#ahh my first meta post of the actual series this is going to be a wild ride

[thatgirl4815]

Characterization & Relationships (Ep1)

Since we (finally!) have a reasonable look at each of the characters in ep1, I thought I'd try to sort out what's driving them and where the majority of their conflicts will stem from.

Up first:

Ray

What a disaster. The promotional material has done an excellent job of catering to the facet of Ray's personality that he would like others to see: rich, popular, suave, sexy...essentially someone whose got it all put together. But the Only Friends PR is as much a guise as this "rich Ray" personality. In actuality, he's drunk for 99% of the episode, he's sassy, and he's pitifully jealous of Top's relationship with Mew. I'd also wager that his apparent alcoholism extends beyond a "college kid who likes to party too much." Whether or not this becomes a major talking point in the series remains to be seen; not to get into theorizing territory too much, but I suspect part of Ray’s conflict with Sand will be that Sand exposes Ray’s flaws a lot (namely, just how much attention he needs). We already saw that a bit with episode one. But hopefully in drawing out this trait, Ray will change for the better.

All in all, it's clear that Ray is drowning. I think what Ray wants most is company. He might delude himself into thinking he only wants someone of a certain "caliber," given his own wealth and supposed status, but as Khao said, he's someone who needs love. (I also have thoughts on why Ray would have a crush on Mew in particular that might be best-suited for a different post, which—if you’re interested—you can find here!)

I have to admit too that I was honestly expecting to hate Ray, especially in episode one. He was certainly arrogant (for example: automatically assuming that Sand must have slept with him when he was drunk). But all in all, my thoughts on Ray were a mixture of pity and humor. Whereas Boston is shameless in his pursuit of Top (screwing over Mew in the process), Ray spends the episode chaotically pining after Mew, squabbling with Sand, and puking on floors.

^I do know that I want to protect him from whatever it is that's making him sob like this (unless, of course, it's his own asshole-ish behavior towards Sand, in which case it's probably deserved).

*Side Note: I'm wondering at what point Ray's friend group will make mention of his bad drinking habits as a sign of some greater mental issues...I'd expect Mew to bring it up at greater length soon, but maybe he thinks Ray will get defensive. Food for thought.

Sand

Oh Sand. Starting beef in the bathroom right off the bat (pun intended). He’s headstrong and—as I assume is the point—seems to have his life together where Ray does not. He also alludes to his unfortunate financial situation and seems to dislike Ray immediately because of it (perhaps without meaning to).

Sand’s conflict, as far as I can tell, is all physical—financial. But Ray’s is inside. I’d argue that Sand realizes that on some level. I think he’s fascinated by Ray. Once he gets over his annoyance, there’s a hint of curiosity there, maybe even pity.

From Sand’s standpoint, it’s easy to get mad at people like Ray. But we see he’s also forgiving (he states that he doesn’t like to hold grudges), sincere, and helpful. Rather than let Ray attempt to drive home alone (or fall asleep in the bar parking lot), he takes him back to his place, pats his back while he vomits in the toilet, gives him a place to sleep on the couch with new clothes, etc. So really what I’m saying is that Sand is the perfect boyfriend.

At least as far as Ray and Sand are concerned—I’m ready to fight for either one of them. They’re different enough that I think their dynamic will be one to progress slower than the other couples, but in a very meaningful way.

Top

In my opinion, Top is the most difficult character to read. As opposed to Ray's chaotic arrogance, his is dripping with composure. He gives an air of maturity that the other characters lack, and it's the perfect cover for his supposedly dishonest sleeping habits. I think the opening verse in "Let's Try" speaks to him well--he doesn't seek out other men for love. I don't think he's fully committed to being in a relationship with Mew at this point, but his curiosity has been piqued enough to give it a chance. To put it bluntly: he's challenging himself to see just how long it takes to get into Mew's pants. (Part of that challenge might have to do with Boston, to prove that he can make Mew more than a one night stand.)

I wonder if Top gets frustrated by his lack of (physical) intimacy with Mew and that's what drives him back to Boston. He rejected Boston pretty hard in ep1, but I'm curious to know how long that will last. I'd say the earlier the better when it comes to salvaging Top and Mew's relationship.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from TopMew's relationship to start with, but it's taking off at a relatively fast pace status-wise. By the end of the first episode we have Top asking Mew to be his boyfriend, which will surely stir up drama and will likely send both Ray and Boston stumbling into Sand and Nick's arms.

Mew

Mew has been regarded in the fandom as a bit more than he seems. But besides the end-credits clip of him sitting alone, I'm not getting any mysteriousness (yet) from his character. From his interactions, we can tell he has strong values, an intuitive mind, and a distinct sense of self. He knows who he is. (Again, I think these traits connect directly to why Ray is so interested in him.)

I see Mew and Namchueam as the anchors of the friend group. While Ray and Boston are chaotic and self-centered, these two are both looking out for everyone. I also have to admire Mew's conviction when saying no to Top--he isn't going to cave and have a one night stand with a hot, popular guy just because his friends tell him to.

All of these attributes point to one hell of a revenge plot when Top inevitably wrongs him. But despite how reserved and composed Mew seems now, I wonder if that will be what pushes him over the edge and scares away his "nice boy" persona. Mew's composure now could lead him to have the biggest spiral later.

Boston

To put it bluntly: Boston is exactly the kind of playboy dick-face I thought he would be. Neo plays him perfectly. He's arrogant, confident, self-centered, and attention-seeking.

If Top is "the top of the top" (again, pun intended) as far as FWBs go, then Boston can't stand the thought of Top settling for someone he views as lesser-than. Boston's inflated ego is like a blinding light in this episode. While Ray is jealous of Mew and clearly wants to drive Mew away from Top, Boston evidently has no problem directly sabotaging the relationship. The last scene between Boston and Top in the bathroom is proof--if Top had initiated anything, Boston would have had no problem sleeping with him and talking to Mew later as if nothing had happened.

Nick

Nick seems to be unfortunate collateral in Boston's egotistical destruction. At the moment, it’s a beneficial relationship for both of them. There's a spark between them, plus Boston needs another buddy to keep his mind off of his failing pursuits with Top. We haven't seen much of Nick yet besides his *ahem* blatant interest in Boston, so I can't say much beyond that. But from what we saw of his character in the tech store, he seems a little absent-minded, helpful, and generally friendly. I'm interested to see what more of him we will see.

Namchueam

Maybe it's because we haven't seen much of her background yet, but she seems to be the most put-together out of the friend group (with the exception of maybe Mew, but he has his own problems too). It's clear she looks out for her friends and wants what's best for them. Seeing her hyping Mew up about Top was endearing, because it's clear she truly wants him to be happy and live on the edge a little more. I want to know how she's going to get wrapped up in all this mess.

~ X ~

Ok, that's my basic analysis of the characters and core relationships from Ep1. I think everything is developing at a quick pace with a lot of drama already in the works. Excited to see where it goes from here and what everybody else's thoughts are on this mess/+ of a plot, lol.

P.S. me after every new episode of OF:

[cornflowershade]

bad buddy fandom getting-to-know-you meme!

Thank you for tagging me @lamonnaie!

note: i consider "fanworks" to pretty much everything people create related to a fandom, including but not limited to meta/analysis/discussion, gifs, fanvids/edits/fancams, filk, fanart, fanfic, fan food, fan crafts, etc. please include this note with the meme unless you have a different definition!

name and whatever you want to share about yourself Sonia (she/her). 24. I love getting to know people & chatting about shows so lets goooo

when did you watch bad buddy/join the fandom? I watched Bad Buddy in one week, in late October 2022. I owe it to @airenyah honestly. I think I found their blog through an SPN post and clicked over for that reason. In my scrolling, I happened upon a lovely gifset (wish I could recall who made it) of InkPa. It was the scene where they're outside and Pa says anyone taller than her is fine and hops down off the sidewalk. :) Love that scene. Anyway I reblogged it and in the tags was like WHAT IS THIS I MUST WATCH IT. To which airenyah gave me a whole blessed reply telling me the show name, giving a small synopsis/what to expect from my first thai drama & telling me where I could watch it. I immediately watched the series and adored it. I've seen it twice thus far.

