#and again and I can't emphasize this enough: why is this the thing about 'canon' that is so worth keeping?

[writerfae]

So I read The brooch from the possible future au (this is why it was on my mind when you made that post about Cyrus) and I loved it😭 It hurt, but it was also heartfelt and beautiful and I got really emotional from it so sorry in advance if this rant sounds a little silly.

It was somehow so comforting despite being so tragic.

First of all at the beginning they're just sitting there, being content❤️ (you know I love characters just sitting around (or if you didn't, now you do!)

"Sometimes Aiden still couldn’t believe that this was real. That this was his. He never wanted Talon to stop looking at him like that. "

This says exactly what needs to be said!

Also, I love how much Talon's smiling in this (in the beggining of it)

"Too valuable for someone like me, he thought, but didn’t say it, because he knew Talon didn’t like it when he talked like this."

I don't like it when you talk like this! But it's so cute because it implies that Talon and Aiden did have talks about this!

"Wherever you are, my heart is with you"❤️😭

Now, you probably expect me to scream at you for the second part, but I won't because like I said it is somehow still heartwarming for me.

See, now I want to start quoting again, but then I'd put nearly the whole thing here, so I'll say this:

Every word describes the whole situation so perfectly. It feels like there's not a word out of place, like they are all emphasizing a point that I think isn't really the tragedy, but the love they have for each other.

I also love how much affection Talon is initiating here, trying to comfort both of them.

The fact that Aiden tries to give back the brooch. The fact that Talon doesn't let him, and that THIS comforts Aiden somewhat.

But I do have to quote my favorite part!

"A small sob escaped him as Aiden held out a small object to him, hands trembling. “I think… I think you might want it back. Give it to… give it to her.”

And the last part... it was so hard seeing Aiden like that so I won't go into much detail here. He reminded me of Milan a little.

And if you'll indulge me I would like to go on a little rant about my story and angst:

I don't know if I emphasize this enough but I NEED you to know this:

All the (canon) Ákos angst comes with the inevitable end of Ákos ending up all right. With someone comforting him, helping him, or him realizing that it's okay. Otherwise, I wouldn't do it to him.

You see, the thing is that Ákos is an incredibly strong person. More importantly he has people around him to support him (his parents and siblings).

The reason I talk so much about post story Ákos angst is because aside from those small things that fade with time Ákos goes back to being normal and happy!

He goes back to following Endre around everywhere.

He goes back to exploring the castle a houndred times with Moss.

He goes back to reading in Adél's room.

And when he's not able to do something that he used to be able to do, when he's scared, there's always someone to help him through it.

There's this moment in this holiday special thing (THAT I SWEAR I'LL BE SO SAD IF I CAN'T WRITE THIS YEAR) where they're walking in the winter woods and he wants to run off and look around, but he's a little scared, and Adél notices and follows two steps behind him so he doesn't have to worry. And then, after a while, he doesn't enen need Adél to do this.

Whenever he's having a problem, there's always at least one of his siblings to swoop in and help.

And like I said he's not always having problems!

Also this goes without saying but he will realize that it wasn't his fault.

Most importantly Ákos didn't lose his curiosity which in my opinion would have been the most tragic thing that could have happened (it happens in the villain Adél au). Sure he becomes a little more cautious (especially at first) but no less confident.

I might have mentioned this already but Ákos has always been interested in the Black swamp. And he didn't let what happened to him ruin this.

When he grows up, he will (probably, the specifics of this may change) research history with a special emphasis on the Black swamp, and he'll love it.

Ákos took this horrible experience that he had and made something positive out of it. Something that interests him, something that makes him happy (that down the line even ends up helping others).

Ákos' strength comes from two places:

One is that that's just what he's like

But more importantly because he was influenced by each of his siblings. He has a little bit of each of them in him, plus his own stuff!❤️

I hope you didn't mind this little rant🙈 I was just hoping that knowing this about Ákos gives you at least some fuzziness even if it is bittersweet like the ones I got from reading your short story.

I finally got around to answer this! Thanks so much for your patience 😌

I’m feeling really flattered that you liked The Brooch so much you wrote this ask!

Though I know the possible future au is a very painful one for us Taiden stans, it is really dear to me. And I loved writing this short story for it in particular! Both part one and two!

Part one really is mostly hurt, but it has lots of comfort in it too. I wanted to make the meaning of the brooch for both of them clear. I think I managed that quite well and to be honest, I did tear up a bit while writing the breakup part and the one where Aiden told Ash…

Also you’re not wrong, Aiden in the last bit is a bit like Milan, which is sad if you consider that it’s pretty much what Aiden always feared.

You’re always welcome to rant a little about your story to me!

You really don’t need to justify your Ákos angst to me. I know I complain about it (in a very fond way btw, never in the negative sense), but this is your story and you can do whatever you want! And don’t worry, I’m very aware that Ákos will be alright in the end. And I’m really glad about it ^^

And it’s great his siblings will help him through it all. That’s one of the best things about stories like yours!

(I’m very glad my boy Ákos will be alright in the end btw!)

[obimaulartfire]

Do you ever just...wake up and think about how Obi-wan was, for most of his life, Maul's reason to live?

Let me explain, and this is one of the main reasons I was drawn to ObiMaul in the first place. (long ramble below)

We're all aware of the events at the reactor fight, and it'd be an understatement to say it was a very hostile first encounter. But it's in the aftermath where the dynamic gets interesting.

Maul survived on his own, for years, with only his top half. As a former biology major, sometimes I think about how possible this would be in real life, if at all. It would be insanely uncomfortable at best, and impossible at worst. But through the excruciating pain, Maul survived, fueled purely by his intense hatred/obsession with Kenobi (and some star wars darkside magic, I'm sure).

Maul says this himself when first meeting Obi-wan again in season 4 of The Clone Wars:

"You would never imagine the depths I'd go to to stay alive, fueled by my singular hatred...for you."

Imagine being on the brink of death, with half of your circulatory system GONE, your heart beating irregularly, and your "lower half" being in constant pain, but still finding something to live for, and living...for YEARS. That's impressive. Hate-filled or not, it's hard to deny that for that time, thoughts of Obi-wan literally kept Maul alive for a decade.

Maul comes back to the series having been left for dead by Sidious, with spider legs he made himself, and no sense of time and a destroyed sense of sanity. Yet, he lives.

And additionally, revenge on Sidious is only second in his thoughts to his revenge on Obi-wan, even though Sidious is technically the one who left him for dead. Since Maul can't sit still, he did many other things during the Clone Wars in accordance with his own ambitions, likely to attempt to reclaim that part of his life that had been lost to Lotho Minor, but that's a tangent for another post.

He gets revenge on Obi-wan (I guess) by killing Satine, but even that isn't enough for him, as evidenced by the Satine hate shrine that we see in Rebels, when Ezra visits Maul's cave on Dathomir:

(on a side note, there is no sane heterosexual explanation for this^, I'm sorry/j)

Why would you keep a memento of someone you've killed? Why would you cross out their eyes? Maul didn't hate Satine that much, and it's my opinion that he did this because she was important to Obi-wan.

And that brings me to my next point: Rebels Maul

Y'all.... there's a reason the title of my blog is "Twin Suns Changed My Brain Chemistry", because I vaguely had feelings about these two in Clone Wars, but Rebels really cemented this dynamic for me.

I cannot emphasize enough that in Rebels, Maul thinks Obi-wan Kenobi is dead. Whether he got killed in Order 66 or when Vader and the Inquisitors started purging Force Users, there was maybe a .000001% chance that any Jedi, especially Obi-wan, would have survived that. And yet. When we enter Rebels, we find Maul on Malachor, stuck on the planet looking for the Sith holocron.

WHY is he trying to find the Sith holocron? In Maul's own words:

"As for me, I...seek something much simpler, yet equally elusive... Hope."

Hope? That surely isn't a Sith ideal. It's revealed later that the only reason Maul wants to combine these ancient artifacts is to learn whether or not Obi-wan Kenobi is alive. I shit you not.

This implies that Maul has had Hope that Obi-wan has been alive for what... 15 years? That's a long time. At this point, Maul may be like, 49 or 50. He has been fixated on Obi-wan for 30 years of his life. Thoughts of Obi-wan kept him going and going and going for 3/5ths of his life. Even when he thinks Obi-wan has died, he spends 15 years trying to find him, just hoping that he is alive. But for what?

It's unclear to me what Maul, in canon, really desires from Obi-wan. But one thing for sure is that Obi-wan acts as a...source of emotions for Maul. A source of feelings, and a reason to keep going through times that other characters would give up.

Other characters may have survived, but Maul lived because of Obi-wan. Through being bisected, the Clone Wars, being chased by Vader and the Inquisitors, and through periods of despair.

And before the end, he just wants to find his reason to live again, and dies in his arms.

