#and aggressively ignoring Galadriel

[rings-of-power-realm]

[rey-jake-therapist]

*sorry I think my ask cut off the first bit here so I'm sending it again (Haladriel reminds me of Darklina, in the sense that both characters are so loved by me individually and the dynamic is fascinating, but as an actual ship in fandom? I have to navigate through the misogynist takes that are reducing the female character to a trophy)

I saw this in the haladriel tag on x and I think I pinned down the reason why there are certain people who can't handle dark ships and won't stop invalidating them by screaming about abuse/misogyny. It's because in their minds, they take things very concretely, not being able to 'read between the lines', and thus it's hard for them to really think in abstract ways. They just can't divorce fictional characters from actual problems in society. Don't get me wrong, there is a parallel between them that exists as a fine line, and we should absolutely call some things out. But in the realm of fictional characters, shipping, and make believe? That's strictly a 'them/individual' problem, not an 'us' problem. There are SO many haladriel shippers. We get so many fanart by talented people, many of whom haven't even heard of Tolkien. Are they supporting misogyny or have they had to 'navigate thru misogynist takes' in order to draw two characters together because they like their dynamic? It's not our fault that these canon police antis can't separate fiction from reality, and see every aggression toward a female character (unless it's by another female character, or it's a m/m relationship) as misogyny, while ignoring actual inequality in societies around us, as well as ignoring the truth that men can also become victims of abuse/violence. It all goes back to the funny hypocrisy of touting a beloved female character with admirable traits like strong, fierce, powerful, but the instant a male character challenges her and shows any kind of aggression at her - because spoiler alert, he's a villain, it's literally how he was written - these canon police antis whine about misogyny instead of just saying they don't see what shippers see in a fictional pairing and leave it at that. Like, it's ok, you don't need a reason to not like a pairing. The funny thing is, for all their fascination on Galadriel and Sauron as individuals, they fail to comprehend Sauron's character beyond what is stated in black and white in front of them (going back to the concrete vs abstract thinking). I'm not even a huge fan of Charlie, and even I can understand the 'seeing Gal as a trophy' bit is just a very simplified jest at the comparison to Morgoth and the Silmarils. If they actually bothered to read more of his interviews, it's very clear he sees her as beyond just that. Oh, she's just another ring to him basically? Ok but then why do I keep hearing cosmic connection spoken by him anytime Galadriel is brought up in interviews? Cosmic connection flew over this person's head like a frisbee.

I hope you don't mind me saying I never liked Darklina 🙈 I don't know if it's because I wasn't a big fan of the show in general, of because of the actor I found too pretty, or the dynamic in general... It just never worked for me.

I'm probably significantly older than most Tumblr users, old enough to remember how Mulder and Scully shippers were shamed and mocked when Internet and forums barely started to be a thing anyway 🤣 If you ever heard of X Files or even better, watched it, you know that there isn't a ship that's more vanilla than this one. And yet shippers were being mocked for seeing romance where there was only "platonic friendship" (joke on them, 9 years later Mulder and Scully were endgame), when we weren't told that "Scully deserved better" because "Mulder was abusive towards her

Shippers were always made fun to and it'll never stop, I'm afraid. I've stopped caring about what anyone has to say about a fictional romance I like tbh. I don't know if you use social media such as Reddit and Twitter, as far as I m concerned avoiding these places help a lot. Haters don't seem aware of Tumblr's existence, and I pray every day that they remain ignorant because I really like it here 💜

The best we can do is to keep having fun with what we love... That won't change these idiot's minds, but it will probably piss them off ;)

[mag-lore]

Amazon: we're making our show diverse to represent the modern world through rings of power !!

Also Amazon: gives almost all the male elves short stereotypically masculine haircuts while the female elves all have long hair. Ignoring the fact that all elves have long hair and all look very similar and androgynous. Gives the female dwarves no facial/body hair and stereotypically feminine clothing, ignoring the canon fact that dwarf women are indistinguishable from dwarf men and therefore look very manly. Removes all the queer coding from Sauron's character, making him a cisgender man who looks very stereotypically masculine and has a beard. Also gives him a forced heterosexual love interest. Makes him and Ar-Pharazon have virtually no interaction and therefore a completely different relationship than they have in the canon. Casts Celebrimbor much older than he is written and removes almost all of his scenes and interactions with Sauron, replacing him in almost all of the canon scenes they have together with Galadriel.

Seems like your "diversity" excludes anything queer coded that exists in the canon as well as relationships that could be and often are read as queer. Painting middle earth as aggressively cisheteronormative even if that means fundamentally changing existing characters and races.

[borom1r]

2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 12, 14, 18, 20, 22 for lotr from the violence ask meme 😈

OK i have answered 2 already but lets do this thing fuck yea (thank uuuuuuuuuu!!!!!)

3) screenshot or description of the worst take you’ve seen on tumblr

look its not really a "take" but the amount of people who just post variations of "I don't like Boromir, he's the worst" IN THE BOROMIR TAG is genuinely insane to me. like have ur (incorrect) opinion but keep it out of the tag worstie

7) what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

uhhhh no one thank the gods. ive always disliked Denethor Because of canon. but i will say stumbling across the file index of an old LotR fansite + clicking on files w/ no preview only to find graphics thirsting over Denethor did cause massive psychic damage lmao

8) common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about

idk 😭 i dont interact w/ the broader fandom really. i do find the way ppl reduce Pippin to Just a joke character in fanon insufferable tho

9) worst part of canon

BOOK!FARAMIR + HIS MIDDLEMEN SHTICK MY WORSTIE.

also ngl i do find the Aragorn/Arwen romance....... Weird. like I'm far from averse to "love at first sight" so long as it comes with the recognition that it's really more infatuation + true love takes work. and there's the fact Aragorn fell head over heels for an image of Lúthien, and Arwen's heart did not turn towards him until Galadriel dressed him up in elven finery. not to mention she was "not yet weary of her days" when Aragorn dies + has to die "whether I will or I nill" like she. wastes away? slowly alone in Lothlórien.

like idk [Aragorn kinnie voice] that's my sister, man but all that aside I do think.. Arwen deserved better? I like that the movies made her more active + I do wish she'd actually been there at Helm's Deep bc it would've been fun to see her and Éowyn bond but yeah. the vibes were off with that whole situation imho

12) the unpopular character that you actually like and why more people should like them

huh. does Théodred count? i feel like he's kind of a blank slate so fandom can just kinda run wild with him but i do genuinely enjoy writing him + find that there are solid implications for at least a friendship between him + Boromir (if not more). i mean, Boromir got a Rohirric shield from someone

14) that one thing you see in fics all the time

ok th implication here bein its sth that bothers me which thankfully i pretty much only read Aramir or Faramir/Éomer fics soooo theres not much??

i think the only things that RLLY get to me + they aren't THAT popular trope-wise (or ive been rlly good at avoiding them lmao) are fics that 1) make Boromir overly aggressive or 2) completely woobify Faramir

+ tbh the Faramir one bothers me more actually. that is a grown ass man and captain of the rangers of Ithilien.....................

18) it’s absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on…

HRM. again idk :3 <- blissfully not interacting w the broader fandom + only interacting w/ ppl w correct takes on Boromir + Rohan

(tentatively i need to start following more ppl i see some of yall in my notes + i shld follow. sorry im like a nervous dog u need to coax out from under the porch lol)

20) part of canon you found tedious or boring

side-eyeing my copies of the Histories. i need to finish those. eventually.............

22) your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

ignores?????? nothing i think (thankfully lmao) but i will say there is SO much detail in the films that it makes me INSANE. ik we literally just talked abt this in DMs lmao but i could sit n talk abt LotR costuming for fucking HOURS the films were SO stunning and the clothing alone reveals sooooooo much abt the characters i think its a super underrated vehicle for character analysis :3

[maul-of-shame]

Hey Bucky, just came across someone saying that "Elrondriel shippers don't exist" and also that it's basically "shipping her with Gandalf" etc and I just needed to share it to hear your thoughts about it 😂😂😂 them talking about ship wars when they started it as soon as they jumped on tumblr posts, reddit posts and twitters ones and now playing peacemakers is hilarious to me

Oh, I see what’s going on here!😂🤣🤣 Ngl had to put my coffee aside, I nearly choke on it reading that PLEASE-

I'll be polite here (scratched my +75 lines of salty rant lmao), but I feel it's worth addressing the situation.

We've been having a great time discussing and theorizing about Elrondriel on platforms like Tumblr, Reddit, AO3 and Twitter for days, weeks now even.

But it's funny to see some of the same individuals who were previously stirring the pot now trying to play the role of peacemakers, as if they’ve been neutral all along.

They’ve spent weeks fueling the fire and now, suddenly, they’re acting as though they’ve been innocent bystanders? It’s almost like they’re auditioning for the role of “most dramatic housewife” in Middle-earth’s next reality show.