favorite ship(s) PatPran & InkPa :)

favorite character(s): Okay I adore all the main 4 but I'm gonna go with Pran. I love him. There's just something so soft about him and how on earth do his eyes communicate so much?? I think I relate to his messy little overthinking and silently in love brain—very "me the first time i had a queer crush and simply wallowed the whole time bc it was impossible" lol. Also, he's always making the funniest facial expressions which gets me every time. I could go on about everything I like about his character (for instance how clever yet sometimes oblivious he is & how he gets all annoyed lol). Though I do question his sense of interior design and that smiley face obsession.

favorite episode(s) Honestly I'm not certain if I have one?? It's all so good! I do really like their "whoever falls first loses" era though. Wait actually?? My favorite ep might be the early one where Pat thinks he's hitting on the "girl" across the hall and they end up running into each other on the roof. Also both of the beach episodes.

favorite scene(s) *pastes in the entire show* Okay okay I'll try to pick a few:

~ The scene where Pat is staying over and he and Pran are lying in the dark, counting down to say in unison whether they have a crush on Ink. Idk I remember that scene having an emotional impact on me. Pran's face??? Then when Pat asks "would you like me?" and Pran says "I hate you" and then he yanks the blanket away but you saw him crying?? ahhhghrhghgh

~ The scene in the darkroom with Ink and Pa. I remember getting so emotional. Pretty sure Pa's dialogue and acting made me cry. "I do [like you being nice to me]. I like it so much that I thought I was special to you." ARE YOU KIDDING ME ASDFGZ. And then Ink says she is special to her!! And it's so sweet!!

~ OH and how could I forget. This should be at the top of the list. I realllly like the scene where Pran stands up to his mom and they have that emotional fight in their front hall. That whole thing is just. AHHHHHH. AHHH. AHIOFJEIOsdJIO. SIJDGRIOGJRIGJORE

~ And the scene at the stairs where Pat yells how much he loves Pran in front of Pran's whole faculty. :)

(Also any scene where Pat & Pran are being silly. Like their dumb little chopstick fight :p omg or the designing the bus stop at night scene)

one thing you would change about the show if you could Ohhhh I don't know! Maybe I'd throw in a few more InkPa scenes :)

what are your some of your favorite fanworks made by other people? Ahh fun fun fun. Get ready for some fanvid recs! (What else do you expect from me, a fanvidder.)

• Just My Type (Pat x Pran) by samyvids • Physical (Pat x Pran) by coldties • Enchanted (Ink x Pa) by rheaprodz • I really like you (Pat x Pran) by dkyth73 • Rebels (Pat x Pran) by coldties • Dandelions (Pat x Pran) by hylian fanvids

(if you create fanworks) what are your favorite fanworks that you’ve made? I've made two fanvids for Bad Buddy, as well as one song cover haha. I'll stick to the fanvids here. :)

• All I Need (Ink x Pa) • That dimple is illegal (Pat x Pran)

a song that makes you think of bbs (the ones in the show don’t count lol) Physical by Dua Lipa. The fanvid using that song is my all-time favorite BBS edit, so hearing the song reminds me of it.

idk anything else you want us to know? Uhhhhhhhh. I mean I could ramble about BBS and why it means so much to me for a long time haha. Should I do that? I guess I'll do that.

Okay so BBS was the first Thai drama I watched. I was still feeling a lot from the SPN-finale/confession scene era (yes that happened 2 years prior but it's SPN okay iykyk) which had me especially sad about and aware of media censorship etc. etc.

On top of that I was still working up the courage to leave this group chat of childhood friends, some of whom liked to complain about media "making everything gay" etc. (Amazing how you can not know people are homophobic for the entirety of your childhood bc the topic just never comes up lol.) Which was of course upsetting to me for multiple reasons. However the universe decided to do something nice and Heartstopper was released. That series felt really huge to me, but after it was over, I was left with this feeling of like... what else is there to watch? Where else will I ever find a queer ship this canon where they're also the main characters?

That's when I came across BBS and it gave me this realization that OH WAIT we aren't limited to western media and OH LOOK there's so many great shows that I didn't even know about!! And they keep making them! Also it was a queer story where the main obstacle wasn't being gay (Plus, Asian leads!!). And BBS itself is just such a standout show. First of all, I love a good comedy and the series made me laugh so much. It's heartfelt but full of ANTICS [like yes lets have fun! Lets not take everything too seriously!], and Pat & Pran & Ink & Pa are just such wonderful and lovable and real feeling characters—who have this lovely friendship too—and the show is just! Such a fun ride. <3 I recall watching the series and feeling like my world just got a little bit bigger. Anyway Bad Buddy goes all in for everything it does and it's such a joy.

.

Tagging @airenyah and @distant-screaming and @feralmuskyscentedhoepran if you haven't done this yet and would like to!

[luckydragon10]

KinnPorsche Ep13 Lines of Power

Penultimate episode! I'm here to break down lines of power, staging, and framing for the second-to-last time for the season. (OMG, are we there yet? Are we there yet?)

First, check out this post by @heathyr about Porsche's reflection for a cool shot. Heathyr nailed is, so no need for me to cover it. Whee, one more space for another shot.

More LoP posts: [Trailer] ... [Ep09 Part 1] [Ep09 Part 2] [Ep10] [Ep11] [Ep12] [Ep14]

I have a quibble with this one.

All of my three favorite elements are at play:

Line of power: The fountain comes between Kinn and Porsche, showing division between them.

Framing: The outer doorway frames the shot and once again looks like a theatre's proscenium, much like in my Ep9 Part 1 LoP post with that scene of Porsche standing over Tawan in the chair.

Staging: ... this is where I have a quibble.

Kinn and Porsche are staged oddly, just a little too far apart. That's a weirdly wide distance at which to talk about intimate, private matters. And, sure, sure, you might argue that the staging is deliberate to show Porsche trying to keep a distance, but for me? It simply reads as a mistake; I feel as though a more natural staging was sacrificed in order to enable the line of power and the framing.

I would have looked for an alternative setup. Natural staging should be a higher priority.

HOWEVER, quibble aside, please keep in mind the frame in the foreground that acts like a theatre proscenium. This effect happens repeatedly in this episode.

The table runner is a line of power pointing to Korn. This is an easy one. (I hope you'll cut me some slack. I am drowning in meta for the Meta Doc right now.)

By the way, does Korn just have his bodyguards haul that big-ass heavy wooden table out to his patio on the regular? I sure hope the guards are well taken care of if they throw out their backs...

Porsche has a super-dark background, unusual for him, plus he has those two doors framing him. The doors feel like pressure coming at him from both sides.

Not only that, but the frame is tilted, askew just a little and tilting to the left. (You can see this most clearly by looking at the right doorframe.)

Meanwhile, Kinn is all greenery and natural light, and the line of the patio ledge behind him is completely level. Um, Kinn? Kinn? Alarm bells, please, have some alarm bells going off. The Porsche is NOT okay.

In short, great contrast between these two.

Tableau again!! It didn't hold for long, hardly counts, but I feel like this moment is right up there with my other top two tableau moments in Ep 5 and Ep 11. However, Papa Ironfist with his superhero pose will never NOT make me giggle.

AND there's that theatrical proscenium again! Look, look, the frame in the foreground again makes it look like we're watching a stage production.

Okay, if you've been following the LoP series all along, you know I've been looking for a reversal of the whole "Kinn on his throne" thing. I think... I'm probably not going to get it. 😭 However, I do really like this little moment where Porsche joins Kinn on his throne. King and Queen, together at last. (Sadly, later we see Porsche standing next to the same throne as a bodyguard, so we really aren't all the way there yet... but still. Please indulge me.)

Ahh, but all is not well. We are not in paradise. Their body language is telling its own story. Their legs are crossed in opposite directions, a hint toward them being closed off from each other.

And I will let the color theorists tackle the blue tinted sky. Something something Porsche's emotional arc for the ep something something...

Woaaahhh, super dramatic split screen.

Okay, lots of things going on. First, notice the black and white backgrounds. Second, the lighting casts Vegas with significantly more light that shows is face in red, whereas Pete is all in shadow with only a few neon highlights.

*Galadriel voice* He has fallen into shadow...

Bonus points for making Bible seem taller just with the staging. 🤣 I jest, but actually his higher positioning is pretty important, showing that he's the one with all the power here.

I'm not sure I can do this shot justice. I'm not sure anyone can do this shot justice.

The blinds act like a cage, speaking to both of their extremely difficult situations at once...

