#also the fandom scene here was kinda interesting. there was a really common thing where people would put out calls for characters for their

[wander-wren]

the off topic section of the minecraft seeds pro app ✌️ there was a small but thriving warrior cats fandom there. this post made me go see if the app/my account still exists and….unfortunately it does.

look upon 12yo me’s absolute MASTERPIECE. i’m screaming i assumed this relic would be dead, lost forever

I am a bored and curious human being who wants to know what the majority grew up with for their pleasure reading time.

[jellolegos]

From Alicent and Rhaenyra's kids which one do you think would be the perfect Rhaenicent baby? I'm leaning towards Jace simply because he looks like Alicent but is a lot like Rhaenyra.

mmm yes I see the family resemblence

and i've seen quite a bit of helaena too (and find it kinda funny that alicent canonically kinda tried to baby-trap rhaenyra with her) which i like :]

Memes aside I know this isn't probably the answer you were looking for but I think both helaena and jace have some interesting non-maternal parent stuff that I would really be loathe to get rid of, so I think neither! They would have to name their joint kid aegon though seeing as they both have an aegon...

For helaena (IN THE SHOW), I've seen, rightly so, a lot of analysis on her relationship with her mother. However, I haven't seen as much reflection on her relationship (or really lack thereof) with Viserys, which I find really equally compelling. I have always interpreted Viserys' relationship with his two daughters parallel insights into how Viserys' passivity ultimately results in the dance (which kinda boils down to how a 'good' king can often be a weak one). Whilst his favouring of Rhaenyra, which is blinding to the extent that he endangers her as a queen, shows his weakness as a regent, his comparative neglect of helaena shows his weakness as a Targaryen.

One of first scenes we get of Viserys is the one where he proclaims the absolute weight of prophecy and his vision of his son on the Iron Throne.

'This child is a boy, Aemma. I’m certain of it. I’ve never been certain of anything. The dream was clearer than a memory. Our son was born, wearing Aegon’s iron crown. And I heard the sound of thundering hooves, splintering shields and ringing swords. And I placed our son up on the Iron Throne, as the bells of the grand sept rung, and all the dragons roared as one.'

This leads to him killing Aemma for Baelon (who he believes is said son). In ep 2 or 3 while Alicent is pregnant with Helaena we get this line/scene as well,

'Many in my line being dragonriders. Very few among us have been dreamers. What is the power of a dragon next to the power of prophecy. When Rhaenyra was a child I saw it in a dream. As vivid as this flames. A male babe born to me, wearing the Conqueror’s crown.'

So, Viserys is clearly motivated by prophecy and the power of both his own visions and those of Aegon (the Conqueror's) and it is a key driver for his actions in s1. But it is also a targaryen trait, and therefore he is very much attached to that specific dimension of Targaryen exceptionalism.

However he cannot, for whatever reason, see Helaena as a dragon dreamer or value Helaena's visions with equal weight. I don't think Viserys listening to Helaena's warnings would've prevented the war but they very well could have. I mean she essentially reiterates his dream here, modifying it from 'all of the dragons roared as one' to 'dragons of flesh, weaving dragons of thread'. Where Viserys interpreted a common dragon roar as a unification of the dragons, Helaena correctly sees this as a division of the dragons, both literal and in name (Targaryens).

I see him as a character who is attached to the ideal of both a Targaryen and a king, but unable to adequately fulfill either role; nostalgia and idealism allow him to sleepwalk into a civil war. He wants a political successor, who he believes he does not have when really she's right under his nose, and a Targaryen successor for his dragon dreams, who similarly goes unrecognised.

I don't really have an intelligent way of articulating this, other than vibes, but his one and only ride of Balerion the Black Dread seems an extension of this 'nostalgia as a fatal flaw' theme for him.

So I really Helaena as being viserys' daughter as much as alicent's.

For Jacaerys, it's a little harder for me just because I'm a little less engaged with the men of the show as whole (doing the opposite of the normal fandom thing that happens, giving the women rich inner lives while I ignore the men lol). But I think there's a similar wrinkle and depth added with Harwin Strong as his dad (chivalric, brave and strong, but just not a Targaryen), and I don't think Alicent would fill a similar role. He is sort of characterised by an internal tension regarding his status as a bastard which I think was developed really well in s2, and the tension is one that will continue to really drive him until his sacrifice and death in s3. It was one of my favourite parts of the last season and made me like Jace as a character a lot more, tbh. I was sort of neutral on him previously. I think having a woman as his dad would certainly give him all sorts of other complicated feelings (!), but maybe not in the same way.

Since I think both of those parts are really important for the story overall, I'd rather not get rid of either! I guess my Rhaenicent kid would be an Aegon with auburn hair and violet eyes, lol

[mimpinightmare]

"SUPA STRIKAS DISCUSSIONS/ ANALYSIS/ HEADCANONS" IN COMING!!! (PART 2) [Oh yeah, This will become a series]

TOPIC: Diego's Potential Coming Back As A Recurring Antagonist In The Show (Discussions)

I feel like the Supa Strikas fandom will not remember who he is, SO HERE I AM, REMINDING YOU HIS EXISTENCE! >:D

When I was re-watching "Rookie Season", this guy (for some reason-) have always stand out to me, that ideas and potential character arcs for Diego has been overflowing in my brain for the past months- SO, HERE IS WHAT IDEAS AND ARCS I COME UP WITH FOR THIS GUY:

If Season 8 (or Rookie Season 2) ever come out, I've always feel like Diego should come back as an antagonist for Skarra and Shakes.

When the show introduced him, we were shown of him greeting Shakes and Skarra, (even knowing their names), despite both of them have no idea who Diego is. Then he introduce himself to them and reveals he knows them by RESEARCHING HIS COMPETITORS- This is, of course, not a "101 in how to write character motivation tropes" but, THAT RIGHT THERE IS SUCH A COMMON TROPE FOR VILLIANS TO DO- (like I said, this isn't a case for all characters who do this) This just show us that, Diego, is ABSOLUTELY READY for his opponents coming in his way.

There's are also moments where he'll do anything to win (or this case, to have the spot in Supa Strikas.) There's a scene where Diego is the last person to arrive to the Try-Outs and slickly, snitch on the Deadly Duo for checking out the Trophy Room. There's also a scene where in the "Training Test", he wasn't doing great in it that, the way for him to win, is to cheat his way, by sabotaging Shakes by holding down the weights.

And when he got eliminated, he (sarcastically) said he was honored to participate, then goes through a hissy fit that he didn't win, to the point, broke a window- THE MAN HAS GRUDGES AND AN EGO, PERFECT FOR A VILLIAN!

So, after all that, I thought if he DID COME BACK, he should join a super league team (that is not Invincible United or Supa Strikas). I suggest Bark FC. (I SWEAR IS "PROBABLY" NOT BECAUSE HE WEARS PURPLE-)

Now, I know people are probably disagreeing me for putting him in Barka FC (which is fine, we don't need to agree on everything) because Barka FC is well known to be clean and honest with it's tactics, and extremely friendly with other Super League Teams and Players, and pretty much that reputation is thanks to Riano. But, hear me out, THAT'S THE POINT! Diego is shown to be the very opposite of Barka FC is known for, snitching, cheating, being immature after he lose to something. There so much shenanigan interactions potential if he becomes a Barka FC player.

I imagine if he were a new rookie in the team, everyone in Barka would be really nice to him and welcome Diego (he is glad tho). But then, his true colors reveal, every time they lose, he'll go on a hissy fit and say nasty things towards the opponents (even to Teams playing and winning fair and square). Sometimes, he would snitch or accidently spread false rumors because he heard it somewhere, on other players (even his own team). HECK, in Rookie Season, he has really good social skills, so him being a two-face person in the team will make interesting interactions. He would be really friendly to his opponents first, then after Barka FC wins he would give such a handback compliments to them. Imagine Barka FC have to apologies every time Diego do something wrong. Pretty much his Team does not like him (but doesn't show it to Diego's face because, unlike him, their mature people). Actually, I wouldn't be surprise if the guy turn out to be one of the most disliked players in his Team, AND in the Super League-

I kinda headcanon Diego and Riano almost being the same age (Diego being 2 years young than Riano). So, the idea how these two interacting will be SUPER distressing and chaotic. Riano trying his best guiding Diego's way to becoming a "less" dislikable person. Teaching him how to be patient, how to not be a stuck-up, and so far, trying to be the best role model he could be to Diego. Unfortunately, Diego see this as an insult, for thinking there's something wrong with his character to be fix. Riano would be seen, being tired and giving annoyed expressions when dealing with Diego. (Also, I like the Idea, if this takes place after Season 7, Riano would call Shakes up, and let out all his troubles about Diego to Shakes. I also like the idea that, the entire Barka Fc Team would go to a bar or hangout somewhere Diego is out of sight, and cheer each other up after meddling with him-)

Also, had an idea that the Barka FC Players TRY THEIR DAMN HARDEST to convince the Barka FC Higher Ups to let go of Diego from their Team, since he's unbearable to work with and ruining Barka Fc's image. The Higher Ups decline because Diego has really great skills in football and is a great asset for the Team to win. (the players groan everyday, waking up knowing they have to babysit Diego-)

Now, one of his arcs I thought for him, is becoming an antagonist for Shakes and Skarra. I imagine, either in Season 8 or Rookie Season 2, a scene where Skarra and Shakes bump into each other and start their bickering rivalry. And then out of nowhere, Diego pops in, interrupting their rivalry, and give a speech about his motivations, revealing that he will get revenge on Skarra and Shakes for taking his place in the Try-Outs for Supa Strikas, and promise them living hell when they meet him. (I know it wouldn't make sense if Diego had a grudge on Skarra, because Shakes is the one who got in. But I feel like Skarra would still be on Diego's list because he was eliminated, before Skarra and Shakes.) (Also, I want more Skarra and Shakes interactions in the show-)

And after all the monologue speech from him, Skarra and Shakes just looks at him in confusion and asked, "Who are you?" "Do we know you?", like a call back to Rookie Season 1. Diego would be shocked, and upset of them for not remembering him at all- And explain who he is and introducing himself (again) to them. (They still don't remember-) This will give Diego more motivation to take revenge on them.

Shakes and Skarra would brush him off and leaves, underestimate Diego capabilities as a person. Then in the future, Skarra and Shakes would be in complicated situations together, have to solve it together, and will reveal, Diego is the one behind it (and they will take him down together). They will have to now knowledge Diego as a threat and (unfortunately for their sake) have to look out for one another.

I know, and i mean, I KNOW, some people in the Supa Strikas community, want for Shakes and Skarra to interact more and DESPRATE some continuation on their relationship getting better. SO WHY NOT DO THAT, IN A WAY, BY GIVING THEM BOTH, THE DEADLY DUO, A COMMON THREAT TO SOLVE??? DIEGO! :D AND ABSOLUTELY KNOW, somewhere, out there, if Season 8 were to happen, people want to see Skarra's Redemption Arc, so this is one of the way I can think of that would do it! After dealing with Diego sometimes, both of them will slowly open up and bond. Rivalry slowly turns into Friendship again. And Skarra, even though is hard for him, will tell Shakes how he feels. (Less sad and aggressive than in "Food for Thought S7E11" of course-)

I also like the idea of Diego, despite him, probably, have a grudge against Supa Strikas for not picking him, is STILL A FAN OF SUPA STRIKAS-

He would scoff of merely thinking and talking about them in one scene, but in the next one, he is impressed and spats out information about what makes Supa Strikas great. And then realizes what he's doing and nonchalantly says "I mean, their still a bad team tho..." or something similar to that.

It will be a running joke in some episodes, to the point, his Team DEFINITELY knows he still loves Supa Strikas, and a massive Nerd for them. (I even envision one of the players gifting Diego a Special Edition Supa Strikas Jersey and was super excited about it, but then he immediately snaps out of his fanboying-ness, and cuts to him saying "I-I mean, It's a fine Jersey...", but then continues of him saying something like, "Would be a shame if that gift will go to waste...", then takes the shirt in a speed of light, close the door, wears the jersey, and reveals his room is full of Supa Strikas merchandise-)

I know this is a dedicated post for Diego, But may I give some potential ideas for Raj :

Half of me is torn between 2 ideas:

1. Raj and Diego would be on the same team.

2. Raj would be in a different team, and he would join Sa Ming FC. (I've always wanted some Sa Ming screen time for so long, even though they never have dialogue and not important in the show, to the point, the creators unfortunately forgot they exist- So why not bring them back, with RAJ as a NEW ROOKIE?!?! Like COME ON, I absolutely love his design, I just wish in the future, if there if more Supa Strikas seasons coming, we will see him again) (Also need more Asian Representation in the Show, so Sa Ming FC, which represents Thailand, and Raj together, united, is the Asian Solidarity I must have and need!!!)

Shout out to @strika-archyvez for conforming Sa Mings FC's Origins being from and representing Thailand, in their post, under the comments!

There's also some cool facts about their lead player. :D You should totally read up about it here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by StrikaArchyvez (@strika_archyvez)

Here's some few ideas I thought for Diego's and Raj's Relationship with each other:

Raj would be the only one who tolerates Diego's behavior and would become "Side Friends" with him in the Super League. Raj would be Diego's moral compass (that Diego tries to ignore), and try to snap senses into him for what he's doing. Diego would think Raj is a nuisance, but secretly likes his company, since his team, nor other players, wouldn't want to hangout with him because of his behavior.

