#But also it's the same principle for him as it is with Gilbert

[smoothie03]

Since youve mentioned you tend to not actually find one half of your otp interesting on their own, what inspires you to ship something?

Very good question! And the answer is quite simple:

What inspires me is the dynamic between the characters, the relationship and how it would play out for both of them indivudually, so they would grow as a person.

I also used to ship GerIta a lot while Germany was/is actually my least favourite character but what drew me in was the dynamic and how both characters could bring the best out of each other in my mind. And as a result the characters I don't enjoy THAT much on their own, also become more enjoyable for me with the change and influence of the other half of the pair.

And the same principle works for TeuTemp. I like to imagine that Gabriel's/Knights Templar's presence brings out the best out of Gilbert and in return Gilbert's "flaws" and strenghts could also bring the best out of Gabriel (since I hc Gabriel to not state his opinion a lot and be more of a people pleaser while Gilbert would even tell the pope to shut up if he doesn't like sth with no remorse at all). They're learning from each other's streghts and weaknesses, from their best and their worst and I enjoy the principle that even characters I'd personally insult a lot, still get genuinely loved by someone.

Also, for every ship where I'm not interested in one half of the pair, there is always a third wheeler shitting on both (Romano for GerIta, Joan/Knights Hospitaller for TeuTemp) and idk I think that's funny.

[reunionatdawn]

My Analysis of the Best Paired Endings in 3H (Part 17: Annette/Gilbert)

Gilbert: I remembered how happy you would be, as a child, when I handed one of these dolls to you. Annette: I was back then, but I'm not a child anymore. It's too late for this now, Father. It doesn't make me happy anymore. Gilbert: Annette… Annette: I… I was so lonely after you left. I was always, always alone. I didn't know where you were, or who to turn to for comfort. All I could do was look at the dolls you carved for me, and remember you…and weep! Gilbert: If you don't need it, you can throw it away. It is all the same in the end.

Annette was also a victim of Faerghus's patriarchal culture. The tagline for the game was, "Sweet memories twisted by time's cruel hand". Her fondest memories were related to her father. But Gilbert was so devoted to the king that when he failed his duty as a knight, he felt too ashamed to live a happy life and abandoned his wife and daughter. He didn't even think he had the right to smile.

Ashe: Your father gave it to you. I know you said you'd throw it away, but you can't just toss out something so important. Annette: Ashe… Thank you! I'm so happy!

Annette shared her paralogue with her father and many of her Supports ended up being about him in some way or another.

Annette: Then the least you can do is apologize. I'm fine, but Mother deserves as much. I've finished my studies at the school of sorcery and entered the Officers Academy. I have a busy and satisfying life now. But Mother… She's waited for you to return all this time, living under my uncle's roof.

The Crest of Dominic is associated with the Empress arcana. It represents the divine feminine principle, which includes qualities such as abundance, nurturance, motherhood, and love for home and family. And Annette's story arc revolved around her broken family.

Dimitri: Annette… Something's been weighing on me. Something I've done terribly wrong. Your father… He worked tirelessly. I don't know if I ever saw him take a rest. I feel as though, in a way, we stole him from you.

I probably can't talk about pairings without addressing Netteflix, the #1 most popular ship for Annette. The two of them actually had a lot in common. Both of their fathers were so devoted to the dead king that they failed their living children. There was a lot of potential for them to connect on a deeper level because of that. But the whole Support chain revolved around singing. Which actually ended up working out pretty well.

Felix: I want you to sing for me. Your song never leaves me, whether I'm asleep or on the battlefield… I might be a captive of your song. Annette: Captive… Wh-what are you saying?! That's… um, embarrassing! Felix: …I-it can't be helped. I don't even know what I'm saying! Annette: W-wait a minute… Why are you blushing, Felix? Felix: …Mind your own business. Annette: …………….. Felix: …………….. Annette: …I don't really get it, but if you're saying that much, then you can listen to my song again.

I found their A+ Support absolutely hilarious. It seemed like Felix, who was raised in a strict military family, had so few opportunities to experience people expressing themselves, that he became utterly fascinated by singing. It was something foreign and exotic to him. He only showed interest in Dorothea when he learned she could fight, but even MORE when he learned she could sing.

Felix: Alright, then. Sing something for me. Any song you remember. Annette: Leave it to me! Then, I'll sing you my favorite song! Um, um. Burning with fiery life, carrying the blood of flames... Let's get into the bath with our bodies still hot...♪ If we start to feel dizzy, let's take a break...♪ Once we've revived, let's try getting in again...♪ ……………… Felix: ……………… To get in a bath when your body is hot… That's some determination. I should learn from that. Annette: ……………… Felix: However… to rest after getting dizzy and then enter again… You really like baths that much? Annette: ………

In their Hopes Support, the lyrics for Annette's song were slightly more suggestive than they were in the localization, since it alludes to people getting in the bath together. Annette was blushing when she finished singing. I think she assumed Felix asking her to sing was a way of him showing romantic interest and she was attempting to flirt with him by choosing lyrics that were a bit risqué. But Felix just did NOT pick up on it at all. It went straight over his head.

Felix & Annette After the war, Felix inherited the title of Duke Fraldarius from his late father, Rodrigue. Some time later, he married Annette, and the pair earned renown together by working hard at restoring their territory to and beyond its former glory. The people adored the pair: Felix for his fierce determination, and Annette for her boundless cheer. Years later, Annette threw herself into songwriting, and with the support and encouragement of her husband, she produced melodies that remained popular for generations. The lyrics became distorted over time, however, and the original meaning of the music was lost.

They're an inoffensive ship with a pleasant paired ending in AM, although I don't exactly ship them. I thought it was great that she was able to help him find a passion for something unrelated to military or warfare. I always thought that his "passion" for swordsmanship was drilled into him from birth rather than genuine. Still, I think the joke was that he fell in love with singing, not Annette herself. I thought they had deeper relationships with other characters.

Annette: Mercie, we'll stay friends like this forever… Won't we? Mercedes: Is something wrong? You sound worried. Annette: Since our time in the capital, so much has happened. We've had to make new lives for ourselves, and we've seen at least as many hard times as good. If things keep changing like this, I wonder if we'll be able to stay the same people we are now…

Other than her father, Mercedes was the most important person to Annette. In their A-Support they both confessed their love for each other. And while it did seem like the bisexual Mercedes may have loved her beyond friendship (especially in the Japanese), Annette seemed insistent on emphasizing her platonic love.

Annette & Mercedes After the war, Annette and Mercedes lived separate lives: the former as a teacher at the school of sorcery in Fhirdiad, the latter as a cleric at Garreg Mach. Though they lived apart, they exchanged letters so frequently and shared their lives with one another in such detail that it was as though they were side by side. After many decades, they resigned their respective positions and reunited at Garreg Mach. In their final years, they relocated to a modest house in the Fortress City. It is said that they were happy together to the very end.

They will not be life partners even if you go for their paired ending. It's slightly a bittersweet ending, showing how, as friends get older and pursue their own dreams, things don't always stay the same between them. While they do eventually reunite during retirement, I don't consider it to be the most satisfying ending for either of them.

Annette: You know, you might already know, but my uncle is really strict. He always said, "Do everything perfectly on your own, whether it's cooking, studying, cleaning, or laundry." …Otherwise, being a knight's daughter would just mean being bought by a noble for their Crest.

By the end of the game, I did not ship Annette with anyone, nor do I think any of her romantic paired endings offered a truly satisfying conclusion to her storyline. Even at the Goddess Tower, she just wished to stay friends forever with Byleth. Romance and marriage had little to do with her character arc and she expressed more interest in her friends and family compared to her love life.

Annette: My father was so happy to see me using magic… Seeing him happy made me happy too, and that made me want to work even harder. If only things could have stayed like that… Byleth: What do you mean? Annette: When I was about 13, my father left home. He was a devout man, so I figured he'd gone to the monastery. That's why I went to the school of sorcery, so that I could eventually get accepted at the Officers Academy. I studied harder than ever, and sure enough, I finally earned a referral.

Annette joined the Officer's Academy to reunite with her father.

Annette: After the battle at Gronder, some people claim they saw my father. They said he walked off the battlefield clutching… His Highness's dead body… So long as Father's alive, I don't need anything else. I just… I hope to see him again one day…

And her motivation for joining VW is simply to find him. Repairing her relationship with him was absolutely vital to her happiness.

Dimitri: Say, Annette… When this war is over, where will you go? I heard that you were close to Baron Dominic back in the academy days. Annette: That's right… But five years ago, my uncle betrayed the Kingdom and went over to the Empire's side. I reconnected with Father. So I'd like to live with my family again, in the capital. Also, if I'm in the capital, I'll be able to see you from time to time… Right?

In many of Annette's paired endings, she moves away to live with her husband (Claude, Linhardt, Felix, and Ashe). But she wanted to stay in Fhirdiad to live with her family, and so she could stay in touch with her friends such as Dimitri. I was rooting for her to reconcile with her father more than getting a husband. Gustave was clearly the "life partner" she wanted most.

Gilbert: Still, I wonder what path my life should follow once we achieve our goals. Byleth: Aren't you going back to your family? Gilbert: That has been my intent. But surely my daughter, Annette, must have her own path to follow. Perhaps she would be happier if our paths diverged. Of course, if she desires it, I will gladly return.

And that's obviously what he wanted, too. Gilbert prioritized his duty to his dead king over his relationship with his living wife and daughter. Similar to Dimitri, his character arc was about forgiving himself and realizing that he should live for himself and not the dead.

Dimitri & Gilbert Dimitri assumed the throne of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus and spent his life ruling justly over Fódlan. At his side was the knight, Gustave, who had discarded the name of Gilbert and reaffirmed his oath of fealty to the royal family. After many more years of service, in which the trust between them grew and never wavered, Gustave finally wished to retire. Though he bristled slightly at Dimitri's request to look after and tutor the young prince, it is said that Gustave took on that duty with due patience and solemnity for the remainder of his life.

Gilbert only has a few paired endings. His ending with Dimitri depicts him becoming a father figure to Dimitri's son, which is the same as his solo ending. And it sounds like he was still bound by duty and guilt, unable to have his own life or even retire.

Annette: I'm not going to cower in safety while they struggle, especially when I'm in the best position to help. Gustave: If you sense any danger at all, child, promise me that you'll run. I couldn't bear to lose you.

For better or worse, Annette was the most important person to Gustave in both Houses and Hopes. His guilt and shame led him to make bad choices. But in Hopes, when it came down to life or death, he was a father first and a knight second. He will let his daughter flee, so that he could die in her place.

Gilbert: Your Highness, may I ask what your next plan of attack is? Should we dispatch our troops to the Kingdom capital or to the Imperial capital? Dimitri: We will take the Imperial capital. There, I will kill her. We end the war and chase away the lingering regrets of the dead. Nothing could be more to the point. Annette: Uh, that may be true, but don't forget that your people need our help right now…

Annette's relationship with her father was interesting due to how inextricably linked it was to Faeghus's toxic culture of chivalry and the overarching themes of AM's story.

Edelgard: But one cannot measure a leader's worth based solely on whether or not they bear a Crest. There are plenty of talented people in this world without one. People believe Crests are blessings from the goddess, that they're necessary to maintain order in Fódlan. But the people are wrong. Crests are to blame for this brutal, irrational world we live in. Their power is granted only to a select few, whom we elevate and allow to rule the world.

One such theme was "blind obedience". Because Dimitri bore a certain Crest and had the "divine right to rule", his attendants were not willing to step in and call out his poor leadership. Without Byleth acting as an authority figure to override Dimitri, everyone in the Kingdom army will be sent to their deaths.

Gilbert: Annette, throw down your arms! Would you really fight your father? Annette: I can't do it, Father. I can't betray Mother and my uncle! If I have to defeat you, then so be it!

There is unused dialogue that was apparently meant to be an alternate scenario based on whether Annette was defeated in Part 1 and was unrecruited in Part 2. Annette sides with the Empire because she has given up on her father and wants to stay loyal to her mother and uncle. And Gilbert is so loyal to the king that he's even willing to kill his own daughter. It was clearly the "bad" ending.

Annette: We thought maybe you hated us, were trying to forget all about us… Gilbert: Never. I swear it on his late majesty, and on my homeland. Annette: I see. All right…then swear. Swear that some day, when this war is over, you'll come back to us. Gilbert: I hear you, Annette. I will return without fail. Annette: No matter what. That's a promise you just made. If you break it, I'll never speak to you again. Gilbert: Yes. I promise.

And it was meant to juxtapose the "good" ending.

Gilbert & Annette Having discarded his false name, Gilbert, now the royal knight Gustave, renewed his loyalty to King Dimitri. Returning to the capital city of Fhirdiad, Gustave reunited with his wife, who had been staying with Baron Dominic, and his beloved daughter Annette, who began working as a teacher at the capital's school of sorcery. Initially, conversations within the family were somewhat awkward, but over time, smiles and warmth returned. In the Kingdom free from the shadows of war, the three of them enjoyed peaceful and happy days, reclaiming the life they once had.

