#Feel free to disagree it's just a fictional character at the end of the day

[cassandraclare]

no mourners, no funerals

spoilers!!

poesflowercrown asked: Why didn't we see kit's [Christopher Lightwood's] funeral

Okay, so quite a lot of the questions I’ve gotten are some form of “Why wasn’t there a funeral for Christopher?”

And the answer is that Christopher surely did have a funeral — but that it strikes me as fairly obvious why he didn’t have one that took place during the time when London was under attack by Belial. Also, had they had a funeral in Idris during this time (where his body was, and where they have funerals), we have no POV characters who are there to see it.

After that, we jump ahead six months, and obviously his funeral isn’t going to be after such a long period of time has elapsed — instead we see grief at the stage of what it is often like after half-a-year: the most active part of the mourning is over, and the Shadowhunters are moving into fitting Christopher and the grief for him into lives that go on and go forward. James dreams of dead Christopher almost every night, and yet he is still moving on with his life: they are Shadowhunters, this is how they live, knowing life can always be interrupted by destruction, battle or war, and knowing (in a way mundanes don’t) that any day carries with it the possibility of immediate death and loss.

Now, could I have shattered the structure and timing of the book to shove in a funeral between the coda and the wrap-up of the epilogue? I think it would have been a lot of more jarring and weird than people realize, but I also think that it wouldn’t have offered anything. I get a lot of questions that seem to think a funeral for Christopher would have offered “closure” somehow — either to the characters or readers — and the fact that I don’t think it would have done anything like that, or offered anything useful or meaningful, is partly why I didn’t include it.

Shadowhunter funerals aren’t like mundane (human!) funerals: they’re not for closure, but rather for generally honoring the dead of war, because the Shadowhunters live in a constant state of war. What would have happened at a funeral for Christopher is that he would have been burned on a pyre along with Elias and those who died freeing London; people would have come up and given polite condolences to Gabriel and Cecily, the Consul would have given a general speech, and that’s about it. We see this with Livvy’s funeral. — how it is entirely unspecific to Livvy. We see how much closure her funeral offers her family (none, basically.) I think what people are imagining as “Christopher’s funeral” (everyone cries, makes speeches, has feelings) is not what a Shadowhunter funeral is.

There is one more thing I would say, which is that death, as depicted in art and fiction, is not required to offer closure. Sometimes the point is to sit with that lack of closure, and feel the absence of that person, that character, because living with the death of someone close to you is often living without total closure: sometimes for a long time, sometimes forever. That is okay. It is not required of books that emotions be neatly put away at the end of them, like guest towels. Sometimes they are just there to be felt afterward.

[I have also seen people say that Christopher’s friends didn’t mourn for him — which is so bizarre I haven’t decided whether to address it or just leave it as a Thing We Totally Disagree About, like the many questions I get about how we “never see that Tessa loves Jem” or “Isabelle doesn’t care that Max died” etc. Sometimes you just can’t see eye to eye about things; I don’t really get how Thomas being so stricken by Christopher’s death that his physical appearance is literally altered forever, or Anna “turning to stone” with grief, or Matthew being unable to even say Christopher’s name without flinching in pain, is “not mourning”, but we all have our different ideas of how things should be depicted. I tend to believe in a less-is-more philosophy about showing intense emotion, but we are not all that way!]

Anyway, closure. The intense mourning for Christopher in the Sanctuary is short-lived not because the Shadowhunters have gotten bored mourning intensely, but because of Belial. Because they are at war, and then and forever their grief for Christopher must fit itself within the interstices of them needing to save the world. In looking at research into Shadowhunter mourning, I looked at the way people mourn when they are either civilians in war, or soldiers on the front lines, because all Shadowhunters are all least one of those things. A great deal of intense compartmentalizing is required, because the preservation of life going forward must be the priority. The Shadowhunters know this; they are raised knowing this. They know that not only may you be called upon to sacrifice your own life to be what you are, but that it is likely you will lose other people, and if you lose them in battle, you have also sacrificed the ability to stop the world and engage in just grieving. You sacrifice, sometimes, even the ability to bury your dead or to know where they died. As Lucie observes:

“And now they were back at the Institute courtyard, which was empty and quiet, as it always was. There was no scar here, no sign of the dreadful things that had happened there such a short time ago. Lucie envisioned a plaque: HERE IS WHERE IT ALL BROKE APART. Matthew and James’s vanishing, Christopher’s death—they seemed both very close, a trauma still ongoing, and yet far away.

On the other hand, she thought, this courtyard had been torn up by Leviathan a couple of weeks ago, and there was no sign of that, either. Perhaps to be a Shadowhunter simply meant drawing runes over one’s scars, over and over.”

They mourn, they grieve, they have to go on — to “draw runes over their scars” — because the other option is wallowing in grief and doing nothing to prevent Belial winning. Lucie is feeling these things as “far away” because they have to be shoved down in order for the Shadowhunters to continue doing what they need to do. They can’t lie on the ground and scream NOOOOOO for days; they honor Christopher by going on, by seeing his project through to the end and using it to save countless lives. Which is what Christopher would have wanted — not a cold and monotonous funeral in Idris.

So short answer: I didn’t think a funeral for Christopher would have provided anything worthwhile to the story, but rather would have made it worse. In the end, that’s usual the answer to the why of any decision. :)

[astronomically-doomed]

Tw: Opinions

What annoys me the most about this fandom is that people are always arguing about the most ridiculous things.

Why is it that we as a fandom seem to feel the need to attack each other for what we like and what we dislike.

Why does one character or ship have to be better than others?

If you don't ship something just keep scrolling. It takes more effort to open the comment section and leave a hate comment than to just find content that you do like. it's not that hard.

I think some people forget that we don't all have to agree. It's okay to ship a rare pairing that other people might find odd and it's okay to make a seemingly 'bad' character more three dimensional.

As long as its not harmful content that someone is making or consuming, why should it matter to you.

At the end of the day, it's all made up so who gives a damn.

I can like Regulus as a character without hating on lily because guess what, there is no reason to be constantly pitting them against each other. They are FICTIONAL.

Jegulus is not better than Jily or the other way around, they're just different.

I love Lily and the other female characters but it is possible for someone to dislike one of them and not for misogynistic reasons. Not everything is an attack on women.

Sometimes I like reading fics where certain characters I like are villanised because it seems funny, including Lily. That's not misogynistic. Especially not if I read ones where James or barty or sirius are the bad guy sometimes.

It's okay to like snape. I don't and you might not but that doesn't give you a right to attack the people who do.

What Im saying is, leave people alone and stop attacking them for having different opinions. If you're going to criticise a ship or character at least have the decency to do it in a place where the people who like said character or ship don't have to see it.

It really isn't that hard.

This fandom is supposed to be a free space to enjoy content you enjoy but sometimes doesn't feel like it because of the people who behave like their opinion should be fact and those who disagree can be harassed and bullied until they leave.

Just try to remember that just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's wrong.

[thegreymoon]

i'm not an anti 😭😭😭 it's funny that you're absolutely missing my point. there are plenty of works about noncon fantasies. it's rare to see an author single out her shou's sexuaI abuse and depict it as erotic while in the SAME story speak about the horrors of sexuaI abuse/sIavery when it comes to other characters. i dont think this is an unfair criticism and definitely not anti nonsense. just because you disagree with me doesn't make me an anti but i digress. my point wasn't call out noncon fantasies in fiction.

You literally said, and I quote:

lmfao?? erotic novels can be written without ertoticizing sexuaI abuse. she couldve done the same with consensual scenes.

