#and because you can’t understand the extent of other people’s suffering

[secularlesbian]

people need to get more comfortable with leaving people behind. if you’ve done all you can do, imparted all the knowledge you can impart, shared all the experiences you can share, and people are still not opening their eyes? then it’s time to move past them. you can not forcibly radicalise someone, there needs to be a desire to learn on their end

[starboyshoyo]

Unspoken Words

Characters: All NRC students x reader (seperately)

Fandom: Twisted Wonderland

Genre: hurt/comfort

Unspoken reasons why the NRC boys love you!

HEARTSLABYUL

Riddle Rosehearts seems like perfection; like the very image of what one should strive for. Anyone who knows him can admire his hard work and diligence, because that is the extent to what they can see. But you see his delight at the simplest of things; things that he never got to experience in childhood. Riddle holds you dear to him because you encourage his rare moments of whimsy, and love them wholly- just as he loves you.

Trey Clover is always being told that he should aim higher, because the talent he holds would be squandered should he go down the path of the simple village baker. He smiles and politely tells them that he’ll consider it- but really, he’s tired of the input he never wanted in the first place. It’s all the more reason to appreciate the way you trust in his dreams. Trey knows what he wants, and you won’t push him for anything more.��

Cater Diamond has two different sides, like the faces on a card. Sometimes he’s the party-loving Cay-kun, and other times he wants nothing more than to collapse in his bed and sleep the day away. Being Cay-kun is exhausting. It’s not entirely him but he can’t seem to bring himself to show the real Cater to anyone but you, because you understand that the mask is necessary sometimes. It’s okay if he’s not ready to show the world his face yet. You’ll be waiting for him when he is.  

Bluntly honest is the best way to describe Ace Trappola. If someone asked, he’d call himself a realist. He’s not here to mess around or play the hero. And sometimes that can hurt people’s feelings and push them away. But being truthful and being mean are two different things, and he knows he can always trust you to tell him when he oversteps. Ace may fumble from time to time, so he’s glad you’re always there to help him back up.

Deuce Spade was reluctant to begin dating you at first. He wasn’t proud of who  he was in middle school, nor is he proud of who he is at the moment. He thought that he was unworthy of you, that he needed more time to grow. When he first figured out that you weren’t the most perfect person either, it didn’t turn him away. In fact, it relieved him. Deuce loves that you can be imperfect together- and that you’re willing to grow alongside him even more. 

SAVANACLAW

Leona Kingscholar is used to being the spare; the disposable one. Even though he’s the second prince of the Sunset Savannah, even though he was born into a life of privilege, he knows what it’s like to have to fight for yourself and your place in the world. When he met you, he could hardly believe that for once, a fight wasn’t necessary. It took a while for him to trust, but now Leona knows that he will always be your first choice, as you will be his.

From the outside, Ruggie Bucchi’s obsession over food is a bit excessive. Does one really need to defend every scrap with his life? He’s tired of others laughing at the way he packs snacks in his bag and sneaks crumbs off the tabletop. It’s telling that you hand him extras when you don’t have to, that you make sure he always has more than he needs. It shows that you value the things he values, so that he can do the same in return to you. 

Jack Howl is a lone wolf, just like his name. He’s always relied on his own strength to get by. Owing a debt is like putting his life in someone else’s hands, so accepting favors is something that he’ll never do. When he first realizes he loves you, it’s hard to accept that another person now holds a part of his heart. But give him some time and he’ll begin to appreciate having someone to share the burden with. It’s refreshing to have company without debt or guilt. 

OCTAVINELLE

They say those who have suffered the most have the most empathy. Azul Ashengrotto thinks there must be something wrong with him, then. After all the ridicule he’s endured, all he wants is to watch his tormentors cry as well. So why does his heart beat so fast then, when he sees how kind you are to others? There’s so little logic to it- but the heart wants what it wants. 

Jade Leech gives only as much as he takes. In his mismatched eyes, it’s only reasonable that a transaction is balanced on both sides. So it’s a surprise to him when you don’t demand everything to be split, fifty-fifty. It’s with you that he learns the connection between trust and equals. Not having to count out every exchange leaves Jade more time to love you with all his heart. 

Floyd Leech is notorious for his mercurial behavior. It’s a laughing matter for some students, and the target of frustration for many others when he fails to show the same enthusiasm he had before. If he’s already in a bad mood, then why are they making it worse by nagging him? You’re his retreat in times like that, because you take his emotions seriously, no matter how ridiculous they seem in the moment. 

SCARABIA

Kalim Al-Asim knows he can be dense. As the heir to a merchant empire, he’s got some level of self-awareness in him, even if he doesn’t always know how to use it. He can tell when he’s said the wrong thing to you. The wringing of hands, the twisting of brows make him so nervous, but he can’t do anything but laugh it off lest he say something to make it worse. So he appreciates it when you patiently explain to him how you feel, even when you’re not in the mood to. Sometimes he just needs help to understand. 

There’s no doubt that Jamil Viper has… questionable methods of obtaining his means to an end. With the precision and patience of a snake, he can use any means necessary to strike. But when you’re around he finds himself thinking more of what’s right than just what he wants. You are his conscience, in the best  and worst of times; and he can’t help but love you for it. 

POMEFIORE

Vil Schoenheit’s entire life has been publicized since the day he stepped into the spotlight. While he takes pride in his looks and envies anyone who can shine brighter than him, he finds that when he is with you, he can be whatever he wants to be with no eyes on him. No cameras, no rehearsals, no pressure, just two hearts beating side by side. 

Rook Hunt has a lot to say, and so little time to say it. He is always on the move, always examining something else to find the beauty in it. And though it’s hard to be patient, he loves you for always listening when he talks, even when he rambles for hours about the smallest things. To sit still for that long is a feat in itself.

The frustrations of Epel Felmier are evident when others treat him as lesser simply because of the way he looks. He’s still learning how to use his charm in other ways, but it’s hard to unlearn so many old habits. Punishments from Vil don’t help either. So when the work gets too harsh, you make him forget about being weak or strong- and when you’re in front of him, all he wants to be is yours. 

IGNIHYDE

Idia Shroud is used to watching the world go by without him. Sometimes he feels like an outside observer, or even a roadblock for others to climb over on their way to greatness. But with you, he never feels like an inconvenience. He feels wanted and needed- something he hasn’t felt for a long, long time. 

DIASOMNIA

Malleus Draconia is lonely. It’s plain and simple as that. He wants the company of others, outside of those assigned to guard him and bow to his every whim. So Malleus covets the fact that you are simply here, by his side of your own volition. For the first time in his life, Malleus thinks that he might be content.

Lilia Vanrouge has lived through centuries. As a human, you cannot even begin to fathom bridging the gap in time. There is just so much that he has seen that he can’t share with you. So please, just let him hold you while he has the chance. Let him cherish the way you live in the moment. Together, you can forget the coming of the future. 

Sebek Zigvolt is constantly under pressure. Not from others, but from himself- but either way, the stress gets to him. He would never admit it, but the stolen moments you spend together make him happier than he’s ever been. His shoulders ease, and his scowl disappears for a time. Just don’t point it out, or they’ll be back again full force- accompanied by a blush.

It’s not that Silver doesn’t care about what people are saying- he really, really does. But when he falls asleep so easily, some people come to think that he’s bored out of his mind. He was anxious that you’d think the same, but to his surprise, you understand his struggles. He’s trying his best to be more attentive to you, and you welcome his efforts with open arms.

Comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated!

[thegreatmelodrama]

Propaganda and implicit submission are without a doubt two main themes explored within Sunrise on The Reaping. However, undergirding those themes is a motif(s) that is present throughout all of the books in the series: what we owe to each other. Such is tied with the notions of empathy and what it means to be a human being (and perhaps even the idea of special obligations, but that’s for another post). Such is, perhaps, more relevant than ever—especially in the U.S. We are at a point where it has become increasingly common to hear people say “you don’t owe anyone anything” (obviously there’s nuance here). Moreover, we live in a time (and perhaps for some always have) where empathy is considered radical. A capitalistic society thrives on the idea of “every man for himself” and within the world Hunger Games, the capitalistic authoritarian regime the same is true: the danger is in community.

We see this motif appear in Sunrise on The Reaping at various points in the story. In part I, we see Lenore Dove attempt to help Woodbine Chance’s Ma keep possession over her son’s body to prevent a peacekeeper from taking it. This wasn’t just driven by the desire to “paint a poster”, but by sheer empathy and belief that Mrs. Chance was owed a chance to properly say goodbye to her son and that Woodbine himself was owed autonomy even in death—that he was not property which the Capitol could take. That Lenore Dove could be hurt is what prompted Haymitch to intervene. His actions, deemed rebellious and radical, landed him in the Hunger Games. Rebellion can be understood in two ways (at least within this context): intentional acts and/or acts (sometimes spur of the moment) driven by a fundamental empathy. This empathy stems from an understanding of the intrinsic value of human life and belief that by virtue of being a human being we are equals. This entails the question of what owe one another: mutual respect and empathy (I won’t speak more on what else we might owe, but these two to a certain extent are agreed upon in various strands of philosophy).

We see this again in the days leading up to the games and within the arena itself. For example, Haymitch’s alliance with Louella and his desire to give Louella autonomy in death by trying to stall the Capitol taking her body. Empathy fuels the desire and intentional act to make Snow own the death of Louella. Furthermore, empathy and the idea of what we owe to each other is what makes Haymitch, Wyatt, Maysilee, Wiress, and Mags look out for Lou Lou. This girl isn’t Louella, and so one might think that they have every reason not to look out for this body double and ear piece to the Capitol. However, they don’t look at her and only see the “mutt” (although it took a few hours to get over their judgements). They see the little girl from District 11 who has been taken from her home and her family, starved, and stripped of her autonomy by the Capitol. In the arena, Haymitch looks out for Lou Lou, sharing his food and supplies with her, even though one might think he has no reason or obligation too. He does so anyway because he, rightly, sees the humanity in her. We see it in the way that Mags asks Haymitch, Maysilee, and Wyatt what they want, and how each of them, but especially Haymitch, seeks to uphold and respect that in the arena.

We see empathy and mutual respect within the formation of the Newcomers and Maysilee helping with people’s tokens. We see it in the way that Haymitch makes a promise to Beetee to ensure that Ampert does not suffer in death, even though he can’t fulfill this promise. He did not have to make such a promise beyond keeping Ampert alive to carry out the plan to break the arena—once again bringing to the fore the notion of what we owe to each other.

We see it with Maysilee and Haymitch helping their fellow allies. We see it in the way Haymitch seeks to protect and look out for Wellie. Of course there’s other considerations such as the belief that they won’t make it so they might as well help others to do so. There’s also the instance of Haymitch dropping the chocolate ball to Silka as she lay crying at the base of the tree. There are many more, but this is enough to show that this motif is prevalent throughout the entirety of the story and in fact undergirds the main themes the story explores.

