#all comes tumbling down

[chrrywvea]

logan purrs when he's asleep. he purrs like a content little cat when he's smushed into wade's side, his whole adamantium weight pressing into wade who doesn't really mind because ✨️who in their right mind says no to wolvie cuddles✨️ (wade uses him as a weighted blanket anyway, who needs air pffffft he doesn't)

but HOLY MARVEL JESUS he has a silent freak out the first time he discovers logan purring in his sleep during one of their movie binges. (they have weekly movie nights fight me)

a healthy (not) bout of cuteness aggression happens that night and even though wade is a little confused both by the fact that logan actually fell asleep on him and that HE IS PURRING OH MY GOD- he doesn't fight it and even naps with him (the best sleep both of them have ever had considering lots of nights are full with nightmares and insomnia)

and the thing is- wade very carefully talks to some of the surviving xmen in their universe about it and they just go 🤔🤨❓️ because not one of them has ever seen or heard logan do this (i'd imagine maybe kayla or mariko, scott even - logan told him about them, but hey wade can't really ask them can he) and then wade REALIZES and it hits him SO hard. logan is comfortable with him. he's at ease and relaxed enough in his presence to allow himself to slip into his slightly more animalistic traits without having to fear any judgement or rejection. he. is. comfortable. and wade maybe cries a little (a lot) at that realisation, holding logan even tighter when it happens again - the older man slumped against him during one of their movie nights, sleeping tight and soft purrs vibrating deep from his chest

[aihoshiino]

chapter 166 thoughts

As of chapter 166, Oshi no Ko has finished a roughly four-and-a-half year run started back in 2020. While there's some speculation about an epilogue or some extra content in volume 16 when it drops, this is where the main story ends. And you know what that means!!!

OSHI NO KO HAS OFFICIALLY ENDED WITHOUT ADDRESSING OR ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT THAT RUBY KISSED HER BROTHER IN CHAPTER 143

please understand that this is FUCKING BOGUS

I'll probably do a longer post on this subject specifically, but my main critique of 143 when the chapter dropped was that while I liked the individual beats in it and I was really glad to see Akasaka finally addressing this tension bubbling underneath Aqua and Ruby's relationship, the immediate swerve away from showing us the aftermath of that kiss felt to me like an admission that the story was going to needlessly draw this out even more. Now that the story has ended and we can see that moment had literally no impact on the plot or even the character dynamics, I'd like to revise that statement - it feels like an admission of compromise. It feels like crumbs thrown to AquRuby fans to tempt them to keep reading and to stir up the waters of the ship wars, so people would keep reading and stay invested in the manga right to the very end. But most of all, it feels deeply disrespectful to both Aqua and Ruby as characters. Rather than exploring their feelings and giving both of them interiority and complexity in relation to incest or even just fucking acknowledging that the kiss had happened and letting their dynamic evolve, the series just memory holes the entire event and asks that you do too. Rather than letting Ruby have any development whatsoever as pertains to that relationship or, god forbid, let a female character move on romantically from the male lead, the series ends with her feelings so up in the air that I literally could not tell you what she thinks of Aqua by the time he dies.

ANYWAY… FINAL CHAPTER. BREATHES OUT VERY HARD.

I really can't believe it's taken us until the final chapter to actually deal with Ruby's grief over Aqua lol. We got a snippet of it last chapter but it was so brief that it really just felt like a tease. I also just think it's kind of bizarre that we're spending this little time on Ruby having feelings about Aqua's death to the extent that I have no idea how or when she found out about it.

It's also kind of hard to feel particularly strongly about Ruby's grief when the chapter doesn't really bother to explore it all that much. It's just a montage of Ruby quite literally Screaming, Crying and Throwing Up while Akane dispassionately narrates it all. The art also doesn't really help in terms of connecting with the emotions at play - I usually really like Mengo's expression work and the way she depicts extreme emotions but this all just felt like of… I don't know how else to put it. Goofy??? Is that an insane thing to say about Ruby grieving her brother???

