#and he doesn't want to

[famouscyclenerd]

Some people in this fandom seem to forget Jurian's entire existence. Gurl, he's currently latched onto Vassa's throat, Lucien ain't getting near her lmao

[mage8]

If Dan and Phil currently or ever own a car, Phil needs this. 💀

[respectthepetty]

Power Dynamics in Naughty Babe

@visualtaehyun wrote this wonderful post about how we see devotion play out in the episode five opening scene of Naughty Babe through the language Yi and Diao use. *read the post!* However, the biggest takeaway is the shift in power that is being freely given by Yi and fully accepted by Diao.

The scene begins with Diao on the floor, lower than Yi,

only for Yi to lift Diao up, carry him, and switch positions to where Yi is on the floor lower than Diao.

Diao leans down to kiss Yi, and Yi sits up to reach the kiss, bringing both to an equal level.

But this scene is just the icing on a long baked cake because this is a well-deserved win for Diao after an entire season of Yi dominating him in Cutie Pie.

It was difficult for Yi to give up his power to Diao in Cutie Pie. Even when he was being kind to Diao, he was always slightly higher (look at that rainbow!).

Diao was fine with that. He understood it was difficult for Yi to open up, so relinquishing his power would be tough for Yi.

But Diao thought it would happen eventually. He believed that at some point, Yi would trust him enough to let him in, but Naughty Babe started with Diao admitting that Yi is still closed off. They aren't married because HIA YI won't allow it. Even when the parents question the decision and compare Yi's decisions to Lian's, Yi still says "no"

So when Diao tries to run off to Switzerland, Yi questions what he has to do to keep Diao, and Lian, the best buddy who calls Yi stupid and everyone compares Yi to, says this - "be his dog"

It's a wild claim that seems meant for laughs, but Lian continues with telling Yi that Diao loves his dog. Diao's dog is ridiculous and causes trouble for Yi, but he is obedient to Diao, and Lian understands submission very well. This was an entire discussion between Lian and Yi in Cutie Pie 2 You about power imbalances.

He is telling Yi that he must submit to Diao. Lian trusts Kuea enough to bow to him, to kneel at his feet and be vulnerable in front of him, so he offers this advice to his stupid friend.

And, thankfully, Yi listens because from then on out, he willingly lowers himself to Diao.

As soon as Diao allows him into his apartment, Yi gets to work. If Yi is higher than Diao,

he lowers himself so they are equal.

When Diao scolds him, he remains seated instead of rising up.

And even when he pulls Diao down, it's to make them equal.

He asks for consent instead of demanding submission

And he lifts Diao up.

Yi consistently positions himself lower than Diao.

Even when his usual abrasive behavior emerges in the car, he quickly lowers himself onto Diao.

The only time he has stood higher than Diao was when Diao directly questioned him about faking his amnesia. They are in the midst of a color exchange, so it feels clear that Yi was going to lie his way out of it since he had Diao back, but instead he admitted his wrong.

And Diao walked out. Yi followed scared that Diao would leave him again, but instead of trying to dominate Diao into staying, he admitted his powerlessness.

Everything was on Yi's terms in Cutie Pie. Diao getting a dog was because Yi allowed it. Diao being allowed to continue teaching was because Yi told him he could. There engagement was because Yi finally wanted it. Yet here is Yi telling Diao that whatever DIAO WANTS TO DO, Yi will abide by it. And we get back to what Lian was telling his stupid friend. Yi needs to trust Diao enough to submit.

Yi immediately tells Diao he trusts him without hesitation because the power Yi was holding onto was to protect Diao, but this entire ordeal has shown him that was his mistake, something his father even points out.

Yi was so hellbent on controlling Diao to protect him that he didn't realize Diao is perfectly capable of protecting himself AND taking care of Yi. Diao riding his bike is what kept him safe. Diao has several medals in Taekwondo, yet doesn't need to display them. Diao would've been on a plane to Switzerland before Yi could've caught him because he is a smart man. But more importantly, as Yi's father pointed out, Diao would have never left Yi in the first place if Yi hadn't pushed him to it. Yi has known Diao for 20 years, and Diao has always trusted Yi, even when he shouldn't (the tiger), so why hasn't Yi put some of that trust back into Diao?!

When Yi is lower than Diao, Diao is taking care of Yi. He doesn't want Yi to give away all his power. He wants them to be equal. He wants Yi to see him as equal because his family has always treated him as a pawn, which Yi started doing, and he won't accept that from the man he loves.

So when Diao tells Yi that he can take care of Yi, Yi finally realizes that Diao can, and he wants him to. Yi surrenders.

This plot to ruin their wedding is wildly ridiculous, but what better way to align with Cutie Pie and make a statement about the power of marriage, then to give us a plot where a powerless character is given the authority to ruin his. Diao's family used this marriage as a way to secure power. Yi used his authority to stall the wedding. Yet here is Diao using his power to fuck it all up.