[rosesradio]

So i read the ask you got about a mortal au and it got me thinking in a mortal au, what job would the seven plus nico and will have as adults in your opinion?

hm, the seven (+ nico & will) with jobs...inch resting

annabeth: the most obvious one, but architect. between designing olympus and going to that school mentioned in cotg, it seems like she's farther along in her career at 17 than i am at 21 (it's fine it's fine)

percy: i think percy would jump job to job, maybe working at a skate shop through college, then an aquarium tour guide, and then ultimately as a social worker. i've seen a lot of sweet headcanons on how he would want to help kids in rough situations that remind him of himself, and i whole-heartedly agree. (in the canon-verse, i also think he'd want to work close to camp, perhaps as a sword instructor part-time during the summer or something)

will: i can't emphasize enough how much i don't interact with will content...i have nothing against the guy lol (other than not being a solangelo fan, though that's not the fault of a fictional character), i just happen to not get into his character. that being said, i'm choosing the boring answer: doctor. specifically, a pediatric doctor, as i think he'd be really good with kids :-)

nico: this guy's unpredictable...either unemployed/Don't Ask Where He Got His Money From, a medium (guy that can commune with the dead, usually for grieving families), a freelance artist (in this economy??), or an english teacher who is every-now-&-then possesed to talk about The Nuances (just like me fr) (and again, in this economy??)

frank: zoologist... or archery coach?? [gunshots]

hazel: archeologist. depending on the mortal au's alteration of The Whole Being Dead Thing + her abilities aside, i think she would take an interest in studying history on site & through the earth

piper: why can i potentially see her as like an influencer lmaoo...but like a normal one, one that makes 45 minute long commentaries on some movie from 2004 that no one remembers, but it's so funny that people can't help but love it. i could also see her dabbling in fashion depending on her stances given the Not Like Other Girls of it all.

leo: again with the obvious, but a mechanic like his mom. i could see him making some new invention that rockets him into fame & fortune, or i could see him maintaining a comfortable living fixing things for his community. i also think he'd feature on piper's youtube channel lmao

jason: nepo baby [gunshots] uhh...this one is difficult. it's hard to say i think in part because richard himself didn't have a future planned for him. i think that he was primed for leadership for so long (whatever that may mean in a mortal au compared to that of canon), that in the event that he steps out of that space, he would feel like a fish out of water. that being said, i'm just thinking about those posts about how his fighting was underutilized in canon. i could see him being like a martial arts instructor, though he would work to approach his instructor role with kindness rather than the brutality of wolves his mortal upbringers

[illtakethatroad]

I'm not quite sure how to word this properly since I've been out of the writing game for a while but I'll try. So...hear me out.

I was letting my mind wander after seeing this picture and it's very foreboding. It's GREAT and it got the wheels in my head turning. (Now here's where I'm probably going to mess up something/everything because it's been YEARS since I've written anything Naruto related but...)

I've seen fics branch out and have Tobirama go forward in time since Flying Raijin is a space-time jutsu. So I'm thinking about it in a 'space and time' context and wondering if it's possible for him to jump forward while also moving to a different 'space,' so to speak. What if he takes or swaps out the place of a different reality's version of him? What if he lands in a universe where Madara won and succeeded in enacting the Eye of the Moon plan but without the whole Kaguya thing afterwards?

And then I got to thinking more on it, contemplating what other differences there could be. Which led to this universe's version of him and Madara meeting at the Naka River and became somewhat friends instead of how it turned out in Tobirama's timeline. At least getting friendly enough to the point to Madara, albeit subconsciously at the time, sees Tobirama as his even after the reveal of them being from opposing clans. Perhaps it was done by Hashirama because that's his little brother and the way Madara looks at him sometimes is unnerving. Whether or not it's the same as canon but with different players is up for debate because I'm only skimming the surface of this thought. Clearly, things didn't end well for them because, again, Infinite Tsukuyomi happened. But here's where things get interesting.

Madara, upon seeing him actually living instead of Edo Tensei'd, is all, "Oh, so you've finally decided to show up." And Tobirama is very confused because where is he? Why is there a giant tree with what looks like mummified bodies strung up? Why does Hashirama look like that when he saw him hale and hardy yesterday? On that note, why does Hashirama look absolutely terrified when he looks at Tobirama? And why does Madara sound so...pleased to see him when, ordinarily, he can't stand to be within ten feet of him? Madara, taking his moment of silence or a surprised, 'What?' as a means to continue, goes on to explain that he's seen this moment coming and has been waiting for it to happen for a very, very long time. And now that Tobirama's here with any type of resistance being futile at this point, as no one can stop Madara now, he makes it clear that Tobirama won't be escaping now and that Hashirama won't be able to stop him this time. He then tells Tobirama that he needn't worry as Madara doesn't plan on killing him. However, he needs him out of the way to finish what he's started before taking what's rightfully his.

And Tobirama makes the mistake of looking Madara in the face during this exchange and catches sight of the Rinnegan and starts to tip over like he going to fall because he's put in a Genjutsu/sleep-like state but Madara or Hashirama, I'm not sure at this point, catches him before he hits the ground but the last thing Tobirama sees is Hashirama looking so, so scared as he rushes towards him.

I know it's a jumbled mess of rambles but I want to emphasize the danger Tobirama's unknowingly gotten himself into and that Hashirama KNOWS the kind of danger it is. One that he'd managed to prevent years ago and had convinced his Tobirama that Madara was dangerous. Think Optimal Sibling Hashirama if we're going by AO3 tags. But it's not a noncon levels of danger but more like an Uchiha is OBSESSED with him and will burn the world down if he has to just to get to him.

[poolpvrty]

REMARY THOUGHTS???? care to share?? 👉🏻👈🏻 <3

this ask is so old I'm so sorry :') it took me a while to actually sit down and organize my brain but YES REMARY!!! they are so near and dear to my heart... the ultimate popular x loser hallmark movie romance, honestly.

the way i interpret Mary is pretty simple compared to other characters. she's just so... normal. like genuinely. her childhood was normal, her parents were normal, she may be a muggleborn, but it wasn't a huge deal in her family. she gets good grades, she has a lot of friends, she's just a typical teenage girl in the 70s. which is why it shocks everybody when news gets out that she likes Remus, a guy who is very much not normal.

Remus' life is honestly such an utter dumpster fire that i think he really cherishes his time with Mary. at first, he, of course, thinks she's joking. who could love a werewolf, he's such a monster, he doesn't deserve good things, yada yada yada. but after a series of tender moments that show how earnest her feelings are, he kinda lets himself relax. let's himself have this one good, totally normal thing. which i think is why i like them so much? they're just very calm in my brain, in a way so many marauders ships just aren't or can't be. they don't fight, they don't hurt each other, there's no drama.

they really are straight out of movie. they're a sweet christmas love story, right person but not enough time. even during the war, i can't picture their relationship turning into this toxic, unbearable thing. it's definitely not sunshine and rainbows because war literally never is, but they maintain that sense of calm and peace and normacly that Mary naturally brings with her presence. they have their routines (Mary starts an internship at st. mungos, to be a healer for the Order. and i imagine Remus gets multiple odd jobs aswell as going on missions here and there), and theres just an air of serenity around them. no one has to worry about the stability of their relationship because there's no secrets or suspicions. when news of the traitor is shared, literally nobody looks at them except for Sirius (if we think of this in a canon compliant sense anyway)

but of course, good things can't last forever. and i really emphasized Mary's normalcy at the beginning of this because when the war is finally over, i don't think she can deal with any of it. All of her friends are dead, one of them is a traitor, Harry was taken away, and she's traumatized. Remus had trauma already, he knows what this feels like. it doesn't *ruin* him. but this is new for Mary, she doesn't know what to do with the emptiness and pain, and she doesn't know how to talk about it. she wasn't built for this. and like many survivors of trauma, she just wants to go back to when she was typical girl next door Mary Macdonald. i think we know what happens next 😕

i heavily subscribe to the Mary obliviating herself hc. it's tragic, it's painful, and when considering remary, it's especially heartbreaking because she wasn't murdered. she chose to leave Remus. and he can never get closure because she simply doesn't remember him. you can't confront a person who doesn't exist anymore, can you? the Mary he knew and loved is pretty much gone.

i imagine he tries to make it work, get close to her again, and try to get her to remember, but in the end, he hurts more than he helps her. and he's forced to just let her go. she moves on, thinking she's a muggle, and i think he just... tries not to kill himself too fall off the face of the Earth.

[ednito]

Why don't you care for/dislike Rogues the Postcast? /gen /nm

Sorry for the late answer bestie, been busy with work LMAO

I'll give a bit of a general trigger warning, there's gonna be mentions of abelism as well as sexual assault and homophobia.

It's really hard for me to really begin and where to start with my issues with the series, I'm very passionate on the topic of mental illness and abelism and I have close friends who just HATE this series with how it promote these abelist ideas and jokes and it makes me very emotional. It's very personal for me, it devastates me to see that codot (hopefully unknowingly) promotes these stigmas that effect my friends, myself (self diagnosed though mind you) and other people who suffer from illnesses like DID, psychosis, schizophrenia, ect.

Let's look at scarecrow first. Obviously, he's portrayed to have an 'evil alter' that in it of itself is an abelist stereotype towards DID. You can have villains have DID of course i mean you can literally look at twoface or the ventriloquist! But what separates those two from scarecrow is that those two have always been bad people, excluding their illnesses. (Of course ventriloquist is questionable as an example as in some continuities he's shown to be possessed but I'm not getting into that)

Oh but that's just the thing- apparently Jon doesn't have DID (I was told this by a friend) and so that automatically fixes that issue right? It's not like there's been other illnesses that's been villainised to have 'evil alters' or 'evil personalities' right? /s /lh /nm

Ok but no like seriously, that doesn't fix the issue like at all. You can't just blatantly write an abelist stereotype and turn around and say "actually he doesn't have that" like you still wrote it. You wrote that into your canon you can't just go back and rewrite that to be better.

I also have issues with Jon's character in general. He's incredibly out of character but I'll get to that in a lil bit.

