#and here is the end of another sibling gifset season!

[stevenrogered]

the Bridgertons + sibling dynamics per episode 3x08, “Into the Light” [all]

[sixth-light]

WoT 2x08 thoughts

WoT s2 really, I haven't got to blog the season like I would have wanted because (checks notes) everybody in this household has been sick for a month and counting (do not recommend). No order here, just things as I think of them, full series book spoilers possible:

They really did stick the landing on this season for me, as well as line everything up so neatly for next season. I think S2 is really going to reward a rewatch.

Particularly re:Lanfear. I literally choked when she walked up to Bayle Domon and started talking about the pieces of cuendillar she'd sold him. I know the Dark Prophecy is probably still legit because we flashed back to Ishamael reciting it as he released her BUT ALSO I am now imagining her lying on her bed surrounded by screwed-up drafts as she tries to make it sufficiently ominous.

The Forsaken shenanigans this season have just smashed it out of the park and we only had two of them. I presume we're going to highlight one or two a season for practical purposes (and ofc TSR/TFoH are the Moghedien-Nynaeve books) so I reckon next season we mostly get Moghedien and...I guess Asmodean if we're doing that plotline at all?

Man I so liked my "evil Seanchan/less evil Seanchan" theory but the way they ruthlessly killed off every named Seanchan character this episode (yes we didn't see Suroth and Alwhin's bodies, but that seemed pretty fatal, they explicitly did NOT show any ships getting away) says to me that they want to put that plotline on ice until the Corenne and Tuon arrive. It could still work but we'd have to introduce more Seanchan nobles to make it happen...or...they could make the whole Extremely Dysfunctional Imperial Family dynamic real by having one or more of Tuon's siblings tag along. That was a very tell-not-show element of the books and then rendered irrelevant by Semirhage murdering all of them at once.

Extremely out-there theory: the way they're focusing on Moghedien being 'insane' and having Lanfear refer to the rest of the Forsaken as 'the boys' and being visibly wary of Moggy...what if they merge Moghedien and Semirhage? After all, Moggy goes after the Sad Bracelets first even if Semirhage is the one who uses them...

THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP as that gifset going around demonstrates, this really was the theme of the season. I continue to love how much these kids love each other (and the lingering fear the show has planted that it won't matter, because look where Lews Therin and Ishamael and Lanfear ended up...). Totally bought that they would all just roll with running into each other like that when there was a clear and present threat.

Rand is still so much in his 'just trying to protect my friends' era, poor kiddo, we're going to see that get more and more worn away as the Pattern forces him into bigger and bigger confrontations.

MAT, goddamn, his story took a bit of time to get moving but looking back all the pieces are there. Everything about the knife-on-a-stick sequences was just. fjlkfsdjklfsadjlkfsd. Amazing foreshadowing AND a funny and effective piece of storytelling in the moment. Particularly enjoyed the use of the dagger to open the box with the Horn.

Re: Min's vision: I'm thinking that at some point next season someone will report back to her what actually happened and we're going to see an arc with her learning about her own power and realising that her visions can be partial or metaphorical.

Man I hope Egwene gets lots of nice things next season because this one has been (not unexpectedly) brutal. Completely on board with her killing Renna. I wonder if they're getting rid of the 'sparker/learner' distinction in the show, given what she said to Renna about sul'dam just being very weak in the Power. I also wonder what 'very weak' actually means coming from Egwene, who canonically in the show can hold up against a Forsaken for some length of time (another change I am fine with).

Fascinating to think about Perrin in 2x08, straight-up killing Geofram Bornhald for killing Hopper, vs Perrin in 1x08 deliberately choosing pacifism. I don't actually mind that they gave him some unquestionable culpability here; in the books it was always SO obvious he wasn't in the wrong that it felt silly.

Relatedly, I think what's going on with Nynaeve (to the extent that anything is, she certainly didn't suffer for screentime this season) is that like Perrin her PERSONAL plot actually stalls out around book 8-9 - they're slowburning her block storyline for the same reasons they're slowburning his Wolfbrother one, I reckon. I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't heal stilling until much later in the show than the equivalent of book 6.

I didn't even notice that we left all the White Tower-related plotlines behind entirely this episode until I got to writing this post. FASCINATED to see where we pick up with Verin, Alanna, Siuan, et al next season...not to mention Liandrin

I haven't even talked about Aviendha! She hasn't had a lot to do beyond be introduced/introduce the concept of the Maidens and the Car'a'carn but it was solid set-up for next season and in line with how much she actually had to do in TDR.

My one big lingering question for this season is whether Ingtar isn't a Darkfriend on the show or whether he IS and they decided that his verbal confession wouldn't happen/work in the show and left it as a subtextual easter egg for book readers. I think both positions are arguable from the text, I'm curious what the intent was.

[sherifftillman]

come along, one and all, to the hawkins fair! a special event held in honor of two thousand of you fine people being here. why not have a look around? we’ve got two wonderful parks for you to peruse, writer’s world and gifset grounds, so take your time, pick an attraction or two and be sure to check out the fireworks show at the end!

●・○・●・○・●

-ˏˋ Writer’s World ˊˎ-

🪞 hall of mirrors: you’re here, you’re there, you’re everywhere! which is the real you? who are these doppelgangers? – send me a description of yourself and i’ll write you a short blurb about what i think your role would be within the stranger things timeline! (+ add a 💕 if you also want to be shipped with someone)

💜 tunnel of love: they can’t stay still. your breath is shallow. awkward laughter as you catch each other’s eye, crammed in a boat with a strangely ominously glowing void ahead of you. – send a character or ship (please specify if the ship is standalone or an x reader polycule! i’ll assume all ships are standalone unless stated otherwise) and i’ll write a romantic blurb. (+ add a 🔥if you want smut)

🎠 carousel: the music fills your ears, the cool metal pole pressing against your warm, flushed cheek as you see your best friend next to you, having the time of their life. – send a character or platonic ship (please specify if standalone or x reader) and i'll write a friendship blurb. *this is the only option where i will also accept members of the party as options, but not directly interactive with the reader UNLESS as a side character/sibling of reader. (e.g. i won't accept dustin x reader but i would include dustin (+ other kids) in a henderson!reader x older teen scenario, or dustin with other canon characters)

🎪 big top: sit back, relax, and enjoy the show! this one’s all about celebrating you, dear audience, so we’ll need volunteers! volunteer yourselves, your friends, your idols. everyone deserves a spotlight! – send a fic you’re proud of! send a fic you love! this totally isn’t a thinly-veiled attempt at me trying to farm fic recs since i’ve slipped so much! it could be a reader insert or a ship. i don't mind any ship (as long as it doesn't include b*lly or j*son), especially rarepairs!

🌀 a portal?!: uh-oh, looks like HNL’s been at it, again. this time, it seems as though they’ve opened a portal through the entire multiverse! people are appearing that look strangely like existing hawkins residents. – send another character that a stranger things actor plays and i’ll write a romantic or platonic blurb for them, too! (+ add a 🔥if you want smut)

●・○・●・○・●

-ˏˋ Gifset Grounds ˊˎ-

🤹 the juggler: that’s right, i’m the juggler, baby! i can juggle almost anything you want, anything at all! i might even toss one your way, get ready for it! – make me choose between any number of things! people, ships, scenes, locations, seasons, etc.

🎈 balloon stall: get your balloons here! we got all the colours here, you want one? two? all?! you got it, kid. – send a character/ship and as many colours as you want to be featured.

🐤 hook a duck: feeling lucky, duck? why not take a chance on one of these rubbery fellas? anything could be under it, anything at all. you won't know unless you try! – send this and i'll have a randomiser decide who i make a gifset for.

🎡 ferris wheel: far above the shrieks of an excitable crowd, the blaring lights, the aromatic mix of sickly sweets, sweat and smoke; a moment of peace. just you, the world beneath you, and a simple song to guide you. – name a character and either choose a song/artist yourself or leave that up to me, and i'll make a lyric gifset for them!

👻 ghost train: what is dead may never die. what lurks within the dark depths of the unknown? truly anything can happen, if you dare to take the leap and open yourself to possibility. – give me an au (literally anything non-canon-compliant) and i'll try and make a gifset about it!

●・○・●・○・●

🎆 fireworks! 🎆

i just wanted to take a moment to thank every one of you. it's been insane how i can once again fall in love with writing, be this close to finishing a majorly hefty writing project, and learn a new skillset that i actually enjoy right from the get-go. being a part of fandom again has me getting out of the house again, going to conventions again, making new friends wherever i go, making plans to go to places i've never been before with those people. i thought that part of my life was behind me. i've never been more proud to be wrong.

all of you have encouraged me in ways i couldn't begin to explain, but the mutuals i'm tagging inspire me with their support and creativity every dang day. i'm so lucky to have these people in my life in any capacity, whether we talk every day or we've never spoken (though if the latter's the case, i'd love to fix that!) 💜

@denim-mixtapes @fanatictypist @keerysquinn @userquinn @hellfirehoe @reysorigins @eddieandbird @heroeddiemunson @roykentt @iero @hellfireclubs @corroded-hellfire @munson-blurbs @lunatictardis @loveshotzz @quinnsbower @newlips @wroteclassicaly @usedtobecooler @corrodedbisexual @dindjarins @stargyles @mulderfcx @enidsnclr @elizabethgillies @sebuckyverse @wordscomehither @eddiemunsons-missingnipple @hearsegrrl @mcbeanzontoast @pitifulbaby

[captainrexs]

waves

Hello again! I keep forgetting to just say hi, and apologize for that, heh! I hope you are doing alright and well, and having a good week!

If you feel like sharing, what are your thoughts on the Bad Batch show in general? Which episodes were your favorite and who are your favorite characters in the show, and of the Batch themselves?

For me, I'm very conflicted on the show.... I love the Batch and the dynamic they had from their TCW episodes, but I feel like that was stripped away and forgotten... I loved Aftermath, and enjoy that episode so much, but the rest? I don't know... it's conflicting, especially when Aftermath and the finale ended with the same dynamic and no real improvement in characters or development.

I have been lazy and haven't gone through many of the episodes for my favorite nerd yet, but I do have at least four (?) from the first episode of their TCW appearance, "The Bad Batch" that I was wondering if you would be open to giffing?

If so, I have time stamps and descriptions for them, and always love the time and patience you have with my silliness. It always makes my day seeing your response to my ask, and the gifs, and I enjoy seeing your thoughts on stuff :)

Scenes from TCW S7, Ep. 1. You don't have to do the subtitles if you don't want, as I don't mind the gifs without, just as I don't mind when they are there! Whatever you feel like <3 :

13:05-13:12 and 13:16-13:20 (the campfire scene where Tech talks about Hunter's enhancements and boasts about his older brother. I really like that scene and the lighting, and I am not certain if you've giffed that?)

15:39-15:40 (I don't remember what this scene is and, considering how short it is, don't bother if you don't feel like this giffing this one! I think this is possibly where Tech talks to Rex over the comms, I don't remember, sorry T.T)

19:56-20:05 (definitely don't remember what scene this is but I *think* it's sometime before they access Echo's file or before... I forgot to write the descriptions when I logged this timestamps into my drafts, and I apologize for that T.T)

22:52-23:03 (This scene is where Tech asks Rex what the numbers meant from Echo's message, as Tech's expression is actually fairly interesting to watch as he listens/watches Rex responding to his question).

