#after recounting such a terrible history

[deposedefenddeny]

Spectator recounts attending Luigi Mangione's arraignment in New York

In about a second after I saw [Luigi Mangione, walked into his arraignment in New York on Dec. 23], all the memes/thirsting/online discoveries about his good character were wiped away as I realized the significance of this young man's LIFE being at stake. I felt so inappropriate to me that I, a random stranger, felt the right to sit in on this arraignment. They walked him in like he was a "spoil of war". The cops are parading him around like a pig on a stick. All of America is obsessing over him, digging up every possible trace of his online presence. And focusing on his appearance and personality instead of the danger he’s in in real life. For example, the sweater from court selling out. This isn’t a thirst trap or a joke, it’s this man’s LIFE! I realized how sick and wrong this all is for me and everyone else there, and all the people obsessing over him online to be a voyeur to this terrible process. I felt like I was contributing to the problem by watching him be "put on display". For example, seeing the way the [mainstream media] wrote about the "dozens of fans who lined up in the early morning, mostly young women" minimizes the point of how unjust this guy's legal process has been. I was nauseous the entire arraignment, and I felt depressed for several days after. I think if I were in his shoes, all of the attention from the public and the online obsession (even though it's supportive) over his personality, looks, and personal history would make me mad uncomfortable. I think the priority should be on supporting him. And some people are saying that digging up all of his online info it could hurt the case. And I think that would be terrible for his fans to end up causing him more injustice. Also, putting up his personal private photos online — including when he was a child— seems really wrong and insensitive to me. Which is why for now I'm going to focus on what people can do to concretely help: writing letters, maybe not sending books (because prisoners only get to take a few into their cells and the rest might be thrown away), calling for healthcare reform, helping with protests, and raising support in a non-creepy way. PS: I would never go back to another hearing. It was horrifying. And I encourage anyone here to not go as well. I don't think it's the right way to help him. I think my perspective is worth sharing as I had a very close view of this in person.

Excerpt of a post by user Theoffice94 on the subreddit FreeLuigi, for which moderators state they had verified that the user attended the arraignment through private communication.

[bonelessicecream]

[fin.]

Headcanons:

Ji gave Jiequan a nickname because prior to meeting Ji, Jiequan's name had never been called fondly. He flinched every time Ji called for him. They tried a few nicknames, but ultimately settled on "Xiao Quan" because Jiequan was terribly small for his age... (And perhaps also because Ji hoped he would not grow up too quickly - not like those other youths they once knew, who pursued power to a terrible end.)

Jiequan only started referring to himself in the third person after he met Ji. He never had the chance to be a proper child before that. He outgrew the habit as he got older, of course, but he was excellent at playing up his cuteness as a child.

Jiequan has a brief period where he thinks Lear is really cool. That's why he has a ponytail as a teenager.

...In some ways, Jiequan only grew up to be what he was because he encountered Ji. He wanted to be loved, desperately, and forged himself in imitation of those heroes that Ji seemed strangely fond of in the histories they recounted. If anything, perhaps the problem was that his imitation was too good. He became a larger than life character, an act, a collection of someone else's ideas- and lost the sincerity which made him so endearing as a child. Yet at the same time, this turned him into someone Ji could no longer accept: a cruel, sadistic, and self-centered man who willfully inflicted pain onto others for his own ends.

But Jiequan could no longer turn back. He came to harbour a strange mix of bitter resentment and desperate longing for Ji's affection. If guoshi didn't approve of his actions, then guoshi had to be wrong, because Jiequan- Jiequan was doing everything right. This is what he wanted, right? This is what they asked for. He listened to Ji's prophecies and counsel as guoshi because he could not let go, and yet dismissed their words as merely the anxieties of an old Solarian.

When he met Yi, the first thing that struck Jiequan was how deeply unlikeable this tiny runt was. Sharp-tongued, standoffish, and disinterested in anything that didn't appeal to him, Yi was the type of person who made enemies as easily as breathing. And yet... He was outstanding. His martial prowess and scientific skill, for one matter, and for the other... the fact that Yi was undeniably loved. They weren't so different really, Jiequan and Yi- and yet, Jiequan was alone while Yi had friends and family who cared for him.

So came the second thing that struck Jiequan about Yi: he wanted him, and he wanted to break him. What would it be like, he wondered, to have someone finally hold Jiequan and only Jiequan in their eyes? Even if the emotion was motivated by pure hatred- what would it be like to occupy the whole of someone's mind? To be seen as himself, instead of a ghost from the past? If he took Yi apart, perhaps Jiequan could finally figure out what allowed Yi to cross the invisible wall between himself and others that Jiequan could not. At the very least, he would break the wall between himself and Yi - by any means necessary.

Jiequan wondered, in the end, what should he have done to keep holding on to the warm hand that saved him in the ruins of his childhood? What could he have done? He wanted too much, maybe- more than he could achieve as a weak, coddled child. Maybe his sin was that he could not stay a child forever. (That does not mean he ever really grew up.)

(Ji always saw him as that small, bright Xiao Quan who asked him for fairytales with sparkling eyes. That child simply wandered too far into his fantasies for Ji to find him before the end- not unlike another man Ji once knew, no-- but they cared for the two differently. He never did quite manage to make Xiao Quan see that.)

Bonus:

[tales-of-snaktooth]

Snak Eye Sky

Snak Eye Skies are a rare occurrence on the Tooth Islands. The sun will temporarily be replaced by that of a giant Snak eye (as most may have been told at least, some believe it’s something completely different), dimming the landscape, instantly turning a bright sunny day into that of dusk.

During this time, grumpuses must avert their eyes, bow down their heads, and whisper their praises and thanks for being able to survive on the island due to the plentiful Bugsnax. Grumpuses must not look directly at the Eye, or else judgment will occur, as well as a curse.

Once this short period of time is over, grumpuses are allowed to continue with their regular activities.

There are still many questions to have about this occurrence, but it’s said that one specific grump’s experience with a Snak Eye Sky had lead to possibly the most influential moment in Snaktooth Island’s history.

The Hunter

Hundreds of years ago, a Falls Valley grumpus was out hunting for Bugsnax in the blazing sun. They spent their time; perhaps too much of it, hiding perfectly in the shadows, waiting to ambush the next unsuspecting Snak that crosses their path.

After what felt like an eternity, they were alerted by the faint call of a strabby. At an instant, they sprung out from their hiding spot, and grasped the Snak in their claws. Finally, something to bring back home! But…thanks to this Snak, they had wasted so much time waiting around under a tree, and just for a small bug like this?

They’re lucky the sun’s still out…

So, in an act of pure spite and frustration, they dug their claws into the juicy flesh of the strabby, and yanked its wobbly eyes clean out.

The strabby was distressed, crying out and wriggling in their paws; it was probably the first time The Hunter had ever seen a Bugsnak in such disarray. They didn’t even act like this while being eaten! This odd occurrence hadn’t bothered them, though. They were going to eat it anyway, there was no use in worrying about whether or not it could see it happen.

They were finally ready to head back home, when suddenly the world around them seemed to get…dimmer? But it was the middle of the day? The sun was shining on their fur just a moment ago, what happened? Annoyed, The Hunter looked up to see if some grumpling was playing some prank on them.

But the sight they saw was no grumpling, or any sort of grumpus…

It was horrifying.

As if the sun itself had vanished right above their head. That blazing, bringer of day, was gone, replaced by some sort of ring of light surrounding pure darkness. Like an eye—a Bugsnak eye—staring down at them, judging them.

They were getting judged, by some higher being. The Hunter’s fur had bristled like a pine from The Woods, terrified yet entranced by the sight. They stood there, staring straight up until they ended up fainting from the shock of it all.

Waking up after who knows how long, finding their way back home was an incredibly difficult task. Their eyesight had degraded terribly, as if that Snak Eye had put a curse on them. But once they recognized that they were deep in the familiar territory of Falls Valley, they knew they had to alert their leader immediately, and that he in return should notify the rest of the island’s grumpuses as well.

An island-wide gathering was held deep in the night. Thousands of tired grumpuses were confused and aggravated, but The Hunter—The Cursed Hunter and their leader knew their experience needed to be shared to all of the island’s inhabitants. Once they had recounted their horrifying hunt, a number of grumpuses in the crowd were skeptical, but a vast majority were intrigued in their tale, with a few backing up their claim of that strange sudden nightfall in the middle of the day.

When asked what this would mean for the future of grumpus society, The Cursed Hunter exclaimed that this was due to the collective disrespect and selfishness of all the island’s grumpuses. That they have all; especially The Cursed Hunter themselves, had taken the Bugsnax for granted, and they must all pay their dues or else the island won’t stop at cursing one foolish grumpus. This explosion might might've just been a delirious, sleep deprived, post-supernatural-experience rant from The Cursed Hunter, but the Falls Valley leader agreed with everything they had said. He ended up making the call to set an island wide obligation to worship the Snax, as they now all know the immense power these creatures hold.

Many grumpuses were rightfully upset and shocked that he was willing to make a call that the entire island; not just his own territory, should follow, but the other territory leaders had chosen to go along with his decision. Both due to the power the Falls Valley territory has compared to the rest, and the possible power the Bugsnax also have. This wasn’t a risk they were willing to take for their alliance and their subjects.

