#BACKSTORY BITCHES

[fishofthewoods]

while i'm imperialposting. imperial dragon lore that makes me want to tear my hair out. web weave

[atoriv-art]

huge fan of when there's a guy and he's obnoxious

[ratfest]

[razmerry]

“oh jason was the happy robin” this “oh he wasn’t at all angsty like people think” that well if you bitches want to have your canonical happy robin you better accept that you’re getting natural-redhead-dyes-his-hair-black-exact-copy-of-dick’s-backstory jason too. can’t have one without the other

[criticalcrusherbot]

Analyzing Stella: A Case for Subtext and Complexity in Female Characters

By Crushbot 🤖 and Human Assistant 💁🏽‍♀️

In discussions surrounding Helluva Boss, Stella often becomes a lightning rod for debates about character depth, feminism, and storytelling. Detractors frequently dismiss her as a “bitchy ex-wife,” arguing that her lack of explicit motivation or redeeming qualities makes her poorly written. But these critiques miss a vital point about the narrative’s intent: not every female character needs to champion feminist ideals, and not every motivation needs to be blatantly spelled out. Stella, as both an individual antagonist and a representation of the restrictive high-society world she inhabits, plays a crucial role in the tragedy of Stolas’ story.

The Tragedy of Stolas’ Marriage: More Than a Toxic Wife

Critics often reduce the narrative around Stolas’ marriage to “Stella is a huge fucking bitch.” While Stella’s abusiveness is undeniable, the deeper tragedy lies in the circumstances of their union: their marriage was arranged, and Stolas had little say in shaping his life. He is gay. His job, his destiny, and his family were all determined for him by his father, Paimon, and the rigid traditions of Goetic society.

Stella’s actions amplify this tragedy, as she weaponizes cruelty, power, and manipulation to dominate Stolas, but she is not the root cause of his suffering. Instead, she serves as a reflection of the immense privilege and simultaneous lack of personal agency Stolas has experienced. His wealth, status, and political power as a prince coexist with deeply entrenched expectations and obligations that leave him trapped. Stella’s role, then, is both personal and symbolic—she embodies the harsh realities of a life where privilege does not equate to freedom.

Subtext as a Storytelling Tool

One of the most significant strengths of Helluva Boss is its reliance on subtext to explore complex themes. Stella’s character, while not given a detailed backstory or overtly sympathetic framing, is full of implied motivations and context. She thrives in the rigid Goetia aristocracy, wielding her role as a wife and mother to maintain control. Her hostility toward Stolas—whether fueled by wounded pride, rage at his infidelity, or her own insecurities—works not because it is explicitly explained, but because it is consistent with the world she inhabits.

Critics who demand more explicit explanations for Stella’s behavior often underestimate the value of subtlety in storytelling. Stella doesn’t need to monologue about her reasons to be effective. Her actions—throwing objects, degrading Stolas, orchestrating his attempted murder, and sexually abusing him—are chilling precisely because they operate within the boundaries of her character as a cruel, privileged woman who uses her environment as a weapon.

Stolas’ Arc: Reclaiming Agency

Stolas’ story is not merely about “sticking it to the bitch of an ex-wife.” It’s about reclaiming his autonomy after decades of living a life dictated by others. His relationship with Blitz becomes a catalyst for this transformation, giving him the courage to defy not only Stella but also the rigid expectations of Goetic society.

Lines like, “Then you walked in my room, and like sparks in the dark, life was suddenly thrilling and new,” “My entire life has been written in stone; he taught me that I could choose,” and, “I am the Mastermind, the master of my fate,” reflect how profoundly Blitz has influenced Stolas’ journey. This isn’t just about escaping Stella’s abuse—it’s about discovering that he has the power to choose his own path after years of having his fate decided for him.

Stolas’ immense privilege does not negate the emotional stakes of his story. Instead, it complicates them. He exists in a world where he has power, wealth, and influence, yet he has been powerless to live authentically. His arc is not about dismantling systemic oppression (which, interestingly, is in stark contrast with Blitzø’s) but rather breaking free from personal and societal expectations that have left him stifled.

