#I Mean Not Really

[razielim]

being an adolin kholin fan is the gift that keeps on giving. every fucking book he just gets better and better, aging like fine wine

when he murdered sadeas i didn't think he could get any better. and then he got better

[pengold]

Francis Mosses, the "Milkman"

.

Headcanon is just that he is legit a serial killer.

[ecoterrorist-katara]

“Katara deserves a quiet life after the war, so becoming a healer (who made no contributions to the field) is actually a good arc!”

It is already bizarre to me that in ATLA, Katara is this confident & combative & ambitious girl who LOVED to fight and wanted nothing more than to help as many people as possible…then comics!Katara and TLOK!Katara showed neither her previous personality traits nor a career commensurate with those traits…

but it’s even more bizarre to me that ATLA fans would defend her trajectory as if it were some kind of progressive story of recovering from war trauma.

I’ve seen multiple takes like this. “Katara is not a YA heroine, she’s not a bloodthirsty girlboss who loves fighting so it’s actually a good thing that she doesn’t have to fight anymore” “after everything she’s been through she deserves a quiet life and a loving family”

For Katara, fighting in the war was actually empowering. It didn’t burn her out. It didn’t disillusion her. It didn’t take more out of her than she can give. Katara is not Katniss Everdeen, who needed to step back and discover her own agency and a sense of peace after fighting in a war she never chose to start. Katara’s war trauma largely happened before she took an active part in it. After she chose to be a part of the war, she became a waterbending master, made close friends, found her father again, got closure for her mother’s murder, defeated the Fire Lord, and met the love of her life. If Katara were a real person, maybe she’d be traumatized, but nowhere in the text of ATLA does she exhibit the sign that she’s tired of fighting on behalf of the world. If anything, she just got started.

If you take her post-ATLA arc at face value (vs as bad writing), it’s a tragedy of a woman who has learned to minimize her own relevance and her own power. In The Promise, she begins deferring serious decisions to Aang. She doesn’t even express a strong opinion about the fate of the entire colony of Yu Dao, or the fate of her friend Zuko. In North and South, she accepts Northern encroachment of the South in the name of progress. In TLOK we see her not as a politician or a chief, but rather as “the best healer” — albeit one who apparently never established a hospital, or trained acolytes of her own, or done anything to help people at scale, which she has always wanted to do. It’s even more egregious when you remember that in Jang Hui, she was not satisfied to simply heal the sick as the Painted Lady. She wanted to solve the root of the problem, so she cleaned the river and committed full-on ecoterrorism. Just because the war is over doesn’t mean she wants to stop helping people. In fact, the problem she addressed in Jang Hui is exactly the type of problem that would become more prevalent after the war ends, judging by the rapid industrialization between ATLA and LOK.

In the original ATLA, I think Katara is about as close to a power fantasy as you can get for a teenage girl, because she gets to be messy and goofy and powerful, even though she also had to perform a whole lot of emotional and domestic labour. But post-ATLA, she doesn’t get power and she doesn’t get to make a change. She gets love and a family. That’s it. And her grandkids don’t even remember her. Her friends and peers, on the other hand, were shown doing all sorts of super cool things like, you know, running the world they saved.

It’s not feminist to say that a female character deserves “rest” when she’s shown zero inclination that she wants a quiet life. Women who want a quiet life deserve to get it — I think Katniss’ arc is perfect — but women who want power deserve to get it too, especially when they’re motivated by compassion and a keen sense of justice. There’s nothing feminist about defending the early 2010s writing decisions of two men. Like just admit that they fucked up! It’s fine! Maybe they’ll do better in the future!

[windybluebelles]

Guys where tf did Stephanie Brown grow up. Like. Canonically???

Cause the only thing that comes up when I google it is ‘the suburbs’ and ‘the perimeter of the city’ and I’ve read a lot of fics that say she was from Crime Alley which I’ve been told is false.

I’ve seen quite a bit saying that maybe she’s from the narrows? Which makes sense to me being that it’s the main poverty area of Gotham and I think it’s canon that her parents didn’t have much money (saying as her dad was a criminal)

I haven’t read enough official comics to be certain tho so if anyone has any more insight I’d be grateful

[piowasthere]

4. healer

[prompt list by mossypidder]

[dippedinmelancholy]

Is it weird if I say I think I might have found Elain a bit more endearing if Feyre was right, and she really was just kind of . . . dim witted? Didn’t think enough to think she could actually help? Not cruel, not exactly stupid but just . . .an airhead from a life of being coddled by her entire family? Glenda (Wicked) is endearing, for this exact kind of reasoning.

