#What is left of the father?

[quiescentdestiny]

so many people out here saying Neil lied about going to California, but low-key I assumed it was more of a "didn't ask" type situation.

Even Kevin says "we knew who he was meeting, so we assumed he was going to Baltimore."

Neil is the king of "ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies".

Andrew wasn't angry because he didn't care that Neil had lied. Because he technically didn't, and Andrew lives on black and white and technicalities.

[stars-obsession-pit]

Babysitter for a Bat (but not those bats)

Living in Gotham City may be cheap, but it ain’t free, and Danny is a bit strapped for cash at the moment.

So when he hears the price that a woman named Francine Langstrom is offering for a babysitter for her two kids, he jumps at the chance.

Sure, the mention of a strict interview was a potential hurdle, and the caveats included were a bit odd, but hey, Gotham is a dangerous place. Making sure your babysitter is trustworthy and capable of defending themself feels entirely reasonable, even if some details feel a tad strange.

Then he saw the kids, and everything clicked together. He finally realized why that last name sounded familiar, and all the strange details in the job offer suddenly made sense.

This was the family of Kirk Langstrom, the scientist who became the Man-Bat.

And his son Aaron had inherited his bat-like mutations.

Oh and i’ve added a screenshot of a page with Aaron under the readmore

[poppyrus-sdg5]

cheese is the stepson, not a lick of my DnA in that thing

[mageknife]

hey does anyone else ever think about archon!dorian and lose their minds

[ricky-mortis]

I love playing dress up with the blorbo

[fumifooms]

Dad always said I was like him

Meijack and Chilchuck Tims Dungeon Meshi, Ryoko Kui

^ 1: Moony moonless sky, Fatima Aamer Bilal / 2: Bug like an angel, Mitski / 3: Woodtangle, Mary Ruefle / 4: The Third Hour of the Night, Frank Bidart / 5 & 6: FROM THE MAKERS OF "TWO-MOM ENERGY DRINK," IT'S "LET YOUR FATHER DIE ENERGY DRINK,", Daniel Lavery & Cecilia Corrigan / 7: Batman: Year Three (1989) / 8 & 9 : FROM THE MAKERS OF […], Daniel Lavery & Cecilia Corrigan / 10: Wilt, CJ the X / 11: How Do We Forgive Our Fathers, Dick Lourie / 12: Milk and honey, Rupi Kaur / 13: And My Father's Love Was Nothing Next To God's Will, Amatullah Bourdon / 14: Moony moonless sky, Fatima Aamer Bilal / 15: Someday I’ll Love Ocean Vuong, Ocean Vuong / 16: untitled, Joan Tierney v 17: Drunk, The Living Tombstone / 18: unknown

When your father tried his best to provide for you but he worked all the time and even when he was home he was either tired or stressed and he’s always liked to get drunk to relax and cheer up. When you know he values work ethics and respectability so you grew up to be capable and quiet. And when he says you’re like him you’re sort of puzzled, does he really know you so little, or does he know himself so little? But you like the feeling of your father ruffling your hair so you accept it, and still you stand next to your mother just as silent and just as stoic as her during family gatherings. He leaves again and again and when your mother leaves him nothing changes, really. You wonder if it’s more telling that you know him better than he seems to himself or that you don’t know him as much as you wish you did, or that you don’t think about him all that much these days. Out of sight, out of mind. And he’s never really been there, even when he was there, after all.

[nnoragamis]

fairy tail is filled with characters who are parents/parental figures who deeply love the children in their care and would do anything for them, but at the same time, are not really great at actually parenting them/are not there for them when needed the most/who traumatize them in some way or the other, and i think its a pretty interesting pattern that persists throughout the series.

[introspectivememories]

thinking about shanks and buggy and how the love was there!!! it was there and it was clear and it was real and it was tangible and it still was not enough!!! the love was there when they grew up together and the love was there when they traveled the world together and the love was there when shanks gave up on the one piece for buggy and the love was there when shanks dived into the ocean to save buggy and the love was there when they promised to go to raftel together on their own ships and the love was there when they lived together in loguetown in the hiatus before roger died and the love was there when buggy damaged luffy's hat and the love was there still when they saw each other at marineford after two decades and shanks still trusted buggy to get the strawhat back to luffy and the love was there still, still, still, when rogers' body was cooling on the execution stand and his blood was being washed away by the rain and shanks put out his hand, palm faced up in supplication, and said "i'm not going after the one piece" and said the words he's been saying since he was a child, a plea, a prayer, "come with me buggy" and buggy who had given up on his hopes and dreams, crushed under the promise of shanks' shining future and his brilliant potential, humiliated by his cowardice and his belief in his would-be king, his friend, his brother, his shanks, slaps his hand away, closes his ears to the plea, the prayer, the devotion shanks is saying, and said "i'll never come with you!" the love was there still and it was not enough.

[superbat-lmao]

Bruce Wayne dies, and like a prayer, Jason Todd returns to Gotham. Always too late.

