#He has flaws he's arrogant doesn't listen when he thinks he's right

[elisedonut]

I feel like when I say I think Percy didn’t do anything wrong people don't really understand what I mean

Being wrong and doing wrong are not the same thing

He was wrong about Voldemort not being back but leaving his family was not a wrong action he didn't just leave for no reason it had very little to even do with Harry imo

He was going through alot of stuff and things were turning around his hard work was being recognized his career was not over over something he hadn’t even had any control over

just for his dad to say he didn't trust him and that the only reason he'd ever get promoted is to spy on them

Like why would he stay after that?? I think him leaving was inevitable tbh if it wasn't this it would have been something else

I think he will always leave eventually

Not even going into that no I don't think being upset at your parents for not wanting more money to better take care of seven kids is wrong

He was mean about it but everything other then Voldemort being back he was right about

I know people bring up the letter all the time too but like Harry did continuously get Ron hurt so I actually see it as pretty sweet that even after falling out he's worried even if he should have known it would only make things worse

sending the sweater back and closing the door in Molly's face were not wrong if you make it clear you are pulling away from someone and they keep pushing your boundaries it's not on you to comfort them

[silverskye13]

im OBSESSED with you saying Xisuma's fatal flaw would be arrogance, i never would have thought of it and it tickles my lizard brain. could you go into more details about that vibe?

It's a couple things! Granted, I haven't watched Xisuma regularly in about a year, so I've atrophied a bit when it comes to him and his personality. Take what I say with a grain of salt.

I want to note that I don't mean arrogance in the sense that he thinks he's inherently better than people. He tries really hard not to do that -- I've listened to a few of his vods, and a lot of them have to do with deconstructing his worldview, changing assumptions he's made about people and politics, walking back and forth down a line of thought until eventually he settles somewhere on that road.

But during those reconstructions, I noticed they generally came from very heavy assumptions first, things he says with his full chest, and then has to walk back. There is a certain amount of arrogance in assuming you know what you're talking about, when you have only a handful of facts and perspectives at your disposal. This makes the vods interesting. He can talk back and forth with his audience about something he's learning about, and it becomes entertaining watching people discuss with him, and watching his opinion on that thing actively change. But that doesn't change the fact that he tends to start with: "So I saw this thing recently, and I think it's good/bad/morally ambiguous, and here is why."

There is a certain amount of arrogance in assuming you know something correctly automatically.

Which is, actually, my second reason for choosing arrogance. It seems like a lot of Xisuma's "derp" moments, his simple and silly mistakes that he makes when making machines or doing building, etc, stem from moments of arrogance. He assumes he has done something right, doesn't double check it, and then later when it breaks, he figures out something small and simple has gone wrong. Most of the time, this is funny. Look, Xisuma has made a silly mistake again! But sometimes these simple mistakes add hours of frustration, cause complete rebuilds of parts of a structure or machine, or inconvenience other people. It gets harder to justify, then, that little moment of, "No I'm sure it's fine. I won't double check."

There is an amount of arrogance in assuming you know something correctly automatically.

He is very proficient. He is very good at checking himself when the moment strikes him. But he often forgets to make that check, or dismisses the need for that check, only for it to come back for him. And, if we're talking about Fatal Flaws, the idea that there is something you do repeatedly that builds, until eventually it's your undoing, I think it would be those small moments of assumption and arrogance. One day, they come back around.

[ksfd892]

Last night I was discussing with @ernestonlysayslovelythings that one of the things Gilmore Girls does really well is nuance. In terms of conflict, most characters will be a little bit right and a little bit wrong (as it tends to be in life), and yet many viewers will automatically side with one particular character. Lorelai and Rory (Rory in particular) tend to often be seen as in the wrong, and this intrigues and frustrates me. While a lot of the time they are 'in the wrong', so is the other character, and yet this is rarely acknowledged. Information which the other character has (and the audience has) is not given to Lorelai and Rory and yet they are still criticised for it (which other posts have gone into).

Emily and Paris are fan favourites and it's easy to understand why; they are funny, sarcastic and outspoken and yet also have vulnerability. Viewers will often take Emily's side in an argument with Lorelai and Paris's with Rory, which I find frustrating, because the reasoning seems to be either that Emily and Paris are 'more funny' or that Lorelai and Rory are 'annoying'. Emily and Paris are funny (Paris in particular is exaggerated as a side character) but they can also be very mean. Lorelai and Rory are not intentionally mean, generally speaking, yet a key element of Emily and Paris's characterisation is unkindness. Of course, this is largely for comedic effect (such as Emily firing maids and Paris making Brad cry), and yet Lorelai and Rory seem to be held to a higher standard. Emily and Paris can be very cruel to Lorelai and Rory (ie Emily's ongoing disgust over her daughter's romantic life or lack of and Paris bullying Rory at school) but it doesn't seem to 'count'. Viewers identify the reasons for this; such as Emily's hurt over Lorelai running away or Paris feeling intimidated by Rory, but do not extend the same understanding to Lorelai and Rory. Lorelai can be immature and shut out her parents, which is due to an unhappy childhood, and Rory sometimes wants space (which I don't personally find unreasonable), but that apparently means they're 'arrogant'.

This lack of nuance is also notable with Jess. With non-Literati shippers, many viewers write Jess off as the asshole exboyfriend who has 'exaggerated' his unhappy life with Liz and is 'ungrateful' to Luke. On the flip side, many Literati shippers take the view that Jess never does anything wrong and Luke is a total jerk. Again, there is nuance here; Jess is not infallible and, like all the characters, he is right and wrong about certain things. While there is zero evidence that Jess exaggerated anything (although some fans seem to exaggerate for him), he can be rude and perhaps seem ungrateful, but it is understandable. He acts this way because he had an unreliable mother who sent him to live in a strange town with his uncle without any say, and he lashes out because he is angry and not listened to. In S6 when Jess has grown up, he appreciates what Luke did for him, because he has the maturity to see it. Luke, for his part, did his best and also messed up because he stubbornly thought he knew what he was doing, and didn't think he needed advice. It does not negate the fact that he cared and tried his hardest. As with Lorelai and Emily, Luke and Jess are both right and both wrong with their reaction to things.

It's also interesting that within Literati shippers, the majority of people will take Jess's side in a conflict with him and Rory. Jess and Rory are flawed people (who are also very young) who manage to hurt each other deeply. Rory runs away after kissing Jess because she does not know how to handle her feelings, which Jess perceives as her thinking he isn't worth staying for and, a year later, Jess leaves town without saying goodbye, which Rory also wrongly perceives as a rejection. Neither of them intend to be cruel and yet, according to numerous Lit shippers, Jess was hurting and Rory 'couldn't see it'. Of course she couldn't see it - Jess never communicated to her that he was in trouble at high school and had to drop out, or that his father showed up, or anything else going on with him. She could see something was wrong but couldn't help him. Likewise, Rory never communicated to Jess that she was feeling mixed up about being with Dean and later with Logan, but somehow this understanding isn't extended to Rory. Jess and Rory are both fallible and are both written with excellent nuance.

One of the best things about Gilmore Girls is how well it reflects growing up and our relationships in real life. Situations are rarely binary and, as we mature, we can often look at conflict more objectively and see 'the other side'. Lorelai and Rory, along with most of the characters they interact with, are written with depth. When they mess up or miscommunicate, it doesn't mean they 'wrong' or not worth caring about - it means they have something to learn from. They are funny, frustrating, vulnerable and have moments of clarity, just as with real people.

[daddywright]

Hey there Jazz. I'm such a big fan. Pressure verse remains one of my fave fics ever. I've always been curious about how you portray and see Phoenix. Is it something unique on Pressure verse that Phoenix lies so bad that anyone close to him can read him easily? Versus Canon that many people either have him that he's just good at hiding his thoughts because the game just expresses to players his thoughts? Or he is still the same emotional man but is so awkward and his acting in theater makes him good at pretending? Because he's so evasive about anything himself. Pssst. Any also any hint of next update? Hehehe.

