#I feel like I could’ve written something way more powerful but it’s such a hard topic for me so here’s a ramble that barely makes sense

[nonbinary-vents]

Saw a post recently from @jewish-sideblog recently about how people view the scope of the shoah and it kind of solidified something that's been bothering me for a while now. I think one thing that goyim fundamentally don't understand about the shoah is that it had huge effects on Jewish communities in the whole world, not just Europe, and not just during the genocide itself. Like, two of my grandparents were born and grew up in the British mandate. Amin Al-Husseini, the grand mufti of Jerusalem at the time, literally met up with Hitler to discuss the implementation of the shoah and a possible final solution in the Arab world. He also barred Jews from escaping to the mandate. If the shoah had just gone on a little longer, that part of my family would probably have been murdered

The shoah had gigantic ripples in the Middle East. Without it, the Mirzachi expulsion wouldn’t have been able to happen. And the expulsion still affects Mizrachim today. Most of us have bad family stories, most of us can't even visit the places we spent the diaspora in. The highest number of Jews in Islamic MENA countries is 10,000 in Iran, the place my family is from, where there used to be 100,000. In the Arab states it is so much worse, with the highest being around 1,00, but most countries having less than 50

That’s just one example, but there’s many more. This stuff went so far as to affect Ethiopia, which expelled its ancient community of Jews (or, at the very least, banned them from practicing or teaching Hebrew). Even years after the shoah, it caused so much suffering for Jews everywhere, wether Nazi countries or not. Frankly, it’s kind of baffling to realise that most people think it was a self contained event, when it was literally the climax of thousands upon thousands of years of violent and vitriolic Jew hatred— of course it would ripple. The shoah was an earth shattering event that changed Jews forever, it is something that every Jew, even ones who thankfully had no ancestors murdered because of it, feels so horrible deeply. Everyone, everyone, not just the Nazis, not just the Axis, was a part of it

[runninriot]

Love Me Til It Hurts

written for @steddiesongfics

song: Neon Noir by Ville Valo (2023) | rated: E | wc: 1.368 | cw: blood, blood drinking, blood kink (kind of), sexual content | tags: Monster!Eddie Munson, Monster Lover!Steve Harrington, Steve is a Freak, and Eddie loves him for it | also on ao3

Becoming a monster had always sounded kind of… intriguing.

The reality of it, however, sucked big time.

And maybe that’s just due to the circumstances of how it happened. Because nearly being eaten alive by demon bats in a place that resembles more hell than Hawkins (or- now that he thinks about it, maybe it just shows Hawkins’s true face because his hometown kind of always had been hell) and the fact that it fucking hurt to be transformed into the human-monster-abnormality that he is now.

So, yeah. Becoming a monster had been a literal nightmare.

Being one, on the other hand, is even crazier than he’d ever imagined it would be.

Sure, it was scary at first, to suddenly see the world in a different light. Literally. And to suddenly be able to hear sounds he’d never heard before. To smell and taste flavours he never even knew existed. But he soon learned to accept it, made peace with his new self and all the traits that come with it.

Being a monster is kind of fun, to be honest, and to feel superior in a way, to be stronger, taller, more powerful than he could ever have dreamed of being is just a bonus. A little cherry on top. Something that keeps him sane whenever the memories of their final fight against Vecna replay in his mind.

Because now, he’s able to protect his friends. To watch out for them. To make sure they’re safe.

And giving up part of his humanity for that is a prize he’d be willing to pay all over again.

That and the fact that being this new, better version of himself changed his life in ways he never thought would be possible.

He’s been living in the Harrington home ever since they brought him back, with Steve helping him discover and... explore all the changes he’s been going through.

And that had been a wild ride from the start.

Nothing and no one could’ve prepared Eddie for finding out just how much of a freak Steve Harrington would turn out to be.

Because he is. Oh God, he is. Maybe the biggest freak of them all.

Freaky in a way Eddie still has a hard time believing is not just some side effect from being bitten by the same gnarly creatures, or maybe from swallowing that bat’s blood when he ripped it apart with his teeth, looking all rough and grimy and too fucking sexy, bleeding and bare chested and-

Where was he?

Oh, yeah.

Whatever it is, however Eddie got so lucky – he cherishes every moment of it. Because ever since coming back wrong, everything in his life suddenly went right.

🩸🖤🩸

When Steve offered his blood to Eddie for the first time, he nearly lost it because- shit, that was better than any trip. No drug could ever compare to the effect Steve’s blood had on him, finally scratching that itch that had been driving him mad ever since his transformation.

But it didn’t stop there, no. What Eddie initially thought was just one of the endless self-sacrificing acts Steve is known for, turned out to be so much more. Because somehow, Steve found a liking in Eddie’s new form.

It took Eddie a while to figure it out. To understand why Steve suddenly always came so close. Always in his periphery at least, always touching when they were sitting next to each other. Always right there, waiting for Eddie’s next blood rush, too quick to offer his wrist or neck for Eddie to sink his teeth in.

Look, call him stupid or whatever, but how the hell could Eddie have known that fangs and wings would do it for Steve?

And he should have been offended, really, when Steve finally confessed. Because-

    Honestly, Steve? You’re telling me I had to literally die for you to finally notice me?

But let’s be real. Eddie would gladly let himself be turned into a fucking worm if it meant he could have Steve in return.

Yeah, that man’s definitely worth dying for.

If anyone asked him, he’d deny it but Eddie had a crush on Steve long before the world went to shit. But never – not even in his wildest dreams – did he dare to fantasize about a future where he’d know what Steve looks like underneath his stupid polos and illegally tight jeans.

And now he does.

Knows all the parts of him, even the hidden ones. Because Steve is a goddamn monster lover, in every sense of the word.

🩸🖤🩸

The first time Eddie realised Steve’s quiet whimpers were more than just a response to the pain of having the skin of his neck pierced by razor-sharp teeth, was a true revelation. He still remembers how embarrassed Steve had been when Eddie noticed the dark patch at the front of his sweats. He was still visibly half hard and Eddie – lost in the daze of drinking his blood – couldn’t stop staring.

He tried to apologise, tried to tell Steve that it was okay, that is was probably just his body’s reaction to being drained because that shit’s not normal, is it? But Steve just shook his head, took Eddie’s large, clawed hand and placed it right above the wet spot in the front of his pants.

Eddie nearly choked on his own tongue, overcome with a desire to take and claim, to touch Steve where his blood was pulsing hot and hard beneath the damp fabric.

He needed Steve in ways that should’ve scared them both but- did he mention that Steve’s a freak?

Because he didn’t even wait for permission, didn’t stop one second to consider how dangerous this was, or could’ve been, when he crawled into Eddie’s lap like a love-sick dog, whining and whimpering so sweetly against Eddie’s lips as he kissed him, deep and unafraid, uncaring of the bittersweet iron they could both taste when he pricked his greedy tongue on Eddie’s fangs.

It was fucked-up and dirty and so fucking frightening but Eddie couldn’t resist, couldn’t reject the offer when Steve was so ready to give him more than he ever dreamed of.

And it remains a dream, a wonderful fantasy each time it happens. Each time Steve gets this look in his eyes, full of want, full of unhinged desire to be taken apart. To be claimed by his monster, to be fucked and kissed and loved- God, Eddie loves him so much.

He worships him like a king – Eddie’s inferior to no one but Steve – and what he gets in return is more than just a taste of what his new form needs to thrive.

When his humanity takes a backseat while his monster self takes over, and the rioting rush of primal desire is clouding his senses, Steve’s touch is the only thing keeping him grounded. And it’s so much more than just sex. More than just two creatures giving in to their godless impulses to take and be taken.

It’s a beautiful mess very time Eddie leaves a trail of dark red love confessions on Steve’s skin just to kiss them better. And it feels like rebirth every time Steve comes with Eddie’s name on his lips, every time he falls to pieces in Eddie’s arms.

Every time they share each other’s blood and cum and spit, every time they crash and fall, sweat-drenched and breathless, it’s like Eddie is being transformed all over again, bathed in Steve’s light, graced by his lover’s mercy – really letting himself become the monster he is because his boyfriend likes him like that.

His boyfriend Steve, the freak. The one reason for Eddie’s stone-cold heart to keep beating.

Steve Harrington, the monster lover. His beautiful, insatiable boy, always so greedy for more.

   “I love you, Steve,” Eddie whispers as he lets his hand glide over naked, burning skin. Careful this time, not to break any more of it.

   “Love me, Eddie. Love me ‘til it hurts.”

Oh. But how could he not, when Steve demands it like that?

He’ll never get enough of it.

Because, yeah, being a monster is fun. But being Steve’s monster is everything.

[lookingthroughmirrors]

Opinion on how annabeth punches and pushes percy, the judo flip and percy being reduced to a himbo malewife in hoo (can't make his way out of a paper bag without annabeth).

(Please note most of knowledge comes from PJO and HOO as I have not read much of the later series, but I do know the main points and events that happened and have read certain pages *cough* judo flip *cough*

I’ll start with the first part, Annabeth punching Percy (which happens the first time long before HOO) and the infamous Judo flip, which is for some reason very controversial.

Most of the arguments I see are one of these few things.

1. Annabeth was worried and did it out love

2. They were raised as demigods (child soldiers) so it’s not the same/ they are used to violence therefore it excuses her actions

3. There is nothing wrong with her hitting because it wasn’t like

First off, all of these arguments and any other ones I’ve seen when it comes to this topic and defending Annabeth are bullshit. Why? Because there is no excuse to hitting a partner. Slapping someone’s shoulder while joking or something in a similar context is miles different to what was happening here. Annabeth hit Percy hard, and she did it with the intention of making it hurt. There is no excuse for that. Sure, they were raised as Demigods and violence has always been a large part of their lives, but then shouldn’t Percy also lash out and hit Annabeth if that’s the case? And shouldn’t that be fine too? You don’t hit someone out of worry or concern either, not hard enough for an army to believe you to be a threat. Annabeth has never been nice to Percy, she canonically say in TLT that she doesn’t care if he dies, only that she can go on the quest. And ok, maybe that could be written off as an immature twelve year old, if her actions in later books didn’t continually prove that she hadn’t changed or developed. I think another fundamental issue in her relationship with Percy is that she can never be wrong, Luke being the biggest example of this.

Percy, even with his history and past friendship with Luke, was able to look at things objectively to an extent. He says multiple times that Luke had a point. I honestly think if it had’ve just been Luke, if titans hadn’t of been involved, that Percy would’ve joined Luke. But that’s a whole other thing. I only bring it up because I think Luke particularly is the best example of Percy having far better judgement than Annabeth, who refuses to be wrong. Something that again is addressed within BOTL, when she challenges the Sphynx because of her pride, and is an asshole to Rachel because she doesn’t want to rely on another person and is jealous. She likes being the leader, she wants to be the person people rely on, but that has always comes naturally to Percy despite how much he himself hates it.

I personally would’ve far preferred Perachel to be canon than Percab*th. Percy is always stressed about Annabeth, about doing the wrong thing where with Rachel feels like he can be himself, not like he has to live up to some invisible standard he can’t ever hope to meet.

