#I do think it's pretty funny that it feels like we weren't worthy to witness both Lena and Cat in scenes at the same a time

[touchoffleece]

I came in late to the fandom but from deep dives into fan discussions that were sapphic Supergirl themed my guess is that it would have made more infighting then we already had with Sapphic Alex Shippers, and Dreamer stans. Yes there's cross over in sapphic Supergirl Shippers, Alex having her awakening fans, and Dreamer stans, but I am referring to the "As a fellow gay there can only be 1 gay character and-or 1 queer relationship having focus in a show at a time" despite Kara being very queer coded since seaons 1 (Winn thinking she was gay, Leslie Willis calling Supergirl gay coded via radio broadcast, "I would date her! [about Lucy Lane]") before Alex was written to be closeted or Dreamer was even in the show. It's hard for me to better explain it, because a lot of the examples I could point to are scattered all over the internet in all sorts of posts, but I am sure most Supergirl fans who rooted for Supercorp to be a possibility can recall examples of what I tried to describe because they most likely ran into them at some point. A lot of the time those types of arguments came up for reasonings why sapphic Kara shippers should drop that and focus on shipping the "existing gay stories" like Alex or Dreamer's love story with Brainy, despite season 1 Kara being gay coded in plain text. That paragraph will most likely be a hard pill to swallow for said fans who contributed to that animosity and in fighting but for the sake of this hypothetical we got to remember how much infighting we had with only 1 possible sapphic Supergirl ship we could all agree on as the highest possibility for Kara. Another hard to swallow pill would be taking time to recall a certain actress' shade at Supercorp shippers late into the show's life span with the release of a certain one off comic that hinted at Supercorp. Despite the bitterness of that I want to acknowledge the hurt those statements made (without flat out re-digging details) because it fueled one last horrible in fighting in the queer Supergirl fandom to the delight of known homophobic trolls. What about Jeremy Jordan's homophobic moment in that impromptu song challenge, you might wonder if I'm bringing the questionable antics of the actors and actresses? A lot of queer fans can agree Jeremy's song was a thoughtless dick move towards the queer Supergirl fans, but back then it happened when there was more plausible deniability towards the queer coding of Lena and Kara were portrayed as (end of season 2) compared to post season 5 (can't recall exact date of when that Batwoman one off comic came out but even at season 5 supercorp was way more heavily coded compared to season 2) of supergirl when that comic and the whole discussion those tweets started. All that mountain of text to try and show that if there was that much in fighting all ready when the most hard hitting romantic coded story we had was between Lena and Kara, there for sure would have been more shit show conversations of both" well meaning, bad faith, and in between conversations with SuperCat still in "the running". Not to mention SuperCat had been already been painted as problematic for the age difference, people getting into fights over whether it was incestuous because people being able to read Cat and Kara as a psudo mother-daughter relationship, or that there were abusive power dynamics because Cat was Kara's boss and a news media owner who also pretty much could expose Kara as Supergirl. Another issue I think that would have popped up is that straight up sapphics love Katie Mcgrath and would have started focusing on criticizing Calista Flockhart (which yes also made sapphic swoon, but we see how down bad people are for Katie Mcgrath both on a conscious and unconscious level, even to the point many tend to favor Lena over Kara) on a level that brought no value towards character analytics or romantic couple dynamics. I really liked Cat, and constantly wish we got more Cat Grant and Kara moments, but overall I think it was for the best that we only got 1 of those powerful women at a time to be shipped with Kara.

every now and then I think about what the ships situation would be like in the supergirl fandom if cat never left (because of dumb cw location change 🙄) because like without a doubt supercat was THE sapphic ship (if not just general ship) for season one and like if you check ao3 they have a fairly decent amount of fics (3,371) for a ship that is considered “dead” (never in my heart though) and was only super prominent within canon for one and like a half season with little bits and pieces here and there so I’m just really curious in terms of how supercat would have fared vs supercorp had cat stayed for the whole series and we got more interactions and storylines between her and kara

like would supercorp still be the most popular ship on the show (and pretty much the sapphic scene atm based on fic numbers) or would supercat stayed as the most popular ship since season one? I mean I know for a fact there would have been ship wars all of the place but ignoring all of that I’m definitely super curious about what would/could have happened had cat stayed in terms of ship dynamics

[sideprince]

A movie question I wanted to throw your way: what do you think about the decision to use a decent amount of physical acting on Rickman’s part for comic effect? I’m thinking his snatch of thin air in Philosopher's Stone, his creeping along the table towards Ron and Harry in Chamber, his dramatic point in that same scene, his walk up to the stage for Dueling Club, his whacking students in Goblet and Order, etc.

On one hand, I feel like this does match the tone of the books; he canonically lurks and prowls and points and snatches at the air, and his menace is often undercut by a physical description that’s meant to be some level of comedic. On the other hand, we don't see Snape nearly as much in the movies as we do in the books, so this aspect of his character seems somewhat overinflated by the movies?

TLDR I don’t think these decisions in the movie were completely out of left field, but it also feels off for some reason. Idk I don’t know how exactly to verbalize my feelings on the matter and wanted to hear your thoughts!

It will probably come as no surprise that I feel like any answer to this question is inseparable from the absolute hatchet jobs that are Steve Kloves' screenplays for the HP franchise. This reply is going to end up inevitably long (you ask me about my favorite subject, you suffer the consequences), but all of it is ultimately framed by the problem of having to make the best of a badly written script. (**edit: This post is way too long. Run away. Don't look back.)

The writing doesn't support the story

The first thing that jumps out to me is that there's a separation between where and how these comedic moments are used, up until the end of GoF and after. They're more a part of the story only until Harry's story arc reaches the point of Cedric's death, when he first witnesses death in the way that allows him to see thestrals after. GoF is when the story takes its first dark turn, and up until then the tone and story is much more in line with children's literature, so it makes more sense that Snape is portrayed in a bit of a playful way. After GoF - even though the films reveal it as an aside and much later than the original story does - Snape resumes his role as spy and becomes more integral to the story as a key character and is thus no longer just a foil in a children's story. I think what doesn't work about it is the inconsistency. The books have comedic moments with Snape too, which are cartoonish, up until the end of DH - I feel those are also out of place, but at least their existence gives a basis to what's done in the films.