They would meet by random chance, and alot of chaotic shenanigans happens that Raj tries to stop it. I also like the idea Raj would bring Diego to go drink tea, or any beverages, in any shop, to make Diego avoid doing anything scheming for his own good. (Shakes and Skarra should thank him for that in those situations-)

I'm not sure to give him a Redemption Arc or make him stay as a villain. In one hand, I like the Idea he will get better by meeting good people in his life that confronts his behavior (by being BRUTALLY HONEST with him) and confronting Skarra and Shakes about his whole ordeal. But in the other hand, all his trickery and plans I made in my head, are kinda unredeemable for him, and I'm fine with the idea of this man living in the past and refusing to let go of the grudges that Skarra and Shakes wasn't even at fault for.

Either why, I'm fine with either of them. He's a character who has GREAT PONTENTIAL and hope the creators see that.

(This scene in "Trial And Terror, Rookie Season Episode 3" of him really confused me, like I really thought in a way he still controlling the train, but he didn't know it doesn't work, since everything is under control like Coach said, then have bunch of Blammo Bars after "controlling" the train. NOPE. He was eating Blammo Bars and his pain away because he's miserable he didn't get into Supa Strikas- )

BOY, THIS TOOK LONGGGG THAN I THOUGHT- I just want to share ideas of Potential villain Diego for a while now. Unfortunately, not a lot of content around him (don't blame the fandom, he's only a side character in one episode in Rookie Season-). So I guess, I'll be one of those people~

The only stuff I saw, that is remotely Diego content wise, is this lovely art by @matchanxious , where he's older and he's plays for Sultans FC. If this were to happened, I WOULD LOVE HIM TO INTREACT WITH ZOOM ZAHIR (NEED MORE CONTENT OF ZAHIR-) and Duvall too, I guess-

Would Imagine him being super dedicated towards Sheikh, like giving strategies, doing schemes for him with Duvall, and getting any chance to talk to him, but Sheik would get annoyed and try to avoid him- AGAIN DIEGO HAS SO MUCH PONTENTIAL!!!

There's also an old headcanon back in 2021 (I think???) I saw, from also @matchanxious , hers truly:

"Diego would be a Conservative"

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS HILARIOUS AND SOMEHOW, SO IN CHARCTER WITH DIEGO THAT I HAD TO SHARE IT- 😭

This is @matchanxious beautiful artwork of Diego! Please show her artwork some love!!! :

Again, we're at the end! Thank you for reading this if you reach it at the end! Very much appreciated!

And guess what? I actually will be working on 2 analysis post towards two characters from Supa Strikas, by suggestion! :D They will take a little while to do since, again.... COLLEGE! So be patience when I come back with those analysis. And probably more art and edits coming!

Thank you again for reading!!!

- MimpiNightmare

[pynkhues]

Yeah, i think there's a tendency within the fandom to overlook the fact that Lestat wasn't chosen just because of his looks but also because of his strenght and capacity to endure. The basement was full of pretty men and magnus didn't consider them worthy enough to pass the dark gift. Lestat was different because of the wolves and the fact that he was resisting magnus till the end.

I think about that heartbreaking passage from totbt when Lestat consider killing the wolves to be his downfall and blames himself for being picked by magnus because it shouldn't be humanly possible for him to kill so many of them.

I do wonder if it is even actually possible for one man to kill eight wolves, it almost sounds like something out of the fairytale lol. He definitely had to be very strong and tenacious. It also makes me curious how they'll approach the wolf killing scene. They may have budget for one real wolf, but definitely not eight haha. The animals from s1, especially the fox, looked kinda fake and silly. I worry that the fake cgi wolves will take away from the seriousness of the scene.

I totally agree, anon. I do think Lestat's looks played a significant role in why he was chosen - Anne makes it pretty clear that Magnus had a type after all - but as you said, it was his capacity for resistance and endurance, I think at least, that made Magnus pick him. He could see that Lestat was a survivor, which is the only way a vampire can really make it through an eternal life, and we've already seen what happens to the ones who can't with Dasha and soon will with Nicki.

You're right that the wolfkilling scene in the books feels like something out of a dark fairytale. It's got that sort of heightened fantasy to it, and I'm curious as to how the show plays it. The show does try to steep the vampires in reality where they can - like I love the production designer talking about how seriously they take the period setting, because the period setting feeling very real allows for the more fantastical elements of the show to work - but it's pretty hard to get around how fantastical the wolves are in TVL. In a lot of ways, I think it'll probably be influenced by how they decide to approach Lestat's own unreliability as a narrator.

Like it could be played as fact, or it could be played as Lestat's ego taking centre-stage and his capacity for exaggeration, but also it kind of makes sense to me that they might play around with it as a trauma response? It's really common for people to add new details to traumatic memories over time that aren't necessarily true. This isn't an intentional thing, people aren't lying to make what happened seem worse than it was, rather it's generally thought to be a result of the different ways traumatic memories can recur (you might make the effort to remember when talking to someone about it for instance, but at the same time intrusive memories can just suddenly occur when you're unprepared for them) (there's a fascinating paper on that here if you're interested). I feel like there's a lot of room to explore that with Lestat if the show wants to given the sheer volume of trauma he's experienced, and that thing of it being eight wolves instead of say, maybe three, could potentially be depicted as a traumatised response to a pretty harrowing memory.

Who knows at this stage though! Either way, the wolfkiling sequence is a pretty vital one for all the reasons you said, I love that little section of Body Thief too. I mentioned it in the tags on my post yesterday, but there's something very resonant to the victim-survivor experience, I think, of trying to figure out why you were the one a perpetrator picked, and the fact that Lestat will never really have an answer as to why Magnus plucked him from his bed that night and made him is genuinely pretty haunting.

(And totally agree re the CGI too. I find the rats in 2.08 pretty bad too, haha, I'm glad the show tends to rely more on practical effects than animated ones).

[cowboymantis]

Okay there's this one ""stereotype""?? I've noticed I've always had myself and it's kinda funny tho, but also it's kind of interesting thinking about it???

It's kinda hard putting my thoughts into actual words so bear with me here kfhdjd

So basically yknow when people are joking about how [sexuality] often has a completely different "taste" in [gender they're not attracted to]

I already felt this back when I was in my lesbian stage of the pipeline from pansexual to aroace ( How is this such a common thing???? Why are we all so oblivious?????) and I'd often had male characters/actors, etc, that I'd call adorable and be like :3 look at him!!! And then I'd had people just be like bruh... why...

And I still have this a lot, where I love to look at someone in the aesthetic way and just think they're very pretty or cute and then I'd often see people call them looking weird or ugly. Does anyone else have that?? Maybe it's also because in my head I just don't categorize people into ugliness, I think it's weird calling people ugly, either you like how someone looks or you don't, they can't exactly do anything against it?

And to come back to the "stereotype"/joke about people with weird tastes, I think it also comes back to appreciating someone's appearance in a different way other than being attracted to them. It's just natural that most of the time the people are getting thirsted over are more "conventionally attractive", because even if it's subconsciously, people will often look at them in a sexual or romantic way.

And I've always found this weird, especially when seeing people thirst over characters or idols, etc, I always get disgusted- not in a judging way, I just don't wanna see that stuff goodbyee 🛌 I have so many blocked or muted just because thirst posts keep showing up on my for you pages bc the general fandom likes it. So if you're blocked by me on any site, it's probably nothing personal... Tumblr sadly doesn't have a proper efficient way to mute that, so I just always have to block and feel lowkey bad 🥲

So yeah, what I'm thinking is you can appreciate someone's beauty more freely when you don't see them mainly in a sexual way. Obviously, this isn't a FACT, just an observation from different reactions. Like when someone gets called ugly and it's immediately being made about something sexual or romantic, like "you're never gonna get a girl looking like that!" "I wouldn't wanna sleep with someone ugly like you!!", it just feels so weird to me... Obviously, it probably does to most decent people, but I hope you get what I'm trying to say here kdjdjdhd

On another note, maybe it's just a personal me thing, but sometimes I'll have a ship only to find out... no one else ships it?? Or barely anyone.

Now, I really hate romance and avoid it like the plague, but every now and then, I'd have two characters I'd ship a bit and think they're kinda cute together! (Although I'd probably not want any of those to actually be canon bc I can't stand watching cheesy scenes lmaoo)

But when I get into the fandom and see the general ships and everything, I'd often just notice no one seems to think the same???

It's just no matter what I like, it seems it's completely different from the vast majority 🥲 Maybe I just have weird taste man 😭

[mollymagician]

Thanks for the tag @threefill !!

Tag game are always fun because I’ve got chronic insomnia and need something to do when I’m up at 4 AM besides tear my hair out over my wips. Answering here because this is where I keep most of my shipping nonsense.

What ship were you completely obsessed with as a teenager, but now you don't care about anymore?

Luke/Mara Jade. I absolutely still care about them, but they did Mara so dirty I had to put it down for a while. I was too mad.

Which ship would you consider your first one?

Okay so, anyone remember that TV show Beauty and the Beast in the 80s/90s, about the people who lived secretly in tunnels under New York City? And there was this guy (the ‘beast’) who looked like a lion person? And he was in love with Linda Hamilton? It was really fucking weird. Anyway. I loved them. LOVED THEM. ❤️❤️❤️

Your first fanfic was about which couple?

It was a little hurt/comfort thing about Luke/Callista from Children of the Jedi, because I’m nothing of not predictable.

My VERY first fanfic was a bunch of scenes of Artoo and C3PO sassing each other, but thats probably not the kind of couple you mean.

Do you remember the first couple you saw fan art of?

The first I can actually remember was some excruciatingly depressing art of Himura Kenshin/Tomoe. (Did I never see Luke/Mara fanart? Really? I must have. That’s weird now that I think about it.)

Have you ever gotten into ship discourse?

Er, don’t think so? Someone gave me shit once for liking Harry Dresden/Karin Murphy cuz Dresden is problematic and I told them to fuck off, does that count?

Did you use to have any NOTP or have one currently?

Reylo kinda squicks me.

Who were the last couple in the last fanfic you read?

Dream/Hob Gadling

Currently, do you have any OTPs?

Dreamling owns my entire brain, at the moment. It’s been YEARS since a ship hit me so hard.

Is there any couple that, to this day, that you are extremely mad about not getting into?

Sort of? I wish Babylon 5 had happened at a time when I could have gotten really involved in fandom, because I would have been bonkers over Sheridan/Delenn. I mean I was, I just had no outlet for it.

Is there any ship you used to dislike but now you think they're kind of interesting?

Nope

Do you have any ship that, in the past, would have been considered normal but now you would be cancelled over?

Oooohhh yeahhhh….James Norrington/Jack Sparrow, I’m guessing.

What is your favourite crack ship?

lol I dunno. I love Matthew the Raven so much, I always have the urge to ship him with someone but he’s, like, a bird.

What is the couple you read the most fanfics about?

Dream/Hob 100% hoo boy

What do most of your ships have in common?

“The grumpy/reserved one is soft for the sunshiny/sassy/wacky one.” It is like catnip to me, and also cocaine.

What do you absolutely hate in a ship?

One looking down on the other, 50 Shades of Gray style, you know the vibe I mean. There’s a difference between snarkiness and contempt.

Tagging @pellaaearien @glowwormz @zigzag-wanderer @ml-nolan @verminetroglodyte @aquilathefighter @snarkythewoecrow @ghostboyjules @kydrogendragon

[pantheramore]

For Anita; 🥰,🎞️, ☕️, and 📝!

🥰: How would someone who loved you portray you?

I think it'd be easy for someone to swing Anita either too far into their giddiness and curiosity, but also just as likely to swing them too far into their more cynical, antisocial side. They're both equally fun to explore, but I think someone who truly understood Anita would know that they only allow a select few other people see their genuine happiness and curiosity because they feel like it would otherwise undermine the tough, intimidating facade they put on.

🎞️: What ‘canon’ scenes would the fandom point to as evidence for the validity of your ship?

Mordecai and Anita knew each other as teens back when they both lived in New York. They eventually lost contact, but when they met again in St. Louis, their friendship is pretty awkward and distant in comparison to what it used to be.

After Mordecai gets injured during the cabin incident, Anita finally works up the courage to talk to him and help him with small favors like making him tea, and that's where their relationship reignites and they finally acknowledge to themselves in their own ways that that they missed each other.

☕️: What are the most common plots of shipping fics between you and your f/o?

If it's not the tiniest little ember of a ridiculously drawn out slowburn, it's probably how their relationship developed from when they reunited at Lackadaisy to how they got together.

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

Putting this one under a readmore cuz I'm just gonna go full details but tldr:

Anita and Mordecai knew each other as kids, lost contact, then eventually met up again. It took them a while to get together romantically due to their own personal hang ups, but eventually their trust in each other allows them to conspire against Lackadaisy for the purpose of keeping Anita's job afloat. Also they murdered Kehoe.

First thing's first. There's this little bit from the Lackawiki-

That person that Mordecai had a crush on is Anita, and their story is an exploration of if well, it did go beyond that.

