#and go /bruh.... what the fuck???/

[nachosncheezies]

In defense of late-canon x files (including the revivals)

I was thinking about this poll after I commented on it, and I kinda want to be brave and say more.

Short answer to the poll's question before I go any further: If you're a new fan and a sensitive sort who thinks you'll struggle with your blorbos Really Going Through It and you really need a happy ending, I suggest you stop at the end of season 8. Do not pass go, do not look at spoilers. Disregard this post entirely, close the internet, and go look at something that makes you happy. (Also fuck every part of society that characterizes sensitivity as inherently weak and bad and some kind of personal failing, you are valid.)

That said, "quality" as a concept is entirely subjective, and the question of whether or not there's a decline in quality for any story is wholly subjective, too. In the case of x files? I'm not convinced there is a decline. I am going to be upfront that I haven't yet watched past season 8, though I am almost completely spoiled on events after that - and the reason I haven't watched yet is not because of how I know events are going to unfold, but simply because I don't want it to end!!! Ohh, the tension between "I CAN'T WAIT!!!" and "Nooo don't be over D:"

When I first came to txf fandom on tumblr and gradually became spoiled about what happens in late canon though, I was often left uncomfortable and tbh kinda queasy about it. As I said in my comment on the poll, the hate for especially the revival and IWTB, or to a lesser extent even seasons 8 & 9, is very well documented. But! There are other takes to be found here on tumblr if you figure out where to look, and my feelings have changed!

The thing is, I have yet to find myself in any fandom where there isn't a vocal subset of fans who dislike the story after a certain point. I am not joking when I say that no one hates the things they love as passionately as sci-fi and fantasy fans. In my experience, it often hinges on the extent to which a viewer has strong notions on where they would like the characters to end up. In particular with series where shipping is a dominant component for the bulk of a fandom, I have almost universally found that there comes some turning point in the story where "let them be happy you cowards" is the dominant view, and things that compromise the attainment of a degree of romantic stability and/or domesticity are, to many fans, annoying at best and despicable at worst. But! As one tagset on the linked poll said:

and I think for any fandom, that last tag especially is so so so important. (I think that's harder for people watching a weekly series live, bc you have so much time to analyze and speculate and dream before the next breadcrumb drops, but I digress.)

So why am I saying this and how do I apply it to x files? Well, I eventually found that there are also a subset of fans who find redeeming things right up to the very end and actually quite like the whole thing! The things that I had seen people rage and ventpost so much about honestly never quite sounded to me as "out of character" or "untrue to the story" etc as those same ventposts made them sound. And I've discovered I'm not the only one who felt that way. Do I love that the spooky squad had to go through all of those things? No, those poor guys D: Life is hard and they have been through so much trauma. But do those events and their choices make sense to me in light of everything that came before? Yes! And I honestly can't wait to see them fight to overcome those things, breaking, healing, always learning, always growing, always getting better.

So if you're wondering "where does it go wrong"... well, I'm a completionist, as many people who've answered that post are, but also my personal opinion is that I don't think it does go wrong. If you're new and interested in exploring why I've gone from "vaguely queasy" to "excited" about the whole thing, or want to maybe balance out the impressions you're getting about the later seasons before deciding whether or not you want to see the whole thing, I'll put a few blog names in the comments.

Final admission: even once I started feeling a little more confident in the possibility that "actually ok maybe I'm not crazy, maybe this all kind of is in character and does make sense", there was one big plot point that I was NOT looking forward to and I thought I would never be comfortable about. In hindsight, I think my discomfort came from the negative responses being SO seemingly universal that I hadn't stopped to let myself truly consider other possible interpretations on that point. (I mean my initial instinct when I first read about it was, why are we mad about this?? CSM is literally the most unreliable narrator in history???? it's obviously fake news?????? this must be either a fever dream someone's having or it's a misdirection ploy against whatever shadowy forces might still be lurking?????????????? but for whatever reason I guess I had halfway written that off.) Happily, just last month there's a new post-s11 novel out, and although reviews for the book as a whole are mixed, it seems to have laid the groundwork for resolving that plot issue in a way I think most fans would be broadly happy with. If you're interested in being spoiled about that and seeing how, I recommend searching #perihelion on @agent-troi who liveblogged reading it with receipts, scroll back chronological-style to the first post on the subject and see how it unfolded. (And never forget that Dana Katherine Scully is the queen of denial as a coping mechanism lol)

Everyone's mileage will vary. Each person can feel however they want! But for anyone new, I wanted you to know that the very many ventposts you might be seeing are not all there is to this show or its fandom. Some of us love it despite - or even because of - all the things that went "wrong". I think we just don't talk about it as much.