As always, I deeply appreciate the time you put into every gifset I ask from, and I always smile and have an immediately better day when I see your response and beautiful gifs of my silly nerd <3

Thank you so, so much, and - as always - I apologize if I ever bother you <3

hi!! I have been having a busy week again and my next one will probably also be quite busy but the one after that should be very chill so I'm very much looking forward to that right now 😅. I hope you're doing good!! I think my favourite episode was probably Battle Scars because I love Rex and also because they finally took care of their chips and Wreckers chip was a concern that had been building up for long enough for me at that point 😅, I also loved both ryloth episodes because Hera is one of my favourite star wars characters and getting to see her mom was great and Howzer was a nice addition as well imo. War-Mantle was another episode I really liked and aside from the kanan comics retcon I liked Aftermath as well. my favourite batcher is probably Echo, but probably because of tcw since he didn't get a lot of moments in tbb but I did love the ones he had. but I like the other ones as well, Omega is an interesting addition that I didn't expect, Wrecker is hard to explain but he just seems like a very genuine and good person (not that the others don't, but like if I needed someone to help me move I'd probably ask him, does that make sense? I really don't know how to explain it), I also loved his dynamic with Tech because I think they had the most sibling like dynamic out of all of them, speaking of Tech, I think he's the most interesting when he has to think outside the box, I like it when booksmart characters have to use their knowledge in different ways then they'd expect and watching Hunter bond with Omega was very heartwarming and I think he did a good job at being a leader and trying to figure out how to move forward and balance the teams different opinions. I'm not a big fan of the setup of the first and last episode being nearly identical (but the bad batch have AZI now, I do love that), so lets hope things develop in season 2, maybe we'll get lucky and Crosshair won't tell the empire they've survived which would give the batch some room to figure out what they actually wanna do now. your request has been posted here, I actually haven't gifed the first eight episodes of season 7 much in general since I was still pretty new to giffing when they were released and I haven't gone back to those as much as I have to the Siege of Mandalore and the gifs I did make at the time were on my old account, so they're kinda difficult to find now and they weren't very good anyways 😅. as always, I appreciate your sweet message and the time stamps and you are never a bother ❤

[number5theboy]

Creator Tag Game

I was tagged by the awesome Michelle @lilapittss​, thank you, I really love your creations!!

rules: answer the questions and then tag 10+ other creators to answer the questions!

first creation and most recent creation of 2020: I’m restricting it to creations published on this blog alone, which I started at the end of April. The first gifset was a gifset of Five, specifically non-verbal acting moments that I love, to celebrate my new URL. And the last gifset is me right back where I started from, it’s Five again, a collection of same moments between show and comic Five that I am very proud of.

one of your favorite creations from 2020: It is my most self-indulgent gifset to date, but I love my gifset of Five & Figures from Greek Mythology he reminds me of. The colouring turned out fire, and I like the text I came up with a lot. Five really is a character that feels like a Greek hero, truly one of those fatally flawed, deeply tragic characters that has a similar framing to a Greek tragedy, and I like that a lot, because it comes with an inherent moral ambiguity. It’s pretentious and maybe a bit reaching, but if it fits, it sits.

one new style you tried this year and a gifset that uses it: Blending! I tried it on this gifset for the countdown to season 2, it took me a small eternity and I am not satisfied at all with the result, and I haven’t tried it since, even though I’ve been wanting to.

your favorite coloring: I LOVE the colouring on this gifset of Five and Vanya fighting. It looks so good, I adore it, truly.

a creation that took you forever: It is literally called the Mammoth Project - I made this extensive Five appreciation gifset where I tried to showcase as much of Aidan Gallagher’s character work and range as possible. I’m proud of it, but it did take me over a week to complete.

your creation from 2020 that received the most notes: Five Suffering For Nineteen Days Straight currently stands at 7.7k notes, and it also took me forever, and it makes me happy that it didn’t flop. 

a creation you think deserved more notes: this gifset of Five and the Handler and this general gifset are two of my best colourings ever, and the gifsets flopped HARD. Especially the first one deserves better, I still think it’s gorgeous.

a creation with a favorite scene/quote: THIS GIFSET OF FIVE THROWING DIEGO UNDER THE BUS. It has the tag ‘listen he is a bastard and I love him so much’. I stand by that tag.

a new fandom you joined and a creation you made for it: well, all of this is TUA-themed, but I do adore this gifset of Season 1 lyrics that would have fit a Hargreeves sibling they weren’t used for.

a creation you made that breaks your heart: The one that broke everyone else’s hearts too. Just a gifset of the 567 siblings and how they were made into monsters by people just using them.

a ‘simple’ creation that you really love: I simply adore my Luther&Diego relationship development gifset. It’s a simple theme of blue and orange, but it turned out pretty, and I love my idea of the black and white gifs representing the start- and endpoint of the development. Good himbo bros are a weakness of mine.

a creation that was inspired by another one (add both your creation and the one that inspired it!): to be honest, the only one that was inspired by something else is the show/comic Five comparison, it was inspired by and expands upon this post

a favorite creation created by someone else: where to start....

very recently, this beautiful Vissy gifset by Ren, it’s SO pretty and SO romantic and I love the way they set it up, especially that last gif has been living rent free in my head since I saw it

everything Arianna has ever done ever, she makes the most beautiful, aesthetically pleasing creations, but I’m very biased and I really love the gifsets she made for me, this beautiful Five gifset and especially this horror gifset she made for an AU of mine, I still look at that one about once a week

GOD I LOVE THIS ALLISON & VANYA GIFSET that Michelle made, I am SO emo just thinking about it, it’s gorgeous and emotional and I love it. 

the wonderful Francesca, queen of the colour orange, made this Five gifset that I just adore, the colour scheme and the blur and the little circles with the pops of blue....gorgeous and the quote is perfect

The Hargreeves Siblings Suffering™ that Myra made an updated Season 2 version of. I remember the Season 1 version, and it is still as painful, and Myra’s blending is SO good in all her gifsets, but I love the contrast of colour and black/white here so much

Isha’s gifset of Soft™ Hargreeves Siblings just warms my heart and makes me smile every time I see it. She also made great gifset of the relationships of the siblings throughout the siblings, specifically Diego & Vanya and Five & Vanya. 

In the completely opposite camp, Zahraa made a gifset entitled # team zero braincells, and it is exactly what one would want it to be. I remember seeing it and laughing my ass off. And this Five gifset of hers is one of my favourite Five gifsets ever, period. Because it showcases what I like most about Five, which is Aidan Gallagher’s performance. It highlights so many good acting moments and I love it to bits. 

Artemis made this STUNNING gifset that is just a call to take Reginald down for all he did to the kids, with a BEAUTIFUL layout that I really adore. It looks SO good. And she is an expert at funny gifsets that also look super pretty. This one Vanya ‘miss my with that ‘weapon accuracy’ shit’ delights me to this day, just the idea and execution is on point, hilarious, 111/10.

Maggie just has such a grasp on colourful, vibrant gifs, and I have since made peace with the fact that I will never ever be able to colour Five as prettily as she did in this Bruised And Battered Five gifset. Literally nothing tops that second gif. It is so beautiful. Also, both on a colour and typography and emotional level, this gifset of Five and Vanya just hits perfectly. The quote fits them so well and I’m such a sucker for gifsets that celebrate their sibling relationship, and I love it so much. 

last but not least, Tess has been a genuine joy to talk to and one of the most creative people I’ve ever seen on this site. Shoutout to their little Hargreeves Emoji Quotes creation that is SO cute, and their Five and Allison Quote sets, they look STUNNING and the bold colours and typography.....Tess, your talent!!!

some of your favorite content creators from the year: Legit, folks, I couldn’t pick a single creation by someone else to shout out, so I picked one or more of each of you, because you are all amazing and talented, so I wanted to pay you compliments. You have filled my dash with so much beauty and joy and you are all such inspirations. I wish you all a wonderful new year, @almondchestnut, @seance, @lilapittss, @evakant, @andyoudoctor, @diazalex, @zavens, @fivevanyaklaus, @lukehan, @ogaferoga, you all rock. Also if any of you haven’t done this tag (I have lost track) feel free to do it :)

another couple more creations of yours that you love:

my pair of Five character moments that I drenched in the same colouring: Five + sarcasm + coffee and Five moonlighting as the Commission assassin therapist

my Umbrella Academy Film Genre AUs: Horror Movie and Film Noir

Lost Hargreeves parallel gifset, because the last two gifs still make my heart clench

[seance]

2020 content creator tag

RULES: answer the questions and then tag 10+ other creators to answer the questions! 

finally got around to do this, terribly late i know and i’m sorry but i swear i wasn’t ignoring all the incredibly talented people who tagged me! thank you so so much for thinking of me guys ♡ probably lost some @ in the process cause my notifs are a mess. @goinesjennifer @juliesmolina @faeryglass @almondchestnut @olisgifs @andyoudoctor @yenvengerberg @iridescentides @juliesmolinas 

first creation and most recent creation of 2020: god, i already said this but giffing really became my #1 coping mechanism this year so i have a LOT of stuff just from this year. the first one is this THE WITCHER INTRO CARDS gifset and the most recent is actually my julie’s gifset from yesterday but i’m not satisfied with it so! i’m gonna say this KLAUS AND FIVE PARALLELS gifset instead.

one of your favorite creations from 2020: oof, this is super difficult because i get attached to most of my creations, even if they don’t come out as i initially hoped. i’ll go with this five gifset BIRDS HOVER THE TRAMPLED FIELD just because it’s a perfect example of a rare occurrence aka when both my inspiration and my vision and my skills align and i manage to create something exactly how i first imagined it. and also because i think there’s not better fitting poem for this man.

a creation you’re really proud of: i have a few but maybe this ODE TO NUMBER FIVE gifset just because i had a very specific vibe i wanted to give off and i think i managed alright with the colors, texture and design choices! and then i can’t not mention this YOU WERE ALWAYS GOLD TO ME gifset just because i literally poured all my heart into it. this song and these people mean so so much to me.

a new style you tried this year and a gifset that uses it: my style really evolved at the speed of light starting july and i still can’t believe the things i learned once i just let myself try. i keep having new ideas and trying really hard not to dismiss them and see if they work out, telling myself it’s okay if they don’t! i think this ALLISON HARGREEVES gifset basically has it all: the blending, the font work, the shape play. or even this JATP + BODIES OF WATER type of style, complex blending such as this one WILLEX SUPERSTAR is slowly becoming my trademark and i’m not mad about it, i love playing around with fonts like i did in this ALEXREGGIE gifset even if i know it gets really crowded and hard to read sometimes, or even with lines and block of colors like i did here JATP BORN FOR THIS, i finally got back to play around with textures JATP SCRAPBOOK and even JATP DISCOGRAPHY i also tried my hand at creating entire new “atmospheres” playing with specific visual choices like i did in the HARGREEVES AS PARANORMAL INVESTIGATORS set.

your favorite coloring: okay you guys know coloring is easily my favorite thing to do in the world and i’m usually pretty proud of every outcome because i remember how difficult it was for me, for years i thought i would never learn but i still did it, all by myself just keeping trying like a madwoman lmao basically all my the umbrella academy gifset are my pride and joy because did you see that show? how shitty the lighting is? gifmakers need a miracle every single time. so i’m gonna list a few that i still look at fondly ♥

THE SEVEN HARBINGERS OF THE APOCALYPSE

WILLIE AND CALEB 

YOU CAN SET YOURSELF FREE (HARGREEVES)

