#Euphoria analysis

[wakandama2]

Let's talk about Gia! Why? Because she triggered ever lil sibling dealing with the downfall of a older sibling you idolized fiber of my being

This is the first time with Euphoria that I can say I cant rewatch a scene. Watching Gia outburst into screams as she fights to have her feelings heard by Rue (and her mama) after constantly playing peacekeeper and unconditional lover to then have Rue punching down her feelings and literally manipulating to Gia tears in order to cover herself was literally like putting a mirror up to me.

[ancient-pariah]

I love tumblr with every fiber of my being but jesus christ the ads

[jerseymuppet]

Gerard Way - Life On The Murder Scene, 2005 // Drugstore Perfume - Gerard Way, Hesitant Alien, 2014 // Emily - My Chemical Romance, 2006 // Drowning Lessons - My Chemical Romance, 2002 // Gerard Way - 2004 // Gerard Way - 2023 // Drowning Lessons - My Chemical Romance, 2002 // It’s Not A Fashion Statement, It’s A Deathwish - My Chemical Romance, 2004 // Gerard Way For Boyzine, 2015 // Gerard Way, Twitter, 2015

[alilbabysprout]

wanting to be the favorite student of all my literary theory professors is a super normal desire to have right

[elenawamp]

[spiltsoup]

Euphoria is a fucking masterpiece. No not the teen drama, I’m talking about the two-parter Season 2 episode of House MD.

Everything about it is amazing. As usual, the acting is a highlight, but can we talk about Omar Epps’s layered performance here?

I’ve seen some people complain that Foreman is a boring character or a square. While it’s true that he’s not usually the most interesting guy in the room, imho Epps nails his subtleties.

And then to watch it all just break down during this arc. When he laughs as the cop bleeds out. When he looks visibly pained during the religious conversation, even though his symptoms haven’t started yet. When the despair kicks in. When he roars in absolutely blind rage at Cuddy.

I remember I saw a clip of some movie where he played a vampire. And it was really surprising to see Omar Epps work in a more feral and dangerous headspace. His acting felt a lot more frantic. I feel like he channels that here.

(Also of course the general themes about mortality and finding the humanity in tragic situations, but that’s just House in general)

[edwardsissyhandsthtdanceslikeabb]

i love rue x jules — but they have a double standard

It's hard for Jules to have ever really loved Rue like Rue loved her when sm of their relationship is filled with anxiety and claustrophobia from Jules feeling responsible for Rue's sobriety and like she can't ever get too invested/treat their relationship with too much normalcy bc the parts of herself she does share and the access she does provide will always be twofold in furthering Rue's dependency, yet making the fall out when Jules is no longer enough or romanticized by Rue worse (and being made the responsible party for not meeting those expectations ─ which is what I think the audience also did and why they have sm vitriol for Jules), and yet at the same time feeling like she can't not be there for Rue bc she will relapse (which she was proven right on lol). Basically a whole bunch of inherent inadequacy issues — damned if you do, if you don’t.

In many ways people expect Jules to be Rue's caretaker, whether it's bc she's hyperfeminine, whether it stems from unassessed transmisogny (or both compounded — with ppl bolstering conventionality onto her).

But people fault Jules for not staying with Rue and always point to Rue going through the worst period of her life (which rue VERY readily, and selfishly weaponizes against jules, but as a rue stan & kinnie, when ISN’T rue going thru the worst time of her life? she was 2 weeks away from unaliving in her s2 opioid spiral, but in the later half of s1 she was relatively ok and seemingly only dismayed by jules pulling away, so what was so different then that its supposed to trump jules being blackmailed, having her underage sex tape AND nudes in the possession of the blackmailer, the man she slept with being the blackmailer’s son, threatened with incarceration, her mom relapsing, being harassed, romanticized/stifled by her addict friend etc ETC that has ppl rallying behind rue’s entitled tirade as if she’s spitting facts and jules is getting her comeuppance as if rue didn’t lie to the daughter of an addict abt being sober after being told she didn’t want to be close to someone who was on drugs and endangering their mortality.

and why is there no space for both of their struggles, why is it competition??