[leofrith]

woah you hate gale? that's crazy, dude. you should tell us more. don't forget to tag it.

[darlingod]

Jude in QoN: “Of course it was a trick” That’s what you said.

Cardan:

[sundial-bee-scribbles]

meow〜

[ohara-n-brown]

So apparently there's been a shooting outside of Drake's home. The one on the Not Like Us cover? THAT HOME.

I mean it when I say that Kendrick is living in that man's walls.

Fuck 'God's Plan' Kendricks plan is to send that man TO GOD. Next day delivery.

[blushblushbear]

Hey, I was wondering if you create headcannons for the Blush Blush boys. If so, I was wondering 👀

Can you describe how any of the immortal characters (Stirling, Seth, Reece?, Aki, Haru, Fuyu) would react if their SO/MC/Love interest reincarnates after they die of old age for example?

I’m a huge fan of reincarnation x immortal stuff, cause it gives off a happy ending and hope that their love will never die even if they’re reborn in a different time💖

I wanna start at the top by saying I think all of them freak out at least a little bit when they see their long dead lover seemingly up and alive again

I'll get into each one individually but needless to say, it's a bit of a shock to the lot of them

also I did a thing about The Immortals dealing with your death (that I will but a link to here later but right now I can't be bothered to shift through my many bullshit posts to find it atm OOPS SORRY)

(ps: love your stuff btw!!! <3 )

STARTING OFF

Stirling:

I think he's gone through this too many times and loves the drama of it all too much to ever have him claim that he will never love again after you (at least not forever)

but suffice it to say he doesn't think he'll ever have a love like you again in any of his life times worth of living he has left to get through

he also didn't become a vampire to kick the bucket quickly nor does he think he'll be headed in the same direction as you when he eventually does so he's in no particular hurry to 'follow you' as it were

so he has made his peace with forever longing for you and eternally mourning your passing a little bit all the time

until one day he happens to spot

well

you

I mean it can't be you but he knows that face

he knows that body

that aura, that smile

it's definitely you

your face was probably in the crowd at one of his competitions

he did loose points for how he fumbled when he clocked you

(but he still won don't get it twisted)

I think the moment his routine is done he b-lines it to his dressing room then directly to go find 'you'

he does find you in a crowd and nervously and suddenly asks if you'd like to go for dinner with him

like

now

right now.

how bout it??

you tentatively say yes and you two end up having the most awkward dinner of either of your lives

he's trying so hard not to flip out cause it's definitely you but also it can't be

can it????

BUT YOU WERE DEAD

he slowly begins to romance you

the new you

which is a lot like the old you

I think he's the handsome yet mysterious man who is romancing you and he doesn't fully let anything slip until one night you stay over and you find a painting of what is definitely but also so not you on the wall

cue him finding you staring at it and accidentally scaring you

only to calm you down then explain the whole sorted mess

and how he believes you are the reincarnation of his lover

I think no matter what there's going to be some push and pull moving forward

he has to decide if he loves you or just the idea of you that acts as some theoretical replacement for his great dead love

will there be a happy ending??

will love prevail??

can love continue on even after death??

only time will tell...

but he does not intend to give up on you that easily...

Seth:

you being reincarnated is actually his doing

against his best laid plans, you didn't end up in hell with him when you died

I think he could only stand it for a few months before he called in a favor and got your soul entered into the reincarnation program

that DOES mean he'll have to wait 18+ years to even attempt to make a move

and also that you won't remember him

or much if anything of your previous life

which means there's a 50/50 toss up that you'll be happily taken when he can actually find you again

he doesn't watch over you as you grow cause that's too creepy

but he does put some lesser demons/spirits to keep an eye on you and keep you safe

he doesn't want to have to start this process all over again

nor does he know how many otherworldly favors he can rely on for this

I think he 'randomly' bumps into you one day when you're old enough and he starts flirting and asks you out

I think whether or not he tells you about the whole deal will depend on how things play out

he doesn't necessarily see the need to but on the other hand

maybe it's worth you knowing

also it's the biggest romantic move he ever pulled

also honesty is nice in a relationship

but all in all it's just nice to have you back again

where he can see and hold and kiss you

also he probably had to call in a favor just to get to the mortal realm in the first place

idk he's burning a lot of big favors for this meet cute to go down but it's worth it

Reece:

I think with Reece it's less of a reincarnation and more an alt time line version of you

one where you never met and you got to live your life without it being crash landed into by a space traveling cat boy