It’s also curious how shipping Elrond and Galadriel has somehow been portrayed as a crime by some of these folks. They’ve put in the time and effort to bring us down with harsh comments, assumptions, and plenty of shade, but the moment we start sharing our theories and ideas, it’s “woe is me, I’m being attacked”?

Attacked by what, pray tell?

Our theories? Our imaginations? Our fanfics?

It's easy to make theories and discuss ships when you’re in a bubble where everyone agrees with you, but the minute others express their ideas, suddenly it’s a scandal and everyone agreeing with this needs to be burned at the stake, huh?

We’ve been here. Hearing the passive-aggressive comments, receiving the messages that aim to tell us how wrong we are, we saw the names thrown at us.

And now, after all that, some want to pretend they’ve always been neutral, just here to enjoy the show? I don’t think so. It’s one thing to share differing opinions respectfully, and honestly some Haladriels have been LOVELY so far, some are even in our Elrondriel discord!!

But it’s another to dismiss an entire ship with negativity and then act as though you’re above it all.

If others prefer to stay in their echo chambers and ignore any theories or ships that don’t align with their view, that’s fine. You do you Boo. Stay in your tags.

However, let’s not pretend some weren’t quick to jump into conversations just to throw shade at Elrondriel whenever they had a chance. We’ve all seen it.

There’s more of us out there than they realize.

More anons, more fans, and more people slowly starting to come forward and talk about Elrondriel. And yeah, some of them are scared to speak up because of the heavy fire from other shippers or the canon dudebros who’ve made it their personal mission to stomp on anything that isn’t their version of Tolkien’s world. But here’s the thing: trying to dismiss Elrondriel is only going to fortify it.

The more they try to shut us down, the more we come together.

Look, we know what it’s like. They may have tried to gaslight us, just like Sauron tried to do with Galadriel, but we won’t be fooled. We see through it. And as more fans realize there’s a community of people who get it—who understand what makes Elrondriel so special—we’re going to grow stronger, no matter how much they try to suppress us. If they think they can intimidate us into silence, they’ve got another thing coming. We’re not backing down from our ships or our theories. They can try to drag us through the mud all they want, but we’re here for the long haul.

There’s more of us. We’re building momentum, and we’re not going anywhere.

I know not all of their shippers behaved like this, and I’m sure there are plenty of people who engage in the conversation respectfully, but let’s be honest—there were enough instances of harassment and negativity that Elrondriel shippers have felt the need to turn their accounts private, come out as anonymous, or even just step back from public discussion altogether. It’s a shame, because people shouldn’t feel the need to hide or protect themselves just for expressing an opinion or enjoying a ship, especially when that ship is based on genuine theories and ideas. The fact that this behavior led to shippers feeling unsafe or uncomfortable enough to take those steps speaks volumes about the atmosphere that was created.

Again, not all of them, but enough to make the space feel hostile for those of us just enjoying the show and exploring different possibilities/ships.

It’s honestly wild hearing them say things like, “we can’t enjoy the ship/have positivity in the tags” when they’ve spent God knows how long spreading poison across the fandom. And now, somehow, it’s our fault? That’s some Grade-A gaslighting right there, and it’s not lost on anyone.

I know for myself, I’ve never once added tags like “Celeborn,” “Celebrian,” or “Haladriel” to my Elrondriel content. I’m sure I’m not alone in this, but to turn around and accuse us of doing that—when it’s clear from the record who’s been actively inserting "elrondriel" or even "galadriel x elrond" on their posts for the sole purpose of stirring drama—is just ridiculous.

It’s baffling that after all the targeting, shading, and undermining, now they’re the ones crying foul, claiming they can’t enjoy their ships in peace.

Honestly, how many times do we have to be gaslit before we call it out? The hypocrisy is wild, and it’s not even subtle at this point.

It’s like they spent days and weeks trashing on our ship, trying to ruin every post, and now that we’re just here minding our own business, talking theories and having fun, gaining traction, suddenly we’re the problem?

Yeah, no. Sorry, but we’re not falling for that.

I'm not falling for that.

They claim to be all about “ship and let ship,” but as soon as Elrondriel starts gaining traction, suddenly they can’t resist the urge to tear it down, just to feel validated in their own ship. It’s honestly laughable how much they preach about respecting other people’s ships until it’s something they don’t personally like or agree with.

And then? The claws come out.

They’re all about supporting ships unless it involves Elrond/ Galadriel, apparently.

It’s clear that “ship and let ship” is just a nice little mantra some people like to trot out when it’s convenient for them. When the shoe’s on the other foot and they’re confronted with something they dislike, it’s game on—logic and respect for others' ships are out the window, and the petty comments start flowing. If they really believed in “ship and let ship,” they'd let us enjoy Elrondriel in peace, like we’ve been doing with their ship.

If they truly lived by their mantra, they wouldn’t be adding our tags to their theories just to bring us down, or posting things that shade our ship such as "x reasons why Elrondriel can't happen", "Why elrondriel doesn't make sense" with our tags etc etc.

They’d just leave us in peace.

We're not out here combing through every single post, fic, or comment about their ships to complain, yet somehow they can't resist jumping into ours to stir the pot. It's honestly wild how they claim to be all about freedom of ships but can't even let ours breathe without trying to rain on it. If they really believed in “ship and let ship,” they'd mind their business and let us do the same.

But instead, we get the same tired act of trying to silence and invalidate our enjoyment. It’s exhausting.

[monstrousgourmandizingcats]

8 & 9 for the women in fandom asks!

8. What’s a character in your fandom spaces that you think deserves more love?

I prune my spaces so aggressively that I genuinely am having trouble thinking of characters they ignore or denigrate for misogynistic reasons. We should all have such problems. I will say that the women in Tolkien deserve better than to get trotted out as talking points for why he wasn't a sexist; he was, although this is both easy to overstate and overstated very often (same with his racism; his homophobia, on the other hand, is genuinely next to nonexistent for the time, interestingly), and constantly bringing up Galadriel or Éowyn in these contexts tends to obscure their actual merits as characters.

9. What is a character you think was overlooked or given a poor ending by the creative team? How would you have changed their story?

The ATLA people's inability to come up with something compelling or even satisfying to do with Azula after the main show ended is legend. Way back in the mists of antiquity I wrote a fic where she underwent political semi-rehabilitation as someone who was basically harmless but who usually gave her brother bad advice.

New ask game: answer any of these questions with your favorite woman who fits the theme

[giftcard-giveway2024]

A cute guy likes me on a dating app. After chatting with them for weeks, we decide to go on a date. They are very flirtatious and forward over the app, but not when we meet in person. He admits he thought I was transmasc like him, we laugh about it because his mistake is funny and means I'm not passing but in a silly backwards way. I think his sudden awkwardness in person may be nervousness and flirt with him in ways less forward and aggressive than he'd been flirting with me earlier, and they become cold and distant for the rest of the date. By the time I get home they've blocked me on the app we met on. This case of being mistaken as a transmasc on a dating app will happen 3 more times, and in 2/3 times it results in a similar sudden lack of interest where once they were coming on to me. None of these people will be cis.

I am in a self defense class for queer people, learning hand to hand combat as a community. I have been here months. I notice I'm the only transfem in the classes but there are other trans people there so I don't think much of it. Today I have some stubble as I did not have time to shave before the early morning class. When discussing unrealistic action movie and anime fight scenes I describe on of my favorites, quoting the lines as I pantomime the goofy moves. They smile and laugh along until the word bitch leaves my lips in one quote, then the bisexual woman who only ever they/thems me glares at me like I've committed a grevious crime, and the rest of the class looks at me like a freak in awkward silence for a moment before moving on. I learn bitch is not a word a clocky bitch can "reclaim". I am quiet in classes now, and when I go I focus primarily on the training, when I see other trans women try it out they often give me a sad look and do not return for a second class. I get a sinking feeling that if I ever use this training to save my life one day I'd be branded a violent man instead of a strong woman.

I am texting with a good friend of years who was one of the people who helped me realize I was trans like them and even the one who helped pick out my name loves talking about our shared interests and sharing their favorite smut with me. We bond over favorite stories, artists, characters, and kinks as well as our trans experience. Yet they constantly tell me they could never date someone who's AMAB because of the trauma of being "female socialized" and their genital preferences for vulvas. Every compliment they have ever given me on my appearance or outfit is followed up by "but in a non-sexual way, I could never date you". Today I finally have the courage tell them they don't need to say that every time. They ignore this response. We keep talking for awhile, but they start taking months to respond to my messages and respond with a short sentence at most. They no longer share details about their life and shut me out when I ask or share details about mine, even the most mundane and chaste details. I stop talking to them. A birthday gift I bought them months before this falling out happened looms at me in my closet. I cannot use it as it doesn't fit me but can't bring myself to throw it away, just in case we reconcile one day. I feel pathetic for craving friendship with someone who sees me as "abuser-bodied", that so much of my early stages would've been impossible without their help. I feel a little more lost without them.