Another character that has abelist writing is Jervis. From what I've read of transcripts and what I've heard from Friends who've read the transcripts/listened to the podcast it's clear that Jervis is written to have (or implied to have) something along the lines of psychosis or schizophrenia (or something similar) and while that's not inherently bad the fact it's written that he constantly hears 'the voices' and that he's constantly dissociating to think properly (think like how you see 'insane' people swing back and forth on the floor mumbling nonsense) and bestie that's not how that shit works! If I remember right to he literally admits to shitting and pissing in his cell in arkham and???? That's just gross????? Don't get me wrong arkham has continously been a horrible place so I'm not exactly surprised but also like??? That's still so gross and incredibly out of character??

And listen, I'm not trying to dictate on how people suffer from their own illnesses and stuff. But I just, I find it so horribly written? I'll use myself as an example. Personally (which I genuinely hate having to talk about) I do occasionally hear voices to varying degrees and idk bestie. I just, it's hard to explain and again this is personal but its just gross for me. And I acknowledge my situation is different from other people, but it's still weird to see in my opinion. I have a friend who can vocalize these issues way better to me but tldr it just pushes abelist ideas.

There's a two other things about Jervis I feel is important to point out. One I'm way more able to vocalize my issues on.

Theres a moment in the podcast where Jon and Jervis question whether harley is a natural blonde and Jon suggest that Jervis goes and check Harleys pubic hair while she's sleeping, and that she'll never know if their quiet enough. (to which Jervis gets his ass handed to him after a failed attempt if I remember right) which, I don't think I need to emphasize that sexual assault isn't funny. I'm positive it was written as a joke because I can't even fathom the idea that codot would have been serious on writing that. I can't in my right mind see how this is funny to begin with, as someone who has been sexually assaulted I just. I genuinely don't understand how people can just sideline this- how codot thought it was ok to joke about. I just don't understand I genuinely don't understand. And this goes back to how out of character everyone is (including jon), how unnecessarily mean Edward is to Jervis is genuinely uncomfortable, especially with how Jervis is written to be constantly dissociated (or that's how it feels) which makes that whole joke even worse as it slips in abelism!

I also don't understand why in the hell Jervis tetch is homophobic- of course I've only heard this second hand but considering how Jervis's written in this series I wouldn't be surprised if I'm right. But nonetheless, the decision to make Jervis homophobic is an extremely bold decision considering Jervis is canonically a queer character in DC. For YEARS it's been established that he's either queer or bisexual/pansexual of some sort and has even been in some of the recent DC pride collections! If I remember right he even has his own story! So it's so disheartening to see that he's written to be so out of character and to he so hateful when he isn't! And what's crazy is that I'm not even a big hatter fan!

I'm sure there's more issues to be pointed out but right now I've been dissociating really hard and I'm very emotional and I'm just finding it hard to to continue this tangent really and it doesn't help I'm at work. And even excluding this I just have issues from the whole scarecrow sexyman poll thing and ive already stated about my medical issue. I feel like that in it of itself is a valid reason to not like it LMAO.

Also I apologize that this is over the place, again at work and completely dissociating throughout this so a HORRIBLE combo LMAOOO

I'm sure codot is fine person and I'm not at all trying to cancel or start anything. It's just disheartening to see so much abelism go unchecked! Honestly if codot just did his research on these topics (and stopped joking about sexual assault) then I wouldn't have such a huge issue. But he hasn't, and it doesn't feel like he's gonna.

Feel free to correct me if anything I've stated has been wrong though! I don't at all mean to spread any misinformation!

P.s. don't give me the whole "oh he's just one guy and this is just a simple fan project" bullshit when that doesn't excuse anything. I'm literally one person making my fan story and I'm over here reading medical textbooks and doing my research because I understand a lot of my interpretations NEED that research and it's so easy to put in abelist ideas. It's genuinely not hard to do research.

[elsaqueenofstress]

some djats fans are very very insufferable when it comes to the whole "unreliable narrator" aspect of the story. an unreliable narrator is a character who lacks complete credibility or accuracy in their retelling of the story, which is what you get in the book. however, it's not because Everyone Is Lying All The Time On Purpose: it's because they all have literally different perspectives on each moment. warren and graham are convinced that "the six" sounds like "the sex" because it's what they felt at the time, but billy and karen disagree. daisy and billy think that the aurora cover is gorgeous and iconic because it spotlights them, while everyone else rolls their eyes at how predictable it is. warren still believes, forty years later, that karen was hooking up with one of the roadies because graham and karen's relationship was a secret, so his stories are sometimes completely false. graham can't view karen's choice to get an abortion as hers, and emphasizes his own betrayal over the feelings she expressed to him because they hurt too much. things like that!

"unreliable narration" doesn't just mean lying all the time, and it gets a little lame to watch people (most of whom are d/b shippers) claim that's the case. the book's opening lines aren't "they could have been making this shit up!" – they're "some [interviewees] were more forthcoming than others...on matters both big and small, sometimes accounts of the same events differ. the truth often lies, unclaimed, in the middle." there were probably details that characters left out on purpose, but why would everyone, especially after having not spoken in years, have agreed to completely lie about everything? billy tells his grown, adult daughter about cheating on her mother repeatedly, about missing her birth during his addiction, about the deep attraction he felt for daisy. people are so desperate for their ship to have been physically canon that they disregard these details and claim that he was just protecting julia's feelings (again, she's like forty at this point??) or that he and daisy agreed to leave out their apparently torrid affair (which especially falls apart after tjr released the bonus pages, where camila explicitly tells daisy "don't try to sugarcoat anything on my behalf" and daisy promises to do so). it does a disservice to whatever shreds of nuance or subtlety the book had, all traces of which the show decided to throw out the window in favor of cw-level drama and clunky character arcs

anyway the show's reasoning that "this is what really happened!!!" technically doesn't even hold up bc they changed too many random details lmao. like no matter how strong whatever they were smoking during the seventies was, i don't think it was enough for them to mass hallucinate the twins and pete, collectively forget what month they played chicago stadium, and all pretend like graham and karen didn't tell them about their relationship...? loved the casting loved some of the songs loved simone's plot but that was Not a good show methinks

[horizon-verizon]

I just saw a post that argued that Rhaenys was passive for not starting a rebellion to remain heir (she never was) and that it was disgusting that she would agree to marry her granddaughters.(not her decision) with dirty bastards (🙄) instead of her (drumroll) asking Alicent for help (lol) so Baela and Rhaena would have their birthright. I know that you have already argued most of this in other posts but what made me laugh and come to tell you about it was the ending because: They should also marry one of them to a green PRINCE (Let's be honest it's Aemond because it's always Aemond) because the girls deserved a good match.

A I could almost accept this kind of opinion if they had enough self-awareness to realize that they don't care about Baela and Rhaena, right?. They're just looking to get their favorite boy a castle and Rhaenyra's allies... The same thing they are criticizing her for! Just like they say Rhaenys should have taken the throne by force but they get upset because Rhaenyra didn't turn around and let them usurp her without making a fuss.

*EDITED POST* 10/25/23

Rant coming up.

So one moment they are saying Rhaenyra should have backed off and just let Aegon take her seat because:

"he's already crowned"

"the law is the law"/"girls can't rule, it's custom"

sometimes even "it's for the good of the realm and its 'peace'" (referring to HotD's choice to emphasize the nobles/royals' concern for the smallfolk when no one really cared all that much in the canon)...

Then they now say that Rhaenys should have rebelled and caused violence for smallfolk as well as other lords, she should have fought for her "rights" on the principle of them being her right by being the last heir's only and eldest child, and she should have rejected Viserys' ascension after he's been voted in by a majority by Jaehaerys' moves? The hypocrisy is astounding, honestly.

Not only that, Rhaenys' own son Laenor--a boy--was passed over on account of Laenor coming from the female "line", or being connected to the royal family through a woman, his mother. The lords at the GC of 101 specifically marked this as a reason against her. We really cannot make 1-1 comparisons between Rhaenyra and Rhaenys' loss of power or broken access to the throne as if they had the same specific opportunities & blocks; Rhaenys was more like an heir presumptive to Rhaenyra's actually being an heir apparent. (Viserys named Rhaenyra his heir officially while Rhaenys was a person who had a claim by being the eldest of the last heir apparent and was Jaehaerys I's eldest living grandchild. An heir presumptive is: "one whose right may be defeated by the birth of a nearer heir".) What they shared is that their access to those things was seen as deserving less than that of a man and there were those who actively blocked their ability to become an uncontested ruler in their own right.

Again, that classist/bastardphobia coming out from them and them wanting every character in ASoIaF to follow suit. Not every character is going to be as hung up or pretentious about bastards the old conservative "family values" way, and why? It's both politically inconvenient at times AND it's a whole lot of energy for something that really had no real effect on Rhaenyra or the boys (at least largely) except for the greens taking advantage when they, like other lords who continued to fight for Rhaenyra even after her death, could have chosen to step aside but didn't because they wanted to take that power. Which removes any real moral high ground on their part--their motivation for hating these boys is not pure. I need these people to be able to separate social conditioning & ideology from real strategy, please, just for a few seconds! (POST #2 with a summarization of the previous multi-link link). Being born out of wedlock doesn't make you an icky-sticky monster with the capability of infecting people with "degradation" or "lowering" one's innate "quality" as a human being--there's no moral nor political reason to think that Baela is marrying "wrong" or "down". I must also quickly mention the rumors around Orys Baratheon and confirmed bastards like Jon Snow (GoT/ASoIaF's male darling, as these people tend to conveniently forget), Brynden Rivers/Bloodraven, and Benedict Rivers-turned-Justman who ruled over the Riverlands and established one of the most peaceful dynasties in Riverland history, and a real life bastard who came to be the first Norman king of "England" and is the inspiration for people like Benedict Rivers and Aegon I. These people are strong, capable, trustworthy, and most of the list are loyal to those they followed--qualities that Westerosi Faith says are not natural in bastards...the Faith and society claims the opposite. Already and since day one, GRRM has been telling us not to so flagrantly deny bastards' humanity or to subscribe to them Westerosi stigmas, and here goes people doing exactly that as if they themselves were Westerosi. Which really just shows how they have been salivating for a chance to show their true selves and prejudices, they just needed claimed ignorance or a text they think everyone is paying more attention to where bastards' presence was a stickier point in the specific story.

