#Music vs Myth

[unproduciblesmackdown]

forty years later: do you think this one musical about a protagonist sorta yeehaw Musician who has to grab his guitar & run a winding path through the silent hill fog going "i'm pure of heart!" to try to save his wife imprisoned by [context: capitalism] wants what the other musical about that has

[ecomehdi]

the Power of Human Intelligence: Beyond Brain Size and Into the Cognitive Marvels 23

In the intricate tapestry of human evolution, the enigma of intelligence takes center stage. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not merely about the size of our brains but the fascinating dance of cognitive circuitry that propels our intellect. Let’s embark on a journey through the corridors of the mind, exploring the nuances of human Intelligence. Understanding the Brain’s Symphony The Intricate…

[thunkdeep]

The Eternal Echo of 2Pac: Beyond Justice and into Myth

2Pac's legacy is a rich tapestry that invites us to look beyond the surface of conspiracy theories and delve into the deeper, more meaningful aspects of his contribution to culture and society.

Disclaimer: The following content is speculative and represents the thoughts of ThinkTank Theorium. While grounded in cultural observations, it’s essential to do your own research and form your own opinions. Introduction: “ 2Pac still haunting those that love him and those that hate him,” a sentiment echoed by many, reverberating through the streets and across online forums, even 27 years after…

[roseaesynstylae]

A Collection of Posts about the Jedi, Part 1

I am pro-Jedi and interested in worldbuilding. Here are some a lot of posts I've found on Tumblr. Some are long, some are short, all are interesting. Hopefully you'll find them helpful, inspiring, and/or useful. There's also my collection of fics, My Favorites of Jedi Appreciation.

They're not really in any order, but they are roughly grouped by subject.

Edit: I'm just going to keep updating and organizing this with any interesting posts I find.

Here is Part Two, as Tumblr made me split it.

Jedi Defense

why the jedi couldn't walk away from the republic

Debunking more myths in the GFFA: the Jedi and the clones.

Mace Windu

before the acolyte releases

agape love

i would not want a romantic relationship if i was a jedi

the jedi did everything they could

jedi are aro

When a Star Wars writer engages with the material but not the narrative.

jedi and attachment

jedi and attachment 2

jedi and dbt

in defense of the jedi

the je'daii order

shmi skywalker adhered to the jedi code more than anakin ever did

Attachment Theory and Master Yoda - the Jedi Way to Security

The Parallels Between Antisemitism and Certain Arguments Against the Jedi

Jedi do not steal children

Some basic points to remember

Color and Jedi

Jedi as peacekeepers

Three flaws in the Jedi order you can concede

in defense of the jedi 2

The Jedi Council were reasonable in the Wrong Jedi Arc actually

The Jedi are not out of touch

An analogy

A defense of Ki-Adi-Mundi

Every instance of touch between a Jedi and another physical being

Jedi are allowed to visit their families

Jedi are allowed to leave the order

Jedi do not steal children 2

Kanan and Hera are not against the rules

Mace and his troops

Jedi do not steal children 3

Why the Council couldnt've prevented Order 66

1000 Jedi isn't a lot

The Jedi aren't corrupt & slavery isn't their fault

Padme, the Jedi and slavery

Prosset Dibs is a moron

"Jedi-Friendly" bashing of the Council is not a thing

Yes, the Jedi have flaws (everything has flaws)

Jedi and compassion (+ Ki-Adi-Mundi)

Mace Windu is a compassionate person

The Jedi aren't eugenicists (that's the Kaminoans)

Padawans are not child soldiers

Debunking the lightsaber vs bullet thing

Legends!Luke is not better than the PT Jedi

Jedi Culture

psychometry

jedi culture

martial arts

jedi-as-family

Guide to Jedi Ranking Terminology

jedi "labels"

jedi melting pot

jedi gifts

jedi healers

jedi culture 2

young jedi

jedi and taxes

jedi sects

jedi weddings

jedi robes

jedi order corps and subdivisions

jedi order bureaucratic structure

Jedi robe significations

Jedi clothing

Jedi Temple Guards

Jedi culture 3

Feelings soaking in

Jedi and teaching

Jedi are empaths

Bag of flour and the 212th

Plo Koon

Jedi debates

Jedi views on blood ties in Lucasfilm canon

Other faiths in the order

Jedi meeting their bio families

Different adoption scenarios

Jedi music

Telekinesis

Jedi healers

Jedi and emotions

Padawan attire and conduct

Jedi younglings

[rookcoppinger]

its all "theyre easily overstimulated" till it's special interest time.

-im playing Epic the Musical -im playing the Lightning Theif Musical -the percy jackson show is running on mute with captions in the background -i have the sun and the star open -im watching a youtube video about the musical vs the book vs the movie -im on my percy jackson greek myth world in minecraft -im talking to my pjo character ai's -i am scrolling pjo tumblr -i am talking to my friends about pjo -i am literally vibrating with energy *Insert autistic screeching*

[furious-blueberry0]

Are there people out there that really think that Star Wars is too political? And say that as if it is a flaw?

Like, I’m sorry, but did people seriously look at a saga literally named Star WARS and manage to complain about the fact that it has politics? Did these people watch the movies and only saw the lightsabers, the cool music and the pew pews? Is that all their brain could comprehend?

I’m not saying that you can’t do that, if you want to look at the fun side of the saga only than good for you, but using the argument of “too much politics” and make it the flaw of the story is so stupid.

Like that’s the point, THAT’S THE WHOLE FUCKING POINT.

George Lucas didn’t just make a story of a good guy vs a bad guy, he made a story where a Republic, a just system that has become corrupted to its core, finds itself into a devastating war and is pushed to its limit by a slimy and disgusting scheming bastard (inspired by George Bush), who then uses its weakness to take control of it and transform it, from a free system to a fascist dictatorship (inspired by Nazi Germany and the USA of the Vietnam war) and whose one of the first things he does is a literal genocide and ethnical cleansing of a religious order.

And this is only the Prequels, because in the OT the story is about how this Empire, whose head and right hand are literally the most powerful beings in the galaxy, gets utterly destroyed not by other powerful beings, not by superpowers, not by mystical forces that the human mind can’t comprehend.

But by people, normal people, the average person, who can’t fly, who can’t use mystical objects, who cannot move things with the mind or other tricks.

The heroes of these movies are the rebels, who are not fighting because of some ancient prophecy, or because of a quest given by mystical beings, or because they have to restore the fabric of the Universe, they fight because it’s the right thing to do, because this is what happens when you take away freedom from people, when you destroy their homes, when you kill their loved ones, when you obliterate everything they have ever known and loved.

Treat people like animals and they’ll react like animals, by biting the hand that carries the stick and then ripping it into shreds.

And yes, Luke is the hero that saves the day by killing Sidious and Vader, but he would have never, and I say NEVER have arrived at that point without the help of the Rebellion, it’s something that no one could have ever done alone, a single individual against an entire Empire is a suicide, no matter how powerful you are.

And I love it. I don’t even know how to put it into words, I love how this ancient and meticulous plan gets annihilated by normal people, who just wanted to be free.

THIS is Star Wars: a fight against tyranny.

And it makes me sad how people forget and ignore it. With the Rebellion it’s not just the special people who can be heroes, everyone can! And they don’t even need to do the heroic actions described in the stories and the myths.

A Hero says “No” when the Stormtroopers ask if they saw the young and scared boy who ran and hid behind the bins near their home.

A Hero gives extra blankets and food to the neighbor that is hiding refugees.

