#also i just think trip is very shippable

[papanowo]

get a grip loverboy !!!

[melisusthewee]

What's your favorite ship? FitoxMarcelo, EduardoxMarcelo or DanielxMarcelo (Daniel Fernández)? 👀👀👀

This answer isn't going to surprise anyone, but Fito/Marcelo.

My interactions with fanfic (both as a reader and a writer) is based primarily on the fictional versions of the individuals that we see in the LSDLN film (if you've ever been a part of either Band of Brothers or The Terror fandoms then you get it). So it's a bit complicated wherein yes, the more you read from other sources or learn more about the real events that make up the story and the real individuals (versus their fictional selves) that can definitely start to shape and inform things. Which is to say that LSDLN leans hard into meaningful looks between Fito and Marcelo and while it's probably primarily because Fito's role was arguably elevated to one of the lead characters (alongside Nando, Roberto, and Numa), I've said it before and I'll say it again...

Everyone involved knew exactly what they were doing.

Which is basically my defence whenever someone tells me "But Marcelo and Eduardo were best friends so that's the ship that makes more sense!" As if multishipping isn't a thing.

That is to say I think that the way the Strauches were written in the film (as a single character split into three parts) makes them all shippable with Marcelo especially because if you stop and think about how the three of them formed the leadership group after Marcelo's death they all kind of embody different aspects of Marcelo's leadership and I think that's a really interesting idea to explore.

Daniel/Marcelo: Everything I've read about Daniel as well as the way he's portrayed in the film, he and Marcelo were essentially polar opposites in terms of personality but not necessarily in a way that would be incompatible. I think there's a lot of potential to explore in terms of the responsibility both of them were very aware of having to weather - Marcelo being the team captain and the one who primarily organized the trip, and Daniel because he was the oldest of the survivors (aside from the Methols). To be honest, though, I've not really gotten into it very much? There was a fic once on AO3 that had some potential, but I think the author abandoned it after only a couple chapters, so in terms of pairings, I'm kind of still waiting to be sold on it.

Eduardo/Marcelo: If your favourite trope is childhood friends to lovers, then this is the ultimate pairing. Personally, I'm into it more as a platonic pairing, I think because writing it as a straightforward romance feels too much like I'm retreading an identical pairing from the Dragon Age fandom and I guess I just was looking for something different for a change? There also isn't a lot of film content to take from because of how little screentime Eduardo gets so most of the pairing content has to come from the books and memoirs and... I don't know, my feelings about it are strange and complicated and difficult to put into words. I think that their friendship was incredibly special and precious and because of that, I think that personally I prefer to write them as friends and explore the deep meaning of that connection. Though I admit I do sometimes kind of straddle the line with it, but I think I might even like it as one-sided or unrequited thanks to a fic I read once.

Fito/Marcelo: Okay, longing looks in the film aside, I think what drew me to this pairing initially is that Fito's someone who is always quietly observing people in a way that feels like he's trying to see deep into their core. And I feel like my observations about him were confirmed when he addressed Marcelo directly in his chapter of SotS (which surprised me!). Something I find interesting is that in his memoir, Eduardo talks about the change in Marcelo and the way he seemed to fall apart and how he saw the change in his friend and the way he was suffering but couldn't understand what had caused the change and therefore didn't know how to fix it. A friend of mine described Eduardo as being too close to Marcelo and while that meant he understood him probably better than anyone else, he also had a blindspot for him at the same time. Eduardo is so close he can't see the forest through the trees. While Fito had a little bit of distance and seems to have seen and understood or at least come to his own conclusion as to what was at the heart of Marcelo's despair on the mountain. I think they make very good foils for each other with Fito being the youngest of the three cousins but arguably taking on the most responsibility after Marcelo starts to wane as the leader. And he does it without any real complaint or resentment. So many times in the movie, you can tell from his expression that he disagrees with Marcelo's belief in rescue, but he never openly argues with him. It drives me crazy in the best way because to me it shows how much Fito understands the need for co-operation and that open argument and dissent is dangerous. With everything Marcelo went through and with everything he had to shoulder, I feel like Fito is the one who saw it and understood it the most.

(At the end of the day, though, the real answer is that Fito/Marcelo/Eduardo is a complicated OT3.)

[levitatingbiscuits]

THANK YOU FOR CALLING OUT THE ATLA FANDOM!!!!!

i'm not going to pretend that i'm not biased, because katara is my favorite character in atla, but the way the fandom treats her compared to the male characters is straight up misogynistic. and no other prominent female character gets shit on quite so often and so unfairly, so it's rooted in racism, too. tons of very smart people have spilled a lot of digital ink on this, so it's obvious to anyone with critical thinking skills that the fandom is deeply prejudiced.

the rest of my rant is under the cut, because I know most of my followers are only here for star wars and i try to quarantine my saltier opinions to my side blog

what i really don't understand is why those people who hate katara are also so desperate to appropriate her character arc, struggles, and traits for their faves. (that fave is usually sokka.) they obviously find katara's struggles compelling, they just don't find female characters compelling. so they transplant all of that to sokka because they like him better, presumably because he's male. or maybe because he's someone they can self-insert into, because they always like to gloss over his actual arc and traits in favor of making him more palatable (and shippable with zuko, which I have to assume must play a role here, considering how often popular slash ships and pseudo-woke fandom misogyny go hand in hand).

sokka's thing isn't that he's forced to care for everyone around him, to the detriment of his own emotional wellbeing. his thing is that he's a misogynist blowhard who has to learn how to become a respectful, confident, capable leader. HE IS LITERALLY THE ONE WHO KATARA HAS HAD TO CARE FOR THE LONGEST. the first episode literally spells it out for us by having katara SNAP because she has to look after and do everything for a whiny, ungrateful sexist who's always talking down to her about her gender, her labor, and her bending.

and she KEEPS DOING IT the whole show. she's always the one doing laundry, mending clothes, making food, going shopping for essentials while sokka shops for fun, directing camp set up and carrying the mental load of assigning chores, doing most if not all of the emotional labor, keeping the group together even at their lowest points, and on and on and on. so all the people saying SOKKA was the one looking after everyone when there's a whole episode where katara has to guide him by hand through the desert because he did something stupid and started tripping balls just makes me think that these people get all their atla analysis from fanfiction instead of watching the source material.

thankfully, this has died down a bit now that we're no longer in the midst of the "atla renaissance," but these blatantly prejudicial attitudes against katara are much more present in the fandom than they used to be, and I think we all know why. and that's just the tumblr and ao3 side! more mainstream platforms like instagram and tiktok are full of openly misogynistic katara slander, but at least they're not hypocritically claiming to be woke and "better than the old fandom" while they do it.

[hazelcephalopod]

The Eye of the World Ch 31-33

The Whump continues! This time it’s Rand and Mat’s turn. And I mean both of them. Very shippable worthy moments; not that friendship isn’t nice but, is not a stretch. But also, just when things seem to cool down they heat up.

Buckle up for a long one if you’re still with me.

Disclaimer: this is my first read thru but I’ve watched all of the show this far and been spoiled on some book things. So… I’m going to lean into that. Enjoy figuring out what I know, and what I think I know, and what I just don’t. Also s/x I add commentary when I edit.

Spoilers for the first book and up to the most recent episode under the cut. Potential spoilers for latter books.

Ch 31

Never thought I could be happier to see a Rand POV.

Like maybe Nynaeve would also be as welcome but I’m not looking forward to more damn Whitecloaks

I mean that’s nice. Guy has deep pockets. (Me later. Internal wailing)

I feel like he was like ‘here are some scarves. Good luck being bandits or whatever. Plz hide your faces dipshit’

No good very bad trip.

Cold hard ground will do that. And stress. Creepy dagger is creepy

And cursed. So clearly cursed. Don’t think I’d have missed it ever

So everyone’s trip is just getting worse then? (This is when I relaized this is all just whump. No I’m not going to stop callin it that)

“Who would I sell it to, Rand?” -Mat on selling the clearly cursed dagger. Gotta admit, he’s got a point there

Glad to see reason is had

Honestly the image of Mat trying to steal eggs and milk -from unattended field cows- is hilarious. Oh and getting chased by dogs up a tree. Excellent.

Ah paranoia

Food! Real food. Honestly worth those hours dude

Specifically Mat’s terrible no good life

Grinwell’s farm… hmm

Nine?!

50/50 they’re just taking in kids off the road. That’s my bet

Blondes are also apparently very rare

“Perrin would know how to handle this… He’d make some offhanded comment, and pretty soon she be laughing at his jokes instead of mooning around where her father can see.” -Rand thinking to himself on Else’s staring and laughing and general. Attentions. Ok. This is just lowkey a comedy. I’m elated again.

And shoe drop when?

It’s just too happy right?

I can not believe it took them that long to try performing in an inn. I love these woolheaded babies so much

Ch 32 : Four Kings in the Shadow

Dark fang thing on this chapter. That’s what it’s called right? (I later learn why it’s here)

Rand POV again. Cool

In Four Kings. A village. Where it seems like the shoe will drop

See chapter name

Saloon town!

Immense. Kids are playing in the ditches so (future me- idk why it says immense. I’ve forgotten but kids were playing in ditches)

Hey winner! The Dancing Cartman. No music. Seemingly [foreboding music from the future]

Innkeeper- Saml Hake (btw he’s skinny)

Lovely man. Great. Just great /s.

Nice. Go in confident. Hope it works.

He’s still real fuckedup from the father thing huh? Which… fair I guess?

This place has two bouncers? There 6 customers

The plot is merciful. The rain waits

B/c their town is shit for starters.

Ah preparing to be a thriving bastard. Be ready to take turns sleeping boys.

Oh thank fuck he’s at least perceptive enough to notice that

Truly. At least get a meal

Ah the plot weather ‘no you sleep inside or I fuck you up’

Oh great creepy rich dude.

Creepy rich guy = Howal Gode, Whitebridge merchant(?)

Yes that’s weird.

And the shoe drops. Inns a trap

Oh I’ve read this getting bars off a window stuff before. It was uh… worse than this situation

Team luck is running out of luck tonight

Lol. Ok… if so, now they’d just pretend to, ya know. Do something else that could make lots of noise.

Gode is a fucking Darkfriend then.

Just stab him through the door

Mmm. I I don’t think you could just get away from them. Somehow. I doubt that

Oh shit lightening just struck that inn. And opened a hole to outside.

Oh those men are dead

That’s gonna leave a scar. An inside one.

Ch 33

Rand POV again

Sounds like he’s ill?

Where’s Mat?

Oh there.

Mmm quick illness huh? That’s not at all concerning I’m sure /s (flashback to an earlier chat between an Aes Sedai and a Wisdom)

Fuck. Whitecloaks? Oh no just militia. Yay! (Cuz that is better imho)

Aw Queens Guard specifically

Lol. The boys ‘what’s a queens guard and why?’ farmer dude ‘damn this kingdom has gone to shit’

The whole Two Rivers ‘what’s Andor -the kingdom they are claimed as- and why are they here?’

“…not like to rob or hurt anybody.” -Master Kinch (a farmer who helped them) to Rand and Mat. Yup! Sure. /s

Ah smooth Mat.

Cursed dagger. Also stress. Also trauma. But mainly? I’d bet it’s the cursed fucking dagger

“There are still some good people.” -Rand to Mat. Now I’m feeling things!

And more feelings!

Oh… that’s a trauma dream/nightmare. Yup. That’s what that is. Not gonna put that one here.

Suffice to say that man is burned badly.

And it also ol’ Balzo. Of course

“I belong to myself. Not you. Not ever. Myself.” -Rand to -Ba’alzamon- Balzo. Good for him!

Did still hit him with a fireball. And he woke up with sunburn. So… not good

More feelings.

“Suddenly, he [Rand] realized Mat was twisting and moaning in his sleep. He shook him, and Mat came awake with a whimper. ‘My eyes! Oh, Light, my eyes. He took my eyes!’ Rand held him close, cradling him against his chest as if he were a baby. ‘You’re all right, Mat. You’re all right. He can’t hurt us. We won’t let him.’ He could feel Mat shaking, sobbing into his coat. ‘He can’t hurt us.’ He whispered, and wished he believed it. What protects you makes you vulnerable. I am going mad.”