Obviously there are complexities and nuance when you add in considerations of coercion, the complexities of living under a totalitarian regime, proportional violence, etc. However, the book shows that even in a system that is constantly trying to drill “every man for himself” and implicit submission, that the notion that we do in fact owe something to one another can transcend. That it defies exactly what the Capitol and Snow are trying to instill (division), is what makes it a radical act even when it shouldn’t be.

Again this question of what we owe to one another is nuanced and complex, especially when we apply it in real life. There are considerations to be made of special obligations, mutual respect, dynamics of oppressor and oppressed, what we are capable of, privileges, etc. What I am hoping to point out is that empathy and human dignity play a key role within this book and the others. It plays a fundamental element of human agency, and highlights a message within the story that no act is really too small.

[directdogman]

(Sorry if I have bad English, I'm from Spain.)

I'm super hyperfixated on the original managers, so I have 2 questions.

1. In Dialtown, Tango/Terrence says no one called him Tango before. Assuming that in the DSaF universe he also liked that nickname, did any of the other original managers call him Tango or not?

2. A headcanon I've seen in the DSaF fandom is that Abel hated everyone BUT the real Scott Cawthon, and that Scott was the only one that tolerated Abel (some ppl even ship them). Is that close to canon? Or the og Scott Cawthon also hated Abel? I really want to know what they thought about each other.

Btw, I really love your games, I've played the DSaF trilogy many times, and the Dialtown demo (I haven't played the full version of Dialtown yet, but I've seen gameplays and I'll buy it for my birthday), thank you for making 4 incredible games <3

I don't answer many DSaF questions these days, but this one's interesting so here goes:

1)Tango's nickname is a DT invention as far as I remember. If he preferred the name in DSaF's universe, Harry would've used it for sure, given how much he liked Terrence and since he's literally using a name he doesn't believe is really 'his' because it makes him feel better. He of all people would understand.

2)Yeah, that's a pretty good way of stating it, but there's a little more nuance to it that explains a little bit more about Abel/Joe's rift.

Basically, the original Scott Cawthon was a unifying figure. He got on with every single one of the original managers and they all thought the world of him. The Phone Guy process was started in an attempt to recreate him by Abel (and the other managers at first) and you gotta consider why they'd all want to do that. He was the glue that held the group together, the only manager liked by everyone else there without exception, someone who could defuse tension and resolve conflicts amicably.

It's true that he had the most patience for Abel and never badmouthed Abel to the other managers and even defended him earnestly, knowing Abel the best of the other managers and knowing some of Abel's early life and where he came from, while the others were more willing to honestly discuss Abel's short fuse and occasionally mean nature (even Terrence to some extent!) This led Abel to develop more of a bond with him than the other managers and somewhat distrust the others.

While Abel was essentially Scott's number 2, as time went on, Joe became more and more integral to the running of their budding company, since he was a skilled accountant and managed to balance the books despite Scott's somewhat reckless spending at times (he was overgenerous to the point where it sometimes led to financial trouble for the company, a stark contrast to what Freddy's became later.) Since Joe was so blunt (and Abel's biggest critic), Abel was incredibly jealous and insecure that if the trend continued, Joe would supplant him.

This also explains why Abel was so willing to toss his other managers into the 'machine' when each of them suffered accidents. Ultimately, it wasn't just sheer cowardice, it was him trying to recreate the past - to recreate the one person who seemingly saw him as anything other than a vampire. Someone who actually wanted him around. Of course, no two snowflakes are ever exactly the same. Abel was a poor replacement as the owner of the company, Joe was barely able to keep things afloat amidst a messy and chaotic expansion and Harry wound up presiding over the company's demise.

There's a pretty widespread narrative theme in DSaF of damaged people trying to recreate something they've lost - Dave trying to turn Jack into the new Henry, Jake and his family, Harry and his former identity, the Kennedy family reuniting.

“Can’t repeat the past? Why, of course you can!”

But, the fact is, you can't recreate the past. The only way forward is to pick up the pieces and build something new.

[melrosing]

sorry if this comes off as a shallow question but i wanted to know if you think arya is intended to be pretty. bc from my interpretation of the reading she’s absolutely not but she’s still one of my favourite characters in the series and i always get into arguments with other arya fans bc of this. i always read her story as sort of similar to brienne’s, who’s my absolute favourite character, and brienne fans will never (from my experience) accuse someone of hating her because they think she’s ugly. is this a phenomenon you also see? what’s your opinion?

not the prettycourse 😭 ok so I understand that some people might find more meaning in Arya’s story if she weren’t beautiful, bc I agree that ugliness is a powerful part, crucial even, of Brienne’s story. Brienne isn’t an ‘ugly duckling’, she never gets the catharsis of becoming a swan: she is truly society’s definition of ugly, and she is an incredible person too, worthy of respect and admiration. it’s rare that you get a story about an ugly woman that manages to be so much else besides, and doesn’t ultimately subvert that ugliness by reassuring readers that she was secretly attractive all along.

so I do understand the ambivalence towards Arya’s story as one that does just that; presents an ugly duckling narrative without subversion. there’s no powerful message in that. Arya doesn’t have to overcome anything to be attractive, she just is.

which is to say, Arya is canonically pretty. this is said several times over by multiple people, including Ned, Jon, Lady Smallwood, the Kindly Man, etc etc. it’s made very clear that Arya is the spit of Lyanna, who was considered a beauty. maybe not in such a conventional sense as Cersei, but still more or less conventionally so. it’s implicit that Arya’s beauty is merely hidden behind the messy hair and the dirty face etc etc like it’s whatever, she’s canonically pretty.

I think it’d be more interesting if Arya were just a normal looking kid lol, she doesn’t need Brienne’s story but we certainly have way more female POVs described as beauties than we do otherwise. Catelyn, Daenerys, Sansa, Arya, Asha, Cersei, Arianne, Melisandre - they’re literally all described as beauties in some sense. Brienne is the sole exception. Compare to the men, amongst whom only Jaime is described as a stunner lol, then Theon is considered fairly hot, and Jon…. might be?? and then that’s kind of it.

so I do think that it would be more interesting if a character who was once teased for her appearance didn’t have the author quickly assure us that actually she’s a beauty, because that’s not often how it works in life. some people can clean themselves up a bit and suddenly get compliments, but for the people who have really suffered appearance-based bullying, they don’t suddenly turn out to have been beautiful all along. they look how they look, and it’s up to society to celebrate them as they are, not for them to meet societal standards. this is what I think Brienne’s story does so effectively, but at the superlative end of the spectrum. unfortunately, there is no middle ground between Brienne and a host of beautiful female POVs and that’s on GRRM.

as for the Arya stans, to some extent I understand them getting annoyed at a broad insistence that Arya looks otherwise to how she is canonically described. there will be certain fans with an agenda in saying this. but given that you can’t really go a day without seeing some variation of this discourse in fandom, I’m going to say that this argument over the hotness of a ten year old girl has officially had way too much air time and can we please all just accept that yes she is canonically pretty and who the fuck cares

[extremely-judgemental]

All right, let’s talk about Feyre’s pregnancy reveal, Rhysand’s anger, and Cassian’s punishment. This is more of an angry rant, if it doesn’t make sense, you know why. 

Before some weirdo comes for my throat for this, and though I’m not obligated to share anything about my life, I have two sisters. I’ve been both Feyre and Nesta. I know what it’s like to be poor, even if not to the extent of ‘I have to hunt to feed my family’ poor which is still a lot more than what SJM knows or understands.

The Archeron sisters have a less than cordial bond with each other, but it is a lot deeper than ‘she let me go hunting’ and ‘I failed her’. The adults responsible for them traumatised them, neglected them, used them as pawns, and exploited them. The three were forced to parent each other and care for their father. That’s a lot of trauma they have in common which leads to more in their individual lives, and an outsider can’t just have a peek and go ‘Oh, this is the one who suffered the most’. Comparing their trauma and picking a side is downplaying their experiences or insulting them as a character.

And it takes a lot to pit one of them against another with just a simple ‘she wronged you, so I’m going to punish her for you’ unless they hate each other and are already out for blood. Which is exactly what the IC do with the sisters—play with their emotions, manipulate them, and make a villain in each other’s story. It’s almost offensive to everyone with a sibling the way sisterhood is approached in this series by making Feyre compliant with Rhysand’s plans. I can’t even begin to tell you how much this narrative infuriates me that Feyre willingly allows Nesta’s imprisonment with a man who clearly is lusting after her.

The sisters haven’t healed from their shared trauma and the IC doesn’t want them to. The only chance they had to mend their relationship was when Feyre returned home after Tamlin sent her back. What we see in SF is a clear reversal of whatever bond they managed to salvage.

Feyre hasn’t forgiven Nesta and at this rate, she never will. She doesn’t care about her sisters but meddles with their lives because she’s still living by the promise she made to her mother. In her mind, she’s ‘taking care of her sisters’ even though she’s hurting them. Their dynamic shifts when she becomes a High Lady and her sisters end up at her mercy which is very similar to their times in poverty. Feyre provided for the family and she exerted control over them as a means to keep that promise which is what she’s repeating now. But that’s too much psychology for people who instantly go ‘but canonically!!’ So let’s move on.

Why does this matter to the pregnancy reveal? Oh, it does because Feyre allows everything in SF. Sure, she is manipulated but Rhysand and Cassian don’t have to put much effort into it. She always ‘sees’ their side and accepts it. (Or, SJM did so to justify the abuse.)

Nesta has every right to tell Feyre the truth about her child. She’s her sister, even if you don’t want to believe, she truly cares for her. Someone has to and no one close to Feyre is going to because Rhysand commands their silence. Her own healer doesn’t explain the dangers of childbirth to her. Nesta sucks at phrasing it well but her reasons are valid and clear. When Feyre asks her to calm down, she says something along the lines of ‘I can’t because they made a choice that directly concerns me, my magic which I’m terrified of. Would you calm down if they did the same to you? What if I tell you they already did? That they’re lying to you too about the child that’s potentially a death sentence? Can you be calm now?’ There’s anger here, sure, only because that’s the second time her sister betrayed her, the first being the imprisonment. She wasn’t waiting around coming up with a list to hurt Feyre and running to her the first chance she got (you know like specific someone does). Besides, she trusted Rhysand and Cassian to do right by Feyre, it’s why she kept their secret until then. But they proved her wrong and now what reason does she have to trust any of them? Even if it is an avenging of sorts, why wouldn’t she have the right to when it’s her and her sister’s life they are playing with?

Rhysand’s first instinct is to kill Nesta more than be concerned for his mate. He was not angry because Feyre was hurt or Nesta revealed the truth before he could. He was never going to tell Feyre himself, not until childbirth unless he ‘fixes’ it to play the hero again, or after if by some miracle they survived. He didn’t even tell his friends about the death bargain the two geniuses made either until the last minute and when he was cornered. That’s his pattern throughout the series.