Nevertheless, one of the biggest problems with the films is that they're badly edited. I'll leave that analysis for another post (you're welcome), but essentially these comedic moments feel inconsistent in part because there's often a disconnect between the performance a director has asked of his actors and the tone that's established in the editing room once pacing and a soundtrack are added. Any vision a director had for these films was muddled by the involvement of big studio producers and limitations. This is made more jarring by the way that Kloves has interjected light, funny moments in awkward ways throughout the scripts. He struggles overall to convey the world that Rowling has created, and if it weren't for the brilliant production design of Stuart Craig, Kloves' failures would be much more obvious (again, worthy of its own roast post).

Take the scene where Snape whacks Harry and Ron on the head in Gof: why are the students all studying in the Great Hall? Why are various years sitting together? Why is Snape overseeing them? It's a scene almost verbatim out of the book (Fred asks Angelina to the ball casually, he and George tell Ron and Harry to get dates "before all the good ones are gone," we find out Hermione already has a date), but like pretty much every scene that originally takes place in the Gryffindor common room, this one is moved to another location for no discernible reason. The main difference in the change is how restrictive it is: in the common room the children are free to be themselves, but in the Great Hall, under a strict teacher's nose, they have to be quiet and restrained. Another subject that would need its own post is the myriad of ways Kloves goes out of his way to rewrite settings and characters to avoid allowing them to express themselves or grow as characters, and how hard he works to stifle and limit them in ways that are convoluted and work against the story, as if he himself couldn't deal with any kind of emotional vulnerability (in a way, his scripts are a desperate cry for help). This directly contributes to why so many of Snape's comedic moments feel off.

The changes in the scene in GoF don't even make sense from a production perspective, as they required more actors, more lighting, and more setups. Instead of using the cozy setting of the common room to establish camaraderie between the students, Kloves replaced that energy and lightheartedness with Snape in a way that's uncharacteristic. The scene, as he wrote it, is already light and has humor, but Kloves doesn't trust it - he feels the need to exaggerate it and the casualties, as always, are the characters and their portrayal. It's as though he's following a formula and saying, "this page number/scene number must provide relief from the tension of the story" and then doesn't consider how following that directive fits into the rhythm of the narrative. It's closer to being an isolated scene akin to a comedy sketch than to a scene that's part of an act that's part of a film. It's worth noting that, in GoF, Kloves interjects this scene as if he's forcing this moment of comic relief into a story that didn't require it and then relies on playing off of Snape's usual seriousness as its crux. In OOtP, when there's a callback to it as Snape smacks Ron with a book again, it's no longer the point of the scene, but an aside in a comical montage focused on Umbridge (OOtP was also the only film not written by Kloves, so this moment is more likely the result of Michael Goldenberg trying to maintain a consistency with Kloves' work). Overall, I think that feeling of something being off is, again, more rooted in the writing than the performance.

Rickman as an actor playing Snape

There's a lot of criticism in the Snapedom of how Alan Rickman portrays Snape, but not enough acknowledgment that none of the characters are portrayed well, and most of it comes down to Kloves' writing of them. Book!McGonagall insists that all students under 17 are evacuated before the Battle of Hogwarts, where Movie!McGonagall only cares that the Slytherin students are locked in the dungeon, everyone else can stay, what does she care if first years die? Book!Hermione is intelligent and empathetic while Movie!Hermione is a two dimensional maternalistic harpy whose main job is to be a mouthpiece for plot exposition. Book!Ron is funny and brave and fiercely loyal, while Movie!Ron throws Hermione under the bus, is cowardly, and is reduced to a flatly written sidekick. Book!Harry is complex and while I could list a million examples, I'll stick to this one: in PoA when he finds out Sirius betrayed his parents, he's enraged but has no reply when asked if he'd want to kill Sirius. Movie!Harry says with conviction, and without prompting, that he wants to find Sirius with the explicit purpose of killing him. Every single character takes a hit because of how Steve Kloves writes them, and Snape is, sadly, no exception.

While some film shoots allow for improvisation, a big budget production on a tight schedule with scenes that require a lot of prep work can't afford to make many changes. So, for example, while Ralph Fiennes was asked to improvise his scene as Voldemort at the end of DH2 when he re-enters Hogwarts victorious (and that's why the dialogue is redundant and that weird hug with Draco continues to plague us), it could be done because the wardrobe and set and cast were already in place and the time required had already been scheduled in. It wouldn't be possible, though, to add an additional scene - like Snape going feral in the hospital wing at the end of PoA - unless it was written into the script. Additional actors would be required, which would mean coordinating with their schedules and adding them to the budget, not to mention scheduling in additional days with the crew who may already have other work lined up. It would require either pushing every other shooting day back - which is near impossible - in order to use the hospital wing set while it's still up, or tacking on production days to the end of the shooting schedule and rebuilding the set on those days. This can be done for necessary pickups that round out existing scenes, but you can't really say, "hey I decided we need a scene here that didn't exist before" without causing huge problems. Because of how contracts work, any significant scene changes would have to be sent back to Kloves who would have to write alternate scenes and/or dialogue, and even then if you wanted to fix a specific character's arc - like Snape's - you would have to add in so much that it just wouldn't be feasible. Screenplay lengths have to fall within a certain number of pages, because each page is approximately a minute of screen time, so adding a few more to a finished script mid-production is very difficult. The actors have to make the best of what's on the page. Which brings us to Alan Rickman, his choices as an actor, and what informed both him and the character of Snape.