I also, as I’ve written about before when discussing Percab*th is that Annabeth is not an essential character to HOO, and that she could’ve easily been interchanged for someone more interesting and dynamically different. I think Percy was sidelined to try and give Annabeth more purpose in the story. I also think Percy is consistently put down, berated and underestimated. He literally has people thinking he’s a god when he first meets them, that isn’t someone who lacks power. I also think Annabeth has always been a little bit scared of Percy to certain degree. Or at least acutely aware that she would not be able to put a fight if Percy turned on her and he put in a tiny bit of effort.

I also Percy is never given enough or really any recognition of everything he did. That he took the prophecy so it wouldn’t go to Nico. That he turned down immortality, not for Annabeth, but because of a promise he made to Luke and his years long stance that nothing is worth living forever for. I think the nuance of Percy as a character, and his ability to connect with and understand characters like Like and Ethan is severely underdeveloped. He has never been blind to the gods faults, he didn’t do what he did in the name of the gods. He did it for the campers, for the demigods who’d carry out their parents burdens simply because they had the audacity to be born. Demigods doomed to die from the moment they’re born because of their parents, like him. I particularly think Percy is too far often used as a scapegoat for Nico’s issues and often either villainised or dumbed down into a himbo.

It’s ridiculous, since Percy has repeatedly shown himself to have both better judgment and better strategising skills than Annabeth. Percy is better than Annabeth, and he has far more power than she ever will.

Percy is such an amazing and nuanced character with so much room to explore different characteristics he’s shown at different times and he is too often sidelined to boost another character (most often Annabeth and Nico)

Overall I don’t really like Annabeth, and I’ve yet to hear a viable reason as to why what she did should be ok. And I truly believe HOO did a disservice to Percy by dumbing him down, and making him reliant on Annabeth.

I hope you like my answer! Thank you so much for asking I absolutely love getting questions and I also love a chat so please feel free to keep it coming!

[bittersweetbeet]

Idk if this is a hot take but I genuinely believe that victim and Chosen’s fight in The Box episode is one of the most well written scenes in AVA/M and one of my favorite scenes in media in general.

One of the reasons is because of how uncomfortable it is, and I mean that in a good way. Seeing this strong, powerful being who we’ve seen do some crazy things, be beaten treated like an animal, especially with how hard he tries to fight back, is hard to watch. We’ve seen how strong Chosen is but to see that all get taken away pretty easily is very scary n I feel we don’t talk about that enough!

(More under cut, I go a LIL insane)

Not to mention, the scene is just,, I’m not sure how to put into words but it’s just, needless violence. Again, I mean that as a good thing. There wasn’t any real reason for victim to go and do ANY of that to Chosen if his only goal with him was to interrogate him about Alan. Like vic had the power to restrain Chosen easily without a big fight but he CHOSE to draw it out, chose to have this man fight a battle he couldn’t win. There was no real reason victim had to go about this the way that he did, and there was especially no real reason for THIS;

It establishes victim’s whole thing around his need for control, something he lacked when he was created. His need to establish dominance over others to make up for the fact he’s really not that special, at least compared to the other hollowheads. And what better way of showcasing that than by putting one of the strongest characters on a leash.

Not to mention, victim could’ve had all of Chosen’s powers taken away and just ended the fight there no? Like I said, he could’ve restrained Chosen in a bunch of different ways without a fight but vic WANTED a fight. vic wanted Chosen to feel as helpless and powerless as he did all those years ago, for him to feel the pain of putting all his strength into fighting for his freedom, only for it to all be in vain.

That’s also why this scene is so hard to watch; it’s a one-sided losing battle. The odds were stacked against Chosen from the minute he was placed in the Box. He wasn’t going to win even if he tried and by god, he TRIED. He gave victim a run for his money while being severely nerfed n victim being heavily buffed. But even though he tried so hard to fight for his freedom, he still lost.

What makes this fight scene so hard to watch is that you can argue it’s not even a fight scene, it’s more of a beat-up.

[voltronisanobsession]

Could you do something with Percy Jackson dating a mortal reader and tries to keep them from knowing about demigods and everything for as long as possible please :]

Percy with a Mortal Reader

I’ve had a few thoughts about this concept and I LOVE IT‼️‼️‼️ I definitely wanna write more for Mortal!Reader in the future cuz UGH THE IDEASSS

There were so many different scenarios i could’ve written but I think laying out the simple stuff first was a good move😍

Not proofread (I swear I’ll proofread them eventually💔)

It would be REALLY hard for Percy to keep everything a secret from a mortal!reader

Ever since his life changed since finding out he was a demigod, Percy has tried everything in his power to hide this big secret

As much as this dude would love to tell you about all his adventures, the people he’s met and the places he’s seen, he knows he can’t

That would mean putting you in danger

If he were to tell you everything, there would be no going back. Your life would be filled with new dangers just because you’re with him

So Percy makes the difficult choice in keeping you in the dark about his demigod life 💔

He likes the sense of normalcy you make him feel

With how chaotic his life is already, being able to just lay with you on a night he’s not at camp offers him so much peace he’s been stripped away from

You make him feel like a normal teen living a normal life

This boy cherishes reader so much which is why he wants to protect them from knowing too much

He would rather keep this fake sense of normalcy than ever drag you into his world

But it gets to a point where you definitely notice the distance put between you both

When you were younger, you guys would share anything and everything with each other

But now it feels likes he knows more about you than you do about him

You know he’s hiding something

After all, Percy never really gives you a straight answer whenever you question him where he goes off to every summer

Why you never see him after summer vacation starts

Why he always returns with some kind of bandage and injury on him

Why it seems that even Rachel knows more about your boyfriend than you do😭 It makes you grow suspicious of what Percy’s hiding from you and why

It would definitely be a big cause on why a fight happens between y’all

While he believes keeping this huge thing in his life away from you is the safest choice, you only feel a growing distance settling in your relationship😭💔

“Why can’t you tell me what’s going on Percy? You never tell me anything anymore! It’s like you’re on a whole different world than I am!”

“I’m sorry y/n, I just… I can’t tell you. I can’t.”

“Do you not trust me?”

“No it’s not that! You have to understand that I can’t tell you. Please.”

“Fine.”

Percy wants to tell you. He wants to tell you that he’s a demigod. He wants to tell you of the secret hidden world of the Olympian gods. His heart breaks as you leave him, your own hurt and anger driving you further away.

He didn’t want you to get hurt but in the process, Percy didn’t even realize he was the one hurting you

Sally 100% talks to both of y’all💀

She can’t stand seeing her son heartbroken and you being driven away from the whole situation

Sally suggests you give him some time, he’s really been going through it for the last couple of years💀💔

Percy listens to the advice his mom gives him. Letting you fully into his life is a huge commitment, she knows, but if he wants to keep you in his life, homeboy has to make a choice…

I think Percy would be able to keep being a demigod for a good couple of years tbh

It’s easier coming back and pretending nothing had tried killing him throughout the summer

But alas Percy does crumble and reveal everything to you after a couple of days since his moms convo. He tells you everything with a shaky voice, this dude can’t even look you in the eyes while he’s talking

And You just take it all. You don’t doubt him once, not with the way he looks like he’s telling you his darkest secret (in a way he kinda is?)

After all that fun, you guys grow so much CLOSER cuz now there’s literally no barriers between y’all

You ask so many questions about his life as a demigod and he’s just so happy that you’ve accepted that side of him</3

Does not shut his mouth once he begins telling you of all the quests he went on

And you’re just so concerned on the amount of times this dudes almost died😭😭

A little thought, but he would totally give and teach you how to use a celestial bronze weapon, just in case worst comes to worst💔

OMG

And now because you basically know everything, Percy introduces you to his half brother TYSON😭😭😭😭

LIKE ITS A SHOCK TO FIND OUT PERCY HAS A BROTHER BUT TYSON LOVES YOU SM

Percy is just that happiest boyfriend in the world seeing you get along with his half brother and demigod friends

Despite you being a mortal, Percy has sm faith and confidence in you

You keep his secret safe, sending him iris messages every now and then when he’s at camp, and overall being super supportive of him!!!!

Being apart of this side of his life bought both of you together even closer, but that means you’re stuck with him for a looonnggg time

And you’re not complaining one bit. Not when you get to see your cool boyfriend thrive in this new world you found out was right under your nose

(I feel like finally being told about his demigod life would be such a main character feeing tbh💀)

[1bibypersecond]

I just don’t get how they built such a beautiful connection between Viktor and Sky (or HexcoreSky, whatever you want to call her) in Acts 1 and 2, only to destroy it all in Episode 8 with a super rushed goodbye, and then give us a Viktor without humanity for just one episode (or half, really). And then, his "best friend" suddenly accepts him as he is when Sky had done that all along?

Like, if they were going to do that, they should’ve just written Sky out way earlier and let us have this no-humanity Viktor on screen for way longer. And don’t even get me started on the fandom. They don’t get that it was Ekko who saved Viktor, not Jayce. Ekko was the one stepping out of Viktor’s equation, not Jayce. Plus, in Season 1, the mage that gave Jayce the rune design was based on Ryze, so that whole Viktor Doctor Strange time-travel vibe in Episode 9 just felt... so bland. I’m over the whole time-travel trope—it’s so overused that it’s boring. I always knew Ekko would be the one to do it because that’s his whole character, but Viktor? Ugh, it felt like they were trying to wrap everything up way too quickly in the last episode, so they just threw in time-rewinding to make it all fit. Honestly, I rolled my eyes so hard when Viktor started his speech to Jayce about the different timelines. I was like, "Oh no, here we go."

Honestly, I get why League of Legends fans didn’t like Viktor’s rework. Mechanical Herald Viktor was way more tied to the social inequality conflict between Zaun and Piltover, something I was really hoping they’d explore in more depth. The new Viktor is much more connected to the arcane and magic, which is fine—I like cult-leader Viktor—but it loses that important conflict we saw in Season 1.

We were all excited to see Viktor’s final evolution, which lasted… half an episode? Why? Like I said, they could’ve written Sky out way earlier, given that her ending was so lackluster, and spent more time exploring this emotionless being. Maybe he was just too OP and they couldn’t keep his superpowers on-screen for too long without completely wrecking the world. I get that. Machine Viktor could’ve lasted longer because he wasn’t tied to those arcane powers.

I get it, the show is called Arcane, but the conflict between Zaun and Piltover made it feel so much more relatable. As someone from Latin America, watching how northern hemisphere countries pollute my country, dump their waste here, and have companies that destroy our environment (it's not like we don't do it to ourselves but it's still a form of oppression)—it’s a form of first-world oppression that I saw reflected in Season 1 of Arcane. But Season 2? It felt so distant. Magic isn’t real in real life, and yet Season 1 balanced magic so well that it still resonated with issues like social, economic, educational, and environmental oppression. Season 2, though, started to drift away from that. Sure, at first, you see more of that Zaun/Piltover conflict, especially with Caitlyn and the oppressive martial law (because yes, that’s literally a dictatorship). But then Jayce swoops in like, “Hey, we’ve got a bigger enemy, let’s team up,” and boom—Marvel finale.