Do you know what he might have done if it’d gone as far as the labour without Feyre knowing? ‘Let’s not put her in any more pain.’ And Feyre would have died never knowing all her friends were aware of her fate and they didn’t tell her.

He was angry because Nesta ruined his ploy. Would he have reacted differently had she declared it calmly over dinner? Let’s say Nesta wants to invite Feyre and wants to talk to her. She’s in HoW and she has to ask Cassian who will, let’s face it, inform Rhysand first. And they can decide to keep them apart. How is it impossible to see the control these men have over the sisters? Even if it is a completely separate incident on a random boring Tuesday, Nesta will have still become the villain. Rhysand will have still threatened to kill her. 

Cassian whisks Nesta off the streets when she’s very well convinced that she’s either going to die or be dumped on the moral lands. I mean, he doesn’t tell her where he’s taking her and all she sees is Azriel passing him a packed bag. She’s already accepted her fate. Feyre reaches out to Cassian and asks him to convey the message that she’s forgiven Nesta which he keeps to himself. She insists her sister is brought back home which he refutes right away. She expresses clearly she’s angry with IC than her sister, again Nesta never knows. And Cassian decides Nesta deserves to be punished.

Just so we’re clear. Feyre is not angry with Nesta. She’s not hurt by Nesta’s actions. She wants her sister back home. And CASSIAN DECIDES NESTA DESERVES TO BE PUNISHED. Not Feyre. Not Rhysand.

Why? Because she stepped out of line, she exposed his precious sugar daddy. Because Cassian failed Rhysand by not getting to Nesta first and he’s taking it out on her.

You can say all you want Feyre is on Nesta’s side here and she’s being manipulated. But, she forgives Rhysand and Cassian in less than a day after learning her baby and her mate, whom she loves so dearly, are going to die with her. She’s so past it already that she’s joking with Cassian that Rhysand will enjoy Nesta’s punishment. (‘She’s never gone on a hike a day in her life’ but she went through the woods freezing to look for little sister alone with a mercenary, and she climbed down 10 000 steps out of sheer will. Still why not just insult her anyway lol?)

Does she know how dangerous the trip is or does she just not care? And I don’t remember if she goes on to have sex, I only remember Rhysand boasting about make-up sex in a mental convo with Cassian, and if it’s at this point, then that’s even more disturbing.

Why doesn’t she reach out to Nesta herself? Even if Nesta refuses, she can always try again. The two are gone for almost a week and she never wishes to check with her sister who ran off afraid for her life and guilt-ridden? How many times will the two men decide what’s best for her? The imprisonment is Rhysand’s elaborate plan which was very handy and the hike is Cassian’s idea. And she goes along either time because she is helpless with her own sister?

Besides, why do the IC even interfere? Feyre and Nesta are mean to each other. They hate each other. They make up one day. They want to rip each other’s throats out the next. Nesta wants to be far from her sisters, fine. She wants to drink and fuck and drown in her pain, fine. Feyre and Elain want her to heal soon, fine. Feyre wants to give her money, she wants to cut her off, fine. But it’s between them! 

Rhysand can hate Nesta all his life. But he has no right to dole out punishment or make her life miserable out of spite. He can’t be angry on behalf of Feyre. As far as Nesta/Elain are concerned, he is just a dude their sister is sleeping with. They don’t believe in the whole mate thing. And Cassian is just a random guy.

And people’s audacity to say Feyre respects Cassian’s choice because she’s being a good friend and he has the right to choose for himself..!

Cassian doesn’t go ‘Let me go on a hike until this blows over’. He doesn’t choose for himself. He chooses for a woman, who is clearly hurting and wanting to die, so that she learns her lesson of never, ever crossing the IC (read Rhysand). His choice is directly impacting someone who’s suicidal and whose family wants them back. He doesn’t have a right to punish Nesta. He has no business getting involved at all!

I mean, if a guy shows up at your house and decides to punish you for a fight you have with your sister, you’ll either murder and bury him together or call the cops, not fucking marry him. It doesn’t matter he’s best buddies with your sister’s lover. He’s a creep. 

And they say, Nesta deserves it all because she failed Feyre at the cabin. Their parents failed them. Nesta was the nurturer of the family, Elain was the emotional support, and Feyre was the provider—who could have taken literally any other job and, she chose hunting, but what Nesta and Elain did was irreplaceable. So for fuck’s sake, cut them some slack.

How can anyone read the book and believe all this was for Nesta, that any of them care about her, or that Cassian loves her? People would rather live in denial than accept what’s truly happening.

[dandelionsunset1210]

Can I ask you how you think Peeta suffering from child abuse from the hands of his mother. Like I know you talk about in your fics but like how Katniss helps and consoles him and like do you think the kids ever figure it out? Sorry it's a long question but like I feel like many people forget that Peeta has been abused and I feel like only a few authors including you bring it up in their fics.

Ok apparently I’m not capable of speaking briefly about Peeta Mellark, so please excuse another long rambling analysis post from me.

Overall, I think Peeta’s relationship with his family is complicated and that’s made even worse by their deaths. It’s clear from the text that Peeta’s mother is physically and verbally abusive. Katniss can’t imagine his father hitting him so I’m going to assume that’s true, and that he and the other sons were victims of her abuse as well to some extent. But you also have to question why a man as big as Peeta’s father is described didn’t seem to protect his sons, or why Peeta’s brothers didn’t have his back. We know very little about their dynamic, but it’s safe to say it was overall dysfunctional.

But Peeta grows up thinking his family is normal. And the older he gets the more he understands that it’s not, but what can he do about it? He can learn to be charming, to say the right thing at the right time to minimize the damage. He can learn to be protective, to lie easily to keep himself and his brothers out of harms way. And despite all this, he’s kind. Not because he’s learned to be, simply because he is.

Flash forward to after the 74th. Peeta’s given money and a house and a chance to escape. His family doesn’t move in with him, but he visits them for dinner. He checks in with them when the peacekeepers increase their efforts in 12. He worries about his family when he finds out Snow isn’t happy with them. All this to say Peeta loves his family, or at least feels some sense of duty/protection towards them.

When the quell is announced there’s no question in Peeta’s mind that he’s going to die. And while most of his efforts go to training Katniss and Haymitch, I imagine he spends some time tying up loose ends in his life. My headcanon is that some time before the quell he had it out with his mother, distributed his money between his brothers and father, and got whatever closure he could with all of them. He’s content with it. Hopefully his mother will change, his family’s situation will improve. He won’t be around to see it, but he can hope.

And then, somehow, he survives and they don’t. And Peeta’s got a whole lot of other problems to sort out. And at least he got closure, right? He remembers them as they were, flawed and broken, but also as he had hoped they would be if they had more time.

I think for a very long time this is as far as Peeta’s thoughts about his family go. He focuses on his new family, Katniss and Haymitch. He focuses on helping his district rebuild. He writes down the good memories in their book and represses the hell out of the bad memories. Because it really isn’t fair to remember them that way, not when he had so much hope that they could change.

And then his daughter is born and his entire world turns upside. Because suddenly he’s holding his little bundle of joy and knows that he would do anything to protect her, and Katniss is happier than she’s been in her life just from holding her baby. And he doesn’t understand why he didn’t have that.

I don’t want to get too much farther into it because I’m going to be exploring this in depth in my next fic, but I think Peeta coming to terms with his abuse is a major theme in his adjusting to fatherhood. I think in a lot of ways Katniss sees this coming more than Peeta does, because she never saw his family with the same rose-colored lenses he did.

She’s the one who quietly starts collecting and reading resources on breaking cycles of abuse (this is for Peeta’s sake more than her own, she would not have had them if she didn’t firmly believe that cycle will never continue to their children). She’s the one who encourages him to go back to therapy to help sort it all out. She’s the one who holds him when he cries and feels ridiculous for not dealing with this 15+ years ago.

The kids learn the way they do for everything else, piece by piece. First that his family isn’t here anymore, just like Grandpa Everdeen and Aunt Prim. That they owned the bakery before their Daddy did. When they read the book they learn all those happy memories Peeta tried to cling to for so long, and when they ask about their grandmother’s page he responds that “she wasn’t very nice.”

And his children grow up experiencing all the things he didn’t get as a child. There is not a moment where they don’t feel safe and loved and wanted by their parents.

[nutler--kleinja]

My depiction of the title “CURE” for alnst round 6.

the meaning of this “Cure”, isn’t really a cure. It’s not a direct one, but in actuality, it’s a very twisted cure; a way of realising everything wrong.

The “Cure” for ivan, was finally clearly expressing his feelings for till. Letting go of all his worries for the one he loves, and that way, he’s “cured” through death. he sacrificed himself for till, and he finally got to do something for him, and let him live as he wants.

That way, he could finally find the “cure” of his “sickness”, being his unrequited emotions for till. That way, his quote “shallow emotions” could be let go.

As for till, his cure, was letting go of Mizi and realising what ivan did for him.

it is quite obvious how much he likes mizi, though for him, it’s a less “deep” type of love, like Ivan’s. it’s more a “she’s so sweet, I want her”, type of love; or maybe, the thing he could be in love with was the concept of being loved. i want likes so ill be writing more about this is another post lmao ill send the tumblr link in the comments

By finally understanding that Ivan had liked him, he could finally realise the true extent of their relationship; even if you can’t tell clearly, it seems obvious to an extent that he’s very close to ivan, with this drawing from vivinos being the outright proof if it.

Many a time, there is something where people are in denial of their feelings, or don’t even realise their presence i can relate she was so nice and sweet too i miss her and that could be the case with till.

his “illness” was never understanding how much he really loved ivan, because Ivan’s form of expressing his emotions was through physical violence(beating him up), being obsessive, or just weird in general. So, it would be natural that because of this, till consciously tries to make an effort to dislike ivan can relate again

There’s a common trend in eyes with alnst.

Mizi and Sua in round one, who were singing for the sake of living with one another, had a passionate and innocent look in their eyes, almost glowing. You can see the light in their eyes.

Till in round 2 had a crazed but, yet again, passionate look in his eyes, showing how he was singing for his obsession or infatuation with mizi.

ivan in round 3 had a calculative yet as i said before, passionate look in his eyes, because of his love for till, while having to appease the audience he was performing for.

however, Luka in round 5 had a dead look in his eyes, to show how he didn’t have anyone to sing for.

Mizi’s eyes in round 5 had a glow, but the look in her eyes was dreamy and dazed, showing how she was still thinking about sua’s death.

Hyuna’s eyes in all-in didn’t have the usual glow to it, yet it was still lifelike in a way, showing how she was singing for herself and herself only.