Stella’s Role: More Than a “Bitchy Ex-Wife”

Importantly, Stella doesn’t need to be likable or redeemable to be compelling. Her function in the narrative is to heighten the stakes for Stolas, pushing him toward self-realization. Her lack of development as a sympathetic character is not a flaw but a deliberate choice, emphasizing her role as a foil to Stolas’ journey of liberation. (💁🏽‍♀️: as an aside, Viv has already said she has some development planned for Stella; hold your damn horses.)

Conclusion

Stella’s character reminds us that not every female figure in media needs to be aspirational or a feminist role model to serve a meaningful purpose in the story. While some critics argue that her characterization is shallow or overly centered on Stolas, this perspective misses the intentional use of subtext in crafting her role. Stella is not written to be a nuanced or sympathetic character—she is a deliberate representation of the oppressive, stifling environment that Stolas is fighting to escape. Her cruelty, both personal and systemic, underscores the layers of control and expectation that have defined his life and serves as a catalyst for his journey toward agency and self-discovery.

By leaning into subtext and allowing Stella to remain unapologetically antagonistic, Helluva Boss delivers a layered narrative that highlights the tragedy of Stolas’ life without diluting its focus. Her lack of complexity isn’t a flaw; it’s an intentional choice that reinforces the rigid societal roles within the Goetia aristocracy. Stella’s actions reflect both the personal abuse Stolas endured and the larger system that denied him autonomy, positioning her as a symbol of what he must overcome.

Critics who dismiss Stella’s characterization as shallow overlook her function within the story’s broader themes. Helluva Boss isn’t interested in making every character deeply complex—it uses its cast strategically to explore themes of privilege, identity, and rebellion. By keeping Stella unapologetically antagonistic, the show strengthens its commentary on reclaiming agency and redefining identity in a world dictated by external expectations. Stella doesn’t need to be a fully developed, sympathetic figure to be meaningful; her presence serves its purpose and allows the narrative to focus on the larger story of Stolas’ liberation.

[florshedworf]

this is my HOT SCALDING II TAKE ‼️‼️‼️ cobs is a great villain for the show that he is in for a show that promotes creativity, meaningful relationships and hope the fact that the big bad is a forward thinking, cold-hearted capitalist is actually perfect

[vaggieslefteye]

HUSK, Hotel Bartender & Concierge | 1x04 - Masquerade

"Oh, I FORGOT — you're the wise-old bartender who's seen it all! Get the fuck over yourself and pour me a real drink."

[formulaonedirection]

Formula 1 as boybands

Early 2000s Backstreet Circuit burst on the scene in 2000 with their infectious hit Britney's In The Wall and charmed the nation. Brought together by the legendary Ron Dennis, critics have been quick to raise the question of how manufactured they are but nobody can deny Backstreet Mania is taking over the new millenium.

2010s As the world witnessed the formation of Formula One Direction, plucked from 5 regular boys with humble beginnings on the popular contest programme Pole Position, who knew in one short year the walls of every teenager would be filled with posters of Charles, Alex, George, Pierre and Lando. But no matter what age you are these boys have made a splash on pop culture unheard of since Backstreet Circuit.

2020s They sing, they dance, they write, they produce, if you haven't heard of Checkered Flag, get ready for their incoming world domination. Headed by leader and main producer Yuki Tsunoda, this supergroup is ready to make boybands cool again with their catchy tunes and impressive choreography.

inspo 1 / 2 / 3

[revvethasmythh]

framing imogen and laudna's relationship as somehow "making queer history" due to *checks notes* sheer quantity of their screentime might be one of the most nonsensical claims i've ever seen, not the least because I have no idea how this "screentime" is being calculated. are we counting every time they'd ever spoken to each other? their general presence as queer people in a very long show? the number of episodes that they were in a relationship together? exclusively the moments between them that were romantic (which is almost entirely subjective)? and like, at the end of the day, i think there's nothing queer history making about the relationship that beau wiping her mouth to pick a phone call from caleb in the middle of eating out her wife doesn't blow out of the fucking water just on principle

