#and certain things that happened to a certain character in Book 3 had more of an impact when I was old enough to see myself in that role

[marlynnofmany]

It's the lemon juice

“i’m a fearsome indestructible monster of lore whose one shocking weakness is fire” buddy everyone’s weakness is fire

[praisetheaxolotl]

The Arsonist Theory, Part 1: Mandibles!

Eight years ago, a few weeks shy of the day itself, I wrote something called The Arsonist Theory. It was my last theory post before making this blog, and looking back, it was disorganized, and I could have presented it better.

So, with new evidence, I'm doing just that.

The core of the theory is this: You don't blame the arson itself for a fire. You blame the arsonist that set the fire in the first place. There is a secret third piece of the puzzle here- not the act of arson, not the fire itself, but something more.

Therefore, consider this: Bill was not the sole perpetrator of the Euclidean Massacre. Rather, he was a weapon used to commit it.

Like the original, this will be a four-part theory, just to make it more digestible. I'll refer back to the original on occasion, but most of it will be new information.

Oh, and-

MAJOR, MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE BOOK OF BILL UNDER THE CUT. THIS INCLUDES THE TEXT ITSELF AND SOLUTIONS TO CIPHERS.

With that out of the way, let's go.

In another post, I mentioned that the specific wording of "Saw his own dimension burn" having a very passive connotation to it, plus parts of the glitched page, shown here- make it incredibly likely, if not certain, that the massacre was an accident on Bill's part.

Bill's main intention was to show everyone what he had seen all along-- show them that he wasn't crazy. But that's not what happened.

Also, just as an aside- part three of the original theory has some examples of exact wording being a thing to pay attention to in matters surrounding Bill. It mostly concerns his deals with others, but in a Doylist sense, it tells us: exact wording is important with this character, so pay attention.

But let's put a pin in that for a second.

On the page teaching us how to trick everyone into loving us, there's a portion about conversation topics:

The cipher in the candy heart says "LIES," by the way, and it's the only cipher on the page- immediately setting this portion apart from all the others. Bill says here that one conversation topic on a date-- while meeting someone-- is the very specific term, "mandibles."

Say, where have I seen that recently?

Huh... that's interesting! What a specific word to come up twice, in these specific contexts! Remember what I said about exact wording? Sure you do, you have a very good memory, I admire that about you!

But that's not everything I noticed.

All that glitching? You can actually see text peeking out at certain points. And what does that text say?

"Nice to meet ya!"

Over and over and over again.

There's nothing else in my mind that can make this make sense to me. There was someone else there. He met up with someone.

But that's not all- I still have three more posts of evidence to write.

Check back here for links to them- they should all come out within the next day or two, and I'm gunning for all of it to be out before the countdown on thisisnotawebsitedotcom hits zero.

Part 2: We get it, the billboard is a metaphor

Part 3: Journey To The Vicious Spiral Nebula

Part 4: Blame The Arson, Not The Fire

[maxdibert]

hi! i saw in one of your posts you wrote about how Sirius Black had no reason to bully Snape and i thought about it…..i mean doesn't his hatred seem too personal? we have Lupin who has no contact with Snape after book 3 but Sirius goes crazy when Snape is around and they are alone so he can attack him (kitchen scene in book 5). and he knows so much about him: who he hung out with at school, his relationship with Lucius; at the same time he doesn't know about the mark, about how Severus was the one who brought the prophecy to voldemort that led to Lily and James death. and yes he is stuck at age 21 but even then they graduated school and as he says they never heard of Snape in those years. It seems a bit odd: don't bullies usually try to downplay their role in what they did to the victim, or even try to make it look like nothing happened? And he and Remus try to do that with Harry, but at the same time he seems incredibly proud and pleased with himself when he talks about the prank. One moment confused me when I was reading book 3: when Sirius has Peter at gunpoint with his wand, he is extremely focused on him. He doesn't take his eyes off him, because it was for this moment, the act of revenge, that he escaped from prison. As far as I remember, Harry describes it as "nothing could distract him at that moment" or something like that. But as soon as Remus even mentions Snape, Sirius' attention suddenly switches: he turns away from Peter and asks about him again. Or when he watches Snape during the OWL exams??? Especially when Rowling describes his reaction after the exam, when he sees him under the tree, as the reaction of a dog to a rabbit. He seems so obsessed and like something happened between them that really got to him. Or he's just as intolerant of half-bloods as his family. I completely agree with you that Sirius bullied Snape simply because James did it and he found it funny. But his hatred seems excessive, he has no reason to hate Snape so much. James has his excuse about Lily, but Sirius has none of that. But he still tries to kill him and it doesn't really matter hides, lol. I've read an opinion that he hates him because of his unrequited feelings for James, where Severus is the reason James even noticed Lily, which I don't really agree with, to be honest. Sorry, it got too long, ahaha. What I want to ask is: do you have any thoughts on this?

Well, the explanation for his relationships at school is quite simple because Sirius doesn’t leave home until he’s 16. Considering that his brother goes to Slytherin and that Narcissa is his cousin, it’s not strange to deduce that Snape’s name, along with other Slytherin students, probably came up at some family dinner/lunch/meeting. Like, talking about who in Regulus and Sirius’ year might have ‘potential,’ for example. It seems coherent to me that, considering Sirius’ environment until he leaves to live with the Potters, he’d be aware of certain things.

Leaving that aside, let’s talk about Sirius Black, because I think in recent years the Marauders fandom has ruined this character, and he’s actually a character with a lot of depth. Or at least more than many others in the saga.

(This is gonna ne so fucking long lol)

Sirius is a posh kid. He’s a posh kid who is embarrassed about being posh and feels guilty about it. He’s the typical rich kid from a conservative family who’s had issues with his mom (in this case) and his way of getting back at everything he felt was missing from his childhood is to vehemently oppose everything he thinks she represents. And the funniest part is that (as is often the case) his problem with his mom is that they both have a terrible character, which is why they clash. Because Sirius has the kind of terrible character that is incompatible with anyone else who has the same terrible character. But despite everything, he’s still a posh kid. Because he comes from an aristocratic family and was raised with those values of superiority. Because he’s never had to fend for himself (he leaves home but goes to another rich family, the Potters, and on top of that, his uncle Alphard leaves him his entire inheritance, so he has plenty of money) and he has always enjoyed the privilege of his surname, his blood status, and the fact that he’s (according to Rowling) super handsome. In other words, Sirius belongs to the ruling class and behaves with the same arrogance, entitlement, and lack of empathy that is typical of that class. No matter how much he tries to deny it and distance himself from it, he can only do so on a superficial level (Muggle posters, being a Gryffindor, enchanting a Muggle motorcycle) because when it comes down to it, he has no idea how to deconstruct himself, nor is he interested in giving up or losing his privileges, because he’s quite comfortable with them. He’s like the typical aristocratic kid from an Opus Dei family who thinks he’s better than everyone around him because he votes for the left and has been to four protests, but at the end of the day, he still lives a bourgeois life and doesn’t understand the root of social problems.

That said, let’s move on to James.

I think James was everything Sirius wanted to be. No, not be, I think James had everything Sirius wanted to have: loving parents, a family that wasn’t involved in a cult, a pleasant environment that allowed him to do whatever he wanted instead of being constrained by traditions and social norms, liberal and progressive ideals… James had the life Sirius had always wanted, but with one key detail: he was also rich and from an old, prestigious family. This is super important because when Sirius chooses his rebellion partner, he doesn’t pick some random Muggle-born, or a half-blood, or someone from the middle or lower class. Sirius chooses as his best friend someone who embodies everything he wants to be/have, but who at the same time belongs to his same social stratum, both economically and in blood status. Sirius chooses a future Gryffindor rebel with very different ideas from his family, but ironically he chooses like anyone from his family would: someone with money, status, and power. And I find this super amusing because it’s so coherent with his character. I mean, if Sirius were a real person, he would’ve done the same thing because guys like him are like that: the kings of cognitive dissonance and double standards.

Sirius always wanted James’ validation, or at least that’s how I see it. I think for him, feeling that James approved of what he did was a way to legitimize himself as someone different from his family. James represented the “progressive” social elite that Sirius aspired to by rejecting the traditional values imposed on him. So, unconsciously, he understood that if he did everything James wanted, and I’ll go further, everything he thought James would like, then he would distance himself from that Black image and gain validation as something entirely opposite. The problem is that Sirius, unlike James, was raised in an environment where ethical and moral values were very different, and where it was clearly established that certain people were “the other,” an “other” sociologically understood as the idea that some humans are inherently less than others. And although Sirius consciously rejected this idea, unconsciously he had been raised with it. Therefore, consciously, he didn’t reject people based on their blood status because he could identify that as something his family would do, and family = bad. But unconsciously, he was conditioned to see other people as non-people, and this is where Severus comes into play.

James dislikes Severus because he sees him as an obstacle/threat/nuisance in his crush on Lily. By default, and because of that constant need for validation from James, Sirius also focuses on him as a hostile element. And if he’s hostile to James, who in a way is his moral compass, then that guy must be trash because, of course, it’s obvious. But not only that, this guy is also a half-blood and poor, so poor he wears old clothes. And on top of that, he’s ugly. And not very masculine. So he has all the elements for Sirius, the aristocrat raised in luxury under the premise that he’s better than others because of his origins, to see him as “the other” and exercise all his power and privilege to oppress him without remorse, because for him, it’s justified. Justified unconsciously by the education he received, and consciously because if James hates him, there must be a good reason to hate him, so everything is justified. If we add to that the fact that Severus desires everything Sirius has always tried to reject: more social status, more recognition, power, belonging to Slytherin, rubbing shoulders with important wizards, forgetting the Muggle world he grew up in… well, we have a molotov cocktail for him to make Severus’ life unbearable. And Severus is an easy target for someone like school-age Sirius Black: he has no friends, no surname, no parents to protect him, and no stable socio-economic situation. Sirius can project all his frustrations onto him without any consequences. He can completely dehumanize him and stop seeing him as a person. He can behave like a Black.

I think the Prank is a good example to see the difference in upbringing between Sirius and James. Both are bullies, both are abusers, both have zero remorse when it comes to using their status and power to make life impossible for those they believe deserve it. But James was raised in an environment where he knows that actions have consequences, that you can’t cross “certain lines,” such as murder, for example. Sirius was taught the opposite—he was raised to think that the life of “the other” holds no value, and that is something that in his story with Severus goes too far. James understands that death is something serious and can bring terrible consequences, while Sirius does not. For the Black family, death is nothing if there is a reason for the person to die, and Sirius has his own reasons for playing with Severus’ life the way Bellatrix would play with the life of any Muggle-born.

(This is something I really like as well—the way Sirius and Bellatrix are fundamentally alike, and how little that’s discussed. But I’ll leave that for another time, otherwise I won’t finish.)

I don’t think it’s a matter of Sirius being obsessed with Snape, but rather that, for all the reasons I’ve explained, he uses Severus as a catalyst for his repressed anger and that sadism he inherited from his family. He can’t channel it toward anyone else because that would lead to absolute rejection from James. Since James hates and despises Severus, he’s never going to question Sirius for channeling all his pent-up rage on him, so it’s a free pass. If he had reached that level of sadism with someone who didn’t provoke the same level of animosity in James as Severus did, he would have risked confronting his biggest fear: that James would see him as a Black, not as Sirius. Losing his validation as the black sheep to become just another one of them. So he focuses on Severus because it’s a safe bet.

Moving on to their relationship during the book canon…

We don’t really see a proper confrontation until the fifth book. I mean, in the third, it shows that Sirius still sees Severus as “other” by dragging him along while unconsciously banging his head. In the fourth, there’s that scene where Dumbledore forces them to shake hands, and it’s clear they still hate each other. But it’s not until the fifth book that we get a real confrontation, where Sirius loses his temper. I think this has a lot to do with (drumroll) once again that cognitive dissonance between what Sirius always wanted to be and what he actually is, especially given the role he plays on the chessboard at that point in the story.