While the rest of the territory leaders had openly agreed to these new laws, a few had doubts on how beneficial these will actually be for the future of the island and the grumpuses themselves. Specifically the call to hold monthly, day long ceremonies focused solely on the worship of Bugsnax and end with the sacrifice of a grumpus, which definitely shocked a number of grumpuses in the crowd and a few leaders as well. But the Falls Valley leader assured them all that it was a necessary precaution to take to insure the safety of the entire island from whatever power had harmed The Cursed Hunter. And that if any other Snak Eye Skies ever occur again, grumpuses will now know what to do to prevent the possibility of judgment and curses.

The island wide gathering was dismissed, and thousands of grumpus prepared to wake up to a completely new life the next day.

Currently, while the Bugsnak Worshiping laws have either loosened or intensified in certain territories, many grumpuses still pass on the story of The Cursed Hunter and the Snak Eye Sky, ways to remember how much power these strange creatures have over them.

[favfics13]

Seventeen Recommendations Part 3 - 05/24 - ...

Dream Ride by @bambikisss

Summary: You haven't been able to sleep much lately, so you've been driving around at night to help ease your mind. However, you keep passing by the same jet black colored motorcycle every night, which then keeps showing up in your dreams. So when you stop one night to get gas and see the same motorcycle stopped nearby, you decide to meet the man under the helmet.

Have My Baby by @seokgyuu

Summary: When fertility clinics fail to give you what you want, you decide it’s time to take the matter into your own hands. And who’d be better for the job than Choi Seungcheol?

Always Only You by @honeyhotteoks

summary: the date was terrible, awful even, but you just can't call your brother to pick you up. you have to call his best friend instead.

Whatever You Like by @highvern

Summary: Your husband takes his birthday more seriously than anyone you know. When he's scheduled for a business trip across the country, forcing you two to celebrate apart for the first time in your entire relationship, you decide to get creative with his gifts this year.

Just Like Candy by @bangtanintotheroom

Summary: Following a breakup, Seungcheol is looking for a distraction for the night. You catch his eye with your red lips and the rest is history.

When In Rome by @highvern

Summary: After months of no contact, Seungcheol isn't sure what to expect when he sees you again at Jeonghan's wedding. He's prepared to apologize, to grovel, to bear the weight of a cold shoulder. Whatever it takes to have you back, his best friend since diapers; or whatever will ensure the last third of your trio has the best day of his life. But when he overhears the most recent development in your relationship, he must come to terms with something he was never prepared for, or risk losing you for good.

When A Villainess Loves by @starlightxsvt

Synopsis ➳ four years of obsessing over him. so what if he is taken. you don't mind being the villainess if it means you get to have him in the end.

Say please by @giraffenamjoon

Summary: you take your bad day out on your best friend, forgetting he has experience dealing with little brats.

Too Many Beds by @miabebe

Summary: Choi Seungcheol may be your parent's best friend's son, your next door neighbour for 20 odd years and the one face you saw every damn time, every damn where but that didn't mean the two of you wanted anything to do with each other. But a business trip - one room, three nights, and seven beds - might just be what it takes to change it all....

Dark Protector by @smileysuh

preview. “When I’m balls deep in your pussy, watching you writhe under me, listening to your pretty sounds- that will be the cherry on top of this birthday,” he explains. “Thank you for wanting to make me feel good, but- usually, baby, I like to be the giver.”

Ode To You by @lovelyhan

Summary: if there's one thing you've learned from all the lives you've spent together, it's that jeonghan isn't always someone you'll end up wanting. he can be crass. he can be secretive. he can be nothing short of vexing. but in the end, he's everything you need him to be. or: 25 lives in which you find and don't find jeonghan.

I Think We Married In Vegas by @ressonancee

Summary: You and Jeonghan have always been friends, and friends go on a trip together, right? And somehow friends always end up marrying in Las Vegas right? And somehow friends become roommates as well right? That all seems very normal when Yoon Jeonghan has a weird addiction to doing the dumbest things ever just for shock value.

Lens Of Ice by @wongyuuu

summary: jeonghan has only one chance left to make it to the olympics. as he embarks on this decisive journey, you, a documentarist, are set to follow him as he seeks the ultimate glory.

The Unoriginal Villain Origin Story by @twogyuu

Synopsis: In which Jeonghan and his friends recount the series of unfortunate events that led to you. Alternatively, in which maybe leaving it up to fate Wonwoo is all Jeonghan really needed to do all along.

(Tryna Do) What Lovers Do by @vitaminkyeom

SUMMARY || When you had roped Jeonghan into your idea of being a ‘pretend’ couple, you did not expect the lie to grow this big. What was supposed to be a one day thing soon became a rather frequent occurrence. And the gravity of the situation did not really hit you until your parents were requesting an audience with your new ‘boyfriend’. Will the two of you be able to keep your act till then? Or, in which, you keep promising yourself that this would be the last day you pretend to have feelings for Yoon Jeonghan.

BITE by @hannieehaee

Summary: keeping appearances as an idol was already hard enough, but it becomes even worse upon finding a forlorn jeonghan with need of assistance with the company's faulty security system, instantly becoming endeared with the idol who refused to take no for an answer — not that you'd ever want him to.

Accidentally Kidnapping A Mafia Boss by @miabebe

Summary: The cost of one harmless prank? The city's biggest mafia leader taking refuge in your house. And maybe that wouldn't have been such a problem if he wasn't so hot and you weren't such a coward, but apparently, fate just does things for the ✨plot ✨ sometimes...

Building Blocks by @starlightkyeom

Summary: (agreeing to be the teaching assistant is the last thing you want in a semester where you're already swamped with work. but, you need a letter of recommendation from the professor and you're out of other options. enter jeonghan, the menace who signs up for the class seemingly on a whim and disrupts your entire routine.)

Full Throttle by @diamonddaze01

Summary: jeonghan's not used to someone who pushes his buttons as easily as you do, and you're not used to someone who challenges you as quickly as he does. maybe it's time to go full throttle, both on and off the track.

Birds of a Feather by @onlymingyus

summary; You and Shua work together on a petition to get rid of the bird kid and then you fall in love.

505 by @lovelyhan

Summary: i'd probably still adore you with your hands around my neck; or i did, last time i checked.

Not According To Plan by @starlightkyeom

Summary: your ex-fiance is getting married and everyone you know is going to be there. when he calls to ask if you're coming, you accidentally mention a boyfriend. which would be fine, if you weren't very single. thankfully your best friend comes through with the perfect solution when he sets you up with a friend of his. what could possibly go wrong?

Workaholic!Joshua by @hoshifighting

Synopsis: Joshua consistently skips happy hours or works overtime. You've tried to warn your friend countless times, but he didn't listen to you. As a result, it's no surprise that Joshua experienced a burnout on the office floor.

Vanilla by @milfgyuu (Series)

Summary: Joshua has a secret but perhaps it’s not really a secret at all. Maybe you’ve just refused to see it in an effort to keep your feelings at bay.

Isohel by @toruro

Summary: fairytales can be rather misleading, can't they? when you and your mother are ripped away from your life at the castle, you spend over a decade resenting the royalty. so naturally, when you find prince joshua at your doorstep, you’re more than eager to shut the door on him. but as your life takes twists and turns, you happen to find yourself in the arms of a man you never thought you'd have to see again.

City Lights by @hannieween (Series)

Summary: Joshua Hong could be many things. For one, he is your next door neighbour. He is a rockstar, a relentless tease, a menace. But, ironically, he is always willing to lend a hand whenever you need it, regardless of the nature of your desires.

Burnt Coffee by @highvern

Summary: Running a cafe hadn’t been as glamorous as you initially believed. You loved your job; the cozy aroma of the different roasts, the hum of the espresso machine, the foam art you tediously practiced until a cute bear face stared back from the surface of a cappuccino. But any new shop comes with quirks, like the fire alarm that goes off almost every morning. Luckily, the fire station is just across the street and you unknowingly have one of the fireman wrapped around your finger.

Houdini by @highvern (Series)

Summary: The guy wearing a tiger onesie and ripping a bong in the corner might not be the most promising prospect of the night. But you've got a point to prove and a bet to win.

Homewrecked by @ncteez

Summary: Wonwoo doesn’t seem to realize that you’re giving him the best option out of a relationship that doesn’t even involve you. With a cheating best friend on one side, and a loyal Wonwoo loving her from two hours away on another, you decide that home wrecking isn’t always a bad idea.  or the one where wonwoo fights internal demons over wanting you bc he’s in a relationship that he doesn’t even realize is falling apart.

Play Again by @shuarush

Synopsis:  after ten years of not seeing your high school crush you find yourself partnered with him at the company you work for. Since you've been rejected before, you try your best to not let any feelings flourish, but Jeon Wonwoo's charms make that attempt especially hard for you.

Fuck The Neighbors by @sluttywonwoo

summary: curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back- at least, that's what they say.

Give It To Me by @onlymingyus

summary; From the outside looking in your life is perfect. It's the perfect ones who are the most fucked up and have the most to lose, or so you thought.

No Rainbows by @wonwootattoo

Summary: You return from study abroad to your friend group including jeon wonwoo, a phd student in your department, who you've never been close with. your closest friend seungkwan thinks the two of you would make a good pair. unfortunately, wonwoo is a known player, pulling girls in with his biker fits and tattoos. at a party, you are dared to make out with him for 3 minutes and you are immediately put off by his cocky attitude and wandering eyes. you're the first girl wonwoo is genuinely intrigued by and he's determined to win you over.

34.6037° S, 58.3816° W by @starlightkyeom

Summary: (your latest assignment has you jetting off to argentina hoping to finally catch the infamous art thief that's escaped your agency one too many times already. you know what's at stake if you lose your focus. enter the beautiful stranger that has you questioning everything you know.)