A Hero “accidentally” blocks the way of a squad of Stormtroopers, to give others the time to escape.

A Hero hides the weapons of the rebels in their well while the Stormtroopers raid all the houses.

A Hero runs through the streets and into the woods to go find the rebels that are hiding there, to tell them it’s time to run

A Hero talks loudly about the atrocities that the Empire is committing, forcing those who are silent to listen.

A Hero comforts the mother who lost all her children to the Empire.

A Hero organizes the funeral of that same mother, after she tried to take her revenge.

A Hero doesn’t let the Empire enter their head, they don’t let it change their being.

It’s all about the small acts of insurrection that pushes the line forward.

[adaptations-polls]

Which version of this do you prefer?

[tremordusk]

Episode 5 Theory: Agatha's Trial is not what it seems (Part 4)

They took the time to bury Sharon… so why didn’t we see Alice’s burial? 

Alice is alive because this is Lilia’s vision of Agatha’s trial that has been warped by Teen’s subconscious insecurities. 

Here’s why:

Ali Ahn is credited for 8 episodes on IMDb.

Alice showed up episode 2 and there is a total of nine episodes so that means she’s in 2-9. 

The lyrics of Alice’s mother’s song: 

“Wherever it may bend, I’ll see you at the end.” 

Is sung by Alice during her trial and could potentially be foreshadowing that Alice is waiting at the end of road or will be waiting at the end of the road (because it’s Lilia’s vision) for her coven. 

Agatha looking at the power she “stole” at the end of the trial:

Agatha’s glancing at the power she drained from Alice and after a moment it fades to dust in her hands— I don’t recall that happening in Wandavision. 

Rio’s lack of appearance

Doesn’t help that there’s a change in the music that sounds sinister as if Death is coming to collect — and Rio was laughing when Death was mentioned. 

The image above is Rio eyeing the body. This also supposedly confirms Alice's death.

If Teen is subconsciously affecting Lilia’s vision of Agatha’s trial then this is him drawing conclusions that Rio could be literal death -> which is something he wants to avoid (but why?). It’s mentioned as one of the rules of the board, “don’t talk about death”. 

Upon returning to the road Rio is nowhere to be seen especially as Teen reveals himself and tries to drown Agatha and co. 

^ could be explained that she stayed behind to reap and properly bury Alice, but I just said Alice is alive… so this either is where Lilia’s vision becomes foggy and Teen’s insecurities go completely rampant or:

The opposite that Teen is consciously aware of warping Lilia’s vision of Agatha’s trial. 

There’s been theories that he’s working with Mephisto (and Mephisto was mentioned in this show)…either he could be working with Mephisto and/or Rio could be too. 

I had two ideas about this:

He’s not fully alive due to the whole Westview incident and therefore is afraid subconsciously/consciously of Rio collecting him. 

I don’t have much evidence besides the Knight of Wands to support this: https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/extrasensory-perceptions/knight-of-wands.htm#:~:text=In%20its%20upright%20position%2C%20the,to%20finish%20what%20we%20start.

Upright meaning could be Alice while reversed is warning about Teen.

Lilia calls out this card when Alice steps in to save Agatha. That’s why I mention her here. 

Upright meaning: represents a surge of energy, daring adventures, and self assured confidence. It signifies the completion of tasks and the fulfillment of goals. In short urging us to finish what we start. The knight ushers in the spirit of the hero, brave and rebellious and moves towards positive changes with an open mind and free spirit. 

^ could mean the trial is only beginning or that Alice’s purpose was complete but Alice is alive so it could mean the detour or that Alice proved (will prove) herself worthy of getting to the end of the road if she continues her self growth. 

Reverse meaning: warns against arrogance, lack of self discipline and recklessness, fear and lack of enthusiasm or ambition. The Knight advises caution and encourages us to think before we act, and to avoid rushing in without considering the consequences.

^this is representing Teen and his current condition of consciously/subconsciously being hasty or allowing his own fears and ambitions cost him what he wants from the road and the coven. And supposedly if he isn’t fully alive being represented by the Knight of wands shows he’s yet to become a “real boy” (Pinocchio reference XD) 

All this warning of what IS to come because remember I said this is Lilia’s VISION of Agatha’s trial that has been WARPED by Teen. 

OR: He and Rio both work for Mephisto but both are under different orders and Teen doesn’t want Rio to out him to the coven. 

Reasons for this one? (still Lilia's Vision)

Episode 4: Rio isn’t trying to hide anything, she’s blunt and opened up about Agatha being her scar -> She's a wild card.

Rio knows Teen isn’t Agatha’s son (THIS we have confirmation)

^ who’s to say that Rio most likely knows his identity (or that he's not Agatha's son) and could tell on him at any time? 

That would ruin his current relationship with Agatha if he hasn’t already. 

Better to dispose of Agatha through a vision while Rio isn't looking ;)

Conclusion: 

To close up one more thing: Teen’s mind bringing in the Salem Seven is a normal process of the brain organizing and processing information -> dreams/visions are kooky sometimes. That would also explain Jen’s sudden increase in hostility, everyone going along with punishing Agatha, how the other’s react differently to Alice’s passing versus Sharon’s. Also, the lack of element and moon phase and no change in the aspect ratio.

Alice is alive 

Teen is avoiding Rio

Lilia is having a messed up vision of the future.

(Lilia’s vision) Agatha’s trial got hijacked by Teen’s insecurities. 

Episode 5 is Agatha’s trial but it’s Lilia’s vision of the future BUT it is warped because of Teen having been in a high stress/extreme blood loss state 

Sorry for the super long theory but I just thought of it >•<

Part 4 of 4

Previous:

[katerinaaqu]

Okay so that people will not think that I am an unecessary hater here are some things that I actually liked or loved about Epic the Musical:

So everyone who knows me, I openly express my dislike on the changes of Epic the Musical (although as I say many times the music is really good, the production very passionate and I congratulate the creator for getting so much love despite the fact that I personally dislike his artistic choice on the matter)

However here's a small list of things that I actually liked very much about the musical (sorry if it gets long!)

The first two sagas:

Honestly the two sagas (Troy and Storm) were masterpieces not only song-wise but also plot-wise. The adaptation remained loose with many things being adapted for modern audiences but it was still generic to the Epic Cycle in general and Odyssey in particular. The pace of the plot was quick like the fall of Troy was, the heroes speak as if they are on the right ("tonight we shall make the Trojans pay") to encourage each other even though then the reality check falls on them. Amazing fast pace songs give their turn to a slow and dramatic one

Odysseus and Astyanax:

More specifically as a sequence on the above I really liked the way the myth was depicted and again very loosely adapted off Iliou Persis version which is the one version we know where Odysseus clearly kills the baby with his own hands by "throwing it off the walls". Even if generally I am more aligned with the version of the myth that has Neoptolemous doing it, the fact that we have the actual protagonist do the brutal act was a very good touch and I love it how he uses only that small and so under-analyzed concept and he created a very beautiful moral dilemma. The setting stone of "monster vs man" was a promising thing too (although I personally got disappointed at the actual execution of it because of the changes in storyline). The way that Odysseus knows it is the logical choice to kill the heir of Troy and it tears him apart inside is not just amazingly executed but also very much IC with Homer's Odysseus.

