#WE DIE LIKE MEN FOR MIDDLE EARTH

[mightnotfeelrealbutitsok]

all of Aragorn and Arwen's love story in the ROTK appendices is so beautiful... first meeting in the woods of Rivendell at sunset?? Aragorn singing the Lay of Luthien and Arwen looking just like Luthien and him crying Tinuviel just as Beren did???? meeting years later in Lothlorien and Aragorn dressing up nice enough to make Arwen fall in love this time?? (Galadriel the wingwoman. she so set that up.) walking together barefoot in the elanor and niphredil?????? Arwen making the standard as a symbol of her faith that Aragorn will become king???? (and having this sent to him as a gift/message during the course of LOTR) Once Aragorn dies Arwen going to live alone in the waning Lothlorien (where they fell in love, remember) until she dies on the hill where she chose their love over immortality?????

[glorfindel-of-imladris]

(tw: death, gore, horror)

I love how downright creepy Sauron is.

He's your neighbourhood psychopathic genius, a skilled sorcerer whose allegiance was realigned once (to his true alignment imo) and then never since waivered.

Unlike Morgoth, who was more straightforward in his execution, Sauron's style is insidious, and in a sense more horrific for how slow and personal his tactics can be. His temper is such that he can play the long game, even play at being weak in order to earn trust or make his enemies complacent, and then next thing you know he has an old friend's corpse up as a war banner, or he has sunk a once great island down the Sea.

He bred the Orcs. Tolkien played with different version of the origin of Orcs, but what I like best is the version where they were corrupted Men, maybe even Elves, and although they were Melkor's idea, it was Sauron who had the ability, patience and tenacity to make the idea come to fruition.

He built cults. Do you know what cults are like? How they draw people in, what they make people believe, what they get people to do? From an outsider looking in it must have looked truly bizarre, but Sauron was able to turn a powerful nation against the Valar and painted Morgoth as the true god. Eru Ilúvatar was denied as a false god, and the Valar made to be liars. There were blood sacrifices, human sacrifices—all for a religion Sauron invented, but was so successful that, once Númenor was gone, Sauron brought the cult with him to Middle-earth.

He was called The Necromancer. What made him garner the title? Who gave it to him, and what had they seen? Surely the Nazgûl were not the first of their kind, not when the Nine were already so well-made. What manner of experimentation had Sauron done in order to make them, and what did the "failures" look like? What knowledge did he use to corrupt and circumvent the Gift of Ilúvatar, which gave Men free will and death, allowing their spirits to transcend Arda? And yet the Nazgûl were unable to die, and as wraiths they also lost their free will, bound to Sauron and the call of the Ring.

He corrupted kings. He corrupted his own kind. Curumo could not have been the only one, and we know Curumo was a powerful Maia in his own right, the leader of the Istari. Sauron played mind games with the best of people, and won. His ability to seduce even the most powerful beings and get them in his service was unparalleled.

Now imagine being a native of Mordor and witnessing the poisoning of the lands. And then an age later, imagine being from one of the villages around Rhovanion and experiencing the slow haunting of Amon Lanc. At least the Eldar could see Sauron and his agents; none of the Men can do so. What defense did the common Man have against such insidious evil? There must only have been odd sensations, a dread settling in, dreams that lure them in before turning into nightmares.

[crazyaboutto]

I was thinking how these scenes felt familiar and I'm just Ken edit I either dreamed or watched

Sauron is Saurenough

Since "I'm just Halbrand" song of Sauron is dedicated to Galadriel:

If you think about it, Sauron (Ken) wanted to turn Middle Earth (Barbieland) into his kingdom (Kendom Land of the free and the men).

Sauron (Ken) has been proposing Galadriel (Barbie) and getting rejected. He is always number two for her (#1 in her mind but #2 for choosing between him and light).

Sauron is a 10 anywhere else and it's his destiny to live and die a life of blonde fragility. Though we won't know his #NewHairNewMe era before he loses his physical form but for now he's blondie.

It will take a lot for her to see the maia behind the unhinged actions and fight for him.

The next part is so Sauron coded:

I wanna know what it's like to love, to be the real thing Is it a crime? Am I not hot when I'm in my feelings? And is my moment finally here, or am I dreaming? I'm no dreamer

I had this epiphany as I edited it and here two crack posters:

Below cut are my other edits for Galadbie and Sauken

[katerinaaqu]

The Humanity of Odysseus and the Importance of the Curse of Polyphemus (an Odyssey Analysis on Fate and Destiny)

I believe there is one thig that needs to be said about the Odyssey and Odysseus in particular and something I have rarely seen properly adapted. It is the importance of the unchangable fate in antiquity in general and homeric poems in particular. One can say this starts from the character itself; Odysseus name meaning "Anger Bringer" or "Furious" is an indicator that not only the character will be dusliked by many but that he would also cause anger which one can expect would lead to terrible consequences. However I believe the moment Odysseus was truly deprived of all his choices was the infamous Curse of Polyphemus:

In Rhapsody/Book 9 of the Odyssey, Odysseus describes his misadventure with the cyclops Polyphemus and when he revealed himself to him, Polyphemus prays to his father, Poseidon, giving Odysseus a double-curse (as it happens to most predictions that have at least two ways they can go) which goes like this:

"I call upon you, Poseidon, Earth-bearer with cyan/black/dark hair, if I am your son and you wish to be my father (you wish to be called my father), do it for me so that Odysseus the Sacker of Cities will never reach his home, the son of Laertes who calls Ithaca his home, but if fate calls for him to see his friends and reach his well-built home and his ancestral land, make it so it will be terrible (here return), that he will lose all his companions and in a foreign ship and find misery waiting for him at his home!"

(Translation by me)

So as you can see the curse has two different outcomes

He will never see his home again

If he does, it will be without his companions brought by a foreign ship and he will find misery at his own home when he arrives

At this point, given that the story is "in media res" aka "told from the middle", we know now that the second part is fulfilled, or almost fulfilled. Odysseus is in Scheria, he is alone, he is shipwrecked, there is no sign of any of his companions anywhere so we expect him to return at this foreign ship, aka a Phaeacaean ship to his home at any moment. However by the moment the curse is placed, Odysseus doesn't know which outcome is to befall upon him. And while the second part is weirdly specific (and in a way preparing us for the outcome) the first one is not nearly speficic enough!

Make it so he never sees his land again.

This could mean anything; does he get killed in the ardous trip? Does he get straddled to a place for the rest of his life? Does he somehow lose his...memory and never return home again (similarly to how his men ate the Lotuses at the Lotophagi land)? What is more, nowhere in this part does it say his comrades will survive the ordeal. Although the curse means specifically for Odysseus not reaching his home and one could assume his men would but not Odysseus, that is not guaranteed.

Both of these scenarios are terribly gloom for both Odysseus and his men. So what does Odysseus do? He does what every human being would have done;

He tries to change fate!

He tries constantly to lift the curse:

Even if he knows deep down is pointless, even if he more or less has realized they are off for an arduous trip that will cost them probably all of them their lives, Odysseus STILL TRIES to change the fate! He sails off to find help. He goes to Aiolus and asks for help. He gets the bag. At this point Odysseus is at the end of his wits. He has a chance, he thinks, to change fate, to change the curse. He remains awake for 9 days to make sure he will (see also my other analysis in regards to that) and yet it is all in vain. His men open the bag JUST A LITTLE BEFORE they reach Ithaca and pushed back.

At this point it becomes all the more clear that they are up for an endless journey or a settlement away from home at best case scenario and all to die at worst case scenario. Odysseus doesn't give up! He asks AGAIN, this time he is denied.

And then comes destruction...

They reach the idland of the giant Laistrygonians and here Odysseus suffers the worst loss he has suffered so far; he loses 11 out of his 12 ships in a single raid and barely manages to escape with the rest of his comrades resting on his ship. Right now is clearer than ever that the curse is taking place so the real question is; which of the parts shall it be fulfulled? And they reach the land of Circe. Plenty of his men turn into pigs. Eurylochus barely escapes doom and runs at him to tell him "LEAVE THEM AND GO". Odysseus knows in his bones they are doomed! He knows he either leaves them and fulfulles the second prophecy (for his men already perish little by little) or either way the first part of the prophecy is fulfilled. What does Odysseus do?

He tries AGAIN!

He sells himself to Circe, he requests his men's freedom. He ASKS Circe for advice, he descends the Underworld, asks Tiresias for a course; how he can reach his home, how he can save his men, how he can REVERSE THE CURSE. Even if he knows it is impossible to challenge fate (not even Zeus could transcend fate). In a way he comits a form of hubris hoping to change fate. And yet he is HUMAN! He cannot accept that his men would die that he cannot go home. He wants to TRY! So sure enough he gets a possible way out...

Tiresias gives him hope...

The prophet tells him he can save his men AND reach Ithaca IF they do not eat the cattle of Helios Hyperion. What is more Circe gives him advice for the trip; the course they can follow, the steps they can take and again the warning of NOT eating the cattle of Helios. Odysseus takes heart to those, he DESPERATELY GRABS on them! He thinks he has a chance. Maybe...JUST MAYBE he can reverse this terrible curse! He can MAKE IT RIGHT! He has a chance to change fate! He has a chance to reverse it!

Self-Fulfilled Prophecy

Little does he know though that the trip is already set for failiure. Skylla claims 6 of his best men (his men CONTINUE TO PERISH) and yet Odysseus thinks that this is a sign that he can make it, that the terrible sacrifices will pay off and that he is on his way to break the curse. He is following the instructions therefore it must go well. And come the Cattle Of Helios Hyperion.

An attempt to dodge fate...

Odysseus tells to his men that they should not stop at the island now. He is not ready to take another risk. He will not do the same as the sack of Aiolus. He wants to AVOID THE ISLE ALTOGETHER. If his men are not tepted, they will not break. He intends to keep going and it could have worked...but...

Sure enough his men are tired they need to stop

Odysseus has no choice. At this point he probably realizes there is no way to change fate. He sees it now that everything is up for destruction and he still doesn't know WHICH VERSION will be fulfulled! And even if every part of his brain tells him everything is lost Odysseus REFUSES TO GIVE UP! No, this cannot be the end! There must still be time and space to reverse it!

He makes them promise

Odysseus makes his men swear to everything sacred that no matter what they shall not touch the cattle. That they would survive only with the provisions given by Circe, that they will not be tempted no matter what. Sure enough he extracts the promise from them but of course the prophecy is now moving. Wind is opposite. There is no way they can go. They get straddled for WEEKS. Food is over. Odysseus sees the path is for destruction and yet...

HE TRIES AGAIN!

He goes to the island to pray! There MUST be another way! The gods can hear him...maybe pity him and release them from this! And yet he falls asleep from fatigue, stress and godly intervention. Now the clock is ticking! His men cannot withstand hunger anymore and slay the cattle. Now their fate is shielded. We now know they will die. We know also which part of the prophecy will be fulfulled; Odysseus will come home ALONE, just like we see him narrating alone (even if we might as well wonder whether Odysseus would remain in Scheria, it is pretty much settled that Odysseus returns to Ithaca). However Odysseus doesn't know...but what he fears the most has happened

One last desperate attempt.

Odysseus is human above all. He sees the slain animals, he KNOWS his men will die and even that time he REFUSES to accept it! He REFUSES to give up! He sets sail again, hoping to save them, to save them all (himself included) as they roam for 7 days in the sea

And doom strikes...