Alan Rickman was a RADA trained actor, so his approach to a character involved a lot of physical work as well as character analysis. As far as I know, he was the only actor to contact JK Rowling directly to ask about his character, because he wanted to make an informed decision about how to play him since Snape was so nuanced and gray. Unlike some of the other actors (like Michael "DIDYAPUTYANAMEINDAGOBLETOFFIYAH" Gambon) Rickman read the books - those that were available when he took on the role, and each as they came out afterwards - and used them to inform his understanding of his character beyond what Kloves wrote (presumably in crayon with all the e's backwards). In interviews and Q&A's it's clear Rickman was fond of the HP books and story, and had a thoughtful process taking on Snape's character. He did not see him as a villain, because, as he's said, he didn't approach characters with that kind of judgment. And while I'm sure the egregious amounts of cash Warner Brothers threw at the actors was inevitably a factor for all of them, several of the ones playing teachers or other adults have said that they took on their role because a child in their life insisted on it, despite them being unfamiliar with the books, whereas Rickman's process was to read Rowling's books in order to decide whether to take the role. Again, he was a RADA trained actor, and thus had a meticulous approach to his work that followed a thoughtful, considered process and a decision based on whether he felt he could embody a character in a way that did them justice/if they were interesting enough to him. By the time he started shooting PS, he also had experience directing a film and was working as a director in theatre as well as still acting, so he understood the process from the perspective of not just an actor, but also as someone behind the camera, someone working with actors both as a peer and director, and someone sitting in an editing room.

We know from his diaries that he became increasingly frustrated with how his own process and expectations clashed with that of the producers on Harry Potter. He wasn't interested in renewing his contract after the first few films (goodness knows how much money they offered him in the end - his wife has said that he never let anyone else pick up a tab in a restaurant and if they argued, he would just say "Harry Potter."). He writes about seeing the films at premieres and being frustrated with how little story and development there is (especially for Snape), which makes me think there are deleted scenes somewhere that haven't been released. At one point he writes about a premiere party where he had internally lost patience with the three Davids (Yates, Heyman, and Barron). It's obvious that there's a discord between the work he wanted to do with Snape's character and what choices the production made:

He describes how, during the filming of the Yule Ball scene in GoF, there was an attempt to get him to dance but he refused because he didn't think Snape would dance:

It was a rare moment of potential for improvisation because, again, the set and cast and timing were already accounted for, and in this case there wasn't even dialogue. The scene where he smacks the boys with the notebook - as far as I know - was scripted. So there's a difference there in how much freedom he had, as an actor, to say no to what he was asked to do. Even in the above diary entry it's clear that, given his way, he felt the character wouldn't even be present in that scene, but he had no choice. This tells me that when he had more freedom to make choices, he did so based on his understanding of Snape as a character and, given that he was an actor who was both very respected (and got away with more than most) and also someone who could get argumentative about his character choices, I think this is the most apt lens to examine his physical work with Snape through.

Knowing that he wasn't interested in continuing the role of Snape after the first couple of films and that he was often frustrated with the lack of characterization and story arc, his physicality in his first scene in CoS (when he reprimands Harry and Ron for flying the car) says a lot. (Caveat that one of the reasons he didn't want to renew his contract was that the shooting schedule restricted his schedule and he wanted work on other projects, but I can't help but wonder if that had been the case had HP provided a more satisfying process.) It's almost certain that he had read all the available books by the time the scene in CoS was filmed, including PoA where Snape becomes apoplectic with rage in a way that, to a child reader, is comical (and intended to be) and to someone analyzing Snape is clearly rooted in triggered trauma.

Alan Rickman knew from the outset that Snape's motivation was his love for Lily, so he would have understood the dynamic between his character and Sirius re: who Snape thought sold Lily out to Voldemort. He would also have understood that Snape's reaction in PoA was more about distress and anxiety, and that this was connected to the promise Snape had made to protect Harry for Lily's sake. This would have therefore informed his portrayal of Snape's anger at Harry in CoS, and it's reasonable to assume that Rickman was trying to walk the line between the way Rowling portrayed Snape in full unhinged rage in PoA, what this tells him about this character when angered, and the connection between the moments in PoA and CoS when it comes to Snape's anxiety over Harry's safety. Unlike the author of a book however, who has full control of how they tell a story, Rickman was an actor in a film - an inevitably collaborative medium which therefore made his portrayal reliant on the decisions of others as well.

Chris Columbus, the HP movies, and feral Snape

PS and CoS were directed by Chris Columbus, the guy who directed both Home Alone and Home Alone II and Mrs. Doubtfire. He was a successful director from the 90s tradition of children's movies whose sensibility was informed by the era's attitude towards children's media: kids wanting to see themselves in narratives, in ways that felt empowering and allowed them to process the confusion of a world run by adults in playful, quasi-cartoonish ways within a 3 act structure where the villains - mean adults - get their comeuppance because it feels fair. One thing that set Harry Potter apart was that the villain was not the mean adult; Snape, the mean adult, is a character kids can hate and project their own experiences onto, but Voldemort is a true villain who represents evil and is vanquished by the hero. Chris Columbus established a tone for the first two films that was no longer apt by PoA, not only because it didn't work for the story, but because that 90s era of children's movies had ended and the culture moved on to more complex narratives (and Columbus has focused more on producing than directing since, because his style doesn't work for audiences anymore).

What's ironic about the way Snape's scene at the start of CoS comes off is that, in the book, there's a great comedic moment that's left out:

This is cut from the film, and instead it's Filch waiting at the top of the marble stairs who catches Ron and Harry being late and delivers them to Snape (I don't know why, the scene in the book is much more dynamic and would have taken up about as much time on screen). Rickman, meanwhile, is using the information he's gotten on who Snape is from the books, and imbuing some of that feral Snape energy into his portrayal of a Snape who is genuinely angry:

(Thank you for making these gifs @smilingformoney , they are truly the gift that keeps on giving.)

The thing is, no matter how much of feral Snape Rickman brought to this, no matter how menacing his performance is, this moment still lives within the dynamics of a Chris Columbus children's film. It gets cut off by Dumbledore's entrance - meant to be a comeuppance for Snape, since Dumbledore (being the voice of wisdom and fairness in this world) prevents him from punishing Harry and Ron (you know what, at least in the books they got detention, but ok). Despite Rickman's performance, Columbus as a director has framed this scene in the same context as the one Kloves cut. The tension is brief, and the focus is on Snape being foiled, because it's what children want to see - a mean adult experiencing consequences. It's down to the editing and soundtrack, choices Columbus made in the editing room. In addition, we don't know how many different ways an actor tries a scene, only what ends up in the final cut of a film. The process of the work done on a set is often much richer and more diverse than what an audience sees in the finished film.

