#ROBIN'S REBEL FIT IS SO BAD

[strangertheories]

New preview for the comic about Robin! I've posted the description and then the first few pages of the comic that has been released under the cut. It comes out on August 23.

Robin Buckley is always trying to mask her true self in the rural town of Hawkins as she coasts through days packed full of boring classes and band practice. That all changes when a love-struck Robin can't help but take on the role of director for a school project in an effort to get her crush Tammy's attention. She's determined to convey her deeper feelings through her script, even if she has no idea how it should end.

Jody Houser returns to pen an anthology of spooky events woven into the larger tapestry of Netflix's hit show Stranger Things.

I'm super excited plus the front cover is the lesbian pride flag! But without further ado, here's the comic.

[starry-eyed-steve]

What do you have against Ronance? It's clear Robin was attracted to Nancy as well as Vickie. Not only that, she jumped off a boat into monster-water for her, for goodness' sake. It's a bad-faith argument to say that people don't ship Vickie with Robin because she's a bisexual sapphic woman. Greatwise/Will and Gareth is not comparable in the slightest as that is a crack ship that never interacted. We DID have scenes with Robin and Vickie, though few.

And I'm gonna be So For Real, more people would ship Rovickie if Ronance was not there. People would devour those crumbs. But why choose crumbs, when you have a potential meal we spent a whole season with?

Okay, so this is really long, I'm sorry this took way too much time. I know I went a bit overboard. If there are any errors, please ignore lmao. Thank you for sending me an ask for a discussion. I also want to preface that I don't hate Nancy as a character, I don't like how she is written in certain situations and that the show overlooks mistakes she makes, and by pointing out those mistakes on her behalf is not me hating on her. Overall, I think she deserves better than what she is given both in the show and fandom.

First things first, Robin didn't jump into the water for Nancy. It was a delayed response after seeing her best friend being dragged under water. She's not as brave as Nancy. If we would apply the same logic, then Eddie would have jumped for Robin because he's in love with her. So no Robin jumped for Steve and should have been the first to do so, but because that scene was used for Stancy later (Eddie giving the speech to Steve in the woods) it had to be Nancy in that instance. It's really bothering me that this scene is so misread because people just don't get Robin's character. Who would you jump for, your best friend you know better than yourself or the girl you met a day ago?

The whole premise of Ronance (platonic or romantic) in s4 was so ooc for Robin, s3 Robin would have never acted the way like s4 Robin did. And I think that has something to do with what I said in the other post. We don't have enough time. There is no conflict when different groups of people come together because the show needs everyone to get along to save the world, and they couldn't elaborate on complex feelings a person might have towards others. So the show made Robin throw herself at Nancy's feet, despite thinking not too highly about her a season prior. Same with Steddie, the OG script was about how Steve and Eddie didn't get along first but it was cut out because there is no time to proper develop new relationships, even tho it would be more interesting. But again, that would mean the show would have to give us more episodes, which is unfortunately not the case.

So you see, I just don't think Robin would have acted the way she did around Nancy based on the character traits she displayed in s3. Furthermore, I will bring up Steve, which is a sensitive topic when it comes to Ronance. I don't want to come off as someone who in general makes a lesbian/sapphic relationship about a man's feelings, however because Steve has history with both girls I can't ignore him because Robin wouldn't either.

A little bit of background of Robin prior to meeting Nancy:

In s3, Robin couldn't stand Steve, and later, we found out why. It had mostly to do with her crush, Tammy Thompson, who had only eyes for him. Yeah, he was obnoxious, and Robin couldn't stand his smugness and arrogance, but the main reason was Tammy and her being kinda jealous of Steve in general because he had no problems fitting in. So she held on to this grudge against Steve for maybe even years. That tells us she doesn't forget when someone has wronged her and maybe, to an extent, her friends. Like she seems to be a person who has your back, no matter what.

Idk if you consider Rebel Robin as canon (I mean Maya narrated the podcast soo I mostly view it that way) but before Barb was Nancy's bff, she was close with Robin and later ditched her for Nancy. That in itself would leave a bad taste in Robin's mouth, and I guess she wouldn't be Nancy's biggest fan. Maybe that's why the priss comment in s3. Again, she had no problem disliking Steve because her crush liked him, but then she does an 180 with Nancy despite Barb being her actual friend leaving her for Nancy. Losing a friend to another person is much worse than a crush you never talked to, not liking you back or liking someone else.

But even if you ignore the Barb stuff and don't think it's canon, Robin still wouldn't be Nancy's biggest fan in the beginning and that has something to do with how Stancy ended and Jancy begun. You have to keep in mind Steve is Robin's bff, one if not the most important person in her life. He's everything to her she trusts him completely. He was maybe even the first person to know she was gay. Then why on earth would Robin A try to befriend Nancy, who broke his heart, and B trying to push her without a thought to get together with him again. It doesn't make any sense to me, based on how Robin was introduced.

Steve may have not any hard feelings for Nancy, maybe he only said positive things about her to Robin because he still views himself as the only person who fucked up in that relationship and not that Nancy was already in love with Jonathan for a while before things ended. Idk where you stand on the whole cheating thing, but it doesn't matter because rumors outside of the relationship would spread. Steve, the most popular guy in school, who is well liked, got left by his girlfriend of 1 year for the school freak, not even 2 days after a public fight. Like people would go crazy and Robin would have heard those rumors as well. You have to admit getting together with a new guy, not even after 48h is, I don't want to say weird, but not very cool, okay? Plus, Tommy would spread extra nasty shit because he hates Nancy and Jonathan and wants to hurt Steve as well. Robin would view her through those rumors, plus Steve having a hard time letting go, being heartbroken about it, there is no doubt in my mind that she wouldn't side eye Nancy.

Those two reasons, Barb and how Stancy ended, are the main ones as to why I think Robin was ooc for desperately wanting to befriend Nancy.

So the way I would have built up Ronance would be Robin being aloof towards her, and Nancy would have been the one who wanted to befriend her in the first place. Nancy never has to work for her relationships with others. People usually make the first move with her, so she never has to give much thought to it. Like Steve still loves her, Jonathan was ready to follow her wherever even if it endangered his family, and Fred followed her around like a lost puppy as well. And with Robin, it could have gone differently. Nancy should have made it her mission to make it up to Robin. Like she desperately wants a friend, she doesn't understand why Robin is being cold to her. By making her the instigator, Nancy would have to reflect on her mistakes and how she treated people, which would finally give her some personal character growth. Plus, it would have made the introduction to Stancy (romantic or platonic) way smoother and more balanced because Nancy never reflected on it. Steve's just available she doesn't have to make it up to him as well. Nancy never really addresses her faults in relationships, and the narrative in Stranger Things lets her off the hook every time. Letting Steve believe he was a terrible boyfriend despite liking Jonathan instead of him? No problem, no consequences. Steve still likes her. In s3 the show was again on her side when she fought with Jonathan by giving her the Karen pep talk, yes she apologized to him but she didn't understand his struggles really because she gave him the don't ever doubt me comment which kinda destroyed her apology imo. Furthermore, as soon as there was a rough patch in s4 with Jonathan, she expected him to come to her instead of going to him and fixing it because she has the financial means to do so, which indicates she still doesn't fully understand Jonathan's financial problems. Also, in general, Jonathan is terrified to tell her the truth, so he gets high to cope. It doesn't seem that he thinks Nancy is understanding.

