#I could’ve extended this but

[comically-blu]

Doodle break dump that is a sequel to this comic - basically pre-portal billford in PW:ALTL casually snuggling in the mindscape (fortunately to Ford’s life). Mostly that touch-starved triangle getting clingy.

Ford’s response to Bill’s words in the comic: he wasn’t so opposed. To being reminded of how

Full doodle page:

[unordinary-diary]

Seraphina and Arlo: The Brainwashing of High Tiers

Exposition:

— Remi, Episode 50.

There is a heavy implication that Seraphina and Arlo were raised in much the same way. The pressure on Seraphina comes from her parents, so I’ll extrapolate that the same goes for Arlo. This raises the question: how do the authorities create such a strong societal pressure on such a small percentage of the population? Most high tiers will probably not know any other high tiers besides their parents. Take Wellston Private High School for example: it’s the most prestigious private school around, and canonically has the “highest concentration of high tiers in the region”. There are six high tiers in Wellston. Apply this to god tiers specifically, and there are only three. Not to mention that this current group of students is uniquely strong, even for Wellston. In Rei’s senior year, he was the strongest at 5.8 max.

So much of this brainwashing relies on the parents to do all of the work, and it only takes one or two people to break the cycle. So how are the authorities creating this immense pressure? One tactic could be by isolating high tiers. There is a very widespread concept that one shouldn’t associate with those outside their level range. A caste system like this that affects everyone is much easier to create and maintain than an expectation for a small group, and it also means that high tiers are only being influenced by those who are also high level. This creates an echo chamber. I’ve researched cults and how they brainwash victims, and the first step in the process is isolating them in exactly this way.

But, if there are so few high tiers, how the hell are they supposed be isolated from other groups? The answer is that high tiers are just isolated in general. Take a look at Arlo: his only friend is Remi, and even her, he keeps at an arm’s length. Arlo is only close with Remi in the first place because he was close with Rei, who, at the time of meeting Arlo, was presumably close in level with him. [EDIT: I forgot about Holden, which I think says a lot about his relevance. He is kept at more than an arm’s length and doesn’t seem to have any actual influence on Arlo, let alone a deep relationship. He is also not presented as an equal.] Take a look at Seraphina: before meeting John, she didn’t seem to have any friends other than possibly Arlo. Seraphina and Arlo pre-John seemed to have had more of a professional relationship, and while they were not close in level, Arlo did fit the bill of being a fellow god tier, and strong enough to also be brainwashed.

Now let’s look at Remi. In episode 60, Cecile says to Remi: “And yet here you are... Always hanging around those two monkeys, Blyke and Isen. Letting them treat you as an equal even though you’re in a completely different league.” This struck me as odd because, aside from Cecile herself, the Wellston students closest in level to Remi were Arlo, Blyke, and Isen. And who is she friends with? She actually was doing a pretty good job at following that social convention, unless Cecile wanted to be friends with Remi, which she clearly didn’t. But... her friends were still not close enough to her level. Was she supposed to just not have friends at all? The answer seems to be a resounding yes. Can you think of any genuine friends that Cecile has either?

Friendship simply isn’t considered a necessity for high tiers.

But... why is it that Arlo and Seraphina were brainwashed differently? Creating a societal norm for an isolated group of people is one thing, because those people’s mindsets feed into each other. Putting pressure on individual families to keep them in line, but doing it all in different ways? That would be near impossible. My theory is that Seraphina recieved the typical high tier brainwashing, and that Arlo was raised differently because he was being groomed to work for the authorities. Seraphina didn’t have a set career path planned out for her, but if she’s trying to be “perfect” by the standards of those controlling her, she’s bound to end up going in a direction that pleases them. Arlo on the other hand was specifically planned to become an authority figure. That’s why his brainwashing is so centered on leadership. Also, growing up with direct contact to the authorities makes it more possible for them to customize his brainwashing in this way.

But does all of this apply to high tiers in general, or is it specific to god tiers? Let’s take a look at the high tiers in Wellston. We have Seraphina, John, Arlo, Terrence, Remi, Cecile, and Blyke. John is a unique circumstance because he wasn’t raised by high tiers, so we’ll cross him off the list. Terrence was also unique, so we can cross him off as well. Remi was different from the norm as well. Why is that? Well, Remi actually wasn’t raised by high tiers either. Rei said on screen that both of his parents were elites. We can cross Remi off. Blyke doesn’t fit the bill either, but that’s easy to explain. He was an elite for a large part of the story, and he shot up rather quickly. We don’t know much of his family, but he probably wasn’t expected to be a high tier at all, and was raised as an elite. (All of this also serves to emphasize how much of this brainwashing comes from a person’s parents.) That leaves only Seraphina, Arlo, and Cecile to look at.

