#I have seen a lot of opinions on this matter

[minyard-05]

ok so i had a conversation with @thegoliathbeetle about this and it was interesting so i'm going to post about it more

in the extra content, in regards to the foxes' reactions to kevin after riko's death, nora says: "It'll take time for them [The Foxes] to try and understand where he's coming from. Even Aaron has an awful opinion on the matter since he knows Riko was behind Drake."

now a common take i've seen more often recently is people claiming aaron would understand why kevin reacted the way he did to riko's death, because aaron missed his mother after she died in the same way. this obviously is not what the extra content says, and i think it comes in part with the fact that comparatively we don't see a lot of aaron in canon, and this means that common interpretations of his character can deviate slightly from the source material (not anyone's fault of course and not necessarily a bad thing, but i think it can skew some people's perspectives when it comes to details like this)

while i agree with the above idea that aaron would understand eventually, i also think that, in short, at this point in canon aaron minyard is not emotionally intelligent enough to understand and recognise this in himself.

simply put, he doesn't get or accept kevin mourning riko, because in his eyes, riko was a LOT worse than tilda was. aaron is of the opinion that his mother's collateral damage was conserved to only hurting herself and aaron, whereas riko relished in causing pain, spent his time torturing all of the ravens, had seth killed, and he targeted aaron's family multiple times. nora said it herself, aaron knew that riko was responsible for drake, so in his eyes, that's no contest– riko was far worse than tilda ever was. and maybe this is true.

aaron is also somewhat of a hypocrite: he knows kevin was abused, it's obvious that kevin was abused by riko but what aaron doesn't have firstly is the why– it's not common knowledge that riko was being abused by tetsuji as well, so to an outsider he just seems like a power-hungry monster who lived to hurt people and got what he deserved in the end. and to aaron, this looks open-and-shut, simple. kevin shouldn't mourn riko because riko wasn't worth mourning. aaron, at this point in canon, will not draw those parallels between what happened to him with tilda and what happened to kevin with riko– because aaron is still not ready to admit that what happened to him was abuse.

he will tie himself in knots trying to make it work, trying to argue that of course kevin and jean never deserved what happened to them, but aaron did fuck up a lot as a kid, so every time he got hit it was because he earned it. he'll argue that after she was done hitting him, tilda would leave him alone and he could recover on his own time, but kevin and jean used to have to play with their injuries, so it was worse, so it was abuse. aaron will grasp at any straw he can catch to plead that what happened to him when he was a kid wasn't abuse and it was normal– because if the truth is otherwise, then it makes him a victim, and at age 20 he is not ready to process that. (this is a longer post so i'll leave this point here)

it's easy for us as an audience to draw the parallels between aaron's grief over losing tilda and kevin's grief over losing riko, because we have all of the information and we have the ability to textually analyse the characters. but aaron is a very logical person and in his eyes, kevin's grief makes no sense, because riko was a monster, and then a brother. but he thinks that mourning tilda did make sense, because she was his mother, and then a monster. he's not viewing those scenarios on the same level, and so he's not making the connections we're making.

all this to say, i believe that there will come a time, eventually, when aaron will start to think a little more about kevin and what losing riko was like, and he will begin to understand that while they didn't have the same experiences, the mark left on each of them by riko and tilda is similar, and that aaron's grief over losing tilda despite what she did to him is not different to how kevin felt about riko. but this is going to take time. by the time TKM happens, aaron still hasn't let go of tilda, let alone begun to work his own way through what he went through when she was alive. that's a much longer journey, but one he will complete eventually, and one day maybe he'll even talk about it. but healing takes time, and aaron has only just really gotten started.

[hqwkeyes]

I've seen all the discourse lately regarding Bob's character depiction in fics, and I was initially going to keep my opinion to myself. I've been in this fandom for quite a while now and I don't enjoy drama or getting involved in it, but this feels like more than that. So, while I am putting my two cents in, I will not be arguing with anyone about this. This isn’t me “going after” anyone. This isn’t a call-out post. Simply giving my own opinion on the matter, and maybe a new perspective on all of this. But yeah, this is gonna be a little long.

Warnings: mentions of drug abuse, mentions of domestic abuse, brief (like the briefest) mentions of potentially dubious consent (in the link), thunderbolts* spoilers ofc

First of all, I think it’s important to note that fanfiction is free. It is someone willingly sharing their writing with the public. And a lot of these writers, especially those for Thunderbolts, are new to writing and maybe new to the MCU. This is all supposed to be fun. If someone is depicting a character in a way that is harmless but also just doesn’t meet your preference, or you think it’s out of character, that’s okay. We can move along and read/write something that we find more agreeable. There is a stark difference between criticizing someone’s work and critiquing it, and I think that’s a line that perhaps we all need to remember. It’s one thing if someone’s writing is harmful in some way, but there is no need to be plain mean about others’ work simply because you imagined something differently than they did.

Now, getting to the main point. I’ve seen people talk about particular details of Bob’s character. And let’s be honest here, the majority of fanfiction about Bob is going to be using speculation and headcanon because we just don’t know enough about his character. We did this with Bucky Barnes for years before TFATWS, which is when, at least I think, we finally got to see some real details about his character and his personality in the MCU. The same goes for so many other characters in the MCU, and Bob is no different.

People have largely been upset about writers infantilizing Bob, and while I do think there are cases of that out there, I think it’s important to take into consideration what we actually do know about his character:

Yes, Bob is a grown man. He is in his late-20s/early-30s. He also experienced domestic abuse throughout his childhood and consistent drug abuse from childhood into his adulthood. And that is on top of mental illness, presumably bipolar disorder and depression. All of these factors could very well have impacted his development. Meaning that potentially stuttering or stammering here and there could be possible. That also can be normal for the everyday person. There is a difference between stuttering and having a stutter. People stutter all the time, and it often goes unnoticed. I personally think going overboard with that—and some people do—doesn’t necessarily seem in-character for him, but that’s my opinion, and I simply won’t read or write that. Again, I do, however, think a stutter or stammer here and there could be used as more of him being flustered or trying to verbalize a thought in a situation, as this is something anyone might do (more on that here). And I most definitely do not think stuttering makes someone seem childlike. That, to me, is offensive. And that is infantilization, ironically.

We have seen Bob shut down. “Always making things worse.” That’s someone with a confidence issue of some sort. Being told that from a young age and really, truly believing it. It’s reasonable to believe he might stutter or stumble over his words at times, or hesitate when speaking. If you think about it, it really could make sense for his character. And I do believe he stutters/stammers at least once or twice in the movie, though it could easily go unnoticed.