Again, Robin could have been the person that would have made her realize wait, the way I take people for granted, and sometimes treat is wrong. Instead, we got yet another person instantly liking her and going along with everything she does, so Nancy never had to do anything for it, despite the obvious conflicts that should have arisen when they first met. But like I said before, the show doesn't have much time and focuses more on the plot, so there is no real development for characters, and everyone has to get along. I also think Stranger Things wanted a strong girl duo like Elmax, so they just threw Ronance together without conflict because they wanted to avoid drama, which would take up too much screentime. I can't emphasize the fact that Stranger Things suffers so much because it has too much plot and not enough time. Plus, I believe making Robin angry at Nancy on Steve's behalf would mean acknowledging that Stancy ended in a bad way or that Jancy maybe didn't have this cute start as a romance, but that would also mean recognizing Steve might have not been the only one who was wrong which is simply not possible. When s2 aired and people pointed out hey did Nancy cheat on Steve, did they really break up because a lot of people didn't view the fight in the ally as a break, especially because Nancy mentions she likes Steve at Murray's and Steve went to her house, the Duffers had to confirm it via interviews because I doubt they thought people would sympathize with Steve. Hence, why the narrative only blames him because they wanted the audience root for Jancy.

Long story short, I would have switched roles for platonic Ronance in the show. When it comes to romantic Ronance, that's mostly on the fandom. Everyone is allowed to ship whatever, I personally just don't think they are a good match. I don't see Nancy being patient enough with Robin's neurodivergent ways. She wouldn't handle her rambling over time very well. Nancy gets quickly irrated and snaps. Like Robin already felt the need to explain herself to her, making sure everything is okay because Nancy made her feel like her personality is too much and has faults, like her mom constantly tells her. Whereas with Vickie, she felt immediately at ease when they talked. More of that later. Robin is also poor, maybe a bit better off than Jonathan, but still, Nancy already doesn't get Jonathan's problems. Another reason is that because Steve is Robin's bff, Robin wouldn't want to date her all together. Like she sees Steve still likes her, she knows how much Nancy hurt him to a point that he is serial dating because he has like trust issues, that would immediately turn her off. Robin values Steve's friendship way too much than try to jeopardize it in any way. It's not like Steve wouldn't allow her to date Nancy, I think he would do everything to make Robin happy even if it costs his own happiness. Robin knows Steve. She would know that he would be hurt, and that's ultimately the factor that turns her off. Maya already confirmed that Robin values platonic relationships so much, so yeah. Just think about it that way. How would Robin feel if Steve suddenly would show interest in Vickie and starts dating her? That would be kinda fucked, same goes for Ronance, Robin knows Steve still likes her. I'm also a believer that you shouldn't necessarily date your bffs ex, it's just too messy especially if that relationship ended rather badly.

@findafight had this amazing post about one-sided Ronance, where they described exactly what I'm trying to convey. Nancy is the one interested, but ultimately, Robin declines because of her relationship to Steve. They also have several other posts about Ronance if you want to check it out. Another blog that discusses Ronance and has similar opinions is @thestobingirlie

What I dislike the most is that in Ronance, mostly Robin is only an ounce of her typical character. Her relationship with Steve is downplayed. She makes fun of him with Nancy, she lies to him about her relationship, even asks for sex advice in some fics which is just very weird and so ooc for her to do. Same goes for Steddie, as soon as either Steve or Robin go into a relationship both characters are so ooc, you almost don't recognize them, plus they only have time for their partners and their friendship gets sidelined, which again doesn't make sense for their characters. Ronance is also mostly beneficial to Nancy as it's viewed more how Robin can save her so she doesn't have to end up with a man. Hence, all the posts about how Robin is the only person who gets her, which is also such a shitty thing to say because both Jonathan and Steve were trying. Like Nancy's character development hinges more on her relationship with Robin than doing some soul-searching. Because for real, all her relationships so far are kinda meh because she doesn't know how to communicate properly with her partners, Robin wouldn't magically make everything better because she's a girl. Nancy needs to be single first and discover who she is without jumping in a new relationship. She needs therapy and has to work on her people skills to be a better partner for future relationships.

Also, so many people want Nancy to have a friend, and when Robin comes along, they immediately make it romantic. Robin can still be there for Nancy and understand her as a friend. I don't think she was romantically interested in Nancy in the show. She was actively pushing for Stancy. She only ever talked about being into Vickie romantically. Robin should be allowed to make a friend who is a girl without making it into a romance just because she is a lesbian. Lesbians can have platonic girl friends, lol. Fact is that so many see Robin interacting with a girl as romantic because she is looking at her and then ignore her real crush she talks about all the time.

Now to Rovickie and Vickie. What I meant with people not giving Vickie a chance because she's a girl and interested in a sapphic relationship is a common occurrence throughout fandoms in general. Guys are usually preferred when talking about characters or shipping. Girls have it so much harder. Like with Gareth, I don't think my comparison of him and Vickie was nonsensical or dumb. The fandom had no problems coming up with interesting headcanons for him, even outside the crackship. Almost all the hellfire boys, but especially Gareth because he's the most objectively attractive one of the group, got more love from the fandom. Vickie, on the other hand, is mostly used as the villain in Ronance fics, who is in the way of the main ship. People in general call her boring or too similar to Robin, which is insane because we have one scene where she rambles because she is talking to her potential crush. Also, being similar doesn't have to mean it's bad. Like I mentioned earlier, Vickie rambling is showing Robin it's okay to do so, which makes her feel immediately relaxed because she doesn't have to explain herself to Vickie. Not to mention the biphobia that runs through fandoms. The fact that Vickie had a boyfriend, who she broke up with, was enough. People usually headcanon Nancy as a lesbian than making her bi. Steve's only a bi icon when he's shipped with guys, like him dating a girl is seen as less valued or popular. Again, everyone can headcanon characters sexuality how they like, you do you it's just apparent that characters who are seen as bi are only celebrated for dating a person of the same sex.

Lastly, think about it if Vickie was a guy who was the love interest for Steve, there would be non-stop content for her. She would be well loved within the fandom. But Vickie is a girl, and if she were used as the love interest for Steve instead of Robin, she would also face the same scrutiny the already faces now. She's the villain in the way of ships because she's only a side character and not the full meal like you described. A male characters even with almost no screentime, will always get better treatment than female characters.