His men all perish, his ship is gone! Odysseus is left alone in the sea, fighting for 10 days to the brief of death. Right now Odysseus is no longer struggling to change fate...he is no longer struggling to save anyone but himself...he is struggling

...SO THAT AT LEAST THE FATE IN STORE FOR HIM IS HIS RETURN...

He now has suffered the ultimate loss. He needs to at least make it home! Even if that means without companions, even if that means to be home in misery...he just HAS TO GO HOME! He cannot just perish in the sea or be forever straddled outside Ithaca! And then Calypso happens. Odysseus is left in her isle for 7 years.

He now fears he will never see his home again

He cries every day on the beach. His rape every night is strong enough reason for him to do so but also the fact that he now FEARS that the first section of the prophecy is fullfilled; that he is never to see his home and friends and family again. That his fate was not to perish in the sea but to be forever held against his will away from his beloved home and family. And he is filled with despair. When he has lost all hope that he will ever roam about the sea again; with at least SOME HOPE that the second part of the curse would be fulfilled, he is ready to throw himself in the sea; give an end to his life since there is no point in hoping anymore. The worst scenario has happened for him. He has nothing else to expect...

And it is so...till Hermes brings the order to release him. Now Odysseus finds hope anew that he will return. And he struggles with all his might to survive! Even if he is days out in the sea in a small raft. Even when his raft is destroyed and he has to literally swim to Scheria. his mind goes "NO! I WILL NOT PERISH! I WILL GO HOME!" and sure enough he does and he does meet his friends again and he does find this misery at his home and yet now Odysseus can endure this misery, because he knows he managed to get home and he knows that he has left but ONE TASK according to Tiresias.

He tried to beat fate and he failed...but now he has hope...

So as you see, and forgive me for the long analysis, Odysseus is more human than anyone can imagine and always relatable character. Despite his flaws and mistakes one of the noblest mistakes he made was to think he could change fate and dedicate a large part of his trip trying to do just that; change the curse and save his companions which only ends up to a self-fulfilled prophecy but I doubt anyone can deny that we would all have done the same. I doubt any of us would just abandon all hope and sit tight waiting for the prophecy to be filled either way. He would all have tried to change such a grim outcome!

Because we are human. And so was Odysseus.

[nightdivinity]

Drink Responsibly: Chapter 2

ABO!Vampire!Batfam x reader

Minors! Do! Not! Engage! +18 only!

Platonic!Alfred, Bruce x reader, Possessive! Batboys x reader

Warnings: Bad life choices, possessive behavior, a/b/o, they're vampires, loooong age gaps, no proofreading, we die like men, reverse harem. This is getting sexual. I’m sorry.

Writer's Note: I live, I die, I live again. I’m trying to keep an even pace when publishing, I promise. It’s just that finals week knocked me on my ass. I’ve basically got to prepare week 9 and 10 before it. Graduation is also right around the corner. Besides school and work though, this has also been my only focus. Also, sorry to everyone who reached out. I promise I’m not ignoring the kind messages and everything. I just keep forgetting. I’m so sorry. I’ll try to do better. Also got to write a bio and start publishing the other things I’ve been cooking up. This series is still a top priority though. I’m going to be more consistent from here on out.

When you finally make it back to the manor after a day of detours and horrible karaoke that makes your insides warm and fuzzy, Duke doesn’t let you open your own door. All the being nice was making you itch, and you kind of were missing being a strong independent person. It’s also not that you didn’t give it the good old college try, desperately jiggling the handle to open the door that he child locked as you look out the window in disbelief as he laughed his ass off outside your door.

To get back at him, the both of you ensued the pettiest game of unlocking and locking the doors. You, holding the door closed when he unlocked it and tried to pull it open, and scrambling to the driver’s seat to keep that door closed as well. Would it be bad if you admitted you liked the way his smug pretty face grew determined and slightly irritated? Never mind the dimples, the tick in his sharp jaw had your mind skipping a beat.

It was all fun and games until Alfred, who undoubtedly was watching you from the window, opened the other door just as you held yours shut and taunted Duke. “Can’t even open a wittle omega’s door?”

You’ll never forget the feral boyish smile he gave before sliding over the moving van’s hood and gently pushing Alfred out of the way.

His big frame wedged the door open letting wind into the cabin with enough pheromones to make your eyes water. In a panic you start trying to move away from him as far as possible. Cue, Alfred opening the other door your back was against, and you almost tumbling out.

“(L/N)? Just what on earth are you doing?”, Alfred questioned.

You stare up at the old Beta and your savior. His gloved hand on your back keeping your from tumbling out of the truck cab and busting your head on the gravel. Something all three men on the property were undoubtedly worried about as they watched you dangle too close to the ground. Not that you ever saw the curtain drawing closed from the third story. All you saw was help. Because surely Duke would knock it off with Alfred here.

“I’m poking the bear”, you tell him.

A large mitt, exactly like a bear’s, wraps around your ankle and tugs you out of Alfred’s hands and towards the open car door with a slightly pissed alpha waiting. Oh no. New employment be damned, you are not going out like this.

You scramble for purchase as your dragged across the leather seat. Your fingers digging into the crevice between the driver’s side and middle cushion for dear life. Desperately you try to shake Duke’s fingers off your one good ankle.

“(Y/N), get out of the car. You’re probably hurting yourself right now while doing this”, Duke warns.

There was an unspoken “Are you stupid?” that hung in the air. With Alfred here, the big, dimpled grin has disappeared, giving way to grim determination as Duke looked as though he was five seconds away from peeling the truck’s metal frame apart just to get at you better. You didn’t know what to do, it was better when you two were playing. The air was lighter, and you could breathe and believe he had best intentions at heart. Now you couldn’t keep playing, because he seems to be getting angrier every defiant second you spend clinging to cushions. Which made you want to burrow under the seats even more, away, and safe from the anger.

What you hadn’t noticed was how his anger started the second Alfred intervened. It’s not your fault, a lot has been happening and pissed-off Alphas take priority. The old man did though, and backed the adequate amount of steps away after ensuring you would not tumble out of the cab. If it wasn’t for the promise he made to Bruce to chaperone, and to you when he hired you, Alfred would have taken up the offer the others had given him. A nice vacation, the first he would have taken, just to give you and the rest space to figure each other out. Based on the messages from the family’s missing members, it would have been smart to leave Gotham. Or the continent.

“Don’t tell me what to do” you say.

“Get out of the truck”, Duke replies.

“No. Fuck off. I’m grown up, I can get out if I want.”

“I’m seriously running out of patience (y/n)”

“Good. Leave me alone Duke.”

“Terrible things are about to happen to you.”, Duke warns.

You squint at him and stick your tongue out at him. You know he’s just full of shit and would never do anything to actually hurt you. Nor would he allow you to be in any real danger. He’s got a trick up his sleeve and the muscles in your stretched leg were taut, waiting for release so you can roll and limp away to safety.

There was hardly anytime for you to plan your next step before Duke wrapped his hand around your ankle and starts untying your sneaker.

“Don’t”, you squeal.

He ignores you and gives you another bright smile full of sunshine and mischief. Dear God, he was going to kill you with that look on his face. Totally disarming and distracting as you barely register the shoe and sock getting tugged off.

“I mean it Duke! I give up! Look, see? I’m letting go!”, you beg.

You unclench your fingers and start waving your hands in his face. Trying like hell to sit up and defend yourself. Unfortunately, the hood on your hoodie was caught on the seatbelt latch in the cushion. Preventing you rolling farther away or sitting up and smushing his face away with your freed hands.

“I will never forgive you”, you solemnly vow.

“Yes, you will, look at your face, you’re smiling. You’ve already forgiven me.”

“They stink, I haven’t changed my socks in five days.”

“That’s another lie, I know for a fact that your laundry has been washed.”

“And that’s weird. We’re going to revisit that later though. Let my foot go. I also haven’t taken a shower yet; I ran a five K this morning.”

“In what? Your dreams? You know, I think we should go back to begging.”

You give an enraged shriek that devolves into panicked laugh as he starts torturing every available space on your foot. It was not an enjoyable experience. You were scrambling and flailing to get away but couldn’t since he seemed to have super strength. He also barely swatted your thick cast covered foot you tried to jam in his face. Tears start leaking out the corners of your eyes as you giggle and beg and plead for him to release you. Not that he listened to any of it. He seemed perfectly happy watching you writhe.

The merriment came to about as abrupt and end as it started as a sleek black muscle car growled into the driveway. Duke dropped your ankle and crawled into the truck cab with you. As defective an Omega as you were, you still picked up on the spike of adrenaline and what you thought was panic although it was smothered by anger. You scrunch your nose at the onslaught of pheromones that made you want to bump up and rub against him and soothe in any way you could. Because no. You’re not that kind of Omega.

“Duke?”, you ask.

He must have picked up on the nervous twitching from you. Or the tell-tale patter of your little heart trying to produce enough pheromones to get you out of this situation. Enough to tell the Alpha that’s laying on top of you, tantalizingly close, so close you could hear the clack that the wooden beads in his dreads made as he pressed flush against you. I’m in danger, help me. Is what should have been leaking out of every pore. Yet, you were broken.

“Shh, don’t let him see you.”, Duke says.

That didn’t help the matter. Especially when Duke used his freakishly long limbs to pull both sets of doors closed as quietly as possible. What was happening? Was someone trying to attack Bruce Wayne, billionaire-philanthropist and notorious Alpha who also seems to be in close contact with the most frightening infected Alpha in the country. Merely the thought of the shadow you often saw cast on buildings as dominance battles were fought all over in the different Gotham territories was enough to make you shake. You never saw Batman. No one whoever truly interacts with him lives to tell the tales. So just what is Bruce Wayne that he seems to be in an alliance with such a monster?

“Bruce! Get out here you chicken-shit piss-poor excuse of a sire”, a booming voice shout outside.

A seismic level shockwave rocked through you, and you couldn’t suppress the litany of whines that escaped as you dug your claws into duke’s yellow and black muscle shirt. It was embarrassing, you felt like a pup again.

In all your years you had never come anywhere close to that amount of dominance that was coming out in waves that even rattled the windows. Whoever this was, he was bad news. Even Duke knew it.

Duke’s eyes were flashing gold in the sudden darkness of the cab. You were once again struck by the oddity, but this world is full of strange things. To be fair, you were mostly preoccupied with other things, and you had a feeling that if you started digging into what was going on at the place you were hired then you would truly fall down the rabbit hole.

“Stop moving”, Duke whispers.

His hand wraps around one of your wrists that you had thrown up against his chest. Just for a little breathing room, rather than being pressed face first in a scent gland that would have you dry humping everything in sight. Despite the abject terror at the situation unfolding outside.

“Where do you get off siccing Dick on me in the middle of a meeting?”, the man demands.

You didn’t hear the heavy manor door creaking open. So you had no idea just who this man was talking to. During the struggle with Duke earlier and the tickle fight, you didn’t see Alfred. You doubt the man stuck around during the shenanigans. Which begs the question. Just who was he talking to?

“Really? The silent treatment. You really are too scared to face me huh?”, the unknown man says.

Oh no. That sounded right outside your moving truck. No, nonononononono. You could feel the anger coming off him as it made your teeth chatter.

Your worst fear came true as the driver’s side door, above your head, was ripped open. No. It was ripped off the truck cab in a screech of metal that had you cringing and trying to burrow farther into Duke away from it. You were still stuck on the damn seatbelt thing that was jammed into the back of your neck. All you could do was look up and try not to burst into tears.

Because the man who just opened your door was death. You were teetering between pissing yourself from fear, and trying to control the inappropriate lust that was starting to ride you hard. Because damn. That voice, that dominance, paired with that attitude and face. My God, it’s like he was made perfectly for you. Or any Omega really. A fact that was cemented when the stern bluish-grey eyes that stare down at you flash a crimson red. Sploosh. You seriously needed to get your head checked.