Hi hi!

Wow, so I had to take a second to think about this question. In its DNA, Pressureverse is a 'In Want of a Nail' story - the joke of 'what if Phoenix got therapy post-Dahlia' explored with narrative consequences. As a result, the Phoenix that takes shape over the course of the adjusted plot is one that-- while certainly not smoothed of character flaw or mentally prime lol-- has learned that even if he doesn't believe that his troubles or concerns should be shared (for arrogant or trauma-related reasons), he has learned that he likes and needs the support he receives from other people who take notice. In a way, the joke about his being a bad liar is evidence to progress in his relationships that diverges meaningfully from canon. He's a character that's not capable or willing to ask for help in many ways, but in Pressureverse, at least, he's begun to "telegraph" through chosen lies when he has needs. It's a changed indicator of his mental health, but it's a character flaw I gave him intentionally, because to make Phoenix a "bad liar" was an indirect way of writing the other characters-- particularly female characters-- as BETTER listeners. A lot of characters in Ace Attorney often share one major trait, and that's perception/emotional sensitivity, but only when narratively convenient for a video game sometimes. But in writing, or in Pressure at least, the key relationship is Phoenix and Maya's. Phoenix is a frequent liar who IS capable of lying well, but to people who know him, even when he's not half-assing it, they would learn to pick up on it. Why wouldn't Maya be sensitive over time to who he is, and when he's struggling?

Basically, Phoenix being a "bad liar" is a trait that is altogether a bit, intentional character development/canon divergence, and biased based on the POV character of the chapter. (Ex. Characters like Edgeworth and Klavier wouldn't describe him as a bad liar, but a lot of the other more sensitive characters in his life would!)

Sorry for how lengthy this was! As for an update, I'd cross my fingers for after the holidays... right now, I'm working on a Metal Gear Solid fic ;)

[ballinandcantgetup452]

Terry McGinnis is the only person who can be the next Batman

I don't normally make hard statements like this. I typically hate it when somebody makes hard statements like this, but hear me out.

No prior Batfamily character can be the next Batman. I'll keep it brief and explain why going person by person (obvious headcanon warning)

Dick is definitely a likelier candidate than most. He can cover for Batman if the need ever arises. But I believe that Dick Grayson hates the idea of actually becoming Batman. He can play the role. He was a circus kid and he's got the heart of a theatre kid, he can play the role all day long. But he was the first. He arguably saw Batman at his natural worst. He and Alfred, anyways. I'm going to drop some OP lore to further elaborate. My dad's a pastor. He's a really good pastor. He's a good man, and he may be an ass, but that's because I know him as "dad". For YEARS, people would tell me that I was just like him, and for a long time, I wanted to be him. It's what boys do when their dad is at the very least decent. But, as I got older, I saw the tapestry and saw the flaws. I saw how tired being a pastor made my dad. I saw how much of his life being a pastor was taking up. I would never tell my dad to stop being a pastor, because that's him. That's his calling; and if he was anything else, then he'd be a soulless, husk of a man. But I've seen what being a pastor does to you, and I don't want that. I want to be better than that. Dick Grayson has seen what The Batman does to a person. He's seen Bruce do things that Dick would never do, and the idea of being the next Batman is something that got soured to him. And it definitely doesn't help that that's what a lot of people used to do to him. So yeah, traumadumping aside, Dick would never STAY Batman. Even if he doesn't know it.

I honestly think it's best if Jason stays as far away from the idea of The Batman legacy as possible. Jason's at the best possible spot right now. He's taken his trauma and has turned it into his empowerment. I don't care what Three Jokers says, that's dumb. Joker's an ass, we don't listen to him. ESPECIALLY if he's swapped out his gun for a crowbar and has a no-kill rule, Jason could be Red Hood until he's 90 and it'll be narratively fulfilling.

Tim is one I see get thrown around a lot. However, I believe that The Batman would absolutely DESTROY him and he would be too stubborn to acknowledge it. One common denominator I believe every Robin goes through is the realization of "oh wow, Bruce is not okay" and trying to be better than that. While I do believe that Tim went through that, I also believe that Tim is arrogant enough to believe that he's better than that. Even putting all of the "alternate Tim evil gun toting Batman" futures aside, I think that Tim is obsessive enough as is. Giving him the mantle of The Batman would cause him to obsess even more to be like Bruce thus causing ANOTHER evil gun toting alternate future Batman. Tim is best as Red Robin. An independent agent that can go well with ANY Batman to keep them on the straight and narrow.

Babs is best as Oracle. No I will not be elaborating. If you want her to be Batgirl, then say that she can Batgirl every once and a while but doing it stresses out the microchip in her back.

Steph is best as Spoiler. She backdoored her way into the Batfamily by being competent enough as Spoiler. I honestly wish that she could be like Batwoman and establish herself as Batfamily adjacent and have her own supporting cast and such. If she does have one, then I'm sorry. Cassie is kind of a blind spot.

Sadly, Cassandra Cain, Duke Thomas, and Harper Row are even bigger blindspots of mine. From what I've seen of them, I can't think of any reasons they couldn't be Batman. However, I can't think of any reasons why they especially should be Batman.

Damian Wayne is my personal vote for becoming the next Batman out of everybody pre established. Not for any birthright reasons. That's dumb. Admittedly, DCeased really turned me on to the idea. I think that the idea of Damian being the child raised by Bruce that turned out the best is a really good idea. In retrospect, I guess the idea of birthright is technically why I'm choosing Damian. BUT, understand I'm doing it with the caveat that Damian is fully developed as a person and as a character. That is the END of his arc.

HOWEVER, Terry McGinnis takes the cake for me in terms of Batman successor. This is going off of the idea that he isn't a Bruce clone. I don't know how canon we've made that, but canon is relative, so I'm saying it's not for the sake of argument. Terry is an outsider. He has no baggage with the idea of The Batman. He's just a guy working through some grief with The Batman being used as a vehicle. He doesn't know any of the Bruceisms. He never had to explain to his friends that his dad is crazy and he's sorry he made contingency plans for all of them. Terry McGinnis gets to make Batman his own. And, luckily, he gets to have a fully realized Bruce to guide him along the way. I also think that it opens so much more story potential. It's essentially a soft reboot for The Batman as an idea. Everybody else can be out doing their own thing. But I think this works in the same way that Miguel O'Hara can ALSO be Spider-Man. I believe that every intimate Batfamily member would follow Bruce's footsteps by making Batman an UNHEALTHY obsession. Terry would be different, he'd lead the pack by turning The Batman into something HEALTHY.

Or maybe I don't read enough comics and all my interpretations are super surface level. Let me know. I'm willing to be wrong.