Wtf is the queen going to do? Well I guess she could like distribute food or something. But she can’t cure the cows.

… can she?

Everyone ‘idk what your running from and I don’t want to. I have a family. But I’ll help ya’

(I’m just saying if Mat and Rand touched each other this much in the show people would be feral. And I don’t say that as a bad thing)

Of fuck. I forgot we’ve been in a flashback for like two chapters until now.

“We never even saw you. You are a good man. The best we’ve met in days.” -Rand to some farmer who says he can’t really help them and to plz act like they were never anywhere near him but here’s some scarves to protect you from the road dust.

The pattern was like ‘oh right. People need? Hope and stuff. Uh… Here’s a guy with some scarves.’

Yes you are going to get pneumonia

Oh we’re in flashback again!

“The front door opened to let someone out, and a wave of laughter rolled out after him. Rand froze in the street, the drunken laughter at The Dancing Cartman echoing in his head.” -eotw. Rand’s perspective, as he leads half blinded Mat by the hand to an inn, after the previous no good bad time at tDC.

Oh… the Pattern- ‘crap. Crap. Ok he’s getting too fucked up too soon. Look. Nice inn. Its fine. Be ok. Damn it.’

“…he doubted he would ever again trust a skinny innkeeper.” -(Rand) relieved to see a fat innkeeper. (Hake was skinny. Bad times)

Innkeeper- Rulan Allwine

Thinking everyone is missing Moiraine at this point. ‘Specially team Luck. She had money, they do not (I later learn I am right)

“The innkeeper seemed surprised that they were retiring so early, but he made no comment.” -teotw. (Astonishing what making characters actually just get along and like each other will do to make me want the relationship, in some form. And then these moments too)

‘Ey! Mat got his sight back! Sorta.

“No more worrying about Darkfriends, once they were back with the Aes Sedai and the Warder.” -(Rand)

Paitr uh huh. Let’s skip to the betrayal huh? (Editor me- bad name. It’s similar to one on my list)

Love that Darkfriends truly can just be some dude.

Inn- The Queen’s Man

Mat assuring Rand. And convincing him to perform again so they don’t starve or freeze to death

Oh man. The old “one coin to crawl into a bed with some strangers to sleep” (and yes historically that was absolutely a real thing)

Yay. He bit

Nope Dragon isn’t in Caemlyn

Oh fuck. That’s not just stress is it? Chills?? /flashbacks to earlier chapters/

“Suddenly, Mat took his arm, pulling him to his feet. All of their things… hung from Mat’s shoulders with his bow. The innkeeper was watching them… Weaving, more than half supported by Mat, Rand let his friend steer him toward the back door. ‘S-s-sorry, M-m-mat,’ he managed. He could not stop his teeth from chattering.’” -Rand after all but collapsing when overcome with chills and brain fog. Being half carried out at an inn by Mat.

Now shivering in fetal position in a stable.

Emotions. Mat is like legit taking care of him. Noo. I don’t want these emotions! What I’m I gonna do with them?

Listen yes I am a shipper. But I also do actually appreciate just the friendship and caring for each other b/c of friendship

And now. Hot flashes.

“They don’t even know what a wisdom is.” -Mat. Also mentions a Mother Brune who is currently delivering a baby and therefore can’t help them. (Later me learns we don’t see her. Not for this illness far as I could tell)

Inkeep- Master Inlow.

And now Rand’s just straight up hallucinating.

What he sees- Ba’alzamon and two Fades; silent. Egwene, mournful; blaming him for killing the rest; at its end “But she turned into the shadows, and was shadow.” Moiraine, serene but deathly pale; insists he must go to Tar Valon and only Aes Sedai can save him. Thom, “smiling sardonically”, clothes charged and fighting a Fade; insists he not trust Aes Sedai -asks which Ajah will find him first red or maybe black? Lan, stone faced and face covered in blood; warns him, extremely ominously, that anyone can be a Darkfriend; at its end “He smiled a wolf’s smile, and blood poured out of his mouth. ‘Anyone.’” Perrin, Mistress al’Vere, Capt Bayle Domon, Master Fitch. “Min, screaming in a Trolloc’s clutches.” Others. Tam. [Tam frowning and shaking his head just standing over Rand].

… so just a bad time.

lol. Wondering the Ajah of a woman dressed all in green

Dark friend actually tho.

Oh fuck more cursed daggers

Sure you will buddy

Oh shit… I mean. I could be wrong. Been a bad time. He might

Sure they will. And I’m sure you’ll all sing and dance and be happy until you break time and everything is destroyed. /s

“Maybe you Darkfriends aren’t as dangerous as I’ve always heard.” -Mat to the darkfriend woman in the stables. After she nearly killed him

Oh no a Fade. (/Sardonic) Listen, yes it’s terrifying but at this point de we been care anymore? Bring it on

Bye other cursed scary dagger

Oh shit that channeling sickness -b/c that’s what it is- is no joke. Lasting a while isn’t it? I guess just a full night now actually?

And I think that takes us full circle. Met Hyam Kinch, man with wagon, seen earlier in the story.

[canary3d-obsessed]

Restless Rewatch: The Untamed Episode 15

(Masterpost)(Other Canary Content)

Warning: Spoilers for all 50 episodes!

This rewatch is going to fit into a single post, because a third of the episode is just crying and yelling on a very slow boat. If you want to learn the Chinese words for “Mother” and “Father” this is your episode. 

Captain Blowhard

Clan Leader Yao shows up, having barely survived the massacre of his clan, along with two disciples who aren't too excited about their unwilling promotion to top targets. Jiang Cheng tells his dad that the Wens are systematically exterminating the smaller clans, and have said anyone who helps the survivors is going to be punished. 

Jiang Fengmian tells Yao that the Jiang Clan will protect him. Which is why Wei Wuxian is responsible for the massacre of the Jiang Clan. 

Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian both think that taking Yao to the Jin clan is the best way to keep him safe. Wei Wuxian was wrong to help the heirs of the powerfullest richest clans, but sure, let's save this asshole.

Road Tripping

The boys go down to the dock to send Jiang Yanli and Jiang Fengmian off, saying a formal goodbye with a bunch of disciples and showing off how extremely good they look in these close-fitted, simply cut robes with cool belts.

Yu Ziyuan comes down to say goodbye to Yanli and give her some medicine, covering by saying it's for Jiang Fengmian, because being sick is bad for marriage prospects, probably. 

Later the boys will mention their hope that YZY will be mollified by the time JFM returns, which means this possibly isn't the usual state of their relationship. The dislike and jealousy seem to be constant, but perhaps being openly at war with each other is not.

(more after the cut!)

Club Ruohan

At Club Ruohan, Wen Ruohan is tired of sitting on his big uncomfortable throne so he's sitting on the floor next to it, instead. He's suffering the embarrassing problem of black smoke leakage, and needs Wen Qing to give him acupuncture to fix it, but she's not around. Wen Ruohan has an awful lot of trouble containing resentful energy, possibly because he is controlling a bunch of zombies 24x7 instead of letting them take a break. Wei Wuxian is mostly able to control it--except when he, you know, totally isn't--without ever needing an attractive acupuncturist to give him a poke.

WRH learns from Wen Chao that Wei Wuxian 1. killed a boss-level monster on nightmare level difficulty without his sword 2. took whatever thing had been suppressing the nightmare monster for the previous really long time.  WRH wants whatever it is.

Boys in Charge

When the boys get back to Lotus Pier, Jiang Cheng doesn't understand why they couldn't all go to the Lins together, and Wei Wuxian explains it to him. Wei Wuxian is the one seeing the big picture, and he wants to plan how to handle the Wen forces when they, inevitably, arrive. 

Jiang Cheng would rather talk big than actually plan, showing how--at this age--his anger management problem is an issue on a strategic level, not just a personal one.  As a clan leader he will eventually master this aspect, for the most part, and learn to keep a cool head in regard to martial matters, while continuing to feed his interpersonal rage problem.

The brothers supervise the archery practice of the Jiang disciples, having their last nice time together, and still without a plan. Wei Wuxian is bored and calls practice early so he can go be bored on the porch or in his room, since he isn't allowed out. In fact he's so bored by lockdown that he starts an irreverent niche blog.  

(he’s kidding! keep your mask on, don’t go to wine houses)

Knowing that the Wen Clan is gunning for enemy cultivators, Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng send the whole group of disciples, including children, outside the compound walls to retrieve their kites. This is what happens when you don't have a plan.

Wen the Levee Breaks

Wen Chao’s girlfriend Wang Lingjiao finds a kite with a hole in it and uses it as a pretext to snatch up the youngest disciple. 

The other disciples come running back and tell WWX and JC what happened. Wei Wuxian calmly gets all of the information from them and starts figuring out what to do, while Jiang Cheng freaks out. 

Jiang Cheng is a good fighter, and matures into an excellent one after a core upgrade and war experience. But Wei Wuxian is a born battle leader, developing strategies on the fly and staying cool under pressure.

Madame Yu is as brave as a barrel full of bears and Yinzhu and Jinzhu chase lions down the stairs

Yu Ziyuan and the murder twins show up and all of the disciples line up behind them, relieved to have someone scary in charge.. Yu Ziyuan is also a natural leader and an awesome fighter, but her judgement is terrible, as we're about to discover. 

Bitchfest

Wang Lingjiao strolls in to the main hall and has the nerve to comment on the interior decorating, because it doesn't have enough rough-hewn black rock and lava pits, apparently.

She shows them all the kite and says that because it looks (kind of) like the sun, using it for target practice is an attack on the Wen Clan. Bitch, everything your clan wears and uses has fire on it and is red. The sun is not your emblem, no matter what the text says. This kite situation is presumably where the anti-Wen campaign gets its name of "Sunshot," however, which sounds pretty cool.

Wang Lingjiao moves along to her main point, which is that Wei Wuxian needs his ass kicked, and she'd like Yu Ziyuan to do the kicking. To goad her, she starts talking about the rumors about Wei Wuxian's parentage.

Let it Whip

So let it whip (let's whip it, baby) Get a grip (let's whip it baby) Well, what's your trip? (Oh no)

Yu Ziyuan takes the bait, and proceeds to whip the shit out of her strongest battle asset, in a sequence that's either horrifying or completely fucking awesome, depending on how you feel about whump.

There are a lot of bad effects in this show and a lot of questionable fighting, but any time Zidian flies, I am HERE for it. I gave this beatdown its own gifset over here.

Jiang Cheng is devastated and tries again and again to protect Wei Wuxian, but his mother and her lieutenants keep moving him out of the way so the beating can continue.

Yu Ziyuan hits Wei Wuxian at least 5 times, until he is totally unable to get up off the floor. Wang Lingjiao has succeeded in eliminating him as a threat for the moment.

Gotta Hand It To You

Wang Lingjiao isn't satisfied with the brutal whipping, however; she wants his right hand as a trophy, and for him to be unable to recover.  Yu Ziyuan tells Jinzhu and Yinzhu to close the doors because some blood is going to fly. 

I'd like to think this is when Yu Ziyuan decides to kill the Wens, rather than maiming WWX, but I'm not certain. Because she doesn't start attacking until after Wang Lingjiao says the Wens are taking Lotus Pier, and tells her to discipline Jiang Cheng. So maybe she is okay with taking WWX’s hand, but draws the line at giving up her house.

Through all of this, Wei Wuxian doesn't once protest, even when he thinks they're getting ready to take his hand off. He'll do whatever it takes to make peace. THIS is the core of his heroism; he will sacrifice anything to do what he thinks is right. He's not "playing the hero;" not doing this for fame or kudos, but for a clear conscience.

It’s a Murder Party

Wang Lingjiao explains the new Wen World order, and Yu Ziyuan smacks her to the floor and then takes out all 8 of the Wen soldiers in one elegant move. 

Can we talk about how incredibly effective a fighter Yu Ziyuan is, without a sword? With her first-class spiritual tool as her only weapon? Nobody is telling her she needs to carry a sword. She shows she can use one, after she gives Zidian to Jiang Cheng, but she's absolutely devastating without one.

Having defied Wang Lingjiao, Yu Ziyuan...doesn't kill her. She chokes her, slaps her and yells at her. Then she insults her clan and sticks her FOOT on her FACE.