[bloodyentrails]

we've been talking on discord about titans!jason being someone who pushes boundaries and it occurred to me that once he's with bruce, it is no longer clear what those boundaries even are.

bruce wayne is someone who very literally lives a life that is defined by being outside of society. much like children of very rebellious parents, i think it would be difficult for jason to rebel in that kind of context. we sort of identitfied him watching porn on the batcomputer and also riding motorcycles inside the manor as ways for him to challenge his place in the 'family' but they sound very tame to me now. (i mean, they are supposed to be funny).

it's also important that this jason is someone who has experienced crime and drug addiction (i think this is what he tells dick anyway, i don't remember the exact words), forster care, prison and homelessness, so he is learned in the underbelly of society. i think te difference between him and bruce is very much in him being criminalised and bruce being celebrated.

we don't learn much about how bruce and jason functioned as a team on patrol or even living together in the manor, so this is mostly conjecture: i think this bruce is someone who likes discipline but he also trusts jason enough to go off by himself and find dick.

i feel that his reason for sending jason away is possibly his boundary-pushing but also perhaps bruce thinks it's better for jason to be amongst his peers.

what happens with dick is more interesting in a lot of ways and also given much more room in the narrative but with dick i think he learns to very effectively push his buttons in a way i'm not sure he ever did with bruce. bruce gives him access to being robin and i think he relishes the power that mantle has and doesn't want to upset the relationship by outright challenging it. hence the relatively tame actions.

dick outright refuses to let him exercise the power that he had then and he also belittles and humiliates him, which is why i think there is much less for him to want to hold on to. i don't meant to say that this jason only looks for those aspects in a relationship, but there is nothing else going on. dick doesn't provide a mentor or an emotional anchor and he also doesn't trust jason to go on solo missions like bruce did, so he takes these back as he sees fit.

titans!bruce is pretty bad at communicating his feelings, so i sometimes try to imagine the conversation he and jason would have had over him joining the titans because i think much of jason's feelings towards the team depend on it. i think he's trying to make a go of it initially but it becomes very clear to him that he's being prevented from contributing to the team so he's rbbed of the only way he sees himself as useful to others.

anyway, just me having a new crisis over the complicated titans relationships. lmk what you think.

[please-someone-give-me-love]

Hello! 👋 Just a curious question: what do you think of Batman & Robin (2023 her) so far?

Hi! Well, I have some mixing feelings over that run. I would say that I have more like mixing feellings over Joshua Williamson's writing of Damian as a character, but anyways, in general, I don't think it's bad but neither I think it's good, I would say that there are a lot of things that I did enjoy in the run but there are also stuff I found kinda boring or oc.

I think what happens with this run is similar to what happened with Robin 2021, that because other comics were bad, this comic came to like a neutral form, like "at least is not as bad as the other comics/interpretations", but that came more related to Damian's characterization, that has good moments but in general I have always feel like Joshua writes Damian in a really bland/boring way, not risking too much on new dilemas for him or a stronger and fierce personality.

I've come to realization that maybe that's my personal taste, I've always like Damian being more defiant and rebel.

But for other part, the plots are kinda just there, it doesn't feel like actual plots to me, pretty much stereotypical boring stuff with villians that are not really interesting and even boring.

I think the strongest point of the series is exactly their name "Batman and Robin" "Bruce and Damian", I can criticized a lot of Williamson's direction but I do like how he handled Damian and Bruce relationship in this run, I could actually feel Bruce's love and compaassion for Damian, not like some other runs that forgets that Bruce is supposed to be a father and not just a leader. I really enjoyed their way to make them relate as father-son not only to the vigilante life but to their normal life.

Other thing I didn't like is what they are doing with Flatline, I think that they are trying to create a dynamic that doesn't seem to fit Damian's character and everytime they tried to established that dynamic feels off and oc and even started to getting the dislike from the fans. I don't know why they are trying so hard to make them act like that, especially Flatline, they are always playing the "I betrayed you but not really" and is getting annoying and boring.

I would say that if you enjoyed Robin 2021, you probably would like this as well

For me it's likek a 6-7/10, not really bad or awful but not really good.

-Thank you for asking me!💖

[lesbianrobin]

to be clear i realize i'm being a hater and i just wanna say like if you enjoy the st spinoff content i'm not hating on You like that's totally cool and fun and valid!! i don't have any issues with the books themselves like i don't think they're Bad or anything my issue is with like. the implications of them for st as a whole.

like ok so runaway max came out between s2 and s3. and i was rly excited about it!! it gave us some more insight to max and billy's history and home life that fit into the show's canon and enriched it which i loved! and then s3 came out and explicitly contradicted the timeline of runaway max. the same thing happened with rebel robin between s3 and s4, the book/podcast giving us more background on robin's character that then... didn't really fit into what was presented in s4.

in the book, robin plays french horn and steve plays football, in the show robin plays trumpet and steve was on the swim team. while these things don't like Necessarily contradict each other if you want to stretch, they don't exactly fit. in rebel robin, her parents are free-spirited hippies, in the show robin mentions her mother constantly criticizing her for talking too much and implies that her mom is disappointed in her for being weird.

there just isn't much coordination between the books and the show. it's obvious that there's very little if any communication between the writers contracted for the ya novels and the show writers, they make zero effort to actually incorporate anything from the books into the show, and because of this, it's therefore clear (to me at least) that the books are entirely a cash grab on the part of netflix rather than like. stories that are genuinely meant to enrich the show universe for fans.

like at the end of the day all of these books aren't coming from the show writers, they're coming from novelists who seemingly have no more knowledge of the show than the average fan, and netflix is asking you to pay them for fan fiction that will almost certainly be contradicted in some way by the next season. and if you enjoy the books and you think that's worth it then like woo great go for it!! the books seem to be like well written and everything, i have nothing against the authors, i just personally think it's like kinda grody and lame on netflix's part. like i just think it's a very low effort way for them to make money off of fans and it kinda cheapens the show idk

[dreamcast641]

Which of the 16 main archetypes are you?

tagged by @cloudofbutterflies92 and @starcrossedspirit

Claire

The Outlaw

You're fiercely independent with a sense of self that keeps you from bending to societal constraints. Okay, so you don't make a lot of friends, but the ones you do have are loyal and have similar values. Other characters do resent you, but they have a secret jealously of your freedom and absolute disregard for their hierarchies. For example, the Sheriff of Nottingham (from Robin Hood) expresses his hidden envy of a life that he could never have. Other outlaws in literature are Roux from Chocolat by Joanne Harris, and Maurice Leblanc’s Arsène Lupin.

Well, what better way to describe claire if not as a neutral character who's independent and tends to break the rules and rebel to authorities figures even in different AUs? It fits perfectly with her chaotic neutral alignment as well

Dmitry

The Villain

You should be happy you're getting this. Instead, you just nod and stare at your device blankly before clicking off to another quiz. The person who said all villains are created by villains was correct. You were innocent once. The world spit in your face, then was offended when you spit right back. Your only (initial) crime was having an objective in conflict to the hero's. Welcome, you are in the presence of Valentine from The Mortal Instruments, Professor Moriarty from the “Sherlock Holmes” stories, and Shere Khan from The Jungle Book.

In some sense it's right, Dmitry is a villain in my story, one of the guys that people should be careful about but would meet their tragic end sooner than later. He is a created villain, formed by the bad things others did to him but it's also true that there is nothing that justifies what he does.

[heavencasteel420]

Don’t Tell Me What It’s All About for the wip ask game!! 🌚

Don’t Tell Me What It’s All About is the original title of my “Robin and Jonathan become friends in the summer of 1983” story. (The title is from the Burt Bacharach song “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,” which is coincidentally from the musical Promises, Promises, based on Robin’s canonical fave movie The Apartment! I’ve since changed it to Tomorrow’s a Long Way Off, from “Past, Present, and Future” by the Shangri-Las, for thematic reasons, but I haven’t changed the file name.)