This is typical anti nonsense. Sure, we can write erotic novels without eroticizing sexual abuse, but how is that relevant? You cannot write non-con kink into it without it and Meatbun is not being shy at all about what kinks she's into. This is a book she wrote, first and foremost, for herself, and then for the rest of us who share her proclivities. People who would like to read something else - for example, vampire fic, a comedy of manners or a zombie apocalypse - are free to go and find such a book because, in theory, Meatbun could have written any of these things instead of erotic fiction of the non-con variety, but she didn't because she didn't want to, and if she had, non-con enjoyers probably wouldn't be reading it to begin with.

If you don't want to be mistaken for an anti, you should not come into someone's inbox with their rhetoric and expect them not to see you as one.

I sat on this ask for a couple of days and decided to give you the benefit of the doubt and answer in good faith. I did not miss your point, I just thought you were an anti, and in my opinion, dead wrong, so I didn't feel like typing out a proper reply. There is nothing contradictory about the way Meatbun treats non-con vs. rape within the context of this particular subgenre. It is, in fact, a very common trope, where whatever is happening between the main couple is not seen as something that cannot be overcome (or even enjoyed) because the fantasy itself is about relinquishing responsibility for your own sexuality with someone you want all this to happen with. The point is that Chu Wanning enjoyed it because it was Mo Ran, and Mo Ran did it because he loved Chu Wanning. It is the foundation of this kink.

Now, I don't know if you don't typically read fics like these, but contrasting it with actual rape that is not a part of the fantasy is actually extremely common because it reaffirms that the main relationship is an exception, therefore special and safe in spite of the fundamental violation. With actual rape, nobody wants that to happen, not the characters and not the readers, and it is treated as horrific (which is why in fic, we typically use non-con and dub-con warnings for the erotic variety and the rape warning for actual unwanted rape, even though non-con and dub-con don't exist IRL, where it is ALL rape). Yes, there is a contradiction here, but it is something that is super common within this subgenre and something that the readers definitely want to see, in part to validate that what happened between the main couple is the exception to the rule.

Chu Wanning is not going to enjoy being raped just by anyone (though there certainly are books/erotica out there that play with this idea too and 2ha is actually on the very mild end of the spectrum here, which is why I find it hilarious that so many antis get their panties in a twist over it), which we see when he is assaulted by Shi Mei. Just like Chu Wanning, we are supposed to feel visceral disgust (though I do not deny that there are people out there who are into this too, which is totally cool, you do you) because it is happening outside the main pairing, which is treated as special. Mo Ran is supposed to rescue him from the bigger villain because the readers find his possessiveness reassuring and the fact that his relationship with Chu Wanning (consensual or not) is the exception. The encounter ends with Chu Wanning's chastity preserved and Shi Mei defeated and humiliated, which makes the readers feel good.

The rape of the girl that led to Mo Ran burning down the brothel is supposed to be horrific, and it is supposed to give us insight into Mo Ran's actual personality, where we see that when he is not under the influence of mind-altering magic, he finds the act horrifying. He is not a habitual rapist and if it had not been for the extraordinary circumstances (i.e. the mind-bending magic and the fact that he actually loved and wanted Chu Wanning more than he needed to breathe), the violation would never have happened. It is the exception because he loved, just like Chu Wanning wanting and even eventually enjoying it is the exception because he also loved him in return. It is not narratively contradictory, because, within this subgenre, it is actually very consistent, again, because this is an erotic non-con novel and not an actual commentary on the evils of rape.

Anyway, I apologise for calling you an anti if you really aren't one and I hope that me answering your question seriously this time around makes up for it.

All the best! :)

[piracytheorist]

Ranking SxF episodes least favourite to most favourite

No, I have nothing better to do. Temperature reached 42 degrees today (Celsius. That's 107 if you're American) and it was like that most of the day so going out was out of the question. We were also let off work today so I had a little too much free time so what was left was being inspired by a random video for another show and going at it for SxF!

This is all my personal judgment heavily based on stuff I liked. You most certainly will disagree with me and that's fine! Just don't argue with me because that's just personal opinions, I'm not trying to change anyone's minds or prove anything!

I didn't want to say "worst" in the ranking because even the episode I consider the weakest, you'll find out soon which one I'm talking about, is still a great episode that I've enjoyed watching in my rewatches. Just not as much as the other episodes.

There's a high chance I will change my mind after a while on this. I made the rankings quite quickly and more on instinct than anything else. But hey this is my blog I post what I want.

I chose to rank each episode by five criteria, the things I love the most about the show: 1) Humor (intentional or not), 2) Character (defining or cool moments and such) 3) Cute (mostly Anya and Bond adding to that XD) 4) Plot (how much development there is and how well the action is delivered) 5) Feels (of any kind).

So under the cut the rankings go!

#25, Least Best: 10. The Great Dodgeball Plan

Humor: 7/10 Character: 5/10 Cute: 5/10 Plot: 4/10 Feels: 4/10

Yeah, I don't have much to say about this one. As far as fillers go, it's pretty good stuff, and the anime team did a good job adding new scenes to expand it so that they could fill an entire episode about it, instead of shoehorning this chapter into another episode that wouldn't be relevant. Again, it's a good episode, but one I had no problem skipping in my, like, fifth rewatch of the entire show XD

#24: 22. The Underground Tennis Tournament: The Campbelldon

Humor: 6/10 Character: 6/10 Cute: 4/10 Plot: 6/10 Feels: 5/10

I'm not into sport-y action in fictional media, and this episode has a little too much Nightfall and almost completely no Forger family moments so it was doomed for me to be at the bottom. Don't misunderstand me, the action was good and Nightfall's ridiculousness was enjoyable. But not something I'd rewatch a ton of times. I also like that we got a little bit of political mention in this one, so plot points were added.

#23: 17. Carry Out the Griffin Plan/ Fullmetal Lady / Omelet Rice

Humor: 7/10 Character: 7/10 Cute: 5/10 Plot: 6/10 Feels: 3/10

I think I've made my stance on the moments of Damian bullying Anya clear, and no episode of the show has made me as uncomfortable as this one has. It's still got nice moments between Anya and Becky and I love the small glimpse into Sylvia's life and the ending with Yor and smol Yuri, but my biases don't allow this episode to go any higher.

#22: 20. Investigate the General Hospital / Decipher the Perplexing Code

Humor: 7/10 Character: 5/10 Cute: 8/10 Plot: 5/10 Feels: 7/10

I'll be honest, I feel kinda sad this is so low because Anya is so adorable and such a GremlinTM in this one, but there's only so much her little back can carry. Extra feels though for Twilight worrying over Anya's stress. Again, a very well-standing episode as far as fillers go, but not one to keep me at the edge of my seat.

#21: 19. A Revenge Plot Against Desmond / Mama Becomes the Wind

Humor: 7/10 Character: 6/10 Cute: 7/10 Plot: 6/10 Feels: 6/10

I have to be honest. I don't really like George. He annoyed me more than anything else. Most of my enjoyment of this episode comes from the second part. Yor's part was funny and cute and even sweet, especially at the end, but as far as this ranking goes, the George plot dragged it down. Interesting addition, however, that xenophobia has run so deep in this country that George fears he'll be sold off as a slave in Westalis, so plot point up.

#20: 7. The Target's Second Son

Humor: 7/10 Character: 7/10 Cute: 6/10 Plot: 6/10 Feels: 8/10

The two different part of this episode, once again, make the ranking a little skewed. I actually love the second part, especially the discussion between Loid and Yor. Loid picking up Anya and whispering in the sweetest voice ever about recording Spy Wars for her makes me fucking melt. Unfortunately, it's tied to an episode with bullying and no retribution, so it's dragged down a little.