Ivan’s eyes in round 6 were yet again, calculative, much more dead this time, but there was still a hint of light in it, showing how he was singing this last song for till’s sake, for him to win.

On the other hand, till’s eyes in round 6 were dead and misty, showing his suffering after mizi’s death, without any will left.

yet, after ivan’s death, till’s eyes had a distresssed look to them, yet at the same time, he had a glow of how he looked in round 2, when he was fighting for mizi.

His “cure” was realising everything about ivan, and hopefully in round 7, trying his best for him, so he himself could live on for the sake if ivan.

It’s less of an actual direct positive meaning of cure, but more of a roundabout way of passing the message; of a realisation of their own emotions, and finally letting go.

[zer0-devoox]

Serial designation V psychological analysis

Let’s start with this.

From the pilot, the first and clearest introduction we have of V is as a cold-blooded killer, which leads us to draw several conclusions:

• she DON'T feel guilt or other emotions for being practically a psychopath, right?

• Pretending (and perhaps overacting) not to know N.

• She’s sexy—wait, what?

If there’s one thing I can say with my eyes closed, it’s that V’s personality throughout the series (at least until episode six) is a defense mechanism. Having suffered firsthand the atrocities of AS, V had to find a way to stay sane and assured herself that it didn’t hurt to make N suffer, that it didn’t hurt to be a complete bitch to the people around her, and that it didn’t hurt to kill people.

(That last one is a given; what did you expect? You can’t ask for moral consequences for murder; we’re in Murder Drones.)

A haughty, playful personality that is, to some extent, easy to anger. I don’t deny that many of these traits may have developed over time, but most are tropes that hide what’s really inside—a traumatized girl who lost everything and was turned into a killing machine.

(Some might say that I justify V’s actions when it comes to killing, and yes, I do; number 1, we’re in MD, and number 2, she’s my favorite character. What did you expect?)

To some extent, her diva complex hides insecurities (???)

The point is that this girl hardened herself, sharpened her teeth and claws, and did what she had to do to survive—from killing random workers, beheading N in cold blood, to manipulating a teenager and pretending to be her best friend to kill everyone (can we talk about how in "The Promening," V tried to negotiate with N and keep Uzi alive?)

A little extra note: rewatching the series for this summary, I can notice that V still retains some behaviors from her previous self, like when she blows bubbles or when at the end of "Cabin Fever," she smiles upon seeing Uzi with N.

In a way, I can assure you that V is simply TERRIFIED—terrified of herself, terrified of what they are now, and of Uzi, of Cyn.

Disorders:

Perhaps (with the risk of being wrong) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

We have several clues about this, like when in "Cabin Fever," she calls Uzi "Cyn."

That’s a detail we’ll discuss later.

Besides that, she’s always on alert and has her claws ready for any danger that may arise (another symptom of PTSD), and her aversion towards Uzi because when she sees her, she doesn’t see Uzi.

She sees Cyn...

People who ship VxN (sorry, I’m not a fan of the ship, but I don’t judge; I’ll try to give my opinion without it sounding like a criticism) always argue that V feels jealous of Uzi. But you know? I... don’t see it that way, at least not completely. I think V does feel jealousy, but more than romantic jealousy, it’s more of a necessary attachment feeling. Let me explain:

Let’s remember that J is dead, so if we add 2 + 2, we can understand what’s happening here: V is ALONE and the only "functional" support network she has left is N and only him.

And also when she tries to keep Uzi away from N because deep down, her clearest thought was that they were going to end up hurting each other, or Uzi would hurt N and the guilt could lead her to suicide, or N would have to kill Uzi if Cyn took over her body.

This is why she clings to him with teeth and claws, and this gradually gets better as the series progresses. Evidence of this is in episode 6 when she sees N holding hands with Uzi and her only reaction is "agh" (How I love episode six!!!)

I’ve already talked more in-depth about the climax of episode six, which is a key moment for the character; if you want to go see it, I’ll leave it at the end of this post.

My theory of post-traumatic stress increases with chapter 8 when we see the true V for the first time—someone damaged, scared of all the damn traumas she carries, who has had to endure practically alone all the atrocities that Cyn committed at her expense, and above all, that what she did, she did for N (I have some issues with this chapter, but let’s ignore that for now).

This is where I cry because we realize that V had hope that—after doing her job, Cyn would leave them alone—she had faith of being free, and it could not bring me more satisfaction to know that (unlike J) she could find her freedom by ending what bound her, accepting her traumas, and fighting against them (literally), and finally finding a new life with the other two idiots.

The only people who, despite what she has done and her flaws, accepted and loved her.

To wrap up, I want to clarify something:

V IS somewhat psychopathic.

V DOES kill in cold blood.

V IS a diva.

But V is not just that; she is a complex character with layers and nuances and a girl who has suffered the atrocities of a pompous being who treats them as toys. I don’t expect to encompass all the psychology of the character in this summary (because I’m not a psychologist), but I hope I’ve done some justice for my favorite character UwU.

[Conclusion]

The truth is that I’m a bit saddened by V’s development. It’s not bad development by any means, but the potential she had was somewhat cut short due to the limited screen time. Although honestly, Liam is a fucking genius who managed to package such a beautiful series into eight episodes.

Thank you, Murder Drones; thank you for informing me, for allowing me to draw my lesbian ships, for making me laugh so many times and bringing me to tears so easily, thank you for the two years I spent alternating between making theories at three in the morning and waiting for the episodes, having to save money just to be able to download the episodes and download all the possible fanarts on Pinterest. Thank you so much, Murder Drones, for marking my life and... if possible, one day, to do you justice.

🧡

[abbenai]

this has been sitting in drafts since i saw the movie for the first time and idc anymore so its going on main. its about ellen. its long as fuck because i have just been adding to this every time i watch it or read the script so soarrrryyyy

nosferatu resonated with me in the way experiences where pleasure and pain can blur. sometimes, we’re put into situations where we can’t distinguish between the physical responses our bodies have and the emotional or psychological toll those responses are taking. theres a process of dissociation, bodies moving and reacting as if they're separate from the person we are inside like possession or a curse.

ellen’s eventual sacrifice—offering herself up to orlok not out of choice, but as a last resort to protect the people she loves—speaks to the exhausting nature of living under coercion. she’s not choosing to free herself or embrace her desire; she’s submitting because she sees no other way to stop the destruction or to escape the perpetual violence that is being incited upon her. it echoes the idea that, when trapped in cycles of manipulation or exploitation, sometimes we make choices not to empower ourselves but to put an end to the suffering of others. her choice is one made from guilt, fear, and a desperate attempt to reclaim what little power she has left.

there’s also something horrifyingly familiar about this. the idea of being pulled toward destruction not because you want it, but because it feels like the only way to stop the pain, resonates deeply with the way suicidality can feel in the wake of trauma. it’s not always an active desire to die—it can be a passive, creeping understanding that the world does not offer you a path forward. that giving in to oblivion is easier than continuing to fight a losing battle. that there’s no one waiting for you at the altar but death.

but this coercion isn’t just about orlok—it’s embedded in the structures around ellen, in the way people see her, in the way power is wielded over her at every turn. when thomas suggests calling doctor sievers, ellen’s pleading response, “please, i’ll be good,” before adopting a soft, submissive expression reveals how she has learned to use performative compliance as a means of survival. this moment is devastating because it encapsulates the way coercion and power imbalances persist even in relationships that are supposedly built on love. she feels that resisting will only lead to further institutional scrutiny, so she fawns, deploying her body and her tone as tools of de-escalation. she is not trying to reestablish genuine intimacy—she is trying to retain whatever autonomy she has left.

after experiencing the violation of her bodily autonomy at the hands of orlok, she finds herself in a position where her only agency comes from anticipating what men want and offering it on her own terms. this is a painfully familiar reality for many survivors of sexual assault—the idea that reclaiming power often means negotiating with the very forces that have taken it away. for ellen, sex becomes less about pleasure or connection and more about maintaining stability, preventing further loss.

thomas, for his part, does not seem to grasp the full extent of what ellen is experiencing until he sees it first hand during the first act. he is affectionate but oblivious, well-intentioned but ultimately incapable of seeing beyond his own perception of their relationship. his love for ellen is not in question, but his inability to recognize the ways trauma has altered her means that his efforts at closeness often have the opposite effect.

the film does not frame thomas as a villain, but it does highlight the limits of love when it is not paired with understanding. ellen’s struggle with intimacy is not just about orlok’s assault—it is about the way trauma lingers, reshaping relationships, distorting the boundaries between love and obligation, comfort and control. thomas represents a kind of passive harm, the harm of good intentions that fail to see the full picture. he wants to save ellen, but he does not know how, and in his attempts to do so, he inadvertently reinforces the very dynamics she is trying to escape.

talking more about motifs of medical care in nosferatu, dr. sievers’ act of tying ellen up is particularly insidious because it is not born of overt cruelty but from a belief in the authority of medical intervention—a belief that his actions are justified under the guise of care. this is what makes institutional power so dangerous in nosferatu; it does not always manifest as explicit violence but rather as a paternalistic enforcement of control under the pretense of reason. sievers does not see himself as harming ellen; he sees himself as protecting her, both from herself and from whatever external madness he believes has gripped her. yet in doing so, he robs her of agency, reducing her to a patient, a body to be restrained rather than a person to be understood.

this ties into foucault’s concept of the medical gaze—the way institutions depersonalize those they seek to treat, transforming individuals into objects of study and discipline. ellen’s experiences with sievers reflect the historical treatment of women who defied societal expectations, particularly within psychiatric institutions where diagnoses like hysteria became catchalls for female distress, rebellion, or even simple nonconformity. sievers’ actions are not overtly villainous, but they are emblematic of a larger system that polices women’s bodies and emotions under the guise of care.

friedrich harding, by contrast, represents a more overt disdain for ellen. where sievers’ control comes from a place of institutional paternalism, harding’s comes from outright contempt. he does not see ellen as someone who is sick or in need of help—he sees her as a nuisance, a source of disorder that must be corrected or removed. his interactions with her are laced with a fundamental lack of respect; he does not entertain the possibility that her experiences are valid or that her suffering is real. instead, he dismisses her, treating her not as a person but as a problem to be solved, a loose end to be tied up.

harding’s disdain for ellen also reflects a broader social attitude toward women who disrupt the expected order. whereas sievers’ approach is shaped by medical rationality, harding’s is shaped by social hierarchy—he sees ellen as someone who should fall in line, and his frustration with her stems from the fact that she does not. his interactions with her are cold, and ultimately dehumanizing especially with his chuckle in the script after sievers suggests he restrain her. in this way, harding embodies another facet of patriarchal control: the belief that women who refuse to conform, who speak too loudly or feel too deeply, are not just inconvenient but dangerous.