The split coloration shows Porsche in orange/red and Pete in teal/green... With green being generally accepted as a code for danger in this series, I think what I would interpret is that Pete's emotional state is its own danger.

The thick, black dividing line comes between them, but Porsche reaches across to try to help Pete...

This is a masterpiece. I will happily stare at it for ages and ages.

Ahh, a familiar shot from the opening credits.

Kim is looking small, alone, and lost in darkness. He doesn't know how not to be alone, but he wants it and is scared shitless. All the things that ARE wrong and COULD go wrong with his relationship are in direct conflict with what would make him happy...

Basically Kim.exe has stopped working. Boy is going through a malfunction caused by one (1) Porchay Kittisawat. I don't think he's ever looked quite this helpless.

It's interesting to me that this moment was shown only in the flashback. Everything is blurred except for Kinn and Porsche's clasped hands. Also, their bodies and the gravestone act as a frame. The promise to hold onto each other is significant. (Hear that, Porsche? Are you listening?)

This shot is used to highlight Kinn's empty hand after Porsche scurries off to Find The Truth.

Wow, I'd say "everything hurts and nothing is beautiful," but the cinematography continues to be beautiful. So, everything hurts and everything is beautiful. 😭

One more theatrical proscenium for this post!

I feel like the framing is appropriate given that we have a lot of drama going on, so much that I'd even say melodrama. I'm only sad Korn and Porsche didn't get their own theatrical frame in the final moments of the ep.

Basically, I feel like the show is telling us that the stage is set for the final confrontation. Dun dun DUN! I mean, I'm sure I'm stating the obvious, but there you have it.

///

More LoP posts: [Trailer] ... [Ep09 Part 1] [Ep09 Part 2] [Ep10] [Ep11] [Ep12] [Ep14]

For more great meta from folks across the KP Tumblr fandom, please visit the Damn Good KinnPorsche Meta doc.

[envythepalmtree]

fma blogs to follow?

Ooh I've actually been planning on making this post for a while too!

Art blogs that ID their own posts that you should follow

@morningsaidthemoon - does ids in alt text! I really love their pieces - they're kinda soft in like. color and lines? and tender if that makes sense. Multifandom, they tag fandoms.

@mildly-artsy - @mildly-nerdy's new art blog! also does them in alt text. Her lines are so clean and I love how people look in her style. Mostly FMA.

Other blogs that write IDs and/or look through the notes for IDs (that you should follow and reblog the IDed version of posts)

@liathgray - they're the author of Blackwell Springs, an extremely popular fic I have not read yet, and the A Hop, Skip, and a Jump series that I'm very much obsessed with. Multifandom, they tag fandoms.

@nerdywriiterchild - bro I love their xerxes fics so much 😔 Multifandom.

@xingeseprince - IDs almost everything. Good descriptions! Sideblog, all FMA.

@princess-of-purple-prose - the meme ID person! (They're one of the people who started a huge doc of ID templates for memes to save people spoons, which is cool.) Multifandom, tags fandoms, mostly not FMA.

Other art blogs I love

I wish I could tag like. every one of my art mutuals but alas I'd be making color of the sky 2.0 😔 So sorry if I didn't tag you, I'm kinda just scrolling through my following list and picking urls at random here, all of you guys are amazing!

@chewytran - their royai college au!! is so cute!! All their royai stuff is just. chef's kiss. Art sideblog, mostly FMA. Other fandoms are tagged.

@wawayu - their use of light and colors man!! Art sideblog, majority FMA. (Also. check their notes when rbing their art because I rb and ID like. everything they post lol)

@neorei - their homunculi art!! Wish I had art-critic-training (is that a thing) so I could properly express the emotions that their art invokes. but. ahh it's so melancholy and kinda abstract, the kind of art that you could find different meanings in. Sideblog, all FMA.

@fmamangacaps - Photoshop counts as art. Their cleaning up of manga panels and tagging system is a godsend.

@humming-fly - you probably already follow them but their team greed comics are just so funny!! I always have at least one of their pieces in my drafts that I'm procrastinating on IDing lol. Multifandom.

@pumi-envy - just. lots of art of Envy. Sometimes I'm looking through the Envy tag and the majority of it is me and this artist. I love that for us. Their style's super cute. All FMA. (again. check the notes on their art 'cause I reblog and ID everything they put on my dash)

One of those Royai writers whom posts from me and my positivity blog mutuals always seem to make it to

Don't ask me why this is a category, it's just funny to me when my positivity blog posts or posts from my positivity moots make it to Royai tumblr.

@firewoodfigs - Xingese squad!! Her prose is beautiful. So poetic and meaningful. And her poetry?? is gorgeous. Ownvoices Xingese Roy content 💚 Mostly FMA.

@lantur - wrote delicate. Go read it right now if you haven't (but also tw for parental abuse and older military officers taking advantage of mentally ill young women while they commit genocide together) Multifandom, fandoms are tagged.

@hanamuri / @royriza - literally the sweetest person and runs like 4 blogs which is iconic. Her psychoanalysis of FMA characters is super interesting. All FMA.

Other writers I love

I have a habit of reserving way too many books from the library meaning that I haven't gotten around to reading most fanfics yet, oops. That's on me.

@ta1k-less - I adore her writing style!! Fun fact, one of her atla fics was probably the first multichap fic I had finished in roughly five years. She's very funny. Love how she fleshes out Ishvalan culture. Also draws sometimes and has started IDing her own art. Mostly FMA, multifandoms, tags fandoms.

@edisacornball - boomer he knows Edward very well, if that makes sense. Like, reading his fics I can tell that he understands Edward as a character very well. His Edwin fics are great. Has been in the FMA fandom for 15 years or something, which is crazy to me. Multifandom, mostly FMA.

@calangkoh - metas count as writing. So not a fic writer, but their 03 metas are wonderful. Obvious spoilers for 03 if you haven't seen it yet. Sideblog, all FMA.

Well fuck, now I'm realizing that I haven't gotten around to reading any fics from the vast majority of the writers I follow. Y'all are such lovely people sorry I still need to read your fics!! I gotta update this list once I get my act together and clean up my AO3 marked for later list, lol.

[questionablygourmet]

Rewatch meta: mirrors, connections, and intrusion in Aperitif & Amuse-Bouche

This is the first of what is intended to be a series of analytical posts based on what sticks out to me as I do a close rewatch of the show, roughly 1-3 episodes at a time.  This first one will mainly focus on the introduction of major motifs and thematic elements in the show; future posts may follow in that vein or just whatever else about the episodes gets me thinking.

-------

One of the aspects of the show that makes it such a vibrant experience, and lends vibrancy in turn to analysis and transformative works in fandom is its rich use of motif in how it communicates what is important and what is going on with the characters and in the narrative.  The first two episodes are set up: they present to us the main characters along with the essentials of who they are, and they’re the opening sally of (some of) major themes and motifs.

Mirrors 

Okay, the first thing I’m going to talk about here is not actually the aspect that got it included in this section, but I must: right before our very first look at Hannibal Lecter, we pan up his table and see fruit on a platter, mirrored in the polished surface of the wood. The fruit was the first thing that caught my eye, because of course it did, pomegranates being a pervasive motif in the fandom, and it’s an interesting layout: there are strong mythological associations for pomegranate (Hades & Persephone, etc) and figs (Dionysus, etc).  Strawberries, somewhat less so; they are often associated with love, fertility, and/or new life, but in a less obvious-in-modern-pop-culture fashion.

So.  An aesthetically beautiful array of fruit as a perfect symbolic introduction to the character of Hannibal!  ... and then its mirror image in the shine of the table.  Mirrors/the concept of mirroring will become a huge Thing specifically between Hannibal and Will over the course of the series.  We also get “the mirrors in your mind can reflect the best of yourself, rather than the worst of someone else,” which honestly is a line that fascinates me in context of how, in seasons 2-3, the idea of Will and Hannibal blurring together, being mirror images to each other/two sides to a coin gets played with and explored.

The irony here is that Hannibal really does want Will to be his authentic self - yet by the end of the series, whatever it may or may not have been Before (”Before you, and after you”), Will’s authentic self is in many ways a sort of mirror to Hannibal.  An answer to the question of Hannibal, as much as Hannibal is an answer to the question of Will.