Anyway, these are just some fever-induced thoughts I’ve been having. My ideal ending? Viktor slowly becoming Singed, like they hinted in Season 1 with that “I understand now” line. Viktor as the Herald, tucked away in a corner of Zaun like Singed, secretly helping people—not driven by feelings or morality, but by a greater good: helping those in need. Meanwhile, his humanity (Sky) tries to find him somewhere deep in his mind, ultimately leading to the creation of Blitzcrank. That’s what I thought we were getting. Instead, we got astral destruction and a bromance. Oh well, it is what it is.

[kitofawriter]

So I watched the first two episodes since they’re in English now. Live reaction:

LMK Season 5 spoilers under the cut:

Fun training session! Let’s go!

Tired MK is tired. Somebody get this boy the therapy he needs!

Wukong is trying to be responsible about the monkey form at least.

“I’m compartmentalizing!” XD me too MK, me too

MAC MAC MAC!!!! Also “Bud” not in a mocking way!!!!

“This mountain’s been by home just as long as yours” I’m screaming!!!

They’re working together! (Sorta)

Wukong confirming he didn’t know about MK!

Referencing Mac’s death and resurrection!

Ominous stone crack!!

Mei!! My girl!!!

THEY BUILT HIM A NEW HOUSE!!!!

Tang continuing the tradition of shirking the hard labor. Good to see he’s still himself.

THE PICTURES!!!

The origami!!

Even Mo gets a picture!!

HUG HUG HUG!!!

MK please chill, like even 2% calmer would be a major improvement. You need to rest and get therapy.

“Sleeping with the noodles”

Dadsy give him some comfort. Also send him to therapy. Or teach him cooking.

MK backstory! Noodles! Sleepy noodles!!!! That is so cute oh my god!!

MK is a heavy boi. Also sleepy.

“I love you, son” I am not emotionally prepared for the sheer amount of MK and Pigsy fluff in the last two minutes.

Mac sleeping with the little monkeys!!! At the tree!!!

Spooky goings on. References to Monkey King getting kidnapped to the underworld perhaps??

Stop blaming the monkeys for the things they’ve been trying to stop please. That’d be great. MK needs a nap. You could’ve waited for him to sleep.

Wukong throwing shade about the underworld situation. You tell ‘em!

Smug smile. Good monkey.

Mac canonically appears in the Monkey King Ace Attorney TV show? What?

Fillet?? Fillet??? Nezha?!? “Nezhie”?!??!?

Li Jing, hey, can’t say it’s a pleasure to meet you. Maybe take some parenting classes and then we’ll talk.

Mac trying to stop the fillet!!!

MK losing it a bit at that, love the concern for Wukong! They is a family!!!

Also Nezha trying to plea for them!

Underworld jail.

Grumpy Wukong and mopey Mac, I can just feel all the angst fics being written.

MK is trying so hard to free his mentor!

“It’s tense in here.” Gee I wonder why.

Secret plan with the fur? Secret plan with the fur? The nods?!

(I think I should interject here to point out, I rarely watch things without also doing something else to distract my hands, and yet my crochet has been forgotten because I’m having so many thoughts!)

Nezha providing exposition

Tang!Wukong, glasses is a must

Painted art style my beloved it’s good to see your return!

“My father is not the enemy” I mean he’s not exactly a pillar of goodness either my dude.

“I’m a clone”

Okay the running animation bit was actually pretty nice, love the movement. I like how they’re really trying to keep close to the original style of animation even though they’re working with a totally different tool set.

Mac, are you…are you Naruto running?

Wukong keeps doing the cutest smiles. I’m gonna have to go back through and grab some many screenshots.

Wukong and Mac just…knowing exactly how to fight together with no communication when they’re actually both on the same side.

Sandy got a new truck…

…And it’s gone, poor guy

MK worried that they’re just the harbingers of chaos when they have directly caused so few of the problems they’ve faced. Like, I get it, but maybe have some perspective. You know what would help with that? Therapy.

Just don’t explain anything. It’s fine. They’ll figure it out.

MK building powers!!

Fillet use!! Mac stepping in!! Mac sacrificing himself?!?!? Oh the angst fics will be legendary!!

“He always gets away, right?” Followed by sad face?!? OH THE ANGST FICS WILL BE LEGENDARY!!!

Monkey in pagoda. This feels familiar.

I’m sensing a later “boiling rock” style episode. Or else they all get trapped in there and have to bust out (Nezha helping them escape possibly?)

That was so good! I can’t wait for the actual proper release for better audio quality and more importantly MORE EPISODES!!

[the-owl-tree]

Aside from the incredibly unjustified, poorly written forgiveness Feathertail (and Mistystar) grant her, what do you think about Leopardstar? In spite of everything, I’ve always liked that they gave us an extremely morally dubious she cat in power, who’s main motivation isn’t dependent on kits or tom cats. I feel like if the writers leaned a lot more on/ accepted that she’s awful most of the time, she could’ve been a much stronger character. And I do like how in spite of everything she agreed to do with Tigerstar, she was gunning hard for Sasha, and clearly liked her a lot. I just think there’s a lot of unexplored potential there

Big agree, I like Leopardstar as a villain. She's got a great presence in the first arc: she's intimidating and whenever she enters the scene, you KNOW somebody's going to get hurt. She goes for the throat and isn't afraid to kill, code be damned. She's ambitious and ruthless and I love how she's set up as this hungry cat who ends up being so blinded by her pursuit of power that she runs right into the claws of an even bigger predator. There's something so interesting about the way she plays right into what Tigerstar wants and yet every inch of power he gives her, he takes another for himself. Love it, fantastic set up and ending for the character in arc 1.

.....and then her involvement in the execution of Stonefur is never heavily brought up and scrutinized in the mainline books (then forgiven in the graphic novels) and she dies a very noble and brave leader. Bleh. Boring. She rubbed elbows with Tigerstar happily, why are we not playing her as a villain? Why is she just there? Her depiction post-TPB is boring and unsatisfactory, both she and Blackstar get away with waaaaaayy too much. Definitely find something interesting in her taking such an interest in Sasha, in particular her mentoring Hawkfrost and even considering him for deputy. It's that bit of wiggle room I like but I think requires more fan work than canon work for me to really wanna delve into.

side note, i LOVE the fanon idea that Leopardstar had something to do with Crookedstar's death. Poisoning him slowly, sneaking yew in his prey and weakening him slowly, all that.

[ryuichirou]

Complicated relationships with Leona?? Do you guys feel comfortable elaborating?

It’s kind of hard to talk about it, the thing is, this man stole my car, burnt my house down and also owes me money….   

In all seriousness, we just find him kind of boring and overrated, and think that his chapter was the weakest when it comes to writing. I’m especially bitter about it because I really wanted to like Leona; Scar’s always been my favourite Disney villain (I’m basic), so I was already pretty biased and ready to forgive a lot of things, but it didn’t happen lol Leona just… doesn’t really have the same charisma, I guess?

His motivation is also all over the place. What does Leona want?

It’s not like he wasn’t loved – he is loved; it’s not like he wasn’t appreciated for his good qualities – Falena recognized that he’s smart and told him that they could really use his wisdom (it was Leona who refused him); it’s not like he doesn’t have any power and can’t do anything – he has an entire dorm to lead and tons of money to use. If Leona truly wanted to do something meaningful, he could’ve done it, he just doesn’t want to. But he’ll still complain about it. Because he wants ~the crown~

To be completely fair, I don’t mind his motivation being so focused on the crown itself and the fact of him wanting to be a king, but I wish the story would commit to it more? I’m still not sure if it recognizes how ridiculous Leona’s laments are. Some characters seem to be aware, like Lilia and Ruggie, for example. But it doesn’t go further than that.

Moreover, when Leona has a second “chance to shine” in the 6th chapter, he just ends up telling Jamil how to live his life during their entire quest. And of course, the things he’d said to Jamil were pretty valid and justified I guess, and I’m glad Jamil heard some of these things. Very perceptive of you, Leona, but pretty much everything you’ve said also applies to you. Why didn’t we get a “wait a minute, you whiny hypocrite, why are you telling Jamil this when you have the same problem that you don’t really want to fix?”? Of course, Jamil is too cautious to say something like this to Leona, but…

But we never talk about Leona’s bad qualities in general, do we? We can talk about him being lazy all we want, but not him being a petty spoiled child who has pretty much anything he wants but still complains all the time about life being unfair to him.

The fact that he pretty much told Ruggie, a guy from the slums, than both of them were born unlucky, is still bonkers to me. Not because of the fact that he’s said it (doesn’t necessarily make him a badly written character, in fact, it could’ve been fun), but because of all the layers of irony that never really get acknowledged properly. Like… It’s funny, because Ruggie challenges the unfairness of his life: he studies in a great college, he makes connections, he steals some expensive stuff from Leona, he brings home food, for fuck’s sake. He changes his own situation little by little, by fair means or not.

And with everything that was happening in the 2nd chapter, I would assume that Leona shares this sentiment: if you can’t change your life by fair means, do something shady and get what you want this way. This is what Scar did, and what Leona tried to do, but the moment his plan was ruined, he just went “well I don’t care anymore” and never cared or did anything ever since. Just whined.

I also want to stress that our main issue isn’t the fact that he’s an asshole and a hypocrite: we love assholes and hypocrites, all of our favourite characters in any piece of media are assholes and hypocrites. But they’re fun to watch and fun to listen to, and Leona is neither of these things.

The fact that he doesn’t learn from his mistakes also isn’t a problem. Azul didn’t learn that scamming naïve people is bad after his book, the only thing he’s learnt is that he should probably get over the fact that he was a chubby kid and that he’s a hardworking guy and a very nice person overall. If anything, Azul only became worse after his book lol but it makes everything better! It works for Azul’s character, it makes him interesting. We’ve learnt about how horribly he’s been treated, we pitied him, we felt bad for him and we found out why he is the way he is. But he’s still hilariously insufferable, as he should be.

So yeah. I guess I am confused about what we’re supposed to feel towards Leona. Are we meant to feel sorry for him? Because to us it was pretty much impossible: can’t really feel bad for a guy who has everything within his reach, yet does nothing and complains about life being unfair. Are we meant to be annoyed with him? But it’s not the “fun” annoyance, it’s just… “yeah yeah keep whining”; listening to Idia feels much different, for example. Idia’s funny.

At least make Leona funny, goddamnit. Everyone should make fun of Leona more, that would make his character better. Because right now he’s pretty “eh” to us. Do something, lion man.

Maybe if twst didn’t have such a big and amazing cast of fun characters, Leona wouldn’t look as bad, but when pretty much every single other character has something interesting to offer, being mediocre is a serious crime. And because of how underwhelming his chapter was, we don’t really want to dive into more content with him (i.e. vignettes and such): they would give us some additional “meat” to his character, but it wouldn’t really fix the problem of his “core” being boring, I guess.

[mnemo-li]

Major spoilers for Bg3 Act 3 below

I really wish the mindflayer monster romance was better written. I feel like the Emperor — AKA fucking Balduran, the founder of Baldur’s Gate — was too much of a human, and a shitty human being at that. He lusts after power, willing to kill his closest friends and allies for it (Ansur etc). He claims to have had a relationship and friendship with Belynne Stelmane, but we later (if we reject his advances and call him a freak) find out that he has been pretty much mind controlling her. And he implies that we should’ve been grateful that he’s giving us a chance to love him out of our own free will rather than being mind controlled like Stelmane was. He’s incredibly nice towards us… until we say no to him. At which point, the masks drop and he hits us with this line:

"But since you insist on thwarting my craft, let us be blunt. You are my puppet. Make no mistake. Without me, you have no value. You will take me to the brain because you have no other choice. And once we are there, you will do exactly what I tell you to. And you would do well to reconsider unlocking your potential. Your puerile attachment to your material form jeopardises us all. If I must, I will force you."