“(Y/N)?”, mystery man says.

“How do you know my name?”

“Bruce told us he got you. Shit. I thought he was just pulling his usual shit”, he swears.

You were about to question who he was and what all was going on, but Duke beat you to it.

“(Y/N) this is Jason. I’m sorry, I didn’t think he would ever come back home. Speaking of what are you doing here Jason?”, Duke says.

Jason straightens, his eyes flashing another dangerous candy apple red color that brought another bout of hot oozing warmth where it definitely didn’t need to be. Not that you needed to worry about it. Like you said, you were broken. Although you couldn’t help but wonder if being by lethal amounts of Alpha fueled testosterone would kick your damaged hardware into gear. Food for thought at a later time.

“I have just as much of a right to be here, if you checked your phone you would know what was going on. Bruce… interfered with a business interaction of mine when I refused to come back to the Manor.”

“So you decided to just go ahead and give him what he wants, really Jay?”

“No. I’m going to kill him. First though, get off of her.”

The callous way he mentioned killing your employer was chilling you to the bone. You bet he could do it to. From the heavily muscled frame that was subtly flexing, his old brown leather jacket creaking as it strained. He took to cracking his knuckles as he stared down at you both. Too make matters worse, there was a small scar that twisted the left side of his face in a permanent smirk as it ran up from the corner of his slips, across his high cheekbones, and disappeared above his ear and into that thick black hair. Hair that contained a curious white streak that made you want to take a closer look. Not that you would. You were smart. Everything about this man shouted danger.

While Duke was massive in his own right, Jason looked as though he could rip linebackers in half for funsies. You believe that those thick corded thighs that your eyes had zeroed in on, the ones that his frayed jeans were struggling to contain, those are rugby thighs. Once again, it’s not your fault, you were born to be this pervy to those of the Alpha secondary gender category. Just like Deltas were made for Betas. This is all evolution's fault that you wanted to climb a psycho killer like a tree and purr. Ooooh, maybe you could get Duke to wear a firema- nope. Annnnnd you’re done. You seriously need to focus if you’re going to somehow finesse your way out of this situation.

“What are you going to do? Make me?” Duke says.

You almost think he’s teasing Jason, then you hear the bite of a challenge to an invading Alpha. Dear God, it’s almost like you’re a kid on the playground again. This was so not fun nor was it sexy. Especially with you sitting so close to the crossfire.

“I said, get off.”, Jason start growling.

Oh good, now we’re slowly becoming dogs. This is great. Totally not borderline psychotic in any way.

“You didn’t want to come back, so you don’t get to have her. Back off Jay.”, Duke warns.

“No one here gets to judge me; you know the reason why the family is so broken is sitting up there. Plotting. If I had known- well- doesn’t matter. Get off before I rip you to pieces. I might till do it, send a fun little message to our psycho father by spreading his precious new pet’s blood all over the front steps.”

“Isn’t that what Dick said to you when you met?”

“Say his name again and I will make good on my promise.”

“Can I just say one thing?”, you ask.

The tension was getting so thick you could cut it with a cheap plastic spork. Honestly, you suspect they could’ve just kept going all night if they had to with the witty one-liners. You were getting tired though, and all this negativity was not good for your heart.

“Hon, not right now, I’m winning.”, Duke tries to shush you.

First of all, how dare he shush you. You had just as much of a right to talk as they did. Duke is different from most Alpha’s you’ve met. The silent prejudice was still hanging in that back of your mind though. Omegas are useless without Alphas. So be a good little one and sit there and be pretty. Don’t ever think of talking. You know he’s not like all the other assholes you’ve encountered. What he just said though started ringing those little alarms that told you he might be though.

“No, you’re not.”, you pause and notice the slight smirk across Jason’s scarred face, “Neither of you are. Can I please get up and get my boxes in while you two have your pissing match?”

Jason lets out a surprised bark, and you give him brownie points for keeping his mouth shut besides that.

“I’ll let you up, once he goes inside.”, Duke tells you.

“No. I want to get up now.”, you say.

Duke’s next response gets cut off as you watch Jason reach over you and grab Duke’s dreads. There was a slight struggle, but the comforting weight of Duke’s body between your thighs is gone within seconds. You almost miss it. You almost feel bad when you finally wrench your hoodie free and look out the truck door and see Duke on the ground with Jason’s hand around his throat. It was ok. You can tell no real weight was being put behind it. It was just one Alpha gently reminding a younger one to submit. You’ve seen this shit all the time.

You also weren’t going to lie; the dominance was definitely starting to rev your engines.

“Please don’t kill him, I need his help with the boxes and my wheelchair”, you call out.

Jason turns to look at you, the red in his eyes damning as he stares into you. Oooh. You can have a lot of fun with that. Maybe you can ask him to pretend to be your sleep paralysis demon that has his wicked way with yo- nope. No roleplaying. No playing with these Alphas in any sexual manner. You need money and a place to stay, and while sex is nice, everyone always moves on to more compelling Omegas that aren’t broken. Besides, you’re pretty sure these Alphas don’t know their strength. Nope, you’re good without all the heartbreak and hospital visits if you go down that route.

“Boxes?”, Jay asks.

“Yeah, I’m moving in, didn’t anyone tell you?”, you ask him.

“No. They just told me- nothing. I’ll help, you don’t need shit-for-brains”, Jay says.

He gets up, slightly pushing Duke’s face to the side and into the muddy wet gravel. You can’t help but wince and give Duke a sympathetic look. Not that he was paying you any mind. His lovely brown eyes were now a liquid gold that screamed revenge. You just pray that he can hold off long enough to get your wheelchair from the back.

“What- what happened to her?”, Jay asks.

“Motherfu- get my chair”, you boss.

“She got chewed on at one of Cobblepot’s clubs”, Duke tells him.

“Shit, none of the others know huh.”, Jason sighs.

He runs his hands through his hair, and you’re stuck looking at it again. It looked fluffy and silky. Of course, it would put you in a trance, the same as the wood beads in Duke’s dreads. You might actually have a thing for hair now that you thought about it.

“No, we’ll have a war when they do.”, Duke replies cheerfully.

“Why?”, you ask. You were genuinely confused as they kept talking circles around you.

“Don’t worry about it Hon. Let’s get you inside”, Duke groans as he gets up from the dirt.

Jason reaches in and lightly grabs your good wrist as he pulls you out. You willingly let him, marveling at that the body made from the gods. Would it be bad if you reached around and gently pinched his ass? It’s just curiosity. So much muscle, how much fat?

Duke looks slightly peeved when he grabs the chair from the back and notices you in Jason’s arms. You couldn’t help but give him a slight smug wave from the safety of King Kong’s arms.

“I like the bell, maybe we should find some streamers for the back too. There’s no way she’ll get lost.”

And just like that, you lost it as Giant 1 and 2 dissolved in a fit of giggles. I’m going to kill them. Hopefully before your hormones and pheromones killed you first. Because damn it, you did seize the opportunity to smack the ass of the jack ass.

That ass is not only iconic and slightly hard, but it jiggled a little too. This is going to be so much fun living here.

[overthinkinglotr]

I was watching LOTR with friends the other day and someone pointed out that a major reason film!Elrond is upset about Arwen being in love with Aragorn is because of Elrond's own broken relationship with Isildur.

In the films Isildur and Elrond are kind of set up as....a broken failed parallel to Aragorn and Arwen?

Arwen reassures Aragorn that "he is Isildur's heir, not Isildur himself," and "is not bound to his fate"-- but Elrond disagrees, confident that Aragorn will be just like Isildur.

Film!Elrond is so certain that trusting in mankind is a mistake that will only lead Arwen to misery because he once trusted in mankind, and the man he trusted ended up failing him. His ally from the line of Elendil ended up falling to the power of the Ring and dying; he believes Aragorn may do the same thing. He doesn't just want to save Arwen's life and keep his daughter by his side; he wants to prevent Arwen from experiencing the same betrayal/heartbreak he experienced. Film!Elrond is very stoic and unsentimental, but there are all these hints at Elrond and Isildur's past relationship throughout the series. Everyone likes to make the joke "why didn't Elrond just toss Isildur into the fire?" but to me the answer is, partially, because he cared about Isildur. They were allies who fought side-by-side. After describing what happened in Mount Doom all those years ago, Elrond tells Gandalf that "It should've ended that day, but evil was allowed to endure." And I think it's interesting that he goes into passive voice for a moment, instead of saying that Isildur specifically allowed to evil to endure--because he's also blaming himself for allowing evil to endure, blaming his own failure to be harsh with Isildur and take the Ring from him by force. He's regretting that he was merciful and didn't "just toss Isildur into the fire."

His complicated emotions about Isildur also appear again in the Two Towers. After insisting that Arwen needs to give up Aragorn as a lost cause and travel into the West, Elrond has a conversation with Galadriel where she guilt-trips him for abandoning Middle Earth/mankind. When she asks him "do we let them stand alone?" Elrond walks into the study, and spends a long moment looking at his mural of Isildur.

He then, in the film's canon, agrees to send military support to one of Isildur's descendants."I don't care about Isildur anymore, men are weak," Elrond says, standing in front of his elaborate mural of Isildur and his shrine dedicated to Isildur's sword.

And yes this is all, again, a drastic departure from his characterization in the book-- most of the Aragorn-Arwen-Elrond stuff in the films is a drastic departure from the book. The films radically alter their dynamics, including eliminating stuff like Elrond being Aragorn's adopted father and all the "their bloodlines are related" stuff and etc etc etc etc etc. But honestly, now that I see it, this interpretation makes the film!Elrond-Arwen dynamic engaging in a way I hadn't recognized before? In some ways it puts Isildur into the role that Elrond's mortal brother Elros played for him in the books, because Elros is cut from the films entirely. Isildur is the reason film!Elrond knows what it's like to have some kind of close relationship with a mortal and then watch them die. When Elrond angrily speaks about the folly of trusting men, or insists to Arwen that Aragorn "is not coming back" so she should just get over him, he's speaking from experience--he's projecting his own weird failed broken betrayal-ridden Thing with Isildur onto Arwen and Aragorn. And in this context, his hopeless monologue about how Arwen will regret staying by Aragorn's side also feels like it's partially from his own experience. "If Sauron is defeated, and Aragorn is made king, and all that you hope for comes true, you will still have to taste the bitterness of mortality." When he fought three thousand years ago Sauron was defeated, and Isildur did become King, and yet... TL;DR : Film!Elrond had a nasty kind-of breakup with a mortal man 3000 years ago and instead of dealing with it he decided "Men Are trash Weak" and began projecting all of his drama onto Arwen

[torchwood-99]

Arwen Character Analysis

I'm fascinated by Arwen's character, and the hints of personality we get from her in the text. She's a largely off-page character, but with close examination, a personality does form.

The biggest indicators of Arwen's personality are revealed, naturally, through her love for Aragorn.

Brave, Loyal and Kind

We know that Arwen is willing to make great sacrifices for love. To make that choice definitely speaks of courage, and to have remained true to that choice during the years of their betrothal also speaks of the depths of her loyalty.

She is also kind. We know this because she gave Frodo passage to Valinor. That she knows he will appreciate this choice, and will need to go to Valinor to ease his suffering, also shows her to be insightful.

That Frodo is a Ring-Bearer, as her father and grandmother are, perhaps gave her additional insight into the trials of being a Ring-Bearer, and seeing the impact on them and their need to go to Valinor might have allowed her to make a reasonable conclusion as to Frodo's own needs.