[h2llish]

vil rambles cuz im still sick

listen, everyone who literally views vil as this arrogant asshole who likes looking at himself in the mirror every morning has got to be some of the most blind idiots i've ever seen. his insecurities have played out right in front of us?? he is literally so insecure it's blaringly obvious???

it pisses me off watching people completely mischaracterize him as some harsh, insincere character who would bully and pick at someone's insecurities like a fucking prick.

those who genuinely see and regard vil properly as the type of person who has so many insecurities and stresses from living as an actor/model/etc, have honestly earned my respect. his character is interesting and having him mischaracterized as less peeves me.

i don't like to compare trauma, even in characters. trauma is different and revealed in every person differently.

and yes, vil has trauma. living life under spotlight and having his entire life on screen for everyone to see, is his trauma. while he may enjoy his line of work, and has a very supportive father in his corner, that does not make it any easier for someone who grew up under expectations and ridicule since the moment he started walking.

vil's insecurities stem from his roles in movies; he's been casted and sought out for the role of a villain even when he only ever wished to play the hero. since he first played the villain role as a child, bullying the hero (neige) he was automatically perceived as a villain outside of the role as well. and while he may not seem all that bothered, i think it does get to him. to constantly be casted as a villain because he "fits that role so well", and then to have people see him as a villain outside of it can be dehumanizing and painful ━ hence, his insecurities.

a lot of people fail to realize that the life of a celebrity isn't all its chalked up to be. they're human too, they have insecurities and flaws, parts of themselves they don't want others to see. and i think vil does a good job at presenting that.

his overblot revealed that sometimes our insecurities build up and spill over and we may do things we regret. in this case, paired with magic, it was an attempt on a rival's life.

unlike leona or maybe azul, he does regret his actions. he admits his wrongs and that he let his insecurities lead him down a path that could've been disastrous had it not been for rook and everyone else.

i understand that his confidence can be misleading; "if he's so insecure why is so confident?" because idiots, a person with insecurities can also have confidence. while vil is insecure about his stand in beauty, he's also confident in his looks. his insecurities about his looks come from his one-sided rivalry with neige. neige receives more compliments and views and offers, so that comes back to vil and he views himself inferior.

a lot of people seem to think he hates neige. but he doesn't, even he has admitted that he's only jealous. he holds a lot of respect for neige. he knows about neige's tough childhood, and he knows how hard he works, but he does not pity him for it all the same. his feelings for neige have only been jealousy brought on by the views of fans and media, and believe it or not, jealousy is not hate.

vil is genuinely a decent person. after his overblot he continues to thank those that helped in stopping him, and then proceeds to take responsibility for being the reason they were all so tired during the competition. he even takes his own money to offer to everyone after he broke his promise to split the earnings when they won. he also isn't upset with rook for voting for the winning team; he respects that he was able to do so without feeling much guilt. (while i still want to fight his ass. fuck you, you damn peacock spitting mf /affectionate). and then proceeds to give his money to the mc so they can fix up the dorm.

i understand his first impression wasn't great. even i thought i'd hate him, but after getting to know him, i saw that my opinion on him was stupid; understandable at first, sure, but false.

he's strict, yeah, but he means well. he just wants everyone to be healthy, and that includes routine and taking care of your body. it may seem a bit obsessive, but it's his way of caring for those around him, even if it isn't how, you like it or how you'd prefer to be cared for.

i think what i like about vil, is that he genuinely tries to make things right. unlike those before him, he wishes to apologize for the trouble he caused and wants to avoid having his jealousy take ahold of him so strongly again.

and addressing those that seem to think he would attack a person's insecurities, you're wrong. i doubt he'd try to hurt a person by pointing out their own insecurities when he himself has insecurities. he knows what it's like to have your insecurities take hold of you and consume your thoughts, why would he do that to another person? if he does find himself saying something that might be an insecurity for another person, i don't think he'd do so on purpose. he probably intended to help, but in the process hurt them. i just don't believe he'd want to hurt someone by rubbing their insecurities in their face.

overall, he's not a bad person or some asshole who would hurt someone on purpose. he's confident but insecure, and he's strict but means well. stop regarding him so wrongly please, it's actually fucking annoying.

[hourglassfish]

A (long) Aside on 1:7 and 2:10

There are two responses to 1:7 and 2:10 that always quietly horrify me.

The first, and you know, I'm writing a multi part series on it, so it's no mystery - is that Sydney was arrogant/a brat/ couldn't hack it/ wrong to walk out, and that the situation as a whole was her fault. Nah. She was right to walk out, the biggest failure of that episode is not fucking pulling the breaks when Richie gets stabbed. The workplace has gone from dysfunctional to dangerous, she has been responsible for that danger, the perpetrator of it, and she is right to leave.

little bit of an asshole but i love you so i don't care

Carmy sees Syd saying she's going to stab Richie (as she holds her knife to his chest!) while they're up in each other's faces (with Richie goading her) and he does... nothing. He tells them to shut the fuck up and make giardiniera. At this point they needed to be separated! One or both of them needed to cool off. We've seen Syd bodily put herself between a fighting Carmy and Richie. A little reciprocity would have gone a long way here.

It's wild to me that people think that Carmy was justified in his anger and aggression towards Marcus and Syd and ignore that he is aggressive to Richie also! Richie, typically one of the more confrontational characters in the show asks him to calm down, to cool it. That so many viewers so quickly and uncritically accept Carmy's narrative point of view, even while the show actively challenges it confirms something that has been in the culture a long time: that we are much more used to excusing and aligning ourselves with abusive behaviour, than we are at challenging and refusing it. That people - many of whom have received this kind of behaviour themselves - want to defend it, makes me so, so sad.

It always hurts me a little that in 1:8 Tina tells Carmy that if he 'tries that shit with her, she'll fuck him up'. It's a fun line! But I'm sorry, no she won't. He screams at her too, while chucking bowls around and Sydney's words in 1:7 clearly hurt her. Tina categorically did nothing wrong. She doesn't deserve that shit. But at the end of the day, she is a middle aged Latinx woman and a mother, and so her tolerance level has to be higher. She needs that job! Shedoes not, as far as we know, have a father she can live with rent free, she does not have youth and the promise of exploitable potential to offer to employers in an ageist job market, she does not have CIA qualifications or a CV full of ‘serious heat’.

Carmy. holds. a. position. of. power. over. these. people. He is their boss, not their manager, and he owns the place, mob loan or no. He has the power to sack them all, to cut their hours, to cut their wages; thus the impact of that power extends not just to them, but also to their children and families. Louis being present in Review is not just to add an obstacle, it's also a reminder of those stakes.

Carmy has influence in the fine dining industry, regardless of whether that social and cultural capital is respected at The Beef or not. The very same oppourtunities that he provides them with in season 2 are things he could also lock them out of if he so chose. Any analysis of 1:7 that ignores this power is flawed from its root. When you are a boss, this power is ever present. One of the few things you can do to alter your boss's behaviour is to withdraw your labour. It's not the only option you have, but everything else is at their discretion, or mediated by lengthy, expensive legal processes.

yeh, i hate this

Carmy knows this, even if you don't! It's why the apology he gives Marcus - which Marcus does not ask for - is so heartfelt. Carmy has been on the receiving end of what that power, wielded cruelly, can do. He does not want to do this to others. We see him talk to staff with respect even while he endures horrid abuse in a flashback. We see him teach and explain himself, we see him listen and invite feedback - ‘say more’. His commitment to being a good boss is sincere, that kindness is in his bones.

The second thing people say that makes me want to die a little inside is that Carmy bought getting locked in the fridge on himself, that he deserved it in some way, and that getting locked in the fridge was him abandoning Sydney.

Oh my god!

He does not have a diagnosis yet - so anything we see is an interpretation. But it feels explicit that Carmy has panic disorder, and perhaps generalised anxiety disorder and CPTSD from both his workplace experiences and his childhood. A couple of things that he says and does suggest ADHD, or some other neurodiversity. He is not very careful with himself, and does not recognise these things as treatable problems (Richie says he experiences anxiety and dread, Carmy's response is 'who doesn't' - wince, cruel to Richie, cruel to himself - vomiting everyday and crying out of nowhere are presented as something 'loads of people do' to Sugar. Tumblr loves to send people to therapy, but I just want to send this man to do a basic google search of more than fun tbh). But they are debilitating for him, especially at work.

What happens to how we read Carmy's behaviour when he is presented as someone with an untreated disability, and absolutely no support plan in place? Does he still get his just desserts at the end of the season?

The fridge thing is a bit clumsy, I think. It's silly that over the space of three months, no one at any point just takes that job off him as a priority, or at least makes it something where Tony will call the restaurant, not Carmy specifically. It is unrealistic that there would not be some kind of back up safety lock inside the fridge. But you know, they're characters in a TV show, it also does not take two people swivelling around on the floor to tighten the coat hooks on a table (LOOOOOOL) - it's realistic until its not.