Tbh I think this is also why Snape's feral moments were cut from PoA: it's a darker film, but had to straddle the line between being for both children and tweens and not getting too playful, nor too intense. As much as I want to see feral Snape on screen, it's extremely difficult to make work in a narrative that is about Harry and his friends. It either skews too intense, making the audience uncomfortable because seeing an adult becoming unhinged and in pain is difficult and frightening for most young people, even adults, and would therefore take away from Harry's goals and narrative as well as his changing relationship to Sirius (all of which is already barely supported by Kloves' writing). Alternately, it could also skew too comical and over the top, which takes the audience out of the tension of the film's climactic moments.

If Snape's story had gotten more focus and screen time, an unhinged moment would be better justified because the audience would have been more invested in the character and their arc. PoA sidesteps pretty much all of the most compelling parts of the book, which is the realization that Harry is not only connected to Sirius personally, but that his dad, Sirius, Lupin, and Pettigrew created the Marauders Map, that they were animagi, that Harry's patronus takes the form of his father's stag, and that Snape was initimately connected to all of them as well. For me, reading the end of PoA was what cemented Snape as someone who would be crucial to the narrative and whose role would increase as the series went on. As a result of Kloves skimming over these essential plot twists, Snape is a minor character in the film, showing up mostly as a foil who tries to expose Lupin and then catches him and Black in the Shrieking Shack (this also sets his character up to be minimized in every film down the line, which has a worsening impact as Snape becomes increasingly integral to the plot).

One thing I find interesting is that Snape's comical physicality changes over the films. In PS and CoS he's menacing, a looming, larger than life figure the children fear and easily assume to be a full-fledged villain. By GoF there's a relationship embedded in how he interacts with Harry and his friends. He's no longer terrifying, just intimidating, more of an adult Harry challenges than someone he must defeat. The comedic effect now comes from a rapport within an established dynamic between characters. By HBP, the only comical moment is at Slughorn's party, and it's no longer Rickman who uses physicality - the action happens around him, and the comedic effect is in his lack of reaction to any of it. In other words, he's no longer the comic one, he's become the straight man in a (badly written) comedy sketch (with abysmal timing, what even).

Ultimately, as with most of the characters in the HP films, Snape is undermined by the writing. Rickman was stuck working within the confines he was given. No matter how well he may have understood the character, the limited screen time and character development were always going to stifle how Snape was portrayed on screen. I'm very much pro Let Snape Be Feral but I also don't fault Rickman in how little we saw of that.

How Feral is Snape?

If I'm honest, I feel like the Snapedom has taken the Let Snape Be Feral thing and has started forgetting that he wasn't all-feral-all-the-time. The point of Feral Snape is that it's a heightened state of tension in a character whose trauma is being triggered. Apoplectic Snape wouldn't have an impact at the end of PoA if that was his usual way of being. And, as you so brilliantly showed @said-snape-softly Snape's speech patterns are primarily quiet and controlled, his speech gets softer the more dangerous his mood, and it's only after he reassumes his role as a spy that the description of his speech becomes increasingly volatile (but is still controlled). Feral Snape's definitive aspect is the lack of control shown by a character who usually is so exceptionally capable of self restraint and compartmentalization. So again, while I would have loved to see Feral Snape on screen, I think it's also important to acknowledge that this is not the defining feature of his character and is more about what those moments mean to his arc. Their absence is primarily due to poor writing that didn't create space for them (including what leads up to them), and the direction that didn't carve out any kind of niche for them, not Rickman's choices as an actor.

In fact, Snape as a character is defined by descriptors of his voice more than any other character by far. I have my own theory about why this is, and it has to do with Alan Rickman being inextricably connected with how Snape is written. Chris Columbus said that Alan Rickman was always Snape as far as he was concerned, because when JK Rowling showed him a sketch of Snape she had made, it looked exactly like Rickman. I don't think this is accidental.

Alan Rickman was always intended to be Snape

First, what's important to remember is that before Harry Potter, Alan Rickman was best known in the 90s for playing both villains and sad romantic leads. His signature defining feature was his voice. I think it was Ang Lee who described the casting choice of Greg Wise and Alan Rickman in Sense and Sensibility as wanting Willoughby (Wise) to be dashing and Brandon (Rickman) to be sexy (if this was Emma Thompson and not Ang Lee, my apologies, I can't remember where I read this and can't find the source). This is how Rickman was perceived by audiences up until Harry Potter. And I know a lot of the Snapedom considers him to be sexy as Snape too, but the general audiences of the films don't, so please don't @ me, I'm just setting up a point here.

This is relevant because, as we find out in the end of the books, Rowling wrote Snape's motivations to be rooted in romantic love (I'm very nobly putting aside, for the sake of focusing on Rowling's intentions, my personal interpretation that Snape's feelings for Lily were platonic, please acknowledge how brave I am for this). She pulls a lot from gothic tropes into how he's written, and as much as she's talked about the character having been inspired by a chemistry teacher she disliked, and as much as she's talked about Snape being both morally grey and someone she personally dislikes, she also romanticized him. Between this and what Chris Columbus said about her sketch of him, it's hard for me to ignore that this character, conceived of in the 90s, wasn't written with Alan Rickman in mind from the beginning, especially since Rowling herself has said that she envisioned him in the role. Whether or not he lived up to Rowling's imagination is, frankly, his choice and Rowling's problem.

The story of how Harry Potter was written according to JK Rowling is that it started with the idea coming to her on a train ride in 1990. She completed the PS manuscript in 1995. While everything I'm about to say is absolute conjecture, I can't help but wonder at the connection between these films and the way Snape was written (spoilers ahead, no regrets, these films have been out for over a quarter of a century - forgive my reviews, I can't help myself):

1988: Die Hard comes out. Alan Rickman plays Hans Gruber, a villain who is a genius, composed, controlled, and soft-spoken. (Great film, a classic, the only valid Christmas movie.)