as if JULES herself hadn't been mentally and emotionally exhausted and going through the worst period of her life too, and that her putting her needs first and not staying to be someone else's emotional pacifier was a morally reprehensible thing to do. Like she has to apologize for putting herself first and being unabashed about that? Yes, Jules should've explained herself, but Rue also should've asked instead of assuming it was as shallow as her moving onto the next girl (which is Rue projecting bc she's always putting herself in competition with someone else and ascribes her own fleeting tendencies and dependencies onto Jules — which isn’t to say it was ALL projection, rue feels rightfully slighted by jules’ wavering affection, but her hyperfocusing on that is reductive).

In actuality, the pure vitriol ppl meet jules with despite her having [in the words of a reddit user] profound childhood scars that led her to that boundary, Rue lying about it when they got back together, as well as gaslighting her about it, is a substantially more unethical, dangerous and scarring thing to subject someone to, esp when you realize rue’s dishonesty [specifically wrt elliot] is a big reason jules cheated in the first place. Furthermore, ppl have this massive [and inconsistent, the smoke ppl give Jules is SEVERLY overblown, esp when contrasted with similar figures like cassie e.g s1, and even maddie] vitriol towards Jules when her peers and even girlfriend have done much worse. A teenage girl being messy and shattering idealized expectations somehow eclipses rue’s aforementioned transgressions and later verbal/emotional abuse (interesting to note how rue weaponizes “whore” against jules bc she noticed how it hurt her in their first joint discussion with elliot) and Rue is NEVER held accountable regardless, which i understand but ppl are VERY selective with their grace. At the end of it all, jules is STILL the one that apologizes to rue and ppl still malign and undermine her traumas and depth…  [sigh]

People never put the onus on Rue it's always on Jules, and in that, they end up reinforcing the exact reason Jules ran away: bc Rules was never really ever allowed to be about Jules. ─ It's why she cheated, bc in s2 Rue always seemed to be keeping things from her (Elliot. Her being high during their head scene. Her being high, period), undermining her feelings (Elliot and newyears) and not paying attention to HER needs (Elliot swooping in and affirming her in ways she clearly wishes Rue would), which Jules is sort of equally as guilty of, but when she DID try to be there, Rue would get snippy with her (in the car with the ddrink, when she told Leslie about the pills and the head scene), there was always distance and pretense between them in S2.

S2 was the season of relapse, the season of false perfection, and that's equally as true for Jules, she tries to rectify her mistakes by striving for Rue's validation and reclamation (aka trying desperately to fix her perceived faults through external means), but when Rue is seemingly uninterested she falls back into her usual, safe vices of male attention.

As a youtuber – Shanspeare notes, in s2 most of the characters get what they thought they wanted but are consequently faced with its dark side, as well as the dark side of themselves. Because the story is told from Rue's perspective and s2 is her finally getting what she's always desired, she's confronted with Jules' flaws and insecurities which is building off of s1's finale and how Jules, ultimately, chose herself over being Rue's crutch (bear in mind Jules never asked for Rue's romanticization, she never asked for those unattainable standards, she never obfuscated her truth, faults and all — Anna was not a mistake and that's undeniably and equally as problematic as its repeat in s2, but she encapsulated a freedom and empowerment counter to Rue. At the season's end, Rue chose to leave her and Jules chose the same, and given that their budding relationship was predicated on emotional vulnerability, it tracks that smth as dubious/shaky as Rules would be trumped by smth grounding and solid).

And thusly, her idealization was shattered, which allows Jules to exist as she truly is, no longer a manic pixie dream girl or a symbol, but now a fully-fledged person. Jules is in the low point of her arc as opposed to regressed, as many characterize her — her trajectory makes sense in light of s1. She's still herself, just dealing with challenges. It's not easy to free yourself from your vices, especially when it's stuff like comphet, insecurity and toxic relationships.