I am at a queer/trans/enby kink dance party with some friends. I am scantily clad and wearing a skirt and high heeled boots. I do not pass well so this space is one of the few places I feel safe and free dressing like this. It is packed with queer and trans people just like me engaged in delightful debauchery and wearing very little. The music hurts my ears but I'm happy to be here, I feel overstimulated but alive and authentic. I am approached by a beautiful stranger from across the dance floor, she is graceful and stylish, like some modern Galadriel clad in leather, white lace, and industrial piercings with impeccable voice training. She compliments my outfit, I compliment hers. She tells me I need to shave my armpits if I want to look like a real woman. My two friends stand up for me and yell at her. They assure me she was just being an asshole, that women were supposed to be hairy, but I can't help but notice how both of them have hairy armpits and yet the "advice" targeted me. The wide range of bodies that people here tonight find desirable on cis women don't seem to apply to the women like me. I am the only one of us that doesn't go home with a hookup at the end of the night. I realize now she likely spoke from experience. I am still hurt by her words, but realizing the kinds of experiences she must have had herself to feel her words were kind advice hurts far worse.

A local queer photographer who's work I follow is looking for women & non-binary models for a photoshoot. I have become comfortable with getting photos taken of me for the first time in my life since my egg cracked, and had a few small time modeling gigs under my belt. With something like this I could actually have the beginnings of a portfolio. I reach and am told that they are not looking for trans women models, "only women and AFABs". Getting the same line I get from agencies from an independent queer photographer repackaged in "woke" terminology stings. I see many queer and nonbinary models I looked up to take part in the shoot. I have to wonder if they knew that the photographer's definition of woman didn't include trans women, or if like me in my martial arts class they noticed no transfems were there but didn't think much of it because there were other trans people there.

It is years ago and I am still an egg. I am with my partner of 4 years. I am exhausted after a long day. She asks me for sex in the voice that I know means saying no will hurt her. I learned from her long ago men have high and insatiable sex drives, therefore saying no meant I wanted to have sex, just not with her. So I say yes. The sex is painful and unsatisfying, and I simply do my best to thrust through the discomfort until she cums. I feel numb and hurt. She enjoys herself but seems sad I did not cum. I assure her I love her. When we hold eachother after my obligation has been met and I finally feel comfortable and safe. We begin talking. She talks about the trashy women she saw on the street today, describing their cringe outfits and ugly styles and bad hair. All the styles and clothes and hair I yearn to try myself in my deepest and most repressed desires. I change the subject and ask her about work and family. She asks if I'd still love her if she were a man and I say yes. She says she would still love me if I were a woman. Something in that statement feels like a lie. It is months later when we break up and I move out. Now that I am a woman I look back and know from our years together that if I were a woman then she'd hate the kind of woman I'd become. That if I were a woman she'd still have the same expectations of me as a man, that her refusal of sex equated an impersonal not being in the mood but my refusal of sex equated a cruel refusal of love.

A lesbian group begins organizing a queer woman's strip night event. A safe place for amateur performers to shine and women to perform and enjoy sexuality away from the male gaze. I see no transfems in the promotional material or leadership team, and I've learned not to think nothing of it just because there are other trans people there. I do not go.

I am talking with my therapist. They are trans too and an amazing therapist, often providing insights and advice only someone else with the lived experience of being trans can. I express distress and suicidal ideation at the fact I feel like I need to pass before I can dress the way I want. That until I get expensive hair removal procedures and FFS I can never feel safe and welcome presenting authentically. I lament how these things are expensive and may never be accessible to me. They tell me I need to deal with my "internalized transphobia", as if these feelings aren't a result of constant rejection and othering by external forces even within queer spaces. As if the scrap of womanhood others sometimes acknowledge in me does not rely on their perceptions of me.

There is a publication accepting works from trans people of all stripes to document trans experiences. It gets flamed for not having a single transfem as a contributor. The people behind it apologize profusely, they say didn't notice no transfems had sent work in and would do a sequel publication that was transfem-centric. I wonder if anyone had noticed there were no transfems but didn't think much of it because there were other trans people there. I think about the kinds of spaces I've seen like that, and the implications it has about how they treat transfems, and I am unsurprised no transfems submitted.

One of my closest friends for years is very supportive of me when I first begin crossdressing and experimenting with they/them pronouns. She gives me suggestions on cute clothes to wear and takes me shopping as well as asks for pictures. We had helped eachother discover we were both queer as young teens, come to terms with it, and navigate it in a hostile environment, so I have complete trust. We are close enough we are frequently asking eachother advice on serious life choices & relationships, sending nudes for critique + tips before sending them to our partners, and sharing our most secret and vulnerable moments. She often asks me for tips on getting her straight boyfriends into pegging and crossdressing that make me slightly uncomfortable but I don't mind, she is a loyal friend I would endure a great many discomforts for. I host a lunch for us one day, and come out to her as a trans woman. I tell her my new name, say I no longer use he/him pronouns, and thank her for her support on my journey thus far. She launches into a monologue about how by changing my name I am throwing away all our memories together and spitting in the face of my family. Taken aback by her sudden heel turn after being so supportive of me being nonbinary and GNC, I excuse myself to go to the bathroom to get a break and give her some time to process. When I am in the bathroom trying not to cry, she is on the phone. I overhear her misgendering me as she is talking about me being bisexual in a frightened voice. She sounds truly afraid that I intend to be sexually violent towards her. When I leave the bathroom and sit back down I pretend not to have heard. She gets off the phone, saying she was just chatting with her boyfriend. We talk a bit longer, she explains how "the surgery" is dangerous and experimental and she hopes I won't get it. I assure her I won't and do my best to change the subject and hope she comes around after some time to process things, hurt and shocked that what I saw as a natural shift in the path I was already on marked me as frightening in her eyes after knowing eachother for over a decade. That a fellow bisexual suddenly saw my bisexuality as dangerous now that I was asserting myself as a trans woman. I say goodbye to her, and she says goodbye to me using my deadname, I do not risk an argument to correct her. It is months after the meeting we have not seen eachother since and she has not responded to any messages I sent. After reflecting on her reaction further I decide that I don't really want to spend time with someone who thinks these things about me for my own safety and mental health, regardless of our history. A friend of 14 years who supported my queerness and transness gone the instant I crossed an intangible woman-shaped line that marked me as a predator and invader in her eyes.

I log online and day after day see trans women getting banned and harassed. Seeing baseless callout posts calling them groomers and abusers getting taken seriously by other queer and trans people. Seeing proof that deep down so many people I consider kindred spirits see me and people like me as worthy of intense scrutiny and policing to keep "the queer community" safe and united. The blocklist grows but everything stays the same. I treasure the people in my life who don't take part in this and would do anything for them, but it seems they get fewer each time.

I'm not making this post to seek sympathy, I am used to this kind of shit and far worse has happened to myself and others. I just make this to illustrate transmisogyny is not some "online-only" issue like people claim. Even if online issues weren't "real" (as healed is fond of saying, "online is real") this has tangible effects in the way trans women are treated offline as well. By communities, friends, partners, colleagues, systems, etc. That's why we talk about it.

So much of the discussions people have paint transmisogyny as some online oppression olympics maliciously trying to divide the community, smear transmascs, and "reinvent bioessentialism". That is not what it is about. Discussions about transmisogyny is about how we are treated for being what we are, and while related to transphobia and misogyny it is seperate because it often represents doors other trans people and women can walk through that transfems cannot. It has affected me in my most intimate moments when I was with other trans and queer people I felt safe around, and taught me that I need to carefully manage my persona and presentation at all times lest my authenticity be branded "male socialization". I am even terrified to express attraction to people who express attraction towards me because I'm so used to being treated like a predator upon reciprocating or being used and abandoned by people I trusted. I am terrified to be too excited about shared interests with friends lest I be too loud or talkative about it and branded with aggressive male socialization. So I make myself quiet and small, and shrink from the community and people I care about, and become more and more isolated.

Anyways, stop platforming anons who spread lies about trans women, stop hopping on TERF harassment campaigns because the trans gal they're smearing "gave you bad vibes", and maybe consider carefully if in your own life where you draw the line for a transfem's behavior is any different from where you'd draw the line for anyone who's not one

[thegreatzombieartisan]

Rings of Power: The Galadriel Dossier

Superprivileged Underdog

A Critique of the Valinor Bullying Scene Thru a Sociopolitical Lens

Related meta | “The Mean Streets of Valinor…”

All protagonists need sympathetic problems.

For school-aged ones, being picked-on is a popular, if not tired, trope. But if you wish to use social aggression then you must understand the dynamics of power and privilege.