#19: 18. Uncle the Private Tutor / Daybreak

Humor: 9/10 Character: 6/10 Cute: 7/10 Plot: 7/10 Feels: 6/10

Yuri was fun. Daybreak was ridiculous (affectionate). Anya was cute. Twilight in action was interesting. I want to remind you that I absolutely adore this show, so this episode being number 19 on the list doesn't mean it's bad. It means it's very good but not epic like the ones on the top of the list.

#18: 23. The Unwavering Path

Humor: 8/10 Character: 7/10 Cute: 6/10 Plot: 7/10 Feels: 7/10

I laughed so hard at Yor decimating the tennis ball with the racket, that alone earns a high humor point. I loved the moment of Twilight supporting Carroll Campbell after he beat him at tennis, so character points added for that. Plot was interesting, at first I was annoyed that the tennis match was for nothing but then I found it interesting that it kind of paralleled Nightfall's obsession with Twilight. Feels points added for the end where Twilight goes and buys his girls' favourite snacks :D

#17: 25. First Contact

Humor: 5/10 Character: 9/10 Cute: 5/10 Plot: 8/10 Feels: 8/10

This one is only so low due to the limited points in humor and cute section. This was, after all, a serious episode, but you'll see down the line that there are other serious episodes that got more points in humor and cuteness. It still got 9/10 for character thanks to a great introduction on Donovan and 8/10 for plot and don't get me wrong, it's still a great episode that I like rewatching. It gets extra feels points because of Becky being best friend material and because of the "Is that why you're using force to bring other nations to their knees" moment. Hey, I never said the "feels" part didn't include angst :)

#16: 6. The Friendship Scheme

Humor: 7/10 Character: 9/10 Cute: 8/10 Plot: 6/10 Feels: 6/10

Unsurprisingly, the first part is more favourable to me. Yor saving Anya and Anya supporting her and loving her is adorable. We get a bit of spy stuff, we're introduced to the Handler and we love it, and Anya's punch was absolutely delicious.

#15: 8. The Counter-Secret Police Cover Operation

Humor: 9/10 Character: 9/10 Cute: 6/10 Plot: 7/10 Feels: 6/10

I'll mourn the day where I'll watch the ending of this episode and not laugh hysterically. It's so dramatic, especially with the music added to it, I've laughed every single time like the first time I watched it. Again, Yuri is both satisfyingly funny and with good character motivations, with a great setting of his extremism and not a condemnation of him for it. A bit of cute points added for the Yor and Yuri flashbacks.

#14: 4. The Prestigious School's Interview

Humor: 8/10 Character: 8/10 Cute: 7/10 Plot: 6/10 Feels: 9/10

I'll always love the ridiculousness of the Forgers bringing three sets of clothing for the interview. Character points very up especially for Loid defending Yor and almost going ballistic on Swan. Feels especially for the ending family scene, and this whumper also appreciates how the anime added the bandage around Loid's hand :)

#13: 13. Project Apple

Humor: 7/10 Character: 7/10 Cute: 9/10 Plot: 8/10 Feels: 7/10

Again, I feel it's unfair that such a good episode ranks almost in the middle but that's just because the competition is very high lol. A good balance of Anya being an Ulcer-Inducing GremlinTM, Bond being the bestest boi, Anya and Bond being the cutest duo as well as all the other pets at the adoption fair, great introduction to the Doggy Crisis Arc, and Bond and Anya bonding!

#12: 3. Prepare for the Interview

Humor: 8/10 Character: 8/10 Cute: 8/10 Plot: 6/10 Feels: 9/10

After the first two episodes were packed with plot, the third episode comes with great balance of character and dynamic moments. Especially having read the original manga chapter, I feel the director and animators did a great job adding more stuff to expand this episode. The flow was so natural I felt shocked to know almost half of the episode was anime original. With all three Forgers coming together at the end to catch the thief, and with Twilight having a realization at the end of how Yor inspired him, I love what this episode makes me feel.

#11: 15. A New Family Member

Humor: 8/10 Character: 7/10 Cute: 10/10 Plot: 6/10 Feels: 9/10

An excellent conclusion to the Doggy Crisis arc and welcoming of Bond in the family. That moment in the above screenshot alone is enough to make the cuteness skyrocket. Plot doesn't need to be high as it's the conclusion of the arc, but feels and humor more than make up for it. The only thing I would say about it is that it's hard for me to watch it on its own, it kinda needs to follow the impact of the previous two episodes. Which says a lot about how good the build-up and conclusion of that story was, by the way!

#10: 9. Show Off How In Love You Are

Humor: 9/10 Character: 8/10 Cute: 6/10 Plot: 8/10 Feels: 9/10

A lot of humor for Yuri's overdramatic reaction at the first part! Also for Anya's reactions the next morning XD This episode is very defining for Twilight's perception of Yor. He opens up to her about feeling jealous of her relationship with her brother, and the next day, from the first moment he feels hesitant and guilty over doubting her. Yor unintentionally but honestly proves how much she already cares for him and respects him and it's the beginning of her realizing how much she values being a part of the Forgers. Overall, satisfying and fulfilling despite the secrets those two keep from each other.

#9: 5. Will They Pass Or Fail?

Humor: 10/10 Character: 7/10 Cute: 9/10 Plot: 6/10 Feels: 8/10

This episode sold me with how unapologetically it gave no single fuck. It was ridiculous and they loved making it so and it shows. Such kind of humor is art. A relaxing episode (for us, certainly not for Loid) after the heavy packed introductory episodes and the stressful interview one, we get to sit back and enjoy Twilight becoming the butt of the joke and get his butt kicked, while Anya, Yor, and even Franky have the time of their lives. Princess Anya is adorable, especially with her badly-acted "Oh, no, save meee" and the ending scene of Loid and Anya warms my heart!

#8: 12. Penguin Park

Humor: 8/10 Character: 7/10 Cute: 10/10 Plot: 7/10 Feels: 9/10

PENGUINS! Enough said! I had so much love for penguins as a kid that if I was gifted a huge penguin plush I would be hysterical. Among the best fillers, it still has a solid plot and good character moments, and I absolutely adore how Anya tries to help Loid in his mission in such a way that the only reason he doesn't get suspicious is because she's too little for him to imagine ever being involved in something like this. Which adds both to the humor and the feels. Extra feels because again, this whumper appreciates an exhausted Loid :D

#7: 11. Stella

Humor: 7/10 Character: 10/10 Cute: 8/10 Plot: 7/10 Feels: 9/10

Anya showcasing massive amounts of bravery and kindness, and finally being recognized for it. Twilight feeling genuine pride for her. A legit intense moment of a kid almost drowning. A grand rescue! It's SO GOOD YOU GUYS!

#6 21. Nightfall / First Fit of Jealousy

Humor: 8/10 Character: 9/10 Cute: 8/10 Plot: 6/10 Feels: 10/10

My biases all out in the open. A subtle hint that Twilight is genuinely happy as a part of the Forgers and I become a puddle of feels. At the same time, while it's clear we should root for Yor and distrust Fiona and her methods, it's great character building for her and spot-on dynamics between the rest of the characters. Anya rubbing her face all over Yor and Bond to basically tell Fiona "begone you foul witch we are happy as we are" is perfect. Loid supporting Yor (with a heavy hint that it actually means a lot to him that Anya is happy with Yor as her mother) and then showing a hint of genuine emotion that's so strong he doesn't even realize is seeping through his smile and I AM DONE. It's the beginning of my end.