But, you know, it's doing a thing, several things - it's Chekov's gun, isn't it, it's the tangible impact of the lapse of focus that Uncle Jimmy is constantly trying to warn them about.

He wanted to cry here so bad!!! It makes me laugh every time

But umm... guys? What happens to him on that night is so, so horrible. They're a chef down, they're running out of forks, Richie's giving him shit (and Carmy is so susceptible to Richie giving him shit), Marcus and Syd are being all weird. He thinks one of his abusers (Donna) might come, or that she might not come and there will be emotional fallout from that. He thinks he sees his other abuser (Evil Joel Mc Hale) - and he's triggered. He goes in the kitchen and yells, but Syd pulls him back in. Then he goes into the fridge, partly to do chef stuff, I'm sure, but also partly to fucking get his shit together aaaaaand he gets locked in there! He has a panic attack! In a fridge! That he is locked in! And the people he loves most in the world, are the other side of that door, and for five minutes, an eternity in panic attack time, they ignore him! He has no clue what's going on! Last time shit hit the fan, two of his staff walked out (he's still not over Syd walking out cus they never talk about it properly), another one got stabbed and all these new ones are 'emerald green'. And he still thinks evil Joel Mc Hale is out there!

My loves, that shit is the stuff of nightmares! I know he tells himself that he bought this on himself but can we please! stop! uncritically! accepting! his narrative! point! of view!

I don't think anybody on screen recognises that a panic attack is what he's having. That's not their fault. None of them have seen him have a panic attack! They don’t get to see inside his head like we do (which saves them from a lot of R.E.M.) He is locked in the fridge, they just hear the bear banging on the door of his cage! It's not even in the language of the show at this point (though i am curious about how and when Richie came to get his Xanax). But that's what's happening. The team are fine. They do great. He has a terrible, terrible time.

My support worker found 2:10 deeply triggering - and her reason for this, she said, was that a lot of her job was supporting people with panic disorders who are leading teams, and seeing that moment coming, the moment where the panic crashes headlong into their role as leader. Part of her role is anticipating it, and trying to turn it around before they reach the point of no return. And as soon as Carmy thinks he sees Old Boss, he's gone. His body is in flight or fight, and he is alone with that. He can’t show up for Syd at that point, he is in his equivalent of the trenches.

This is also what is happening in 1:7. Somehow his response is often framed as a) rational or b) just an asshole - but it is so outsize to the situation, and to who we know him to be most of the time (quiet, kind, thoughtful, sensitive, BITCHY), that we know it has to be more than that.

None of this is helped by the fact that Carmy's panic attacks are... well they're kind of ugly! His meltdowns are aggressive and shouty, on the edge of physical violence, in an industry where people behave like that because they can. It is hard, parsing through that to the triggers, and fears, and panic beneath. It's scary! It asks so much of people to see that and want to help, not run away. But that is where he's at.

I do not have language for how much I hate how physical he gets with Marcus here, it is deeply upsetting

I have an access rider, to help me work well with people, and to help them work well with me. My mental health turns up in every job I do. All the time. Has done for years. It can make me unreliable, uncommunicative and absent. It can mean that people have to step up sometimes in ways they weren't anticipating. And one of the things the rider asks for is 'Good Faith' - a belief that I have not shut down because I'm an asshole, but rather because I have some unhelpful coping mechanisms that I am trying to work my way out of, that my triggers are real, not excuses for laziness or an expression of lack of care, that i will give as much as I can when I can.

Syd and Carmy are beginning to work towards this - Carmy says over and over again that he doesn't want to be shitty. Claire fucking muddies things, because I will not meet you skiving off to see your girlfriend with good faith fam. That shit he needs to be held accountable for. Dropping that envelope was a perfect Richie job, I'm still pissed about that. But being locked in the fridge... there's way more going on there.

The idea that Carmy should, and will, leave the culinary world keeps coming up in various metas. But... the problem isn't cooking? I think Carmy loves cooking, still. I think he likes being part of a team, and wants to be good at it. I think he likes teaching, and he is good at that. I think he likes picking the right silent plates and having his CDC in Thom Browne. I also think he likes being there a lot and being absorbed by his job.

The problem is that the workplace he is in is not one that is set up to his needs right now - it's not set up so that he can rest enough, so that he can eat well, so that he can exercise, or whatever he needs to do to help him manage his brain and nervous system. It's not set up so that if he is triggered, he and his team knows how to keep going with the service *and* not abandon him to the worst of his brain.

Ohhhh it's bad

Carmy ignoring Claire's call and not calling Tony feels bizarre stripped of the context of his panic attack that morning. But we know that anxiety and panic and executive dysfunction take simple things and make them insurmountable. It's not about Sydney in that moment, or even really about Claire*, and self sabotage feels so weighted with judgement when I think about what those frozen moments feel like from the inside. And I've had my diagnoses for 12 years! I've been doing that work, the long slog of trying to make sure my employees know enough context that my MH doesn't fuck up their day, whilst also maintaining my own dignity and right to privacy.

The disentangling of symptoms from personality traits is so hard - fuck ups from trauma responses, what was preventable, and what might have happened even if you did everything right. I never want to lose sight of compassion for Carmy, and the reality of how long it takes to break those cycles.

I also never want to stop seeing the power that he has over the people that he works with, and how, unfortunately, one of the responsibilities of leadership is that you have to be trying to get your shit together, you have to know yourself, and know how your baggage, combined with your power could be creating harm. It’s hard, but there’s not way around it. It is essential that he gets the support he needs, and puts the measures in place that means that he can also be vulnerable, not just for him, but for the team as whole. The power and the lack of framework together are so very harmful for everyone.

makes for delicious tv though 😉

I think a lot about the ticket machines in The Bear. I'm not thinking about them as a former line chef, cus I'm not that, I'm an artist and writer, that waitressed for a while (while a lot of chefs did a lot of coke out back!) and The Bear is fiction, not a documentary. Those little tickets are used for so many things. They're the sound of pressure. They're where a bunch of intrusive thoughts get flashed up on the screen. They are the presence of tech and of speed and alienation. They are the gap where two human beings, one asking for food, and one cooking that food, become consumer and producer. They are a presence of the machine in the workplace, and they stand in for Marcus's machines in McDonald's and for Evil Joel McHale and for financial failure.

One of the things that capitalism demands is that we always listen to that machine. That when we are making a choice, between the people stood around us, who we work with daily, who we live massive chunks of our life with, and the demand for production for go go go - that we choose the latter, even if it harms the former. That we open for service, even though one of our oldest friends just got stabbed. That we prioritise getting the service turned around on Friends and Family night (the easiest night of the year to go out, pour more wine, and say service is a little delayed, but we've got this), rather than maybe asking Fak or even Claire, to come and talk to Carmy through the door, as well, make sure that he's OK. That we just keep going.

And there are so many really important reasons to do that! Keeping going is how we learn and grow, it's how we make sure that we can pay the bills, how we provide beautiful experiences for customers and guests who are more than consumers to us.

But at some point, we have to ask at what cost. When do we stop and make different? When do we try something else, make new systems, that work for us?

A moment - a small, tiny moment - of triumph for me, is when Richie and Syd turn the table around. So rather than one person, facing the tickets alone, with their back to the kitchen as they yell out orders, the person on Expo faces in. yes they can see the tickets, but they can also see the people they are working with. They can see stress, and worry and joy. They can see how hard they are working. They can see that they are not alone, not just in a promise before service, but during service, when you need that connection most.

My hope is that Season 3 will have more of them making these decisions - ones that lean into seeing each other, where their relationships keep growing, and they build a system where the love and care they have for each other is truthfully at the heart of it.

Richie is not my bag, that's just for me, personally, but I get how much he means to others, and he's beautiful here.

*Man, I do think the romance subplot was a bit of a misstep. Pop always feels like such a waste of the audience's time, time not spent with Ebra and Tina, time spent on a presentation of romance that has been done to death and is never especially satisfying. Truncates a lot of empathy for Carmy. Boo. Hiss.