I think at first he meant to keep his distance

you're not HIS you after all

but he couldn't help but watch you just

exist

for a bit

he missed you

and I think one thing lead to another and he ended up bumping into you and you gave him that cute smile and he didn't mean to but he heard himself asking you for coffee before he could give it a second thought

and then before he could give it a second word you had said yes

and then he was just over come with joy cause you said yes to a date so excitedly and quickly

it all kinda just

happened

I think you have a wonderful first date and he spends most of it working up the courage to tell you everything and also just enjoying the date

but towards the end of it he finally fesses up

you guys had done all this before

well, a different version of you in another timeline/universe

but all the same

he has already gone down this road

and now he's just doing it again cause it's hard for him to stay away from you

but you are gone

were gone

are

in his version of things anyway

and this was fun but maybe...

maybe it should end here

one last night

where he got to tell you goodbye

(with a kiss)

but this is Definitely Not Dr Who bby--- something crazy happens at the end and the goodbyes are put on hold while you two go on Just This One crazy space adventure (that is totally not just this one lol)

CUE THE DOCTOR WHO THEME BEING PLAYED ON THAT CAT PIANO!

Aki:

OOO BOY IS THIS DUDE IN DENIAL

no grace, no decorum, no hesistation

he sees your face in a crowd and runs up and hugs you and begins to tear up as he says how much he missed you

meanwhile you are in the iron grip of big excitable fox man (time has past since your death and he's grown some) whom you definitely don't know and also he's calling you bunny

you try to tell him he's got the wrong person sorry

BUT HE IS HEARING NONE OF IT

cue him telling you all about your lives together and talking you to the home of the autumn clan and doing anything and everything to desperately rejog your memories

if you do get your memories back then commence Aki's great romance two electric boogaloo

but if you can't then he will get so heart broken

he'll ask you to still stay

let him learn the new you

let him show you the him you forgot

let him love you again

please don't leave him

(if you do decide to leave low key Aki will follow you and try to check in on you from time to time)

(if not out right sneak stalk you)

(please accept his feelings reincarnated love-chan)

Haru:

shocked, stunned, shook

he sees your face from across the bar and he can't believe it

like actually he can't believe it

he ends up staring for a really long time

then he's just watching you from different spots around the bar

getting better looks at different angles

keeping the biggest eye on you and drinking you in

yep

it's definitely you

but it can't be

they must just look like you

a lot like you

like exactly

must be a distant relatives

genetics are crazy

or maybe you had a love child...???

NO.

no no no no

you were Haru's loyal mate until the day you died

you wouldn't

and even if you did, you def would've invited him to the threesome

(one of the reasons he loved you so much)

whatever

he must be so drunk out of his mind and crazy lonely that he's seeing shit

whatever, they're hot and he could use a you substitute in his bed (not like he's had many people in his bed after you anyway-- too heart broken)

so fuck it, fuck them (like, in the sex way not the angry way)

so he goes up and starts hitting on them and when they turn around

oh no

they're definitely you

right down to the look they're giving him

I won't lie, he panics and bolts

he can't stop freaking out about last night all the next day

so he goes to that bar again and low and behold there you are again

Haru can't tell if he's relieved or more panicked by that

but still he has to dig some more

so he goes back over, trying the whole time not to absolutely loose it

gives you some line about being overcome by your beauty which is why he left in a panic haha

but seriously he'd love to get dinner with you sometime, here's his number, give him a call

oh also what's your name

he again can't tell if he's happy or freaked when you do actually call

he spends the whole dinner gently prying for info and just generally vibe checking to see if they're like his dead lover

and they really are

they definitely look it

and thus begins Haru's new torment of being so fucking CONFLICTED

he's so freaked that it's like you're alive again but also so happy to have you by his side

I think there's a lot of push and pull until he spills the beans

and then even more after he does

this is about to be the messiest relationship of Haru's life

which is saying something

BUT HE CAN'T NOT, IT'S YOU

Fuyu:

Fuyu bumps into you by chance and he's the most torn up about it of the lot of them

and visibly so too, he can't hide his feelings on this even a little bit

I think he is the quickest to tell you the whole thing

and also he calls you by the name of your past life (which may or may not be your name now)

he really does believe you are his heavenly gift sent back to him because your love is so fated

he takes some time getting used to

it's actually funny, this is the exact opposite of who you two were the first time

he's so unbelievably open to you from the word go

he bares his heart and feelings so much

you look so much like yourself before you left him, he can't help it

you were his safe place that he let all his walls down around

he can't put them back up now

his heart is beating open and bloody for you

he doesn't try and play it cool, he doesn't beat around the bush

he let's you know who you were to him

ARE to him

and asks you to be his once again

steam rolling you with love

and then waiting 'patiently' (not patient, he's sitting by like a puppy who wants a bite of your food) for you answer

it's quite a situation you find yourself in, isn't it

[afterlife-2004]

THEY KEPT THE TAILS GETTING BEATEN BY SHADOW TRADITION

[shadystranger]

this moment so fucked up💀

[mr-smilelyfry]

ERM.......