1990: Truly, Madly, Deeply. Rickman plays a man whose wife can't get over his tragic death, nor can his own ghost, who comes back to spend more time with her. No one else can see him, and they can't really share a life anymore. She eventually lets him go as she realizes that his spirit doesn't belong in the mortal world and her own life can't move on as long as she clings to it. (Beautiful film, will break your heart and put it through a shredder.)

1991: Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. Rickman is the Sheriff of Nottingham, an unhinged, feral villain who wears all black complete with billowing cape. (Terrible film, disaster of a period piece, Rickman's performance is the only redeeming thing about it. Halfway through its press tour talk shows started booking Rickman instead of the lead, Kevin Costner, because Rickman stole every scene.)

1995: An Awfully Big Adventure. Rickman is an actor who comes back to his hometown to revive his role as Captain Hook in a local theatre production of Peter Pan. In the process he has an affair with a young ginger stagehand who reminds him of his lost love, a vivacious woman named Stella with bright red hair who, as far as he knows, birthed his child - a son - before she died. It turns out the girl he has an affair with is his daughter, which he realizes when he visits her home where she lives in the care of her aunt and uncle - whose name is Vernon - and connects the dots of who this girl's mother was. (He then rides his motorcycle out to the pier, screams "Stella" at the heavens like he's in a revival production of Streetcar Named Desire, trips and hits his head on the edge of the pier and falls into the water, drowning. I can't make this up. Mike Newell directed this. The same guy who directed GoF. As if following in the vein of the 90s movie obsession with incest as the controversial-trope-du-jour wasn't enough. I don't even need to review this, just sum it up.)

1995: Sense and Sensibility. Rickman plays Colonel Brandon, a forlorn, grieving man who lost his first love at a young age and spends most of the film pining for the only other woman he's ever had a romantic interest in. Wears all black, rides a black horse.

Given what a well-known actor Rickman was in the 90s - especially in England - and how connected his characters all seem to be to various aspects of Snape, it's hard not to see a connection. The entire premise of Truly, Madly, Deeply sounds like the inspiration for the Resurrection Stone in Deathly Hallows. The redheaded lost love whose child is left in the care of an Uncle Vernon in An Awfully Big Adventure is difficult to look past. All of these characters either exude menacingly soft-spoken Snape energy, feral Snape energy, or forlorn because of his lost love Snape energy. As a result, I feel like it's almost inevitable that Rickman inspired Snape, especially when you consider how known he was for his voice and how frequently Snape's voice is used to describe him. When Rowling said that she envisioned him in the role, it makes me wonder if she meant during the casting process for the first film, or well before it. I think his previous roles were a contributing factor in how the character was written in the books. After Tim Roth - who was originally cast in the role - had to back out due to scheduling conflicts, she got her way. Authors don't often get to choose who plays their characters, but in this case it worked out as the production thought Rickman was a good fit as well.

I'm done, I promise

So where does this leave things at the end of this horrendously long post? Rickman's choices of how he physicalized Snape - comedic or not - are only part of a larger whole. He was playing a character who was written based on his other roles, and limited by the shortcomings of how Steve Kloves translated that character from Rowling's books into his own screenplays. Whatever Rickman did on set was limited by that writing, by the directors he worked with, and by the choices made in the editing room.

I'm fascinated by the idea that Rickman was playing a character written with him in mind - but not really him, the him who embodied other characters whose echoes show up in Snape. It's difficult enough to contend with an actor playing a character in a screenplay you wrote with them in mind when you're directing your own script, because they'll never be what you imagined in your head. But for that process to get filtered through several directors, a team of producers, another writer who changes your work, and an editor, let alone throughout a decade of films - that's downright wild. The original intention gets lost and reinterpreted like a game of telephone, and I think that a lot of the consistencies between Movie!Snape and Book!Snape are down to Alan Rickman's nuanced and generous nature as an actor. If I'm honest, I'm not convinced that every Snape moment that comes off comical was meant to be so by Rickman. But again, film is such a collaborative medium that his intentions aren't the only ones that matter, ultimately, at least they aren't the only thing that ends up in the final cut.

My take, personally, is that I'm more interested in critical analysis than personal criticism. I respect that everyone has their own vision of a character and fandom is absolutely here for, among other things, having a place to share those thoughts and feelings. But a character is rarely going to appear on screen the same way you see them in your head, and that's not always going to be a fault, even if it's a disappointment to you. It's interesting to hear different people's perceptions, but there isn't that much to discuss there - you can't refute how someone feels, and you can't argue that their truth is what it is, to them. Whereas with critical analysis there's a lot more to talk about and examine, so it's where my own interest is much more invested.

[mielmoto]

(Pushing Chilchuck in here for the heart meme)

Drop me a character name and I’ll reveal my muse’s heart...

💔 Non-existent || 💗 Very low || 💗💗 A little || 💗💗💗 Hopeful || 💗💗💗💗 High || 💗💗💗💗💗 Maximum

Aha! There he is. I was worried you weren't going to make it, your majesty.

VISUAL ATTRACTIVENESS: 💗💗💗💗 (purely aesthetic appreciation of looks)

Going off of what we mutually agree is how we actually imagine Chil/picture him while writing + interacting? yeah buddy. while the breadth of what she finds visually attractive is pretty extensive, it's probably no secret at this point that Honey has a particular weak spot for the mature sorts—from the little peeks of grey which fleck through thick sideburns, the creases at the inside corners of his eyes echoing long nights, hard work, and worthy stories, to every blessed little hair which trace his arms and legs down to their endpoints; Mr. Tims is, quite frankly, a very appealing man by her standards. A little rough around the edges, with callouses and other little souveniers from ventures in dungeoneering and business alike, he looks very real—earnest, familiar, tangible... While she can (and does) appreciate the prettiness of things which are smooth, flawless, and symmetrical, Honey finds a lot more

FRIENDSHIP LEVEL: 💗💗💗 (how close a friend they consider them)

"Hopeful," as specified in the ratings above, is actually a good descriptor for once—they're still getting to know each other, as things stand, but I'd say the early impressions have been more than favorable, and even if nothing more involved were to come out of their acquaintance: Honey very much enjoys the moments they've stolen from one another, so far, and looks forward to more in the future. She's always in the market for a good drinking buddy, (though hopefully someone will collar both of them a little in that respect), endlessly appreciates a good (potential) business partner... and, perhaps more unique to him than many of her other friendships: she very much enjoyed meeting and entertaining Puckpatti, and would more than likely feel the same about seeing the long-suffering father play off his other daughters. *As the flamboyant, flighty, dramatic and bubbly sort that she is, I think Honey very naturally settles into dynamics with people who are a bit more straight-laced, dry-wit, and practical. Call it grumpy/sunshine or, as I think of it, a classic straight man/funny man compulsion.

