#We'd probably put him in jail ourselves

[kittyandco]

📝❤️💘 w hans <3

OHHG LET'S GOOO (i have put so much thought into this) THANK YOU

📝: How would your story in canon go? How would you influence the events of the original story?

SO. i thought of my story prior to reading "a frozen heart," but it helped me contextualize some things. it basically made my s/i "purposeful" (for lack of a better term, all our s/is have purpose). in passing, hans laments that he hasn't courted anyone (this is approximately 3 years before he goes to arendelle); meanwhile, his brothers are married, engaged, or courting, and his family didn't seem to plan to set him up with anyone. (probably to keep him fully indebted to them forever i'd fight them if i had the chance)

THAT'S WHERE I COME IN! hans and my s/i actually have a long history, because our families want us together for political reasons. we didn't really understand at first... but as i got to know hans & his family, i began to resent it. i hated them for many reasons, but especially because of how they treated him. and i eventually realized that our joining would only be for their benefit, not ours. i didn't want to live in servitude to them, and i didn't want hans to live like that anymore either.

narratively it just made more sense, because at least for appearance's sake, he would have a betrothed. the westergaards are all about appearance, so this way no one raises questions about hans. not a single one. they've kept their secrets very well, and i believe that they wouldn't risk it by leaving him single. AND it gives them another outlet to use him for their gain. like always.

anyway, his love for me changes his motivations a bit. it isn't only to unduly seize power, or only to prove himself to his family, it's also his last-ditch effort to keep me with him. to escape. with me. one of my grievances for a long time was that we would never be free so long as we went through with our arrangement. but it hurt terribly... because i love him. i wanted to be with him, but i couldn't bring myself to. this way, we'll have everything all to ourselves.

also it simultaneously humanizes him more and makes him seem Worse because on the one hand, aww he's doing this for love (partially)! on the other hand, he led another girl on while engaged 😭

❤️: How popular is you x your f/o? Are you a rarepair?

in the larger fandom, i still don't think we'd be very popular. the frozen fandom essentially excises hans fans to our own space, so... meh. i'm used to it. among hans fans tho, i think it would be kind of an even split between people who ship us and people who ship him with anna (which i totally get, i love them too 🥴)

💘: Why would people love your ship? Why would people dislike your ship? How might it start debates?

THE UNDYING DEVOTION AND ANGST AND THE SHARED TRAUMA AND THE LOVE THAT IS SO CLEARLY THERE BUT TOO MANY THINGS HOLDING IT BACK IT'S PERFECT...

on the other hand. the rest of the fandom (those who don't rlly associate with us) probably wouldn't love it because they would either feel bad for me or think that i should have left him after what he did (because i didn't. our story ends very differently from canon, but assume it was the real canon: i break him out of jail and it's kind of up to interpretation what happened after that but it's clear that i still want him)

they'd probably be the types to say that i'm "enabling" and that i "don't know better" (i.e. trying to give progressive critique while actually undermining my s/i's autonomy and Completely Missing The Point), and that i shouldn't be so soft on him. but that's TOO BAD

not to mention the ab*ser discourse surrounding him like ugughhh give it a REST

so yeah it'd probably be the hansanna discourse but Worse. <3

‘Imagine Your S/I Was Canon…’ Self-Ship Asks

[peaterookie]

if we were talking on discord rn we'd be unstoppable

hm, that's a really interesting take on the lupin empire and the icpo. zenigata and lupin are definitely foils against each other, and i agree that lupin had a lot of trust issues during the og manga and a couple times in new adventures, which made his relationships between the gang quite strained in those times. heck, lupin is an asshole to jigen, and jigen betrays him quite often, which makes his trust issues even worse.

but i dont really agree that lupin intended to use the lupin empire to establish his world order. he does target other criminals that he believes are wrong, but they're often the type to be extremely chaotic in their means or overall corrupt (ex: student organization from the think system, guzo from to live and die in japan, i guess starmow from the san fran arc too???) so i believe that he is against flipping the world order just to satisfy a certain goal. he is chaotic and does bad things, but he doesnt force his beliefs to other people. i dont really understand how monopolizing crime would result in peace exactly, or how it relates to lupin targetting other crime organizations, so if you can further elaborate on that it would be appreciated!