As for the “Bob can’t be a virgin” point, I just don’t think that’s true. Adults can absolutely be virgins. That definitely is not infantilizing him. We don’t know many details of Bob’s life prior to Malaysia, or his sexuality. And correlating his virginity, or lack thereof, to his drug abuse is also an interesting presumption. I think it could be safe to assume either. This post makes some really great points regarding this topic. At the end of the day, if you don’t want to read about virgin!Bob, then don’t. Again, fanfiction is free, and I’m sure there are other fics out there you might enjoy. But no one is being harmed by virgin!Bob and it isn’t going against canon either.

Regarding Bob being depicted as a soft, sweet, maybe shy character, I don’t think that is necessarily infantilizing on its own either. He can be kind and sensitive and affectionate, and still be assertive at times, still swear, still be sarcastic, and he’s still incredibly capable. He can be all of those things. At the end of the day, he’s a person. People have more than one personality trait, more than one emotion, and they can absolutely act differently with different people. Why can’t he be soft and sweet? Because he’s been through so much? Because he’s a man? I genuinely don’t understand that, and I honestly don’t want to. If you like super sweet, fluffy Bob fics, then cool! If you prefer wayy less of that, there are plenty of fics out there for you too!

And I’ll say here: I absolutely have seen a fic or two where I felt they were infantilizing Bob, whether they intended to or not. Writing him like a kid who couldn’t do things for himself. Writing like the others have to police him. Writing like he is just sweet but incapable. And I don’t agree with it. But to say he can’t do or be the above things because he’s a grown man is a blatant misconception. And yeah, he might need help from the others sometimes. Bipolar disorder and depression are not easy to live with or manage sometimes, and I like to think that the others look out for him and help him when he needs it. I mean, they brought him with them to keep an eye on him. They are there to support him.

Anyway, that’s my take. No hate to anyone, just looking at Bob with a broader scope.

[angstywaifu]

Black Dahlia - 57. Questions

Summary: Post execution of Amber, Dahlia has some questions she needs answered. And there's only one person she can trust to give her the answers she needs. But before she can confront the person she really needs to, life decides to throw something else her way. Warnings: Physical abuse where character cannot fight back (punching/hitting). Mentions of blood.

Black Dahlia Masterlist | Masterlist | Links

I should give her more time. She’s been through a lot in the last day. But I have to know. And going to Bodhi or Garrick is going to be no help. I need to hear it from her. Need to hear it from an unbiased opinion before I confront them. I need to get my facts straight in case I've gone down a rabbit hole that I don't need to.

I’d seen both Garrick and Bodhi make a move towards me as they’d descended the dais after formation had been dismissed, but I’d slipped into the crowd before they could get close to me. I know they could tell I thought something was up. Xaden I could understand making it to Violet’s room and being alerted of what was happening to to Sgaeyl’s bond with Tairn. But Garrick and Bodhi also being there didn’t add up. There wouldn’t have been time to grab them. And I know Garrick hadn’t been at his room till at least the early hours of the morning. But I needed more confirmation before I approached them.

I catch up to her just as she’s about to cross into the Academic Wing, tailed by her new bodyguard Liam. “Can we talk?”

She looks at me with narrowed eyes, clearly unsure as to why I’d want to talk to her. For a moment I’m worried she’s going to tell me no and to go away. But she doesn’t. Instead she looks up at me and nods. Which honestly surprises me.

I motion for her to follow me towards the Library, and she quickly obliges. Liam turns to follow, clearly hell bent on going where ever she goes. I hold out an arm, stopping him in his path. “You can wait outside. And don’t you dare try and sneak in.” I warn him. He quickly scans the area, clearly looking for Xaden. When he see’s he’s in the clear he nods and steps back. Seems being his Squad Leader for the last few months still accounted for something.

I follow Violet into the library, quickly closing and locking the door behind us which causes her to turn and look at me with panic.

”I’m not going to hurt you.” I tell her, which doesn’t seem to ease her worries much as she keeps her eyes focused on me.

”What do you want?” She asks as she folds her arms across her chest and looks at me.

”What time were you attacked last night?” I ask her.

She furrows her brow. “It was late. Early hours of the morning I think. Why do you need to know?”

I ignore her question, moving onto my next one. “What were they wearing when they turned up to help you?”

”Um... Flight leathers I think. Why does that matter?” She asks, more demanding than last time.

So they had been out. Xaden and Garrick I could almost pass off as being out with the other third years. But Bodhi… Bodhi I couldn’t. Second years didn’t get called out. And if so, it meant shit had gone royally wrong. But this was now the second time that I knew of that those three had been out together at night. The first one I could potentially pass off as a flight to just get away from here. Or to do some training together. But this one, they’d been out late. Very late. And I couldn’t think of any reason Bodhi would be out that late. Not fully kitted out if Violet was remembering correctly. Which I knew she would be. That girl remembered every little detail, even if she didn’t realise she was. She took in everything.

”Are you going to tell me why you’re asking me this? You could just go ask them. They’re your friends aren’t they?”

“Just curious about something is all. Just wanted to see what you knew was all.” I tell her before turning back towards the door.

”That’s all you’re going to give me?” She barks at my back.

I look at her over my shoulder. “Yes, because you’ve barely given me anything since we were kids. So when you earn the right to get more out of me, you will as I see fit Sorrengail."

I briefly catch her glare before I unlock the door and walk past a waiting Liam who has not moved an inch since we walked off despite the fact he was late to class now. Though I knew that fact would not phase him in the slightest. Where the hell could they have been last night that would have them out that late? Though I couldn’t put it past them to actually just be out on a flight to get away from here. It’s not like any of them were bound by curfew. They were all leadership. And even with that, I knew they wouldn’t give a crap about curfew if they weren’t leadership. So why can’t I shake this damn feeling that there’s something up about last night and that night I’d seen them walking into the courtyard from the flight field?

”Do you know anything?” I ask Proth as I make my way towards my class.

”As I said last time you asked me this, they’re you’re friend and mate. Ask them yourself.” He tells me pointedly.

”That just makes me think you know something.” I point out.

”Your question is more suited for them than for me. I am not getting in the middle of these human matters. You’re more than capable of asking them yourself or figuring it out on your own. You know enough to piece it together if you thought about it.” He tells me with what I swear feels like an eye roll down the bond.

”What is that suppose to mean?”

”It means exactly what I said. Ask them yourself, or sit down and think over what you’ve noticed and the things you’ve questioned all these years. And when you do, we'll talk.”

I go to respond but a figure steps into my path, halting me in my tracks. Professor Lee. Who drags along a cuffed Austin. Followed by Infantry who haul Liz, Kai and Bodhi who are also cuffed. Shit. It’s our turn.