She sics the murder twins on the guards in the room, and they shank all of them at super speed while the boys watch with alarm. 

Then she has them sloooowly advance on Wang Lingjiao, giving her plenty of time to holler for Wen Zhuliu before they can kill her.

Het Heat

Wen Zhuliu comes flying in, literally, kicking both murder twins across the room at the same time. This is followed by Core-Melting Hand x Violet Spider suddenly becoming the most shippable M/F couple in this thing, because wow, they have some serious chemistry.

I never saw a pretty girl look so tough

Actor Feng Mingjing continues to do an awful lot with almost no lines, in his portrayal of Wen Zhuliu. WZL politely apologizes to Yu Ziyuan. Is he offering to withdraw, or is he just being polite before getting down to the killy bit? Either way, Yu Ziyuan is ready to rumble, and doesn't even consider de-escalating.

You know who was able to rein in his temper, after fighting with this same extremely dangerous dude, and therefore lived to fight another day? Fucking Nie Mingjue, that's who, who has a generational CURSE making him angry. While Yu Ziyuan, is like, "fuck the safety of my clan, this is Wei Wuxian's fault anyway" and throws down.

Wen Zhuliu and Yu Ziyuan proceed to have an epic, sexy fight, where he catches her whip and she dodges his attempt to feel up her core.

He's a magic man, mama, he's got the magic hands.

Wei Wuxian, still incapacitated, tells Jiang Cheng to stop Wang Lingjiao from calling for help, but JC gets distracted by the threat to his mom, and goes to engage with Wen Zhuliu.

Jiang Cheng takes a horrifying smack in the chest, which injures him and takes him out, while Wang Lingjiao sends the signal that seals the fate of Lotus Pier.

It’s All Over Except for the Crying

Yu Ziyuan immediately sees that she's lost the battle, and has the murder twins divert Wen Zhuliu while she brings the two boys to the pier. 

She verifies that Jiang Cheng's core is still intact, showing the viewers, for future reference, that it's possible to tell by touch if someone's core is missing, although a casual touch won't do it.  

Then she re-codes the Zidian so that it recognizes Jiang Cheng and puts it on his wrist. She follows this with a display of maternal affection for Jiang Cheng unlike anything we've seen so far, which super fails to reassure him.  

She follows this up with screaming at Wei Wuxian and telling him how much she hates him, and blaming him for the multiple shitty choices she just made..  

With a heart full of rage, she reminds him that his worth lies in what he can do for more important people.

She binds the boys with Zidian and then sends the boat on its way....

...with a frickin' TALISMAN, holeee shit. As toxic as she is for Wei Wuxian, there is a direct line from her cultivation skills to his.  

Dad To The  Rescue...sort of

The last third of the episode is basically yelling and crying punctuated by a couple of interactions out on the water. The extreme emotions go on for long enough that I eventually stop feeling bad for the characters and start feeling bad for the actors, who had to maintain this level of feeling for probably days of shooting.

The boys eventually meet up with Jiang Fengmian and Jiang Yanli. JFM discovers that Zidian responds to his control, which tells him something is very, very wrong, since it probably knows how his wife feels about him.

This thing isn’t biting me; your mom is in serious trouble. 

Here Jiang Fengmian decides to do the heroic, totally futile thing, which is exactly his style. He tosses Jiang Yanli in with the boys and takes his leave so he can go die with his wife while the children survive.  

He has to know that Yu Ziyuan is the stronger fighter of the two of them, and that he's not going back to rescue her. He's just going to stand with her and die together, which is the most romantic thing you can do in a C-drama, after all.  

How Much Do You Owe the Jiang Clan?

Jiang Fengmian tells his two children not to cry, making them and the viewer cry extra hard. (specially ouchy gifset here).

Then he turns to Wei Wuxian and, with a heart full of tenderness, reminds him that his worth lies in what he can do for more important people.

Next episode: Is going to be even more horrible! 

Soundtrack: 1. When The Levee Breaks, Led Zeppelin 2. The Tale of Custard the Dragon (poem) by Ogden Nash 3. Let it Whip by the Dazz Band 4. U Got the Look by Prince & Sheena Easton 5. Magic Man by Heart

[chinateacup]

Ooh! Could you do Nekomaru for the ask game?

I can!!! But I must warn you, I don’t know the DR2 characters as well as I do the THH ones, so this may be ooc. For that I apologise.

⚧- Pronoun headcanon

He/Him!

🏳️‍⚧️- Gender headcanon

Trans male because he’s Cool like that

🏳️‍🌈- Orientation headcanon

Either bisexual with a preference for men, or just plain Gay.

🌌- Zodiac sign headcanon

Hmm maybe an Aries? He’s certainly loud and chaotic enough.

🧠- MBTI headcanon

He’s an extrovert. That’s all I know for sure.

❤️- Otp

I like him with Hajime a lot!!! But the protags are so shippable it’s almost unfair haha.

🧡- Everyone I ship with this character

Again, horrible multishipper.

💛- Brotp

Akane!!! POWER DUO😤😤😤 Also him and Gundham are pretty cool together!

💚- Notp

Him with Akane. I don’t actively dislike the ship but in my eyes they feel more like wlw/mlm solidarity than a het couple :,)

💙- Crossover ship I like

Hmm I think he and Ryoma would be pretty cute!! Ultimate Team Manager and Ultimate Tennis Pro? Compatible Talents! Also he would definitely be very encouraging of him when he’s down on himself…

💜- Crossover non-ship relationship I like

I’m so predictable but I want to see him and Taka being LOUD and SUPPORTIVE and MOTIVATING TOGETHER!!

📖- AU I’d like to see them in

Teacher AU! He would be the most hardass gym teacher and that’s hilarious to me.

❤️‍🩹- Angsty headcanon

It’s not insanely angsty really, but I think he would have started working out very intensely due to his struggles with dysphoria. Getting buff made him feel more masculine, and along the way he realised he’d developed a love for exercise and helping his work out buddies!

💖- Happy headcanon

He is 100% the dad friend. He always looks out for the group and carries all the water and snacks on field trips!

😋- Funny/stupid headcanon

He wears a fanny pack unironically. He thinks it’s efficient.

🥖- Food headcanon

He has a MASSIVE appetite. Like, enormous. He’s on one of those insane body builder diets that mean he basically eats the same as five dudes so he has enough energy to work it all out.

🛌- Sleep headcanon

He moves around a lot and yells in his sleep, which wakes up everybody except himself. Also drools a small pond.

🏡- Domestic headcanon

He’s a fantastic cook! He cooks only healthy, carbo loaded, protein packed meals. Food is definitely his love language. Nothing makes him happier than making something yummy for someone he cares about.

🗡- Badass headcanon

He has a secret tattoo. No, you cannot see it. Yes, it’s on his ass. You’ll only see it in the showers after a sick training session, so only people who have EARNED it get to see the tat.

❓- Anything else you want!

His hair is so pointy it could cut glass and he smells like sweat and pennies!!!

[mixelation]

I was thinking about your comments re: KakaIru a while ago and I gotta agree about the sheer randomness of the ship’s popularity. Are they even in the same room together outside uh... Wave Arc when they’re in the mission assignment room and... uhhh... naruhina wedding I guess?

Like the only plausible way I could see them interacting is because of their joint knowing Naruto and maybe Kakashi knowing Iruka does mission stuff sometimes. Hedge both of those together... Kakashi tries to seduce the chuunin manning the mission desk for sweet deals and realizes hey, this chuunin gives good advice about Naruto too! Or maybe Naruto tries to hook up one of his teachers with the other one because, hey, they’re both teachers so they must like each other right?

If you had to, what would you use to bring them together? I don’t particularly ship this just interested in any potential takes.

As someone else pointed out on that post, the ship’s popularity back in the very early days of fandom made sense in that, like... Kakashi is very shippable but we only had so many other adults, you know? But the fact that it’s stuck around and remained a top pairing is very ??? to me.

I liked what AO3 user flailinginlove did with their fic the bingo book, where Kakashi and Iruka are forced to hang out due to a potentially very dangerous misunderstanding... I can’t remember the exact details but I think it was something like: Iruka and Kakashi were passing letters from Naruto while he was on his training trip to each other, and this caused an organization spying on Kakashi to conclude they were secret lovers and then target Iruka. This felt like a realistic way they could have been interacting off-screen in canon, and then the writer took that and successfully turned it into a series of problems that forced them to hang out more. 

I think if I were to write it... hmm, well I’ve worked in primary schools before, so I would lean really hard into “Iruka knows how to wrangle children and trick them into learning and Kakashi absolutely does not.” There meet-cute would just like... every time Kakashi comes in with Team 7 after missions, everyone looks miserable and the kids are yelling at each other and even call Kakashi names to him face, and Iruka just stares at him in Judgement. Now, normally Kakashi doesn’t give a shit if some chuunin judges him (and will often go out of his way to drive his coworkers up the wall!) but like. Iruka can clear his throat and all of Kakashi’s students snap to attention. How? Why?! What is his secret. 

Kakashi tries to very stealthily ask his kids why they behave around Iruka and not him and it seems that it has never occurred to Sakura or Sasuke to disrespect Iruka. Naruto has an actual reason but, you know, it’s not like Kakashi copy that.... or can he? He is the copy-nin. So he takes them out for ramen and accidentally creates a situation where not only does his team expect him to treat them to lunch, but they get even more rowdy when he doesn’t. Kakashi starts seeing Iruka’s Judgemntal Face every time he closes his eyes. 

Anyway, Kakashi goes through a comedic series of attempts to be a better teacher (including getting some weird advice from Gai and buying a book on the subject matter) and then eventually ends up slouching into a professional development seminar on mentoring Iruka gives. Bonus points if throughout the fic Kakashi keeps seeing it on the schedule because it keeps getting postponed due to lack of interest. Kakashi is the only one who shows up. Shippy situations ensue. 

....but also I like the idea of Kakashi trying to pick up this cute chuunin he’s seen around the mission office and flirts with sometimes. The firest few dates go really well but then on one Iruka is like “oh, I took Naruto to lunch yesterday and he this about you,” and then also “just so you know, Sakura came by the other day for advice on this thing--” and then Kakashi has to exist their date via a window. like iruka is like “wait i thought we weren’t talking about our jobs because you already knew all about me being their academy teacher” and kakashi was just trying to be cool and mysterious and that sure did backfire, holy shit, Iruka knows so many embarrassing things about his cool and mysterious self 

[miggydiaz]

For the salty ask 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 14, 16, 20, 22, 23 and 26 for cobra kai pretty please

My answers are so long, so I am putting this under the cut @wonderwolfballoon! Also I just noticed your Daniel icon I SWEAR I’M NOT DRAGGING HIM TO BE MEAN!!!

1. What OTPs in your fandom(s) do you just not get?* My biggest IDGI ships for CK are probably Elimetri or Kiaz. I’m not here to yuck other people’s yums or anything, but I do think there is something to the idea that Migueli isn’t popular because it’s a ship predicated on mutual respect for one another. Kiaz has the obvious enemies to lovers vibe and I just generally don’t sail those ships. Elimetri has... its problems, IMO, most especially around the idea that Demetri has to like... save Hawk from himself? Idk. I just like romances that I feel are based on love and mutual respect and not ...tropes.

 I am also not a Lawrusso shipper although I have a lot of those on my dash and you all are great! Again, not yucking yums! Daniel just makes me want to head butt him too much to pair him romantically with anyone 😂 I don’t even want his wife with him. He needs to self reflect~ 

4. Do you have a NoTP in your fandom? Are they a popular OTP?* 

I once saw someone ship Amanda and Anoush and I noped out of that so fucking fast I almost tripped over myself. I’m not sure if they’re popular. I just think some people feel the need to get Amanda out of the way to sail their ship and stuck her with Anoush which... no. Just no. Let Amanda be a messy single queen with a martini hobby, thanks! 

5. Has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you?* 

Not in CK. I’m lucky because I pretty much stick to my little Migueli bubble and I’m okay with that? Lmao lord knows the Squad on my dash is all about the DISCOURSE™️ so idk if I just don’t feel the need to get sucked into the wider ship wars because we have good healthy debates, but so far, so good. 

