#also all of these are interpretation based

[the-ancient-dragons]

SilkWing Study!

Featuring the color palette of OC General Viceroy, Queen Monarch's brother in my Pantalan AU.

Details, explanation, and one more art below. Otherwise, next week are the HiveWings. See you then!!

Sorry for dropping off the face of the earth; school tried to kill me. I live!

Last time, I had called this series the 'dynamic bases', but looking back on some of them I would like to fix the anatomy and... generally everything, haha. The SilkWings I actually like all of the poses but I want to keep it as a study just for now.

It was a lot of fun to play with Joy's style and try to put the dragons in tribe-specific poses. Not all dragons in the tribes behave the same way, but it's a fun approximation. For example, for the SilkWings, I wanted the wings open as much as possible and from multiple angles. The pose at the top is a fun way to showcase both the wings and the silk - if the dragon is a flamesilk it could be shown there. I really like to make SilkWings interact with their silk like a cat's cradle game, it seems like a fun way they'd play and practice weaving.

Also, many people have their own interpretations of wingbuds, and this is mine. I'll do a whole anatomy study later but it's my headcanon that the dragonets hatch with the wings partially formed, just encased in scales to protect them as they finish growing. They would do this so they could hatch earlier (say half a hear-ish compared to other dragonets, who take the time to develop their wings in their eggs). Metamorphosis would then be the shedding phase where they drop the casing and release their fully-developed wings.

[lukolabrainrot]

Calm theory anon here!!! So I was doing some thinking and noticing. I have already touched on how I think a lot of the story line we are getting from Luke and Nic are scary similar. Like both Luke and Nic are linked with early 20 people. Both were photographed with those people correct. And another similarity is the way parts of the fandom are falling these other people Luke Girlfriend or Nicola boyfriend with Luke or Nic ever calling them that. Now we see the way both Luke and Nic have handle that. Both have been seen with these individuals after the initial pap pictures. Both have NEVER ONCE said anything about it. Both have ignored the gossip. And all you Jakola that are lurking that's exactly what it is Gossip until Luke or Nic make it a fact. So the way I process is to put myself in their shoes right. Why wouldn't I talk about this? If JD is an actual BF why would I hide him? I wouldn't there is no excuse I have seen is a reason to hide him. When you truly love in that romantic way you want to share that love why because your heart is sooo full with that love it comes out. So have we ever seen slips or Nic talking about JD or Luke slipping talking about Antonia? No we haven't that haven't slipped once. What we have seen is Nic slipping in Luke into conversation and Luke slipping Nic into conversations. To me that's what indicating that there is true love between Nic and Luke. But the parallels of both sets gossips we have seen makes me raise my eyes brows. I'm having a hard time believing that what gossip we see isn't some type of made up fantasy. Because once is a coincidence twice is a pattern. And the storylines we see are definitely patterning. Just some food for thought.

Calm Theory Anon, always showing up when we need you the most ❤️️

I've talked about this a lot, but I think there are a lot of smoke and mirrors going on. And I definitely agree with CTA, the patterns are patterning atp, and I don't think that is a coincidence 🤔

Everyone has been freaking out today about phone lockscreengate 2.0... My thoughts (all speculation of course):

That is L in some tropical beach area with a white tshirt (sound familiar to anyone? 🤔)... no one can convince me otherwise atp without more definitive proof. And that "enhanced" pic going around is NOT definitive proof that this ISN'T L and IS JD. Period. Also, it's impossible from the video the original pic derived from to get a SS that is clear and not blurry. So, we are basically going to see who we want to see in the pic.

There is a LOT more information that this pic is L based on the full picture of everything we have seen directly from L and N. And a LOT of evidence that N isn't comfortable with the Jakola narrative.

I don't think N wanted people to see her lockscreen, and this pic that very much looks like a "this is my man" pic, but it's out there now, so it is what it is.

Again, just my thoughts, and we are all going to have our own interpretation. Which is totally fine.

[rainbowsky]

On GG's album, and hints of what was to come

As everyone here likely already knows, I'm completely losing it over the news of a full album from GG. There's a lot more to all of this that I haven't yet discussed, so let's dig into it. I have thoughts...

Disclaimer: Most of what's discussed here is rumor and interpretation, and could be inaccurate. We'll find out what's really happening soon enough!

I never dared dream that GG would put out an album. I have been begging for crumbs of a song for years now, it would have seemed completely outrageous to dare to dream of an entire album!!!

But now that it's on its way, and I've heard more info/rumors about the release (more on that in a bit), I can look back over the past year and see some signs that have been there all along, of what's to come.

More on the release

Promo has already begun, and we now know more about the release schedule based on what's posted on the streaming platforms.

The songs will be released in 3 waves, with the first wave happening on the 12th, the next one on the 19th and the final one on the 26th.

The physical album is going to be coming in December, and there are some tantalizing rumors about what that will include:

The album cover was drawn by GG.

A Xiao Zhan Studios red gift box containing various items including postcards, t-shirts etc.

There will be a CD version and a limited edition vinyl version.

A music video is also rumored to have been completed. This has been confirmed, and will be premiering on the 12th.

Clues we've had all along

What's interesting to me is that for months I've been posting updates about changes to XZ Studio's business license, that have been clues to what GG might be up to.

In January a license was obtained to establish a domestic performance agency.

In March that license was expanded to include services for film production and live performances.

In June there were some legal trademark applications made, pertaining to office supplies, calendars and paper gift wrapping.

And now we know that he's releasing an album, at least some editions which will likely be sold with bonus gifts, paper products and packaging (I think this is a very credible rumor because if he's going the physical album route, it's likely designer GG will want to do special editions like this).

Licenses recently purchased protect the studio's exclusive rights to produce and sell such items.

We also know GG and his studio love to produce stunning high quality videos. Was there ever any doubt that he'd make a music video? Maybe even more than one.

Licenses purchased earlier this year give the studio the right to produce such commercial videos.

And there's another license that is associated with live concert performances! I think it's highly likely we'll see a concert from him in the coming year or two.

Generous GG

As Fat Shrimp mentioned, the songs will be free on streaming. This has made a big impression on some fans, and there has been a lot of discussion about it, and about how much this album will have cost to produce, for GG to give it away for free (here's a compilation of some of the comments via Nili, and another from Estefanita).

People have expressed so many thoughts about this. Everyone agrees that it's almost unheard of to give an entire album for free. One or two songs, maybe, but just as a teaser for the full album - which must be paid for.

A lot of people have talked about the 'old days' (ack, I feel old!) when people would buy physical albums, often after having heard only one or two singles on the radio (although where I'm from people could go into a record store and listen to the full album before buying).

They say that he's opening himself up to that evaluation before people are expected to commit to paying for it, and that it's very generous and honorable, but that it will also open him up to being heard more by passersby who wouldn't otherwise be willing to pay for the music - therefore expanding his possible audience.

I personally think there are a few possible factors contributing to why he chose to share his album for free:

To me, this feels almost like GG's bigger 'debut' as an independent solo singer. He's finally releasing music entirely on his own terms. He wants to share and celebrate that with the world, as a gift to the world and to the fans. "I'm here. Please enjoy."

He's inviting people to listen to his music and judge for themselves whether it's worthy of their investment. It goes along with his personality as someone who wouldn't want people to associate any sort of 'buyer's remorse' with something he's sold them. He's always saying, "people are free to like or to hate," and this is his way of giving people that choice without judgment. "Listen and if you like it, buy it. If you don't, that's fine too." By doing this he's likely to build a bigger audience than by doing a traditional release, because everyone has a chance to hear and evaluate him without any up-front investment.