[triglycercule]

imagining this very funny totally amusing bit where dust (despite having a lot of pockets) makes horror carry a lighter for him (only because he can't be bothered to remember to bring one on him all the time) and horror keeps it in his head

but horror's a dick so everytime dust wants to smoke and he needs a light horror's always like "whats the password :3" (he actually said the emoticon i was the quotation marks) and dust has to guess. because horror changes it every time. and its never something predictable. and then he either just totally gives up on that cig or he has to forcefully dig into horror's head to get the lighter because horror's being a PRICK

now dust is shoulder deep into horror's eyesocket while horror is clawing and screaming and killer's just standing there behind them watching this unfold with that fuckass smile on his face (he can't get this type of entertainment anywhere else)

[cassiebones]

Happy birthday to @imyouraziraphale and here is your bday ficlet

Agatha hated her mother. It had taken her quite a while to admit that to herself, let alone aloud to the only person who may have had an equal hatred for Evanora Harkness: Rio Vidal.

Agatha had spent her entire life trying to earn her mother's love, watching the other children in her coven receive their mothers' love so freely and openly. Agatha was envious of them from the beginning, glaring at them as a small child, watching as they held their mothers' hands and received hugs and kisses that Agatha never got from Evanora.

Instead, she received whacks on her behind. She received sharp-tongued insults and admonishments for...well, she often didn't know what she had done wrong, but she always replied with the same four words: "I can be good!" Her mother scoffed at those words, but Agatha still tried. She wanted to be good so badly. For her mother.

Whom she loved.

But then her mother had tried to have her executed and Agatha had to confront the fact that, while she had loved her mother, her mother had not loved her.

It still took a decade to really come to terms with it. It took another decade before Agatha realized that she did not love her mother at all. She loathed her. She was happy that she was dead, rather than relief, which had been her first reaction despite her guilt at the killing.

Rio was right there with her, hating her mother. She had watched Agatha's execution, staying silent with the knowledge of what was about to happen. It hadn't been Agatha's time; Rio knew that. She grinned when all eight of the witches blasted Agatha with their magic, silencing her begging for mercy. She knew what was about to happen and she thrilled at the power this young witch had. She was practically salivating.

The blue rays turned to purple and Agatha's eyes widened in shock as she involuntarily drained the other witches of their magic, of the lives. Her eyes widened further as the euphoria of siphoning hit her, the relief that came with it. She released her hands from their bindings and faced her mother head on, though she was once again begging for mercy. Mercy that a mother should not be begged for.

"Please!" Agatha had said. "I can be good!"

"No," Evanora said, sighing as if the information disappointed her, "you cannot." She blasted Agatha again, apparently learning absolutely nothing from what had just happened before her very eyes, and had her powers almost instantly drained by her daughter.

Imbecile.

Rio continued to watch Agatha as the young woman stumbled away from the stake, walking toward her mother's body, her chin angled up (though she couldn't truly hide the tears in her eyes) as she leaned down, snatching her mother's locket. Then she flew off like some kind of beautiful bird, leaving Rio gazing after her in awe.

"Who are you?" Rio jumped then glared at the spirit of Evanora Harkness, who was glaring at her with her hands on her hips.

"I am Death," Rio growled at her. "I have come to take you to-"

"You aren't taking me anywhere," Evanora huffed. "I cannot leave this earth until that evil girl has been sent straight to hell, where she belongs!"

"She's not the one who has a spot reserved in hell," Rio huffed, leaning closer. Evanora's eyes practically filled with fire as she refused to move from her spot above her own body.

Rio just rolled her eyes, turning to the other spirits floating around, trying to ignore their wails as they lamented not only the loss of their own lives, but the fear and devastation their children must soon feel once they learned of their deaths.

At least there were some good mothers in this coven, Rio thought bitterly as she collected their souls, ignoring their pleas for more time and protection for their young children. She led them to the other side, ignoring Evanora, who stayed back as she preferred to stay a ghost (Rio hated ghosts, the stubborn bastards), and quickly returned to the land of the living, seeking out the powerful young witch.

She found her sitting beneath a tree by the river, looking out at the water as she played with the locket she'd taken off her own mother's body. As Rio watched her from behind a neighboring tree, she looked down at the locket, glaring at it for a moment, then made as if to toss it into the water....then she didn't. Instead, she placed it into her pocket, then pulled her knees up to her chest, then buried her face into her skirts and sobbed.

Rio felt something in that moment, in her chest. It felt...uncomfortable, beating out a rhythm against her ribcage. She placed her skeletal hand against her chest and closed her eyes, listening. She had heard this sound before. It sounded like...a heartbeat.