SEASON ONE FAVORITE EPISODE

ALWAYS GOLD TO ME

THE OLD GUARD + RICHARD SIKEN

a creation that took you forever: basically everything i do ahah just because one way or another i always get stuck on something for hours at end be it the fonts or the colors or the scene choices. but i’d say this STRONGER + HAGREEVES SIBLINGS gifset just because my inspiration went off and i decided i wanted to try a bunch of different techniques all at once and my brain didn’t let me rest until i did it all. to think it all started with just that “everyone will know me by a different name” line, oh my god.

your creation from 2020 that received the most notes: this VANYA + HER SIBLINGS LOVE gifset with 15.406 notes that i kinda hate because what’s up with that font? and the ugly coloring?! totally gonna remake this one because they deserve far better.

a creation you think deserved more notes: oh my god deep down i want to be selfish and say so many because that number never really match the effort i  put in most of my gifs but i’ve also learned not to get too bitter about that, few people rb it, even fewer people comment on it but those people are worth more than anyone else. if i had to chose i’d say either the ALWAYS GOLD TO ME set just because it means so much to me, this ALEXREGGIE set that was so fun to make and i love how the colors and the font work came out, this VANYA + EMPATHY set, and this SWEETIE LITTLE JEAN one.

a creation with a favorite scene/quote: i rarely do actual, canonical quotes and i never use just one scene gsjds- so i’ll go with this DIEGO + LOVE FOR HIS FAMILY one even if i don’t like the font and again ALEX&REGGIE being themselves.

a new fandom you joined and a creation you made for it: considering i was already the umbrella academy and the witcher obsessed i’d say the old guard (YOU KNOW ME WELL) and julie and the phantoms (FAVORITE FRIENDSHIP)

a creation you made that breaks your heart: oh, if you know me even one bit you also know i thrive on angsty feelings, they’re usually my main inspiration not gonna lie so choosing is not that simple! again, this KLAUS AND FIVE parallels gifset because of the sheer tragedy of their lives, this SWEETIE LITTLE JEAN five gifset, this KLAUS HARGREEVES one and this I WANNA BE NUMB AGAIN, this DEAR FORGIVENESS, YOUR BOOKER because this man is a walking tragedy (and this PIECES OF ME DIE ALL THE TIME too for good measure) and then this HARGREEVES SIBS + DAUGHTER gifset.

a ‘simple’ creation that you really love: i have brainworms and once i’ve learned how to do something i never manage to come back to the things i did before so i’ve rarely made “simpler” things lately. maybe this JATP + TIMES OF DAY still qualify.

a creation that was inspired by another one (add both your creation and the one that inspired it!): this FAVORITE JATP CHARACTERS with the circle text inspired by this gifset by the loml @evakant // this JATP ROLES with the triangles technique inspired by this work of art by @anya-chalotra and this WARRIOR JULIE set with the text layout inspired by a lovely gifset that now seems to be deleted :(

a favorite creation created by someone else: i love everything my mutuals make but there are some people who really pushed me to always learn more and their gifs are still my absolute favorite thing to date. for example: this THE OLD GUARD TAROTS set by @milkovivhs // this incredible HARGREEVES SIBLINGS one by @yenvengerberg // this GERALT OF RIVIA masterpiece by @anya-chalotra // this CROWLEY set by the queen of colors herself @meliorn

some of your favorite content creators from the year: really too many to count, my mutuals inspire me every single day, the keep my creativity alive and seeing their creations on my dash is always such a treat! so, all the above for sure and then: i‘m stupidly proud of @sunsetscurving i saw her grow into the giffing process with such speed and such vision, everything she does is so pretty, but all my mutuals are incredibly talented. they don’t do anything half-assed, everything they do perfectly mirrors their efforts! @captainheroism @emeraldphantoms @nora-reid @amandaseyfried @rockyblue @juliesmolina @juliesmolinas @lettersdeeplyworn @jakeperalta @kennyortegas @merceralexs @alexreggieluke @calebcovington @andyoudoctor @almondchestnut @iridescentides @number5theboy @evakant

 and for good measure, another a couple more creations of yours that you love: excluding all the above i’ll go with

JATP FAVORITE QUOTE  

HARGREEVES AS GREEK DEITIES 

YOU ARE HERE TO RISK YOUR HEART

THE JATP GEMSTONE SERIES x / x

SOBRIETY IS OVERRATED

AMOR C’HA NULLO AMATO

IF MEMORIES COULD BLEED

this took me so long that everyone else already did it before me so i don’t think i can tag anyone, if you’re reading this and feel like doing it please feel free!

[casebasket]

The Mystrade Treatise

I am long, long out of the Sherlock fandom, but I still have a soft spot for mystrade after ~ 7 odd years (the only thing I really cared about in the show), so when a friend asked about mystrade I hit them with a spontaneous 2000 word block of text. I thought I’d share it as an homage to the still quietly existing community of mystrade shippers out there. Basically, in this essay I will argue for my interpretation of how the BBC TV show Sherlock (2012) establishes an implied relationship between Mycroft, (The Government) and Lestrade (The Force) in the subtext. This analysis will be broken down to two parts: 1) show chronology / their history and 2) their compatibility, which can be further split into 2a) personalities and 2b) external circumstances. 

(The beginning is the only formal(ish) part of - I’m calling it a treatise -, the rest of the piece is written in “I typed it all in messenger app” style. This all came out off the top of my head, so if you think I’m missing something I’m open to the callout)

TL;DR: I’m still mystrade trash and I’m pulling the receipts on mystrade canon

1) Their history - it's clear they know each other and are in communication with each other since the very beginning - and very likely even before - the events of the show. Just a show tidbit, the ending of the pilot episode has Lestrade watch John and Sherlock walk away happily staring into each other's eyes and tell Donovan about their potential as partners, whereas the actual first episode replaces him with Mycroft talking to his assistant Anthea, which shows their character parallels. In one aspect, their role as "aggravated older guardian" is a shared one and one that - rationally, but in fanon - allows them to commiserate with other another. Also, Mycroft kidnaps John in his very first day of him meeting Sherlock, so reasonable to conclude he did the same to Lestrade, so they've clearly met. And, I believe it's canon that Lestrade helped Sherlock with his drug problem, so he's clearly run into Mycroft, whether it's because his brother's OD'd or found with possession or whatever whatever. The possibilities are endless.

We have hints of them knowing each other throughout the show - in season 2 episode 2 the Hound of Baskerville (I am surprised and appalled I know this off by heart instead of more important things), the duo meets Lestrade in a tavern where he's clearly back from holiday and when Sherlock eggs him by basically calling him Mycroft's lackey, he, aggrieved, says "I don't just do what your brother tells me", which is a line I still unfortunately remember over 5 years later, and that is the first precedent set in canon that they clearly communicate. We can interpret this line, given the circumstances, that Mycroft asked him to cut his vacation short to go check up on his brother, and Lestrade, being whipped, was like fine.

This is mere speculation, but in that mini episode, Many Happy Returns, Lestrade is listening to Anderson go on about his conspiracy theories on how Sherlock is still alive, and at the end of it he passes a newspaper article about Sherlock, and he smiles at it like he KNOWS he's still alive somewhere even though he just walked out calling Anderson on his bullshit and dismissing his theories, and I like to interpret that as Mycroft told him Sherlock's still alive. Plus, when Sherlock greets him after his two year absence, the way Lestrade reacts is less “am I seeing a ghost because you’re supposed to be dead” and more “you’re finally back I already know you were alive because my boyfriend Mycroft told me”. 

The first time we see them in frame together (in the mystrade community this is famously known as the 29 frames moment because they only showed up for - 29 frames, like 2 seconds) was in season 3 episode 3, where Sherlock goes missing and everyone looks for him in the hidey holes they know of. Lestrade is seen in Mycroft's office while Mycroft tells him about potential hiding spots. Honestly he did look hella dismissive and rude but you know what? Everyone was stressed. But this shows not only is Lestrade trusted in his secret government offices - and likely this was the secret one because it looked like a cellar - but he trusts Lestrade implicitly. When Sherlock is about to leave on a plane, Lestrade's in a pub watching the TV screen when Moriarty's face is all over it and the very next scene we see Mycroft on the phone with someone getting the news that this was happening. Coincidence? I think NOT - Lestrade called up Mycroft and told him, CANON.

And then there's the Christmas special or whatever it was, about the abominable bride, and yes, this one is set in Sherlock's drug fevered mind, but that only means that, in Sherlock's mind, he sees the two of them as a set (Sherlock ships it confirmed lol). During the whole episode when we see the canon versions of Mycroft and Lestrade they are together as a unit. When John leaves him, Sherlock's mind goes to the most reliable thing in his life to help him, which is his brother (and his brother's boyfriend) and his friend Lestrade to help him, together. Sherlock asks the two of them to help him dig up a body and they share a Look, which is clearly Mycroft's way of asking Lestrade to do the dirty work of actually digging and Lestrade resignedly concedes because there is no other way to analyse the Look, and in the next scene we see Sherlock and Lestrade digging in a grave while Mycroft holds up a lantern because Mycroft doesn't like legwork and Lestrade, clearly his boyfriend in Sherlock's mind, understands this and is willing to accommodate.

And then we have the whole of S4, or as I like to call it, Johnlock hell but mystrade victories!, because in s4e1 when Mary is shot in the aquarium, the first person they look at is each other, indicating they take some level of comfort or seek it out from one another in a room full of other people, also the two of them arrived together so they clearly coordinated, also when the gun was lifted Mycroft looks shocked and steps back a bit while Lestrade moves forward in a “ready to step in” protective gesture, and this all happened in the same frame, and there are gifsets of this happening, and everyone was quietly screaming (Johnlockers in pain, mystrade shippers in "look at them sharing a frame together look at these scraps we're getting"). In the second ep we don't see them together but we do see Mycroft getting hit on by Lady Smallwood and he looks hella uncomfortable about it, while Lestrade is talking with another detective and Sherlock shoots him down telling him she's not the one (because clearly we all know who is the one and Sherlock knows it's his brother).

Oh yeah also jumping back to S3, Mycroft is saying no one can match him and he sees everyone as goldfish but Sherlock is like oh really and was lowkey concerned about him and that's how the mystrade fandom got this whole goldfish thing and it's adorable (special shout out to duchessclovery ‘s masterful fanvid romcom series A Fish Called Greg), and in the wedding ep Sherlock calls Mycroft to attend the wedding but he refuses, and Sherlock says "specter in the feast" to entice him and I like to interpret that as him lowkey jabbing him with a *in*spector in the feast because Lestrade was there looking tired and lonely throughout the whole ep lmaaaaaaaaaaaaao.