Sirius did everything he could to distance himself from his family, and the climax of that was joining the Order of the Phoenix and actively fighting against that same family, several members of whom were “soldiers” for the opposite side. Sirius is finally achieving what he wants—to be a hero. To stop being part of the elite dark villains and instead be part of the heroic elite. The noble of high birth who fights valiantly for the good of the realm, just as James was destined to be. It’s the climax, the absolute fulfillment of his adolescent desire. But then he’s thrown into Azkaban, and when he gets out, he finds that the poor, weird kid addicted to dark arts, who sucked up to future dark wizards, who hung out with purists and even joined the “bad side”—the side of Sirius’ family, the villains—is now the most important member of the Order. He’s none other than Dumbledore’s right hand. He’s a double agent risking his neck every day and has more responsibility than anyone else. That kid Sirius called Snivellus for being a crybaby has more guts and more endurance than most people. The one who always wanted to be part of the elite Sirius hated is now the one playing them all, making them look like idiots. The one who looked frail and effeminate turns out to be more “manly.” And that hurts. That hurts a lot. You go to prison, and when you get out, the person you didn’t even consider a person not only ranks above you, but is playing in a league you can’t aspire to. And the best part is, Sirius can’t fully accept it because he’s still Sirius—a classist, privileged aristocrat incapable of accepting that (as is only logical) the poor working-class kid turned out to be far more useful than him in both politics and war.

To me, it’s poetic justice.

[littlerequiem]

the hitchhiker's guide to isekai ˚⁎⁺ levi x gn!reader

CONTENT — Levi getting isekai'd into our world, (questionable) humor, slice of life, swearing, Levi is a boomer when it comes to technology, pop culture refs, suggestive, mentions of bondage (wc: 1.1k words). Written for Day 3 - Isekai, Levi Month 2024 - @levievent

For as long as you could remember, Levi Ackerman had always been your favorite fictional character. There was something about his strength, his empathy, and his kindness that drew you to him.

Then, one day, the universe delivered him on a silver platter.

It was midsummer night when you found him. There he was, lying in your new antique wardrobe, groggy and half asleep, dark hair tousled to the side. You couldn’t believe what you were seeing; was this really your favorite anime character, in the flesh?

Before you could think on the logistics of it all, however, Levi was already reaching for the small knife tucked in his boot.

And threatening you with it.

It all happened in a flash.

With your heart drumming in your chest, you remember fumbling for words, looking straight into those sharp, silver eyes you’d always imagined must shine like starlight (and gods, they truly did).

Looking back, your first words lacked a certain decorum. “Wh—who—is this some kind of skit, huh? Are you some kind of pervert?!?”

Levi looked at you then like you were a complete idiot.

As it turned out, Levi was not, in fact, a pervert, nor did he mean to end up here in the first place.

Instead, he told you the hard facts: that he was Levi Ackerman, Captain of the Survey Corps. That he owned the same closet in his office, only in his own world. That the last thing he remembers was falling asleep in this piece of furniture, an attempt to hide from Hange who’d been up in arms trying to convince him to help with an experiment.

Your reality, it seemed, was connected to the Attack on Titan universe through a mysterious wardrobe.

(Like fucking Narnia.)

It was then that it was decided that he would stay with you until he found a way home.

A month has passed since this first moment, and to say that your daily life has been altered would be an understatement. You’re living with one of your personal heroes, after all—not that you let him know you view him as such.

Levi is trying to get back to his world, and in the meantime, Levi gets to discover your world: the joys of washing machines, the taste of matcha tea, the ease of hoovers, rock music.

And today, he’s uncovering the mystery that is the internet.

“I don’t understand,” Levi grumbles, his voice rough like sandpaper. Lines of tension form across his pale forehead, his gaze fixed on your laptop propped on the kitchen table. “People spend their time looking at cat... paintings?”

He’s perusing your blog.

“These are actually photographs that you’re looking at, but I suppose people also love drawings of cats. Cats are a very popular topic, see,” you explain, coming closer as you stop him from clicking on a sketchy looking pop up: ‘Free iPhone 15! Claim Yours Now’.

Levi's charged gaze follows as he watches you go about it; you have the thought he smells nice, like fresh linen and tea.

You clear your throat, withdrawing from his personal space. “Um... anyway, that’s not all you can do with the internet. People use it for all sorts of things: you can look up the news, the weather, forums…”

He crosses his arms over his chest, leaning back in the chair. “What’s that? Sounds like a disease.”

Ah, where to start...

“Forums are online spaces where people can discuss things. You can host debates, provide instructions, and more. Personally, I use them to gush about things I love. Like books!”

Levi clicks his tongue. “So, a bookclub?”

“Mm, yes, and no. Like sure, on the forum I'm a mod for, I love to discuss the plot, the characters, and the writing, but I also just enjoy goofing around with my friends and sharing memes.”

“Me...mes.” Levi looks puzzled by this word.

You stifle a snort. “Memes are like... jokes. Only sometimes, they're also cultural staples.” At his skeptical expression, you shrug. “I guess this world is different from yours, in that respect. We have... less immediate dangers, more free time.”

“That's not a bad thing,” he mutters, tone oddly soft. He averts his tepid gaze, looking back to your blog as he exhales through his nose. “But your world still makes no sense to me. Especially all of this.”

He nods towards the web page.

“It’s okay, the internet takes a while to get used to," you say. "Even for me... I constantly feel like an old crone whenever I hear all the lingo kids are coming up with these days.”

“Hmph.”

Levi looks unimpressed. So, forums—and the internet, it seems—aren’t his thing. Probably for the better—the last thing you need right now is for him to realize there’s a whole fanbase devoted to discussing his character (not to mention the other, less PG-friendly aspects of the conversation).

“Hey, how about we take a break?" You tilt your head, flashing him an easy smile. "You’ve been staring at the screen all morning. It can be a strain on your eyesight.”

Levi’s half-lidded stare crinkles, his lips pursing into a thoughtful pout, the same look he gets whenever you throw him scraps of information about your world and its strange customs.

“I was planning to make some tea,” you add, “want a cup?”

“… if you're making one anyway,” he mumbles, scowling in a way that reminds you of a grumpy cat. Cute.

You head towards your small kitchen, grabbing Levi’s favorite tea bag and laying out clean cups. As the kettle groans alive and you eventually hear that familiar sizzling that tells you the water’s come to a boil, another noise coming from behind garners your attention.

“Oi, something happened to your cat photo-thing,” you overhear Levi drawl.

You turn with a raised brow.

That’s when you notice that Levi’s somehow ended up on your desktop page, the familiar sight of your screensaver (more cats!) appearing into view.

But that’s also when you notice the mouse is hovering dangerous close to one of your folders... your babygirl folder.

Oh, no.

Oh, no, no, no...

“DON’T CLICK THAT!” you plead, attempting to rush to his side to avoid the embarrassment of a lifetime.

Too late. Levi has entered the folder and somehow managed to click on one of the more scandalous pictures; your peripheral catches his expression, and it's the most stupor you've seen on his face yet... and is that pink dusting his cheeks?

Because Levi is looking straight at one of the fanarts you’d saved of him months ago.

Where his pixelated counterpart is tied up. Stark naked.

Well, shit.

— Masterlist / Join my taglist

[wingsoffirenews]

Compilation of new(ish) WoF News!

The Darkstalker Graphic Novel will come out on November 4th, 2025 and will be illustrated by Jake Parker! Talons of Power Graphic Novel will also be coming out in 2025.

For some reason around 5 years ago, Lego set a blacklist on the Wings of Fire IP, meaning they couldn't make any merch with them. But as of recently, the IP has been confirmed by an employee to be unblacklisted, meaning it's possible that WoF Legos could be a possibility for the future!

Escaping Peril: Graphic Novel is out early in certain Barnes & Noble locations. Here's an official trailer!

On Instagram, Tui stated that there will be more WoF merch made in the future!

Here's a video of an interview Tui was a part of for The Flames of Hope's launch! Things to note: She says dragons currently think there's no animus magic but with the way the spell was cast it leaves a door open for future animus dragons & at the time Dan Milano (executive producer) said there was a planned release date for the TV show but it was a long while away.

Tui says if she could rename any character it'd be Scarlet because her scales are orange and not red/scarlet.

Book 16/Arc 4 notes: We'll find out more about Beryl, it will have nothing to do with Pantala and it'll take place somewhere we've never been before, Tui says the reason she's disappeared from socials for the past 2 months is cause she's been writing Book 16, Umber is planned to come back and be given a boyfriend (if she doesn't just give him his own Winglet), she wants to bring Blob back somehow, she also wants to bring back Auklet, she mentioned she can't say where Leaf and Ivy are at the moment due to potential spoilers, the book will take place after A Guide to the Dragon World, Tui watched/read a show/book for inspiration on Book 16 that she claims is the opposite of Life in The Underground that contains creatures she calls "the absolute cutest things" but she won't share what this show/book is yet until Book 16 is done (when asked if this means there'll be new dragon tribes, Tui says she can't say and is still deciding on what "it" is), Tui has a planned release date for the book but wont disclose it in case something happens to push it back, she says Peril and Sky will not meet in Book 16 but might make them meet in a Winglet instead, Snowfall will either get another POV in Arc 4 or we'll see her from someone else's POV, she doesn't want anybody else who's already had a POV to have one again in Arc 4, she says she wants to put Lynx in Arc 4 as well, when asked if there'd be a new continent she said she'd like to see Pyrrhia and Pantala on the same map alongside "something else," Tui says there'll be a new ship written in Book 16, right now Tui is working on backstories for new WoF characters that'll appear in Book 16.

Tui says Book 9 was the hardest book to write and says Kinkajou would've happily taken the POV from Turtle which is why she's such an important character in the book.

Tui was inspired to write WoF based on her favorite book series Pern, saying that her idea for WoF at first was to write a book series about dragons' POVs and how they feel about humans.

Voting for where the first FanWing Fest will take place is still ongoing! Places include San Diego CA, Decatur GA, Minneapolis MN, Portland OR, Dallas TX, Boulder CO, Chicago IL, St. Louis MO, Philadelphia PA, Salt Lake City UT, Washington DC, Northampton MA, Southern Pines NC, and Austin TX! It'll take place in April-June 2025 and Tui will be present to read a bit of Book 16, plus there will be other activities planned. The fest will take place in around 3-5 of the most voted cities.

There's currently submissions open for people under 18 to submit their WoF art to be used in a picture booklet that'll be sold at the FanWing Fest. You can only submit one piece per person and the contest ends January 17th, 2025 at 11:59PM EST. In total 250 illustrations will be included. AI art is not allowed and the art must be submitted by your parent/guardian. The illustration must be on a single sheet of unlined 8.5 x ll paper in a portrait orientation, and all submissions must be sent through the website. The file must be named with your first + last name. The art pieces themselves will be judged around February 3rd, 2025 and will be picked based on imagination, creativity and interpretation of the WoF series. Winners will be contacted through email around the same day.

Special Editions for books 2-5 are set to release on September 2nd, 2025. Each will be $10.99 and will have exclusive content, including new covers!

Tui claimed Wren's second favorite dragon is Deathbringer.

Myles Warden, someone who worked a little on the WoF TV show, stated on Twitter that when the show was cancelled, they were pretty far into the show's development.

Although poor quality, this is Tui's concept art for Pantala.