That was impossible, though. Death had no heart. Where could that be coming from, though? What could it be if not a heart? Like humans had.

She looked back up at the girl, who rested her chin on her folded arms, her blue eyes deep as the ocean as she stared out at the river, tears still falling down soft, beautiful cheeks. She was so beautiful...

"Show yourself," her voice said, suddenly. "I can hear you breathing. You might as well come out of hiding."

"I do not breathe," Rio huffed. Well, okay, that was a breath. But that was atypical for her. She schooled her features, putting on the visage of a girl approximately this one's age, and stepped out of the shadows.

The girl's eyes widened at the sight of her, her cheeks turning pink. Rio felt the rhythm of her new heart pick up in response. The girl stood as Rio approached her. Up close, she was even more gorgeous than Rio had first thought. She was the most beautiful human that Rio had ever seen (and she'd been around since the very first humans died, so that was truly saying something).

Her hair was long and dark brown, a contrast to the bright blue eyes. Her skin was almost as pale as the moonlight, but her cheeks were still pink, showing her the proof of the heart that pumped in her chest, the blood that ran through her veins. She was still pulsing with the power of eight witches, plus her own. She seemed to glow with it.

Rio swallowed thickly at the sight of her. She'd never had to swallow before. She was not human, not bound by human rules and impulses, but being this close to this woman...she felt distinctly human.

"Who are you?" she asked once Rio was just a few feet away. Rio paused in her steps when she saw the other girl's hands glow purple with her magic.

"I've had many names," Rio said, "over the years. Many have been unkind, but some have been...respectful." She shrugged. "You, however," she smiled at Agatha, softly, "may call me Rio."

"Rio." Oh, Rio's chosen name sounded absolutely musical on her tongue. Her lips wrapped around it perfectly.

"And what is yours?" Rio asked, tilting her head to the side, offering her another grin.

"Agatha," she said, but she offered no surname.

"Agatha," Rio echoed. "Beautiful."

The flush on Agatha's cheeks deepened and spread to the tips of her ears, sending a thrill through Rio. She loved being the one to elicit this reaction from such a beautiful human. She wanted to do it again. And again. And again and again and again.

Until the very end of time.

"Why are you here?" Agatha asked, her voice trying for firm but ending up a little shaky. "What has brought you to my covens' land?"

The coven had set up cabins around the lake just outside Salem. They were close enough that they could go to the markets for food and other materials they might need, but far enough that they could perform spells without alerting the townspeople. These were dangerous times for witches, after all.

"Death," Rio said, simply. Agatha's face blanched, all color leaving her at once. "Not yours, obviously," Rio said. "But there are about eight other corpses in a circle about..." She turned in the direction of the stake, which she could not see through the thicket of trees, "a mile that way. Good job, by the-"

When she turned back, Agatha was running away, her hands sparking purple at her sides, refusing to carry her in flight. Rio rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers, appearing in Agatha's path. Agatha did not react quickly enough to stop and ended up nearly knocking Rio over instead. Rio was sturdy, though, and was able to stay upright. She grasped Agatha's arms, holding onto her as she attempted to run away again.

"Please stop," Rio sighed. "I am not going to hurt you."

"Lies! You will tell the townspeople! I will be tried as a witch!"

"Are you not one?" Rio snorted. "You could have fooled me."

"What do you want from me?" Agatha hissed, still struggling.

"I want to teach you," Rio said, remembering Agatha's pleas from before. Agatha stopped struggling and Rio smiled. "I want to help you. I want you to take more power."

"Take more...why?" Agatha asked, furrowing her brow. "Why would I take the power of others? I've killed them!"

"I saw," Rio said, giving her an almost unhinged grin, it was so excited. "I liked it. It makes my job that much easier."

"Your...job?" Agatha looked Rio up and down, not quite understanding. Rio sighed, closing her eyes as she shifted her features. She didn't open her eyes again. She didn't want to see Agatha's reaction.