#5: 14. Disarm the Time Bomb

Humor: 6/10 Character: 10/10 Cute: 6/10 Plot: 9/10 Feels: 10/10

I cannot express how much I love the "You know nothing about war" scene. It's so raw and so human and so disturbing (in a great storytelling way) that this moment alone makes me trust fully in the way Endo will handle the story in regards to war and politics later on. It's more of a character moment, mostly for Sylvia but in a subtler way about Twilight too, so it deserves a solid 10 in that regard. Plot is still heavy and action-packed, some humor and cuteness manages to sneak in, and then there's the moment of Bond having the vision of Loid dying which I kid you not, when I first watched the episode I felt like someone punched me in the gut. That alone skyrockets feels up to 10, but then there's also Anya apologizing to Yor for running off on her own and Yor hugging her tight while being realistic about the situation. Deserved spot in the top five.

#4: 16. Yor's Kitchen / The Informant's Great Romance Plan

Humor: 7/10 Character: 10/10 Cute: 9/10 Plot: 6/10 Feels: 10/10

Look. I tried to be as honest as possible in my rankings, and I ranked each episode separately before seeing where they ended up on the list. The fact that with absolute honesty, this episode ranks so high says a lot about how, though combining two wholly different plots, it does so many things I love about this show so good. Yor feeling accepted and genuinely happy over seeing Loid and Anya enjoy the food she made for them means so fucking much for me. That's her revelation of love for this family, and she's still got way to go before she even falls for Loid romantically. It's still a filler but it's so good for character and long overdue focus on Yor. Franky's part has sufficient humor and character on its own, and with Twilight deciding to console him at the end it's all tied up with a neat little bow.

#3: 24 The Role of a Mother and Wife / Shopping with Friends

Humor: 9/10 Character: 9/10 Cute: 9/10 Plot: 6/10 Feels: 10/10

I unapologetically barely acknowledge the second part of this episode because the first part hits SO HARD that the second feels like a commercial break in comparison (apologies to any who loved it. I actually find it a great part on its own, but when put next to the first part, it pales in comparison for me).

This episode ended me. I don't know if I'm biased on my rating because I recorded my reaction to watching it, and I saw myself laughing so hard and so often, as well as saw my own near-crying face in both scenes where baby Twilight was shown, that I can't help giving such high numbers on the humor and feels part. Though okay this episode wants you to feel stuff, so maybe it's just the humor part that may be a little biased. I wouldn't actually consider it the funniest episode of the season. Anyway, I don't think there's actually a lot to say regarding why I rated with the numbers I rated. It's a great episode that has a lot to say about Twilight, Yor, and their relationship and connection, and it's made with so much love by everyone, from Endo himself, to the cast and crew. I love it and I will continue to love it.

#2: 2. Secure a Wife

Humor: 10/10 Character: 10/10 Cute: 7/10 Plot: 8/10 Feels: 9/10

Yor's introduction is, for real, one of the best and most satisfying character introductions I've ever had the pleasure to lay eyes upon. She is flawlessly presented in her full glory, with her (natural) weaknesses revealed. From her first episode you learn everything you need to know about her, and she is seamlessly inserted into the plot and the lives of the established characters so past that, you get to enjoy her being an irreplaceable part of the story. Her motivations are clear, her character agency is well established, and it's all done succinctly and efficiently within 20 minutes of screentime. It's fabulous. At the same time, the episode delivers great humor, a bit of expansion of plot and world building, as well as feels for how Twilight and Yor start connecting without even realizing it, and the hands-down best proposal scene I've seen in fictional media in my entire life.

It's for a fake marriage and still nothing compares to it. Your otp could never.

#1: 1. Operation Strix

Humor: 9/10 Character: 10/10 Cute: 8/10 Plot: 8/10 Feels: 10/10

A quite honestly perfect introductory episode. In a little more than twenty minutes of screentime, it establishes all of the following:

Twilight and Anya's characters and motivations, as well as their strengths and weaknesses.

The basis of the relationship between Twilight and Anya.

The plot of pretty much the entire story.

A succinct presentation of the political situation without long exposition scenes.

The mood and setting; a careful balance of found family humor and realistic anti-war stance.

At the same time, it manages a tight and self-sufficient episode plot that fits the characters' backgrounds and MOs, it delivers meaningful flashbacks, and all that while being honest about what it's trying to be, without fanfare and badassery trying to cover up leaks like flex tape. Every scene, every shot, every second has a reason and meaning. Paired with episode 2, it's genuinely a near flawless introduction to everything Spy x Family is about. It gives you all you need and prepares you for the awesomeness that follows!

[timetopanic34]

My relationship with fan fiction is complicated. I'm relatively old (compared to most of you!) and so for the first half of my life fan fiction only existed in written form passed among those in the know. I was definitely not in the know!

Once it hit the internet I discovered it and slowly started devouring it. But I felt it was a dirty little secret. I mean what would people think if they knew I read fan fiction? Some of which is basically just porn?

But slowly I've learned - plenty of people would just be meh if they new and if not - then that's their problem. Nothing wrong with me enjoying what I enjoy and what many others enjoy too.

Even so I remained hesitant to interact and truly involved beyond just reading. I stayed an anon on AO3 for a long time and never commented, even when I loved a fic.

There were copious reasons mostly mixed up in my anxieties and fears. What if it's taken the wrong way? What if I'm having a bad day and many people disagree and pile on? Why would anyone even remotely care about what I think of their work?

A few years ago I commented a couple of times and nothing bad happened.

I got a bit braver and at some point I made an AO3 account and then made a new Tumblr with the same handle.

I struggled posting to Tumblr as well since I couldn't quite free myself from the hold my anxiety had on me.

But at some point I started leaving kudos and giving the odd comment. I also started reblogging things on here.

Then I boldly started adding to my reblog. A couple of times I very boldly state things I feel that I know are controversial ideas to some. I can’t tell you how hard that was.

Instead of some sort of mental health decline I’m finding that being more involved in fandom has been incredibly positive.

So many cool things have happened. I've had discussions about fics and characters. I have had beautiful replies from writers.

But most importantly I feel I am becoming a part of a community and finding my people. Nobody in my real life reads fan fics or have favourite ships so feeling at home here and on AO3 is such a beautiful feeling.

Now I know there is some real toxic corners of fandom out there. There are people who leave terrible comments and feel somehow entitled to do this (if I don't like a fic I will never leave a comment. Ever. I will stop reading and click away - it's that simple!) and there are people who will attack others for having a different opinion.

I am lucky in that so far all my interactions have been positive. I daresay that if I had experienced something negative as I was slowly moving my way forward into participation it may have halted my progress.

But now I think I know enough to be able to deal if it ever happens to me.

So I'm posting more here. I've also set myself a goal to comment at least once (no matter how small - though lets face it - brevity is not my strong suit!) on fics I enjoy.

I also have a goal to write a fic and post it before the end of the year. That's gonna take a lot of work convincing myself that yes some people might like to read it and if not then I can write it for the one person who wants it - me!

Huge shout out to @hesitantsorrows who actually wrote a fic based on an idea I had for a Stucky fic. In my wildest dreams I never expected someone to do something like that. It still makes me smile every time I think about it. It’s a fab fic too!

[likeabxrdinflight]

Hello! I recently came across your blog because of your ATLA posts and I love it! Tho I have a conflict and I'm very...confused.

So, I saw a video arguing that Azula is not a victim of the Fire Nation, and stating that thinking so is insulting the great job the writers did with her. Mainly citing that even before the war, she had a perverse nature and never took responsibility for her acts. (And even closed that all she got was the frustration of not accomplishing her ambition, closing that in layman's terms she had it coming)

I even saw a take state that Azula's past doesn't exempt her from having a (and I quote) shitty personality, and thus that she shouldn't get away scot-free from what she did to Zuko, Mai and Ty Lee without any sort of punishment, even comparing her to characters like Vegeta who did get his just desserts before changing. (Who ironically is a lot like Azula, they even her stated her past is not nearly as traumatic or as painful as other characters like him)

What I found uncomfortable about this is how Azula's age doesn't matter at all nor her treatment from Ozai, which is merely treated as spoiling her too much (and I think demonizing her kinda undermines the tragedy of her Agni Kai with Zuko). I fully agree Azula deserved karma for her actions, but I don't like the idea that she is fully to blame for how she is...nor the implication that she hasn't suffered enough to deserve a redemption (or in the former guy's words, she hasn't been humilliated enough to hit rock-bottom and feel true remorse for her actions)

I'm genuinely confused over whether I romanticise the character too much or not for feeling sympathy for her...