During an interview back in 2021, Tui stated: She chose Snowfall to be The Dangerous Gift's POV because both Starflight and Turtle weren't very active POVs for their arcs' 4th book, her first idea for the third arc was of Pantalan refugees coming to Pyrrhia, she says Snowfall thinks both Winter and Qibli are annoying, Tui likes to look at WoF fanart, when The Brightest Night was just being written is when she had the idea to make a second arc, she likes to leave bread crumbs in books for potential future books, she plans to make a sequel to Dragonslayer and she wants to write more Winglets, she says Kinkajou was easy to write, she likes writing fierce dragons into her books, she has a draft where the boulder to the DoD's cave is animus touched, she says if she were a dragon she'd be a RainWing with a second choice of SeaWings and third choice of LeafWings, she usually gives herself 6 months to write a book, she says Peacemaker will never get Darkstalker's memories, she says something happened with The Lost Heir that made her have to rewrite it with different characters, Peril and Sky and Winter were originally going to also be DoD, Sky's original name was Ember, originally in Darkness of Dragons Darkstalker was going to talk Qibli out of "something" but it was scrapped because Darkstalker would've been too convincing, originally NightWing moon powers were always going to be fake, she got the idea for Darkstalker when she kept getting fanmail trying to understand Chameleon and Morrowseer which made her want to write a bad guy on the outside who was complicated on the inside, Cliff and Qibli are based off Tui's three-year-old son.

In a different interview from March 23rd 2021, Tui stated: She avoids reviews of her books because she doesn't want to get upset and potentially interfere with her work (she said Sundew and Willow's relationship didn't seem weird to her when writing it and believes LGBTQ+ representation should be represented in her books), she has an idea for what the Rainforest Kingdom was like while Sunny was gone during the Brightest Night and would like to make a graphic novel about it, she heard about the WoF Roblox games and thinks they're really cool, she has a melody in her head for The Dragonets Are Coming, she reads her own books once they're published so she doesn't forget anything she's written about, she confirmed dragons don't have eyelashes and that she instead imagined them batting their eyelids like humans, she often rewrites the prophecies she makes to get them perfect, she says it was hard to come up for The Dangerous Gift's title and she came up with 50 different ones before choosing one, she'd like to make a mini series for Ivy and Leaf, she came up with the dragon tribes through inspiration from Animal Planet, she originally believed Anemone would challenge Coral someday but is against it now (saying Coral is a decent queen who makes mistakes from time to time), she thinks the Great Ice Cliff reminds her of Twitter but didn't explain how, she names dragons with things relating to their tribe to help her remember them, she says Mink is based of a friend of her son, she says the reason Snowfall hates Tundra is because every time she appears to remind her of her responsibilities she thinks she's failed in some way, she thinks she's most like Sunny but says there's piece of her in every character she writes.

Tui claims she sees Starflight and Cricket as neurodivergent alongside Whiteout.

Tui considered Swordtail to be The Flames of Hope's POV but went with Luna instead.

Tui claims one out of many reasons Scarlet wanted to kill Glory was because Glory became queen of two tribes while her own life was going downhill.

Tui has expressed interest in the past on making a Winglet for Cobra and Vulture.

The Winglets are being translated to French and will be called Destinies.

We'll be getting graphic novels for Arc 3 and and that The Lost Continent Graphic Novel will be released roughly a year after Darkness of Dragon's graphic novel. Tui says she's most excited to see The Poison Jungle as a graphic novel.

Right now, the WoF TV show is on step 6 of 100 towards completion, and Tui has hinted something "good and important" has just happened with the show that has her very excited. Right now the show is in the writer's room and the script is currently being worked on.

Tui says she has a list of every character's theme song, with Winter's being That's How You Get The Girl by Taylor Swift and Luna's being I Can Do It With A Broken Heart (she didn't say who it's from).

Tui says Snowfall will likely get together with Lynx in the future and that she had chemistry with Sky, but Tui thinks Lynx is better for her compared to Sky.

Tui says if Blaze had won the war, the IceWings would've ruled over the Sand Kingom and that Glacier would've been Book 6's POV, struggling on figuring out how to run 2 kingdoms. If Blister had won, all of Pyrrhia would be set down a dark path. And if Burn had won she'd be a decent and strong ruler, but that she'd be a threat to the Dragonets of Destiny.

Tui claims Winter will find love eventually (that isn't Moon) but right now he has growing to do. She mentioned she's fond of both Winter and Qibli but right now Moon and Qibli are together, but stated they're both young and anything can happen in the future.

In a different interview Tui stated: Krakens do exist in WoF by that no other mythical creatures exist in the series, Tui said if she did make a spider tribe she'd name them WebWings.

[gunsatthaphan]

.₊ ⟡ ݁ 🏆 2024 Top 10 🏆 ⟡ ݁₊ .

hello! I got tagged by a few people for various kinds of tier-list-posts for this year, so instead of making separate posts that will probably end up being repetitive, I decided to combine them all into one Top 10 list of my personal favorites in 2024. My watchlist was not very lengthy this year, partly because I was busy with work and partly because the quality of many shows was not to my liking. I started a bunch of things and dropped them shortly after, which also included more widely popular ones, for which I did not share the general public opinion. In the course of that, I have become more hesitant to share my thoughts online, as with every mildly critical POV came a number of anonymous people breathing down my neck. Which isn't new for me but by the end of the year I have gotten tired and was debating whether or not I should make this post but then I decided that this is my blog and idgaf about butthurt anons lol. I'm trying to carry this mindset into the new year.

So here is my Top 10 of BL/GLs that I have started and finished this year. A very special shoutout goes to The Heart Killers which owns my ass 100% and I totally would have added it but since we're only on ep6, I feel like it wouldn't be fair to include it in this list - also because I sort of consider it a category of its own lol.

I had no trouble picking this as my number one, simply because it's an outstanding production with an S-tier cast and a very powerful and well executed script. I've always loved Up but Poom took the cake for me in this, I was absolutely starstruck by him and his screen presence, he's a big surprise for me and has become one of my personal favorites this year in terms of acting. I could fill books with reasons why I love this show.

I had to include this even though it's not finished but I'm really blown away by it. The GLs I previously watched were okay but did not strike me quite as much as this one. I knew I would love Film and Namtan together from the moment they got paired as they're both insanely skilled and I was not disappointed. They understand the assignment 100% and so does Snap25 and it really shows. I'm obsessed.

Speaking of masterpieces, this is another one. It didn't get much attention sadly, mostly because TayNew did not deliver the dynamic the general BL population was hoping for. Their loss. This is an amazing production from start to finish, the 4 of them are the best possible casting choice for their characters, the found family trope is one of the best I've seen and especially TayNew delivered another gem with this one. I shall never doubt them again. This is how you do bromance. Certain other shows could never. send tweet.

Ah yes. No year goes by without the obligatory Mame guilty pleasure lol. What can I say. FortPeat as annoying southern scuba boy meets snobby whiny writer on a beach. How can I look away. I genuinely enjoyed this, it feels like the story was written for them, it's a perfect fit for them and their range I think plus I'm glad that Aya finally found a GL partner that matches her energy lol. I loved both couples and even though the plot did lack sometimes, you can count on MMY to serve S-tier chemistry no matter what. A+.

This is my personal hidden little gem, a small production with not a ton of attention, let alone good reviews but sometimes those are the best ones. The beginning was a bit slow but it quickly picked up. I decided to give it a watch mostly because I was curious about Charles' followup bl role and ended up getting very attached lol. So much softness and deep emotions and mutual healing that happened here and that I appreciated a lot. This was also my first Taiwanese BL in I think 3 years(?) I loved it.

I was very excited to watch this and see what Change 2561 came up with after Pit Babe and even though I'm not the biggest fan of cooking plots, I ended up enjoying this a lot! I've been a SailubPon and GarfieldBenz connoisseur since Pit Babe and it was so nice to see them in the spotlight in this. I saw a bunch of people drop it because they found Plawan annoying but I disagree lol. I had a very good time.

I initially tuned into this for Seng and Best, just to see what they're up to these days and it ended with me eating the whole thing up lol. The unapologetic approach to topics like sex education mixed with the sweet love stories that came with it is one of the things I appreciated + enjoyed a lot. I was a big fan of Peak and Thanwa and would definitely watch another show with Seng and Best as I really love their dynamic. Latte and Almond had a good start but fell a bit flat towards the end. Still a very deserving 7th place for me.

I was sooo excited for this and overall it did not disappoint, though I think it could have been better in some aspects. The comprehensive vibe was juvenile but not in a bad way. I anticipated gmmtv would choose a trope-y plot for their first GL to test the waters and it seems they succeeded. The main reason I put it as number 8 is the AylinLuna side story which I very strongly disliked for multiple reasons I won't get into here. But MilkLove did a fantastic job and this was a very nice debut for them. Thumbs up!

This might be the most unexpected gem for me this year. I started watching it because I was bored and nothing else was on and I was curious to see Dunk in his first solo gig. Surprisingly he did a big leap forward with his acting in this and White was by far my favorite character. Lune on the other hand was my least favorite which was another surprise as I previously loved Phuwin as Peem in We Are so I'm not sure why Lune was so unlikable. But anyway this was a very nice combination of different cute little stories, LuneStar were very trope-y but White saved a great deal of it by being the third wheel lol, plus the BL sideplot was pure sugar. I'm sad we won't see Ryu and Java together again and I resent them not giving us that well deserved WhiteIvy endgame but overall I enjoyed this a lot!

Never thought I would put a Siwaj production in my Top 10 but I'm tired of pretending I didn't secretly love this lmao. So much chaos but so much fun. It's a typical ensemble show, mostly aimed at a domestic audience with lots of slapstick and horseplay comedy, but I ended up being quite fond of all the couples. The main crystallization for me was that this is PondPhuwin's territory, this is the type of show they belong in imo. They excel at this kind of comedy and they seemed very careless and joyful in this, which I enjoyed and which made them a decent main couple. The QToey plot was a bit draggy and even though it's a big cast, 16 episodes were not necessary, which is why it gets the 10th place. But overall it still deserves to be in this list.

Thanks again to everyone who tagged me; in this and other things over the year, I appreciate you thinking of me!! 🥺🧡 I didn't manage to reply to every tag but know that I see them all and I try to do as many as possible! Also a big thank you and much love to all the lovely people I talked to this year, especially @lattexalmond, @mayalunas @bl-recs-and-reviews and @my-wandering-rabbit, I love and cherish each one of you! 🧡 Happy New Year to everyone who read this far, here's to a kind and successful 2025 with groundbreaking shows lol. I'm hopeful.

xxxx

[nuka]

Call me delulu, but I woke up with hope in my heart today.

It's only been 2 months since the show was cancelled. WBD is run by an incompetent fool. WBD previously said they'd sell Coyote vs. Acme, but then made it impossible for anyone to buy it. All streaming services are struggling financially at the moment.

Daddy Jenkins had to tell us we've reached the end of the road, because that's the reality right now. Either WBD made it impossible for anyone to buy the show, or the actual realistic price was just too high for other streamers at the moment even if they wanted to buy it. “Many complimentary meetings, conversations, etc” sounds like someone was interested.

DJ and everyone else who worked on the show need to be able to move on, so they can make a living from other projects. They’ve all been holding their breath just in case they can start filming after all. The fans need to move on in the sense that we can't expect a renewal "any day now", like we did for 2 months. We can still hope that we'll see season 3 one day, but now we can be realistic about the chances of it happening in the immediate future.

Everyone who worked on this show has loved it so dearly that I'm certain that if season 3 gets greenlit in the future, they'll all want to work on it again. As long as DJ is in, the others are too. The Revenge can be rebuilt. The time that has passed can be explained in the story, if it needs explaining at all. If some actors won't be able to return, we'll get new characters added to our family, and we'll embrace them just like we embraced all the new characters in season 2.

Depending on what the problem for the pick up was, things might change very quickly, or they might take a few years. Who knows, if we continue being loud, a streaming service that quickly passed on the show in January might take interest in it later. A streaming service that offered too little might make a better offer, and WBD might accept just to get rid of us (because we're back to calling Max out on this bullshit and it's not a good look for them). Or, once the industry recovers a bit, a streaming service might be willing to reconsider spending a big amount of money on this show. And if WBD set an impossible price for the show this time, they might shop it around for a more reasonable price once Zaslav is out (or even greenlight season 3 themselves, but that’s delulu level 200). Even if we don't get a season 3, we might still get a movie, or a comic book, or a script book, or a blu-ray release, or the Jenkins Cut. And honestly, if someone was to announce they've picked up the show in a year or two... that's not a long time at all.