Anyway back to S4E2, Mycroft is getting hit on, Lestrade is the most tired we've ever seen him, Sherlock is trying to waive off Lestrade's suitors to save him for his brother. Why is Lestrade so tired? Yes, he's questioning a suspect or something, but also! maybe it's related to his love interest getting hit on, who knows???? And lastly, the last ep of S4, the golden era of mystrade, at the very end of the episode after we've seen Mycroft at his most vulnerable, Sherlock asks Lestrade to "take care of him (Mycroft). he's not as strong as he seems". This was an explicit request by Sherlock, addressing Lestrade correctly for the first time, to take care of his brother, and Lestrade says yes. Of course I will. S4 ended with the promise of the him taking care of Mycroft and honestly I don't care about the entire episode except that part

 2)    A: their personalities: so, Mycroft, as his colleagues know him, is ~ the ice man ~. He's hard to know, even harder and more stubborn and isolated than his brother, and on top of that he's like, contractually obligated under his top secret government job to not be known. That makes him, and this is canon as Sherlock discussed his loneliness with him in S3, even more lonely than his brother, and probably, as much as he likes to think himself more accommodating than his brother and he can definitely pretend for the sake of appearances, more difficult to deal with than Sherlock if he really sets his mind to it. But he's not a complete block of ice - after all, ice can melt - and he has soft spots for his family, esp. his unruly little brother, and by extension (maybe more necessity than real care, but still) the people his brother affiliates with. Because Sherlock is so tricky to deal with, I believe he has a soft spot for people who share that softness for his spiky sibling, and no one cares for Sherlock as he does except for Mrs Hudson, John, and Lestrade. Lestrade's done it for even longer than John, and in the show plays a somewhat paternal figure to Sherlock despite him causing him even more stress sometimes than solving cases for him would relieve. Lestrade is shown to drop everything to help Sherlock when he needs it, and is considered one of his best friends when Moriarty put a sniper on each of Sherlock's closest acquaintances (Lestrade was a target). Lestrade always saw the good in Sherlock despite everything, and believed he could be great. Very few sees the same potential, or shows that level of kindness for - lets be honest here - someone we would want to kick in real life. Lestrade's kindness and patience, enough to deal with Sherlock, surely can be extended to involve Mycroft, as Mycroft's protectiveness extends somewhat to Sherlock's friends.

And this is not a one way street of just Lestrade being kind and accepting. The people Sherlock surrounds himself with appear dull, and have "normal" lives, but secretly either have a florid past (Mrs Hudson) (and her present with the race car and her quick thinking when the flat gets ransacked) and/or crave adventure and danger and intrigue (John) (Molly). Lestrade is the probably the same. He seems aggravated by Sherlock but still like him a whole lot and truly care for him, and you don't go into policing if not for some kind of excitement. He has a failed marriage with his wife who boringly cheated on him with a PE teacher, like how predictable and cliche, and they broke up. Lestrade is loyal, and he wants to fix things, but in the end it doesn't work out. The show doesn't really tell us why, but given what we know of his work and his habits, he probably spends way too much time on the job and in part, neglected his home life. That isn't to say the cheating his wife did can be condoned, nor was it justified, but it does tell us that Lestrade is a workaholic who craves excitement and adventure which explains his attachment to Sherlock. Who else can match that with him in a relationship? Another workaholic who surrounds himself in government intrigue and MI6 bullshit cloak and daggers who also share a soft spot for the most annoying detective consultant, of course!!! For all we know from the show, Mycroft is Lestrade's one constant relationship outside of work. Their common interest is keeping their shared loved ones safe. Beyond that, even though Mycroft feels bored by everyone because "no one is as smart as i, hohoho", Sherlock used to be the same but he found John. We see Lestrade able to hold his own against Sherlock sometimes too, and he is a detective inspector, so as much as Sherlock likes to call him dumb we know that Lestrade's actually pretty smart. If he can hold up his own against Sherlock, he can hold up his own against Mycroft. Mycroft needs someone with the patience to go through all his bullshit, and Lestrade needs someone smart and interesting and protective, because as a protector himself sometimes you forget you need someone to protect you in turn. And that is basically their whole thing - two fierce guardians, trying to protect the world, finding they also need protection, and finding it in each other (end of season 4). Also there's this scene where Lestrade is sitting by his desk with his feet propped up while he eats a donut and says "not my division" which looks exactly like this scene where Mycroft is sitting by his desk with his feet propped up looking smug, or as the mystrade shippers like to call it, "boyfriends picking up each other's behaviours". Essentially, the johnlock relationship sort of parallels the mystrade relationship in that we have a smartass, spiky, secretly vulnerable one paired with a badass, patient, relatively more sunny one. But more mature. And also preferable. The two of them share some kind of relationship that has reached the point of nonverbal understanding, as we can see in their quiet glances towards each other during the few times we see them on screen together, that requires a level of trust and time. 

2)     B: compatibility in external circumstances - this is a short one, it's mostly that they're both workaholics who needs someone to understand their unpredictable work schedules, and also how minimal their social life can get being a) married to work and b) work can be classified and you can't tell anyone about your case files / government coverups. No one could understand the need for secrecy and getting up in the middle of the night for a case/subterfuge than Mycroft and Lestrade, as their career roles work in tangent with each other. And they share (1) chaotic child between the two of them, so they just. get it when one receives a call telling them to fish this loud annoying bitey man child out of the Thames. Their jobs get in the way of establishing close relationships, so who better to relate to than another who live the same kind of life and can understand?

[dramaticviolincrescendo]

Ian and Monica vs. Yevgeny and Svetlana

That’s right. I’m going to do a meta post. Because this fantastic gifset from @sickness-health-all-that-shit got me thinking about something from a different angle. I’m not sure if this has been noted in the fandom before since I’m still relatively new compared to the Shameless veterans, so sorry in advance if this has been talked about to death. 

From the time Ian returns in season four through the last occasion when we see him with Yevgeny in season six, it’s pretty clear that he loves that kid almost as much as Svetlana does and far more than Mickey seems to. Obviously, Mickey has a lot of justifiable reasons for not feeling particularly paternal towards Yevgeny that I won’t get into here, and we do see a bit of a shift in the police station on that front for the first time. However, the fact of the matter is that Ian is more of a father to Yevgeny than Mickey--even Svetlana mentions his help when she’s talking to Kev. In my meta-viewing rounds, I’ve seen a lot about how Yevgeny’s relation to Mickey and Ian being just a genuinely kind, compassionate person play a huge role here. I agree. There is, however, an enormous parallel with his own upbringing that I want to explore at length, and since writing is kind of my medium, I figured I’d do it here. (Again, if this has been talked about before, please continue scrolling and have a wonderful day! :D )

Ian has mommy issues. 

Ian also has daddy issues. 

There. I said it. 

All the Gallagher kids have issues with Frank and Monica, and we see them “act out” throughout the series in ways that would indicate that they suffer from a level of trauma strongly associated with their parents. For now, let’s focus on Ian’s since he’s who this post is ultimately about. 

Frank:

Unlike the rest of the Gallagher siblings, we don’t really see much happening directly between Frank and Ian without the rest of the family involved in the first four seasons prior to Ian meeting Yevgeny. To my knowledge, all they really have is a brief deleted scene conversation and Frank offering “advice” when Ian is trying to warn him that Mickey is upset. Their other interactions tend to be more negative, with Frank beating on Ian or Ian joining the rest of his siblings in getting Frank out of the house. At the end of the first season, he even finds out that Frank isn’t actually his biological father. His speech to Lip and behavior for the rest of the series seem to indicate that it doesn’t matter to him and he still considers Frank his father regardless, but that was a heck of a smack to the face when he was already growing up with Frank’s special brand of manipulation and neglect. 

So, where does that lead him? Places where a child his age shouldn’t have been. Interacting with much older men who preyed on him rather than trying to find him help or just staying away. They had an aura of stability that we have seen time and again is what Ian craves, through ROTC and West Point and these relationships with people who seemingly have their shit together. (In reality, we all know it’s a facade. Kash and Ned absolutely do not have their shit together, and Ian’s demeanor around them visibly shifts when he finally sees that with Kash shooting Mickey and Ned’s family falling apart.) As with Frank, he is willing and able to let them go when he realizes that they are more of the same: another deadbeat. 

Now, let’s table that and come back to it in a moment. 

Monica:

Ian’s relationship with Monica clearly has a greater impact on him throughout the series in more ways than merely their shared bipolar situations. She’s the only biological parent he has, and she’s definitely the only parent that has shown him any real affection from what we’ve seen. (Until the wedding. I’ll give Frank a few karma points for not causing trouble and being happy for Ian.) Monica loves him--he knows that. Unfortunately, he also knows that that love is not enough to keep her around or make her a better mother to any of her children. If anything, the combination of her affection, his grudging love for her, and her disorder render any efforts she does make counterproductive. For example, Frank has never engaged with Ian’s dreams of becoming a soldier, but when Monica finds out that that is his goal and that he’s upset about not having the grades for West Point, she hauls him right over to the recruitment office. To her, it’s an act of adoration. Everybody else knows it’s insane: Ian was underage and shouldn’t have been anywhere near there. Just like he shouldn’t have been anywhere near clubs, being objectified. Monica wasn’t being malicious. She seriously thought that she was doing what was best for him in her own way. Her own way just happened to be really messed up. To a large extent, it seems like Ian recognizes this fairly early on until he gets sick and doesn’t know who to turn to.

Rather than write her off the way he does Frank, however, Ian stays in touch with her behind his siblings’ backs. He knows she isn’t a good influence and that they would be appalled if he told them that they still talk. But he cares. She’s important to him. Fiona is fantastic, but she’s his sister. This is his mother, who obviously loves him even at her worst. He can’t let that go. He has to cling to that one parent in the same way that the others cling to Frank at various points in the earlier seasons before he burns their final bridges at one moment or another. 

Character Foils: Yevgeny, Svetlana, and Mickey

I think Ian’s relationship with his parents is a huge reason for why Ian behaves the way he does with Yevgeny in part based on the timing. It doesn’t begin when he moves into the Milkovich house. It doesn’t start with the obligation if he is going to live with Mickey since Svetlana isn’t going anywhere. Even though his discomfort over Mickey going to the baptism surfaces afterward, Ian starts actively trying to take care of Yevgeny the same day he sees that baby. Why bother? He hasn’t shown any concern for Svetlana before. He even sarcastically congratulated Mickey when they found out she was in labor without actually pushing for either of them to be there. Why does he decide at that moment to get involved, knowing that Mickey wouldn’t be happy about it and that Svetlana wouldn’t accept the charity from him, of all people? 

Well, because it’s a painfully similar situation to what he’s accustomed to, isn’t it? 

Mickey left home, just like Frank. (I’m not saying he didn’t have a good reason: he had a lot of trauma to endure that Frank didn’t. Frank not wanting kids has nothing on what Mickey went through to wind up here.) He didn’t want a baby. He didn’t want to be a father. He is just chilling at the Gallaghers’ house, both of them pretending that things are the way they used to be because the changes aren’t right in front of their faces anymore. When Svetlana walks through the front door looking for him not because they’re married, but because of the baby? When Mickey doesn’t care? Regardless of the reasons, that has to look familiar to Ian in practice. 

Svetlana gives a shit. She’s willing to threaten Mickey with something that could end his life (if Terry were so inclined) if he doesn’t step up to support their child. Again, she’s not asking him at that point to be a husband. She doesn’t ask him to move back in, and when she does later, there’s no reason to believe that Ian knows about it since he wasn’t there. For her, it comes down to love for her child as far as Ian is concerned. She’s got problems--there’s no denying that. But she loves her kid more than anything. She comes to find Mickey for the first time looking frazzled because their kid needs things. When Ian needed to feel better about Mickey going to juvie, Monica was there. When Ian needed to be comforted about his future, Monica was there. By that point, Monica was even there for him when he went into a severe manic episode, ran away from the army, got kicked out of Ned’s condo, and had nowhere else to go. She didn’t stick around, as Monica’s MO tends to dictate, but she was there when he was in need and was gone when he reached a state of what she would define as stability. (We know he wasn’t stable. Dear heavens, he was so not stable.)