SEXUAL DESIRE: 💗💗💗💗+ (...you know ( ͡°ᴥ ͡°) )

When we say DILF in this household we MEAN IT!! The mans seriously needs to relax, blow off some steam, and wholeheartedly indulge himself in ways he clearly doesn't allow himself to often enough—and, perhaps, hasn't for quite some time; to shirk off the mantle of responsibility, propriety, and nagging thoughts of what he should do or how his actions and choices might be perceived to—if only for a short while—listen only to what he wants and gives him pleasure... and she'd be more than happy to help deliver a little bit of that, given the chance ( ꈍ ᴗ ꈍ )

ROMANTIC INTENT: ........💗💗💗½ /+💗 (hoping for a romantic relationship)

Honey vc: ....okay listen. LISTEN.... [takes off running and jumps out the nearest window] ...surprise? (it certainly was for her)—but thinking long and hard about this one... yeah. Maybe it has something to do with her being a fair bit more established in the dunmeshi setting/verse (which is still being fleshed out), not as flighty and wayward in nature, but I'd safely attribute most of it to just Chil being... him, I guess. (Never could have guessed how much of a psychological impact seeing someone be a good dad to their daughter would have, lmao—) Chilchuck is well established in his community, committed to his people and his work (at times to a fault), and is obviously driven to be a part of his family's lives—perhaps making up for a bit of lost time, in some respects, but clearly investing his whole body, heart, and mind into those things he values most, with clear priorities. He establishes clear boundaries and refuses to be taken advantage of, but when he does agree to lend himself to something, he seems to give it 100%. ...all this to say: he doesn't seem the sort to do anything by halves. And that sort of attitude, that consistency, quiets a lot of the worries which usually nudge Honey away from the idea. *oh, and, I'd be remiss not to mention: the fact that he already has children, all mostly grown, and knowing isn't looking to expand it does play a part as well. not wanting to have children of her own has been a big deterrent in her 'romantic' pursuits in years past, as Honey knew she wouldn't be comfortable giving/be able to give a partner the 'family experience' if they decided that's what they wanted.

[ghstdoll]

salem had never been in love before, she wasn't sure if she knew what the word even meant because it's not something she'd ever been taught before, her mom never showed her much of it and love wasn't exactly the four letter word she would use for her dear fiancé. but how else do you explain this deep and intense emotion she feels for the man sitting on top of her? the way he makes her heart beat a little faster and all her skin feels warm, she needs him and touching him almost isn't enough to fix it.

but with this new amazing feeling comes with a new fear, her first fear...loss. leo was art cut from the finest of cloths the gods could find, with green eyes and a flawless smile, his skin practically glows under the dim lights making him shin through in ways no human being should be able to but....salem was a monster, there was a darkness inside of her that was always on the surface, begging to claw it's way out and it's something that has been part of her for as long as she could possibly remember. sure she was beautiful on the outside, that's something that she wouldn't ever deny but what if the ugliness on the inside would be too much for him to handle it she let him in too close? how could an angel like him love someone so fucked up? even if for now he seems to like it the male truly has no idea what salem was capable of or what she would do to make sure he stays hers forever. the femme giggles, shaking her head at his words. "I'll take good care of you, I have enough money to keep us both well taken care of for a long time." she purrs. thankfully due to her grandparents salem had more than enough money to live comfortably, she had a nice enough home...the only problem would be her husband-to-be getting in the way of all their fun. "we just might have to get rid of my fiancé first." she teases. "I don't think he'll like me having such pretty toys." despite the fact the other male cheated on her all the time...

salem giggles at his words, not because it's funny but because she's more than pleased with his response. nobody else is worthy, even to the point where she wonders if she should be allowed to witness such perfection, it's almost like he would be put behind glass where no one could ever lay a hand on him again so the fact he wants her too? it means the world to her. "I know, because you were made just for me weren't you? no one else is allowed to play with what's mine ever again." she giggles against his mouth, wanting to kiss him so bad but wanting to see how long it'll take for him to give in too. there's a shivered out moan as his lips connect to her skin, tilting her head to the side as she allows a shaky moan to leave soft lips in response to the way his tonuge feels pressed into her sensitive skin. "you don't have to ask permission to touch what belongs to you my sweet prince, if you're mine than I am yours. that's how this works." she growls a little, looking up at him with temptation in her eyes as she smirks softly. "my pussy, my tits... everything is yours if you want it spoiled boy."

the way he growls against her makes her feel wet between her thighs, a shiver falling down her spine as she nudges her nose against his own. "please make me forget." she says softly, biting down on her lower lip, there's a softness to her voice when she says it because in truth she really does want to forget, all the wrong bodies on her and the touches of those she could never love. she wants to forget it all and have every thought be replaced with thoughts of him. she smiles softly at his words, the idea of getting to see such a lovely face everyday sounds like a dream. "do you think I'm everything you hoped for?"

he's the prettiest thing she's ever seen, his cock feeling big under her hand and the way he eagerly jumps the palm of it makes her purr, biting down on her lower lip with a smirk as he cusses underneath his breath, giving in so easily to her dirty words as he repeats what she calls him. "why? you like hearing what a pretty little whore you are for me? dancing for me like this knowing I have someone back at home? you're so naughty..." she loves it though, she loves that he's truly willing to risk it all just for her. "your body is the most beautiful thing I've ever laid my eyes on leo, I knew from the moment I walked to you that you were everything I ever wanted." she wants him so bad that even her own teasing starts to frustrate her, wanting to pull his big cock from these pants and use him to her hearts greatest desire.