Pirate Daddy said that our campaign was noticed across the industry. They hear and see our love for this show. They know we're here for the show if it's ever to return. They know this show has potential.

So let’s keep having fun in the fandom. Keep being loud about Our Flag Means Death. Keep using the hashtags. Keep making fanart. Keep shouting about how unfair this cancellation was. We don’t have to do it with the same intensity as during the campaign (I know we’re all tired and it’s completely okay to step away if you need/want to), but as long as we as a fandom are consistent, they’ll see there’s a demand that just won’t go away.

There is always hope. It’s not the same kind of hope we had before January 9th, and it’s not the kind we had until March 7th. But there are so many variables, and so little time has passed. Who knows what the industry will look like in a year or two. I’d rather believe in a future that might just hold a pleasant surprise for us than throw in the towel completely.

[luvcozy]

Kokushibo x Shy! Easily Flustered! Human! Reader

@opheliasadventures1 :- Kokushibo with a shy and easily flustered human reader!>:3

(Bonus points if kokushibo switched sides and is a good demon now!)

-

A/n :- I decided to give two little end bits of him remaining bad and the reader turning with him and him turning into a good boi, I also had maybe WAY too much fun writing this seeing as I worked on it for like 7 hours with a headache so please do enjoy lol, ik I did ❤️‍🔥

Warnings :- Some small manipulation in 'you turn bad for him', you have a wide array of knowledge in flowers, language, gender neutral reader, no use of Y/n, mentions of blood

His Moon

Genuinely a mystery to how you got with this guy

Hell even Akaza when he met you was more concerned you were there against your will

Oh the stunned look when you were just all smiles (nervous ones at that) at them

You and Kokushibo had an interesting relationship to say the least

He was quite the bold character and had a sharp tongue to follow his demeanor

You on the other hand were just quiet and shy, soft spoken even, a sharp contrast to the Upper Moon

You quiet nature tho is something he very much enjoys

It lets him sit and think while he waits for the sun to rest for the night

Often during the days he sticks to just 1 or 2 rooms that are blacked out for him

When you step into either the rooms he could be in you often have a book in hand and a red face when his eyes meet yours

That just leads to you sitting in his lap and reading while he meditates

He'll help where he can around your home as well, he's not home often but when he is, he helps and talks with you about his outings

You're no stranger as to what he does, I mean come on- he was demonic looking from when ya first met him so it's hard to say that you wouldn't know what he does

As long as you don't have to hear or watch any of it your fine

Another thing he likes about you

One time after WEEKS of working up the courage you asked him if you could play with his hair

Not in a braiding manor but rather just run your hands through his hair

He said no

But when he sees your defeated face he would sigh sharply and make the smallest gesture for you to come over and do so

When you do get to play with his hair the first time it's surprisingly soft

Who said demons couldn't care for their hair?

He may be a demon but he's not a barbaric one, he bathes and washes his hair

Once he sees how much you enjoy messing with his hair and he realizes how good it feels he lets you do it more often

When he wants you to play with his hair he won't outwardly say for you to do so but there will be signs that he wants you too

They won't be overly obvious so pay attention or you'll have a sour Koku on your hands to deal with

The one time you saw something irk him was when you and him were having a rather soft moment together

You were sitting in his lap facing him while his face was tucked away in your neck as you were gently scratching his scalp when a certain pot rolling noise was heard and a boisterous laugh followed it

"Oh! Seems I've happened to interrupt something, hmm?~"

Gyokko was a needle thread away from remembering how it felt to be a scared little human while fearing the close call with death

First time you got to meet the other upper six was purely by accident on Nakime's part

While strumming to summon Kokushibo to the Infinity Fortress you were dropped in his normal spot right on top of him without warning

How you were summoned at the same time as him was beyond his thought process at the moment

He's still reeling from you landing on top of him with a petrified look

You were sat closely to his side while your demon boyfriend was scolding Nakime on summoning you there

His smallest sliver of fear was warranted when you were next to him one second and the next you weren't

The other 5 Upper Moons were suddenly lined in front of you as your face was pale and frozen with fear

"How adorable!!! Kokushibo never disappoints when he's out, this one's adorable!!"

Before a Rainbow eyed demon could even grab you or lay a touch on you his hand was sliced all the way up his arm and his head was cut off in fours

You didn't need to look around to know who did it to him, as the blonde demons head and arm was regenerating even he was quiet

You went to scoot back and away only to be stopped by a pair of legs

Behind you was Kokushibo with a warning in his eyes as he looked at all the demons

Tense as it was Gyokko was the one to try and break the awkwardness by explaining who you were

Yeah- he was sent flying into one of the many distorted building rooms around you

After that and a defeated Upper 5 is what led to you meeting the other demons he disliked and worked with

Hantengu took to you quicker with your soft and sweet nature that surrounded you

He always was calling you 'too sweet for this world' or 'how can something so sweet exist in such a twisted world'

Akaza got along with you cause you seemed to remind him of someone, even though he can't recall that person, and the fact that he's the only demon there that wouldn't kill you in a flash

He was more like a protective sibling if anything, that and you rather enjoyed one another's company once the awkwardness was passed

You already knew Gyokko when he had interrupted a private moment between you and Kokushibo, he was odd to say the least, him and his weird fish abilities

If anything you and him just exsist around one another, and artist quarrel is what you could call it

Gyutaro and Daki were on a whole different realm of getting along with you, they were indifferent about you

I mean- they did watch basically their savor almost get mutilated by Upper Moon 1

When they did take to you tho it was more like a mother figure than anything, after Daki got over her 'prettier than thou' complex

Gyutaro was just enjoying watching you and his sister talk and do one another's hair and makeup (you both dragged him into getting his hair done with you too)

Douma was the last one to even be let around you and only when Akaza or Kokushibo was around you with him

He was- odd to you to say the least, always so smiley and oddly gleeful when he would say something morbid with a smile or growing grin about it

You were never left alone around him, he always spoke about how sweet you smelled and how delectable you would be and that's probably why Kokushibo was with you

His head was promptly sent off his shoulders by an irritated Akaza

After that you don't need to worry your head about it, Akaza and Nakime (after she had apologized to you) reassured you that Kokushibo was with you for you, not for entertainment or food

Muzan...

He was cordial with you if anything, yes while you were with his best demon behind his back he talked with Kokushibo on it a different day

He really only tolerated you till you offered him one of you flower identification books and some of your notes on them

You knew the flower he was looking for and were promptly obsessed with it's beauty yourself

After that it led to you and him talking about the different flowers he could try for his 'Science experiment' as he called it

You were made away in the ranks of the 12 Kizuki to not be messed with or toyed with by Muzan personally, he can't have his 'assistant' getting killed on him

Overall after that your home some rare nights had one of the other demons in it hanging out with you or chatting and helping you out while you lover was away

Douma and Gyokko were the only ones that never came over, Douma would if he could convince one of the others to go with him, he likes your character and how you fidget when you speak, that's his only reason to see you really

Muzan when visiting was an utter gentleman tho, he'd help where he could so you both could sit and talk about some of your research and his about what certain flowers could be good for

Nights that Kokushibo was there no other demon would be around, he likes his time between the two of you to remain private, he doesn't need the whole Kizuki to see him being a rare side of himself with you, even Muzan respected that

You turn him good...

It was more of his biggest scare he's had in all his years of being a demon that he shared with Muzan and that was the encounter with the boy that wore Hanafuda earrings

He would have been dead if you hadn't pulled the stupid stunt of jumping in front of him to stop the younger boy from cutting his head off

How you didn't was beyond you, cause when he seized his technique you fell back with a shaky form and white face

Before the Red head and his friends and sister could say anything about it, Kokushibo had you standing and hands roughly planted on your shoulders yelling at you about how stupid you were for doing that

Leaving those stunned around you two as the 2nd most feared demon was yelling at you about being reckless and careless about yourself

Shook them even more and Kokushibo when you slapped him across his face

"Me?! RECKLESS?!?! You're the one out here fighting these pillars and slayers, from what I just saw your the reckless one here! What was your plan! You can live several lifetimes over and choose to almost throw everything we built up and out the window for a selfish- a selfish piece of shit!! I don't think you knew what you signed up for when we got together! I love you and I'm not walking the rest of this world without you anymore! Demon or not you can die just as I can, I don't want you to just throw away our years like that... My heart could never take that.."

From there... Things were a blurring whirlwind of changes

One big one being you and Tanjiro having to stop every other pillar (and former Tengen) from trying to murder him

His change of heart was something that left him with little words to say to anyone or say anything for days on end, even with Sanemi trying his damnedest to not murder Kokushibo where he stands

The only pillar that had helped you with trying to change Kokushibo back to human when you brought it up was Shinobu, Tanjiro, the kindest soul you've met here, helped as well, even Mitsuri was eventually on board cause of it being such a true act of love

You had actually succeeded after some years of working with them and Kokushibo helping take care of the three young pillars and some of the other older pillars themselves

It was painful when none of the other demons wished to change and you had to hear about their deaths

Kokushibo knew it affected you and at night when you would cry about losing some of the good ones he would hold you close, cradle you gently till you would either settle down after a bit or fall asleep

When the time to take the reverser you and Shinobu made it changed his appearance entirely flakes fell off of his face and arms like whisps of fall leaves

His skin tone a human color again and his 6 eyes now only two with a vibrant red color filling them as he was tackled into a hug by you laughing a crying

He sat up with you clung around him as he smiled and patted your head with a small chuckle of his own while sharing a warmed look

His first steps outside was a mental struggle on him, he's not been in the sun for years an years and now he's about to step into the thing he despised

When he stepped into the sun without bursting into flames he merely looked back at you with a small smile and held his hand out for you, you ended up just taking a walk around the butterfly mansion and was even found sharing a nap in the sun

Though fixing and making his sleep schedule regular again was a hassle in the making but it led to some fun moments

Overall when it came to the final days of defeating Muzan Kokushibo was a big help and even trained the newest 3 pillars there, even if it was beyond training with the others, it did good

When peace was finally successful between it all and Muzan gone it was really the greatest coming years for you and Kokushibo

Your own home, land, still getting up early and training for Kokushibo, old habits die hard, delicious meals throughout the day, enjoying tea again, even starting your own chapter when you decided to finally have your own kids adopted or biological

It didn't matter, you had a true life with someone you call your lifetime partner, your forever soulmate, no matter what ❤️

You turn bad for him...

The more and more you hung out with the upper ranks and some of the lower ranks the more you started considering them friends and family to you

It was odd for Kokushibo, but nonetheless you were happy so he left it alone with some warnings in tow he gave you about getting close to them

You listened, you always did, especially when visiting the others in the fortress when he wasn't around

Times like that Nakime and Akaza would watch you carefully in his absence

Only ones they knew that Kokushibo dislikes around you is Gyokko, Douma, Enmu, and sometimes Rui

They were the only ones that he would draw a line with

And speaking of which the more you stayed and helped and your bond with Kokushibo grew

The one thing that scared you into making such a big decision is when your home was invaded by a Slayer, a not so friendly one at that

He was onto you 'hiding a demon' in your home and it resulted in you being cut along your side when you kept denying and shakily standing your ground against him

Just as you hit the floor, holding your side the slayer in front of you sprayed blood from his shoulder then pierced with a blade littered with eyes on it and behind him, a very pissed off Kokushibo

Once the slayer was dealt with Kokushibo was quick to make his way to you and take you to the kitchen to wrap your wound

It wasn't anything threateningly deep so he was able to patch you without anything severe

You didn't say anything while he gently tended to your bandages before you made him stop in his tracks

"..I want to be a demon.."

"No, you don't"

"And why can't I?"

"Do you enjoy the sun?"

"I do at times."

"Do you like your flowers?"

"Yes, you know that."