However, seemingly, now that her angst and struggles aren’t deemed permissible by the audience, nor are the circumstances in which they are manifesting [and she isn’t palliating it through maternal-adjacent placations/is of diminished use to our main], the empathy and humanity granted to her are all readily revoked, her very teenage tumultuousness deemed unacceptable [even by comparison], a transgression against idealization and expectations — PLUS she’s no longer hyperfeminine and preoccupied with gender conformism, making ppl doubly susceptible to maligning her – her ethereal, soft, palatable veneer removed, subconsciously or not — but you can't have believable character development if a character's vices don't actually challenge them and have extended baring over them. And you can neglect a person’s struggles and flaws, but that doesn't make them any less HUMAN. Like is jules not allowed to be a bit messy and confused and fucked, both mentally and in her coping mechanisms, considering ALL that she went through, and wouldn’t a degree of empathy towards that be expected? (apparently not lol – that’s the answer).

*Which, is why, upon writing it out, Elliot doesn't seem as inconsequential as many people make him out to be. He represents Jules' need for external/normative [male] validation, and the barriers between Rules in their relationship. Her cheating with HIM was not random or contrived at all, it's her seemingly taking back agency within the relationship and getting to keep smth from Rue too/have access to smth Rue wanted to keep from her. It's her putting up barriers too (but also knocking them down bc now Elliot is theirs ─ if that makes any sense).

While someone like Tyler felt safe to her, he also felt like an anomaly, a cishet [white] man who amidst all the transphobia and sexism and toxic masculinity that normally cloaks the most conventional and powerful members of society, Tyler was different. He could provide her with the stability and love she'd been craving *(from white cishet society ─ which makes her relationship to Rue doubly interesting bc Rue is a black, lesbian, gnc, lowkey asexual girl, the opposite of everything Jules wants, but in many ways smth she NEEDED to experience). I also to some extent agree that she didn't love Tyler for him, moreso the life she thought she could access through him (eg. when she forgets that Tyler's dad is no longer in his life, the things she likes abt him being super generic, their life together being super idealized), Tyler is more of an ideal to her than a person, but that doesn't mean her feelings weren't real.

All that to say that I love Rules, and I LOVE Rue, she’s my favorite character, which is why I acknowledge all these realities while still loving and accepting her. Rules are one of my otps, but the onus placed onto Jules is unhealthy and unfair, and is revelatory of a lot of inherent bias and ingrained expectations ppl have of girls like Jules, as well as the double standards these expectations expose. You can’t truly be for Rue and Jules while prioritizing one over the other. People’s fervent need to both adultify and reduce Jules to an emotional pacifier deprives her of humanity and grace and goes to show how placing ppl on a pedestal is not inherently favorable — only allotting empathy on the basis of conformity and acceptability as opposed to ppl inherently deserving it unconditionally. Jules is a human being and she deserves to be acknowledged as such. Circumstance was the unfortunate downfall of not only Rules, but the clouding of her love for Tyler [and dare I say her unwitting attraction towards Nate, which is for another post lol].

[filmgamer]

‘Civil War’ Is The Film that Alex Garland and A24 Have Been Building to Their Whole Career

[wrylywriting]

it's so weird that my two blorbos (is it cringe to say that yet) happen to be in a very popular netflix tv show that everyone's seen and has a strong opinion on... so unsettling. when I get youtube recommendations that are like "whats wrong with bridgerton season 3" I'm like but wait they didn't make the show for you they made it for me and my mutuals on tumblr DOT com and we like garbage there

[yunoslove]

“Little Star”

Just Passing By

Song rec to listen to while reading:

[moooooolnp]

“Their writing was offensive!!”

*long sigh*

YOU PEOPLE HAVE NO MEDIA LITERACY ITS PISSING ME OFF PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE TO WROTE ABOUT THINGS YOURE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH, THE WORLD DOESNT REVOLVE AROUND YOUR LACK OF BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND A SIMPLE METAPHOR YOU STUPID MOTHER FUCKERS

[orcelito]

Still making my way through the volumes. I read through the entireties of volumes 12 and 13, since I realized there was a Lot I didn't remember (especially with volume 12). Unsurprising, considering I read all of volumes 9-14 with a very stress and grief filled 24 hours (and Very Little Sleep)

Towards the end of 13 through 14 though, I'm more familiar with. I've revisited these parts a Lot... for research and also just for my own enjoyment...