First of all, don't let stupid internet discourse dictate to you how you should or should not feel about a fictional character. ATLA isn't real. Azula isn't real. There are no real consequences to whether you do or do not feel sympathy for a drawing of a storybook character. We all get caught up in discourse, I do it too, but at the end of the day, none of this is real, and if it's causing you distress or confusion about your own sense of morality in some way, then it's time to step back from that discourse.

But, obviously I disagree with the takes you're citing here, with the caveat that I haven't seen these specific sources myself. Frankly I don't believe in the concept of a "perverse nature" or inherently "shitty personality." Human psychology is far too complex for such a reductionistic, simplistic view of things, and I am too close to a PhD for that. In fact, personality by itself is so complex that there's an entire subsection of psychology devoted to the study of it. I have also never agreed with the concept that anyone can "deserve" redemption, and I've talked about that at length- link to a post about that here.

And of course I think it's ridiculous to act as though a character like Azula is some kind of evil monster with no path to change or growth when she's like, fourteen. I definitely think it's pretty asinine to not consider her age and the influences surrounding her when looking at the things she does and the reasons why. But look, if some guy in a youtube video wants to rant about how terrible and irredeemable of a person a cartoon teenager is, well...that's just none of my business, frankly. I don't have anything to prove to that guy. I can sit in my little corner and enjoy my little cartoon blorbo and feel secure in that. And while I think it's important to listen to other perspectives and consider others' opinions (when they're presented in good faith), it's also important to know when to shake your head and move on. Sometimes fandom discourse is the place to do that. Say to yourself "wow what a terrible take" and don't worry about it. It's not worth engaging with fandom nonsense that's upsetting you, and it's definitely not worth engaging with any content that has you questioning your morals because you think a cartoon character is sympathetic.

[plantwithoutplot]

I saw you reblogged a post the other day about wanting to receive more asks so here's mine. Sorry if it is too specific, you don't have answer it.

As a fanfic writer, what advice would you give too someone that's just starting?

Hi Anon!!! Thank you for noticing and for sending an ask, that's so so sweet of you 🥺🙏💕

Oooooh great question!! Uhhhhh.... Σ٩(๑º ﾛ º๑)۶

I'm going to separate this into two different advices, because I'm not sure if you wanna hear something general or more specific, and as someone who studied fan fiction in University + has been writing fanfics for +15years, I would have tons to say if I don't restrict myself 🤔

1. Know what you want to write

If you're like me and have a thousand ideas a minute and lots and lots of motivation until you're a few chapters in, having an outline really, really is the best!

For example, as yourself a few questions:

Will this be a one shot? Multichapter series? A series of one shots? This will allow you to wither condense/fill your writing to focus on what you want!

What kind of narrator do you need? You can find many, many lists on internet about narrative voices, their cons/pros, and how they affect your story. Sometimes, writer block happens because you HAVE a story, but you're looking to tell it from the wrong POV

What would that character actually do if put in this situation? Quite often you want to write fanfictions to fullfil a need to see a certain trope/situation/what if, and then found yourself in a pitch mid-chapter because?? Something feels off?? And in the case of fanfiction, it could be because there is a problem of balance between what you want to see the character do versus how they would react in canon. This is a REALLY tricky one, because you have to adapt your writing/the dynamics/tropes you may usually rely on so that it can fit the character you're writing instead.

Okay that was for the specific-ish answer on writing!

If you have anything else you want details on, or just wanna talk about, feek free to ask in a reblog/comment/DM too! I'm always happy to talk about writing (*´▽`*)❀

Now, here is the more general, but best advice I could think of when it comes to writing fan fiction:

H A V E F U N ━!!

Does it sound obvious and silly? Yes ― and?

Fan fiction comes from a place of love for a piece of media. It can be a reaction going along with or against canon, but in both case, it is the love and deep entertainment you've experienced that makes you want to keep it going.

You start writing a story to have fun with it ― for some it means giving their favorite characters more sfreentime, others will want to shower them in love and fluff, and wuite a number of us make their life even worse to put them through hell before giving them a meaningful, happy ending (or not).

Plus, you are never alone. From the moment you thing of creating fan content, you become a beacon to the rest of your fan community. We're all in this together, even if we disagree on ships or characterization or plot points ― you're never alone. You will find people experiencing the same brainrot as you do. They will find you and want to share headcanons with you as well. You will both encourage each other to keep loving the media you're connected by, whether you decide to create or not, whether you're satisfied with the quality of your craft.

The point is: this isn't a chore.

This isn't homework. This is soemthing you yearn for ao bad you decide that you will try your best to bring it to life yourself if you have to.

Which means that it's okay to give up too.

It's okay if this isn't the best work of the century, or even oje of your best works! You're free to write the cringiest shit, just like you have full reign to take ten years to write a fic so meaningful, so well told, that it ought to be studied in class like any other work of art that is oraised by classicists.

You're free.

Have Fun.

[aannonn]

A lil' thingy

My second post in here.... After literal years xD (technically this would be my third post in here, but since that post is still on draft and never published, then lets just take this one as my second post lol) First things first- [★] I am a writter! '''(Fanfic writter) [★] [★] Will probably do some colorings and show u guys here '''(I don't really know how to do colorings but uh-- Perfection takes practice, right?) [★] [★] Chibi Drawings '''(Once again, I don't know how to draw, but I know how to draw some chibi(? more like square xD) drawings; I can probably show you guys some of my drawings that I made on paper lol) [★] [★] Theories! (I love making theories, even if it's about the most random and irrelevant thing lmao + I especially love making FNaF theories!) [★] [★] Analytics! (I'm really not very good at analyzing things, but I would really love to make a whole analytic post about a character or an story or something like that! Feel free to correct me or to add your own personal thoughts, though!) [★] [★] Respect! (Please be respectful. If you disagree with me on something, then feel free to say your own thoughts about it and maybe even tell me why. However, if you just decide to insult me because of my own personal thought, my own personal view, then do not expect me to even read your message. + Same thing with criticism! If you want to criticize me for something, be it my drawings, my opinion, my analysis, my coloring, etc; So go for it. I will always be open to criticism unless I say I am not. However, If you're going to be rude about it, then don't be surprised if I just ignore your "criticism". Being respectful and open-minded is the key.) [★]