It could have been interesting, see her thrust into the cauldron, into the war, into the world of the fae and suddenly gifted as a seer, struggling with what could come to pass, forcing her to actually think about her actions and their consequences, and everyone else’s. Air headed isn’t an insult imo, it’s a character flaw that could have led to some interesting things and character development.

Instead ACOSF makes it so clear she’s not an airhead, she sees a lot of things and always has, and just . . .hasn’t cared as long as it didn’t negatively affect her. It’s a special kind of cruelty, one that is really passive and honestly really common in the real world. Elain kind of has that southern american aura of, it’s fine if you’re miserable and falling apart and borderline suicidal behind closed doors . . .as long as you’re presentable, faking interactions with your family, and maintaining a respectable reputation, regardless of the truth. Don’t embarrass your family or upset the social balance, no matter the cost to your soul and mind.

Unfortunately that makes it really hard for me to care about her beyond “I don’t want to see this character expressly hurt, but she honestly sucks.”

[lucent-roase]

my brother told me that it would be cool if Willow had plant hair and i said yeah that would be cool

she has a hat

[evereverest2]

“No one quite mourned like Omega ghoul…”

[from my fic titled Mourning]

gotta be honest i hate how this turned out but ill be damned if my time spent drawing mindlessly in my Charles Chestnutt class went to waste

buy me a kofi <3

[securitycapecreature]

Reblogs are greatly appreciated!!

[lizzzybooo]

My take on Blitz's intimacy issues and why everything that's happening now with Stolas just plays into them even more (the essay):

Okay before you get mad at me, I love this development for Stolas, it makes perfect sense for his storyline to live as a regular demon and see the class system first hand, and understand how he was part of it. also the fact that basically everyone predicted this is an indicator for me that this is the right way to go, since it makes the most sense for the story. But this post is going to be about Blitz so there we go:

The one thing that bugged me for a while since realizing this is the direction the story is going to take is the fact that Blitz will not have the chance to get over his inferiority complex.

We see throughout the show that Blitz actually doesn't have a problem loving people who are equal or "beneath" him in status. He loves Moxxie and Millie, he loves Loona, he loves Fizz (i know Fizz is more successful but he's still an imp, and someone Blitz has known since he was young and vulnerable). The way I see it he's fine as long as he sees himself as useful to them, as the protector and provider. He employs the M&Ms and Loona, he even adopted Loona, putting himself in a position of superiority and responsibility, and them in a position of dependency on him.

He is also VERY protective with the ones he loves. I always see posts about how sweet it is, for example how he protected Fizz when they were kidnapped, how he put himself between him and any potential danger, and that kind of behavior is shown all the time in the show. And while sweet, it's also his comfort zone. As long as he can be the one protecting them, the one in charge, he's okay with their relationship.

One of the reasons he's so uncomfortable with his and Stolas's power dynamic is that he doesn't see where he can fit into his life. Stolas doesn't really need his protection, he knows Stolas is basically playing out a fantasy when he asks him to bodyguard. He's very dismissive when Stolas is in real trouble, since he's so powerful, so Blitz can't possibly be of any use. It makes him feel belittled to have his weaknesses in comparison to Stolas thrown in his face.

He is maybe impressed (and turned on) when Stolas saves him from DHORKS but he's also uncomfortable, because he doesn't like to be on that side of things.

We only see him warming up to Stolas when Stolas appears weak. When Stolas is very sad over Blitz, Blitz suddenly gets more invested. Because even if physically he's still so strong, maybe mentally Blitz can be his protector, and Stolas might be dependent on him, which is what Blitz seeks in relationships.

I think it's very natural but also a bit toxic (not in a "he's horrible" kind of way, but in an "interesting for the narrative" kind of way). Blitz needs this dependency to feel comfortable in a relationship, because then he's needed, and then he's not going to be left behind.

I think the same thing probably happened with Verosika. She's more successful, she has a higher status, she doesn't need him. But she wants him, and that's not enough, because wanting can change. He can screw up her wanting him, since he doesn't believe someone can love him genuinely, but someone less fortunate (like the M&M's, like Loona) will always need him. And even though Fizz for example is a lot more successful, Blitz can still somehow find his place with him as his protector, it's still a position he's comfortable enough with.

