak for himself and is a damsel in distress as if that’s not a huge part of the buddie scene? People infantilizing Buck is a huge problem but to act like it’s only one side is wild behavior, especially with how in this very answer they say that people who didn’t watch the earlier seasons don’t know why he hates associating with Evan and how it’s disrespectful that Tommy calls him Evan… which if the final few sentences are true and Buck can speak for himself, then wouldn’t we all be in agreement that Tommy continuing to call him Evan was clearly how Buck introduced himself and has never told Tommy to call him anything different? Also, the reason he goes by Buck is literally because there were three Evan's in his fire fighter training? It truly isn’t that deep. And the scene everyone always brings up is how he told his parents to call him Buck… was literally him extending an olive branch to them and saying he’d like for them to get to know him and who he is now?

Sorry have a lot of thoughts tonight and feeling a bit annoyed at the slight uptick in bs extreme buddie stuff on my dash.

[markantonys]

reddit:

literally every other WOT viewer in the world:

[fennthetalkingdog]

Tumblr spamming billford and billfiddlesford has singlehandedly gotten me to finally watch Gravity Falls and I can't even be mad lol

[skitskatdacat63]

2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Fernando Alonso

[underwatersmiles]

i'm really struggling now with how the writers are going to believably make Vi an enforcer by the end of the season after act 1??

[spideysatan]

life is great when you're not a HUGE bitch that is mad with life and love and whimsy and you can simply enjoy different love stories without comparing them

[icewindandboringhorror]

Recent images I suppose ~

[scarlettfevor]

How it feels to watch minecraft diaries as a 21 year old woman

[metalandmagi]

Bro, who's going to tell whoever cut the animation budget for Blue Lock season 2 that the characters actually need to move while they're on screen? I just watched 23 minutes of dynamic manga panels with a few seconds of CG feet thrown in.