Full Speed Ahead:

No need for explanations here. The song was great, was keeping in touch with the original Odyssey, spirit of Odysseus on-point and the essence of it great! Although it was way too happy after the darkness of the "Just a Man" one can understand that the tension created should be released and somehow it did point out the coping mechanism of Odysseus at some parts of the Odyssey which also lead to many emotional breakdowns for Odysseus (ironically the most infamous was the one that got him to offend Poseidon in the first place)

Giving Eurylochus and Polites more lines:

Eurylochus is known for questioning the authority of Odysseus and Polites for being his best friend but in general we do not see too much of them in the Odyssey (especially Polites who only appears once as mentioned at Circe's island). Even if making Polites a bubbly token character to balance the whole emotional burden of the war was a bit too overused theme for me I didn't dislike it per se. And it was good that he plays a good balancing role there. Also generally speaking Eurylochus's character development was not bad either (daresay I liked his character development more than Epic!Odysseus! XD) because it starts from a strong but opinionated man to a basic arch-rival figure to the end part.

Which is why I was kinda disappointed that Polites was killed off at Polyphemus's cave because it seemed to me that he was there for the drama (even future scholiasts of the Odyssey do not think that Polites was in the cave at all yet alone killed in it) but again given that Polites is pretty much a clean slate character if that was like the major change of it I wouldn't necessarily mind it.

Warrior of the Mind:

The song was beautiful and it captured Athena's essence very well (minus the very much overused mind vs heart content of hers which is good that it was somehow rectified a bit with God Games given that Athena was never against emotions neither did she try to stop her champions from having them and she doesn't make separation of logic vs emotions. In fact she fires up emotions to her champions many times knowing what a helpful thing emotion is. I think he overplayed the fact that Athena encourages logic to make her "cold logic material" but that wasn't really my issue so much I mean it is just an over-used trope but it is not completely inaccurate).

It was interesting to connect the boar of Parnassus to Athena (which is again a common trope in greek mythology that gods send random tests for whoever is worthy) and how ellegedly Athena and Odysseus meet in this context. Again it has nothing to do with the original Odyssey and yet this loose adaptation of their meeting was an interesting interraction with a lot of potential and emotional connection. I also like how Athena appears more cold in her speech like "change from the way I designed you" or "don't disappoint me" which is basically a genuine trope of Athena's. Like every champion of hers that disappointed her (for example Tydeus) didn't really end up well! Which is a change I adored for the Musical adaptation

About 2.5/3 of "Remember Them"

Okay the part with the dialog with Athena had me cringing a bit but the rest of the song was a masterpiece. Odysseus saying that there is no time to bury or mourn but have time only to save themselves and remember their fallen friends afterwards is EXACTLY what Odysseus would say and encourage his men to work their backs on something to save themselves and get out of their nasty situation. Also the final 45 seconds of it with his name reveal was probably what hyped me and wanted to get into the musical in the first place (before I started disliking the changes) because it was EXACTLY how it would go down! Also the choice for Odysseus's name officially be revealed on that song was incredibly clever and very nicely chosen

So basically I would only remove the dialog with Athena there given how it just didn't do justice in my head to the extremely complicated situation that led to him revealing himself. I also felt that the line "let's grab the sheep and away we go" was a bit too hasty to show their escape given how much complicated it was but I also understand the way to keep the song going and that wouldn't be done by adding a dramatic angst in the middle. That would mean that there should be a song in-between with their escape and that the second half of "remember them" would turn into a reprise of some kind. So yeah I understand that.

How Much Longer:

That song was also amazing and again not an event that happens to Odyssey but something that perfectly aligns with the spirit of it. Having Eurylochus openly disagreeing here and Odysseus taking him to the side to talk to him, the way that Odysseus comes up with a crazy plan before to groppel upon the castle that floats in the sky etc. It was a great foreshadowing on the actual events that follow which again seem to align greatly with the Odyssey and the events of it even if that itself is not linked to the material itself.

Done For:

Again one more song that I hyped over was "Done For". Harmonies were perfect, the way that the two of them have a duet, which is something that doesn't happen before in order to signify their aligning was amazing and the way Odysseus acts like a cheeky bastard there was something I adored. (Of course got crushed with "Other Ways" hehehe but the build up till there was great. To be fair "Other Ways" till that freaking "I can't!" or the whole "seduce so you can kill him" theme which also kinda ruined it fo4 me, was also a masterpiece to me, like I mention to another post of mine it would be great if the song was to signify their intercourse). The song was a perfect adaptation of the homeric poem for modern audiences (for it doesn't include everything like Odysseus drinking the potion, Circe being terrified and in wonder that her spell doesn't work on him etc) and it keeps the essential part of their interraction making it into a great choreography (with the exceptions of the "I have to protect my nymphs!" thing but again if that was the only change they made on it I wouldn't mind it so much at all in fact it is interesting that the nymph servants of the goddess mentioned in the Odyssey make a cameo here. Would i have liked that we wouldn't get a toned down Circe and instead we got her in her gray glory? Absolutely. But like I said if that was the only thing added here i wouldn't have minded it so much. Unfortunately though it was the whole Circe misadventure that was changed so yeah for me it was potential lost but i hyped at Done For).

Chorus of the Underworld:

Like you know I am one of the exceptions that wasn't impressed by the Underworld Saga and found it brushed off however the idea to add the dead men singing and bringing more guilt to Odysseus was an idea I knew Jorge would go with and he did and it was interesting. Not only the melody of that part was really beautiful and haunting but also the impact was great (I will just choose to ignore the part of "ruthlessness is mercy" and the "klling of cyclops" because of thesame reason that I didn't like the dialog between Athena and Odysseus before the revelation of his name). I also liked the parts of Odysseus's solos but for the rest of it again I think it would be more impactful to me if the original plot was followed more faithfully.

Tiresias song was good, very good actually, as a song but as I mentioned to another post of mine, too vague, too not answering anything.

The rest felt scrapped off. I would love to see at least one or two of the interractions of Odysseus with the dead especially his mother because as I mentioned before it is of outmost importance that Odysseus knew beyond doubt that his mother didn't just die waiting, she died BECAUSE she was waiting. And that has a big difference for me. But again that is just my opinion.

Aphrodite speaking of other types of love:

Gods Games is just a not for me for many reasons but the detail of Aphrodite mentioning a mother's love intead of romantic love was a great touch and amazingly changed from the usual reoccuring pattern of romantic love or passion. It was good that her arguement was based on a mother's love and pain and ironically Aphrodite herself is a mother who has children to protect

The final part of Love in Paradise:

The rest of the song was ak-ok for me (and thank the old gods and the new that at least THIS experience of Odysseus was kept faithful to the original up to one point. I mean the sexual abuse is not touched there directly but given the leap of time and the condition Odysseus is to the final part one can expect that it did happen maybe? I am talkng only on the perspective of the listener since I do not know the background info on it). In my mind it happens and the song just dodges to addrsss it like it happened before but as I said that is only me hearing THIS specific song not any other around it or the background info of it.

But the final part where Odysseus stands at the edge ready to throw himself at the sea to his death is definitely having me "FUCKING FINALLY!" and be so happy that they kept that dark theme at least! Because I simply loved that essence of the myth in the Odyssey and it was something I can absolutely see happening myself and contemplating it as a scene when reading the Odyssey; how Odysseus might possibly make more than one attempt against his life and Calypso stopping him somehow.

The rest of the song was okay as I said before and thankfully it was touching the homeric thing (I lso liked how Jorge chose to get there by having us hear the small portions of other songs as Athena "scans" although as I said the chole concept of "my goodbye" or something just didn't align to me) but the choice was really good but as I said before it was the final part that truly got me! With the final prayer to Athena which again would be something I would SO imagine myself Odysseus would do! In fact I myself imagining him doing it many times over!