And why the hell would Alicent--show or book--go out of her way (fav phrase tonight) to help out Rhaenys without any strings?

This is the same woman who in the show imprisons Rhaenys to "slow down" Rhaenyra and is basically trying to force Rhaenys on her side as if that would realistically hold any appeal in lieu of what the show tells us are Rhaenys' interests, which is to stay as far away from this war or supporting either side as much as possible.

Show!Rhaenys told Rhaenyra, her own kin, no....why should she help out Alicent, who is least going to help her out? Alicent's kids are not engaged to Rhaenyra's. Alicent's kids are actually competitors or Alicent wants to become the next royals over Baela, who could have been Queen Consort like Alicent if the green kept to herself.

Alicent is the one who, prodded by Otto, used Rhaenya's husband Vaemond for her own plans to dethrone Luke and Rhaenyra (long-run) and the plan encourages Vaemond's ambitions to his death (yes it's Vaemond's fault that he died, but this maneuvering with people way to close to Rhaenys and her grandkids cannot feel hunky dory to someone in Rhaenys' position! The greens went after a Velaryon, not Rhaenyra).

People seem to also forget that Alicent was trying to get Vaemond to replace Corlys, which also pushes Baela and Rhaena away from what that person you're telling me about is their "right"....which it isn't. Like I mentioned before, Rhaenys nor Corlys in the book and by ASoIaF Westerosi culture/society does not have parental rights over Baela and Rhaena bc they are Targaryens, Daemon is their living father, and in both the show and books Corlys...not Rhaenys...is the real head of that house and never wanted a girl as his heir. Before anyone can name an outsider as their heir, they need to go through their living father/parents. Also, fosterage does not work in the show as the showrunner/writers did for Baela being the ward for the Velaryons for all these reasons. Just no. If these people want to enjoy the show and its weird fan-ficcy bad AUness, fine, but the dynamics do not make sense for the kind of world they are all in. (It's not even that AU fanfic adaptations are inherently bad and useless, I love the show adaptation of Interview with a Vampire...I just want to make it clear that HotD does not align with real Westeros and some things people claim about the show that exist in the book thematically or emotionally cannot be said to be true of the original story).

It was Alicent who tried to get Lucerys' eye cut out after he and his brother were trying to help out their aggrieved cousin/Rhaenys' granddaughter Rhaena..and both her and Baela were nearly beaten by the son Alicent couldn't teach properly. and yes, rhaenys, even in the show, does care for Luke's well-being. In the book, there is a little indication that she doesn't even seem to be willing to NOT see him as her own grandchild.

If Rhaenys, in the show, is as "grandchild-first" as she's supposed to be, how could she ever trust the word of Alicent/greens by their actions? Unless she's forced to, and still, why would she freely approach Alicent and think Alicent would "fight" for Driftmark for her grandkids?! Therefore, Rhaenys, from the books who truly followed Rhaenyra/supported Rhaenyra, has no reason to trust a word of a green over any on Rhaenyra's side. Any marriage to her sons would be more functionally holding Rhaenys, Baela, and Rhaena hostage!

*I didn't realize until it was too late that you already mentioned how hypocritical Rhaenys being a rebel was...*

[bluegekk0]

what do you think about the pale king?

oh my dear anon, have you been on my blog for longer than 5 seconds? isn't it obvious? hahahah

i love him, he's my favourite character next to hornet and grimm. sure he gets like one spoken line in the game, and is dead by the time we meet him, but i just couldn't help but get attached even despite his horrifying actions

first it started with memes, you know, all the "haha baby murderer" thing with no substance, but the more i looked into him as a character, the more fascinated i became. there's a lot more nuance to him than i first expected, so many possible blanks to fill, and i saw an opportunity to create my own version of him. and over time, my love for the little shrimp just kept growing, to the point where i would consider him to be one step away from basically becoming my oc. obviously i can't really make him one, but he's as close to my heart as my own created characters

and as you can imagine, with your favourite blorbo comes a metric ton of projecting. i gave my pk a lot of my own personality traits. the aversion to loud noises and big crowds? the introvert personality? finding grimm hot? the passion for creating things and using it as a means to escape problems? all the bottled up emotions that he won't talk about in fears of burdening others and making it look like he's just feeling sorry for himself? yep. that's all me, more or less

does seeing people hate him make me sad? well i'd be a liar if i said "no", even if i understand where it's coming from. he's done horrible things, yes it was with the best intentions, but he's done them. do i excuse it? no, of course not, but i can emphasize with him to an extent. being put in the same scenario as him, where there's no good option and all possible outcomes end in pain and death? i really don't know what i'd do, and i imagine he was just as overwhelmed by all of it. again, i don't see that as an excuse, more as an opportunity to give him more depth as a character. after all, why would i hate him, if he does more than enough self-loathing himself? i see my au as a chance of redemption for him, yes, because i'm a sucker for second chances and good endings, but i also don't feel like he'd just get away with all of that scot-free. and how to make sure that doesn't happen? tons of self-hate and guilt, of course, with a sprinkle of a crippling fear of failure as a treat. in the end, you can move on from your mistakes, but you can never run away from yourself

as a side note, i also really like his design. he looks so damn stupid with that giant funko pop head, those alien looking eyes and the ridiculously massive fork shaped crown. he has this pathetic aura to him design-wise that i just love so much

in the end, my version of the pale king is so distant from the canon that some could consider him a completely different character, which to be fair, isn't really that far off. he really is my blorbo, and i would take a bullet for him. would i do the same for other pk interpretations out there? probably not. but that doesn't change the fact that i love him as a character and i'm glad there's other people out there who like him as well. makes me feel less lonely about liking this goofy shrimp man

[torturecave]

Just in case you still check here, I was wondering, the other day I was thinking about your art and how beautifully and canon (to me at least haha) you managed poppy and branch, especially poppy (like seriously I feel you get her as a character so much) as she's usually never despicted as amazing as you did at least for me, your art and content is legit sooooo GOOD,:) Anyway, my question actually was if you thought TWT and TBT carried on with the way you see these 2 as characters/their dynamic? I remember especially with TWT people thought they were a bit softer and stuff lol Also really curious if you liked the movies in general besides this, is the first one still your favorite? I have a very soft spot for it but I liked the rest too. Sorry for the long ramble, loved your new TBT related art a lot, you're my favorite jelly bean guys artist : D thanks for reading if you do and have a good day!!

It's very sweet you think so highly of my depiction of Poppy and Branch's relationship from so many years ago... While I'm quite sentimental about it, and I felt strongly when I made that art / those posts, it HAS been long enough that I feel as though I've developed so much as a person. I mourn not being more thoughtful...! Subsequently I've been kind of hesitant to use this blog too seriously, I'm posting on it in a capricious manner for now, so as to not think too hard about my old art and posts that embarrass me,,, >>;

With that self-consciousness out of the way... Wanna start by saying: I love World Tour and Band Together-!! I remember being agog in 2017 that we mysteriously had a sequel already confirmed with an exact date and everything. Really... I was perfectly in suspense for TWT and it lived up to it's hype, I was so excited until the day of release and it lived up to all expectations, expanded on the world so hugely aououuu!!! Amusingly enough I was more hesitant about TBT, just that wariness that... it's hard to ask for a series to make 2 good sequels. Also the trailer gave me the impression that it would be more of a "roadtrip with your annoying blowhard older brother"... worrying that JD was lying or creating a contrivance to get Brozone back or something along those lines. The movie itself though was great, again expanded on the world and showed me wonderful colors and textures and environments, yes thank you trolls... Beyond that I actually like the themes of both movies and agree with how they handle it. (Much like the 1st movie...!) So... really, a glowing review from me.

Though to get into Poppy and Branch's relationship progressing in each movie... It is an interesting journey really, I ah, used to tell myself I never wanted Poppy and Branch to be "more than" friends... Wanting to emphasize the beauty in friendship alone being intimate and capable of complexity. But well, times have changed, and, I'm normal-style married now, to the girl I would RP poppy and branch kissing with for 8 hrs back in 2017. So. I'll be real and say, I'm really basic now, and I like the trajectory of canon. The boyfriend-girlfriend-ification of pranch... the marriage tease... I stan.

Hmm... It's amusing if fans thought the dynamic was 'softened' in TWT, it's not exactly how I would describe it? I feel as though things have definitely been tempered from the first movie, because they've gotten to know each other, and the major hurdle of Branch's singing trauma was revealed. Part of why Branch was so prickly and resistant to Poppy was, being incompatible with the village's lifestyle, way of thinking, stuck being endlessly paranoid and set off... Once you remove that conflict, you can't really get their bickering to be on the same 'level' as in movie one... But they're still playful and teasing, for sure? You'll always have Branch's dry humor and Poppy's incessance, her exuberance. One of my favorite things is when she gets all, hehe I know branch like me ❤ (The poppy cutting the tether to the hot air balloon....)

Anyways, if anything I, find it extremely funny how unchill Branch is in TWT. He's all. Incel. .. .. . ? WHICH... is really funny for a troll to feel kfjhshdg... At the very least, pop troll village is so, mmm everyone love and hug each other, that — the fact that Branch can feel, friendzoned, is just so funny to me... He is struggling with wanting their relationship to be 'more'. Subsequently he spends a lot of the movie jealous and sad when she isn't listening to him...