HER by @chocosvt (Series)

Synopsis: wonwoo, a heartbroken and burnt out writer nearing the end of his math degree, wants nothing to do with the seemingly perfect, intimidating girl who has everyone under her thumb. you. unfortunately, his literary talent has got him shoved him between a rock and a hard place when you want to write a book and require his expertise. you two are the furthest from compatible. wonwoo can’t see this going well. at all.

Hands Trilogy by @giraffenamjoon

RAW by @ourdawnishotterthanourday

Civil Affairs by @bitchlessdino

Summary: With the mutual understanding being cheated on, Seokmin finds solace in you, the beautiful stranger with ties to man that ruined his marriaged, Fortunately, light peeks out of the most inconvenient of circumstance.

Guinea Pig by @imloyaltoscoups

Work Me Out by @highvern

Hits Different (...'cause it's you) by @gyuswhore

SYNOPSIS: Kim Mingyu was the first friend your brother had brought home for dinner. Fast forward a couple years, his toothy smile and pierced ears would wedge their way into a permanent place in your heart. Nail to a coffin, never to escape. or; in which you get rejected by the only boy you've ever loved; a rejection you can't quite shake off.

7 Days by @hannieoftheyear

Summary: During a seven-day vacation with your friends, you try to get over your feelings for one of them. Feeling alone, surrounded by people who seem closer to each other than you, you find comfort in the one person that you didn’t know before.

LIAR., LIAR! by @sanakiras

SYNOPSIS — in a dramatic turn of events, a rich businessman is found dead in his lavish estate, and the authorities believe it was no accident. as the detectives dig deeper, they ultimately end up with two key suspects: you, the businessman’s very own daughter, and your sworn enemy, kim mingyu. as the time progresses, tensions rise and secrets spill — and the truth has the power to either bring you closer together or tear you apart.

Foolproof Stupidity by @shuarush

Synopsis:  after giving your blood, sweat and tears to your company, you found yourself lost in whoever you are and were, and in the middle of an uncomfortable event you decided to throw caution out the window and go out of your comfort zone. meeting mingyu wasn’t the reason for it, but it was a good consequence. the feelings that emerged in your heart, on the other hand, were something you simply couldn’t handle at the moment, and you might just let your traumas get the best of you and push away the thing you fear the most: love.

Midnights To Come by @ssinboo

Summary: After finding campus heartthrob Kim Mingyu absolutely butchering his trousers trying to fix the hole he'd busted in them, you offer his your sewing abilities. As retribution, he thinks that nothing is more fitting than his ultimate mission: getting you laid. or You and Mingyu spend an unforgettable night together.

A (W)Hole New Experience by @ourdawnishotterthanourday

Summary: Your husband has always had a thing for your ass. And so it’s only natural for him to want to take your sex life to the next level. The question is whether you will let him.

Rivals To Lovers by @hoshifighting

Synopsis: You were willing to do everything to win the science fair and claim the $500 prize, hoping to outdo Mingyu, your college rival. You successfully win the prize, but your excitement took a hit when you found out that Mingyu actually wanted to use the prize money to support a dog adoption campaign.

Lost In The West by @starlightkyeom

(where your best friend pretends to be your boyfriend for the holidays so you can avoid more nagging from your mother. except your whole family thought you were already dating)

Office Hours by @seungkw1

Hit: Vernon by @smileysuh

Synopsis. You might not be great at taking the large bong your frat friends pass around at parties, but Vernon has at least one pipe you can handle ;)

Drive by @miraclewoozi

Summary: DRIVE -- or, the night you realise it's actually very hard to stay mad at the guy who shows up at your house, throwing stones at your window on a Thursday night, to try and fix something that was your mistake in the first place.

More Than One Member

Back To School With Seventeen by @camandemstudios

Thirteen Valentines by @bookyeom

13 Reasons Why by @lily-blue

Summary: a series of love stories built around the same coffee shop: its owner, his employees, his close friends and the customers

Game Over by @lovelyhan

Favourite by @simpxxstan

Summary: after being happily single for years, when you develop a crush, you don't know what to do. you think your closest friend (with benefits) can take your mind off things. but when you ask for his help, you certainly didn't imagine this kind of help from him.

Good & Bad by @smileysuh

preview. “My new therapist says it’s healthy behavior to let Wonwoo do what he wants to do ever so often,” you explain, watching Wonwoo beat Seungcheol at the arm wrestling and proceed to down two shots in celebration. “I’m not sure how she can think him coming to frats, getting drunk, and getting into pissing contests is healthy, but hey, it’s not my job to counsel power holders.”

Fuck Your Ex by @smileysuh

preview. “Cuddles don’t hurt either,” Mingyu muses, pulling you to his chest. “If we get to your bedroom and you decide you just want someone to be with, I’m not going to pressure you. I know I said the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else, but, skin to skin contact - even if it’s not sexual - can be an amazing way to get over an ex too.”

Like We Just Met by @onlymingyus

More Than I Can Resist by @multi-kpop-fanfics

Summary: you love starting your day with your boyfriend and a freshly brewed cup of coffee. but your other boyfriend has a different idea of a perfect morning.

More Than I Can Handle by @multi-kpop-fanfics

Summary: the abundance of snow outside won't stop you and wonwoo from restocking your fridge. and it certainly won't stop seungcheol from getting what he wants from his girlfriend and boyfriend - their undivided attention.

Stay ‘Till Sunrise by @shuadotcom

Summary: After years of pining and lusting over your best friends, your desperation finally gets the better of you and you decide enough is enough. Tonight is the night you’ll risk ruining the friendship to be with them in every way you can.

Lights Out by @hannieween

Summary:Ever since you met Joshua Hong, your life took a hard turn to an unknown piece of yourself. And now you watch from the sidelines as the spotlights are on him, but you are not alone.

[forever-1895]

CALLING ALL Since I First Saw Your Face fans

Let's work together and post as many supportive things about this story so hopefully the author sees and feels motivated to update!

In case you don't know, Since I First Saw Your Face by Stavia_Scott_Grayson on ao3 (@artemisastarte on Tumblr) rewriting the Sherlock Holmes books from the point of view of Holmes. It very realistically develops the relationship between this iconic duo, taking into account the events which would have happened at that time in history (e.g. Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885, Jack the Ripper 1888, etc), and the period typical homophobia is shockingly well researched. Even the concerts Holmes & Watson go to actually happened at the times stated in the story.

At the start of each chapter, there is a painful (3rd person) recording of the time Holmes spent abroad toiling after Moran (the late Moriarty's right hand man) during the hiatus (after faking his death at the Reichenbach Falls); about how he wishes above all to return to England and see Watson again, whom he misses in extremity.

Holmes receives news from England via Mycroft (his brother), which updates him about the state of affairs in England. Apparently, Watson has been wasting away after his wife's & Holmes' death. Mycroft tells Holmes that if he doesn't return quickly, Watson may be no more.

However, Holmes cannot return, as some things still need sorting out. He does however, ask Mycroft to send Watson The Sigerson Papers, an account written by Holmes under the name of Sigerson about the things he experienced in Asia. Watson notices that Sigerson is a lot like Holmes, and asks Mycroft whether his beloved is still alive.

However, even after finding out Holmes is still alive, Watson's condition doesn't improve. He feels betrayed. 3 years of hell, and Holmes was lying to him the whole time. He still loves Holmes, but all the same, he is not pleased.

Mycroft sends to Holmes about this, and Holmes is torn between homesickness and the fear that Watson will no longer like him. Holmes bides his time in Asia, until one day a letter from Watson arrives, telling him that he knows that Holmes is scared to return for fear of how he might react, and that though he is angry, he still loves him and wishes more than anything to have him back.

After a section detailing Holmes in Asia post-hiatus, there will be a recounting of events years ago, starting from when Holmes first met Watson, who was very weak and ill after returning from the army. Holmes takes a liking to him almost instantly, though he tries not to show it. Holmes describes moving in together, and even pays their landlady (Mrs. Hudson) to provide extra nutritious food for Watson so he might recover faster.

Holmes helps Watson get over his Soldier's Heart (PTSD, I think), Watson accompanies Holmes to cases, Holmes plays the violin for hours on end just for Watson's enjoyment, they go to concerts together, and support each other when one is feeling depressed.

All while this happens, Holmes tells us of his struggles of hiding his sexuality and desire from Watson, the struggles he has fighting his drug addiction, and the struggles of being an invert (homosexual) in the late 18th to early 19th century.

We also have some VERY tense scenes for when Watson is being too kind to Holmes and Holmes is about to let his feelings pour out his mouth like a waterfall, but fear of rejection holds him back.

It builds up to Holmes & Watson first meeting Moriarty at a concert, and then all the trouble starts from there.

Moriarty is constantly trying to cause distress for Holmes, first sending an anonymous letter to the police accusing of the two of sodomy, a terrible crime at the time period, taking advantage of multiple female murders and framing Watson for having committed them, and though disproved, it shows how close Moriarty can get to Holmes without even appearing; it's always one of Moriarty's goons who does it for him.

Moriarty threatens Holmes to end his association with the good doctor at another concert some years later or he will never cease trying to condemn Watson, and sooner or later, he'll succeed in ruining him.

All this unfolds while Watson is chatting animatedly to a Mrs Forrester and a Miss Mary Morstan in another area of the concert hall...

And that's what's happened so far. There's a LOT more, but I don't have time to write it all 😝.