”There you are Aetos. Was wondering where you’d gotten off to.” He says way too happily for someone who is about to drag me off to be tortured.

”Sorry, had to deal with some Squad and Wing issues with some movement of some first years by Riorson.” I say before giving him a tight lipped smile.

Bodhi instantly looks at me. He knows I’m lying. He was probably with Xaden after he couldn’t get to me after formation. But due to our current situation he can’t ask me anything. And now I can’t ask him anything either. Or Garrick. Shit. So much for figuring this out.

”No trouble, we found you eventually. Now, if you don’t mind.” He holds up a pair of cuffs before nodding down towards my hands.

”Don’t mind at all Professor.” I say way too sweetly, causing Kai to mask his laugh as a cough as I hold out my wrists.

Lee locks one of the cuffs on my wrist before stepping behind me and pulling my other arm behind my back and securing it. He tugs on the chain, clearly satisfied I’m not getting out of them. Not like I had a choice in what was about to happen.

It can be found in the room down the third corridor. My assigned phrase to keep secret for the next few days or till we escaped. Easier said than done. But something about this didn’t sit right with me. Something felt off. Like this was going to be more than just training to see how much it took us to break. Maybe it was just the cold feeling of death that had washed over me as they lead us down here, stripping us of our weapons and belongings which now sat spread across the large table taking up the centre of the room.

”Welcome to your interrogation training. You’ve all been given your classified information to protect.” Lee tells us as he guides us into one of the two chambers. Inside the chamber is a table with six chairs situated around it, along with five beds that have mattresses missing along the wall. “Please take a seat.”

All of us cautiously take a seat at the table the best we can with our hands still cuffed behind our backs, Bodhi taking the seat directly across from me. I’d felt his eyes on me the entire way down here, even now he doesn’t take them off me as if he’s trying to read what’s going on in my mind. But whatever they’d been up to last night is the least of my worries.

”For now we are still in a classroom setting. You are not being graded as of yet, and you can ask questions before we change over to the actual scenario.” Lee informs us as he stands behind the only empty chair at the end of the table as one of the Infantry personnel still with us stars uncuffing us. “This scenario is to teach you how to survive capture. How to make sure you can survive what ever is thrown at you. The next couple of days are instructional only, and for your education. But how you respond and react is being assessed.”

”So you’re testing us to see how we’d go when we get to the real thing?” Liz asks as she rubs her now free wrists.

Lee nods. “Yes. And by no means will this be fun. We might be assessing to see how you react, but make no mistake. We will not be going easy on you. This is going to push and test you. So use this time to prepare yourselves as best you can.”

As my wrists are uncuffed, the door opens, a rider walking in with some food and drink. Probably some of the last food and drink we will get before this is over depending how long we’re in here for. Usually it’s only two days, maybe three from what we’d been told. But there was no way to tell. They made it different for every squad so we couldn’t be prepared for what was to come. We could be here for only a few hours, or a few days. And that just added to the suspense of it.

”I’d recommend eating and drinking what you can. I can’t promise you’ll get food again before you’re out.” Lee tells us before turning to leave. “Oh, and you all need to share a secret with each other. Something no one else knows. When I come back the scenario will begin. Just remember, every rider has sat here and made it through this. You’re a strong squad.”

And with that we’re left alone with the pitcher of water and bread. Not the most appetising last meal. But it was probably in case we couldn’t handle what they did to us and it ended coming back up. Bland food was better for that. We all reach forward taking a piece of bread and a glass of water. All of us sniffing it to see if it’s been laced with something. Once we’re all satisfied it is just bread and water we sit back and look around the room.

”So who wants to go first?” Liz asks after a few moments of silence.

I turn my attention to Bodhi. He already knows what I’m about to say. But if I can use this situation to get something out of him. I will. ”My father blames me for my mothers death.”

Bodhi’s winces at my words. He knows that’s not something I’d normally say. He knows I’m trying to make him feel bad by freely giving out a secret I'd only told him and Garrick. And do I feel bad for doing it? Yeah, I do. But I know he’s keeping something from me now. Can I blame him? No. But does it hurt just a little bit? Yeah…. it does.

”Why?” Austin asks, the first to break the silence after I reveal my secret.

”I can’t say why. But he’s always blamed me for it. Never forgiven me for it.” I tell her as I look away from Bodhi.

She gives me a nod and a small smile. Lee never said we had to go into detail. And the confession is still something Austin, Kai and Liz didn’t know. And something they didn't know either. I just hope none of them broke and revealed it. If word got back to my father, I’d have some explaining to do.

”I’ve been keeping something from someone close to me. I want to tell them so badly. But I can’t. I know it’s not a proper secret, but it’s all I can say.” Bodhi says suddenly as he cuts off Kai who had opened his mouth to say something.

I look over at him, see him looking at me still. He offers me a soft smile. And I know the confession is meant for me. His words make me nervous. Whatever is going on, he wants to tell me. Wants to bring me in on whatever is going on. But can’t. And I feel like that reason is Xaden. It has to be. But what does Xaden have to do with me questioning things? What had Proth meant by that? There was plenty things I’d questioned over the years. Was it everything I’d questioned? Or just one of them? I’d have to talk to Bodhi after this. But would he even tell me? Yes he’d confessed he knew something. But it didn’t mean he was going to tell me. And Garrick… would he tell me? Whatever it is had to be big. I don’t even realise the others had revealed their secrets, completely lost in my thoughts till the door swings open again.

Lee guides us to the other chamber, this one far emptier than the other. All that sits in this room is a singular chair in the middle of the room with restraints, and chains hanging on one of the walls. In the dim light I can easily make our dried blood and various other stains on the stone floor and walls. Remnants of what our peers had experienced in this room. Lee leads everyone over one by one, chaining them to the wall. Everyone but me.

”Take a seat Dahlia.” Lee instructs me.

I hear some of the chains move as I turn and assess the chair. Noting the drain that also sits under it that I’d missed before. I can’t help but feel nervous as I take in the chair. I could do this. As I sit down he locks arms into the shackles before doing the same to both my legs. Before he stands he looks up at me and offers me a soft smile. And somehow that makes me more nervous. The point of this wasn’t to show us kindness. But he was. And it unsettled me.

”And now I leave you.” He announces as he stands. “Remember everything I’ve taught you. Whoever walks through those doors till the assessment is over with try to separate you, turn you against each other. Stay strong. You’re probably the strongest squad in your year. I will be outside the entrance. If you manage to escape and make it to me before the scenario is over, you get a patch. Good luck.”