6. Has fandom ever made you enjoy a pairing you previously hated?* 

I never hated it... I just didn’t have many feelings on shipping with this show in general at first. Then I was in the CK tag one day and I saw Migueli fan art. Then I discovered @afurioushawk‘s falconry series and it was all over for me after that! So fandom DID make me love a ship, just not one I hated.

9. Most disliked character(s)? Why? Oh boy. How much time do you have? In some instances, it’s a good thing season 3 happened because otherwise, this would be a multi-page essay on the problems with race and class privilege as it pertains to Sam LaRusso and just some... generally not nice comments about Demetri that I’m conflicted about because I’m not sure if the writers are intentionally trying to write him a specific way and it’s just not translating to me or what. But season 3 revamped both of their images with me a lot. I’m way more flexible in terms of Demetri, but lmao I was the number one Sam LaRusso hater for a minute there (or maybe number 2, I can think of at least 1 other person who was in that boat with me back in like... August/September, but I won’t call them out because I don’t want them to get hate...) However, I have grown a bit in my opinions of Sam, and even though I still think she’s responsible  for a lot of shit she NEVER gets held accountable for, I also think that’s a reflection of the adults around her too, and this includes my otherwise unproblematic queen, Amanda.

But honestly, my most hated character (other than the obvious villain that is Kreese) is Daniel. No matter how handsome Ralph Macchio looks in cable-knits, because Daniel has always been a sanctimonious, shit starting drama king and I say that about KK Daniel too. I’m not saying Daniel was the ~true villain~ or anything, or that Johnny was innocent -- I can only drink so much Red and Yellow Kool-Aid -- but Daniel’s always been annoying to me as a protagonist, and turning him into a smarmy wealthy car salesman who is also a class traitor did not do him any favors in my book. I will say, I also like Daniel more in season 3 than I have in previous season, but since he is the adult, I will be mad at him longer than I will be at the kids, ya feel?

10. Most disliked arc? Why?

 Johnny’s entire season 3 storyline. The sheer level of REGRESSION at every turn drives me bonkers. It’s like watching him go through all of the stumbling blocks of season 1 all over again, but without the “he’s learning! He’s going to make mistakes!” free pass that I was willing to give him the first time around. He regularly jeopardizes Miguel’s recovery and it’s played for laughs. He fucks up on every level with Robby. He spends most of his time running away when things get hard or too real. He drops the ball completely with Hawk, and like, not to put too fine a point on it, but a lot of Hawk’s issues are because Johnny put Hawk on this ‘flip the script and be a badass’ path and then offered him no guidance for how to walk that path and instead left him in the hands of Kreese. And then he has the nerve to go to Hawk and basically be like “I made you what you are!” lmao yeah Johnny, you sure did, that’s why he’s breaking peoples arms, hoss. And then all of the nonsense with Ali and Carmen, like... if you were planning on teasing KK fans with Ali and him getting back together, why write her as married in the first place? Why even tease the idea of Carmen and Johnny until after you were sure what you were going to do with Ali as a character? Instead, they do what they did in season 3 and it makes him look like a colossal jerk. So yeah. Literally every choice they made with Johnny this season, I hated.

14. Unpopular opinion about your fandom? People who hate Tory are not valid, sorry not sorry.

16. If you could change anything in the show, what would you change? I would have kept Miguel entirely out of Tory and Sam’s beef. Or at least not directly inserted him into it like he was with the kiss. I know the writers thought it was necessary to push Tory to the point of inciting a fight at school, but I am just so exhausted over girls being unable to fight about anything but boys. Also I would bring Aisha back.

20. What is the purest ship in the fandom? 

I am probably biased, but I still maintain it’s Migueli. Look, Miguel stood up to Kyler for Eli and Demetri both. Hawk joined CK because he saw what it could do for some skinny nerd who was getting his ass kicked. And he took to CK, really took to it! Even flourished before he started getting mixed messages. And he and Miguel were pretty much inseparable after that. They coordinated their wardrobes ffs. Hawk dubbed him El Serpiente and no one else calls him that — it’s Hawk’s nickname for him. Miguel confides in Hawk only secondary to Johnny, who is like a father to him. The entire Coyote Creek exchange shows they can fight and disagree but... well, to use the cliche, they don’t go to bed angry, you know? They’re square the very next day. Hawk is the first person at Miguel’s side when he gets kicked over the balcony and the LOOK he gives the second floor where Robby is? That boy is out for blood immediately to avenge Miguel. So much of his s3 behavior is fueled by that need for vengeance because MD is wholly responsible for what happened to Miguel. And Miguel is so confused and betrayed by Hawk’s shift in behavior, and yet still holds out hope that Hawk will see through Kreese’s BS and come with him to The Dojo I Refuse to Name. And when Hawk does make that deflection finally, he shows up at MD with Miguel. There’s so much more that I know I’m missing but whether someone ships them or not, that is a tried and true love and respect for one another, a willingness to fight for and defend one another that you don’t often see in TV friendships... or even in most tv relationships. And I just think that’s the best ❤️

22. Popular character you hate?

 Daniel, hands down. I mean... I don’t even necessarily hate Daniel, you know? I just think it’s really, pardon the pun, rich that a guy of immense wealth and privilege can’t get a therapist or turn to his far too patient wife for help with his existential crisis over his high school bully opening up a karate dojo to make some money and help a kid who is getting the crap kicked out of him. I get that Daniel’s narrative is necessary for the rivalry, but it does nothing to make him sympathetic as a character.

23. Unpopular character you love?

 Tory, definitely! Everyone hates her and then there’s me and the Squad over here banging away on our Coors Banquet cans yelling TORY RIGHTS! Seriously she catches so much flack for a teenage girl who is... the sole income provider for her family? At 17? While caring for a sick mom and a little brother? And fending off a creepy landlord? Tory has it so rough and then she meets a cool girl at her dojo who asks her to hang out at some fancy ass country club which is probably the nicest place Tory has ever been in, and then she gets talked down to and accused of being a thief and has another girl lay hands on her, only to find out that same girl is her new boyfriend’s ex and... ugh. I HATE that Tory gets shit all over when Tory and Sam wouldn’t even have beef if Sam had apologized to Tory as she SHOULD have. Tory isn’t innocent, but damn, I’d be pressed too.

 My other unpopular character I love? Nathaniel. Seriously that kid is THE best. He’s a literal child but is out there like I WILL FUCK YOU UP, even though he’s MD. Honestly, his Cobra Kai energy is so ferocious I won’t be surprised if he moves back to CK eventually. Anyway, I love him.


26. Most shippable character?

 Miguel, hands down. It’s because he’s so affable and sweet overall. And because his hair is so fluffy and pettable that no one can resist touching it. I like to imagine that one day he and Hawk are talking about their hair and Hawk makes a joke about how Miguel’s mane is getting so long that it’s going to be bigger than his own, and then he reaches out to ruffle it and internally has a bisexual meltdown because oh no IT’S SO SOFT AND NICE. But uh... anyway, yes. Definitely Miguel.

[ivanaskye]

I’ve been thinking about making this post for a while, since I finished reading Wheel of Time, a series whose first book I read many years ago and hated, a series which ended up being very much one of my favorite of all time if not my single favorite, a series that has my two favorite characters ever.

A series that is very flawed.

So behold, my long answer to the question...

Should you read The Wheel of Time?

I’ll split this into three sections (but not three posts): What Even Is The Wheel Of Time, Some Likely Dealbreakers, and Tl;Dr.

Under the readmore, of course.

1. What Even Is The Wheel of Time?

A system of circular time in which the same rough eras of humanity repeat

However, the fact that time in the series operates this way... doesn’t actually matter that much.

And out of seven total repeating ages, we only spend time in one, and only know anything at all about four others.

The last three? A mystery

Don’t worry about it

Okay, that’s probably not what you were asking. You were probably asking something more like: what’s the plot of this series?

Let me be straight with you about that one.

It’s a Chosen One plot.

But,

It also has a very large cast of characters, many of which are very Protagonist in their own right

Including the main character’s immediate foil, who is absolutely not a “Chosen One” except for the fact that she freaking chose herself, basically manufacturing her own call to adventure out of the main character’s. 

The six Most Main characters (by most fans’ understanding), can IMO be divided exactly into three foil-pairs: the Central Saving The World one, the Self Awareness Whomst? I Hate People Of Course I’d Never Help Anyone (Trips over 139289131 Pictures of Helping Other People) one, and the Study In Leadership one.

And remember that Chosen One I mentioned?

Yeah, he actually has a shit deal with being Chosen

Specifically: he is 100% prophecized to destroy the world. Whether he also saves it is a little more up in the air.

He’s also almost certainly fated to Go Insane.

(...Which is why the first ~3 books of the series are just him Running Away From His Fate at Full Speed, which--spoiler alert--Does Not Work.)

See also: Alienating All Your Friends 101, How NOT To Accept Being Polyamorous, It’s War Crimes Time

(Yes, there is canon polyamory.)

(...And a LOT of canon war crimes.)

But. In order to go any further, I have to talk about the Possible Dealbreakers of these series. 

2. So, About Those Dealbreakers

Broadly speaking, I’d say there are three: length, The Gender Binary, and Oh God Why Is Everyone Such A Dumbass.

Let’s go at these one-by-one.

Length

Let me be very clear here: WoT is over four million words long in total.

This has at times been calculated as perhaps the longest word count for any series... ever? It’s certainly one of the longest English-language series that occurs to random statistics geeks to look at the word count of.

For reference, in case you needed it... that’s longer than Homestuck. This is true even if you translate images, videos, and so on into equivalent word counts. And include the epilogue. And... yeah.

It’s like, shonen-long.

The upside of this, however... is that it’s really long.

That might seem like a weird upside, but if you’ve ever wanted to get really immersed in a series... especially if you read very quickly and usually get through things fast... well.

To put things in perspective, I often read 300-page books in one sitting without trouble. WoT took me about six months.

So uh

Do you want your life, mind, body, and soul to get eaten by a book series?

The answer to that question will probably tell you if you should read Wheel of Time

The Gender Binary

Okay, so here’s the thing: in the time period WoT takes place in, only women can use The One Power (the main form of magic in the setting).

The reason for this is that the One Power, despite being called one right there in the name, is divided into the Female Version and the Male Version. Only women can use the former, only men can use the latter. And the latter has been tainted such that any man who uses it goes mad.

Our main character is a man who can use the power.

The upside is that things actually go very un-sexistly from here. The different ways to access male (saidin) vs female (saidar) power don’t actually correlate to any consistent difference in personality or attitudes between men and women.

The fact that the MC is The One Man Using The Power and The Most Powerful, Because Chosen One... is actually also played shockingly un-sexistly. 

However, there very much always is that binary. Trans people? Nonbinary people? Uh... you can headcanon if you want, but the canon is not giving you that much to work with.

To make matters a little worse, men and women distrust each other to an almost hilarious amount in the setting. (My guess is something about Mostly A Patriarchy + Women Are The Mysterious Powerful Magic Users has really frayed gender relations in this society.) There are many, many in-character statements of “All men are [x unflattering thing]” “all women are [y unflattering thing]”, but these do not seem to in any way reflect the author’s beliefs, and are never actually true in-world; the characters are just Bad At This.

(A common example of this is “Women are all gossips!” *cut to a group of women* “Men are all gossips!”. Of course, the truth is that there are both male and female gossips and non-gossips in the series).

You would think this situation would lead to more just-women and just-men groups, but except from Magic-User Stuff, there isn’t that much of that, becaaaaause

~Heterosexuality~

Sigh, yes, this series is very het.

It’s not as het as it is binary; the Aes Sedai (female magic users) have a word for women who are having sex with each other, and there’s an onpage FF kiss in the prequel.

But it’s... not a lot.

So if you need a hit of sweet, sweet LGBTQ rep, it’s... not going to be here. Sorry. (Thankfully, a very large amount of fantasy books coming out today do have rep! It’s not that hard to find!)

Thankfully, most of WoT’s het romances are pretty good and believable/shippable. Though not all are.

And, the final likely dealbreaker...

Everyone Here Is A Dumbass

Listen. Nobody in this series drank their Having Brain Cells juice, uh... ever.