In conclusion, post-hiatus: Holmes is still in Asia pining for Watson, Watson is pining for Holmes in England, and pre-hiatus: Watson has just met Mary, and Moriarty is stirring up a ruckus. SO NOW DO YOU SEE WHY WE NEEEED AN UPDATE? IM DYING HERE!

and to make y'all feel better, in case you haven't read it yet, Watson does reciprocate Holmes affections

[offbeatcappuccino]

queen of tears is going to cure me~ episode 1 summary and ramblings

Kim Soo Hyun has a penchant for playing what I saw someone playfully describe "the colorblind man". Obviously the term is not referring to the actual medical condition, but rather his willingness to either not see or ignore the red flags associated with the 99.5% looks like they would kill you and 0.5% is a cinnamon roll-esque girl boss. These girlies are the ones that society deems to be villains because of their arrogance and abrasiveness. However, these "Evil Queens" are Kim Soo Hyun's "Snow Whites" because, by the end of the show, he will be fixing their unprocessed childhood trauma with the power of true love. Hong Hae In (played by the wonderful Kim Ji Won) is the recent addition to a long list of women which include Ko Moon Young, Cheon Song Yi, and Cindy.

In Queen of Tears, Kim Soo Hyun plays Baek Hyun Woo, who serves as the legal counsel for the Queen Group In the opening scene, Hyun Woo is asked to recount how he met his wife Hong Hae In, the current CEO of Queen Department Stores and a chaebol heiress. He met Hae In for the first time when she was working as an "undercover" intern. While his other colleagues are miffed by her obnoxiousness and indifference towards their work, Hyun Woo tries his best to help her and even goes as far as telling her that she needs to step up her game because he's worried that she will be fired for her performance. When Hae In asks him to reflect on why he feels that way, we see Hyun Woo confess his feelings for Hae In in one of the funniest ways ever seen in kdrama history. Completely oblivious to the fact that Hae In is a multimillionaire, Hyun Woo offers a pragmatic declaration of his love by listing his academic qualifications, his ability to pay rent on his studio apartment, and even the fact that his family owns "35 cows". Hae In is amused and flattered by the proposal and the rest is history. When Hyun Woo discovers Hae In's true background, he freaks out and resigns his job. Despite this, Hae In literally chases after him in a helicopter and promises to "never make him cry".

After nearly three years of marriage ,Hyun Woo and Hae In's relationship has become a shadow of its former self. While in public, Hyun Woo and Hae-In's marriage is lauded as the "marriage of the century" and a stunning example of a progressive South Korea where love can overcome class and social boundaries, Hyun Woo and Hae In are in nothing but a loving relationship. They sleep in separate beds, eat breakfast as far as they can from each other, and are constantly at odds with each other at work.

Complicating the tension between the two are their surroundings. They live in a multigenerational mansion with the rest of Hae In's family and their "work" and "personal" lives become intertwined. For their chaebol family, every personal decision is also a calculated business one that can impact their investments and prestige. In these conditions, as the outsider, Hyun Woo receives the shorter end of the stick in their marriage. At work, he is routinely degraded at work by Hae In when their opinions do not align and at home, his in-laws treat him like a second class citizen ordering him around like an employee rather than their son-in-law. For example, in one scene, we not only see the family members forcing the couple to have a child but they also insist that the child's surname be Hong (mother's last name) rather than Baek (traditional father's last name). Throughout all of this, Hyun Woo's humiliation is exacerbated by the fact that Hae In never appears to stand for him and is complacent to all the verbal and emotional abuse he faces from their family. While all of these scenes are shown with a splash of comedy, they also convincingly convey Hyun Woo's desire for a divorce even if it must be paid with an immense cost.

With much of Episode 1 conveyed through Hyun Woo's point of view, it is tempting to brand Hae In as a terrible wife. However, we are offered glimpses that suggest her feelings towards Hyun Woo are far more complicated. For instance, shortly after the scene where Hyun Woo is bossed around by her family, she privately confronts her younger brother for being disrespectful towards Hyun Woo. Such actions are accompanied by moments where we do see that she yearns for him and is hurt by his disdain towards her and their marriage. However, like many of her tsundere male counterparts, she struggles immensely with emotional transparency. Instead of engaging in heartfelt communication, she resorts to offering cold blasé remarks, which gaslight Hyun Woo's genuine concern and anger.

What is interesting about the world that Queen of Tears creates is that the protagonist does not benefit from male privilege. In fact, many rigid patriarchal practices are subverted in the drama. For instance, instead of the bride moving into the husband's marital home, the opposite occurs when Hyun Woo relocates from his family's farm to the Queen's Mansion. There are also other notable examples such as the insistence of Hae In's family to take the maternal surname, which contrasts the default cultural practice of taking your father's last name and their unique custom of forcing the men who married into their family to prepare the dishes for their memorial service. These scenes not only highlight the unique interplay between gender and socioeconomic but also force the viewers to reckon with the patriarchy. It is jarring to see the roles flipped and it makes us question how displacement, abuse, and oppression are normalized for married women in Asian societies. As a South Asian, many of Hyun Woo's experiences parallel the stories frequently recounted by my own mother, aunts, and grandmothers.

With only one episode, it's hard to discern whether this set up solely exists for comedic shock value or whether the show is making a` genuine social commentary. If the latter is true, I am excited to see how the writers will utilize this theme in moving the plot forward. For Episode 2, I am also intrigued to see how the cliffhanger in Episode 1 will be addressed. Is Hae In telling Hyun Woo the truth or is this her twisted way of her testing his love? Who knows, but I know for sure that Queen of Tears will make me anticipate the weekend more than I usually do!

[sizzleissues]

Bedtime story (i read a post with this idea, @asukiess I believe.) Thank you (:

Marinette was aware her partners had had unusual childhoods. Adrien’s ‘who can stay the quietest’ competitions where he competed against himself was one tip-off. They’d been hanging out, bored during the summer when he’d suggested it. Safe to say the perception of his childhood had been altered. (His record was five days. Five days he’d stayed completely silent and according to him, his père hadn’t noticed. He said that and laughed.) 

It wasn’t any better for Kagami. While at least Adrien had good memories with his mère (beach days and cozying up to watch old movies), Kagami had no good years to pull on. Laying awake one night, she admitted that her life only really started when she met them. She recounted one day about the ‘totally normal’ childhood experience of training from sun up to sun down from the age of five. It ‘toughened her’ and ‘was exactly what growing girls needed’. Marinette let her sleep in now, lying when she said her alarm must have malfunctioned.

Knowing that all, she still found it in her to be surprised when her girlfriend and boyfriend gazed at her with confused expressions.

“They would ‘r-e-a-d’ to you?” Adrien asked, still struggling to get a grip on the concept.

“Every night from age 1 to 8. After that I could read myself.”

“Were they history books, or science books? For extra learning,” Kagami asked. Marinette glanced down at her where she lay across her stomach. Adrien sat directly across from her on her bed, legs slotted between her’s. 

“No. They were story books I guess. When I was younger they read picture books, like the Little Prince. When I got older they read anything really, usually with princesses and princes.”

“But what’s the point? Were you unable to read?” Kagami continued, with genuine curiosity in her voice. 

“I was able to read. I guess we just liked spending that time together. My papa can do the silliest voices, he still teases me with some of the older nursery rhymes I used to love.”

“Oh,” They both said. Marinette wanted to hug the pair of them. How terrible must their childhoods have been to not even know what a bedtime story was? She would have to fix this immediately.

“Wait one second.” She carefully slid out from under Kagami and climbed past Adrien, descending the ladder. She just needed a few things. 

Marinette found a book first, deciding against something childish, knowing it would only insult their intelligence. The pair of them were smarter than half of France combined, only Adrien liked to be modest (Kagami didn’t have any qualms against fraglently showing off her wit). She went with a sci-fi novel that had enough fancy words in the blurb that her intelligent partners would just love.

Next she instructed them to get into her bed before running downstairs for the last part of her plan. She just barely caught Adrien whispering ‘she’s going Ladybug mode, this must be serious’ as she exited her room. She chuckled to herself. It was all for a good cause though. 

She returned moments later with a tray carrying warm milk and cookies, setting it down on her desk.

“Are you in bed?” She called from below. She heard a little shifting around and then a tiny ‘yes’ came from Adrien.

“Good. I’m coming up now.” She placed the book on the tray and carried it up to them, setting it down on her bedside table. The pair eyed it suspiciously, still clearly both confused by what was happening. Marinette waited to explain, fluffing up the pillows behind their heads and tucking them in. She laid a kiss on their foreheads and then sat on the side of the bed.

“What are you doing?” Adrien asked. Marinette shook her head, shushing her boyfriend.

“It's bedtime, no talking. Drink your milk.” She handed them their milk and Adrien gingerly sipped it. His eyes lit up and he took a larger drink. Marinette had half thought to hand it to him in a pan, he was Chat Noir after all and watching him lick things was endlessly adorable but he also tended to spill things. A cup was safer. Kagami behaved a little more cautiously. She dipped the cookie in the milk and nibbled at it as Marinette picked up and opened the book. 

“Since you guys have never had a bedtime story. I thought I’d read you one. Feel free to fall asleep, that's the point.”

“Aw, Mari,” Adrien chimed.

“This is nice. Thank you Marinette,” Kagami said.

Marinette smiled, cheeks heated from her own glass of milk (definitely not because of her boyfriend and girlfriend looking adorable all tucked in). She flicked to the start and began reading, keeping her voice light and evenly paced. At the dialogue she took a swing at a silly voice which caused Kagami to snort milk out her nose. She avoided her ‘pirate with a chest infection’ impression from there on.