His mindset feels less like an illithid/mindflayer who operates on this blue-and-orange morality, and more like just a manipulative, narcissistic, piece of shit human tyrant.

In DnD lore, illithids are vampiric creatures who simply could not comprehend human emotions like love and care and happiness. That is why things like resonance stones exist. That is why eating a brain is such a sensual experience for them, to the point where they’d hold eating performances to extract as much emotions and memories and feelings from the brain they are consuming as much as possible. Human emotions are an object of fascination for the mind flayers.

In other words, mind flayers are anything but human. They don’t think the way we do. They don’t feel the way we do.

Meanwhile, the Emperor keeps insisting that he is “just like you”, that he is human just like us. And frankly, the writing makes him a very power hungry and selfish human being… and I don’t want that.

I want a romance with something inhuman.

The whole point of a monster romance is that you’re falling in love with something inhuman— and inhuman doesn’t have to mean evil, just not human.

It would be so interesting to be able to romance a rogue or an outcast illithid like Sangalor (who feels a lot like the inspiration for Omeluum, another friendly mindflayer NPC). I’d rather date something inhuman that finds human beings fascinating and is curious about what it means to be human, even if it can never truly comprehend it. Or, just straight up give us something inscrutable and incomprehensible, something Lovecraftian to fall in love with.

Anything but this abusive boyfriend simulator.

There’s so much potential in the Emperor’s character, it’s frustrating. If the writers are going to make him Balduran, can’t they at least use that as one of his motivations for wanting to save Baldur’s Gate? The music also went hard in this game too. The Song of Balduran is the main musical motif for Act 3. A darker version of the OST plays when we first meet the Emperor in his illithid form. A dark instrumental version of it plays too if we have sex with him. The normal version of it plays when we camp in the Elfsong Tavern.

He clearly has a musical motif to foreshadow his identity as Balduran along with his fall from grace. There’s so much more depth we could’ve had with him but it all went away the moment he gave that monologue about how we’re nothing but puppets to him. I’m just a bit sad at how much potential there is to his character — as a hero, as a villain, as a lover — but frankly the writing falls flat In the end.

[prongsmydeer]

Ayesha Liveblogs She-Ra S5 

“You’re not She-ra anymore, remember?” Unlike Bow, Adora is not adjusted to fighting without her powers LOL

You know, it didn’t really occur to me to question it until now but why do only five of the princesses have runestones? Spinerella and Netossa are princesses but they don’t get to be part of the balance of planet LOL

Scorpia, Entrapta and Micah in the intro ahhhhhh! I love this for all of them

“What is this?” Akorradora trying to access the Avatar state again:

Shockingly tactful for Entrapta to suggest they’ll figure out where Glimmer is soon. You know what that is!! Growth!!!

“You saved me, and you’re gonna save my little girl.” Micah said: Have you heard of father figures. I am available

Ffhkjhg @ Adora defiantly charging every enemy she sees, magicless

“It seems [Hordak] had very little love towards you at the end.” Hordak said: I looked into my brother’s memories just so I could figure out how to hurt your feelings, Catra 

How nice of Horde Clone #1 to warn Team ScorDorBow that their camp was being attacked LOL if Micah hadn’t sent a signal they still could’ve gone back

[Shadow Weaver saves Micah from a bot] [Micah grunts, perhaps in both thanks and resentment] “You’re welcome.” The funky little aunty trauma emerging from Micah and Shadow Weaver. Call me compelled

Horde Prime offering his flagship speciality, Genoc!de Jello: 

How does Glimmer get this whole view of the camp being attacked but somehow DOESN’T see Micah. Feels intentional 

“Ah, here she is, your beacon of hope. Adora.” Horde Prime is smarter than I gave him credit for in identifying Adora as the leader

Though, he saw all of Hordak’s memories. So. Eh on credit

“These princesses are so predictable with their feelings.” “As were you. Elevated heart rate, dilated pupils. Adora means something to you.” I was half-kidding about Horde Prime trying to figure out how to hurt Catra’s feelings but it was true

“Cast aside this false hero and deliver her to me.” Okay Lorde Hordemort

I know I’m like. Technically Millennial/Gen Z cusp. But as a self-identifying Millennial, the way this show was DEEPLY written by a Millennial. The media influences are clear 

I googled it and he was born in ‘91. HA

LMAO @ BOW TOSSING EVERYONE OUT OF ADORA’S TENT INCLUDING THE KING. PRIME MEDICAL ADVOCATE:

I think Frosta should get to punch Horde Prime, as a treat

UNBELIEVABLE THAT ENTRAPTA STILL CARES MORE ABOUT TECH THAN FINDING GLIMMER HAHAHA. DIDN’T YOU JUST SAY LIKE TWO EPS AGO YOUR MAIN COMPLAINT WAS BEING ABANDONED. ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK LMAO

Whatever, much like Mermista, I’ll take it if she’s not pro-Horde

Also: Djjfkjfkhfkj funny that Scorpia is now the mediator

Also also: Scorpia’s really good at impressions! 

“Little sister, why do you rebel against my commands?” Horde Prime calling Catra his little sister gives me the heebie jeebies. You are nothing like Daddy Hordak!!!! Not that Hordak was a good guy, but like. Hey. He had something to offer as a family dynamic

Ohhhhhhhhh poor Glimmer: 

HAHA @ PERFUMA PUTTING ENTRAPTA ON A CHILD LEASH

“You don’t care about Glimmer or any of us. You only care about tech.” Are we FINALLY going to have Entrapta show some remorse. I hope so. AGAIN. I get that she’s probably representing a specific like. Cognitive situation. But NEURODIVERGENT PEOPLE CAN CARE ABOUT THEIR FRIENDS!!!!!

“I thought maybe, if I could use tech to help you, you’d like me.” This line is a hard sell. Why then, do they have to talk Entrapta into doing anything for/with her friends by offering tech? Literally done so in this same episode? Just lean into the fact that she didn’t realize how much she’d hurt them rather than rejecting responsibility and suddenly deploying a tragic underlying motivation! 

I do genuinely like Entrapta!!! She is endearing in her way. I just think that they make her so neutral towards most people (save for Hordak, with whom she shares both technology and a seemingly familial-esque bond), and then inconsistently suggest she is people-motivated. Be accountable to your actions, babygirl!

“Glimmer needs us.” FINALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY

“Focus, Entrapta! Glimmer needs you,” said Entrapta, to herself. Loving Entrapta’s Empathy Era. Good for her!!

Ahhhhh Adora needing to let go of She-Ra to move on. <3333

“Yeah, it turns out I’m an awesome leader, so we’re gonna be fine.” Also loving Mermista’s Rebellion General Era!!!!!!!

“You want She-Ra? Come and get her!” MICAH, KING OF COSPLAY

“See you soon, babygirl.” I SWEAR IF I DO NOT GET A MICAH, GLIMMER AND ANGELLA REUNION, I WILL BE SO SAD

“You remember me, don’t you? Here’s a clue. You don’t like me. Hordak.” RETURN OF DADDY HORDAK AND THE FUCKED-UP FAMILY REUNION:

Bow’s mediation skills and level-headedness are unmatched. If Adora is the Heart of the Rebellion, then Bow is the Head

The powerful healing energy of teenage girls sitting on the floor:

“Your Adora causes you nothing but suffering.” Actually, I think Catra causes most of her own suffering, Horde Prime. This is just the manifestation of her Repressed Furry Space Lesbian Feelings

Platinum Hordak has such sad little eyes as he goes to the memory bath

Poor Bow is clinging onto his hinges for dear life trapped on a ship with the two princesses with the worst impulse control (aside from Bestie Glimmer LOL) kjhgkjhgjh

“You will be exalted, raised up above the other creatures of your wretched home world.” Is this Horde Prime’s way of saying Catra’s gonna be in his museum of war horrors

“I’ll never say sorry to anybody, ever,” said Catra, at age 7, and then she stuck to it for the next ten years of her life

“I want to do that one good thing in my life. Like you said.” YEAHHHHH CATRA AND GLIMMER

(Cannot help but feel this will immediately bite Catra in the ass though)

WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH CATRA SAVING GLIMMER (AND INDIRECTLY, ADORA) AT THE COST OF HER OWN SAFETY. I LOVE U CATGIRL

“There’s no one left in the entire universe who cares about me.” [Immediate cut to Adora] WRONG

“Adora, I’m sorry, for everything.” I FORGIVE YOU IMMEDIATELY CATRA, THAT WAS ALL I NEEDED TO HEAR

Me last season: Catra/Adora is gonna be hard sell given how hurtful Catra has been for every single episode of this show

Me this season, after seeing Catra be nice twice: IT’S FINE

I keep thinking how unrealistic it seems that no one is being killed but at least with Catra it makes sense that Horde Prime would keep her, as she is the Adora Bait 

Adora is taking being used as a weapon WAY better than I expected jkghkjghg. I mean good for you but you’re allowed to be a little mad at Glimmer! 

“Like, one time, Kyle told me he had a crush on Rogel—” the Lizard Boy who speaks no words??? Kyle please. Also Kyle/Rogelio forever ❤️

“This is all my fault. Horde Prime only found us because—” “Because YOU activated the Heart of Etheria.” Bow is mad enough for the both of them, actually:

”That was forever ago. A lot’s changed since then.” Bow said: Now I have broader shoulders, you have a different hair, and you’re a war criminal, Glimmer. Times have changed

I looked it up on the UN website to see which War Crimes Glimmer has committed, and I count at least two:

“Intentionally launching an attack in the knowledge that such attack will cause incidental loss of life or injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects or widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment which would be clearly excessive in relation to the concrete and direct overall military advantage anticipated.” (Using the Heart of Etheria)

“Subjecting persons who are in the power of another party to the conflict to physical mutilation or to medical or scientific experiments of any kind [...] and which cause death to or seriously endanger the health of such person or persons.” (Turning the princesses into the weapon)

Starla with her boomerangs and magic owl and immediate sharing has already won me over

Do the robot arms imply that Tallstar is a double or quadruple amputee? Wild as hell

“I’m not leaving anyone behind!” YEAHHHH ADORAAAAAAAAA

“Ready to do something that probably won’t work?” “Always.” Oh, how I’ve missed the Best Friend Squad

“We’re going to fight Prime, and take back our home.” Love this for the Star Siblings as well ❤️

“You get to be mad, for as long as you need to be. But I’m not going anywhere.” Glimmer is speaking MY love language

Swift Wind making magic radio calls to Adora every night is v sweet

How have none of the Horde clones alerted Horde Prime about the intruders in their server room lmao

Are we sure this isn’t Hordak? The crying seems kind of on-brand:

Hahahaha, Wrong Hordak is a delight. The implication that all of the Horde clones are incredibly emotionally vulnerable sad boys if left to their own devices kjhgjhgkjgh. Hordak never stood a chance of being well-adjusted lmao