Proud

While it is Elrond who states that Arwen will not give up her immortality for any man less than the King of Men, but in the same statement he says that her doom will be a bitter thing for her at the end, which we know to be true. This suggests to me less that Elrond was making conditions, and more that he knew his daughter's mind.

Of course, Aragorn being king is tied with Middle-Earth being saved, but the emphasis that is placed on Arwen's greater lineage indicates that this is a case of Aragorn needing to be worthy, as it is a matted of expediency. Aragorn needs to be king for more than practical reasons for Arwen to marry him.

When Arwen falls in love with Aragorn, it is after Galadriel dresses him in kingly clothes, and she sees Aragorn looking like a king in both dress and demeanour. From the text, it seems her choice was made there and then.

When she and Aragorn part, she acknowledges that the situation is grim. However, she says that her heart rejoices, because she knows Aragorn will be among the valiant men who will end the shadow. While Aragorn is gone, out of hope she makes a banner that will declare him to be king.

Arwen's love for Aragorn is tied intrinsically with how she views and appreciates his kingliness.

This is not to say that Arwen only loves Aragorn for a crown. Aragorn is a king, being a king is part of who he is, to not love Aragorn the King is to not love Aragorn. But it is to say that Arwen has standards. Arwen knows her heritage and the grandeur of her lineage, and no less than a King will do if she is to marry a mortal.

Luthien Come Again

Arwen is Luthien's spitting image, and people have mistaken her for Luthien. Arwen knows this, but makes a point of saying that Luthien's name is not hers, even if her fate might be.

Arwen is living under the shadow of Luthien's memory.

How does she feel about this? When she says she has been mistaken for Luthien before, she says so "gravely". Is this out of some frustration for being forever associated with Luthien, or is it because she recognises the gravitas of Luthien's choice?

Arwen makes the "choice of Luthien" and frames it so, so she clearly feels in marrying Aragorn she is following Luthien's footsteps, yet there are differences.

First, Luthien assisted Beren with his task directly. She set out and faced the same peril that Beren did, whereas Arwen remained in relative safety in Rivendell. Second, Luthien experienced Beren's death before she made her choice to accept mortality, and was the one to arrange his resurrection and their ability to live and die together. Arwen admits she did not fully comprehend the grief of mortality until long after she had made her choice, only as Aragorn lay dying. Third, it was Luthien's father who set the terms for Beren marrying her, Luthien did not give a damn. The lives Beren and Luthien lived after the quest also seem to be humbler and more removed than Aragorn and Arwen's, settling on Tol Galen.

From this, does it feel like Arwen tried to follow the path of Luthien, without going through the same journey that Luthien went on that lead to that choice?

Naïve

It seems strange that an elf who has lived for thousands of years could be naïve, but one the subject of mortality, someone who has spent centuries knowing themselves to be immortal, surrounded by immortals, would naturally be unaware of the true cost of mortality, and what it's like to live constantly under the knowledge that life will end and all that will be left is the unknown. Even those years as a mortal queen probably would not be enough to fully undo all those centuries of thinking and acting like an immortal.

It is Arwen's line about the Fall of Numenor that makes me believe that when she made the choice to marry and die with Aragorn, she did so not fully comprehending what that choice meant. She reveals she felt "scorn" for the people who caused Numenor's fall through their fear of death.

For a woman who generally seems peaceful, gentle and kind, the aggression of that word "scorn" is quite a departure from the perfect, passive image of Arwen we often have. She has deep feelings and not all of them pretty.

Here we might see that pride of hers rear it's head. You have to wonder if she compared her own courage in choosing to die, with man's "foolish" rejection of the Gift of Death, a gift that elves have been known to envy. Did she feel that the elves knew better than Men what was good for them?

Only now that she is facing Aragorn's death, and in due course, her own, she suddenly understands that terror and feels pity where once she felt scorn. And when Aragorn suggests she go to Valinor, she says no boat will take her now, whether she will it or no. That choice is beyond her, and she does not speak as someone entirely without regrets for her choice, nor does she die as one.

Among Men, but Not of Them

When Arwen dies, she dies alone.

Despite having children and possibly grandchildren, despite having been Queen of Gondor and living among mortal men for many blissful and glorious years, despite not yet wishing to die, Aragorn's death means her own. It seems Aragorn was the only thing tying her to Middle Earth, and when he goes, she does not remain in the land she was queen of for so many years, but goes to the ghost forest of Lothlorien, where she had lived with her elven kin, and dies there, alone, her grave unsung and one day to be forgotten.

She is not buried alongside Aragorn, to be remembered as a great queen who ruled alongside a great king (and indeed there's little indication of how much ruling she did, Tolkien wrote that when Aragorn went to war, that Faramir ruled in his place as Steward).

She died dwelling on a memory of the Age of Elves, instead of living on a while longer in the Age of Men.

It's worth noting that while Aragorn did spend time among mortal men, he was also raised by elves, and was as elvish as a mortal man can be. Losing Aragorn was losing that tie for Arwen. And unlike Aragorn, who went out and fought with the Gondorians and the Rohirrim and the Rangers and went to many lands ruled by mortal men, Arwen remained entirely in the lands of the elves, despite intending to become a Queen of Men.

She did not use this time as Aragorn did, seeking out mortal men and learning their ways and learning how to live with them and rule over them.

Galadriel taught Celebrian to bake Lembas bread, and Celebrian taught Arwen, but Arwen did not teach her daughters, and that art was lost.

That Arwen did not pass on this skill might indicate why her children did not give her cause enough to keep on living, they were less elvish than they were mortal, and it was the elves Arwen longed for.

Arwen is an emblem of a bygone age, and when she dies, that age ends too.

Conclusion

Arwen is kind, gracious and wise. She remained loyal and true to Aragorn through many years of waiting, and endured great heartbreak to be with him. She gave Frodo a priceless gift that no doubt spared him much suffering. She and Aragorn also invited Bilbo to their wedding, which we must respect.

Passionate, perhaps? She fell in love with Aragorn swiftly on sight after seeing his kingly qualities, and according to the text, made the decision to die for him there on the spot.

Steadfast. She made the choice quickly, but she never broke it, and did not seem to waver from that choice until Aragorn died, and the full pain of mortality hit her.

She is of a great and noble lineage and is aware of that, and shows both pride in her birth and pridefulness towards mortals. She was good to Men from what we can tell, but she never became fully one of them, and I think her pride must have played some part in that, she would condescend to be a good queen to men, but she would not be as one of them. At the same time, her years as a mortal queen would have been like seconds to her, being thousands of years old, and she perhaps did not expect them to pass as swiftly as they did.

So, Arwen, kind, proud, passionate, naïve and loyal.

[apoloadonisandnarcissus]

Sauron’s future seductions

Ever since I’ve made the post about Sauron’s demonic facets in “Rings of Power” some ideas have been cooking in my mind.

It seems they are drawing inspiration from Asmodeus (demon of lust) for his character, and this is why we see him sexually seducing female characters (like it’s customary for this demon in particular); we saw this with Mirdania in Season 2; with him employing sexual tactics (flirting, touching, etc.) to manipulating her throughout the season; granting him entrance into Eregion, brewing discontent between the smiths and Celebrimbor (isolating him from the group).

Tolkien wrote that Sauron's lust and pride increased, until he knew no bounds, and he determined to make himself master of all things in Middle-earth, and to destroy the Elves, and to compass if he might, the downfall of Númenor (“The Silmarillion”). This will be Season 3. We are also told that Sauron would still wear “a mask [he still could wear] so that if he wished he might deceive the eyes of Men, seeming to them wise and fair”. Halbrand won’t return, nor it would make sense because he was “repentant Mairon”, and that boat has sailed.

If “Rings of Power” keeps the Asmodeus inspiration (and I think it will, because it makes sense with Eru taking away his ability to create fair forms later on; he has thot around enough), this can mean we’ll see more seduction of female characters happening in the show. This has me wondering who the targets of his next seductions will be, and I have some predictions.

Among the Elves I think Galadriel will be the (obvious) target (especially if blood binding theory is correct) in Season 3. Introducing another character (like Mirdania) seems kind of pointless. They already share a connection, she’s the ring-bearer of one of the Three Elven rings he’ll try to get during the War of the Elves and Sauron, and there are details about their “situationship” that need to be revealed to the audience: namely the truth of his feelings for her.

But Sauron will also find the Nine Ring-bearers among Men. And in this plot, they might introduce new female characters, indeed. Because we saw him tempting male characters (Celebrimbor, King Durin, Prince Durin) with promises of power in Season 2, while the only female characters he interacted with (Mirdania and Galadriel) were “gifted” with some seduction tactics Asmodeus-style, for distinct reasons. Unless they kept the sexual seduction entirely focused on Galadriel (to disclose the truth of Sauron’s feelings for her), while the Nine Ring-bearers will be promises of power, in Season 3.

Unlike what the Peter Jackson makes you believe, the Nine ring-bearers weren’t all kings in the legendarium; some were, indeed kings, but others were warriors and sorcerers. Season 3 will also mark the end of Sauron’s “fair motives” in healing and rebuilding Middle-earth, for sure.

In Númenor, I predict Sauron will seduce Eärien, in Season 4. We know he’ll allow himself to get captured by Ar-Pharazôn, and be brought to Númenor as a prisoner (probably at Season 3 finale). “Rings of Power” is already building up this plot. He might seduce her to get out of prison and gain access to Ar-Pharazôn, and tempt him with power, and kick out the whole Fall of Númenor plot.

“Rings of Power” have already foreshadowed Eärien will most likely die during the Fall of Númenor (adding to the fact she’s a original character of the show, and not a part of Tolkien legendarium):

Season 5 will be the War of the Last Alliance, and Sauron will be his shadow self, probably appearing like something similar to the Necromancer (Sauron) in “The Hobbit” trilogy, and/or in full armor. I don’t think we’ll see Charlie’s face during the last season of “Rings of Power”, except if they do flashbacks), they’ll probably CGI him. No more seduction in this season, he’ll enter his “angel of death era”.

[thewistlingbadger]

One of the strategies Sauron uses to get Galadriel on his side is using her own words against her. And sometimes this is successful and actually works (the Halbrand scene in S2), but there's one big time that it does NOT work and fails epically.

In the season 1 finale, Sauron repeats something that Galadriel's brother told her when she was a child. "To find the light, we must first touch the darkness." He repeats this same phrase AGAIN in season two finale. This strategy fails BOTH times, and it actually motivates her to oppose him. I believe there's two main reasons why all the other times he uses her words works and why this instance fails.

1. Sauron is misunderstanding/misinterpreting the phrase.

2. Sauron does not understand galadriel.

Sauron takes this quote WAY too literally both times he uses it. When he says this phrase, he's basically telling her to come join him, and then she'll be powerful, respected, and a lady of light. Touching the darkness means joining him, but this isn't what finrod meant. Finrod told his baby sister this piece of advice it obviously doesn't mean go side with evil and then come back. What the phrase actually means is that in order to be good, you have to know what's bad. You have to touch the darkness. Joining Sauron is not touching the darkness, it's full on manhandling it.