It’s not Yevgeny’s fault that his parents are kind of a shitshow (courtesy of Terry, of course), just like it wasn’t Ian’s fault that Frank and Monica were the same. Yevgeny was born into an awful situation he can’t control. Ian must understand that better than almost anybody. By this time, his older siblings have found a sense of control over their lives while Ian’s whole world is bouncing up and down around him, spinning too fast for him to keep up. 

Ian has something that Yevgeny doesn’t: experience. This kid is just getting started, but Ian has already been there. He’s grown up with a dad that doesn’t want him and a mother who loves him, although his own mother didn’t stick around the way Svetlana did. Then again, Ian barely knew Svetlana beyond her occupation, so for all he knew, even that wouldn’t last. Maybe she would go the same way as Monica. 

Nobody would have wanted that for Ian, and it only makes sense that he wouldn’t want it for Yevgeny.

So, he steps up right away. He doesn’t have time to go through the mental process of coming to terms with the fact that this is Mickey’s kid and how he’s going to need stability. That much is obvious when he questions why Mickey is going to the baptism only to be told, “He’s my son, man.” It clearly hadn’t registered for him entirely, they’d been so encapsulated in the bubble they’d built for themselves when Ian came home. 

Tl;dr - That gut-instinct to act? That immediate response to seeing--not hearing--that Yevgeny needed things that parents were supposed to provide for their children? Ian is such a kind-hearted person that I don’t put it past him for an instant to do what he could, but I think his own upbringing played a large role in the decision. He wasn’t looking for praise or to get Svetlana off of Mickey’s back. He saw a newborn baby who was in danger of growing up with a father who didn’t want him and a mother who loved him but perhaps not enough to save him someday. 

Just like Ian. 

[petekaos]

Okay I gotta be honest I know next to nothing about Mek and Victor so sweetest MekVic moments, go!

hiii nonnie! well... as dawnie @pangwave said when i told them about this ask, you have awoken the beast. this is just going to be a huge infodump about mek and victor, i apologise deeply in advance. 

so mek and victor have known each other and been friends for ten years, as evidenced by this tweet here! they’ve been in a fair amount of series together, usually at each other’s throats in some way or another lmao, like in room alone, ugly duckling, u-prince (they weren’t together in their eps but they did promos etc together), a gift for whom you hate, of course the gifted & the gifted graduation. 

but really, they’re just very sweet best friends in real life? mek teases victor about his relationship with piglet and loves both of them a lot, and you can see that in this tweet, where he says they’re well suited to one another - both cute and annoying :’) victor and mek are also part of the same big friend circle together that features mook (mek’s sister) and piglet and a couple of other gmmtv actors! so there’s a lot of convos happening between all of them on twitter and whatnot. also they’re just so incredibly supportive of one another, too! one of my favourite instances is the 10fightseason2 boxing match where victor took part and won - mek (and piglet, of course) was on his feet in the first row cheering loudly the entire time. here is a fun gifset of that, just because! also, victor goes to a lot of mek’s events and takes pictures with him which is adorable. they always take pictures together too!

here’s victor at #1stdatewith2m which was a mekmook sibling event, he tagged along and it was very sweet! they also had a couple of goofy moments i giffed and are in my drafts, i’ll add the link when i post it!

here’s victor at mek’s event holding some flowers! they are so sweet :( i have a couple of other pictures from this event that i’ll also get around to posting but this one was the fondest, they look so happy :’)

i still don’t know why they took these pictures for gmmtv2021 together... unless gmmtv is trying to tell us something and we get a mekvictor series in 2021 lmao yes i am clowning!

also, they are just such goofballs and sweeties to each other. i remember ugly duckling bts when mek and mild’s characters were having a romantic moment and when victor was teasing them with a little self-made loudspeaker. or their shenanigans here in fiat’s vlog! also any kind of live they do together to promote shows is a whooooole mess, they just... radiate such chaotic energy it’s wild. let’s not forget this picture they taunted us with after a heartbreaking episode in regards to chanonpom in the gifted graduation.

they didn’t have to be like this... and Yet.

furthermore! we have them either embarrassing each other or being sweet to one another on twitter. like this tweet:

maybe it’s simply also because they’ve been in a lot of dramas together, but it’s super sweet of him!

or this tweet, where mek talks about his most beloved friends of whom he’s also in their top 10, i believe (am relying on online translations here lmao) but victor’s one of them! 

and we have victor’s response here, which translates to: “we’re telling each other we love each other through tweets already?”

or how about the “strike first, strike hard, no mercy” saga? in which mek and victor say that to each other on twitter to the point where mek has internalised that enough to get a t-shirt with that slogan on it lmao. how about that time when someone talked about chanonpom and mek quote-retweeted a fan talking about chanonpom during the first season of the gifted telling victor they’ll meet at y afterwards? (y series = “bl” series lmao) also fond instances of mek @-ing victor in everything chinese-related. 

they are just very sweet best friends! i love watching their antics, together or not, and everything they do is filled with chaos. 

i leave you now with some pictures of my favourite boys!

the best boys featuring the best girl! i love mek’s blond hair, it’s no surprise, and while i have literally no clue why he also has his hand on the mic here, it’s a lovely picture with my three faves.

SORRY FOR BRINGING THIS BACK mek and also the gifted gays gc who have to suffer through my mekvictor infodumps... i just.... i will never get over this picture. so many questions. what is this event for? what is the dress code? was victor invited in the first place or did mek just bring him along? why is mek dressed like snape? why is victor dressed like a normie he is LITERALLY in SWEATPANTS??

it’s no surprise to anyone that i love this picture... i’ll spare you my thoughts on it but just know that it’s up there as one of my all time favourite mekvic pictures.

and i’ll leave you this one. love this one so much! mek’s ponytail and glasses and his victor-like flannel ft. victor not being whitewashed :’) 

anyway i love these two with my whole heart! if you read until the end of this then ily fhsnfh and i hope you’re well nonnie!!

[cuddlemonsterdean]

A little Supernatural question, fill-out, thing! Pop the questions into a text post and answer for yourself if you want!

1. When did you start watching Supernatural?

October 2012, when season 8 was airing, and right around the time everything in my life was taking a serious nose-dive that was about to get much worse. honestly if i hadn’t found it then, i don’t know if i’d still be here at all.

i didn’t even have an account yet so i was browsing someone’s blog that had stuff from all kinds of fandoms on it. around that time i had been lurking in the batman fandom for a bit but it wasn’t really doing it for me so i was looking for something new to obess over. i kept seeing gifsets and stuff from spn, so i thought i’d give it a go. the first ep i watched was Lazarus Rising, and within not even 10 minutes i knew that this was it

2. Who is your favorite in TFW? 

I just love dean so much - he means everything to me. he’s taught me so much, he makes me happy, he inspires me. he makes me be brave when i don’t wanna be

3. Who is your least favorite in TFW? 

that’s a weird question??? i might not blog about them as much but i don’t dislike sam or cas. honestly it makes me sad when people (as in, fans) try to pitch tfw against each other

4. Tag your top 5 Supernatural blogs! 

i don’t follow a whole lot of people because i’m cautious of wank and stan wars and such but i love having @postmodernmulticoloredcloak @wigglebox @jensensitive @dotthings @occamshipper @mittensmorgul @deathswaywardson and @softcuddlydean on my dash :) (...that’s eight already. and i probably forgot someone. i’m not good with numbers okay!! o(>.<)o)

5. Who is your favorite character (not including TFW)?

it’s so hard to pick one but - Donna!!! i love her so much, she’s so upbeat and fun too watch but she has depth too and layers and i’ve really enjoyed how they’ve developed her as a character. i kind of look up to her :)

6. Who is your favorite woman in Supernatural? 

basically the same as above but - honestly all of the women are awesome

7. John or Mary? 

i don’t like this vs trend but Mary. maybe she’s difficult to love, but i personally really appreciate the decisions they made regarding her character and her character development, that she wasn’t this perfect mother dean remembered. i’ve never, ever, been able to relate to a mother child dynamic on tv before mary and dean. oftentimes mothers are portrayed as either perfect or evil, and to see this struggle, this gray area - it meant a lot to me, it was really powerful. i in general appreciate the message that it’s possible to both love and hate your parents at the same time, and that it’s something that’s just allowed to be that way

8. What were your first opinions of Sam, Dean, Cas, and Jack? 

i honestly don’t really remember. it’s also difficult because i already had half a foot in fandom and was also watching season 8 while it aired while also playing catch up on season 1-7 at the same time. with jack, i remember that i really appreciated alexander calvert’s acting choices, because he did this blend of innocent and ominous/threatening so well

9. What’s your favorite season? 

if you’d asked me this during season 13, i’d have said season 13, but now it’s definitely season 14 (for now, since 15 just started airing). the michael storyline was like my favorite ever (and inspired my to write what i think is, so far, my best deancas longfic), but also overall the season was so neat and fascinating thematically

10. What’s your least favorite season? 

i don’t really have one, though i’d say while rewatching the entire show over the summer i found season 6 the hardest to get through. not even because of everything that goes down with cas but like - the one and only good thing that happens to team free will there was getting sam’s soul back, and even that had painful repercussions. there is some really interesting stuff in there, but overall it was hard to watch

11. Opinions on Destiel? 

it’s canon. like - if someone tries to tell me it’s not i have to assume they’re being willfully ignorant on the subject (of course it’s perfectly fine not to ship it and stuff but arguing its very existence is kind of ridiculous at this point)

12. Do you believe Supernatural queerbaits? 

no. honestly i kind of feel like that word gets thrown around so quickly and so frequently people have forgotten what queerbaiting actually is and what it is not, and that’s done some serious damage

13. Seasons 1-7 or 8-14?

again with the vs thing but - 8-14. dean and sam finally have a bigger family and an actual home, that alone always makes me gravitate more to the later seasons

14. Favorite villain (plot wise)? 

Michael (big surprise XD). i enjoyed him so much, especially since he foreshadows what dean’s going through in regards to chuck/god rn

15. Do you think they should end the Lucifer plot line? 

don’t know when this questionaire was made - i think it’s over, and they did well with it

16. Who do you think has gone through more trauma (Sam, Dean, or Cas)? 

honestly, i think with trauma, we shouldn’t compare it like that. they’ve all been traumatized repeatedly - sometimes in similiar ways, but even then everyone reacts differently. it’s not fair to do comparisons, and it doesn’t help either

17. What’s your favorite Supernatural episode? 

i used to say i’m married to The Executioner’s Song, then Tombstone aired and i had the time of my life, and then Nihilism aired - and that ep was like everything i’ve ever wanted. i bet @postmodernmulticoloredcloak can still remember me spamming them via text while watching - which took me like two hours because i kept screaming about everything basically XD

18. Do you like case episodes? 

i love them

19. Who do you relate most to in TFW? 

dean. for all the reasons i already stated in 2., but also i’m the oldest daughter and had to protect my younger siblings as a kid (domestic violence situation, among other things). my younger “sister” and i weren’t blood related but i would have died for her, she meant everything to me. plus, dean’s really emotional but has a lot of protective walls that he needs to survive, and i can relate to that as well

20. Why do you like Supernatural? 

too many reasons to list them all. there’s dean, there’s the whole found family trope. the complexity of the characters and their dynamics, the deeply psychological themes than run through the entire narrative. i think you can really tell that the people - actors, writers, directors, crew - really love making the show, and put a lot of effort into it. it’s not a “perfect” show (which doesn’t exist anyway) but it’s made with love. plus we got this amazing cast that cares so much and gives so much, and it really makes you feel less alone, makes you feel seen and heard even if you never meet any of them face to face. it’s genuine, and it’s rare, and i cherish it, just like the show

21. If you could bring back one character and kill off another who would they be? 

hm, i genuinely can’t think of anyone i’d kill off rn. who i’d bring back - benny was awesome and i miss him. also eileen, but apparently we will see her again in some way, so there’s that :)

@wigglebox i did this because you said you’re tagging everyone who wants to do this, so now i’m stealing your move and saying the same! ;D

[tinkdw]

14x06: Toxic Love v Healthy Love

14x06 watching notes.