He never followed his plans or became Red Hood, instead finishing his schooling and traveling for a while with Talia to stay in shape. He and Damian on and off text or call, but they both know the other is living the way they need to. They’ll always be there, but sometimes you need your own space to figure out what you really want.

When Dick takes up the mantle and Damian becomes Robin, Jason takes a posting at Gotham University and rents an apartment in the alley. Damian comes to visit and Jason tells him stories, as many as he can remember. The kid wanted to know his Dad, after all.

They don’t tell the others. Instead, grieving the loss of their Father together. When Jason came back to Gotham he expected anger. Now he just feels lost.

It’s completely on accident that Dick learns his identity. He gets a call one night from Damian, not panicked but alert. He’s calling for backup because Batman was shot.

Jason has the two of them in the back of a stolen car and makes it all the way past the security of the Batcave before he really comes to his senses. It’s a bit of a clusterfuck after that, between Alfred and Leslie trying to prioritize Dick while interrogating the imposter until they’re satisfied he’s just Jason. Their Jason.

And maybe it gets a little better. Jason has to go out as Batman until Dick’s back on his feet, so he and Damian patrol together and come home to Alfred and Dick. He goes to see Babs at the Clocktower and she introduces him to his sister, Cass, one of the few people Damian speaks highly of.

It’s different, and weird, and he and Dick have a couple of fights. But it could be worse. Slowly but surely, they figure things out. Try to move on.

And then Tim comes home and like a prayer, Bruce Wayne is alive again. Always too late.

[iaf]

JW: Chaos Theory Spoilers

"You knew Brooklynn was alive and you didn't tell us!?"

Is this anything? Anything at all??

[holyraconteur]

Okay, but here's a dark au where Spider drags Quaritch from the water and promptly kills him, and now no one knows what to do with this human child soaked in the blood of his own father. Blood is thicker than water, right? Why would a son kill his own father? Pandora's greatest enemy is dead. The scourge of the Na'vi is gone.

So, what is this feeling of discontent?

-) The moment Spider pulled Quaritch from the water, he made a choice.

-) The once-mighty colonel was barely clinging to life, his body battered, his strength drained. Weak. Helpless. A man who had terrorized Pandora, who had burned forests and spilled the blood of Eywa's children, now lay before him, gasping, vulnerable.

-) The knife in Spider’s hand felt light. The motion effortless.

-) One swift drag across the throat was all it took. Just like Neytiri would have done to him. 'Do you see me now?' Spider thinks. 'See me. See me. SEE! LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE MADE OF ME!'

-) Quaritch barely made a sound, just a wet, choked gasp as his lifeblood spilled into the water, dark ribbons mixing with the lapping waves. His body seized, his fingers twitching—but Spider only crouched there, watching, waiting. He waited for the flood of emotion. For the relief. The triumph. The guilt. But there was nothing. Just… numbness.

-) The monster was dead. The one responsible for so much suffering, for so much destruction, for everything—gone. And yet, Spider felt nothing. His father’s glassy eyes stared up at him, lifeless. Eywa’s grace had abandoned him long ago. And with any luck, Quaritch’s soul would never find peace. Never find acceptance. Spider exhaled slowly, running his tongue over dry lips, blinking at the bloodied body at his feet. His hands weren’t even shaking.

-) It was done. His brother avenged. The souls of Neytiri's family are avenged. His debt to the Sullys was paid in full. Everything is calm.

-) A soft rustling pulled his gaze upward. His father's Banshee crouched a few feet away, its golden eyes locked onto Spider with an eerie intensity. Spider tensed, half-expecting it to lunge, to attack, to avenge its fallen rider. But it didn’t. It simply watched. And then, without a sound, it lowered its head. Acceptance. Recognition.

-) As if possessed by something beyond himself, Spider stepped forward, his hand outstretched. His fingertips brushed against the creature’s snout, and for the first time that horrible day, he allowed himself a small, hollow smile. Perhaps it was a good thing that Quaritch never truly bonded to this one.

-) The rest of the Na'vi find him hours later, and Tonowari approaches first, his large shadow stretching over the scene, but he hesitates. The Metkayina chief has seen many battles, many bodies. And yet, this is different. This is a child, soaked in the blood of his own father. Why would a son do this? Spider meets his gaze, his expression empty. He waits for judgment. Condemnation. Something.

-) But when Tonowari speaks, it is not with anger. "The demon is dead." A statement. A fact. The warriors behind him exchange uneasy glances, but none argue. Some murmur in agreement; others simply watch. None move to comfort the boy who did the deed. Perhaps they do not know how.

-) The Sully are more horrified than relieved. Even Neytiri, who should feel the greatest relief of all, does not celebrate. Her bow hand clenches, fingers twitching as though her body is caught between two instincts. To praise him… or to fear him. She does not understand. She had thought she knew hatred. She had felt it burn through her when she held the blade to Spider’s throat on the Sea Dragon, her grief drowning out reason.