He wants to avoid any possibility of a repeat of what happened with Spotlight, where he was criticized because fans were buying dozens of copies as a means of boosting sales, and then bragging that their idol was the biggest seller of all time. He doesn't want fans to spend all their money on his songs or on boosting his 'sales', nor does he want any perception that the success of his album was bought by fans.

He could be bargaining on making more overall sales via charging for only the physical copies than by selling both, due to the expanded interest a free release is likely to generate.

He has confidence in what he's created, and is happy to share it openly.

He's doing this out of the joy of it more than anything else, and money isn't a central factor for him.

To me this approach, along with the stated plans for rolling all of this out, feels like a marketing plan, and we all know GG has a professional background in that kind of thing.

Yes, all those other elements of artistry, generosity and magnanimity come into it as well, of course. Marketing is treated as a dirty word, but we must remember that every marketing plan is based deeply in the values and intent of the individual/organization doing the marketing, and is focused on their goals.

I feel that his plan will have considered the factors I mentioned, and will be aligned with his values, intentions and goals.

This is just my take on it, of course. Only GG and his studio really know for sure what his plans and goals are.

Can't wait!!!

Whatever his feelings or plans are, I can't wait to hear this album, I can't wait to buy it, and I can't wait to see what kind if interest and critique it generates!!

I also hope that this is just the beginning - that he will be releasing more music, and hopefully doing concerts in the future.

[thecoiledserpent]

↻ PLANETARY STRENGTH AND DOMINANCE IN THE VEDIC CHART : SHADBALA

basics of vedic astrology. ask box. masterlist.

note: this is one of those posts i would recommend reading in its entirety before exploring planetary dominance and remedial measures. there is nothing unnecessary. understanding shadbala is the only thing you need to understand your planets' strength. once you do, there is no longer any need to consider combustion, retrograde, certain degree, exaltation, etc. shadbala already considers it and calculates it for you !

calculation of planetary strength in vedic astrology is done via shadbala; as the name suggests, shadbala means six fold strength.

although these strengths are combinedly used for finding the effect of planets on the lives of the natives, there is more use of the strengths and we get the clue of those uses from their names. these strengths need not be used only predicting the results of the dasa, however, can be used for normal interpretation for the native's nature. learning how to calculate is not mandatory, and using a shadbala calculator is recommended.

i will be referencing a random chart with the following results: date of birth: 2nd august, 2000 time of birth: 3:18 PM place of birth: delhi, india

by understanding the basics of shadbala, one can identify their weak planets. often times, our most favourable planets our devoid of strength and the malefics ones are strong, leading to an intense misbalance, bestowing misfortune in life. by identifying these planets, we know what remedies to do and what habits to forsake.

additionally, the strength of certain planets strongly influences the personality and it is important to analyse it.

note: shadbala does not show which planet is favourable or unfavourable, it is only used to calculate planetary strength.

shadbala consists of the following 6 strengths: (positional strength

sthana bala (positional strength) : the planet having the highest value of sthana bala is the giver of position and status. this also shows which positions are most auspicious for us and where we are most comfortable.

dig bala (directional strength) : this shows the direction which shall be good for us for growth in the career or self development. moving towards the direction represented by the benefic planet having the strongest shadbala in chart, or facing in that direction while working on important things is highly favourable.

kaal bala (temporal strength) : this shows which time is best suitable for us for undertaking any activity. benefic planet having strongest kaalbala bestows a favourable time period to work in.

chesht bala (motional strength) : this shows what drives us, our inherent desires and purpose of our struggle in this life. this is not associated with the atmakaraka. this, i feel, is often of more karmic nature and can be best understood by the native themselves. for eg, i have jupiter as the strongest planet in chest bala, and from a young age i have been attracted to lord vishnu. in spite of my own flaws, i never go against dharma or what is considered the doctrine of proper conduct.

naisargika bala (natural strength) : this is of lesser consequence as this remains constant all through out. this is to be used in conjunction with other strengths. this indicates which planets are naturally more able to dictate their results. in a stellium, the planet having higher virupas will have more say in the overall influence of the stellium's interpretation.

drik bala (aspectual strength) : this shows which planet shall be favourable all through out in the life of native as this is based on the aspect of benefics on the planet. this indicates how powerful an aspect from a planet will be. say saturn is opposite to mars, but saturn has a comparatively stronger aspect than mars. this will slow down the energy of mars, as well and make the person's anger slow to come by nature. a debilitated saturn's aspects will make the anger unpredictable.

↪ basics end. example case ahead :

for eg, in the referenced chart:

moon is the planet having the highest points of sthana bala, which means of all planets, it is most comfortable where it sits. when a planet becomes comfortable, it's influence on the house increases.

now, we begin to analyse some crucial points. is moon a benefic for this native? considering that sun and moon are fairly far away from each other, moon is not a malefic by those standards (amavasya / new moon is ALWAYS a malefic. this is when moon comes extremely close to the sun, so them being close in the chart is the indicator of a new moon. it is only bad when moon becomes combust by sun, though (within 15 degrees of the sun).

benefics and malefics for each of the ascendants:

the native is a scorpio ascendant, so only a cancer moon would have been problematic. but it is in leo, the sun's sign. sun and moon are friendly planets, so moon sitting in a house which has sun's lordship is good. sun and moon are also forming an amazing raja yoga here, as well.

finally, since moon and venus are close to each other, we see which planet is winning the planetary war. we go to naisargika bala next to identify which planet dominates.

moon has a comparatively higher value than venus, so it wins!

conclusion: because the moon is a benefic, and has higher value of shadbala than venus, as well as naisargika bala, it dominates in influencing the 10th house. so now, when this person tries understanding their 10th house for career determination, they can be certain that their career is going to be deeply influenced by lunar themes. because the moon is also involved in a raja yoga and various other beneficial yogas, the career will be very fruitful for this native. venus's aspect is also extremely lucky, and the native is going to earn a lot from their career.

now, say this person wants to expand their career's scope as much as they possibly can. they want to do remedial procedures to ensure the blessings of the planets, for as the shastras say: 'no graha may harm the native who worships them with devotion.'

therefore, they start pinning the planets that are directly related to their 10th house. the moon, the sun, and venus.

we have seen that moon is in good dignity and supports the native, so we leave it. a beneficial planet is a strength, it is the weaknesses that we must target. so now we find the dignity of sun and venus.

now let's start with venus. it sits in the sun's house, and is a functional malefic for this native, because they are a scorpio ascendant. venus rules over 7th and 12th house, so it a malefic. so, venus is overall a malefic planet.

now, from the shadbala graph we see that not only is venus the weakest, but is also weaker than moon in the naisargikabala graph, which is amazing news for the native. if venus, being a malefic, had been strong instead, the native would have to do remedial measures to please venus. luckily it is weak, so it is not mandatory.

although venus, being the significator of the hindu goddess of wealth, shri lakshmi, is always pleased by offerings and prayers. it is good to be in his good grace, although if favourable when benefic or weak when malefic, one does not have to go out of their way to ensure it.

now let's come to the sun. sun is a house under the rulership of moon, it's extreme friend. this is excellent, as well as it is in the 9th house, so it is a benefic as well. sun is sitting with mars, a neutral planet (for this native), so it is well. hence, sun is a benefic.