[sarnai4]

Teamwork

This is going to sound a little odd given how some of my previous posts mentioned Viggo being very dismissive of Dagur...BUT I'm going to throw this idea out there. Imagine Viggo and Dagur as actual business partners/crime buddies. (Spoilers ahead)

Now, just hear me out. They are extremely different, yes, but I think their strengths balance the other's weaknesses. Let's consider Viggo. His biggest flaw is what I like to somewhat affectionately call his Viggo ego. The man is cocky to a new level. He couldn't even imagine someone betraying him, not him because he's the genius Viggo Grimborn. He can tell Dagur to follow orders and that he's dumb and he'll do nothing. Oops, okay, he did something. Viggo can ridicule his brother time and time again and Ryker will obviously do nothing to him because who can, right? Well, Ryker apparently can turn on him. Hmm, weird. Okay, for real this time, no one else can try to touch him. Dang it, Krogan and Johann! Just had to try to kill the guy. Don't you know that no one can go against Viggo? He's amazing. Well, that's the thing, he is, but he's so aware of that fact that he sets himself up for failure by not even considering real dangers as threats. It's really Viggo's only weak area. Besides that, he's incredibly strategic, level-headed, cool, charismatic, etc. He just needs to balance out that arrogance of his. I think Dagur could help him with this.

Despite Dagur definitely being a cocky guy too, he's nowhere near Viggo's level. To put it in perspective, the guy didn't even fight back after getting choked out because he didn't want to mess up his plan. He never said anything when the Grimborns mocked him and he also let Alvin think he was in charge back in DoB. This is the type of influence Viggo needs in his life. If he's willing to listen, Dagur could help open his eyes to the people around him and how they aren't all on his side. Honestly, once Viggo doesn't have to worry about his "allies" trying to kill or betray him, he's pretty much good. That removes about 70% of his problems. Even just in the two interacting, Dagur could probably help Viggo gain some humility and learn to not underestimate people. It would be difficult for the crime boss to accept that someone like Dagur is actually smart, so it would be an important first step for him to take. Afterwards, he could probably start opening his mind more to different forms of intelligence and not just assuming, "I'm better than you and you'll never stand a chance against me," when meeting someone.

Considering Dagur, I think his biggest weakness is his temper. No, not his mind. That's not fair and honestly not true. Him being deranged has led to him being unpredictable, a valuable trait when going up against people. He's also still very capable, so it's never held him back. His temper on the other hand. Woo. Yeah, that causes some issues. He gets angry over tiny things and just cannot function anymore. Dagur, if you stayed calm, you probably would've expected the tail to the face when Heather and the Riders left. Probably would've also not retreated in fury when the A Team showed up. This is how he had his first real loss against Hiccup back when they were kids because he was so angry at the provocation that he didn't pay attention and took him on with the Skrill, electrocuting himself. He had the advantage before that because of the numbers, but he reacted too hastily. Just have to get that temper under control.

Viggo is so calm and reasonable that I could see him helping with this. Even in times when he's lost, he can respect a game well played. There are times when he's lost his temper, but it's very rare and he generally keeps a cool head. Now, he'd need to not be condescending towards Dagur since that would make it worse, but I think he could be beneficial. Viggo getting through to Dagur, finding out why he actually gets so furious about things and helping him calm down/think things through when he's in one of those states would really help him out.

So, this friendship would definitely take time to work. It also might take some situations where they're forced to rely on each other first, but I think there's potential. Unfortunately, this would ultimately be to the detriment of the world because a Viggo who doesn't underestimate his foes and a Dagur who doesn't let his anger get the better of him are a deadly duo.

[maibeenot]

Thank you for starting the "Five is arrogant and thats a bad thing" conversation I think you can very easily make a point for Five and his arrogance being, in part, a big cause for alot of the siblings problems across the seasons, including basically all the apokalypses after the first one. I could probably write a whole list of the problems he caused, but I wont, because this is already a long ask. (I am so sorry, i know how weird it can be to suddenly get a really big rant ask) He keeps getting the family into trouble because he thinks he's the only one thats always right, but then he never has to sit down and go "Oh no, this is my fault" (cough season two and him complaining about everyone messing with the timeline when he was the one whos big idea was "lets talk to our dad. in the past." Like that doesnt have major consequences cough sparrows) And then season 4 almost seems to reward him for only listening to himself, by having him find a way out of the Subway because of another Five and then getting the big problem solution from another, different Five in a diner, full of other Fives who all agree! Its exhausting to watch and feels like the show is trying to say "actually he IS always right" despite that being just straight up untrue. I have a feeling I might have more to say so I'll leave an anon tag - Moon anon

Yes! I think it's a huge facet of his character and is a major flaw that the show doesn't really address or try to tackle, because it has good comedic value.

This is a whole nother conversation in itself where the show can and will forsake character growth and exploration of trauma for the sake of comedy. (Luther in s4 and Klaus during the majority of his screen time)

Though I'd like to add that Five does pretty frequently ask his siblings for help in s1 & 2, but there isn't really a whole lot of consistency with what he decides needs help with and what he doesn't.

Despite asking for help, there's no way in hell he'd listen to them tho lmao

[ec2003]

The Reason Why Vivziepop Should Owe Up To Her Mistakes And Reasons Why I'm Defending Her

Viv' makes characters have ongoing insecurities and Blitz (one of the few) has been trying to connect to those he hurt, so why can't Viv do the same if she doesn't want anybody attacking her? I believe she's the same as Blitz. NO matter how much she tried to make herself feel better she still makes things worse by coping and, to me, is afraid of being alone and wrong. She was bullied when she was 17. I do feel sad for her, but still doesn't excuse her from being an asshole at times and I believe she was being taken advantage of. You don't have to agree with me, and it's understandable since everyone has different opinions, but despite her own flaws as a human being, I support her projects and yes, I'm a Vivziepop fan, but doesn't mean I can't criticize her. I don't think she came from a "rich white Latina girl" background either since she's known to criticize rich folks in Helluva Boss (despite having celebs), I believe she doesn't know how to socialize with people and change because she's too caught up in her own problems. Now, I respect people for their own shapes and sizes 100%, but I believe the reason why Viv's a bit fat in recent years is because she puts so much stress over herself. She should just have someone take over Twitter for her. As much as she frustrates me, I can't help it but feel sad for her. I've been in the same situation where I pushed people away with my own problems. As for being racist, I don't think that Viv was racist with the voodoo thing and was just being arrogant just because it seemed "edgy" and "cooler". As for being transphobic, I'm not gonna defend her on that one, yeah, she was being an asshole. I'm straight and have friends that are LGBTQ. Another thing I wanna point out is that she also has ADHD and before everyone argues, it's not an excuse for her actions, but I believe it's also part of the reason why she can't write at times and she has a hard time listening. As for CP on Zoophobia when it came to Addison and the teacher (since Addison is 17 and Gustav is 19), I'm gonna defend Viv on this one. Viv was born in Maryland and the age of consent in Maryland is 16 if you did your research. So, Viv was obeying the law, even if it doesn't feel right. As for ep 4, I at first thought they weren't gonna treat SA as a serious subject because at times, it's used for comedy and Viv does have this problem where it's only serious because she likes to pick favorites. Despite her hiring a fetish artist to be a storyboard artist in which I don't see a problem with that but she should still fire Raph for harassing a 15 year old, it was actually good. Here is the reason why I'm defending it. It's not perfect, but when watching this episode, I don't see it as Husk trying to tell Angel that his abuse doesn't matter and that he should suck it up. He called him a loser because Angel is coping with his feelings and made up a persona to hide from the fact that he is being abused in order to save himself considering that Valentino took advantage of him. Now, yeah, that did sounded fucked up for calling him a loser, but I believe that Husk wasn't comparing his situation to Angel which is way worse than Husk's, he doesn't want Angel to end up in a situation Husk was in because they both have been taking advantage of. The rape scenes are meant to be graphic and as for Viv adding a warning screen, in Amazon Prime, it will say Rated 18+ for drug use, sexual abuse, and so on. Only one episode was for 18 and up. You guys don't have to like Viv and I'm very sorry for those that were hurt, and obviously she deserves some of it, but I still don't want her to go down this path because I still see her as a human being. If I did encounter her in real life, I would really want to help her when the cameras are not rolling in hopes that she'll become a better person. It worked well with my friends, so maybe I can do the same with her. She inspired me to be an independent animator so in return, I make her feel better.