also, didn't lupin disband the lupin empire in the last chapter of new adventures and made another one? the new empire, in my interpretation is just the lupin gang, since after new adventure there's barely any mention of the empire i think, and i really dont think a group of 3, sometimes 4 people can establish a new world order, and his actions dont really line up in that direction either... i believe his intentions of this new empire is to simply live by his own morals and protect the friends that he slowly became to trust (they taught him that there is good in the world.) for people with trust issues, i think they have a habit of overly clinging themselves to others that they could finally trust, which matches how lupin behaves towards the gang. the thing that would become their demise is how lupin just doesnt understand how to express his appreciation for them, and how to get them to trust him as well.

i also had this theory that inbetween the og manga and new adventures, the reason lupin was stuck in jail for almost 2 years was that he purposely put himself there, as a way to avoid responsiblity as the leader of the old lupin empire. he's definitely capable of breaking out anytime, but after 2 years of probably contemplating on what to do, he finally decided to break out with his decision to destroy the old one. the reason it took that long was probably because he wanted it to become irrelevant to the point almost everyone left, which explains why lupin says that the faculty was outdated and nobody was in the secret base anymore.

i haven't finished the og manga yet clearly, so that came as a surprise when lupin saids that he's stealing for good. it doesn't match what he says in shin lupin at all, where he refuses any implication that he's a gentleman thief nor what he's doing is good (now that i think about it, maybe og manga lupin was in denial)

in chapter 87 he says, "I live one stop ahead of death, you keep hanging around me and you won't have a life to steal!" and in chapter 124 he says "rich, poor, good, bad... it doesn't matter... to a thief. we only care about ourselves." he clearly doesn't think what he's doing is for the good

but on the next point, it makes sense that zenigata would get even more and more desperate on catching lupin and putting an end to his crimes. it's genuinely sad how he had to go against his morals to get his ends, because is it really you anymore if you decided to do something you'd definitely be against? zenigata died figuratively along with the gang, his ultimate goal being fulfilled not by the hands of his beliefs but bent by his desires.

monkey punch has stated that if the chase between lupin and zenigata had to end, it would end in a stalemate, and the ending he created is exactly that. lupin doesn't win, because all of his friends died and he wasn't able to protect them in the end, and zenigata doesn't win either, because the means that he used was messed up. but i dont think it could end any better than this, zenigata and lupin were somewhat at peace with their decisions, and i think both knew that nothing else would work. they're wonderful foils, two sides of the same coin. going back to the beginning with lupin empire and icpo being opposites, my take on it is that loop empire lives to be absolutely free from everything but not expecting others to agree with them, while icpo is very conservative in its belief and expects the world to maintain the current world order.

whew... ok! now about jigen and fujiko. supporting what you said about them not really having a strict code of moral, i think they're foils of each other in a sense. they play their roles very passively, serving mostly as support characters unlike the action ones like lupin and zeni, but the way they see life is very very different. fujiko sees having a moral code is pointless because that would only limit the potential of what she could do. she doesn't treat life very seriously, because that wouldn't be enjoyable if she thinks every choice has high stakes. it shows especially in how she doesnt swear loyalty to any side and takes on quite a lot of roles in various chapters.

jigen on the other hand, probably hates life LMAO despite him having every reason to leave the lupin gang, he decides to stay being a follower instead of being independent like fujiko. he relies a lot on the leader's choices and pulls the safe option instead of the one he's more happy with. he's very selfless, like how in "spaghetti jigen" he duels against someone just to protect a woman we never see in any later chapters. i believe he bends to others because he's worried of making decisions for himself and what consequences they have. totally opposite of fujiko.