A fulfilling occupation was vital to Annette's happiness. Her strict uncle wanted her to be perfect at everything, so she wouldn't be sold off for her Crest. She worked so hard because she wanted to support herself. Her dream was to become a teacher. When she was younger, she wanted to be a teacher at the school of sorcery, and she achieves that in the ending with her father.

This is the only ending where Gustave completes his character arc and learns to live for himself. Deep down he was not a bad person, and it was rewarding to see him get his priorities straight. He could still serve the royal family, but his focus should be on his own family. He is a father first and a knight second.

[wordycheeseblob]

I like Gilbert's strategic MO. I really do.(possible spoilers)

He's wasting the least amount of resources on his side and winning wars by creating in-fights then gracefully swooping in to pick up the wreckage and annex the territory to Obsidian. After those Civil Wars and political strife a territory is bled of supplies, unstable.... Weak, and cannot afford more bloodshed, hopelessly surrendering to the invader, their fear fanned by the former Emperor's merciless reputation.

So Gilbert's gliding on his father's reputation to win wars without lifting a finger and secretly restore his own countries stability.

Also, like shingen, he had a massive spy network because he knows that information wins wars.

So if you've read The Art of War or any other on strategy, it's visible how Gilbert's applying correctly a lot of its principles.

And yes it's impossible to know what he's up to because both he and Chevalier operate on a grander scale but I'd argue that it's trickier to figure out Gilbert because no one really knows what he's after, what's his end goal... What is moving his actions?

And him being unreadable makes him invisible to a certain extent from Chevaliers calculations. At the same time going against chevalier is like playing against a super computer.

I could go on and on but I'm pretty sure you get the point. Also there is no point, just me gushing over Gilbert's character.

[ozonecologne]

ok, a thought. spoilers for the anime and destiel adjacent

disclaimer: I have not seen the Violet Evergarden movie, but I've seen some spoilers so I don't think I'm GOING to watch it. Some post-series info might be inaccurate, don't yell at me.

The only thing I didn't like about Violet Evergarden story-wise (other than the very obvious way that children are preyed upon and only maybe two people ever critique this as part of the narrative) is at the end when Violet writes her letter to the major, she says that "I know you're alive somewhere" and that's why she continues to live, because she has hope she'll see him again.

I would have liked much better if Violet were able to complete her cycle of grief, come to terms with the fact that Gilbert is gone for real, and decide to embrace the life he made sure she has in this new world without him.

This is very similar to how I feel about the end of Pride and Prejudice (2005), a movie that I also deeply adore. In Darcy's final confession to Elizabeth where she thanks him for all he's done, he says, "Surely you know it was all for you." That kind of defeats the point, doesn't it? Elizabeth objects to Darcy at first because she doesn't like how he behaves in the world or treats people around him; Elizabeth eventually falls for him because his view of the world has supposedly changed for the better and he's opened himself up to more within it. He becomes more expressive, gentler, kinder. Instead, he says that everything he's done or changed has only ever been a symptom of his obsession for HER -- he didn't really learn anything?

Violet literally told Diethard in the last moments of the show that she doesn't need orders anymore. That was such a beautiful moment for her and I was really proud of her, I liked that end of her arc. It signified that she was finally stepping into herself as an individual, separating herself from the role of "tool" or soldier, and healing to become a healthy adult despite the trauma she went through. But then she kind of walks all that progress back with the letter she writes afterwards because she reveals that she's only doing anything she does because she delusionally believes that the major will come back and she's essentially just waiting for him to return some day.

[and then supposedly in the movie he DOES come back and her delusion is REWARDED and she abandons everything she built as her own person… for him :)))) Which is the opposite of what he wanted for her but whatever I guess!!!]

[I also think that the letter thing could be a bad translation issue. Gilbert's mother tells her earlier that Gilbert is alive in her heart, and in Violet's too. So maybe Violet was echoing that sentiment in her letter, but if that's the case I don't really think it was executed very well.]

I have the same issue with both VE and P&P. Despite being really wonderful stories about opening yourself up to the joys of the world by being brave enough to get in touch with difficult feelings -- and only finding that courage because someone else showed you the way -- the stories sabotage their messages at the end by returning to a very boring "I did it for YOU" dynamic.

Instead of "I did it FOR you," I guess I prefer "I did it BECAUSE of you." And I think you know where I'm going with this. This is why I think that Destiel is such a compelling ship. While Dean gets Castiel to care about everyone else in the world through learning to love him specifically ("I cared about the whole world because of you"), Castiel disagrees and is in conflict with Dean sometimes when he tries to do the right thing. His world revolves around Dean, but Castiel still acts according to what HE THINKS IS RIGHT, because he learned from Dean's example that doing the right thing is what makes your life fulfilling. They're in love, but ultimately what takes precedence are the principles they live by rather than their feelings for each other. It's just that their principles have developed alongside one another and often align, and that's what makes them a good pair... Howl's Moving Castle Howl/Sophie is also another good example of this dynamic.

TL;DR: I like when characters develop a set of principles that help them stand up in the world on their own, but not when those principles are only contingent on receiving the love and affection of someone they've placed on a pedestal.

i finally watched violet evergarden :')

[rebelsandtherest]

Historical Accuracy

A very, very silly drabble inspired by a very silly tiktok I saw about “things to do with the boys this summer”.

America / Prussia if you like, but it’s mild and they are drunk.

-------------

There were very few nations who picked up new technology, gadgets, or trends as quickly as Alfred Jones. According to his brother Matthew, it was because he was clinging desperately to his youth even as he hurtled toward 450. According to Arthur Kirkland, it was because he spent too much time slacking and not enough time getting actual work done. According to many others, it was because he was a materialistic, fat cat capitalist who filled the void left by his rotted principles and lack of meaningful relationships with silicon and satellites.

Which first of all, rude.

But in the end it didn’t matter, because no matter how quickly Alfred seemed to pick up the latest smartphone, the newest game, or the hottest viral trends, he always seemed to show up fifteen minutes late with a proverbial Starbucks in hand (was that meme even in vogue anymore?) to find Gilbert Beilschmidt sitting in the gamer chair he had set up in Ludwig’s basement, calling Alfred a n00b.

Case in point, Gilbert had 500,000 followers by the time Alfred finally got a TikTok account. He’d amassed his following much like he had on YouTube, back in the day, by streaming unhinged play-throughs of videogames of all sorts with multilingual, furious commentary about the physics, logic, military tactics, and historical accuracy of whatever game he’d been playing. His most popular series was actually from when he’d played through Untitled Goose Game, a fact which he still seemed to be upset about.

It took two weeks for Gilbert to realize Alfred was on TikTok, but once he did, after a great deal of spamming, they began sending each other videos fairly frequently. More often than not, they exchanged TikToks that reminded them of other nations, with increasingly farfetched context along the lines of “idk man it’s giving hungover francis waking up in stockholm on a tuesday morning with nothing but pounds sterling in his pocket vibes.” They also enjoyed placing bets on who the next person would be to join them; Gilbert claimed that Yong Soo had told him that he had a secret account, and Gilbert had an entire conspiracy board assembled on his theories of which users could be him.

Anyway, when Alfred had sent Gilbert a video about a group of friends meeting up to build a trebuchet just for shits and giggles, he’d meant it as nothing more than a source of an evening chuckle, but when he woke up the following morning, he found 27 unread messages from Gilbert. All of them were completely serious. Rather than react to the video, Gilbert had launched immediately into an outline of how many blueprints he had and how he was pretty sure he had enough free materials at his old castle (Gilbert had a castle?!) where they could absolutely meet up if Alfred could make it to Bumfuck Nowhere, Germany, within the next two weeks while Ludwig was still occupied in Brussels.

It’s not livable by human standards, Gilbert had typed, and Alfred had automatically translated this to read as “not livable by 21st century standards”, but you americans are sluts for camping, right?

And goddamnit, Alfred did enjoy camping.

That was how Alfred had ended up in a German town the name of which took up three signposts at the train station and which Alfred couldn’t even try to pronounce even though his German had been polished to a shine since 1942.

Thanks to his willingness to play fast and loose with his security clearance, he’d even managed to sneak in a carboy of homemade moonshine. To that point, Alfred had only seen Gilbert truly astonished once in his life, back in Pennsylvania in 1778, when Gilbert realized exactly how little military training Alfred had under his belt. But here he was, wearing the same expression a quarter of a millennium later when Alfred told him the proof of the bootleg he’d smuggled into Gilbert’s country. Unlike last time, the expression almost instantly gave way to a Cheshire grin.

That was how they’d ended up here, in an abandoned field (”It used to grow wheat, I think. Or barley? Jesus, I can’t remember, I just remember whenever I came here it smelled like beer, it was the best,” Gilbert had said) outside an abandoned, half-bombed out castle, growing increasingly more drunk while Gilbert consulted rotting blueprints and directed Alfred on all the heavy lifting.

Truly, Alfred didn’t mind doing the heavy lifting. It was difficult for him to find a challenging workout, so lifting several hundred kilo’s worth of timber into a mathematically precise angle was exactly the sort of physical exertion he found thrilling. He only wished Gilbert wasn’t quite so eager to become his foreman.

“Is the bullhorn really necessary?” He shouted back at Gilbert, who was hunched over the camp table they’d set up just outside the overgrown ruins of the castle. Gilbert squinted up at him through the sun and raised the bullhorn to his lips before clicking it on.

“Ja.” Alfred opened his mouth to retort, but Gilbert continued, “It needs more counterweight; I want to be able to launch your fat ass when we’re done.”

“Oh, fuck you!” Alfred laughed, hauling more small boulders over anyway.

By the afternoon of the second day, the trebuchet itself was assembled and ready to fire. Gilbert was lounging in the shade on account of his absolutely blindingly pale complexion, watching from a camp chair while Alfred, shirtless, sweating, with a wet towel under his ball cap and prescription aviators replacing his normal specs, was dragging the finished siege weapon into the position that Gilbert deemed correct.

They were also both—particularly Gilbert—fairly drunk.

“Schön!“ Gilbert slurred eventually, and at long last, set aside the bullhorn. “Come chug this before you pass out,” he lifted a full gallon of water and set it on the table.

“Oh come on, I’m not that bad off,” Alfred said, and he really did mean it. He still marched over and popped the cap anyway, giving it a grateful chug before setting it aside and taking a swig of the drink he’d left on Gilbert’s makeshift foreman’s desk. Ice still rattled inside the YETI. Alfred wasn’t even winded.

“You’re really disgusting, you know that?” Gilbert said, looking up at him like a skinny, drunk, middle-aged divorcee, sitting in his camp chair, bucket hat and sunglasses in place with legs crossed and every available inch of skin slathered in sunscreen. Alfred beamed at him.

“Jealous?”

“Fick dich,” Gilbert spat back, nursing his drink through a straw.

“I’ll pass.” Alfred took another sip and looked back at their trebuchet. It had turned out shockingly good for a two-day effort, far better than Alfred had anticipated they’d be able to manage.

“So, scale of one to ten, how historically accurate is it?” he asked. Gilbert scoffed.

“Historically accurate? Pah!” He took another long suck on the hot pink bendy straw, and mumbled around it, “if we were being historically accurate we’d be firing buckets of Greek fire.” His entire body paused, eyebrows raising far above his outdated sunglasses. “You know,” he said, dangerously.

“Absolutely not,” Alfred cut him off, for some reason putting himself between Gilbert and the siege weapon as if the older nation would leap to arm it at that very moment, “your brother will kill both of us.”

“Pffft,” Gilbert waved him off, “that baby? He’s even younger than you, and you’re a fucking infant.”

“Hey.”

“Seriously, though, I have a recipe somewhere in the cellar. It’s in Latin, I think.” Gilbert stood unsteadily from his seat, leaning on the camp table a moment and shaking out his right foot, which had gone numb crossed over his left leg. “Can you read Roman? Mein eyes gone wobbly.”

“Okay,” Alfred said, calmly moving the double-walled growler further away from Gilbert’s hand, “I think that’s enough moonshine for you.”

“What? Please! I’m fine. I remember this tomorrow. Besides,” he straightened and turned to look back at the complete part of the castle where they’d been camping, “eye wobbles making Greek fire more prettier, now helping walk you me, useless schlingel.”

“You realize that’s not proper English,” Alfred said, not moving to help him.

“You understood, no?” Gilbert took a ambitious step forward toward the castle.

“Jesus,” Alfred caught him and turned him around, effectively holding him up with one hand, “we are not making Greek fire, but you can pick out your favorite boulder, come on.”

Gilbert let himself be all but dragged out to the field, and was staring with a disgusted expression at Alfred’s bicep, which flexed under Gilbert’s weight.

“Mein gott,” he poked the muscle experimentally, “you were a twig yesterday, what happened?”

“I can’t believe I had a crush on you,” Alfred griped under his breath, and Gilbert strained to hear him.

“Wie bitte?”