Idk, something about both the panelling and just the extreme on-the-noseness of Ruby, again, literally Screaming, Crying Throwing Up while she's wearing a Burning cosplay Just In Case You, The Audience, Didn't Get It only for her to abruptly be done crying with no exploration or insight as to what's going on in her head that allows her to move forward.

Honestly, this is kind of the issue with everyone in the cast. The resolution is just sort of "Aqua died and we were sad about it but then we stopped being sad". I know what the story is trying to go for here - it's trying to express that even when you're in pain, life goes on and so you have to find a way to go on with it. But the result is that we spend all this time oogling at their pain without spending equivalent or even meaningful time on their recovery process.

It feels both excessive and undercooked at the same time and I'm left with the same icky, voyeuristic feeling I got from Aqua's funeral last chapter. This should be the point in the story at which we empathize with Ruby the most, but she remains a frustratingly distant figure right to the final pages. Part of this is an unfortunate consequence of Akane's narration directing these final chapters meaning that we're hearing about Ruby from an outsider's perspective and thus don't really see what's going on in her head… but if I can be frank, this has been an issue of Aka's with Ruby in particular basically nonstop since chapter 123.

As others & myself have noted, despite the absolutely catastrophic downward spiral Ruby is in at that point, Aqua revealing himself as Gorou basically flips it all off like a switch. There's some mild lipservice paid to the idea that Ruby is just using her dependency on Gorou to prop herself up and it's pointed out that the issues that contributed to her breakdown haven't actually been resolved - but none of these issues are ever even acknowledged again, let alone resolved. So, functionally, that reveal does fix all Ruby's problems in the space of a single chapter and the result is, again, that we spend multiple chapters gourging on depictions of Ruby's absolute rock bottom only for her to ping back to normal like a lightswitch. As such, the depictions of her pain feel less like explorations of Ruby's interiority and more like voyeuristic oogling at Ruby's misery and trauma and the effect is that the resolution to it all is both unsatisfying and a little gross. The result is that it feels like Akasaka is just indulgently mining the imagery of cute girls suffering because it causes simple thoughts neuron activation but doesn't respect these girls enough as characters to build them back up.

It doesn't help that this is basically the in-universe excuse for Ruby's career further skyrocketing. Instead of Ruby becoming a star on her own merits as the story keeps insisting she was supposed to, she's artificially buoyed by the public's morbid fascination with her tragedy. If I was feeling charitable towards the story right now, I would say this is an avenue of intentional critique but… well, I don't feel super charitable about the story right now lol

I WILL say that the one part of this chapter I did just uncomplicatedly like was the beat of Mem trying to suspend activities (presumably in the wake of her grief for Aqua) only for Kana to basically immediately explode into her room and help her get back on her feet. It's a beat that would've been much more effective if we'd, you know, seen it, but I otherwise enjoyed it and I thought it was sweet.

But. pbbbbtttt. I guess I can't talk around it any longer… let's get into the Dome concert.

To start things off on the immediately worst note possible, Akane describes Ruby performing at the Dome as being 'everyone's dream', including Aqua's. I'm reminded once again of the strange turn the story took in insisting that um, actually, performing at the Dome was totes Ai's dream all along (even though she literally didn't give a shit even a week before she was due to perform there herself) so Ruby performing there is fulfilling that dream for her!!! and I can't help but wonder if this abrupt shift in focus is an attempt to make readers forget what Ai's actual dream was - to see her beloved children grow up happy and healthy. Hell, it wasn't even really Aqua's dream, until the story suddenly had to try and convince us that his entire purpose for existence was to kill himself so Ruby could be an idol for slightly longer than she would've otherwise. The only people whose dreams she's textually fulfilling are Ichigo and Miyako and Ruby herself, but…

Honestly, is this really Ruby's dream anymore?