That part was probably my favorite so far and is just a few seconds! Which again makes me wish more things were like that...

~*~*~*~

Anyways I believe that concludes it so far. Generally as you know I am not a fan and no I do not have problem seeing this as "different media" or "loose adaptation" or "retelling" or whatever. It just is not my cup of tea and I it doesn't need to be (and the fact that it is so changed beyond recognition of the original is what makes me think of it of yet another average "loosely based on" holywood film material and we have had enough f those already in my opinion of course). I still adore the harmonies the music the singers and such are amazing and the passion is apparent

Is just that I just cannot stand the butchering of the story to the point of literally being easy to replace the characters names and still with the proper background buildup the story can still be told! Because it is not the Odyssey anymore.

HOWEVER

No one said that I disliked every single bit of it. This is a small sample of things that I liked and a small reasoning why. I hope that helps

[notyouraryang0dd3ss]

One thing that I personally find super frustrating about Taylor Swift is the way she plays into the myth of the "lone genius" artist. Without collaboration, nothing gets done; or, if it does, it's typically of low or inconsistent quality. And this is true in pretty much ANY field or discipline you can think of: scientific research, advocacy work, etc. The fact that Taylor considers herself above that and persists in selling the myth of her "lone genius" to fans honestly feels malevolent and arrogant to me.

It's truly ridiculous, at the end of the day, that people call her a "poet" and "genius songwriter" for doing everything on her own. I think it really showcases how little she understands when it comes to poetry as an art form. Most legendary writers and poets have multiple people look over their work and go through many stages of the editing process. One of the purposes of art is to communicate, and it's honestly hard to tell sometimes if what you've written has meaning and communicates well outside of your own brain. Peer review is ESSENTIAL for writers.

I think it's also very telling that she considers herself a legendary poet and actively plays into that mythology by circulating the fact that she's distantly related to Emily Dickinson. As someone who has loved and studied literature for many years, I can honestly say that Taylor Swift's closest comparative when it comes to writing is Rupi Kaur. Pinterest poetry, and nothing more. And she has the arrogance to compare herself to one of the most important poets in American literary canon!

I'm reminded of something I heard Hozier say a little while back (I'm forgetting now which interview) about people praising his lyricism as poetry. He essentially called those claims an insult to poetry, stating that there are structural rules in music (rhyme scheme, beat, etc.) that he adheres to that poets don't have to, and that poets can be much more experimental and revolutionary in form (at least when it comes to the written word vs. the sung word). Only someone who genuinely loves poetry would say something like this; plus, it shows that he thinks about the different impacts that form can have on art the messages it communicates. And this, coming from one of the best singer/songwriters currently working!

TS and Hozier aren't writing in the same genre, but I do think it's interesting to compare them as artists in their respective approaches to lyricism. When it comes to Taylor, I think she cares more about the aesthetic of poetry as an art form than the actual art itself. Her writing doesn't actively interact with the literary canon that inspired it, like Hozier's does (or other great lyricists, like Kendrick/Florence/Mitski/Elton). Her writing feels very hollow and devoid of meaning to me.

i just want to say your ask and analysis was so well written 😭 thank you for sending this in!

Completely agree that Swift's solo songwriting genius is a myth. Only 2/16 songs from TTPD were solely credited to her...which means 12.5% of the album is solely her own writing. That is not a songwriting genius. That's just a songwriter. She already knows her fans are completely sold and convinced on her songwriting genius so of course she would drag out her ancestry.com results and up-play her relation to Emily Dickinson to help sell the aesthetic of the album. Everything for her is another marketing strategy. She has no respect for poetry, let alone writing as a craft itself. If you view her behavior through the lens of another writer, it's absolutely abhorrent, but if you view it through the lens of another capitalist, it's absolute genius.

I love your Hozier comparison because Hozier is only 4 months younger than Taylor yet the quality of their lyricism are oceans apart. Hozier has proven himself to be a talented writer time and time again throughout the course of his career, and the best songwriters often know and understand the power of other writing mediums. (BTW I know what Hozier interview you’re talking about! Here it is :))

What makes a great writer is knowing the canon, and knowing other writing mediums very well. It's why the greatest songwriters incorporate canon not only of their own genre and medium but of other texts as well (I'm biased because I listened to Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights today and I know its an adaptation but still its relevant here). Intextuality is the foundation of a great work, and Taylor's work has none.

As the other anon(s) have pointed out, Taylor no longer makes music as art. She makes music for money. I don't think any artist who likes what they do or cares about what they produce would put out an album like that, with lyrics like that, and its content. At least Rupi Kaur's writing impacted poetry in bringing it into the mainstream; I don't exactly understand what ttpd could offer as a text or in pop culture.

TLDR: hozier makes music for people who eat it from the back and then handfeed you grapes afterwards. taylor swift makes music for white girls entering their first day of 7th grade send tweet

[tanoraqui]

[spins the Silm Headcanons Nobody Else Shares (Yet) wheel]

Though Elrond was, inevitably, involved in the politics of building Lindon, he was not only NOT Gil-Galad’s official herald yet at the start of the Second Age, but he was only tangentially involved with the new government. Instead, Elrond spent the first few centuries of the Second Age as an adventuring anthropologist/archeologist.

He traveled around Lindon, and inland and up and down the shore, talking to all variety of refugees and recording the histories and cultures of their people, from ancient myths to recent war stories to how this group of Men (or Elves or Dwarves) cooks their porridge vs how that one does. He dug and sometimes dove into ruins of forts rent by Light and Shadow, often with foul lingering malaise, to retrieve papers and goods warped by flame, sea, and worse.

Because Elrond’s childhood was filled with many refrains of loss, and one was,

“This is how we baked nutcakes in Menegroth!” his mother explained, hands sticky with chestnuts and honey. Under her breath, not meaning her even stickier sons to hear, she added, “I think.”

“Oh yes, there were…” Eärendil’s fingers twitched as he counted in his head. “…eleven different major fountains in Gondolin! One for each Great House, though all were managed by Lord Ecthelion—oh, no, but then that must be ten…?”

“Now, in a proper course of musical education, I would be starting you on basic dancing songs today. But Filúriel is the only one of us left who knows how to dance a good gavotte—”

“Filúriel died three years ago. Orcs on the way back from Sirion.” Maedhros didn’t look up from the daggers he was sharpening. Only his words gave any indication that he was even aware of the lesson taking place across the room.

“—But there is no one left who knows how to dance a good Tirion Gavotte.” Maglor never missed a beat. “So instead I will start you on basic Songs for striking fear into the hearts of your enemies. Have you both done your warm-up exercises today?”

[smash cut to 200 years later]

Elrond: Are you telling me. That there is a chance. That a portion of the Great Library of Thargelion, greatest collection in Beleriand of books and art brought physically from Aman, is still intact?

Random improbably still alive Nargothrond-Fëanorian #6: If the cases were water-proof as well as orc-proof and fire-proof…if they were orc-proof and fire-proof at all…especially dragonfire-proof…or dragon-ice-proof… If they stayed hidden, if we even shut them all properly in the first place, as we evacuated just ahead of the— my lord, where are you going?!

Elrond, sprinting past them down the corridor: Deep-sea diving!