in the shadbala chart, sun is extremely strong because it has over 390 virupas. additionally, it easily dominates mars because it has the highest points in the naisargika bala chart. so, sun, a benefic, is also strong and well placed.

excellent. a status check:

moon: benefic, strong.

venus: malefic, weak.

sun: benefic, extremely strong.

now, concluding this we arrive to the decision that this person does not need any remedies for their sun, moon and venus. their career is fated in the stars, blessed as though by the gods themselves. how fortunate!

repeating this procedure on all planets, we finally arrive at the conclusion that venus and mercury are the functional malefics for this chart (also shown in the table). of them, mercury becomes the greater malefic because it is placed in the 8th house close to rahu. this is a nightmare for the princely mercury!

now, checking the shadbala chart we see that mercury is also the strongest among all planets. so, status check:

venus: weak malefic

mercury: strongly malefic. also the atmakaraka of this native.

now, mercury becomes the achilles' heel of this native. it is not only strongly malefic and badly placed, but is also the atmakaraka. in a way, it will keep an eye on all aspects of the chart and influence all sectors.

ak being a malefic planet is usually rather bothersome and can create unnecessary hurdles in one's life. due to this, it is extremely important to do remedial measures to please mercury.

CONCULSIONS

this is the conclusion of the shadbala post. using all the details that have been mentioned in this post, a native can identify their malefic / benefic planet and their strength and what aspects of themselves to work on most.

following this post is a vedic remedies post, and concluding the result you gain from this post, you can refer to that for remedies.

NOTE the shadbala calculator takes in consideration various doshas like mangal dosha, kaala sarpa dosha, neecha bhagya dosha etc so you need not fret about them. simply apply the procedure as i have shown, and arrive at the conclusion. you don't have to worry about combust, retrograde, 0 degree or any degree planets for that matter since the calculations include all of it.

the two planets having the highest value of shadbala can be considered as your dominant planet, as well. i will also follow this up with a 'traits of the planetary dominants' post.

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय नमः

[citrineandrosmarin]

I learned tarot through online resources mostly but also from books. MOST of those resources aside from very general information will focus on the areas of romance, money/career and health. One website I often go to because I find it helpful when I get stuck on certain things has a general section and then a small section for that card solely in relation to romance.

While making my personal journal of meanings I had to really sit and think about how cards related to more important things(for me) than these. I don't give a single fuck about romance or career or health when I'm reading tarot. That is not what I read for, but I do include those in my knowledge base. I also had to sit and think about how cards related to friendships, family relationships, my silly lil hobbies, my sense of self, my spirituality, my introspection... things I actually care about. Interpretations that don't get talked about.

All well and good if you're looking for a love or career reading but they really do overshadow other areas that I would argue are more useful for guiding your life.

When did tarot become just about future spouses and love readings? What happened to the deep, introspective readings that help with self-improvement, personal growth, and valuable life advice? Lately, it seems like 70-80% of tarot readings are focused solely on predicting who your next partner will be or when you'll meet your future spouse.

I get it , it's normal to be curious about your future spouse. In today's world, it's become almost mainstream to seek out these kinds of answers. But here's the thing: before you can build a lasting relationship with someone else, you have to work on yourself. Without doing that inner work, even if you do meet your soulmate, the relationship might not last.

As a tarot reader, I’ve noticed how readings that focus on self-love, personal growth, or practical advice often get overlooked. They don’t receive as much attention or interaction, and they can easily get lost in the flood of love readings. But these readings are crucial because they lay the foundation for a truly fulfilling relationship. Self-love is more important than romantic love, and it’s the key to making any relationship thrive.

I’m not trying to be harsh, but ask yourself: how do you expect to meet your future spouse if you're not putting in the work on yourself? Watching endless love readings while doing nothing to improve your own life won’t bring you closer to the relationship you want. In fact, it might even be making your situation worse by keeping you stuck in a cycle of waiting and hoping without taking action.

[utilitycaster]

actually taking the last bit out of the tags of that post because here is the thing. and I'm going to use specific examples, because I think it's illustrative.

the two groups of people in this fandom who have specifically harassed me have been, as I've said before, imo/dna fans mad I don't find the ship very good, and (to be fair, only on one occasion) shadowido/mauk fans who got mad that I said that tagging ao3 fic about throuples with individual pairs sucks. [hilariously the latter was not even about them at all, it was about me looking for imogen and fearne ship fic that wasn't witchy trio fic and finding it almost impossible to filter].

I do not like these people because they have engaged with harassment. It is not about identity; it is about actions. My closest friend, and the first non-family member I talked to on Wednesday morning, is a bi woman in an open marriage to a woman, with a longterm male partner. I was a bridesmaid in her wedding. The last time I visited her, in September, I was joined by other mutual friends, who are similarly in an open marriage with longterm partners and at least one relationship between two women.

I am entirely secure, in my personal life, that I am kind and accepting to queer women (of which I am one) and to poly people (of which I am not), and so I hope you can appreciate that if someone attempts to attack me on the internet on these grounds because I do not have the same exact opinions on pretend people kissing, my response isn't "oh my god I should go off and die because I'm a terrible person," it's "get a load of this moron making wild assumptions about my personal life based on a single data point in my preferences in fiction; I'm going to make them regret doing this to me, and hopefully anyone else, because this is genuinely a detrimental behavior in the fandom space." And also, you know what. If they were a homeless person on the street and asked for a dollar I would still give it to them if their attacks were merely verbal (yes, I know the idea of someone screaming "YOU'RE A LESBOPHOBE FOR HATING IMO/DNA can i have a dollar" outside the grocery store is rather comical, and I think that is how you need to consider statements like "um actually I won't help pro-shippers." Imagine that conversation happening in an irl activist group. Everyone would be like "uh...anyway, how do we fight back against this hostile bench architecture.")

I think right now it is vitally important to remember what actual bigotry looks like and what needs to be fought, and the reason I tapped the sign of this post last night is literally that I think you are wasting time and energy engaging with people who think bigotry is "criticizing the pretend guy Ashton Greymoore for concrete but pretend choices they made" when I also think most people criticizing Ashton would, if Ashton were real, still toss them change if they needed it, or are people who currently donate to or otherwise work with local programs that assist nb people, disabled people, or unhoused children.

I like to argue and I like to engage in fandom and I will continue doing that because it is a source of enjoyment and comfort for me, but I really urge everyone to ask yourself "am I arguing about genuinely different readings, or do I think that everyone who doesn't like my blorbo ship is a bad person" because if it's the latter, I think you need to nip that in the bud of online fandom before it grows into something darker and worse. A lot of irl hate and bigotry starts from a place of "everyone who doesn't agree with me and give me what I want all the time is wrong and evil" and perhaps I am too optimistic, but I think many people who say things like that in fandom just are caught up in the drama of it all and are capable of exercising empathy when they stop treating shipping or interpretation like a popularity contest that, if they lose, indicates that everyone around them is irredeemable. But I also think it can be the start of a really bad path.