By the third chapter her voice wavered but it didn’t matter as she watched them drift asleep. Adrien leaned his head on Kagami’s shoulder, trying desperately to keep his eyes open but losing. With one last blink she knew he was gone. 

Kagami held on another chapter before she too drifted off. Marinette finished out the chapter, yawning every second word. She climbed in beside Kagami and snuggled close. Kagami turned toward her in her sleep, face perfectly serene. 

She closed her eyes and smiled.

HAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I AM OKAY. This was a quick write. Why can I write better in short bursts, idk. Mariadrigami be together and very in love (My dad still chases me around singing ‘rub and dub dub, all the animals in the tub’ because apparently that was my favourite book as a kid so he’s memorised it.)

[whumpsmith-participates]

AI-less Whumptober 2024

Day 27 - Alternate universe

Tags/CW: time travel, multiple POV sorta, open ending

Working in the department that dealt with anything supernatural meant that sometimes the detectives were forced to work particularly tricky cases.

Detective Liam Hill, detective Mark Hales and their CO Alexandrine Carnahan, knew today was going to be particularly tough when they heard about three heroes that had disappeared during a fight with a crazed villain, only to re-appear only five seconds later, wearing different clothes, an array of injuries of various ages that hadn't been there before, and greeting others as if they hadn't seen them for months.

Their explanation? They spent nine months in an alternate timeline trying to find their way back home.

As much as it broke their hearts to see the three young heroes—who they couldn't help but to still view as children—so upset, they still decided to separate the three of them, so they could take their statements individually.

The three heroes in question were Phoenix, Magnetic Girl and March Hare. Captain Carnahan figured Magnetic Girl might be more comfortable talking to a woman, so she invited the girl into her office. Liam had a history with March Hare, so he sat him down in one of their interrogation rooms so they could talk privately, and Mark...well, Mark got along with anyone, so he sat down with Phoenix in their break room with a warm cup of tea.

"Just start at the beginning," he said gently, "tell me what happened."

"I....i-it started normal," Phoenix quietly said, warming his hands on the cup, "or well...as normal as it gets considering we found ourselves in the future all of a sudden. W-we decided to lie low and find Dad— I-I mean, Dr Slade. He sent us to Los Angeles, they invented a time machine, and we went back...b-but everything was horribly, horribly wrong..."

Meanwhile Liam stepped into the interrogation room after grabbing himself a strong coffee, and some hot chocolate for March, only to be greeted with an unexpected hug as he walked in.

"What are you doing, kid?" he asked, trying to ignore the pain of the hot liquid running over his hands after spilling a bit.

"I-I watched you die..."

"...now I've heard everything," Liam said with a sigh, "okay, sit down, tell me what happened."

They sat down at the table, March wiping some tears off of his face, before recounting the same events as Phoenix; They found themselves in the future, they went to Slade for help, and when they returned they found themselves in the wrong timeline.

"The streets were empty, even the weather looked miserable," March said, "but when we ran into dog-catchers... That's when we knew things were beyond fucked up."

"...dog-catchers as in animal control, or dog-catchers as in super-hunting douchebags?" Liam asked.

"The latter," March said, "they tried to grab us, but then uh....Sandra saved us."

"The receptionist from the clinic?"

"Do you know any other Sandras?"

"Apparently you do," Liam said with a shrug.

"And then some," March said, "she had a shotgun and she knew how to use it...and she didn't trust us, so she took us captive and we were interrogated for hours because she didn't believe our story, until we showed her the memory card Tyler gave us — It had the plans for the time machine, he wanted us to bring it to the past so he could work on it sooner and have it locked and loaded in case our situation ever happened again...She decided that a time machine could change the tide of their war....stop it from ever happening in the first place."

"War? What war?" Captain Carnahan frowned confused, looking down at her notes while Magnetic Girl nodded.

"I-it was terrible," she said quietly, "so hopeless they were willing to bet everything on us and getting the plans for the time machine to Tyler...which meant getting us out of the country."

"Was I there?" Captain Carnahan asked, unable to contain her curiosity, "please tell me I was on the winning side."

"I met...uh...the other you briefly," Magnetic Girl said, "I...I'm not sure if you made it. You were with March and his group was attacked. He...he nearly didn't make it, and he didn't want to tell us what happened."

"Damn, that doesn't promise much good," Captain Carnahan said, "but, we're getting off-track. How did it even end up like that in the first place?"

"Apparently the signs had been around for a while," Phoenix said, after Mark asked him a similar question, "supers disappearing randomly, experimented on in secret facilities funded by our own government... Exactly the kind of things we've seen happening here..."

"And now you're worried the same thing will happen here?" Mark asked.

"I-I don't know," Phoenix said, "b-but it doesn't seem so far-fetched now."

"I see," Mark said, "just a few more questions and then we'll call your family to come pick you up, okay?"

Phoenix nodded, taking a sip of tea.

"Okay." Mark said, "So...how long did you say you were stuck in the wrong timeline?"

"T-three months," Phoenix said, "and before that six months in the future."

"So...it took Tyler six months to invent a time machine?" Mark asked.

He couldn't help but to be impressed, he knew a little bit about the complexity of the subject, which may or may not have to do with his favourite sci-fi movies, and today's scientists all agreed that even theoretically time travel was about as impossible as it gets...yet Tyler figured it out in six. Months.

"They scanned us for....particles or something," Phoenix said, "they had all kinds of equipment that we couldn't even begin to understand. They didn't explain it either, we didn't belong there and they were determined to send us home."

"That makes sense," Mark said with a nod.

"I think we could've been back sooner," Magnetic Girl said, now also discussing the time frame with Captain Carnahan, "but March had the memory card with the plans, and he never made it across the border, so we had to go back and rescue him."

"So that's why it took three months to get back to the right timeline?" Captain Carnahan asked.

"Y-yeah," Faline said, "besides having to figure out the math and building the actual machine, we also needed some time to recover. They didn't want to send us back until we could travel safely...just in case."

"Thankfully some things remain the same throughout different timelines then," Captain Carnahan said, "and this memory card that brought you guys home...?"

March quietly placed the plastic case in which he'd been carrying the memory card on the table after Liam asked a similar question.

"The...improved blueprints for a working time machine," he said, "Tyler said they were encrypted in a way that only he could figure out, so that they won't fall into the wrong hands."

"Smart man," Liam said, "you gonna give it to him?"

March looked down at the case, not quite sure what to answer...

@ailesswhumptober

Mark, Phoenix, and Sandra (mentioned) belong to @dr-abitat-blog

Masterlist

Main account

I wish I could go into more detail about this alternate timeline because by GOD it was glorious, but it was never actually written so all the details are fuzzy...

[mysavagebeauty]

at this point, i don't even know how many times i've read The Secret History. but i think this is the first time where i'm going at it knowing full well that Richard isn't reliable. i've always known he was an unreliable narrator, but this is the first time i'm questioning everything he's telling the reader.

and i think that's why i can never get tired of revisiting this story and its world and characters. i feel like i discover something new every time.

this time around, i feel like i'm seeing Bunny for the first time. yes, he's a terrible person in that he's racist, sexist, homophobic, and so many more awful things. but to think him worse than the others who committed murder and didn't care... they're all terrible people. but maybe Bunny was the only one who truly understood the gravity of what his friends had done.

i'm at the part where Richard was recounting how Bunny just got worse towards them as time went on. and even he's trying hard to justify what they did to Bunny. Richard admitted Bunny didn't do anything grand to push them off the ledge (no pun intended), but that it was the culmination of his nastiness. but even that shift in Bunny's personality was influenced by whatever breakdown he had after discovering the truth of his friends' actions.

look, i'm not saying i now like Bunny. i think he's an interesting character, but i don't think i'll ever like him as a person. but i am finally seeing how maybe his death wasn't all that fair.

[on-partiality]

Hi, I’ve been curious about Hercules Mulligan’s inclusion in the Rev Set ever since I have seen posts saying that one of the other aids like Meade and Tilgman or Tallmadge (if Herc was added solely for spy stuff) would have been a better choice. Id love to hear your thoughts on this.

Also, (terribly sorry if this insults any Mullette shippers) but do you know why people ship Mullette? (Correct me if I’m wrong) but these two have had zero historical relations. In addition, I don’t remember from the last time I saw musical but if you do, what was Laf and Herc’s relationship onstage?

So sorry about this super long ask. I just felt like you would be the best person to ask. Tysm and I hope you have a wonderful day!😊

Aw, this is such a cool question! And you're really nice, anon! I wish you the best! I would also like to make it very clear right now to anyone else who wants to send me a long ask. I love long asks. They give me more to ramble about!

When I was first getting into studying the real history behind the musical two years ago, this same thing confused me heaps. Mainly because we have no proof that Lafayette or Laurens ever even met Mulligan, let alone became good friends with him and he wasn't particularly close to Hamilton either for most of the war (I mean, in the continental army, he would've barely seen Hamilton, and the other aides would have been around him all day). Hamilton lived with him when he was in college, and they got along really well, had fun late-night conversations, just overall were great friends who influenced eachother in positive ways and Mulligan's chats with him definitely made young Hamilton more enthusiastic about the revolutionary cause. Additionally, Hercules Mulligan was part of his artillery company, The Hearts Of Oak or the Corsicans - Mulligan's the whole reason why we know the story of 18 year old Hamilton stealing British cannons with his volunteers is because of the recount of that night that Mulligan later wrote - however, for the rest of the war they just didn't interact with one another much.