ellen’s treatment by both men illustrates the ways institutional power and social power intersect to suppress those who do not fit neatly within their structures. sievers binds her out of a misguided sense of medical authority, believing that restraint is the best course of action. harding, on the other hand, does not even afford her the dignity of misguided care—he simply sees her as a disturbance to be managed. together, they highlight the inescapable nature of the forces working against ellen: even when malice is absent, control remains.

ellen’s interactions with von franz are also interesting to me. there’s a tension in the way von franz approaches the occult. for him, it is an intellectual pursuit, something to be unraveled, understood, and controlled. he’s merely an “able tourist” but for ellen, it is not theoretical—it is lived. her body and mind are at stake in ways his never will be. this reflects a broader issue in how trauma and violence are often discussed: those who study it from a distance, even sympathetically, still maintain a degree of separation that allows them to remain unharmed. ellen doesn’t have that privilege.

so while von franz might be an ally in the sense that he exists outside of institutional power, he is still a product of its logic. his role in ellen’s life is not one of savior or oppressor but of a deeply flawed intermediary—someone who sees her suffering, perhaps even wants to stop it, but cannot fully break free from the structures that dictate how he understands and responds to it.

i think this makes his character all the more tragic. he is someone who, in another world, might have been able to help. but in this one, he is just another man whose power lies in his ability to name and recognize (still more than i can say for the others), not in his ability to liberate, ultimately sending ellen to the grave when there could be another way he just isn’t privy to.

when von franz tells ellen, "in heathen times you might have been a great priestess of isis," he’s positioning her within an ancient lineage, one that existed outside of and often in opposition to the patriarchal structures that now entrap her. the cults of isis and other goddesses in the greco-roman world were unique in that they allowed women a degree of spiritual authority that was otherwise denied to them in public life.

isis, as a goddess, represents a paradox of power and submission, creation and mourning, autonomy and devotion. in the greco-roman world, her cult was one of the most widespread mystery religions, absorbing elements of egyptian traditions and adapting to a rapidly changing imperial landscape. she was a mother, a healer, a magician, and a mourner—qualities that resonate deeply with ellen’s role in nosferatu.

one of isis’ defining attributes was her mastery over life and death. in the osirian myth, she gathers the dismembered pieces of her husband osiris, bringing him back to life just long enough to conceive their son, horus. this act—both of resurrection and strategic reproduction—establishes her as a figure who wields power in the face of loss. ellen, too, operates within this framework; she does not fight orlok through direct confrontation but through sacrifice, using her body as a vessel to absorb and redirect his destruction. in this sense, her suffering becomes the means through which she enacts her power, much like isis’ grief becomes a transformative force.

isis was also associated with hidden knowledge, particularly through her connection to magic and femininity. the greco-roman isis cults emphasized this aspect, portraying her as the keeper of mysteries, a goddess who granted wisdom to those deemed worthy. ellen’s struggle with institutional power—the doctors, her father, orlok—mirrors the tension between feminine knowledge and patriarchal suppression. she is perceptive, aware of what is happening to her, yet she is constantly dismissed, overpowered, or forced into subservience. von franz’s comment about her being a “great priestess of isis” could then be read as an acknowledgment of this latent wisdom, a recognition that she possesses something beyond what the men around her can understand or control.

but this reference is deeply ironic. von franz sees ellen as someone who could have wielded power in another era, yet in the world they inhabit, she is reduced to an object of sacrifice. it also suggests a nostalgia for a lost past—one where feminine spirituality wasn’t feared or dismissed but instead held sacred significance. the reverence for priestesses of isis existed within a context where the feminine was celebrated, but that structure was later overwritten by patriarchal control, much in the way that ellen’s agency is continuously eroded. the tension here mirrors what happened to these goddess cults in antiquity—many of them were either absorbed into patriarchal religious structures or violently suppressed. the cult of isis, for example, was both venerated and feared in the roman empire. while it attracted women, slaves, and outsiders due to its promises of personal transformation and divine intimacy, it was also seen as a threat to state power.

ellen, in a way, embodies this dynamic: she is someone who carries the potential for power, but in a society that refuses to grant her the space to wield it. her ability to manipulate orlok through her own sacrifice could be read as a distorted echo of these ancient priestesses, who used ritual and devotion as a means of influence. but instead of presiding over sacred rites, she is forced into submission, her power existing only in the act of surrender.

this also complicates von franz’s role. his acknowledgment of ellen’s lost power could be seen as sympathetic, even admiring. but it also reinforces his limitations—he recognizes what she could have been, but he does not offer her any means of reclaiming that authority in the present. he sees her as a figure out of time, rather than someone who could actively reshape her fate.

so the invocation of the priestesses of isis is not just a throwaway line—it’s a moment that speaks to the historical erasure of feminine power, the way patriarchal structures co-opt and suppress it, and how even those who recognize this loss (like von franz) remain trapped in the frameworks that enforce it. ellen is not a priestess; she is a woman stripped of autonomy, forced to navigate her world through submission rather than through sacred authority. and in that, we see the long shadow of history repeating itself.

anyways in meta what’s especially troubling is the tendency to romanticize orlok’s figure—seeing him as seductive, as the archetypal “bad boy” who might somehow liberate ellen. but orlok is no liberator; he’s a predator, taking advantage of her vulnerabilities, forcing her to experience what should be a deeply personal, understanding of connection as something violent and detached. his actions are not about offering pleasure, but about consuming it, removing any semblance of consent or mutuality. and its a farce to think so imo. threatening to kill everyone you love in three nights if you don’t bed this guy is quite literally coercion.

this is a hard thing to confront because it’s not just a story about a vampire imo it’s a story about manipulation, and the ways in which pleasure is often weaponized against those who don’t have the power to stop it. the way nosferatu portrays the violence of pleasure is difficult to ignore, yet many do, preferring to focus on the allure of orlok, the fantasy of the vampire, and the seduction of the forbidden. but doing so misses the point. it's not about just fucking the vampire it’s also about acknowledging how deeply rooted in violence these dynamics are. pleasure, in this sense, becomes the mechanism through which that violence is carried out.

theres an interesting textual thread about how easily our experiences of pleasure can be distorted by power and how these distorted experiences can, over time, reshape our understanding of agency, consent, and personal autonomy. the film doesn’t just portray a supernatural predator; it critiques how we often turn a blind eye to the more disturbing implications of desire and power and class, especially when we are confronted with the complexity of trauma and exploitation. and sometimes, confronting that discomfort is the first step in recognizing how deeply those patterns are woven into our lives— dragging it into the light of dawn and whatnot— not just in the fantastical world of a vampire story, but in the real and painful ways we navigate relationships and our sense of self.

[theeternalwomb]

energy update 🧿: 8/18/23

Things are getting real out here for real so I decided I’d give you guys an energy update and some guidance from spirit because I’m sure they’d be helpful and you’d find some peace in this reading today. So many things are shifting, we’re all undergoing so many changes and experiences and I pride myself in my ability to bring people guidance, help them understand what’s going on, confirm their intuition, and validate their experiences and beliefs. In my own life, I’ve got a very intricate and complex story of my own that I live with and alchemize to the best of my ability and draw my power and motivation from to continue striving forward and striving towards better. I want many things in life but what I want most on a soul level is a better world and I live my life every day setting forth the energy and taking actions that resonate with that goal.

When things get hard for you and you feel alone or like you’re the only person on the planet that is struggling or having a hard time to the extent that you are take power and peace from the important fact that as a collective we move through these energies and challenges together and are always in connection with another. Not to invalidate yourself and find proof that there are others in the world who are suffering as well therefore your problems are worth less but to validate yourself in knowing that we are a collective and we are breathing and pushing through this as one. 🤎

***

i.

I see you purging a lot of internal energies here pile one. There’s an energy here of someone coughing up a lot of stuff they’ve had within themselves buried deep for a long time or a lot of things really coming to the surface they hadn’t seen in themselves before or things they hadn’t seen in themselves in a really long time. And all of this is coming up for a good reason because you can’t take it with you into the next step of your life. Things could feel very unstable for you at this time as well. There are a lot of insecurities coming to the surface here and maybe even aspects of someone’s shadow self and they’re really taken aback by this or are unaware of where these things are coming from. You could be experiencing a lot of shame lately as well attached to certain habits you have or there are self-limiting beliefs attached to your relationships and connections and the way you show up in them or in the way you think of these people or your connection with them.

There’s something about this energy that I’m having a hard time tapping into and really truly understanding. It seems to be like you’ve been in a very confused energy. This hurtle you’re getting over is very large and complex. I’m hearing something about someone’s home life as well being significant within this part of their lives or even just foundations in their life. People who’ve been around you a long time (ex. Parents, friends, lovers, etc.) and your connection with them and how those relationships affect you and other aspects of your life and being, I’m sensing some sort of cataclysm or some type of coming undone of something or some type of rising action leading up to or towards something here. Spirit is telling me about these things from your past or these things that have come from deep within that are coming up because there is a reset in store for you or a new life you’re about to receive. I’m hearing “things get worse before they get better” or there’s a deep internal purging happening for your greater good.

There are questions coming up about when and how things occurred and what really happened. You could be thinking back on past events or things that have happened in the past or you’ve been in this energy of digging up things. The reason behind trauma you have, how certain events in your life that caused a lot of trouble came to be, what type of people you were around, and the things that happened while you were in communication with them. I chose this young girl for the cover of pile ones pile. The inner child is very significant. The past is very significant. I’m hearing, “push. push. push.” Things could’ve been rough for you lately or you could’ve been incredibly tired or drained of energy for whatever reason but there is this need to push through and overcome and your spirit guides, I’m talking everyone, deities, guardian angels, ancestors, the divine mother. Everyone is in your ear collectively pushing you on and telling you to trudge through whatever this mud is. Life as you know it is coming. You are to be born again.

I’m hearing you hear the guides too. You’re very spiritually connected at this time. Their power runs through you. And I’m getting you could’ve been sent some kind of bad juju or people could’ve been working with deities or entities to send you trouble and misfortune and really squash your power but even these spirits want to stand behind you and support you. There’s a very powerful energy radiating from this group here. Someone has a very powerful lineage or is destined for something very big and the ancestors are not playing about you anymore they're tired of people and things bothering you or trying to stand in your way and knock you down. All these delays and all of this stuff that's come up is for a very good reason. It’s like you’re being blessed and all of your problems and anything that weighs you down and keeps you stuck is being dragged out of you. You’re coming into all your power. The spirits are getting very excited. There is about to be a celebration.

Spirit sees how energetically drained you’ve felt, how unable to do what you need to do you felt, how tired, how open and vulnerable your mind has been these past couple of days to negative thoughts and heavy emotional distress. I’m hearing a lot of you thought this energy was your own as well. There was a dangerous combination of natural purging occurring and for some of you whomever this person was doing magic on you or sending you evil eye and bad juju but you’re learning to take the energy sent to you and reel it in and turn it into your own. People are waiting and watching trying to see if you come out of this unscathed and you will because you’re protected and you’re divine. You’re being heavily advised to put your energy and your power into building this empire for yourself. Your success is brewing. Spirit wants you to take your ambition and feed it into leveling up and expanding. It’s about to be a whole new you.