I think the reason he misunderstands this phrase is because of the way galadriel said it to him. Her brother tells her this to comfort and counsel his sister. Galadriel tells this to Sauron as a stranger, who's being defensive and aggressive. In the forge scene, galadriel is trying to convince him to go back to middle earth. He's very against it and they have a fight about it. Galadriel says this phrase hostily in the fight as a defense, and it COMPLETELY throws him off guard. Why? Because elves are just and proper and they're rigid in their beliefs and morality. He sees galadriel as the epitome of the light, and that idea conflicts with this phrase of moral ambiguity. This phrase in this scene is what actually plants the idea in his head that Galadriel can be turned, because she's already expressing desires for darkness. This phrase is what literally stops their argument, cools him down, and completely changes the course of their conversation. He goes from being heated to being in awe. "What do you know of darkness?" Now there's more to her than what meets the eye or the surface. Now there's something to be curious about, something worth digging and discovering. Perhaps, even a perfect compliment.

There are some things Sauron understands about galadriel, but there's so much he just doesn't understand and can't understand. What he fails to realize/recognize is the fact that Galadriel already HAS touched the darkness. Her brother's death filled her with hate and she had a thirst for revenge. She became violent and bitter and hostile. This behavior isolated herself from everyone else and she didn't care. Let her be alone but right. She lost regard for the lives of others, slaying orcs and having her own men killed whilst on her quest (we only see one elf die bc of this in s1 but it makes me wonder how many others there are). She's disobedient and prideful, only seeing herself as correct. It's so bad that the elves in Lindon are like "HELL NO send her ass home please!" So now not only is she a social outcast, but a LITERAL outcast as well! And that makes her more bitter because in her eyes, she's being punished for being right. She used Sauron and numenor to wage war because it would make her feel better, it would make her feel like she personally is doing something about the shadow over middle earth. It's only until AFTER he reveals himself that she realizes she was in the wrong.

This whole ordeal, ALL of season one WAS her touching the darkness. Season 2 is when she starts her journey to the light. She's more obedient, she takes a step back, and she turns down Sauron a second time. This is why she says the door is shut! She's not joining him, she's not going back to her old ways, she's not joining back to the dark. This time, she's actually going to be light.

I think the reason he doesn't understand this is because he's never had to make a journey to the light. Like galadriel, he started out light. Like galadriel, he was corrupted by evil. Like galadriel, he was in darkness (not to the same extent but whatever). This is where their paths diverge. After the darkness, galadriel made an effort to be good. There was no after darkness for Sauron. There was once a time where he was open to good and redemption but he didn't go for it AND galadriel didn't give it to him. He doesn't know about the journey to light because he's never had to do it.

[cybercrym]

So I've been thinking about season 3 of Rings of Power and how we'll get another Sauron/Galadriel scene. How they'll frame that scene and how it'll need to lead us into season 4. We know season 3 will be Sauron's war against the Elves. We know from the books they Elves get pushed back and would surely lose, if not for the Numenorians showing up and destroying Sauron's army from behind. My vision for the end of S3 may seem like crack, but I assure you, it's plausible. To set the scene, the Elves have lost, they're retreating to Lindon. Sauron and his army is approaching head on, because at this point he outnumbers them; they all know where this is going. But the Elves still send their army out. Galadriel has a few paths she can take this season. She can lead the army as it's being beat back to Lindon. She could be sent by Gil-Galad to gather reinforcements from Greenwood, but I imagine Arondir will be given this task if they even bother mentioning it. Gil-Galad will lead the army instead and Galadriel will go to Numenor to see if she can persuade them into aiding Middle-Earth again. But I don't think this is likely. The end of this will surely have Galadriel and Sauron meeting again, but I think this time, it will be a bit different. I think Ar-Pharazon is PISSED Galadriel convinced Numenor to side with Sauron is disguise, I imagine he'll assume they're working together either way or at least, blame her for Numenor's folly of sending men to die for her. The end of the fight will have Galadriel being captured again, by I assume Orcs and brought to Sauron. (He wasn't going to kill Elrond or Gil-Galad at Eregion either) Sauron will have her hostage, they'll do their thing and then Numenor will surprise his army from behind and wipe them out. Sauron will escape in earnest and Ar-Pharazon will only see them in the command tent as allies, I think. He will not believe Galadriel when she assures him she's Sauron's enemy. Now, he's where it gets crack-y. I fully am convinced Ar-Pharazon will demand Galadriel's execution. But Sauron (I can only hope dressed as Halbrand), will come out of the darkness or treeline or whatever. He'll ask Ar-Pharazon to take him as a prisoner instead.(In my mind, this is Hannibal surrendering to Jack-style) To us it'll look like he's trying to save Galadriel this time. Ar-Pharazon will try to outsmart Sauron and take them both as prisoner to Numenor instead. Granting Sauron's request, but also getting to publicly tie them together back in Numenor, I assume he'll plan a trial for them. This will tie in how Galadriel saw Numenor's destruction in the Palantir. It will appear to us as Sauron trying to save Galadriel, but just like every decision in S1 and S2 regarding her, it will also fuel his own ambitions. He's now without an army, he needs to corrupt Numenor to get a new one. This also sets up a great season 4 of Numenorian Hannibal/Clarice style prison interaction with Sauron/Galadriel and it'll be fun to watch them play Angel and Devil on Ar-Pharazon's shoulder the entire season. Sauron and I assume Galadriel will then ask for a trial in the same manner Miriel did, I assume she'll tell them about it before they both get sentenced to death. They very much already passed this trial in 1x2. But I can't wait to see Ar-Pharazon's face when they both pass this test. He'll be forced to release them, to his chagrin.

My vision for the next 2 seasons of the main plot for TROP may seem like crack, but I can promise they'll need to do some of this to keep their narrative going along with canon events.

[heartlilith]

Drunk Confessional (Personal Astrology Observations)

Here are some of my observations and opinions on various placements while sipping on some dranks ;)))

🍻My Sun, Venus, and Mars are in my 8th house using Whole Sign System and using Placidus I have Moon and Venus in the 8th house. Any other 8th housers especially attracted to what others deem creepy/weird/dangerous? Whether it's people, topics of conversation, music taste, or superstitions. When I talk to my boyfriend about what happens after we die, he WON'T hear it. I got an Ouija board for Christmas one year and he wouldn't summon demons with me :( he's so scared lmfaooo. Also, my boyfriend has been to jail, has face tattoos, and is the embodiment of controversial. Any other 8th housers relate? No? Okay.

🍻Going off of ^^^. I met this girl one time at a ... facility ... and she went by the name Lilith; she's instagram famous, goth, loves witch shit, she's a satanist and basically she was everything that people side eyed. When I tell you I LOVED THIS GIRL. I wish we kept in contact, I swear I had heart eyes and I'm straight af. She was so intriguing and we became such good friends... I miss her. She was an Aries Sun, Aries Moon, Scorpio Rising. The coolest chick.

🍻I have 12th Pluto and Chiron (whole sign) and in the 11th house (Placidus) and I ghost everyone. Most times it's unintentional. Due to some issues at home, I up and left my hometown in the middle of the night to live with my boyfriend a couple states away and the next day my friends were like "Wtf? Where are you?".

🍻Guys I am the queen of running away when things get hard. Even when I was young. I'm not really sure what would indicate this? Maybe Uranus/Neptune in the 1st? 12th house Sagittarius? No clue. I'm a master escapist physcially, mentally, substance-ly ;).

🍻I have never had a "dream job" (Sun and Neptune square MC). All I know is I will be rich. I know it in my heart. I fucking better be.

🍻Actually ^ not true I wanted to be an Astronaut when I was like 5. URANUS IN THE 1ST... I am one with the aliens. This works for Aquarius rising, Uranus/Aquarius Dominant.

🍻Capricorn Rising/Saturn in the 5th house here and for all of you that claim prominent Capricorn placements are boring... let me tell you something... we are busy getting rich so fuck you

🍻I think prominent Earth placements (esp Cap), it's not the materialism that comes with being rich that we want... its the security. Like if life goes wrong in anyway, at least we have the resources to somehow make it better. It's a security blanket. I'd rather be crying in a mansion than crying in a shack. ALSO, most of us know what it's like to grow up poor or below the middle class line.

🍻So my placements - Lilith in the 1st house especially. I'm always reading posts about being sexually wanted or some version of that. Let me tell you I wear sweatpants and sweatshirts most of the time. That profile pic over there? Yeah I don't look like that most days. I feel like since this placement gets sexualized a lot and gets exposed sexually at a young age ... it results in this. Male attention? I used to need that, now I hate men (at least most of them). Scorpio MC and Lilith in Capricorn too.

🍻Scorpio MC - yes I want to be feared. I want to hold power over people that makes them think twice about fucking with me. But not feared in a way that they think I'm mean or rude... feared as in powerful, like a boss type of way. In reality, I run from confrontation and am too scared to stick up for myself but WE ARE WORKING ON IT. Check back in 10 years. I feel like Sun/Lilith in the 10th house, prominent Capricorn placements, prominent Scorpio placements, Aries placements, and Leo placements feel this too.

🍻I have Mars in the 7th house and in terms of romantic relationships, yes I am the problem.

🍻Aries in the 3rd house and the only person I've physcially fought is my sister. I beat the hoe.

🍻MY SISTER ... OK, HOLD ON NOW. SIT DOWN FOR THIS ONE. Let me know WHY this girl is a Taurus Sun, Taurus Moon, Aries Mercury, Taurus Venus, Virgo Mars... (I think her rising is Virgo but not confirmed) ... she goes into work one day, 2 hours late cause she overslept and when her boss confronted her she said "I don't believe in the concept of time" WTF. This is the only thing that makes me doubt astrology. Just kidding, I guess its all the Taurus but ??? Still I'm confused.

🍻Since she was Earth dominant ^, she never had to study for tests in school. She had an almost perfect average and never studied. Meanwhile my ADHD ass (Moon square Jupiter, Sun/Mars (3rd house ruler) opposition Neptune, Neptune in the 1st, Sun opposition Uranus) struggled with a 2.8 in high school.

🍻My mom is a Taurus Sun Libra Moon and my dad is a Scorpio Sun Sagittarius Moon. They aren't together anymore, but when I tell you they're children in old people bodies... me and my parents are more like friends if anything. I was never grounded, never in trouble for what other people my age were in trouble for, and my friends liked them more than me I swear.

🍻Having a lot of Leo in the chart mixed with a healthy scoop of Cancer may make someone kind of dramatic... but it's how I really feel guys ok? Yes, the fact that I have to wake up tomorrow at 8am is sending me rn. Off a ledge. Into a river. Never to return. I would rather eat dirt.

🍻12th house profection year and I never want to go to bed. I never want the day to end. Sleep is a bummer right now. Even when I do sleep I wake up like 100 times. Mostly cause my cat needs pets and who am I to deny him?

🍻ANYONE WITH AN EARTH MOON, ESPECIALLY VIRGO LIKE ME OR 6TH HOUSE. Get a pet. Get one. They rely on you and need you and love you to death. Someone/something NEEDING an Earth/Virgo Moon?! A dream. I love to be needed. I have a dog (1 year) and two kitties (7 months)... they are my literal children that I birthed.

🍻My boyfriend is a Cancer Sun, Aquarius Moon, Leo Mercury & Venus, and Libra Mars... I would pay money to see the female version of him. He's such a brat. BUT he is so fun to be around and is my best friend. His moon is in my 1st house, Sun in my 7th, Venus in my 8th and Mars in my 9th.

🍻Speaking of Aquarius Moon... I've met people with this moon sign and all of them have a detached sense of family in some way or another. Whether they don't have a close relationship with them or they're super independent. My boyfriend was adopted!

That's all for tonight folks xoxo

If I offended you in anyway, no I didn't.