They had their separate jobs, and they did them well. Hamilton was confined to his own quaters and the aide-de-camp tent, Mulligan was hanging around British camps and the battlefield doing exactly what Hamilton wanted to do. The relationship between the two was completely different from how Hamilton, Laurens, and Lafayette were through most of the war. Working together, seeing each other just about every other day, creating the same drafts and plans; Especially Laurens and Hamilton as Lafayette got some more 'exciting' jobs because of his rank as a Major General. But out of the bunch, Mulligan really sticks out like a sore thumb, historically the group was called the gay trio and for a good 3 quaters of the war it was just them all together. So why on earth would Lin Manuel Miranda add a fourth to the trio? It very well could be that like you said, he wanted everyone in the main group to have a different role that was integral to how the Continental army ran (Lafayette commanding, Hamilton writing, Laurens battling (?) and Mulligan spying) but I ended up reaching the conclusion that because the musical starts in 1776 while Hamilton was still in college - in the musical at least, presumably, but because of the way events are swapped around with eachother and happen at all the wrong times it's a bit difficult to tell what time things happened in the musical like I believe that when it starts Hamilton's meant to be in college and not yet a soldier however Hamilton left college to make his militia thing in 1775 and he stole the cannons in 1775 however the musical shows this happening after Aaron Burr, Sir and at the start if that song they make it very clear that it's meant to be 1776 which also means that Hamilton and Mulligan should've already known each other, I digress, I could ramble about how the way the musical timeline is makes no sense for years - , they wanted to show someone who was really important to him at that age, and they just kept him with the group for the rest of the show to avoid confusion as to why he disappeared or so that they wouldn't have to introduce another character (like why they used Jefferson instead of Monroe for the Reynolds pamphlet).

I don't know about using Tallmadge as a substitute though, given that I haven't read of any interactions between him and Hamilton or him and Laurens historically, I haven't read of any between him and Lafayette either, but it seems more likely that they would've spoken given Lafayette's position as a major general. It's entirely possible that the trio had heard of him but never actually met him given that I believe that I read somewhere that the whole trio knew of the Culper Spy Ring and a lot of what they would've heard to do with the Culper Spy Ring would have related to Benjamin Tallmadge in some way or other because he was the co-founder of the group. Meade and Tilghman would be good to swap Mulligan for, but then it doesn't make sense that he was talking to them in college (although Laurens and Lafayette didn't meet Hamilton when he was 19 either and like I mentioned earlier, Mulligan should have already known him so with the logic of the Hamilton musical they could be in the main group, yes). If my theory is correct then it would make sense why none of the more historically accurate quadrios were chosen, if they wanted someone who was close to Hamilton in his college years who still fought in the revolutionary war; then Mulligan would've been a great fit.

I'm going to guess that Mullette is one of those ships where people went, 'Hmm, I have ships for every other character but these too, and they seem close enough (in the musical that is), so I'll pair them together!'. Y'know, one of those pair-the-spares kind of things that people who are really into shipping do. Additionally. I believe you're correct; it has to have been an 100% musical fandom ship originally because if there was even just a little bit of historical evidence to back it up, then we'd know for a fact that Lafayette and Mulligan knew each other. Oh, and as someone who has seen the musical rather recently (late may last year) in the show, Lafayette and Mulligan didn't interact much, but they did come across as good friends and for some very creative people, those crumbs of interactions are enough to develop whole stories and relationships and I applaud those people, the way they create so much out of so little is amazing. Personally, I don't like any ships that don't have even a semblance of historical backing because I'm definitely an amrev fan before I'm a Hamilton musical fan (I still love the musical, I just value the real history more). People can like what they like though; I won't judge.

I'll always think Mullette's funny because here in Australia recently it's become a trend again for young boys and men to get mullets and I can't read the name without thinking of some crazy looking mullets that I've seen. Thanks for the ask, Anon! It was super fun to answer :D

Sincerely,

O-P/Milly

(I apologise if I come across as rude, I've struggled with tones my whole life)

[palin-tropos]

44🙏

“If you die, I’m going to kill you.”

I am giving you Mazov/Nilsen for this one! And I got kind of fascinated by an outsider’s perspective for this story.

—

Account of a Mirovan citizen.

The roar of the crowd was the sea, prone to its swells and valleys, a unity of averages, but then—as all who witnessed the disaster would recount—that fateful barrage of bullets was first swallowed by the noise, then the shocked lull followed like an ominous retreat of the seashore, before the moment it surged, typhonic.

To say that the class war was declared that day on the streets of Mirova would be to mock the broader truth, that it had been waged ever since the city’s founding. One could hardly even call it a ceasefire broken. But it was true that the bourgeois class declared a new battle in the moment a particular captain of the guard gave the order to fire upon the strikers.

In that collectively held breath before the chaos broke loose, when the demonstrators realized in a rippling shockwave that some of their own were dead, it was Kras Mazov who leapt onto the pedestal of the General ——insky’s statue and pointed towards the mounted gendarmerie, exactly in the opposite direction of the General’s perpetually outstretched sword, crying out in accusation. But inevitably this was taken as a call to stand one’s ground and attack back. This must have been the intention.

At that point, years before the Revolution, you may be surprised to hear that Mazov was fielding accusations of timidity from his rivals, that he was a clever scholar but hadn’t really the stomach for violence. Anyone who met him personally saw that sensitivity. But it was that same tender soul that turned him into a commander that day.

And history could have been knocked from its tracks by a stray bullet in the moment that he rose above the crowd. The row of soldiers blockading the plaza aimed with the same thought—up, and away from the mass of workers, at the presumed leader.

This was a mistake. There was enough time for the men leading the march to rush forward, brandishing their signs—for they had no weapons—and try to drag the officers by their legs off their horses.

And Mazov, rigid and alone beside the unflinching legs of a horse and its rider cast in bronze, was suddenly joined by another man in a darker, high-collared coat, leaping with desperate vigor up onto the pedestal, clutching Mazov by his shoulders and turning them both round so that Mazov would be shielded behind his own body.

In the moment of another volley of rifle cracks, the man spasmed and his knees gave out. They fell together under the legs of the bronze horse for partial cover, Mazov with his back to the stone and the dark-coated man atop him.

I was there, you see, directly beside the statue. I thought at first that Mazov had been grabbed by an imperial officer because the other man’s coat was cut in a very military style, but I quickly realized the man was an ally of his. The two of them lay under an unfortunately lifelike metal cast of a horse’s genitalia—the indignity of it was hard to forget.

Mazov’s savior had such a thunderous voice that rang in my ears, exclaiming, “If you die here, I shall have to kill you!”

After trying more than once to speak over the mob clamoring for revenge, the winded Mazov had to drag the other man down to him by his necktie and enunciate in his ear, “No, you poor fool, it’s you who’s been shot!”

And at that point I hauled myself up onto the stone pedestal as well and reached for the man who seemed stunned to hear that he had a bullet in his back—but he did, I saw the hole torn in the dark coat. He refused to slump over, but the sensation must have broken through the shock, and his features twisted with pain, while Mazov sat up enough to cradle the comrade against his breast.

Mazov himself turned to me and ordered, “Get help!” and despite me being just a lad, he was baring a terrible vulnerability in that moment. I saw that tender soul people spoke of—his eyes were dewy and creased with so much simple, human pain.

As for the other man… strangely his face blurs like blended paint in my memory, which hasn’t been right ever since I somehow survived that dreadful plague… but there is no doubt in my mind that someone tackled Mazov down that day and saved him. I put my hands on his wounded back, and tried to staunch the blood, until some other group of communists suddenly appeared and whisked the both of them away.

It was the soldiers who fired first, yes. That I do remember.

[bestworstcase]

Well, it could've been another Jadis, how would I know?

(Also, yeah, last survivor of a dead world, I forget sometimes...)

hfgfhd entirely fair!

the thing abt jadis is—ough

now of course narnia is many things but textually interested in ethical nuance is not one of them—as a textual matter, jadis is purely evil, and it is not at all ambiguous that she is meant to be interpreted as such—however. sometimes being countertextual on purpose because you’re an evangelical apostate and TMN gave jadis a really interesting backstory is fun.

i will try to be brief.

charn—charn is the name of her city but lacking a name for her world i’m going to use it in reference to the planet as well—charn orbits an old and dying star.

Low down and near the horizon hung a great, red sun, far bigger than our sun. Digory felt at once that it was also older than ours: a sun near the end of its life, weary of looking down upon that world. To the left of the sun, and higher up, there was a single star, big and bright. Those were the only two things to be seen in the dark sky; they made a dismal group.

charn (the city) was once a vast, thriving, powerful city-state ruled by jadis’ family, but when she reflects on its history—when she recounts her memories of what it was—she tells the story of a horrifically violent state: these are the dungeons, there is the way to the principal torture chambers, in this banquet hall my great-grandfather slaughtered seven hundred disloyal nobles at a feast; she tells the children to look well on the magnificent view of her once-great home, and then she tells them i remember the cracking of whips and the cries of our slaves, i remember sacrifices in the temples, i remember when brutal war made the rivers run red.

and then, after a moment’s thought, she adds, and one woman blotted it out forever. i, jadis, the last queen.

and then, into the children’s horrified silence, she says this:

“It was my sister’s fault,” said the Queen. “She drove me to it. May the curse of all the Powers rest upon her forever! At any moment I was ready to make peace—yes and to spare her life too, if only she would yield me the throne. But she would not. Her pride has destroyed the whole world. Even after the war had begun, there was a solemn promise that neither side would use Magic. But when she broke her promise, what could I do? Fool! As if she did not know that I had more Magic than she! She even knew that I had the secret of the Deplorable Word. Did she think—she was always a weakling—that I would not use it?”