So when Anita and Mordecai meet each other again they're initally pretty nervous and guarded because they're still very cautiously like "is it really you???"

When they realize that yes, it is them, Mordecai tries to distance himself because he assumes Anita probably hates him for leaving all of the sudden back when they were kids after he refused to associate with Anita out of fear of what they would think of him if they found out that he had killed someone, and Anita is a mix between angry he left, happy he's here, and nervous and unsure if Mordecai is interested in rebuilding their friendship, but because he's so distant, Anita assumes he's not interested.

While yes, Mordecai's interest in relationships in general is pretty fleeting, in reality he's mostly just closed off and traumatized.

Anita considers trying to reach out to him but they get too nervous, and they have to leave on another rumrun, and they end up missing him while they're gone. So when Anita returns, they want to figure out how to grab his attention, but they get nervous again and this cycle happens over and over again for a few months until theyre sick of it and begin just... doing anonymous small favors for him, particularly after he gets injured in the cabin incident. Eventually Anita starts leaving Mordecai short notes, just asking him how he's doing and attempting to catch up with him after so long. Mordecai is kinda confused by this at first, but being able to write back helps him collect his thoughts better than talking in person.

Eventually they're writing each other about their personal lives, even though they see each other somewhat often in person, but they don't really talk much in person, though eventually they start sitting closer together or doing crossword puzzles together, although its still kinda rough bc Anita doesn't really understand Mordecai's boundaries yet bc so much has changed for him since they were teens and he's become a lot less emotionally responsive since. This makes Anita wonder if he's trying to keep them distant, but they still see glimpses of who he used to be and Anita starts falling for him again, though this time, their infatuation with him is less about them bonding over their shared interests and similar personalities, and more about the fact that Anita finds solace and familiarity in his presence amidst the chaos of the bootlegging business.

But they're hesitant to actually pursue a relationship because they aren't sure if he's actually interested, or if having to deal with his less pleasant moments is worth it, or if one of them is gonna die and leave the other heartbroken.

But the more Anita thinks about it, the more they feel like they'll never know if anything will ever happen if they don't at least try, not to mention Anita is the sort to chase whatever they desire despite the risks, so Anita started writing him a love letter.

They're having trouble wording the letter right, and the closer together they become the more Anita feels the urge to tell him, especially since Mordecai's not making any indication about what sort of relationship he wants with Anita.

Anyway after a while Anita's just at their limit and they end up rambling to him about it incoherently, but that only puts more distance between them again because Mordecai doesn't want Anita to be in danger by being drawn to him, even if he doesn't want to actually say it, and he just doesn't know how to process all that.

Anita, on the other hand is dealing with feelings of shame and embarassment for telling him, and just generally feeling defeated, but Mordecai isn't so distant that he's shunned their relationship entirely. He still writes letters, and eventually they're back where they were before and they just... don't really talk about the confession.

In reality, Mordecai also has feelings for Anita but doesn't want to act on them or show any interest because hes scared that something could happen to Anita and then he'd be hurt and alone again, and he'd feel like its his fault, especially because he doesn't want to feel like it's his fault for losing the last thing that represents his (relative) childhood innocence by hurting the only person who remained in his life after he left New York, plus, he really just doesn't know what to do.

Eventually though, Mordecai and Anita find themselves in some conflict while Anita's trying to make a dropoff, and they have to defend themselves from some hijackers. Anita isn't a great fighter or anything but they at least held their own, which allows Mordecai to drop his guard a bit, but he tells Anita that he's going to start working on making sure they can defend themselves. He says hes doing it so that a situation like that doesn't happen again, and thats what hes telling himself too, but in reality, he wants to be sure that Anita is safe so that he doesn't have to worry about them so much, and if he doesn't have to worry, then he can afford to get a little closer to them.

By this point, they're hanging out together outside of work and they're pretty close, so Anita decides to shoot their shot again and writes him another letter, basically asking if he's interested in them, but without the expectation that they should be in a relationship. Mordecai says yes, and they slowly start to let the relationship become more romantic at a more natural pace.

While all their interpersonal stuff is going on, Anita is working for Captain Kehoe, but after a series of hijackings and a police raid, the business is barely staying afloat, and Anita's getting fed up with Kehoe for the fact that they're not seeing much financial recovery due to their percieved incompetence of Kehoe.

Anita wants to switch to supplying to Marigold, who, while not as large as Lackadaisy yet, is growing switftly both in size and reputation, and wants in on that growth, however Kehoe thinks that investing into better liquor to meet Marigold's standards is a waste of money.

However, after Atlas dies and Lackadaisy's business begins to plummet, Kehoe must begin supplying cheaper and cheaper liquor, due to the Lackadaisy being the only large speakeasy desperate enough to buy from them just to stay afloat.

Mordecai has moved on to Marigold, though he has a much more peaceful "parting" with Anita than he did with Viktor, primarily because it wasn't a parting at all. He already knows that Anita wants to supply for Marigold, and has been helping them, behind the back of Mitzi, negotiate a business deal with Asa. Mordecai and Anita also conspire to murder Kehoe so that Anita can take over the business.

Though the details of the murder aren't clear to Lackadaisy yet (Mitzi thinks that both Anita and Kehoe are dead at the moment) Kehoe's sudden murder leaves them struggling for a new supplier so desperately that that's what leads them to turn to the Arbogasts despite their current ties to Marigold.

[mothervvoid]

kinda massively cheating here, but for the character ask game, would you spill your thoughts on Inoichi, Asuma, and/or the not-yet-invented characters of Obimama/Obipapa? I'm feeling interested in a lot of fictional parental units in this chilis tonight

character ask game

oh god oh fuck mable what have you done--

also this is SO LONG so i am going to put it under a read more:

one aspect about them i love

Inoichi - Now this might just be my POV here, but Inoichi is super goofy at times and others he's SUPER serious. I love it. When he's with the Analysis Team right before Pain's attack, he's a no-nonsense leader. When he's interacting with Ino off work he is her silly, well-meaning dad. We love a man who can do both!

Asuma - Just how well he gets along with Ino-Shika-Cho. Like they have their moments, especially when Kishi (and Studio Perriot) wants to play up the comedy, and ESPECIALLY in the early anime, but he meshes very well with Team 10 and they mesh very well with him. He's like their older brother, or an uncle they know really well.

Obiparents - The thing about Obiparents is that they just straight up don't have characters--they're the archetypal dead parents, a picture on Obito's corkboard full of all of the people that he loves and nothing more. However, they gave us Obito, and for that I am forever in their debt.

one aspect i wish more people understood about them

I don't actually have anything for this for Asuma or Inoichi--I just can't think of anything, though I haven't really read any meta on Asuma or Inoichi so I'm not really sure how the people feel about them and if I disagree with any common fandom opinions on them.

Obiparents - Because they're the stock dead parents they don't ever really get to parent their son or have any kind of meaningful character on-screen. It is their absence that is felt more than anything.

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have about this character

Inoichi - He's a single dad. We never see his wife in the manga (i think she's there in filler but i still hc he's a single dad). He just gives off those vibes. He's the only person whose ever home in most of the scenes we see with Ino in her house (or he's just not there at all and she's all alone). Single dad Inoichi ftw.

Asuma - Had he lived, Asuma would have been the kind of dad who lets his daughter put make up on him and do his hair. You walk into Mirai's room and Asuma is sitting their on the floor with her with uneven pigtails in his hair and very badly done eyeshadow. He takes her to the movies and they both wear princess dresses. She paints his nails. He is having the best time of his life.

Obiparents - Obimama is the goofy one out of the two of them, she's where Obito gets it from. Obipapa isn't super serious but he's definitely not as goofy as Obimama.

one character i love seeing them interact with

Inoichi - I unironically love seeing him interact with Ino, even if it's sparse. He's so bad at relating to her it's kind of funny. Like there's a scene in a filler episode where he asks her if she's "finally chosen between Shikamaru and Choji" and she gets so mad at him for it. Peak teenage girl behavior, and he's soooo bad at understanding it. Like yes he is Inoichi of the Leaf, famed 1/3 of Ino-Shika-Cho but he is also Ino's lame ass dad.

And like it's very obvious he loves her very much because his final words to her (and his final words EVER) are of how proud he is of her and the person she's become. Like he is her silly dad but he loves her very much and so I treasure every interaction between them that we get.

Asuma - Shikamaru. There's a scene of them laying on the grass together having a conversation and they look so comfortable with each other. Like if they looked a little more alike you could believe that was Shikamaru's uncle or even older brother.

Gee Shikamaru, how come Kishimoto let you have THREE father figures?? - Naruto probably.

Asuma just really seems to GET Shikamaru and that seeps into every single interaction they have. Asuma knows how to get him to do things even when he doesn't want to, Asuma knows how to talk to him, Asuma knows how to work with him. Their interactions are always top tier to me.

Obiparents - If they were alive I would have loved to see interactions between them and Obito, and Rin and even Kakashi. Could you imagine?? Obito inviting Rin over after school only for her to drag Kakashi along and Obito is fuming and his parents think it's hilarious and adorable.

one character i wish they would interact with/interact with more

Inoichi - I wish we saw Inoichi interact with Shikamaru and Choji. Choza has a couple interactions with Shikamaru that leads us to believe that the older generation of Ino-Shika-Cho interact fairly regularly with the younger members (altho it might just be Choza's chill vibes). Choza's wife also seems familiar with Shikamaru considering she runs up to him crying in episode 82 of Shippuden while trying to comfort HIM. I can't remember if Shikaku has had similar interactions w the rest of younger Ino-Shika-Cho so if anyone knows please let me know. I crave Ino-Shika-Cho crumbs.

Asuma - I wish we had seen more interactions between Asuma and his dad, Hiruzen. We're told that there's bad blood between the two of them but we're never really shown WHY exactly the two of them had a falling out. I know they disagreed on some things and I might just not be remembering things but we don't really see many if ANY disagreements between Asuma and his father. And Hiruzen isn't just his father--he's his Hokage! There's so much potential there for some interesting conversations/scenes and we just don't get any.

Obiparents - (if they were alive) I wish we could have seen some interactions between them and Obito. Like maybe if they were alive when he was super, SUPER young we could have seen them interacting with him and how they treated him when he was a baby/toddler. Was he a wanted child? Was he born out of obligation? These are questions we never have answered because they're dead before the story even begins.

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have that involve them and one other character

Inoichi - I think Inoichi and Minato knew each other! Inoichi was the head of the Analysis Team in the Intelligence Division, I think there's a good chance he reported directly to Minato when he was Hokage.

Asuma - Since Asuma said that the Sarutobi serve as sensei to each new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho since Konoha was founded I like to think he was probably introduced to them when they were really young. He was probably sporadically in-and-out of their childhoods, like some cool older brother figure who takes them out to lunch to restaurants wayyy too nice for kids their age but he doesn't care, it just so happens that Yakinku Q became their favorite place to go so that's where he took them post mission.

Obiparents - Considering Obito is considered a bit of an outcast I think his parents were as well. Obiparents, for some reason or another, were not liked by Fugaku's parents (ie the clan head) and thus that extended to Fugaku as well. When Fugaku inherited the clan he didn't like Obiparents for one reason or another and thus that extended to not liking their son. Vicious cycle!

[the1975attheirverybest]

Okay so i have a few thoughts sorry obviously you don't have to answer i just want to write them down and you seem like a really sweet person so i thought i'll send it and maybe you or someone can add something to it🤗

Firstly we know that the band didnt expect atvb to go viral on tiktok and the really big popularity on the internet and i think matty once said that the play doesnt work well like that bc you cant film a play and im sure they're gonna count on satvb going viral and im really interested what kind of changes that would mean (maybe know phones but i dont think they would do that especially since the team75live's thing is to go live every concert and we know matty talked to them personally). But on the other hand after this year it seems like they only go viral if matty does something particularly stupid and/or offensive (i really hope not) so idk if it could influence the show in any way or exactly how but obviously the goal is to entertain the audience there not the internet.

Secondly atvb was 26 songs plus 10 minutes consumption and satvb is 22 songs then that would leave like what 25-30 minutes and im really really curious what they will do but i know we wont know it until the 26th but thats interesting i think bc it seems like too much time for me.

Okay lastly it seems like after the vegas show that atpoaim isnt over and thats really great but then it wasn't just something in between atvb and satvb and it'll continue and i had a thought bc tobias ryder said that satvb will continue what atvb started which was the on and off stage playing a character and atpoaim could be like a fourth wall break but after the north american tour announcement it didnt seem like it will be that but i hope at least

Im sorry its a bit long and i know we dont have the answers to any one of these so thx if you read it and have a nice day❤️

Of course, babe 🥰 you can always send stuff in I LOVEEE reading what other people think and the predictions and everything.

So, in terms of Atpoaim, here’s what I think about it’s relationship to the shows and it’s span.

As for the show itself, I do think that it’s going to evolve the ideas that began with ATVB, but I’m not entirely sure what direction it’s going to take. I think you are right. One of the first and earliest signs of Matty’s desire for change was when he would say stuff like “this show wasn’t meant to go viral” and stuff like that. And, in a sense, I get that. He’s never had to think about this additional layer of engagement. Usually, his work is within the context of the fandom. I think maybe this time around he’ll have the scenes be related to as specific theme or idea, but not entirely identical every night. Like he might still have a message behind what he wants to do/say, but he might try to approach it from different angles.