her fingers move against his dick, stroking him slightly as she watches the expression on his face change, almost as if it's offensive that she even mock him. she finds it cute, almost as if he's confident in himself but also greedy to have her even though he barely knows who she is all while moaning under her touch, letting her control his body. she smirks with a low purr, biting down on her lower lip because she didn't even want theo and her certainly wasn't better than the boy on top of her. "oh you're not used to being told you can't have what you want are you sweet boy?" she hums, seeing how frustrated he becomes to the point he even stops his movements, pointing out she wouldn't be here with him if her fiancé truly deserved her. "I do want you forever..." she starts, getting a bit more serious now. "and I never said I thought he was more deserving because I know he isn't just by looking at you...I guess I just wanted to see how serious you were about being mine so soon." she says gently, moving her hand off his cock for a moment so both of them can cup his sweet face, smirking up at him as her nose brushes against his own. "you don't even know me and you're ready to rip his skin off to have me." she smiles. he then introduces himself as regulus and the name makes her heart race because it's as beautiful as the boy sitting on her, she hums. "it's nice to meet you regulus" she whispers, pulling him in to press a deepened kiss to his soft lips.

she slides her tongue into his mouth, a soft moan leaving her as lips move against his for a long moment before she's pulling away, blue eyes flickering up to meet his gaze as her hand moves back down to his chest instead of moving back down to his cock however she pushes him off her lap gently, instead moving off the couch and switching their positions until she's in his lap, straddling him until she's pressed up against his cock. "I don't love my fiancé..." she says bluntly, pressing another kiss to kiss lips before moving down to kiss his neck, and then collar bone. "he's an abusive piece of shit with a small cock and even smaller IQ...he doesn't make me feel good." she mumbles, moving even lower until she's pressing a kiss to the males chest, her palms moving along side her against his skin. "but you, you're already so special and I knew that the moment I laid eyes on you..." salem licks his skin tentatively, letting her tonuge drag down before stopping just at his belly button, above his thong. "and your pretty cock is so much bigger." fingers tangle into the fabric until she's pulling downward on his underwear, tugging them down this thighs until his cock is peaking out from beneath them she then moves her hand toward his hardness, wrapping fingers around him as she begins to stroke him softly. "tell me I'm yours, tell me that he can never touch me again."

Regulus has been spoiled for most of his life, praised as the best son and given everything money could buy. He was always proud of himself for being the pride and joy, finding he thrived the best in the spotlight, being praised and loved by everyone because he had a pretty face and a way with words. Even at the strip club, it’s been a tainted version of that, being obsessed and fawned over by his clients, even if they don’t think so ‘highly’ of him, per say.

But this feels better than anything else before, giving him a genuine thrill because he realizes how badly he wants Salem to think highly of him. He wants to be her pride and joy; someone she finds so beautiful and charming that she wants him more than the others. He’s not a fool; he knows there have been others for her, the most beautiful woman he’s ever laid eyes on, and he prays they made as bad of an impression as men usually do. All he has to do is be prettier and more interesting than them, and surely Salem would give him a chance? Especially since she’s already talking about seeing him more than once…

Her fingers on his chest make his lashes flutter, looking down at how she touches his body as he’s moving on top of her. She calls him art, nudging her nose against his, their mouths so close that he can feel her breath. His heart is racing, wanting to kiss her but knowing he isn’t permitted to unless she initiates. But who really cares about such a stupid rule, anyway? He wants to break it, but she speaks again, threatening anyone who would think about touching him. He smiles, unable to help himself at the thought of her caring so much that others have touched him. “If you wish…” Who was he to deny the most beautiful girl on the planet carrying out acts of violence just because she desired him? “But you’ll have to be my sugar mama after, because I doubt they’ll keep me employed if I write you love letters when you go to prison.” What kind of stripper would be okay with the murder of his clients? One who was infatuated with a sexy girl who had an air of danger, apparently. He finds himself wondering how much of it is a joke, because he’s almost positive that nothing could deter the attraction he feels for her right now.

He’s moving his body against hers, his chest in her face and his hips grinding down into her touch, trying to get her to feel him with a desperate sigh. He shakes his head when she says he probably says these things to all of the girls, even though she’s teasing and probably doesn’t believe her own words. “You’re the only one I’ve ever offered sex to, so no, I never flirted with other girls like this.” Tammy only wishes, but instead she was stuck with a fantasy; something not even close to what he wanted to do to Salem. She says she wants him to play with her too, so he leans in, brushing his nose and mouth against her neck. Placing a soft kiss there, he barely licks her skin with the tip of his tongue. “Can I touch your body?” he asks softly, pulling back to look at her. “I can play with your pussy, or your tits… Or everything.” He shrugs, but his green eyes are burning with desire because he wants more than anything to touch her back.

He likes how she eyes his body, as if she’s checking him out the same way he keeps looking at her. It’s not like he isn’t used to it with this job, but it’s different with her, making him hard because it feels so good knowing she likes any part of him. He wants to be good for her; show her a good time and maybe more, judging on how she was talking.

She wants to make sure he can handle her, which seems like a good sign, especially when she gently bites at his lower lip and makes him moan against her mouth before she lets go. He licks his lip, trying to get a taste of her. “I’ve never had a girl this hot before, no. And you don’t have to worry about me not being able to keep up,” he hums, because he’s turned on by how she’s touching him. “I would fuck you so hard that you’d forget everyone you’ve had before me.” It’s almost a growl, because he doesn’t care about other girls or the other (stupid) men she’s been with. All he cares about is getting her for himself, and the touch of her palm isn’t enough. She asks him if he wants forever, which feels like a stupid question, because how could he not want the sexiest woman to exist for eternity? “When you look like this, you could use me every day for the rest of our lives and I would enjoy every second of it.” He knows he can handle it, no matter what she says– he’s never felt this level of attraction to someone before and he wants her, hoping this means it’ll be more than just once.