Robin, in this story, moved to Hawkins just before her freshman year of high school. She’s from Chicago and has aging hippie parents who decided to start a mushroom farm in small-town Indiana. (I just picked and chose from Rebel Robin, basically.) Her mom does most of the work on the farm while her dad has a day job selling insurance, and (although Robin isn’t fully aware of it) the whole set-up is pretty bad for their finances and their marriage. What she does notice is that her mom is irritable and overly critical of her, while her dad tries to play peacemaker.

Aware of and moderately unhappy about her sexuality (not self-hating but anxious about people finding out and understandably resentful of heteronormativity), Robin has made a concerted effort to fit in her first year and found a place with the band girls, who can be fun but sometimes pick on her for small things (having hippie parents, being a little awkward, not dressing up enough). By the time summer rolls around, she’s socially exhausted. She’s also eager to get out of the house to avoid her mother, so she gets a job at the Hawk, where Jonathan has been working for a year or so.

Jonathan is much as we find him at the beginning of S1: devoted to his mom and brother, socially isolated, and severely overburdened with adult concerns, both practical and emotional. He’s not getting directly bullied most of the time; the rank and file of Hawkins mostly just think he’s weird and stuck-up, the more assholish popular kids talk shit about his family and spread wild rumors about him as a joke (he’s gay AND he’s stealing panties from the laundromat AND he stabbed his dad with a screwdriver), and a couple of times some maladjusted Billy type has taken things to a dangerous level.

He and Joyce are also in the process of buying a used car from Lonnie, because Jonathan’s turning sixteen soon (he has a summer birthday for plot reasons and started school a year late) and they need a second car. Any transaction with Lonnie creates a lot of complications because he’s cruel and manipulative, but he’s offering a good enough price that they can’t really turn it down.

Anyway, Robin is indifferent to Jonathan’s presence at first (assuming that his solitude is more of a choice than it really is) and he’s nervous about working with someone from school thanks to years of ostracism, but then they realize that the other person is actually okay and that they have a lot in common. Which is good, because they both have way too much to deal with on their own.

[scheodingers-muppet]

The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess

Stranger Things Album Time Stranger Things Album Time Stranger Things Album Time

Femininomenon - Nancy. Guy trouble, for one. "Stuck in the suburbs" The duality of what she thinks she wants versus if that would actually make her happy.

Red Wine Supernova - Robin. It's slightly dorky but still smooth. "Fell in love with the thought of you" "I just want you to make a move" I also love the idea of the "roommates" just being Steve.

After Midnight: Either Chrissy or Nancy. They both kinda fit the "good girl" trope but have a lot under the service, Chrissy with going to Eddie for drugs, Nancy and her monster hunting. We also see Nancy "rebelling" in season one before everything starts. "My mother said...it's not attractive wearing that dress and red lipstick" "I've been a good, good girl for a long time" "I like flirting, a lover by my side" They both deserve to just have fun at the club.

Coffee: Jopper, when Joyce is with Bob. "If I didn't love you, it would be fine" "We've done this before" "Every place leads back to you"

Casual: Robin. She would likely settle for someone who hides her, based off the way she's talked about Vickie. "My friend's call me a loser" compared to Steve trying to get her to ask her out. "I love being stupid" "I try to be the chill girl but honestly, I'm not."

Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl: Max, honestly. Or El! Elmax. But like, early 20s Elmax. "Not overdramatic, I know what I want" "I'm through with all these super mega bummer boys" "Telling secrets, there on the mattress" compared to their sleepovers.

HOT TO GO!: I... have no clue. El is the closest, just in terms of the fun, energetic vibes. It feels very teen girl, in the same way she does to me

My Kink Is Karma: I want it to be Joyce so bad. Or Karen. Joyce about her ex, when he first starts to go downhill. Karen just matches the energy to me.

Picture You: Jancy, but college-Jancy. "Am I doing research in a mini skirt at the library in your hometown?" "Counting lipstick stains where you should be" "Am I in the frame for your point of view?"

Kaleidoscope: Byler. "It will all be fine, just go back to being friends" "Even all the change, it's somehow all the same" "Even upside down, it's beautiful somehow" Both as the Upside Down joke, but also how Will still sees being gay as scary and wrong, something away from what he "should" be, like it's upside down. "I will never understand"

Pink Pony Club: This really doesn't fit anyone super well. I do love the idea of it being the older teens finally getting out and just getting to have fun. Maybe Robin finally goes to a gay club!

Naked In Manhattan: Ronance. "The rush of slumber party kissing" "An inch away from more than just friends" Just so Ronance.

California: El and Will. "I was never told that I wasn't gonna get the things I want the most" being peace. "Come get me out of California, no leaves are brown" I think Will would miss the environment. "Thought I'd be cool in California, I'd make you proud" El talking about Hopper. "My dying town"

Guilty Pleasure: Nancy, just for the line "Some good girls do bad things too"

[the-firebird69]

And to us rebels I'm not really part of the whole thing 100% but I do have some say like Marcus went Mac is one and that helps a lot of people see the light and Tommy f is a repulsive a****** it's going to go to tour Egypt one last time and that's why it's a desert it's due to his presence. But instead of Egypt or some pit you know some armpit of the universe many of you like cork you can go to San Francisco and take the fine wine and find vodka and they're really expensive sports cars and light cycles and you know you wash over him by the time they come out from the dumbola that's too late and I get a lot of money and gold and probably diamonds and a lot of f** stuff and you know I'm not gay at all but your woman are like coming after me and I'm like by this time after a thousand years they should know something. So it's probably a hot and steaming carma sutra homo place. And keep in mind during the West Coast so antiquities come from Asia and Russia and they come from the east coast and go out there and satanists you know it's like a home of satanism and they worship money and everyone's wondering where the money went and San Francisco the money center and chips to put in your brain to control you to run you around from The matrix and trying facilities to take the tack and other stuff that might run kju there's a huge list of stuff and I'm trying to hit it on the head for cork light cycles that work not like the ones Brad sells and I get some laughter some giggling and someone saying hey in the back I said Brad you're in the back and it makes sense from your yelling at tom and me... So is laughing a little and what else they got out there dildos Brad says you guys like dildos all sorts of dildos new kinds ones that wiggle slippery ones elongating robotic gay robots... Robots to go grab people we can do RC and you know but I don't know you guys are a bunch of homos you know I'm naked and it's just really you don't have any of that fizz you know it's probably boring these guys have all such leathers and weird s*** p**** I'm trying to fit into him you know about that

Zues Hera

You're heading up there boss this stuff's for the birds jump into another hole what the hell are we holemongers LOL and a friend here says don't even try it will be like A midsummer night's dream... You'll slowly drift off to sleep and we'll have pleasure or pain. I don't understand what you're saying don't try and jump into the hole up there we might fist them and what they might say that is now we're talking. What you're saying is bring heavy and he says no you bring the smart stuff they're going to use emitters and they're going to use skillet and tech so he brings some people who can crack it and you roll in and you cut the power and stick it up their ass so I'm glad we had this conversation we're just going to run out there willy-nilly and there's a few things you can do you know with Skillet you flooded it's salt water and single fry and yeah I've seen almost fire fire and you need to go after the buildings that's probably what the movies about what's up they probably run a few of those you're like whoa because it was disintegrate someone instantly and I have seen it cork too it says as as well I cook three and it's really bad. And they do disappear you think so grab them or clothe them you can smell it it's burning carbon so around here we have an approach we're going to do it we appreciate your help and we don't need the song what we need is help getting up there and we need people to do it and he says there's a humongous army of people in the south and so we're going to do that and you need Mexico to be repressed couple of things you know we have an approach so we're going to do it okay good luck and just a whole bunch of Batman going to be coming out and Batman loves Robin so we getting excited cuz that sounds good

[ardentwench]

@writer-in-theory

Yes! This is everything I was imagining.