“Nothing,” Alfred said, laughing when Gilbert tripped over a rock and made an undignified noise. It was at this point that Gilbert shook the American off and continued under his own power, which, much to Alfred’s surprise, he seemed to manage with passable results. After much pondering, Gilbert picked out a rock and pointed to it. Alfred hefted it with minimal effort and carried it over to the sling. As the American was fastening it in place, he realized that, given the weight of the rock and the counterweight he’d measured out himself, the rock was liable to land not in the field, but somewhere in the castle itself—the ruined portion, at most, but still.

“Uhh, Gil,” He said, “Are you—I mean, this is going to hit the castle, you know that, right?”

“Of fucking course it is! Your lot bombed it out, so why can’t I use it as target practice? Get moving! Let’s knock some shit down.”

It was not at all what Alfred was expecting, but he shrugged shoulders and finished rigging up the boulder and drawing back the trebuchet to full tension. He brought the trigger lead over to Gilbert.

“If you’ll do the honors,” He said, giving a silly mock bow, because while he wasn’t as plastered as Gilbert, he was still playfully drunk. “As the ancient history expert here.”

“Ancient—you fucking, give it.” He took it and yanked, and both nations’ heads tracked the slow, freight-train arc of the machine before the sling whipped open and threw the boulder across the field with impossible ease, before it crashed into one of the lone standing walls of the castle, knocking off a car door’s worth of bricks to the ground.

“YEAH!!” Both of them cheered, too thrilled with the act of scientifically correct destruction to worry about the fact that it was Gilbert’s own property. “Fuck yeah, it works!” Alfred cheered, grinning his blinding, all-American grin seeing his handiwork succeed on the first trial.

“I love the smell of destruction in the morning!” Gilbert said. It was late afternoon. “Ha!” With zero preamble, he grabbed Alfred’s face and pulled him down for a drunken kiss, right on the lips.

“Jesus Christ,” Alfred said, pulling away, “How much have you—you taste like a fucking distillery,” Alfred actually involuntarily gagged, “Gil, seriously, it’s too hot out here—drink some fucking water—”

“Right, test one ist gut,” the Prussian spread his arms in victory, grinning like a madman, “time for test zwei,” he ignored Alfred and squinted, grinning, at the dust cloud left by their missile. “Mitkommen,” He declared, waving Alfred on as he marched back towards their camp table, “this time, Greek fire!”

“Oh my—Gilbert, Jesus, fuck,” Alfred tripped over uneven ground in his haste to follow. He was drunker than he’d like to admit. Ludwig really is going to kill both of us. “Gilbert, no.”

“Gilbert, ja! Come, on, coward!”

[imaginethebeautifulworld]

hi, do you have rules for submitting requests? like what you don’t feel comfortable writing and such? ^_^ also, do you have a list of prompts that you like or something similar? i’ve been wanting to submit a request about gilbert but ive been having a hard time coming up with any substance behind it, i just wanted to see some stuff about him :,)

Hello, Lovely~

I don't really have any specific "rules" for submissions/requests per say, but as I've grown as a writer, I've found there are some things I just can't bring myself to write. I never dabble in NSFW/smut, I do not do any match-ups anymore, and I very, very rarely write any shipping content. I just... I've dabbled in all of the above in the past, but found that none of these were part of my niche.

For inspiration, I personally like to visit different websites:

oneword.com offers a single word and a one-minute timer to write whatever comes to mind based on that prompt (sometimes I just flip to a random page in a random book for the same principle)

writerswrite.co.za offers daily writing prompts of all different kinds (though most of them don't quite spark as much inspiration as I'd like)

writingexercises.co.uk offers a variety of different generators such as first lines, titles, snippets of dialogue, and even features a rhyming dictionary now!

As for prompts I have on this blog, there are a few different ones:

Austen and Bronte Prompts- send me a character and a line of dialogue from the list and I'll write a fic written around it

"I wish you would write a fic where..." - send me a character and a scenario that you wish I would write, and I'll write a skeleton of that fic or a summary of what I would do to write said fic.

Fabulous Flower Starters- send me a character and a flower, and I'll write a fic focusing on that theme

Headcanon Prompt Meme- send a character and a word and I'll write a mini fic about it

First to Five- send me a character and a sentence of dialogue and I will write the next five sentences in the fic (or try to finish a fic in five sentences if I can)

All I ask is that you please specify which prompt you're requesting from in the ask if you'd like to pursue this avenue; it makes it easier for me to find the original prompt as a reference.

Feel free to also send me just vague ideas or scenarios you have in mind, and I will attempt my own spin.

Thanks for the ask my dear! I patiently await your request~

[anotherhamiltonblog]

Foreign Touch.

Summery: What happens when you get the mark of your soulmate on your body at the age of 16? Just a mark where they would touch you for the first time. What happens when your name is Y/N Hamilton and your soulmates with Thomas Jefferson? Come and find out.

Warnings: Cursing. Days to Proof-Read this and I didn’t... oops?

Word Count: Around 1,140.

Enjoy!

The Hamilton siblings weren’t related by blood, the two were adopted and taken from their home in Charlestown, the capital of the island of Nevis. The two were born and left at an orphanage. Being the youngest two, Y/N and Alexander were adopted by Rachel and Tom Hamilton. Taken to Washington D.C, they lived in a comfortable house, part of the upper class in society. While Rachael was a cardiothoracic surgeon, Tom was a Lawyer who took a lot of different cases. From Immigration to Family cases.

The two Hamilton children, being the same age and growing up together. They shared the same group of friends. Y/N being the only female in the group.

John Laurens, a freckled, curly haired boy who moved to their neighborhood when his mother died and so him and his father decided to leave behind North Carolina and start fresh.

Hercules Mulligan, a tall, strong high school wrestler and also the son of one of the best fashion designers and fatherless.

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette.... er, Lafayette as his friends call him. He came to Washington back in Freshman year, coming to live with his uncle George Washington. Who also happened to be the Principle of their High School.

Naturally, the group of five became best friends back in their freshman year. Their group wasn’t like usual high school groups. 

There was a French foreigner, who was a ladies man. A wrestler, who was a total flirt, Curly haired freckles, the best swimmer in the whole school. Alexander, the history nerd and the schools newspaper editor in chief. Then there was Y/N, the only girl in the group. Yet probably the smartest.

Y/N was an overachiever, while being a cheerleader, she was also a top student who had time to tutor those who needed help in classes.

Anyone who looked at the group, they wouldn’t think they were friends, yet they were. With the occasional addition of Aaron Burr, who only joined them when to argue with Alexander about what was being put on the school's paper.

Life was great, that is until they all turned 16 and the mark of the soulmate appeared on their skin. 

It’s been said that from the moment you turn a certain age, a black mark appears on your skin indicating the first time you ever touch your soulmate. You could speak to them, but there will come a time when you two would touch and you’ll know. The spot where your skin is marked will glow before fading.

It's said that when your soulmate passes, a new mark will appear on the person's skin. The last spot where their soulmate touched them.

Alexander and John figured it out quickly, of course it helped that the two liked each other. The fact that they happened to be soulmates, didn’t really shock anyone.

Lafayette had a black hand mark on his forearm, where his soulmate would touch him for the first time. Hercules had his hand mark wrapped around his wrist.

Y/N? Hers happened to be on her waist, two hand marks on each side of her waist. A place where many people could see whenever she wore her cheer outfit.

»»————-　♡　————-««

So, on one Monday morning, half an hour before the group needed to get to school. They were at the Hamilton residence listening to Alexander complain about this race as Senior President.

 “Y/N can you be serious PLEASE?” Alexander snapped at his sister, narrowing his eyes at the girl who gave the boy a simple smile. “I am running against Thomas Jefferson of ALL people. Can we take this a little more seriously?”

John, Lafayette and Hercules were just lounging around the living room laughing at the two siblings. “What? I think it’s a great slogan for you, Alex!” Y/N said and looked at the poster she made for her brother.

“I don’t run very often… but when I do it’s for President! #Hamilton4President” John read over the girls shoulder, only to start laughing even more. The other boys joining in. Only Alexander stood there with eyes narrowed.

With a huff, the long-haired boy started to gather his things up to put away. “You all are no help.” He mumbled and the group rolled their eyes.

“Come off it, Alex. Thomas Jefferson has been off in Paris for a year, surely no one would vote for him as Senior President.” Y/N stood up and started to help her brother clean up the mess in the living room.

Once it was all cleaned up, y/n stood up and fixed her cheerleader warm up suit. The black leggings with CHEER written down her left leg in a magenta color, a tight white t-shirt and her black and magenta cheer jacket thrown on over it. Her feet supporting white tennis shoes.

Ignoring the boys as they watched her, Y/N simply rolled her eyes at Lafayette and Hercules. “I’m out! I have a cheer meeting to attend before homeroom.” She waved to them and headed out of the house, backpack over her shoulder.

After the short, ten-minute drive to the High School, Y/N parked her car and got out. Messing on her phone as she walked, Y/N bumped into someone and fell onto the floor right on her butt.

“Jesus…” the h/c girl complained and glanced up at who she ran into.

“Maddison, you asshole.” She pouted at the male in front of her before accepting his hand.

Finally, back on her feet, the two glared at one another before laughing. “Sorry, pom-pom. You ok?” he asked, looking guilty.

“Yeah, I’m fine. My ass hurts, but I’ll live.” She grinned and stuck her tongue out at the nickname the man gave her. “That’s cute. You call all the cheerleaders that, or just me?”

“YO JAMES!” A voice boomed down the hallway, causing the two to turn around. Y/N rolling her eyes and James sighing.

As the man came forward, a smirk on his face and a walk with swagger. Y/N crossed her arms over her chest.

“Would you look at the time?” Y/N laughed. “It’s Time-For-Me-To-GO o’clock.” With a wink towards James making the school's football team's Wide receiver laugh, Y/N rushed off down the hallway.

Making it out to the football field, where her fellow cheerleaders were sitting around. Y/N glanced at the time on her phone and listened to their Coach talk about how they needed to train harder and all that. It wasn’t till he felt her phone go off did Y/N glance at who was messaging her. After sending him a quick message, grinning. She went back to listen to her coach and felt her phone vibrate like crazy in her jacket pocket.

‘this… asshole…’ was the only thing going through Y/N's mind as she sent him a quick message before pushing her phone into her pocket again. Feeling her phone give one more buzz, she quickly checked the message before paying attention again.

As soon as they were allowed to leave, Y/N went to her locker and rolled her eyes at Hercules standing there.

“Your brother is annoyed.” The male laughed and Y/N just shrugged her shoulder. Showing that she didn’t care. When wasn’t Alexander annoyed?

“Were you talking with Jefferson?”

At the question, Y/N turned to Hercules and raised an eyebrow. “No. I was talking to James; I ran as soon as Jefferson made his way towards us. Ask James!” she snapped before slamming her locker shut and heading off towards homeroom.

Y/N was starting to really get annoyed with the guys annoying her because of Jefferson. If she wanted to talk with him, she would! Not that Y/N wanted to. She’s her own person, fuck them.

                                                                                                      Next Chapter

I hope this wasn’t a total disappointment with how many liked my “Coming Soon” post! Tell me if you would like to be added to the taglist! 

Don’t forget to Like, Reblog and send Feedback! My asks are also opened and so is my IM!

Much love from me to you!!

[defensefilms]

Kwame Brown Fights Back

I love this. 

I love when the mandem are talking breezy thinking that they can say whatever they want and then they get smacked in the mouth for it.

So as seems to happen very often in the NBA media, former NBA players turned podcast hosts, Stephen Jackson and Matt Branes went on their now well-known platform and made jokes about the long since retired Kwame Brown during an interview with former Wizards guard, Gilbert Arenas.

This time however things were different. 

Kwame Brown has had a Youtube channel for the last 2 years now. I don’t blame anyone for not knowing about it because the guy doesn’t really market his channel. He runs it like an average joe with no resources, which is fine.

Kwame went on his channel and absolutely proceeded to air out Barnes, Jackson and Arenas. It was fun, it was entertaining but it was also eye-opening.

I can 100% see how NBA players are the type of guys that spend thousands of dollars on women and that they don’t have the emotional intelligence to really understand what type of timing these girls are on. Especially the type of girls that date pro-athletes. 

Peep game, because guys in the corporate world sometimes deal with this same dynamic.  

If I spend the majority of my youth on a basketball court or in an office, I’m sacrificing time. That’s time I could spend anywhere doing anything but it’s also time where I definitely won’t be having any kind of first hand experience with the opposite sex, you get me? So you work your ass off to get to a certain number/expendable income and when you finally get there, you’re still playing catch-up because these women are faster than you on a social level.  

Their gamed up and you’re a square. This is what a lot of Kevin Samuels’ fanbase is dealing with. 

Kwame went DEEEEP in his assassination of the two gentlemen. Citing that Barnes was once cuckolded by former Lakers point guard, Derek Fisher and that Stephen Jackson was known for dropping racks on women he don’t even know.

That man, Gilbert Arenas, should have kept his mouth shut. 

Like bro has no right to ever speak on anyone else’s behavior. This fool recorded himself on camera jumping over the fence and entering Nick Young’s property a few years ago. He would have been in his late 30′s at that time. Gilbert can be captivating to listen to and he often is, but you always have to remember that bro is a knucklehead. 