and now goemon!!! i agree a lot that he's like a bridge between both sides. i will always see goemon has some sort emotional center of the group (including zenigata) because his kindness and strong moral code is something that all of them respect and they wouldn't want to do things that upset him. he is definitely a lot like a protagonist in terms of personality, he unites all the cast members emotionally, but he's too emotionally scarred himself to really take any action for himself like a protagonist would. it breaks my heart how he eventually comes to hate his life and wishes to kill himself if he had the chance to... the only thread hanging for him is his loyalty for his friends, and that's really it.

i've talked to tsukuma-nya before, and they're the person that shared to me your translation of the last chapter (saying i went insane about it is an understatement.) their idea is pretty interesting! i wonder how the allusion to momotaro adds to the significance of the chapter and shin lupin as a whole.

Lupin III’s true identity

(In 1974, a flashback of Lupin with his mother in a chapter of “Color Girl” titled, “The Return of Lupin”. I found it interesting how the faces cannot be seen.)

I wonder if the reason why Lupin’s identity couldn’t be seen when he was put under X-rays is because it can only see under one mask, not when he is wearing two. Or what if it’s made from some special kind of material that only the Lupin Empire has. It really shows just how mysterious Lupin’s background is.

[jorahssquire]

Go Macleans Magazine ☺

Where might Donald Trump run, in a bid to avoid prison?

Shannon Gormley: Our complex scoring system points to one perfect place

By Shannon Gormley December 14, 2020

Macau? Montenegro? Saudi Arabia? Which country—without an extradition treaty with the U.S.—might win Donald Trump as a new resident?

Donald Trump seems particularly ill-suited to prison life. Although self-awareness is not often cited among his greatest attributes, he most likely grasps this singular, essential fact about himself: he would not care for jail and jail would not care for him. He can be expected to do anything to avoid it—anything, that is, but avoid illegal activities of the kind that ordinarily lead to prison time.

It appears he may have done a fair amount of illegal activitizing, in fact, and enough of it appears to fall so far outside the scope of a presidential self-pardon that various New York prosecutors are ready to charge him the moment he vacates that poor Resolute desk. And so, in an era of ceaseless, unremitting firsts, for the first time in history, the president of the United States might soon find himself on the lam.

Although it is difficult to conceive of the leader of the free world joining the ranks of the various aging Nazis, ousted despots, retired mobsters and deadbeat ex-husbands currently circling the globe in search of a hideout, once presidential immunity is lost it is hard to see what alternative he would have. The president has given us one hint, so subtle as to be nearly imperceptible, that he may have to leave the country: at a recent political rally, he said, “Maybe I’ll have to leave the country.”

The question is, where might Donald Trump run?

To determine the foreign country to which the president of the United States would be most likely to abscond, we will apply a complex scoring system, taking into account the factors that would be most likely to enter into his considerations, weighted according to the importance he would be likely to attach to each.

Ten points are awarded, first of all, if Trump’s new prospective home has no extradition treaty with the United States; nine, if it has a history of failing to honour its extradition treaty with the United States.

The country must of course receive Trump in the style to which he has grown accustomed: golf courses are worth five points; very garish, very tall buildings another five. Other attractions would include being Russia-friendly (11 points), hosting Trump-owned pieces of real estate or businesses (five points), and offering a tax environment for billionaires who prefer to pay in the $750 range (five points). A country may earn a maximum of 41 points.

Slovenia: Melania Trump is from Slovenia; however, our methodology does not recognize a connection to Trump’s wife as indicative of a travel preference. This is not a flaw in our methodology. 0/41

Anywhere Whatsoever in Africa: Trump may soon regret referring to nations that may otherwise have harboured him as “s–thole” countries—although many countries in Africa don’t have extradition treaties with the United States and, much like American voters, they may send him back for the sheer joy of it. 10/41

Scotland: Trump likes golf; Trump really likes golfing on his own golf courses; therefore, Trump really, really likes Scotland. Scotland, unfortunately, likes the rules-based international order, classical architecture, and extradition treaties with the United States. 10/41