She calls him her pretty stripper, which makes his eyes flutter, a soft sound leaving his lips because of her praise mixed with the feeling of her fingers. But then she calls him her little whore, her fingers stroking his cock, and it makes him moan desperately, bucking his hips forward as he leans his body into her with desperation. The words take him by surprise, sending a rush of heat to his dick, throbbing for her because he’s so turned on. The way she debases him but calls him pretty makes him light-headed, loving the sound of her voice when she does it. She compliments the size of his dick, her fingers still moving against it and making him grind his hips eagerly, humping her fingers rhythmically. “Fuck,” he groans, desperate for more stimulation and hornier than he’s ever been in his life, but knowing he’s supposed to respect her wishes. “I’m your special little whore,” he gasps in agreement, rocking his hips so hard that he’s getting himself off against her perfect hand. “Call me that again…” He wants so desperately to hear her perfect voice talking to him like this, telling him how he’s her whore. “Do you like my body?” he murmurs, swaying in a way that causes his chest to drag against hers, his nipple piercings dragging against her skin. “My dick is big just for you… Let me show you how good it feels.” His words are a purr against her ear, moving against her as she speaks again.

‘Maybe if he’s lucky’, he’ll have her after tonight, she says. It drives him a little crazy, the teasing, so he pulls back to look at her. “Only if I’m lucky?” he asks softly, a frown tugging at his lips despite the pleasure from her fingers. She asks him to prove he’s more deserving than her fiancé, pointing out she doesn’t know his real name, but her hand is jerking him off slowly through the fabric. He lets out a low moan as his back arches, eyes fluttering closed from the pleasure of her touching his cock. It’s frustrating, both because she won’t go further and because she’s taunting him, asking questions about how deserving he is as if she thinks he isn’t. He stops humping her hand, green eyes opening as he sighs a little, meeting her gaze. “If you’re at the club with my cock in your hand, your fiancé already doesn’t deserve you. If someone deserved you, they would satisfy you and be grateful… You wouldn’t have even met me.” It takes everything in him not to encourage her to stroke his dick, because it felt better than anything he’s ever felt in his life. But he keeps his gaze even with her, pausing his movements. “Are you playing with me? You asked me if I wanted to be yours forever, but then you wonder if your fiancé is more deserving?” He almost growls it, his gaze raking her body out of frustration. “I’m better looking than your fiancé and my dick is bigger than his, but if you need a reason outside of that then I can show you several.” He pauses, before adding, “My name is Regulus. You can tell your fiancé that Regulus doesn’t think he’s deserving of his fiancé… Or I can.” The thought of it makes him angry, all of a sudden– almost getting Salem, but losing out because of a man she doesn’t even seem to like.

[prettyboykatsuki]

it wasn't like he ever meant for things to work out like that.

it was just the cost of his dedication, an unfortunate side effect of wanting to be the best. you were one of the few u.a. students not even in the hero course. you wanted to do research, and bakugou only knew of you because you asked to interview him for one of your projects.

a stupid dweeb was his intial impression. that you were. bookish and quiet and awkward. but you weren't meek. you were studious but took it all seriously. he doesn't really get it himself, you weren't the sort of person he was friends. no chance he would fall in love.

so he thought. at the time it never occurred to him it was that. he was too proud to seek you out but pretended your run-ins were accident. he listened to your nerdy rants about your latest subject when you called him for something hero related wanting to know the logistics.

and 3 years passed like they were nothing. his teen years were full of so many little events, and you were plastered to every corner. and you'd grown into someone else, still bookish and awkward but in a charming way that bakugou feel stupid.

seeing in your graduation gown, it occurred to him for the first time that he was probably in love with you.

but life kept moving. swept in the tide of his budding career - there was no real window of opportunity to pursue you. maintaining friendships with anyone who wasn't a hero was hard enough. he got accustomed to seeing you through screens, or keeping up wit your research in scholarly articles. the papers you'd published. the places you seen.

passively. he had learned to passively feel whatever you made him feel. there wasn't time for much else.

he's 25 when his hero career is finally manageable. he's still so busy, but he's hitting his stride where he can balance more things at once. bakugou is not a believe of fate. the cosmos has never been kind enough to him to indulge in the fantastical idea that things are destiny.

but it's all too coincidental to meet you again after 6 years without a single run-in.

chance, or god, or the universe - whatever made it happen has a funny way of directing his life. it would be that bakugou meets you buying office supplies, finds you in the aisle as you look over ink pens with those same qualities of excitement he had fallen for the first time.

"woah, katsuki, is that you? dude you're huge!"

and it would be so you, to address him by his first name as if you were still friends. and to tell him he's huge with not even an ounce of sarcasm in your tone.

"you're such an idiot."

he chats you up without much trouble at all. this is surprising. but it's not awkward. you catch up with him like you're old friends, and that it's only been a few months since you've last spoken and not 5 years. you have the same way of speaking, but you're confident. you were always pretty, but now you're got a charm to you that makes you beautiful.

it's a bad place, and a bad time to realize that the feelings he'd harbored for you years ago never exactly went away. that they'd merely become dormant and the sound of your stupid laugh is more than enough to remind him.

and he feels 15 again, to his detriment, as he watches you check out. you wait for him to do the same, and that gives him hope. and it shouldn't. but this time he doesn't want to love you passively. he's better now, more worthy.

"ya didn't have to fuckin' wait for me,"

"of course i did. what kind of friend would i be?"

his heart stutters

"you still think of us as friends, huh?"

"you don't?"

and he laughs for a while.

"nah.. i guess i do. and uh.. we should keep in touch," he says, words caught in his throat like a cough "i uh.. y'know. it was nice talking to you or whatever."

and there's a pause. a minute of silence where you're frozen before you relax and smile. you almost look hopeful, maybe shy. he doesn't want to read into it.

"im still free for today. if you want to go eat somewhere together."

he's taken aback, but he nods. this time he thinks, so quietly i won't fuck this up.

"yeah. yeah that uh.. that works,"

wow i miss bakugou terribly and can't think of anything other than bakugou being in love with you during his highschool career but never confessing only to find you again in his adulthood and still be just as in love with you that entire time