As he leaves that uneasy feeling gets worse and worse. I knew this was coming. We’d had months of lead up and preparation. But somehow my nerves had nothing to do with this scenario. Something wasn’t right. The door slams open revealing two riders. They looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place from where. From living at various outposts and being stationed here, I’d seen hundreds of riders. So I could have seen these two anywhere.

”You have been selected for interrogation.” The male announces as he circles my chair, the female leaning up against the wall as she looks at me. I turn my head to follow him, his eyes completely focused on me just like the females. “You all have some information that we want. So make it easy. Give it up now. Tell us what you know and you’re all free to go. Simple.”

”So what’s it going to be Aetos?” The female sneers as she walks over and crouches in front of me. “Just tell us what you know. Save your squad from all that pain and suffering. One little secret and you all go free.”

”I know a lot of things. Have a lot of secrets. Might need to be more specific.” I tell her with a smirk.

Not even a second later a fist connects with the side of my face, my head snapping to the side as pain bursts through my head. I hear the chains holding my squad mates to the wall rattle as they pull against the chains as if they can come to my aid.

”Being a smart ass is going to do you no favours.” She snarls at me as the male who punched me comes into view. “You know what I want to know. So just tell us.”

I turn to look at her as I blink through the pain. “I think I’m good.”

Another fist, to the other side of the face. And this time I detect the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. Fucking fantastic.

”Leave her alone!” Bodhi growls out. I open my eyes just enough to see him looking at me as he struggles on his chains.

”Oh we found a weak link.” The female drawls as she stands up and walks over to Bodhi.

Instantly I see red. But I can’t give in. This isn’t real. It’s just a scenario.

”Stay strong little flower. Do not break.” Proth tells me calmly.

As if knowing what Proth said the male hits me again, this time higher on my face, my vision blurring from the hit. Fuck.

”I won’t tell you anything either.” Bodhi snaps at them.

”Not even about your charming cousin?” An all too familiar voice drawls, suddenly making me more alert despite the ringing in my ears.

Not him. No. I slowly lift my head, wincing as my head throbs with pain. And now I know why I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong about this scenario as I meet the eyes of my father.

@imtoanonymousforyou @simplyme-fornow @omalmal @lalaluch @wolfbc97 @leptitlu @fullmoon-94 @the-fandom-ness @fan-of-many-bands @awkardnerd @heeseungthel0ml @acourtofsmutandstarlight @fairchild06 @freyagallileaevans @pit-and-the-pen @hannraumari @elliot-rain @thestarseternaal @stupid-and-contagious01 @hyperfixation-train-station @lxnvmvrzx @thebreadisthetruevillian @red0202 @fangirling-galore @craftytrashprincess @taliyahvermillion @xadenswhore @fenixyrie @lagrandeourse @hellodarling1357 @iambored24601  @thegiftofacreativemind @fanfictionjunkie1112 @mysticalfuncollectorus @ohlookitsasinglepoeceofpopcorn @emoravenwolf @imheretobeinvisible @pvrkacciosan @fuckingsimp4azriel @clarewinchester

[corvusalbus93]

Agreed. I never understood the “fixing him” argument myself; it is such a surface level interpretation that just doesn’t hold up if you actually play the game.

Any Tav/Durge who doesn’t want to help with the ascension doesn’t “fix”/change Astarion. Astarion is a complex character, capable of good and evil, scarred by abuse, questioning a lot of things, having many new experiences, figuring out who he is and wants to be as the party travels. And desperate to ensure his safety & freedom.

What the player character does is indirectly influence that journey most of the time, by their actions and decisions in handling the challenges they face. All Tav/Durge ever directly does/says is variations of “I don’t want to do this”, “I think that is a bad idea” or “Are you sure? This could X”. Tav is merely giving their opinion and voices their thoughts; plenty of times after Astarion asks them to. That’s it!

Only doing the Rite of Profane Ascension is actively changing Astarion as a person, erasing parts of his personality, while others get amplified. From what I’ve seen some actually think he’s happier (ignoring the erasure somehow, among others), and going by quite a few comments and posts I’ve seen, some others ascent him, simply because they find AA more attractive. Which you can do, it’s your playthrough, have fun, but in that case you did to fulfil your fantasy first and foremost. That is actively changing him to suit you/your character.

And I personally find that a bit tragic, as Astarion, especially in Act 2 has lines like “There’s nothing more desirable in the world than a vampire,” in a very contemptuous tone, or to Tav “I don’t think I want you to think of me in terms of sex. I don’t know if I want anyone to.” (shout out to @oonalovesastarionssimpleplan for your excellent videos).

That is the true Astarion opening up to the player character, ready to be vulnerable around someone he trusts...and part of him that gets erased. AA would never voice these things, and at least acts like he’s more than happy to use his “charm” against people. AA seems desperate at time not to show any kind of weakness or vulnerability, which is a heart-breaking regression. Let's be honest, ascension didn't "fix" his problems, it didn't heal him, plenty of dialogue options reveal as much.

So, actively “fixing” Astarion is not something you do in game (unless you count just being there for a friend/lover), but “making him worse” – that is actively doable by the player.

And what I’ve seen with a lot of AA defending posts is that they all but ignore everything besides the romance. And when asked about Astarion’s relationship to the other companions they often point at outdated cutscenes, like the old scene at the dock, which has been updated several patches ago.

The other companions do care for Astarion, and in Spawn-endings especially it becomes very clear Astarion has come to see them as friends, wants them to be well. And Tav had nothing to do with that. No fixing, no player influence - this is what naturally happens between these characters, when they are allowed to interact. By contrast, none of the companions (expect maybe Minthara) like or trust AA, while he later on voices is intention to kill some of them, just to be safe. So, ascension destroyed those relationships too.

AA is still a true version of Astarion, but one he can only become through active interference and an infernal ritual; making him a true monster. The rite is always an evil act no matter your motivations; you’re not just killing 7007 people, you are damning their souls for eternity. And this isn’t even a trolley-problem, Astarion or the other spawn – Astarion is standing with you beside the tracks, unsure, stressed and afraid.

But Astarion as a spawn is another true version, only like any real person, influenced by those around him, no more, no less than any one of us. As OP says “He has to fix himself” and I wrote in a different re-blog: “...despite what the suffered through in 200 years under Cazador, there is still a part of him that is good. Otherwise being around good people wouldn’t have allowed him to grow into the person we see in Spawn-endings. What do you expect to grow, when there aren’t seeds to nurture? Tav and the others just created the conditions for them to sprout after a long, looong, winter.”