The way Steve was an ass and superficial in high school and used slurs was his way of rebelling against his parents progressive views in a typical teenage way since he was trying to fit in with the kids of Hawkins who came from more conservative families who his parents didn’t approve of.

He never had to stress about parties because his parents trusted him to be responsible enough to social network for himself and not to get the cops called or let people be hurt and keep the house cleaned. They were only concerned if something went bad, and sometimes Steve wished they’d care more, be more involved but he knows they love him, even if they weren’t very involved parental figures.

And Omg! the rumors of Steve’s mom traveling with his dad to keep him from affairs actually comes from them being swingers. It’s not something they try to hide, more like an open secret. They try to relate with Steve and Eddie by trying to bring up their own experiences. Including things Steve Does Not Ever want to think about so “please with all respect stop talking mom” (Robin thinks Mrs Harrington is HOT and actively encourages her to ramble on no matter how much it ends up with Steve feeling mortified. Steve wishes he never agreed to let her meet them after she’d heard from Eddie how Meeting The Parents had gone)

And oh gosh the hanky code! Not sure which is funnier that they know and are cringingly vocal that they know or that they assume that Eddie is flagging but he’s just from small town conservative Hawkins and has no idea what they’re on about.

Like they come back from a trip all excited because they learned what flagging was and remembered Eddie wearing his and in which pocket and what that color means and are super proud of themselves for being in the know. Maybe even try buying Steve one or two they think he might be interested in wearing himself (do they guess horribly wrong or embarrassingly correct?) They try giving unsolicited advice and safe sex tips with way too many personal anecdotes, even bringing bdsm up with them casually in conversation at a family gathering like its not something that should be kept private,

“but he’s flagging honey, that’s not very discreet”

“the whole purpose is to be discreet and not announce it out loud to just anyone!”

“Well everyone here accepts you-”

“not the point!”

And if they assume it’s flagging but are wrong it’d be like “we’ve connected the two dots, Steve!”

“You didn’t connect shit”

“We’ve connected them”

Now that they see him as an adult with his own life they feel like they can build a stronger relationship by treating him like an equal but it just comes across super awkward. They try to infer things about their sons relationship, one of which is thinking that because Eddie is flagging it means they’re interested in not living monogamously-something his parents have experience on how to successfully manage (steve very much is not interested, he’s an only child who doesn’t like to share, a hopeless romantic looking for The One, and still resents his often absent parents just enough he doesn’t want to live like them at all. It ends up making Steve insecure because he’s afraid maybe they’re right and that’s what Eddie wants. (It’s not)

Either way Steve asks Eddie to stop wearing it. If not to shut his parents up, but to make sure no one else accidentally feels invited to make a move on his boyfriend. Eddie finds other uses than pocket decoration for his black hankie. (Mouth gag?)

The extended Harringtons could be a sort of eclectic group, where Steve is the baby of the group, of the cousins, he’s never felt that close to them. I love him having an Uncle that loves metal and has possible connections for Eddie. But maybe it takes a bit for him to get along with Eddie at first because there’s some level of contention over certain controversial band opinions or whatever. But Eddie would shred his guitar and totally win Uncle Harrington over. I think the bulk of them would still live boring careers, family business style full of nepotism but their personalities are… big, and unique. I’m sure there could be lots of potential for fun aloof characters.

Listen assuming Steve's parents don't suck, I imagine the Harringtons are the type to have big family reunions. I'm talking all the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins all meeting up for parties and major holidays.

And Eddie? He's used to it just being him and Wayne. So imagine his surprise when Steve invites him over for his family's Fourth of July party and he's expecting like...Steve and his parents. Instead, it's a party of no lie 30 people, all of whom are dying to meet Steve's boyfriend (because anyone who had anything bad to say were promptly uninvited by Mrs. Harrington).

Eddie suddenly gets to experience having dinner at the "kids table" that's really just the collection of cousins in their teens and twenties, and being passed around all of the older aunts and grandmas. He's asked questions about his future by all the men and turns out Steve even has an uncle in the rock scene which is...sick as hell?

By the end of the night, Eddie is completely exhausted and he tells Steve they're doing at least half of the holidays with Wayne because he needs that comfort and familiarity but...it was nice, experiencing what it was like to have such a big family too.

[pixie-dust-and-pain]

Nothing Proves I'm Dead, Nothing Proves I'm Alive

Words: 1148

Summary: Robin and Finn just have a little well-deserved quality time together (after literally being traumatized also Robin lives shush)

A/N: bro why does tumblr rarely work in my region :(

They're not supposed to mature this fast. That's what the therapist has told them both, their cases alien to all professionals. Their hurt manifests itself in different ways, in Robin, it's the increased anger at the smallest of issues, despising anybody and everybody except Finny. And for Finn? He's an outcast. Children talking about stupid things don't interest him any longer, he's too old for all that, been through far too much to be afraid of the math teacher or giggle over graffitied penises on walls. Okay, he sometimes giggles at the penises (although he's usually the perpetrator, the reason for said drawings), but he's been through hell and back and has stopped caring about things.

Nobody tries hurting Finn anymore, and even if they did, he's far too apathetic to spare them, but Robin still wanders around him, an odd protectiveness making him glare at everyone who even thinks about him with ill intent. 

They thought their trauma would change them, make them feel different, resent the other, perhaps, or maybe even be unable to talk, but that's one thing that hasn't happened. It's one thing they have to be grateful for. If anything, it's made them even more compatible. They fit well together. They are old souls, as the teachers call them, always together, seen next to each other in the hallways, after school, understanding each other best, helping the other far more than any therapist ever has. They're no longer children, no longer innocent, tired of the world and plagued by nightmares, according to the psychologists. 

They feel like children now, though. Slipping in wet grass, their laughter echoing in the empty grass plains as they race the other to the truck they aren't legally allowed to drive, but even their incompetent police force lets them get away with certain things. It's Robin's truck, anyway. Perhaps they'll never be children, but at least they're  happy.

Sliding on a particularly wet spot, Finn hurtles forward, knees bruising and elbows skinning slightly at the impact. Robin hunches down next to him, offering him a hand, and Finn grabs it, dragging the other boy down as well. 

Very eloquent words are exchanged as Robin gets up, dusting himself and kicking Finn, who's still on the ground, lightly. He'd never hurt his Finn, not on purpose, not if he could help it. They practically collapse as they make their way towards the truck, sagging against the car seat, rain beating on the windows as they revel in the warmth, the leathery smell familiar and comforting.

They are young and stupid, and they're allowed to make bad decisions and rebel, and they're allowed to be disappointments at times, and fuck up, which is what Finn tells himself as he reaches for the lighter, cigarette pack already in the other boy's hand. 

"Your father would kill you if he knew," Robin is the only other person who knows about their dad. Sure, his outbursts have reduced, but haven't disappeared fully. 