Cecile does seem to have high tier brainwashing, but it’s not nearly as intense as with Seraphina and Arlo. She doesn’t seem “obsessive”, and she wasn’t one of the examples Remi mentioned in chapter 50. It’s clear that high tiers are brainwashed in general, but god tiers are kept on a much shorter leash. This makes sense, obviously, because keeping a population in control like that is less necessary the lower the level. However, it’s also a chicken an egg situation: god tiers are both more important to keep in control, and also easier to keep in control. It’s important to note just how many exceptions we had to cross off. People like Remi and Blyke aren’t actually that unusual— a lower leveled high tier is much more likely to have non-high tier parents, or to have not always been a high tier themselves, or just in general, to have way more day-to-day interaction with non-high tiers. The brainwashing gets more and more diffused the lower down the ladder you go.

[aerospectrum]

today is one of the hardest days I’ve had in life and I do not feel even a little bit ok. I need a hug and the ability to visit the rainbow bridge just for five more minutes. he was ready; I just wish I’d been too so that it didn’t hurt so much.

hey Boots, you can probably hear me now and you’re probably feeling the best you ever felt. they’re gonna ask if you were a good boy but don’t be scared, I already told them that you were the best boy. go explore that great unknown, buddy, I’ll miss you for the rest of my life 🥺🩵😣

[frauleinfunf]

obsessed with the fact that this means coach hedge theoretically sang “To kill them is my real test/To train them is my cause”

[goated33]

Was Vaggie going to permanently kill the loan sharks.?? I know Alastor had to let loose or there’d probably be (far more imminent) danger but I wish we could’ve seen her kill all of them by herself 😔

[thats-my-passion-right-there]

I finally saw the mean girls musical (the movie one) I have so many fucking thoughts oh my god

[tea-cat-arts]

Fu Hua and Senti are the only characters that should be allowed to interact with Kevin actually

[isanyonetoknow]

anyways I need so desperately to meet other people whose family is all still in Iran. No shade to the few Iranian friends I’ve had/have but like. Well one of them was like “I would like to go but I just can’t with the government like that” and one reason they can be that comfortable saying that is because a lot of their extended family is here in the us. If I said that then I would never get to see anyone from my extended family. like do you understand how there’s no choice in that situation for me.

[lesbianboyfriend]

“hello professor can i use my assignment extension accommodation to extend this assignment”

“hello [irl name spelled wrong], if you want to make up points you can do an extra credit assignment”

“thank you professor! not at all what i asked or what you are required to offer me according to the agreement you signed at the beginning of the semester…❤️”

[aceofstars16]

I’m just making Bluey polls don’t mind me

[rotiaftermath]

Y’know I think a Zoey and lightning rivalry would’ve been interesting like… Zoey canonically hates jocks and lightning is like the quintessential dumb jock so she judges him harshly and antagonizes him from day one or something

[aj-lenoire]

so unfair that none of rhaenyra’s first three kids have white hair. alicent has dark hair and somehow all of her kids turned out blond, like come on, how did none of rhaenyra’s?? they also have one light-haired and one dark-haired parent, and as to laenor being darker skinned i knew a guy at uni with one black grandparent (just like laenor’s theoretical kids with rhaenyra would have) and he was as pasty as i am! the only way you could ‘tell’ was that he had really curly hair! i know this is a show and i know this is meant to spark narrative conflict but i didn’t draw all those god-damn punnet squares for alicent’s trio of weirdos to all be blond!

[diary-of-ophelia]

crying over new perspective by noah kahan isn’t a phase it’s a lifestyle

[l0std1adem]

I’m going insane all of my friends are going to see family after winter break

[iwatcheditbegin]

My mom screaming at me and shaming me in front of company for “wasting so much food”. As If that added public shaming is really gonna help someone in ED recovery.

[kavehater]

It’s so funny that alhaithams inspo, ibn alhaytham, also pretended to be insane except I don’t even need to pretend cause of exhibit a) me checking her page at least 15 times a day to see what she’s up to but she’s up to nothing and she’s not texting me or talking to me at all nor did she notice whatsoever ;-;