[indigo-greer-collins]

i do love interpreting angel as a ray of sunshine, even a people pleaser on some level, always trying to cheer up the people around them or go on adventures or just be a source of comfort!

however!

another fun interpretation i have is that, angel isn’t even all that bright and cheerful. david was just that much gloomier than they are.

they’re almost like an enthusiastic pessimist. they do see that the world is going down in flames, they know things aren’t great — but they’ve embraced something of a “fuck it we ball ‼️‼️” attitude. like if we’re gonna go down, let’s have some fun on the way right?

it’s somewhat of a shock to angel’s other loved ones that they are someone’s “ray of sunshine”, because they’re way more used to them just being an absolute menace. they don’t go looking for the bright side of things they just go “this sucks… like m—“ and then go on with their life.

and yet to david, they’re his reason to keep going. they make every day feel brighter, the world feel warmer, and life just that much more worth living.

this semblance of a headcanon is based on me and my wife (i am david, they are angel)

i also think it makes sense that, on some level, david actually can’t handle too much optimism cuz it makes him sick/hj/lh

also hi my love @savannahohh this lil post is dedicated to u<3

[libraryspectre]

I wanted to talk about the Black Parade uniforms and it kind of turned into an entire essay. My ideas on the intention behind each costume and their cohesion as a group really evolved over the course of writing this, and I think it brought into focus a lot of things I knew subconsciously but hadn't articulated. I also noticed a lot of details I had never seen before. This has futher convinced me that 1) costume design and what you can say with it is really fascinating and 2) this is S-tier costume design of all time. And it's really long so I'm putting the rest under the cut.

What I would have loved is a Weezer-style picture of the five of them standing side by side, full bodies visible, but unfortunately that doesn't seem to exist. They're either covering each other up, or posed in such a way that details aren't visible or cut is hard to compare, so I'll have to provide a variety of visuals. This weirdly blurry poster is the closest thing I could find to a Weezer picture, so take them in as a group and refer back as necessary. I want to start by saying, obviously, that they look amazing both individually and as a set. "Dark marching band of death" is a really fun concept that is very well executed. But this isn't their first time doing a look as a group - think back to Revenge for a minute, when they really started to think about their costuming as a band. Gerard has talked about how then, they were kind of closing ranks against the vitriol coming their way. They needed to feel like a team, a gang, and dressed like one. I think some of this mentality has carried over into the Black Parade uniforms - they're less defensive, (there's no bulletproof vests), but in taking on new, nameless identities they have removed themselves as individuals from the equation, which is protective in its own way. What's left are stage personas, and the more you look the more you see that these were designed by someone who is very familiar with the history of the band and how each member presents themselves on stage. It's absolutely genius costume design, because when everyone is in uniform, the little differences are more noticable and tell you so much about the intention behind each variation.

Before we really start, I have to confess that I have no history in costuming or even a lot of familiarity with marching or military bands. I can only say I find costuming interesting, so I've read a little about it, and I went to high school in America and almost all my friends were in marching band. Someone who is more educated in these things could probably give more specific insights and have a better vocabulary to talk about it, but do not underestimate me. I am deeply obsessed with MCR and got A's in English, so let's find some meaning in symbolism! But please remember that with all art, there is no one interpretation. And remember going forward that these costumes were designed by Colleen Atwood, based on sketches she was given by Gerard, so there's no telling what elements were brought in by her and what elements Gerard had planned originally. If anyone has sources on that, PLEASE let me know because I'm very curious about the design process.

Also, I'll be using the uniforms as they appear in the WTTBP video as the standard, with acknowledgements toward variations seen in posters and the FLW video. It's worth noting that in many live performances they wore different, less unique jackets, and often forewent the pants for black jeans. This is almost certainly because they were easier to perform in and they didn't want to subject the originals to the sweat and rowdiness of regular shows. Ok, here we go! Here are some pics to refer back to throughout.

Starting with the band as a whole, I want to point out two things: first, marching bands evolved from military bands. The individual costumes vary in how "military" they look, but you can definitely see the influence when you look at them as a set. I imagine they leaned into that a bit because of the military elements on the record - the suggestion in Mama that the patient was a soldier, maybe even a war criminal. We also know they've done military aesthetics before, in The Ghost of You music video, and that the band was formed in response to 9/11. Suffice to say, the military is on the mind, and this is a continuation of that.

They also look a bit like skeletons. Obviously they would occasionally do the face paint, but the uniforms themselves suggest a ribcage with the horizontal silver lines, and at some angles the stripes on the pants also really contribute to the image. I know most people have already realized this, but I wanted to point it out explicitly because it took me an embarassingly long time to see it.

Alright, I'm gonna talk about them individually now, going from my personal least to most favorite. Taste aside, they're all individually really interesting.

5. Bob

(I can't find another good Bob picture, just scroll up to the blurry one)

It's not just because I don't like Bob, I genuinely like this one much less than all the others. It might be because it's less tailored - the others look much sharper, he looks almost rumpled in comparison. The lose fit might be because as a drummer, he needed better range of movement, but I'm not a drummer so I don't know. The cut of his jacket looks kind of naval to me, which is interesting. His stripes are also very minimal compared to the others. Overall, his looks the least like it's part of a set. I don't necessarily think they meant to set him apart, but maybe they did, considering he's the only non-original member (I'm counting Frank as an original member) and the only one not from New Jersey (which, I only point out because they ALWAYS point that out to people who mention they're a Jersey band. We're from Jersey, Bob is from Chicago.) Maybe it was a subconscious thing, or maybe as the drummer his costume was designed to make the most of what would be visible sitting and partially obscured by the drum kit. It does have a very dramatic collar. That's probably also part of the reason they gave him a more distinctive haircut for this - I'm not gonna talk about hair much, but it's worth mentioning. Overall, I don't have a ton to say about Bob because I don't think of him much (sorry, but not really).

4. Frank

Frank's is really interesting. His is the least traditional-looking, which is why it's here in the ranking, but I like it and I think there's a good reason for that. Those stripes on the sleeve are a really strong look, and the material of the silver has kind of a tarnished/dappled look you can see better in other photos. I've seen people say it's a subtle camo pattern, but I'm honestly not sure - I think he's supposed to look a little less new and shiny. The blockiness of it widens him and gives him a lot of presence that might be lost if he was dressed more like the others, and it compliments his performance style well. That's particularly important in the WTTBP video - on that float, he simply doesn't have room to be as wild and energetic as his standard performance was at the time, so this uniform helps him stand out and draw attention to what thrashing he is able to do. As far as bucking tradition, he also is the only one without shoulder tabs (those little loops). There's something funny about that - those tabs are meant to hold loops and eupalletes that would signify rank, placement, or achievement, which apparently you could not give to Frank if you tried. I think this lack of traditionality is reflective of Frank's more punk sensibilities, having come up in the Jersey scene. His playing style evolved over time as he and Ray influenced each other, but at the start he was very much their punk guitarist and coming up in that scene continued to influence how he conducted himself as a musician. I think this uniform marks him as a non-conformist even within the group.

He also has that patch with a red cross on the sleeve, the only bit of color on any of them. I don't know what to make of that, maybe it's just for the Catholic vibes.

Honestly, Frank's feels the most like what people would expect from an "emo" marching band uniform. Especially considering the poster, where he's found a hole to stick his thumb through. I don't think he's wearing it in the video, but in that poster he has this belt with some kind of weapon?? Maybe?? We get it, he's a dangerous little man.

3. Mikey

Mikey's uniform is by far the most military - it's not just the medal, it's also the cut of the jacket. And he's the only one with a fun little belt, which helps keep the silhouette look nice and tailored even though the jacket flares a little at the waist. We all know the medal is a reference to his death in The Ghost of You video (there's no way they didn't know we would make that connection) and it wouldn't surprise me if the rest of his uniform looks more military because it was built around that idea. But also consider Mikey's stage presence at the time - due to his discomfort on stage, he used to be really stoic, standing in the back, getting the job done with little showmanship. I think that presentation lends itself well to a classic military figure. Mikey is also pretty thin, and the long jacket and it's strong, solid construction keeps him from looking too Victorian-orphan waifish (especially with how pale they all are), and more like a dead soldier boy.