[roprot]

I'm a little confused by some people expecting realistic outcomes and wear and tear out of RoP — and then calling it lazy writing and cheap props. GoT was formative and introduced a lot of people into the genre, creating a standard for big-budget fantasy TV. But that show, and HotD, are basically gritty faux period dramas with fantasy elements. Over-the-top things come across as silly since we've been taught the rules of the story. Characters die like we might. Things rarely turn out well. No, a Galadriel in Westeros would have no reason to jump off a ship. Two major characters wouldn't meet in the middle of the ocean. An expedition force would not arrive in the nick of time to save a no-name village if we hadn't seen them trudge in mud for at least half a season and lose a quarter of their men to mutiny and fever. ...but RoP is set in Middle-earth.

To me, Tolkien has always been far gentler, far more mythical. Unlikely things happen for a reason. Heroes overcome great danger. People believe lies and make decisions based on vibes. Even with horror elements and death, there are songs and poems and hope.

(And yes, elves and humans wear clean clothes given the option. (And Míriel's 'printed armor' is a fancy fabric in the style of her armor THINK, MAN, THINK. (Though I do not like their make-up in general.)))

Picking RoP apart as if it was meant to be hyper-realistic drama for a strictly Western audience — by which I mean, kind of understated — is a bummer move. By failing to understand the tone you do yourself and the show a major disservice.

[from-the-coffee-shop-in-edoras]

I'm still thinking about banner bearers as I continue working on my Obscure Blorbo Guthláf story, and I do find it impressive how much context about the banner bearer role Tolkien shoved into LOTR in barely half a dozen sentences' worth of small references.

For starters, there are (by my count) 3 acknowledged banner bearers in Lord of the Rings: Halbarad of the rangers of the North, Guthláf of Rohan (♥️), and an unnamed Haradrim standard bearer. I reject the distinction Tolkien made between so-called high, middle and low Men, but it is notable nonetheless that he created a banner bearer character from each of these 3 groups. That shows how universally important the function was, at least to communities of Men, just as it was extremely common in the real world for many hundreds of years of human history. All kinds of Middle Earth's Men have them, no matter how different the Men are from one another.

In addition, all 3 of the banner bearer characters die at the Pelennor Fields, which effectively illustrates how incredibly dangerous a job it was, both in Middle Earth and real life. Given how intentional Tolkien is about everything, I think it's fair to assume that he purposefully killed all of them in recognition of the realities of ancient warfare. (The only banner bearer I can think of in any Tolkien book that survives their war is Eönwë in the Silmarillion, but he's an immortal Maia so...TOTALLY different circumstances.)

And finally, Tolkien shows us how significant the loss of a banner bearer was to both sides in a battle. When Théoden kills the unnamed Haradrim standard bearer (just before the Witch King rolls up), that's the moment when the forces of Harad founder and start to flee because they've lost their rallying point and their source of morale. They can't function without their banner bearer. On the opposite side, Théoden cites his felling of the black serpent flag to Merry as one of the singular achievements that will allow him to sit proudly alongside his ancestors in the afterlife, so he clearly also understands taking out a banner bearer to be a massive battle achievement.

We don't witness Halbarad or Guthláf’s final moments, but their deaths are just as significant. Out of the untold numbers of dead at the Pelennor Fields, they are both in the small handful of names to be recorded in the story because they were important and their deaths meant something to the broader battle. And we see in the immediate aftermath of Guthláf’s death what a huge deal it is to the Rohirrim—they stop to address his death and retrieve his banner so that it can be borne by another before they even take the time to tend to their mortally wounded king. Those are the actions of people who understand how strategically important a banner bearer is above almost all other battlefield functions.

I'm not trying to say Guthláf is more important than Théoden* but I am saying that Tolkien really demonstrated, through a handful of very economical little actions and asides and unremarked-upon events, how critical people like Guthláf were, as well as how ridiculously brave and selfless. And more than anything else, I guess I’m saying that now, as I approach 27,000 words about Guthláf in my Google docs, he’s…on my mind a lot.

*At this point, I would absolutely say this for myself. In my heart, there's no contest and it's Guthláf forever. But I know that’s because he’s my special li’l guy and I don’t expect that of anyone else!

[stu-dyingstudent]

Sakura Haruno Fanfiction!!

Started: 2024.05.01

Last Updated: 2024.05.31

Total Works: 48

Okay, I absolutely adore Sakura as a character, but I do wish that we got a bit more of her just being awesome and progressing as a ninja. Generally speaking, I prefer multichapter (finished) fics, so that is what this list is primarily going to contain. This list contains my some of my favorite Sakura centric fanfiction, so everyone can enjoy these masterpieces too!!

note: this is my original list, but you can also check out my master list which has some more fics, is organized, and gets updated!!

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Survival of the fittest - cywscross || ao3 || T || shikasaku || canon divergent || one shot

Sakura is thirteen, still a Genin, lost in the middle of Earth Country, lugging an unconscious Chuunin around, and so far beyond scared that she’s moved right on to pissed off.

AHHHH this one is soooo good!!! I know I literally just said that this list is mainly going to be multi-chapter fics, but survival of the fittest is great!

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The Ocean is Deep and Dark - Pleasedial123 || ao3 || M || canon divergent || complete

Gato doesn't trust Zabuza to get the job done. Instead he sends a team of thugs to ambush the Bridge Builder on his return to Wave. Team Seven, exhausted from their fight and Kakashi still unconscious, is separated. Sakura gets captured. Terrible things happen to pretty girls in the hands of men like Gato and his thugs. But Zabuza puts his claim in first and suddenly Sakura isn't the prisoner of a civillian businessman and his hired muscle. Suddenly she's Momichi Zabuza's.

I won't lie, I have a soft spot for fics that take place during the land of waves arc, especially when they focus on Sakura's growth. I love how Zabuza was portrayed in this as although he wasn't necessarily a bad guy, he wasn't a good one either. He simply has morals. Sakura's fear in this is also quite raw and eye opening as it covers a theme that isn't ever covered in the original series. The reality is, the world is not kind to women, and a captured young female ninja is most certainly going to be at some untasteful risks. Oh, team 7's concern was also pretty touching ngl.

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Satori (Between the Lines) - Jaylene || ffn || gen || T || AU || complete

While attending the Academy, Sakura's field experience assignment with the Konohagakure Intelligence Division ends up being more valuable than she'd ever guess.

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Pulling my weight - itsthechocopuff || ao3/ffn || shikasakucho || T || AU || complete

During their mission to Wave, Sakura realises how behind she is in her training and decides to do something about it. She vows to become a shinobi her Village and her teammates can respect and depend on. But Sakura has always been a paper-ninja, so her first stop for inspiration is the library where she finds unexpected help in the form of one very bored tokujo who quickly goes on to become an integral part of her life. Soon, despite the neglect of her sensei and all odds seemingly against her, Sakura's destiny begins to change.

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Kill Your Heroes - TheLightAtLastAndAlways || ao3/ffn || T || canon divergent || ongoing

It's time to stop waiting for other people to save you. A story about fear, resilience, and Sakura.

I feel like anyone that is a fan of Sakura centric fics has read this one and it's for a good reason! Probably one of my all time favorites as I love how Sakura's emotions are handled in this and simply the fact that she is so driven by fear and just the will to keep surviving. It's an aspect of the original series that just was not addressed imo. They are essentially child soldiers, so I wish that we got to witness more moments of vulnerability from the young ninja. Unfortunately, it probably won't be finishing anytime soon.

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Stumble - writer168 || ao3/ffn || gen || T || time travel AU || complete

Sakura wanted to die. Sasori was fine with staying dead. But it seemed fate had other plans for them, because when they both wake up younger with blood pulsing through their veins, they had to remember how to live again. Time Travel AU

We need more fics with Genma and Ibiki!!!!

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Five Petals - PrecariousSauce || ao3 || sasusaku || gen || canon divergent || complete

Several things happen all at once in less than a minute’s time. Sakura’s elbow slams into Sasuke’s side from an angle he doesn’t anticipate, sending him tumbling end over end off the branch. Sasuke rights himself just a second too late and without checking where he’s going to land– When he does his knee twists, he feels a lightning bolt of pain shoot from his sole to his head, his leg gives out. And Orochimaru’s teeth sink down to the gum in Sakura’s shoulder.

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Blind - ObsidianSickle || ffn || sasusaku || T || canon divergent || complete

It was almost time, Orochimaru was going to take his body as a vessel. He hated being used...he refused to be used. With that thought, he took the kunai in his hand and slashed across his eyes.

I won't lie, Sakura is kinda weak in this one and it got pretty cheesy, but I still enjoyed it.

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A Twist in Time - wolf08 || ffn || sasusaku || T || time travel AU || complete

With Konoha on the verge of destruction, Sakura is sent on a last-resort mission to save her world by travelling to the past. Join her in coping with her old body's shortcomings, testing the natural laws of time, falling in love all over again, and rediscovering who she is.

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With Every Beat - halfdemonfan || ffn || sasusaku || M || canon divergent || incomplete

Pain can come in various forms. Sakura had suffered all of them; but with the war raging on she found the torture would continue.

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Ghosts - ElegiesforShiva || ffn || sausaku || M || AU || incomplete

In love and loss, it often comes back to family, and Team 7 had always been fated, hadn't they? Deny it as she may, Sakura finds her heart strung to them with an uncanny reverence and the weight of their ghosts. Sakura-centric. Heavy, heavy angst. Slow burn Sasusaku. Canon pairings. Lots of friendship feels. Eventual (consensual) lemon.

I won't lie, this one is pretty dark, so definitely read the TWs if that applies to you.

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Your Move, Instigator (draw your weapon and hold your tongue) - Laysan_albatross || ao3|| AU || complete

“We are still under wartime policy,” the recruiter had told her parents. He had an envelope in his hand. He sounded sorry. “She has two parents who are successful ninjas. We would be remiss to overlook her potential based upon that alone.” The Third Shinobi War never ended. Konoha needs more soldiers, grabbing anyone who can fight, especially those who can't say no.

You guys, I love this one to death. It's definitely a darker take on the Naruto universe, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've been looking for more like this fic where the civilian born shinobi are deemed as more expendable (thrown into war prematurely).

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Find Your Place (whatever it takes) - Dovey || ao3 || AU || incomplete

The war lasts longer than in canon, and has only just ended. While most of the 'Konoha 12' are clan heirs and thus protected from having to go to war prematurely, Sakura is from a civilian family, with naturally advanced chakra control, and thus is thrown immediately onto the frontlines. Now she's on a genin team in peacetime, and she's struggling to figure out how to live when she's not constantly at risk of dying. Team seven bonds in new weird ways, The Uchiha are actually all dead except for Sasuke (including war-hero itachi) who's got a chip on his shoulder the size of Konoha, Naruto isn't the kyuubi container and he finds Sakura kinda scary. Sakura would just like to have a hobby.

This one I actually have not read (I hope to read), but "your move, instigator" was inspired by this one!

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Icarus (protect the flames) - ginoeh || ao3 || canon divergent || incomplete

When Sakura realizes that playing little girl and flunking combat training had probably been a gross miscalculation on her part, she’s stranded in a rickety home in a run down country with an unconscious sensei. Sakura isn’t sure if she can make up for that mistake before it kills her or her team but she sure as hell will give it her best shot. She really couldn’t have known that falling victim to Hatake Kakashi’s unique attempts at teaching would open up another can of worms entirely.