Also, yesterday, he used the words “introspective,” “Kafka” “joy division,” “Freud.” So I’m trying to think about what each of these concepts might have in common with his project and make a few guesses.

I would say, I can kinda see the hot division element. They’re very punk inspired but rather dark. Their lyrics were inspired by a lot of dystopian commentary. Taking the personal and connecting with the social. In exactly the ways that Matty’s show started out being about himself and turned into a show about being a man and the state of masculinity. And Kafka? Well, he’s the king of irony and absurdity. So, my guess is, matty is going to stretch that persona to new heights. The Freud reference and the “introspection,” make me think he’s going to draw on his ugliest and most personal feelings / thoughts and try to dramatize them. But of course inferiority is impossible to share publicly, which I’m guessing is where the irony comes in. That paradox of like how do you make the personal public without losing the authenticity. Usually, his answer to that is to lean into how ridiculous the whole rockstar persona is, but the question is, what makes this time different? What’s the point? Is it gonna be like super dystopian and depressing? Is he going to gesture towards a better future? Are we just fucked? Where does he stand right now? How does he feel about it all and how is it influencing his work?

I feel like this is where it’s all headed but idkkkk. Haha I’m super pumped to find out.

[oh-hush-its-perfect]

Alex Fierro is a Good Character, Actually

So a lot of people in this fandom a) reduce Alex down to being her gender identity to the point where it feels tolken-ish, and b) misread the actual books (or read them so long ago that memory is hazy) so they think that it's RR's fault that the fandom treats Alex as if she has no other traits— as if the only personality trait he wrote her with is her gender.

I'm kinda sympathetic to both these groups because the first camp tends to be young people and the second camp tends to be people who have seen RR's pattern of bad representation and have become somewhat hypersensitive to it— and understandably so!

But at the same time, canon Alex is actually a really well-rounded character (one of RR's best characters period) and that kind of gets lost in the tolken-y stuff and in the wider RR critical movement. RR made a lot of mistakes— many while writing Alex— but much of his writing is still quality. Alex's canonical character is really engaging and well-done.

So this post is just a reminder of some of Alex's traits that have nothing to do with her being genderfluid.

PERSONALITY:

Alex is a caring person. People tend to forget about this a lot, but when she needs to be, she's genuinely kind and comforting and heroic.

Alex is a clingy person. When she opens up to people, she becomes very attached to them and their well-being— both in a physical and non-physical sense.

Alex has adapted confidence as a defense mechanism.

Alex is snarky— not a defense mechanism. That's just how she is. :)

Alex exhibits a lot of entitlement. If you ask me, it's her fatal flaw; fatal flaws need to be consistent throughout a character's page time, and Alex's entitlement is there right up until the end, with her expecting Magnus to wait on her to make a decision about their relationship. I could write a whole seperate thing on just this topic.

ALEX'S TRAUMA IS NOT JUST THE RESULT OF HER BEING TRANS. Of course that's part of it, but there are other factors, too. Which bring us to...

TRAUMA:

Being unwanted and unexpected by her mortal parents— similar to what Annabeth Chase experienced in terms of trauma.

Developing anti-capitalist opinions in a household that organized itself around capitalism.

Yes, part of the reason her father kicked her out was because of her gender. But it was ALSO— and people tend to forget this— because she refused to take over the family business and wouldn't tolerate her father's abuse. At the core of Alex's character is a critique of capitalism and industry.

Being raised in part by Loki, who implicitly tried convincing her to do terrible things (it's never said outright, but the scene where he convinces her to make her clay-cutter a weapon... it's not unreasonable to think that he also tried persauding her to hurt people). This is similar to Samirah's experience.

A disconnection from her heritage— the kind of thing a lot of first and second generation immigrants experience.

While we're here, let's talk about something fun.

HOBBIES/INTERESTS:

I've heard the claim that since Alex sees herself in her pottery in the way that that clay in changable. For that reason, okay, yeah, let's not count pottery. Let's talk about her other interests. Because, yeah, she has quite a few that have nothing whatsoever to do with her gender.

Fashion. Alex has an eccentric fashion sense— and an expensive one. She likes prestigious brands (like Stella McCartney). She also enjoys making clothes. This is shown in SotD when she a) makes Hearth a scarf to replace his old one, and b) makes herself a chainmail sweater-vest.

Hiking/camping. Alex mentions how she used to go out with her pottery studio to get out of her house, and how she developed a love for it. This is kinda cute because it gives her a common interest with Magnus.

Reading. This also gives her a common interest with Magnus. I also appreciate how RR named names— Alex really said "meh" to Lord of the Rings.

TL;DR: Rick Riordan didn't reduce Alex Fierro down to her gender. The fandom did— and that's something we need to address and correct as a community. Also, maybe you should re-read the books if it's been a while. They're pretty good!

[darkcircles4lyfe]

retrospective & predictions

Since we're on a hiatus week (between 320 and 321) I feel like waxing poetic about the depth and growth of bkdk for a bit. Especially because it seems like we’re right on the edge of their biggest development yet, I’m getting the urge to lay all my perspectives and insights I’ve picked up from others out on the table. This is ultimately only my subjective interpretation of subtextual material in canon, though. If you’ve never quite understood what people see in their dynamic and you’re actually open to hearing me out, maybe from this you can at least see where we’re coming from. And if you don’t like my takes after all, well, we’ll see who’s right in the coming chapters, won’t we? What I have to say can be taken platonically or romantically; I appreciate both. 

putting it under the cut, since it’ll be long:

At the risk of projecting, I want to start by examining a couple things based partly on personal experience.

From many different directions, I often hear people expressing that Deku’s persistent attachment and admiration for Bakugou is baffling at best. Despite the bullying, despite Bakugou’s loud, rude, and uncompromising personality, he still puts effort into their relationship and frequently describes him as amazing. It seems like Deku himself is aware of this as he’s said things along the lines of how he’s difficult, BUT... etc. Although I don’t think it’s exactly that Deku finds Bakugou’s personality hard to be around, but that he’s deliberately expressing patience for Bakugou’s emotional turmoil. 

I have to say I know what this sort of patience is like, as I went through it with someone I love. I only chose to put up with their behavior because I decided the possibility of what our relationship could be was worth it. I wasn’t blind or submissive to how they treated me, and I wasn’t coerced. I simply expressed myself and established my boundaries while still allowing them the opportunity to join me in my world once they got over their own hangups. And guess what? It worked out in the end. That doesn’t mean there aren’t circumstances where it’s better to cut ties, but I want to stress that true reconciliation is possible sometimes. I used to worry that other people around me thought I was delusional for seeking it, but what really helped was my therapist reminding me that I’m smart and strong. So I think Deku deserves to feel the same. In a way this is his whole mission in life, his approach to being a hero as well as his personal relationships.

Let me also be clear though that I don’t mean Deku is only tolerating Bakugou’s personality, his mannerisms, the parts of him that will likely never change. I’m drawing a line between those things and his emotional state (they so rarely align anyway, but I’ll get to that later). In fact, I think Bakugou’s general attitude is part of what Deku admires. This is gonna be hard to explain without inserting personal experience too, sorry. As a writer myself I’ve noticed I’m drawn to writing characters that are brazen and bold and don't mind telling people off. Really it’s because I operate in the world in the polar opposite way. I try not to draw attention to myself, I’m quiet, and I’m a people-pleaser. People who project confidence, especially in an impolite sort of way, fascinate me. It’s good to take cultural context into account, too: I've heard people who’d know better than me that part of the reason Bakugou is the most popular character in the Japanese fandom is likely because he contradicts a lot of their social norms. His disregard is refreshing and cathartic. I can speculate that Deku has a similar point of view based on what he thinks but does not admit about Bakugou being his image of victory and how this sometimes makes him mimic Bakugou’s speech and mannerisms: 

There’s also the bit in this fight where Deku realizes he's the only one able to receive Bakugou’s emotions. This is because he’s the most intimately familiar with him and his situation, but I think there’s another layer. Deku, as we know, has a self-sacrificing tendency, and in the current chapters we’re seeing the worst side of that. But let’s also not forget that to an extent, it can be a positive trait: resilience. When it comes to Bakugou, he has an almost comical ability to dodge the potential fallout of his outbursts. The example we all jump to (and fight about..) is how in ch1, apart from the initial shock of Bakugou suggesting he jump off the roof, the most he reacts is to criticize him for saying such a ridiculous thing. However, I think their interaction post- sludge villain is a lot more interesting:

Note two things: 1, in his head, Deku is practically making fun of how Bakugou’s acting as he stomps away without waiting for a reply. It doesn’t faze him. 2, Deku thinks, optimistically, that he can now focus on a different career choice. This is astonishing really. Up to this point, none of Bakugou’s attempts to put him down have worked; he just kept pursuing his dream. The only reason Deku concedes in this moment it because for the first time, he has been shown that he really couldn't do anything in a fight against a villain. All Might told him he couldn't be a hero (although he’s literally about to take that back in the next few pages lol) and the other heroes at the scene gave him a lecture about it too. It was those experiences, and not Bakugou’s words, that truly affected him. And when All Might tells Deku he can be a hero after all, it’s not thinking of Bakugou’s bullying that makes him sob and fall to his knees, it’s the memory of his own mom never telling him those words he so desperately needed to hear. Having spent most of their lives together, Deku must have been aware all this time that Baukgou was influenced by larger societal forces rather than a core judgement, so he didn’t take it personally. He separated the person from the action, and because he’s resilient and patient, he is thus equipped to handle Bakugou’s emotions. It’s a testament to his maturity and emotional intelligence, really. 

But I can almost hear some of you saying, “that doesn’t mean Deku should have to be the bigger person here!” Correct! Just because Deku is perfectly alright bearing all of that, doesn’t mean atonement-era Bakugou sees it this way. We can track his awareness of Deku’s care and selflessness as follows-

The bridge scene, when they’re little kids: Bakugou conflates Deku’s heroism with pity, and subsequently thinks Deku is looking down on him because Bakugou’s own insecurity makes him defensive.

The Sludge Villain, and also Deku vs. Kacchan Part 1: Bakugou witnesses first-hand how easily Deku jumps to risk his own life, but still thinks he’s being looked down on. 

The Sports Festival: Bakugou fights Uraraka and recognizes her endurance strategy and refusal to give up as very Deku-like. He’s half right. He thinks Deku advised her in the fight, when in reality she just mimicked Deku because she admired him. I want to draw attention to his very sober comment about her not being frail. It’s a great endearment of Uraraka’s character and Bakugou’s respect for her when others didn’t take “fighting a girl” seriously, but it also reflects on his opinion of Deku. Deku isn’t weak either. He never was.

Deku vs. Kacchan Part 2: Deku finally corrects him about the whole looking-down-on-him thing, and Bakugou is informed that Deku’s selflessness is in fact the reason All Might chose him. Since Bakugou had been in search of what he himself was “doing wrong” for All Might to favor Deku over him, he now has to reconcile the fact that selflessness is a heroic trait, and moreover something he lacks. This is also possibly the first time Bakugou is able to see his past actions toward Deku as bullying since he previously thought it was more mutual. Additionally, Bakugou can now link Deku’s selfless behavior to what he perceived as pity/contempt, and realize that Deku has been giving him A LOT of grace. Maybe too much. Maybe more than Bakugou deserves, and definitely more than Deku should have to. Holy heck- now Bakugou has to figure out how to live up to all the faith that’s been placed in him. 

Subtextually, we can see Bakugou’s feelings about atonement reflected in the Todoroki family:

1, Shouto is another example of Deku growing a friendship using his selflessness (since their fight in the sports festival) and their relationship is being acknowledged here where it hasn’t been in Bakugou’s situation. Perhaps Bakugou is wishing it could be so simple for him, to be able to thank him for being his friend like that. Deku saying the pleasure is all his also probably calls to mind how a mere apology from Bakugou would probably be dismissed because that’s just the kind of accommodating person Deku is. Bakugou has to operate more quietly in order to actually make up for their past. I personally don’t interpret this scene as Bakugou being jealous of Deku and Shouto’s friendship, exactly, just the lack of emotional baggage. Side note, Deku and Fuyumi are kinda similar in their desire to repair relationships. I like that she’s the one to give him some credit. 

2, With the common terminology, this can be interpreted as Bakugou receiving a model for atonement, one that is about action, and nothing to do with receiving favor or forgiveness. It’s a sense of duty. 

Many of the above sentiments are repeated in the flashback conversation between All Might and Bakugou right before Bakugou’s sacrifice. 

Bakugou acknowledges his bullying and that it happened because of his own insecurities, but aside from that, it’s interesting he neither confirms nor denies All Might’s suggestion that he’s trying to atone, or that Deku doesn’t see it that way. All Might is a bit of an unreliable mentor sometimes, but I don’t think he’s misreading here. Rather, Bakugou is displaying his tendency to hold back when talking about things that would make him really emotional. Besides, admitting to what he’s doing kind of defeats the purpose. He isn’t seeking acknowledgement. All Might has gotten to the crux of the issue here when pointing out that Deku doesn’t recognize the atonement, likely because Deku doesn't think Bakugou even needs to atone. Am I reading into it too much to say Bakugou looks wistful at this? It’s kinda frustrating sometimes trying to interpret Bakugou’s actions because he’s so paradoxical. Loud and in your face, but also extremely reserved. Sometimes I feel like I’m grasping at thin air, but hey, being hard to figure out is part of his intrigue as a character. The simplest way to look at him is to assume that unless he’s really showing vulnerability, he’s probably deflecting and hiding something.