Kwame made a slew of great points and it’s funny how the perception of him as a man and a player changes once you hear the guy speak for himself. 

Kwame also shed light on how Michael Jordan wanted him traded for Elton Brand back in 2001 and that the Wizards front office stopped it. That’s when reports of his injuries started to make the news and snow balled into people concluding he was a bust. 

Jordan never wanted Kwame as his starting center and that’s why he made his life miserable. I want Kwame to talk more about the kind of power Michael Jordan had with people in the media because honestly it will shed a lot of light on how Jordan actually operates.

Let’s never ever forget about Stephen A Smith, he’s the guy that was responsible for a lot of the Kwame Brown slander. 

I hope Kwame throws this dude from the top floor of a tall building for this bullshit. Stephen A actually had the nerve to go on ESPN’s KJZ show with Keyshawn Johnson and tried to defend this bullshit. 

Stuff like this is why I’ve never aspired to be part of the corporate world and when you work for ESPN, it’s not like working in other aspects of film and television where you might be on location in different places. The job is way more corporate, depending on the specific show in question. 

The thing is that the corporate world is a great place for fake tough guys. You can say things and no matter how heated the confrontation is, or how egregious the insults are, they’re probably gonna get away with it because there are never any direct and immediate consequences. So man will mouth-off all day.

No one in the history of people wearing matching shoes, has benefitted more from fake, corporate, tough guy-ism than Stephen A Smith. This dude is a clown. 

What I hate most about your veteran sport television analysts is that they claim to be real journalists that got it out the mud. However, look at the media culture they’ve created. They piss and moan about how people should pay their dues and yet they violate so many journalistic principles every time you turn around.

The boy Skip Bayless was exposed by a Cowboys beat reporter named Mike Fisher, for years worth of lies that helped him rise to the top. 

Stuff like this is why I can’t stand the older generation.

Every one of these guys, outside of Kwame, should have kept their mouths shut. 

End of story.

[hetahonda]

hetalia film school AU headcanons

North Italy/Feliciano Vargas

Feliciano took like one acting class for fun and now he fills in for all his classmates’ projects whenever they’re short of an actor 

Director. His style is making up extreme scenarios to get the emotions he wants out of his actors (“Picture your mom dying! PICTURE IT!”). Gets very into it, but hey, it reaps results. 

Does not pay attention during lectures. His scripts are naturally good, and he usually just wings it during shoots (plus he usually gets put in the same crew as Ludwig, so he’s fine)

The one pro of having Feli in your team is that the catering for your cast and crew is pretty much settled - his family owns a restaurant and they’re very, very generous 

Germany/Ludwig Beilschmidt

Very to the book about everything. Has all the techniques and principles and theories memorised by heart, even though the others (Alfred) tell him that “There’s no rules to art, dude!”

Producer. All his productions run like a well-oiled machine - he has production schedules, and backup schedules for bad case scenarios, and even more backup schedules for worst case scenarios

Not the best at writing dialogue. His scripts tend to come out very stiff, so he usually gets help from Feliciano on that.  

Ludwig tends to push his crew for revisions and re-revisions of scripts, storyboards, rehearsals, etc. weeks before shoots even start, but there’s no denying that his stuff always comes out top of the class

Japan/Kiku Honda

Takes notes for everything. Wears the same hoodie to class every day. Also, his laptop is covered with anime stickers. 

Director of Photography. Works the best with Alfred, because they both have big, bombastic ideas that could come out of an anime or an action movie. Will only shoot with his own personal camera.

Kiku’s scripts are okay. His storyboards are gorgeous, mostly from being the best artist in class (apart from Feliciano). Has a whole ass pencil case with pencils of different graphite darknesses for storyboarding, while people like Ludwig and Alfred only have like a single wooden Ikea pencil. 

Doubles on editing. This is an issue because his laptop keeps jamming from the hundred and one tabs he has running in the background

America/Alfred F Jones

The one issue with Alfred’s scripts are that his main characters are always too overpowered. They’re hecka fun though

Director (and amateur fight scene choreographer). Marvel fanboy who likes doing ‘homage’ shots to his favourite action movies. Almost always chooses to work on comedic productions over dramatic ones

He used to be take Director of Photography roles, but he somehow manages to break/lose at least one equipment per project. He’s cost his teammates more than $3k. He’s not allowed on camera duty anymore. 

Somehow has a bunch of super interesting friends to use as profiles for his documentary projects. He’s also got friends in the drama department (Gilbert, Mathias and Yong-soo) who help act for his scripted ones

England/Arthur Kirkland

Arguably the best writer in class. Arthur’s scripts always get chosen for shoots, without fail. He’s very proud of it.

Producer. He’s organised (enough) and is familiar with paper work to do the job decently well, but can be a little scatter brained at times. Tends to edit his own scripts on the spot in the middle of shoots

Other than that, he’s not great at hands on production. He’s ‘helped’ with camera and sound work before where the camera/boom mics weren’t even switched on for the entirety of the shoot

Always gets put in crews with Francis. Both will not stop complaining about it in public, even though deep down, they know they work well together - they both have a liking for the more artsy, dramatic stuff

France/Francis Bonnefoy

Francis’s scripts aren’t bad, just swings on unrealistic - yes, it’s very poetic and yes it’s very beautiful, but nobody talks like that in real life 

Director of Photography. He watches the most obscure (and in Arthur’s words, pretentious) art house films that nobody else in class has ever heard of. Though, all his own projects come out insanely aesthetic 

If he had it his way, all of the budget would be blown on set design and costumes alone. Luckily for everyone else, he doesn’t get assigned to producer roles

Tends to go for more artsy/dramatic projects with Arthur. Can’t work on comedic ones if his life depended on it

China/Yao Wang

Yao’s scripts are very high concept - historical stuff with hours of research behind each of his pitches. However, they are so high concept that they don’t usually get picked because the school has no budget

Producer. He’s not a visual person, so he can’t help much with directing. He does have crazy good connections though - locations, material releases, wardrobe - he handles pesky admin stuff like it’s nothing

Eats in class, like all the time. He’s doesn’t bother to hide it - he will have his lunch during pitch meetings, and during table reads. He doesn’t give a shit. Good for him. 

Helps with sound during shoots, but he’s short and can barely hold the boom pole over the actors’ heads. Don’t mention this to him. 

Russia/Ivan Braginsky

Goddamn is he good at suspense/horror stuff. Ivan can turn a meet cute into a thriller without meaning to

Director. He’s not as flashy as Alfred, or as melodramatic as Feliciano, but he’s definitely got his own style. Shoots with him are very interesting - he tends to go for more unorthodox methods (some rule breaking involved), but Ivan thrives in the risks and it usually pays off in the end

Tends to come off as intimidating but is actually a real softie. Gets legitimately emotional at his own actors’ performances

Has a little rivalry with Alfred that literally no one else in class (but Alfred) cares about. It doesn’t matter because they both usually get beaten by Feliciano’s team anyway

(no this is not self-indulgent. no i am not avoiding my coursework. no i am not typing this at 4 in the morning when i have school tomorrow. ssssh.)

[actualbird]

nobody asked but here are my personal top five pat gill videos | a 2.1k word long post where i rank and review pat gill’s videos for just way too long.

Right around the tail end of April, 2020, I fell into the rabbit hole of my current obsession; Polygon Dot Com Video Content. As a consequence of this was being introduced to the phenomenon of Pat Gill. A dire consequence of that consequence was me slowly, deeply, irrevocably, finding myself attracted to this marionette of a man. So, I enjoy his content and I think he’s hot and that combined with the fact that some of my friends bully me over that latter fact has inspired me to do this: rank my personal favorite Pat Gill videos in a post that’s entirely too long.

Before I get straight into the rankings, I need to explain my process. 

First, I needed to narrow my scope. Polygon has a lot of videos. Polygon has a lot of videos with Pat Gill in them. If I didn’t narrow my scope, I would either go bonkers yonkers or have a list that would be kilometric in length and thus miss the entire point of ranking altogether. So, for my sanity, I am excluding any videos that are a part of a Polygon video series. This means no Overboard, no Gill and Gilbert, no Video Game Theatre, etc. If I included these, I would cry. I do not want to cry over Polygon Dot Com Video Producer Pat Gill.

Second, I need a criteria. If I just ranked videos with no system, I would find myself endlessly rearranging my list based on whatever thought comes out on top in my mind at the given moment. I am a disorganized person, so I need rules. I have decided that I will rank Pat Gill videos using the EEEH criteria. 

Entertainment. Do I smile, watching the video? Do I chortle? Am I filled with the embarrassing urge to show this video to my sister and derive glee from her laughing at the exact same moment I laughed? Entertainment is key.

Education. Did I come out of this video knowing something I originally did not know? More importantly, was I engaged in the learning process? I come from a family of teachers, so I have high standards when it comes to education. If I am to learn, I must learn well.

Exaltation. This is a bit of an oddball criteria, but it is important to me. The word “exalted” is defined as “elevated in rank, character, or status.” This criteria refers to how good it is at exalting, elevating, pulling me out of a depressive episode. That is to say I’ve been in a depressive episode for the past month and whether or not the video made me stop crying and brush my teeth is essential. Polygon video content has been integral to my serotonin production lately, and thus the video’s ability of acting as an audiovisual antidepressant for me factors into the rankings.

[BONUS POINTS] Hotness. How Hot Is Pat Gill In It? I felt bad, morally, ranking videos based on how good looking I thought Pat Gill was in it---because beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and all that, and people don’t exist to be beautiful, they just are, and I agree---so I’m relegating this criteria as a bonus point. Standard is 0, because he’s always hot in my mind, but he gets plus points if he is exemplary in the hotness department.

The maximum score for each of these criteria is 5 points, making the perfect score a 15, but because of the bonus points, a 20 is, hypothetically, possible. 

With that out of the way, let me dive right into it. 

5. The fastest interview ever with Ben Schwartz from Sonic the Hedgehog

Entertainment: 5 Education: 2 Exaltation: 2 Hotness: +2 Total Score: 11

Pat Gill is a good interviewer, he’s engaging and fun and keeps the interview interesting, but this interview is particularly special because it seems that, and let me quote Youtube user AudreyN who left a comment on this video stating “ben schwartz consumed all seven chaos emeralds prior to this interview.” Pat Gill and Ben Schwartz’s dynamic is amazing, and by “dynamic” I do mean “Ben Schwartz absolutely just fucking dunking on Pat Gill for 14 entire minutes.” and it is glorious.

For Entertainment this scores a solid 5. Quite honestly the funniest interview I’ve ever watched in my entire life. Just the sheer beauty in the exchange [Pat] “You would use Sonic’s power to gaslight me?” [Ben] “Just you.” In terms of Education, I guess I did learn a bunch of things about the Sonic movie that I didn’t know before, but the avenue by which it was portrayed in was not exactly the most engaging, more like I was absorbing it via watching two experts discuss on a webinar. I would have given just 1 point to Education but I made it 2 because of the wonderful knowledge that Pat Gill can draw a pretty good Sonic in a few seconds. When it comes to Exaltation, I must admit that while this video got quite a few laughs out of me, it didn’t make me want to get out of bed and take a shower. 

BONUS: Pat is +2 hot in it. His short hair makes him look very handsome. He’s a spiffy boy, in this video. Very, very good.  

4. Pat Will Not Tweet at Nintendo This Week Because He is Resting at Home — PLEASE RETWEET, Episode 12 

Entertainment: 5 Education: 0 Exaltation: 5 Hotness: +1 Total Score: 11

I know I’m breaking a rule I set for myself a few paragraphs earlier by including an episode of Please Retweet, which counts as a video series, but this is my post and I can do whatever I want. More importantly, this video is so fucking funny to me, it feels like it would be a crime not to put it in this list. 

Solid 5 out of 5 for entertainment. Pat Gill, alone in his apartment, drinking six cans of what I think is beer silently while the intro music plays. That scene in itself should win an Oscar. Sadly, a solid 0 for Education, because I learn nothing in this video except for the fact that Pat Gill is the type of person to put out a coaster and then just completely not use it. I quantify things as educational if I can maybe answer a trivia question with them, and unfortunately, this fact does not pass that test. In terms of Exaltation, seeing Pat Gill lie down on the floor next to his cat made me get out of bed to do the same with my dog, and with myself thusly out of my bed cocoon of sadness, I was able to actually complete tasks on the day I watched this video. Perfect 5.

BONUS: Pat is +1 hot in this because there’s something very beautiful about him being a little bit miserable. However, I do miss his beard when I watch this video. It is one of my favorite things about him, and it is not present here.

3. Pat and Simone Play Human: Fall Flat

Entertainment: 5 Education: 1 Exaltation: 5 Hotness: 0 Total Score: 11

I very much enjoy Polygon’s gameplay streams. I often play them in the background while I’m doing other stuff like doodling or origami, but this stream is special. It is special because of the moment at 24:00 when Pat Gill, in game, swings a stereo into a glass window, shattering it, while saying, “Actually, y’know what? Let’s talk about trauma.” and then proceeds to tell a horrible and embarrassing story from his childhood where he had to do a rap about Ancient Egypt. 