(In the late Third Age, the Library of Rivendell is widely regarded as Arda’s single greatest repository of historical records of life in Middle Earth. This is incorrect—the single greatest such repository is an ever-growing library on Tol Eressëa, to which Elrond spent 3000 years sending copies of everything from Hobbit almanacs to Dwarvish epic poems to account books from three Elvish kingdoms to an Age’s worth of Dúnedain Ranger journals. Anyone Sailing with extra cargo space has been cajoled into taking at least a few tomes. People and places may be lost to time, but part of why he chose an Elvish life is so that they will not be forgotten.)

[eumeliafeu]

I know this is coming out of nowhere but my twin and I were just talking about Epic the Musical and how people are depicting certain "characters"(I'm a Hellenistic pagan, they're not just characters to me). As many people have pointed out recently, a lot of our favorite depictions of myth come from the Romans and not the Greek themselves, the Romans twisted and made the myths new and yet those are ROMAN myths, even if they have the Greek names slapped on, they're Roman and not how the Greek Gods were depicted in the classical period. Now, we were specifically talking about Circe and how people have chosen a specific version of the Odyssey which suggests Circe was predatory to Odysseus. We decided to do some digging, knowing some people's favorite myths of SA and the such were the Roman version of the myths(IE: Medusa being born a human and then turned into a gorgon(Roman) vs Medusa being born a gorgon(Greek)). Anyway, we found that the depiction of Circe being predatory towards Odysseus original stems from the Renaissance, not even the Romans. They used it as a caution towards "sexually liberated women", sound familiar? Sounds similar to how a lot of people talk about women today when women choose to allow themselves to have boundaries and begin to respect themselves more than they respect the thoughts of other people.

TDLR; Circe being predatory towards Odysseus wasn't a thing until the Renaissance because of misogyny towards women who make choices for themselves and their bodies :D

[everlastingmooncoven]

Lesson #1: Introduction to Magic

Witchcraft vs. Wicca vs. Paganism:

Paganism is a religion as well as an umbrella term to describe different religions. In the past, it was seen as anyone who wasn’t a Christian. Currently, a lot of practices and religions fall under the category of Pagan. No witchcraft or certain practices are required to be Pagan. Most Pagans do believe in the circles of life and death, with a strong connection to nature.

Wicca is a religion that usually involves witchcraft but not always. It was founded in 1954 by Gerald Garner and involves documents and beliefs such as the Wiccan Rede and the Harm None laws. The Wiccan religion falls under Paganism.

Witchcraft is a practice, not a religion. It can be used inside and outside of religious practices. There are many branches of The Craft, including Green Witchcraft and Cosmic Witchcraft.

Different Paths:

Not all Alchemists are witches, but Alchemy can be paired with the Craft.

Angelic Witches work closely with Angels in their practice.

A Celtic Witch would be a witch who follows the traditions and rituals of the Celtic religion. They may work with or worship Celtic deities and read Celtic myths, legends, and history. This could also include working with the fae, but it’s not required.

In a Ceremonial Witch's practice, it’s all focused on the sacred ceremonies and rituals of witchcraft. It’s more intricate than everyday magic.

Cosmic/Celestial Witches are the astrologers. Focused on the moon, sun, star, and planet cycles, zodiac signs and birth charts are their specialty. They use the energies from the cycles of the universe to fuel their spell work. Lunar Witches and Solar Witches would fall in this category, as their focus is mostly towards the phases of the moon or the sun.

Coven Witches are a part of a coven, this would include a high priest, or priestess along with members of a coven. They bring their powers together to cast spells and do rituals together.

Crystal Witches are all about the use of crystals and gems. Creating crystal grids, understanding the power of their properties, and using that power to manifest or attract the energies that the witch is trying to bring in their craft.

When it comes to Eclectic Witches they are a hit or miss. They mix and match their own practice from other religions or branches of witchcraft. That can be a good thing and a bad thing. You can make your practice your own and not be tied down to one thing. However, if you are taking from closed practices or taking from spaces where you aren’t welcomed then that is never okay. No matter what branch you practice.

A Death Witch is someone who works with the dead, or practices necromancy. This can also include helping them cross to the other side, honoring the dead in rituals, or helping people through periods of mourning their loved ones. Death deities such as Hel (Norse Goddess of Death) or Hades (Greek King of the Underworld) may be some deities a death witch might be interested in working with.

Demonologists are people who study, work with, or worship Demons and include them into their Craft.

Divination Witches are usually your psychics. They work with tools such as tarot or oracle cards, palm readings, pendulums, runes, etc. They can show the future or receive messages from the other side or from your guides.

Draconian Witches are people who work with Dragons. It is a very intricate path that isn’t made for everyone. You may approach dragons, but when it comes time dragons may or may not choose you.

Elemental Witches use the power of the elements in their practices. Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and sometimes the fifth element known as the Spirit or Either. Through bonding with the elements, she’s able to call on them in her practice. This could also be broken down by Fire Witches, who connect mostly with Fire elements. Water Witches also could fall under Sea Witchcraft. Air Witches could include playing instruments, listening to music, or singing in their practice. And Earth Witches could be classified as a Green or Plant Witch.

Fae Witches are those who work with the Fae in their craft. This is usually paired with the Celtic pantheon, but not always.

A Folk Witch can be hereditary, but not always. They include practices that are either passed down from family members, or their community. They use their ethnicities and the origins of their ancestors in their practices. Sometimes they can be closed practices, sometimes they are just not shared with people outside of those communities.

Gray Witches practice both the left-hand path (black magic) of the right-hand path (white magic). What kind of magic they practice depends on the situation.

Green Witches are all about nature, they use herbology, healing, gardening, and plant magic in witchcraft. They prefer to be outside and in nature, especially when doing their craft. Plant Witches are in a subcategory of Green Witchcraft whose main focus is plants.

Both Hearth Witches and House/Cottage Witches overlap when it comes to how they practice. They are both focused on making their home peaceful and full of magic. This can include candle magic, kitchen witchery, house rituals, etc.

A Hedge Witch is similar to an eclectic witch. But hedge witches are more focused on herbology, elements, astral protection, auras, and nature.

A Hellenic Witch is someone who works with or worships the ancient Greek or Roman deities. They perform rites and give offerings that were presented to the deities long ago.

Hereditary Witches are people whose family practices witchcraft. Power or certain practices are passed through their family line.

Kitchen Witches incorporate magic into their food or drink. They understand the properties that certain foods or herbs have and are able to pair them together to create a delicious, magical-filled dish or drink.

Sea Witches have a strong connection to the ocean. They can incorporate water, seashells, sand, and moon phases in their practices. Any body of water will do, you don’t have to live near any ocean to do sea magic. Lakes, rivers, or any natural body of water will do. They can also work with water spirits, such as mermaids.

Sex Witches use sexual acts and sexual energy to enhance their rituals. This can be done alone or with consenting partners.

A Solitary Witch practices alone or without a coven. They can be any type of Witch.

A Traditional Witch can be a hereditary, a folk, or a ceremonial witch. Any kind of practice that follows a long-standing tradition.

Wiccan Witch follows the Wiccan Rede and the Harm None laws, within their practice. They can include almost any other branch of witchcraft as well. They worship a God and Goddess as the masculine and feminine energies, and love and respect nature.

These are just a handful of witches that are out there, I know I missed many of them. Feel free to mix and match titles or have no title at all. It’s whatever you are most comfortable with and what you have a connection to the most.

Altars:

Altars are prominent in most religions; they are concentrated, personal, and sacred spaces meant for worship, spell castings, honoring ancestors, celebrating holidays and more. They can be simple and hidden, large and extravagant or anything in between. It should be created to please you and no one else.