Some of my followers know that I’m a kinda Mary Poppins to “unruly” organizations. Regrettably, too often, that includes disrupting antisocial behavior including bullying and harassment.

People are always trying to tell me stories of “what happened” but what does not make sense is not true.

 “…she is nevertheless teased by her peers. As Galadriel rises to defy these bullies, she demonstrates she has strength of conviction, and is not intimidated when she knows she is right.” — Bear McCreary

Bullies don't victimize those able to fight back (at least not successfully). They choose targets with the least amount of power and social support. The socially awkward, marginalized, lower status, or disabled, etc. And bullying is not isolated interpersonal conflict. The community, most especially powerholders, creates the conditions that allows for social aggression: scarcity, fear, bias, and lack of accountability.

Gif @haladrielgifs

Galadriel is royalty. She has power over the group and they would all know it.

(Altho her princess status is not made explicit, disclosing her royal House is fair RoP canon.)

It’s not to say that less-powerful enact social aggression to the more powerful. It simply won’t go on for long and it’s more likely to allow plays ai or deniability. And the group destroys her boat boat with Finrod as witness.

The group may bully her if power dynamics are subverted in a believable manner —like Galadriel had withheld her identity from the group to feel and be treated like a “normal” child.

Bullying may be covert and allow for plausible deniability but still, Galadriel’s word Carrie’s more weight. Plus we need a damn good reason why the group decides to play with fire. Otherwise, social inferiors targeted the High King’s granddaughter breaks verisimilitude, or the art of believability.

As it’s currently written, Galadriel, a superprivileged protagonist, appropriates the bullying experiences of less-powered and marginalized children.

Another in-universe explain for the bullying scene

We view Galadriel as an unreliable narrator. Showrunners are into unreliable narration. She does have a few instances of this in S1. Most notably:

Telling Halbrand the Edain were given their isle as reward for their loyalty to the Elves

Telling Elendil, she won’t stay [in Numenor] where she’s hated — or is it really the lack of control and resentment of being impededed? Hmmm

Ignoring power and privilege not only harms worldbuilding verisimilitude, it’s a harmful portrayal of the nature of social aggression.

It's the "kids will be kids" sentiment similar to "boys will be boys." The type of sentiment that removes responsibility community members to create an environment of dignity.

Interesting that Amazon didn't flag this this since it has heavily championed diversity in the show. However, their DEI playbook lacks guidelines surrounding general bullying/harassment, rankism, and social class despite marginalized and less-powered children being the main targets of bullying.

But Galadriel’s fake bullying scene part of a problematic trend.

The “oppressed magical protagonist ” trope is quite popular. Harry Potter’s Fantastic Beasts series was retconned from wizards attempting to oppress muggles to wizards now scared of muggle witch-hunts. *eye roll*

A suggested rewrite

Scrap this entire scene. A more effective intro is focusing more on Galadriel and Finrod’s relationship for a big emotional pay-off. Take a cue from Fried Green Tomatoes.

Preferably, show the audience an adult Galadriel’s capacity for love, care, and connection (before Halbrand of course lol) before showing her at her worst. That’s only fair. A character has one chance to make a good first impression.

Other observations

In reality, as a princess, the group would expect Galadriel to be “set apart” from them. Royals are duty-bound to model higher ideals and have a superior education. It's reasonable to assume, in a rigid hierarchal society, that tutelage under Ainur, as Galadriel experienced, is reserved for elite Elves. Why not ask her to teach them? Why not offer? Everyone has all the time in the world.

By all accounts, the group would be honored and delighted for Galadriel, a princess, to share her self-sailing origami with them. Benefits of befriending the High King's granddaughter far outweigh being adversarial too.

Extremely privileged and powerful children learn to leverage institutional power early. Case in point, a young Prince William once famously told another preschooler that when he became King, he'd send his soldiers after him lol.

Should the group forget "their place", a haymaker might be the go-to response for the non-royal, non-noble Elf kid, shut-out from formal systems of power.

But for a princess like Galadriel resorting to fisticuffs is inconceivable when a well-delivered, “Wait until my father hears about this!" is an option.

[cosmic-walkers]

I really don't know how to start this, because I really don't want to be an anon accused of starting drama but I don't know if anyone else will listen to me. To save you from a long info dump, I know that you're a Tolkien poc artist and I know that you draw poc art. I'm a Tolkien poc fan as well and I've actually been following you for a while because I love your art and I also enjoy your talks about misogyny, especially when you talk about the misogyny Galadriel faces. As a poc in the Tolkien fandom though, sometimes I feel super isolated just because there aren't a lot of other poc. This is where I may offend you. I know there are tons of white people who draw poc art in the Tolkien fandom and most of that art is respectful, beautiful, etc. I also don't see a lot of poc drawing poc art however. In a way, I may have disrespectfully brought up to someone (another poc) that I wish that more poc drew poc art in the fandom than white people, and that I see more comfort for white people drawing poc art, but not really a effort to allow poc in the tolkien fandom to draw their art or feel comfortable. Okay that's confusing! What I mean to say is, is it wrong that I want more poc art from actual poc and that even though I appreciate when white people draw poc art, it is sometimes disheartening when i find out that there's no poc behind it. Especially in a fandom like this, where I feel there aren't a lot of poc (and I still wonder why), and where we can't really speak about how we feel without getting people upset? I appreciate white people drawing poc art, but there were tons of times I as a poc felt isolate and saw racism and sometimes I wonder if I am wrong or racist myself for wanting more poc to draw more poc art, and wish that more poc were getting uplifted for their art than white people. i really appeciate every single white person who draws poc for representation, but my point I think I fail to kindly get across is that I want more poc art by poc , because that means there are more poc in fandom.

I think I've been going into to many people's inboxes and this probably constitutes as harassment, and if you have white friends who draw poc art, i don't want them to be offended either so you don't have to feel pressured to answer this because I think i've offended someone else by coming off as aggressive

Whew this is a loaded ask. Lemme start by saying, I actually don't know what this about directly - at all. I've talked about similar things on my twitter (especially after trop and with hotd), but I don't know what this is about directly. So i'm going into this completely blind and ignorant. I don't know who anon is talking about or what anon i stalking about??? That said, I'm not gonna tag it in any tolkien tags but I'll respond the best I can. I also don't always like talking about racism in a fandom sense , at least not with this fandom, so it is not my attention to offend anyone.

So i'll start by saying (again akdlafj;) that no - i don't think that in general, there is anything wrong with white people drawing characters of color. In fandoms like this fandom, where there aren't a lot of poc, i do appreciate seeing white people do what they can do represent us.

That said, I am black so I also understand what you mean. Here is my overall opinion on the matter - While i think it is important that everyone draws poc art, and while white people are amazing for doing what they can, I'm always going to support actual poc artists more for drawing poc art. I also think it's important that poc have spaces to talk about this, because some poc may not like when white people draw poc art and, that is okay. Some poc, especially from more complex and closed cultures may be uncomfortable with seeing that recreated disrespectfully from an outsider. I know that, there are closed/sacred parts of my culture that if I saw someone who wasn't part of that culture drawing it, then I would be upset. The issue too is, if you cannot speak about that, how you as a poc are upset in some instances with that, then that is a problem.

While it is an important discussion to have that white people should draw diverse art, not all poc have to be happy with that especially if a.) poc artists in the fanbases aren't getting as much love and support as white people who portray our culture and b.) if the fandom has an issue with racism and isolating poc, but they still draw our culture and art.

So this is where my talks from twitter come in. The rings of power was a huge show for tolkien poc, and so many of us felt represented. I mean, black elves and dwarves? The queen of Numenor being a black woman? Black hobbits! Old and new poc tolkien fans had a good time because it was the first time in a canon adaptation we got to see ourselves in positive lights!

But then, a lot of people- a lot of white people who have always drawn diverse tolkien art (i.e black fingon), and who have always talked about needing more diverse characters but also wanting to bring in more poc into the fandom, were extremely racist and hateful toward the rings of power. The way a lot of 'progressive' tolkien fans who draw diverse characters, actually treated a canon depiction of tolkien that had black elves, that had poc, was honestly deplorable. it was disgusting. And to ME, at least as a Black fan, who just recently joined the fandom around the time of trop (but i had also read the silm before, and when i joined i loved to go look back at tons of fandom discussions) that was very hypocritical. I finally saw myself in Tolkien's work, but people who draw characters with my skintone and my hair, completely trashed that work, said it was horrible, mocked anyone who liked it, etc., yet still went about their day taking my culture, wanting representation, etc. Me and my friend (who is east asian) commonly speak about how that made us uncomfortable and how seeing a lot of diverse art from those very spaces makes us uncomfortable

This is where perhaps you and I share a similar mindset. Also, important to note no, you as a poc are not racist for being uncomfortable with white people drawing poc for any reason. It can be a big or small reason, at the end of the day, racism and white supremacy is something that you're going to suffer from, and you have a right to be uncomfortable with how people portray you or your culture.