(this is a brief aside that, I'm kinda obsessed with the opening number of TWT being a cover of Girl's Just Want To Have Fun. song about that fun-lovin' fun-havin' girl that you can't tie down really... What's up with that? The humor reaches full circle when you have Branch's verse having originally been this:

Some boys take a beautiful girl And hide her away from the rest of the world [...]

... while in his scary underground bunker with a million locks and industrial steel doors. OK...)

I mean, I always got the impression that Branch was uniquely infatuated with Poppy, despite all his, foosiness, as seen by his hoarding the invitations + his poetry that comes out while counseling Bridget... Which paints this picture of him being uncontrollably into Poppy but at odds with his own trigger, can't not act shitty. But mnghh [stares longingly at...] <- this is so funny... Anyways TWT basically confirms to me, that Branch has been pining for Poppy for a long time, since Branch is restless about their rship advancing. He's only just become her best friend but, wants more-!

Somehow this is the elegant segue for TBT to be about... Poppy finding out Branch was in a boyband she's always been obsessed with... So not only is she learning more about Branch, she's like. Obliquely thirsty about, over, him, like screaming and pulling her hair and shaking around dancing on her feets. I SUPPOSE it balances things, if you create a reality where now Poppy is infatuated with Branch, and has been for years... .. ... It makes Branch's incel phase even funnier... (Though, now he's thinking about marriage-! ! When will you be satisfied branchie...)

My wife (@fearbunker) — who, for lore purposes, is the person I was frequently collabing/talking to on this blog, making posts and AUs together. My best friend back then... — she's joked that World Tour is about Branch being obsessed with Poppy, while Band Together is about Poppy being obsessed with Branch. This is the simplest way to put it.

At this point Poppy and Branch feel like a slow burn that's taken many many years to culminate... Allured by one another, but kept apart by circumstance... eh, it's too much for me actually, I can't handle this romance...

Personally I don't feel much character integrity lost per movie, I am pleased for what is introduced and explored... I think Poppy and Branch deal with a reasonable amount of interpersonal conflict, with Branch struggling to be open and honest (naturally a defensive, easily defeatist sort...) while Poppy's enthusiasm and tendency to rush into things causes issues. I like it though... we never really berate Poppy for being hopeful, optimistic, which I like best. She's capable of being perceptive in her own way, ahh I mean I love the little moments in TBT where she's really... taking Branch's hands and looking into his eyes, offering counseling. Such a good girlfriend.. and you feel like we've come a long way to get here.

As for where I rank the first movie... Deep down it feels impossible to pick an absolute favorite, because they all have their strengths. 9.9 My wife just described it as 'painfully sincere' and I have to agree. There's a quality in the first movie the sequels lack, and perhaps they can't really be expected to recapture; there's more quiet lulls, really chewing the scenery with these two. Since it's about them bonding, you get a lot of time where it's just the two of them, and I love that... There's many exchanges I like, find profound still. I'll always die over the True Colors scene......!! ;; >< ////

So I feel the same as you, there's always a special place in my heart for the first movie...

Thanks for this lovely ask though, it was fun to reply to. I hope this is satisfactory as an answer... ^^

[margridarnauds]

Green, black, and yellow for the fanfic asks?

💚 Green: Do you ever feel inspired by and/or jealous of other people's writing?

Oh, all the time. More jealous than inspired, admittedly. Which is a terrible mentality to have, I know, but. In the interest of full disclosure, and in the interest of honesty, it's part of why I don't usually read fics for my OTPs when they start becoming an OTP. And, again, terrible mentality to have, but it's a combination of jealousy and...anxiety? Anxiety that someone else's ideas will rub off, that I'll accidentally plagiarize them, that I'll see them doing what I do better and lose faith. Jealousy over having a good writing style or character voice when I've felt my writing style falter in the last few years. Sometimes jealousy that they're able to be completed at all, that they have MOMENTUM, while my job makes it so that I. Can't. Sometimes jealousy over having a fandom to lean on at all, fandom friends to share things with, when I often exist at the margins for a variety of reasons, not all of them of my choosing, and I can't even offer the contextual information that would make it make sense as far as to why I have to be so damned cautious and paranoid, and I don't write consistently enough to be prominent in larger fandoms (in smaller fandoms...well. I'm all they have). And with, say, something like 1789, or Marie Antoinette the Musical, I'm not worried, because I have my niche established and have had it established for years. No one's at any risk of unsettling me from that. But in larger fandoms...it's difficult, it's very difficult, especially when various life circumstances keep me on guard constantly as it is.

🖤 Black: Do you think about your story when you're not physically writing it? Does it help with plotting scenes, character arcs, etc.?

Answered here!

💛 Yellow: Do you ever alter, highlight, or de-emphasize certain canonical traits in a character? If so, why and describe how.

Because I am a villainfucker, and because you're often getting the villains through the lens of people who are ALREADY inclined towards liking them, or who the villain already has at least some degree of respect for...you often don't see EXACTLY how vicious and sadistic they can be. Which doesn't mean I don't believe that trait's THERE, it's that it's on the backburner.

Like, with BG3, I do firmly believe that Raphael is exactly as vicious as he is in canon -- he's absolutely torturing people, especially Hope, arranging unfair deals, being manipulative, up to and including arranging for various people to die...but we get this from the perspective of Kitrye, who (1) He initially wants to make a deal with, so he's inclined to play nice, (2) Then proceeds to fall in love with him, and (3) Is then in a relationship with him and turns a blind eye to a lot. You get it in snippets (on the record, he's still manipulative with Kitrye), but you aren't going to be seeing what he's fully capable of.

[bradleysbradshaws]

TW: Very Dark Topics

I am really going to actually spell out what happened because it bothers me that I haven't been able to do so, but I think enough people view me with suspicion now that I need to say it for my own sake:

I mentally broke down over what I thought were conversations making light of/romanticizing very traumatic real-world situations, of which I have had personal experience in. I was very stupid in taking its depictions in fiction very seriously. I was wrong in telling people, whom I had felt I was close to at the time, about how those topics were traumatic to me and that I disliked that they were creating content about it, and in turn, severely-mentally damaging them and making them feel terrible about their own creative works. I am very sorry for that, as obviously, they were just having fun with writing fictional scenarios. Which is why I have emphasized - time and time again this entire year - that I hope everyone just does what makes them happy. I know somebody privated(?) a fic of hers recently, and honestly - I don't think she should have. If you wrote it and were happy with what you created, you should be proud of it and display it.

I have made clear that I had the really terrible reputation of being the obnoxious anti-bottom!Bradley person (it's just a very strange, long-ago recollection to me now because I have been living in this man's rectal cavity for the past year). I would openly say that I wouldn't read fics about it, etc., and that was definitely a huge mood and conversation-killer. Of course, there are plenty of people who don't like/read bottom!Bradley, but they obviously just move on and read what they like, but I didn't because I was a moron who didn't know how to use [insert internet app] for the first time, and didn't know that I didn't have to read every single thing that crossed my screen.

Honestly, I really don't believe I was always against bottom!Bradley. I read Noora's first two fics very early on in the fandom, and they were fine and lovely to me! I think I was just much more enamored with the completely novel concept of fucking Tom Cruise at the time that I started leaning heavily into that. Bradley was always going to be fuckable to me as he was portrayed in the movie, but I was so obsessed with wanting to capture that moment of finding 58-year old Tom Cruise, whom I had never found attractive before this movie, bangable. But Bradley, in the TGM canon to me, probably could have always gotten his shit reamed out. I mean, it's my only fun now, for sure. I believe I have always had a bottom!Bradley visual preference, as that is genuinely the only thing that intrigues me to depict now (I'm switching it up currently for a friend, and honestly, it's been very hard to drag myself out of the Roosterfuck mindset).

I think when I had started very crazily associating it with a concept and memory that really terrified me (my own fault for being so brain-damaged to perceive it that way), that's when I began to openly hate it, as that was the most popular version of it. I gradually began thinking all of it was terrible and insidious - even the "acceptable" version of it, and I openly voiced it. I can't even explain how or why my brain had been so twisted, destroyed, and warped, but it had been. I was going through a lot of personal outside stress at the time, as well, and R00smav was the thing that made me happy, and when I started finding things there that I had found threatening at the time, I began really spiraling. It isn't anyone's fault but my own for taking fictional stuff so seriously, but I did not do any of it out of malice.

I have to emphasize that I don't mind any of it now. I just don't read it, like I should have always done. And honestly, on occasions out of curiosity, I have read some to test myself, and it no longer bothers me. I get it, it's a fictional fantasy that a lot of people have, and that's fine.

Furthermore, I definitely severely traumatized the person who had been the nicest and most helpful friend to me at the time by threatening to do something to myself if I wasn't able to try to do something at the time, which was utterly uncalled for. I can't imagine how horrific it was for her to read something like that, and it's something that I wish I could apologize for directly, but I can't. But I get that after that, she never wanted to be reminded that I existed again. I was just so terrified, so broken-down at the time, that I thought everything I did would be taken the wrong way, and I just desperately needed her permission to do it, even though she obviously had no authority over anything. She had just been the person who had been the kindest to me at the time, who I had considered one of my closest friends (I don't think she ever viewed me that way in turn), and I so desperately did not want her to view me as her enemy or a traitor, but I think that ended up devastatingly being the case, anyway. Which is why I have not allowed myself to think about Tom Cruise in probably five months, and I'm glad that I did it. I think I have sort of ironically healed my own brain in that way. I really did not need to take this celebrity as seriously as I did.