Additionally, Mikey's costume leaning so hard into the military side helps them look more military as a group. It keeps the association in your mind when you look at the others. Also, he's wearing a little necklace here, which I've never noticed before, is he wearing that in the videos?? I think it's an anchor, which is fun considering he died on a beach.

2. Gerard

Yes, Gerard's is #2 in my ranking. I'm sorry, I might have a slight bias knocking it down from #1. But maybe not, let me defend myself when I get there. Anyway, Gerard's is the most classically marching band, which makes sense considering he's the frontperson. In fact, he has one of those braided loops on his shoulder we talked about earlier, demonstrating.....something, it seems to vary a lot, but we're probably meant to think leadership. He's not wearing it the WTTBP video, but it's there in Famous Last Words. He also has that fancy little star thing on the shoulder, which definitely seems to suggest rank. Otherwise, his uniform is very basic. He's the template that the others' uniforms are variations of. And it's a great look! He's also got nice big buttons compared to the others, three whole rows of them, which is a nice touch to make it look a liiiiittle more feminine. Because, of course, the back of the jacket is corseted, in a genious stroke of gender that puts the entire outfit in a new context. I think this is a good example of how Gerard likes to play with androgony by balancing masc and femme elements. The cut of his jacket makes his shoulders look wide and his waist narrow, but not so narrow it looks terribly feminine (just a little, taken on its own). A lot of this is achieved by the piping - notice how on Bob, Mikey, and Frank, the top row of piping (I might be using that word wrong but let's go with it. I'm talking about the silver stuff across the chest) is pretty much the same length as the bottom row? On Gerard, they start out wide way up on his shoulders and get progressively narrower at the waist. It's still a mostly masculine silhouette, but then you have the counter balance of the big buttons and his little white pixie cut, both of which lean just a little further toward femme than masc. It's an androgynous look that leans toward masc as a whole, until he turns around and, boom, corseted back. Showstopping. He also had those black leather gloves that give some nice formality, and maybe a touch of impersonality. They make it so that when he's in full uniform, the only skin you can see is that of his face. They're like an edgier version of the usual plain white marching band gloves.

1. Ray

Going purely by aesthetics, Ray's is my favorite. It's the fancy one, most obviously distinct by the flourishes around the buttons on his jacket. He Mikey are the only ones with pure silver shoulder loops, and Ray has more silver piping on his jacket than the others. In some pictures he's wearing this really ornate knotted tassle thing? You can see it in one of the group pictures above. He isn't wearing it in any of the videos, which makes sense as it could be really annoying while playing. The cut of his jacket at the bottom also looks formal to me, but I'm not sure why. Overall, the ornanamentation could be a reflection of his playing style - the same caveat here applies to Frank, in that they influenced each other through their parnership as guitarists, (and Ray has a lot of influences from different genres), but at the start he was their metal guitarist, and the guitars in metal are often complicated and showy. And he's their soloist, they need to show him off a little.

Additionally, the construction here is giving him an absolutely wild silohette. Like Gerard, the piping on his jacket gets progressively narrower to suggest a smaller waist, but without the really long stripes at the top to make the shoulders look broader. Those vertical lines across the front add to the effect because they're curved inward - which is interesting, because everyone else's uniforms are composed of entirely straight lines and sharp angles. And his jacket is cut REALLY high on the side. I can't tell if Ray's pants are more high-waisted than the others, or if it just looks that way because of the cut of the jacket. You see the stripe of the pants go all the way up his hip, and since he's already tall with long legs, it really accentuates that. It's hard to tell, but I think his pants are even a little more form-fitting than the others. The other day I saw people commenting on a gif of Ray in the WTTBP video about how they never noticed how long his legs are - this is why!

We talk about how part of what makes Ray such a compelling performer is how he moves, and I think this costume was designed to compliment fluid motion. The tailoring and curves of the piping avoid making him look too rigid or blocky, as a marching band uniform could easily do, and the high cut of the jacket lets the line of his legs continue uninterrupted. Honestly, this is a favorite look for Raygirls (gender neutral) for a reason - I think they knew exactly what they were doing putting him in a pretty, well-tailored uniform that accentuates his movement. (Caveat here that I'm a Raygirl (gn) so I'm definitely biased, and they all look great in their uniforms, but I do think Ray's is.....uniquely flattering, and I don't think it was an accident).

Conclusions

So now that we've talked about all of them, I think we have some interesting contrasts to make. Gerard and Mikey both have very classic looks, but Gerard's is more marching band and Mikey's is more military. Mikey and Bob both have very military looks, but Mikey's has a much more solid construction. Gerard and Ray are both on the marching band side of the spectrum, but Gerard's is classic while Ray's is ornate. My favorite contrast is between the guitarists - Frank's is blocky and rigid and tarnished, Ray's is curved and fluid and shiny.

The interplay between similarity and contrast is what makes this so compelling as a group costume - just by looking you can tell who's the leader, who's the tragic figure, who's the outcast, who's the rebel, who's being spotlit.

In closing, thank you Colleen Atwood and Gerard Way for designing these and the rest of the band for wearing them, I will never get tired of looking at them.

[letsatomicbanana]

Oh hello there, i understand your concerns perfectly and i think you're valid for having them in the first place, althought i feel the need to explain that this poll was made out of my experience of constantly seeing people in the fandom (over twitter, tiktok, tumblr etc..) referring to Ink as a 'twink' (over his body shape, height or whatever the reason that people have), i felt curious over this common sentiment and decided to make a poll about it over here on tumblr. Even more, this poll is clearly not mean to be taken seriously at all! Notice how the options do not say ''yes or no'' but rather have joke-ish options to them (the first option was in reality based on comments i actually saw from other people in the community). Yes, this poll is dumb because it is actually supposed to be dumb by design! ('im sorry if that didn't came across)

I myself do not see him as twink because of the reasons you have listed, Comyet describes Ink to be canonically slighty chubby and having a wider build besides from him being clearly not being white coded. That already debunks the fine possibility of him being so in the first place. And just to notice, the term ''twink'' doesn't automatically reffers to a white gay male these days in fandom spaces, it is often just used for characters that are simply viewed as skinny and not much general thought is actually put besides that (one could even argue that the term lost it's actual meaning).

Aware that this section is more reffered to the previous reblog rather than my post itself but i need to say that i also heavily dislike the idea to putting female/male roles to same-gender relationships. Comyet herself had a distaste on how people often used to heavily feminize Ink in ships and had stated that this was one of their ''least favourite interpretations of Ink''. I also do not ship Ink with any character, so there's that.

Overall, this post was made out of curiosity over a common sentiment/joke within this fandom and not much thought was actually put into it, so i'm sorry it that came across as offensive.

Time to settle this down for once

[windvexer]

Which of course, I don't mean that there's anything wrong at all with drawing just 1 or 2 cards and saying, "yep, your problem is a guy who makes you feel irresponsible but also actively gets in the way of getting your projects completed."

I just think that if you are drawing several cards, it is much more difficult to interpret the spread as a whole if you start out by trying to apply specific book meanings to each card.

Because each tarot card can carry contradictory, mutually exclusive, or unrelated meanings, determining which meanings to apply can be a chore.

Sure, if you are an intuitive psychic, then this may be no problem. But many people who read tarot cannot read intuitively like that, and intuitive reading is not a goal for every reader.