My opinion on this is every changing, and it's a lot easier for me to talk about it in this space then rant about it on twitter. I think that especially in fandoms that are predominantly white, it is very important that we see representation. At the same time, we have to ask ourselves why those fandoms are predominately white, and we have to recognize fandom trends. For instance, do white people who draw diverse characters sit down and listen to poc in their fandoms or cirlces when they talk about racism, or are they disrespectful to us. Another example again is the rings of power; if you are going to draw diverse characters, are you going to actually listen to poc who talk to you about how harmful and racist some of your rings of power trends can be? Are you going to listen to poc who talk to you about how racist some parts in the silm and lotr are, or are you to attached to that work to actually listen? And if you dont listen to us, will you continue to draw poc art.

As a black person, I am always gonna be more comfortable with my poc art coming from a person of color, because I have seen way to many times white people drawing poc art for representation, but when they or their friends do something racist, or when their fandom is racist and poc call them out, those very poc get attacked.

And it's not all white people who are like this, I wanna clarify that. Because I've seen tons of white people who listen respectfully to poc.

At the same time tho - if a fandom is predominately white to the point where there aren't enough poc in the fanbase to actually draw our own art, then that in itself is an underlying issue that needs to be discussed, because that is not good. THOO after witnessing the fiasco that happened with the rings of power, I understand why.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, i'm always gonna support poc. I'm not super involved in the tolkien fandom that much past drawing just because i've gotten more into drawing for asoiaf/hotd and am very regretfully involved in that fandom - but im gonna leave soon because that is too much. But there are a lot of poc in there who draw poc art, and for the petty discourse, I feel the most comfortable and accepted as a black artist there.

To conclude this, I'm not here to speak over poc at all. If you are a person of color and you think that white people drawing diverse art is okay, then it is? because that is your culture to and your feelings as a person of color and that's amazing.

Likewise, if you're a person of color who doesn't want white people drawing poc art at all, especially if you feel some artists can be fetishy or racist, then that is okay too. as a black person, there are many times when people draw black characters in caricature ways, whether it be in personality, appearance, etc...

for me i am in the middle and my opinion on this forever jumps. I however tend to be more comfortable seeing diverse art, from people of color, just because I tend to realize how little actually artists of color are celebrated in fandom spaces, especially predominately white fandom spaces.

Putting this down again that i don't actually know what this is about specifically- so if i'm stepping on anyone's toes I greatly apologize because that isn't my point. I'm just answering anon the best I can.

[simplytolkien]

Wow, I’m getting a lot of aggressive messages about my opinion of Rings of Power. I knew there would be some push-back from our lovely modern internet society, but this is stupid. I never said the show was perfect, but I enjoy it, and I hate this snobby nit-picking. Why our society has come to believe that this sort of tiny-minded critical attitude shows how intelligent and sophisticated you are, I don’t know, but it’s frankly stupid. It just shows you up for being ignorant and lacking in grace. Especially since right at the beginning of the show it says ‘based on The Lord of the Rings and Appendices by J.R.R. Tolkien’ right on the screen in the intro. Based on means not 100% faithful. In any project. And the complaints I’m getting about changes to the story show that people haven’t actually paid attention to the original lore anyway, and all but two of the complaints are about things that actually are accurate. They just seem to be riding the seemingly ‘cool’ wave of hate for the show that started long before there ever even was a preview released. Some people made up their minds when it was announced that it was going to be bad, and they seem to be controlling the narrative about it, which is a shame, and people who have such a need to be ‘cool’ follow along without their own opinions as usual. But I think the show so far is strong enough to overcome such narrow bigots and stand firm in its own merits and be loved by people for time to come, and if some people want to watch it and be angry and miserable, that’s their loss. I do know some people are actually not going to like it, and hey, that’s okay too. Just give it a fair shake before you actually decide you don’t like it.

Yes, there are a few issues with Galadriel so far. They are changing her story and timeline, but that isn’t a deal breaker for me. I don't mind her taking a more active role in the wars, just like I've said before that Arwen riding Frodo to the Fords, while not at all accurate, is still one of my favourite scenes in the movies, and they had more scenes filmed with her along those lines that didn’t make it to the films. As a woman who loves Tolkien, I understand that he definitely wasn’t the misogynist he’s often accused of being. He wrote many beautifully strong women and wrote several who expressed dissatisfaction with the ‘traditional’ notion of womanhood, Éowyn being the most famous. And of course, Lúthien, based so lovingly on his wife, was anything but traditional. Another favourite of mine is this quote and conversation between Erendis and her daughter in Númenor. I like that these projects are portraying strong women, even if it isn’t in the exact same places where Tolkien did. Galadriel fighting isn’t far-fetched to how her character was written. Tolkien even had her mother-name (one of three names elves are given) mean man-maiden because she was such a tomboyish elf, always riding and hunting and doing it all better than most of the men (and also because she was taller than most women and had a deeper voice). So far she is somewhat tactless, grumpy, and hasty, but I think it’s simply a case of early-episode overcompensation. I’ve seen it over and over in shows where they come out of the gate really hard with a character’s attitude for the first few episodes to firmly establish a character in viewers’ minds, and then they begin to mellow or soften their approach. It isn’t my favourite approach, but it is commonly used in the industry. I am hoping they give her more grace soon. And it isn’t Morfydd Clark’s fault. I think she’s doing an amazing job with what they’re writing for her and how they’re directing her. The only things about her that aren’t exact for the role is that she isn’t tall or deep-voiced, but she can’t change those... Otherwise, perfect.

But you have to understand that Galadriel was a rebel. She was a rebel and a leader in the rebellion of the Ñoldor when they left Valinor because she strongly desired to rule her own kingdom. She was full of pride and ambition, and that was her driving force for many many years, which was why she was still tempted by the Ring in the Third Age and had to resist to be allowed to sail back into the West. No, she never would have sailed for Valinor (which I think was included to portray her rebellion against the Valar), and yes, she should have met Celeborn by this time, but again, this show has five seasons planned. It’s only been three episodes. Give it time. Yeesh. And I myself am not sorry that we potentially get to watch her love story happen. But she wasn’t a ruling elf from the beginning. Eventually for a time she and Celeborn ruled a small group of elves sort of like a fiefdom under Gil-Galad before moving into what becomes Lothlórien, so her being a commander under Gil-Galad isn’t ridiculously far-fetched.

When it comes to Elrond, the theme in the messages I’m getting is that he isn’t being treated right because he’s a lord and not a politician, like he’s being treated like a nobody. Again, people need to read more of Tolkien than Lord of the Rings to talk about these very aged characters. Lord of the Rings was the very end of Elrond’s life in Middle-Earth. Rings of Power has his earlier role spot on so far. He wasn't Ñoldorin, who were the ruling elves at this point, or even a High Elf since he was never in Valinor. And he wasn’t full elf. He had some human and Maia. (I’ll post a cool breakdown of Elrond’s genealogy that 5ummit created after this.) He wouldn't have naturally had a high position with the Ñoldorin at this point, but it goes a long way to showing how he was valued that he was Gil-Galad's herald and a captain, which is lore accurate. He wasn't the heir of all major houses as such. He wasn't even a prince while Galadriel was a princess in both the Ñoldor and the Teleri. Elrond’s line was respected and loved since he was Lúthien’s great-grandson, but it wasn’t a ruling line (ringofsecrets is right; he was royal through Lúthien, but they no longer had a kingdom). It was just that after the first war with Sauron, he was one of only two elf commanders who survived, Cirdan being the other, and so Elrond became a ruling elf because he was loved and wise. He was offered the title High-King, having been connected with Gil-Galad, but he turned it down since he wasn't of the bloodline of the High-Kings through a male ancestor (even though he was through a female ancestor) and because so few of the Ñoldorin were left that it didn’t matter. And actually, Galadriel had a far closer claim to that title herself, being niece or great-niece or something close like that of the first High-King. (I get all the F names in her family confused when I haven’t read The Silmarillion in a while.) But I don't think anyone wanted the title. The four Ñoldorin kings all came to bloody ends... I do like that they made Elrond and Galadriel friends since eventually Elrond marries Galadriel’s daughter.