[…]

“That was the secret of secrets,” said the Queen Jadis. “It had long been known to the great kings of our race that there was a word which, if spoken with the proper ceremonies, would destroy all living things except the one who spoke it. But the ancient kings were weak and soft-hearted and bound themselves and all who should come after them with great oaths never even to seek after the knowledge of that word. But I learned it in a secret place and paid a terrible price to learn it. I did not use it until she forced me to it. I fought to overcome her by every other means. I poured out the blood of my armies like water—”

[…]

“The last great battle,” said the Queen, “raged for three days here in Charn itself. For three days I looked down upon it from this very spot. I did not use my power till the last of my soldiers had fallen, and the accursed woman, my sister, at the head of her rebels was halfway up those great stairs that lead up from the city to the terrace. Then I waited till we were so close that we could see one another’s faces. She flashed her horrible, wicked eyes upon me and said, ‘Victory.’ ‘Yes,’ said I, ‘Victory, but not yours.’ Then I spoke the Deplorable Word. A moment later I was the only living thing beneath the sun.”

“But the people?” gasped Digory.

“What people, boy?” asked the Queen.

“All the ordinary people,” said Polly, “who’d never done you any harm. And the women, and the children, and the animals.”

“Don’t you understand?” said the Queen (still speaking to Digory). “I was the Queen. They were all my people. What else were they there for but to do my will?”

“It was rather hard luck on them, all the same,” said he.

“I had forgotten that you are only a common boy. How should you understand reasons of State? You must learn, child, that what would be wrong for you or for any of the common people is not wrong in a great Queen such as I. The weight of the world is on our shoulders. We must be freed from all rules. Ours is a high and lonely destiny.”

AND THEN. a little bit later, digory asks her if the deplorable word is what made charn’s sun so strange and cold, and she tells him it has been so for hundreds of thousands of years.

“[…] Have you a different sort of sun in your world?”

“Yes, it’s smaller and yellower. And it gives a good deal more heat.”

The Queen gave a long drawn “A-a-ah!” And Digory saw on her face that same hungry and greedy look which he had lately seen on Uncle Andrew’s. “So,” she said, “yours is a younger world.”

She paused for a moment to look once more at the deserted city—and if she was sorry for all the evil she had done there, she certainly didn’t show it—and then said:

“Now, let us be going. It is cold here at the end of all the ages.”

ALRIGHT. SO

it, of course, goes without saying that jadis is not a nice person, or anything like a good one; evidently she was the crown heir to a regime of staggering cruelty and she rose to the occasion with devastating passion.

but: yours is a younger world. and it is cold here at the end of all ages.

now imagine this—imagine that you are the eldest scion of royalty in a dying world. the sun burns low and cold and the only other light in the unrelenting darkness of the sky is a single star, brilliant and terribly far away. you know, and everyone knows, that your world is doomed. the sun is dying. the sun has been dying for hundreds of thousands of years, each generation more despairing than the last, and the closest thing anyone has to hope is the preservation of an ancient memory of a time when the sky was filled with stars and the sun shone bright and warm.

your lineage is old and powerful and rich in magic and in the span of all the thousands of years of your dynastic rule you have accomplished nothing that matters: you have found no way of rekindling the stars or breathing new life into the sun, and no manner of escape. your great-grandfather slit the throats of seven hundred guests on suspicion that they had entertained rebellious thoughts. your home is a dungeon ringing with the screams of tortured prisoners. your city is blood running down the steps of temples to indifferent gods and slaves crying out for mercy that will never come. your whole world is death and pain.

all you have ever known is violence and power. and there is the smallest part of you, the faintest glimmer of instinct, that recognizes that this Should Not Be. you gaze back across countless generations of your family’s history and you find gazing back at you the hideous and unavoidable truth that something has gone profoundly, irreparably wrong; but all you have ever known is violence and power, and so greater violence, and greater power, are the only means you can imagine to undo centuries of wrong. you look back on your ancestors and think: they were weak and afraid. they refused to do what was needed. i will not be like them.

so you violate the sacred oaths of your forefathers and take the deplorable word into your mouth. you do not speak it (you do not want to speak it) but the mere knowledge is enough to damn you, invite the wrath of the gods and your kingdom. your sister leads your people in revolt and you cling to your power with everything you have because that is the only thing you know how to do, but you beg her for peace while the word that will end every life on this planet but your own remains silent under your tongue. you do not know how to yield any more than she, and your world rips itself apart around you.

think about

what it means

to speak a word that will extinguish every life in the world except your own. to feel the whole world die in an instant by your hand, except for you, because whether by curse or conscience you have no choice but to live in the emptiness you spoke into being. you are the last queen of a dead and dying world and you, alone, will endure until even the sun turns black.

in every way that matters you are already dead, but the mercy of a swift death is not for you; yours is to bear witness to the end of all ages. a high and lonely destiny indeed.

and then two children from another world—a younger world, a living world—come to (as you understand it, from what you piece together of their confused answers to your questions) rescue you from this fate.

you do not lie to them. you tell them what you are, of the violence that made you and the terrible things that you did. you tell them directly of your intention to conquer their world, and (because this is the only kindness you have ever known how to give) you reassure them that you will not harm them, nor wage war against the kingdom you imagine the boy’s magician uncle must possess. you do not understand why this should horrify them: it is how the world is and has always been. how could you imagine anything different?

and in their world you are nothing. the sun is warm and you cannot properly remember how you came to be here and you are so strange and so wrong in this place that your magic fails; because their world is not an ever-turning wheel of violence and power, and it is not a place where magic and blood matter above all else. it is a world where those ideas are subject to mockery, because it is a world run by the weak and the worthless. (you don’t know it, but you are seeing the answer that you missed so long ago, before you learnt the deplorable word, when you looked back upon your family’s legacy and found it wanting.)

could you have recognized that, given time? could this world without magic where the little people matter have taught you a better way to live? you’ll never know, because scarcely have you grasped that this world is profoundly different from your own than you are dragged out of it and into narnia at the very, very beginning.

and there you find the lion, singing of kindness and beauty and joy at the dawning of the world. you, jadis, the last queen of charn; you who bore witness to the bloody death throes of a cruel, brutal, hopeless world before you burnt it to the ground and waited alone in the ashes to die—you watch the lion sing a perfect new world out of nothing.

is it any wonder the only thing you feel is rage?

[thephantomcasebook]

Do You think Rhaenyra was misunderstood by the historians?

No ...

I've been apart of the ASoIaF fandom coming up on 14 years now. And I still remember a time when Rhaenyra was an out and out villain. She was consistently remembered as one of the three worst Targaryen monsters in their Dynasty's reign - Maegor, Rhaenyra, and Aerys II. And the text backed it up with every character from Stannis, Daenarys, Tyrion, Cersei, and Egg (Aegon V) recounting how terrible Rhaenyra was as both queen and a person.

She and Daemon were so remembered as evil monsters and are so reviled by their own descendants that their names are taboo in the Targaryen family and no one was allowed to name their children after them. And if someone did break the Taboo it was a bad omen.

Their very fucking names were a curse to their own children, that's how fucked up they were.

Sapochnik and his wife can try and rewrite GRRM's fictional history and canon all they want for their personal socio-political bullshit, it doesn't change the fact that Rhaenyra and Daemon have been and will always be remembered - especially by their own grandchildren - as the absolute worst pieces of human trash.

"Blood and Cheese" will forever tarnish them as monsters - and will always be remembered as an act of inhuman savagery that will never washout.

[boopshoops]

Ok, I need to ask for 011 for the twins! I just gotta know!

Also maybe 008 and 027 as well!

ASK GAME

11.) How would your character court the person of their dreams?

Yuu Shi- wouldn't. period.

oH nonnono she would convince THEM to court HER.

She wants to be fawned over. She wants to be spoiled. Adored, clung to.

As for how she would convince them... Well- ironically the person of her dreams would be equally trusting with her as she is with them. Encouraging and supportive, meaning they wouldn't mind all of her shenanigans, maybe even work WITH her on them. So, to convince them, she'd prove her worth to make them fall for her. She'd prove she has their best interest in mind. AKA she'd just be a highly caring, soft, nurturing individual, but she refuses to call it so.

She'd showcase her talent, affection, intelligence, mostly affection- clingy, blushy koala affection

maybe have a bit of nerves regarding how she can truly make them happy-

BUT as soon as she works through that- She hopes just one "Oh, you want to kiss me sooooo bad-" would do the trick.

Jocia is the type of person, on the other hand, to have less structured plans involved in 'courting,' if you could call it that- She has always been a very blunt, forward individual, and that is no different in regard to flirting.

She'd not so subtly invite potential partners out for several different activities, be it travel or chilling at home. While I would love to say she'd just come out and be like 'do u wanna make out,' she does also get nervous.

She is well away of how abrasive she can come off as, and that she can be unintentionally intimidating even towards people she's close with. After she confirms that her potential dream partner is completely comfortable, at ease, and happy with her, though, she will most definitely start an ambush of affection.

After that, it all simply comes down to clearly stating, "Can I kiss you?"