“I brought her to the light. Isn’t that right, little sister?” Hate every part of this for Catra. However. This animation fucking rules:

“But you have already hurt me. Prime has set me free of that pain.” Quit blaming Adora for your repressed gay middle school crush, Catra. If it were about abandonment issues, please see the past five seasons when Adora has repeatedly extended her hand to you

I also like Catra’s new haircut. The hair changes in this show are good

“We both know I don’t matter.” “You matter to me!” 💞

BABYGIRL BACK IN ACTION. NOW I BELIEVE SHE’S 8 FEET TALL:

I really hope the Helpful Hordak that they brought with them IS actual Hordak. I want to see him and Entrapta reunited

Update from thirty seconds later: It was not him, but he knows she is looking for him. Daddy Hordak will get his favourite daughter reunion soon enough

Helpful Himbo Hordak is my new favourite character. If anything happens to him I will [redact] everyone on this ship and then myself:

IGFHKJFHKFJH SCREAM THEY ADDED HELPFUL HORDAK TO THE INTRO. I’M LOSING IT HIM HOLDING THE WRENCH AND SMILING 

“What do you care? I know you all hate me.” “I never hated you!” I am glad Catra is literally the first ex-Horde soldier to actually be dealing with some lingering guilt and complex dynamics emerging of her actions

Also. also. For the final time. Someone desperately needs to fix the captions of this show and stop dropping important words. The captions here drop the words ‘I know,’ which are important, because it signifies 1) Catra’s pre-empted conclusion (i.e. I don’t need to talk to anyone, I know how they feel about me) and 2) That this feeling of being hated is entirely rooted in herself (I feel that I am hated). I get that it probably has been outsourced and done as quickly as possible. But it is deeply inaccessible to people who rely on captions to understand what’s being said 

All of this caption mess is really a piss-poor-how-dare-you-say-we-piss-on-the-poor moment

Also. Kind of unrelated but something I’ve been thinking about since I looked up the Millennial who wrote this show. Why do the credits use a name he doesn’t go by anymore? The show is recent enough to reasonably be updating it. Like Umbrella Academy also had someone involved in the change their name, and they changed the credits on every prior episode to say Elliot. Did the creator for She-Ra choose to leave it? On Wikipedia it describes his production credits for this show as ‘credited by deadname’ which like, to me, suggests it’s not something he actively chose. For a show which tries to weave representation and inclusion into its fabric, its Netflix presentation is bizarrely thoughtless when it comes to real people!

We interrupt all the meta concerns to say: Hee hee, leetle kees on the volleyball court

“Did you think she was going to just instantly become a different person?” LMAO @ ‘a different person’ being Glimmer and Adora’s code for ‘Catra trying not to be mean for more than 30 seconds at time’

There’s something very poetic and funny about Micah desperately wanting Frosta to accept him as a friend, like Frosta wanted from Glimmer

[Ominously] “Why don’t you stay for supper?” I KNEW something would wrong with Elberon ever since the Flutterina thing. Something has been brewing in the water here

“Horde ships coming right for us,” from Entrapta also sounds kind of like, “hardships coming right for us,” which is also true

I really feel like Adora should’ve yanked the chip out of Catra when she was still in She-Ra mode. Is it like. Connected to her brain stem?

[Groaning] “My daughter’s gonna hate me.” Micah is the love of my life

“It’s like they’ve been replaced by totally different people.” Hmmmmm

Elberon has gone full Spooky Mode. I love the constant Haunting Lighting:

Entrapta clearly remembers every time she’s been wronged (being left in the Fright Zone, Catra taking her work and sending her to Beast Island). But somehow NEVER retains anything she’s done to wrong others (hacking the Black Garnet, creating the portal which took Glimmer’s mother). What kinda selective memory jkghkjghgjh. [Entrapta as Aslan meme voice] I forgor 

Wow. Catra admitting she wants Adora to stay is a real breakthrough!

“Just stay with me while I do it okay.” It’s a day of breakthroughs for Catra. I’m very proud of her!

You know. Aside from Adora being a literal alien. They’ve already established that she’s impervious to the cold, so why not, to her free-floating in space? 

Bold of her to jump out without checking though!

“Chip appears to be fused with the subject’s nervous system [...]” I guess Horde Prime did put it in her brain stem!

Catra said: I do apologies AND thank-yous now. I’m a new catwoman!

Glimmer and Bow immediately moving aside so Catra can sit between them. I love the Best Friend Squad!

Not Spinerella being chipped!!!! Don’t harm our happy background emotional support couple

“Onward to a secret underwater party adventure.” Screaming over the fact that Scorpia, Perfuma, Mermista and Sea Hawk have decided the way they’re going to deal with the citizens of Etheria being turned into robot spies is by having a fancy dress party:

I love that Perfuma is an excellent actress, good for her

LMAO @ MERMISTA AND SEA HAWK HAVING TO BEAT UP HALF OF THE PEOPLE THEY SEE. Feels like perhaps the easiest version of this plan would be leaving Sea Hawk at home 

“I just wanted to know what [setting someone’s boat on fire] felt like.” [Gasps] “You are everything I’ve ever wanted.” Mermista x Sea Hawk 5ever

The ratio of musical numbers really does increase as the shows goes on. Also losing it at Scorpia literally singing her deception to a room full of people: 

“Strangest thing but I think we’ve met before.” DHJKDHDJHD has Prince Peekablue been replaced by Double Trouble

Update from 30 seconds later: Yes

Good for Netossa for noticing right away but for someone who has full access to his victims’ brains Horde Prime is sure not good at acting in-character for them. He should take a lesson from Double Trouble 

I should’ve figured that Mermista would be the one to get chipped at the incredibly convenient and inconvenient location of underwater but NOOOOOOOOOOO MERMISTA

They are messing with ALL of the emotional support background couples this ep

This party is not really going well for Team Princess at all: 

THEY GOT PAPA GLIMMER TOO??? OH MICAH 😭😭😭

“That’s your cue, Hot Stuff. Let’s go.” Hahahah is Double Trouble calling Sea Hawk Hot Stuff because he likes to set boats on fire or just because they think he’s cute kjghkjghgkjhg

Kind of bizarre that Scorpia, despite being under water, has seen no impact of water conducting an electrical current. SHOULDN’T THAT BE A MAJOR ADVTANGE? 

SCORPIAAAAA. I THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A NICE LITTLE REPRIEVE NOT HALF OF THEIR FRIENDS BEING LOST TO THE HORDE. THE FANCY DRESS OUTFITS BETRAYED ME:

Very haunting when they end episodes with just silence ahhhhhhh

Ohhhhh the chipped friends going into the antagonist slot in the intro 😧

“Your plan is to ram through an armada of ships?” “No... Maybe!” Rare voice of reason moment for Catra LOL

Dhdkjhdjjdh Helpful Hordak immediately spilling Horde Prime’s vulnerabilities at the slightest prompting. Me oversharing about my health problems when people ask how I am 

Someone please clarify how they had a spacesuit with cat ear slots so readily available to them in the middle of hiding from a nearly omnipresent enemy. Was Adora just keeping this on board always in the hopes Catra would get her act together hahahaha: 

LHFKJHFJHFKJH Bow and Glimmer looking between Adora and Catra perplexed whenever they make Lesbian Eye Contact 

Lesbian Eye Contact Count 1: Adora giggling at Catra as she tries to take off her unexplained custom-made helmet 

“So, wait. The plan is to barge ahead into the structurally unsound building to find some mystery person that we know nothing about, in the hopes that they somehow know how to defeat Horde Prime?” Catra is experiencing culture shock from the Rebellion planning strategies

It really takes Shadow Weaver like seconds to figure out how to get under everyone’s skin: 

You know, surely there’s some kind of risk in plugging Helpful Hordak into this new building. You don’t really know what his reset button is

Lesbian Eye Contact Count 2: Adora staring as Catra makes a new door in their mysterious abandoned building:

“Seems Wrong Hordak has begun to question the meaning of life. [Sobbing] “Who am I if not an exaulted brother of Horde prime?” Helpful Hordak bursting into tears the moment he has to deal with anything that he’s not used to. Relatable content

Catra was right to hesitate to take her helmet off, I think. Just because they can breathe doesn’t mean those glowing spores are safe

“I think the feeling I had about this place is a bad feeling,” said Glimmer, as they were chased out of a hallway by numerous spikes trying to impale them 

[Deadpanned and emotionless] “Go through the door on your left.” That Entrapta message doesn’t at ALL sound suspicious

Update from 1 minute later: It was not Entrapta speaking 

“I thought it was bad but it’s not. It’s magic.” Ohhhhhhhh love that Glimmer’s understanding of magic has grown with time!!! Her being the first to understand the illusions they’re seeing: 

Is the illusion creature a cat or did it just choose to be a cat for Catra?

“I’m sorry I got angry. It’s something I’m working on.” [Endeared] “Oooh. You are?” Me and Adora being impressed and endeared whenever Catra shows the bare minimum of growth hahahaha

I can’t believe the payoff for Catra’s five season fursona is that she can speak alien cat hahahaha

“They dug into the ground. Built machines.” “The First Ones. That’s what they were doing. They were mining this planet’s magic, just like on Etheria.” Everything eventually circles back to space colonization

God I love the addition of Melog, Space Cat to Team Princess

“Brothers, Horde Prime lied to us. He is a false ruler. We must rise up against him and free the universe from his unjust reign.” We love the self-radicalization of Helpful Hordak. He said we will seize the means of production and overthrow the bourgeoisie (his rude brother)

“Etheria isn’t a weapon. It’s a living creature.” Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh Shadow Weaver said I see your Space Cat Friend and Raise You Planet Friend

“We can destroy the restraints the First Ones built, set the magic of Etheria free and use it against him.” Didn’t work too well when you tried that on Daddy Hordak, did it, Shadow Weaver? Shadow Weaver said: Never forgive, always forget

“What is this tingling sensation?” “That’s warmth, buddy.” That’s Rough Buddy vs. That’s Warmth Buddy stand-off in the streets

I was wondering if Melog was going to be added to the intro in this ep and while Melog wasn’t, I did notice how the Catra and Adora fight has changed to more of a friendly and playful ahhhh I love when intros match the emotional stories of the protagonists

What good is the Hive Mind if it can’t see She-ra right in front of them LMAO

“Oh... expressing facial emotion is a privilege reserved only for Prime,” said Helpful Hordak, like doesn’t burst into tears every time he’s stressed

Obsessed with Helpful Hordak mimicking any expression he sees ❤️: 

[Horrified gasp] “Princesses? Where?” [slams door] wild that the princess propaganda that Catra and Adora were raised on as Horde children has eventually circled back to being true 

Hahahahah Glimmer and Bow are incapable of not trying to recruit people to the Rebellion for even 30 seconds in a shop

I like that Melog is now Catra’s means of using magic. If you're not born into royalty, adopt a giant cat with whom you develop a symbiotic magic relationship and it’s basically the same

“My fight is over. Lord Prime has given me peace.” [popular Netflix show voice] There’s no war in the City of Light

HAHAHAHAHA @ CATRA BEING OFFENDED AT ADORA HESITATING TO FIGHT HER CHIPPED HOMIES, WHICH IS NOT AT ALL THE SAME AS FIGHTING A FRENEMY WHO WAS A BELIGERENT BELIEVER IN TYRANNY UNTIL 4 EPISODES AGO

Adora: How are we supposed to fight our own friends?