It is still. Very. Very. Good. To see one of my favorite panels in printed form.

[angstandhappiness]

DUDE

so much of how much spiderverse connects with people, and why it has so much heart, is because it boils down to understanding other people.

i remember being so excited about spider-gwen b/c i relate to her so much. there’s so much people can relate to, things involving being neurodivergent, being trans, being gay, being a person of color, being disabled, being a mix of all of the above!

when my friend and i were walking out of the theater, three different people asked us if the movie was good, and we had such a genuine connection with these people, and it’s not a coincidence that one was in a wheelchair, one was a theater employee who’s badge said “they/them” on it.

we’re different, but we’re the same. i see you, and i know you.

[gibbearish]

just took your uquiz lol! about being trans! what do you think it could mean if I wanted to be a guy but didn’t really mind being who i am? it’s not even any guy, it’s like specific guys (like actors,. I don’t know). Sometimes people say they’d rather be an ugly guy than a good looking woman, and I couldn’t relate less. Part of the reason I’m so scared about this (and it’s a big part) is that I’m just so terrified of being ugly. I’m finally conventionally attractive after years of trying to be, and now I’m scared I won’t be anymore. I’m wondering if maybe the first time i thought i was trans i went about it the wrong way (i was obsessed w masculinity, cut my hair, things like that). And is it even worth it doing anything about it if I’m not dysphoric? I’m also very scared about the finding someone to love me and also losing all my friends and family thing (100% will happen). This whole maybe not ever finding a guy to love me thing is really bothering me, too. You can ignore this I’m just venting a lot. Sorry.

hey friend! i think it could help out a lot if you looked into the idea of gender euphoria. the quick description essentially is the opposite of dysphoria, where rather than "being x makes me feel bad," its "being x makes me feel good". there's been a lot of discourse about this over the years and you will still find people out there who will be shitty, but as someone with dysphoria, i have always fallen firmly on the "you do not need dysphoria to be trans" side of things. i believe that if it makes you happy to be a specific way, you shouldnt have to hate being the way you are to be allowed to pursue that. i dont have to turn down a cheesecake just because i don't hate poundcake, suffering is not a requirement to get to the things that make you happy.

i will also say, to me it does sound like a lot of this struggle is based around your ideals irt attractiveness, and while that is very human, it sounds like you also know that your relationship with that is somewhat unhealthy? like, yes, people by and large want others to think they look nice, but that shouldnt come between you loving the body you're in. there are billions of people with billions of opinions and you will never be able to satisfy all of them, and if you try then all those opinions pulling in different directions will draw and quarter you lol. so to me it sounds a bit like itll be hard for you to really unravel your thoughts irt your gender until you're able to work through those hangups around attractiveness? or even that these may be something youll have to unravel in tandem

something that might help start that is next time youre feeling unattractive, rather than pulling away from that feeling or changing something about your look or wallowing in it, take some time to sit with it as a friend. ask it what's so scary about being unattractive. is it societal pressure telling you Girls Have To Be Pretty? is it your parents picking apart your appearance often? is it your friends treating you poorly because of your looks? figure out what it is that has created the unattractive=bad association in your mind, find who has been punishing you (literally or metaphorically) for looking "bad", and ask if you actually did anything wrong that deserves punishment by simply existing on your default settings, or if perhaps it wasnt actually about you at all, and was just about those peoples insecurities. when you pay attention, you start to notice that 99% of the time, attacks against others are defensiveness, they are insecure about something and something you did or said reminded them of it, so now they feel uncomfortable and want it to stop, and the way you do that is either investigate why, or take it out on someone else. and investigating why feels bad and takes a lot of time, so, yknow. path of least resistance, most people will lash out. and that does suck, but in my experience, realizing that made it a thousand times easier to not worry abt other ppls opinions' anywhere near as much. the way that i look is the way that /i/ like, not how society does, because im the one that has to live with me 24/7. society can deal with the horrific terrible burden of seeing me getting gas looking like a 1 occasionally, bc like literally how does that effect them yknow? theyre not harmed in any way by me existing and not looking how they want me to, and it would be weird for them to expect that of me because I Didnt Know They Existed Before Now so how could i possibly dress for them? and why would i?