5 points for Entertainment. This is partly because of Pat’s tragic childhood story about the Egypt Rap (and, segue just to point out 33:22 the incredible moment where you can hear Pat’s feral panic when Simone finds the lyrics to the Egypt Rap) but also because Pat and Simone just talking to each other is so deeply entertaining to me in a very comfy way. I’m starved for human interaction, in this quarantime, okay. Let me enjoy listening to other people have conversations while playing video games. Education scores a 1 because, again, nothing in this video will let me answer a trivia question, however it does get 1 point and not a 0 because the Egypt Rap’s lyrics are in the comments and I did end up learning stuff about Ancient Egypt that I didn’t know. A perfect 5 for Exaltation because this video showed me that talking about trauma can actually be cathartic, given that you’re trashing a video game living room at the same time, and I think that message of not bottling up your experiences really helped me, in these trying times.

BONUS: Pat Gill is not visible for the entirety of this episode, so he scores the standard 0. I’m sure he was hot. We just couldn’t see him.  

2. Why Bloodborne and Muppets are the same thing

Entertainment: 4 Education: 4 Exaltation: 3 Hotness: +2 Total Score: 12

Ah yes, one of Pat’s “x is y because of z” videos. He’s made a number of these and they’re all very good but this one is my favorite among them and earns a spot on this list because 1) I think puppets are cool and 2) I fucking love monsters. 

This video scores a 4 on Entertainment, just shy of perfect, because as funny as it is, it also gives me the vibe like I am being lectured by a professor who’s just a little bit off the shits. And we all know that lectures are supposed to be taken seriously. Which brings us to Education, which also scores a 4. I learned a lot in this video! Watching Pat Gill explain to me that children’s puppets and these horrifying viddy game monsters use the same character principles in different ways is not only very educational but is also explained in a streamline and easy to understand manner that I WISH some of the shitty professors at my old university could emulate. As for Exaltation, while this video did give me enough energy to have a meal, I did eventually end up back in bed for the night at 8pm crying myself to sleep, thinking “I’m like the slime scholar. Used to be a scholar. Now they’re slime.” 

BONUS: Pat Gill is +2 hot here. He’s rockin that basic ass monochromatic aesthetic and I love his look dearly. 

1. Preparing for Big Boy Season in Red Dead Redemption 2 

Entertainment: 5 Education: 3 Exaltation: 5 Hotness: +3 Total Score: 16

Here we are. My favorite non video series Pat Gill video. The video where Pat Gill tries to make Red Dead Redemption 2 protagonist, Arthur Morgan, large. 

Perfect fucking 5 for Entertainment, which I’m sure many may find odd. Afterall, this video is told in a serious investigative tone reminiscent of Vox’s videos on current issues. But that’s the glory of it. The complete and utter ‘playing it straight and serious’ for a ridiculous issue in a video game. It is high tier comedy in a subtle, understated way that sings to my comedy loving heart in a melody so lovely, so wonderful, that it urged me to give this video 5 points for Entertainment. It scores 3 on Education, because I have never played Red Dead Redemption 2, nor will I ever, but now I know things about it. The information was also relayed to me in a very interesting style, via something like a crime procedural, and thus it was engaging for me to absorb all this new knowledge. Exaltation scores a perfect 5 because of this video’s beautiful end about existential smallness. No joke, but hearing Pat Gill say “Our bigness isn’t measured in pounds, but in the impact we have on the people with whom we shared the world.” deadass made me want to talk to my friends again after conversationally isolating myself for 3 days. Preparing for Big Boy Season has a special place in my heart. And there it will stay.

BONUS: Pat Gill is not visible for most of the video but he does appear for like 15 seconds in the middle of it, and guess what. He’s hot. +3 hotness. Good beardage, good hair, all in all, good Pat Gill. 

So there you have it. My five favorite Pat Gill videos. If you read this whole thing, holy shit. You’re welcome, I guess.

[letterboxd]

Life Detained.

The Mauritanian director Kevin Macdonald talks with Jack Moulton about researching Guantanamo Bay’s top secrets, Tahar Rahim’s method-acting techniques, the ingenuity of humanity during the pandemic, and his favorite Scottish films.

“You’ve got to understand that for a Muslim man like Tahar, this role has a much greater significance than it does for you or me.” —Kevin Macdonald

It’s not uncommon for a director to release two films in one year, but Academy-Award winning—for his 1999 documentary One Day in September—director Kevin Macdonald is guilty of this achievement multiple times. Ten years ago, he released his first crowd-sourced documentary Life in a Day and the period epic The Eagle within months of each other. A decade on, he’s done it again.

The Scottish director (and grandson of legendary filmmaker Emeric Pressburger) released both his Life in a Day follow-up and the legal drama The Mauritanian this month. The latter tells the story of Guantanamo Bay detainee Mohamedou Ould Slahi (sometimes written as Salahi), who was held and tortured in the notorious US detention center for fourteen years without a charge. The film, adapted from Slahi’s 2015 memoir Guantánamo Diary, features Jodie Foster and Shailene Woodley as his defense attorneys Nancy Hollander and Teri Duncan, with Benedict Cumberbatch, who also signed on as the film’s producer, playing prosecutor Lt. Stuart Couch.

Benedict Cumberbatch as prosecutor Lt. Stuart Couch in ‘The Mauritanian’.

The Mauritanian also introduces French star Tahar Rahim to a global audience, in the role of Slahi. “The ensemble is excellent across the board,” writes Zach Gilbert, “while Tahar Rahim is best in show overall, bringing honorable heart and humanity to his role [of] the titular mistreated prisoner.”

Much of the story is filmed as an office-based legal thriller involving thick files, intense conversations, and Jodie Foster’s very bright lipstick. Macdonald expertly employs aspect ratio to signify narrative shifts into scenes recreating Slahi’s vivid recollections of torture and his achingly brief conversations with unseen fellow detainees.

Qualifying for this year’s awards season due to extended deadlines, The Mauritanian has already earned Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress for Rahim and Foster respectively. Slahi remains unable to travel due to no-fly lists, but he was a valuable resource to the production, providing an accurate and rare depiction of a sympathetic Muslim character in an American film.

It was the eve of Life in a Day 2020’s Sundance Film Festival premiere when we Zoomed with Macdonald. Behind him, we spied a full set of the Italian posters for Michelangelo Antonioni’s classic Blow-Up. As it turns out, he’s not a fan of the film—only the posters—so we got him talking about his desert-island top ten after a few questions about his new film.

The attention to detail on Guantanamo Bay in The Mauritanian is impressive. There are procedures depicted that you rarely see on-screen. How did you conduct your research? Obviously Guantanamo Bay is a place which the American government spends a great deal of effort keeping secret. It was important to Mohamedou and me that we depicted the reality of the procedures as accurately as we possibly could. That research came primarily from Mohamedou who has an incredible memory. He drew sketches and made videos of himself lying down in spaces and showing how he could stretch half his arm out [in his cell]. There are a lot of photographs on the internet of Guantanamo Bay which are [fake] and others are from a later period because the place developed a lot over the years since it started in 2002 and Mohamedou was able to [identify] which photos were rooms, courtyards and medical centers he had been in.

Director Kevin Macdonald on set with Jodie Foster.

How did you approach creating an honest representation of the graphic torture scenes, without putting the audience through it as well? Whenever films about this period are [made] they’re always from the point of view of the Americans and this time we’re with Mohamedou. You can’t underestimate the fact that there have really been no mainstream American cinematic portrayals of Muslims at all, so in portraying a sympathetic Muslim character who’s also accused of terrorism, you’re pushing some hot buttons with people. It was important that those people who are uncomfortable with him understand why he confessed to what he confessed.

Everything you see in the film is what happened; the only difference is that they weren’t wearing masks of cats and Shrek-like creatures, they wore Star Wars masks of Yoda and Luke Skywalker in this very perverse fucked-up version of American pop culture. Obviously, we couldn’t get the rights to those. Actually, I don’t feel that it is graphic. There is more violence in your average Marvel movie. It’s psychologically disturbing because you’re experiencing this disorientating lighting, the [heavy-metal] music, and he’s being told his mother’s going to be raped and he’s flashing back to his childhood. To be empathizing with this character and then to see them to be so cruelly treated is so deeply disturbing.

How did you prepare Tahar Rahim for his convincing portrayal of such intense pain and suffering? Tahar went through a great deal of discomfort in order to achieve it. He felt that to give a performance that had any chance of being truthful, he needed to experience a little bit of what Mohamedou had suffered, so throughout the movie he would insist on wearing real shackles which made his leg bleed and give him blisters. I would plead with him to put on rubber ones and he would say “no, I have to do this so I’m not just play-acting”.

He starved himself for about three weeks leading up to a torture sequence—he had lost an awful amount of weight and he was really unsteady on his legs. I was very worried about it and I got him nutritionists and doctors but he was determined to stick with that. You’ve got to understand that for a Muslim man like Tahar, this role has a much greater significance than it does for you or me. He felt a great weight of responsibility to do this correctly, not just for Mohamedou, but he was speaking for the whole Muslim world in a way.

Jodie Foster and Shailene Woodley as defense attorneys in ‘The Mauritanian’.

What compels you to study this period in time? Mohamedou was released a couple of weeks before Trump came to power in 2016, so the story is still ongoing for him. He’s still being harassed by the American government and he’s not allowed to travel because he’s on these no-fly lists. I didn’t want to make a movie that was saying “George W. Bush is terrible”. We’ve been there, we’ve done that. This is looking back with a little bit of distance and saying “here’s the principles that we can learn from when you sidestep the rule of law”—what it takes to stand up like Lt. Stuart Couch did when everyone else around you is going along with something that’s really terrible.

You see that around Trump with the choices within the Republican Party to stand up and say they’re going to sacrifice their careers to do the right thing. It is a hard thing when there’s this mass hysteria in the air. The basic principles that the lawyer [characters] are representing is not about analyzing and replaying what happened after 9/11, they’re directly related in a bigger way to the world we all inhabit.

Did anything surprise you in how your subjects for Life in a Day 2020 addressed the pandemic? One of the most affecting characters in the film is an American who lost his home and business because of the pandemic, so he’s living in his car. He seems very depressed when you meet him for the first time, then later he’s telling us there’s something that’s giving him joy in his life. He brings out all these drones with these cameras on them and puts on this VR headset and loses himself by flying through the trees. I thought that was such a great metaphor for the way that human ingenuity has enabled us to survive and thrive during the pandemic.

I get the feeling of resilience from [the film]. This is a more thoughtful film than the original one. I see this as a movie of [us] being beware of our susceptibility to disease and ultimately to death and mortality, [and] how we’ve found these consolations as human beings. To me, it’s a really profound thing. It also speaks to the main theme of the film which is how we’re all so similar, same as The Mauritanian. It’s confronting you with all these people and saying we fundamentally all share the basic things that underpin our lives and the differences between us are much less important than the things we have in common.

Let’s go from Life in a Day to your life in film. What’s a Scottish film that you love but you feel is very overlooked or underrated? That’s really hard because there aren’t many Scottish films and there aren’t many good ones. Gregory’s Girl is the greatest Scottish film ever made—it’s the bible for life for me. That’s very well-known, so I would have to say Bill Forsyth’s previous film That Sinking Feeling, which was self-funded and made on 16mm black-and-white. It has some of the same actors and characters as Gregory’s Girl in it. Or my grandfather Emeric Pressberger’s film I Know Where I’m Going! which is a rare romantic comedy set in Scotland.

John Gordon Sinclair and Dee Hepburn in Bill Forsyth’s ‘Gregory’s Girl’ (1980).

Which film made you want to become a filmmaker? I think it was Errol Morris’s The Thin Blue Line, which is one of the top five documentaries ever made and in my top ten desert-island movies.

What else is in your desert-island top ten? Oh god, don’t! I knew you were going to ask me that. I’ll give a few. I would say there would have to be something by Preston Sturges—maybe The Lady Eve or The Palm Beach Story. There would have to be a film written by my grandfather, so probably The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, which is the best British film ever made. There would have to be Singin’ in the Rain, which is the most purely joyful film I’ve ever seen. There would probably be The Battle of Algiers, which I rewatched recently and was an inspiration on The Mauritanian. Citizen Kane I also rewatched in anticipation of watching Mank, of which I was very disappointed. I thought it completely missed the point and was kind of boring.

Which was the best film released in 2020 for you? I thought the Russian film Dear Comrades! was really stunning. It was made by a director [Andrei Konchalovsky] in his 80s who first worked with Andrei Tarkovsky back in the late 1950s. He co-scripted Ivan’s Childhood. I would love to make my masterpiece when I’m 86 too!

Related content

Films with Muslim characters

Movies that pass the Riz test

Scottish Cinema—a regularly updated list

Follow Jack on Letterboxd

‘The Mauritanian’ is in select US cinemas and virtual theaters now, and on SVOD from March 2. ‘Life in a Day 2020’ is available to stream free on YouTube, as is the original.

[x0401x]

Maybe I’m challenged as I don’t see a PM button. Do I have to have tumblr account to see it?