Who is Hoshino Ruby? What does she want? Why does she want it? These should be the very least of what we can concretely say about not only a protagonist but a character who has become a central figure of the entire story as Ruby has, but with the way Oshi no Ko has warped and distorted her, I find myself increasingly unsure of what the story wants her to be or how I should answer those questions.What does Ruby feel about Aqua? Was she still in love with him? Had she moved on, romantically? Was she still waiting for a response to her confession? Did she finally realize it was probably kind of shitty to respond to her brother going "lowkey wanna kms" by sticking her tongue down his throat? I Guess We'll Never Know.

This extends to whatever the fuck Ruby's relationship with idols and being an idol is. Almost the entirety of Ruby's time in the story has been spent reiterating over and over that Ruby cannot just be an idol who imitates Ai and that to truly shine, she needs to step out of her mom's shadow and shine in her own way. Ruby even literally tells Kana in no uncertain terms in 137 - "I'll be a star in my own way. I won't be like Mama."

While this has always been the text of the story, as I've pointed out before, the actual art with which Ruby's idolhood depicts her basically just as Ai 2.0. It relies so heavily on mining the imagery of Ai's charisma and personality as an idol and using them as the measure of Ruby's success as an idol that Ruby essentially has no visual or conceptual identity of her own as an idol. She's just Ai, But Arbitrarily Better, For Reasons The Narrative Fails To Actually Establish But Hopes That You Just Accept Anyway. This was always kind of annoying, but now that friction seems to have been resolved by… just making her Ai 2.0, But Arbitrarily Better (etc, etc) in the text as well. The fact that we're given no further insight as to Ruby's feelings and continue to just have Akane Explain Ruby's Character Arc to the camera also doesn't help.

All this combines to make the Dome concert and the final few pages feel exceptionally cold in a way I really don't think was intended by Akasaka. Yes, that splash page was nice and flashy but… I just felt nothing. I have no idea if or why Ruby cares about this. And even though the Dome concert has been hyped up through the entire story as the peak of Ruby's achievements as an idol, I feel no sense of accomplishment in her finally being there - not just because her journey to it was basically sneezed at us across two panels, but because it just feels hollow as a victory lap for Ruby. Again, she feels so distant and abstracted as a character that I can't bring myself to feel very strongly about her good or bad.

I think the perfect encapsulation of this are the final four pages of the story. Ruby's words here are very clearly intended to be a callback to Ai's words to Gorou in chapter one but as @all-of-her-light pointed out in our initial discussions of the chapter, Ruby very much does not have an equivalent to Ai's conclusion that she nevertheless wants and values the opportunity to find personal happiness and fulfillment outside of being an idol. Are we supposed to believe that simply being an idol is all that Ruby needs to achieve a similar degree of happiness and fulfillment? Is there no more to her than that?

I've seen a lot of people interpret this ending as exceptionally bleak and, as usual, gleefully predicting Ruby's immanent suicide because her beloved oniichansensei isn't around but this is indulging in, if you'll allow me to be frank, some pretty transparently ship-motivated flanderization. Despite what certain sections of the fandom would like to believe, Aqua and Ruby's lives, past and current, have never revolved around each other to the exclusion of every other relationship in their life. Ruby has a massive support network of people who love and care for her and actively want her to get back on her feet. I can one hundred percent believe that she does not need Aqua in her life to be happy and content.

The issue is that we don't see enough of Ruby to understand that ourselves. Again, she has become such a distant figure with so little insight into what she's thinking and why that this ending is basically a Rorschach test in which you can interpret basically whatever the hell you want or assume because we have so little canon basis to support or debunk our assumptions.

and yes. don't think i didn't see them. it IS both grimly hilarious and weirdly tonally appropriate for this ending that ruby has a bunch of oshi goods of ai and aqua including their fucking autographs set up to say goodbye to every day.

AND…… WE'RE DONE!!! THAT'S OSHI NO KO, BABY!!!! well, technically, there's going to be a 20 page extra chapter in volume 16 but I don't see it being big or substantive enough to meaningfully change my feelings about the ending so… I guess we're leaving it here. Damn. Feels crazy to be done with it.