Connection

So the really obvious place this comes out in a big way is with the killer du jour for episode 2 - Stammets’s whole schtick is that he’s obsessed with creating gardens of physical connections between people in the form of his creepy (and GROSS, honestly this is the grossest episode in the show for me) mushroom graves.  

But really, this is also ultimately one of the deepest-running themes of the show.  It’s central to our Murder Husbands, both of them profoundly isolated from the rest of humanity until they find each other.  It’s front-and-center with Franklyn and Tobias, both wanting to reach out to Hannibal (and Franklyn also to Tobias), and him having none of it.  And it’s necessarily fundamental to all the other interpersonal relationships, in the explicit variation of how mutual a given connection between characters is (and often, the contrast in how each of them perceives that connection - “Could I ever have understood you?” “No.”).  

And it’s more subtly emphasized in these two episodes as we’re being introduced to and developing an understanding of how Will works as an investigator.  

“You make jumps you can’t explain.”  “The *evidence* explains.”  

“Associations come quickly.” 

I roll my eyes every single time Hannibal says “pure empathy” in the show because while, yes, Will has plenty of empathy, as he protests to Jack in the very first scene, the point is he has an active imagination, and applies it to the evidence.  Will is so good at what he does because he makes connections between general knowledge he has and details of the crime scenes that seem strange or even nonsensical to others.  Antler velvet in the wounds?  Well, what do I know about antler velvet?  And then that knowledge he has about it promoting healing probably later supports his assertion that the killer experiences some form of love for his victims.

(It didn’t seem to fit in well in the earlier section, but the mirror motif also comes into play with the Shrike case in that the first Copycat murder is a distorted reflection of what the Shrike does, for the purposes of making the essential elements of the Shrike murders stand out more starkly to Will.)

In the Stammets case, his mental reconstruction at the crime scene itself is literally just a review of what they’ve already been able to conclude from the physical evidence, plus the inference that it’s not important to the killer that his victims be aware that they were dying, which is a fairly obvious one to make given the lack of restraints.  Then, when they’re discussing it in the lab and cause of death has been determined, he’s able to do more with the information - he’s able to determine the how of the victims’ docile interment and from then it’s a quick series of fairly obvious jumps to who the killer must be.

Finally, the debut of the Ravenstag is the result of the sudden, vivid connection Will’s mind has made from the imagery of the Copycat scene - crows and a stag’s head, a murder and a message.  The Ravenstag will go on to embody the spectre of death, an omen, but also in some ways a guardian.

Intrusion

Hoo boy is this show ever about that, and these episodes certainly do get off to a running start on this theme.

First of all, just about everyone and everything intruding on Will.  There’s Jack in his classroom, there’s Hannibal in Jack’s office and then Will’s motel room, there’s Beverly in Elise Nichols’s room and then again (slightly less unwelcome) at the range, there’s Freddie Being Freddie, and then there’s his hallucinations. 

We explicitly discuss the intrusive nature in which Will experiences his work: 

“Fear is the price of imagination.”

“No forts in the bone arena of your skull for the things you love.”

And then we start to see the basis for Will’s trust in Hannibal start to form has Hannibal backs off in episode 2.  He lets Will roam about the mezzanine of his office (literally circling Hannibal, and part of me wanted to talk about lions because of that and the line with Franklyn, but that felt like stretching a bit too much) while he stays below, gives answers to the questions Will lobs back at him, becomes someone who will push just enough to show concern and interest, but will gracefully retreat into safer waters at the right moment rather than press for ever more.

It’s beautiful and infuriating to me that this is both the truth and the smokescreen for actions that make it also a farce - Will and Hannibal’s relationship is characterized both by a strong, genuine interpersonal courtesy and a staggering degree of intrusion (mostly by Hannibal, though Will has his moments), and these things can and do frequently exist fully side by side.  

The other notable single target of intrusion in these episodes is, of course, Hannibal.

Something I didn’t really consciously grok on my first couple of watchings of Jack and Hannibal’s first scene together is that while Jack is trying to flatter Hannibal rather than intimidate/command (as he was doing with Will), Jack is still being very nearly as pushy and invasive as he was in his first scene with Will: shows up unannounced, assumes Hannibal will make time for him without stating his purpose in being there (I love how visibly taken-aback he is when Hannibal tells him to wait in the damn waiting room), then wanders around Hannibal’s office and messes with his drawings while casually talking about Hannibal’s personal history before he ever gets around to The Point.  Yes, Hannibal’s eventually pleased as punch with the results of that visit, but Jack’s behavior is what it is. 

Then there’s Freddie (oh, Freddie), who will continue to be a wildly intrusive presence in his life over the next few years in various ways.  And then there’s Will, himself, pushing back when Hannibal asks questions in their office sessions - and who will ultimately be The One True Intrusion, the destabilizing element that will cause Hannibal to tear his life as he knows it to the ground.  

There are other ways this theme can be discussed in the context of these two episodes, but I’ve hit the main points I meant to and this has gotten lengthy enough already!

(Below the cut, for your potential amusement, a smattering of my notes from rewatching that didn’t necessarily make it into this.)

JACK DON'T TOUCH PEOPLE'S GLASSES

I will never get over the irony of "You have to convince yourself that the lion is not in the room.  When it is I assure you, you will know."

pURe EMpatHY

ahh yes, the Teleporting Cannibal Episode

"I'd rather not take it from you" - have to wonder how much Freddie remembered that statement later, as she was starting to wonder if Hannibal might be killing with Will

And here's our first mention of God enjoying killing.

[fox-and-benedict]

[Fanfic, 100% OJ] Inevitable

Series: 100% Orange Juice / Suguri Words: 1646 Characters: Suguri, Hime Originally posted: February 18, 2017 (blogspot version) A/N: The title is a meta joke about my historical obsession with breakfast. Whenever I start a new series or experiment with new characters, you can almost always expect a dedicated breakfast scene sooner or later. This was when I first started really dialing in on Suguri and Hime’s characters; there’s a little risque content, but as usual, nothing graphic.