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team. - waterpllar || ao3 || AU || complete

She’s under Neji's command, which apparently means she’s under the Hyuuga’s command. The Hyuuga’s role is on the frontlines, but Neji must be special for a kid from the branch family, because they mostly send him and Sakura out after the big battles are done, to pick off the wounded, and burn bodies. Sakura kind of wishes she had someone to keep her from the big fights, too. Her job is with Neji, taking back kekkei genkai and retrieving important people’s bodies, but she has other assignments, too. She’s given a dull kunai and told to go through the battlefield, dodging blows and jutsus from friend and foe, slashing at whatever isn’t wearing a Konoha headband. (the third shinobi war doesn't end, dragging on for years. konoha is running out of troops, and unimportant children in the academy with even a modicum of talent are snatched up to the warfront. sakura, unfortunately, is one of them. so is neji.)

Yay, a fic inspired by "your move, instigator" so of course I gotta put it on the list!! Although, I gotta say that the ending was rather disappointing imo. There was so much potential, but the author admitted to not wanting to continue the story so it was cut short. Hopefully more works of this nature will come to light!

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Cold Green Eyes - Wolfgang_in_the_Stars || ao3 || AU || complete

Haruno Sakura is 12 years old when she realises she has to make some changes in her life or else she'll die. Three years ago, Sakura split herself. Inner took her trauma, her pain, her violence, and Outer took the rest. If she wants to survive, if she wants to become a strong kunoichi, she'll have to accept herself as a whole. It's not as easy as it sounds.

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Home is Where the Heart is - DeepPoeticGirl || ffn || sasusaku || T || blank period || canon divergent || complete

And with every moment together, they get just a little closer, a little more comfortable with each other. Fall a little more in love. Post-war. Pre-epilogue.

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In Times of Peace - SouthSideStory || ffn || sasusaku || M || blank period || canon divergent || complete

The war is over, and like Konoha, Team 7 has rebuilt itself from the ground up. Everything has changed, but Sasuke and Sakura remain much the same. Eleven years, she thinks, is a long time to be in love.

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Ripples - Yellow Mask || ffn || sasusaku || T || canon divergent || complete

Following a botched mission, Sakura is made a slave by Sound, a position that could very well alter the future…especially concerning a certain familiar missing-nin.

I thought this fic was pretty interesting as we get to see Sasuke under Orochimaru's command.

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The Pack Survives - ihopethelightwillshineupon || ao3 || team 7 || canon divergent || complete

When a simple C-rank mission turns into a straight-up nightmare, the members of Team Seven narrowly escape with their lives. They end up stuck in the middle of nowhere, each of them injured and forced to rely on one another for help. They’ve only been a team for a couple of weeks, still distant from one another, still trying hard to prove themselves. But when they’re all hurt and struggling desperately to survive, they have no choice but to lower their walls. Stranded far away from the village, Team Seven fights to get back home safely – but with help impossibly far away, with their food supplies shrinking and with their injuries slowing them down, their journey becomes more difficult with every step. In the wake of their struggle, though, their bonds grow steadily stronger.

Sakura is not the main character in this one as it it more focused on team 7 as a whole, but she still has some great development!

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Return & Rehash - SpaceNugget11 || ffn || sasusaku || M || time travel AU || incomplete

"You," Sakura snarled with bared teeth. Sasuke gagged for air, clutching at her forearm, but she only pressed harder into him. Her green eyes crackled, and she wished she could burn him alive with the heat of her anger.

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An Inch of Gold - KuriQuinn || ffn || sasusaku || T || time travel AU || complete

Team 7 is sent on a mission to investigate a disturbance outside of the village, where they encounter an unconscious girl in a crater. The mysterious Sarada insists she's a shinobi from the Hidden Leaf trying to rescue her teammates. When the team discovers she possesses a Sharingan, things become even more unbelievable. [Part of the Legacy of Fire Series]

Honestly, anything by this author is great! The writing captures the personalities of the characters so well and I'm a complete sucker for the whole Sarada meets Sakura and Sasuke trope!! Sasusaku is super cute in this (while being realistic) and I love how Kakashi is such a shipper.

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Trial by Ninja - jacobk || ffn || T || canon divergence || complete

To become great, one must overcome great opponents. A moment of inspiration during the chuunin exam puts Sakura on the path to greatness, whether she likes it or not.

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Loyalty - TrueRadicalDreamer || ffn/ao3 || M || AU || complete

A ten-year-old Haruno Sakura is put in the worst situation of her young life - being forced into working as a spy for an enemy village. As she navigates the mores of her new world, Sakura begins to realize that she is changing as a person and that she may not recognize who it is she is becoming. A story about personal responsibility, about the duties of a ninja to their village, and about the true meaning of loyalty. (Pre-Skip, Unapologetically Sakura-centric, 13 years in the writing)

Ok, a little note here is that this fic is actually being rewritten. I read the old version and loved it (the one I linked), but there is a new one coming out on ao3 although I think it might incomplete. Nonetheless, I HIGHLY recommend this one as I think it's great and pleasantly dark!

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Five Kingdoms for the Dead - EvilIsARelativeTerm || ffn || M || AU || complete

After the Forest of Death, Sakura comes to realize that being weak is no longer an option. However, she finds that change is sometimes painful and that truth doesn't always come easy. Luckily, she'll have some help along the way.

Two words: SO GOOD!!!! It made me wish that we got more of Sakura and Neji doing missions together.

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It's Just That Any One of Us Is Half Without Another One Is You - Branch || ao3 || AU || complete

An AU in which all the character development of part one gets its due: Kakashi finds another way, Sasuke does not leave the Leaf, Itachi remains a villain, no one is a carbon copy of a previous generation, Sakura grows up to be terrifying, Sasuke finds his way back to family, and Naruto wins all hearts. Featuring Team Seven fluff, filling in the time-skip, and a rather different second half. Drama, Angst, Romance, Fluff, Action, Occasional Porn.

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I Know Those Eyes - roomfishing || ffn || sasusaku || T || AU || complete

Seven years following Sasuke’s disappearance, Sakura, now a medical-nin, goes on an ANBU assassination mission. SasuSaku. Contains spoilers, PG-13 for mild V, L, S.

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A Lesson in Humility - aobears || ao3 || itasaku || AU || incomplete

It's a fierce desire to protect, to possess. What's Sakura's will stay Sakura's, until she says otherwise. Where Sakura gets sick of being the weak link.

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These Eyes of Mine (I Can See) - tsukuyue || ao3 || gen || time travel AU || complete

They've lost. Naruto was dead, killed at Kaguya’s hands. Along with him died any illusions of hope that they could win. They couldn’t win, but perhaps they wouldn’t need to. In attempts to stop the Fourth Shinobi War from ever occuring, Sakura is sent back in time to the moment of her birth. Protecting the people she cared about would be much easier if she knew all the facts. OR Where Sakura can see the dead, and Danzō deserves to die.

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Little Piece of Heaven - Leanne Ash || ffn || sasusaku || T || canon divergent || complete

"I don't do it because I think you're weak! I do it because—! Because I… just… Never mind." Years later it finally happened. Unfortunately, she just didn't care anymore. A story of love and irony, where one is oblivious… and the other is Sasuke.

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Dessert Blossom - Aphiria || ffn || kankusaku || T || AU || complete

Sakura’s accepted a mission to help Suna with an unknown illness that has affected a handful of its villagers. And all Kankurou has to do is watch over her while she’s in his city. It should be easy. Right?

Despite me being a sasusaku fan, I've always been a sucker for kankusaku every since she healed him in shippuden, so this was a nice read (a bit cheesy but fun).

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Two Minds (are better than one) - Lesemaus16 || ao3 || gen || AU || complete

Tobirama doesn't generally object to being reborn. He does object to being stuck in the mind of a little girl, though. Sakura grows up with a grumpy voice in her head, telling her to train more. Tobirama's influence on Sakura might very well change the story. Or maybe not, who knows.

Tobirama is such a great character (so refreshing) and his interactions with Sakura in this are gold! I hope one day Kishimoto will release some side stories about him and other characters from his time as we really don't know that much about them tbh.

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Expedient - SwiftKick || ffn || T || AU || complete

Konoha and Iwa sign a truce and agree to an Exchange Program between recently promoted genin to "bolster village relations." Fortunately, if anything were to go wrong, Haruno Sakura was just average enough to risk losing.

Wow, this one is another all time favorite of mine! I didn't have high expectations going into it, but this fic is truly great. Deidara is such a fun character and I really enjoyed Sakura's growth in this.

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The Nearest Star - summersirius || ao3 || minasaku || canon divergent || complete

The quest for strength comes from the spirit or in this case, the soul. —Minato/Sakura

I quite honestly though that I was going to hate this because of the pairing, but it was surprisingly very well done! Also, Sakura is a total badass in this.

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Trials of Change - Espoiretreves || ao3 || gen || time travel AU || complete

Haruno Sakura made a promise. Looking in the eyes of her Shisou and the reanimated Hokage, she took on the most important mission of her life. Go back in time and try to prevent the 4th Shinobi War. Now, Sakura is back to her 5-year-old body, with all the knowledge and haunting memories of the future. She vows to keep her precious people safe and stop certain events from happening, without altering the timeline too much. The trials her emotions and logic put her through have her questioning her very existence, but for the sake of peace, she has to push forward. No matter what.

This one is a really good non-massacre fic where we get to see Shisui!

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Dirt and Ashes, or: The One-and-a-Half Body Problem - Tozette || ao3 || gen || M || canon divergent || complete

The invasion of Konoha during the chuunin exam didn't fail. Team seven is broken, people are dead, and Sakura is hurt and frightened and a very long way from home. Alternative summary: In which Sakura carries half of Hidan across two countries, leaving a trail of blood, bodies, and other people's legs.

This one is pretty gross tbh, but I highly recommend!

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Obito-Sensei - Ser Serendipity || ffn || gen || M || AU || ongoing

During the fateful mission to the Kannabi Bridge, Obito is too slow, and Kakashi ends up paying the price with his life. Years later, Elite Jonin Mangekyou no Obito is placed in charge of a very familiar genin team, determined to keep them safe in a world at peace. Or: Obito surviving wrecks everything, in twenty steps or less.

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Time Flies Like An Arrow - Katlou303 || ao3 || gen || K || time travel AU || complete

Sakura traveled back in time with the intent of changing everything, but something went wrong, and now she's four years old having nightmares about impossible monsters and losing friends she has yet to meet.

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Labyrinthine - FM_White || ao3 || itasaku || M || AU || complete

ItaSaku (Post Uchiha Massacre) AU: Some things are destined to be. It just takes a couple of tries to get there. ItaSaku. Light KakaSaku.

I actually really liked how this was done as team 7 is still a family, Sasuke didn't lose his mind, Itachi picked a much more respectable path imo, and the characters are all adults.

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The Misadventures of Kakashi and the Girl From No Where - Goldfishlover73 || ao3 || kakasaku || M || time travel AU || complete

When a girl called Sakura seemingly falls in the sky, Kakashi is skeptical. Far more skeptical than the rest of Team Minato are. War is approaching quickly and this strange girl is leaving more questions than answers in her wake, Kakashi must decide where his trust and loyalties lie in a constantly changing world.

Told in the perspective of Kakashi in his youth! Really interesting take and I love how strong Sakura is in this in addition to the fact that we get to see a different side of Kakashi that we aren't used to.

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The Sixth Shadow - thinknicht || ao3 || kakasaku || M || canon divergent - eventual time travel AU || ongoing

No one seemed to find it odd when little Haruno Sakura threw herself smack dab in front of a Chidori and Rasengan. Not even Kakashi stopped to wonder. (He really should have.)