Catra, scoffing, like she didn’t instigate 98% of their fights: It never stopped you before

I think Spinerella’s use of the word beloved (a term Netossa has said they don’t use) is Horde Prime being purposely cruel ☹️

“I must access the memories stored in this version.” Can’t believe we’ve graduated from Daddy Hordak to Grandpa Hordak 

Speaking of Daddy Hordak, I have been waiting all season for him to find Entrapta and join the Rebellion. It feels like a matter of time 

Side note though: I do think he will sacrifice himself for the Rebellion and Entrapta. He’s done a lot of damage so I can only imagine that’s how his story will end with four-and-a-half episodes remaining

“So the only person I’m fighting here is... my own wife?” WIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HER WIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD

“We were gone. We weren’t here to help our friends.” Bow you literally were helping your friends!! You can’t be every at once, sweet boy

“We won’t abandon Erelandia,” said Glimmer, before teleporting away

Perfuming crying because she hates managing people. Same girl:

“But can we circle back to your not-at-all-weird-and-very-detailed theories on our weaknesses?” Netossa said: I have a had a lot of time and trauma while you were gone

“Glimmer: Crippling self-doubt mixed with overwhelming hubris.” “Whoa, whoa, whoa, that’s like, really personal compared to fire.”

1) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

2) True

3) Same

“Your negative vibes aren’t appreciated here, Catra.” Perfuma directly calling Catra out for being a vibe killer

“They can’t defend themselves. They’re dads.” This is such a wonderful line, I feel like they just breeze past it jkdhkdjhdj

“’What did the First Ones say when they burned dinner? It was ruined.’” Bow’s parents leaving him a note about their secret hiding place with a doodle of themselves, drawn hearts and a joke inside is peak parenting. Lance and George deserve an award for this kind of communication:

“This one’s mine.” Perfuma wants to stay above fighting her friends but Netossa truly has no such qualms about fighting her wife. She said: Are you kidding me, my wife will kill us, we gotta kick her ass

“Mara wasn’t alone. She was working with a group of rebels going against their First One’s leaders.” OOHHHHHH ARE WE FINALLY GOING TO RESOLVE MARA’S PLOTLINE? I LOVE

My money is on Arxia being the Fright Zone or Bright Moon

“Friendship isn’t a weakness. It’s my greatest strength. And Scorpia’s too.” Is this cliché? Yes. Do I adore Perfuma being too nice to hurt her friends anyway? Also yes!!!

“Because Spinny, you’re my weakness.” AHHHHHHHHH NETOSSA:

Perfuma reassuring Catra that it’s okay to keep your heart open is why I think she should date everyone she interacts with. She just has the vibe of everyone she knows living in her heart

Well, colour me incorrect! Arxia is on Mystacor, I kinda forgot about Castaspella and Shadow Weaver LOL

Netossa and Spinerella being reunited in the intro with a kiss 🥺💘 I’m love them

“Would a ‘please’ kill you?” Fjlfjfjhfjkh that ‘a’ really sounded like an ‘I’ and was really thinking Castaspella was escalating hahahah

“Micah was an exceptional sorcerer even then. It’s a shame it didn’t run in the family.” Shadow Weaver is determined to antagonize everyone who has joined her on the Arxia Rebellion Field Trip

“This isn’t about tech. It’s about our chipped friends. If I can get this to work, I can save them.” THAT’S RIGHT BABYGIRL, ENTRAPTA’S EMPATHY ERA HERE TO STAY

Lesbian Eye Contact 3: Adora loving that Catra is trying to rescue her and Catra being embarrassed about it

RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEIR TERRIBLE FOSTER MOM LMAO

“I see you and Catra are close again. Do you really think that’s wise?” Yaddah Yaddah Generational Trauma: Emotional Distance Edition 

Also this is horseshit, every time Adora has transformed this season has been in the interest of protecting a loved one

Speaking of generational trauma, DADDY HORDAK IS BACK BAYBEE:

This is certainly a rough way for Glimmer to reunite with her father 

“Adora, it doesn’t always have to be you!” Ohhhhhhh Catra

Vhjkvhjvhkjvh I know it’s like. To prevent them from wreaking magical havoc. But wild for Adora cave-in Micah and two other sorcerers in a hidden magical prison without food or water 

“[Sacrificing yourself for Etheria] is what you’ll always choose. I don’t have to stay and watch it happen.” Someone was listening to Shadow Weaver’s emotional distance lecture a little too hard

“Adora doesn’t want me! Not like I want her.” It took her 51 episodes but Catra is finally admitting that her feelings for Adora are not entirely platonic LOL

Having non-verbal communication and comfort from an animal friend was really an element we’ve been missing until Melog. A talking horse just doesn’t hit the same feelings: 

YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH GO REBELLION:

We are back to the realm of the Romantically-Charged Friendship Simulation. I wonder what Bow and Glimmer will see in here, if anything

You’re telling me instead of needing a bunch of princesses, all Horde Prime needs to do to activate the Heart of the Etheria is to invest in an auger drill? LMAO

"I never could’ve done any of this without you. Thank you for being the best friends anyone could ask for.” ADORAAAAAA ☹️☹️

Catra going back to warn Adora only to stumble on to Shadow Weaver getting drunk in the middle of a war while Adora takes all the world’s burdens. Incredible. Truly representing the average parenting energy of this show

FINALLY they’re acknowledging that water conducts electricity. Just as the planet is about to explode

I can only imagine Entrapta being captured will trigger Daddy Hordak to turn. [Rafiki voice] IT IS TIME

“Take care of her, Horde Scum.” “That’s the plan, Sparkles.” I LOVE CATRA BEING IN THE BEST FRIEND SQUAD 😭❤️😭❤️😭❤️😭❤️

“Bow. I love you. I love you. I love you.” “I love you too.” Kind of figured Bow and Glimmer were headed in that direction. Every single friendship in this show is romantically charged hahahaha

More like the Best-Friends-To-Lovers Squad, am I right? 

“You’re worth more than what you can give to other people.” MARA 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

“Doesn’t it remind you of the first time we met? You also tried to kill me then. 😌❤️” Sea Hawk for Most Boyfriend in the History of Etheria

Everyone’s suddenly being really forthright about their romantic feelings. That’s TWO I love you exchanges from the Team Princess and self-admission from Catra. They said if we’re gonna die we might as well speak our feelings

“Hello Babygirl.” Micah for Most Haunting Use of Babygirl Award:

“How strange. I must have fought her. I must’ve known her face. But I have no memory of it.” Last minute theory of Light Hope/Mara/Horde Prime love triangle. I don’t really think it’d happen, but it would HILARIOUS to me if it were true 

CATRAAAAAAAAAAAA (also Shadow Weaver). Ex-Horde reunion LOL

“My mother raised me to be brave. My friends taught me to be kind. And I’m stubborn. I get that from you. I will never stop fighting. And I won’t lose another parent.” GLIMMER 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Side note: Until this point I have kind of been assuming Angella would be freed from her dimensional trap during the finale, but it doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen 

I love that Bow and Entrapta’s knowledge together is what takes down the chips!!!! TECH BOY AND TECH GAL FORCES UNITE

“It’s time to take back our world. It’s time to fight.” BABY BOY BOW INSPIRING ALL OF ETHERIA TO FIGHT BACK

WHAT DO YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS SHADOW WEAVER CAN LEARN SOMETHING:

“It’s too late for me. But you, this is only the beginning for you. I am so proud of you, Catra.” Shadow Weaver said: The cycle ends with me, actually

“Whatever happens, I am staying with you.” Catra said: ‘Til death do us part, Adora

“I made a life of my own. I made... a friend. I am Hordak, and I defy your will.” I knew Daddy Hordak was incapable of killing his favourite child: 

Hordak didn’t really think through the whole Hive Mind thing when he threw his brother/parental figure/supreme overlord into a bottomless pit

Adora’s dreams for the future are so sweet ahhhhhhhhhhhhh:

(On a less serious note: What wild hair choices for everyone LMAO)

“Don’t you get it? I love you. I always have. So please, just this once, stay.” They got there eventually! GOOD FOR THEM 

Not to be dramatic but lesbian love is literally going to save the whole universe. I repeat: GOOD FOR THEM ❤️❤️❤️

I’m not sure if I fully understand why the hell the First Ones did all of this planet weaponization if all it took to defeat Horde Prime was She-Ra finding a lover she could find strength in. They really took the path of Most Resistance 

“I remember you.” I cannot believe that She-Ra just exorcised the Horde Prime out of Hordak as if he were a particularly vindictive ghost and not his clone brother/paternal figure/supreme overlord controlling via Hive Mind:

“Hordak! I’m so glad you’re back.” AWWW ENTRAPTA AND DADDY HORDAK REUNION 

(Does no one care that Hordak has been terrorizing society for over a decade prior to this, and is probably responsible for killing a bunch of their parents? No? I really thought he was going to die, LMAO)

Edit after posting: Befuddled by what the creator had to say about this relationship, DO BETTER AT DEPICTING AGE AND DYNAMIC LMAO 

“Hello! I’m your dad.” GLIMMER AND PAPA MICAH REUNION 😭❤️

Scorpia said, to Catra: My kekkei genkai is forgiveness

“So are we all just like, okay with this?” asked Mermista, glancing at Hordak suspciously, verbalizing what I believe they should all be thinking jgjhkgh

The Fall of Salineas could not be THAT long ago omg 

“Look at us. From capturing you to us now being buddies. This is so dope.” Hahahaa, the off-screen dialogue in this scene is def improv

“What a sweet and optimistic ending of everyone having a peaceful friendship, familial and romantic reunions and the protagonists deciding to plan a fun little road trip to bring magic back to the universe, which could not possibly backfire on them given the amount of space colonization that has happened in order to harness magic as a weapon thus far. As with Hordak, we will pretend we do not see it 😌❤️:

[veliseraptor]

i feel like i just did this but tumblr tells me it was in fact almost a month ago. guess it's just that I've written very little in the interim.

story is: long flight coming up on sunday so it's 150 words meme time as usual! send me up to three numbers from the list of fics below and I'll write 150 words in the fic of your choice

15 options and a wider range of fandoms than usual! 2 dragon age, 1 svsss, 1 doctrine of labyrinths, 1 trigun, 1 silm, 5 kinnporsche and 4 cql/mdzs. no lymond this time only cause i need the internet for that. go forth

1. “I mean, you could’ve left, probably would’ve been easier,” Anders said. He let out a stuttering, uncertain laugh. “I remember being pretty out of it.” 

He honestly, Fenris realized, hadn’t considered it. After killing the Templars, going to retrieve Anders had seemed like the only thing to do. Perfectly reasonable and natural. It wasn’t that he’d made a decision to take Anders with him so much as he hadn’t chosen not to. 

“I wasn’t thinking,” Fenris said.

“So you’re saying you would’ve left me if you had been?” Anders said, but he sounded more amused than upset. “Nice to know it’s not your default, anyway.”