[sonseulsoleil]

Alright, I've seen a lot of P&P takes, and I obviously made my Persuasion comparison post. But I'm not done talking about Austen parallels because Emma is my favorite one, and there are so many things to talk about here. Under a cut because I have no self restraint and it got so long.

First, I want to get the parallels to Gabriel and Beelzebub out of the way because that was the first thing I noticed.

Gabriel is so much like Frank Churchill. Frank has been controlled by his aunt his entire life because she controls his fortune. The second he steps out of line, she'll cut him off. He hides this with charm and arrogance, but it becomes clear by the end of the novel that none of his choices are his own. He falls for Jane Fairfax, someone his aunt disapproves of because she is below his station. They're forced to keep their a relationship secret. But ultimately, once his aunt dies, they're able to reveal the truth and get married like they planned.

This should be sounding familiar by now, I think? Like Frank, Gabriel is coerced by Heaven into becoming what they want him to be. Like Frank, he wears a mask of arrogance. Like Frank, he falls for someone he isn't supposed to look twice at. Like Frank, Gabriel becomes the envy of another character in the story, who desperately wants what he seems to have.

Which brings us to Crowley and Aziraphale. Crowley is Knightley and Aziraphale is Emma. At first, I noticed some similarities between Aziraphale and Knightley—namely the repression and the dislike of change—but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Aziraphale and Emma are incredibly similar characters. They’re both obnoxiously self-righteous, believe they know what’s best for everyone, and are deeply stubborn.

It takes Emma almost the entire novel to accept that she’s in the wrong—that she shouldn’t have looked down on people below her socially/economically, that she shouldn’t meddle in other people’s business, and, of course, that she’s been in love with her best friend this entire time (which she only comes to terms with when she’s faced with the possibility of losing him forever).

And, come on, throwing a ball to try to get two people to dance and fall in love? That's literally a move out of Emma's playbook.

Of course, Crowley and Knightley are similar as well. Knightley is a character who is very kind and warm-hearted, but is simultaneously strict and demanding. He has a strong sense of morals. He is the sensible one, the brains, the guy who always sees things for what they are. He's not afraid to call people out, and he's almost always right when he does. I see a lot of Crowley in these qualities. Crowley may be a demon, but his sense of morality is very strong. It just doesn't align with Heaven or Hell's moral code.

On top of all that, Knightley is the only character in the novel that ever actually challenges Emma. Like, Crowley, Knightley is always calling Emma out, pointing out the flaws in her reasoning, hoping she'll see his side. And she is always measuring her judgements against him, even when she doesn’t realize she’s doing it.

She values his opinion over everyone else’s because he’s the only one she can truly trust to be honest with her, even when she doesn’t like what he has to say. Just like Aziraphale is always listening to Crowley, even when they disagree, and often ends up coming around to agree with Crowley's stance, like in the Victorian flashbacks.

Like Aziraphale and Crowley, Emma and Knightley argue and bicker A LOT but it’s always with an understanding of the deep friendship and care that underlies it. And when they fight for real towards the end of the book? It’s devastating. And it’s the final nail in Emma’s character development. Faced with losing the one person she took for granted would always be by her side, the one person who has always been entwined into her life, the person she can't imagine being without, she has to own up to her mistakes.

The last thing I'll say, is that Knightley and Emma are my favorite Austen couple for a reason. They are lifelong best friends, and that is the basis for their romance. Knightley is the only one in the novel who sees Emma, flaws and all, and loves her unconditionally. Aziraphale and Crowley are like that, too. They see each other, really see each other, imperfections and all, and they love each other so much.

[randomreadingtimewithtsuki]

Could I request Ao no Exorcist Lucifer relationship headcanons with my OC? Please and thank you!

Name:  Selma Irene Starling

Aliases:  Irena

Name Meaning:  God’s helmet/Peace

Gender:  Female

Height:  5’1”

Species:  Half angel/half human

Personality:  Patient, kind, selfless, optimistic, creative, trustworthy, steadfast, wise, righteous, intelligent, empathetic, hardworking, passionate, encouraging, respectful, caring, humble, sincere, imaginative, quiet, independent, strong-willed, observant, and honest.

Describe character:  Pure, peacemaker, reliable, integrity, reverent and charitable.

Likes:  Chocolate pudding, long sleeved shirts, art, botany, note taking, environmental science, listening to music, vegetable gardening, collecting recipes, puzzles, nature, libraries and fried dough.

Dislikes:  Cruelty, arrogance, crowds, loud noises, seafood, killing, ignorance, dishonesty, arguing, negativity.

Alignment: Good

Hobbies:  Reading, crocheting, baking, cooking, crafting, drawing.

Flaws/Weaknesses:  Worrying, overworking, isolation.

Strengths:  Family and friends, positivity, uplifting words, helping others.

Age:  28 physically, 100+ mentally

Skills:  Problem solving

Weapons:  Sword, sickle, sling 

Birthday:  December 28

Body type: Average

Appearance:  Shoulder-length curly, light blue/brown hair tied in a braid, ultramarine and turquoise eyes.

Hairstyles:  Different kinds of braids

Extra:  Phoenix companion.  Is diagnosed with Arthritis in her hands and legs. Untidy hair, Insomniac, has a scar on her right and left leg and light skin tone. Naps in random places.

Hello dear! Thanks for requesting!

This is the first time i try to write for an OC, so let's see how it goes!

Let me know what you think!

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

When Lucifer first met Irena, he did not trust her at all.

She is half angel after all.

But upon noticing how frustrating she got struggling to stand on her feet and difficulty to hold weapons, he let down his guard a bit.

He talked to Irena, with a kind and understanding tone - he knew all too well how terrible it is to have a sick body.

Oddly enough they bonded over the difficulties of living.

Of course, for her it wasn't as bad as it was for him - her body wasn't decaying - but still, the frustration and the bitterness to be this way brought those two close.

Lucifer tried his best to find an elixir for himself and some kind of relief for Irena.

He did put part of his research team to aid Irena.

She was very, very grateful to him and always treated him team with kindness.

Her positive and sweet attitude towards his underlings, made Lucifer fall for her.

Irena was kind to everyone, she didn't butt in on his goal directly, she actually understood and respected his goals.

He knew she had some immense power, but he still rather have Irena out of the battlefield and more by his side.

Lucifer absolutely loves how Irena cares for his decaying body. Gently bandaging and changing the IV's.

Meanwhile Irena did not mind at all taking care of him and preferred to stay out of the battlefield - all the violence and brute action were not her cup of tea.

Of course, push comes to shove, she could and would defend herself with the help of her phoenix.

Lucifer made a room for her and another one for her hobbies inside the illuminati HQ.

Why two rooms? Because sometimes, when the pain wasn't so unbearable, Lucifer liked to stay with her.

It wasn't everyone that could meet with Irena either. Only a handful of people could interact with her.

Irena found this restriction a bit upsetting, but, Lucifer insisted it was for her safety - getting too close with foot soldiers are not good. They die, they betray. She would get hurt.

Needless to say he is overprotective of her. He treats Irena like her heart is made of glass.

So he is also very sweet and loving with her.

Lucifer loves to braid her hair whenever he can - it brings him a strange sense of calmness.