(Okay, exactly two characters--Min and Loial--did, but that’s it)

You know how I was talking about the gender mistrust? That’s just one example of an endemic problem of absolutely no one trusting other people, telling anyone things, or in any way having functional conversations

Min Literally Saves Lives By Being The Only Person Who Tells People Things

In addition to interpersonal problems, the characters’ problem-solving skills are uhh

Uhhhhhh

Uhhhhhhhh

Well, as I said, Rand, our main character, spends three books running away from his problems at full speed

After that, he’s only uh... dodging! Jogging away! Yeah

Meanwhile, basically everyone is doing the I Must Put Myself In Extreme Danger To Protect My Friends Who I would Never Accept Doing The Same (bonus points for when two people are doing this to protect each other at the same time) thing

And I Will Face God And Run Into Danger At Mach Speed

The upside is... you might like reading about these kinds of characters

But if you prefer characters who are not walking trash fires

Then I’m sorry

WoT is probably not for you

3. Tl;dr

In summary, Wheel of Time is an almost comically long series about a large cast of characters who have never functioned in their life trying to prevent the end of the world and having a really bad time.

(For some reason it doesn’t have a reputation as a Dark SeriesTM, but it actually is very dark at times. Although far from grim--every action seems to really matter, nothing is meaningless, it’s just that sometimes those actions are war crimes and people dying and a shit-ton of torture).

IMO, some of the other series that might be good predictors for liking WoT are Homestuck, Hunter X Hunter, and ASOIAF. In other words, other very long, large-casted series about trash fires.

If you want one other bit of enticement, the main character has the lowest nadir of any character arc I’ve ever seen, followed by the most impressive high and resolution. So if that’s your kind of thing, and if the dealbreakers don’t break your deals. Go ahead and give it a try.

[notcorrect-persona5]

Ryuji for that character thing! If you haven't had him already

Ryuji!! I already know this is gonna be a long one.

Favorite thing about them

He has one of the biggest, kindest hearts in the Persona universe. Once he found out why Makoto was blackmailing them, he forgave her almost immediately. Despite not having a lot himself, he spends money feeding Yusuke (which I will talk about in my headcanons). He tries to befriend and include Mishima because he knows he doesn’t have any friends. He is always hyping up and complimenting the other phantom thieves (have you heard his dancing lines?)

Least favorite thing about them

I don’t like the number of times he is written OOC in the game, particularly when it comes to pervertedness. Before I go on, this isn’t me ignoring his flaws. Character flaws are extremely important. Without them, a character is no longer interesting or even likable. One of my favorite persona characters is Yosuke who doesn’t exactly have the cleanest mind, so I’m not saying Ryuji isn’t perverted because I don’t like it. I’m saying it because I honestly don’t think he is.

Yes, Ryuji likes girls, but he isn’t gross about it. The only times I can recall this behavior is in two anime cutscenes towards Ann for comedic relief (side note: he didn’t realize what the maid service actually was. He genuinely thought they were just ordering a cute maid to do housework). Ryuji has so much respect for Ann, and he knows what she’s been through. He would never ever do anything like that- no matter how close they are.

I think what happened is the writers didn’t write a character who could make those kinds of jokes (except maybe Ren who is a silent protagonist), so when they wanted to make one of those jokes they chose Ryuji because he’s “the best option.” Morgana is lowkey a feminist, and, you know, a cat, so it would be a little weird coming from him. And then there’s Yusuke who lectured two girls for asking to hangout. ATLUS knows how to write a “likable pervert.” We’ve seen it with Yosuke. They could have given this trait to Ryuji, and I would have been fine with it. The problem is, they didn’t, making those scenes awkward and uncomfortable.

Favorite line

“I can’t think and flex at the same time.”

brOTP

Ren Ren!! Based on his dialogue options to characters like Ann and Sumire, I think Ren finds the super cheerful and energetic personality a little overwhelming, yet Ryuji, who is the loudest and brightest sunshine child out there, doesn’t bother him, and if that’s not the sweetest thing-

OTP

RyuAnn is so cute. Normally I don’t like shipping characters who are just best friends, but I love them together.

nOTP

I don’t really have one. He’s kind of shippable with everyone. Like any ship I see with him I’m like “I don’t think it, but I can see it.”

Random headcanon

He buys Yusuke food and tries to keep Jagariko on him. A lot of the time when Yusuke talks about being hungry or not having money for food Ryuji offers to take him out to eat or pay. In a manga, he said he didn’t have any Jagariko on him implying he usually does.

This is a popular one, but I think he dyed his hair blond back in middle school when ann was considering dying her hair black. It doesn’t make sense for him to dye it as a way to embrace his new reputation as a delinquent. He hates that reputation so much. Yes, he accepted it, but I don’t think he wants to add any unnecessary fuel to the fire.

He and Yusuke are roommates in college!

Shiho, Ann, and Ryuji were a trio in middle school.

He has insomnia. There are so many times throughout the game when he mentions not sleeping for literal days.

There’s very little that Ryuji does that annoys Ren; however, I know Ryuji has taken Ren’s glasses off his face and put them on himself. It’s such a Ryuji thing to do.

The girl at the convenience store who gave the chocolate to Ryuji on Valentine’s Day? It wasn’t pity chocolate, and they date sometime during third year or after high school.

This is also a popular one, but I think the reason why he isn’t a very good dancer in Dancing is because of his leg injury. He usually does very basic dance moves with his feet, and his dances focus more on his hands.

He sees Mishima sitting alone at lunch their third year of high school, and forces him to sit with them.

Unpopular opinion

His whole “fame thing” wasn’t that bad. While I don’t think it’s a good mindset to have, he never did or said anything harmful as a result of it. He was just annoying. Ryuji has extremely low self-esteem. He has been beaten down his entire life, physically and emotionally. The only thing he thought he was good at was track, and that didn’t turn out well for him. Finally, he’s doing something incredible, but nobody knows about it. He’s proud of his work as a phantom thief, and he wants to tell people. He also wants people to recognize how awesome he is and give him some sort of validation. He doesn’t feel loved, and he thinks it’s his fault. Now he has something that he knows would make others like him. I don’t understand why he gets so much crap for it when in-game he recognized his that behavior was wrong, why it was wrong, apologized, and said he would work to be a better person.

Song I associate with them

Travel Song from Shrek The Musical lol. It’s literally the Hawaii trip. Shrek is Ann, and Ryuji is Donkey.

Favorite picture of him

Also this portrait. His smile makes me want to smile

[danger-archive]

DAPHNE BLAKE + INTELLIGENCE & KNOWLEDGE : 

While Daphne is historically looked down on for not “contributing anything” to the team, something I’ve loved about the more modern interpretations of the Scooby Doo series is the effort made to give her things to be good at, and to be knowledgable about that would make sense for the others not to. As a result, Daphne’s background as a rich, educated young girl with a high-society family with reach means that she knows a lot about very obscure or random topics. 

As a non-exhaustive list of some of her biggest interests: 

Cheeses & Their History (Mystery Incorporated Season 2, Episode 17) 

Fashion History –– she may not know a lot about the Gettysburg Address, or whatever happened with the Founding Fathers, but Daphne’s supremely intelligent and great at retaining information about Fashion History and its accuracy. She probably has a cousin in California who works as a Fashion Historian Consultant on historical shows & movies. Let’s name that cousin AJ Blackwell. 

Abstract art

Chemicals & Biology –– like someone such as Elle Woods (reference here), Daphne’s knowledge of Chemicals and Biology comes from her interest in makeup and its effects on the body. She knows, for example, a lot of big words and names for the chemicals used in lipsticks, and what to avoid putting on your skin etc. She knows how the skin, as an organ functions –– she could probably be a freaking Dermatologist if she wanted to be, honestly. Some of this knowledge is researched, while a lot of it comes from her family members, and even more so, from her connections to the industry and to doctors. 

On top of this, there’s also her many hobbies that she’s has in Be Cool Scooby Doo which indicate Daphne is sort of a Jack of All Trades who can very easily pick up many different skills like Juggling; Puppeteering, etc. 

A lot of Daphne’s obscure knowledge comes, like I said, from the people she knows. Unlike someone like Velma (and this isn’t a slight against her), Daphne’s knowledge comes from living, and socializing, and learning from experience and from others. Yes, sometimes it comes from research, but if, per se, she knows something about a very specific sub-species of spider, it’s because her parents went on a hunting trip in the Summer to Paraguay and got bit by it. She’s great at remembering things and storing them away. And it’s part of what makes her so freaking smart. 

Furthermore, while this post is primarily about mainstream Logical-Mathematical Intelligence, if we were to look at the different kinds of intelligence she excels at –– the most obvious one being Intra-Personal & Interpersonal Intelligence (though as a teenager, she isn’t always the best at that either) –– she is also gifted with:

Musical Intelligence: Having once joined the Hex Girls as a stand-in singer for their lead, Thorn, Daphne possesses an understanding of music at least instinctively. While she may not be able to read music or have a huge learned understanding of Musical Science and Theory, she’s naturally gifted musically, at least.  Linguistic Intelligence: Daphne’s a people-person. She’s very charming and knows how to use her words to influence people; get them to trust her; comfort them, etc. She’s canonically a journalist and news reporter, and as such has to be either on air on short-notice, or constantly writing pieces to air. Therefore, while she might not be a Poet Laureate, she has a way with words.  Bodily-Kinesthetic: I head-canon that part of the reason Daphne was so clumsy was a sort of... over-awareness of her body growing up (among also other things, mentioned below). Also, with it constantly growing and changing, Daphne wasn’t always comfortable in it, even if she appeared to be. As a result, it’s not until she’s older and able to receive training that she really feels super comfortable and at ease moving around and defending herself. That being said, she did also receive poise and etiquette training in her youth, so she does have a natural-born grace that just can’t be faked. 

And to address the elephant in the room since I said Daphne could be very adept at using her body to her advantage: Yes, my Daphne is clumsy and very  much danger-prone, but I don’t think it’s because she lacks grace (though she sometimes does, hello, Abracadabra Doo) –– I think it’s because she lacks an awareness of her surroundings a lot of the times. It’s what makes her a pretty reckless driver –– she’s aware only of herself and her friends, and her goals, and not necessarily that loose floorboard in front of her. 

Finally, let’s also not forget that Daphne has something else that makes her a key facet of Mystery Inc –– something that all the members also have, but Daphne in spades: creativity. Daphne is able to think outside of the box. She affords people the benefit of the doubt, she is able to suspend disbelief at times when other’s wouldn’t. In a practical sense, she’s also about to use that creativity to get the gang out of tough situations (such as when she used a pore strip to unlock a fingerprint ID in Monsters Unleashed)! I think this is actually part of the reason her and Fred are so shippable –– in this regard, they’re both very, very creative. 

So, to summarize. Daphne is super smart and awesome. 