I'll probably do a bigger post down the line about my thoughts on the ending as a whole but in terms of just How This Chapter Made Me feel, I guess the word is just… meh! It's definitely not an ending I like and I think the execution is sloppy and rushed but I also just don't really have the energy to feel angry about it. Maybe that's sad in its own way but tbh… I still really love Oshi no Ko! I still find it engaging and I find the characters I enjoy rewarding to talk about. I like the artistry of the anime adaptation. I don't blame anybody else for being so turned off by this ending that they're done with the series but for me, I like what I like about OnK too much that this ending could retroactively ruin it for me. Whatever else happens with the OnK franchise, whatever directions the anime and live-action take, this will always be the series that gave me Ai and the Hoshino family and. look at me. look at what she's done to my brain. could I really ask for anything more than that?

That being said, I'm definitely not done with discussing the series! I have fics to write (including a VERY exciting large scale project lined up with some friends), my Ai analysis post to finish and I also want to do a re-read of the series and finish my anime rewatch. I'll be here to discuss Oshi no Ko as long as I have things to say about it and as long as you guys will have me! Despite how the series ended, I've had a genuinely wonderful experience in the fandom and I really don't want to let go of the little community we've built together just because the series is done. I'm Ai's fan for all eternity!!!

[limplegsakimbo]

Hello again mr. strider, or as you seem to be known as colloquially, "bro". I am writing to inform you that i will be going on a trip for six to twelve business days, and will be unable to ensure the total skaianet upkeep of your site during that time. My subscription however, will be paid on time as usual. Maybe the missus or the sitter will get a kick out of it ho ho! Anywho, i hope to see you, and your puppets, again soon. Tally ho!

[closer2homelifestyle]

Why are you crying, Ford?

"Why are you crying, sixer? Because you're all alone now?" Ford continues to cry. Mindscape Stan says, "But that's what you wanted, isn't it?"

[mcfanely]

Do you guys ever think about how, like, not only lonely Knuckles must feel being on Angel Island, but how trapped he may also be - even if logically he can leave whenever he so chooses, and he does on and off to go to the surface/save the world

But just, how bound to his duty he is. Bound to protect the Master Emerald, this object of immense power that people vyy for and try and take/have taken in the past. How his responsibility is also to Angel Island, so the creatures on it, to the upkeep of historical sites, old shrines, old buildings of his people just so his species won't be lost to time.

And, especially after Frontiers, after his quiet promise to Sonic that he'll go out on more adventures, do his own thing, explore more and not be as tied down as he currently is, be more like the hedgehog himself - the odds are, he probably wouldn't be able to make himself do that because of the guilt he would harbour.

Watching as Tails and Amy go off on their own adventures, to explore places theyve never been before and Sonic, being the regular free spirit is all for them both finding their own way.

Knuckles couldn't be prouder either, he would be extremely happy for them

But also, internally, there would be a little jealousy for the freedom that they have such easy access to.

All the while, Knuckles is bound by his mind and spirit and soul to Angel Island and the Emerald. Sure, he could ask some of his friends to watch the place whilst he goes on a trip, but that's temporary. He'll always be back to where he was in the beginning. Languishing and hidden away from a world that doesn't even know of the sacrafice he's giving to keep chaos balanced and everyone safe.

Wanting to leave, but knowing that he can't. His chores becoming harder, getting up in the morning turning into a struggle, the enjoyment of his duty - something he once took pride in, becoming something that is harder and harder because whilst he is blessed by the purpose he has, he wants more. He wants a life on the surface, in a world he doesn't truly understand but it's something different and new.

He just can't have that because he's needed for a thankless and unseen role.

The anxiousness, the sadness of what he can't have leading to depression that he doesn't exactly have the words for since it's not something he's heard mentioned all that much when surface-side, he doesn't know why he feels sick, hollow, tired, like a void is in his chest and his mind is floating seperate from his brain and why his thoughts are foggy and motivation is hard

And along with that, no one truly understands why he can't allow himself to have the freedom that everyone else takes advantage of. Knuckles will just keep on keeping on until he eventually burns himself out, or whatever may come next

[good-beans]

(Fluff and crack idea) Haruka, Muu, and Yuno getting lost in the woods on a camping trip with the prisoners.