With this moon card in reverse you’re releasing these fears, you’re letting all this stuff come up and you’re being empowered by it. Im hearing someone doing an evil laugh. Someone’s little villain era is coming. Justice is coming. This is not a drill. You’ve been talking to the spirits. The greats are reaching out to you. Answer the call. Your spirit team is growing. You’re about to be untouchable. Remember in The Princess and the Frog when Dr. Facilier was talking about how he had friends on the other side? This is exactly that energy lol.

𝐴𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: “𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤.”

***

ii.

Spirit has a lot of messages for you. I didn’t ask for this many cards but they were adamant on the amount they gave me. I’m getting this urgency or this high priority. You need to hear this they want you to receive it. They gave me 11 cards. 11 is a very powerful number all on its own. But as a soul number, it is magnificent. this blew my mind on a personal level. I see you working on something, this is big, it’s personal. You could be doing a lot of inner work or you could be really growing or preparing for something or all three of those things but there’s an energy of preparation, getting ready to receive a large blessing or getting ready for something big to come into fruition for you and preparing yourself to be the person you need to be to receive it. And I hear you’re working on this behind people's backs or you’re real quiet like about it. 🧿. I’m hearing you get what it means and how important it is to keep things private in order to protect them while you’re waiting for them to come to fruition for you or grow.

You’re about to come into some money here, you’re about to step into this big provider energy or you’re working on your finances so that you could be this figure. Some of you or building lives for yourselves in general, for some of you, you’re masculine energies and you’re building yourself up and getting your money and finances together to give someone the offer of a lifetime. There could’ve been a lot of inner conflict that you had and held onto that kept you from having something you truly wanted or getting this key wish fulfillment in your life and this time is coming to an end for you with this five of wands in reverse. You could’ve been holding onto a karmic lover as well or karmic people and karmic cycles and you’ve just about dropped all of this. I’m getting the energy of you casting these energies out or exorcising these energies out of your life and from within you.

And there’s conflict here regarding whatever it is or whomever it is you’re getting rid of cause whatever it is or whomever it is has their claws in you deep or it doesn’t want to let go of you because they sense that you’ve got big energy and you’re destined for great things but these people and things are leeches and energy vampires and I’m hearing you really don’t give a fuck at all. You’re ready to finally go to war behind your peace and behind what’s yours. You’re coming into your power and seeing your strength here. You’re manifesting your happiness. In life, in love. And you’re ready to receive it. There are very big gifts and very big wish fulfillments coming in for you or that you desire. And using the word happiness doesn’t feel big enough or even like it fully encapsulates what type of abundance, peace, and wholeness we’re talking about coming in for you. This is huge. Things are about to shift drastically. I’m hearing in a week or a month. And once those floodgates open the abundance isn’t going to stop flowing in. Like I’m getting a high flood warning here or a tsunami. It’s gonna wash anything in its path away.

Whatever these karmic people or relationships are or energies are, they’re gonna come crashing down very soon. Expect it. And I’m hearing you’ll be unscathed by this because you know it was time and behind this gigantic tower of karmic energies lies a bright meadow. You will be able to watch the sun being born. Any type of inner confusion and illusions will be done for and dealt with. Your spirit guides and ancestors are going to finish these people and these energies off, pack your shit and they’ll handle the rest. There’s a car waiting for you outside. You’re taken care of and protected. You’re gonna be in tune with your intuition, with the divine mother (God), with your higher self, with your ancestors as these events have birthed a spiritual awakening for you. Your time is now. Nothing can stop you where you’re going. Any type of heartbreak. Any blockages. Any type of feelings of shame or disappointment and anger. Will be washed away and gone forever. Your divine feminine is coming (or divine masculine). In separation? Not anymore. No contact? No. Union? Yes. Spirit is having all your boxes checked for you.

𝐴𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: “𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐼 𝑔𝑜, 𝑎𝑏𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑠.”

***

iii.

Spirit is telling me that you’ve been harvesting a lot of ambition. There is something that you want. A lifestyle you desire, a connection, whatever this wish fulfillment is you’re very determined to get it. You have to have it. It will be yours. You could be working very hard towards financial independence or are manifesting financial independence and spirit is telling me that money is necessary to get where you want to go or to give yourself the opportunities that you want within this life. You could’ve come from poverty here or there’s some type of aspect of your early life or some type of conflict in these foundational areas in your life that bring about this manifestation or this desire to be abundant and have these things for yourself.

There’s something coming in here too about you finally having the energy and the true desire to evolve and express yourself and show yourself to the world. You could’ve talked about these manifestations or talked about your desires a lot and may not have taken any action towards these dreams or put as much energy as you could’ve into these manifestations but that’s not going to be your reality anymore. Like I’m hearing you’ve had a sudden realization or some type of power up or something happened around you that really pushed you into this space of self-awareness and self-growth. This could’ve been some sort of large loss. A loss of a connection or something incredibly significant that you could’ve sucked a lot of energy from or kept yourself supported against.

You could’ve lost a friend or a lover or a family member that you really leeched off of (even if you weren’t consciously aware) this person gave you a lot of validation, gave you a lot of energy, or really kept you in an energy where you weren’t tuned into the energetic frequency to tune in and understand what you needed to do, how you needed to change or wake up to realizing that the life you were living, the habits, the mindsets, the behaviors you held onto weren’t good for you and weren’t going to get you the happiness and abundance you’d been asking spirit and the universe for. This person pulled themselves from underneath you and it may have really shaken you up and sent you into a dark night of the soul and really shone some light on your shadow.

But now that this mental clarity, this breakthrough, this newfound perspective, and understanding have been bestowed upon you, you’re stepping into your power and mustering up the energy and the courage to completely transform your life. You could’ve played a significant role in this person's life and could’ve been the villain in their story or simply just weren’t able to be the best person to them at the time that you knew them and it was within your path and within this persons divine purpose to shake things up for you and teach you a lesson by taking their leave. Your nine of cups is coming. Finally, you’re going to be happy and content in life or be able to have something to show for in all areas of life and be able to truly curate the lifestyle and the experiences you want for yourself.

This situation was meant to give you courage and push you into the action you needed and open up your mind so that you can improve and do better.

𝐴𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: “𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑖𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑛.”

***

iv.

Some of you have been disconnected from a connection that has played a large part in your life or kept you in one place, physically speaking or emotionally and spiritually. This could’ve been someone who contributed to self-limiting beliefs and insecurities within self and/or played a role in your life that brought to light any self-limiting beliefs and karmic energies or aspects of your shadow self. I see someone recovering here or coming to terms with some sort of ending or coming to terms with some sort of truth that was revealed to them in terms of this connection and in terms of their own belief systems, behaviors, and views of self. You could feel very alone right now and may even be in an energy of pessimism or be incredibly worried or anxious at this time due to rapid change and not knowing where you’re headed or what’s going to happen next.

But, this person, this connection or whatever this is that you’ve been disconnected from was divinely orchestrated and you’re being realigned or your path here or I’m hearing rerouted and turned around. Whatever this was, was meant to be temporary for you and you weren’t meant to keep it. I’m hearing it’s not yours to keep. If this is a person, they could’ve not done anything inherently bad to you or said anything hurtful or harmful but they could just have simply not been super into you or your energy and may have left you feeling very needy and unheard and unseen oftentimes. I’m getting that this person isn’t YOUR person or your divine counterpart and this is why they aren’t deeply connected to you and this person may hide this from you or be very guarded and out of reach. This relationship or this person was meant to send you into hermit mode, into isolation so that you can see yourself and identify what needs to be worked on and be pushed into self-growth and expansion.

You could’ve gone out of your way to keep this person or bent over backward to try to keep this person in your energy and may have really stepped into a side of yourself that isn’t very good at making decisions or who doesn’t value herself/himself and behaves in a way that reflects that. Everything that’s come up and is coming up is for a reason, for you to look at and see for yourself because whatever this is has caused a bit of a tower moment for you I’m getting. This person or whatever this is could’ve been taken from you already or you could be on the verge of disconnecting with this person or breaking up with this person. I see you being very exhausted, burnt out, and confused. You could be really in your head about this or really heavily thinking about what’s going on within your connection or the things about you that have come to the surface.

There may be conflict about this situation with this person. I’m hearing arguments or disagreements or this really heavy push-and-pull dynamic. You could be pulling this person, trying to remove blockages and barriers and they’re pushing you away further and moving further away from you and you may be feeling a lot of loss and heartbreak regarding this situation. I hear you being very frustrated and not really truly understanding why you’re experiencing what you’re experiencing. And it has everything to do with you and your own shadow and self-limiting ideas and beliefs. This person reflects back to you, your own karmic energies. When you decide to hold self-respect for yourself and release things that are no longer serving you and take the leap and make that decision to be done with this because you’re no longer choosing to live this way or accept this for yourself things will begin opening up for you and you will then have time for yourself to grow the way you’re meant to. This person is a karmic. They may not be intentionally or consciously causing you harm or mirroring back to you your own karmic energies but they need to. You and this person are and were teaching each other important lessons. You’re teaching them the reality of choosing to be where you do not truly desire to be. And they’re teaching you what it feels like to not be valued and that it is your choice to continue to be treated that way and not grow into an energy of self-love and alignment.

𝐴𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: “𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓.”

***

I’m offering you guys an apology for not being able to push out readings and do what I needed these past 2-3 days. I was going through a cleansing period and I needed to purge and ground. But, I’ve gotten my energy back and I’m ready to come back and do my work for the collective. I hope these readings helped or gave you some sort of enlightenment, encouragement, or confirmed your intuition. I chose to include four piles today because I intuitively felt that this was a very broad collective and the messages would be very specific to those reading. Wishing you the best of luck🤞🏾 lots of love, forgiveness, and understanding. Wishing that you can find that within yourself and that others can find those same things within you in order to release any negative energies, fears, and emotions so that we may all move on and enjoy our lives peacefully and in harmony. I’ll talk to you another time. Please come see me again soon! 🧿

(Book a personal with me with the link in my Instagram bio!)