Yi stands higher than Diao in their official wedding pictures, and he looks miserable while Diao is playing his part happily.

Lian is shocked that Yi is willing to be the victim in this scenario. Yi doesn't lose, yet Yi is allowing himself to be publicly embarrassed and branded the loser, so Diao (and Yi) can gain some power over his family and this horrible deal everyone constructed without Diao's knowledge.

Yi never wanted Diao to leave, but in order for this plan to work, it has to look believable. Diao has to leave. And Yi has to try to stop him because Yi has to appear to put up a fight.

But he already surrendered to Diao, gladly.

They are equal now, and their marriage should reflect that without all the restrictions and obstacles being built into it.

Diao's family was unwilling to give them that power, so they must take it by destroying the way things are and rebuilding on its ashes.

So Diao is gonna fuck up that wedding, and Yi will trust him to do it because their marriage isn't just about a partnership and love, something these shows have constantly harped on (love isn't love if we aren't treated equally), but about the power others have denied them, and they deserve the right to enter into it on their own terms.

[inkskinned]

it's extremely critical that you see the photo of the perp walk for luigi mangione as being propaganda. i've seen so many people wave it off and instead fawn over his looks. and trust me, i know it ended up being kind of pathetic and weird - but please don't brush it off as a "modelling opportunity" for him. it's a fucking terrifying message the police are sending.

i want to make a few comparisons here, in case you're not from the US or familiar with why the perp walk thing is something to pay attention to. just to set the groundwork for why this is a purposeful, unusual, and cruel act by the nyc police - for why this is not a common occurrence and for why that matters.

the prosecution alleges the show of force is due to the charge of "terrorism." for comparison, in june 2015, tsarnaev was found guilty for the boston marathon bombing, which killed 3 people and injured hundreds. his actions are considered to be an act of domestic terrorism. i have spent the last hour looking through google for pictures of similar to mangione's perp walk - and so far, i have found zero. i also just do not personally remember a moment like that, despite living in boston at the time.

they allege that luigi is a stone-cold killer who carried out a longterm plan, making him particularly dangerous. again for comparison: in nyc, recently cory martin was found guilty of the killing of brandy odom. the murder was planned and premeditated to steal insurance money. and yet no staged perp walk. why didn't her life matter enough for a "show of force"?

but mangione gets paraded by a veritable army of police officers as if he is a rabid animal. for a single citizen who allegedly killed one other single citizen, the "largest perp walk ever" occurs.

so what is the "strong message" that the mayor and the police were trying to send here? the mayor speaks as if mangione is already convicted of terrorism. there is a very thin number of people who feel threatened by the CEO's death. none of us felt like mangione needs to be under massive armed guard.

the message is that you shouldn't resist. they are trying to "make an example" of him - that if you behave badly and kill a single rich person, you'll be treated as if you killed hundreds of people. you will be treated worse than a man who was found guilty of terrorism. you will be considered guilty without trial. the message is that the rich are a protected class, and you cannot touch them without massive punishment. they are trying to prevent a revolution by showing dominance and force against you.

the message is that the police are a puppet of the wealthy and that the law is not equally applied across class disparity. it is "some are more equal than others." it is "one life is more precious than another."

the show of force wasn't for luigi. it was for us. it was a warning. they are trying to remind us who is really in control.

[batcavescolony]

Katniss is such an unreliable narrator. She says "Then something unexpected happens. At least, I don't expect it because I don't think of District 12 as a place that cares about me" girl you deliver strawberries to the Mayor, you hunt and trade for the district, when you fell at Prim being chosen someone caught you, when you went to Prim people parted for you, when you volunteered EVERYONE stopped. Idk how to tell you but I think you're a pillar of the community.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

You're just not toxic enough.

[canisalbus]

✦ Fashionably late ✦

[trekkerac]

he's like a faulty lightbulb

[symphonyofsilence]

Let the poor man rest.

[delzinrowe]

jordie don't make me cry...

BEST BIG BROTHER EVER 🥲

[truuskn]

he's so cute and sillyyy 😫 my goood, look at him, just look at him!! how do we even have the nerve to pump his life with angst? my dude deserves to be happy 24/7

[technically-human]

He did eventually sign it

[mulderscully]

NOSFERATU (2024) dir. Robert Eggers

[zer0sh00]

This is what happened after Beast Yeast CH8, right?

Bonus:

[cart00nmilk]

SONADOW CONFESSION STORY PART 7! Now it's shadow's turn to get flustered!!

[framblebee]

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE 1x1 In Throes of Increasing Wonder

—However misshapen they may be, your brother has no shame in sharing [his thoughts]. —You sayin' I got shame? —The lie you told about leaving the opera house early.