Thank you for the request, this was such a cute idea! I kept it vague whether this was a normal au or just post canon, but the thought of them all out camping together was just so sweet ;-; This combo was fun too, with Haruka bringing the heart, Muu bringing the leadership, and Yuno holding them all together with a cool head and kind words <3

“You said you knew where we were going!”

“No, Muu said, ‘follow me’…”

“That’s practically the same thing!” Yuno crossed her arms.

Though irked, she wasn’t actually nervous about being lost out here in the woods. It was still light out, and she was sure that if they just listened hard enough, they’d pick up on Fuuta’s voice back at the campsite.

Haruka, on the other hand, looked ready to keel over from fright. His face had gone completely pale at the realization. “Oh, it’s all my fault! I’m sorry… If we never went back for my water bottle… I’m sorry…”

Muu patted his shoulder. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. I’m sure we’re not even that far from the others.”

“But! But, what if we run out of food b-before we find our way again?”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“What if we n-never make it back at all?” 

“That’s not going to happen, either.”

“What if bears come – and – and they eat us?”

Muu pursed her lips. She glanced at Yuno. “Well… what if that happens?”

“There aren’t any bears around here.” She hiked up the backpack straps on her shoulders. “I promise we’re gonna be fine. Let’s just retrace our steps, okay? Plus, if we take too long, I can guarantee Kotoko will send out a whole search party~” 

She laughed, only to realize that Kotoko was the type of protective and organized camp leader to do exactly that. “Er… let’s get going…” 

Haruka grabbed onto Muu’s hand as Yuno charged ahead. He tried to look like he was being brave for her, but both girls could tell the gesture was for his own comfort, as well. 

They all scanned the area as they walked, “looking for landmarks,” and definitely not bears. 

Even with the newfound urgency, their pace stayed relaxed. Haruka took careful steps, but still ended up bumping his sneakers into every rock and root in the vicinity. Muu practically tiptoed over the dirt, careful not to get a speck of it onto her feet. She was quick to brush away any bugs that dared fly too close to her. Yuno, meanwhile, was weighed down with the group’s pack. It had caused Haruka to tip off balance too many times to make him the designated carrier, and Muu had specifically packed very little for the trip so she didn’t have to carry anything. (Yuno would have been more impressed with the show of restraint if it didn’t mean Muu ended up mooching off all of her supplies the whole time…)

At last, they returned to their original destination: a massive tree that had captivated the group’s attention earlier that morning. It stretched out with the perfect branches for scrambling up to survey the surrounding woods. It housed a variety of colorful bugs that were perfect for studying and scooping up. It stood as a stunning backdrop for social media photos, as well as a comfy spot for a nap in the shade. 

When it was discovered that Haruka had forgotten his water bottle tucked somewhere amongst its roots, Yuno and Muu agreed to retrieve it with him. They’d politely declined Shidou’s insistence that they bring the massive paper map that he and Kazui had been consulting all day. 

Flopping down for a break from the backpack’s weight, Yuno was starting to regret that decision.

“Y-Yuno-san, you look tired. I can carry that for a bit!” Haruka pointed to the bag. 

“I’m fine,” she wheezed out. “Just need a bit of water…”

“No, I’ll, um. I’ll take it. I feel bad. You wouldn’t even have been lost if… if…” He forcefully grabbed it away as she took a drink. “I got us into this mess, I’ll do my part of getting us out of it.”

“If you say so…” She was too out of breath to argue further.

“Oh my god!” Muu pointed frantically to the woods. Haruka and Yuno jumped, fully expecting to find a wild animal charging at them. Instead, Muu flashed a smile their way.

“That bush is familiar! This is definitely the way back.”

“I’m not so sure it’s a good idea to follow you after last time,” Yuno muttered. 

With a bit of insisting from Muu, and the realization that Yuno didn’t have any better ideas, they agreed to try again. 