This episode we see our Cas stand-in (Jack) team up with Dean and ask him to explain what love is, with Dean explaining that he very much does know the difference between healthy romantic love and toxic romantic love (exposed this episode with the zombie boyfriend “don’t leave me, it’s better you be dead and stuck with me than leave to live your life” storyline which I’m sure has no correlation to Dean and Cas coming up where they may be separated but let each other go, I’m side eyeing you 14x08). With Yockey emphasising that the lesson he himself exposed last season of sibling toxic love (the witch sisters) has also been learned as Dean and Sam exhibit perfectly healthy, open, communicative sibling love. 

And I mean...  mirrors...if we get any more mirrors Dabb’s going to have to open up a funhouse on set.

- So the episode opens with a Cas visual reminder with Harper wearing a beige coat before she changes after that job of “remember Cas in this episode” is done into her *warning sign* red clothing. Beige trenchcoats in Vancouver are clearly in limited supply after SPN has decided to dress everyone in one for the Cas effect. Get yours now.

- “Mary and Bobby’s" well, that didn’t take long to be an established thing.

- To Jack nothing tastes right without his powers whereas to Cas nothing tastes right with his powers >....>

My theory as a firm endgame human!cas meta writer with the later addition that Jack is a mirror exposition of each of TFW’s arcs that Jack gets his power back because he wants and chooses it as a part of his identity and Cas decides to be human in opposition because of his own choices and identity feels like it’s being fed here. Excellent.

- Sam smiling at the fidget spinner gives me feels of a positive goof nature

- Jack feels guilty for not killing Michael while Dean feels guilty for enabling Michael and I have feels about them understanding each others’ guilt and not pushing each other to get over it but just being supportive.

- Sam and Dean COMMUNICATING! MARK THE CALENDAR! Dean knows Sam won’t be particularly happy about him taking Jack hunting but he doesn’t hide it, he calls Sam and lets him know. Sam in turn doesn’t forbid it but shows he is not happy with it. COMMUNICATION. Taking into account each others’ judgement but not stifling each other. I’m living. This is what I was saying about the toxic sibling relationship v healthy sibling relationship in my opener. Steve clearly has big feels about this just as we do and wow he’s done an amazing job at firstly highlighting it with mirrors and metaphors then slamming it home with text... side eyes all the current metaphors and mirrors being highlighted for *other themes*.

More under the cut...

- Lol @ the barn behind Dean in the diner while Jack fills in the Cas visual gap.

- Wait did they even explain where was Cas is?! Nope. Yockey didn’t even bother cos he knows how stupid anything will sound lmao. *Cas is *throws dart** is about right here lbr.

- Chuck Berry as Dean and Jack’s pseudos. I love it.

- DEAN TURNING THE COCK AWAY WHILE TALKING ABOUT SEX I CANNOT. WHERE ARE THE GIFSETS?! I NEED GIFSETS! I WILL REBLOG ALL THE GIFSETS! it literally goes from talking about courting, dating and specifically sex and dean gets awkward and turns away the cock. I MEAN. This ain’t even SUBTLE.

- Are we supposed to see the two women they interview as a couple, I’m not sure. 

- Charlie’s story is A. sad AF B. Political AF. C. Super thematic to the show. She worked at Richard Enterprises as a nice callback to show Yockey knows his canon on OG Charlie, then her story is full of fanfic tropes an ultimately death. Now, I hate kill your gays as much as anyone but I don’t think this is what Steve’s doing here, he literally can’t have her gf alive here. Now could Charlie go off to find her in this world? That would be brilliant.

- Did dean just call sam Thelma lol

- So Jack says he has no understanding of romance despite seeing Dean and Cas doing “googly eyes” each other to death and saying he knows this means someone loves you. 

x

So Jack is the one who doesn’t know as the Destiel romance GA stand in where they figure it out but so does he so they don’t feel stupid as there’s someone on screen who’s like oooooooh I see now! So Sam can have the role of “I knew all along I just didn’t want to force you out of your comfort zone or get involved in things that don’t concern me” just as he did with Mary/Bobby last episode and which explains all his “strictly into Dick” “maybe you’re overcompensating” “because it’s Cas” lines from previously. Brilliant. Please continue.

- “Old man” good cop bad cop with sass. Jack, I love you.

- Jack doing all the OG Hunter tricks I love it. Again Yockey telling us he knows canon and knows what he’s fucking doing. Good lad.

- Sam: “people need people, we’re social animals”. Yockey and Dabb laying down what BS it is that Sam and Dean want to be alone just the two of them nearly every episode now is just the best. Sam wants people around him, now imo he’s not necessarily telling Charlie she should stay a hunter, just that it would be a real shame for her to ostracise herself on top of a mountain with wifi all alone. He gets that, he gets the escapism after all the trauma but he wants to help her and thinks she would be better off surrounded by others, my family and friends and he’s offering this to her and well, he knows this is what helps from his own experience. He’s living this change and seeing the benefits for himself. Just. So much yes.

- I also love that Charlie’s personality is part similar to ours but also part totally different because she’s not the same. Good, thank you Yockey. She’s not a replacement for our Charlie. No matter how hard Bucklemming may try and think they “fixed” her original death. She ain’t our Charlie and they haven’t fixed it. We are grateful to have some semblance of her but you are not forgiven for your complete lack of credibility, writing skills and total problematic behaviour regarding both her and all the other things you’ve done just by giving us an AU version of Charlie. 

- So Harper is evil, quelle surprise. She exposes a codependent and unhealthily toxic relationship where she preferred to kill her boyfriend and tie him to her, having him literally kill and eat others rather than just let him go and live his life. So, I will write a separate post about this because I think it is the theme of the episode but this heavily reminds me of Yockey’s witch sisters being a dark Sam and Dean mirror of toxic sibling love last seasons, emphasising their choice to be toxic or healthy, with them now exhibiting all the healthy and rejecting the toxic behaviours. 

So who is Harper and her boyfriend a dark romantic love mirror of now then with them potentially soon to choose a healthy route instead in direct opposition and one of them letting the other go, hmmmm I wonder...

x  Just getting this gif out again cos well I’m sorry but Cas wasn’t even in this episode or last or last last yet he’s all over them with not just human!Cas stuff here but also all the Destiel like wow... it’s impressive tbh.

- Meanwhile Dean is dishing out healthy relationship advice. Again this feels relevant to Cas’ recent admittal to Nick that he had to “eat” someone to live in a way ie possess Jimmy for his body. This feels even more like a metaphor for his giving up his grace and exposing Cas again as not this but having his own body now created by Chuck just as everyone else does. Just in case people want to continue to use this argument against him and Destiel with the necrophilia rubbish which is already totally disproved but again rears its head in a “clearly this is not the same as that” way with actual dark mirror necrophiliac toxic love going on.

- Okay so we have more blatant overt textualised metaphors with the word “metaphor” in the text with Charlie v the big fly. They really are hammering home the concept of “pay attention to metaphors and mirrors people” this season. Wowzers.

- Next week’s promo also gives us another mirror with Jack driving the impala and telling Dean “it’s like I’m you!” “no it isn’t”. Honestly, is this a memo that they have to do this every episode because I approve. Knock that memo home.

- I would also like to point out as @margarittet reminded me, the queer story in this episode (Charlie x her girlfriend) is beautiful and positive though tragic due to outside circumstances and the heterosexual story is toxic and gross with codependency, necrophilia and murder by Harper’s own choice. This isn’t to say it’s anti hetero it’s just making a point that it doesn’t matter who you love it’s what you do with it and who you are that counts.

And isn’t that a beautiful way to end this.

[thiskindofshootingstar]

Octavia and Elements (Warning, it’s long)

In searching for scenes where octavia is near or associated with each of the four elements (water, earth, fire, air) for a gifset (maybe a series with each character or at least bellamy and clarke) I came across something I thought was interesting.

Now, it’s no surprise that out of all the characters, Octavia is the one most associated with earth. She is the first one on the ground after all. But further than that, she is constantly out in the woods/nature, associated with flowers and animals, falls in love with a “grounder”, finds belonging in “grounder” society, is covered in dirt from mid-season 1 literally until the s5 finale, is often in the mud, and has spent more time in subterranean areas than most other characters.

In fact, my original plan for the gifset was a significant moment featuring her and each element in every season, with the express intention of seeing how her associations with each element have been corrupted from freedom and life to death and entrapment.

However, it was pretty difficult finding associations of Octavia with fire aside from lincoln’s pyre in s3, the ark burning in s4, and her burning the algae farm in s5. It was nearly impossible finding an association with fire (never mind a positive one) in the early seasons for Octavia, and even in the scenes listed, it was still difficult finding moments where octavia is alone with that element. For example, lincoln’s pyre scene features a shot of raven and jasper, nate and bf, and bellamy and clarke with the flames leaping in front of them. Literally the only character not shown behind the flames or with them ever obstructing her is Octavia. Even with the ark and algae farm conflagrations, Octavia is mostly just seen lit by the flames, or with the flames in the background, she is never heavily associated with fire like, for example, Bellamy is. From the very beginning, Octavia is usually not around or actively not associated with the element of fire--she’s usually not sitting/standing around the campfire at the drop ship, even going far away from it on a cold night and bundling up in blankets instead--and when she occasionally is it is mostly in a negative or completely ambivalent way.

As for air, that one’s a bit more difficult because air is always around, so finding a scene where it’s highlighted is a bit tougher. But water got considerably difficult towards the later seasons, because even when it was present (often in the form of rain) it was either never highlighted in shots of Octavia (the pouring rain on the rover when it comes to her rescue in damocles pt1 but not clearly visible when she’s sacrificing herself, the rain during lincoln’s funeral, the rain during lincoln’s death, etc.) or was mixed in with another element like mud in her first fight scene and fire in the ark burning. Again, since the first scene of her in the river, Octavia is never again heavily associated with water, especially not to the extent of Clarke, unless it is mediated by another element.

You might see a piece of what I’m getting at here. Octavia is mostly associated with earth, Bellamy with fire, and Clarke with water (honestly I think Finn was the character most associated with air, but now I guess it’s Raven but that’s not important for what I’m getting at). But with the s5 finale, I think that Octavia’s relationship with the elements over the seasons, hints at her future development and her relationships with the characters most associated with those other elements.

So, here’s my point (finally). Fire and water were the first elements that “betrayed” Octavia so to speak. 

Her first ever interaction with water doesn’t get a minute in before a creature attacks her. After that, she is never again seen swimming/standing in water and is only ever seen in rain when it is either mitigated (by the camera or simply just the inconsistency of the weather while filming) or mediated by the heavy presence of another element (mud/earth or fire). Honestly, the only other time she willingly seeks out that element is in s4 when she tries to step out into the acid rain to kill herself.