Hum, yes. Sorry, I assumed you had an account. >_<’

Ack! You pinpointed the error in my analogy. Yes, hurting family and friends is one thing, but abandoning your brother/sister in arms is awful at a whole different level!

Especially if you’re in love with that sister-in-arms, yes.

I think we agree more on principles and differentiate in characterization. Here’s one that I’m sure you would agree. Yes, V’s social awkwardness is endearing. However, V’s smoothly tutoring Amy in mannerism befitting a debutante in the prior movie, and then improperly responding to the city mayor and non-diplomatically rebuking Hodgins’ overprotective gesture in the latest movie is just incongruous. I even dare to say lazy writing?  From that angle, I recall you frustratingly wrote about how V is dumbed down in the first anime movie.

I think you would also share the popular take of the anime Dietfried, where he literary turned saintly (thanks to V’s endless graceful response to his mean streaks) and became an admirable true older brother. I was hoping Gil would come back and scolded dickfried. Thus imagine how dumfounded I got when anime Dietfried told his weak and arguably selfish younger brother that he wanted to put Gil in a sack and throw it before Violet. That’s beyond 180 turn! It might as well be a novel alternate reality like IF (except less disturbing O__O … I still don’t know what to make of Diet-V relationship there!).

Yes and yes.

Btw, despite minimum coverage of anime Gil, looks like he went through similar catharsis and as remorseful as V for his role in the war. This change of heart is evident as he lived and served in former enemy territory among the very people whose sons and brothers he and Violet had most likely killed. The novel Gil had no such character development. Still, I snorted out loud when I read your pointing out all the plot holes in the movie, which added to gil’s jackassery.

That was a good one from the movie, I agree. But I’m sure that if novel!Gil had to live in an isolated island in a former enemy nation, he’d do the exact same thing. It’s not like he hated the enemies. He was just protecting his country.

Now, here’s a different take of V’s wholeness up to the reunion. Comparing the reunion in the anime vs the novel, the anime V is more whole. How come? Well, the novel V still viewed herself as a tool requiring order then, the anime one did not. Further, a true test of character is how one reacts when one does not get what one wants. The novel V was well rewarded for all the years of clinging ludicrously to the belief that Gil was alive. After all, he came to her rescue for the reunion. The girl soldier did not experience that unfathomable rejection from her everything. In contrary, anime V received painful rejection upon attempting to reunite. She searched all over, learned new profession, went through nervous breakdown, even resorted to suicide attempt for what turns out to be a weak man who chose to wallow in sorrow. This is undoubtedly unfair and painful to her, and the audience. It is heart piercing sad when the person with whom you create memory with becomes a memory. Yet she resolved to move on. Beyond moving on, there was not an ounce of resentment or even entitlement for an apology. That tear-jerking last letter exudes an attitude of gratitude as she listed EVERY single thing that weak, broken man had gifted her. Despite all his flaws, his love for her had become her way of living. How his kindness beget kindness of her own, which she generously shared with Amy and Taylor Bartlett among many others. Thus, the anime V is more noble and whole (at reunion) than her novel counterpart.

OP, you’re comparing the wrong Violet. ^^’ Remember that the anime has a different timeline? Movie!Violet is post-Gaiden. Novel!Violet during their reunion is pre-Gaiden. You should be comparing Ani!Violet with how Novel!Violet was in Gaiden chapter 6. The Violet who understands love more, who realizes that she was in love with Gil from day one, who had opened up to a romantic relationship, in which she’ll have to be equal to him and thus will never again be treated as a tool or receive orders from him.

As for the “how she reacts when she doesn’t get what she wants” thingy... I’m not sure if you recall, but Novel!Violet found out that Gil was alive way before their reunion. And she chose to let him be. She simply continued living like normal and waiting for him. If he decided to reunite with her, good. If he didn’t, that would be sad as fuck to her, but she would leave him alone, just as she had been doing all those months in-between summer and fall when she knew that he was all right and just moved on with her life.

So, yeah, I think they were both just as noble and whole. I’d actually give Novel!Violet more points because she didn’t even try to go change his mind. She simply took the obvious conclusion, which must have hurt a ton when looking back on all she had gone through, and respected his will.

Aw very kind of you to thank me for military service. By God’s grace I was spared from Gilbert and Violet’s type of service, but I did struggle to move on after service. A new career in emergency medicine has afforded me the privilege to be front and center as children, sibling, friend, and parent pass away by their loved ones. In the process, I learned to steer from being cold and aloof.  I compartmentalize well which enabled me to remain a functional professional throughout those traumatic moments, but the novel and anime let me process those compartments long after. It is eerily poignant how relatable VE journey is.  When lamentations over the end of dreams and relationships got overwhelming, the obligation to care for hurting patients pulled me away from the immobilizing self-pity. That pinky promise and thank you letter also hit home very hard. A year prior to the movie release, I did exactly those with a dearest person, whose life I am no longer a part of. I guess I internalize this work of fiction a bit too much eh? To me, VE is a profound lesson in empathy through the journey of loving, losing, longing, n letting go.

It’s not too much at all! It’s actually wonderful to know more and more about how relatable VE is to people who work/worked in the military, because I’m sure Akatsuki-sensei did her research on that.

All in all, thank you for bequeathing a space to pour the feels after the movie drained my tear ducts =) Honto ni arigatou gozaimas

You’re always welcome here, OP! Bless you. :>

[skgway]

1823 July, Tues. 22

7

12

1/2 hour in in the stable talking to the plasterer, and afterwards in the cow-house – Letter from M– [Mariana] (Lawton) dated yesterday,

“last Tuesday in coming downstairs my foot slipped and I fell down and sprained my right shoulder, till Saturday I was unable to use my arm at all, and even today I feel writing painful. xxxx has been my amanuensis but I am fearful of her, acting that part to you, lest you should fancy me worse than I really am” –

She thinks I “have exaggerated” her “feelings” on the subject of my last letter, “more than” her “letter warranted” – She seems to keep to her old opinions, yet so modifies them, that as she observes “to enter more upon the subject could do no good, therefore we had better drop it” –

She adds ‘I have never doubted your faith tho I have your prudence’ Wishes me to be circumspect. ‘I have a feeling on the subject which no earthly power can remove, and great as the misery which it would entail upon myself might be, I would endure it all rather than the nature of our connection should be known to any human being’ 

She had before observed that when she complained of my attentions to Miss Maclean I had owned they were foolish. I really don't remember this  – Both Isabella and Charlotte told her last summer I did Mrs. M[ilne] harm –

Letter also from Miss Henrietta C– [Crompton] (Esholt hall) Disappointed at my not going – The Gilbert C– [Crompton]s still there – To stay till tomorrow – 4 pages the ends, under the seal, and the top of page 1 crossed – Miss Fawkes of Farnley speedily to be married to Sir Edward Barnes, governor general of Ceylon – She is to go out with him almost immediately –  

“young Kaye is soon to marry Miss Arbuthnot with £60,000 – Accomplished and pretty, but I should hope weak for accepting him” –  “Pray read ‘Quintin Durward’ it is charmingly interesting, I think superior to Peveril”

The C– [Crompton]s are going to woodend – They are to be at Leeds as today to see the exhibition –  “Dr. Camidge has had a serious dispute with Mr. Greatorex where or how he is to stand” at the approaching musical festival –

Wrote the above of today, and went down to breakfast at 9 1/2 – At 10 3/4 in spite the perpetual showers (very rainy all last night) set off to H–x [Halifax] – A heavy shower at the top of the cunnery lane lasted till I stopt at Mrs. Wilcock’s door – Went in for 2 or 3 minutes to ask Miss Pickford if she would allow me to drive her to Haughend – (George rode Percy) – The Priestleys and Astleys, 2 Miss Butlers staying in the house, and Mr. John Edwards of Pyenest, all assembled in the drawing room soon after our arrival –

Sir John gave me 3 franks, for Mrs. Norcliffe tomorrow and for Miss Henrietta C– [Crompton] and Mr. Marsh on Thursday – Gave Mrs. H[enry] P– [Priestley] Mr. Marsh’s letter to read, and she instantly and handsomely gave me her name as a subscriber to Miss King’s poems – Lady A[stley] would have done the same, but Sir John, on reading the letter thought there was a particular etiquette to be attended to in these sort of applications – That he, as member for the county of Wiltshire, ought to have been applied to at home (at Everley) –

The printed names of the subscribers he knew well – Knew many of the people mentioned intimately – If Mr. Marsh applied to him, he would be happy to put his name down – Would be happy to do anything to oblige him – I might hint this when I wrote – Sir John had said I might hint this, before I asked his permission (it was granted) to tell Mr. M– [Marsh] that, if the thing was named to Sir John) I knew he would be a subscriber – The recent but worthy baronet took some pains to assure me, there was a certain etiquette in these matters, as member for the county, necessary to be attended to – He knew I was aware of this etc. etc. –

At this moment (5 p.m.) I am quietly smiling at all this importance – It might be a subscription for raising a Wilshire corps of volunteers, or for some great concern of vital consequence to the interests of the county and its members; instead of a 5-shilling subscription to a small volume of poems, published for the benefit of a poor girl and her family, reduced to indigence by agricultural speculations! ‘Tis but a little trait, but yet how biograph of Sir John! 

On coming away, it was more than I expected to hear lady A– [Astley] invite me to Everley with seeming cordiality – I might visit Mr. Marsh – Winterslow was only (16 or 20 miles I forgot which) distant from them (the A– [Astley]s) and they would be very happy to see me – They are not to have Haughend till the 11th of next month; of course, therefore, I expressed my hope of seeing them again –

The 2 Miss B– [Butlers] are vulgar looking girls – Miss A– [Astley] seemed much at home with them – Appearances made no very individual distinctions between them – I suppose his contested election cost Sir John £70,000; and he has 12 or 14 thousands a year – Lady A– [Astley] said to me when I dined there, “Sir John is of a very old family – They were barons in the time of tilts and tournaments” – Does not the present importance of the house of Everley restless upon the manners than the money of the family? Perhaps their county is yet but young – But they are very civil to me, and little ween this ink shed of my pen –

From Haughend drove to Mill-house – Gave Mrs. W[illiam] H[enry] R– [Rawson] the letter to read she said something about hoping I was not begging for a subscription – There were so many subscriptions – With their family . . . . . . . but, seeing it was only 5 /. [shillings] said she never thought of my asking for anything less than a guinea, and handsomely enough gave me her name – Wanted to give me the money but this, of course, must be paid when the book is received – Saw 8 of the children (there are 10), and drove off to Thorpe –

Gave Mrs. J[ohn] Priestley the letter to read – She hummed and ahed, asked what Miss King – If she was related to the Kings of Wakefield – It was a long way off – Many charities at home – Of course, I agreed – Said it was quite enough if she had taken the trouble to read the letter, and instantly turned the subject – Which must have been a relief to her, as she had turned red, and might have hammered and stammered a little longer but for my ready consideration –

I guessed their dinner was waiting – and after staying a few minutes drove off – Made no remark on the subject to Miss P– [Pickford] marvelling, however then, as now, that she never once named the thing, or made the least offer to subscribe – How can this be? They say, or I fancy Miss P– [Pickford] has seven-hundred a year – She must be poor – Perhaps all she can spare is given to her friend Miss Threlfall – Yet not 5 /. [shillings] for an occasion like this! Many people can do what I think I could not – I know the value of money as well as most; but ‘tis the dross of gold, and may it never draw its dirty line along my spirit! –

Talked a little of Miss Threlfall as connected with beauty, flirting sentimentality, etc. Real refinement of sentiment perhaps almost peculiar to the lettered mind – At all events I could not concede it to a flirt – Wondered Miss Threlfall had never married. ‘She must have had some good offers’. Miss P[ickford] made no answer. I did not like to look full in her face but soon after said, ‘Forgive me, it is a very odd thing to say, but you are the last person in the world I should ever have thought of marrying. Tho you are very agreeable and I like your society I cannot fancy you making anyone happy in married life.’ ‘I forgive you,’ said she. 