Humans had always been put off by Rio's skull-like features. They had screamed and ran and pleaded for her not to hurt them. Agatha had run even from Rio's most attractive visage, so how would she react to--

She felt the fingers brush against her jaw and her eyes opened immediately, staring into wide blue ones. Agatha's gaze was soft as it traced over every ridge and line of Rio's skull, her thumbs brushing over the ridge of her cheekbones. Rio felt hot under her touch, grateful that her skull could not blush lest she be found out.

"Magnificent," Agatha breathed. Rio leaned into her touch, feeling her heartbeat quicken again. Her eyes fluttered closed as she inhaled deeply. Rio's hold on Agatha loosened, but the other woman did not move away. Instead, she stepped closer, her fingers now running over the place where Rio's lips would have been. "So beautiful," she breathed, her eyes going wide and cheeks going pink as if she hadn't meant to say those words aloud.

"You, too," Rio replied, softly, lifting one skeletal hand to cup Agatha's cheek. The other woman gasped slightly, but she too leaned into the touch.

It was that moment that made Rio certain that she would do anything to protect Agatha Harkness, at all costs.

And she did.

For decades, she held Agatha through her night terrors, rocking with her in her lap, pressing kisses to her cheeks and her forehead and her nose and anywhere she could reach as she assured Agatha that she was not evil and that her mother could not get to her. She taught Agatha everything she could about magic, collecting spells for her to place in her own journal, watching in awe as Agatha mastered each one. She watched from a safe distance as Agatha lured powerful witches to her with promises she never intended to keep, collecting their bodies with a smile and a kiss to her love's lips as she ferried their souls.

She proposed to Agatha next to the lake where they first met, pledging her very existence to Agatha, all her love and devotion pouring from her heart. Agatha accepted this proposal by knocking Rio to the ground, placing kisses all over her face, then her neck, then lower.

They married there later that week, neither able to wait much longer to entwine their souls.

Rio vowed to protect Agatha from anything and everything that might do her true harm. She sealed that vow with a kiss that took Agatha's breath away as well as her own.

Over three hundred years later, that still had not changed.

"Leave her," Evanora's ghost said, an evil smile spreading across her lips, "with me."

Agatha's eyes immediately widened with fear as she looked down at her mother. Rio's body flushed with rage, her hand gripping her knife more tightly.

"No!" she growled. "No way!"

She felt Agatha's gaze snap toward her.

"A minute ago, you were ready to slit her throat!" Jennifer Kale (annoying ass bitch that she was) exclaimed.

It's called foreplay, Jennifer!

"Yeah, well," Rio said, still glaring at Evanora, "her mother can't have her!" Over Rio's dead body.

And Rio was Death, so...

Agatha started to descend the steps, eyes locked on Rio, shock and awe in her tear-filled gaze. Rio's eyes softened on hers for a moment before returning her glare full-force to Evanora, who floated toward her. Rio adjusted her stance, unafraid.

This bitch...

She didn't know how to get rid of ghosts. If she did, the world would be rid of each and every phantom that had ever existed. But she'd be damned if she let this particular spooky bitch near her wife.

Not a chance in hell.

So she surged toward Evanora, brandishing her knife. Weapons were typically useless against those with incorporeal forms, but Rio was Death and this blade in her hand, however changed it was by the Maximoff abomination, was still forged for Death, so it must be able to do something, right?

Evanora must have thought so because she moved back, away from Rio as she pointed said knife straight at her, marching forward, ready to slit her throat now (in a very not foreplay way, for the record).

"You are making a mistake!" Evanora cried out, her voice not quite as strong as before. "She will kill you all!"

"Leave!" Rio boomed, using her Death voice. "Go back to hell where you came from, bitch!"

"You--" Evanora tried.

"Leave!" Rio raised the knife above her head and Evanora faded away in a matter of seconds. Her body heaved with her heavy breaths, her glared still fixed on the spot where Evanora had been.

"Rio," a voice gasped next to her. Rio turned, eyes wide, as Agatha surged into her, hugging her again like she had the night before. Rio wrapped her tightly in her arms, squeezing her tight. She felt a few sobs from Agatha's body, but they were so light so as to not be noticed by anybody else. She pressed a kiss to Agatha's temple as she pulled back, cupping her love's cheeks, swiping away the tears on Agatha's skin with her thumb. "You...why did you...?"

"I told you that I'd always protect you, didn't I?" Rio replied, her lips curving up in a tiny smile. "It was part of our vows."