UPDATED: 22.07.21

[him-e]

Could you give some recommendations of TV shows that are, in your opinion, good/interesting/fun to watch/etc.? They can be recent or older ones, and pretty much of any genre (also, the more recommendations, the better).

disclaimer: I haven’t been in the *right* mood to really get into anything for a LONG WHILE, so my feelings about tv and movies at the moment exist in a spectrum that goes from “ok I guess” to “this somehow sucks even more than my life does and I want to crawl into a hole and rot in it”. So don’t expect lots of flailing and squeeing, lol. THAT SAID, I’m going to focus on the stuff I’ve seen recently:

bridgerton. mildly fun. very cw-ish but with occasional sexplosions. a mix between reign and gossip girl set in regency era. no mr darcy equivalent, unfortunately (the duke of hastings is 100% a chad). also don’t expect historical accuracy or anything like actual jane austen vibes. the main couple is quite shippable and has some decent banter and slow burn until it suddenly escalates into marriage and the sexplosion I mentioned above. the best part, though, is that i’m apparently shipping in*cest again 

the undoing. nicole kidman is married to hugh grant, who is, shockingly, an asshole. but before you think “typecasting”, more on the creepy than pathetic side. the mystery is kinda underwhelming imo bc it leads you to think there’s much to the story than what you originally thought, but no, it really is that simple.

the crown. what can i say? very well written and acted. It’s also super slow and analytical, and can be occasionally boring, if you’re not in the mood. I’m being super slow at catching up because I’m watching it with my mother, and I’m still at season 3 and feeling inappropriately (but also predictably) sympathetic towards Charles (but I’m looking forward to the Diana episodes). This is also a good show if you wanna play “drink every time you recognize a Game of Thrones/Being Human/*insert iconic franchise starring predominantly british folks* actor”. Speaking of royals...

the queen’s gambit. 10/10. Singlehandedly cured my depression for a week. absolutely perfect in every aspect (almost---the lack of a main romance with HEA was a bit of a bummer, but there’s shipping material nonetheless): only one season, “strong” heroine in the sense that she’s a character with an actual PERSONALITY who falls and has genuine flaws and---despite being “inexplicably” a genius (the show gives the context of how she learns to play chess but doesn’t go out of its way to *justify* her talent or how she managed to pulverize guys older and better trained than her)---falls, and loses, sometimes badly, actually at one point slips into a pit of depression and self destruction but only to eventually rise again. I also somehow didn’t come out of this show hating the entire male gender any more than I already do, even though it’s a story about a woman in a male-dominated field who often has to face sexism and patronising attitudes from her peers. but almost everyone she meets is, actually, a quite decent guy? even those who initially challenge her or treat her condescendingly. It’s also a lesson about writing stories with very definite ANTAGONISTS who, however, are NOT villains (but obviously this wouldn’t work for every genre, this one is a fairytale-ish coming of age, a female power fantasy set in the real world, it actually reminded me of 80′s spokon/shoujo anime like Attacker You) 

a discovery of witches. I’ve seen only season one so far, and let me say I didn’t expect a main romance between a VAMPIRE and a WITCH to be such a SNOOZEFEST. dear god. I swear they’re giving me Bill/Sookie vibes (and I like Matthew Goode). but aside from this, it’s sorta watchable, and there’s an *evil* finnish witch who’s in a sorta kinda enemies-to-friends dynamic with the protagonist

his dark materials. Still have to catch up on season 2 because I feel rather lukewarm about it. I haven’t read the books so I can’t tell if it’s a good adaptation or not. From what I can see, everything is in the right place to make it a good story, but somehow, I’m not vibing with it? Maybe I’m just too old to care about stories with child protagonists lol.

cursed. watch it for the weeping monk. YES he’s Medieval Kylo Ren.

the boys. pretty much the most FUN (and plot-heavy) shit I’ve seen recently, but also the only good take about marvel-style superheroes and their whole fake-deep, dishonest, intensely capitalistic rhetorics i can stomach anymore (beyond the on the nose parody and obvious--a bit insufferable actually--genre-subverting intent, try looking at Homelander & co. through the lens of this post). oh yeah I also ship Frenchie and Kimiko btw, which just proves how a mediocre show can become good, and a good show can turn into AMAZING if there’s something I can ship in it.

now quite out of character for me but here’s a couple Netflix rom com movie recs:

holidate. yeah I know christmas time is over but this somehow became my new comfort movie. Fake dating at its finest. Hot, fun, not insufferably cheesy, definitely not a Hallmark Xmas movie (you know those movies where as a set up the female protagonist breaks up with her long term fiance and she’s like, “oh.”, and proceeds to be sad for 0,5 seconds? This is not one of those), it’s an actual slow burn, and there’s a part where the heroine has a diarrhea emergency which a) is not played as a gross joke and b) somehow leads to hot, romantic sex??

leap year. a 2010 movie with Matthew Goode (who is sexier here than in vampire form) and Amy Adams, it’s a road trip in Ireland (!!!!) with a shitton of belligerent romantic tension and fanfic tropes, 10/10

[enduringsea]

( rules: you can usually tell a lot about a person by the kind of music they listen to! put your music on shuffle and list the first 10 songs, then tag 10 people! no skipping! ) / tagged by @yellowcrumpet​ ╭( ･ㅂ･)و )))

Thanks for the tag! I LOVE these things-- I don’t rlly have a playlist either though, just a mess of music files on a device I haven’t updated so I’ll be checking my YouTube history too lol. There’s a uhhh.... pattern to be found, mainly relating to Code Vein or other OCs.... which isn’t surprising ._. ;; I made it a separate post bc I knew this was going to get long and rambly with lyric snippets and crying about fictional characters, sorry :D

1. Repeat Until Death - Novo Amor don’t go / you’re half of me now / but i’m hardly stood proud / i said it, almost oh i’ve been low / but damn it i bet it don’t show / it was heaven a moment ago oh i can’t seem to let myself leave you / but i can’t breathe anymore This one gives me Loubeth vibes ok, partially bad end route ;-; While Elizabeth is a very strong person, her friends are the most prominent reason she tries to do anything at all & isn’t living day-to-day in a monotonous grind to survive without a solid purpose other than ‘help random ppl bc it’s the right thing to do’. If she loses them, it’d ruin her & hammers into her head how everything she’s ever done has been a failure. She suffered a major betrayal by her boss before the Collapse, she was unable to fully participate in proj. queen despite her incredible test results, she failed to defeat Cruz and take her blood during Operation Queenslayer, and if she fails to protect the people she’s finally found meaning with? She’d break down completely & destroy herself to save them. She’s always had some level of abandonment issues, and without her family around it’s so much worse, even if it isn’t the most obvious because she’s generally seen as very well put together-- I really can’t express how much it would hurt her to lose Louis, Yakumo, and the others. She’s just not one to show just how bad it can truly get for her mentally and emotionally-- she’s resilient as hell, she’s been through hell repeatedly and survived it all, so it’s easy for others to assume she’s fine all things considered. It makes her feel weak and ashamed of herself if she shows any level of vulnerability, so she doesn’t; she swallows it down and is afraid of disappointing those who look up to her as a fighter and friend-- of course, no one at Home Base would blame her for being vulnerable, they all have their moments, Bethy just sets herself to such a high standard it’s difficult for her to talk about her own suffering in spite of how well-versed she is in getting her thoughts and feelings across otherwise. Louis is the one most keen to how deeply she’s hurting, but he doesn’t understand just how deeply until she finally does fall apart. The final swell of the song and its desperate lyrics really relays the pain they both feel-- Louis too would not fare well if something happened to Elizabeth, because he blames himself she was even involved in Operation Queenslayer for a long time, I honestly did so bad in explaining coherently, this song just has so much emotion and hurt behind it adklfjdfdff </3

2. Looking Out For You - Joy Again this is a love song for a girl who will never know it’s about her she's beaming that smile / all the while i’m all tripped up on my own throat i guess there is no hope This song reminds me of Elizabeth & my friend’s character Takashi Fujioka, who gets-- vERY...FRIENDZONED, for lack of a better word, by Elizabeth in his story, it’s really summed up best as tragic (;﹏;) Before the Collapse they were hitting it off, then the Collapse happened, they were separated, he lost his sisters, Mido happened, he was experimented on + became a revenant, etc, etc; years have passed since then & she’s gotten her life together as much as one can in a world like Vein, but for Takashi it’s like no time has passed at all. Elizabeth is subtly older in appearance, she’s been working w Lou & Co. for a long time; Loubeth blatantly have a connection, & rather than bringing up his feelings + making it awkward bc he values their friendships, he just kinda. chokes on them & does his best to help out the team. It doesn’t help he can’t even be jealous bc Louis is a really solid friend to him too, IT’S JUST A MESS OF A SITUATION & the death of what could have been if things were different.

3. Closer - Teagan And Sara ( no lengthy explanation for this one thank goodness, I’ve just been watching BoJack Horseman again and I really like some of the songs they add in, I like listening to this one on loop when mindlessly coloring something )

4. Brutal - Olivia Rodrigo  all I did was try my best / this the kind of thanks I get? they say these are the golden years / but I wish I could disappear ego crush is so severe / god, it's brutal out here I have it on a playlist for Elizabeth somewhere, not all of it applies to her but it reflects some of her struggles she has both before & after the collapse. She’s-- always kind of been a mess while under immense pressure + has serious self image issues, this song hits that side of her well. She’s been held to humanly impossible standards by both herself and her family bc frankly? She can reach them, she’s NOT exactly human. She was born into her position as a hunter & intends to keep it for as long as she lives (like revenants, her kind is very much ‘either gets killed or lives 5ever), even if some days she really feels how heavy the burden can be. She didn’t have a normal childhood and she’s fine with it for the most part, but it alienates her from most of her peers-- she never got to date anyone, never had a close group of friends, never went to parties that weren’t formals, etc., while she feels a little childish about it, she does envy ‘normal’ and understands the pressure she’s lived under her entire life has caused damage-- she has been exploited for her abilities, there’s just not much she can do about it but to keep going, rlly.

5. Freaks - Surf Curse  don't kill me / just help me run away from everyone  i need a place to stay / where i can cover up my face don't cry / i am just a freak / i am just a freak UhhhHHH this song really makes me think of Oliver Collins :D;; thank TikTok for showing it to me. It makes me think of how scared he was, of both the world and the revenants who captured him. The song’s use of the word ‘parasites’ really makes me think of Revenants and the BOR parasites XD I’m hoping when I poke my video editor again, I can record some Oliver footage to make a short video to this song. Oliver deserves so much better, I wish you could save him, but that’s what AUs are for, hahah.... The second half of the lyrics make me think of the AU I have where he lives and has to grapple with the guilt of surviving and the things he did to other revenants to get by too.

6. All Eyes On Me - Bo Burnham you say the ocean’s rising / like i give a shit you say the whole world’s ending / honey it already did you’re not gonna slow it / heaven knows you tried got it? good / now get inside I haven’t seen the Netflix special yet but I’ve had this song on repeat since my move started. The lyrics hit too hard & resonate with my existential dread, covid exhaustion, and extreme burnout in my 20s, but bc I have Damage I can also relate it to CV ._. ‘you’re not gonna slow it, heaven knows you tried. got it? good now get inside’ makes me think of--;; the bad end route again, and Elizabeth’s desperation to keep her found family together. It’s not like her to completely stop caring about an issue, but in the moment she realizes what’s being taken from her? She doesn’t want to save all of revenant-kind if it means she’s going to wind up alone all over again, her world is effectively over if she’s forced to be alone again. The MC frenzying means the only immediately identifiable hope she had of saving everyone else is gone, so why not just go home? If they’re all doomed, she wants to at least be together for a little while longer, it’s fine if they use her blood to survive & everyone else in the mist is out of luck, it’s soul-crushing bc I’ve never had her in a situation where she’s been this reckless, despondent/hopeless, and thinking irrationally where it’d impact more than herself-- especially when she’s normally goal-oriented, organized, meticulous, so on so forth: she’s not one to act without thinking something through first, but that last breath of light just got sucker-punched out of her. All she wants is home, comfort, and family, and ultimately in the bad end route she does manage to preserve their lives, maintain the mist, and supply blood beads, but her own condition leaves her on the throne-- it’s a mix of the bad, neutral, and true ending rlly ldkfjdf BUT YEAH enough rambling on that :D;; This song’s really good and touches a lot of different thoughts and ideas both in real life and my ocs, kind of embarrassing--;; thank u bo burnham for ruining me with this beautiful song

7. Yellow - Coldplay look at the stars / look how they shine for you / and everything you do your skin / oh yeah, your skin and bones / turn in to something beautiful do you know / for you I'd bleed myself dry Does this song make me think about JackEva? Yes. Yes it does. Star / night sky symbolism? Bam. Sappy lyrics about love and finding the person you’re with absolutely mesmerizing and worth dying for? BAM. If JackEva were capable of using their own blood to save each other, I can see it-- hJNGn they just care about each other so much, Jack cries for her even though they both knew that eventually one of them would succumb to their duty, and if the roles were reversed I can see Eva doing the same, I adore them beyond human language. On my CV RP blog, my Jack’s not shippable bc-- Eva, my friend even have them looking after his nephew (an oc--) at one point. I should seriously drop some headcanons down eventually....