Speaking of Bakugou’s tendency to to hold back emotional stuff, there’s his apparent lack of issue with Deku calling him Kacchan. Maybe to begin with, in his warped perception of things where he thought they hated each other, Bakugou saw it as Deku’s way of getting back at him for calling him “useless,” and didn't dare give any indication that it actually bothered him. However... consider how betrayed Bakugou has appeared when he was noticeably thinking Deku was looking down on him- the bridge scene, and the beginning of their first year at UA when he thought Deku was hiding a quirk all along. He looks shocked and hurt. That kind of emotion couldn’t be invoked by someone Bakugou didn’t actually care about his relationship with. “Kacchan” comes from a long time ago, before their relationship was strained, so it’s connotations are pure. Maybe somewhere deep down, Bakugou has always been hoping that Deku’s continued use of the nickname was not simply a matter of habit or teasing, but a vestige of friendship they’re both clinging to, and Bakugou himself was too afraid to admit to himself that he felt this way about it, so he mostly ignored it. (These are not original thoughts I am having here lol, this is a common interpretation. I’m just laying everything out like I said.) 

And now we turn to the current situation. Personally, I’ve been looking frantically back and forth between them wondering who’s going to break down first (Deku vs. Kacchan Part 3, this time it’s just a fight to get the other person to cry? ha.) Both have looked like they’re approaching a breaking point for some time. Also, I’ve addressed this before, but I think it’s significant that Bakugou is no longer wearing his mask with his hero costume, in contrast to Deku recently donning his own. It feels symbolic of Bakugou about to be upfront about how he feels.

The question is, what is it going to take to get Deku to accept help? If you ask me, Deku has dug himself so deeply into the I’m-doing-this-for-everyone-else’s-safety-and-smiles hole, no common sense argument can possibly reach him. By the end of 320, Deku’s mask is off, and we can see how desperate he truly is. But he has not cried, yet. I predict we’re going to see a bit more of his defiance, this time on full display on his face as the remaining class members and his other friends take their turns. But then I think Bakugou has to be the one to break down so Deku can witness his actions having the opposite effect he intended. People have been pointing out that Deku is currently ignoring Bakugou, and oof, that’s gotta be intentional. Regardless of what Bakugou says, it’s going to be wrapped up not only in his understanding of Deku’s self-sacrifice, but also the betrayal Bakugou feels at being ignored/left behind that ironically echoes his previous perception of being looked down on, as well as a need to express how much he cares about Deku before it’s too late. He must show that the two of them are inseparable because they both act to save each other without thinking, and both feel like losing the other would be like dying themselves. All Might may have been right when he told them they could learn from each other after Deku vs. Kacchan Part 2, but he didn’t fully realize that idea by making sure they stuck by each other for support and balance. 

I can’t wait to see what it’ll be like when they do finally get to that point, totally in synch and in tune with each other. They’ll be a powerful force no one is quite prepared for. Who knows when that will be, or even which chapter will be their big showdown, but I know the day is coming.

To speculate even further, I think the 2nd user is going to be really important really soon. And no I don’t mean to suggest that the 2nd user is Bakugou. But I do think their resemblance is key. Okay this is gonna be convoluted...

See how 2nd is the only one still standing? I think that’s symbolic of him withholding his quirk. Deku may not even know what it is at this point, let alone have unlocked it. Given that 2nd approves of Deku’s strategy at this point, it seems odd for him to withhold his quirk based on lack of faith. I think if his quirk was something that would help Deku in combat, he would have shown it to him already like the others did. So what if those gauntlets of his are support items that are meant to make up for his lack of a combat-oriented quirk, rather than to augment it? Mind you, I still have no idea what his mysterious power might be, but I’m dead set on it not being explosion-y. Regardless, I think 2nd looking like Bakugou is more about aiding some grand visual parallel, so! You know how 2nd and 3rd were probably intending to do away with Yoichi but 2nd changed his mind as soon as they made eye contact? This is really a long shot, but I wonder if 2nd’s quirk has something to do with that exchange. Maybe it’s something psychological, or some 6th sense about people he meets. So... in that way 2nd’s quirk could play a role in bkdk reaching a deeper understanding? Idk! But it could be significant at least that 2nd left Yoichi’s question about why he reached out to him unanswered. 

One more thing- while I was gathering screenshots I found this. I think “you’re the last one I’m telling” might be foreshadowing for Bakugou revealing his hero name to Deku and it being a Big Deal:

As for other lingering threads in the overall plot right now, such as the UA traitor, Stain, whatever Tsuyu is apparently about to do, All Might’s car maybe in the background of the last page of 320... man I have no idea. All I know is there’s literally 320 chapters’ worth of build-up to this confrontation that can’t be interrupted. 

See you next week <3

[sunmoontruth-stiles]

Ok this is gonna be long. I’ve literally been slowly working on this for… too long. I’m just in a mood to have a long discussion about ships. I’ll be looking at canon and not, so bare with me. I don’t ship all of these personally. I’m mostly just picking the most popular ones. I chose to leave out a few that I just don’t want to talk about. I tried to keep this loosely chronological, but that quickly went to hell. None of this is meant to be hate towards anyone’s ship, just my personal opinions on each of them.

Canon:

Scott x Allison: True Classic

Scallison is so sweet as it is truly the epitome of young love. Romeo and Juliet, except Romeo is even more of an idiot and Juliet is a badass who dies for a cause. They’re moral and ethical codes are both highly valued by themselves, even if they don’t align with others very often. They loved with everything they had. They were beautiful. We’re they soulmates in the end, or just the first love who will always hold a special place in your heart? Who knows, but I’ll always love these immature kids who thought their love could change everything.

Stiles x Lydia: The Long Awaited

Stydia is as slow burn as you can get. Unfortunately their actual getting together was slightly rushed in my opinion. They didn’t have time to find their own as a couple because Stiles just wasn’t in the show enough at that point. I know the reasons behind it, but it did leave this couple at an awkward stage of official-but-not-shown. The idea that Stiles loved her as a kid, immature and infatuated, and he saw her for who she really was, will always be cute. Then they grew, changed, became friends, and found other people. Them finding each other later on, having real love that’s developed slowly, is a wonderful arc. Though, a part of me will always believe they should have pursued other story lines in the wake of Stiles’ absence from the plot. They’re finally together! …but we don’t get to see it.

Jackson x Lydia: The Image

Oh Jackson and Lydia. Honestly, I love them. Their connection at a time in their lives when they couldn’t open up to anyone else, just hits me right in the feels. I mean, god that HUG. You know the one. Always brings me to tears. I’m so sad their relationship was almost entirely depicted during Jackson’s kanima time when he couldn’t think nor truly act for himself. Those small moments of scared vulnerability when he wanted to protect her from himself… I’ll miss these two. They deserved to find other people and remain life-long friends. I loved their moment in the last episode. I wish they’d gotten to see each other grow. Also they had such bixbi solidarity vibes, and I’ll die on that hill.

Scott x Lydia: Leaders

Ok, I’m gonna be honest here. I ship it. The power couple they would have been?? Also them coming together after they lost Allison would have actually made sense. A part of me kinda wishes the writers had moved on from Stydia as a romantic relationship and leaned into them growing as friends and Stiles moving on from his childhood crush. Scott and Lydia actually would have had good chemistry. They were both very headstrong heroic types, but Lydia would have balanced Scott out well intellectually. They had the history, and I think it could had worked if they wrote it right. Plus, Scott and Lydia would have been a better endgame that Scalia.

Scott x Kira: New Beginnings

These two were adorable. Kira was a badass, don’t get me wrong, but she let herself be soft in a way Allison was always afraid to. This couple was truly Baby. Absolute dorks. I can definitely see the lasting quality between the two of them. They saw things very similarly, and had a ton in common. I do think Kira deserves more characterization outside of their relationship, like more of her friendship with Malia. Overall, her departure from the show will always be sad to me. It was bad writing. Scott was over her far too quickly.

Aiden x Lydia: Pretty People Herd

I honestly didn’t see much between these two other than mutual attraction. The best thing to come out of this relationship was Lydia’s line, “You’re not just a bad boy, Aiden. You’re a bad guy. And I don’t want to be with the bad guys.” Good character development moment.

Ethan x Danny: Step to Redemption

Danny really was the thing that made Ethan look outside of the pack for what he really wanted out of life. They had a few cute scenes. Gotta love Danny’s final remarks, “Dude, it’s Beacon Hills.”

Allison x Isaac: Unexpected Rebound

Ok, I like these two. Isaac could match Allison’s snark in a way Scott couldn’t. They both fought the progression of the relationship slightly. They didn’t expect to fall for each other. They were less willing to let someone in close. I’d love to have seen more… but unfortunately their time was limited. On a side note, sometimes their relationship did feel like ‘we both are in love with the same guy, let’s cope with each other’, but I find that completely valid. I’ll talk about Scallisaac later though.

Stiles x Malia: Anchors

Ok but, them <3 I love what they did for each other. Stiles was able to help Malia connect to her humanity and other people. He never tried to isolate her in their relationship and encouraged her growth. Malia offered Stiles the emotional support he never asked for. She defended him, fought for him, and loved him fiercely. Stiles needed that so much after season 3. I think they were a love that wasn’t meant to last, but the impact of it was forever. I wish we’d gotten to see a real end for them where they agreed that they needed to grow as individuals but would always still care.

Liam x Hayden: Three’s a Pattern

These two’s characterization stopped whenever they had storylines together. Their relationship was built on Scallison references. Hayden’s character could have been interesting, but they never really gave her a moment to shine. Liam has the worst plots when they revolved around her. Cute couple, poor writing.

Derek x Braeden: Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girl Boss

Derek deserves to be happy so much. Kate and Jennifer were just... jeez. Him and Braeden were cute and deserved more screen time. I think her intensity allowed for Derek to let go of control a bit more comfortably. Let Derek Be Soft. Anyway, love them.

Corey x Mason: Gotta Have That Rep TM

These two could have been cute if they were shown for more than two seconds at a time. I highkey forget Corey even existed all the time. Kinda just felt like a relationship to fill TW’s gay quota.

Jackson x Ethan: The Callback

Honestly? Loved them. Loved the chemistry. Loved the dynamic. Best twist. I know it was probably written in like that because Colton came out during his time away from the show, but it absolutely fit his character. Jethan is top tier.

Melissa x Chris: BAMF Parent Duo

Ok, so like, Melissa deserved this plot. She deserved someone to care about her. However... what the hell? Chris? In canon, his wife died like 2-ish years prior? His daughter died 1 year prior?? Is Chris really in a position to pursue a new relationship?? Also, like, Scott and Allison dated and loved each other up to her death. Kinda weird to have their parents hook up. I don’t hate it, but I don’t ship it…?

Scott x Malia: Lead up? What’s lead up?

These two came out of nowhere I stg. Like, 6B really tried to tell us this was something that had been slowly developing in the background? Also, I understand that they are their own people, adults, and completely in charge of their own romantic pursuits: but did Scott seriously never call Stiles? Like, Malia wasn’t just his first girlfriend. She was his first. Like, dude that’s your best friend?? Not even a head’s up? No, ‘hey would this bother you?’ Oof. Plus Malia was way too chaotic for Scott. She existed in gray morality that always prioritized her immediate circle, and Scott was a very black/white type of heroism. I just didn’t feel like they fit.

Non-Canon:

Scott x Stiles: Childhood Best Friends

Ya, sorry, I don’t ship Sciles at all. I get it. Like, I totally understand the ship, and I mean no judgment at all. I just see them as friends. I really value good male friendships in media because I feel like we don’t get enough, and I always liked these two.

Stiles x Derek: Enemies to Lovers. 100k. Angst. Hurt/Comfort.

God these two really are what fanfiction was made for. I could write a much longer discussion about Sterek, and I probably will eventually. I’ll try to keep this brief. These two weren’t always on the same side, but their approach was the same. They were very similar at their core. Plus, wow the chemistry. This should have been canon. Jeff’s a coward.

Allison x Lydia: Powerful.

This ship is so great. They really had a great dynamic, and a romantic plot would have easily fit the established narrative. Lydia’s confidence in herself and Allison’s confidence in her own abilities crossing over to each other because that’s what the other lacked? Iconic.

Danny x Jackson: He Gets Him

Danny really saw Jackson for everything he was and still cared. I wished we’d gotten to see more of them. I  want more background with Jackson’s eventual coming out and his friendship with Danny. Like, they ended up dating the same guy. What did Ethan have to say about that??

Stiles x Jackson: Bastards

Ok these two had a super fun dynamic. The asshole-energy between them was, great. The snark was always so entertaining.

Melissa x Noah: Family

How were these two not endgame? Their sons were practically brothers already. They had amazing chemistry. The flirting? Not to mention, their timeline would have made way more sense. Missed opportunity.