It's so stupid. Over fictional stuff that was supposed to be fun. I am in hell now, and I have been for a very long time. I know everyone else is having fun now, but I haven't...and I probably never will again. And I know that I probably deserve this for what I had put others through. But goddamn - I just need to say that none of it was done out of malice or ill-intent. I was just a severely-damaged person at the time, who hadn't been ready for a fandom that contained a lot of heavy fictional topics, I stupidly overreacted to them and passed my mental damage onto other people, and now I am never able to participate in the thing that I love again.

I'm saying this now because my best friend, who was one of R00smav's most prolific writers, doesn't love them anymore. I had hoped she would at least talk about them to me, but I know that everything that has happened has killed her love for them. She wrote some of the most definitive fiction for R00smav, and I can't even talk about her fics with her without feeling like I am bothering her. She wrote my favorite Bradley POV, and she doesn't love him. I just completely fucking broke down crying over this today.

I am sick of myself, and I am just so sick.

[tangents-within-tangents]

Respectfully, I think you're being too apologetic. And I don't think it's necessary.

Yes Crosshair was a soldier, but so were all the other clones who we saw question and turn against the Empire. In fact it's established that Crosshair and his squad were more accustomed to questioning and disobeying orders throughout the war. Remember, Cody and Crosshair witness the same exact things in "The Solitary Clone". And Crosshair's chip had been removed, Cody's had not, he doesn't even know about them. The whole point of "blind allegiance makes you a pawn" and "we make our own decisions" is that you can't justify your actions under being a soldier.

The point I was trying to make is that Crosshair isn't blindly following orders. He's knowingly and willingly following orders. And the Empire's orders aren't just 'kill or be killed' like during the war, they are unethical and manipulative (like killing civilians, and framing the Syndulla's) and for the Empire's gain (occupying and subjugating planets). The other clones saw that difference and that's why they left. Crosshair canonically does not care about that difference and chose to stay anyway.

That's what I mean by accountability: he is in control of his choices and he is responsible for them. I feel like you are kinda justifying his actions here and that takes away from his agency. But we don't need to do that. It's okay that he was wrong and made mistakes. I guess I didn't emphasize that enough but you are right, he did change. He did make the right choice in the end and leave the Empire. I didn't mean to discount that, I'm just saying that he did it for different reasons (and "what the Empire is doing is wrong" isn't one of them).

We can understand him, yes, but we don't need to shift the blame and lessen the impact of his choices. Because if we take away from his choice to stay doesn't that also take away from his choice to leave? That's why the writers decided to remove his chip (because if he had been controlled the whole time he wouldn't need to be redeemed).

Like I said, he does have an arc. He does change, and it's very compelling. I just wish the show had explored the implications/consequences of that change. Because just because he's changed doesn't mean he didn't do those things.

And I have to push back a bit here because I do not think punishment is the same thing as amends.

For one thing, Crosshair wasn't being punished for his mistakes, he was imprisoned because he shot Nolan, which was the right choice. He can't really be punished by the Empire for the things he did for the Empire. And like I said, self-destructive guilt doesn't help anyone. It's actually counter-productive (what if he had stayed in Tantiss to punish himself? If he wasn't able to resist the conditioning he would have ended up right where he started, as a weapon for the Empire, hurting people again).

Punishment and guilt don't fix anything. It doesn't do anything to help the real people who were impacted by his choices (and still are impacted in the case of Ryloth and Desix).

I agree he probably did feel regret. I just think that would be more impactful (and better written) if it actually led to some action. He doesn't need to fix or undo everything, realistically he can't, but Howzer's men died as a direct result of Crosshair's actions in the Empire, the LEAST he can do is apologize and let Howzer know that he has regrets. (Think I'll post a full analysis/rant of that episode soon bc it bothers me a lot). Also S1 Crosshair openly agreed with the fascism and I think it's important for the show to address that with some kind of follow up. I said it in my tags, we don't judge characters based on the beginning of their arc, they have to start somewhere, but we do need to see the change to compare it to.

(Anyway thanks for sharing your thoughts though! Fr no hate, we can have different interpretations, thanks for adding to the discussion)

Hot take:

Crosshair does not have the Imperial disillusionment and redemption arc of The Bad Batch

Emerie does.

Crosshair has an arc for sure yes but it's not that.

I was thinking about this scene:

and how it got right what this scene kinda didn't:

(It was so close but then bad writing decided to undercut the moment with a joke rip)

And I think it's really interesting that these characters who were more or less raised into the Empire/First Order and chose to leave it are all directly asked why.

But take a look at Crosshair's answers in comparison:

Different context for the asking, yes, but still, compare that to clones like Howzer, Cody, Slip and Cade who left or turned against the Empire because they knew what the Empire is doing is wrong and they weren't just going to blindly follow orders:

Crosshair - Loyalty, Purpose, and Survival

Crosshair didn't choose to join the Empire (though the show isn't very clear or consistent about how much control the inhibitor chips have) but he did, for whatever reason, choose to stay. By the end of S1 we know his chip has been removed and as he definitively says "This is who I am." There were likely still other influences on his decision, but listen to how he talks about the Empire in the S1 finale:

Hunter: Crosshair, I've seen what the Empire is doing. Occupying planets and silencing anyone who stands against them. You know it's not right. Crosshair: You still don’t see the bigger picture, but you will. Hunter: Can't you see they're using you?

Crosshair: We’re not like the regs, we never have been. We’re superior. The Empire can’t protect the galaxy without strength, this is what we were made for. Think of all we could do, together!

Crosshair: You all are meant for more than drifting through the galaxy. It’s time to stop running. Join the Empire, and you will have purpose again.

Hunter: They destroyed an entire city! Crosshair: They did what needed to be done. Kamino, regs, the Republic, that time is over. The Empire will control the entire galaxy, and I am going to be a part of it. Hunter: Don't fool yourself. All you'll ever be to them is a number.

He undeniably knows what the Empire is doing, but he does not care. In fact it sure sounds like he actually supports it and finds self-meaning in it. Hunter spends those episodes trying to convince him it's wrong, he doesn't change his mind. In the end they offer him an out and he doesn't take it.

Wrecker: You coming with us? Crosshair: None of this changes anything. Hunter: You offered us a chance, Crosshair. This is yours. Crosshair: I made my decision.

The next we see Crosshair in "The Solitary Clone" (S2:E3) he follows orders and shoots the Desix governor, right after Cody heartbreakingly tries to do what's right and find a peaceful solution.

Cody: Tell me something, Crosshair. This new Empire, are we making the galaxy better? Crosshair: We’re soldiers, we do what needs to be done. Cody: You know what makes us different from battle droids? We make our own decisions, our own choices. And we have to live with them too.

After this (glorious!) conversation, Crosshair stays. Maybe this began to seed some doubts, but he actually smiles a few scenes later when Rampart assigns him another mission. It seems like for him it truly is as he said in S1:E1 (chip not enhanced yet but still influencing him enough for his brothers to notice he's acting strange):

Crosshair: Republic, Empire... what's the difference.

Crosshair: Orders are orders.

This unethical mission that finally pushed Cody over the edge does not change Crosshair's mind about the Empire, at least not enough for him to take action.

But what does?

Mayday: And here we are, the survivors. Combat troopers stuck babysitting cargo shipments. Crosshair: Mission’s a mission. Mayday: Yeah, I used to say the same thing.

Mayday: After all the clones have done, all we’ve sacrificed. We’re good soldiers, we followed orders. And for what?

This mission has nothing to do with how the fascist Empire treats the galaxy, it's about how they treat their soldiers. It's about how Mayday loyally fought and served his whole life and Lieutenant Nolan let him die

Lt Nolan: He served his purpose as a soldier of the Empire. Crosshair: You could have saved him! Lt Nolan: Perhaps you didn’t hear me, he is expendable, as are you.

Crosshair thought he could find purpose within the Empire, and Nolan shows him exactly what that will be.

His turning point is accompanied with this powerful visual of the ice vulture, a symbol (and threat) of death, and also set up within the episode a symbol of survival:

Mayday: Vicious creatures, but you have to admire ‘em. They find a way to survive.

This critical moment (that gives me chills, oof this episode is a masterpiece!) comes right after Nolan calls him expendable and directly threatens him:

Lt Nolan: And if you speak to me again with such disrespect I'll see to it you meet a similar fate, clone.

then Crosshair sees the vulture's shadow and turns to Mayday's dead body (ahh visual storytelling my beloved) then makes his decision:

Crosshair turns against the Empire not because he believes Hunter was right about this:

Hunter: I've seen what the Empire is doing ... You know it's not right.

but because he was right about this:

Hunter: All you'll ever be to them is a number.

Redemption (both in fiction and irl in my humble opinion) comes with making amends and reparations (which is why death 'redemptions' bother me so much but that's a rant for another time). Unlike Emerie, Crosshair never explicitly denounces the Empire or his own actions within it. He never says anything to specifically show if and how his views have changed from what he said on Kamino. He makes amends with his family (sending the warning message, helping Omega escape, making up with Hunter) but that's about it. The most we get in terms of acknowledgement is this:

Crosshair: I thought I knew what I was getting into with the Empire. I thought I was being a good soldier. Hunter: Nobody really understood what was happening back then. Crosshair: I’ve... done things. I’ve made mistakes. Hunter: I have regrets too, Crosshair. All we can do is keep trying to be better, and who knows there just might be hope for us yet.