The arrangement of tools on the altar can vary to each person, there is a basic outline, but you’re not required to follow it. When picking out the tools and decorations make sure you don’t choose random items that might clutter your altar. No matter how big or small your space is, you don’t want a messy place to work in; so make sure everything has a meaning or purpose.

Altars can also come in any aesthetic that you enjoy; some choose a very traditional altar, while others love a modern take on things. They can also be based around an element, deity, crystal, or even your favorite color.

There are so many ways you can present your altar, but as long as you make it your own precious space then the sky's the limit!

Witchcraft Tools:

A Book of Shadows, Grimoire, or another Spell Book can be anything you wish it to be, from a simple notebook, a file on your computer, or a fancy leather-bound book. No matter what it is, always keep it nearby when you are casting; you never know when you might need to jot something down or need a reference.

A Pentagram or Pentacle can be sat in the center of an altar, or worn on a necklace. It represents the five elements and can be used for protection.

Divination Tools would also be kept on your altar or nearby if you are doing spellwork. Whether it be tarot or oracle cards, pendulums, runes, tea leaves, or a crystal ball.

Photos or Statues are great ways to honor your ancestors and loved ones who have passed on (including pets!). You can add photos, notes, and other offerings on your altar as a way to honor them and call upon them. You can also add photos and statues of your guides or deities to dedicate a space to them.

Athames are beautifully crafted knives meant for spell casting or energy channeling only. They are usually not meant for cooking or other purposes.

Wands are created for energy channeling and circle casting, they can be made out of wood, crystal, metal, or glass. You can also craft your own and add crystals, charms, or other decorations to personalize it.

Candles can be used for multiple things. It can represent the element of fire and air, can represent a space for deities or ancestors, or for simple color magic. It’s good to have multiple colors and sizes, but white is usually a good substitute. You could also use birthday candles for spells that have to melt all the way down but you don’t want to wait or leave a burning candle unattended.

For the Earth Element anything that comes from the Earth naturally such as dirt, sand, flowers, leaves, certain herbs, sticks, crystals, rocks, etc can be used to represent the Earth element and be used in many ways.

Cauldrons or other heatproof bowls would be needed for making potions, burning herbs, casting spells, or scrying.

A Chalice could represent the Moon Goddess and the element of water; a chalice can hold water, wine, or other offerings. It can also be used for fertility rituals and spells.

Feathers represent the elements of air, they can be nice offerings for certain spirits, guides, or deities or be used for waving away negative energies.

Bells can represent the air element and are known for cleansing a space of negative energies to leave a peaceful feeling environment.

Each Herb, Plant, or Flower has different properties, each being unique and special. With that being said, some ingredients can be very dangerous and harmful to handle if you are unfamiliar with them; so always proceed with caution when using unknown herbs. And make sure to keep poisonous ones away from your furry or scaly friends and curious children!

Incense not only smells lovely, but they represent the elements of air and fire. They are wonderful for cleansing and each scent has its own special property.

Waters from ocean, lake, rain, storm, tap, or even bottled water can represent the water element; each can be used in a different way in a spell. But also can be used for cleansing yourself or your tools.

Poppets are very powerful tools that can be used for causing harm to enemies, initiating protection around a household, or casting a blessing on those closest to you.

Crystals are helpful for healing, protection, peace, and many other things. They are gorgeous pieces for offerings, or to just keep on your altar or in your car.

Pouches, Boxes, and Jars are a very simple way to hold any spell that you create, usually kept with the person it was made for, buried in the ground, on your altar. It can contain anything from blessings to curses.

Book of Shadows:

1. Create your own spellbooks:

Decide if you are going to have a physical book or binder or if you want a digital book, which could be left online or if you are going to print it out. Figure out the style, do you want traditional, cute, full of stickers, dried herbs or plants included, add artwork. Make it your own. You don’t have to call your spellbook the typical names, you can name your book anything you want. If you work with Spirits, Book of the Dead. If you work with the water element, Storm Book or Way of the Waters. Or sometimes more traditional like The Book of Ways. You can be creative when naming your Grimoire if you want. You can also have more than one spellbook for different tasks or information.

2. Layouts:

The layout of your book is unique to you. Personally, I tend to group similar things together. But here are things you can add to your book.

Some type of index to keep your book organized. You could also include a glossary of common-use terms or phrases.

A book blessing, protection sigils, and/or book dedications.

Your personal correspondences such as astrology charts, what type of path you practice, coven meetings (if you’re involved in one), information about the deities or guides you work with, and favorite divination methods. You could also add your favorite crystals, colors, herbs, flowers, etc.

Basic information about magic. Tools used in your craft, how to make sigils, cleansing, protection, correspondences about crystals, herbs, incense, aromatherapy, etc.

Animal correspondences, what it means when you see certain animals. This could also include familiar work, or any animal guides you work with.

Moon, sun, and planet phases. This can also include constellations, zodiac signs, birth charts, and how to read them.

The Wheel of the Year, any holidays or sabbats that you celebrate and how to celebrate them. This could also include days of the week correspondences and time correspondences.

You can add recipes that you make for offerings or holidays or even have a spellbook be a cookbook instead if you are a kitchen witch or just love cooking.

Any rituals or spells that you perform, what it is, when you cast them, the herbs or crystals you use, what the moon or sun phase was, the phrases you said, what the results were, and if you would change anything.

Divination tools that you use, the meaning behind tarot cards or runes, etc. And you can keep a journal track of when you do any kind of divination, the questions you asked and the answers you received.

History of magic, the path you practice, the deities or guides you work with. Folklore or myths from certain areas that you are interested in.

Lists of deities or guides from the pantheon(s) or groups that you’re involved in.

Different psychic abilities and keeping track of your meditation progress, dreams, affirmations, yoga, and any other energy workings that you do.

Any mythical beings (mermaids, dragons, fae, etc) that you work with and information about them. How you work with them, favorite offerings, spellwork that they’ve helped you with, etc.

Covens:

Covens are usually made up of 13 members that come together to practice Magick or celebrate a Sabbath together. They are normally very private groups that use their energies to reach a common goal or need.

Some Witches prefer Covens rather than solitary because you are able to learn and grow from the other members that you surround yourself with. If you are open with your practices then there can be a lot of backlash from non-pagans who don’t understand or accept your beliefs; so it’s always nice to have like-minded individuals in your life who you can communicate and socialize with.

However, if you are wanting to practice in solitude then that is completely up to you and your personal path. There is nothing wrong with not joining a Coven if your heart says no.

[that-ari-blogger]

Stray Gods vs Change, Part 2

Why does Stray Gods keep mentioning family?

That was a genuine question, I'm not sure what the answer is. This post is going to be my thoughts and I'd really appreciate some discussion in response because again, I'm not quite sure.

SPOILERS BELOW

So, to say that Stray Gods mentions family dynamics several times is an understatement. Persephone, Orpheus, Hermes, the whole deal with the Idols list goes on. And there is a distinct repetition that comes up. Most of these dynamics are dysfunctional.

The Idol family is the obvious one. The myths of the Greek Gods can be summarised by one main quote from Disney's Hercules, of all films.

Essentially, the Greek Deities are one massive family tree. It doesn't have the healthiest of dynamics (to put it mildly), but they coexist. In Stray Gods, there is a notable absence of Hera and Zeus, the two parent figures of the Olympians. Dameter is also deceased, and her direct daughter is one of the main characters. As a result, the Idols feel directionless, there is no closure there. On a similar note, Apollo's sister is missing as well. Essentially, they feel like a shattered family.