I just recently, in Act2 had the moment where you find a Selûnite shrine and Shadowheart remarks how once upon a time she would have sneered at it or destroyed it. To which Astarion gave a reply: “Well, we live and learn. Or we die and don’t.”

We aren’t fixing him. He’s reclaiming his life and learning.

Here I go again, venting about the whole "I can fix him" thing that all spawn Astarion fans get accused of. But seriously—what the hell are we even talking about?

First of all, having a moral compass is not a flaw. It’s a good thing. Let’s stop promoting the idea that being a piece of shit is somehow okay—because in real life, it’s not. In the game, sure, do whatever you like and enjoy it—but that doesn’t mean it’s justifiable in the real world.

Secondly, Astarion is not some one-dimensional monster whose sole purpose is to gain wealth and power at any cost. His goal is to be safe. Period. If you didn’t get that, then you missed the entire point of the game and the character. And safety doesn’t come in just one form.

Most importantly: Astarion contains both light and darkness. It’s up to the player to bring out one or the other. This isn’t about fixing him. It’s about recognizing and valuing the qualities that are already in him, for fuck’s sake. There’s no way you could talk him out of the Ascension if he weren’t already having doubts about it! He’s meant to be ambivalent—designed that way to let different players make different choices and enjoy the journey.

And let me say this again, because it’s a hard myth to kill: rolling the dice to convince Astarion not to ascend isn’t making the decision for him. It’s cutting through the bloodlust and fear clouding his mind and saying, “Hey, babe, have you considered this, this, and that?” Nothing more, nothing less.

The person who convinces him not to ascend doesn’t change him—they reassure him. They show him a different possibility.

So no, it’s not “I can fix him.” It’s I see you.

And for the record, if you choose the spawn ending, Astarion stays exactly who he was—just with a new perspective on the world and the people in it. So what the hell was “fixed”? Nothing. He has to fix himself from that point on, using the tools he’s chosen to reclaim: connection, friendship, and—yes—some level of morality (he’s still an antihero and a vampire with needs, after all).

The Ascension literally changes him—turns him into something he’s not, into a type of unnatural vampire that didn’t even exist before. And it’s in that exact moment that he becomes a true monster with no chance of redemption—because he chooses to go from victim to predator. Once again, something he wasn’t before.

And who pays the price? Not enemies—mostly innocent people, including children who will be damned to hell for all eternity.

And for what? The gain (which, honestly, is highly questionable—and for me, not worth it) of one person. A person who, again, gains things he didn’t originally have—wealth, power, sunlight, no more hunger, etc.

So isn’t that what trying to “change” or “fix” him really looks like? Making him different? The excuse that “he was always just a piece of shit with no hope” doesn’t hold up—even if it helps someone sleep at night.

And let me be clear—I don’t give a fuck what people prefer or how they play the game. I ascend Astarion too, in some of my runs, when and how I feel like it. But seriously, this whole “fixing him” narrative? It needs to die—especially when tied to morality.

Shocking news: everyone should have a moral compass and use it. It’s not about “conforming.” It’s about the fact that without it, the world—which is already falling apart—would be completely doomed.

And by the way: the only reason some people get to ignore morality is because most of the idiots on this planet do follow it. Otherwise, it’d be absolute chaos.

[hiscalliope]

It's scary that all the prosecution had to do was release a few snippets of his writings (not even new information we knew all of this already) and now everyone is 100% convinced that he's the shooter. I'm not saying it isn't him but the way some people suddenly did a complete 180 and are now saying everyone who believes in his innocence is delusional when most of them did the same until a day ago.

I mean that was their whole intention in leaking this, to poison the jury pool. No matter what my personal opinion is about his involvement, the public shouldn't be having access to "evidence" and why I used quotes is because the validity of it legally can't be determined until it makes it to the court room, and if it doesn't make it then there's a piece of information being instilled in the jury's mind that the court has deemed not reliable that shouldn't be known to the jury.

But a lot of people lack any kind of nuances in tackling situations and that's what we're seeing here.

But you're right this is dangerous for him especially because no one wants to afford him a fair trial, and people over reacting over things they already knew are playing right into the prosecutor's hands.

I don't think people who think he is innocent still are delusional even though I lean towards he probably did it. Doing all that name calling over writings of all things, which are usually thrown out as unreliable if they don't have a 3rd person apart from defence and LE claiming them as valid is simply foolish. I can see why people want more apart from things that would technically most probably still not make it to the actual trial even if the illegal search and seizure wasn't there.

you make several good points here than ive seen other people make as well. i think it was way too early for any member of the public (and the jury pool) to see any of this evidence. but now that is has been released, there's all these secondary questions that we have to ask ourselves. was this legally obtained? was this written to be a manifesto? or was it just notes/thoughts on a piece of paper?

note, it never said brian thompson's name and never referenced UHC (not to my knowledge, if im mistaken please correct me), so how is the prosecution going to prove that those notes pertained to that alleged crime

i agree that's futile to name call. everyone will have their epiphany about this case sooner or later. some people thought it was him all along, other like myself gradually began to think about it more and more

phrases like "fair trial", "alleged", "jury nullification", "illegally obtained evidence" still must be present when discussing luigi in a serious sense. that's something we can all agree on despite whatever opinions we might hold.

[tizzychardia]

Okay so when a cis man starts breaking gendered stereotypes and doing more "traditionally feminine" things he's considered "secure in his masculinity" and "sure of himself" but when a trans man starts exploring feminity he's called a "confused trans-trender" or accused of "faking transgenderism."

Hey, transmeds, what the fuck is up with that wack ass double standard.

One thing that I don't think a lot of transphobes understand when it comes to trans men (this includes transmeds, transmeds CAN be transphobic), is that a trans man exploring feminity is not something to be demonized or used as fuel for discourse.

Feminity does not equal womanhood.

A lot of trans men will explore more typically "feminine" things once they begin their transition because the feminity is no longer equating to "womanhood" once their gender dysphoria is being alleviated/gender euphoria is increasing.

It gets to a point where they become so secure in being a man that feminine appearances and clothing have no connection to womanhood, and doing those things doesn't associate you with womanhood internally or resonate with you.

We've all fought so hard to break the stereotype that cis men who do keep themselves hygienic, paint their nails, have an expressive style, or wear makeup are gay/trans, because it's simply not true.

The reverse should also apply.

That trans men/women who don't fully present in alignment with the stereotypes associated around their gender identity aren't secretly cisgender or "faking" their transgenderism.

The excuse that a lot of younger transfolk use is "Well what about passing! If you want to pass, you have to look the part!"

And a hard pill that you're going to need to swallow as you get more mature is that appeasing your oppressors gets REALLY old, REALLY fast.