[librarycard]

I thought i was done with talking about my chemical romance fandoms crazy gender essentialism and transmisogyny and misogyny in general but i have one more thing. actually two. because i have yet to discuss why this is so personal to me.

number one: i really, really hope you people don’t talk to trans women like that in real life.

number two and in relation to that: the way people (you know who they are, or you don’t, in which case consider this a general statement.) are about trans people, trans women specifically i should say, and have been talking about trans people on here in general, has been deeply concerning to me because what they’re doing has happened to me.

when someone is dealing with their gender identity, you dont just tell them what they are. You can make it a safe place for someone to come out WHEN THEY ARE READY just by being openly supportive and in arms with transness and the transgender community. unless a person is going through immense obvious suffering and cannot understand why that’s the case you should NOT fucking walk up to people and just tell them what they are because 1 you are not them and therefore can’t be sure 2 that isn’t your place and 3 everyone deserves to be able to figure out to what extent they would like to address their gender dysphoria and what their desired timeline for doing so is.

you can say IF THE SITUATION CALLS FOR IT “hey, it seems like you might be struggling with issues related to gender. have you heard of transgender people? if so, do you feel like addressing your problems through this lens might help alleviate your suffering?” <- or similar. of course, i figured this should be obvious to trans people, who typically (bar conservative “transmedicalists” who make for an entirely different conversation that i don’t want to have) know exactly how harmful the inherent association of physiological and sociological traits in human beings with gender identity (and, by extension, gender dysphoria) is.

but really just making sure a person knows it’s cool and awesome and most of all OKAY to be transgender openly if they want to is the most important. you don’t do this by telling them who they are but by exhibiting public love for and solidarity with trans people. it’s always supposed to be on their terms, not yours. if you realized you were gay or trans because someone told you you were, that’s okay. i’m ecstatic that you were able to discover that about yourself and i’m glad it did you more good than harm. but almost never does the situation call for that; as you should know, you are not the transgender monolith; there is no monolith; there is no straightforward path.

there is only support and solidarity, which is not the same as declaring that someone is x when they themselves have not clarified it or rather need drastic intervention for their mental wellbeing and are genuinely blatantly clueless. i promise you most people struggling with gender identity aren’t clueless and know they’re uncomfortable with the box they’ve been put in, so don’t feel like you should just go ahead and pick a different box.

now on the personal side: it was really harmful for me when someone who wasn’t even transmasc told me i was a transgender man and that i should just accept that. my gender identity was more complex than that and i was addressing it on my own terms at the time internally because it wasn’t the business of others. publicly, i told people i was okay with using any pronouns and i disclosed the name i went by, as well as telling people i felt kinship with transness, but that was it. (if you’re reading this as someone that is aware of the celebrity-stranger central to the discussion at hand, you may be familiar with their own similar public disclosures.)

the way that maleness was foisted onto me by (well meaning) others made me collapse in on myself. they used he/him pronouns for me and barraged me with questions about my comfort with she/they/etc, as if i did not know better than them.

in the end, i just wasn’t good at being a man. pursuing maleness made me feel worse about myself because it was incongruent with my internal experience. not always, of course, because i am mostly a masculine/gnc person, but there were key aspects of being a trans man i exhibited because people told me i was one that made me uncomfortable, and i, just wanting relief, chose to pursue that angle seeing as it was other members of the lgbt community that pointed me there. im from a small town in the bible belt deep south and i’d never seen the world, because my family was poor and conservative and there was nothing for them otherwise. my new college friends were from big cities and had seen much more of the world than i had.

in truth, i should have been allowed to figure it out as i would have liked to. these people were aware that i knew about transgenderism and related to it, and i had told them what pronouns i wanted them to use, but they continued to apply pressure onto me. to this day, years later, i am devastated that i was robbed of my path to self discovery as it might have come about naturally. i would have made some choices the exact same, such as hrt and top surgery, but the emotional gravity of what i experienced will always stay with me, and the insecurities that came with it are still being shaken off.

this is my personal experience, but i know other people have felt similar pressure to conform to what they’ve been identified as by outsiders who were flat out transvestigating them.

i’m trans; i love being trans; i love my transgender brothers and sisters, i love trans men and women, and i love gnc people and the nonbinary identity, which has more or less fit like a glove and allowed for self expression that has ultimately been the most comfortable for me.

i am not saying i am going to be the leading example of all trans people, but i am an example of the consequences of these kinds of invasive claims.

if you’ve made the conversation at hand a “we the gerard way transgender believers and knowers vs the deniers who claim gerard is male” you have lost, because that is not what people believe. I would say most of us are very comfortable associating gerard with transness because they themself have expressed kinship and solidarity with us.

i hope if you took the time to read this you take all i say in good faith and understand why this conversation has hit home for me so personally. i hope you were able to understand why i am so distressed by those standing on a soapbox preaching harmful rhetoric and practices. and i hope that people who have engaged in said practices perhaps discover that they are hurting a lot of trans people, out or not, and i hope that they express love for out trans women more than pursue what they appear to believe are “closet cases” or “flagging”. i hope we all learn from this as a community online and choose to engage only with gerard’s gender to the extent that they’ve verbally signaled they are comfortable with, which includes not assigning them labels, whether that be female, male, trans woman, cisgender, or otherwise, and at least when talking about them seriously, using their pronouns (no, i don’t think you lovingly calling gerard your girlfriend is the crime here. it’s why you do it that’s the issue; you aren’t doing it with solely affection but rather with a motive as well.)

just let them, as well as other people, especially those you might encounter in your day to day life, be themselves without argument or unnecessary investigation. just leave people alone about their gender identity, please.

[marbles-for-breakfast]

Thoughts/Arguments about Endogenic systems:

(for context, I’m probably best described as “quoigenic”, but I don’t really identify with any origin label because I think they ultimately cause more confusion than clarity)

Firstly, for those who don’t know, the term endogenic is about the narrative of your own existence. It was created by a diagnosed DID system which believes they were born plural and would have been plural regardless of the trauma they experienced. Whether you personally believe that to be true is your business, but I fail to understand how people think that idea is harmful, ableist or anything else. Not everybody wants to conceive of the origin of their existence in the same way. I don’t see anything wrong with that. Trying to force people to adopt a certain narrative about their own life doesn’t help anyone or prevent any sort of harm.

As far as willogenic systems go (because they’re under the endo umbrella, I’m pretty sure), I really don’t know enough about them to have a super definitive opinion. People seem to have mostly positive experiences with it, and it sure doesn’t affect me whether somebody I don’t know tries to make headmates through things like meditation. It’s obviously something quite different than DID, but I imagine it could work similarly in some ways, so I don’t really mind them using terms like ‘system’. I do understand the aversion to willogenics to some extent, though. I feel that sometimes too. And ultimately I think that’s because they get to make a choice that I wasn’t given. And they get to skip syscovery, and probably a lot of dissociation on top of that. It’s tempting to resent them, to assume they see it as a fun or frivolous thing, and are totally ignorant of our problems and suffering. But I don’t think that’s true.

They know what DID is. They know it’s usually caused by trauma, and often serious abuse. They know it is a serious disorder that can make life very difficult. They also know that they created headmates through meditation or something, and now they’re a system. Why should that upset us? Why do we think we own plurality just because we suffered more on the road here? Maybe you think they’re wrong about having headmates, but…. how would we know? Just because an experience isn’t accepted or understood by the field of psychology doesn’t mean it’s not happening. And I make a point to believe people about their own minds.

Just because they don’t have DID and have very different experiences to people with DID doesn’t mean they can’t acknowledge that those experiences do have some similarities. And it certainly doesn’t mean they can’t find community with OSDDID systems who want to normalize plurality itself in order to make life easier for all systems. It may seem “weird” to us, we might not understand it, but that doesn’t mean we should deny just because we originally learned that DID (and therefore plurality) can only form through extreme trauma. Aren’t a lot of the things we originally learned about DID wrong? Aren’t a lot of the things we assumed about it wrong? We, as a species, have never understood the human brain. Even doctors and educators make assumptions about what’s impossible without looking into it enough to prove that.

But when tons of people tell you they created headmates on purpose, and you don’t really have a reason to think they’re wrong other than “I don’t think that’s possible”, maybe it’s time to switch to, “idk how that works, but you do you”. It’s time to acknowledge that someone living their life in a way that you wouldn’t choose for yourself is actually completely fine. I mean, as long as they’re not hurting anybody obviously, but willogenics are not hurting anybody by being openly willogenic.

So yeah, endogenic systems are not inherently a threat to you or anyone else.

This post sums up my thoughts pretty well, so I might just refer people to it in the future. If you’re here from that, thanks for hearing what I have to say. I hope it helps you refine your worldview in some way. You don’t have to agree with everything I said here. I just hope you at least interact with people with more good faith (believing what they say until they give you a reason not to).

[tttrashmouth]

something super interesting about merlin to me is that (whether directly or indirectly) they made a show about how conforming to societal views and expectations that are made for only a select few in society will eventually lead to everyone’s destruction. merlin spends the whole show refusing to tell anybody he has magic (besides mainly lancelot and gaius). typically, marginalized people conform to a societal standard to keep themselves safe (absolutely valid and reasonable thing to do), but at extreme points this can lead those marginalized people to indirectly start to advocate AGAINST their own well being in favor of keeping the peace and themselves safe and not actually dead. we see merlin do this same thing throughout the show, he constantly hides who he truly is and often speaks out against magic to keep it that way. that’s something i honestly understand, especially considering he lives in the heart of camelot as literally prince arthurs manservant. the only person who needs to be as guarded with their magic as he is, is morgana. to me, the interesting part is when merlin is given opportunities to bring magic into arthurs (and others) favor, he doesn’t.

and i am fully aware there is an aspect where merlin doesn’t want to see arthur hurt, but that loops exactly right back into the problem. rather than hurt arthur, merlin would rather hurt HIMSELF in the process of protecting arthur. any chance he’s given, he uses it to turn arthur away from magic. of course, you can’t discuss this without discussing the influence gaius has on this situation and how honestly, if gaius had not been telling merlin to keep his magic a secret and not tell anyone about anything, merlin would have told at least gwen by season one or two, even morgana maybe. but he doesn’t. because he’s constantly being convinced that he has to stick to what the norm is and try and conform. he has to let things happen when they’re supposed to, not try and force it himself.

so if merlin, who is destined to bring the golden age of albion with arthur, doesn’t do anything to try and push that goal forward than who is? of course it should never rest on his shoulders alone but he never actually takes steps to work towards a better future. and that’s it’s. that’s how oppression and violence wins, it convinces marginalized people that if they just sit and wait, in however many years change will come. finally they will have the freedom they’re looking for.

but it won’t happen, not unless they stand up for themselves. as sad as it is, those who oppress marginalized groups often benefit FROM the power they hold in the systems they’ve created and even in the fictional world they’ve created here, it’s no different. all of these sorcerers who live in camelot have been through so much pain and suffering that a lot of them have truly been convinced to dislike magic to a certain extent, even merlin. kilgharrah ACTIVELY turns merlin against morgana and mordred. i know it’s because they’re apparently going to be the doom or merlin and arthur respectively, but damn he doesn’t even give them a fighting chance. at least mordred knows about merlins magic, morgana doesn’t find out until the end of the entire show.

now i would like to clarify i am not bashing merlin or anything, he did what he could (mostly) with the hand that was dealt to him. even if it’s unintentional though, it’s interesting how this show truly shows how an oppressor will try (and often succeed) to show the oppressed that if they just sit and wait and let themselves be brutalized then their day will come, their freedom will arrive. but it won’t, not until they fight for it themselves. the entire show ends with so many of our main cast dead and those that aren’t are mourning the future that could have been. years of conforming and waiting for the day where magic would finally be free again we’re all for nothing because arthur DIES before any of it can actually happen. merlin practically fails because he’s been taught that it’s better to play it safe and stay alive then it is to actively fight for himself and others like him. and objectively, that’s not wrong and in a lot of cases can be the only option to take. but for merlin it’s leads to terrible consequences, one’s he never wanted to have to face.