‘Have you’, I asked, ‘any objection to my making such a speech?’ She answered ‘no’. ‘I thought so’, said I. Convinced by her manner it was the thing to suit her, and persuaded that the connection between her and Miss Threlfall is most probably what I have all along suspected. The persuasion struck me. I laughed and said, ‘I can outwit you. I have more worldly nous than you.’ Said she, ‘I often think so.’ We smiled and parted. She must guess to what I alluded –

She had told me Doctor Macbride was not happy he married because he was young and his wife coquetted. In fact, he is a lettered man of fine and warm feelings which his wife cannot emulate or return. His good principles make him try to be happy, but he cannot. His wife is odd like a gentlewoman but not stylish not talenty. Her oddity is not of the gentle feminine king [kind] – 

Got home at 3 after setting down Miss P– [Pickford] at Mrs. Wilcock’s door – Talking to my uncle and aunt – With the latter in the stable for a little while – Came upstairs at 4 3/4 – Wrote all the last page and so far of this which took me till 6 –

Did nothing in the evening – Came upstairs at 9 at which hour Barometer 1 1/2 degree below changeable Fahrenheit 57 1/2º – Rainy day – Fair and tolerably fine in the evening (vide the last line of page 74) –

At 9 1/2 sat down to write – Filled 1/2 a sheet to Mrs. N– [Norcliffe] to ask if she would have 1/2 a bed to spare for me in her house in Petergate, during the festival, and told her the news I had this morning from Miss Henrietta C– [Crompton]. Then wrote 3/4 of a 1/2 sheet to Mr. Marsh – the following is what I have written about the subscription 

“Shibden Thursday 24 July 1823 

My dear Mr. Marsh – I received your letter on Sunday, and an only assure you, it is one of the most unlikely things in the world, that I should think any application you write can or will make, “impertinent” in any sense of the word. It will always give me real pleasure to do anything that can at all oblige you; more particularly when an obligation is, in fact, conferred on myself, thro’ the satisfaction that one always feels in doing the good, however small, which may be in our power – 

As far as I am individually concerned, your simple request would have been enough; but I can say this much for myself alone, and am sorry to add, that my intercourse with my neighbors is too limited, – too infrequent, – to give me any claim upon them in behalf even of so meritorious a young person while she is so distant and unknown –

I had a letter from Miss Marsh the other day, in which she mentioned having got you 48 subscribers – The paltry addition I can make, might not be named even with the widow's mite – But will you put down my uncle’s name and my aunt’s for one copy each, and my own for two copies?” –––– 

Unless my mind changes, I shall not trouble my neighbors much about subscriptions, however small – I shall explain the thing to Mrs. Henry Priestley – To Mrs. W[illiam] H[enry] Rawson, I shall probably never name it – It will be forgotten or if thought of at all, Mrs. R– [Rawson] with all her family may be well enough pleased to save her 5 /. [shillings] so easily –

[jbuffyangel]

Hi Jen! I know you're a diehard Stelena shipper so here's my question for you with a bit of backstory. I was a hardcore Stelena fan until when Stephan made Elena think he'd drive them off the bridge (3x10?) so she'd let him go. I understand why he did it, but that went too far for me and i couldn't ever ship them again after that. I couldn't get over him forcing her to relive her most traumatic moment, regardless of his reasoning. What are your thoughts on that moment in their relationship?

Yeah, that was a real low point in Stelena’s story. For me, not as low as Stefan drowning in a safe all summer while Elena banged his brother, but still low.

Before we get into this I’m going to just say - every viewer has to draw their own line in the sand. If that moment was your line that’s completely fine. I may have different lines for different shows and characters, but I don’t believe anyone’s lines are more valid than others.

So here’s the way I look at The Vampire Diaries Nonnie - they are all terrible people. Arguing morality with these characters is a black hole. They are all murderers. In fact, if a character runs the straight and narrow for too long Julie Plec & Co. actually went out of their way to make that character do something horrible. 

Case in point - Caroline. Pure sunshine.

She murdered only one person and it was when she was a newbie vamp. By the numbers count Caroline was doing pretty good for TVD. Then she was up on the moral high ground and threw a lot of judgement Damon’s way (well deserved in my opinion). She was extremely anti Delena in Season 4 and was not pleased with Elena’s choices as a vampire. So what did the writers do? They had her kill 12 witches in 4x17. Say goodbye to the moral high ground, Caroline.

That’s the show and you are going to do terrible things if you’re a vampire. Humans like Matt, Jeremy and Bonnie fared better, but each makes morally questionable, if not down right wrong, decisions. Their opinions about vampires and all the murderer was typically correct, but frequently viewed as judgmental by fans.

So what’s my point? Any fan of the love triangle got on board with these relationships with full knowledge the brothers were killers. Just because Stefan was a solid dude when Elena met him didn’t erase the fact he spent the better part of the 1920s ripping people’s heads off. Hell, Damon murdered people while he was dating Elena. Murder is not a deal breaker- either to Elena or Stelena/Delena fans. If Elena was supposed to end up with the most moral person on TVD she should’ve married this blue eyed cupcake.

Stefan (or Damon for that matter) being cruel to Elena didn’t really make me want to peace out on the show or stop shipping their relationship. Just because Elena is the focus of the terrible thing doesn’t suddenly make it more terrible than all the other things Stefan and/or Damon have done.

I’m not going to defend what Stefan did. You are kinder to him than I am because I think it had zip to do with forcing Elena to let him go. Stefan was still on human blood which made him a rage machine. He was pissed at Klaus for destroying his life (rightfully so) and hell bent on revenge. 

Do I believe Stefan, with his humanity switch on, would actually kill Elena? No, which is why I kind of yawned my way through the whole driving her off the bridge plan. Klaus was an idiot for buying it, but the only reason he did was because Elena was terrified. Stefan said her fear sold it. The point was to traumatize her, which makes Stefan an enormous dick. 

And yet, three episodes later he’s off human blood and Elena is begging him to feel something for her. 

This show was ridiculous. Both sides of the love triangle are abusive, co dependent, toxic train wrecks at certain points in the story. Some points last longer than other points, but I’ll side eye any Stelena or Delena fan who argues  differently.

Stefan was faaaaar too “heroic” by The Vampire Diaries standards the first two seasons. In order to make this love triangle a real love triangle Stefan had to be a dick with his humanity switch ON. The whole Ripper/no humanity thing gives him an easy pass. And The Vampire Diaries, for better or worse, was based on the love triangle.

No, in order for Elena to really struggle choosing between the two brothers, and not looking like a loony tune for giving Damon a second look while Stefan was literally the vampire equivalent of Clark Kent, they needed Stefan to go to the dark side. This made Damon step up to the plate and he became the hero in Elena’s life. And we’re off to the races with the love triangle, which was the whole point of Season 3 - ELENA’S CHOICE. If I took a shot every time Elena said, “I don’t know how I feel,” I would’ve permanently damaged my liver.

So why did I keep shipping Stelena after that moment? 

Because I knew what the show was trying to do. Stefan had to do something as terrible as Damon killing Jeremy to even the playing field. 

Do I feel those moments equate? No, but I’m a Stelena fan so that’s not a shock. I own my bias. Bloodaholic Stefan was never going to hurt Elena (no not even turn her into a vampire) whereas Damon literally killed Jeremy. 

I also kept shipping them because I knew this was the low point. I knew good Stefan would start to come back after this. And Stefan, when he’s not ripping heads off, has his humanity switch on, and his blood addiction under control, is one of the best people on that show. Selfless, heroic, warm, compassionate, protective and giving. He’s devoted to Elena and loves her deeply, but he also loves her friends and family. Does Stefan put those people first all the time like Elena wanted him to? No, but he prioritized them a hell of a lot more than Damon. 

I was willing to forgive Stefan for Wickery Bridge because I knew Stefan would feel immense guilt once the haze of revenge lifted and he allowed the full weight of all the things he did hit him. Stefan would punish himself more than I ever could and do everything in his power to make amends because that’s who he is. 

This is the same reason Elena chose Stefan at the end of Season 3. Did he “earn” his redemption by 3x22? No, the dude had been acting good for a total of nine episodes. Well, techinically five if we’re being strict about what constitutes “Good Stefan.” Elena didn’t choose Stefan because of the person he was during Season 3. She chose Stefan because of the man he had been in Season 1 and Season 2. That’s the man she loved and she knew that man had come back. 

But if we’re really being fair - Damon probably deserved to be chosen more than Stefan just based on their behavior in Season 3. Same rules apply for Season 4. Stefan deserved to be chosen more than Damon then.

***Side note. One thing TVD did extremely well was parallels. I loved that she told Stefan on the phone that she loved him in 3x01 and to hold on to that. Then told Damon on the phone that she is choosing Stefan in 3x22. 

(This is also why Elena told Damon she loved him for the first time over the phone. It was to make up for the time she dumped him over the phone and left him for dead. See? They all did crappy stuff to each other CONSTANTLY).

The difference between the brothers is not good and bad. Stefan isn’t entirely good just like Damon isn’t entirely bad. The difference between the two brothers is one fights the good in him while the other fights the bad. Neither are successful in their battles all the time. Stefan did terrible things, with his humanity on, and Damon could be wonderfully heroic and sweet. 

But Damon pushed against that goodness A LOT. Whereas Stefan pushed against his badness A LOT.  I’m not into the bad boys or the anti heroes. I like darkness in my fictional men, but I enjoy watching them fight it and not relish it. 

But I don’t glean any morality from The Vampire Diaries. It was a fantasy show. It’s crap I watched for fun and had pointless, but entertaining, ship debates with strangers on the Internet. Nor do I apply my real world principles to my shipping preferences. I am married to the kindest, gentlest, most moral man I know. I like the goody guys with NO darkness in real life. I would never allow my kid to date a Stefan or Angel or hell not even Oliver Queen in real life. Are you nuts???? THEY MURDERED PEOPLE.

But in my fantasy world, yes I am extremely forgiving. Not unlike Elena Gilbert, Buffy Summers and Felicity Smoak. Oliver Queen is as squeaky clean as I get. It’s a little easier I think with Angel (versus Stefan) because he only did horrible things after he lost his soul, which was not his fault. 

It’s really two personas. I love Angel, but I hated Angelus. I never wanted Buffy to hook up with Angelus. 

Does that erase his responsibility over Jenny Calendar? 

Nope. But simply because I knew Jenny Calendar as a viewer, and Angel was hurting people Buffy loved, doesn’t suddenly make that murder worse than all the others Angelus killed. Just because Buffy didn’t know those people, and they died hundreds of years ago, doesn’t make their lives any less valuable. But I got on board with Buffy dating Angel knowing all that before he lost his soul, so the morality factor didn’t really change after he got his soul back. Make sense?

It’s similar with Stefan. Stefan and The Ripper are two personas, but TVD liked to muddy the water a little more than Whedon with the humanity switch - a grey area. But in general I divide his character into two selves. 

Now, in real life if I was on a jury these guys would be serving 25 to life. But this is fantasy. Vampires don’t really exist. Teenage girls don’t date men over 110 years old. It’s illegal.

Characters like Stefan and Angel are an allegory. They represent the struggle between good and evil that live within all of us. The writers use vampirism to represent our sinful nature. The human struggle to be good and battle against our (hopefully) lower scale darkness/sins is the only real moral lesson I apply. That and always put Paul Wesley in a white tank top.

So, that’s how I look at that scene Nonnie. As I said before it is completely fine for that to be the moment you stopped shipping Stelena. I never stopped shipping Stelena and I never will, which is why they are one of my OTPs. They are a tragic story, but I will always love them. Despite all of Stefan’s terrible mistakes, I will always believe he was the best choice Elena ever made.

[snowregent]

I feel like there’s a lot of people that don’t know that much about this version of Elena and I wanted to share a look into who this character is and my own opinions on her and the way I write her on this blog. As a forewarning, this post is rather long. 

“Elena had been like a force of nature: take her or leave her for the passionate, cynical, idealistic, self-centered, generous-to-a-fault, girl that had been her mortal self. A wild tropical storm rising in a millpond. An orchid in a field of daisies; a gryphon in a herd of sheep. Elena had never been like anyone but herself.”

     Elena is the quintessential golden girl, the girl next door. Initially, she can come off as selfish, competitive, proud, and headstrong, however, that does not take away from the fact she can still be considered a good and decent person below the surface-- her general alignment being chaotic good. To this end, she has referred to certain students as ‘minions’ as they would readily do bidding for the most popular girl in the school and had been willing to spread rumors to further her own agendas. That said, Elena also showed a willingness to help her friends and protect others when various threats arose which would see them harmed. Some of Elena’s more positive traits are that she is: outgoing, confident, brave, optimistic, ambitious, loyal, protective, and strong-willed. She is a very good leader and as a result, is good at leading most situations that require solid leadership.

“Noblesse oblige”, Meredith said softly. “If you’re going to be queen of the school, you have to put up with the consequences.”

________________________________________________________

“Somewhere in the middle of it, Elena realized that she was going to be all right. She was herself again, not lost, not a stranger, but Elena Gilbert, the queen of Robert E. Lee.”

     Elena cares about her social status, willing to do research and find out details in order to use them against enemies if need be. At times, this means Elena may be willing to manipulate for what she deems is a greater good or to maintain her social standing, however, in most cases, she still has lines she will not cross to achieve these specific goals. Elena is a girl with a plan for everything, sometimes not as readily willing to accept other's motives as pure unless she knows them well. She is a Queen Bee, bossy at times even giving edicts from the grave. Still, she would never change herself or do something she did not think was right (by her definition of the term).

The girls in the senior class, even the ones that had been nastiest and most spiteful, were crying and holding hands. Girls Elena knew for a fact hated her were sniffling. Suddenly she was everybody’s best friend. 

There were boys crying, too. Shocked, Elena huddled closer to the railing. She couldn’t stop watching, even though it was the most horrible thing she had ever seen. 

Frances Decatur got up, her plain face plainer than ever with grief. “She went out of her way to be nice to me,” she said huskily. “She let me eat lunch with her.” Rubbish, Elena thought. I only spoke to you in the first place because you were useful in finding out information about Stefan. But it was the same with each person who went up to the pulpit; no one could find enough words to praise Elena.