The story of how Sakura came to be the sixth hogake despite all of the challenges thrown her way. Maybe I'm just late to the game, but this is a true hidden gem! Such an interesting take on how the events of the series could have unfolded. I especially love Sakura's drive in addition to the political aspects. However, be warned that Kakashi is an absolute HATER (in the beginning), but he gets better! Also, the fic is super long....

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Hell's Radiance - Angel of the Godless || ffn || M || AU || complete

AU Fate can be a twisted thing, some only exist in hate. Sakura was one of those, a container of the most feared demon in history, hated by her village. Lost in the darkness, she tried to find a reason for living.

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Will Of Stone - sadfascist || ffn || M || AU || complete

Timeskip: Sakura travels to the Earth Country to take the Iwa chuunin exam. Waiting for her there is a place of ancient wonder… violent trials… star-crossed love… and a conspiracy that threatens world peace itself. An epic novel. COMPLETE.

Another really long fic.

still waters by Vulpecula_et_Anser || ao3 || gen || M || canon AU || one-shot complete

Sakura is twelve when she queues up in front a desk with a bunch of other equally-terrified looking shinobi. The ages range from younger than her to old enough to be her grandpa. The man sitting at the desk is stony-faced as he doles out assignments. Sakura obediently shuffles forward when it is her turn, and recites her shinobi identification number in a shaky voice when asked. When the provost marshal looks at her, looks down at his paper, looks back at her, and grimaces, Sakura knows it’s not going to be good. or How Sakura survives the war, told in bits and pieces.

Canon-fodder! Sakura makes her shinobi debut on the front lines, forcing her to get creative in her means to survive. It's gritty, raw, and the clever use of seals is great! Y'all know this type of story is my personal guilty pleasure (also one of the best I've read thus far)...

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A Drop of Poison by Androgyninja || ao3 || gen || M || canon divergent || complete

After being humiliated during a sparring match, Sakura realizes that she no longer wants to base her future on a boy who doesn't even like her. With a newfound sense of determination, she sets off to become a truly terrifying kunoichi, making her fair share of friends and enemies along the way. In other words, Sakura discovers who she really wants to be and fucks shit up along the way. And if she poisons a few important people? Well, that's just collateral damage. Begins during Sakura's final year at the academy and ends right before the canon time skip.

Where the hierarchy of the clans and clanless is more prominent than ever, Sakura comes to the stark realization of her true purpose on team 7. Along with fics like Kill Your Heroes, Sakura makes sacrifices out of her newfound determination to become a respected shinobi. However, her actions bring ramifications which she'll have to face head first. Also, poison-user! Sakura is such a great idea (I wish this was canon)!

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Only a Crush by Gingersoup || ao3 || kakasaku || M || canon divergent || complete

It was supposed to be an easy, fun night out. She never intended to wake up in her sensei's bed, half-naked and with no memory of what happened the night before! As she tries to unravel the mystery of that night, something sinister is growing beyond the walls of the Leaf Village... and what was only a crush spirals wildly out of control.

Sakura is unwillingly thrust into the world of illegal drugs, trafficking, and sex all while coming to terms with her new feelings regarding her former sensei. I typically don't like kakasaku, but I think this work is done tastefully well. The characters are both adults and the immorality of the relationship is not ignored, so be prepared for a lot of "we can't," "this is wrong," etc.. Anyway, Sakura is an absolute powerhouse and I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between all of the different characters and villages!

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Masks by mads999 || ao3 || kakasaku || E || canon divergent || complete

1. Sakura's Inner is far more diabolical than anyone ever expected 2. Crows prove to be cruel mentors 3. Sakura comes to learn exactly how much she hates Kakashi (as well as how alike they are, in the most terrible of ways)

Kakashi is a hateful turd and Sakura is spiteful! I hate this ship and I'm not a big fan of Kakashi here, but boy is this fic good. One of the best character developments I've read for Sakura and she certainly becomes of force to be reconned with. In addition, the Anbu worldbuilding (can I use that here?) is phenomenal!

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New Day Dawning - IncompleteSentanc (Erava) || ao3 || narusaku || T || canon divergence || complete

One day, while visiting the grave of Nohara Rin, Obito stumbles across a young girl terrifyingly like her. He decides to ensure she doesn’t meet the same fate. As for Sakura? Sakura had no idea what she was awakening the day she went to visit her parents graves - but she never looked back. One way or another. (Feat. Sakura raised by Obito and the Akatsuki, and her eventual return to Konoha and all those she left behind)

Sakura is brainwashed and manipulated, but loved by notorious killers nonetheless. Incredibly well written and I won't lie when I say that the ending took me a bit by surprise.

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[calirph]

𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐙𝐎𝐍'𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐏𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐐𝐔𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒. all these sentences come from amazon's the rings of power, some from season one and season two. pleas echange names, locations and pronouns as you see fit.

A burden shared may be halved or doubled, depending on the heart that receives it.

Save your tears for our enemies, for they do not know what they have begun.

The way of the faithful is to commit to pay the price, even when the cost is not known.

I have said it already. A hundred times over, in every way but words.

Let us say that all is as you fear, and this enemy is out there somewhere, lying in wait. Do you truly believe seeking him out will satisfy you?

If you are wrong, will you lead more Elves to die in far-off lands? To convince yourself you have done enough, how many more statues would you add to this path? 

Only in the Blessed Realm can that which is broken in you be healed. Go there. 

 Can we turn back now? There's 110 things out here that could kill us.

You know the rules. We're not supposed to be out this far.

These Orcs were meddling with the powers of the Unseen World. Some dark sorcery of old. But what was their purpose?

I've told you. Countless times. Elves have forests to protect. Dwarves, their mines. Men, their fields of grain. Even trees have to worry about the soil beneath their roots.

Are you just going to stand there, breathing like an Orc?

It is said the wine of victory is sweetest for those in whose bitter trials it has fermented.

He is about to embark on a new project. One of singular importance. And we've decided that you will be working with him.

I am grateful you have not known evil as I have. But you have not seen what I have seen.

Lindon receives you with grace.

I am not some courtier to be placated by idle flattery. I demand to speak with the King directly.

 You have made that plain. So I will be equally plain. 

Only twice in known history has a pairing between Elves and humans even been attempted. And on each occasion, it ended in tragedy. It ended in death.

The people of Hordern were known for having been especially strong in their loyalty to Morgoth.

She has passed beyond my sight. Galadriel was so certain her search should continue.

It is hard to see what is right when friendship and duty are mingled.

First the big people, now the stars. Eyes open when they should be sleeping. Almost like... like they're watching for something.

There Can Be No Trust Between Hammer And Rock.

Everyone, Each Of Us, Needs To Decide Who We Shall Be.

Beauty Has Great Power To Heal The Soul.

Hope Is Never Mere, Even When It Is Meager.

There Is No Secret Worth Concealing With Deception.

He worms his way inside your mind and the rest of him slithers in.

Once the deceiver obtains a being’s trust he gains the ability to sculpt their very thoughts.

Every soul in the seen or unseen world will know that it was you who was the architect of their demise.

At this moment…. the great tale of our age is being written.

In choosing to wear those rings you have all become his collaborators.

To try and cheat death might lead to an even greater catastrophe.

 Every soul in Middle-earth is in peril. Will you abandon them to their doom?

Promise me, Elrond, you will not stop until he is destroyed.

When the darkness falls there are always some who rise forth and shine.

Ours was no chance meeting. Not fate. Nor destiny. Ours was the work of something greater.

Choose not the path of fear, but that of faith.

One thing we can do better than any creature in all Middle-earth… We stay true to each other, with our hearts even bigger than our feet.

You have fought long enough, Galadriel. Put up your sword.

Find The Light, And The Shadow Will Not Find You.

Light endures and is mightier than strength. For in its presence, all darkness must flee.

I was in your place once, in the eldest of the Elder Days. Thirteen of us were chosen to be blessed of Morgoth’s hand, with the promise of power. A new birth. 

Because rather than rest in glory, I chose to seek out the very enemy responsible for your suffering.

When all other senses sleep, the eye of hope is first to awaken, last to shut.

Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them?

Give me the nine.

[buffyfan145]

Another great episode with ep 2.6 of "Rings of Power" today!!! 😀 So much happened in it and we only have 2 more episodes!!! Lots to talk about behind the cut but I think I figured out the whole "who Galadriel is kissing" thing and it's not any of the "leaks" we saw as I think the promo for next week showed part of it but something I wondered about when I first heard Morfydd say it. 😏 Also I loved hearing Elendil's dad Amandil being mentioned as I always loved his name is so similar to mine. LOL

I loved the episode and so much happened!!! All of Sauron's scenes were amazing, as well as Celebrimbor's. Both Charlies brought it again and I feel so bad for Celebrimbor. We all what's going and it's so sad. Then seeing Sauron use more of his Maiar powers and doing what we call the mind palace manipulating to Celebrimbor. And him saying the world "precious" twice!!! Then also seeing Sauron with the dwarves and likely calling up the balrog, and then the siege starting. We also finally got to see Charlie Rich too playing one of the elves.

Then everything with Galadriel and Adar was great too!!! 😀 I loved their conversations about Sauron and how Adar figured out Halbrand was Sauron. Also he knows Galadriel lied to him about what Sauron offered her too. I'm curious how he thinks combing Morgoth's crown (which I didn't expect as that does go a bit against the books as Morgoth has that crown around his neck in the Void keeping him there) with Nenya will kill Sauron for good. We know that won't happen and that Sauron actually still didn't die when Frodo destroyed the ring, as he's still out there in Middle Earth as a formless spirit. So curious again how this is going to play out in the finale with Galadriel and Sauron as she won't kill him.

Then that brings me to the kiss that's coming for Galadriel and seeing the promo for next week's ep I do think it's Celebrimbor. There's part of the promo where she's with him in his forge and she's holding his face kneeling beside him on the floor. I think this is likely when he's dying and it's making me wonder if she tries to save him via a kiss, like she did with Gandalf in "The Hobbit" movies, but it doesn't work and he dies in her arms. The thing with the banner happens after his death with the orcs so it's possible this is how he dies, and if the show got the rights to that 1st Age story about how Celebrimbor was in love with Galadriel but she fell in love with Celeborn they could work that in too that she's with him when he dies. I can see them doing this and his death is tragic already but I also wouldn't mind if when he does die she's with him so he's not alone. So all those "leaks" about the kiss are likely all false if this is really what happens, and I'm totally ok with this as even being a Haladriel shipper I didn't think they'd go that far with a kiss this early in the show (though I can tell they've confirmed they both have feelings for each other) and the whole thing with Elrond are lies made up to make us shippers angry. We'll see if I'm right but I do believe this likely is what is happening.

Back to kisses the Poppy and Merimac one was cute. And I thought Elendil and Mirel were going to 3 times. LOL 😀 The whole Numenor storylines this episode was great!!! I loved Miriel was able to prove she's still queen and it extends the whole Faithfull vs The King's Men more as we've got a ways to go before Sauron gets there hopefully back in his Halbrand form. But now Ar-Pharazon knows that Halbrand is Sauron and he needs him!!! Also, loved how Elendil was looking very much like Aragorn and even Halbrand in this episode.

Even more convinced The Stranger is Gandalf after his talk with Tom Bombadil and the thing he said to him that is almost exactly what Gandalf said in the movies. I do think The Stranger/Gandalf is going to go save Nori, Poppy, and the stoors and that's likely when we find out his name is Gandalf. Curious if he'll face the Dark Wizard (who is likely a Blue wizard) this season or if that will be next.

So excited for the final 2 episodes of season 2!!! Though I know the 2 year wait will be coming after that. Also looking forward to those scenes of Adar and Elrond next week that were in the trailer too.