Obviously, passing may be important for some on the basis of safety. That is okay when the world is the way that it is. But it is ALSO okay for trans individuals who don't transition in order to pass as their ASAB to avoid conflict. Both of those options are completely valid, and BOTH of those individuals are still transgender.

What I'm talking about is those who force the idea of needing to pass to be seen as "one of the good ones" and not for safety reasons.

When you get to a point where you are so secure in your own identity and have this profound sense of self, the opinions and validation from strangers means less and less to you.

I don't need a stranger that I will never see again in my life to use my preferred pronouns to make me feel better about myself. I don't need a stranger to tell me who I am, and I'm certainly not going to base my self-worth off of the insignificant opinions of others and let them ruin my day.

It doesn't matter if that opinion comes from an actual interaction or just a comment or thread online, do not let it dull your light.

YOU know who you are, your FRIENDS know who you are, your found FAMILY knows who you are, and that's all that matters. That's all that will EVER matter.

You don't need to fit into the certain narrative that transmeds & transphobes have set for you. You do whatever the fuck you want to do.

[caughtnyact]

OC Layers Tag Game

@thequeenofthewinter and @draco-illius-noctis showed off their beautiful babies Iris and Valeria so I had to get in on this 😌

LAYER ONE: THE OUTSIDE

Name: Kayla Mercar

Eye Color: Green

Hair Style/Color: Honey brown- very long hair that is usually down while off duty and tied up for missions etc.

Height: 5'5"

Clothing Style: Lots of linens and drape-y silhouettes, very much a warm coastal vibe. Very much a fan of jewel tones and tons of gold jewelry pieces (in the Tevinter style, naturally)

Best Physical Feature(s): In her opinion? Her lips. In others' opinions? Her eyes.

LAYER TWO: THE INSIDE

Fears: Being 'too much', never feeling safe to share her innermost thoughts/opinions

Guilty Pleasure: Pretending to be busy and taking a 2+ hour nap

Biggest Pet Peeve: Lack of curiosity or weaponized incompetence

Ambition for the Future: After accomplishing all of the impossible goals of achieving world peace etc. etc., to go fuck off and finally relax lmao

LAYER THREE: THOUGHTS

First Thoughts Waking Up: "Here we go again..."

What They Think About the Most: "How can I be useful?"

What They Think About Before Bed: "Did I do the right thing?"

What They Think Their Best Quality Is: "Nobody else could handle this like I can."

LAYER FOUR: WHAT’S BETTER?

Single or Group Dates: Single for sure, too many variables in a group setting

To be Loved or Respected: One begets the other, in her mind, but respect is easier to earn.

Beauty or Brains: She sees value in both, but brains keep her out of trouble (and an under-stimulated mind gets her into trouble)

Dogs or Cats: Very much cats lol

LAYER FIVE: DO YOU?

Lie: Not very frequently as far as outright lies; definitely more guilty of lies by omission. If she thinks someone isn't ready to hear something, or it won't do any good to volunteer information, she'd be more likely to keep it to herself unless asked directly.

Believe in Yourself: In some ways- she doesn't doubt her strengths or ignore her weaknesses. Believing she's worthy of attention/love/praise is an entirely different thing lmao.

Believe in Love: VERY deep down in the depths of her soul she does.

Want Someone: She certainly isn't holding her breath (And that makes it hit so much harder 😏)

LAYER SIX: HAVE YOU EVER?

Been on Stage: Does getting drunk and hopping up on stage at a Cobbled Swan comedy show to do her own jokes count?

Done Drugs: In a very rebellious teenager way- nothing stronger than elfroot lmao

Changed Who You Were to Fit In: Certainly more in her youth, less of a change and more masking

LAYER SEVEN: WHAT’S THEIR…

Favorite colors: Royal or eggplant purple

Favorite animal: Cats (and pigs)

Favorite book: She still has a dog-eared copy of an old book of elven heroes that her father brought back from one of his military campaigns when she was 8.

Favorite game: She plays a mean game of hockey, but hasn't gotten the chance to play in a long time.

LAYER EIGHT: AGE

DOB: 9:25 Dragon 

How Old Will You Be: 27

Does Age Matter: It matters less than life experiences; someone could live their entire life without hardship, while someone else could live 25 years and known 25 years of pain.

LAYER NINE: FINISH THE SENTENCE

I love: feeling seen.

I feel: so many things all of the time.

I hide: my fears, because I don't want to be seen as weak.

I miss: feeling like I had it all figured out.

I wish: I didn't grow up too fast.

No pressure tags for @pinkberrytea @theyearningghoul @notyourmamasdeerbat @silent-words @quokkafoxtrot @silshinobii and anyone else that would like to participate 🤗

[hislittlestar]

Until now, I’ve stayed out of posting on my page anything related to this incident, but this post by @dennitsastar bothers me a little TOO much to continue to stand idly by.

Firstly, my overall opinion on the original matter is that @cultkinkcoven ‘s main point was that all humans deserve basic human empathy. That’s it. I can’t seem to wrap my head around how that’s a controversial opinion to have. The person who Shi got in an argument with, was triggered by the original post due to having a traumatic history with the subject matter. Rather than moving on from the post, like the trigger warnings had suggested, they decided to post about it. This escalated, and their mutuals accused Shi of horrible things with no real basis, like being a pedophile. OP even later admitted to having never even actually read and fully comprehended the post, so all their arguments weren’t even based on the actual text. It boggles my mind how someone who worships a god of madness can be so vehemently against supporting those who struggle with it. Of course, lots of people took their side, because no one wants to be seen as defending a “pedophile”. OP even encouraged their followers to hex Shi, which is imo an irresponsible way to use their platform.

Anyways, that’s all I’m saying on that. However, I want to speak on @dennitsastar ‘s horrid and baseless claims here, where they are not only insulting my friend Shi, but also his followers. Let’s dive in, shall we?

“I banned this person the second I saw them reblogging my posts to have nothing to do with them” Banning someone for having a different theology than you is… certainly a choice

“It was deleted and they erased many of their comments so they wouldn't get caught” Nope, his reasoning was explained. Though I’m not surprised you wouldn’t know that since you blocked him. It had nothing to do with “being caught”: https://www.tumblr.com/cultkinkcoven/784948185734987776/update-btw-i-took-down-a-lot-of-the-scrappier

“I don't know their name and don't care to know it.” So, keep in mind this person doesn’t even know Shi’s name, yet they claim to know all these things about his blog and himself.

“Used his name to romanticize hard drugs” …What? Where? You can’t just make accusations like this about a person without providing any kind of evidence. If you mean cannabis, then we have very different definitions of “hard” drugs.