________________________________________________________

“A lot of people weren’t nice to Elena after Halloween,” she said, wiping her eyes and going on. “And I know that hurt her. But Elena was strong. She never changed just to conform to what other people thought she should be. And I respected her for that, so much…” Sue’s voice wobbled. “When I was up for Homecoming Queen, I wanted to be chosen, but I knew I wouldn’t be and that was all right. Because if Robert E. Lee ever had a queen, it was Elena. And I think she always will be now, because that’s how we’ll all remember her. And I think that for years to come the girls who will go to our school might remember her and think about how she stuck by what she thought was right…” This time Sue couldn’t steady her voice and the reverend helped her back to her seat.

     In fact, Elena is intensely protective of her friends and town and will typically not betray a loyalty unless she has been betrayed first. Even then, as seen with Caroline, even though Caroline had stolen her diary, plotted against her, and even tried to turn the town against her and Stefan, Elena still was compassionate toward her and wanted to help her. Another example of Elena's ability to be compassionate can be found in the final book when Elena goes back in time and, knowing what will happen to Vicki, makes the choice to include her within her friend group as the girls get ready for the dance. When she goes back in time, she puts aside her popularity, she has matured and only seeks to make things better for everyone that had been doomed in the original timeline, even if it means she has to give up her connections with them. Elena also always fulfills her obligations, as Stefan has said ‘even to the undead’. She is fully aware of the dangerous game she plays at times, her being very emotion-driven can, at times, lead to her taking action without considering others or the fallout from her decisions. That said, she is usually willing to take responsibility for these actions and choices and she is not above admitting when she is wrong.

“…she had been a different person then. Ice-cold outside, manic inside—or was it the other way around? Still numb from the death of her parents so long ago. Jaded by the world and by anything to do with boys…A princess in an icy tower…with a lust only for conquest, for power…”

     While having been nicknamed “The Ice Princess”, “Ice Queen”, and “Snow Queen” by many, for she sometimes possesses the impression of appearing cold, distant and aloof towards those who do not know her well, as time goes on her character evolves, learning to sacrifice for those she cares about and becoming a warmer and more mature person as Elena and her friends face various trials. She demonstrates a willingness to put her life at risk to protect others though is also, at times, willing to risk the majority to save one. This was seen in the series more than once including when she threatened a guardian (angel) that she would not use her powers to save humanity if they didn’t change her mission (which had been to kill Damon). She is extremely stubborn, so much so that when presented with the doom of those she cared about and her own death, she literally refused it and convinced a guardian to allow her to go back in time and alter the chain of events which led to this, thus changing the entire course of the series and resetting the timeline.

“I’d better stop writing now. Stefan’s leaving, and Matt and Meredith and Alaric and I are going to see him off. I didn’t mean to get so into this; I’ve never kept a journal myself. But I want people to know the truth about Elena. She wasn’t a saint. She wasn’t always sweet and good and honest and agreeable. But she was strong and loving and loyal to her friends, and in the end she did the most unselfish thing anybody could do. Meredith says it means she chose light over darkness. I want people to know that so they’ll always remember. I always will.”

     While Elena has openly admitted at the beginning of the series that she always used boys and treated the opposite sex as if they were prizes and trophies to boost her confidence and self-esteem none of the boys that she has ever encountered, met, or dated (including Matthew Honeycutt) has ever had an enormous, unusual, life-changing or highly influential impact on her the way that Stefan Salvatore, in canon, and in other specifically featured verses on this blog, Archie ( @skeletcnkey ), who has drawn out more of Elena's kinder side, and Kol Mikaelson ( @psychotickol ), who has drawn out more of Elena's true nature and tempted her by her own darker traits, have had. While having developed on her own, it must be acknowledged that, at least in part, Stefan, Archie, and Kol have inspired her to become more open-minded and spiritually awakened.

“I wanted to ask you something and it’s a little embarrassing.  I remember one thing Elena told me, and that was that you used to—well, to take on her discarded boyfriends for a little while, to comfort them, before turning them lose in the world again.  And I was wondering—could you think of me that way?”

Meredith’s eyes flew open and her held breath exploded in laughter.  “You!”

“I fulfill all the requirements, I’m sure.  Low self-esteem.  Can’t sleep, can’t eat.  I think about Elena night and day.  I can’t picture myself—ever—wanting another girl—”

Meredith laughed and laughed and the tension that had been holding her rigid broke.  “All right, all right.  You’re an Elena’s-ex.  Join the very large club.  But what can I do for you?”  

     In respect to Elena's loves both in canon and on this blog, many are driven by a key concept of the novels: THE SOULMATE PRINCIPLE which is an ancient theory frequently used in most of L.J. Smith's trilogies and book series. "It is the theory that two people who are true destined soulmates are connected by a 'silver cord', only visible to the destined soulmates themselves." It does not always mean that your connection to that person will be a romantic one, but could be that of a friend as well. The key point is, they are destined to be a part of your life in some fashion, to challenge you and to impact you in a profound way. Your soulmate can awaken more of yourself through your interactions with them. "Through the silver cord, soulmates can often feel what each other are feeling if the person concentrates through the strength this connection and how long it takes to uncover may vary... Exchanging blood is one way for a person to find out they are soulmates. Soulmates can often enter each other's mind and see their memories, thoughts, and feelings. Thoughts and memories can be blocked, though this takes concentration-- if the concentration lapse during the time that one person is in someone else's mind, the blocks will fall down to allow the other person to see everything. It is the idea that for everyone in the world, there is ONE soulmate who is perfect for them. You don't have to look like your soulmate, act like them, be the same age as them; you don't even have to like them at first, but from the moment you meet them, you know that you'll never be completely happy without them."

“Involuntarily, Stefan glanced up.  Yes, he’d had the strong feeling of her presence here tonight, too.  Elena.  Still scheming from the spirit world.  Elena couldn’t help him any longer with her blood, but that wouldn’t matter to her.  She had three humans that she could still influence, and that was fine.  It wouldn’t matter to her that Meredith got a bit of a shock or that Bonnie might be playing with fire, or even—well, she wouldn’t have done anything to destroy his friendship with Matt, but he hadn’t known that before.”

     All in all, Elena is a complex character who many often misjudge both within the series and by readers. She may not be perfect, is not always agreeable, and she even may not be the character that everyone even roots for right off the bat, but she does evolve. And as it's often said, she is not anyone but herself. She does not apologize for being who she is but she does own up to who she is and the choices she makes. Elena is capable of making the hero’s choice but is not always the hero of the story. Elena knows loss and is challenging and daring and brave. She learns and grows and becomes a woman who can be vain but giving, who can be selfish, at times, but still willing to sacrifice.

[irandrura]

Anyway, more serious thoughts on chapters five and six...

The Heroes’ Relics make people turn into horrific dragon monsters. Okay. I know people assured me that this game wasn’t playing the ‘Corrupt Church’ trope entirely straight, but still, the Church of Seiros, the thirteen relics, and the crests have a million warning signs going off around them right now. Maybe most members of the church are well-meaning, but there are clearly dark and horrible secrets in Fódlan’s past.

Knowing previous Fire Emblem games, my bet is that it’s something to do with dragons, gods, betrayal, and fraught relationships with humanity. The relics look like fossilised bone to me, and I suspect that Seteth and Flayn are either dragons themselves, or somehow related to them. (I have not read spoilers on this, or if I have I’ve forgotten them, but there is something very Ninian-ish about her.) Flayn’s blood was mentioned as being special, so I wonder if crests are the results of some ancient blasphemy where dragon blood was fused with humans, or something along those lines? Add in that we have Sothis playing a Yune-like role and it’s easy to guess what might be going on.

Still, the relics and crests themselves seem dangerous, and possibly maddening. I suppose it’s for the best that I’ve never actually used the Sword of the Creator in battle. It wasn’t a principled decision or anything: I just never needed to.

There’s been some discussion of crests. As I said before, I find it strange that Dimitri is taking such an egalitarian, meritocratic line. He thinks that lineage shouldn’t matter? Nor should race, religion, or crest? Really? That’s an odd thing for a prince to believe. Who taught him those ideas? For some reason it surprises me more with Dimitri than with Edelgard, who I already had pegged as an egalitarian revolutionary in the same vein as Ashnard (albeit less over-the-top evil). There has to be something interesting going on in terms of the intellectual history of Fódlan - maybe it’s the Fódlan equivalent of the Renaissance, and old aristocratic houses are being pressured by a rising tide of enlightened humanism?

Actually, what crests most remind me of is an old AD&D setting, Birthright. I always really liked Birthright despite its lack of popularity, mainly because I loved its colourfully monstrous collection of villains in the awnsheghlien. Fódlan’s crests seem to have shaped aristocratic politics in the same way that Cerilia’s bloodlines have.

Moving on to chapter six...

Right now I am stressing more about recruiting out-of-house characters. So far I’ve only managed to grab Leonie, but hopefully I can get a few more. I hear Dorothea is pretty much a gimme - maybe that’s why she’s always on the top of the list of most-used characters it shows me via the online feature.

It’s starting to nag me that Byleth has a very specific level of ignorance about Fódlan. He’s wandered all across the continent with Jeralt and has become an experienced mercenary, the Ashen Demon, but somehow he doesn’t know anything whatsoever about the church or about geopolitics. That’s rather straining the suspension of disbelief.

I say this every time, but I wonder if the game or the story couldn’t be improved by just cutting the avatar character? I suppose Byleth is useful for allowing the player to take the teacher role, at least, and maybe he’s necessary for the Sothis plot? Even so, right now I find myself wondering why Dimitri, Claude, or Edelgard can’t just be the protagonist. I don’t hate Byleth or anything, but he’s definitely less interesting than the others.

Other character stuff has been fun so far. I did the paralogue, ‘War for the Weak’, where you try to resolve a Duscur rebellion. I was a bit confused there: judging from Dedue, I thought the people of Duscur were generally dark-skinned, but that didn’t seem to be the case with the Duscur units on the map. I guess Duscur is in the northern part of the continent, and Faerghus is supposed to be quite cold, so it would be unusual for there to be a whole nation of dark-skinned people there? I don’t know. The impression I got was that Duscurs generally have bronze skin, dark eyes, and white or red hair, as opposed to the extremely pale and frequently blond, blue-or-green-eyed Faerghans. But I don’t know how much thought was put into the ethnography of this world.

On the chapter six battle itself... so, okay, the Death Knight and the Flame Emperor escaped, but I did defeat thirty or so of their minions. Did we not take any of them alive? I feel like we should be able to interrogate some of them. At the very least, I’d like to take this conspiracy a bit more seriously? Could we maybe ransack Jeritza’s quarters? Search for papers? Maybe Byleth’s class can’t do that - I would say that they’re students and shouldn’t be trusted with such sensitive assignments, except that they were tasked to recover the Lance of Ruin and trusted to keep quiet about the relics turning people into monsters - but it’d be nice to know that someone is doing that.

But instead apparently we’re going to go off and have a mock battle between the three houses. I feel like I should be able to make joke about the Hogwarts House Cup, but I can’t figure out a good way into it...

Finally, on characters and supports:

I have gotten a handful of supports with out-of-house characters, and they feel odd. It’s bizarre to have a C support with Ferdinand where he asks how I think he stacks up compared to Edelgard: it is clearly written with the assumption that I’m the Black Eagle teacher. If the game was going to allow you to do out-of-house supports, I would have expected the supports to be written to avoid that issue.

Among the Blue Lions, the supports so far have ranged from the genuinely insightful or heartwarming to the merely banal. I have gotten a few C supports that feel like this, although to be fair mostly featuring Felix, and Felix is an arse. Nonetheless, by being the only Blue Lion who’s just a jerk, Felix’s supports have actually helped to illustrate some of the internal tensions. He is genuinely awful to Dedue and Dimitri, but if he wasn’t, it would not clarify for the player that there’s some sort of dark, angsty secret in Dimitri’s past.

(I don’t know what that secret is: he didn’t explain it in Heroes. I believe it has something to do with knowing Edelgard as a child, and perhaps Edelgard’s secret second crest; and perhaps also it’s hinted that Dimitri was involved in a massacre? But I don’t know or remember the details.)

As for the others, oho, Gilbert is Annette’s dad, Mercedes has some Birthright-esque drama with a noble house in the Empire (and, okay, I did read enough to know about Jeritza), Ingrid and Ashe continue to be generally nice, and Sylvain would be an excellent person if he wasn’t bent on harassing women all the time.

I do wonder sometimes what’s going on with that... is it just a Fire Emblem series trope that there’s always a guy who vocally flirts with every women he sees and is genuinely unable to control himself? Is it a Japanese thing? To my Western eyes it’s starting to get a bit tiresome. I don’t want to get super-political, but I feel like after the whole #MeToo thing Western commentators are going to be a lot more sensitive to stories that depict constant unwanted flirting as a harmless, even entertaining character trait. I don’t know. There’s probably something going on there that I don’t get.

Oh, well. I still made Sylvain kill his brother. Was that cruel of me? I guess his brother was a horrible monstrous dragon at the time...

Anyway, on with trying to recruit more characters, and then the tournament!