(that can help w insecurities too ime is like. imagine someone else saying those things to you, would you think theyre an asshole and tell them to fuck off? if yes, you have permission to tell your brain the same thing)

as far as finding someone to love you, i definitely feel that fear but 1000% you have nothing to worry about. the adult queer scene is bursting to the seams with people who will want whatever it is that youre bringing to the table like a man lost in the desert for fifty years being offered a crisp mcdonalds sprite. "but what about-" yes that too. like, enough that they had to make a word specifically for cis people who Really Really Want To Date Trans People A Creepy Amount to distinguish between them and respectful ppl. i promise your dating pool is not small, you're just still in school and/or a small town and dont have access to them yet. give it time, you have decades ahead of you

as far as family and friends, honestly, yeah, you might lose them, im not gonna sugar coat that. and that sucks . so much. and i can tell you theres more people out there to befriend and that you can build a new family but id bet thatd hit about as well as it hits for me. bc truth is that yeah, you can make a new family, but that just isn't the same. there will still be a little hole in your heart reserved for the accepting and loving family and friends you deserved. and i cant really offer any advice on making that go away if thats how it turns out bc its still there for me.

but i also gotta say? the hole is a lot easier to deal with than the knife that put it there. theres still a painful spot but at least im not still actively being hurt More by them. so like im trying very hard not to just say "fuck em who needs em" here bc i know its not that easy and for a lot of people that isn't the right answer anyways, but yknow. thats what i did and im doing better, and at the end of the day i can really only speak from my own experience. either way, just know that there are in fact people out there who will accept and love you regardless of who you are or how you look, and in fact will encourage you to do things that make you look "worse" by society's standards if it makes you happy.

anyways. i hope that wasnt too depresso there, i think ill finish this off by addressing "is it even worth doing anything about it if im not dysphoric?": imo, yes, absolutely. there are parts of me that i wasnt dysphoric about before starting t that now make me ridiculously happy. i never knew i wanted chest hair and yet now i sometimes just sit here staring at it like "!!!!!!". you deserve a body that makes you happy. not a body that makes the people around you happy, not a body you can tolerate, a body that makes YOU happy. you could probably tolerate living in a featureless square apartment with all the bare essentials and 0 decorations if it was cheap, but would it make you happy? personally, i think you deserve to put up posters even if the world thinks theyd look dumb.

[nervousbreadpuppy]

i might girl tomorrow. just maybe

[anxitea-shop]

This scene intrigued me a lot:

"I am afraid Olrox" ,HE IS AFRAID OF DEATH DESPITE HIM TELLING US THAT MONKS SHOULD NOT FEAR DEATHHH , and he tells Olrox. He wants comfort, wants A WAY OUT. He does not want to DIE. I feel this is a half permission for the 'DEED'.

On the other hand, Olrox listens intently, and it's attentive, he comforts him, secures him, mulls over THAT way of saving him, take times to.

Orlox comforts him phisically, and not only that, its a romantic gesture, affection, "It's gonna be fine", and the words MY LOVE the ultimate we AND THEM need to hear that, they indeed are connected more that phisically.

Mizrak is scared of what's to come, of turning of course, BUT DOEST NO REFUSE, is not TERRIFIED to push Olrox away, remember, half permission, half acceptance.

Resignation, after the pain of the bite, then crying for what's to come, even if hell go to hell, he's not alone.

And as an extra:

Putting the eroticism aside, Mizrak can no longer bask in that ray of light, he's rigid, unmoving possibly really angry. RIght after this he shows that he IS in a rage, then goes for the Olrox neck, and Olrox let's him , because HE IS THE FIRST drop of blood that he starvingly wants. In some works vampires, are drinking each other's blood and is seen as erotic and can be equalled with s3x, as they feel euphoria.

And in conclusion:

I'm crying my heart out right now, credit for this analysis to @b-l-u-e-equinox , she did an amazing job!

Thank you for reading