Chris x Peter: The Opposite of Love is Indifference, Not Hate

Ok so like, this was definitely one of those ships that I had absolutely no knowledge of before I was pretty into the fandom. Like, this was not something I would have guessed just after watching the show. That being said; my god the chaos alone…

Scott x Isaac: The Disaster Duo

Okay ya I love these two. Two dumb asses who act like idiot puppies. Such a fun dynamic. Plus?? Chemistry??? Hellooo

Scott x Allison x Isaac: Three Heads Are Better Than One

This ship is definitely one of my personal favorites. I very rarely poly-ship. I just feel like most of them are just love triangles with an ‘easy solution’, when two of them have no real connection. That is so not the case here. I feel like all of them have such great chemistry with each other. They also have a great dynamic as a group. Season 3A was really just Scallisaac rights.

Stiles x Isaac: I Hate You, jk…Not Really

Ok I loved their banter, but I really just don’t see this ship. Idk, I don’t personally ship it. Would have loved to see their friendship develop more tho.

Erica x Allison: Duo that would stab you with a stiletto

I don’t ship it, but I do wish we’d seen them become friends. I feel like they had a very artificial ‘girls fighting over a boy’ dynamic? They could have been such a badass duo.

Stiles x Erica: Batman x Catwoman

Ok I’m not sure exactly how to express my feelings for these two so bare with me. OMG I love their dynamic so much, and they are sooo cute. Their energy? Amazing. Chemistry? Great. History? It’s there and has so much potential. 10/10. Love them. But, no, I don’t ship it lol. Just really love their friendship, but with the underlying history of crushes.

Boyd x Erica: Was This Not Canon?

How can anyone not love Berica? Ugh they are adorable. These two deserved so much better.

Boyd x Cora: Survivors

Honestly I don’t really see it? Like they definitely had a connection, but it never felt romantic. I really feel like they just had to lean on each other and bond to make it through captivity, and it just lasted.

Boyd x Erica x Cora: The Pack

I literally learned this was a ship a couple days ago. Similar feelings towards this as Bora, but with the added hesitancy of we never actually saw Erica and Cora interact.

Cora x Stiles: Slow Build Up

These two were clearing being lined up to be a thing before Cora ended up leaving. I can’t say I’m disappointed they never happened. Kinda felt like they just wanted to straight-code Sterek.

Cora x Lydia: Mean Lesbians

Not much interaction to actually go off of, but yes I 100% support. They have very different approaches to problems, which is fun. Very ‘opposites attract’.

Malia x Kira: “Maybe you could date the coyote?”

Another one of my favorites!! They really complimented each other. Also, how full circle would they have been? They were introduced in back-to-back episodes. Malia stalking her as a coyote? The line from Kira’s dad about dating it? It would have been so funny if that ended up happening.

Malia x Lydia: Beauty and the Beast, but make it wlw

These two were fun. I liked their friendship, but I don’t really ship it. Though, rip Stiles that would have been hilarious.

Parrish x Lydia: The Cop and The Minor

Must I say more? Like, Parrish’s character, so sweet and big rule follower, did not make sense for what went down with Lydia. I love Parrish, but the dynamic just felt off. It didn’t feel consistent with the rest of his characterization.

Parrish x Stiles: The Cop and The Minor, but gay?

Ok, same reasoning as above, but also they had absolutely no connection romantically.

Scott x Theo / Stiles x Theo: Sometimes The Villain is Hot

Ok I’ve put these together because I have the same opinion for both. I don’t ship it. Neither had any rebuilding of trust, and Theo really hurt both of them. I just don’t really think they work.

Mason x Liam: Sciles Puppy Pack Edition

Similar to my feeling about Sciles, I just don’t ship these two. They had a good friendship, from the little we saw of it.

Theo x Liam: Anchors 2: Electric Boogaloo

Another personal favorite! I really don’t even understand why this didn’t go canon?? The elevator scene was just, so intense. They helped each other grow in 6B, and I really loved their dynamic. They should have hooked up.

Honorable Mention?: 

Parrish x Laura: What’s canon?

I’ve seen this in fanfic a lot, and I actually really like it lol. I thought I’d add it in here because I do love the creativity of fandoms.

[nikkiwriteswords]

Hi! I would love to hear your thoughts/predictions/hopes for s3, now that we got the episode titles :D

Hey Nora!! Let me go grab my tua theory hat real quick. Spoiler alert, it looks exactly like the umbrella hat on the 3 right here:

Full disclosure, I've only got like a pinky toe in the tua fandom right now, but I'm still going to see what BS I can spin from these titles.

1. MEET THE FAMILY. The description on imdb is "The siblings get to know some more of the 43 children in an alternate timeline." So, I think this is pretty self-explanatory. Netflix likes to start things off with a bang, so s3 of TUA will probably be no different: we'll probably get a vague flashforward/flash-sideways to a "what if" scenario that will make sense by the last few episodes, and the rest of the episode will be sowing seeds for the s3 plot. The big question is, what family are we meeting? I think this episode will revolve around themes of family (no-brainer) and redefining the relationships between our Umbrella siblings in light of the season 2 finale, as well as their new Sparrow 'replacements'. To that end, initial Sparrow sibling parallels will be presented and subsequently complicated in this first episode. I also predict we'll see varying reactions to this alternate Reginald, as the Umbrella siblings are thrust into an outsider perspective that follows on from season 2.

2. WORLD'S BIGGEST BALL OF TWINE. This is going to be a multi-layered metaphor. I can feel it. It will no doubt refer to the plot that's about to unfold (is it an outside threat to both parties - the Umbrellas and Sparrows - from, say, the Commission, or is it more to do with the two rival Academies?), but I wonder if it also refers to the Wizard of Oz type scenario the Umbrella siblings find themselves in: they aren’t in Kansas anymore. (But you know what is in Kansas? The world's current biggest ball of twine.) Also kind of want to see Klaus knitting again in this ep - perhaps as a way to subtly re-address his ongoing addiction issues, especially now Ben is gone.

3. POCKET FULL OF LIGHTNING. This probably has to do with powers. Sparrow powers, Umbrella powers. There'll be a lot of new flexes in this season, so who this refers to is anyone's guess.

4. KUGELBLITZ. Here's where it starts to get interesting, because this title carries forward the subject of lightning from the last one. According to a very quick internet search, kugelblitz literally means "ball lightning" in German, and refers to both a) a glorified WW2 tank designed to take out aircraft (a certified Big Boi), and b) a theoretical black hole made from light/radiation rather than matter. So this is absolutely going to be a new, unseen power - probably from the Sparrows. Hopefully from Christopher because a cube executing a move named after a sphere just makes me chuckle. Ah, fun with shapes... But in addition, this power is probably going to pack a huge, debilitating punch to whatever narrative is underway at this point in the plot. I'll bet money that whoever wields this power is the tank character in their party or they are after this at least.

5. KINDEST CUT. This throws me back to the barber shop meta, I'm not gunna lie. Someone's going to get hurt, either physically or emotionally, and it's going to be the lesser of two evils. If it's a follow through on the barber metaphor, then Reggie will be the one to orchestrate it. Or, in a surprise twist, will he be the one gTetting hurt or being silenced? (Remember that cutthroat allegory that chases the siblings through the first season, particularly Allison and Klaus. It was about becoming voiceless.) 6.MARIGOLD. Big shout out to this post for spreading the word on the marigold symbolism. I'm pretty sure this will be Reginald backstory, which ties in with the creation of the Umbrella Academy. Also, because I'm a sucker for flower symbolism and reading into things, consider that marigolds:

a) fall into two families, the calendula which means "little clock" and the tagetes, which is named after the Etruscan prophet Tages. The Etruscans believed heavily in predestination - some events are set in stone, and cannot be changed. (Consider the way the apocalypse seems to always come for one set of siblings...) b) are named as such colloquially because they were offered in place of money to the Virgin Mary. (More divine imagery, and reference to a pure mother figure...) They are Mary’s gold. So maybe it’s a reference to Reginald’s wife, which would fit with the flashback scene we see in 1x10.  c) are a flower of duality. They have strong connections with the sun and resurrection, yet the marigold is thought to be a flower of grief because it blooms in autumn. Again, think about that flashback in the first season. At the end of the world and a wife dying, there was the promise of rebirth. d) It's also a very common flower. Remember, there's actually 43 siblings out there. We've only met 14.

Also Netflix loves to do this thing around the halfway point (usually episode 5/6) in a season they're producing. They'll switch up the narrative with a twist or turn that provides a new perspective. 7.AUF WEIDERSEHEN. Once again, a German connection. And, obviously, a goodbye. Considering the last season focused on Kennedy, are we going to get some earlier Cold War time-travel shenanigans? Or maybe WW2? I think Blackman has said something about the Berlin Wall, which is interesting. A country divided... Umbrellas and Sparrows allegory? But as an aside, I'm also kinda lowkey hoping it's a nod to Auf Weidersehen, Pet. If you don't know the show, here's the wiki summary for the first season:

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet is a British comedy-drama television programme about seven British construction workers who leave the United Kingdom to search for employment overseas. They find work on a German building site in Düsseldorf but despite promises of hostel accommodation, are forced to live in a small hut that reminds them of a World War II POW camp. The rest of the series is driven by the interactions and growing friendships between the various characters.

In episode seven, three of the “Magnificent Seven” visit an intercontinental hotel. Just saying. If s3 was to go this route, my money would be on Luther, Diego and Five getting up to shenanigans in this one. I miss 125 shenanigans.😢

8.WEDDING AT THE END OF THE WORLD. Honestly, I’m holding out hope that one of our fave siblings gets married. I feel like that’s a trap though... Actually I feel like it might actually be a trap. As in, this is when the rising action really kicks it up a notch. But also remember the title of 1x01: We Only See Each Other At Weddings and Funerals. Maybe the siblings get split up, possibly in episode 3/4, and they’re trying to reunite through episodes 5-7. Also thinking about hotels and apocalypses...  There’s something very fatalistic about these titles so far. I have a feeling that the B-plot or the subtext is going to reveal a lot more about Reginald’s history and the destruction of his world.

9. SIX BELLS. This makes me think of church bells, which is some nice continuity with the wedding of the last title. But church bells are rung for all sorts of reasons - as a call to worship, or in celebration or mourning, or to tell the time. (Thinking back to those marigolds suddenly.) But why six? Now I’m thinking of bell ringing (change ringing), and the way different bells have different cord lengths to control the time of their chimes. It’s a highly mathematical process. Will this episode be Five’s time to shine? Will he coordinate his siblings through a large attack? 10. OBLIVION. Does anything even need to be said about this one? Hotel Oblivion baby ✌✌ Any further theorising would require more knowledge of the coming plot tbh.

Edit: I wrote most of this at 2am, so I’ve just tidied it up a little. Thank you for the ask, Nora! This was fun to think about. 

[kanohivolitakk]

Since its 3Hs anniversary some really cool things I like about the game that aren’t talked about enough because the fandom is too busy arguing who is right and who is wrong

The worldbuilding just. 3H has honestly one of my favorite fictional settings. Its just both expansive but also genuinely interesting. I have spent HOURS thinking about the world and made so many ocs its not even funny. I love thinking about the setting of the game so much.

I LOVE the puzzle like way the game explains its world and story. Like I know some people don’t like it because it makes the game a bit too convoluted but personally? I LOVE 3Hs way of not telling everything but rather giving hints and clues the player has to piece themselves. It makes the games world feel more interactive and feels so satisfying. Then again I enjoy that kind of approach to worldbuilding

In general I love 3hs fragmented story and the way how the story is placed in many different fragments. It is geniunely rewarding to replay the game from another storypath and notice the foreshadowing Would’ve the story been probably better had it been just one storypath? Honestly yes. But 3h is ambitious and one of the ways it is is with its fragmented story structure.

The structure of White Clouds is criminally underrated honestly and gets way more hate than it deserves. I love how the first few chapters set up the world of Fodlan and show injustices/conflicts of the world with chapters like the chapter where you face off Lonato for instance. Then the next few chapters are spend in deepening the mysteries such as the conspiracy against the church and the mystery regarding TWSITD. Then Jeralt dies and the last few chapters are spent as “beginning of the End” so to speak, as things clears to the intense climax.

On related note I LOVE how the game handles perspective and how the lords are the respective ways we view the story. I know so many people say “WHite Clouds is same on all paths” but I do feel that’s kinda the point. The story is the same but there are differences that come from the way each of the lords is strongly characterized and has different values, worldviews. The subtle changes on what are focused on in each route also foreshadow what will be focused on each route, which I think is super cool.

Even beyond the lords and routes the game does explore the idea of perspective well. I do think 3h has this very “everyone is the hero of their own story” type of approach to perspective and it shows it well. Each character believes they’re in the right and you can get this view that they view themselves as right. Even Agarthans who are the designated villains have this sense they think they’re in right and that the Nabateans were evil.

The way how games routes being divided into having a different focus is very cool. I love how AM is a smaller scale personal tragedy, how CF is a battle of ideals and how VW explores the world and reveals deeper mysteries. I also love how all of these are related to the lords ideals and worldviews: Dimitri is the most conflicted of the lords so he gets the most characterfocused story focused on . Edelgard is the most ideologically driven so her path focuses on her ideals and battle of wills against Rhea. Claude is the one who is the most freespirited and wants to know the truth so his route focuses on revealing the mysteries.