Credits to @pityclown

[calistra1star]

this is why I get removed from gc’s

[chrissy-kaos]

is there a reason you make exactly the same face in every picture

Great question bro 👍🏻🙄🥱

Gosh..geeez.. idk maybe because it’s my face? Or the way I smile?

So apparently you have a problem with the way I look or the way I smile? Cool noted.. 🙄

That’s a great way to kill somebody’s self-esteem when their trying desperately to get it back

Thanks bro 😔

You’re the real mvp 🤙🏻

[angeldoe1111]

Are you a virgin?

..............................................................

behold, the creepiness

[forthegamesmyguy]

oh my GOD. I just did the thing I absolutely never wanted to do and I said I'd fight Solas and THATS THE WAY THAT ENDS??????? ARE YOU JOKING

bro, whose ENTIRE kit that you've seen thus far has been ICE based spells, and who has otherwise HIGHLY favoured the tactic of, ya know, PETRIFYING people............. ......... ......... just stands there. he says to rook "you can't beat me alone lol" and it's like he HAS EYES he can SEE the fucking two people that are right here with me! and he earlier was gassing us up going on and on like oh *I* could never do this !!! I don't have a team, but YOU guys are sooo amazing and cool and badass bc you're together!!! you can win!! .... .... .... .... ......... ........ ........... ................ like blood magic on rook or not, we have seen him fucking petrify people in every instance he shows up!!! EXCEPT this one LOL. bc then he can't go "you can't beat me alone lol" and then instead get his ass beat by all the stupid little Found Family Friends that jump him that he for some reason is completely now not aware of.......right.

not to mention, he's alone bc the writing demanded it. agents of Fen'Harel whomst, idk her. elves on his side, nah. spirits, never. nobody like this fuckin guy, nobody would ever fight alongside or for him!!!! definitely not the people we already said were doing that lol

and you honestly. you literally. I mean you for real have his final words be fuck mortals they're stupid and "I am a god" . . . but again, any people who may have ACTUALLY seen him that way, bc girl idk how to tell you this but no he doesn't feel that way about himself even if he's the last evanuris, and one might expect to idk faithfully dutifully and even blindly follow him into whatever plans he has...yeah those people dont exist. so he's just some arrogant asshole that apparently you were totally right about !!! yeah! he fuckin sucks totally and completely and all he ever cared about was being right and being worshipped for it !!!!! also he's the most careless and stupid Trickster God you've ever seen and he is easily fooled and also he is simultaneously too moral and good to execute any of your crew that might interfere with his plans that he is so evil and conniving about even though they are right there and interfering with his big bad evil guy plans but he is still pure evil and must die. you know him so well

[gryficowa]

Hey guys, I came across some Trump fan in the free Palestine tags

And still, for Zionists I am an anti-Semite

But seriously, Trump fans got the tags about Palestine, what is going on here? Seriously, Trump would rather praise the killing of Palestinians (Because he was such a person, yes, I'm from Poland, but I more or less understand what this guy was doing)

Even Gumball parodied this man by commenting on who he was

Anyway, I have the impression that Trump has fucked up our world, because since 2016 we have been regressing in development

You have a P!nk song from that period

And this song, Trump made many LGBT+ children struggle with discrimination to this day (From other students, teachers and parents), do you seriously think Trump cares about Palestinians? You choose between shit and garbage (i.e. Trump or Biden)

There is no good choice here, and choosing between the lesser of two evils causes harm anyway, so why do people still want Trump or Biden? Even in my country they chose "The Lesser Evil", so what if it is better if not for everyone?

Damn it, they elected a president in my country who said "LGBT is not people, it's an ideology", which resulted in the persecution of LGBT+ people in my country

So what if this man created rap if he hurt so many people?

It's funny that I have to say this to Americans who should know better than me, because they are further advanced than my country...

(Yes, I gave a link to deviantart because it's a comment on the situation I see, because seriously, we had fucked up situations with the police who arrested them for anti-Semitism)

Right after Valbanase and Willy Wonka, this is one of the more absurd things of the year

[0fps]

YANQING ❆ TEMPERED CHILL

[3416]

Leafs vs Rangers | 4.13.23