“Which will go well with the general masses that will not think or ask questions.” One of the reoccurring themes of Shi’s blog is that he WANTS us to ask questions and think for ourselves. He opens up topics of discussion quite often. Also, if he wanted to appeal to the “general masses” he wouldn’t post about such controversial topics.

“Anyone with any real sense of spirituality and knowledge will find it either boring or downright disgusting to watch.” Nope, not me. Why do you think you speak for everyone here? Isn’t that a bit… hubristic?

“"Luciferianism" (as much as I despise the term)” You… despise the term? The term used by most of us with this theology? …Alright then.

They then go on about how mixing together a god’s image from the perspective of different mythologies isn’t okay, because a god can only be correct in one mythology right? News flash, people have different beliefs on how gods work! And for some of us, Lord Lucifer doesn’t fit into just one archetype. “Why not… Egyptian?” Astarte is mentioned many times on his blog. The Eye of Horus (a symbol of Lucifer) is literally at the top of his blog.

“They are not interested in the role Dennitsa (Lucifer) plays in philosophy, psychology, theology, mythology, culture, and so on.” This is just so blatantly false that I don’t even know where to begin with proving it wrong. In the next sentence, they go on to say his version of Lucifer is just entirely made up, which is NOT an okay thing to say about another person’s god.

“Since they don't have any really expert or outstanding knowledge of theology and mythology”, wow, you must know this person who you immediately blocked and don’t know the name of REALLY well to be stating such things about them. /s

“They believe they are the personal handshake of all entities from all existing mythologies, know everything about everyone, have personally sat at the table with them.” I’d love to see some contextual evidence to back this accusation as well.

“Objective reality exists” yep, so why are we pulling statements out of thin air? “Encourages our hearts to grow, nurtures our love for our humanity, for the people around us, teaches us to learn and love the world, to help those in need, to protect the wronged, and to rise up against lies and injustice.” This is a WILD thing to say after having just written a whole essay full of lies with the pure intention of insulting someone.

Hey. I've stumbled across your account recently and ended up witnessing the whole fiasco with you know who defending pedos.

In short I think this person just has a lot of issues with taking responsibility. From what I picked up from them they kinda always think they're right and never really take criticism seriously, which is ironic for a luciferian. Really sorry you dealt with that.

-sincerely, a luciferian.

Thank you friend, yeah all of their posts are so long that they can nitpick anything that makes them sound good, all while leaving out everything that makes them sound HORRIFIC.

I plan to do a reading with Lucifer tonight because I just want to make sure he and I are all good after I've been talking about him all day, lol. Just feels respectful I guess.

I did truthfully doubt myself because I'm not close enough with him to actually know a lot of their claims, but I'm pretty sure that no entity worth worshipping would ever advocate for the things they were, and Lucifer is most definitely worthy of worship.

On that note, if any luciferians would be down to trade readings, I would LOVE that!! I always try to go to devotees for readings from specific entities, I feel like the closeness can't be replicated, and they'll know what certain things mean better than a non follower

[wield-the-mighty-pen]

To specify (because there is a character limit in polls), I am asking if it’s okay for consumers of your work to leave comments with criticism of the show and also if you are okay with people leaving comments with constructive criticism of your work

If you can, specify what type of creator you are in the tags!

[pickaropoprocks]

Day 93!! Happy Pride!!

[cdroloisms]

a little ramble about dreblr, meta, and the ever evolving nature of this fandom, i guess?

i don't mean to soapbox, this is mostly just going to be vomiting some thoughts into a post. some recent stuff and a post or two have had me thinking about this fandom and how different it is from when dsmp was ongoing. it's,, pretty obvious that the fandom is quite a bit smaller and less active than that time, and there are generally a lot fewer people actively posting meta and such every day--which isn't necessarily a bad thing, and is natural obviously considering that the dsmp ended almost 2 years ago, but does mean that the culture around (?) meta and such has shifted, as well. it's one of those things too i think that is felt so much more obviously in dreblr, which is an even smaller group within this fandom that formed in response to uhhh being very much considered unwelcome by the greater fandom at the time.

that being said, as is the nature of all fandom, dreblr is still a community of people who are largely strangers who have gathered together because of one commonality: very strong feelings and often very strong opinions on the dream smp and c!dream. and i think when the fandom was more active, the entire fandom felt a lot more like a "pvp enabled" zone, lmao -- it was every other day when there'd be some new batshit meta about c!dream or some stream to react to and analyze and fight people about and whatever. since then, though, with the dsmp gone, the fandom has become quieter -- which i think has allowed some of the variation in opinions within dreblr become more and more obvious? and also become a sort of source of friction.

again, this is normal for any fandom. i'm certainly not here to agree with everyone about c!dream always, lmao. but the vagueing of takes is always more awkward on both sides when it's someone where you share more of the same circles. at the end of the day, it's up to each individual blogger's discretion to choose what they will or won't post on their own blog, but at the same time ... when it comes to the community, just speaking for myself, i don't want a super high barrier of entry when it comes to people feeling like they can't join this fandom unless they've got [xyz] experience or [xyz] takes.

when it comes to actual analysis of the source material, though, keeping meta a safe place for people to say "no, i don't agree with this take because of [xyz]" is important as well, which always raises the question of how said disagreements should be handled. and again, i'm no authority, i'm not here to tell people what to do. personally, when it comes to my own blog, i don't like to post very much directly about any one blogger, but I know I've definitely written posts inspired by specific takes before as well as screenshots of takes from the fandom's heyday, etc. i don't necessarily feel uncomfortable with this ...? but at the same time, i know that vagueposts can be a source of discomfort, especially if they're about your take in particular (speaking from experience) -- so it's you know. not the easiest line to draw, I guess, especially when we're talking about a community where different people are going to have different levels of comfort with what they post on their own blogs and what other blogs do in response to their takes. and whatever.

vagueposting, i think, has been common in the tumblr dsmp fandom for a long time, and especially in dreblr -- direct engagement in the past errr usually went badly, so a habit formed of keeping everything we did kind of within our own spaces (hence why many of us don't even tag c!dream or even dreblr on most of our posts; keeping everything untagged, or keeping the tagging system restricted to our own blogs, limited the possibility of trouble). that being said, vagueing within dreblr has become more common, i think, as disagreements within dreblr have become more and more obvious in the time since the dsmp ended. (just for the obvious example: i think it's a bit of an open secret that i, personally, strongly disagree with much of the common depictions of c!drunz in this fandom. i've written some meta about this before, as well as some responses to meta--which i enjoyed greatly, believe me--but i've also noticed (perhaps coincidence) an uptick in c!drunz positive meta every time i or someone else makes a post that maybe skews more negative. which is normal, don't get me wrong, but also a pattern i've noticed. i'm also very aware that someone the arguments i may bring up as counterarguments or structure my posts around arguing against are based on actual arguments i've seen while in this space, which i'm aware is an easy source of friction within dreblr.) and it's easy to say "don't take it personally when it's just metaanalysis," but that's easier said than done, lmao, especially depending on the tone of the vaguepost and a myriad of other factors.