[★] Ships! (I am a multishipper, and I really love to think + write about scenarios with my favorite ships, duos, platonic relationships, etc; Please be respectful if I end up writting for a ship that you may not like. + I do not accept requests asking me to write for romantic pairings. Please do not send me requests about romantic pairings. + You can send me requests about platonic pairings, though! I really love the platonic in relationships!) Alright, now that it's all settled.. Second things now! [❤] Fandoms I am in! (That I may or may not write fic for; Still deciding lol) Jibaku Shounen Hanako Kun (Both Manga and Anime) Mahou Shoujo Site (Anime Only) The Promised NeverLand (Anime Only) Boku no Hero Academia (Anime + The First 4 Seasons Only) Team Fortress 2 (Game + I'm Still Catching Up With The Official Comics) Undertale (Game) OMORI (Game) + (I've Only Played The Sunny Route.. lol) Star vs The Forces Of Evil (Series) Five Nights At Freddy's (Games + Some books) [❤] [❤] Type Of Fics That I Will Write For! Fluff Angsty Wholesome Platonic Romantic Love Triangles Poly Relationships Canon Divergence Alternative Universe SFW [❤] [X] Types Of Fics That I WON'T Write For! NSFW Immortal/Illegal Ships XReader '''(I'm really sorry but- I really dislike the idea of ​​shipping myself with fictional characters- I can try one day, but not right now.) Villainizing A Canonly Good Character '''(Like- You know how people used to villainize Uraraka all the time when she's actually really sweet and kind in canon? So yeah, I really hate when people do that. Just a personal opinion of mine about this kind of thing lol) [X] Aaaand- I think that's basically it? lol Will probably add more or maybe remove others as time went by and I may change my opinion and etc lol For now, It is what it is [lil' edit; hELP I THOUGHT I HAD LOST THIS POST FOREVER BECAUSE IM STILL NEW TO TUMBLR AND SINCE I COULDN'T FIND MY DRAFT THAT IS WHERE I HAD SAVED THIS POST I THOUGHT I HAD LOST THIS POST FOREVER LMAO I SPENT WAY TOO MUCH TIME WRITTING THIS OHGOD] Have a Good Day <3 Have a Good Morning <3 Have a Good Afternoon <3 Have a Good Night! <3

[gameofthronedd]

"I can't recall any instances where Alicent directly causes a large group of women, or women as a collective, to suffer." I mean she only let her known sex offender of a son terrorize the female staff at the red keep to the point they kept moon tea on hand and she'd bribe them to go away instead of letting anything happen to him.

She knowingly put girls into situations where they'd be raped and abused and didn't stop it. Even as young as 13 you can see on screen the way the female servants watch him and stay out of his reach.

The topic of r*pe and SA in HOTD (and GOT) is always going to be a sensitive and loaded topic, particularly when we are a modern audience viewing a piece of fiction that is meant to be reminiscent of medieval and highly patriarchal times. Almost every character in this universe is some degree of fucked up. As a modern viewer, I don't agree with the actions or morals of a majority of the characters lmao and honestly I prefer engaging with ASOIAF and its world because these characters aren't heroes and they aren't perfect.

On to the topic at hand. I think it's horrific that these girls are being assaulted and that they don't receive justice. However, from an in-universe perspective, what is Alicent reasonably going to do? She can't exactly execute or imprison Aegon and she isn't going to physically maim her son. She scolds him and even physically reprimands him but that's more or less the extent of what she's reasonably able to do when it comes to the prince and her own son. From an in-universe perspective, Alicent is doing as much as she is reasonably able given the circumstances. She does provide support to some extent for these assaulted girls - money, moontea and some empathy. We know as a modern audience that there is a more ideal outcome, of course, and that if it was a world that prioritised women and their safety, this likely wouldn't happen or there would be more serious consequences, at least.

ASOIAF and its world is a rather horrifically brutal world. Overall, I think it's difficult to decide who is "deserving" of sympathy when almost every character is morally questionable at one point or another, and at the end of the day it is up to the individual reader/viewer to decide that for themselves. Personally, I think most scenes, particularly loaded & morally debatable scenes, should be interrogated deeply and from a variety of angles because the series in general demands reflection and close analysis, and simple, black/white answers are seldom found without erasing or disregarding necessary angles of analysis.

I'm not going to tell you that you have to feel sympathy or whatever for Alicent because that's your opinion and I'm unlikely to make you like her or sympathise with her if you already have bias against her. My only problem when it comes to lacking sympathy for a female character is how that lack of sympathy is expressed. If it's regurgitation of misogynistic rhetoric then I have a serious issue with it. Critique, dislike, apathy etc. are fine. You do you.

But I don't find it cool when Alicent is the subject of victim-blaming, derogatory language and fantasies of violence, particularly from "feminists" or women in general who, arguably, should know better. If you don't have sympathy for her, then that's your prerogative. However, personally, I have sympathy for her as a woman given the particular circumstances and I like Alicent as a human and flawed character living in a brutal society, and I have sympathy and empathy for her as a woman and a victim of abuse. And I'm personally not really bothered about whether she's a feminist or a "girlboss", she's just a character I find interesting.

To conclude, I personally disagree with Alicent doing damage control for Aegon and Aegon is obviously horrible for what he's done. You are free to have your own opinions of whether Alicent is correct in what she does. Personally, I dislike it and it isn't "feminist" to be certain but I'm not going to ignore the context of the world when trying to understand why Alicent does what she does or who she is as a character. But, yes, to conclude; if you don't sympathise with her then that's how you feel, I'm not going to change it when it seems you are already decided.

[suhmayzooka]

1, 2, 14, 21

omg this made me look and see just how LONG 2022 was and how many fandoms i actually ended up falling for!!

1. Favorite fictional characters this year

well of course my swimmies are always in my heart, but aside from them, 

DC comics: this year i was introduced to helena bertinelli, jason todd, donna troy, and dick grayson

general hospital: so my number 1 is always diane miller (that’s why my sideblog is diane-themed) but this year, britt westbourne and spencer cassadine really stood out

arcane: mel medarda became an instant favorite

the locked tomb: camilla hect and ianthe tridentarius!! 

dragonfable: i just started playing again but valencia surehunter is just as great as i remember her. dragonfable has several canonically queer characters, but she’s the first one you meet and i didn’t know it at the time but her openly flirting with the player character (regardless of gender) was... really meaningful for me to experience as a kid and again as an adult. also her storyline is great

2. Favorite ships this year

oooh boy.... i actually.. didn’t really focus as much on shipping this year as i did on more gen fics? i went to my ao3 history and most of the fics i read are gen rather than romantic. which is a first. ????

okay, here goes:

DC comics: dick grayson/koriand’r, dick grayson/roy harper, roy harper/donna troy, donna troy/koriand’r, tim drake/conner kent

general hospital: spencer cassadine/trina robinson, harrison chase/brook lynn quartermaine

arcane: mel medarda/jayce talis, caitlyn kiramman/vi 

the locked tomb: gideon nav/harrowhark nonagesimus, harrowhark nonagesimus/ianthe tridentarius

dragonfable: valencia surehunter/symone dubellmont, tomix/hero

14. Favorite m/f ship of the year

easy: SPRINA!!! (spencer/trina) 

21. Overall favorite fandoms of the year

hmm.... my first thought was batman/DC comics, since that’s what i’ve spent the most time focusing on, but honestly i don’t really... like... feel as comfortable in the fandom as i did at first. i disagree with a lot of popular opinions. 

but in the past few days, commiserating about that absolute.. um. movie of FS2, i’ll have to say once again my free! fandom. it’s like a family at this point. canon doesn’t matter, i’ve grown up with the characters and with the fans and nothing will change that. i’ve met some of my best friends in this fandom and the work you guys put out continues to be top-notch. see you next water time~ 

fandom year in review asks

[daretosnoop]

So since no one responded to my post on what to do for New Years (thanks guys), I decided to give a top 6 Nancy Drew controversial thoughts list:

In no particular order here are some of my hot takes. It’s fine if you agree/disagree. Feel free to make your own. Will you change my mind on these takes? Probably not.

1. Liking any character does not equal simping. Social media has some weird language, but it’s concerning that liking something is equated to obsession and liking a character is equal to simping. It’s not.

2. Who cares what relationship Nancy is best for. It’s fun to call out Nancy, I know I do, but at the end of the day. I don’t care. She’s a fictional character meant to solve a mystery, her friends provide some background for the reader, so they become more engrossed in the game. Relationships are messy and a healthy relationship is entirely subjective.