Eggs, milk, flour, butter; from those ingredients, the day is born. She glances down at the recipe, checking through the steps just one more time before she launches into action. It isn't the first time she's made pancakes, but she's had enough mishaps in the kitchen not to count her eggs before they're cooked. The smell of hot fat in a heavy iron pan was never one she imagined she'd grow to appreciate, but there are many things about her new home that have surprised her, and pleasantly at that. Every morning, birdsong winds its way through the yew tree beside the house and into the living room; there's nothing in space that can compare to being woken so gently, so naturally. Even now, songbirds twitter outside the window, dipping and carving through the air more gracefully than even she can. Cooking does not come naturally to her, not nearly as much as singing, or dancing, or war. There's a science to it, and an art, and she can never quite seem to combine the two, but her enthusiasm makes up for it – or so Suguri says. Really, she thinks Suguri is just happy to get breakfast at all. For all her unflappable skill in other areas, the girl makes a hapless chef, always just a little impatient and overly willing to take short cuts on the way to getting fed. Her omelettes are always speckled with long, silvery hair, her eggs are always overcooked, and she'll happily cut her toast with a beam sword if she can't find a knife. Hime quickly learned that if she wanted real meals, she'd be making them herself; today, like every morning, she dons her apron dutifully, if not with gusto. With the pancake batter gently sizzling in the pan and the bacon safely in the oven, she allows her mind to drift a little towards other, less gratifying concerns. She'll need to set the table, which is usually easier said than done. Historically, home decoration is not a thing Suguri has afforded a lot of thought to, and as a result what little cutlery she has in an eclectic, unfathomable mix. They have more corkscrews than they do forks, and there are five different can-openers but only one sad, bent little silver teaspoon. Knives, however, seem to multiply in their drawers at an alarming rate. The same design philosophy – or lack thereof – applies to the furniture. Alongside the cavernous beanbag chair currently serving as Hime's sleeping quarters, they have an old wicker chair, a barstool and a coffee table that has never seen a cup of coffee in its life – principally because Suguri insists that it belongs in the bathroom, for reasons that only make sense in an alternative universe. After a week of not-so-subtle prodding, Suguri had finally capitulated and brought home a loveseat so they could sit down together, and Hime had been very pleased until she lifted out the cushions and found a collection of coins that hadn't been minted in over a hundred years. Still, it was progress, and that was what counted. Definitely their most attractive piece was the kitchen table, which had almost nothing wrong with it provided that you didn't check the underside for fire damage. Otherwise, it almost seemed a shame to cover it with a cloth; it was elmwood, hard and smooth and cool to the touch, with attractive flecks between the grain. Trees, and the gifts that they gave, were one of Hime's favourite things about a terrestrial lifestyle. With the pancakes cooked (or a close approximation of it), she piles them onto the plates and sets out to capture some chairs. She takes the wicker chair for herself, and leaves the barstool for Suguri; it makes her feel a bit taller, and there's no weave to catch her hair in. She pours out the last of the milk for Suguri and some apple juice for herself, both served in whiskey glasses because of course they don't have anything resembling a normal glass. By the time she's finished she can hear the familiar bump, bump, bump of slippers coming down the stairs. Suguri, she has learned, is not a morning person. Suguri is hardly even an afternoon person. If there's nothing catastrophic to motivate her, she spends her first two waking hours in a warm, contented daze, before eventually transitioning into the calm, slightly bemused state that Hime knows and loves. That wasn't, of course, to say that there aren't perks to Morning Suguri. “G'morning,” Suguri says as she wanders into the kitchen, her hands balled in the sleeves of her powder-blue pyjamas. It actually comes out as 'guurmaaahnnnin', because syllables are not a thing Suguri really endorses at the best of times and even less so when freshly awoken, but Hime has a keen ear and a passion for Suguri-whispering. There is one thing she can pronounce, though. “Hug.” Morning hugs were one of the pleasant surprises that Hime found herself with in her new home. Why Suguri demanded one every morning without fail was a mystery to her, and one she could care less about the answer to; it was far easier, and more pleasant, to let Suguri shuffle over to her, wrap her arms around her waist, and gently headbutt her shoulder. Hime's part of the hug was to gently run her hands through Suguri's long hair until the girl relaxed into the embrace. “Hime,” Suguri mumbles into her shoulder. “You smell of bacon.” Hime smiles, and rubs her cheeck against the top of Suguri's head. “Yes, well, bacon is delicious. You, on the other hand, smell of not showering.” “Muuuuuh. I'll do it after breakfast.” “Ahh. So childish,” Hime teases, perhaps a little indulgently. In the morning Suguri acts like a kid, but she gets to be childish for the rest of the day. “Nyuh. It takes too long. I wanna cut my hair.” “Well, I don't disagree. We could get matching hairstyles.” The thought goes without a reply; whatever strange desire propels Suguri to indiscriminate hugging has been temporarily sated, and now she has her stomach to attend to. Gently disentangling herself from Hime's arms, she floats over to the barstool (there is usually a no-flying pact while they're in the house, because it leads to a lot of collisions with lampshades, but Hime lets it slide), and perches precariously on top of it, her long silver hair hanging down behind her. She drinks half of the milk at a gulp, grimaces, and finishes off the rest; this part of Suguri's morning is, Hime has been told, Very Important. Before long a plate of pancakes has materialised in front of her, complete with a few crispy rashers of bacon as a bonus. “How is it?” Hime asks, carefully dissecting her own pancakes with a knife. She's a little disappointed with how they turned out; she was going for fluffy, but ended up with dense instead. “Mpfmf,” Suguri replied, attacking her own plate with considerably less restraint. “I'll take that as a passing grade, then. C minus, perhaps.” “Nuh. B.” The meal continues in relative quiet; because neither of them is all that good at cooking, they both have a healthy respect for whatever food does survive their ministrations. Besides, they have all day for conversation, and birdsong in the meantime. There is nothing wrong, Hime thinks, with a comfortable silence. Before long, Suguri is sitting back – as much as she can on a barstool, anyway – and letting the food work its way through her system. The process of waking up has begun. “You know,” Hime says, watching Suguri stretch, “I think breakfast is one of the planetside traditions I wish we'd kept most in when we went to space. Everybody just ate when they felt like it, there.” Suguri yawns, and hops down from the barstool. “Mm. I think it's one of my favourite traditions now, too. I'll get the plates.” Hime smiles, but there is just a touch of steel behind it. “Oh no, you don't. I think I shall get the plates, and you can get a shower. You smell fine right now, but you'd smell better with some of that body wash I picked up the other day.” “Muurgh. Fine,” Suguri says, wearing what seems dangerously close to a pout. “I'll see you in an hour or so.” Actually, it's usually an hour and a half, but she can dream. Before she walks out of the kitchen, Suguri turns, takes in Hime's golden hair and glowing smile, and remembers that her mornings were not always so; that once upon a time there was no sound, and breakfast was a slice of bread with nothing on it. “Hime. Thank you for cooking for me. I'd like it if you'd cook for me tomorrow, too.” “And the day after that, and the day after that... I'll be a respectable chef in no time,” Hime smiles. “It is, as always, a pleasure.” Their gazes meet, and for a moment Suguri feels a warmth that has nothing to do with a full belly or the sunshine streaming in from the window. She feels herself waking up, her mind whirring into motion to really start the day. “Wait,” she says, slowly. “Hime?” “Yes?” As the haze of sleep lifts, Suguri's placid smile drops a little; her eyes widen as she checks and re-checks what she's seeing. Bare shoulders, exposed legs. Her fingertips vaguely recall the feel of warm skin. “Uh. Well. Are you, um, wearing anything, under that apron?” “Ah. I was wondering if you'd notice. I thought I'd try it out, just the once. Earth traditions are so very fascinating, don't you agree?” Hime asks, with a smile as golden as the sun. “I should probably warn you – I'm about to turn around to do the dishes. I do hope you enjoy your shower.”

[fyrapartnersearch]

Video Game, and Fandom Search

Hello!  With the summer coming to an end, I need some new partners to Write with! But,here is a quick run-down.  Name/Alias: Bocaj Age: 22 Time-Zone: EST Fandom Characters or OC's: This is Tricky.Some I like OC's, some I don't. So with any Fandom, I will make a note, of which.  Reply Length : Typically, a paragraph or two. Open to write more. Reply Time: I try to get at least one reply per day, will always attempt more. But, real life always comes first.  POV: Third Person, Past Tense.  Medium: Email or Discord. Email:Onesplendidbubble@gmail.com!  So, if you are still reading, lovely~!  Time, to list through what I am into currently, and any thoughts for plots and such. I always, always love a sense of story added in. In general, adventure themes, action, romance, Time-Whimey, War, and others, are themes I lean towards. Of course, for each Fandom here, not all apply to such.  Fandoms Start here:  JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Ahh, JoJo's.. Started it last year, because a co-worker had mentioned it was something to really enjoy, and at first I was a bit iffy. Though, now I am obsessed. I won't try to say I am the best fan around, but I do love the series from what I have read and seen. So, for this Fandom, I am open to both :Canon and OC Characters. Just not mixed together. If we want Canon, let's stick with them. Or, OC's, let's go that route only. I think, because the Multiverse Does Exist within Jojo's, creating our own Timeline within can be fun! Our own JoJo, and Jobro team! Perhaps have it set during a War, and see how Stands could turn the Whims of Fate.  Or, a more modern setting, with Stands.  Some Canon Characters I adore are: Caesar, Joseph (Both Young and Old) Jolyne, Josuke, Giorno, Bruno, Diavolo, DIO, Any Zeppeli if I am being honest, Lisa Lisa, SpeedWagon, (Not finished SBR) But I do like Johnny too! Others of course, too! Tales of Berseria: Probably my favorite Tales game, that I have personally played. For this, Canon Characters only. Though, very open to AU ideas for this game.  Perhaps, some school AU? Like their School DLC costumes. Or, take a Bizarre Route and give them all Stands and a JoJo like problem/World to deal with.  Not too many ideas for this game yet.  Persona 5, 