"Do you like being human.."

"I- what does that have to-"

"Do you cherish your humanity?"

"..."

"...Only... Only when you decide to leave what makes you human behind.. Will I turn you into a Demon and I will be sure to tell Muzan that too."

Kokushibo doesn't understand why you want to suddenly become a demon

Was it to protect yourself? No, you can protect yourself fine thanks to him teaching you

Over the course of a few days you and Kokushibo were rather... Distant

He didn't understand it, why give up one of the things he loves about you, you know this

But why is he also so conflicted? He used to entertain the idea of you both being demons a lot when you first initially had settled in with one another

It's weird for him rn, he likes that your human and can enjoy most things he can't, on the other, he knows that if you were to become a demon he would be able to worry a whole lot less about your well-being and you would be even more able to protect yourself

Eventually... You two are sitting on your back deck looking over the nights silvery cast that was set over the ground

Neither of you said anything, even when you climbed into his lap and had a hearty sigh expel from your chest

"I just... Even if it was a minor attack for you, I can't fight slayers, or demons, I'm not strong enough to wield a blade and without that, I can't fight them."

"I am aware of this, I have offered you plenty of times to learn different weaponry that can be specially curated into a weapon for you by a blacksmith. Was the offer not appealing enough?"

"It was... Very appealing...but there's a lot more at risk of becoming part of the corps than turning. You can recover from things that we can't, no matter the best doctors or medicines. I am also aware of the risks of becoming a demon..though there are far less cons that show their differences too."

Kokushibo rose an eyebrow as he shifted you in his lap, he grabbed your chin and made you look up at him

Even when he did this you avoided his gaze....you never spoke this much or sounded almost as passionate as you have unless.... There was another reason...

"Speak with your chest, I know that there's another reason as to why you want to change. So tell me what it is."

You looked to meet his gaze for a split second, locking with his middle set of eyes before you grabbed his hand on your chin. You moved the hand to your chest over your heart while you leaned against his chest

"You..."

"Elaborate.."

You took a deep breath again and looked around your yard before shutting your eyes

"You had said and I had agreed back when we first made our promises... That even if I were to die and you go on living, you wouldn't love another soul, nor turn your back on my aging body."

"I did, and I will honor those promises for as long as I am here and continue to do so since the day I made them. Is that your point?"

"My point... Is that I don't want to leave you eternally alone. I would rather be a demon and lose my humanity just so we can be together for as long as we both live, that is my point."

For the entire time you've been here like this, after the passing seconds of what you said hung in the air for him to mull over

And then... He smiled

"Then listen to me well My Moon.."

He removed his hand from your grasp and took his blade out, running it along his wrist in a slow fluid motion as his blood began to run and drip to the wood floor below you

"If you choose not to ingest my blood, I will remain. I am a man of my word and my promises to you will never be empty or forgotten. However... Do you choose to ingest my blood, what you said before that you 'Don't want to leave me eternally alone" will become your promise to me that I will expect you to honor, do you understand My Moon?"

He held his arm up to your eye level as it continued to drip and stain both of your clothes as he held it.

You looked at his arm watching each drop of blood drip from his arm

You looked back at him and his expression, a soft smile was spread across his face, but all of his eyes showed a waiting fury for what your decision would be

No matter the choice... he would be at your side

You moved and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek as you turned and gently took his arm closer looking at the cut with your final decision

"Till Death Do Us Part"

You moved the cut to your mouth and slowly with a bit of a sour look on your face as the tangy metallic taste flooded your mouth and soon your entire body

Before you could scream or yell in paint and thrash about, Kokushibo clasped a hand over you mouth to muffle any noise you made

His other arm thrown around your waist pinning you back against him and pinning your arms at your sides

You squirmed, shook, thrashed, and screamed against his hold and hand while he just held you like it was nothing

He smiled while watching you, his eyes softening a bit while he looked up at the moon and forced your head against his shoulder to make you look at it as well

"Till Death Do Us Part, Forever One"

[darklinaforever]

It kills me how many people think that the gender of a fictional character doesn't matter.

We are in fiction, where the characters have arcs, or they embody themes. Obviously for some characters gender matters.

Michael is literally named the new heir and freaks out about becoming a new John /basically taking everything he had.

Michaela can't really have this arc... Unless we strangely learn that the laws in Scotland are extremely different from England located in the Bridgerton universe (and I speak for the universe of the series, where we have no idea if they will stick to reality where women in Scotland could inherit), and I doubt it for the moment.

So no, Michaela couldn't necessarily have the same arc as Michael.

I'm not even sure she could be a Merry Rake. Can a woman be called Rake in show Bridgerton universe ?

The fact is that Michaela will necessarily differ at certain times from Michael.

Already there are always drastic differences between the show and the book, this time I think it will be even more emphasized. (I even doubt that we will have as many nods to the book as season 3 dedicated to Polin's story did)

In any case, the very basis of Francesca's story is that despite the loss of true love you can always have a second chance, which is a clear originality compared to the other romances in this series of books ; well, is already changed with the way the end of season 3 happened.

It seems that the marriage to John was a mistake, that the physical aspect of their relationship will not prove pleasant in view of the Fran's reaction to their kiss, and worse, that Fran doesn't feel true love for John.

True love in Bridgerton often results in great passion and similarities to the story of Edmund and Violet, and Francesca literally matches Violet's reaction when she first met Edmund, but this time when she meets Michaela.

Whereas Fran is never supposed to have this kind of reaction around Michael / Michaela as long as John is alive. Because she normaly truly loves him.

So how could the story be the same after such a change to the very heart of the story ?

It's not just the gender change from Michael to Michaela that makes the adaptation of When he was Wicked complicated and uncertain for some viewers, including me too, it is above all a whole.

But for some obscure reason people refuse to accept it.

Beyond that, I repeat, Michael Stirling is a fictional male character who has been around for years.

That people are disappointed, including me, not to see this character, as he is basically on paper, be adapted to the screen is not necessarily homophobic, assumed or internalized.

Yes, some are, but not everyone. Some of us are part of the LGBTQ+ community and no, we do not all suffer from internalized homophobia so as not to 100% validate such a change !

We're talking about an attachment to an image that we have formed in our mind about a FICTITIOUS character for fucking years !

Besides, I didn't even say that I was fundamentally against it, because I have already explained several times that a part of me was happy to see a main romance between two women on screen in the television universe for Bridgerton (and the actresses are magnificent and on top of that, I'm sure, will have very good chemistry). Once again, representation is always cool, but, is this really the right place to do it ? I'm not so sure.

And contrary to what some say, I'm not saying that LGBTQ+ relationships should systematically be secondary in fiction. No way. I'm simply saying that transforming one of the main canon ships of the books without which the Netflix adaptation would not exist is perhaps not the right thing to do, since there is already a community attached behind these characters...

And seriously, if the creators really wanted a main LGBTQ+ romance dealing with the Bridgerton universe, they could easily make a spin off dealing specifically with this part of society and how they live.

I'm sure many, including me, will watch such a spin-off ! And damn I would love for something like that to happen !

You see, the opportunity to have an LGBTQ+ romance at the forefront without changing the kind of characters mostly beloved by an audience that already exists. Not very complicated though.

Do you realize how inappropriate it is to insult someone homophobic for that things ?! I don't know what kind of fucking bubble these people live in...

And it's scary to say that you can be insulted by a community of which you are a part, simply for not conforming to everything that is judged 100% morally correct for them.

If you have the misfortune of delay, sometimes there are those who unleash themselves on you to insult you for things that you don't have, simply for a fictional character...

"You don't 100% validate that a fictional male character who has existed for years and whom you have loved for years, with a fairly precise image in mind as a result, becomes a woman in his adaptation ? Well obviously, it's is that you are, at worst, a homophobe, or at least worse an internalized homophobe, and in any case that is not tolerable and you are not a true ally and you are problematic who deserves to be hated."

I don't know if you realize how STUNNING this is ! There really are people on this app who need to get fucking treatment...

And anyway why am I racking my brains ?

There will always be stupid people to come and tell me that what I say is always homophobic because if I have a problem with the change of gender of a fictional character through an adaptation well I'm the real problem.

As they say, you can't change idiots.

So stay stupid if you want, but at least leave me alone.

[devildomwriter]

Raphael Birthday Special 100 Fun Facts

1. Raphael enjoys coming-of-age sports dramas

2. Raphael wishes the war were forgiven rather than it never happening, as evidenced in his ideal hallucinations in season 4

3. Raphael was so close to Lucifer and his brothers that everyone assumed he would join Lucifer’s side in the celestial war

4. Raphael, when having to deal with Michael, sometimes wishes he’d just followed Lucifer

5. Raphael was the youngest angel ever to be promoted to Seraph

6. Simeon claims that Raphael is scarier than any demon when he has a spear in his hand

7. Out of all the brothers, Taphael seems to have a soft spot for Belphegor

8. Raphael chased Asmodeus with his spear after learning Asmo had snuck off to the human world to party

9. The brothers would often rip and tear their clothes while running from Raphael so Raphael learned to patch and repair clothes eventually making it a hobby

10. Not knowing that Luke was compared to a Chihuahua, Raphael sewed a Chihuahua patch onto one of Luke’s belonging

11. Raphael is unable to read the room and caused Satan to flip out after comparing him to Lucifer

12. Raphael never let Mammon in his room in the Celestial Realm as he was worried about germs and other things

13. Raphael has a very unrefined palette

14. Raphael loves Solomon’s cooking

15. Not knowing how others feel about Solomon’s cooking, Raphael made Luke eat Solomon’s food so he’d grow big and strong

16. Raphael did not notice when his hand caught fire during an obstacle course climb

17. Raphael is an amazing singer

18. Raphael was often asked by the brothers to sing to them as they enjoyed it so much

19. When Belphegor got lost in a tree in the Celestial Realm it was Raphael who found and rescued him

20. Luke claims Raphael scolds the brothers so much because he genuinely cares about them

21. As a prank the brothers once replaced the sugar with salt in a cookie recipe but Raphael enjoyed it so much he asked them to make more

22. Mammon once hid a frog in a book to prank Michael but it was Raphael who stumbled into the prank and he demands no one bring it up

23. When Simeon became human it was Raphael who continued to check on him in the human world to make sure he was okay

24. Raphael is described as being meticulous, methodical, and extremely strict

25. Raphael is the one stuck looking after Michael and his ridiculous demands

26. Raphael’s official birthday is September 29th, making him a Libra

27. Raphael is one of the strongest fighters in the Celestial Realm

28. Raphael’s official job is a Hit-Man for the Celestial Realm

29. Raphael does have wings in his angelic form, as Mammon once tried to sell bird feathers to the lesser angels, claiming they were Raphael’s

30. Raphael is the angel that Michael trusts the most

31. Raphael is one of the most respected angels in the Celestial Realm

32. Raphael is worried that Michael may want to attend RAD

33. When Michale snuck off to the Devildom disguised as Raphael, Raphael took over all of his duties

34. Raphael knows Solomon as the man who fought the Devildom all on his own

35. Raphael was the first of the new characters to make a move on MC

36. Raphael starred in a short film Satan made

37. Raphael asked Solomon to create a camera that would always take pictures from the best angle

38. Raphael accidentally saved everyone from certain death when he ate all of the food Solomon had made as a surprise

39. Raphael believe everyone is very kind and generous when they offer him their portions of Solomon’s cooking

40. Raphael mastered Kung-fu just by watching movies

41. The only thing Raphael said in his introduction to RAD as a new exchange Student was “Hello.”

42. Raphael used to drink heavy with Lucifer and Michael

43. Raphael doesn’t care how food tastes as long as it looks appetizing

44. Raphael keeps all his important keys on a Zombie Iguana keychain Luke gave him

45. Raphael has the power to call forth a rain of spears from the heavens

46. Raphael would usually punish the brothers by calling down his spears upon them

47. Whenever Raphael would chase around one of the brothers with a spear, the other brothers would gang together to go fight him

48. Raphael nearly smited a demon with his spears when he thought he was being ignored

49. Raphael believes Luke is a shining example of what an angel ought to be

50. Raphael enjoys watching true-crime

51. Raphael worked with Satan and Barbatos to surround a sleeping Belphegor with spears and crime tape to recreate a scene from their favorite show

52. Raphael worked together with Mephistopheles to throw a Christmas party

53. Raphael believes a few spears is an acceptable replacement for a Christmas tree

54. Raphael dropped his Student handbook while chasing Mammon for pulling a ridiculous prank on him. When MC gave it back he was so grateful he offered to help them with anything they needed

55. When the laundry machine overflowed with suds, Raphael didn’t know what to do so he called down his spears upon it

56. Raphael believes Simeon is a handful

57. Raphael’s immediate answer to stopping a problem is to call down his spears

58. Raphael has to retold the laundry after Solomon does it so it will look better and seems distressed when he is called away and Solomon is left on his own.