“Force of habit,” Fenris said, returning with new vigor to his task. (the best all lack conviction)

2. He hadn’t seen any blades yet. If he moved fast now – Wolfwood wasn’t sure what it’d take, exactly, to kill an independent Plant. He couldn’t’ve done it before, when Millions Knives was at the height of his power. But Knives was vulnerable now, like this. Weaker. There wouldn’t be a better chance. He could find out what it took. Punisher had a lot of bullets. And also a laser.

“Nai, huh,” Wolfwood said, his brain whirring. Knives shifted, again poised to run. Shifted his bare feet, which Wolfwood found himself staring at. Vash was dead because of this guy. He’d made Wolfwood into a monster, made Livio into…something else. He would’ve killed every human being on the planet. Probably in the universe, if he got the chance. Sure, he was just a teenager now, but teenagers grew up, and he’d only get more dangerous.

He was also a fucking teenager. (The Second Coming)

3. Kinn didn’t learn that Vegas had been shot, was in surgery, and might die for almost three hours after the coup ended. His first thought was a funny, unfamiliar pang of concern; the second was a bitter good riddance, and that was the one he stuck with. He didn’t ask any further questions and nobody tried to tell him anything. He hadn’t seen Pete since that night, but he knew he was still around, not far. He tried not to think too hard about where he was.

He knew Porsche went to see him – Pete, that was. And Vegas.

Porsche didn’t tell him he was visiting Vegas. He didn’t mention Vegas at all. But Kinn knew, and it left a sour taste in his mouth that had him visualizing shooting Vegas dead next to his father. Vegas wasn’t a threat to him anymore, Kinn reminded himself. He was defanged, declawed. Also, he wasn’t even conscious. (Tilted Axis)

4. “You know people say that’s dangerous to just casually play around with,” Wei Wuxian said, and Xue Yang was ready to say that it was pretty rich of Wei Wuxian to say that, but looking at his face Xue Yang thought he was probably joking. 

“Sure, for people who are bad at it,” Xue Yang said. “Hasn’t killed me yet.” 

“I get the impression you’re hard to kill,” Wei Wuxian said. Xue Yang smiled at him. 

“Despite a few peoples’ best efforts.  I guess I can claim that one on you, huh?” (demonic cultivator team up)

5. It made him feel crazy, sometimes, the way the main family acted like they were family even though everybody knew it was fake. Right up until they didn’t, anyway, when the mask came off and Kinn had a gun in his face. If Kinn shot Vegas he’d be in trouble. If Vegas shot Kinn he’d be dead. 

Kin when it was convenient. 

Fuck, he felt like he was drowning.

Vegas waited until Macau left to say to Pete, “if he kills me don’t retaliate. Get out, get Macau, and leave the country. There’s passports in a safety deposit box under the name–” 

“Khun Korn isn’t going to kill you,” Pete said. Vegas’s lip curled. 

“Because he’s so fair?” he said. 

“It’s not a good move,” Pete said. Then added, “right now.” 

Vegas knew he was probably right. He wasn’t a threat, after all. Killing him would provoke another panic when Korn was trying to settle things down, to project strength and unity. There was a part of Vegas that wanted his uncle to prove Pete wrong, though, because at least then he would know he mattered. (post canon vegaspete long(er) fic)

6. “The Champion,” the Seeker said, when Cullen didn’t reply. He couldn’t help a wince.

“What about her,” he said, carefully neutral. 

“Where is she?” 

Cullen sighed. “You’re not the first person to ask me. I don’t know. Hawke left the Gallows after…after the fighting was ended, along with her companions. She might’ve gone anywhere, from there.” 

“You were there,” the Seeker said. Her eyes truly were unusually penetrating. “You witnessed…”

“The Knight-Commander going mad and bringing statues to life before turning into a statue herself?” Cullen said. His voice came out more snappish than he meant it to. “Yes, I did. I doubt I can tell you any more than you already know. I thought it was just a mage rebellion, like in…as in Ferelden’s Circle during the Blight.” And that was all he was going to say about that. “I fought along with Hawke and her friends to…deal with what Meredith had become.”

“And you let them leave.” 

It was all Cullen could do not to drop his face into the palms of his hands. “Yes,” he said. “I let them leave. What was I supposed to do? (Salvage)

7. “Are you okay, man? How’re your–” Porsche gestured at Pete’s chest and Pete flinched like he’d touched him even though obviously he hadn’t. Stupid, he thought angrily, but held his smile. 

“I’m okay. It’s okay,” he said. “Pretty much healed, I’m back on duty now with Khun Noo. It’s good.” 

Porsche squinted at him in a way Pete might’ve found funny if he didn’t feel the seeping guilt that said you’re lying to him, why are you lying to him, why don’t you just tell him the truth, isn’t he your friend–

That didn’t mean Pete had to tell him everything or even that there was anything to tell. It wasn’t Porsche’s business. There was no it to be his business, even. 

He still felt bad. 

“I’m really okay,” he repeated determinedly. “Sorry I didn’t bring you back any food from home.” (jiggety-jig)

8. He stepped back and held the door open for Porsche to come in. He resisted the urge to close the door on Porsche’s bodyguard shadow, giving him a sharp smile instead. The way he twitched was a little bit reassuring. 

Pete was sleeping; he hadn’t been lying about that. He probably would’ve wanted to wake up for Porsche, if he knew Porsche was here. As far as Vegas was concerned he didn’t have to. “Make yourself at home,” Vegas said coolly, gesturing at the living room. He twitched his head in the direction of the guard and added, “new meat?” 

“Don’t be a dick,” Porsche said, scraping against Vegas’s already frayed nerves. He almost said if you think this is me being a dick you’ve really forgotten what I’m capable of but it would just sound like – would just be – stupid posturing. Knowing that didn’t improve things any.  (Undercut)

9. “What,” Song Lan said, tensing. “What is it?” 

“What? Oh,” Xue Yang said. “Nothing, just thought of something else. It’s not important right now. You could always just try taking the fight to the thing itself - try to track it to its lair before it comes to us.” 

Song Lan frowned. “What did you think of?”

“You know what your problem is, Song-daozhang, you’re so nosy,” Xue Yang said, though he didn’t actually sound upset. “I’ll tell you later, okay? Stay focused.” 

There was something deeply and awfully funny to Song Lan about Xue Yang telling him to focus, but it wasn’t the kind of humor that made him want to laugh. He studied Xue Yang, weighing the odds that he was telling the truth versus the possibility that Xue Yang was keeping back something potentially dangerous. 

“Oh, come on,” Xue Yang said. “I promise it’s nothing that’ll hurt you or any of those so-called innocents you’re so worried about. Swear on it. Can we go back to the people-eating luck-god now?” (Walking Far from Home)

10. *Xingchen?* Song Lan said gingerly, after a while. The stain on his bandage kept spreading, but he just shook his head.

*You must think me so…* He trailed off. *I’m so tired, Zichen.* 

*Then rest,* Song Lan said. *Whatever you need.* 

Xingchen didn’t bring up Xue Yang again, or ask any further questions about him, but his silence felt somehow conspicuous. A palpable absence, like Song Lan’s own silence. He didn’t know what lay within it and wavered between wanting to and wishing he wasn’t aware of the negative space at all. 

Because Xue Yang was still present, a ghost in their shadows who couldn’t be dispersed. There was no spirit to banish, but he lingered all the same. (Life After Death)

11. A-Qing’s lower lip wobbled. Xiao Xingchen could see her fighting not to cry. “What’re you going to do about it,” she said. “Beat up my parents?” 

Xue Yang cocked his head slightly. It wasn’t an unfamiliar motion but for some reason watching him do it now made Xiao Xingchen want to shiver, thinking of some kind of hawk studying a blissfully unaware rodent. 

“Are you asking because you wish somebody would?” he asked, apparently completely serious. Xiao Xingchen looked back and forth between them, wide-eyed, his heart beating too quickly. What is going on, he wanted to ask, but his mouth was glued shut. 

“Sometimes,” a-Qing said, very quietly. Xue Yang cocked his head in the other direction, then shrugged. 

“Well,” he said, tone shifting abruptly to something much lighter, “if you ever want any hot tips about how you can really fuck up your gene donor’s day without getting in trouble, I’ve got a bunch.” (Redux)

12. His foot hit something and it rolled. Vegas crouched down and reached out, feeling carefully until he found something hard. He picked it up and brought it right up to his nose, struggling to make it out. When he had it, his blood turned icy.

It was a syringe. An empty syringe.

Fuck, Vegas thought. Fuck, fuck. He had no way of knowing what’d been in it, or how much, or how long it’d been, and there were too many possibilities. Or it could be fucking nothing, just mind games or not even anything to do with Vegas.

He wasn’t stupid enough to believe that for a second. He couldn’t exactly check for puncture wounds in the dark but even if he found one that wouldn’t tell him anything either. He was sweaty and warm but that could just as easily be the temperature itself and nothing to do with whatever drug they might’ve given him. (All's Fair)

13. Still, since that first night and whatever he’d done to me then there’d been no talk of hocus stuff. It was all about making it so I looked right and talked right and knew all the right flashie manners and all that, but no spells or anything. I hardly even saw Malkar do anything and I was watching for it. 

Eventually I worked up some nerve, because I thought maybe he was waiting for me to say something. We were eating dinner and I was being real careful to be doing everything right and trying to think the best way to say it. 

“Excuse me, Malkar,” I said, minding my vowels. “May I ask a question?”

Malkar set down his fork and looked at me. My guts got all tight and I almost dropped my eyes down to my plate but Malkar said I looked like a coquette when I did that, and not like it was a good thing.  (Pygmalion)

14. It was not as though Tuor expected Maeglin to be grateful that he had saved his life. He knew he wouldn’t be. You had no right to take my choice from me. What he underestimated was his determination to destroy himself anyway.

The first indication that they were going to have a problem came with the fact that, not even a day after Maeglin woke – two days since they’d left Gondolin – he tried to leave. Tuor appealed to his guilt, appealed to his familial bonds, without success. He even brought up the White Lady, and for a moment when Maeglin paused thought he had made progress, only to receive the coldest look he’d ever gotten from him.

Finally, he tried for a stopgap measure. A week, he said. That would allow some time for this desperation to pass, the urge to weaken, to pull Maeglin out of his half-death and back among the living. 

In the end Tuor had to knock him off his horse and bind his hands to stop him from fleeing. (time for all the works and days of hands)

15. “So suspicious, Mingyan-niangzi,” Sha Hualing said. “So hostile.”

“Tell me I shouldn’t be,” Liu Mingyan said, still standing so straight and proud and…ugh. She drove Sha Hualing insane sometimes, her perfect posture and perfect eyes and perfect…her face wasn’t that perfect. Sha Hualing was pretty sure she only wore that veil so people would think she was special, but Sha Hualing had seen her face and it wasn’t like – okay, she was pretty but not that pretty. She’d seen prettier, for sure, only she couldn’t think who right now, and why was she thinking so much about Liu Mingyan’s prettiness anyway.

“You shouldn’t be,” Sha Hualing said, annoyed. “But if you’re going to be like that I can always just go.” There was no point in trying to finish her business here with Liu Mingyan sticking to her like a burr. She’d just have to come back and try again some other day. 