Now if we look at stolitz again, Blitz is suddenly very willing to be openly affectionate with Stolas. Yes, it probably also has to do with the fact that he had time to think about it, he came to the realization that he actually did like Stolas and all that, but still, I'm pretty sure Blitz's sudden willingness to take Stolas in, the sudden gentleness and adoration, has something to do with the fact that Blitz, deep down, is pretty happy with the turn of events. Taking care of a wounded bird that has nowhere else to turn to, that need Blitz to protect him and provide for him? Sign him right up.

Now Stolas is obviously weaker than him, hated, in need, it's very easy for Blitz to be his hero (doesn't help that Stolas basically shoved his own "knight in shining armor" fantasy down Blitz's throat their whole relationship). They are not forming a relationship now as equals, they just switched the roles, and Blitz is a lot more comfortable like this.

Now I don't actually have a problem with this since I think it's interesting, but I do hope it'll be addressed. Like if Stolas gets his power and status back, will Blitz be able to handle it? Will he put up walls again? Will he feel tossed aside since when Stolas is powerful, he doesn't need him, so how possibly can he want him?

Part of me wishes they didn't take the "easy" route for Blitz's character. That they let him learn how to be loved even when he's not necessarily needed for survival. But we still have 2 more seasons to go, so I'm optimistic!

Anyway this is my essay on this subject lol, I know it's super long but I would love to read more takes on this so tell me what you think!

[avianii]

@calkale ok so I have no clue why my house has a concerning lack of beads but I felt like showing off my fav pair of converse ever today :D

[evilbookworm]

So I’ve seen a lot of people talking about evidence of possessiongate…but has anyone talked about THE TRUE PAIN OF IT?

It’s almost like it’s churcgate reversed. Imagine Mike quickly catching on to Vecna being in his head in s5, and telling the others, then proceeding to completely isolate himself from everyone. Locking himself in his bedroom. Going out by himself at night. Being generously reckless because he needs Vecna out.

And the others are so so worried. Especially Will. Because he knows what it’s like. And he wants to help Mike, but every time he tries, Mike snaps at him. Just like he does with everyone else. But sometimes, if he’s lucky, Will can see a piece of the real Mike breaking through. A small smile. A hand gripping his arm gently. A soft “Will…”. But he can’t ever say what he really means.

Anyways, eventually, Mike loses it. He’s terrified he’s going to hurt someone. El…Holly…Will. He would never forgive himself. So, one night, when everyone’s asleep, he slips out and goes to the Quarry. You know, the same one where he nearly committed suicide? And he just stands there. For a long time, feet less than an inch away from the edge. The only thing that’s stopping him is vecnas influence.

Back at the house where everyone is, Will is the first to wake up and notice Mike’s absence. He panics and immediately wakes up Jonathan, who wakes up Nancy, and they go out and search for him. It takes them a long time. Will is on the verge of giving up and breaking down. But then they see a figure standing at the edge of the Quarry. It’s Mike.

Will cries out. Mike doesn’t move. Nancy calls his name. Nothing. Mike just stands there. “I can’t do it,” he says. “Mike…get away from the edge,” Nancy says quietly. “I can’t do it, he won’t let me,” Mike sobs.

Anways should I make a fic on this???

[incorrect-ironwidow]

Qin Zheng: I’m just trying to make the world a better place! Or at least a place with slightly more interesting headlines.

Click here to join our Iron Widow server!

[books-and-omens]

apropos of... kind of everything

remember Neil Gaiman’s sonnet?

I don't think that I've been in love as such, Although I liked a few folk pretty well. Love must be vaster than my smiles or touch, For brave men died and empires rose and fell For love: girls followed boys to foreign lands And men have followed women into Hell. In plays and poems someone understands There's something makes us more than blood and bone And more than biological demands... For me, love's like the wind, unseen, unknown. I see the trees are bending where it's been, I know that it leaves wreckage where it's blown. I really don't know what "I love you" means. I think it means "Don't leave me here alone."

[lar-arts]

"Somehow, that Itadori boy is more unsettling now that when he had that curse inside him..."

No actually yuuji consumed Sukuna and now they live as one. Yes, Gege told me, it is true

[actual-lea]

I must say, especially now after last night's episode of Severance, I am really not beating the "motherfucker who compares everything to Kingdom Hearts" allegations.