And then there was the comment on the post about the hobbits and their age, but it was worded oddly, so I’m not sure exactly what you’re saying? I think you mean the culture is portrayed as too old, like hobbits didn’t exist for another 2300 years? But again, there’s nothing objectionable here. In Tolkien’s lore the hobbits came from more primitive ancestors, the same ones Gollum came from, and if you remember, Gollum had found the ring over 500 years before ‘The Hobbit’ happened, and he was in an established group in the east where Isildur would have dropped the ring when he died. It was in the same region that Beorn lived, east of the Misty Mountains near what became Mirkwood. There were three breeds: Harfoots, Stoors, and Fallohides. The Harfoots and Fallohides were the first who over time travelled north and west to finally settle in the Shire because of various unrest and dangers, especially those caused by Sauron moving into and settling in what became Mirkwood. The Stoors, the breed Gollum was, moved around in the east a lot longer and interacted with the Dunlendings some before finally moving west into the Shire. These hobbits aren’t early. They’re simply living primitively in the east, just like Tolkien said the three different breeds who were the hobbits’ ancestors did before they came to the Shire and intermingled until they were one people. And unlike every other race in Middle-Earth, Tolkien didn’t once write an origin story for hobbits. He never described their creation. The first record of interaction with the ‘Big Folk’ was with the Éothéod, the ancestors of the Rohirrim, in far-away times and in the east, so no one knows when and where they originated.

I never said I thought Rings of Power is 100% accurate to the books. That never happens in any project, especially one that says ‘based on’. But I love that it seems so far like they're staying true to more than people think. Really, so far they’ve just changed some of the timelines or minor events. The actors have interviews explaining some of the thinking behind decisions made, and the creators themselves said that some of it would be different to the commonly held versions of Tolkien's works because Tolkien was ALWAYS changing things. I mean, he worked on this world for decades, so he was always fiddling with timelines and lineages and so on. Even some of the main characters and events in the Silmarillion changed quite a few times after the Silmarillion was written, including Galadriel and her whole family of Finarfin and Fëanor and such, who were changed enough times that it's still not clear who Gildor Inglorien is. That's why the creators of Rings of Power consulted Tolkien's grandson Simon. They wanted his knowledge of some of the more obscure information since Tolkien was changing things until he died. I think that's cool. It feels like they're honoring Tolkien's whole approach to his world instead of just saying 'this is what it was period end of.'

No matter what they do, there will always be people who want to gripe and complain, and then there will be people who legitimately don’t like it, and that’s totally okay. I mean, I hate Game of Thrones, but I don’t go around the internet taking it out on people who like it. Let them enjoy what they enjoy. I’ve learned to just let people be themselves and enjoy the cool things that can come out of that, even if it’s not necessarily what I would do. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong, and if this is how the creators want to honor Tolkien, they’re the ones who had the courage to approach studios and say, ‘Hey, we know we’ve never made a tv show before, but we love Tolkien and have this great idea.’ And then they put in the hours and hours and hours of work. Don’t tear down the people that do things if you’re too scared, lazy, unmotivated, or unable to try yourself. I know I wouldn’t be interested in doing it. I think they’re doing a beautiful job with cosmetics and graphics and just creating a beautiful world for these characters to live in, and I’m going to enjoy my journey through it, along with the other people who choose to live with gratitude and enjoyment and sent lovely messages and comments. :)

[anipologist]

Do we know when Nargothrond’s entrance way was named? Did Orodreth start calling them the Doors of Felagund as he was punting the murder cousins out of them?

(Galadriel has passive aggressive down to an art and I’m pretty sure Finrod is just as good when he feels petty…I just like the idea that the Arfinweans all have a savage streak that mostly expresses itself verbally. Like they will fight like demons in battle if they need to but the angrier they are the more likely they are to call you an idiot in 3 different languages and increasingly archaic language. If you really push them they might curse you in iambic pentameter. Everyone tries to ignore the fact that they have this in common with Feanor even if his default veers towards is linguistically and literally stabbing you).

[procrastinationonvacation]

Bear with me here, but I am firm in my belief that the tapestries in the Halls of Mandos function like movie screens, showing either important events or important people (often said important people are just going about their daily lives).

So all the dead members of the House of Finwe just sit around a tapestry with imaginary popcorn and watch the world. Some of it is tragic and moving of course, but so much of it is benine (they spend the majority of the second age trying to figure out who Gil-galads parents are).

But once things start happening in the third age (in which our movie-watchers have previously split their time alternatively encouraging Galadriel to deck Saruman in the face, and getting weirdly invested in Shire politics) they quickly develop a favourite hero. Said hero is Eowyn. She reminds them all of Aredhel, and by the time she joins the army they’re all in mass support of everything she does.

What I’m saying is that once Eowyn actually fights the Witch-King, she has the entire House of Finwe cheering her name, and when she wins they all riot so hard Namo kicks them out of the Halls. Naturally both Maedhros and Anaire (once someone tells her about it) lament the fact that they couldn’t marry Eowyn instead of their current husbands, and the rest of the family vehemently insist that Arwen chose the wrong mortal.

HCanon I absolutely ADORE THIS. However, if it doesn’t culminate in Gandalf being forced to go back to ME to “go get our girl” under pain of death until Eowyn is like “no I’m good” at which point Olorin has to haul ass *back* to Valinor, while a very upset Faramir is protesting that he’d like to see the undying lands, pretty please with a cherry on top. (I love Faramir very much and im sorry)

Also, just to be clear: they know Saruman is bad news pretty early and are angrily yeeting popcorn, almonds, and the occasional knife whenever he shows up on screen. At first Namo thinks its just them being Overly Aggressive, and honestly, the Feanorians aren’t quite sure why they hate him so much either. But at some point Saruman does turn evil and the valar do concede that when it comes to being oddly in tune with exactly who is “a traitorous piece of shit” the shiny murder family (minus Celebrimbor who is a kind and innocent soul) takes the cake.

--

Further bonus: they demand occasional cuts to Maglor, which is then spliced in comedically, in a “Meanwhile Maglor” segment which could well be the same clip over and over. *insert that meme where the child wipes away a movie screen characters tear*

--

When Frodo first shows up, he is almost crushed by the whole family demanding to meet the mayor. Frodo is really confused who “the mayor” is and if he is also “the potato man” until he finally exclaims “Why that’s SAM!” He is swiftly informed that no one ever calls him that, jeeze, but yes that’s “Sam.” Where is “Sam.”

They also go after Galadriel for giving Sam that tree and magic dirt because she really upset the balance of power there, but did she even consider that?? NOOOOO. She didnt.

There were all those rumors of Sam’s mayor ship being blessed. Was she aware of that?? Of the ridiculousness she’d brought into what was normally Good Ordered Politics!!! Galadriel’s like “fuck yeah I did think about that actually, and can you Really say Sam doesn’t deserve a little bit of awe from the people there”

The Feanorians realize that, being Galadriel, Galadriel is RIGHT. And since they have no sense of a middle ground, they get in contact with their sleeper agent Maglor (who’s obviously a sleeper agent and very much in contact with them, shut up). Who will now fulfill my life’s ambition of forming a cult as a (in)famous bard. The cult of Samwise the potato man. Sam would like to know what the Fuck is going on and he shows up to Valinor with Questions. (please ignore this paragraph, I just want a cult)

--

Of course they’re also very pleased with Frodo, who is Small and a very precious little guy. Because we ALL love Frodo.

--

Thanks so much for the ask, your head canons are hilarious and full of life as always. Have a great day :)

-Sam

[elfy-elf-imagines]

Prompt: Stop biting that fucking lip

Pairing: Haldir x reader

Warnings: Some cussing, very minimal

~I hope you enjoy anon!~ 

You never understood it. After you had been saved from an orc raiding group near the borders of Lothlorien, Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn had offered you a place of safety within the city’s borders. Everyone had been extremely welcoming; everyone except for Haldir, the very man-- elf who had saved you. 

At first he just ignored your very presence, never acknowledging your presence with more than a mere nod in passing. And at the time it didn’t bother you, or perhaps you didn’t notice. You adjusted to your new reality, quickly learning the language and their culture. And at some point between arriving to Middle Earth and now you’d made friends with plenty of the elves residing there; Rumil and Orophin, Haldir’s brothers, included. But as your presence continued in Lothlorien and friendships flourished, so did his hostility. The cold glares that cut like a blade were more than enough for you to stay away from him. Even though it seemed like he was everywhere you were. But the longer you stayed, and the more you grew to learn about the people, so did your boldness. The breaking point was a heated argument you got into with yourself, blood boiling over the coldness Haldir has shown. That was how you found yourself in an argument with him about the treatment he has given you.

“Would it kill you to try and be welcoming?!” you said, your voice echoing through Caras Galadhon. The forest surrounding the capital was usually peaceful with an aura of tranquility, calming down your worst of fits. But with Haldir standing in front of you, face set in a passive expression and disinterested gaze, you were seeing red. 

“I dare say saving you from the group of orcs that were about to be your demise is enough,” he said, his voice matching his facial expression calm and cold like a freezing winter night. “That is the issue with you mortals; you always want more than you are given.” 