If you start by defining and interpreting the spread as a whole, it gives shape and structure to begin determining the individual meanings of each card.

So, my current opinion is that the easiest way to read tarot is to begin with pattern recognition within the spread, develop a flow or the "shape" of the reading, and then based on this wireframe, apply individual card meanings that fit onto the wireframe and are able to slot in to the other cards.

It is the skill of card linking that allows individual cards to be correctly slotted into the wireframe, by demonstrating how cards relate to one another, and therefore how they reasonably coexist next to each other.

[justchillandshipit]

Allow me to take a moment here. Tim just acknowledged couch theory?

Moving on to Buck and Tommy’s breakup, talk about your approach to it. Why was Tommy sure that Buck would break his heart?

Tommy’s older and Buck is very new to this, and whether Tommy was correct or not, I think what he felt like was exactly what he said: I’m not your last, I’m your first, which is a special thing to be, but as Tommy says, it doesn’t usually end up being the same thing. And I think based on what we know of Buck, he’s maybe not wrong. Buck’s a little impulsive when he’s feeling a certain kind of way. He’s like, move on in, bring your couch. So I just think because Tommy’s a little older and wiser or maybe at some level he feels like he doesn’t deserve Buck, I don’t know. But I think he accurately diagnosed Buck. Buck’s still figuring himself out, and boy, that would be quite risky to move in with that guy as much as you would love to.

---

We have a couch reference.

---

Somewhat unrelated but relevant:

I also think that I have finally caught up on all the articles. In every article, someone says Eddie is straight. I want to say about four articles have a reference or a mention of straight Eddie, and there is one in-canon statement from Eddie. So what do we think about that? I instinctively want to say that to have that many denials is sus, but I also have to acknowledge that the question was asked before the response was offered. I honestly don't know what to believe when it comes to the show's direction. I'm still here though and sticking with my original plan to give them until the end of Seasn 8 to move Eddie out of the closet. I will not accept the demise of this ship a moment sooner. It doesn't help that actors are excellent liars. Oliver always makes me second guess myself. lol For now, I'm still here and still clowning.

Other things to consider in favor of Buddie:

There was one article from TVInsider where the interviewer reminded the reader that Eddie said he wanted a beard. Most of us know the gay coding of that word, and that was promptly followed by the Priest pointing out that Eddie was wearing a mask/disguise. This is all within the same conversation where Eddie assumed the Priest was hitting on him, and he called himself straight.

I'm also low-key wondering about the possible conflict between Eddie and Buck coming up. I need more info on that. What?? These two haven't had beef since Buck sued Bobby in Season 3 and Buck and Eddie argued in the grocery store. We all know how Eddie served c#nt like a professional in that fight. Eddie ended up forgiving Buck soon afterward, but Buck was still apologizing four episodes later. lol

I saw in another post where someone compared the image of Eddie in the confessional with the image of Eddie seeing Buck through the peephole of his door. (Hint, both looked like confessional images.) That has to be deliberate.

Tim's comment above referenced Tommy and a couch in a similar context to Eddie and Buck's conversation when Buck said his last few couches came with girlfriends, and Eddie corrected him to say his girlfriends came with couches.

@stagefoureddiediaz 's color theory is still proving accurate as well.

Updates

Buck looking less than thrilled at seeing Laker tickets. Tommy tells him he can use the gift with Eddie and Buck perking up at the idea, only for Tommy to say nope. Joking. (On a second watch, I think I read too much in to this one, but I'm keeping it on the list as very loose interpretation.)

Oliver admits that Buck looked Eddie up and down when he opened the door and knew something was going on with him, but then the whole sit in silence thing. (I know the breakup was on Buck's mind, but I swear he looked like he was trying not to think about Eddie being half naked beside him.)

Also, Eddie was half naked just sitting beside him. I can't help but think of them sitting there like that. Buck and Eddie are going to the same place, but they are taking totally different paths to get there. At some point, they are going to meet each other face to face and be like, you're here.

(I saw a theory. You always have to take these with a grain of salt, but I can't deny the theory sounds good. there have been a lot of parallels that are relevant for Buck and Eddie with the exception of Eddie's shooting.) I did read one interview, it may have been TVInsider, where the interviewer said they hoped Buck wouldn't be in danger. Oliver hinted that Buck was always putting himself in those situations. I think it might be a hint for what is to come. Also, if Buck is putting himself in dangerous situations again, this might be something that has Eddie angry with Buck. I think there is a lot of room for this theory. We'll have to wait and see on that one.

In a previous interview, Oliver told us there was an upcoming scene where Buck and Eddie sat in silence and that it was a testament to their friendship. In the latest interview in Variety, he talks about the scene again but this time he says "that it speaks volumes about their relationship that they could be going through things and handling it so differently but still be there for each other with little need for words. (This is the same interview where Oliver admits that Buck looked Eddie up and down.) At the end of this question, he reiterates that it speaks volumes that they were in different places and could still be there for each other. He says, "I think it really speaks volumes to the strength of their bond."

[yubnubforhire]

Yeah, I know. I don't think it's a bad thing to have characters as plot devices, that's how shows work. (And also books, and movies, and any other type of story telling media.)

But Tommy I guess seemed like he could be more - or at least we in the fandom thought so, maybe because of Lou's cameos?

Now it's like wow, the bvddies were right, looking back now and just paying attention to the show and not the fanon, it was always so obvious and I feel like such a fool :(

Lou was definitely doing a lot but you’re also not a fool for interpreting the narrative in a certain way or getting invested in a character. Yes he’s a plot device but that didn’t necessarily mean that he was going to be booted so suddenly. Taylor as a plot device lasted way longer and got a ton of screen time. Part of me saying the writing is bad is because the breakup did absolutely come out of left field — literally one episode ago Tommy was being portrayed as a steady presence in Buck’s life, someone who was part of “our people who make life worthwhile.”

This ask does also give me the chance to say the fandom infighting over all this has been fucking ridiculous. Buck coming out and having his first same sex relationship should’ve been a moment of joy but a large contingent of this fandom turned it into a months-long bitch fight over which two men should kiss. Y’all managed to make this about yourselves and ruin a deeply meaningful story arc (someone coming out later in life is rarely seen on tv, especially in a show with such a large mainstream fan base, and ESPECIALLY when it’s presented as a joyous realization with no angst or internalized homophobia to overcome). You can think that buddie makes narrative sense as I do without wishing death on Lou or bt fans, and you can enjoy bucktommy for what it was as I did without gleefully calling buddie fans worthless idiots or going after Ryan. Grow the fuck up.