Also the way the houses characters reflect their respective routes storyline and central themes: Black Eagles are nobles that have conflicting relationships with nobility reflecting Edelgards goal, Blue Lions are all united with the trauma of Tragedy of Duscur, and Golden Deer are a house of misfits who give this “ragtag group who will save the universe with POWER OF FRIENDSHIP and this cool gun I found” vibes which fit the route PERFECTLY

I LOVE how the game plays with and subverts a lot of Fire Emblem tropes. While it does play some tropes straight (dad death and evil cult manipulating behind the scenes) it does do a lot to break from series conventions and playing with ideas to make a more ambitious story. The way it either subverts expectations (The evil emperor being female well intended extremist, Rhea being the Gharnef/Medeus instead of the Nyna archetype she’s presented as), twists familiar tropes to their natural extreme (Dimitris arc is basically the natural extreme end of stereotypical FE lord) and other similar things make the game feeling so planned out, like the writers understood FE stories and wanted to make something that challenges FE while still feeling like it.

The way how every major player acts as foil/pararell to another player is so GOOD. Every faction leader can be compared to the other somehow and that just makes the game SOOOO fun to analyze, trying to find all the similarities and differences and pararells is so rewarding.

A more specific example on this is how i love how the game plays with the idea of holy/sacred weapons. While normally these weapons are artifacts from goddess that defeat dragons, here the holy weapons are bones made from dragons and just???? HOW METAL IS THAT????????? It’s just such a neat way to subvert the idea of sacred weapons. Rather than being blessed creations of the goddess, they are weapons of destruction made by the villains.

I ADORE THE GAMES science fiction elements. I know people say they feel out of place but personally, they make the game memorable for me. I still remember the first time I saw that scene with nukes. I especially love the heavy implication that Sothis isn’t a goddess but rather a powerful alien. It makes her character much more interesting

I know a lot of people don’t like Agarthans but can I just say their backstory being “forced to hide after their land got conquered and desiring it back” making them a dark mirror not just 3h lords/Rhea but FE lords as whole is SO FUCKING METAL. This is what I mean with 3H writers knowing their tropes like back of their hand.

I love how in Part 1 sometimes you’d talk to two characters in Monastery at once instead of just one. It’s something I miss in part 2 honestly.

I love the small sidequests such as the fishing tourney and White Heron cup and wish Part 1 had more of them, it would’ve made the school part feel more alive.

I LOVE how some missions (esp paralogues) have subgoals that you can clear to get better rewards. I wish the game had been more clear with them or even made them main goals of maps sometimes.

I LOVE THE WAY Paralogues act as small gaiden stories that show more of the games world and characters. Its a neat way to let the sidecharacters shine and reveal some neat secrets of the games world and story.

The gameplay loop is honetly fun and satisfying. It is rewarding and while it gets tiring towards the end overall its a good gameplay loop.

I ADORE the aesthetic of Shambhala. Its just so sleek and sinister. The cyrillic letters spelling different words is so cool. Shambhala is my favorite map in the game and the aesthetic is a big reason why.

The games soundtrack is so good!!!!!!!!!!  But not only that I LOVE the way its electro elements subtly hint of Agarthans being in control behind the scenes. This is especially cool in Road to Dominion where the electro parts are barely noticeable yet present. but other tracks have subtle electro vibes as well.  The other way the games music tells the story (such as use of leitmotifs or how the monastery music changes once Jeralt dies) is great as well.

I love how 3h can be read as an allegory for reformation era and reneissance. Its such an interesting way to read the games events and compare it to a real historical periods there’s quite a bit of f

In general I ADORE the cultural references of the game. There’s surprisingly lot of way the games world is based on real life and the details are just *chefs kiss*

THE GAME IS DENSE WITH THEMATIC IDEAS. Besides the perspective the game tackles ideas of how trauma can affect a persons psyche and worldview  (as well how a persons trauma affects the way they interact with the world which in turn can affect the world as well), grief, societal values, historical revisiniosm and so much more. The game tackles SO MANY topics in an interesting manner, it is thematically just as dense as it is storywise as well.

I also love how the games thematic parts work in harmony with the story rather than one overshadowing with the other. Its super refreshing honestly where a games themes and story are both rich and I don’t have to pick one over the other.

Lastly I ADORE the games central message (or at least what I see as the central message anyway): The world’s fucked up and most people want to fix it, but what they deem fixing differs and because of that they go into conflict or outright war rather than trying to find a common ground. Everyone wants a better world but no one can agree what a better world truly means  so they fight over it. It was a theme that not only resonates with my personal values but also hit me REALLY hard when I first played it as it’s a theme that I found incredibly relevant and reflective of our own world during the time I played the game for the first time.

So yeah. I made this post since there’s SO MUCH neat things about the game, its gameplay and story that sadly get swept under the rug in favor of either arguing  which lord was right/wrong or complaining how the game is an unfinished, rushed and overambitious mess. Is 3h perfect? Hell no. But it’s a game that I hold near and dear to my heart and does genuinely SO MANY THINGS RIGHT, I’m sad no one talks about the genuine strengths the game has anymore, instead just complaining.

I’m not even joking when I say that 3h should be up there as heralded as one of the best, most ambitious and complex JRPGs alongside Xenogears, the first Xenoblade game, Suikoden and Trails series as whole along other such games. Its a shame the games reputation is less like those games and more like Persona 5s where everyone focuses more on its flaws and the fans being annoying than the fact the game does geniunely A LOT right. It’s just that good, ambitious game I love so much.

[hmslusitania]

I see we're going ape over buddie and Choices tonight so

Yknow in 2.07, when Shannon comes back and her and Eddie have their first scene together? The argument at the end, after Eddie says it wouldn't be a good idea for her to see Christopher bc she left them, she says she needed him, she needed a husband and a co-parent - and "I needed someone to have my back!"

To which EDDIE says, "I always had your back"

*insert Incredibles "coincidence? I think NOT" gif here*

(Also side note, I do like that the show doesn't try to sugarcoat what Shannon did being messed up, and that Eddie's own actions weren't really the right thing either[thinking about his conversation with Buck where he says he got to pretend he left for a noble cause even tho he was running], and that it was just a sticky situation that neither of them were equipped to handle in any way, and snowballed. I do kind of wish we could've gotten post-divorce Shannon and Eddie and Christopher interactions, figuring out how they fit together, if at all, bc I like those intricate and messy situations but I could see how that might get too close to retreading old ground re: Michael and Athena's divorce. But I do hate how ive seen the fandom like. Seem to oversimplify things with Shannon sometimes? And make her the ultimate villain, and Eddie Did Nothing Wrong, Ever)

Hi Anon!

The decision to have Buck and Eddie's first bonding moment end with "You can have my back any day" and "or, y'know, you could have mine" only to then six episodes later find out that at least a contributing factor to Eddie's marriage dissolving was that he "didn't have her back" is like. Such a galaxy brain chaos move for them to take, honestly. Like?? They could've had the phrasing be literally anything in 2x07 but instead they had it directly echo Buck and Eddie in 2x01. What was the reason? Why did they do this?

As for the rest of your ask:

(gosh this got long and, uh, opinionated. It is Not Pretty below the cut)

One of the things I really liked about Eddie Begins is that we did get to see him at the beginning of his journey in being Chris's dad because it gives us an opportunity to appreciate how amazingly he's grown as a father. Like, he didn't start out as a perfect dad and he was definitely kind of lost in the woods at the beginning there when it came to the whole "how do I parent" thing. And before Eddie Begins, we'd only ever seen the end result of the growth he's gone through, where he really is a fantastic dad whose son is basically his entire reason for being. Before Eddie Begins, we get to hear him say things like "I left first" and "I've failed that kid more times than I can count but I love him enough to never stop trying" but we kinda have to take that on faith? Because we hadn't actually seen him be anything besides a good dad until we saw his Begins episode. (And even then in his begins it's like "area man in his early 20s unsure how to care for small child while also coping with PTSD and a toxic support system" which like. yeah. no shit. there's one hell of a learning curve there)

The thing about Eddie and Shannon as a couple and as parents that always gets to me is that they were so fucking young. We don't know exactly how old Eddie is in the show, but we can guesstimate pretty safely that he's around the same age as Ryan which would make him between 23 and 24 when Chris was born, and it seems reasonable to believe Shannon was around the same age. It's also a pretty common reading in the fandom -- although I'm not sure how much canon support there is for it because we really, really don't know anything about their relationship pre-Christopher unless I'm forgetting something -- that they got married because Shannon got pregnant and that was the Done Thing. And when you're 23-24, baby on the way, freshly married, that is just like. So much. It sure as hell ruined my parents' relationship when they did that exact thing, and then they disliked each other until they were 27 and then they got divorced, and no one was happier than me about it, I have to tell you.

Back to the show, I can only give you my impressions, obviously, but the impression I have always gotten from the whole "I left too" conversation and the context that goes into it and the different behaviours we see exhibited by the characters is that Eddie "left" first and it comes across to me that he was basically an early twenty-something kid running scared from the abstract concept of being a father in general, and then when he was forced home by an honourable discharge, and was confronted with the reality of Christopher, he managed to step the fuck up and become Christopher's dad. It's there in 2x02, right? "Oh, you've got a kid? I love kids!" "I love this one." Eddie doesn't strike me as a Swiss Army Knife all-purpose Dad(tm) the way Bobby is. Eddie is Christopher's dad. (and like, of course, he's obviously moved by kids when he's on a call, we've seen that enough times to know that if there's a child who can even glancingly remind him of Christopher, Eddie's sense of self-preservation goes out the window, and I love that about him as heart-stopping as it can be in practice)

Shannon, on the other hand, didn't run from the idea of being a mother -- at first. When she left, it wasn't from the abstract. She left Chris (and "gave up" on Eddie, thanks Helena). She was not running from a concept, she was running from a reality. I think Shannon is a fascinating character to include in a television show as a side character, because she really isn't a one note character. Like, she was unarguably a bad mother, and from what we saw, she was a questionable romantic partner to have (but as you said, anon, Eddie was also not 100% the best romantic partner when he was with Shannon either; their entire relationship so far as I can tell was built on sexual chemistry which, uh, super does not sustain a relationship), but she also seems to have been a devoted daughter? I mean, yeah, it's entirely possible that her mom being sick was a convenient excuse to bail -- and obviously she didn't come back after her mom died, and didn't, y'know, contact her son or husband in the interim, so yes, I can see that being a valid way to read the situation. I don't think she's the Ultimate Evil, because she strikes me as a very human character in all the ways that people are more often than not really fucking flawed.

But then we get back to the actual break-up scene. The first time I watched it (and second, and third; then the fourth time the person I was watching with was like "I mean, sure, but it could also be read in this light") her "I'm just learning how to be someone's mother" speech really bothered me? Partly because it was the abstraction of it, right? Eddie doesn't like kids, he likes Christopher, and Shannon sort of had the inverse journey there, I guess, where it went from she didn't know how to be Christopher's mother, to she didn't know how to be a mother. And that speech bothered me because it always sounded to me like she was bailing again. She begged Eddie to let her back into Christopher's life (guilt? I guess?) and like, straight up bribed him with sex which was sure a choice, and then decides -- for a second time -- that she's out. It sounded, to me, she was handing Eddie papers and maybe, in a few years, possibly, once she'd had "time" to "figure out how to be someone's mother" she would try again. Just like she had in the interim between leaving when Christopher was little and the time of season 2.

And like, that could totally be a misunderstanding of the scene and what she was saying. It's what I took away from it, but that could very well be influenced by the fact I was raised by divorced parents and my dad had custody and if you count up all the time I spent with either parent when I was a minor, I was predominantly raised by my father and have had an especially tempestuous relationship with my mother that is mostly (sometimes) repaired now that I'm in my late twenties and have not lived with her since I was sixteen.

Back to the show, and to your comment that the fandom tends to treat Shannon like the Ultimate Evil and act like Eddie Did Nothing Wrong, I mean. Yeah. Fandom as a rule tends to shirk nuance. We're all fools here on the internet sitting in our blue industrial waste container crying about a wee woo show. I personally believe a more nuanced take on that might be that Eddie has shown a great capacity to learn from his mistakes (sometimes to make fun, shiny, new ones, but for the most part, just like ends up doing better the next time) and Shannon did not show that capacity in the time we knew her.

I think, depending on what they did with it, there was potential for an interesting storyline if they'd played through the divorce. I don't think it would've been rehashing ground covered by Michael and Athena's divorce because I can't see Eddie and Shannon having reached a point of amicability and friendship. The only thing we know they had in common was Christopher, and frankly, when you boil it down, the ways they engaged with Christopher as a person were so disparate that -- to me -- it really didn't seem like they had Christopher in common when you get right down to it. But I wouldn't have wanted to see Christopher and Eddie dragged through an ugly divorce process. They deserve better than that.

There's also a conversation to be had about Shannon's blatant ableism towards her own son, but that is extremely not my lane since I am not disabled myself. But even from an outside perspective, basically their entire parking lot conversation in Haunted, uh, haunts me with it's repugnance and the fact that instead of calling her on any of it, Eddie "Chronically touch starved" Diaz's response was to kiss her? Gosh golly do I wish that was one of the mistakes he learned from properly instead of finding a new, shiny version.