Athena has become the mother figure, although she's not good at it. She's a sister trying to be a parent and you can tell by her demeanor. She's overcompensating and antagonistic and a lot of elder siblings in real life who have been through similar experiences show similar characteristics.

On a different note, Persephone has killed Hades, for understandable reasons. It's a horrifically abusive relationship that ended in bloodshed.

Similarly, Hermes makes a passing reference that i noticed when asked how they knew the old Hermes.

This keeps coming up.

But then we get three relationships I thought were interesting. Grace and Freddie, Asterion and Hecate, and Aphrodite and Eros.

Grace and Freddie are close. Historians will say they were the best of friends. Even if you don't romance Freddie, the two are family. Best friends who live together, etc. If you do romance Freddie, you get an Orpheus plot to bring her back to life, literally meeting the previous Orpheus as you go. But where Orpheus failed his quest because of a lack of trust, you can succeed, or not, I'm not gonna tell you how to save Freddie.

Then we have Asterion and Hecate. First of all, I didn't consent to have my freestyling singing capability so perfectly replicated by my sweet minotaur boy, and Summerfall will be hearing from my lawyers. On a serious note, this relationship is so wholesome and I love it, if you make it work in the story. They are proof that there can be a healthy relationship in this weird world.

Finally, we come to my favourite moment of the entire musical. I've already gone into detail on the Ritual as a song in a different post, so go check that one out (I crave validation from the internet people). But the challenge here is can you soothe this broken family here? Can this work? If you choose the green path, Eros gives a fantastic verse.

"Mother, I've stood by your side, now I no longer see, the purpose of love, when it tears at the centre of me. My arrows are rusty, forget the bow, and I won't be begging you not to go. But when you're away, you leave us a broken home..."

My arrows are rusty, forget the bow. Is a phenomenal metaphor for a loss of purpose, but I would like to focus on the last two lines. When you're away, you leave us a broken home, and you leave me alone. The characters here are aware they are falling apart and they are desperate to try and reconnect, and if you play your cards right, you can help. You don't "fix their relationship", you just give it a nudge. You don't repair the scars in this family, but you convince them to talk to each other.

That, my friends, is a microcosm of the entire plot of the story. Can you fix this broken family? No. But you can get them to talk to each other and convince them to try.

The story goes out of its way to say that some relationships cannot be salvaged. Some families are too far separated for that, but in this situation, you can give people who are hurting a nudge towards peace.

So, why does this musical keep bringing up family? And what does that have to do with the title of this post?

Well, because it is a story about change, and how to move on into a different world. Grace quits college before the story begins and doesn't know what to do, and the Idols have no idea how to navigate the new world.

The theme that the story presents (in my most humble of opinions) is this: "for things to get better, you have to be willing to change." You have to step out of your comfort zone to find the love of your life. You need to change direction and start running together instead of away to find peace with your family. And, you have to take the lessons you have learned and become someone more mature, not necessarily someone different, but someone who is capable of adapting to a wild world.

Part 1

[reptilian-rapscallian]

orpheus and eurydice vs wolfstar?? i NEED to hear your thoughts!!! (as a classics nerd marauders fan i can't believe i didn't think to draw parallels between ships n mythology sooner)

Reblogs, this ask and an ask from @transwolfstar has officially convinced me.

I've always gone back and forth on who was who in this scenario, but I've come to the conclusion recently.

Orpheus is Remus, Sirius is Euridyce 100%.

Orpheus is what I believe Remus would have been if he hadn't been attacked by Greyback. He grew up loved, and as sheltered as he physically could have been from the world until he went to school. Orpheus was one to see the best in the world, what the world could become. He was a loner through and through, which is so Remus coded tbh. Remus is connected and grounded, which I fully believe Orpheus was, based on the way he used his musical talents.

Euridyce being Sirius is something I'm so genuinely passionate about. He sees the world for what it is because he's been through such extreme hardships. Euridyce and Sirius are kindred spirits through and through. Not only that, but in the original myth Euridyce was a nymph. The way Sirius' beauty is so heavily emphasised throughout his mentions in the books and films (to the point that I lowkey love the being part veela headcanon) is so Euridyce.

This leads me on to THEIR LOVE. Orpheus falls head over heels for Euridyce, but not just because she's a minor deity, because of her. Because she's his soulmate, his everything, the person he's willing to literally go to the end of the earth for. This is so fucking paralleled by Wolfstar. They love each other so genuinely unconditionally (according to all canon that I read too much into and a lot of fanon), and Remus is willing to fight, even kill an old friend, with very little real confirmation/context, at the drop of a hat for Sirius.

Remus loses Sirius for the first time tragically in the same way Orpheus loses Euridyce (on their wedding night). For both, it isn't permanent, in spite of the fact that they believe it will be. Euridyce is in the underworld, which is known to be a genuinely traumatising afterlife that causes you to lose all sense of identity, and Sirius is in Azkaban, which feeds on your positive memories and forces you to lose all sense of self.

Orpheus seeks out and cares for Euridyce so deeply, using his skill set (his music) to save her from the underworld. This is a bit of a stretch, so you can completely disregard this one, but Remus is a more subdued character (because he grew up in more hardship than Orpheus, moulding his character into a more reserved one), making his staying with, looking out for and understanding Sirius without words his own variation of this.

All of the waiting; both Orpheus and Remus knowing that every second in their own respective torture was stripping them of their soul, their identity. Then, when they're finally reunited, they get no time together. Orpheus has to lead Euridyce, walking for days, without looking back, without ever knowing if she was really following him, if the gods had tricked him, if she had been taken or hurt at all on the way back. Remus and Sirius are immediately thrown back into a war, with no way to keep one another safe. Every day was one of uncertainty, and they had Harry, the child of their dead best friends, to look out for every single step of the way.

They both end in tragedy.

Orpheus, when he's out of the final stretch, the cave, turns. He looks for Euridyce. Whether it's on instinct, because she trips, because he believes he's been tricked, or because he could hear her crying the entire time and finally reached his limit, he turns around. He loves her so much that he searches for her, and he loses her because of it. Remus, however, allows Sirius to walk into the trap. He hears the panic, he knows that Sirius will go straight after Harry, will walk straight into the trap on his own, and brings the Order. He tries to keep Sirius safe. His problem is one of looking away. Of being so caught up in the war, that he can't even register what is happening until it's over. Until Sirius has been taken from him, even though he did everything he did to keep him safe. For both of them, it looks like they're going to make it, that everything is going to be okay, until it isn't. One painfully human moment, and they're both gone. Orpheus because he doesn't trust his circumstances and looks back, Remus because he trusts them too much and looks away.

Still, there was never an ounce of blame appointed to Orpheus or to Remus. The poem Metamorphoses by Ovid puts it perfectly. “Eurydice, dying now a second time, uttered no complaint against her husband. What was there to complain of, but that she had been loved?”

Sirius is taken through the veil. Remus doesn't know if he is truly in the afterlife, or if he's trapped in between, suffering helplessly and wishing for relief. Wishing that he could take it all back, or that he could just die. He can't even go after him and find him. He has to hold Harry back, hold him together. Orpheus doesn't know how long it will take Euridyce to lose her mind in the afterlife. For everything that he fell in love with to be stripped away, for her to become nothing but a being of eternal suffering. He attempts to use his music to get back to the afterlife, but he cannot.

Orpheus is eventually killed, as is Remus. Both too soon, both not soon enough.

Right person, not enough time.

It's absolutely heartbreaking, and it's what I spend my every waking moment thinking about.

