#Victimise

[super-nova5045]

its always “we should beat up and kill rapists and abusers!” but the moment someone actually does you all turn on them

[queenofspeed]

Being a crane wives fan is like "Oh, I've been feeling sad about something, I'll listen to the crane wives new song to cheer myself up" and then the song perfectly describes why your sad about it

[lovegrowsart]

personally i think katara is completely within in her right to be angry at and never forgive the man that killed her mother and in turn zuko is also within his right to be angry at and never forgive his abusers who gaslit manipulated scapegoated maimed banished and tried to kill him multiple times and neither of those things would make katara and/or zuko lesser than or bad people

[cursed-40k-thoughts]

Man was so busy thinking up ways to be passive aggressive about your arts degree at the next family BBQ that he forgot to put his finger on the trigger while firing his gun

[daenystheedreamer]

can u guys not do madonna whore dichotomy with alicent and rhaenyra for 5 seconds please

[danandfuckingjonlmao]

so this is why you dressed up nice today like fuck off

[tonydaddingham]

this world owes anthony crowley a debt (reclaiming the sanctity of the black turtleneck from dwayne the rock johnson) that can never be repaid

[sarasade]

It's been pretty interesting to follow the

"Why Didn't Viren Get Redeemed vs Viren Got What Was Coming To Him"

discussion after The Dragon Prince's 6th season got released.

Hot Take

I think Viren got redeemed.

Because to me Viren humbling himself and acknowledging the hurt he has caused was redeeming. His conversation with Soren was the main event. His rather heroic death was only the cherry on top of the character development cake that has been baking since s4.

I think Viren dying wasn't as significant as what he did before that and how he tried to provide Soren with some kind of comfort and closure, you know, as a parent should, before going. Viren's redemption wasn't just him dying for Katolis but acknowledging his wrongdoings and trying to salvage what he could.

That was pretty redeeming for me at least. Viren did the right thing even when he knew there wouldn't be any reward for it. Even if he couldn't stop Aaravos from destroying Katolis or manipulating Claudia even after his death. Like, man, I kinda feel for the guy.

I think it has always pretty easy to feel sympathy for Viren. Viren wants to matter and wants to be important. However, his grandiosity, as psychologists would call it, keeps him from creating genuine connections with others. His friends, wife and children are only there to prop up his ego or get rejected if they fail to live up to his expectations. It's also pretty damn tragic that Viren opens up about his deep insecurities to Aaravos of all people. Someone who was the most likely person in the world to exploit these insecurities for his own gain.

Viren had to taste his own medicide but I don't think TDP says that's an objectively good thing per se or that we should enjoy this sort of revenge fantasy uncritically. Viren is still portrayed rather sympathetically and of course there is the part about his actions affecting others and the world in unpredictable ways. It's still a tragedy because Viren's actions and personal problems have caused so much collateral damage. The Why behind Aaravos exploiting Viren and Claudia is part of that tragedy, too. There are no winners here. In a way Viren is a victim of his own narcissistic tendencies, too.

This isn't just about the final episodes of Viren's arc. To me it's essential to ask What was Viren's biggest sin he should be redeemed or punished for? Depending on your answer you may have a relatively different reading of s6 story development compared to mine.

To me it's not a specific action he took but his whole worldview. Viren is a fictional character (duh!) so his story isn't exactly literal but metaphorical, a representation of certain values and morals real people and society holds. In s3 TDP draws a pretty straightforward, though brief, comparison between Viren and reactionary right-wing ideologues. It's not exactly subtle.

It's just one way TDP goes to show how toxic and abusive Viren's core values are. that gets reflected both in Viren's personal life aka how he treated Lissa, Soren and even Harrow and Claudia (last two more indirectly). Since he also had a ton of political power as a high mage and briefly as a king we see what he did with that power. It's a pretty clear take on people who dehumanise others, fetishise power and see all living things as something to exploit. TDP explores that both philosophically and psychologically through Viren. Dark magic encapsulates this philosophy well since using magical creatures like tools or objects is essential for it to work.

Also also- I don't really get why people see redemption or atonement as something black and white. It's not bad or anything but Redeeming Yourself For Your Sins is a very Christian concept and Christianity isn't the only way to understand villain story arcs. Like I wish there could be more discussion about WHY redemption is the main analytical framework we impose on villains when villainous characters have a ton of variety anyway.

I don't really have anything to complain about Viren's death itself and I'm not surprised that he ended up dying (for real this time). Aaravos seemed like someone who'd turn against Viren the moment he stopped being useful to him so Viren's life has been hanging by a thread since s4. Viren was the best part of TDP and every scene he's been in had been a delight, well expect the s5 dream sequence because it was too long-winded and obvious, anyway, I'm sorry to see him go and I look forward writing AU fix-it fics where he and Aaravos are married and run a hot brown morning potion shop with all their four totally not dead children. RIP Viren. You lived like a messy bitch and died like a messy bitch. Iconic.

[lesbianjohnwick]

santiago calling armand 'arun' in the original script for the finale as he taunts louis about claudia's ashes, combined with his talk about visiting brothels earlier in the season...

[gaslightgirlsummer]

*crosses off maverick and enea* and that would be victim #3 and #4 of marc popping his pussy all over rider market

[sexy-sapphic-sorcerer]

it's so funny how not once in the entire show does Arthur mention Merlin's ears and yet in every single fanfic he's like "what up you dumbo-looking fuck"

[artcinemas]

[lexia-solve-e]

my favorite capitalist

[vimbry]

[xylophonetangerine]

"Eating animals is just the same as bestiality if not worse" is one of the worst and most offputting vegan "arguments" ever and they just keep making it.

[fratricideknight]

sam gives me such insane gender envy

he has longer hair, with the pretty flicks

he's got the picture perfect abs

the small, pretty waist

the long legs and perfect proportions

he's so insanely big

but also so damn cute with the sweetest puppy dog eyes

he's so masculine without being overly or performatively so

he's a badass fighter but also a soft bookworm

and he's so damn pretty

in conclusion: i wanna be him :(