“Where’re you going?” Liu Mingyan asked. Sha Hualing made a face where Her Highness Miss Perfect Cultivator couldn’t see it. (under pressure)

[babygirllinds]

i know "you’re my favorite secret" didn't win the WIP Wednesday poll, but it has a lot of my favourite tropes starting with the power imbalance and ending with the big age difference. can you tell us something about it? i'm dying to know more here 😂😂😂

omg, yes!!! I love when y’all send me asks 😄💗

I’m gonna be completely honest and say that I only have 200 words written for this WIP so far so it’s not entirely built up yet, but I’m so excited to write it!

The idea is that Ice is a freshly appointed rear admiral, which would put him somewhere in his 40s, & Mav is a brand new lieutenant (junior grade ofc) which would put him maybe at 21. I haven’t decided if I’m gonna sprinkle in Ice being married and cheating on his wife, but I’m really debating on it 😅

Ice finds himself face to face with Maverick while Mav is under his command and has broken one too many rules. Basically, the layout of it is that Ice takes a liking to Maverick because he makes him feel young again after spending his whole career straight-faced and climbing the social ladder. He likes the way Mav makes him feel and the way he reminds him of a life he could’ve lived differently. So they begin a secret relationship (not really a relationship, more like a sugar daddy situation) and it threatens to ruin everything Ice worked so hard for.

I’ll give you these two snippet paragraphs just to show you how cocky and sure of himself I’m making Ice 😂:

Rear Admiral Tom Kazansky had worked his whole life to get to where he was. He fought tooth and nail to be one of the best in the Navy. He graduated top in his Academy class. He smoked all the other pilots during his time at Top Gun. And despite being a shiny new Admiral, he was confident in his position that he was even better than some who had four stars.

He had achieved such by utilizing his Navy persona, Iceman. Iceman was ice-cold in the way he flew and the way he commandeered a room. People respected him and some were even scared of him. No one could ever recall seeing a genuine smile grace his face other than the shark-like grin he wore when he threw around icy threats or remarks.

[kintsugi-sheep]

GPT’s King Crimson

SPOILERS: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Vento Aureo

There’s a stand—a sort of psychic supernatural ability—in JJBA: Vento Aureo called King Crimson. It’s primary and most distinctive ability is to remove fragments of time, to skip ahead to the end of a process. If you have to climb a staircase, you can activate King Crimson from the bottom and you’ll be at the top a second later. It’s a power that’s all about the results.

This isn’t the first time I’ve written an article in my miniscule corner of a site that’s not my own. It’s one of the most uncomfortable parts about what I hope to make my career. But, it’s necessary. I’ve always known it was necessary, but I could never bring myself to stick with it. I’d bail. The results never came fast enough.

I’ve spent years studying and learning how to be a better writer. How to build better stories and tell them in more entertaining ways. I’ve looked into how to build a platform. I tried being a critic and abandoned it because the ability to observe something doesn’t translate into writing skill. I’ve joined and abandoned writing groups because of the writers’ overwhelming selfishness, a predisposition to sell to readers before entertaining them, a devotion to one’s own education and opinion as doctrine, and other reasons. I’d try to go where the readers actually are, posting writing prompts on Reddit for instance, and get drowned out immediately.

And with every setback I’d drop it all. I’d focus on my day job, doing a bit of studying over here and a bit of worldbuilding over there. I’d cringe at my work and close my accounts. Or I’d disappear for months on end only to come back and give it another shot.

And now A.I. is ramping up.

As it stands, they don’t have the level of craft necessary to supplant artists. The greatest danger comes from how they’ll swell the midlist. Anyone who reads regularly knows how it feels to be disappointed by what you’d hoped would be a good book. The onset of A.I. will only ramp up that frequency. It’ll be harder than it’s ever been to get one’s foot in the door of the creative world as an indie author.

I only have myself to thank for my complacency.

So much wasted time. Ego, perfectionism, resistance, whatever you want to call it, I just couldn’t summon what was necessary to do what it takes. I couldn’t find the strength to believe in myself or my skills. My track record showed me that I didn’t have it. That I’d never be perfect.

But, telling stories is the only thing I truly want as a career. There’s the Dionysian satisfaction of writing a journal entry, getting your thoughts and feelings pouring our freely from the tap onto the page. There’s the Apollonian satisfaction that comes with constructing an outline, strengthening the consistency in a world, or focusing for hours on end while you study the hard skills of writing. Then there’s storytelling, where it all comes together in an ouroboros of pleasure.

The world doesn’t need my stories. I just need to tell them.

Hayao Miyazaki was watching footage of an A.I. in early development. The presenting team said they would hope it develops the skill of a human artist. Miyazaki would later say, “I feel like we’re living in the end times. People are losing the ability to believe in themselves.” Everything you interact with is there because someone was able to make it exist. And that someone could’ve been anybody, could’ve been you.

The bestselling author, the renowned artist, the beloved chef.

But people don’t believe in themselves. They can’t turn their envy into a compass that points them to their desires, only seethe from the shore at those who had the will to push out to sea, and thus receive the praise they long for. Outside of a classroom, they can’t practice the patience to develop skills. And when we feel weak, the perpetually left-brained see opportunity.

Art as a commodity. No more of the blissful release of the Dionysian or the logistical intricacies and satisfaction of the Apollonian, but a result. Fifteen minutes between conception and end product, ready for sale the same day, so the “creator” behind it can scrape up their earnings. Integrity, ethics, reception, or reputation be damned. They got theirs and they’re done. The dopamine kicks in when the check clears.

Circling back to JoJo, in the same plotline a character has a conversation with a cop who’s investigating a robbery, checking a recycling bin on the opposite side of the street where the crime was committed on the off chance that he’ll find the perpetrator’s fingerprints.

“It’s my job,” the officer says.

He’s pressed further, presented with situations in which, regardless of his search, the perp still goes free, and is asked what makes him keep working so hard despite those problems.

The cop says, “I’m not just after the result. When all you want is the result, you start to look for shortcuts. And if you take the shortcut, you might lose sight of the truth. You’ll become less motivated. I think the most important thing is the will to find the truth. As long as you have that, even if the suspect gets away this time, you’ll get them eventually, right? Because that’s what you’re after.”

This isn’t the poignant article I hoped it’d be. It doesn’t resonant like I’d have liked it to. My study was for speculative fiction, not essays, so I can feel in my bones how this is lacking, though I’m ill-equipped to repair it. But I’ve often heard it’s better to start before you’re ready. And life has taught me that, in truth, you never will be.

I’ll seek the truth. And I’ll seek those who appreciate it. Even from my insignificant, quiet corner.

[mad-rdr]

March Reads

10 books!

Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake (★ ★ ★/5): I loved getting to see Astrid be a normal human being with wants and needs and I especially loved her getting with a woman!! And telling off her awful mother!! (mommy issues hit hard bro)

Blue Monday by Nicci French (★ ★ ★/5): this was such an interesting little mystery involving twins and I loved how Frida was like "I'm a criminal investigator now" and broke like 10 laws. I was also not expecting that ending holy shit (he killed his twins and took his place)

Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian (★ ★ ★/5): honestly, I'm not sure anything actually happened in this book aside from a weird love triangle, this 16 yr old queen realizing she doesn't know shit and some half-assed revival from the dead “twist” at the end.

Ember Queen by Laura Sebastian (★ ★ ★/5): this series finale wasn’t too bad, I still feel like if it was written as an adult book it could’ve done so much more with the characters and plot, but I’ll accept it. People die, Theo learns to wield fire, and there’s a lot of unnecessary injures. Truly, where would they be without Heron. Don’t get me started on the dream walking.

The Power of Trees by Peter Wohlleben (★ ★ ★/5): this was a good book, if a little more scientific than I was expecting. Definitely made me think about the human relationship with trees and how we really do take them for granted.

By Any Other Name by Erin Cotter (★ ★ ★/5): I love historical tellings of gay people- factual correctness aside. I did not, however, enjoy the incessant use of the word “tis.” If you’re going to commit to 16th century England you gotta do it all the way and not just sprinkle it in here and there. I did loveeee our chaotic asf mc though- he doesn’t know anything except lust and money (and sometimes love)

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer Armentrout (★ ★ ★ ★ /5): finally got around to this book and let me just say… these new high fantasy authors need more editors. Has no one told them that repetition is the bane of my existence?? If I read the word “Maiden” one more time I’m gonna lose it. On that note though, this book wasn’t too bad overall. I found it highly predictable (like duh of course Hawke is the dark prince) but once I accepted I wouldn’t be surprised I was able to enjoy it. I love me a good vampire story and this delivered.

A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer Armentrout (★ ★ ★/5): someone please tell me why it took the entire book for the characters to move from one place to another. Seriously. There seemed to be little development character and plot-wise and while it was quite steamy... *something* should've happened in 600 pages.

A Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer Armentrout (★ ★ ★/5): this book was far better than the second one but I'm still chasing that high of book one. Book three is almost too much, Poppy goes from being crowned to kidnapped to rescued to dying to being revived and "Ascended" all within the first 80 ish pages... and then after that there's still 600 pages to go. In the course of the book her parentage gets "revealed" like 6 times and finally lands on her being a god? It was good, action-packed and smutty, but my god, someone needs to teach this author the skills of pacing.

Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake (★ ★ ★ ★ /5): this was such a good end to the little Bright Falls trilogy; I love me a good bisexual mess who doesn't know how much love she deserves. I just didn't like the breakup at the end, it felt like the author was trying to add a little angst in there and it didn't really work because we all knew they would get back together. But hey, I'm never gonna pass up a fake dating trope.

[julywildsummer]

Woooh it’s been a long time since I have written something here … this has always been my personal journal where I can let myself go no matter what the subject is …

Today I wanna talk about “being single”

I’ve been single for a long time now and I just wanna say that I’ve been falling in love with myself first of all but of the freedom you have being single as well and in all the ways

You can kiss as many people as you want to , go on so many dates as you want to, have sex with anyone you want to, never stop partying or whatever you would like to do without feeling even a little bit of guiltiness and that’s what’s so magic about it

I’ve experienced so many amazing things and I’ve met so many incredible people (maybe kissed too many people as well …) but that’s not the point the point is that you meet people you’re gonna forget or hate the second you’re with them and some of them you might never forget and that is fantastic

my friends keep telling me that i'm messing things up a bit and that i'm missing out on so many beautiful people but I’m probably alone by chance

It would be very hard for a man to live with me, unless he’s terribly strong And if he’s stronger than I, I’m the one who can’t live with him and the one’s that tried could tell you how they ended

Guess I was just their karma

To be completely honest I call it being self-partnered

The loves of my life are my mother and sisters and my bestest friends

I don't feel as if I need someone

Oh yeah… I mean I’m not alone! I’m with myself

The single woman is a free woman, and being single does not mean being alone it means being free to have a relationship or not to be honest this can be kinda scary, but it’s also very interesting

I’ve been manipulated in the past and got through some mental abuse where I was told that abnormal  or unnatural things were normal while yeah you guessed it..: they were not and somehow these things were the best things that ever happened to me cause now I have the power to come up for myself and be half of the woman I could’ve been back then

And even more

Be proud to be one of the bravest woman to this day now

And love my life and all the amazing things I’ve been through this year some things that nobody could ever imagine or believe me if I could tell them

So yeah here we are 2023 have started so blissfully amazing and I’m hoping it end like this or even

BETTER