This kind of aligns with her relationship with Clarke. At first, they are the only two girls in the group that goes off in search of Mt. Weather and it seems like they might could be friends. However, Clarke clearly develops some sort of bitterness towards her early on (as most clearly evident in her condescending tone when she tells Bellamy “It’s Octavia, she’s probably off chasing butterflies”)--possibly because of Octavia’s flirting with Finn on that trip and so Clarke gets a little jealous, but most likely just because Octavia and Clarke are both so willful and headstrong but think about things differently. They’re both spunky, independent, and compassionate, but Octavia’s more free-spirited while Clarke’s more logistics-minded. Octavia cares for and fiercely loves individuals, while Clarke will sacrifice individuals she loves to help the most people. It’s easy to see how they could get along, but past the pilot, they really don’t spend any time together or think about the other much unless someone else is around, usually Bellamy. Clarke even almost sacrifices Octavia for the “greater good” (Ton DC, stealing the bunker) but Octavia survives and always knows what Clarke did and so (rightfully) resents her a bit. Octavia often blames Clarke when things go wrong and Clarke often dismisses Octavia because they can’t or won’t understand each other’s behaviors and reasoning. However, the two will work together to help their friends/people, but usually don’t interact more than is necessary. It’s a cold, tense relationship but most of the time they both recognize their need for or the value of the other.

Octavia is hardly ever around fire. She’s barely ever seen by the camp fire at the drop ship, usually sitting off away from it, taking warmth from a blanket instead, and s1 she doesn’t carry torches when venturing out into the woods. She starts sitting around campfires in s2, but they are usually out in the woods while on some quest or with a grounder camp. So, if she’s hardly ever associated with it for warmth (especially around skaikru) the only other associations are negative with the smoke hut burning down, or the bombing of ton dc, or the ark aflame, or her burning the algae farm.

This goes with her relationship with Bellamy too. He is overprotective from the very beginning and she tries to escape that and him. Even going so far as to find belonging and warmth with the people he views as the enemy. They are not together much after s1, what with Bellamy going undercover in Mt Weather in s2, and him siding with Pike while she’s cast out in s3, and her going off on her own in s4. She loves her brother, but she hates and flees his oppressiveness. Furthermore, they have explosive fights that leave them at odds like when he sides with Pike and she blames him for the Trikru massacre and Lincoln’s death, and Bellamy poisoning and trying to overthrow her. Their relationship is never cold, it is always either raging hot with anger and betrayal or warm and familial.

However, water and fire are also the first elements that we’ve seen in the s5 finale offering Octavia redemption and healing. It is in the pouring rain that the Rover rushes in to save her at the end of Damocles pt1, and the world (where she has suffered and lost so much) is destroyed with fire in pt2. Water offers her salvation and fire a new beginning, and I think this reflects Octavia’s future relationships with Clarke and Bellamy. Octavia and Clarke can finally understand each other because both women know what it is like to have to do terrible things for your people but also to love someone so fiercely as to be willing to forsake the larger battle, and I personally think that Clarke will be the first to give Octavia a second chance. Likewise, Bellamy and Octavia are finally able to be whole people on their own without the unhealthy codependence that colored their relationship in early seasons, especially on Bellamy’s side of it. They can start over both as individuals and as siblings and thus have a healthier and stronger relationship because of this fresh start.

With Earth gone, that sort of lends itself to Jason’s description of Octavia as broken in the finale, as that is what she was so heavily associated with so we can’t be sure what her new relationship will be with this new earth. However, I think this new earth will offer her a new start and a renewed hope, but one that is tempered and wisened by her experiences on the old one. Furthermore, with Clarke and Bellamy the first ones to see the new earth, I think they will likewise be the first to see and help along Octavia’s redemption and healing.

Note: I believe a similar analysis of Clarke's and Bellamy’s relationships with the elements might give insight into their relationships with each other, as well as Octavia (and Finn or Raven). I’m fascinated to look into it, because I believe that Octavia will offer stability and support not only to the characters individually but especially to them as a pair. Because honestly their journeys have been crazy chaotic, and while they help ground each other, I think Octavia could be the truly solid foundation that both their leadership and relationship have been missing.

[gallavichmillagher]

Random stuff about me because why not? I don’t know. I mostly reblog and never say stuff about myself so here I am.  My Current Obsession: “Shameless”. I’m not sure what it is about myself but I’m one of those people that gets all into one show at a time. I do have a bunch of current shows but there’s always that ONE show that trumps everything. It really depends on what I am binging at the time.  When I got into “Shameless”: I got into it when S9 was airing. There is more to it than this but I’ll just have to make a separate post about how it all happened. I did watch seasons 1-10 in their entirety and I have rewatched them more than once (out of order). I did not skip any seasons. I got into the show for Gallavich but ended up being hooked by the Gallagher family. I obviously still love Gallavich though.  When I got into the “Shameless” Tumblr Fandom: I started stalking the Gallavich tag around the time Noel was revealed to come back as a series regular and all that “fake hacked” Twitter stuff was going down. I really wanted to know what everyone was saying, lol. Then, I found some amazing metas. They were by three specific users (I follow 2/3 of them) and that got me hooked into the fandom. Also, the GIFsets were fantastic (still are) and unavoidable. I made a sideblog for “Shameless” at the end of S10.  Reason for my username: I love the ship :P That being said, I am not one of those people that wanted their last names to be gallavich. I just wanted a significant quote from a really amazing episode and some of my favorite quotes are way too long or are taken, lol. This one sounded most like a username so I went with it.  Ian or Mickey?: I’m getting this out of the way. I love both of them, lol. No one ever ask me who I like better because I won’t answer it.   Non-Shameless Facts

I’m the youngest of five siblings. So, “big family” problems are pretty relatable. 

I’m a major empathizer. It’s a blessing and a curse. The downside is that it is emotionally draining, lol. I’m one of those people that puts myself in other people’s shoes. This includes characters in TV shows. I empathize more with the situations than the actual characters. So, I may hate a character but still be upset if I see them suffer physically/emotionally because that’s just me. (example: Frank is awful but I know the show is going to end up making me feel bad for him by the end of this season and I hate the writers for it). 

I try to never take my favorite character’s side in arguments. I hate being blinded by favoritism or hate for another character. I have to look at both sides of everything. 

I am open to watching any shows so anyone can recommend anything to me... Can’t promise I’ll like it :P 

I have seen most DC/Marvel shows and movies.

I’ve seen most CW shows (yeah... what a network, lol).  

I’m incredibly picky when it comes to choosing favorite ships/OTPs. 

I take forever to watch the first few episodes of a show but, once I do, I am one of the fastest at binging. 

I love photography and writing as hobbies.

I own a dog.

I teach.

[head-and-heart]

Unnecessary Bellarke Moments - Season 4

Hey fam! So last hiatus (The Dark Times), I created a post to give our fandom a little bit of hope that basically pointed out every single Bellarke moment in the first three seasons of The 100 that served absolutely no plot purpose besides pushing the Bellarke Agenda™ (you can view it here). The idea of the post was basically just to point out the VAST number of Bellarke moments that simply would not exist if canon!Bellarke wasn’t actually in the cards for later seasons. 

The idea was brought to me a little while ago (I don’t remember by who, unfortunately) to recreate that post, except this time pointing out all the unnecessary Bellarke moments of Season 4. So that’s basically what this post is.

If you’re interested in seeing just how Extra these two lovesick idiots truly are when it comes to each other and how full of shit the cast/Jason are when they say it was “never planned”  feel free to continue under the cut.

1. 4x01

“Thank you, for keeping me alive.”

So I just rewatched this scene and boy is it SO not subtle … at all? Like the music starts swelling with the super romantic Bellarke theme and then THIS line happens and theres NO REASON FOR IT. I mean, objectively, Abby and Murphy kept Clarke alive more directly. And technically Bellamy wasn’t the only fighting to protect her either, so - reasonably, if this is really SO platonic - then why didn’t she thank anyone else like this?

We all know why.

“ECHO, LET HER GO!” Bellamy appearing out of nowhere and charging angrily to save Clarke the love of his life.

This scene cracks me up because like … why is Bellamy here? They literally had Bellamy walk off-screen earlier to do … nothing … just so he could charge dramatically in when he see’s that Clarke is in trouble. AND THERE’S NO POINT OF OF HIM EVEN BEING IN THIS SCENE EXCEPT TO GET WORRIED ABOUT CLARKE. That’s his SOLE purpose of existing in this moment. He isn’t even the one who talks Echo out of letting Clarke go. 

And then THIS happens:

And suddenly it makes sense what Bellamy’s purpose in the scene is because HOW ELSE WOULD BELLAMY DRAMATICALLY CATCH HER SO THAT CLARKE CAN CARESS HIS CHEST ????

AND WHAT OTHER EXCUSE WOULD THERE BE FOR THEIR FACES TO BE THIS. FUCKING. CLOSE??!!! LOOK HOW ZOOMED IN THE CAMERA IS. THAT IS NOT PLATONIC DISTANCE. THESE TWO DUMBASSES HAVE ZERO CONCEPT OF PERSONAL SPACE. AND YET, THEY’RE TOTALLY PLATONIC. 

Right. Got it.

jason you are so transparent but wHATEVER

I can’t find a gif of it but IMMEDIATELY after this it ! focuses ! on ! bellamy’s ! face ! as ! he ! hears ! this! and all i’m thinking is WHY WHAT IS THE POINT? WHY BELLAMY HUH? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR BELLAMY’S FACE TO BE FOCUSED ON HERE SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN ME ONE (1) PLATONIC REASON FOR THIS OH RIGHT IT DOESN’T FUCKING EXIST BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING PLATONIC ABOUT BELLARKE

okay and then GET THIS

there’s ANOTHER bellarke scene that has NO plot purpose AT. ALL!!1!!

and i can’t find a gif of it dammit

but Bellamy LOSES HIS SHIT when Clarke gets taken away again and honestly my question is WHY is he the only one freaking tf out? Like the focus is ALL on Bellamy’s reaction to Clarke being taken away and no one else’s, not even her mother’s. 

It’s All Very Suspicious.

and, of course, there’s no actual plot reason for this to happen. 

2. 4x03

Clarke: YES YOU WILL!!1!!!

Raven: So does that mean you made the list?”

Clarke: … no.

THIS MOMENT IS SO UNNECESSARY. Like, they easily could have just had Bellamy being like “i ain’t gonna be inside” without having Clarke freak tf out about that cause HOW IS SHE SUPPOSED TO LIVE WITHOUT BELLAMY BLAKE??? My favourite part about this moment is how Clarke admits that she hasn’t made the list yet but she KNOWS that Bellamy is going to be on it. Because it’s Bellamy. I mean, of course, she’d put him on the list. 

Is it a wonderful moment? Yes. But plot-necessary? nah. 

And again we have an AMAZING Bellarke moment that never, not once, serves the plot in any way besides stressing how Bellarke is the best, basically, and they need each other and love each other so much.

Just Platonic Things™

All right, I gotta take a long moment to talk about the many ways in which Bellamy’s presence in the List Scene is completely unnecessary and totally useless to the plot in every fucking way unless you admit that BELLARKE IS A PART OF THE PLOT. 

fIRsT of all, biNCh. 

Was it REALLY necessarily for Bellamy to be sleeping on the couch, and for Clarke to watch him while he’s sleeping and fucking smile??? Like, seriously, that is so intimate and that little detail was the most unnecessary thing I’ve ever seen. Why was he sleeping? Why couldn’t he just be awake and helping her with the list? Because they wanted to stress how intimate Bellamy and Clarke’s relationship is, that’s why. 