8. Louder Than Thunder - The Devil Wears Prada  are we meant to be empty-handed? / i know i could, i could be better i don't think i deserve it / selflessness, find your way into my heart all stars could be brighter / all hearts could be warmer 

LMFAO throwback to my middle school playlist, I’m old-- I’ve applied this song to a lot of things back in the day, but I really connect it to Loubeth now, especially Louis. Lou & Bethy are both functional idiots who are too hard on themselves & have trouble recognizing their worth beyond what they can do for others. They’re trying to be better-- to make up for what they perceived wrongs they’ve done, but it’s hard, they don’t believe they’re worthy of the love and support the other gives, but they still yearn for that sense of security. After Louis’ memories are returned, he finally understands the guilt he’s felt since he became a revenant and it really skews his self-perception; he blames himself for so many things & Elizabeth, who has always been able to kill when necessary, sets it straight-- “It’s not your fault”, and it takes Louis some time to properly absorb that message. He thinks she’s just trying to comfort him, which she is tbh, but she’s not wrong: “It’s not your fault you couldn’t kill someone. It was never your job to kill anyone.” It’s up to people like her to do those sort of things-- Elizabeth may not have been present when Cruz frenzied, but if she had been? It would have been over before it started, that’s something she has regrets over, even if nothing could have been done since she was already on the field. Actually, she’s actually really quite angry that security failed to monitor Cruz properly and has a few select words for the ones there who could have actually done something before it got out of hand-- civilians and doctors are exempt from her shtlist bc they’re not meant to be killers (so don’t worry Artorias, she’s not ready to bite your head off!), but they had to have some kinda security detail rite o-q??? They’re probably hiding from her wrath-- BUT ANYWAY, she insists she’ll never blame Louis for not being able to do something as serious as killing another person. He was a normal human being who cared about his friend, not a failure, and he couldn’t have been expected to do something that shouldn’t have fallen on his shoulders in the first place. As many times as it takes, she’ll reaffirm that it wasn’t his fault, she’s not angry, he’s always done his best and her opinion of him hasn’t changed. He’s a good person and she loves him through all the hurt, though she doesn’t drop the word ‘love’ for a long time. It just-- takes Louis a while to accept she views him as someone worthy of the love and respect she has for him. It’s kind of ironic she’s so adamant on Louis not blaming himself considering she’s the one privately blaming herself for-- wow there’s too much to unpack, she feels guilty she was even born?? im so broken over these two. I love them and yet they SUFFER... 

9. What I’ve Done - Linkin Park i'll face myself / to cross out what i’ve become erase myself / and let go of what i’ve done today this ends / i'm forgiving what i’ve done

I have Louis Amamiya brainrot and I’m so glad I’m not the only one who thinks that this song fits him super well & it needs to become an AMV dsjfkldsfd. I’m a near life-long Linkin Park fan and this fits with Lou so well thematically. As much as I’ve gone on about Louis’ guilt, he does steel himself to keep going forward in spite of it and make things right, for everyone. Maybe it wasn’t really his fault, but at the end of the day his inability to kill Cruz in that moment left a disaster in its wake that got a countless number of people killed-- the MC included with Karen and Aurora. He doesn’t want to run away from the truth, doesn’t want to make excuses, he wants to take responsibility for it and he’ll work himself to death if it means things will be better-- it’s both admirable he’s got a strong resolve and VERY concerning with how willing he is to die for the cause, please don’t overdo it, Lou, you’ll break mine and Bethy’s hearts ._.;; It won’t always be easy, there are moments the grief gnaws at him, but in the end he does overcome it (and uh. as in the bad ending, we know he can actually do it this time). I know we can’t see everything, but I would have loved deeper character interactions, especially with Louis with an emphasis on grieving + forgiving himself properly-- but this song really is nice with the whole ‘I’m going to face my mistakes head on, forgive myself, and keep moving forward’. It’s what Louis deserves: self forgiveness and a damn break ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

10. Call of Silence - Hiroyuki Sawano you will know you're reborn tonight / must be rough but i’ll stay by your side even if my body's bleached to the bones / i don't want go through that ever again so cry no more / oh my beloved ngl idk if those are the correct lyrics, buuuuuuut....... im a weenie and am internally weeping abt loubeth after midnight, what else is new lmfao- i’ll at least try to be brief :D I also used to really like Attack on Titan when I was in high school, I dropped the anime years ago because I was waiting for s2 and never got back to it once it started airing again, I thought I’d finish it once the anime was complete since I eventually caught up with the manga, such a good series BUT ANYWAY-- I think it’s a really pretty song and Loubeth fit with the tender lyrics. IT’S LATE, idk what to say about them other than what I’ve said already dsklfjdslf im sorry I really ramble a LOT and I’ve been so busy lately I haven’t had the chance to >w>;;

[maih-em]

Endeavour Fandom Meme tagged by @bryndeavour and @petersjakes thank u!

Top 5 Episodes

Pilot will always have a special place in my heart. Fugue is just Very Good and one that I’ll often turn to if I want to watch an episode. Nocturne – idk why this one’s on the list but I just really like it? I can’t really pinpoint any particular reason but I really vibe with the aesthetic. Canticle is great for so many reasons it has a good aesthetic and I love nick wilding. Deguello is just so satisfying??? As a conclusion not only to the whole of series 6 but series 5 as well, it really gets me – all of them coming together at the end after drifting apart in various directions all series? THAT’S exactly what I want TV to make me feel.

And also, Icarus needs a shoutout for being the only piece of TV that’s ever made me properly cry. Like I was sobbing for at LEAST half an hour props to Russell Lewis for making me feel An Emotion. & Neverland because I love it but I can’t rewatch it bc it’s too stressful

EDIT: idk why i immediately discounted neverland & icarus from the list for being to sad? like yeah i’d die if i rewatched it but neverland is great and the peter jakes character development is Important

Seasons in Order of Preference (or tops)

S3, S1, S4, S6, S5, S2, S7. This was so hard to do bc I like all of them? Like I don’t hate S2 AT ALL, but I just couldn’t put it in front of S5&6 because they have such good underlying plot. S3 and S1 have the most episodes that I gravitate to, and S4 idk it has great vibes although Harvest is a really unsatisfying ending. And I don’t specifically dislike S7, but the individual episodes are too intertwined to enjoy them individually which is something I prefer in a series. Also, it’s way too stressful.

Favourite Scene(s)

100% the end of Deguello as I said above. And Arcadia with Morse and Jakes in the mineshaft. Also in S6 when Box is being a dick to Joan and then Thursday comes up and introduces her as his daughter and Box shits bricks -- POETIC CINEMA.

EDIT: also i’ve just remembered when box is parked on a double yellow and trewlove says they’re going to stand out like a couple of spare pricks and george just smILES AT HER hhhhh

I have to say for bisexual reasons: the kiss scene at the end of Raga is just *chef’s kiss* and also Morse and Nick in Canticle in the enchanted place or whatever it was called and the almost-kiss in the pilot with Rosalind calloway.

Favourite Musical Piece or Moment

I have to say Jennifer Sometimes because it genuinely SLAPS. Like I have it on my Spotify for actual non-endeavour-related reasons, it’s just such a tune.

Also, the theme tune. It makes me FEEL THINGS. And I associate it with all the emotions I feel at the end of an episode because obvs it comes in at the end, so I feel like everything I feel about the show as a whole is tied up in that music???

Favourite Cinematography/Imagery (season, ep, whatever)

Anything that’s sunny and summery – immediately what comes to mind is Canticle, Arcadia and Harvest. I’m probably slightly misremembering them but in my head they’re just warm and golden and lens flares and sunshine the vibes are just immaculate.

Favourite Ensemble Character that isn't Morse

You mean I have to CHOOSE?? I have to say Peter Jakes but that’s mainly because I write him so often I think. Like I absolutely ADORE him but mainly the version of him in fanfics. If I took jakes out of the equation, I’d pick either Frazil or Bright? Bright just has such good vibes and especially in s6&7 and Frazil is an ICON.

Favourite One-episode Character

Automatically I want to say nick wilding but that’s 95% just because he’s really fucking fit. I quite like the vicar in Girl and also Anthony Donn (but only because I love Sam Barnett)

Favourite Morse Look (season, ep, whatever)

S3 is my favourite hair because it’s messier. In terms of a whole look either his red jumper in Ride or any of the casual decorating outfits he wears in S7. And the uniform in S6.

Biggest Disappointment

This is a common opinion but all the women are treated like shit and I don’t vibe with it. I was starting to plan a fic recently and I made a list of characters who don’t get a super big role in the show who I wanted to specifically use more because I love them and then I realised literally all of them are women? Yikes. Joan is treated like shit, Monica is treated like shit, Frazil is an icon but 90% of her interactions are just to further Morse’s development, Violetta again is only there for the sake of Morse, and Trewlove is side-lined so much too (I read in an interview somewhere that Dakota blue Richards actually had to press at some points to get Trewlove a more valuable role in the plot so I don’t even want to know how invisible they made her in the original script).

Also, it could be gayer. Like that’s just bc I’m gay, but I just want some rep that’s more than 2 or 3 off-screen gays/lesbians. I get it’s the 60s, but other shows manage it it’s not that hard to make one (1) rounded LGBT character in a loving relationship.

Provide some Spicy Takes (on canon, fandom, anything)

This is not spicy at ALL, but I love how shippable literally any character is. Morse and someone he met briefly in one episode? Yep. Two people who would completely hate each other in the canon? Go for it. Two characters who’ve never met? Sure why not? Morse has absolutely slept with all of his friends.

Oh and Jim is the rat king.

Free Space! (Make up something - anything - you want to share or say)

Fancy and Box are boyfriends.

(I’m currently writing a camping trip fic for them which I’ll probs post today or tomorrow. Also Lewis Peek recently tweeted that he wants to dye his hair blue and now I’m so tempted to have Box dye George’s hair blue)

I’m going to tag @eau1636 @booking--it @parvasilvi @dragonslover98 @dangerously-human and anyone else who wants to!

[hithelleth]

Ship history meme

Embrace your past and get to know your friends’ fandom origins!

Rules: Post gifs of your fandoms / ships starting with your most current hyperfixation and work backwards. (Bonus points if you share any stories about how or when you got into that ship! But not necessary!!) Then tag anyone whose fandom history you’d like to learn about!

I was tagged by @jadedbirch - thank you! <3

Under the cut, because my history of shipping, or multishipping (because you know me, but I only put in gifs of single ships, b/c tumblr gif inserting function hates me), is a bit long even with only hyperfixations.

1. Victoria Hughes/Lucas Ripley (Station 19)

Ah, yes, I’m back in this hellhole, rereading fanfic, because Grey’s & 19 are back and easy to watch legally without jumping through hoops and I know I’d said I wouldn’t but then I was bored and now I have all these feels again. (I’ll say a few things on it in a separate post when the season’s done in three eps.)

Anyway, this one slammed into me last spring out of the blue, but how could I not ship it when it checks all the right points? 

2. Garcia Flynn/Lucy Preston (Timeless)

Another Kripke show, and third time being the charmed, Kripke and co. actually learned from their past mishaps and actually made a good show (except the finale, but what finale? I don’t know it.)

So, there’s this tall, dark, brood, and bad (or maybe not) and lil’ miss goody two shoes (or maybe not) who get each other, what’s not to ship?

3. Bellamy Blake/Roan (The 100)

(No gif, b/c it’s a minuscule ships with maybe 5 gis and tumblr is a bitch, nothing shows up in search and apparently now you can’t save & reupload gifs - which is a good thing, finally, should’ve done it sooner.)

Oh, boys! My boys. I love(d) them so much. The last ship I have written extensively for - even the most extensively after Revolution (I, mean I only published one short oneshot, but the 35K monsterfic that is 3/4 done is still there in my drafts and I still think about it and them, because dammnit.)

Also very good with Clarke thrown in, or just Roan and Clarke (which I also managed to publish a fic for and kudoses that still come on the regular keep my writing heart at least hibernating and warm - here’s to hoping it wakes up from hibernation one day and I can write again.)

4. Shelby Wyatt/the Haases (Quantico)

Yes, all of them. Even Claire, because why not. And I’m sure if they had had the sister on the show, I’d have shipped her with her, too. 

(I mean, I’d say I only shipped Shelby separately with each of them and I didn’t think of also poly shipping them, but that would be a lie and hardly the worst thing I’ve ever thought of shipping.

I hardly said anything about it on here because that was the peak of Moral Purity Wars time on here and Shelby was wildly hated across fandom, ugh, so I jsut squealed a lot inwardly. 