“You, are the most arrogant, selfish, conceited jerk I have ever met!” you yell pointing your finger at him. Despite how dangerously close your finger was to his eye, he blink; he didn’t even flinch in the slightest. “Orcs have better manners than you! How you are related to Rumil and Orophin, I will never know.” A let out a breathe you didn’t realize you were holding, sounding like a dragon about to spit fire, yet yo usaid nothing else. A million words swirled in your mind, but nothing came out. Your thoughts were too jumbled to make any sense of, anger clouding any sense of composure you usually contain. Aggressively, you bit on your lip in an attempt to bring yourself to your senses.

“Stop that,” Haldir commanded. You looked up at him, confusion plain on your face. “Stop biting that fucking lip.” he continued. You opened your mouth, but swiftly closed it, unsure of how to respond. But before you can think on it too much longer he pulled you into him, crashing his lips on yours. And it’s...nice. His lips are sweet like candy as his scent intoxicates you, pulling you further into him. His hands grapple you as he pulled you closer to him. He bites down on your lip before he pulled away all too soon. “Stop.” he sounded as breathless as you felt. 

“Make me.” you challenged him with a smirk. Mimicking the mirth on your face, he captured your lips once more. 

Needless to say, Haldir stopped being an ass to you after that.

[taz-writes]

10 Questions Tag Game

@micastarsandmirrors tagged me on my main blog for this, but I’m posting it here because it seemed more appropriate. :>

1. Which author(s) inspires you the most?

Oof, hard question! Recently I’ve been really inspired by Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series--I love how he deconstructs fantasy as a genre. Guards! Guards! is one of the best books I’ve read in a very long time. 

2. Someone from a different world asks you, “Show me the song of your people” which earth song would you play for them?

Madeon’s Pop Culture. It’s such a genius reimagining of SO many other songs, and it encapsulates modern pop musical culture in a way that’s really fantastic. I love it. It’s not actually my favorite song, but as an example to an alien of what Earth music is, it’s a pretty good case study. 

3. How did you get the idea for your current WIP?

Feilan is drawn from the mythology of a recess game I used to play with my friends in elementary school. My friends and I would team up and LARP as our super cool powerful fairy avatars and fight the annoying boys from the classroom next door evil! As we grew up, the lore of Fairyland grew darker and more complicated, and I borrowed bits and pieces of dozens of other stories to glue them to my self insert and my friends’. We grew out of the game, but the paracosm we’d created stuck with me. Around sixth grade, I started putting those old recess games into writing! 

4. Which of your characters is a lover not a fighter and which is a fighter not a lover?

Honestly, most of my characters are both! Feilan is an action story and the majority of the cast is prepared to throw down at any time. I think Lavender is the lover-not-a-fighter. She’s a healer, after all, and she prefers to avoid conflict. The fighter is definitely Amalie. 

5. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what do you listen to?

Sometimes! It depends on my mood, and what kind of scene I’m trying to write. Usually, I prefer instrumental music. I have a class at school where the homework is just listening to a few hours of classical music, so I’ll do that a lot while I write. Otherwise... video game music is the way to go. Undertale has a freaking amazing soundtrack. Also, I’m still quite fond of the Homestuck music albums.... They have a lot of great songs for setting a mood. 

6. What’s the best way to piss off your main OC?

Tell her she’s not good enough to be worthy of something. Bonus points if you imply her opinions don’t matter, or bring up her birth status. That’ll get her riled up in half a second flat. 

7. What inspired you to write your current WIP(S)?

Oh boy here we go, here’s the novel. Feilan’s backstory is long and very emotional.

When I was growing up, I could never find stories to read that actually gave me what I wanted. I was raised on that early-2000s strand of Girl Power(tm) that was really obsessed with characters who are girls fighting the patriarchy and everyone cares that they’re girls because there’s clearly nothing more important about their characters........ Either that or they were just straight up annoying. I adored Winx Club but every time the girls went shopping another piece of me died. I had a well-established Not Like Other Girls complex but at the same time reading characters who thought like that was really annoying? There were a lot of things I hated in the stories I read growing up: inescapable love interests, tiny sparkly boring fairies, the anti-sue genre of Plain Modest Protagonists who aren’t allowed to be powerful or even aware that they could be, female characters who can’t do anything without reminding us that they’re girls and girls can’t normally do this but I can and look how special that is!!, the inevitable Girl Media Shopping Montage... et cetera. 

I didn’t want that. I wanted Lord of the Rings, but with girls, and maybe a cute boy!Galadriel. I wanted a story where girls being heroes wasn’t a big deal, or even worth questioning. I couldn’t find those things, so I decided I’d make my own, drawn out of my shameless childhood power fantasies. Feilan is an aggressive defiance of pretty much all the tropes in the last paragraph. I’ve stuck to it so doggedly because even now, I still have trouble finding stories with the kinds of characters I want to read about. I’ve always been super invested in stories about characters who are Like Me, who are girls with feminine and masculine interests, who have ADHD but are still smart anyways, who are short and built strong instead of slender. I used to refuse to watch cartoons unless there was at least one blonde girl that I could latch onto who wasn’t a stereotype Popular Girl. More recently, I want to see characters who are bi like me, where nobody makes a big deal out of it. I don’t even like romance stories, I don’t understand why it has to matter if X likes girls and boys! Just let her do that and get her girlfriend and get back to saving the world! And I fucking hate stories that pretend to be progressive by driving in over and over again how X character is a girl, X character is so gay--the ultimate result is just reminding me that I’m weird somehow. By... being a person, I guess. I hate those narratives so much but especially in mainstream YA, they’re practically inevitable? 

So I wanted to write Feilan so I could have the story I wanted to read but never found, about characters who are like me and dealing with my problems and my strengths and my fears. And I’ve kept writing it because I still want that, and I want Feilan to be that story for other people too, because I don’t think I’m alone here. It’s also a major outlet for my emotions. 

This is a long answer, but I think it’s pretty clear why. :)

8. What is the last book/series you finished reading?

The last book I read was an English translation of Ghost Opera by Mercedes Roffe, which I read for a class I’m taking right now in the art of translation. It’s very far away from my usual fantasy genre, but I really enjoyed it! If you like neat artsy poetry, give it a look sometime, especially if you speak Spanish and can experience it in the original language. 

9. What finally made you say, “Wow! I really like writing, I’m gonna keep doing this”?

When I was in fourth grade I won a local writing contest with a cute little poem about nature, and I got to go to a book fair event and read it out loud in a fancy auditorium, and I was SO UNBELIEVABLY STOKED. My mom was really proud of me, too. A couple people complimented the poem to me afterwards and it made my year. I decided that I wanted to win again the next year, and started taking poetry more seriously. 

10. What’s your favorite thing about writing?

Rereading my work. It’s so incredible to me sometimes, because I can and will cry over events in my own story, and I get so happy reading over the triumphs of my own OCs that I wrote out with my own hands and there’s something so beautiful and powerful about seeing these ideas that I created in my brain grow wings and fly. I cried a lot, when I printed out the first draft of Feilan’s book 1 and held it in my hands. That’s mine! I did that! I did all of that, and now I can hold it and see it and show people! 

I’m now tagging @pumapauus @greenhousewriting @jaidynwrites @hklunethewriter and anyone else who’s interested to answer these 10 questions, then write your own and pass it on! Feel free to ignore if you don’t have the time :) Anyone else who sees this and is interested, you’re welcome to answer too and say I tagged you!

1. What does your workspace look like? Do you have a designated ‘writing area’? 

2. Do you prefer to write solo heroes or ensemble casts? 

3. Which of your characters reminds you the most of yourself?

4. What’s one trait your main OC has that you wish you had, too?

5. Have you changed or removed any major elements of your current WIP since its original draft/concept? What was the biggest change, and why did you make it? 

6. If you had to give your main WIP a theme song, what would it be?

7. What’s your favorite non-writing-related hobby?

8. What are some of your favorite books? 

9. What’s your favorite trope to read and/or write? What’s your least favorite? 

10. What do you love most about your own work and why? 

[djinmer4]

A Fright of Ghosts

Inspired by: http://archiveofourown.org/works/12136836

When the sensation of being watched changed from a distant awareness to the feeling that of someone observing just over his shoulder, Elrond knew he was close.  The forest on the western side of Ered Luin should have been empty, the humans wintering in the welcoming lands of the east below Forochel and the dwarves to their settlements under the mountains.  Not even Cirdan would bother patrolling the desolate Forlindon in the winter.  But Elrond knew there was someone here and hitched the rucksack higher, as if to cover his back from an enemy.

As it was, he nearly fell into the blaze, when empty woods suddenly changed to a neat camping site.  A strong arm wrapped around his chest, pulling him away and saving him from a nasty burn.  “Alatulya, yonya.  I did not expect to see you so late in the year.”

Elrond sighed, then sat down on the bench beside the fire.  The small encampment he had been expecting to find was actually a large clearing, with a well-built cabin to one side with the beginnings of several structures.  The bonfire he had nearly walked into was in fact the beginnings of a small forge, too small for any great work, but set away from the cabin.  He ignored the various flickers of red on the edge of his eyes, and focused on his father.