He doesn't underestimate her though. He knows she is great at seeing answers and paths no one else can see.

So he often asks her input on his plans.

Despite participating in the making of the plans, Lucifer doesn't let Irena participate actively on the execution, because it usually involves some kind murdering or torturing in the end.

All in all, He loves her a lot by her kindness and selfless atitude, but Lucifer treats her hear with utmost care, as if it is made of glass.

Irena adores Lucifer's devotion to those close to him, not only her, but his underlings too. She sees him as a poor soul trapped in a sickly body.

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

Thank you for reading! i hope this is of your liking!

[runawaymun]

Been pondering To Partake now Gil's been reintroduced to the narrative and wondering if you've ever considered doing a larger exploration of the dynamic he had with Celebrimbor before the events of the fic? Super intrigued by how Partake!Gil would function opposite somebody he actually respects(?) and who is more able to advocate for themselves - is he just a dick and Celebrimbor just rolled with it until he saw how damaging it was for Elrond, or does he just save his bastard energy for Elrond?

What a question!

Man, where to even start -- because to be honest the differences in how Gil-Galad responds to Celebrimbor and how he responds to Elrond are like, the crux of the fic, in a way.

Here's the thing: Showgalad throughout S1 really strikes me as a deeply entitled and ruthless person, and by ruthless I mean that in the pure sense of the word. He sees he's at point A. He sees point B. He seeks the most efficient/convenient/reliable path to get to point B based off of his understanding of the world, and he takes that path. He makes consistently shitty decisions based off consistently surface-level altruistic motives (usually for 'peace' or 'the good of middle earth' etc. etc.), with underlying selfish motives (let's be honest: shipping Galadriel off to Valinor can be construed as getting rid of a volatile political rival), and that's a character archetype that I love to play with. Every decision Showgalad makes, like sending Galadriel to Valinor, or leaving Elrond out of crucial information regarding the mithril arc, etc. etc. is Showgalad saying over and over I know what's best for the situation, and if I have to manipulate someone to get the best outcome, then so be it. He's very very ends-justify-the-means and he's very "wisest person in the room syndrome". He doesn't consider a lot of subtext or angles.

And the key here for me as a writer when trying to think about Showgalad and how he translates into someone with personal relationships...it's that he isn't irredeemable. That's what makes him so frustrating for me. Partake!Gil also makes consistently shitty decisions or goes about things in horrible ways for consistently surface-level good/reasonable reasons, but underlying selfish ones. He introduced Elrond & Brimby to each other because he saw the chemistry there and thought they'd hit it off (and thought it'd be enjoyable/a good time), when he has sex with Elrond he's not consciously being a dick about it -- so the thought process goes: "Elrond had never once looked unhappy. He had never once protested. He had never once refused...[Gil-Galad] genuinely thought that he would."

Partake!Gil's fatal flaw is arrogance, entitlement, and the refusal to see himself as anything but a good person. Ironically, integrity and communication are important to him. The reason he was able to maintain a healthy relationship with Celebrimbor all those years is that Celebrimbor has the clout and the emotional strength and maturity to be able to communicate. This shows up in its most basic form right at chapter one, when Celebrimbor gets overstimulated and taps out with a brief "enough". And I mean, later when Celebrimbor confronts him about his treatment of Elrond -- once Gil-Galad is cornered about it and has to face facts, he does listen. The problem here is that he's a pragmatist and he doesn't really ever make the time to think deeply about subtext or examine himsef too closely. He's busy and not interested in forming deep attachments because it's not his thing. He expects his partners to communicate clearly, and he is used to partners who communicate clearly.

And yeah, this works GREAT when it comes to his relationship with Brimby, because Brimby has no problem voicing his needs and clearly communicating.

This becomes a HUGE problem when suddenly we throw Elrond into the mix, who has a hero-worship problem, his self-esteem is in the gutter, and he has no idea how to communicate. He's like exhibit a explaining why the absence of 'no' is not the same thing as an enthusiastic 'yes'. Now we've got a situation that just breeds dysfunction. They enable the worst of each other. Gil-Galad doesn't want to take the time to read subtext, think critically, or guide an inexperienced partner. He wants to get his dick wet with a person he enjoys. Elrond is a (very) inexperienced partner who's just happy that the person he adores is giving him the time of day and has no concept of how to communicate the fact that he has needs Gil isn't fulfilling (and even if he did know how to voice them, he wouldn't because his self esteem is in the gutter alskdgh).

And then like you said: there's the issue of respect which is HUGE. Unfortunately showGalad strikes me as the kind of person where you have to clearly demand respect and show why he needs to respect you -- if you don't, well...then he's not going to. Hence the whole situation where in the backstory of the fic, when Elrond & Gil were just getting started, Elrond went "boundaries??? don't know her" and instead of doing the reasonable thing that Celebrimbor did of "hey maybe we should set some," Gil went: "SWEET. No boundaries!"

All that to say I'm really excited for the future chapters of Partake as we transition back to Mithlond. Right now what we're experiencing with Gil is pretty much the knee-jerk reaction to there being boundaries when he's used to having none and he's being a pissbaby about it, but I promise I am strongarming him into doing some Thinking, and I have a lot of communication and more boundary setting between him and Elrond in the future. And also a lot of dysfunction aklsdgh because look, if we're being honest there is just way too much history here for them to be levelheaded and normal when around each other. But as I keep promising: the fic will have a good ending. But unfortunately healing is a non-linear process though and relapses happen often so I won't say there won't be angst & pain & more mistakes made along the way. But another key part of Gil's character is that he does care about Elrond. He is fond of him. Elrond does matter to him. We see that with Showgalad in the finale when Elrond essentially says "do it for me", and Gil does relent and give them that extra bit of time they need to finish the rings. So...I keep holding on to that to inform the final Mithlond arc of Partake. I'm hoping it'll come in handy and I can use the fact that he's actually very fond of Elrond to my advantage!

To be honest in the future I think I'm more likely to write a fic exploring early!Elrond x partake!Gil because I already have ideas about how that whole thing got started, but I can't say that I don't enjoy the dynamic Gil and Brimby have. This probably (definitely) will get worse as we get more seasons of the show! I'm sure I'll end up writing more fic for all of them eventually!

UGH this got huge. tysm for giving me a chance to ramble. This was probably way more than you wanted aldksgh

[thepilgrimbetweenworlds]

Advertising the Antiglitch Blog

I've been thinking about how to advertise my blog and get more people interested in my content. So, I've decided to do some character introductions. They'll be short little summaries for the Antitrix Alien's personalities, to give you an idea of what they act like and how they'll respond to questions.

In regard to the Antiverse story, the alien's personalities in the Antiglitch AU are more watered-down versions of their Antiverse counterparts, to fit in line with the reboots lighter tone.

Bashmouth: An aloof, loner type. He came out of the Antitrix first, which makes him the eldest of the "brothers." He's level-headed, serious and prefers not getting involved with Kevin's antics. He's the only one trying to keep order among the Antitrix aliens.

Dark Matter: A lanky creep who enjoys taking apart other people's flaws. He's surprisingly good at reading people and likes probing the other aliens just for kicks. Hates when people turn that trick back on him though...

Crystal Fist: Curt and single minded, as well as very mission oriented. He's willing to go along with Kevin's schemes, but only if he's guaranteed success. If failure is imminent, he'll bounce without a second thought. He also has trouble expressing his emotions.

Skunk Moth: He's brutish, half-feral and prefers feeding his endless appetite rather than listening to Kevin. He's almost treated as a pet by some of the other aliens. He rarely ever gets to do anything with them, and only Bashmouth is willing to tolerate him.

Rush: His mouth runs faster than he does. He's likes to talk, but when he loses the upper hand for even a moment, he'll turn tail and run like a coward. Though he can be made to comply with the right "incentives."