[persisting]

oh, absolutely. and i think we have a ton of agency as fans to create the exact version of these characters that we want based on the huge amount of writing that’s been done about them! i’m all for people picking and choosing what they want for their own personal versions of things. i think mainly for me, where the issue of “is this the puppet or the puppet master talking/acting” can come up negatively is in the posts people make wherein the poster wants to convey that they feel their chosen ideas about the characters are the “real ones.”

a lot of people really enjoy explaining dick or jason or whoever’s “real” characterization (myself included!) to an audience. the problem is that these explanations are always going to be personal to the writer of the post based on what parts of canon they personally want to vibe with and which parts they don’t. is jason secretly a natural redhead with an acrobat background? that’s been canon. does dick have a living aunt who stays at the manor with everyone? that’s also been canon. would dick angrily deny that bruce is his “father?” he’s done that on the page. would he instead directly call him “dad?” he’s done that too. does tim still have a spleen in some universe? who knows!

so mostly i think a lot of fans need reminding that sometimes your fav did the thing because the writer wanted them to, and it’s valid for other fans to see that behavior as “out of character” (because often, based on the character’s previous behavior, it kind of is.) it’s also valid to like what the writer had them say and to feel like it IS in character (hey, sometimes the writer is course correcting back to a previous characterization, or something similar.) but we all have to live with the fact that, for example, while fan 1 thinks it’s very in character for dick to angrily want to “get out from under bruce’s shadow,” fan 2 can think it’s OUT of character because of the fact that it was an editorial mandate for him to go and lead his own team and be in other books aside from batman. it’s frustrating for all of us, i think, to talk about some aspect we love or hate in a character here, and to then have someone else come along with a bunch of comic frames from various continuities to explain how you’re wrong.

i just think it’s good for the fandom overall to try to keep in mind that this is a tremendously fragmented space, and that there’s a difference between “he would/would not say that” and “he did/didn’t say it, but it seems like he did/didn’t say it for reasons outside of his usual feelings or perspectives.” this isn’t to say that i totally frown on, like, gentle fanon correction where it’s doable, or that i think talking about all the wild canons that have existed is bad or anything. i just think people get VERY assertive about things that are personal preferences in these characters, and i’ve had people insist that i “must” accept character takes that are still just personal interpretations, and it gets old. it’s definitely a fine line between fanon and “canon” sometimes, but i think people focus down too hard on what’s the “correct” canon sometimes. there are absolutely core qualities of these characters i think most of us agree on as “real,” but a lot of the window dressing is more complicated than that, and it doesn’t always exist because it was a natural path for the character at the time.

something i keep wanting to articulate about comics fandom, and characterization of comics characters, but i never quite feel like i have the right wording: sometimes a comic book character does something because the author wanted them to.

like, it’s things like two male characters being physically violent with each other when they’re emotional, or a character leaving their previous status quo for a new one, and similar stuff. batman and nightwing get physically violent with each other several times because frankly cis male writers often consider violence to be the ultimate form of male emotional outlet, whether it really would or would not be those particular characters’ actual reactions. nightwing wanted to “get out from under batman’s shadow” because editorial wanted him to so they could run him as a main hero instead of a sidekick. it’s things like that.

i think a lot of the endless essays and arguments about “correct characterizations” that circle back to “here on the page you can see the character saying/doing that very thing” are often hollow and kind of inept with this awareness that some character actions are directly invented by writer and editorial desire. of course nightwing “canonically” said this kind of dopey and contradictory thing about himself - his current writer specifically has an agenda to write him that way. of course suddenly batman will talk about how jason todd was “always violent” (he wasn’t) and “angry” (also factually untrue) because editorial wants the character to have a specific foundation for his current all over the place behavior.

like, sometimes these essays come off like you forget there are big white cis male hands up these guys asses at almost all times. sometimes they do things because it’s what they’d do. but sometimes they do things because a nerdy comic guy with intense daddy issues is making them say and do it. you’ve got to learn to separate that a bit before you publish your big screed about how dick/jason/bruce/tim is stupid/evil/abusive/annoying on their own terms, because so often the behaviors you’re mad at them for aren’t really natural character arcs and movements, they’re clumsy behind the scenes puppet fumbling. you have to learn the difference on your own.

[do-you-ship-it-polls]

Do you ship it?

reason under the cut!

okay i have to get this out of the way first: - a common headcanon is that they are siblings. which. no, dont ship this if you think they are siblings, thats weird and gross. blegh. - i (submitter) do not believe this! they have a rivalry, yes, but they aren't siblings! made by the same creator, sure, but that's a constant theme throughout the game. made by god, and made by humanity. they have a more interesting dynamic as strangers! - below is a copy and pasted (and slightly edited for the sake of clarity) rant from a discord server !! when i posted about some of my art about them, a pal of mine asked what the source material was! so that is that rant.

OKAY ULTRAKILL !!!! blue guy (V1) was a machine built for A Big War before humanity fails!!! its the character you play as in the gayass bloodplay shooter game <33 hes made to destroy. the first think you know about her is her name, her objective (FIND A WEAPON) and where she is (APPROCHING HELL) and three things: - mankind is dead - blood is fuel - hell is full WHICH MEANS THAT THE ROBOT USES BLOOD AS FUEL!!!! she needs blood to live and she will use the souls of the damned to do that. anyways so she was an actual war robot in the Real Life!! V2 (red) on the otherhand was a robot made after the New Peace that humanity made before their final death. they were meant to promote peace and are awesome!!! i also love their battle mechanics... silly :) in 1-4, V1 fights V2!!! its very interesting because v2 bows before the battle, showing it is but a curtesy, or a show of power, but it;s not personal. it was never personal, before. after the battle, v1 takes v2's arm, knuckleblaster. LATER ON. 4-4. they fight again. v2 has a new arm, whiplash, and sits upon a throne, awaiting v1's arrival for once they get to their area of Greed. it's so personal now. they fight, and they kill. v2 dies fully, and v1 takes the arm again. parts of v2, engraved into their arms and beating into their code. its very interesting to meee!!! taking a part of your dont even get me STARTED on the contrast between the soundtrack and how the visuals of each level are so vastly different!!!!! dont even get me STARTEDDDD because clair de lune and claire de soleil comparisons. hakita you are a genius!!!!

plus, all the fan interpretations are also fun!! comics based around the gore of the thing. art made for the sake of understanding these two. thank you for your time. if you headcanon these two as siblings, good! vote for i dont ship it and leave me alone please! thank you :)

tag: @bright-honey

[sankakuto]

I have a lot of thoughts about the first Pyramid Head cutscene (in remake and OG) and I feel like I need to get them out. bare with me.

I'm going to be talking about the first Pyramid Head cutscene and whether or not it is implying SA so heres a TW for discussion of SA

I am a die-hard OG fan, and have been for a decade. I have been in this discussion for so long, and I feel like my take on this might be the less popular take for some reason? but honestly I believe that a player's individual interpretation of the scene is the one that is the most true. in the most simple words - if you see the scene as being s*xual or implying s*xual violence, then that is valid and is just how youve analyzed the scene based on the context you've been given or the life experience you have.

I KNOW Masahiro Ito has said that the scene involves nothing like that, no assault, just Pyramid Head trying to kill some mannequins... but is the creator's canon events of the scene really that important when as a player we see a sexualized monster being brutalized by a bigger, more imposing monster and are made to feel like we're a voyeur to something we shouldn't be watching?

and that feeling has to be entirely intentional as well, considering the scene is actually inspired by a movie called Blue Velvet (directed by David Lynch). the scene in the movie involves the character hiding in a closet while watching someone be SA'd, watching through the gaps in the door. and he even fires a few shots, just like James. the cutscene in the game is a direct reference to this movie, and if you watch the scenes side by side they are paced almost the exact same.

but even that is almost completely irrelevant, because as a first time player that doesn't have any context about the inspirations behind the game, and doesn't know about the things that the devs have stated are canon or not, we see something that is raw and uncomfortable and invokes a feeling of disgust. we are not given any other context besides what's directly in front of us. we see a creature that is all legs writhing in pain or agony in front of a thrusting Pyramid Head, who is desperately trying to hold the mannequin in place. and as we view this scene and hide, the Red Pyramid Thing turns his focus to us, and makes James feel like he has intruded upon something he wasn't supposed to see. there is a voyeuristic quality to the scene that adds to the feeling of unease and gives us this idea that something s*xual in nature has happened.