59. Raphael praised Mephistopheles when he saved Luke, likely the first time he’d complimented a demon

60. Raphael’s excuse for always calling down spears on the brothers is they were “simply too unruly”

61. Raphael once went sightseeing in the Celestial Realm with Lucifer but they recall the most memorable part being Michael’s face when they forgot to buy souvenirs

62. Raphael believes most Devildom products look dodgy and is concerned by the amount of skulls

63. Raphael enjoys demonus

64. Raphael prefers quiet places and if you cannot find him he is somewhere quiet

65. When Belphegor was attempting to make Raphael smile he didn’t until Belphegor gave up and feel asleep as it reminded him of the old days

66. It’s hard to decipher what Raphael is thinking since he doesn’t talk much

67. Raphael often helps Luke study

68. Raphael is offended if MC accidentally mistakes him for Michael as he believes Michael is a socially inept weirdo

69. When a chimera attacked Simeon, Raphael was so enraged he immediately sought vengeance

70. It is said Raphael rarely smiles

71. Michael and Lucifer are the only people Raphael is said to respect

72. The room in Purgatory Hall Raphael stays in used to be used as a storage room by Leviathan

73. When Raphael is in a dream world where the brothers are back in the celestial realm he refused to wake up until Lucifer was summoned to bring him back

74. Whenever the brothers would ask Raphael to play with them he would deny them by telling them if they had time to play they had time to pray

75. Raphael is said to have a snarky attitude to the point Lucifer used to find him unpleasant to be around

76. No one is safe from Raphael’s harsh remarks as he even insults Michale who, he deeply respects

77. Raphael used to scold Beelzebub for his lack of control of his powers

78. When asked about his level of cooking, Simeon tells MC it’s better not to know

79. When Raphael attempts complicated recipes he causes chaos in the kitchen to the point Luke started screaming in fear

80. Raphael is a sleepy drunk and if he has too much he can fall asleep mid-sentence

81. Raphael has an eye for detail

82. Raphael sometimes does not notice anything in his surrounding, once not even realizing Belphegor was speaking with him

83. Raphael ignores non-verbal cues

84. Raphael believes Satan is so similar to Lucifer is uncanny

85. Raphael quickly noticed torn clothes or loose threads as he immediately noticed when MC’s shirt had frayed and fixed it with great skill

86. When they went to a concert together Raphael learned all the lines beforehand and everyone enjoyed hearing him sing while he enjoyed singing with MC

87. Raphael owns the Peeking-Out-From-Behind-a-Pole Diavolo Cup-cutie

88. When they swapped rooms Raphael seemed confused that Simeon spent the entire night trying to clean up his room

89. Raphael takes meticulous notes in his Student handbook, highlighting pages, leaving sticky notes and more to help him study

90. When solomon got an extremely comfortable sofa, Raphael warned against it as anyone without extreme self control may laze about in it the entire day, but it quickly called out by Simeon for having fallen victim to it

91. Raphael requests dishes from Solomon

92. Raphael enjoys Moe Moe Animal cake, Stewed Orthrus, Death’s Door hot sauce, and food with flavors too strong for most people to handle

93. Raphael made outfits for his cursed doll after seeing Leviathan do so. Everyone says the outfits he made were very cute.

94. Michael asked Raphael for so many souvenirs when he went on vacation that Simeon and MC had to help him get them all as he barely made a dent in the list even with his arms full

95. Raphael prefers getting souvenirs with Logos, that way everyone knows where you’ve been

96. When Solomon accidentally froze Raphael’s demonus, Raphael seemed so sad that Solomon immediately poured him another glass

97. When assigned to make thank you cards for his friends, Raphael made everyone the exact same card and was forced to redo them

98. When Raphael is really enjoying himself he will start humming

99. Raphael says he could spend days in the the most expensive Devildom boutique due to his enjoyment inspecting all the high quality material used

100. Raphael is not good at doing his own makeup, it was described as a mess on his face

[wr1ghtw0rth]

If you don't mind me asking what was Mr. Nix and Edgeworth's first meeting like exactly?

The Meeting

Miles sighs inwardly and straightens his coat as he walks, approaching the small tools shack at the edge of the park they are currently passing through. Gumshoe follows at his heels, clutching a small notebook as well as a manilla case file in one of his hands.

As unusual as it would be for the chief prosecutor to be at a crime scene like this under normal circumstances, this case is different. Miles squints at the white outlines where the body had been found earlier in the morning by a passing jogger. There is blood around the head area as well as at the side wall of the shack.

"The police is certain that there are once again no witnesses?" Miles asks, not bothering to turn towards the detective.

"Yessir, we have interviewed every resident and shop owner around the park! They all claim that they haven't heard a gunshot, or anything else suspicious!"

Miles sighs, audibly this time. Just like the other three instances. No witnesses, no one to accuse of the crime.

"Did any suspicious character come up in the background check yet?"

"No sir... we checked the alibis of his immediate family and coworkers, but there's no one who could've done it so far."

"I see. Please give me a summary of everything we know as of now." Miles steps closer to the blood stain, inspecting it. It's already dry by now, of course.

"Sure thing pal! Let me just- uh??" The detective's voice falters and Miles turns in annoyance, scowling.

"I don't have all day, detective!" He grits out, but Gumshoe isn't looking at him. He is holding... a blue poker card in his hand now, the case file nowhere to be seen, his eyes wide in shock. Miles feels his eye twitch, but just as he is about to question this bizarre scene in front of him, a voice speaks up from above them.

"The victim, Lesley Importan, 30 years old, has been shot clean through the head from behind at approximately 3 am. The autopsy report states that he must have been kneeling on the ground, in front of this lil shack here, before that happened. Gunpowder has been found on his skull, which suggests that the weapon was held close to his head. A jogger found him at around 8 am, no witnesses otherwise. Mmmh... Seems like the police is scrambling for clues again, huh?"

Miles turns his head around so quickly, he feels a twinge at the back of his neck.

"What the-?!" He looks up at the owner of this voice and openly gapes at him.

On the roof of the shack there is a man in a dark blue suit, sitting casually at the corner with one leg dangling off the side and the other crossed above it. He is holding the case file as well as Gumshoes notebook open in his lap, grinning lightly as he regards the two men beneath him with one raised eyebrow. His face is obscured by a black half-mask, covering part of his nose and cheeks. Even from afar, Miles can see a playful sparkle in those dark eyes peaking from behind it as the vigilante tilts his head. A short, black and blue cape is curling around his shoulders and neck, tied over his chest in a magenta knot, a frilly piece of cloth of the same color beaneath it. He raises one gloved finger into the air, wagging it in mock scolding.

"My my, it seems like you've lost some of your bite, Mr. Chief Prosecutor. Did I really catch you off-guard?"

Miles glares at the man, hearing detective Gumshoe shift behind him.

"Who are you? How did you get these files? I demand that you return them immediately!"

The blue figure just smiles at him, not bothering to move or say anything in response, so Miles adds a growled "I will get you to court for stealing evidence!"

His irritation grows even more as the thief leans back onto one hand casually, still smirking playfully.

"I simply had to update myself on the current case. You can have them back now." He hums before tossing the notes and file towards them.

With a gasp, Gumshoe scrambles to catch both, snatching his little book out of the air but getting the case file smacked straight to the face.

"Whoops, sorry Detective." The thief chuckles apologetically as he rises to his feet, his hands on his hips.

"Who are you?" Miles repeats icily, his eyes never leaving the others face. His spikey hairstyle reminds him painfully of his last encounter with a certain defence attorney, but he has no time to dwell on private matters now. This person could very well be the murderer, after all.

"A friend. I'm here to help." The man on the roof responds with a grin, leaning his head to the side slightly.

"But you probably won't trust me on that right now. You're certain I'm your murderer, aren't you, Mr. Chief Prosecutor? I can tell you that this is not the case."

Miles clenches his fists at his sides, glancing away for a split second, meeting eyes with detective Gumshoe. Receiving a barely visible nod from the detective he steps forward, lifting his chin as he crosses his arms.

"The fact that you keep refusing to answer my questions makes that very believable, don't you think. What is your name?"

He smirks as the thief actually looks surprised by this.

"My name, huh? Good question! Let me think... you could call me... Nix?"

Miles rolls his eyes. This guy seriously went as far as to come here in full costume and hasn't even thought of an alias for himself?

Ridiculous.

"Alright then, Mister..... Nix. If you are truly innocent, why don't you come down here and prove it?" The prosecutor moves from his spot, walking along the side of the shack, making the other man turn his head in order to keep his eyes on him. He feels his smirk growing. This guy is not as smart as he seems to think.

"Sorry, I don't think I can do that. In fact, I think it's time for me to go now, I've got what I wanted. Oh and... please be more careful, detective."

"Detective!"

Miles eyes widen as the thief casually side-steps Gumshoe, who had been sneaking up behind him and pounced forward in an attempt to capture him. The stumbling detective lets out a shout of surprise, flailing his arms as he is almost taken off the roof by his momentum.

Except... he doesn't fall.

"Uh... what?" Gumshoe blinks down at Miles, dumbfounded. He's leaning so far over, his feet both against the edge of the roof, that he should be falling by now. Miles takes a step back, looking up in disbelief at the thief, who is clinging to the detective's coat with both hands and leaning back using his full body weight in order to keep him in place.

"Gee detective, aren't you a heavy one?" The masked man gasps out, "will you be good to jump off now? Because I don't think I can manage to pull you back."

"Uh... Y-yeah, thanks pal." Gumshoe stutters, still visibly confused about the whole situation, and a moment later he lands heavily on his feet beside Miles. The prosecutor narrows his eyes as he watches the thief take a bow.

"No need to thank me. But as I said, I will be taking my leave now. Until we meet again, Mr. Chief Prosecutor." The masked man sing-songs the last part before turning on his heel, running to the opposite side of the roof before jumping off as well.

"Wait!!" Miles jumps into action, taking a sharp turn around the corner of the shack, the tail ends of his coat flying behind him. But it's no use.

"What the-?? He's gone!" He stops abruptly, gritting his teeth and staring into the direction the thief must have vanished to. Gumshoe catches up to him a moment later.

"Well Sir. He doesn't seem all bad, at least..." The taller man murmurs, scratching his cheek, but shuts up the moment he catches Miles glare.

"I-I mean! I'm going to call for back up, we'll search the whole area!" The detective saluts and turns, digging into his pockets for his cell phone as he stumbles off.

Miles stays behind for a moment longer before he shakes his head and is about to turn to follow his companion, when he spots something. A blue poker card is lying on the ground just in front of his foot. He kneels down, picking it up by one edge and turning it over.

It's an ace of hearts.

I have a feeling that we will indeed meet again.

Getting back up, he stores the card in his chest pocket on the inside of his coat. He looks once again into the direction the masked man had vanished to, before he turns.

For better or for worse remains to be seen.