(this is so mushy but fuck it we ball <333)

8.) What is their favorite fairy tale?

aAAAH welp- I'm going off of Twisted Wonderland's version of fairy tales- s o maybe lets just call them stories in case i fuck up and choose something that's actually just canon history like pinnochio or smth.

Shi is partial to a Korean (Or ig whatever the twst equivalent would be-) folktale "Gyeonmyo jaengju" It is a story about a fisherman who has a pearl stolen from him. His dog and cat, in an attempt to show their gratitude towards their owner, retrieve the pearl. However, the cat accidentally drops it, and the two end up fighting. The cat later retrieves the pearl and returns it to the fisherman. The dog receives none of the credit.

It stuck with her ever since she found it in her studies when she was young. She grew attached to it due to the inclusion of animals, but why does she still like it so much? She couldn't be... pro je c t ing? could s h e? PSHHH NAHHH.

Jocia can't read /j or rather- she has little desire to. She never paid much attention to stories such as that or- stories in general when it came to study or schooling, and let's just say their parents weren't the type to read their children books.

If she HAD to pick a favorite, it'd be something very basic, most likely on the count that it was the one she remembered the best and therefore found most entertaining.

That particular tale is a somewhat incorrect recount of "The Monkey's Paw" given she only ever heard a summary of the tale- The tale of a man using the paw to grant three wishes, each coming with a terrible price in order to grant. She tried to tell the story to Yuu to teasingly scare her one time, only to found that she already knew it, and also shared a story known as "The Fox Girl."

While "The Fox Girl," another Korean story about a man who desired so much to have a daughter that he wouldn't mind if she were a fox, wasn't either of their 'favorites' per se, but it stuck with them both as- well probably one of the last conversations they had together where they truly, really got along well.

27.) What is their idea of perfect happiness?

Safety. No one can hurt her when she's on her thrown on top of the world. She can't visualize it in a scene, but she can FEEL it. It burns in her heart, a desire so strong she'd do anything just to touch it. No matter how out of reach.

Security. She is at peace. Everyone she loves is at peace. The people she loves can finally rest easy. They can care for themselves. They don't all have to cling to each other like they're in danger. It is time to sleep soundly. She can finally let go.

[bylagunabay]

Exorcism Prayers for the Laity

SAINT BENEDICT MEDAL PRAYER

(2-min. read)

“𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞.” (𝐄𝐱𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐁𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚 𝐆𝐞𝐦𝐦𝐚)

1 HISTORY

During a trial for witchcraft at Natternberg near the Abbey of Metten in Bavaria in the year 1647, the accused women testified that they had no power over Metten, which was under the protection of the cross. Upon investigation, a number of painted crosses, surrounded by the letters which are now found on Benedictine medals, were found on the walls of the abbey, but their meaning had been forgotten.

Finally, in an old manuscript, written in 1415, was found a picture representing St. Benedict holding in one hand a staff which ends in a cross, and a scroll in the other. On the staff and scroll were written in full the words of which the mysterious letters were the initials. Medals bearing the image of St. Benedict, a cross, and these letters began now to be struck in Germany, and soon spread over Europe. They were first approved by Benedict XIV in his briefs of 23 December 1741, and 12 March 1742.

(Catholic Encyclopedia)

2 LATIN INVOCATIONS

C. S. S. M. L. (Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux):

“May the Holy Cross be my light.”

N. D. S. M. D. (Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux):

“Let not the dragon be my guide.”

V. R. S. (Vade Retro Satan):

“Begone Satan!”

N. S. M. V. (Nunquam Suade Mihi Vana):

“Never tempt me with your vanities!”

S. M. Q. L. (Sunt Mala Quae Libas):

“All that pours from you is evil!”

I. V. B. (Ipse Venena Bibas):

“Drink your own poison!”

3 TESTIMONIES

Ellen

Feb 23, 2023

“I am an oblate of a Benedictine Abbey. A couple of years ago, we had a terrible tornado in our town. I prayed to St. Benedict that my home and neighborhood would not be touched and they were not. I credit the prayers of St. Benedict.”

(houseofjoppa)

Jessica Geo

April 03, 2023

“My entire family has been wearing the Saint Benedict medal since the beginning of the pandemic. My husband is a physician working at one of the busiest hospitals in New York. I have a toddler that puts everything in his mouth. We travel a lot. We never got sick, never tested positive for COVID. We pray to Saint Benedict every night. He’s protecting us.”

(houseofjoppa)

Maria

Maria, a mother of three from Italy, recalls a time of great distress in her family. "There was a palpable sense of unease in our home," she says. "Nightmares, unexplained tensions, and a general feeling of malaise were frequent." A devout Catholic, Maria turned to her faith for solace and protection. After consulting with her parish priest, she placed St. Benedict Medals in her home and on her children. "It was as if a weight was lifted," she recounts. "The atmosphere in our house changed, and my children slept peacefully again."

(laudate-mariam)

[icbiwf]

It's Reaping Day! May the odds be ever in your favor.

Do you think it’s significant that the Reaping is on USA's Independence Day? Why do you think Suzanne Collins choose this date?

Do you think Reaping of 74th Hunger Games is rigged? Yes/No? Why?

If the Reaping could be rigged. Who do you think participate in this process?

Thank you.

@curiousthg

Oh boy @curiousthg this is just asking for all my spiciest takes. Buckle up.

Now, I haven't read TBOSAS, so take all of this with that grain of salt, but I kind of hate that Reaping Day is July 4. It's just a little too cutesy of a reference for me. Like, if the first Hunger Games were taking place in like the year 2050 and the cartoonishly evil government made Reaping Day July 4 that would be one thing, but THG takes place far, far, far into the future. After an environmental collapse that led to a societal collapse that led to a population collapse. Or maybe an environmental collapse that led to a population collapse that led to a societal collapse? Whatever, that detail isn't super important right now.

There was a collapse of nearly everything - governments broke down, social systems broke down, wars were fought over the little that was left to fight over. Eventually things stabilized, and then eventually something new rose from the ashes. And then that status quo existed for a while before the Dark Days rebellion. That doesn't all happen in a decade or two, that takes hundreds of years. When Katniss recounts the history of Panem she refers to the land as "a place that was once called North America." The United States isn't even a memory for her. And yet the date of July 4 is still important enough that they made it the new Reaping Day? I'm sorry, that's a flying snowman moment for me. It's like the book is breaking the fourth wall and winking at the audience.

Anyway, enough of me insulting a detail in a book I haven't read, let's move on to the part where I insult my fellow fans! "The 74th Reaping was rigged" is one of the worst fan theories I've ever encountered. Seriously, "Katniss should have become the new president of Panem at the end of MJ" is a better idea. In fact, "The Reaping for District 12 in the 74th Games was rigged" placed second on the recent poll of terrible THG takes, beaten only by "Katniss isn't really in love with Peeta, she settles for him after the war." So I guess I'm not the only one who thinks this is a terrible theory.

We're supposed to believe that the rebellion was powerful enough to rig the reaping, but weak enough that they still needed a figurehead before they moved against Snow? And as their figurehead they pick a girl of no consequence from District 12? Because the rebel leadership in the Capitol and District 13 are aware of a particular girl of no consequence from District 12? And even then they don't rig the reaping for her, they rig it for her sister? When Katniss herself says people don't volunteer for their siblings? Do they also rig the Games, to make sure she survives? (When they couldn't even successfully protect Peeta in the 75th Games even with the help of the Head Gamemaker and half a dozen rebel operatives inside the arena.) Do they also somehow force her to treat Rue and Peeta the way she does, the things that actually make her stand out to the audience?

The whole point is that Katniss isn't special. We get to know three people from the Seam - Katniss, Gale, and Haymitch. All three come from single-parent homes, having only their mothers. All three have younger siblings they take care of. Katniss isn't special.

Katniss meets Gale in the woods, because Gale is already out there. Gale learned survival skills beyond the fence from his father, just like Katniss learned from hers. Katniss isn't special. Unusual, but hardly unique.

What makes Katniss special is what she does after the Reaping - starting when she volunteers. How she takes care of Rue after she dies, how she takes care of Peeta after the rule change, the way she forces the Gamemakers to let them both live at the end - those are the things that make her special, and none of them were known to anyone before the Reaping, not even to Katniss herself. And even after, the people in charge of the rebellion - Plutarch and Coin - still didn't understand what made her special. They still treated her like a chess piece they could use however they wanted, when the thing that made her stand out was when she acted against authority. They still put her in a studio with fake smoke effects when the thing that endeared her to the public was how she instinctually reacted in the middle of things.

These people who even in the middle of Book 3 still didn't understand her appeal supposedly singled her out as important before Book 1? These people who never understood how she reacted to things, right up to the very end when she killed the wrong President, supposedly knew her reactions well enough that they didn't even reap her directly and trusted her to wind up in the Games anyway?

No, that's ridiculous, the very idea is absurd. "Peeta made up the crush and was just using Katniss to survive" is a more coherent theory. "The toastbabies were actually Gale's" is a more coherent theory. "Katniss's father was rebel operative and abandoned his family to starvation as part of a rebel plan and was secretly living in Thirteen the whole time" is a more coherent theory. Actually, now that I think of it, that last one is often part of the "rigged the Reaping" theory.

The 74th Reaping was not rigged. Katniss is not the super special Chosen One who was selected to be the savior of Panem. She's just a girl who was too compassionate and too stubborn for her own good, who was used and exploited by nearly every adult in her life, and wound up paying an enormous price for those things. There are 10,000 other stories about people who have A Destiny and must become The Savior. THG is a story about people making choices.