[wolfofcelestia]

Idk if u have seen this one yet but i need to hear ur thoughts :D

I hit the ask button to early but i thought of u when i saw that post on twitter since it'sabout zayne! 😭 🤭

Thanks for thinking of me!! And giving me a reason to yap lol 😭

Right off the bat, I need to say that I think I'm an outlier in the fandom because I do not believe Astra exists in any world except Foreseer's world so I am going to disagree with a lot of things in here lmao

Warnings: Long post, me being kind of a bitch when I defend my man asdflakdfj

Don't take any of this seriously because this is just one fan theory vs another fan theory but. My theories are better because I don't discredit Zayne's feelings to fit my narrative

I don't believe it being our "first" lives or not really makes a difference because... if you look at time and space and all that, time is irrelevant. It's a loop that feeds in on itself. One life could be considered a first or a last life. History will repeat itself again and again, so our Zayne and our MC are just one drop in a whole ocean of time and space

The LADS music video included the mobius strip prominently and what it symbolizes seems to align with this train of thought

Regardless, to say that Zayne's feelings for MC are only because of their past lives discredits why he fell in love with her in the first place. This seems to be a reoccurring thing with this person's Zayne theories - they discredit Zayne's feelings.

He is his own person with his own feelings, not just a plot vessel for other versions of himself.

I believe Zayne was born a normal human being. Whether he stays that way is yet to be seen. MC may have something special about her that prompted the scientists to experiment on her, or she, as an orphan, may have just been an easy target. But again, I don't believe this has anything to do with Astra.

Like I said, I don't believe Astra exists in every world. But let's step back a bit

Foreseer isn't allowed to love because he has a duty to carry out as Astra's mouthpiece. He can't get distracted from his duties by falling in love. Astra sees Foreseer getting distracted as him deliberately going against him. Thus, he's punished.

But why would Zayne falling in love in any other world receive punishment? Even if Astra does exist, if Doctor Zayne falls in love, what betrayal has he committed for him to receive divine punishment? It does not make any sense

Take Master of Fate. He IS a god. Him loving MC is akin to him loving something he must destroy for the good of the world, but it is not forbidden. He would not be punished for loving her. The worst that could happen would be MC being killed by the other gods, so (another theory of mine that contradicts this person's theory), him sealing her away to hide her in their own private pocket dimension was the only way he could both keep her safe and love her

Take Dawnbreaker. He loves MC uncontrollably, but where is his punishment? She was separated from him from the beginning. This is not an active divine punishment

Astra does not exist in every world, nor would he punish any and every Zayne for being in love if Astra is not directly slighted

The first actual facts in this list of "Facts" lmao

Clarification though: Zayne cannot connect to Dawnbreaker at will, nor vice versa. Zayne is not even sure who he is

If Dawnbreaker could connected to Zayne whenever he could, he'd be a lot less depressed, but as of this point in the story, all he can do is hope that he dreams of her whenever he falls asleep

This person's wording is a bit hard to understand, but if they mean that Dawnbreaker and Zayne exist in alternate universes like two sides of the same coin, at the same time, then I agree with that, especially since Dawnbreaker isn't considered a myth.

I really don't understand why people keep pulling Astra in here. Zayne, as in Doctor Zayne, doesn't want MC to be near him because his evol can go berserk when he can't control it. This is due to him overworking himself

But Zayne loves MC and she is the only cure to calm his evol and convince him to take breaks from work when he otherwise wouldn't, further calming him down and keeping his evol under control

Things don't always have to be super cryptic. Sometimes a doctor just wants to keep the person he loves safe, regardless of his own feelings

I don't remember anything in the story that mentions anything about that last sentence. But this world does seem to revolve around protocores, what they can do to people, and what they can do to the world (see: that big hole in the sky)

I have not read or seen this article? This section seems to just be taking the Jungian idea of the collective unconscious and throwing "energy" into the mix. This is a whole nothing burger to me tbh. I don't know what they're trying to say here. MC and Zayne are going to change the world?

Or Zayne and MC just love each other in their current lifetimes. In the myths, they never mention either of them feeling familiar with each other

Scanning through the rest of this section gives me nothing else.

Is it that hard to believe that Zayne and MC would fall in love with each other despite not knowing, or even having, a past with each other? Sure, they would fall in love in every lifetime, but it's not because of that repetition that they fall in love. Down to their cores, they just fit together.

An interesting thought, something I don't agree as canon but it's a nice idea.

I agree with this section up until this point. Which is like 2 sentences into the theory lmao

If I'm understanding this person correctly, their theory is that MC is the personification of Life, and Zayne is the personification of Time, like gods. Yeah, it's an interesting thought, but I don't see it as canon

There are many allusions in this story to various mythologies (notably Greek mythologies) so LADS's story reflecting that isn't that wild of an idea. But until we get confirmation of any of this, I just see this as fanfic

I agree that the aether cores are special, but the aether cores belonging to MC? That's pretty farfetched to me

And, as I've said, the way I read Master of Fate's ending is completely different to how this person read it, so I just stopped reading this section here.

Is it?? So hard?? To believe that Doctor Zayne loves MC because?? He just?? Loves her??? He loves her for who she is?? And not because she overcame these wild stories in her past lives??

I don't agree with the first part but I can see Dawnbreaker and Zayne collaborating

One of my theories I've written about before was that Dawnbreaker may be the key to saving MC, in every world. Because he doesn't have an MC of his own, his desperation to reach her would lead him to finding ways to transverse time and space with the intention of helping her. He may not be able to control where he lands up, so wherever he lands, he looks for MC and helps every version of her until he can reach the girl he loves

Oh boy, we're going off the rails here. Okay...

If Zayne had an aether core, he would know eventually because through his medical training, there would be no doubt that he, his classmates, or his professors would've noticed. Maybe they practiced using the medical monitoring machines on each other or maybe Zayne got a test result one day that told him he had a core in him that was doing some crazy things to his insides, but I don't believe that someone could go their whole lives without knowing they had a core in them. He is just another human with an evol, so I agree with this...one sentence.

The aether core is something we have to sacrifice? I don't think so. It was put into us against our will. Who exactly are we sacrificing it to? If anything, it was sacrificed to US. Regardless of all that sacrificing thing, the aether core is not a singular item anyway. It's a class of powerful cores. If protocore = prototype, then the aether core would be the finished product

If Zayne is Astra, why is Astra just using himself as a pin cushion when Foreseer catches feelings? If Astra loves MC, why would this warrant punishment? Zayne would want Foreseer to treat her well and give her the love she needs, and in turn, he would want to see Foreseer be loved in return

If Astra is the collective consciousness of all Zaynes, that raises even more questions as to why he's punishing Foreseer for catching feelings

This whole idea of Astra = Zayne makes absolutely no sense to me tbh

The idea of a higher being reaching into every possible reality is something I'm not opposed to but I still don't believe that Astra exists in any world besides Foreseer's. Outside of his myth, there's been no mention of Astra, so until we get confirmation of that, I just don't believe that EVERY ZAYNE IS FORBIDDEN TO FALL IN LOVE

Because again... if Astra = Zayne, why the fuck would he punish himself and keep both him and MC from being loved?

So lmao... yeah I'm sorry for dunking all over this, but a lot of this just does not make any sense to me. There were mentions of an article and things being claimed as "fact" that I've never heard of so if you have any proof of this, feel free to send it my way

But I mean. If someone has to discredit an entire main character just to claim something as "fact" and build an entirely new story around him, I just can't agree with it

Anyway, here's a Zayne lmao