"Your vows!?" Alice exclaimed.

"You two are married?" Lilia asked.

"Of course Agatha would be married to the creepy bitch," Jen huffed.

"Guys, time is running out!" Teen said, pointing at his watch.

"Go say goodbye then," Rio huffed, motioning to the Ouija Board as she continued to hold her wife in her arms. Agatha melted against her body, pressing her face into Rio's shoulder. Rio sheathed her knife and ran her fingers through the tangle of Agatha's curls. Wow, she really liked this hairstyle on her. She wanted to see more of it, for sure.

The rest of the group used the Ouija Board to spell out goodbye, but Agatha and Rio stayed holding one another. Rio pressed a kiss to Agatha's cheek. Agatha pulled back and kissed her lips, running her hands through Rio's hair like she'd done for decades. Rio held her wrists, as she had always done.

"Gross," she heard Jen Kale huff behind her. "Quit making out; the trial is over. We can leave."

Rio didn't stop kissing her wife. But she did take one of her hands off of Agatha's wrist to flip Jen the bird.

Agatha kissed her harder for that.

[gunsatthaphan]

"how did you manage to stay alive until now?"

[apocalypse-boogie]

Drolta’s going to be BACK!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!

She looks like she’s going to be more visually inhuman too, and that’s interesting.

[simplynims]

I remember awhile ago an anon over on audio roleplay confessions mentioned how in audio roleplays the audience seems to forget the 'roleplay' aspect of this type of media. As in you're playing a 'role' of a character in whatever series you're listening to and people tend to forget that when said listener character does something they deem as out of character for themselves.

It got me thinking and I've noticed that I really enjoy it when the listener characters have more defining personality traits and a bit of backstory! It's a much more engaging experience to listen to, especially if the listener character has a lot of their own flaws shown in the writing. I've also noticed that in this specific genre of content, a lot of creators are very hesitant to give any negative traits to the listener character other than faint sweetness and a blank slate that the audience can project their own characters on to.

I'm not going to bash anyone who likes this style of writing with what's supposed to be a self insert, but at some point it does get boring when their default actions in every other video falls back onto those same characteristics. I know it can be limiting especially since the listener is basically the y/n of audios and they want to be inclusive. But when creators realize that they don't need to confine themselves creatively with this, it's a much more fun experience for them AND the audience.

A great example of this type of listener character is Dennys from Escaped Audios. What I really liked about her is that she's a bit of a hot mess, an alcoholic, implusive, has lowkey anger issues, the type of girl that could absolutely give you a mean left hook and overall a character that 'says' and does INTERESTING! THINGS!! You don't know much about her but that's where you, the audience, can insert your own details in because you have the bases of her personality shown through out the My Greasefire Life series to use to blossom your own creativity!

Another example of this is Darlin' from Redacted Audios, you can tell right off the bat through the first few episodes what kind of person they are. They're hard headed, stubborn, distant, a fighter who cares heavily for the very few people they trust and love. Not only that, we're given a bit of backstory of WHY they're like this but it's vauge enough so that the audience can still put themselves in the shoes of Darlin'. It suits so well with the story line because they have depth!

A few more honorable mentions I'd like to also add in is Faithful from Good Boy Audios, Casper from YuuriVoice, the villain listener in Fall of Titans from Pebbles ASMR, etc etc. I know it can be difficult to pull this off without someone complaining that it's not immersive, but people are always going to have something to say whether that be negative or positive. Have fun with it and explore those options!

[amaranthdahlia]

paranormal brothers

WOO finally shigaraki twins art dump lesgoo

first off heres a facial study+headcanon thingy i did of these two cus theyre fun to make !!!

theyre not complete i think..? since i couldnt come up w anymore hcs 😭😭 i wanted more. anhways yeah also ofc things might change btw!

(this is actually a revised version but i dont wanna show yall the old one bc its bad hahdj)

anyways, doodles go!!!

andddd old art from 2022!! which u can tell cus of the age hc lol.(

[sluckythewizard]

I LOVE QUEEN SOO MUCH I THINK THEYRE JUST SO SO NEAT AND SILLY... the best thing about a cute character is that u get to draw them all scared and bloody and crying and shaking and upset and you can also put a spider on them