[melrosing]

Sorry if you’ve talked about this before but I can’t find it if you have. What are your thoughts on Jaime’s role in the Tysha situation?

I don't think I have actually talked about this at any particular length before?? which is weird bc i have thought about it a lot but to quickly summarise before launching into it:

I think Jaime's part in this is a human failing. it wasn't a malicious or spiteful act, but an ignorant one

that said, I think it's basically unforgivable regardless. Tysha and Tyrion are the only people who could forgive him for this and even if Tyrion does, I really doubt we'll ever learn Tysha's feelings on the matter

imo the way in which Jaime ultimately decides to come clean is near enough the cruelest thing he does, even if he didn't mean it to be

so first off, I don't think Jaime has ever truly believed that Tyrion couldn't be loved (in the romantic sense, anyway). Jaime himself is someone who loves despite appearances, and it seems he knows pretty soon after telling Tyrion the lie about Tysha that it wasn't really a kindness, but in fact the worst thing he's ever done (so far!!)

I also think if it hadn't been for what Tywin subsequently put Tyrion and Tysha through with the guards, Jaime would've come clean shortly after telling the lie. but after that, no doubt it felt almost impossible to do so, because the damage was now outsized and there was little chance Tyrion and Tysha would be able to return to what they had.

but he does tell the lie to begin with, and I think that is because Jaime lives in an ableist society and is touched by the stink. he loves Tyrion and Tyrion's disability has never impeded that love, but it has meant that Jaime has failed him many times, sometimes without even knowing he has. for one thing, I think he has failed to realise just how much Tyrion has suffered through childhood. he comes to some revelation following his maiming at the hand of the mummers:

Sometimes he even wept, until he heard the Mummers laughing. Then he made his eyes go dry and his heart go dead, and prayed for his fever to burn away his tears. Now I know how Tyrion has felt, all those times they laughed at him. (JAIME IV, ASOS)

however, it suggests that whilst Jaime has never been laughing with 'them', the full extent of his understanding has necessarily been limited. besides that, I think Jaime has always been in a unique position where he could have definitively stood up to Tywin and Cersei in terms of how they treat Tyrion - he alone had the ability to withhold something until they did so, whether that be love or obedience. but obviously he lets his fear of his father/codependency with Cersei get in the way of that, so.

he's also carelessly partaken in ableism without thinking, indeed in front of Tyrion - whether that's in calling him 'the Imp' (something Tyrion can reclaim but Jaime certainly can't), or this fucking gem:

"Even if the boy does live, he will be a cripple. Worse than a cripple. A grotesque. Give me a good clean death." Tyrion replied with a shrug that accentuated the twist of his shoulders. "Speaking for the grotesques," he said, "I beg to differ. Death is so terribly final, while life is full of possibilities." (TYRION I, AGOT)

again, doesn't really matter if Jaime has been able to push past some of the ableism others have adopted, the stink is still on him.

so, when Tywin dictated the lie he wanted Jaime to tell, I can imagine he was in two minds. on the one hand, Jaime loves Tyrion, wants Tyrion to be happy, and would be pleased if Tyrion found happiness with someone who truly loves him back. once again, Jaime himself loves despite appearances, and so I don't think he would ever have found it inconceivable that Tysha honestly loved Tyrion.

but again, he lives in an ableist society, and so when Tywin tells Jaime that Tysha's love was cynical, that might have seemed possible, too. Jaime has grown up in a world that has called Tyrion a monster since birth. it doesn't matter if Jaime doesn't think Tyrion is a monster; he knows that much of the world does, and accepts (if only for a time) that Tywin's assessment of Tysha could be true.

then there's the fact that once Tywin has made a decision, perhaps Jaime thought Tyrion and Tysha's relationship was a lost cause; besides that, if Tysha were taking advantage, Jaime doesn't want Tyrion to be hurt by it. hence, "a kindness". it's all deeply flawed logic, but again, this isn't about malice or spite on Jaime's part: it's ignorance mixed up ableism, and human failing.

then ofc, Tywin does what he does to Tyrion and Tysha and that's it. Jaime figures there's no way he could tell Tyrion the truth now without causing him even greater pain, and keeps quiet for the foreseeable future, retaining that as one of his very deepest regrets. because Jaime knows near enough immediately that he was lying to himself as well: he knows full well that Tyrion can love and be loved, and yet he propagated Tywin's lie..... for what.

could get into the absolute fucking tragedy of Jaime and Tyrion, practically the only two out of the Tywin/Cersei/Jaime/Tyrion quartet with a genuinely uncomplicated, loving relationship, having their love turned to poison by the worst dad of all time. but another time

then to move into ASOS: look like I don't know if it was ever the right thing to tell Tyrion the truth once the thing was done. I can see both sides: one, Tyrion deserves to know that he can be loved, and has been loved. two, how the fuck is Tyrion supposed to feel knowing the truth, and that his whole life he's been living a lie.

but I think the biggest problem is that Jaime doesn't really reckon with that so much as his own desire to be honest and do right and come clean etc. he certainly knows how much he risks hurting Tyrion or else he wouldn't have kept quiet all this time, but it seems at least part of it is about honesty for the sake of cleansing himself rather than doing right by Tyrion.

he also. forgets to apologise??

"For your gold, Father said. She was lowborn, you were a Lannister of Casterly Rock. All she wanted was the gold, which made her no different from a whore, so . . . so it would not be a lie, not truly, and . . . he said that you required a sharp lesson. That you would learn from it, and thank me later . . ." "Thank you?" Tyrion's voice was choked. "He gave her to his guards. A barracks full of guards. He made me . . . watch." Aye, and more than watch. I took her too . . . my wife . . . "I never knew he would do that. You must believe me." (TYRION XI, ASOS)

like I think Jaime is honestly sorry. he's afraid to tell Tyrion because he's sorry, he accepts Tyrion's punch because he's sorry, etc. but he never manages to actually say it, he's too busy trying to make himself understood. he wants Tyrion to understand why he did what he did, and it's like. why would Tyrion give a fuck why right now, he'd trying to reckon with the impact it's had on him, and the fact that he and Tysha lost their happiness together and suffered so horribly for nothing.

so whilst I think it's human to botch an apology like this, to be so busy trying to explain yourself you forget to apologise at all, and that you're meant to be centring the victim of your wrong. but it is still fucking wrong lol. Jaime gets it so, so wrong.

all of that to say, I don't think Jaime has ever wanted to hurt Tyrion, but he has - he has hurt him badly. doesn't negate his love for Tyrion - it says in his own POV that Cersei and Tyrion are the two people he cares most about in the world. but he fucks it. partly because of the ableist society he lives in, partly because of the toxic family dynamic he's part of, and partly because he's human, and that's the tragedy.

[whinlatter]

I don't understand why Harry would testify that students weren't really harmed at Hogwarts AFTER finding out that Ginny was tortured so bad she suffered cognitive impairments and she can't even fly because of it.

🚨 spoiler alert for chapter 13 🚨

it’s a good question! the short answer is: this is the year of harry potter realising stuff. the long answer is below the cut!

i don’t think harry would ever say he is arguing students weren’t seriously harmed — especially, as you say, because he has now has good reason to believe ginny has suffered greatly at school and is deeply troubled by it, even if he doesn’t really know details and the extent of it yet. the trouble is, he’s just now clocking that there’s a gaping hole in some of the things he’s been telling himself as reassurance about what hogwarts was like during the war.

the problem for harry is that, for a long time, and certainly clear as day in canon throughout DH, he thinks hogwarts is a safe and (relatively) comfortable place during the war ('This scant news made Harry want to see Ginny so badly it felt like a stomachache... indeed, as Phineas Nigellus talked about Snape’s crackdown, Harry experienced a split second of madness when he imagined simply going back to school to join the destabilization of Snape’s regime: Being fed, and having a soft bed, and other people being in charge, seemed the most wonderful prospect in the world at that moment.') during the war, he thinks snape is the biggest problem hogwarts has to worry about. even when he finds out from neville and co. pre the battle that things haven’t been rosy, he still doesn’t see the sufferings of hogwarts students as sufficiently bad to, say, commit to freeing them all from the carrows’ rule. the boy is trying to dip.

but then of course harry finds out snape is innocent, and, i suspect, would be committed to something of a one-man campaign to exonerate him after the war (he is the only person who can clear snape’s name: he does not name his son after him for nothing). and this was how harry has been thinking about the hogwarts inquiry for months in beasts: an opportunity to get the truth out about snape. he’s been saying since chapter 5 that, if there’s any investigation, he’ll only take the stand to use it as a platform to keep defending snape’s posthumous reputation. harry wants to show up, say his piece — that snape was a great hero who was working for dumbledore all along, and trying to protect the students on dumbledore’s orders — and leave the inquiry to the people who were actually there.

as you say, though, harry now knows things weren't all peachy at hogwarts for ginny. but by taking the stand, and taking hard searching questions from investigators, harry is having to clock for the first time that maybe two things can’t be true: that snape was doing everything he could to protect hogwarts’ students (or at least, snape alone was enough to stop awful punishments happening to ginny and the rest of the DA), and also that hogwarts students, including ginny, weren’t safe at hogwarts and actually suffered great harm despite dumbledore’s man being in the headmaster’s office. it’s a problem for harry; he’s working out in real time that his logic is flawed and that maybe, even despite snape being headmaster, hogwarts was not the safe place for his friends — and, especially, for ginny — he hoped and imagined it would be. i was trying to show this a few times in this chapter — when he says on the stand that, if snape hadn't been there, things would have been worse (probably true, but a low bar); when he asks ginny to reassure him re the forest detention, which he's clearly clinging to as an example of where snape saved ginny's life (ginny doesn't respond); and when he has his nightmare after testifying, a nightmare that, it's implied, is about ginny coming to harm in some way. harry's post-war arc is basically having to wrap his brain around the fact that things aren't as black and white as he may previously have thought - who is a goodie and a baddie, or that, for all that he was the chosen one, he wasn't the only person who had a bad war, for instance. and this is one of those things. he'll get there! but, as ever with hjp, the answer is: he's just had to have something obvious pointed out to him, and he's having to let it soak.