---------

Thank you so much @almarnatiaam for beta reading and helping with this! It's my first attempt to write, so I hope you guys have fun with this >//<

[trainsinanime]

The following post is intended to be seen as levity and joking, not salt.

Chloé this, Chloé that, "Redemption started?", "Redemption interrupted?", "Redemption cancelled?". The discussion is getting old. What I haven't seen enough yet is how the show did Sabrina really dirty, by giving her the worst thing of all: A conscience.

The early parts of the show toyed a lot with how exactly Chloé and her relation to Sabrina works, which was clearly not well established when the first episode came out (hell, they didn't even seem to know who Max and Kim were yet, they only had their character models). Sabrina's deal is easy enough in the abstract, but difficult to pin down in the early episodes: Is she more meek or mean? More of a victim or more of a bully? Does she share Chloé's values whole-heartedly, opportunistically, or is she pressured into it? Does she have scruples or is she just a coward? Those are all elements in her character to some extent, but the exact mixture did not really solidify until she got an episode to shine and be away from Chloé, in Evilstrator.

That episode did the fairly obvious plot of Marinette going, "you can stand up to your bully instead of doing their homework for them!", and then showed us how Sabrina reacted. And the reaction was: Sabrina is every bit as unhinged as Chloé, just in completely different ways, and their dysfunctional relationship might just be the only one in which either of them can function.

This choice is not fully unproblematic, but ultimately okay in my book. I think die-hard Sabrina stans might call this character assassination, but I don't think there are any die-hard Sabrina stans. I feel like I should become one just to even out the numbers. Anyway, the choice clearly telegraphs that the show is not interested in long-running redemption arcs, which, you know, fair enough, it is designed for six-year-old French kids after all. (Yes, season 2 and 3 looked rather different here, but that's later)

The show did not exactly use Sabrina consistently after that, but for a while, they leaned into it. Early Sabrina was often mean, materialistic, codependent (I don't actually know what that word means I'm just guessing) and toxic in her own way. She broke into Marinette's room, helped steal Marinette's designs, lie and cheat for Chloé.

And then that was basically it. The show mostly forgot about her. She was an appendage to Chloé, usually frightened and a bit incompetent, but not much more. When Chloé showed signs of a bit of a hint of a redemption arc, Sabrina was not part of it. When Chloé gained a sister for, I actually don't know (I still maintain that "replacement bee" makes no sense for anything but selling merch), and there were hints that this might be relevant to her story, Sabrina wasn't there.

What did happen in the moments we saw Sabrina was that Sabrina got more meek, more scared of Chloé, and less mean. There were no more hints of her playing superheroes with Chloé and being at least somewhat of a friend, and also none of the meanness of Miraculer, one of the worst Akuma names in the show. Instead she was now in a closet doing Chloé's homework.

As she becomes less effective, she becomes more sympathetic, with some moments e.g. in the New York special, until she finally becomes Miss Hound. At this point we have basically the exact same thing that Evilstrator rejected: Sabrina is really just an oppressed underling who is too scared to tell Chloé to stop, instead of someone with at least some of her own ideas that happen to overlap with Chloé's in all the worst ways.

This all comes to a head in confrontation, when Sabrina's defining character trait is suddenly, out of nowhere, that as a police officer's daughter, she hates lying and stealing and hates that Chloé makes her do it. Since when!? Sabrina, weren't you around for Darkblade!?

Sabrina breaks off her friendship with Chloé and is now officially a good girl. And that sucks.

Old Sabrina had a certain edge to her. She made sense as an Akuma threat on her own, and even as a threat to Chloé as Vanisher and Miraculer. Now, she's only an Akuma effectively when Chloé tells her to, and she stopped listening to Chloé anyway. Her personality is now strictly: A good girl. Not like Chloé.

Ironically, in her emancipation, she has lost almost everything that made her unique, and become entirely defined by Chloé in every way. She's her own person, but with barely any personality traits except "not like Chloé anymore". No hobbies, no meaningful relationships with anyone, she's just there, and nice now I guess.

There are so much more interesting things you could have done with a mean Sabrina, which we know for sure because the show already did some.

But that's really part of a wider issue: When people talk about Chloé, they mostly forget Sabrina, and Sabrina isn't interesting enough to stand on her own. The ideas of a Chloé redemption throughout season 2, 3 and in some form 4 focused on Chloé's relationship with Ladybug, Marinette, a bit Adrien, Audrey, and a bit Zoé. Chloé's super-duper villain arc in season 5 focused on her relationship with Lila. Sabrina, who has been here from day one, who has the longest and most complex relationship with Chloé out of any character, is not a part of it at all.

I think that sucks. I think Sabrina has more potential, but in particular I think Chloé is more interesting if we include Sabrina in the discussion as well. Their relationship is something deeply weird and unique, and any Chloé redemption that brushes it off leaves a lot of very tasty crumbs on the table. It sucks that it ended like that. Yes, Sabrina is now redeemed, but as a result of that, she's boring, and isn't that much worse than being evil?

In short: We should all write more Chloé/Sabrina fanfics.

[zuko-always-lies]

Do you think that the betrayal at the Boiling Rock was done to give a reason for Azula's eventual breakdown in the finale? The more I think about it, the more Mai's anger towards Azula doesn't make sense to me. I know that people say that it's because Azula left Zuko to die, but if that's the case, she should have been angry with Ty Lee as well, since she also tried to stop them from leaving the prison. Also....they were chasing after Zuko and Iroh for the entirety of book 2, even though they kept on running into the Gaang and never actually came across Zuko and Iroh, and that was just Azula. Mai had zero issues with Azula's mission in the second season, and she already loved Zuko by that point. It feels like the writers just forgot about that.

So the thing to understand that in (well-told) narrative, everything happens for a reason. Everything serves a very deliberate narrative purpose. But perhaps we should take a moment to reflect on the differences between Book 2 and Book 3 characterizations before we go back to the Boiling Rock:

Book 2 Azula has some distinctive edges to her which shows the original ideas the writers had. She was consistently depicted as quite hostile to Zuko (this wasn't changed until the writing of the last episode of the series, when the writers realized that they needed Zuko to go home). She was depicted as using fear to control soldiers in a military context, including Ty Lee, but never as using fear to force or substitute for personal relationships. Azula was depicted as mean and cruel(and I believe she was originally supposed to be crueler and more merciless than she ended up being, but it ended up being scrapped as too dark). However, she was also, aside from maybe one scene, was depicted as stable and mentally put together well. Finally, Azula was never depicted as sympathetic in Book 2, and we can't be certain of what the original intentions in this respect were.

Book 2 Mai also has a couple interesting characteristics. First, she was consistently written as not being afraid of Azula. Second, the seed that she had a crush on Zuko was clearly planted. However, since Zuko was never supposed to "go home" in the original outline, it's not clear how this might have flowered, and it's possible the writers didn't know either.

Now let's move on to Book 3. We should note that Book 3 came out in two parts, but I'm not quite sure how much that reflects what the production looked like. It might be that everything was mostly decided before they started writing, but based on the shift between the first and second halves of Book 3, there might have actually that they mostly wrote Book 3.0 before they figured out what they were doing for Book 3.5

Anyways, Book 3.0 (and really we can kind of include the Crossroads of Destiny here) had two shifts in the depiction of Azula's character. First, she was now consistently depicted as caring a lot about Zuko. The first episode of Book 3.0 was kind of ambiguous here in a way that suggests the writers were tentative about this, but every following episode clearly showed Azula being kind to Zuko in one way or another. Second, The Beach introduced the idea of Azula as sympathetic character, including her trouble with her mother. Note that there are two ideas that Book 3.0 does not introduce or use: the idea of Azula being mentally ill/crazy (at her worst, Book 3.0 Azula is only a bit over the top), and the idea of Azula controlling her friends through fear. In fact, The Beach "normalizes" Azula's relationships with her friends a lot.

Meanwhile, Book 3.0's depiction of Mai centers around the seed about her relationship with Zuko flowering. 3.0 always continues the trend of depicting her as unafraid of Azula and generally not giving a shit what Azula thinks.

Book 3.5 is where the final shift in the depiction of Azula occurs. There are two new ideas introduced here. First, there's the idea of Azula using fear and terror to force people to have relationships with her due to Azula's own fear of loneliness. Let me point out that this idea conflicts strongly with her past depictions, where Azula only used fear as part of her methodology of ruling. Mai being "afraid" of Azula is also suggested, for the first time at this point, despite all previous depictions of Mai emphasizing that Mai was not afraid of Azula (while Ty Lee was). Second, the idea of Azula being mentally ill and "crazy" is introduced late. Previous depictions of her showed her being mean and cruel, but not her being "crazy."

Now, at long last, we can return to your question. Again, we must remember that everything which happens in a story happens for a reason. The Boiling Rock episodes served one primary purpose: depicting Zuko and Sokka bonding and getting to know each other. This is why these episodes were written. Hypothetically, reintroducing Hakoda and Suki could be another purpose for them, but Hakoda was instantly written out again and the writers made it clear that they had zero real ideas for Suki in subsequent episodes and essentially just had her character hang around in the background 95% of the time.

However, if the purpose is to show Zuko and Sokka bonding, why do Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee appear? Why does Azula show up and fight Zuko, and why does Mai save Zuko? None of this was necessary for the Zuko and Sokka bonding experience. I suppose having Azula and Zuko fight furthers their rivalry, but literally in the very first scene of the next episode (The Southern Raiders) there is a fight scene between them which serves to further this purpose far more effectively. The writers also could have written Mai's sacrifice as having a big effect on Zuko, but we all know they avoided that too.

The reason that Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee appear has to be almost solely for reasons related to the arc of those characters. The writers wanted Azula to have a big breakdown and go "crazy," but they hadn't built up toward that idea at all in the previous two seasons. They needed to speedrun toward it now, and having Mai and Ty Lee betray Azula offered a convenient start toward Azula's downfall and mental health collapse. Moreover, it also allowed them to depict Mai and Ty Lee as "redeemed" and "on the right side now," while having them stick by Azula until the end would make depicting this problematic. Zuko being Mai's love interest and Ty Lee always being depicted sympathetically probably contributed to urge to redeem these characters, but it's also important to remember that the writers took pains to make sure that child characters were "happy" and/or "redeemed," even if they died tragically, during the series. The only real exceptions to this were Hahn (NWT warrior who was Yue's betrothed) and...Azula. One of the reasons why Azula's ending strikes so many people as odd and at odds with the themes and tone of the series is that almost every other child got some sort of "happy" or at least honorable ending, while Azula was not only humiliated and utterly broken but also denied the slightest hope of happiness.

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Hiii! Do you think Harry stopped growing at 17? If he was as tall as James in DH I would imagine he was taller than his father. I have three brothers and my family is full of male cousins and they all had growth spurts after 17. I could see him growing another couple of inches after the war. His mind and body is finally at peace after 16 years. I always hc him to be 6’0-6’2 at the age of 21.

As far as Harry being scrawny… aren’t most teenage boys? My brothers were into sports and didn’t get into the gym until they were done with high school. With the profession he’s in I would assume fitness would be a requirement for the role. Yeah, you have a wand but what if it breaks or you lose it? He has a huge target on his back having defeated the darkest wizard of all time, and I can’t imagine him not learning how to physically defend himself and his loved ones. I don’t see him a huge buff gym junky, but I do see him as someone who has a lean athletic figure and someone who concentrates more on leg day than arm day. I think going to the gym would be an escape for him and help him decompress. I know the hp world prefer a shorter skinny hero (probably because of Daniel Radcliffe) who looks like an underdog, however every underdog grows up and barely anyone has the same physique as their teenage self.

Honestly, all this differs a lot with genetics. Harry's growth spurts in the books reminds me of my younger brother. Like, my brother was like 5'2 at 15, then, in like, one month near his 16th birthday, he grew to 5'10 and when he was around 19 he grew again by two inches. So, Harry could definitely still grow taller, but we don't really have a way to know.