Which is nice and all but it's more about them making up as brothers so it's way too excusing tbh ("no one knew what was happening back then" ummm? "The Empire will control the entire galaxy, and I am going to be a part of it" remember? And even if at first Crosshair was being controlled by the chip, the fact that he chose to stay after it was removed* means he condones and is therefore still accountable for those actions).

There's also a bit of self-destructive guilt:

Crosshair: Omega, don't risk anything for me. I belong in here.

Crosshair: Omega needs you both. So I’m doing this alone, it’s what I deserve. Hunter: Don’t even think about plan 99, Crosshair. Omega needs all of us.

(which thank you Hunter for pushing back on the death redemption bs and oh look is that a wrap up for the purpose thing?)

But there's no action taken on his part to make up for what he's done or to stand against the Empire (aside from the bare minimum of help with Tantiss, only after it became personally relevant, which like yeah he had trauma to deal with but still).

While I do think the implications/follow-up of Crosshair's turn should have been handled better in S3 (like rip Howzer! he deserved an apology, but that's a rant for another time), I don't necessarily** think this arc is a bad writing choice. It's just saying different things than we expect:

Maybe Crosshair's story is not about standing up against an unjust system, like we see with many other characters (who deserved more screen time but that's a rant for another timeeee). Maybe his story is about how even those who are loyal to the Empire, who actually believe in it, still suffer under and within it's rule. Not to garner sympathy, but to show that there is no winning.

Crosshair has another 'so what changed' convo in S3:E14 with Rampart, in which they draw parallels to each other:

Rampart: You used to believe good soldiers followed orders. Crosshair: Depends on who's giving them. The Empire betrayed us both. Rampart: And you think you can fight them? That's not you. You're like me, loyal to no one but yourself. Crosshair: I've changed.

(note how he says who's giving the orders, not what the orders are)

"Loyal to no one but yourself" describes Rampart much more than Crosshair, since we often saw Crosshair pride himself as a loyal soldier of the Empire whereas we saw Rampart abuse power to be self-serving within the Empire (like when he killed Wilco to save face). But they were both betrayed either way. Vice Admiral Rampart, snively Imperial opportunist through-and-through, shouts "I was following orders!" as he is arrested for the Empire's purposes.

Even Hemlock, the final boss immoral Imperial scientist, who has to be benefiting the most from this system, echoes the expendability idea:

Hemlock: What I am working on is beyond your understanding. Something so vital to the Empire it makes me indispensable.

Then there's CX-2, also set up as a parallel/foil to Crosshair (fight me), who in the end is discarded as no more than a weapon, a tool that served it's purpose, showing us what would have become of Crosshair if he had stayed.

There is no winning in the Empire. Loyalty is not rewarded, it "doesn't go both ways." Everyone has to fight for their value. Even high ranking individuals** who for a time benefit from the injustice, in the end are just pawns to be used up and cast aside at a whim for the Emperor's gain. Even people who are motivated by self-interest alone cannot survive within this system, the only viable option in this galaxy is to fight the Empire and dismantle that system. (unless you conveniently find a magically safe island to hide away on but that's a rAnT fOr AnOtHeR tImE)

Which brings us back to...

Emerie - Cooperation, Compassion, and Choice

(Okay this post has already gotten away from me but I still want to talk about her to show the contrasts.)

Emerie may not have been given a lot of screen time to really flesh out her development, but there is a lot that is pretty clearly implied with her:

Crosshair: They’ll never turn her [Omega] over. Hemlock: They don’t have a choice. She is a clone, and therefore Imperial property. *Camera cuts to an angle more centered on Emerie’s face*

Crosshair: Give me your access card! Emerie: It won’t get you outside!

Emerie: I tried to warn him what would happen if he did not cooperate with the Doctor.

Emerie: Prisoner? Omega, you are no such thing. It will take time to adjust, but you will acclimate. It is far safer in here than out there.

Emerie: You should go back to your room. Crosshair: You mean her cell?

Emerie: Why children? Hemlock: Children are easier to attain and more agreeable to the subjugations. They are unaware of why they are here and what they possess.

Emerie: They're children. Like I was... Was your plan to discard them too? Nala Se: The Empire will keep them in order to control them.

We don't know a lot about Emerie's background, but it's clear that she had a lot less choice than Crosshair and less opportunity or ability to leave. Unlike Crosshair, we never directly hear Emerie's views of the Empire (and she was most likely 'taken under Hemlock's wing' before the Empire even came to power), but lets look at how she talks about the Tantiss:

"Remain calm. Cooperate and you might survive."

"Don't make this worse, Crosshair! There is no escape!"

"All of us serve a purpose here."

"The Doctor will inform me, if it's necessary."

"It's best not to ask questions."

"Escape is not possible, Omega. This is for your own good."

She honestly does the best she can within the system she is also trapped in. She tries to help Crosshair, Omega, and the vault kids in the only way she knows how (warns Crosshair about the hounds and security, tries to protect Omega from Hemlock, tells Scorch his "actions were extreme" with Jax, insists on overseeing Bayrn's retrieval, double checks his m-count (to give him an out), and tries to find out where he came from). When she gives Omega, and later Eva, the doll, I think it shows just how little she really is able to do here (and it's kinda heartbreaking imo).

The framing of this shot especially (after Jax's escape attempt) visually shows how Emerie herself is trapped/imprisoned:

Despite the fact that very little of this is Emerie's fault, she has very little power and she is doing all she can, the narrative does not excuse her role in the Empire:

Nala Se: What will you do, Emerie? Emerie: There is nothing I can do. I don't have that kind of power. Nala Se: Don't you?

Emerie: I- I was doing my job. Echo: Yeah, I’ve heard that before. You’re a clone. How can you be part of this?

These fighting-the-Bystander-Effect conversations parallel these exchanges:

Hunter: We made a choice, and so did you. Crosshair: Soldiers follow orders. Hunter: Blind allegiance makes you a pawn.

Crosshair: We’re soldiers, we do what needs to be done. Cody: You know what makes us different from battle droids? We make our own decisions, our own choices. And we have to live with them too.

which did not change Crosshair's mind. And honestly, all respect to Echo's disappointed mom glare™ but I think it's clear Emerie had already made her decision, she just needed help to actually be able to do anything about it. When she stopped Echo, with her voice wavering on the verge of tears (ahhh v good voice acting), she clearly had no intention of turning him in. She's on her own in the Empire's most secure facility with very little resources, if she had tried anything on her own she most likely would have failed and been killed

Omega: Emerie, you don't have to do this. Emerie: (sigh) I’m sorry, but I do.

but as soon as she is enabled by an ally, she immediately turns around to help: giving information and getting Echo through security, helping the kids escape, and giving Omega the tablet that allows them to free the other clone prisoners.

Where Crosshair's turn is accompanied by the symbolic imagery of the ice vulture, Emerie's is the removal of her (literally rose-tinted!) glasses:

Symbolizing how she has shed her previous views/indoctrination that altered her perception of the Empire and blinded her to it's wrongs. It's disillusionment.

Emerie's story shows us that even those who are raised and indoctrinated into this system can, should, and will escape (with needed help). Even those who did not choose to be apart of the Empire and are not making the decisions still have the responsibility and ability to act on what they know is right.

Emerie, whose name means 'Home strength' 'Brave' and 'Powerful', and "reflects the importance of leadership and authority in the workplace".***

While Emerie is only in one more scene after her turn, so the wrap up is a bit rushed, she still very simply does what Crosshair does not:

Emerie: Because I was wrong about this place. And I'm trying to do the right thing.

Echo: I’m sure Senator Chuchi would find what you have to say very helpful for our cause. Emerie: I have a lot to make up for. I’d like to help out however I can.

She admits wrong, takes accountability, commits to making amends, and leaves with Echo to go take on the Empire (which hopefully we will get to actually see more of some day).

So, in short, she's showing us how redemption is done right!

---

Notes:

*Whether this writing choice was good/logical/in-character or not is another discussion entirely, but I'm going off of what we were given, what the show is presenting in the canon text and (reasonably inferred/intentional) subtext. Crosshair is pretty multifaceted and I could only touch on so much here. There's a lot of ways to interpret his character/choices, but I tried to avoid the realm of speculation or fanon explanations (even if they sometimes make more sense lol).

**History and political theory are not my area of expertise at all, so I have NO idea how well this aligns with real-world fascism stuff and therefore what implications this storytelling choice could have. I think the message of like 'if you think you could survive or gain power by doing what the Empire/fascist system wants you are wrong' could be good (like how everyone is actually harmed by the patriarchy type of a thing), but I hesitate bc maybe there are those who would benefit, since it's a hierarchal system, right? If anyone more knowledgeable than me has incite to share, by all means

Either way, I do think it works in-story and in-universe though. It's just in the execution. The main problem (even from a strictly theme/character arc stand point) is the lacking follow-up/consequences for Crosshair in S3. Like you gave your character accountability by removing the chip and I think that's great setup for an arc but you gotta follow through with that and actually hold him accountable!

***I'm always curious when clones have 'normal' names, like why did they chose the name Emerie of all things? So I looked it up. Idk how reliable sources are for name meanings so take it with a grain of salt but it's still fun. Fits pretty well, and clones names have definitely had significant meanings in the past (like how Rex and Jesse both mean 'king') so I'm pretty sure it was intentional.