-) Jake had told her stories—of how humans could be cruel to their own offspring, how some children were beaten, abandoned, even killed by those who were meant to love them. How those same children woke up one day and decided to kill their parents. She had never believed it. Not until now. She watched Spider wipe the blood from his blade with mechanical precision, his movements too calm, too practiced. There is no triumph in his face, no relief, no sorrow.

Just a hollow emptiness.

-) Something dark and quiet has settled in the boy’s chest, a coldness that should not exist in one so young. The boy named Spider died on the Sea Dragon. Drowned beneath the weight of Neytiri’s hate, choked on the understanding that he would never belong. And what remains in his place is something else. Something Tonowari's people and the Sullys do not understand. Something they accept but fear all the same.

-) Jake takes a step forward, but Spider lifts a bloodied hand, stopping him before he can speak. "Don’t." His voice is hoarse, flat. "Your son has been avenged. The debt is paid. I am done. We are done." Jake stares, tears in his eyes, something unspoken hanging between them. "Kid, I never wanted this--" Spider turns his back, mounting the ikran with the ease of someone who had done it a thousand times before. And then he was gone. The wind howled as the graceful creature lifted itself into the sky, carrying Spider higher, farther, into the unknown. Jake’s voice rose behind him, calling his name. Kiri's voice is the loudest, crying and screaming for him, but he hardens his heart. They call his name. Spider does not return. Spider does not look back.

[54lty]

Honestly, I really really like this chapter and Uruha's revival. Maybe I read way too many theories as the story progressed from his death but him coming back always felt like a given, with Chihiro being brought back from the dead and Suzaku's reveal.

I've seen some people say it reduces the impact of Samura's betrayal (which is understandable), but it actually strengthens his character in my opinion. Him killing the sword bearers isn't done with the intention of punishing them; he takes it upon himself to rectify their sins. He makes his burden to bear alone, as we can see with Chihiro.

If that's the case, why did he kill Uruha? Why didn't Samura at least tell Uruha his plan?

He killed Uruha to break the Eternal Contract, and he probably used Suzaku to revive him.

He doesn't want anyone else to walk this path. Beneath the noble conviction is a man who loathes himself. When Iori briefly enters Samura's life and disrupts the quiet discomfort he's lived with since the war, he chooses to wipe her memories. He believes that a world in which he never existed is a world that is better for her, and it tells a lot about his character — he cut ties with Uruha the same way he cut ties with Iori, leaving without even an explanation or goodbye. In Samura's mind, it's better this way: it's better for Uruha to wake up to the aftermath than to fight again. Better for him to wonder why Samura did what he did, to even hate him for it. It's better than the alternative of leading Uruha down a path of violence again and sharing the pain of righting the sword bearers' wrongs. It's better for Samura to suffer alone.

[abzulon]

took abt a 6 week break from kagurabachi bc i got so obsessed i burnt myself out. thought "oh i can just get caught up this week because the new chapter came out today!" and this is the shit i return to

[czcreation]

Any ideas for sg megatron and op?

I haven't thought a lot about Optimus in sg since he would just be a mcguffin for Cliffjumper to get ran over again (Motormaster is dead so Cliffjumper can't just ask him to run him over). Whenever I imagine Megatron I imagine a big looming shadow that regular people just don't get to see, Sg Meg's would be more available but Starscream is always by his side speaking for him, in a mutual and non-schemey way.

[renatapatata]

I really enjoyed Cinderella’s Castle but I keep thinking that there was something missing? The scenography and acting was top tier - I don’t think anyone is going to dispute that, and I realized that what feels lacking is the songs that progress the story or rather, give us backstory on our characters. By that I mean characters like Tadius and the Prince, who get singing roles but I don’t really learn much about them through said songs. I’m thinking of how in Twisted, which is also a fairytale musical that took a well known story and changed it up - we still got solo songs for most of the characters, Jasmine, Aladdin and Achmed that helped us understand their character motivations more and made the story feel more rounded as a result. I think CC’s song repertoire is on the small side in comparison to other Starkid shows (CC has 9 if you count Watch + it’s reprise i think/other recent shows have like 14 songs for example) and it feels like the show left me with a lot of unanswered questions that could have been elaborated upon more if not through song… like yess give me troll stepsisters lament or Tadius singing about his fate and yearning for Ella or his feelings about the crown, and maybe a song wherein we learn more about the Prince so he gets more characteristics other than Horny and Gross - cuz whilst i liked his depiction i also felt like his characterization was a bit too one note and if Tadius was supposed to make up for what the Prince was lacking, then it felt kinda weird that we didn’t know much more bout him either. And what if we had gotten a song by the Faerie queen where we learned if she felt anything deeper regarding Ella’s mother’s attempts at making offerings and in turn learned more about Ella’s mother and the Faerie queen through that? I’m just saying CC left me wanting to know more about this world that we’d gotten a glimpse into!

[ruegarding]

nah bc hazel despised the gods she thought her dad was an asshole she thought cursing ppl (children especially) was a dick move she is NOT sweet and submissive the part of her life where she kept her head down and did as she was told is OVER and she sided w the gods bc she had beef w gaea not bc she cared abt the gods