Like, men can still grow in height until their late 20s, and it's possible James didn't even finish his growth since he died at 21, so he might've grown even taller if he survived to 25. Like, that's possible. I just don't really have evidence for or against besides saying, yes, it's possible, but I wouldn't call it likely since it's highly individual and based on genes. Like, I know guys who stopped growing at 16 and have been stuck at the same height since then. I also know guys who are 25 and still grow taller. It's the magic of genetics.

Muscle mass, physique, and the ability to gain weight are also heavily dependent on genetics and age. Men in their teens and early 20s usually have a much higher metabolic rate, which keeps them lean regardless of how much they eat (again, genetics play a big role here and this isn't true for everyone). Physical activity like Quidditch, would make the already fast metabolism faster. This naturally fast metabolism, combined with certain genetic makeup, can leave you looking lean regardless of how much you go to the gym as well. Some men need to reach their mid-20s before they can actually start gaining the weight necessary to appear buff.

I think Harry would look less lean as he got older. Like, I can hardly imagine a Harry in his mid to late 30s being as lean as 16-year-old Harry. I think his physique will change as he grows, as happens to most people. But I agree with you I don't see him as a super buff gym dude at any point in his life. He's always on the leaner side in my head, but this is all in headcanon territory since it isn't covered by the books.

I would like to add that all the super short and scrawny descriptions of Harry come from the first 4 books when these descriptions are correct. In book 6 Harry is thin, but no one describes him as a scrawny boy with knobbly knees past book 4. Not even he himself. So I definitely see Harry of the final 3 books as more lean than scrawny.

And yeah, you're right about Radcliffe messing up everyone's mental image of Harry, both in looks and personality. It's one of the things that bother me most about the movies. And, everyone can headcanon whatever they want, but I personally don't like short Harry (when he's older, when he's 14, make him short). It's not his canon character and when writers write him short, it's sometimes accompanied by him being written as too passive and meek for my liking because Harry James Potter is not passive or meek. (Radcliffe Harry in the movies is much more passive, hence the skewed mental image I mentioned, but I digress).

Besides, while malnourishment and food intake could affect one's growth, people tend to overlook the 6 years of Hogwarts and Molly's food which would be a huge boost during his puberty years in which he's having most of his growth. Additionally, some people's food intake matters less to their physical development than others — again, I can't stress enough how specific genetic makeup is super important in all this discussion.

TL;DR

Harry might grow taller to be 6' or 6'2. We don't have any evidence for or against really, so it's up to your preference on what you want to headcanon. But it's definitely super possible. If Lily was taller than the average it would even be likley (but I couldn't find any notes on Lily's or Petunia's height). In the books, he is very lean, and it's a combination of a lot of different factors working together: his lifestyle, genetic makeup, and yes, being a teenage boy with the fast metabolism that comes with it. As Harry grows up, he'd probably want to stay fit, but to what degree is also in personal headcanon territory (I personally don't like him becoming an Auror, but that's my preferred headcanon. I still see him staying pretty fit out of paranoia, sort of. I mean, he spent all his teenage years with a Damocles sword over his head. He literally died. I think he's allowed to be a little hypervigilant after that. I mean, he already is, but you get the point).

[aziraphales-library]

Hi!

Such amazing work the lot of you are doing. I'm both impressed and very, very grateful. <3

I'm looking for fics exploring what could happen next in the story. The fic Factory Settings absolutely blew me away. It's so faithful to both style and canon (well, almost), the characters really seem like themselves, and it's heavily plot driven while at the same time keeping their relationship at the centre.

Do you have any recommendations for fics like Factory Settings, that explore a possible season 3 storyline for me to indulge in until we get the real s3?

Hello! We have a #good omens s3 speculation tag, so check that out for loads of recs. Here are more to add...

When a Ripple Becomes a Tidal Wave, the Reason is to Blame by DiscombobulatedBard (T)

Six months after Aziraphale leaves Crowley for Heaven, he finds a way to secretly speak with him. The supreme Archangel has changed his mind; heaven and hell cannot be fixed, cannot be changed. Instead they must be rendered obsolete. There’s only one weapon in the cosmos with the power to destroy the Book of Life and the power it holds over all supernatural beings: the flaming sword of Eden. But Aziraphale’s sword has been… relocated. In order to find it, Crowley must journey to the darkest layers of Hell where horrors and temptations alike await him. He will get home. He will return to Aziraphale no matter what it takes… right?

the right thing to guide us by NotAWriter6 (G)

Aziraphale returns to Earth after several years to enlist Crowley's help to undo Heaven and Hell. Crowley, who is holding on to a lot of anger, reluctantly agrees to aid him one last time.

But You Are An Ocean by megzseattle (T)

After Aziraphale's defection, Crowley tries to figure out how to live life for himself.

Grand Theft Angel by doraminatook (E)

“Here’s the thing, Muriel," Crowley barked, "Do you know how many times over the past however-many eons, I have dropped everything that I was doing - even if it was more important or far more interesting - so that I could go save Aziraphale? Do you know how many times I went out of my way to help him? And what did he do? He just left. Because he got a better offer. Why should I risk my neck and help him out when he clearly wouldn’t do the same for me!?" “Because you love him.” Muriel said it so nonchalantly, as if it was so obvious…because it was. : Deep in the vaults of Heaven is the Penal Institution for Ungodly Behavior (AKA Heaven's prison system). Following Aziraphale's attempts to undermine The Second Coming, he has been stripped of the Supreme Archangel title and left to rot there for all eternity. That is unless Crowley and Muriel's plan to rescue him succeeds. It's a dangerous plan (bordering on idiotic, complete with a mysterious package, a science experiment gone wrong, and a little demonic possession), but if it means bringing his angel home, then Crowley is willing to burn all of Heaven to ashes.

Good Omens - Corner Office with a View (Broke My Wings so You Could Fly) by Noli_Timere031754 (M)

A year after season two, Aziraphale is trapped in Heaven. He sees Crowley living on Earth, all alone and in trouble. With help, he manages to act accordingly. Crowley’s heartbreak leads to him to being a damsel in distress. Excerpt: Aziraphale recalled what he’d seen out his office window. With it’s close and clear view of London, Earth. He hadn’t meant to zoom in, where he did. The scene had appeared against his will. A certain demon. All alone and buying several cases of the worst scotch he’d ever tasted. Oodles of it. Something he drank when he didn’t care about quality, only getting drunk as fast as possible. Crowley looked bad. Aziraphale didn’t think he’d ever seen him with a hair out of place, and certainly never in dirty clothes and flip flops. But there he was. The only familiar part of his attire had been his sunglasses.

Three Is Not Enough by haleinedelail (T)

Ten months after the Metatron blew up their lives at the end of season 2, Heaven has placed a temptation in Crowley’s path. It's a trap, of course, and Crowley knows it, but not the kind of trap that he thinks. And, bless him, he can't resist walking straight into it. Literally physically injured, Crowley must jump headlong into saving... something. But he'll have to make a terrible choice. The story has a healthy dollop of Crowley working through his (ahem) personal demons, and grief. It has some romance, but also some harsh truths for Aziraphale, several jaunts back in time (though, not too far back!), and some exposed fuckery on the part of Heaven (the good guys, right?). I promise a happy ending, but it might be a rough road getting there... but would we have it any other way?

- Mod D

[shadowgast-recs-weekly]

Older Favorites 9

This week, we're looking at some of our favorite older fics - eleven of them, to be exact. Check them out beneath the cut, and leave a comment or kudos if you like them!

would you stay for a while by eldritch_beau (3937, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Essek sees the ocean for the first time.

Reccer says: A canon-flavored moment I desperately wish had happened. Beautiful prose and powerful emotion.

Closer Still by MithrilWren (4904, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Caleb and Essek's latest foray into magical experimentation goes awry, leaving them stuck together in a pocket dimension of their own creation. Or, "trapped in an elevator, but make it fantasy".

Reccer says: This was a delicious oneshot that expanded our favorite wizards' research projects, which in turn gave them an uninterrupted opportunity to open up to each other more. Great characterization and use of canon details.

We’re In a Different Kind of Thing Now by Thischarmingand (2668, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Essek is sixteen (sixty-five, ninety, one hundred and seventeen), and all he wants in the world is...

Reccer says: Sharp writing with a perfectly awful (in the best way) teenaged Essek. I will be back to read and read again as a balm in trying times.

when I fall by darundik (12541, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Overworked corporate shill Essek Thelyss meets PhD student Caleb Widogast and finds there's something to be said for love and friendship.

Reccer says: This is one of my favorite fics. I've reread it several times and I honestly find it very cozy and written with love.

I shine only with the light you gave me by SkyScribbles (4533, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

There are certain things that an Umavi's son should not do, if he wishes to avoid his mother's rage and the disgust of his Den. Dancing with a human is most certainly among them.

Reccer says: Wonderful look at the Kryn Dynasty and its social ladders. Verin is a superstar.

Five Times Teleportation Failed by bob_fish & enemytosleep (10448, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Or the fic where Essek “Teleport Champ” Thelyss spends his free time performing risky teleports For Science while ruminating on what sent him to Aeor in the first place.

Reccer says: The character voice is strong and fills in some missing scenes from Essek’s POV

Lucidian Rim by literalfuckinggarbage (60266, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: Graphic Depictions of Violence

Pacific Rim but shadowgast, no knowledge of the movie required. Big aliens are appearing and the world made huge mechs to stop them. The mechs need to people who are similar to drive them together.

Reccer says: I've literally read this fic 3 times and it's probably time for my annual re-read. The writing is truly phenomenal the story is great (no idea how close to the movie/book it is since I haven't seen the source material) and very well paced. The mighty nein and vox machina make good appearances as side characters. I love the relationship progression, there's oh no they have to share a room, there's trauma, there's tension, it's great. Putting Essek and Caleb as equals with similar pasts was a good choice and works really well. Read this fic!!! It's incredible :)

Bitter Balm by saturdaysky (3778, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

A conversation after the Nein return to Eiselcross, the day before the expedition. Feelings are hard for the unlovable.

Reccer says: It HURTS but it GOOD

but i didn’t do it right, can i try again, and again? by queenbeetle (53385, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

During a vacation to Nicodranas with the Mighty Nein, Essek and Caleb play out Dynasty Courting rituals at the expense of everyone else. So, nothing out of the normal for them, just more scandalous hand touching

Reccer says: I liked it!

the other things that make us by saturdaysky (13642, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Essek returns, when he can, to the sanctuary of Caleb's home. The peace of it is a balm against the tedious peril of the road, which has more misery to share than Essek had ever thought. It's nice to have a place where he can lose himself: in a book, in arcane study, in the confusing allure of Caleb's smile. It's nice. And the cats miss him, Caleb says.

Reccer says: I liked it!

And then two for this last one! the breath before the phrase by KmacKatie (175513, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Essek Thelyss is a leading violinist, his spot as Shadowhand of the Rosohna Philharmonic Orchestra has been uncontested for over a decade. Caleb Widogast is a recent arrival to the city, convinced by his friends to audition for one of the vacant violinist positions. After starting off on the wrong foot, Caleb and Essek get to slowly know each other, discover what brings them joy, create while defying expectations, and find out that what they can produce together may just be better than anything they can do separately.

Reccer 1 says: I liked it! Reccer 2 says: This has to be my favorite AU. The author's knowledge about music shines brilliantly and I've really enjoyed the music recommended to share a sense of the character's performances. Reading this the first time over a year ago now genuinely re-sparked my love for string instruments and I even attended an orchestra performance last year because of it! I enjoyed the world building, how conflict between characters is handled, and the development of Caleb and Essek's relationship. This is a fic I've read more than once.

You can also check out our past older favorite reclists here: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

This is one of our weekly communally-generated shadowgast rec lists. Every week we announce a new theme and allow anyone to submit a fic recommendation. 

And hey, anyone includes you!

Next week, we'll be featuring One Shots! One chapter and done, probably not too long.

Any fics coming to mind? Well, then use this form to submit!