ANYWAY this got long, tl;dr (although if you clicked on the read more, you probably read it) version is No, Shannon is not the Ultimate Evil, she's a shitty mom not a demon in a skin suit and a pretty yellow sundress; and No, Eddie is not a flawless human who's never done wrong in his life but holy fuck is he trying and he'd be the first person to tell you he's made mistakes (and often has been); and no, sorry, I don't want to see the divorce storyline play out because we probably would've had to see either Eddie Bashing, Shannon Redemption, or Shannon turning up again like a cardboard cut out of a cartoon villain the way Eva did and I want to be witness to exactly zero of those things.

[the-ferocious-kittyrose]

What I would’ve done w/ Lotor’s character

It’s not exactly a secret to anyone who’s been following me for a while that I’m not the biggest fan of canon Lotor. I had high hopes for the character from his 80s counterpart and intro in season 3 but I was really let down by the direction the writers went with him in canon.

When he was introduced, I was so hoping for him to be this cocky manipulative asshole that’s only out for himself. I love that character archetype so goddamn much.

But in canon he was just kinda boring to me. His personality was bland and his motivations never really made sense. He’s introduced using empty promises of peace and comradery to manipulate people, then its revealed that he actually does want peace and comradery and wants to lead a peaceful empire, then that turns into draining Alteans and wanting to kill all Galra...

I also didn’t like how the writers decide to tack on this whole child abuse plot to explain why he was the way he was. As if that’s the only way to make a villain sympathetic. Yeah other versions of Voltron have touched on Lotor’s childhood before and it was never pleasant, but VLD really leaned into that shit, to the point where it felt like the writers were just shoving angst down our throats thinking that equals good writing.

It takes more than a tragic backstory to make a character compelling. It takes an interesting personally and motivations that make sense. And you can make a character tragic/sympathetic in more subtle ways.

For me personally, I wanted Lotor to be a sorta fusion of Loki and Littlefinger in space.

Loki is a sly trickster who grew up feeling like an outcast, unaware of his true heritage. He grew up believing he could be king but when his shity father handed it to his perfect brother he felt he had been robbed and decided to take the throne by force.

Littlefinger is a small man from a small house with no power, and after getting the shit beat out of him trying to win the hand of the girl he loved, he decided he would use his intelligence and skills in manipulation to screw over all these noble lords and weasel his way into the throne. And when he did he would finally get vengeance on all those who had looked down on him.

I feel like this fits Lotor well. Lotor is a prince, so he isn’t small in that regard, but he is not respected in the way a prince should be.

He is a lot smaller than the average Galra. And even though Lotor is still quite strong, developing a fighting style that suits his small form and uses his opponents size against them, in a society so heavily based on physical strength that’s still a big blow to your rep.

He employs half breeds, which we know are looked down on in the empire. And there are definitely rumors about Lotor himself being a half breed. I think after 10,000 years Zarkon would’ve done a pretty good job at hiding Lotor’s heritage from the public but just looking at him compared to the average Galra there’s going to be some suspicion there. On that note Lotor is probably considered butt ugly by the Galra.

And Lotor works in the shadows and achieves his goals through lies and trickery, which Lotor himself says are things the empire looks down on.

So yeah, the people in the empire hate Lotor. Even Sendak who’s all ‘Gung ho empire’ has no respect for Lotor. And because of this it would probably be up in the air whether or not Lotor would even be allowed to take the throne if his father were to pass, even though it’s his birthright.

And in the face of all this rampant disrespect, Lotor decides that he is going to overthrow his father and take the throne. And when he does he will take vengeance on everyone who had ever undermined him and expand the empire beyond anything his father could’ve dreamed of.

And don’t try telling me, “oh that’s so out of character! Lotor would never take pleasure in the pain of others!” Because he does.

Remember Throk? Remember how Lotor sent him away to the worst station in the empire and joked about letting him, “rot with the ice worms?” Remember how Lotor later invaded his station then watched with a grin as he was tortured by Haggar?

Lotor 100% takes pleasure in hurting those who would hurt him, because it makes him feel powerful.

Now let’s talk about Lotor’s planet. The one given to him and destroyed by Zarkon. I always felt weird about this plot. Obviously it’s a very sad thing to have happen, but I always liked the idea of Lotor’s promises of peace to be empty, a means of manipulating people. So this whole situation being genuine feels weird to me.

In my version, Lotor didn’t get banished for being too kind. He got banished because Zarkon caught him in a plot to betray him.

When Lotor was put in charge of the planet, he seduced and married the princess Ventar. He filled her head with promises that her people would be free and they would rule the universe together and convinced her to secretly round up her armies and send word to her ally planets to do the same, so they could start planning a way to overthrow Zarkon.

It’s left ambiguous whether or not he was being genuine and whether he really loved Ventar and intended to keep his promises to her or if she was just a tool to get the throne. But either way, it ends the same. Zarkon finds out, destroys the planet, kills Ventar, and exiles Lotor.

Still sad/humiliating thing for Lotor, and definitely a story that could gain sympathy from Allura.

Speaking of Allura and Ventar, let’s talk about Lotor’s relationship with the women in his life.

(Trigger Warning: Brief mention of of a rape scene in GoLion)

In the 80s Lotor was incredibly misogynistic. He walked around with a harem of half naked women, tried repeatedly to kidnap and marry Allura against her will, and in GoLion it’s heavily implied that he raped Romelle because she looked like Allura.

It’s a common joke in the fandom that he went from this to drinking respect women juice in VLD but I don’t know if I’d go that far.

He’s definitely better in VLD than he was in the 80s, but even in VLD he manipulates, uses, and hurts most of the women in his life.

Allura is the obvious example, but you also have his generals. Acxa talks to the paladins, Allura in particular, about how persuasive Lotor could be. Implying that she and the other general were manipulated the same way Allura was.

Well not EXACTLY the same way Allura was, romantically I mean. Though there are people who believe that Acxa was also in love with Lotor and he used that to his advantage, which I can see.

But I feel like it was more about giving them a place in an empire that didn’t care about or accept them.

I hate The Last Jedi but I really feel like the line, “you’re nothing, but not to me,” fits really well. They were outsiders with no place to go until Lotor swooped in and gave them a purpose.

Do I think that there was a part of Lotor that genuinely wanted to help them because he saw a kindred spirit in them? Yeah. But I also think that at the end of the day, they were more tools than real friends. And he had no qualms about killing them if they betrayed him.

The situation with Narti proves that. As well as the fact that Ezor and Zethrid seemed very scared of the prospect of Lotor being alive and coming for them.

And then you have Allura. Lotor’s lust for Allura has always been a very important part of his character. In the 80s the reason behind his obsession with her was that he had a lot of baggage about his mother and had a thing for women that looked like her. Also the fact that he just didn’t like not getting something he wanted.

There was never any love. He didn’t want to be with her, he wanted to own her.

In VLD, his want for Allura seems to stem more from the fact that she’s Altean than an Oedipus complex. As well as the fact that she’s powerful and skilled in Altean alchemy, which makes her rather useful.

I don’t personally believe that Lotor ever really Loved Allura. I think he liked the idea of her and what she could do for him, but the end of the day she was more a means to an end than anything else.

Allura’s been trough a lot. Zarkon betrayed her family and destroyed her entire planet only about a year ago from her point of view, and she appears to have a pretty bad case of survivors guilt and PTSD. And to make matters worse, while Lotor was on the ship she was fighting with Shiro, someone she clearly cared about. The idea of loosing him after already losing so much must’ve been really painful.

She was hurting, conflicted, and lonely. Which made her all the more vulnerable to Lotor’s manipulation.

He took advantage of her loneliness and insecurities, making her believe she had found someone who understood her and could help her avenge her family and planet. She trusted him, let herself be vulnerable around him, which made it hurt even more when it was revealed to all be a ruse.

And then you have his relationship with his mother Honerva/Haggar.

I talked a lot about this in my whole rewrite/rant about Honerva, but I’m not a fan of how they made their relationship 100% negative. I feel like it robs the show of a lot of interesting character interaction.

It’s sad. The whole relationship is really tragic. Shit like this is literally my worst nightmare. The thought of looking my mom in the face and have her not recognize me as her daughter keeps me up at night.

But the thing is, in canon the relationship kinda falls flat because Lotor and Haggar/Honerva have no connection. Haggar was awful to Lotor and Lotor hates Haggar. What reason do I have to be invested in their relationship?

So If you haven’t read my Honerva rant, here’s how I would’ve done the Honerva Lotor relationship.

10,000 years ago, when Alfor came to Dibazzal to convince Zarkon to close the rift, Honerva went into labor. Alfor and many Galran doctors tried there best to save her and the baby, but the quintessence had damaged her body so much that she couldn’t be saved and died in childbirth.

Zarkon went ballistic and Alfor had the doctors take baby Lotor somewhere safe, fearing Zarkon would take his grief and anger out on the child.

After Honerva was resurrected as Haggar and throughout Lotor’s childhood, they had a strange sort of relationship. Lotor was an inquisitive child and was always curious about Haggar and her work, making a habit of following her around like a little shadow and watching as she worked. And there was also the fact that, while his father was never friendly, he was calmer when she was around.

Haggar had no idea what to make of this weird child following her around all the time. All these big strong Galra were terrified of her but this tiny child showed no fear as he tugged on her robes and excitedly asked questions about her work. And she never minded. She didn’t know why or how to explain it, but she cared for the child. As much as a soulless undead witch could care for something anyway.

But as time went on there relationship became more and more strained. Lotor was a smart kid he was gonna find out about his mother and deduce what happened to her.

He resented Haggar. Resented her for not remembering him. Resented her for the fact that he had to go through life without a mother while she was right there. And he resented her for being loyal to Zarkon, who had been making his life hell for thousands of years.

Every time she showed him something resembling kindness he’s conflicted. He knows he should feel happy that she cares, but at the same time, why does she care? It’s not like she sees him as her son.

He turned to denial, insisting that Haggar couldn’t possibly be his mother, even though he new the truth deep down, and a part of him always secretly longed for her to remember who she was, who he was, and embrace him as her son. He hates that part of himself.

And when he does meet Honerva for the first time, it’s... tense... to say the least. Having his mother reach out to him and acknowledge him as her son is something he thought would bring him joy, but in that moment all the pain he went through rises back to the surface and he lashes out. He draws his sword and is about to cut her down but he hesitates. He’s trembling with tears in his eyes. He can’t forgive her, but he also can’t bring himself to kill her.

Then you have his relationship with his father.

It’s no secret that Zarkon is an awful man and a shity father, always has been.

The explanation as to why is kinda shaky. All we get is Zarkon saying Lotor is his greatest shame because he’s Altean but I don’t know about that. Zarkon may hate Alteans but he loved Honerva and I don’t think he would be ashamed of his relationship with her.

He definitely did his best Lotor’s heritage from the public. But I don’t think that’s the reason he hates him.

In my version of the story, Zarkon hates Lotor because Honerva died giving birth to him and Zarkon blames him for her death. He lost his beloved wife and was forced to watch the son that killed her waltz around wearing her face.

It didn’t help that Lotor was a snarky rebellious kid that liked to show off. He did things his own way, didn’t care much for rules, and had a real knack for finding loopholes. All things that made his strict father very angry. He was an embarrassment. Small and rebellious. That’s why Zarkon began training Sendak.

I personally believe the reason Zarkon was so trusting of Sendak and had so much faith in him was because Zarkon had been grooming him to be his “true heir.” Sendak is the epitome of what a Galra should be. Strong, loyal, and brave. He would be the son Zarkon wished he had. The favorite child.

Lotor obviously hates Zarkon, and rightfully so. Zarkon hates him for something he had no control over and constantly disrespects him.

Lotor may not follow the rules, but he passes every trial. He excels at everything he does but Zarkon refuses to see that all because he blames him for Honerva’s death.

Lotor sees Zarkon as an old fool. He knows that he could do a far better job at running the empire.

Lotor dedicated thousands of years of his life to overthrowing Zarkon. His hatred for his father was his motivation, what got him out of bed every morning, so when the deed is done and Zarkon was finally defeated, in the moments after he felt empty.

But he didn’t have time to dwell on that feeling for long. He still had to deal with his father’s men and take the throne that was rightfully his.

Then you have his plan.

Lotor’s plan in VLD is really weird and over complicated. There was no real reason for the whole draining Alteans thing. Just a lazy way of making him 100% evil.

The plot could’ve been a lot simpler. He gains the paladins trust, gets them to help him build his ships and overthrow Zarkon, and then once he has the throne he pulls an Uno reverse card and is like, “yeah, nothing personal but this was all a trick and imma lock you and your lions up now.”

Obviously more complicated than that but that’s the basic idea.

One of my main problems with VLD is that they had a bad habit of over complicating the plot. People don’t care about VLD because of the plot, they care about the characters and their relationships, the actual plot doesn’t have to be anything spectacular.

It’s strange to say but I feel like the writes tried too hard with Lotor. He had the potential to be an amazing villain but the writers were too focused on tricking the audience and making him angsty that they forgot to make him compelling.