5. Grant Ward/Leo Fitz & Jemma Simmons/Sunil Bakshi (Agents of Shield)

Ugh, then there was this shitshow I loathe. But for a while there, there were good things. And now we’re really getting into my multishipping tendencies. 

I started with Fitzward, surfed Skyeward, and then hurled straight into Bakshi/Simmons, also managed to write a ton of fic for the first and the last, but none for the middle. 

(That was also the era when I was into highly questionable stuff, like I may or may not have half a notebook of a Ward/Simmons/Rumlow fic somewhere, oops. But I have no regrets, so we understand each other. And that isn’t the worst thing that’s ever come across my shippery imagination, either.)

6. CM2 or Charlie/Miles/Bass (Revolution)

(gif mine)

The best fandom had the best ships! 

Who even got me into this show? It may even have been @lglorien​ who mentioned the new Kripke show when we were both binging SPN that summer. And then she didn’t even watch all of it and left me to suffer on my own. 

Well, not on my own, because I found the best fandom along the way, so yay!

Anyway.

If you think knowing Miles was Charlie’s uncle stopped from shipping them from the moment she stepped in The Grand in the pilot and he was an asshole to her, you don’t know me. Then Miloe flashbacks happened in ep. 3. And I simultaneously started shipping that and noticed Charlie and Bass have things in common (mainly, Miles being an asshole to them, as it turned out later.)

But there were so many other good ships (Jeremy x everyone, yes?) and some random minor ones, including one or two of only my own concoction. 

And nobody hated anyone for shipping. The best of times, really. 

7. Elijah Mikaelson x everyone (TVD/TO)

Elijah is very shippable with anyone, but Elijah/Elena - there’s a lady who’s not on tumblr anymore (Hazel) that got me into this, and Elijah/Elena/Klaus - the fault of Sandrine_Shaw on AO3′s fics - were on top of my faves (and still are, TBH.) 

You know, when itsy bitsy vulnerable human dares (the nerve! negotiate with a big bad original? Elijah was impressed. And so was I. The rest was history. 

And for the second, well, when the two Original dumbasses keep falling for the same version of one woman, the solution is rather obvious. 

8. Dean Winchester/Sam Winchester & Dean Winchester/Castiel (SPN)

Yes, I was a Wincest shipper, that shouldn't surprise anyone. Because the early seasons had their charm. And then Cas showed up and jumped onto a Destiel bandwagon as well. So, yeah. 

9.  Buffy Summer/Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) 

There were a few years when I had to much work and studying to watch things, so now this trip into shipping history brings us to early 2000s/1990s. 

I liked Buffy/Angel well enough, but Buffy/Spike was it! I mean, he went to get his soul back for her. That scene when he’s hugging the cross haunts me to this day. Enough said. 

10.  Harmon Rabb Jr./Sarah MacKenzie (JAG)

Oh, god, Harm and Mac! Ship of all ships. The show tried to throw three different women at him and the third stuck. And we had to go through 8 seasons of slowburn then. A+++++

And, um, yes I shipped Mac with Webb for a while, too, because it’s me. 

But yeah. As far as I’m concerned Harm and Mac are happily married and managing their careers and NCIS: LA can bite me with their BS in last season finale. . 

11. Xena/Gabrielle (Xena: Warrior Princess)

Back when my very catholic grandma watched Xena and Hercules with me and also shipped Xena/Gabrielle, because ‘sometimes girls like girls, it’s nice’. Good times. 

I also crosshiped her with Herc, a bit. and definitely had a thing for Xena/Ares. Yep, my ship type started showing early. 

***

I’ll stop here.

Obviously, there have been a lot of other ships, but I tried to stick with the major fixations, otherwise we’d be here all week. (I haven’t even mentioned Marvel, or for that matter, books, so many books.)

Tagging: @lglorien, of course, @eveningspirit​, @wellwhataboutme​, @bea2me​, @stargazerdaisy​, @vesperass-anuna​, @elemenopew​, and anyone else who wants to do it, my mind is drawing blank, forgive me. And, as always, feel free to ignore.

Anyway, this took a lot of work, but it was satisfying. What a trip down the memory lane! So many feels!

[randomkposts]

The crack twilight shipping conversation

E :-"I took care of those girls who spread rumors about you"

"What girls?"

"Not important "

I have back flashes of this kid and I'm like yo she scares me.

K : Jane is terrifying. Just not in the same way to Bella as she is to others.

"We are going to Yellowknife, so you can see the northern lights at this time of year! They are glorious! This guy has agreed to fly us."

"Jane, I don't- wait, why is he shaking"

"Juicebox is also excited to see the northern lights"

Shaking man: "Absolutely ecstatic"

"I made sure that all the warm clothing fits your size! It's even real fur! "

Crack twilight ships

K - E, Crack AU, where Jane is the one who imprints on Bella, going after James for crime, and Bella has to deal with the insane situation of "I think I was kidnapped by a child, and the child is trying to woo me."

Except Jane's Idea of wooing is terrifying and surreal, and has some pretty bizarre stuff to try to impress her.

"Jane-"

"But let's double check!"

E -OMG

K :-”Jane, why do you always give people such strange nicknames? Quickmunch, O delicious, lunchmeat, mosquito bait, and now juicebox?

Except for Jaccob, who you just called stinky

Why do you call him that?

-Because he just is

He doesn't smell any worse than any other athletic teenage boy. You haven't even seen him since he got sick.

Hey, does she have a nickname for Bella, you think?

E -Jacobs sweating furiously at all these vampires

K -It's because he's a wolfy shapeshifter, but for story purposes, Jane has no Idea, just that she hates Bella's childhood friend.

Alec, who is back in Voltera, but Jane talks on the phone too, assumes she's being possessive of who Bella spends time with, and views him as a rival.

He tells her that.

E - The fact he face times this stuff. Supportive bro vampire.

K - Don't kill the rival Jane. Bella will be crying, and you don't want to spend time with her mourning. Maybe take her on a trip, and get some personal time

E -She does, but also scares ppl to give them cool shite.

K -I had a crack thought once, where I thought what's the randomest most out there mates I can give vampires. , where Jane's mate was a random old man that she met in the food chamber, was like ,"wait don't kill him!" It became quite a debate.

Alec's, on the other hand, was a toddler he met on a job, where a lady had been vampired, and had bad control.  The kid wasn't even related to the target, just on a walk in a bad place and time. He can't get the face out of his head.

Neither of them are decided on who has it worse.

But Bella being shippable with almost any vampire in the series has way more potential for comedy.

Still, question, does Bella ever come to return the affection?

Edward is hundreds of years older than her, but looks roughly around her age. Staying beautiful, and around his age was something Bella found important to her in their relationship.

Jane, for all she is also centuries older than Bella, can not easily be mistaken for a young adult. Admittedly it could be claimed, possibly by dwarfism, but given that  physical appearance is important to Bella, and plays a part in her affections to other people, how would that play into any potential relationship with Jane?

K - God, weird how what starts as crack, leads me to wonder about real questions.

If that random old man is in fact Jane's soulmate in the crack mate's verse, should she take her mate in the form she finds him, or eat him and hope he reincarnates. Is there only one possible match, or are there potential matches walking around that finalize when conditions are met? Is the old man, at his age, fit to be a mate to a centuries old vampire of a young body? What if he's amnesic. How would that translate to vampirism?

Should Alec keep tabs on the toddler who could be his mate, or let them go and hope for another chance encounter?

E -Probably yes, even though you are aware she is older than you, she is mature maybe *I debate on that due to they stay in that state forever* but you can't get over the fact that is a child's body

K -If Alec chose to keep tabs, when would be the time to reintroduce himself? And how?

E - I say let them go, cause this is a bit too close with the Renesmee and Jacob kind of thing

Hmmm I say reincarnation is kinder?

K-Is reincarnation even real, or a hope?

How would you find them?

E -They have vampires, werewolves and shit, but does reincarnation really draw the line?

First off how did they even know they were mates?

K -It is, though I can't see Alec child napping the toddler, and raising them himself

Some voice in their head screams "Mine!"

Edwards was just weird, because he thought his voice meant " my meal"

E -Bwhahaha

Oh God Eddy

K -The Cullens are unusual in that they turn people in life threatening situations.

Still,Carslie and Esmae certinally had some affection between them, before she commited suicide.

Why did Rosaline get Emmet turned again?

Beyond the bear wound, I mean?

She doesn't seem the type to go out of her way to do something like that for just anyone.

Maybe it was blurred by the blood, and the need for control, but something about him called out to her, I think.

"Rosalie confessed to Bella that she saved Emmett from dying because of his innocent look, dimples, and curly hair that reminded her of her best friend Vera's child, Henry, and that ever since the day she saw the baby she always wanted a child of her own just like him."

Somehow, I doubt she looked much at the appearance of someone covered in blood. She is trying to resist killing after afromented bear mauling.

That sounds like a post rescue justification.

E - True. Always wondered about that.

K - Anyway, I think he might just send Gianna, or something to guard the kid for a bit, if he decided to keep tabs. Gianna is just glad to be temporarily spared, and hopes that job success may mean Alec turns her into a vampire, or at the least, doesn't kill her.

E -Shot, i would make sure that kid have the best life ever if that means he doesn't kill me

K - But anyways, to a vampire who is not rescuing a human from a dangerous situation, or abstaining in general, sometimes they get a sense of "Mine!" About humans they see.

Jane, as a member of Voltri, where mates are occasionally found like this, has heard, and does not question, and in fact jumps on the opportunity.

Her human smells delicious, and is resistant to her gift, and absolutely perfect. Now, how to not kill her, while making Jane the center of her world.

That kid has aunt Gianna, who is not really an aunt, but is... A family friend now, and full intent to make the kid happy.

Gianna is a dead secretary as of Breaking Dawn, I think, But Alec has a need for the human, so he can borrow her.

She's well aware of her morality, at this point.

Also, get rid of that James guy, who found Bella while she was hiking in the woods, in this verse.

E - Yeah lets get rid of him!

Honestly the image of a grown asa man getting his ass handed to him by some 12 year old cracks me up.

K -While Bella might find inclination to view Jane romantically, possibly, sexual orientation may be an issue for her.

In cannon, Bella had the higher sex drive then Edward, and would have prefered that to marriage, indicating she may have a higher sex drive then romantic inclination.

Book Bella didn't show much interest in women, and I don't know what way she swings in this AU, but either way, that Jane has the body of a child would probably complicate things in that aspect.

Would Bella be exploring cross orientation here, or having a crisis for her finding a sex drive for someone who's body is closer to a childs then an adults?

Both would be complex issues.

-It does!First she takes him out with mental fire, then she fights and tears him up, in hopes of impressing her would (will) be  mate!

E -Crisis at the sex drive, cause again kids body, and I'd be hella creeped out. And orientation since I haven't seen her show much interest in woman so that's a lot of issues for her to start on

"And here we see the alpha female show her dominance by obliterating the high male in order to impress her mate"

K - Its kind of weird to even talk about it, yes.

But it would come up in this context

Bella herself, would probably be creeped out

Jane, might be less so, due to being centuries older than her, and living in a different time with different marriage standards

E - Bella is like "oh honey no, that's. ..no"

K -Jane was born in England around 800 A.D, the daughter of an Anglo-Saxon woman and a Frankish soldier.

She was 12-13 when transformed.

Let's bump it up to 13, because while both are far too young for being burned at the stake, 13 is slightly more

----

Was reading this

----

"Contrary to Victorian beliefs that pale, delicate women were the most attractive, Brown says that actually, muscles are key. It's the earliest known example of #fitspiration:

"All women would be healthier and none the less beautiful if they possessed firm muscles and strong limbs; this scarcely any one could controvert."

Even if she wants to consign herself to a life of singledom: "And if a girl never intends to marry she should be none the less mindful of her health."

Brown explains that women are often less inclined to discuss sensitive maladies than their male counterparts. But that's wrong.

"Young women should learn that to neglect disease is to create more," he stresses.

"Secondly, they should appreciate the fact that, though they may get very little sympathy from either the other sex or their own, there is no execuse for not taking their complaint boldly and sensibly to that quarter made for them, namely, their doctor."

---

And this guy sounds kind of radical for the time, and possibly today even, for some, but why does that last line still feel relevant to today's attitude of women's health.