"If he knew," Finn shoots back, twirling the lighter absentmindedly. "He won't, I won't let him," There's only one cigarette left anyway; it won't last that long. 

There's still fear, but Finn's had enough panic attacks, screamed out enough gruesome details about the Grabber to scare his father, and hold his hand back. He has power, now, people fear  him. He sees it in the old man, too, sometimes, when he raises his hand, and Finn stares back, fingers flexing and glare menacing. The hands of a murderer, he called them once, when Finn had grabbed the belt, finally able to help his sister. 

He doesn't mind. If the hands of a murderer are what hold the bastard back, then so be it. 

Robin plays with the cigarette first, a whole-ass acrobatics show between his fingers, before lighting the thing, and breathing in deeply.

Lung cancer be damned, it's not like he wants to live that long, anyway. Plus, it's calming. 

Finn's impatient, half his fear washed down the drain, along with the rain and the pain. He reaches over and plucks the thing from Robin's mouth, inhaling the nicotine and leaning back against the seat, ignoring the look Robin shoots him. The cigarette dangles from the side of his mouth, and Robin's playing some song he's never heard before on the radio, quietly, and they feel young and free. It's moments like this, stolen between school and home, moments of solidarity, that allow them to feel truly like themselves. 

Sometimes he goes days without talking, tired of himself and all around him, huddled up at home, alone and left to his own devices. Nobody tries coaxing him out, then, not even Gwen. Robin understands he needs his own time, he needs it, too. They  get  each other, a thought that offers him great solace. On those days he feels barely alive, unreal, connected to the world by strings of spun sugar, a tug and he'd dissolve. He needs reassurance of his existence, pain, sometimes pleasure, but most of the time, nicotine. The smoke is warm, soothing,  real,  the fire hot and fierce, sometimes helping him wake up from his dull, drowsy existence, sharpening him. 

Robin has the same effect on him. He can feel himself slipping, feeling like a ghost again, unsure whether he's actually there or whether he, too, is one of the boys on the phone, whether Robin was the only one who made it out alive, when the other boy acts. A gentle hand on his thigh, the press of his palm against his cheek, a yank on his arm, anything to bring him back, remind him that this is real, that  they  are real, and that he is very connected to the Earth beneath his feet, no matter how he feels (sometimes he feels as though he could just float away).

"Why do you smoke?" Finn asks, out of the blue, when the cigarette is snatched from him.

"Same reason as you, calms me, keeps it at bay-" they all know what it is, "-and just helps in general,"

"I feel the same,"

"'Bout the smoke?" the other boy leans back, legs propped up on the steering wheel.

"About you,"

Robin nearly falls off his seat. "Smooth, are we?" he chuckles, although he can feel the back of his neck and his face turn hot, "You're fucking addictive, you know? I'd give up this-" he waves the cigarette around, as though highlighting his point, "-for you,"

"Then why don't you?"

"Because I need  one  of them down my throat, or at least in my mouth,"

They both laugh at that, before stubbing out the cigarette and driving away from the wet grassland, their spot, and getting home. Finn's father asks him where he's been, he says he had a heart-to-heart with Robin. Robin's parents don't bother asking. They meet at the same spot the next day. 

[quercus-queer]

More absurd stranger things “hot takes” from tiktok that I know the intellectuals on tumblr will chuckle at followed by homophobia:

Steve was framed as an asshole in s1 for no reason: he was a douche bag… he used queer as a slur to Jonathan, brought up his abusive father and missing brother as well as his mothers mental health, he was extremely insensitive about Barb, self centered, and slut shamed Nancy for the whole town to see… this starting point is why his development is so good and why everyone is surprised he’s actually a nice person every season afterwards. He wasn’t even right to break the camera, Nancy has agency and the ability to fight her own battles, Steve doesn’t own her. Jonathon and Steve were both assholes and treated as such by the narrative.

Barb gets brought up for no reason and was a bad friend to Nancy: Literally what??? She gets brought up because of Nancy’s guilt for getting her best friend killed??? Barb was a good friend to Nancy. She didn’t want to go to the party but did after Nancy pressured her and told her to “make sure I don’t do anything stupid.” Nancy pressured her to drink, which resulted in her cutting her hand which is why she died. When Barb tried to make sure Nancy didn’t do anything stupid like sleeping with a guy after she’s been drinking, Nancy told her to go home… but she DIDNT. She stayed there to make sure Nancy was okay afterwards and drive her home and ended up dead. Also she wasn’t being clingy because Nancy was “branching out.” Steve was a dick! He was a fucking douchebag hanging around absolute assholes that mocked Barb at every opportunity!!!

Steve’s reaction to Robin coming out was unrealistic: I’ve been seeing comments practically fantasizing about hatecriming gay characters like straight up saying Steve would’ve hit Robin or sneered at her… not even citing the fact Steve used queer as a slur in s1… just wanting homophobia for the vibes… like fuck off it’s not realistic nor is it even in character, Steve’s development includes not being a dick to people different from him

Homophobic reactions to Will and/or Robin coming out: NO CENTRAL CHARACTER IN THE SHOW WOULD HATECRIME OR CALL ANYONE A SLUR. Or even be that weird about it, literally no one. This includes Hopper actually. Joyce, Jonathon, and Hopper have KNOWN Will is gay since s1. Mike, Lucas, and Dustin are Will’s friends and have been dealing with the slurs and bullying Will has faced… they wouldn’t do the same. Robin already came out to Steve. El literally does not know what gay people nor homophobia are unless Jonathon decided to tell her. Nancy is the most likely but she is also too smart for that and rebelling against conformity and her parents lifestyle is her thing. Gay people existed in the 80s!!! And the defining trait of all the characters in the show is that they don’t fit in with society and are outcasts (except for Nancy and Steve… and Hopper) the main theme of the show is unconformity or whatever.

The fucking pronouns thing: They’d just be confused or think you’re stupid, Nancy would probably tell you to get a tutor. Also it is a tv show with monsters who CARES if someone makes a stupid video for the trend. Also again since people forgot, GAY PEOPLE EXISTED IN THE 80s JESUS CHRIST THIS INCLUDES TRANS PEOPLE

Eddie’s bandana means nothing: Nah, the duffers know. Forgetting wills birthday? Bad. However, will also had august 28th as a bday pre-s2 and no other birthdays are ever relevant or even mentioned except for the offhand thing from Suzie. They don’t care about birthdays, character design though? They very much care about that. Eddie is an entirely new character that requires zero continuity… plus he has handcuffs in his room… the show runners know lol. Definitely won’t say anything though because Eddie is gonna die and they don’t want that backlash

[lon3lystarr]