I think that video games are art, especially games like this, and an artist can definitely have a clear or direct implication of the message they are sending (and they can even tell you how it's supposed to be viewed), but ultimately the person consuming the art is going to analyze themes in their own way and find their own interpretation of the idea presented to them. in some way some might consider this type of interpretation to be "headcanon" because the actual canon of the game differs based on Ito's statements, but in my own opinion I do believe this sort of interpretation is just the player coming to a natural conclusion based on the context presented to them.

in other words, I think that it's completely fair to take Masahiro Ito at face value and trust his input that the scene is NOT at all s*xual, but at the same time it is presented in a way that can imply that it is and someone drawing that conclusion instead is also completely valid.

[clone-wars-retteyo-au]

One things I think I forgot to mention in my other reblog that I thought about more and want to comment on/clarify. As you mentioned, there is a likelihood that some clones will HATE the assumption that they are all close. I thought about this more, and I realized there was something I didn't think about/touch on in relationship to that. While my interpretation of the clones presents them as all considering each other family (both by blood and as an overall relationship), there are many different family dynamics and relationships.

Overall, the vibe between clones as a whole is "giant extended family where there is a general expectation/sense of loyalty to the broader family, but also you only know half these people." Loosely based on my dad's side of the family, tbh. But individuals within that family will have different relationships with different family members and different feelings about the broader family as a whole.

When it comes to clones they've never met, clones will typically see that clone as a sibling, but emotionally feel more like distant cousins who you just met at the family reunion and it's kind of awkward since your parents/grandparents expect you to hug or whatever and you're both just like "who is this guy?" Sometimes they will end up getting along great, but it will always start out a bit distant.

~~~

Clones like Cut Lawquane who left the GAR (or in this AU, never really joined Retteyo and went off to do their own thing) are like the family member who had to go no contact with their parents and as a result lost contact with the rest of their extended family and nobody but the parents knows what happened or where they went. So when clones like Rex find them, it's like one of their cousins accidentally finding them on Facebook and messaging them. And the one that left doesn't hate most of their extended family. They still see them as family, but not particularly close family, so they still kind of want to keep their distance.

They also have an awkward relationship with family in general because they were raised in an environment where family is everything. And even though they don't regret going NC, they still have a hard time breaking that mindset and feel at least a little bit of obligation to help out extended family members in need, even if it's just in little ways like giving them a little extra money one time and then never talking to them again.

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Clones who hate each other are just family members who hate each other. They see each other as siblings, but not in a good way. Like "oh yeah, he's definitely my brother, but I'm still getting that restraining order." Still family, but in a bad way. And while there is a "family is everything mindset," that doesn't mean "therefore you must get along with every family member or stay in contact." If someone does something crappy and someone else chooses to go NC, everyone will understand and support the decision even if they stay in contact with both.

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The "family is everything" part is more about a loyalty to clones as a whole. Similar to loyalty to one's country, but with a familial twist. As I said before, it's like seeing a cousin in need of help, and even though you don't know that cousin, you still help them because they're your cousin.

Even clones who don't feel that strongly about other clones will have this mindset a little, they just aren't super intense about it. Like, as I said, they won't get into a fight on your behalf, but they will give you $50 to help you out of a tough spot.

It's honestly the craziest part to me. They are all family, but the dynamics are complicated and not always close or good.

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As you mentioned, they are still capable of forming extremely close bonds with natborns, some of which are closer than with certain other clones or clones as a whole. Some clones even prefer not being around other clones as much. It's just that they were created to almost need other clones in some way. Kind of like how ants will die if they don't have other ants around. I think this might not fully apply to all clones, but as you said with Rex and the Ghost crew, most clones will get antsy after a certain point if they haven't seen other clones after a certain amount of time.

For many clones, not being without other clones is like being a hermit. Some can handle it really well, especially by forming bonds with Natborns (similar to some hermits finding inner peace that allows them to handle isolation well). But most will get to a point where they will start to lose it a little. Like, they are fine for a while, but after 6 years or so, they're like "alright but I need to see another clone at some point or I will die."

At least, this is the case in my AU since I find the idea of clone basically being pack animals in the most extreme way to be interesting.

I've decided that Rex is the one who paints Kanan's eye mask with his bird of prey design.

Kanan's feeling pretty low still just after Malachor, he's still distancing himself from everybody, and Rex decides to go try to talk to him at one point and the first thing he comes up with to say is to point out that his new mask is pretty plain. It's awkward, he regrets it immediately, but then Kanan says that it gets the job done and Rex is abruptly reminded of himself so so long ago back at the beginning of the war.

He sits Kanan down and tells him a story about how, at the beginning of the war, only a few of the clones had paint on their armor, to designate things like rank and battalion in order to make it easier for officers to find them in the middle of a busy battlefield. The paint was practical and it was limited to a very select few. But the Jedi almost immediately started trying to encourage the clones to utilize the paint less sparingly, suggesting that maybe everybody could wear at least a LITTLE paint and use more individualized designs so that it was still easy to tell the commanders and captains apart from the others when needed.

Some of the clones had taken to it with gusto, but others had been more hesitant, and Rex remembers having been one of them. He remembers telling Obi-Wan that there was no real REASON to paint everyone's armor and especially not to come up with personal designs. The armor was practical and it served its purpose with or without the paint and special designs. But the Jedi had insisted on at least TRYING to come up with his own design and if he didn't like it, he could always take it off, so Rex had given in and chosen something to paint on the armor. And, somehow, it felt a little lighter the next time he put it on. It didn't erase the horrors of war or the pain of loss or anything like that, but it helped.

He tells Kanan that the mask right now is just a reminder of the pain of the injury and whatever other feelings he's still got all caught up in the Malachor mission (guilt over what happened with Ezra, grief over Ahsoka's loss). But if he puts his own design on it, it might turn the mask into something other than a constant reminder of something bad. Instead, it's a reminder of who he is, the combination of the person he once was and who he's become. He is more than just his injury or this mission and he can use the mask to declare that if he wants to.

Kanan says he never realized Rex and the other clones had cared so deeply about their armor and Rex says that the armor itself was meaningless. It's better than what's being handed out to stormtroopers, but not but a LOT. It was the design on it that had meant something and, more than that, it was what the design REPRESENTED: having a choice about how you were perceived by others.

Kanan asks why Rex had chosen his particular designs, the bird of prey eyes on his helmet in particular. Rex explains that he chose it because he liked birds and thought it looked cool, but he's kept the helmet for as long as he has because it's come to mean something ELSE now. It's not just a cool-looking design, it's a reminder of a better time in his life. It's a reminder of when he'd been a part of something greater than himself, with the other clones and the Jedi. It's a reminder of a time when he'd had hope that he and his people could one day come out the other side of this war towards a brighter future.

Kanan looks at the mask he'd grabbed from storage somewhere or something just to keep light from hurting his eyes as they recovered and to cover up the injury from other people's stares (even if he couldn't see them staring), then hands it to Rex and asks if Rex minds sharing that symbol because he'd like a reminder of that, too. Rex remembers the 332nd and their helmets that they'd painted to look like their chosen Jedi, almost blindly giving away their individuality in favor of that loyalty that had been stripped from them anyway. And then he looks at Kanan, choosing to make himself look LIKE REX, someone who had shared his face with millions once, because he wants to honor both the connections he'd lost as well as this new connection the two of them have built together now. And Rex says he'd be happy to share.