Anyway, thanks for coming to my tedtalk

[agnesmontague]

what's this new podcast, what's going on

malevolent! i didn't know this going in but it's actually a podcast based off a game of Call of Cthulhu; not that i would know much more than that, since i know precious little lovecraft and even less of the actual game

premise is that an investigator, name of arthur lester, suddenly gets possessed by some entity from a book, with no prior memory of how or why this happened to him. the entity has control of his eyes so they must work together to find out what's going on. lots of cthulhu mythos stuff going on but you don't seem to need to know any prior lore in order to get into it; as long as you're vaguely aware of how lovecraftian horrors work you're good to go

this is actually a CYOA game being played on patreon with patrons calling the shots on arthur's choices throughout the story, which is pretty much the only thing keeping me from wholeheartedly recommending it, * but that's fully a matter of personal preference. the writing and voice acting so far has been fucking stellar though, like absolutely blowing my shit out of the water, and the writers(? i don’t know how many there are) have a clear knack for weaving everything together so i'm totally onboard for the ride rn. i cannot fucking emphasize enough how good the voice acting is, there is SO MUCH dimension added to the characters on VA alone

the unique thing about this podcast is that because it's functionally an actual play podcast, there aren't any scene breaks for anything. even small things like mundane details are left in, in places where most narrative podcasts would have faded to black or cut the scene; but because we're cut off from most fourth wall breaks or hors-canon scenebuilding the actual effect is more like...watching a youtube playthrough of a video game? like it straight up kinda feels like im listening to someone play through a disco elysium-style game. kinda needs getting used to at first (at least for me) but it's oddly soothing

(*the reason being that a story feels much less coherent/consistent for me if i'm aware that ordinary schlubs like me are calling the shots, but again, if this doesn't bother you and/or you're not a picky little bitch like me i can't rec this podcast enough, actually**)

(**BEARS MENTIONING THAT FOR $10 YOU CAN ALSO BE A PATRON WHO MAKES THE CHOICES. if that is your jam GO FOR IT they deserve the $$ for such a high-production value podcast anyway)

[livebloggingmydescentintomadness]

Hi, I've never really watched much SPN but I saw you say in a post to look through your J*red tag, (I could've sworn people loved him but I took a long tumblr break) and I'm confused about the Destiel thing. I thought when the Destiel episode aired, that people said Jensen looked like he was holding back a slur in that episode. But also excited for it? Which is it?

let me preface this by saying that i'm not mad at YOU at all, but i really am fucking annoyed that people took one screencap with no further context and made it a meme that a whole person was homophobic because of what they interpreted as his facial expression.

first of all, here's a gifset of that part of the scene so you can see what's said and how they look while saying it. here's a gif of the specific bit that the screencap was taken from:

i can't speak for anyone else, but i'm pretty good at reading facial expressions, and i've been watching jensen/dean for years now. i can tell you that this facial expression, being shown in response to "i love you" is dean saying please don't, not like this.

because cas isn't JUST saying "i love you", he's saying it to trigger his own death, in order to save dean's life. by the time cas says it, dean knows that, he knows this is goodbye. and he can't fucking bear for what's between them to be said out loud like this, for the first, the only time, not as cas leaving him again, not as cas sacrificing himself for dean.

this is nothing remotely like "i want to say a slur", it's not pain because he doesn't feel the same; it's pain because this is basically dean's worst nightmare. cas has just told him everything he always wanted to hear, and he's saying it as a goodbye.

BUT, what's more important than my personal interpretation of these facial expressions is that in jensen's first panel after this episode, he said - as tactfully as possible - that a lot of dean's reaction in this scene had been cut.

(he also was very animated when talking about the episode and this scene in particular. he said that he had a crew member record the scene on jensen's personal phone because it was so important to him. he and misha sent fan reaction videos to each other that night. he was excited while talking to fans and asking what they thought, all smiles and delight with how much we liked it.)

you can see that, right after the previous gifs, dean looks over his shoulder at where the empty is coming for cas, and his eyes are absolutely filled with tears.

as soon as the camera angles switch back, the tears are gone.

so we know there were takes where jensen was acting his ASS off, he was full-on crying, and they just cut it all for the blandest reaction possible. because the thing is that while they filmed this episode, 15x18, just before quarantine, they finished filming the last two around six months later. however, 15x18 didn't AIR until after those six months.

long story short, it appears that they were going to make destiel canon, but that long break caused the cw execs to get nervous and hit the panic button to cut out as much gay as possible (most likely to keep the gay cooties off of padalecki to repackage him for his new show walker). i cannot emphasize enough how everything about the season (which was genuinely good) leading up to this moment absolutely screamed 'canon endgame destiel', and then something happened, and nothing about the final episode (which was horrible) or what anyone says about it makes any sense.

we know that misha was in vancouver at time of filming the finale, yet castiel never reappeared. we know that at least ten scenes were cut from the finale script, and the aired episode was suspiciously short with a lot of filler. we know that the explanations people have given for why things changed don't hold water, and we've gotten different stories from different people, some of whom are obviously under NDAs.

okay, so the reason i explained all of that is because fans more knowledgeable in filmmaking than i have analyzed this 15x18 confession scene and determined that it's not just that they used the most boring takes, but they actually butchered it. i.e. they used footage of jensen from different parts of the scene and shoehorned it into this moment so that it was as not-gay as possible.

my friend @winchestersingerautorepair has done a bunch of meta on this topic if you happen to be interested on the above mentioned analysis of the editing.

tl;dr: they butchered jensen's acting to make the scene as straight as possible.

and despite that, they couldn't edit out the fact that dean spent hours sobbing on the floor after cas was taken.

[starlightshore]

Why is theorizing that chara was an abuser a bad thing? They did terrible things & forced asriel along. Seems pretty abusive to me

// cw: discussion of abuse, death, suicide, canon typical topics

look i don't know how to tell you this other than plainly: i don't believe children are capable of abuse.

as an abuse victim myself i take this shit extremely serious. a child does not have the same brain functionality and rationality as an adult. a child is not capable of the thought process to be abusive.

For instance a kid hitting another kid isn't abuse, it's bad behavior? is me (age 8-12 idk) stealing my grandpa's sugar cubes and lying about it gas lighting? fucking no. please take this shit more seriously and don't throw the term "abuse" around so easily.

children can be crappy, because they're people and they're capable of doing wrong and good, and chara has harmful mindset and attitudes to violence but that is not inherently make them abusive. chara calling asriel a crybaby when they're literally dying of a horrible poison is not abuse.

like, yeah, chara's murder-suicide plan is fucked up but they're not capable of understanding of what they were doing NOR was asriel. asriel agreed to the plan and carried it out until the very last minute, he was down for murder until he realized what death really was and his compassion overcame his desire for freedom. in the pacifst fight he talks about how chara was the only one to understand him and how he desperately wants to just play with them again. they were best friends. asriel was not above violence until it came down to do it, but that doesn't change he understood chara's goals.

chara is at most, 12 years old. they are a child. they don't understand what taxes are and they can't drive. they don't understand politics. age 12 is the youngest age someone could drink coffee. like. they're a child. i cannot emphasize this enough to this fandom because people like you tend to forget that.

chara's biggest character flaw is their tenancy to violence. their knife is not only used for it though, it can also be used to cut plant vines. The duality of it represents Chara (as all the fallen children's objects represent who they are) as they have the capacity to hurt others but also to cultivate a garden. The knife is either the True Knife in No Mercy or the Worn Dagger in True Pacifist/Neutral.

A big theme is your control of the player character and your influence on them: as evidenced by the dogfood bag and the punching of the dummy. they're impressionable kids, your actions guide them to a path of pacifism or destruction, that's like, literally the whole point of the game. chara goes as far to call you a partner and it's your guidance that showed them what to do.

Asriel only says "chara wasn't the greatest person" and "i wish i had a friend more like you, frisk" regarding chara's choice to use violence means to free monsterkind. what asriel is saying, is that he admires how frisk has been determined enough to find solutions and survive while also not kill others. chara was under the mindset that when it came down to it, it was a "kill or be killed" world. asriel, left in the wake of chara's death went into that mindset in their absence because he blamed himself for their shared death. because pacifism led to them being killed. but now he knows better, and realizes if chara didn't attempt murder -or even killed themselves, neither of them would of died.

chara was wrong but they were also a suicidal child who was not capable of understanding the weight of what the plan entailed. chara was forced into a kill-scenario -you need a human and monster soul to cross, and 7 human souls (or the power of) to break the barrier. chara was seen as the deltarune angel and pressured to be the hope of monsterkind. a kid like that, who desperately wants to be good and save people, is placed in a situation where either their family member or themselves are to die to even cross the barrier to get the souls.

there is no evidence that chara would of killed or hurt anyone before the start of the game if not for the rules of the barrier. while chara has violent urges, there's nothing at all that points them to acting out against monsters. their lv is 1, exp 0.

the incident with asgore was an accident via prank. chara saw that they almost killed their father figure and then killed themselves in the same horrific method. that's their way of giving punishment to themself.

like. YES what they did was wrong. the game is setting this as a moral, to teach others that this suffering was unnecessary and there are alternative options that don't resort to death. these are the integral themes of the game to care for others and not harm them -that's something chara didn't get to understand in life but wiht your guidance they can in death. like please get your head out of online discourse and engage with undertale on it's level. is toby really trying to make a game where "well secretly this literal child is an abusive devil" or is it about finding compassion for others even when you're forced into painful, deadly scenarios?

and that's all going into this without the discussion of how does a child get to be violent like this in the first place, of how the flavor text of the faded ribbon implies chara's been physically abused or how there's plenty of things to paint their hometown as a cruel place that led 8 children to run to a mountain to kill themselves. like this is engaging with this without the nuance that chara themselves were mentally ill and likely a victim of abuse. that hey, maybe there's a reason behind this and the kid isn't inherently evil.