my first Persona game. So, I am a little bias when it comes to this series. I have a understanding of Persona 4, though I do not have any real want to go back and play that title.(Nothing against those who love P4. I hear all the time, its better. And perhaps it is, I am not denying that.) I love the Phantom Thieves and their story, and can not wait for Persona 5 Royal!  When it comes to P5, I prefer to stick to Canon Characters. Open to add our own little head-canon thoughts to them. Also, a great topic of Debate: Ren or Akira.  I like Ren, because I am a Star Wars geek, and Ren makes me think of Kylo Ren ; however, either work for me. I was first introduced to the Akira name, from one of the manga series. But, again, I am not too stuck on it. If I had a choice, Ren, but Akira is just as good. (Kinda pairs him up with Akechi a little more, when its Akira, I feel.)  When it comes to ideas, I am quite open as well! One thought I have had, and it needs some work, is Crossing Persona 5 over, with Kingdom Hearts. Both Deal with Hearts, right? It could be as simple, as Persona 5 is a world within the Realm of Kingdom Hearts. But, the idea of having the Phantom Thieves, or at least one or two, work with Sora is such a fun thought! Open to do something based around the Dancing Costumes; I know in the Dancing game, its explained they are in the Meta-verse, for the entertainment of the Wardens, and their siblings. Though, I wouldn't mind creating some new Palace they deal with, where Dancing is an really odd and big factor in it.  If we want something with Shipping, my favorite ship is: AnnXMakoto.  Or, any AU spin. Phantom Thieves, in the world of Pokemon? Sure! Why Not>! Kingdom Hearts! Fill me, with the power of...Darkness! Another series I have loved for a long time. What's your favorite Trio?! Were you satisfied with KHIII? My trio, is Sea-Salt. As I loved 358/2 Days (Read as: Three, Five, Eight, Days Over Two....for some reason....)) and as for KHIII, I was! I know some weren't, but it delivered on everything I needed to feel, the feels.  Canon Characters, please.  But, again, any head-canon thoughts, feel free to share them!  For this Fandom, we can dive in anywhere. Want to explore a certain game more, with our own twists? Let's! Wanna do an AU, with our favorite characters? An AU Inspired by Final Fantasy X-2, starring Aqua, Kairi, Nanime, And Xion? I'd love ya! Re-write some Canon events, and create a new KH time-line? I love timey-whimey problems!  Favorite over-all KH character?  Xion, for me. Something about the quiet girl has always appealed to me. Though, Luxord, despite what short amount of time we see him, is another favorite. 

Akira Toriyama's World, of Dragon Ball I have specific ideas for this one.  1) Deals within an AU, with Gohan and Videl, more focusing on their jobs as Saiyaman and Saiyman-2./Woman. The Buu Saga, wouldn't have occurred the way it did. Instead, allowing Gohan time to be more of a hero. Though, new foes would appear. Perhaps, the non-canon movie villains, like Bojack, Cooler, and others. Android 21, if we want to slide her into the mix too. Canon and OC's. But, Canon are the main focus. 2) Within Universe 6,  I'd like to adapt the Tuffle Arc from GT, but with the Universe 6 Saiyans! Cabba, Kale, and Caulifla having to fight off the Tuffle infection! I'd like to include the Twin Tuffles from Heroes, but open to OC Tuffles being the main Antagonist.  Despite what anyone might think of Disney's control of the Franchise, I am still quite in love with it. I do have high hopes for Episode IX. Though, I don't want to focus any RP in the new era. Instead, I'd like to go more in some AU route (A running theme in this post, I know..) But, The Force Unleashed in DLC, had plots of this nature. With Luke falling on Hoth, due to Starkiller, and Leia taking up the 'Last' Jedi role. And, if one does a search for scrapped Concept Art for Battlefront-4, they had all sorts of AU thoughts: Darth Obi-wan, Jedi-Maul, Sith Luke and Leia, Light-Side Vader, and so much more! I think, diving into some AU could be fun! An AU where Luke and Leia, serve the Empire, and its up to an Old Light Side Anakin to redeem his kids?  Instead of Qui-Gon being killed on Naboo, perhaps it was Obi-wan; allowing Qui-Gon to become Anakin's Master, but with the scar of losing his Padwan.  Or, perhaps a tale on Anakin and Obi-Wan, during Anakin's training. I finished reading Master and Apprentice , which is a canon book about Obi-wan and Qui-Gon, and loved it.  Or, another idea, dealing within EA's Battlefront II and Inferno Squad. I'd like a story with them, actual being the Elite Squad for the Empire, and not becoming Rebels. Might be odd to write from the Empire's POV. But, I wish they had gone another way with those characters. It is was so underwhelming to see Iden just randomly have a change of heart. Without seeing the Bad-ass Special Force Commander. 

Though, I do not have as many ideas/thoughts for these, here are some others. ! Sword Art Online/Gun Gale Online My Hero Academia  Super Sentai/Power Rangers Power Rangers 2017 Movie-Verse Pokemon The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Catherine/Katherine Thanks for reading!

[i-aim-to-overanalyze]

Fanfic writers meme: 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20, 27, 39, 40, 42, 45, 46, and 50 (my question for #50 is: Your favourite character from any of your fandoms (pick one or several characters you like) is writing a fanfic STARRING YOU AS A CHARACTER. Regarding this fact, what kind of fanfic do you think he/she/they are writing about and how would you feel about you literally being in it?)

Thank you so much for sending in an ask! :D

3. Name three favorite writers.

Ahh, this is a toughie! I’m going to list three writers from different fandoms that I admire a lot.

A. Anappleofdiscord from fanfiction.net I’m pretty sure she doesn’t have a tumblr and even tho it’s been forever since I spoken with her personally, she is an awesome person and an awesome writer. She writes for the Hetalia fandom, focusing on gen stuff centering around England and America. If you know anything about the Hetalia fandom, it’s ridiculously rare to find platonic fics about these two and her fics are like the cream of the crop. Her characterizations are on point, her fics are educational and hilarious (and also a rollarcoaster of emotions) plus she pulls off OCs superbly. If you ever check out her fics, tell her that Listenerofshadows sent you ;)

B. Glimare from fanfiction.net I don’t know her personally, but I love her work in the DC fandom. Sadly, she’s since mostly moved on to other fandoms (which is great for her, if the feeling’s not there, don’t push yourself to write fanfic for certain fandoms) but she has a TON of content and it’s all so good. Her most-well known work is a collection of one-shots known as “Daddy, Not Bats”. It’s an AU where Bruce encounters the bat-kids at a younger age and decides to retire to raise them all. It’s sweet, fluffy and angsty all rolled into one.

C. @elfpen from AO3, Fanfiction.net and Tumblr.  I stumbled across her fanfic Reprise when looking for a good star wars time-travel fanfic to satisfy my needs and boy, DOES SHE DELIVER. Most time-travel fics center around the OT era or Obiwan and/or Anakin traveling to TPM, but hers focus on OT!Obiwan traveling back to the era BEFORE TPM. It’s a great fic, I love the characterizations and her OCs are on-point. Not to mention, she also has a lot of other awesome SW and HTTYD content. 

Putting everything else under the cut because this is gonna get long quick!

4. Name three authors that were influential to your work and why.

A. Anappleofdiscord, again. Because she has actually beta’d my work before and given me great writing advice. I haven’t finished Neverlast, nor barely touched on it, but I’m thankful for her influence she’s played on it.

B. It’s hard to pinpoint my inspiration for my writing, because it’s kinda an intuitive thing? Like, I’ll be writing and a phrase comes up and I’m like “I know I stole that phrase from some fanfic lol” but i don’t know which one??? But basically all the fanfic writers I love are legions above me and I admire them all. But I have to say, I’ve started writing more third-person present tense because of a few good fanfics (but I can’t pinpoint which ones) which it’s a rare tense for a novel to pursue but I love the rhythm of it.

6. How did writing change you?

I’ve been writing before I could even write. Basically as a little four-year-old, I’d make pictures and then dictate to my older sister/mom what the pictures were about, essentially creating a storybook out of it. Since writing has been part of my life for so long, it’s so innate to me like breathing air. I know there’s a lot I could improve on writing, but it’s just a freeing way for me to express myself in a clear and concise manner. In real life, I can be awkward in how I word things and I have a tendency to trip over words or don’t fully pronounce my th-s and s-es. Fanfiction is great because I can explore my favorite concepts of a fanfic in a medium that people can enjoy reading in :)

7. Early influences of your writing

Once I discovered reading was fun (I didn’t learn to read until 2nd grade but that’s okay, because once I did I was reading several grades above my level) I devoured books. Some of my favorite books as a child are: PJO, Chronicles of Narnia, Boxcar Children and Black Beauty. I also did some RPG’ing at a young age, which greatly improved my writing as the constant writing at a rapid pace forced my writing to improve exponentially. There were roleplayers that I admired greatly that I imitated because I wanted my writing to be as good as theirs.

10. how do you do your researches?