i'm not saying that i have the answers. or, for that matter, a single answer. the boundaries i set aren't going to be the same as the boundaries other people set, for one, and i have no desire to police what other people do on their own blogs. i do miss, sometimes, the more collaborative and discussion-based meta experience of this fandom when it was more active--i might try to more actively reblog posts (including those i don't necessarily agree with) to discuss this server and these characters, bc at the end of the day that is kind of why we're here. personally, i've always drawn a pretty sharp distinction between fanwork and analysis -- i think it's pretty bad form to criticize people's AUs In General (not that i've not. been guilty of it in the past, but i try at least to keep it to criticizing more general patterns within fanwork; look, i'm not going to claim a moral high ground, i love bitching way too much and should probably get a handle on that but asj;lkfdsaf) but when we're talking meta about the source material, barring shit like. you know, harassment and otherwise abusive behavior, i do consider it more of a free-for-all. at the same time, i know that these standards can lead to newer fans feeling like they're going to be booed out the door for sharing their thoughts, which, i mean, isn't great 😭😭😭 fresh eyes can bring a lot of really cool new insights, and it'd suck pretty damn bad to miss that because they don't feel welcome, yknow?

anyway, this is a very inconclusive post, but i thought i'd just throw some of my thoughts out as someone who has been here for a decently long time. and if you want to discuss w/ me, inbox and dms are always open :)

[lurafita]

Things I wish the Shadowhunters TV show hadn't done, part 2

(Again, there are a few of those, but I'm limiting myself to only 2 things that are Magnus and Malec centric and struck a nerve with me)

I'm aware that this one is a very unpopular opinion. And it's not exclusive to the Shadowhunter series, as many series and movies have made use of this plot point and I have never liked it, but it is somehow widely popular so it keeps getting used...

Anyway, the deal Alec made with Asmodeus to get Magnus' magic back.

Give up your relationship/Break their heart to save them.

- This is something that has been used in many stories, by many characters, in many different situations.

I hate it.

It is framed as this noble sacrifice, this selfless gesture.

But I can't find it anything else but patronizing and demeaning.

I'm not blaming Alec the character for it, because as stated, this is something that has been around for a long time and gets used a lot.

But let me try to explain why I don't like it using Alec and Magnus' situation as an example.

When Magnus gave up his magic to save Jace (and by extention save Alec), he gave up something that was his and his alone. This was Magnus' decision alone to make. When Alec gave up their relationship, he made a decision that affected two people. This wasn't something that he alone gave up, but rather forced Magnus to give up the same. Had Asmodeus asked for Alec's runes, for example, that would have been a price that Alec, and Alec alone, had the right to make a decision on giving up.

And now some will say "But Alec wasn't given the option to pay with anything else but to break Magnus' heart. And Asmodeus said it would kill Magnus to not have his magic." And yes, that's true, but that doesn't change the crux of the matter. Magnus chose to give up his magic, when it was either that, or Jace's life. He then chose to not chase other methods of getting his magic back, to live with Alec after Lorenzo's magic transfer almost killed him. And yes, he was struggling and grieving, but that is to be expected. Alec witnessed one breakdown and decided that Magnus would never recover.

People don't recover from trauma because others break their hearts to get them "fixed". They recover from trauma because the people in their lives support them and stay with them and love them.

And let's just say for arguments sake, that the deal had gone over with as originally intended. Look at it from a later point of view.

Alec breaks Magnus' heart, Magnus gets his magic back.

Is all well now? No. Of course not.

One of Magnus' greatest fear was that he was unworthy of love, if he didn't have magic, if he couldn't be useful.

That his magic was the only thing that made up his spark.

And, in order to fulfill Asmodeus deal and break Magnus' heart, Alec enforced those believes.

Alec can walk away from this whole mess with the knowledge that he lied in order to get Magnus' magic back and Magnus would in time recover. Magnus on the other hand has just had his worst fear confirmed, and will likely not recover from it.

Again, this is not an attempt to bash Alec. I do not blame his character for the writers choices with the story line.

This is just my opinion on this particular matter and why I wish it hadn't been done at all

[sonknuxadow]

I’m honestly surprised that people are saying Keanu reeves is a bad choice despite the popular fan discussions about it. Where I’m at in the internet, he’s considered a good choice and people were excited.

i cant speak for everyone obviously but ive always thought he was a bad choice for shadow ever since the idea started going around 2 years ago. because from what ive heard personally he doesnt really sound like shadow + i hate it when big movie stars are given voice acting roles in movie adaptations just to have a big name attached to the project even if theyre not good for the role. and this definitely feels like that. back in the day people were only saying he should be shadow NOT because his voice actually fits but because hes an edgy action guy or whatever and movie sonic is canonically a fan of him/his movies and they could make jokes out of that. and i feel like thats Still what a lot of peoples reasoning is which annoys me because shadow isnt just an edgy action guy and i dont think his voice should be chosen based on a joke of all things especially if the voice isnt fitting enough to justify it

not gonna say my opinion is the most popular but i know that there are a lot of people who agree with me on this, or at the very least are unsure about it. a lot of people dont want him

[athene-owl]

Look, I like Ghibli stuff but I'm not super involved in the fandom so maybe someone more knowledgeable has spoken about this BUT.....the way some of y'all talk about Hayao's son Goro is flat out gross and weird as fuck. You absolutely NEED to take Hayao off of whatever pedestal you've put him on and stop making your funny little memes about how his mistreatment of his son/family is OK because you don't like Goro's films. This is just like basic decency???

[yomigaere]

fandom please stop having bad takes about Shiori and Juri challenge (BLOODY IMPOSSIBLE)

[aquamarineprncss]

and another thing… i think one reason some women choose to stay male centered is because if they took a moment to look in the mirror they would realize they haven’t been living for themselves but rather molding themselves into someone they thought would be picked by some man. the hobbies, interests, hair, style, makeup, everything that makes them up… was perfectly curated for the interest of who they were crushing on.

they turned into someone based on what they thought this guy would want, and not what THEY want. so to decenter men and to not be so consumed and focused on boys… they would have an identity crisis and not know who they are or if they even like their interests or enjoy the few hobbies they do have.