Le temps de l'amour

robin buckley x reader

*if there’s any typos, mistakes or errors please ignore, if you haven’t heard the podcast “rebel robin” you’re missing out -_-*

february 14th,1985. it’s a typical sunny day in hawkins, the sun slightly warming up the freckled girl who was walking to the place she dreaded most, being a teenager isn’t always easy but being a teenager during february was even worse, having to see the cringy couples giving each other gifts and gross kisses that robin couldn’t help but feel irritated about. the lanky teen kicked pebbles with her beat up converses while sighing “today’s gonna suck..” robin said out loud with rolling eyes. while robin made her way to the entrance of hawkins high she immediately seen the obnoxious couples with tooth rotting smiles painted on their lips. class after class robin had to sit through couples cuddling, kissing, laughing while she bitterly stared at them from her drawn on desk “you know, your face gives away how you’re feeling right now” said a voice behind her “y/n you aren’t helping..” sighed robin “hey, i’m just saying! looks like the valentines love isn’t getting to you” said y/n with a smirk “i can say the same for you” robin says playfully “well if it makes things a little better you look great like always” said y/n replied with a grin “o-oh, thanks y/n” robin said with rosy cheeks and a breathless laugh “y-you look great as well, i mean you always do” stuttered robin with a loose grin “thank you rob” y/n said softly nudging robin “she’s so pretty…it’s a bummer i couldn’t get anything for her..” robin thought to herself, a subtle frown appearing on her slightly chapped lips.

as class ended and lunch started students filled the halls, robin rushed to Mr. Hauser’s class since he was the only one who can listen to her rambles and actually care about what she’s talking about even if it was pure nonsense “well hello ms.buckley” said mr.hauser in a chipper tone “hi mr.hauser, how’s valentines going for you?” asked robin “well i’ve seen way too many kids kissing and having to stop them so it’s been a great day i might say” the male sarcastically said causing robin to laugh a little “well i had to stop three couples to stop making out in front of my locker so i would say it’s been horrible” robin said while breaking a cookie in half to share with her favorite teacher “well c'est le temps de l'amour” the teacher said with a smile “the time of love? more like the time to be miserable” robin said with rolling eyes “so how’s operation croissant going hmm?” asked hauser, papers with different hand writing being read over and graded by him “well..i think i might just go alone..tammy isn’t on the list anymore and everyone else is insufferable so bringing someone to europe might not happen” said robin while leaning into the squeaking school chair “are you sure? today in class you were talking to miss y/n l/n, she isn’t someone who you might bring?” asked mr.hauser “are you snooping again?” robin replied with a grin “no robin, you were talking during my class” mr.hauser said with an airy laugh “…well y/n is great and funny but she would never want to be friends with someone like me let alone want to travel to europe with me, you know i’m the weirdest girl in hawkins and y/n is a pretty girl who thinks i’m a weirdo too” said robin to the male in front of her “robin…we’ve been through this, being weird isn’t always a bad thing, have you spoken to her in other classes? if not then you can’t assume she finds you weird” said mr.hauser “well…no i haven’t but that doesn’t stop the fact that she might have thoughts about me that aren’t ideal” the lanky teen said with droopy eyes “see you’re assuming again buckley, you can’t expect yourself to find someone that’ll be the missing piece to your puzzled life if you don’t branch out or keep selling yourself short” said hauser with a sigh “well can you blame me? being in hawkins feels like being trapped in a small box you can’t fit in, the only thing you can do is assume and overthink the worse so you don’t end up getting hurt or shamed” said the freckled girl, this caused the room to fall quite for a second but the sound of a knock on the classroom door disturbed the silence “uh mr.hauser? do you think i can bother you for a sec- oh hey rob!” said y/n with a smile, voice echoing in the small classroom “i didn’t know this is were you stay during lunch, could’ve invited me you know” y/n teased while sitting next to the nervous teen “o-oh! well you’re always invited i don’t mind at all!” robin said with a red face and a wide smile “well that’s great to hear, you’ll definitely see me more, oh! before i forget here robin, i got it for you from the cafeteria since it’s valentines and all” y/n let out a laugh while handing the girl a hand written letter on an off white paper and a vanilla cupcake with heart shaped pink and red sprinkles on top “sorry if you don’t like vanilla, that’s all they had and this was kind of last minute” y/n said with a sis anxious smile “n-no it’s fine, i didn’t get anything for you and now i feel a little shitty…” robin said looking up to meet y/n’s eyes and back to the wrinkled paper “ladies, if you’ll excuse me i have to head down to the library, new books came in for the freshmen class” mr. hauser suddenly announced with a smile, he pulls from his desk and out of the classroom, robin’s eyes were still glued to the thin paper in her slim fingers she begin reading the letter with a toothy smile, not a care in the world other then the words written in a deep red color

“robin buckley you are a sight for sore eyes, i’ve always been infatuated by how beautiful you are, from your raspy voice to the way your eyes glow when the sun hits them, the way your honey colored hair effortlessly looks so pretty and shiny, the way your freckles cover your rosy cheeks, slim nose and red lips and the smell of chestnut and vanilla with a mixture of rosemary lingering every time you pass me in the halls. this may sound corny or weird but i can’t help falling for you more and more, everything about you makes me fall harder and i’m not sure if it’s terrifying or exciting but i honestly don’t mind as long as i get to be in your presence for as long as you’ll allow me. you’re the first girl that i’ve met who isn’t scared to share her thoughts on a specific song, book or movie and seeing the soft tint of red on your cheeks when you get embarrassed or too excited or when you aren’t afraid to seek for more outside of this shitty place people call “home”, i genuinely adore how open minded you are and how easily you can make my heartbeat quicken without even noticing. you, robin buckley are one of a kind and people shouldn’t even walk the same ground as you do.”

“y-y/n..no one has even written me something so… vulnerable before…god now i do feel shitty for not getting anything for you” robin says with tears blurring her light blue eyes “robin you don’t need to get me anything, looking at you is enough of a gift” y/n reply’s with a smile that starts hurting her cheeks, robin mindlessly cups y/n’s right cheek with her chipped painted fingers ,caressing the plumpness of it “how did you know i was a sucker for hand written letter huh?” robin says with a goofy smile “you’re robin buckley, of course you would love something like that and i’ll gladly give you as many hand written letters you desire” y/n says while pushing a piece of robin’s locs behind her ear “i’d be the happiest girl if you’d say yes to being my girlfriend..” y/n said, face feeling hot with the feeling of her heart hitting against her rib cage “of course, i’ll be an idiot if i don’t” robin said, an airy laugh escaping her swollen lips due to crying “you know what would have me over the moon?” asked y/n with a playful grin “what would have my sweet juliet over the moon?” robin playfully said, loving the idea of y/n being her juliet and being y/n’s romeo “a sweet kiss would have me feeling butterflies all week” y/n said while a hand fell on the nape of robin’s neck “anything for you darling…”

[skepsiss]

For me, it felt like Steve had a critical lack of healthy, male friendship in his life. Him and Dustin are close and he adores him (and Dustin thinks he is super cool) but the dynamic is slightly off because Dustin is much younger than Steve. They have a big brother/little brother relationship with all its arguing and frustration wrapped around love that a lot of sibling relationships have and they both are only children. They don't have siblings and let's face it, it sounds like Steve's dad is rather absent (my personal HC is that Steve's mom is a wino alcoholic, but she's kinda got the big sads and not the aggression. So Steve was pushed into a caregiver role for her at a young age. Loves his mom dearly, but is sort of the 'sudo-man of the house' for her since his Dad is MAI a lot. She was/is a trophy wife and she's getting older so the 'value' that has been assigned to her is disappearing. She has a lot of healing to do, but is very in love with Steve's dad even though he's a bad guy). So both Steve and Dustin have this scene of being "their mother's caregivers" in one way or another and are only kids so to provide a relationship for one another in a brother-brother way is massive!