3. The newer games are not bad. I’m not counting MID, although I know it’s liked by many, but from TMB to SEA, the games are not bad. They suffer from a lack of narrative direction yes, but they are not bad games. They’re amazing for puzzle lovers like me.

4. The infamous puzzles are not as awful as we think. We played many of the games when we were younger, and of course got frustrated. I know I hated the chemical puzzle in HAU when I was 12, but as an adult, I love all those puzzles. It’s easy to let our negative feelings influence how we view the puzzles today, but they’re quite fun.

5. George’s personality and interests does not make her a lesbian. Let me explain. It’s fun to ship characters and I know lots of people think George and Ryan would hit it off. I think so too! However, what makes someone gay is simply their attraction to someone of the same gender. That’s it. Labelling George as lesbian because she’s interested in sports and science, has a tomboy personality, basically anything not traditionally feminine feeds into heteronormative constructs of the patriarchy instructing how people should be. It implies that a woman who is interested in traditionally feminine things cannot also be a lesbian (which we know is wholly inaccurate). It also hurts transpeople and non binary people in that they have to “look” their gender (i.e look like a man/woman) or strategically present themselves as “not looking” like any gender in order to be accepted. George’s character is rooted in her time period where post WW1, women were breaking the molds and seeking jobs, education, etc. that were typically reserved for men. That’s why she so contrasts her cousin, Bess who adheres to the traditional model. The Nancy Drew series (at least the yellow hardback ones) was trying to challenge the traditional male dominated detective field, with three types of women: Bess, Nancy, and George to show women that it didn’t matter who they were, they could be a detective and seek adventure.

6. The “boring” games are not bad, you’re just not interested in them. Games like SSH, DED, TOT, SAW, etc. get a bad rep because they’re “boring”, but they’re not, you’re just not captivated by their subject matter, and that’s okay. It’s okay to find something boring, but that doesn’t make it bad. I love SSH because I love learning about history. I love DED, cause i love science, and I love sudoku and nonograms so of course I love SAW. And I don’t like TOT because I think tornadoes are boring to learn about.

[lilacsugarcookie69]

Heyaaaaaa!

I haven't vented here for a...pretty long time, so let's fix it

U'll surely ask: what is this senseless existence gonna shit talk about this time?

I won't make u wait long - BSD

Well...I stared watching it at the end of March and have finished recently...yeah, took me a bit, but was worth it... Idk, if I'm the only one, but j tend to feel like I wanna kill myself after watching sth good (let me know, if I should get treated in the nearest psych ward or if it's normal and I can sleep peacefully)

Anyways, through this multi season anime (surprisingly shorter than IE, thank god) I could let go of all my worries again (oh, how i love fiction, it's much sweeter than real life🥲) and yeah, let's summarize some advantages of this show (⚠️: this is my honest opinion, not some expert speech, so feel free to disagree 😊)

• the seasons are surprisingly...shorter than I thought (comparison: some seasons in IE had 40 ep🤯🤯) - to be exact 11-12 per season, so watching a whole season a day won't overwhelm u 🥰

• there are lots of - I'd say unspoken cases and gaps - for example u won't see one character through the whole season, cuz it's so stuffed with "more important stuff" they left gaps there - it can be a good or a bad thing, depends on how u feel it, for me, personally is good, cuz I can keep wondering and imagining, what the characters could do in the meantime

• characters are based on fricking real writers and poets!!!! God, Asagiri is genius, how the guy conceived it I wonder...(+ They're smart af and the design is just muah, they're hotter then the inside of the Earth)

• there're fuckin references on those writers! I mean, the books, the personality traits, the small details in physical appearance, sometimes (although, not everything is according to reality, google it and see for ys, I won't spoil u the fun😊)

To conclude, go and watch BSD, it's worth your time & tears, I swear and don't forget to do some research on the real authors!!!

(I may add sth more if I'll feel like it(⁠ ͡⁠°⁠ ͜⁠ʖ⁠ ͡⁠°⁠))

[konmics-n-stuff]

Hi, I disagree with your viewpoint a bit (about Tim’s character, absolutely not trying to get into a ship war lol). Just putting this in a reblog cause trying to format it in the comment section would be super messy. Not trying to be rude or start a heated argument or anything, just wanna discuss/debate fiction in a chill manner. And if you want me to take this down I gladly will.

More words under cut:

So, I would argue that Tim had just as much, if not more, of a choice than most of the other characters you mention with respect to his initial choice to be Robin. No one HAD to step in for Batman. And certainly not a random, tween civilian. Bruce had people like Alfred and Leslie Thompkins (and kinda sorta Dick and Babs, maybe even Harold lol) that could have helped. Even if he didn’t, that responsibility does not fall onto the shoulders of a random kid. Tim made a choice to step in because he felt it was the right thing to do; no one forced him. He had no duty; he didn’t even know Bruce.

Additionally, unlike the cases of Dick, Jason, and Damian, he had a perfectly comfortable life with no big personal tragedy. (To the best of my knowledge), crime had never personally impacted him at this point, except for witnessing the Haley’s Circus incident. After Dick turned down becoming Robin again, Tim could have said “ok, I tried” and gone back to his comfortable, (relatively) trauma-free life with his alive parents and his civilian friends.

Obviously he didn’t, but imo that was a freer choice than Damian’s, for example, who lived an early life of violence, stretched between two legacies and feeling obligated to choose one or the other. Damian never really had an opportunity to lead a normal, civilian life like Tim did. He became Robin because, at the time, he saw it as a way to eventually earn the Batman mantle and thus make the most of the Wayne bloodline. With the way he was raised and his general mentality at this point in canon, I would argue that his choice wasn’t between a civilian life or Robin, it was between Robin or assassinhood, and after Talia dropped him off, he couldn’t be an assassin without outright running from Bruce (and thus the legacy that his mother and grandfather spoke highly of and that he had never known). I don’t think it can be considered a free choice.

In the case of Jason, the Robin mantle already existed. He had a horrible childhood and experienced some of the worst that Gotham city had to offer. He was adopted by the Batman, a man that had done this for only one other boy, and that boy was Robin. Of course he felt pressure to do the same and also to make a difference for kids like him. What other choice did he have?

I’ll concede to your point on Bruce. When he started training, Bruce had been personally touched by crime, tragedy, and the general specter of Gotham more than 13-year-old Tim. But at the end of the day, he deliberately created his own superhero mantle, and was the first to do so in Gotham. And he had a cushy life he could’be fallen back on instead. So yeah, I agree with you here.

For Dick, there’s also wiggle room because he was the first ever Robin, but he was ultimately following Batman’s example, not to mention the recent trauma of his parents’ death and how it shaped his worldview. He was already living with Bruce; expecting him to sit idly by while Batman fights men like Tony Zucco is a bit more unreasonable than expecting Tim to keep living his life as normal and not intervening in a strangers’ mental health.

Even once Tim is Robin, he (initially) views being a superhero as a free choice, and one he can and will take back.

Nightwing (vol 2) #6

Tim, to me, is interesting as a character partially because he had every opportunity to continue on as normal and he chose to be selfless. The mundanity of his pre-Robin life alongside his lack of powers stand in contrast to most superheroes. There is no grand event that happens to him in particular to make him a hero. When he makes that choice, he has no Flying Graysons, Thomas and Martha Wayne, or Uncle Ben. He had no personal connection to Bruce, Dick, or Jason, and he still sacrifices the potential for a perfectly happy, average life solely because he wants to help others. That, to me, is a fundamental aspect of his character. If nothing else, that’s what I see as making him Tim.