Muu’s confidence rubbed off on Haruka as they set off – he marched in front, warning the girls of any obstacles in the path he’d already stepped on. Muu pointed out things here and there, assuring Yuno she remembered them from that morning. 

“Isn’t Muu’s memory so impressive?”

Yuno laughed lightly. “I’ll hold off on my compliments until we’re actually back.”

In the distance, Haruka called, “I think you’re impressive, Muu-san!”

The day was fresh and warm. Yuno enjoyed the comforting breeze that tickled her skin. Haruka seemed to be enjoying the sights, his gaze circling around at the foliage. Muu picked a few flowers along the way, passing them around for everyone to see. It only took one short backtrack and one crossroads of deliberation before they made it to an area that looked familiar even to Yuno.

“Oh! See that drop up ahead? I can’t tell from here, but I’m pretty sure that’s the cliffside beside the campground.”

“Mmm, but it’s too steep to climb down there! Muu will get dirty…” The girl bowed her head. “I’m sorry Yuno… I thought this was the right way…”

“Why are you sorry? You lead us back!” Yuno nudged her. “I can now admit that you are impressive. If this really is the right place, then circling around shouldn’t take too much time.” She turned her gaze to Haruka, who had bounded further ahead to check their location. “You should be proud, too! You faced your fears, and we made it out – with no bears!”

“No bears!” He agreed, leaping up onto a rock by the edge. He glanced downwards. Then, spinning with a huge smile on his face, he waved his arms in triumph. “It is the campsite! We did it! Muu-san, we did it!”

His arms suddenly switched from waving to flailing. The backpack weight swayed him, and in an instant he was gone – tumbling backwards out of sight.

“Haruka!”

[wario-land]

- It all returns to nothing -

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[sysig]

Size difference.png (Patreon)

[shiryawashere]

sometimes you listen to a soundtrack and accidentally cook up the outline for an entire sequel to a slowburn that's already over 50k words long

[anthromimicry]

anyhow, i have now come up with a happy end(ing) for misao even though... well, it may be debatable as to whether she deserves it BUT like wonder woman once said — it's not about what you deserve. and of course i'm not trying to say that misao could make up for all of the bad thing's she's done throughout the years because honestly,, she has a LOT of blood on her hands, but good redemption arcs for characters aren't made to erase all of the bad thing's they've done in the past, in my opinion. they're made to accept what they've done and how, although they CAN'T make up for it, they can start working towards a better future and won't make the same mistakes again regardless of what kind of protests they might face from people who think they might be faking it or that they don't deserve it.

but anywhozies, misao's happy ending is becoming a grief therapist because helping other people work through their grief would also help HER work through her own, i feel like... and somewhere where people really need it so maybe in the east end or something?¿ and she'd also offer some pro-bono therapy sessions for the rogues because, like i said, she's not trying to erase all of the bad things she's done because that's virtually impossible. but misao would be trying to make amends with people and that includes the people whom she counseled / had therapy sessions with in arkham. and they don't have to forgive her, OFC, at any point. but i just feel like that'd be something she'd put out there for them and what makes this ending even more truly happy is this.

misao reuniting with ryuuji, her half-brother, and since he works as a medical examiner (yeah, he eats off of the dead bodies, y'all JSJSJ) ... he could transfer to gotham + be a part of the PD and sneakily take back parts of people as gross as that might sound for misao to eat. but i mean, at least she wouldn't be killing people anymore and it's an arrangement that would work for them to be able to eat, in retrospect. so yeah

[limplegsakimbo]

if you could get out --- no repercussions, no strings attached --- would you? - 🐇

[hasmashdoneanythingwrong]

Burn, baby, burn.

[piplupod]

oh my god i would give anything to just be normal and have a normal life. no more 5D mind chess to ensure our safety PLEASE. FUCK.

[jan-jan-binks]

This is so sad alexa play "Komm Susser Todd"

[bdsmrist]

some real harry du bois shit happened to my bf while he was playing disco today…..