Bootleg: An uncanny guy, especially in comparison to the others. He has own agenda and will often isolate himself when not doing what Kevin wants. He puts off a seriously strong aura of freakiness, despite rarely ever speaking.

Hotshot: A very short fuse on a very volatile bomb. He's got some issues controlling his emotions and even the smallest spark will set him off. He's a serious powerhouse, but his anger issues make him a dangerous addition to the team.

Thornblade: He's detached from reality and doesn't really get what makes people tick. He's a bit of a gadfly too, often hurting people with dangerous pranks. He's thinks he's funny, but not everyone gets his unique sense of humor.

Undertow: He's often depressed and seemingly in a permanent state of ennui. This makes him lazy and disinterested in helping his "brothers." It takes a lot of effort to even motivate him, and his bad moods have a tendency to rub off on others.

Wreckingbolt: The simplest minded of the team: easily distracted, dim, and gullible. He's often reluctant to take part in some of Kevin's schemes because of his big heart. He's sadly picked on for some childish hobbies of his.

Quad Smack: A proud, arrogant bully. He takes pride in throwing his weight around and won't let you forget it. He makes up for his lack of brains with street smarts, but his ego often gets in the way. He's gotta make sure everyone knows who he is.

[victoriadallonfan]

ok, last ask before I go to bed.

I don't really care about wildbow's intentions? I know that sounds kinda uncharitable, and I do agree he probably had good ones, but that didn't stop him from accidentally writing something homophobic, or arguing with people when they tried to point it out. Again, I can see how you think his intentions are important, but I don't really thing it is?

I don't see "Tristan was being an asshole and crossed a line" as something separate from his desire for sex- they are irrevocably interconnected. The book conflates Tristan violating Byron's bodily autonomy with his sexuality, and as something motivated by his (again, whether wildbow intended this or not isn't really relevant? I'm talking about what the book does, not what wb wanted to do).

To be clear, I do understand your point. It's possible for a real life person to be an asshole, to cross lines, and to violate people's bodily autonomy without it being motivated by their sexuality. It is possible for a gay teenager to do all these things in real life, without it being because they're gay.

(I could also sort-of see this happening in fiction, even if "gay person violating a straight person's bodily autonomy" is a well established trope/stereotype.)

However, Ward doesn't seem to know this:

The only times when Tristan is an asshole, the only times he crosses the line and violates Byron's bodily autonomy, is when he is trying to access gay sex. He's an upstanding guy 90% percent of the time, it's only when he's acting on his gay attraction does the story swerve to him being an asshole in a clear, obvious way.

When you look at other characters, there's a clear correlation between gay main characters trying to be gay with people, and those characters violating other people's bodily autonomy and crossing lines. Amy, March, even Kenzie threatens to blackmail Candy. The message (intentional or not) is that these things are connected.

If these things aren't connected, Ward doesn't show recognition of it.

Like I said, I would agree with you if there was a strong counter example, or a character who was gay, who was allowed to chase gay sex and stuff like that, without acting like Tristan, Amy, March, etc.

Victoria isn't a strong example, as much as I also like that headcanon/interpretation. She has sex with Anelace, and the story frames this as something good, something that is ok for her to want, but the story never frames a protagonist's gay sex in the same positive way. Victoria's speculative bisexuality is never more than subtext.

Anyway, I'm sorry for blowing up your askbox, this whole thing has just been incredibly frustrating. I know this is a contentious topic, but it just doesn't feel like you were really listening to me? Or it feels like your mind it too set for this to be a real conversation, and it doesn't feel like if I presented my arguments well enough, or mentioned something you hadn't considered, that you would be open to changing your mind on this. It's just really upsetting.

It would be nice if you at least apologised to melancholy-jouissance or lakelesbian at least? You were really rude to them.

I have a lot of things I would disagree with in this post, but I think you are giving me the vibe of wanting to make this final? So I’ll address the part about the apologies:

Firstly, I already did apologize to Melancholy for being hostile to them (and honestly they kept a cooler head than I ever could), even though I think they were wrong in their argument. I even said they had the right take on Byron being homophobic (subconsciously).

I won’t apologize to lakelesbian because quite frankly, they were just an arrogant asshole who didn’t like the fact that I pointed out the flaw of them A.) Admitting to having no context or knowledge of Ward and B.) Ignoring when I did give them context for a snide remark.

I may feel bad about being a dick sometimes, but never about mocking people who just assume things without any context. They should learn to read instead.

[fuckyeahisawthat]

I love how Viktor's ego sneaks up on you in the show. It made me think about how often arrogance/egotism (particularly of the STEM Guy Asshole Genius flavor) gets lazily shorthanded in media by having the character just be a dick to people. Viktor doesn't do that. He's reserved but generally polite, not verbally insulting or condescending. (We also just...do not see him interact with many people other than Jayce, whom he considers his intellectual peer.) He wants to leave a legacy but he doesn't want the kind of personal spotlight that Jayce gets thrust into. And he does genuinely want to help people, which is one of his own blind spots, because if he has good intentions then he can't possibly be going down the wrong path. He's too smart to make a mistake like that, right? So you can get pretty far into his character arc before you realize oh, this guy thinks he is right about everything and it's gonna be everybody's problem.

It also does one of my favorite things which we'll call "nooooo don't let your understandable defense mechanism metastasize into a fatal flaw." Because I'm sure that arrogance was useful armor for a lot of his time in Piltover. He's isolated, poor, disabled, from the Undercity, no powerful friends (very possibly no friends at all), but at least he is fucking smarter than everyone else in the room. He says it to Jayce in the beginning: "Nobody believed in me." He's probably had years of telling himself I know I'm right about this, I know I'm smart enough to solve this problem, don't listen to what anyone else says, in isolation, without anyone he trusts to occasionally be like "bro what the FUCK are you on about." And, when it comes to science, his predictions about being right have almost always been accurate. And then the ego comes in with the logical fallacy that he must then be right about everything, and if you disagree it's just because you're not as smart as he is, and the most efficient solution is simply to take that ability to disagree away from you.

Something occurred to me that I find really fascinating about Viktor. He truly has two fatal flaws: ambition and ego.

He is obsessed with his legacy, almost from the point when we meet him: "Do you think it was my life's ambition to be an assistant?" He also mentions legacy when he's talking with Heimerdinger after his hospitalization. He wants to make contributions that matter. He wants to change the world.

But ambition alone isn't enough to push him into the atrocities he ends up committing. He also, very early on, comments on Jayce's ego, but Jayce, remarkably, isn't very egotistical. He might come across that way, but that's because Jayce is a people pleaser, and the people around him are pushing him into the spotlight for their own reasons.

But Viktor thinks he knows better than everyone. He knows better than Jayce how to make hextech work. He knows better than Heimerdinger how to control and wield magic. He has a brief moment of humility when Sky dies, which, ironically, the hex uses to manipulate him to grow his ego even more.

He knows better than those shimmer addicts what they need. He knows better than Singed how to save Vander. He knows better than Jinx what she could do with her skills. He knows better than everyone, and if they would just stop arguing, he could bring true peace and harmony to the world.

And because he thinks he knows better than everyone, he erases everyone's humanity. He removes the parts of them that would argue with him, push back against his actions, or cause any conflict whatsoever. Only harmony is allowed, so if you disagree with him, the part of you that disagrees will simply be removed. Viktor knows what's right. You do not.

This is fascinating, because, to all outward appearances, he's pretty meek and mild. He doesn't raise his voice, he doesn't scoff at people, he doesn't insult them. He just quietly, internally, thinks that they are ignorant and wrong.

And that's why only Jayce could get through to him. Because only Jayce went through the same journey Viktor did while retaining his humility. Jayce never wanted to be in charge. Jayce never wanted to change the world. He just wanted to show everyone the beauty in magic that he saw as a boy—the beauty that was Viktor all along. Jayce never cared about ego or ambition. He didn't want Viktor's legacy. He just wanted his partner back.