“Mara re, atar.  I had not thought to look for you so soon after our last meeting, but I needed to speak to you about something.”  He passed the rucksack to Maglor.  Within contained some items he did not think the other could obtain easily in isolation: some bottles of wine, cheese, a set of silver strings spelled against corrosion.  A new cloak, although it appeared that the Feanorian’s current one was still serving well.  “Did you see a ship sail into the Gulf of Lhun this past year?”

“I did indeed.”  The older ner set the the rucksack aside.  “And I know exactly what and who came on that ship.”

Elrond released a silent sigh of relief.  Cirdan had known the Maia for what they were immediately, but not who.  And given what happened the last time a Maia claimed to be a messenger of aid sent by the Valar, any information on the identities of these Istari was essential.  “Could you tell me who they are and what we should expect?”

Maglor did not answer, but instead looked over his son’s head.  The sensation of being watched did not cease, but doubled, then split and came to rest on each side of Elrond.  He kept his eyes on his father.  “Alatar,” said a voice like the crackling of fire, a shadow of smoke and soot on his right.  “A servant of Orome.  Strong, aggressive.  More interested in the arts of the ethereal than the physical.”  Images came to mind, of shared hunts and bitter arguments in distant Valinor.

From his left, a gurgle from a torn throat.  “Pallando is the other.  Alatar’s friend and follower in all things.”  He knew if he turned the image would be far less abstract, but more disturbing, almost a real body but with dull eyes and blood dripping from both throat and mouth.  Elrond wondered how Maglor could bear to look.  From this shade he received no memories, but merely a sensation of wistfulness and loyalty.

“Hantanyel, uncles.  Could you tell me more, please?”  But Maglor stirred himself, and put out the forge fire.  “Not tonight.  The others are scouting the area.  They can tell you more.”  He picked up the rucksack and turned towards the cabin.  “You take the bed and I’ll take the floor.  As I wasn’t expecting company, I don’t have any meat, but there’s lembas and plenty of fruit.”

The peredhel smiled.  “They’ll go well with the wine and cheese I brought.”

The next day, father and son spent the day preserving meat and curing hides.  Elrond didn’t ask how the pile of skinned corpses had appeared outside Maglor’s door overnight, and Maglor didn’t ask how Elrond had slept with the howls and screams that had filled the dark.  When the day approached the end, again the sat by the forge fire.  Today, instead of a feeling of being watched, the air felt heavy, smothering and cold, as if he was deep under the waters of a lake rather than walking in the air.  No shade or ghost appeared before him, but rather heavy hands upon his shoulders and a cold breath ruffled his hair.

“Aiwendil, follower of Yavanna.  Naive and  scatterbrained, but brave in his own way.  Lover of birds.”  Elrond fought for a deep breath.  “So we can trust him?”

Bitter icy laughter, and the heaviness drew crushingly tight around his chest, like one of those strange waistcoats they wore in Arnor, made from whalebone and steel.  “You can trust him to follow his nature and to follow the mission he was given.  But Yavanna loves the wolf as much as she loves the deer.  Loves the end of life as much as the beginning.  Loves the Eldar, but the rat and the fly as well, and there are millions of them for every one of us.  Trust him to follow whatever mission the Valar gave him, but he is no more a friend to us than a plague is.”

With that, the heaviness constricting Elrond disappeared, but the cold air remained.  “Enough for tonight?” asked Maglor, coming up with an armload of firewood.  The younger ner nodded.  “I’ll stoke the fire a little more tonight.  Maybe add some of the linseed oil so that it will burn a little brighter.”

The next day proved that winter was well on it’s way.  Even the inside of the cabin was covered in delicate webs of frost.  They spent that day bringing in the last of the garden vegetables before the cold ruined them.  The frost formed brilliant patterns over everything, like the finest embroidery fit for a king, and lingered far into the afternoon.  When they finally sat down to talk, Maglor had taken some paper and a sharp quill and was copying the icy patterns designs onto paper.  Elrond did not ask to see them and Maglor did not offer him any.

This day Maglor did something a little different.  The forge had stayed closed today since the Noldo didn’t have any repair work to do.  But at the end of the day, Maglor opened the forge door and there was golden light inside.  He pulled out a large gemstone, like a topaz carbuncle but glowed with it’s own inner radiance.  He looked up and laughed at Elrond’s wide eyes.  “Did you expect I’d carry it around everywhere I go?  That would be quite inconvenient.”

“You’re using one of the most precious artifacts of the First Age as a forge fire?”

“It’s quite appropriate, thematically.  Besides, it gives both of us a chance to have some privacy in our thoughts.”

The ghost of the greatest craftman of the Noldor did not look like a ghost or wraith or remotely supernatural.  If Elrond hadn’t known better, he would have thought he was looking at a living person.  “Curunir’s clearly been appointed as their leader.  He’s another one of Aule.  We knew him well.  Ambitious and active.  Curious and delights in pushing boundaries.  Against the dark he is a formidable ally.”

The smile on Feanor’s face became sharper and darker.  This might have been the face he showed Fingolfin, over a sword in Tirion.  “All things that were said of Sauron too.”

That night was filled with nightmares.  The golden light of the Silmaril seemed blood-tinged and the shadows it cast moved like living things upon the walls.  Despite the love between them, Elrond began looking forward to leaving Maglor’s home.  Sensing his disquiet, Maglor drew him outside, to finish the conversation in the light.

“The last is Olorin, who has been in the service of Manwe, Varda, Irmo and Nienna.”  Maglor did not bother to wait for any of his brothers to appear, instead filling the role of teacher by himself.  “Of all the Maia sent, he is the one who perhaps best understands those of us still here in the changeable world.”

“And the caveat?”  But the answer came not from Maglor, but rather a familiar voice behind him.  “Of all of them, I do not believe that Olorin will fall.”  Maedhros was bright, burning.  If Feanor could have been mistaken for a living Eldar, then Maedhros for a Maia.  He was like a shade of stained glass, overfilled with the light of the Silmaril he had burned with.  “Nor will he forget that he is here to succor the Free Peoples of the West.  But as the others fail or falter, he will be forced to take more and more burdens.  He will not fall, but he may fail and return West with the mission only half complete.  And even if he doesn’t, the choices he will make will be ruthless indeed.”

Mercifully, Maglor had let him sleep after he had fainted.  Elrond suspected his father had cast a few spells of his own, allowing him a peaceful, dreamless rest.  Even with that, however, the clearing was overfull, with the flickers of color seen from the edge of his eye, areas of heat or cold or pressure.

“You will be here for a while?”

“Yes, the twins would like to spend more time on woodcraft.  And after spending a decade in a Secondborn settlement, I’d like some time to myself.”

“When I first came, I had thought of asking you again to come to Imladris-”

“No.”  Maglor cut him off gently, but firmly.  “Perhaps in a century or two I’ll visit for a month or a year, but I cannot stay long in the presence of other Eldar.”  The younger ner just nodded.  He’d braced himself, but even he had found the phantoms that surrounded the last living Feanorian too much.  For other elves, lacking the connection he had with the House of Feanor, those sensations were a hundred times worse.  His uncles and grandfather had tempered their fear around him and given useful advice.  The only other person they had been as kind to had been Celebrimbor.  “Give my regards to Artanis.”  The last time Galadriel had attempted to see Maglor, she had fainted before getting within a mile of him.  Celeborn had had to drag her back to Mithlond before she had revived.

(Strange that the Secondborn never were effected.  They could be harmed, hurt or helped but they never saw or noticed the ghosts.  When Maglor wanted company, he would go to their settlements to stay for a while.)

“I will.”  Elrond hesitated for one long moment, staring around to determine where every shade was preoccupied with something else before stepping close to Maglor.  “Atar, have you ever considered  . . . getting rid of it?  Just toss it into the ocean.  Maybe then both you and they would be able to get some rest.”

“Oh Elrond, don’t you think I’ve tried that already.”  They both gazed at the Silmaril, glowing gold in the forge again.  “It always comes back.”

[absynthe--minded]

We’ve had an announcement for Galadriel (Morfydd Clark, who I hope does a good job?)

but they’ve put out a casting call for presumably elvish extras that’s “fair skin, fair hair, high cheekbones, over 5’8” tall” and I’m

this is the second time in as many days that I’ve read about white people waxing poetic over my cheekbones and I’m Done, I’m Fucking Done, yeah they’re not limited to one particular ethnicity but Fuck No, my grandparents on both sides gave these to me, You Do Not Get To Have Them

not to mention that this was a perfect opportunity to shatter the bad stereotype that elves aren’t all white! but catch me aggressively ignoring this show from now on

I swear to Eru, Amazon, I’m gonna find your casting team and I’m gonna shove all twelve volumes of HoME up its collective ass