Anyways, Eddie adopted every weird/feral/eccentric/ nerd he can find because he wishes he had that as a younger kid/teen. And Dustin is this incredibly rare breed where he does get bullied but he is also wildly confident. And I think that confidence is do in part because of his relationship with Steve. Steve and Dustin both give each other a different kind of confidence. So for Eddie to see a kid that by all accounts should be fearful like every other nerd he meets, Dustin isn't that, so Eddie's usual tact of "making the baby nerds confident" isn't required so they just become pals! I don't really see Steve and Eddie being jealous of one another, but they are both providing very different experiences/benefits to Dustin (and the other nerds too), so it's almost like... sussing each other out to make sure that the other's intentions with "their nerds" are genuine and good.

I think that quickly falters because Eddie is given extreme, blatant evidence that Steve is a good guy and will do anything for these kids once they get into the Upside Down. That's why they fall so easily into bickering about Dustin, almost like 2 moms picking their toddler up from Daycare ("oh does he do this?" "Yes, mine too").

SO, shipping them became so GD easy for me. Not only are they a fun trope of Prep x Nerd/Rebel, they're also both bitches 😂 like, the level of pettiness both these boys have for anyone and everything creates such a rich dynamic. Doubly so when you look harder at them both and how they've both had a critical lack of love and affection on their lives (providing for others instead of themselves. Whether that is taking a nerd under their wing or having to be responsible at home taking care of a parent, paying bills, or otherwise. Wayne is great, but Eddie def had to grow up quick to help handle stuff around the trailer). Plus, I genuinely think they fit together well. They fill in each other's gaps in a lot of ways.

Steve is more practical, responsible and organized with a lot of things (not to an extreme, but he was in the Key Club in cannon which is all about volunteering around your community and entrepreneurship so Steve for sure knows how to open a bank account and how to do his taxes lol) plus he's getting more mature as he befriends Robin and does more adult things. Eddie is creative and thinks outside the box which pushes Steve to be less conservative while Steve provides a good foundation for Eddie's obvious ADHD to bounce off of.

Anyways, rambles. Enjoy my essay. Lol.

Reading your notes on your last post. Saaaaaaammmeee tho. Didn't ship Steve with anyone until S4. Just accepted the cannon stuff as background noise but then Eddie and..... yeah.

Right!? And same! I watched ST because I like the show. Not enough to join the fandom about it, but enough to get excited for a new season.

But then Eddie. Whom I love Eddie SO MUCH

There's just something about Steve and Eddie's shared jealousy of Dustin's affection that altered my brain chemistry honestly. I didn't start to ship them until their walk in the upside down, where Eddie confirmed that Dustin talks about Steve. (A lot apparently).

Then i was like Oh! Both these boys just want Dustin to be their bestie. THEN the 'dontcha big boy' scene happened and I was like. I ship it. I want these boys to realize they can both have Dustin in their lives and also each other.

[dick-the3rd]

that schoolyard game "concentration" where someone gently pounds ur back going "stick a knife in your back, feel the blood running down"/"children are crying, people are dying" and at the end "a man in a mask" pushes you off a roof and you shove their shoulderblades to mimic it & then whatever color they see is how they're going to die

anyways 1. Dick picturing getting shot by joker (hate that comics forget he also almost died via Joker) & 2. Jason seeing orange (dies in a fire) >:)

Had to google it and HOLY SHIT this terrifying and had me grinning like a mad man

I imagine Dick just right before he stopped being Robin, still in his last year in high school. He's with some friends in a school trip, normal friends, the young and stupid type, the ones that might be considered a bad influence but you don't really care. They're stupid and drunk and hey have you heard about that other version of crack an egg in your head?

It's stupid, but they're drunk and what's the big deal anyway? They play. When it's Dick's turn he has an indulgent smile, he's Robin and he's a Flying Grayson, this shit ain't enough to scare him. Dick closes his eyes. They start.

Maybe is the fact there's only their voices echoing as one, maybe is how human Dick feels like this, maybe is the fact he's drunk and rebelling, but there's a shiver running down his spine.

People are dying children are crying. Concentrate concentrate

A specially pointy finger between his ribs. Fingers too light dripping down on his back.

People are dying children are crying

Dick's alone on the edge, looking down to the vastness

You're alone on the edge and someone pushes you

Dick falls just like his parents fell that night. Except...not.

He lies and says he saw green. Weirdly fitting and edgy enough to send a nervous laugh around the group.

But later that night, when Dick's alone on his bed, already getting sober, is the gun barrel he keeps seeing on his mind, a sick laugh playing on his ears.

AND HOHOHOH JASON MY DEAREST

Jason plays by pressure, he thinks it's a stupid morbid game and with his mother recently dead he can't quite shake the uneasiness from his bones. But he's with some kids, and Jason doesn't want to be known as the group chicken, so he scowls and pretends he's fine.

For him, there's too much giggling around for the eerie effect, somewhere in the middle he can hear a police car passing. He tries to relax.

There's a rope around his neck. Someone pushes and Jason does his part, tilting his head to make it look like he's hanged.

He must be dizzy, because his feet lose their balance for only a second, someone pushes him and there's a bright orange behind his eyelids. He can't help it. He screams.

Everyone laughs, and Jason laughs along because no one likes a sore chicken. He makes sure to push the next person extra hard.

Jason somehow manages to forget this.

Years later, when he's locked in a warehouse with a bomb ticking next to his head, he remembers the stupid game. Maybe it wasn't so stupid after all.

[heyclickadee]

All of this! And it’s also, I mean—I know we tend to compare and contrast The Bad Batch to The Clone Wars a lot, but the Star Wars show that’s closest to Bad Batch in terms of structure is probably Rebels.

It was a show with a lot of seemingly standalone episodes about the Ghost family jetting around the galaxy doing little Robin Hood type jobs either for themselves or the rebellion, trying to find a way to fuel up their tricked out mini-van, and getting dragged into odd force-stuff. But with very, very few exceptions, every single episode had a necessary contribution to the whole. It was just hard to see at the time because, without the ending, it was impossible to know what the whole was or even where it was really going until the last six or so episodes of the last season.

I defy pretty much anyone who watched the show as it was coming out to look me in the eye and tell me that that knew where Rebels was going based on where it was halfway through its second season. And I’m not just talking about the space whales, I mean all of it—the temple, the world-between-worlds, the focus on the destruction and theft of culture via imperialism, the liberation of Lothal, Ezra Bridger Jedi Knight, Sabine and the importance of art, the general force weirdness. It’s all there throughout the show in hindsight and fits so well, but the only thing that was obviously on the table from the beginning was Ezra becoming a Jedi, because that was baked into the premise, and Kanan’s death, but mostly because Freddie Prinze jr. was pretty open about thinking Kanan had to die at some point from the beginning.

I watched Rebels as it was coming out, starting around halfway through season one, and a lot of the frustration being leveled at The Bad Batch now is really similar to what was going on there. And it’s fine! People don’t have to like things, and they certainly don’t have to like the same things I like. I just get tired of hearing, “This hasn’t happened yet, therefore it will never happen,” all the time. And that’s maybe on me. But still.

I genuinely think that full season drops have done something to people's ability to just enjoy anything. Like if everything isn't 100% payoff immediately people can't conceive of how perhaps... the story is not finished.