France: The French don’t have particularly low taxes; on the other hand, they have golf courses, and various gilt things. And France (which would never be so gauche as to reliably adhere to the rigidities of an extradition treaty) is currently home to Roman Polanski—like Trump, an entertainment professional who in his spare time likes to relax, eat good food and be accused of rape. It’s a possibility. 15/41

Macau: Gambling institutions have purchased the right to use Trump’s trademark in Macau, doubtless as an attraction for the discerning gambler who likes his casinos serially bankrupt. Macau is a haven for tax dodgers and a hiding spot for fugitives. It’s glitzy, it’s garish, and there’s probably a golf-themed slot machine somewhere on the island. The only thing missing is a nice Russian dictator to share it with. 30/41

Andorra: Andorra is a rare example of a European nation with no extradition treaty with the United States; unfortunately, it is no longer the tax haven it once was. Also, Trump would be bored. No high society he can complain about being excluded from, no skyscrapers, just…churches. 10/41

Montenegro: Also in Europe, also without an extradition treaty. It doesn’t attract golfers on account of it having basically no golf courses, but it does attract real estate investors, particularly those who wish to take advantage of its offer of a residency permit in exchange for property purchases. It also attracts Russian tourists and bots, the latter making a concerted effort to sway this strategically located country more in Putin’s favour. They have an easy task: within Montenegro, Russia is viewed more favourably than any other country, and—like Trump—roughly 40 per cent of Montenegrans say they admire Putin.

But again: churches. 26/41

Saudi Arabia: When Trump introduced his Muslim ban, a few Muslim countries were omitted from the list. Saudi Arabia was one of them. Trump does business in Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia has made it known that it would prefer to continue doing political business with Trump. Trump declared an emergency just so he could veto House opposition to him signing an $8-billion arms deal with the kingdom. Masters play golf there, billionaires put their money there, skyscrapers skyscrape there. Trump, we could easily conclude, might well go there—if only Putin could go, too. Moscow’s relations with Riyadh are fraught, but perhaps not so bad as to rule Trump’s potential relocation plans. 35.5/41

Russia: There are few places in the world more Russia-friendly than Russia itself, and few world leaders more Russia-friendly than Trump. In the 1980s, it built golf courses near Moscow specifically to attract American investors; Trump is one of the American investors who obliged. Russia, in turn, appears to have invested in Trump. Granted, Moscow and St. Petersburg don’t have many of the 58-storey mirrors that are Trump’s preferred building type, but Putin would probably let him build one eventually that the American president could be safely locked up in, so half points for phallic architecture. Moscow has a long tradition of offering its Western assets involuntary sanctuary. As for taxes, Putin associates get a rebate. It’s almost perfect—but not quite. 38.5/41

U.A.E.: Another Muslim country excused from Trump’s Muslim ban; another country with no extradition treaty with the United States; another tax haven. But it is only the U.A.E. with which Trump recently signed a multi-billion-dollar weapons deal, just as he was losing a presidential election. The U.A.E. is also becoming a closer strategic partner of Russia in the Middle East, as both generally share a similar assessment of the region’s popular democratic movements: they don’t like them.

Regarding lifestyle, the U.A.E. is not known for flowing champagne, but Trump doesn’t drink anyway, for fear it would impair his very sound judgment. The U.A.E. has nice golf courses: it built them the way it built its islands—by stacking piles of cash on top of each other. Compared to New York, Dubai may have all the glitz with little of the glamour, but that is extremely on-brand for Trump. And Dubai not only has taller buildings than any country on this list, it has the tallest building in the world. For the first time in his life, Trump could boast about the size of something and be right. For Trump, the U.A.E. earns a perfect score.

Prediction: If the President of the United States becomes an international fugitive, he will seek sanctuary in Dubai, U.A.E. Of course, that assumes he responds to defeat by actually leaving office. Which would require that he follow the law. Which, you know…

This article appears in print in the January 2021 issue of Maclean’s magazine with the headline, “President on the lam.” Subscribe to the monthly print magazine here.