And yes, Tim does eventually (in the late 00s) come to think (arguably validly) that he has no choice but to continue. I won’t argue that. But that’s certainly not unique to him; most other Batfamily members think like that too, including Bruce. (In your own post, you acknowledge how much worse Gotham is without Batman, and Bruce’s feeling of obligation to Gotham because of that. I think Dick might also think like that, but i haven’t gotten to that part of New Teen Titans yet so I won’t speak with authority). A whole lot of other superheroes have that kinda mindset too.

However, if you’re captivated by the idea of a character that never had that initial choice of becoming a superhero, (and limited connections in the civilian world), I suggest reevaluating Kon-El.

As much as I love TimKon, I prefer TimBern and it's mainly because of this:

“Bernard says I sacrifice myself like it's a bad thing.”

“But it's all I've ever known.”

“All that my family has ever been taught.”

Tim, out of all of the BatFamily members is the one that never really had a choice.

Bruce had a choice to become Batman. He almost retired, until things went badly again and he realized how much more awful Gotham would be if he did.

Dick had a choice to become Robin. When Bruce fired him he could've finished college and lived a normal life, but he chose to continue on as Nightwing.

Jason had a choice to become Robin. And while his mind had been messed with after being dunked in the Lazarus Pit, he had a choice to become Red Hood, too.

Damian had a choice to become Robin. He fought hard for the role, and seems to genuinely enjoy doing it.

Tim didn't have a choice to become Robin. Yes, no one actually forced him into the role, but he saw what had happened to Bruce after Jason's death (such as how he became more violent), and knew that Bruce needed a Robin to keep himself sane. He tried going to Dick, but Dick said the best he could do was help as Nightwing as he wasn't willing to be Robin again. So Tim felt like he had to take up the role, because Batman, his greatest hero, would lose it if he didn't.

Tim also didn't have a choice to give up being a vigilante, unlike the others. When he got replaced as Robin, Bruce was trapped in time and everyone but him thought he was dead. He didn't have Dick's experience of going out soul searching and deciding that being a hero was what he wanted in life, he had to almost immediately take up a new secret identity and start going on missions so he could find out what happened to Bruce.

I love TimBern so much, because Bernard is Tim's connection to civilian life. If you're a hero dating a hero, even when you're being civilians and doing civilian things, there's always going to be the knowledge of who you both are really, and the missions you've been on together (Such as Tim looking at Kon and remembering things like when he tried to clone him because he was ‘dead’). I feel like with Bernard, Tim can be a full on civilian and forget about the hero life for a while, and that makes it special.

Also I just think Bernard is neat :3

[febireads]

Book Lovers

Shit, how do I do justice to this amazingly written book? It's just too fucking good (I don't usually swear when writing about books, so you get my point). I fucking love you, @emilyhenrywrites. Book Lovers is not your typical rom-com book. The main character, Nora Stephens, is the antithesis of the usual rom-com protagonist. She is the city girl, the woman a man leaves in the city for the sweet, caring woman he met in the small town. When I read this book and got to know Nora's character, I could see myself in her. The frigid oldest daughter, whom people see as a cold, heartless bitch. This hooked me enough in the first place to impulsively order this book with an instant 2-hours delivery back in June. I couldn't wait any longer. Book Lovers reminded me of what it's like when you're still in the flirty-funny-texting phase. I couldn't stop giggling LOUDLY, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME. And the problem is, I mostly read this on the train at the busiest hour. I'm genuinely sorry to anyone whom I might scare for this past month of reading this. It's just I couldn't control myself. They're just too cute; you need to read this book to understand what I mean. This book was such a page-turner that it became a moment of the day I always waited for. I cried reading this book. I don't just cry at every book I read, especially when reading a rom-com. And I did multiple times. I could perfectly understand how Nora felt, and it just friggin' pained me. BookTok said this book was for the oldest sister girlies, and I can confirm it's true. It even made me realize a thing or two about myself that I didn't before. Charlie's character and relationship with Nora reminded me a lot of my boyfriend, and it made me love the book even more. Their relationship was beautiful, and anyone who disagrees can fight me anytime. Feel free to DM me.

Another point, I didn't see this book as an enemies-to-lovers book because the plot I categorized as enemies were when both wanted to kill each other. I could sense Charlie liking Nora from their first text in this book (it reminded me of my own relationship even more). So I think a perfect category would be the 'he fell first, but she fell harder' type of plot. The pacing was perfect, and it was spicy at the perfect timing. It's an easy 5/5 stars from me🌟 It's mandatory for anyone who wants to try reading rom-com. I promise you this will feel like something other than cheap fan fiction. I'm so glad I end 2022 with this book. Please add Book Lovers to your cart and check it out RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!!😠🫶🏻

[dustofthedailylife]

Little rant about something I've noticed a lot now.

I find it hard to find Ayato fanfics because I feel like a lot of writers kinda write him OOC (before I go into detail, I'm not trying to judge/attack anyone here or flame anyone's writing, if I read sth I personally didn't like or agree with I simply move on).

I find that he is written as manipulative a lot and don't get me wrong, he can be, but not exclusively and usually only towards those that try to harm his family or play political games.

I feel like the other side of him where he is caring and considering towards the ones he loves is completely forgotten a lot of the time, also the fact that he can be a total dork. (In the Arataki Drumalong festival event he put a letter on the board calling himself "TCG Buddy Ayato" and gifted Itto TCG cards, like, come on!).

What bugs me the most is when he is written as being mean, manipulative and condescending towards his partner and I cannot for the life of me imagine he'd be like that. Or worse, gaslighting his partner into loving him.

Look at the way he looked at Ayaka in her trailer from a few months ago or simply the fact that they hang out a lot with Thoma (as seen in his character teaser). He pulled their family out of the gutter when their parents died so Ayaka is protected... Does he seem like someone who would be mean to their partner? Someone he loves? Definitely not in my opinion 🤷🏼‍♀️

[gb-patch]

I had that argument with my friend the other day and i thought about asking that directly to you. What do you think about people who's thinking about Qiu as a boy (or a girl) for their own convenience? I think that this is disrespectful towards Qiu. But my friend said that that's alright cuz Qiu Is not a real human and can't get mad about It. But a person who perceives them as a guy/girl is real and they feel comfortable playing the game only that way

Obviously, I don't agree with your friend. I didn't make the game for their comfort and have no soft feelings about their ability to get enjoyment out of my work if they have to de-queer it to do so. The game is made for those who find comfort in its inclusiveness and there's no concessions made for those who want to still play the game while ignoring those aspects.

Honestly, Qiu's gender definitely will be a big part of interacting with Qiu so I can't imagine what kind of mindset your friend has where they feel confident they'll be able to ignore a major aspect of someone's character and force their brain into a false reality where Qiu is male. Whether you can disrespect a fictional character or not, it's not exactly a flattering quality to have.

Maybe your friend is young and is in a place where their life experience and empathy is still developing. And it's possible they won't succeed in convincing themselves Qiu is a boy after how much it's hammered home/how much it means to the character and they'll change their mind about how they view or Qiu or just stop playing. That'd be for the best. And if they are super young I don't want to completely berate them or make them feel totally humiliated. People can grow and change.

But, if they see this, I'm the one who writes all of Qiu's lines and I do hope that if you read the nice words he says while misgendering him that you don't enjoy it because you know the writer isn't on your side. Again, accepting who he is or not playing are my recommendations.

And, while I'm here, I may have to make a new rule against these kinds of asks. I don't you want to feel bad for sending it, you just were bothered by something that's important, but I don't want the blog to end up littered with messages about how unaccepting people can be even if I'm disagreeing with it.

The universal answer is that if any part of the game's queerness is uncomfortable or distasteful or inconvenient or whatever than the games aren't for that person. What a shame, very high quality free VNs that you can't enjoy 'cause you won't let people be themselves. Oh well.

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