Google, man, Google. For example let’s say my fanfic is a historical AU. I know a lot about history, but I might look up a historical site to proofcheck my dates or phrases of the time. Fanfic is nice, because it gives you an excuse to rewatch your favorite show if you wanna make sure you nail the characterizations. I might just look at a fan wiki if it’s a minor detail like what’s Ahsoka’s smaller lightsaber called. 

13. Hardest character to write

Oohhh boy! I think everyone can agree that Yoda and Darth Vader are the two toughest SW characters to write for. It’s hard to get into the head of a 900 yr old troll and Vader is just…really hard? Palpatine is also hard not to make him the typical cookie-cutter villian (Which he is, but I’d like to try to give him some depth). I feel like I write a different take of Anakin every time I write a different AU involving him, but I think that’s because the AUs are at different points of his life and also the AU effects his reaction to things.

14. Easiest character to write.

I know it’s contradictory, but Anakin. He’s definitely chaotic good and it’s fun to write that archtype. I haven’t written much Obiwan (actually I have, but I can’t post it until I write the chapters bridging to him :/) but he’s more lawful good compared to Anakin and throwing those two into the same fic is fun to see. Padme is a fun one to write as well as Ahsoka.

17. Favorite AU to write

I have so many AUs so again, hard choice. Gotta say Impetus, since it’s the most I have written for and I love it. It deals more with the traumatizing effects that slavery/the Jedi have inflicted on Anakin plus an even more problematic Palpatine. I didn’t mean to recreate Palpatine in that fashion he’s basically a pedophile in this AU, the characters kinda just made it happen and I ran with it. It was supposed to be a humorous/fluffy what-if but like everything I touch, it’s also angsty ( ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

19. Favorite fandom to write for

My favorite fandom to write for naturally changes with my interests. I was obsessed with YJ for a while, then Hetalia and now SW. Star Wars is fun to write for because there’s a big audience and it’s pretty easy to find a pocket audience who love the same types of things that you do. YJ will always be my first love. I’m currently writing a fanfic for a YJ fandom event, but I’ve been kinda struggling? I’ve lost my enthusiasm writing-wise even tho I still love it to bits.

20. Favorite Character to Write.

Anakin, probably. It’s funny because I used to never like the PT, but the Clone Wars changed all that. It’s a shame that Lucas went the direction he did for Anakin in PT because TCW uncovered a problematic but likeable hero and I wish we could’ve seen that live-action (It’s not Hayden’s fault btw, the director is the one responsible for what portrayal the actor gives)

27. Best review you ever got.

Okay, so. I used to share an account on FF.Net with a friend and I wrote of a lot of YJ fanfics. One of them was a gen one-shot involving Bart and Jaime that received a good amount of attention. AND A REALLY GOOD FANFIC AUTHOR THAT I ADMIRED AND LOOKED UP TO REVIEWED MY FIC AND I HAVE NEVER GOTTEN OVER IT. I never in a million years imagined that my favorite authors potentially read my fanfics, let alone review/favorite it.

39. Do you want to be published some day?

Kinda. As a kid I’ve always wanted to get published but now I’m not so sure. I’ve never finished any fics other than one-shots and that really has gotten to me. My current goal is to finish at least one of my fanfics but I think I’ve been putting it off because I’m afraid it’s impossible to acccomplish. It’s silly, I know. I just need to do it.

40. Which one of your stories do would you most like to see as a movie/series?

Hmmm….probably my one-shot involving those two bounty hunter OCs. I could just see them trying to survive the universe with the least amount of weird space stuff happening but they seem to get pulled into it anyway. Those two are actually the easiest OCs for me to write, btw.

42. Do you plan or do you write whatever comes to mind?

I’m a weird creature. In life, I like to know things ahead of time. I like things to run exactly the way I planned. I don’t like unexpected variables. but in writing…I rarely outline. I usually write whatever is on my mind. Pure inspiration is awesome…until it runs out and feels like you’re pulling teeth to just to write a single sentence. That’s when I attempt to outline things.

45. Share the synopsis of a story you haven’t published yet

“Whatis love? To a young child slave, it is the words his mother used to caress himafter a brutal beating by their master. It is wrapped in the kisses she givesto each bruise and lullabies that lull him to sleep.” A meta on Anakin’s varying views of love a crappy summary authored by moi

46. Share a scene of a story you haven’t published yet.

Welp. Might as well share from the above fic.

Whatis love? To a young child slave, it is the words his mother used to caress himafter a brutal beating by their master. It is wrapped in the kisses she givesto each bruise and lullabies that lull him to sleep.

Hismaster can freely touch every part of him he wishes. He can say words to him—hecan do anything he like to him.

Hecan say things like, “You know I love you, boy?” and the slave obedientlyanswers, “Yes, master.”

He’sso very young, but he knows that his master’s words and touch are not love.Only his mother’s is. He doesn’t know how to describe it. But he can feel thewarmth behind them, like hovering over a fire on a cold desert night. They arelike a thick blanket made of bantha furs, soft and comforting. They melt awayhis tears and fill his lungs with laughter.

Everyday, his mother tells him “I love you Ani.” and Ani, the slave boy, freelyreplies, “I love you too, Mom!”

Hefollows by her example, smothering her with hugs and tells her silly stories tohear her laughter that rings like the bells at the market stands. Because heknows love is the best medicine to heal anyone. It makes them feel fuzzy insideand they don’t feel so sad knowing someone cares about them.

Hismom gets sad a lot, so he does his best to repel the sadness away. He doesn’tget angry when she’s sad, because she isn’t angry when he’s sad.

“It’sokay to be sad,” She tells him one night as she runs her hands through hishair, “Everyone gets sad, just like how everyone gets angry or happy.”

“Mastersdon’t like it when we’re angry though.” Anakin pouted.

Shepauses; looking down at her son with a sad smile, “No matter what they say,you’re allowed to feel angry, Ani. Bundle it up, and keep it to yourself—andrelease it when they aren’t looking.”

“Areyou ever angry, mom?” He yawned as he snuggled closer.

“Yes.”His mother breathed deeply, and he could feel a bit of her anger—for aninstant.

It ishot—not warm like Love’s fire. No, it burns and consumes him for a moment. Itreminds him of all the bruises and welts that his masters have given him. Angeris selfish and doesn’t love. He doesn’t like seeing the giver of his Love feelthis way. He internally sighs in relief when her anger melts away as he told atale about a funny customer that came in that day.

Hehas never truly felt anger. He flinches from its’ touch and refuses to feel theemotion that his masters are fond of.

50. Your favourite character from any of your fandoms (pick one or several characters you like) is writing a fanfic STARRING YOU AS A CHARACTER. Regarding this fact, what kind of fanfic do you think he/she/they are writing about and how would you feel about you literally being in it?)

I feel like everyone relates when I say I don’t think my life is interesting. I’d pick Cassie from YJ because I feel like she’d be the type to write fanfic. I will say one ironic moment in my life is that I starred in a play as a shy bookworm girl who got the lead role in her school play alongside her crush, the star basketball player, incidentally they ended up together in the end. Everyone irl teased me about this but the truth is….I actually had a crush on the actor himself. We’ve known each other for years and are good friends. And the closest I ever gotten to “kissing” him was a moment in the play where our characters almost kissed before being interrupted by other students. But of course nothing real came of the play and we still remain good friends.  I always note in my head that the hollywood version is that we…would’ve hooked up in the end. I’m sure if I was a fictional character and Cassie shipped me with him and we didn’t get together in the end, she’d be writing a fix-it fic where our pairing is the true pairing in the end. If i wasn’t fictional, I’d feel really weirded out by it. I don’t like fic involving real people in it, especially if it involves ships. I’m almost 90% sure this guy doesn’t have a crush on me and just regards as friends. Which is okay, because I’m not sure if I even want a relationship at the moment.

[redwhale]

A Tale of Two Flints.

Ahh, mateys, ‘tis my last float on the Black Sails' meta waves before the tide goes out before the finale. I'm also going to be calling Flint 'James' a bit here where I usually wouldn't, as otherwise it gets a tad too confusing!

I know the topic of Flint having a possible symbolic death has been talked about a lot. I was a bit slower on the uptake than other more observant folks, and it took me awhile to realize what a literal beat by beat juxtaposition of James' tale of the original Mr Flint is in turn for Captain Flint's fate in Treasure Island. Granddaddy McGraw meets Mr Flint, who asks for a little rum, and then after asking for a little more rum, disappears like he was never there. Meanwhile, on his deathbed, the last words of Treasure Island’s Captain Flint are him calling for Darby McGraw to fetch him rum. Obviously, both tales ultimately have Flint asking McGraw to get him some rum before Flint is no more. (Shush, better to have the realization late than never, right?) I guess I always thought James' tale of Mr Flint to Miranda would be a purposeful parallel and/or foreshadowing. Again, it never clicked that it was the near exact same tale that Granddaddy McGraw told James about the mysterious Mr Flint that in turn parallels Flint's fate in Treasure Island. (Again, shush.)

This is all prompted by Stephens' Q&A on Twitter, where he answers a question about Darby McGraw:

Darby McGraw and the line itself isn't directly mentioned in the scene, or S2. I don't know if the intention of the writers is that Granddaddy McGraw being Darby McGraw is supposed to automatically be implied, or if there will be a mention that Darby McGraw was James' grandfather's name in the finale for a connection to TI.

I'd always assumed, if 'Flint' has a symbolic death, that it would be Silver or Rackham telling the tale. Billy definitely felt like a possibility earlier on before that all went to shit, though there is still a possible Flint/Billy TI connection. Silver, Rackham, and Billy certainly can craft a tale, and that's been a prominent element to all three characters. Whilst James isn't really a creator of stories quite like those three, he's a teller of stories like no other. This storyteller aspect of James has been a constant, more personal and hypnotic aspect to his character, and one we've been shown many times throughout the series - the latest being the tale of Henry Avery and Skeleton Island. I wonder if the tales of Flint and later Flint's demise could come from James himself. As it stands, Flint's TI fate is just a slight variation on James' grandfather's tale of the original Mr. Flint, and neither Silver, Rackham, nor Billy know the specific details to tell it thusly. I could see that change with Silver in the finale, mind, but not for Rackham or sadly Billy. Miranda did know the story of Flint, and who knows if James ever told Thomas his grandfather’s mysterious tale, though I would assume they both knew James' grandfather's name. So if it was James' grandfather that is named Darby, that means the tale of Flint that goes into Treasure Island legend is possibly just the story of the original Mr Flint, changed slightly to suit the teller's purpose.

So, who knows. On the hypothetical James lets Flint return to the sea for good, and stays around Savannah post-Black Sails, maybe he's the one retelling his grandfather's tale and the Flint/rum connection for a partial cover and his own self-depreciating irony. If it's not James himself telling the tale, I'm assuming it could be a varation on a story told to Silver in finale, to give him some inspiration down the line for Flint's possible disappearance. Black Sails' Flint following the death of Treasure Island's Flint feels quite absurd considering the near 1:1 correlation of Flint's TI fate to Grandaddy McGraw's original tale. It seems extremely unlikely that James McGraw/Flint, like his inspirational namesake, calls for man also having the surname of McGraw to pass him rum not long before he dies/disappears/is no more. Flint drinking himself to death in Savannah now almost feels like the most improbable of all the options, but would have been perfectly logical if we'd never been told the story in the first place - and, well, if Captain Flint wasn't also a McGraw. The Real McGraw. Too many McGraws.

...aannd I also know I'm not the first person to make this joke:

Thomas: Did you hear? Captain Flint drank himself to death in Savannah. James: (offscreen)  Quit telling everyone I'm dead! Thomas: Sometimes, I can still hear him calling for Darby McGraw to pass him the rum...

It could potentially be quite tragic for Silver if he isn't the one telling Flint's tale and the two are no longer in contact after the finale. Silver could hear rumours that Flint's became a drunk/eventually dies without knowing that really wasn't Flint's actual fate. Er. Christ. Nope. Let's not do that. Now that I think about, James telling Flint's story to Miranda wasn't exactly a short scene in the first place and was fairly detailed for the audience, would they really repeat it all again? It would have to be a condensed version of James' original telling, but that condensed version still needs to contain a vague overview of the story and the key connection of Flint/McGraw/rum/etc. Maybe Flint told the story to Silver previously off screen, and leaves the audience to fill in the blanks?

I don't necessarily think the above will be addressed in the finale. If nothing else, I guess it's just more personal confirmation that I would genuinely be quite shocked if the showrunners truly set up the eventual fate of Black Sail's Captain Flint like Treasure Island's Captain Flint with no twists whatsoever.

*** I should stipulate - and I had a good laugh when I thought of it - James' Granddaddy might not actually be a McGraw at all, because he could be James' mother's father, aaaannndd all of the above falls apart. Though, I suppose James could have taken on his mother's maiden name. Fuck, I made it more confusing. Let's assume, since Black Sails likes its symbolism, that Granddaddy McGraw is indeed a McGraw, okay?

[mild-lunacy]

The Critique Investment Mismatch Problem

I was thinking about critical feedback on fics, and how generally I'm pretty firmly on the side of embracing it. You know, I always disagree with posts that stridently proclaim that people should just keep their critiques to themselves or email the author privately (... even though there's no obvious way to do that on Ao3). I'm all for honest feedback and people thinking about my fics (and other people's fics) rather than just squee. Not that I mind squee, obviously, but ultimately I don't find it as satisfying as a nice, meaty analysis. And I thought that's close enough to a critique that I don't really draw a distinction. But maybe I should.

I think what most of those posts *mean* when they say 'con-crit' is actually *ranting*. That is, the person leaves a review that doesn't have much to do with the story, and a lot to do with their (sometimes incomprehensible, other times simply entitled) wishes for or issues with the story the author chose to tell. Like I said... I'm open to that. But well, someone left me a missive saying they're 'disappointed' in the way my HP fic turned out, as if someone else wrote the last two chapters without paying attention to the first two. And like... okay, but that doesn't really help, or even tell me exactly what this person's issue was. I'm made distinctly uncomfortable, but no more enlightened as to my fic's weaknesses than I was before. It seems vaguely pointless and maybe a little mean, but that's it. The point of con-crit is theoretically to be helpful, but I don't feel... helped. Nor do I think this person ever intended their comment that way, though it was a polite and relatively respectful note compared to the unreasonable ad-hominem abuse I know some authors deal with.

I'm still not in favor of imposing any sort of limit (beyond basic politeness) on what people may say in fic comments. I've been in fandom awhile, and I've written quite a few fics, so I've seen some doozies (particularly on ff.net... ahh, those were the days). I guess I'm just saying I do understand where the distaste for con-crit comes from, simply 'cause so much of it is so underwhelming and unhelpful (to say the least). When you're in a class and are exchanging papers, you're supposed to at least try to say halfway useful or somewhat constructive things. The whole *point* of con-crit is that it's *constructive*. That's an important word choice. Meanwhile, I'm gonna have to go out on a limb and say most people don't wanna make the effort to be constructive or useful so much as they want to complain and/or explain their passions, presumably in a shorthand fully understandable only to themselves, 'cause they're the important person in the comment leaving transaction. This is not the way to make most authors take a kind view on their less-enthusiastic audience, basically. When feeling attacked, the human instinct is to retrench and retreat or lash out.

Naturally, this makes me think of Moffat and Gatiss's apparent resentful responses to Series 4 critique. Some people have been loud and unreasonable, others have clearly said unhelpful things, and overall the basic response has thus been retrenchment and half-hidden hostility among the creators and even other fans. It's certainly easy to sympathize with the person being verbally assailed or otherwise attacked. Most people don't really stop and wonder whether the critique has a point when they're feeling insulted and even fundamentally misunderstood. I realize I'm an exception here 'cause I'm fundamentally personally invested in in-depth critical discussion of fiction, even with strangers, though especially other fans-- whether it's about others or my own work. So I asked the person ranting at me to clarify, although I can almost guarantee they won't.

It's very hard to maintain that commitment, particularly in the face of commentary that, like I said, clearly misses the 'obvious', is unclear or seems to be about personal issues that have nothing to do with me as the writer (or Mofftiss, to extend the analogy). I presume most creators probably only care about in-depth critical discussions with their close friends and betas. Likewise, I guess most readers can't be bothered to really engage deeply with fics they're not enamored with to start with (no motivation, right?) This sort of phenomenon is what's probably behind the relative lack of meta on Sherlock Series 4, I would imagine. And that's with established fans of the show-- who'd bother writing a treatise on why a random fic annoyed them so that it's actually helpful to the author, right? And thus, the ever-strained relationship between creators and critics continues downhill.