AND THEN. (and then) it focuses on Clarke writing BELLAMY’S name on the list. Bellamy’s. Not anyone else’s.

Bellamy’s. 

What makes BELLAMY so special that he is the ONLY one whose name is focused on when it is written down? Huh, Jason? Explain it to me. 

oH WAIT. IT’S CAUSE CLARKE IS IN LOVE WITH HIM THAT’S WHY

anyway.

There’s no plot-based reason for Bellamy’s name to be focused on when it’s written down. And there’s no plot-based reason for them to have that crazy intimate moment. And there’s no plot-based reason for Bellamy to comfort her or for Clarke to fucking nuzzle into his hand with her face.

NO REASON.

other than the reason that the writers have to push the Blorke Agenda

AND YOU KNOW WHAT ABSOLUTELY KILLS ME ABOUT THIS WHOLE LIST SCENE????

THEY PUT SO MUCH BLOODY EMPHASIS ON THE FACT THAT BELLAMY AND CLARKE’S NAMES ARE ON THE LIST, SO, MUCH, EMPHASIS. AND THEN IT DIDN’T EVEN MATTER. WHEN THEY END UP USING THE LIST, IT DOESN’T MATTER THAT BELLAMY AND CLARKE’S NAMES ARE ON IT BECAUSE THEY DON’T EVEN END UP IN THE BUNKER. 

So basically, what I’m getting at, was this moment between Bellamy and Clarke where they write their names down has absolutely nothing to do with Bellamy and Clarke having a spot in the Ark/bunker and EVERYTHING to do with the fact that they don’t want to live in a world without each other.

That’s it, folks. That’s why this scene exists. lmao

3. 4x04

“BELLAMY should be back by now." 

Not much to say on this moment, but even in an episode where Bellamy and Clarke don’t interact at all they managed to squeeze in Clarke getting worried about Bellamy (and not all the other people who haven’t returned to Arkadia, BELLAMY. Singular). 

And that’s all.

4. 4x05

This is basically the same as the previous scene, where it only exists to show Clarke’s worry over Bellamy. And I also love Monty’s snark because it suggests that Clarke has been asking them about Bellamy repeatedly and that its getting annoying lmao.

THIS. This is the most dramatic/romantic shit I’ve ever seen. 

lmao. Kane who? Doesn’t matter. Clarke only has eyes for Bellamy. The way this scene was shot was so fucking unnecessary. The dramatic way Bellamy’s hood is pulled off, how they make eye contact and it zooms in and focuses on their expressions, focuses on Clarke’s distress when she sees him. 

Honestly what was the point of Bellamy being taken hostage anyway? Kane makes sense: he’s the chancellor, but Bellamy? His only purpose to be taken hostage was to set up a situation where Clarke has to make a choice whether to sacrifice him … this guy she cares about, and ultimately ends up caving, cause she can’t lose him. SHE SACRIFICED HALF OF THE ARK TO SAVE HIM EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD A HUGE ADVANTAGE IN THE FIGHT AND IT DIDNT EVEN MATTER BECAUSE THE ARK BURNS DOWN ANYWAY SO ! WHAT ! WAS ! THE ! POINT?!

THERE WAS NO POINT EXCEPT TO MAKE CLARKE CAVE CAUSE SHE CAN’T LOSE BELLAMY THAT’S LITERALLY IT FAM.

5. 4x06

Was it really necessary to focus on Bellamy’s shaky hands when opening up the body bag in 4x06 or to show his relieved face when it wasn’t Clarke?

Plot-wise, definitely not. In terms of Bellarke … 

Well. You get the idea.

Was that last part about him being special necessary? No. And, quite honestly, that’s a really fucking weird word choice to talk about someone’s sibling. She’ll see how special you are. Special. 

Nah. This moment had nothing to do with Octavia thinking Bellamy was “special” (like, I said, odd word choice for siblings) and EVERYTHING to do with how special CLARKE thinks Bellamy is … how special he is to her. 

Also need I mention the wandering eyes? It was excessive my dudes. 

THE ONLY PURPOSE OF THIS LINE IS TO MAKE US THINK HE WAS GOING TO SAY I LOVE YOU (whether or not he was). THE INTERRUPTED LOVE CONFESSION IS THE OLDEST TROPE IN THE BOOK. WE NEVER GOT TO HEAR THE END OF HIS SENTENCE SO ITS LITERALLY THE MOST POINTLESS PIECE OF DIALOGUE UNLESS WE WERE INTENDED TO FILL IN THE BLANK. Duh. 

6. 4x09

I know a lot of people were disappointed in the anti-climactic lack of Bellarke reunion in 4x09 but there just was too much going on in the episode for it to be included and honestly the fact that we got a scene with them talking at all when not even Kabby got that (who were literally separated all season) - or anyone else for that matter - is pretty indicative of the fact that the relationship between Bellamy and Clarke is important to the writers. Honestly, this conversation could have been with any character(s) but they wanted it to be Bellamy and Clarke. For … reasons.

7. 4x11

Bellamy: *screaming*

Murphy: "Do you wanna talk to him?" 

Clarke: "Yeah." 

Clarke: *can’t talk to him cause listening to Bellamy in pain gives HER pain so she runs away*

THIS WAS ENTIRELY UNNECESSARY CAUSE CLARKE DIDN’T EVEN END UP TALKING TO BELLAMY. SHE COULD HAVE JUST HANDED MURPHY THE RADIO AND LEFT. but nooooooooo we had to see her in pain at listening to Bellamy screaming.

This is honestly such an underrated Bellarke moment. Why are y’all sleeping on this? 

(Gifs taken from this gifset here by @bellarkegifsdaily - I couldn’t find gifs anywhere for this scene unfortunately, if you want me to take them down I will!)

Honestly this line is one of those lines that doesn’t really HAVE to exist but the writers saw an opportunity to throw some Bellarke in the script and they took it.

8. 4x12

Bellamy smiling/staring at Clarke for so long he crashes the fucking vehicle. 

… writers wyd

The car needed to crash but they easily (EASILY !!) could have managed that by just having the dude throw himself in front of the vehicle. Did we really need the intense heart eyes? Yes … but only for Bellarke reasons. There are unlimited ways they could have had the crash take place that didn’t involve any special Bellarke moments whatsoever but i think we know by now that the Bellarke scenes we get can’t just be shrugged off as “platonic moments necessary to move the plot” anymore. We’re past this. 

9. 4x13

They literally set up a situation where Clarke had to cry JUST so Bell could comfort her. They could have sold it as Clarke having talked to Abby off-screen, or show Bellamy handing off the radio and then ending the scene. But noooope. They just needed an excuse for Bellarke to hug. Like, god, this moment would NOT exist if Bellarke was actually platonic. It’s not even just the hug itself, but the camerawork. Like, focusing and zooming in on her hands slowly tightening around his waist is so NOT SUBTLE.

The entire oxymoron conversation AND face caress are soooo extra its crazy. WHY WAS THIS NECESSARY??? 

Hint: they were not. They served the plot in ZERO way, except to give Bellarke a cute/flirty + soft moment. Especially the face caress. Like, was it really absolutely critical that Bellamy had to reach out to stroke Clarke’s face just to point out that she’s suffering from radiation sickness?

The head and heart conversation needed to happen for Bellamy’s character development (and Clarke’s to some extent, too) but there was no plot reason (besides pushing the Blorke agenda) that it needed to be THAT intimate, with her touching his heart and shit. Zero. Holy shit. This scene would have read WAY different if they were actually platonic. 

I mean let's just consider the delivery of the following lines:

"We’ve been through a lot together you and I”

“NOTHING IS HAPPENING TO YOU.”

“You have such a big heart, Bellamy.”

“I got you for that.”

IT WAS SO INTIMATE. If they were just bros this conversation would be a whole lot more casual and a lot less emotional.

(Credit goes to @bellarkegifsdaily again - link here - apparently gifs of this scene are extremely hard to track down which is honestly surprising to me.)

THIS WAS SO POINTLESS. It’s the exact same thing as the interrupted love confession in 4x06. The only reason it exists is for us to fill in the blanks on our own (which certainly is not “hurry”). They easily could have just nodded and gone on their ways like they usually do on their respective missions but noooo it HAD to be angsty and romantic.

Bellamy waiting outside the rocket for Clarke and Raven coming to get him. (“I KNOW Raven) + Bellamy asking Raven about Clarke TWICE. 

Honestly, there’s no reason for Bellamy to be set apart from all the others in this scene unless the writers admit that Bellamy’s feelings for Clarke are just that much stronger (in a romantic sense). He could be waiting inside the rocket, OR Raven and the others could be waiting outside with him … But the writers wanted to stress how much it’s killing Bellamy to leave Clarke behind, not the others. 

"I left her behind and we all die anyway." 

There’s no real reason this line needs to exist. It’s literally just there to serve us some good ol’ wholesome Bellarke angst. 

LISTEN ! ! This scene was SO extra it could have been taken straight out of fic. If the writers were actually concerned with Bellarke being interpreted as romantic, they would have just had Clarke say something like "calling all Ark survivors” or “Raven” or “Monty” or LITERALLY anyone but Bellamy, and just Bellamy. The fact that she’s been calling him and JUST HIM for six years is INSANE you guys. And there is NO plot purpose why it had to be that way.

Also, the  "I still have hope" line is a clear callback to their conversation in 4x03 (”the list scene”). It’s so unnecessary. All of it. These writers are so transparent i swear.

SO THAT’S IT FAM! I’m sure you could create an argument for why more scenes from Season 4 should be included in this list because I did end up narrowing it down a bit from my original list, but I believe that I hit the main scenes that are pretty much completely unnecessary towards the plot, lol. 

Hopefully you enjoyed this sort of ridiculous little (long?) post of mine and it maybe even gave you some hope in Bellarke. Thanks for reading!

[raviposting]

HMM Top 5 TVD/The Originals characters??? :O :D

Oh damn okay I’m splitting this up because if we’re combining TVD/TO this list would be entirely from TO (depending on if we’re counting or not counting Caro as TO since she’ll be in season 5) 

TVD: 

Caroline! I remember seeing gifsets of her on tumblr and I thought, “wow, I’m gonna love her character!” I also looked up stuff and wikied a lot of information (including about her and Klaus!) and I very excitedly watched the series and realized that I....hated her in the beginning. I was trying really hard not to get irritated by her lolol but it kept happening with the occasional bouts of pity but then she became a vampire and her character development just took off. Anyway I’ve been loving her since then and I stopped watching TVD but I’m glad she ultimately ended up okay and that she’ll be here in TO so I get a season of seeing her. 

Katherine!!! An evil ho!!! Who gives me emotions!!!!! Who I love!!! @ Nina you’re so good at acting bish!!!!!!!!!! 

Alaric. I never saw Alaric resurrected so I feel like if I had and the whole magical baby storyline continued that I admittedly wouldn’t like him as much. BUUUUUUT I didn’t so lmao I adored him this wonderful dad deserved the world and more. 

Elena. I have a very...love/hate relationship with her. But even when I hated her, I couldn’t stop kind of adoring her at the same time and honestly when I look at the series, she went through a lot of shit that she did not deserve or ever ask for. And, to be honest, I wasn’t very passionate about most characters in this show (or I lost that passion) so the fact that she ever made me feel anything at all is pretty good. 

honestly just stick Bonnie, Matt, or Jeremy here it really doesn’t matter 

TO: 

ALL RIGHT FOLKS TIME TO TRY AND JAM ALMOST EVERY CHARACTER INTO THIS LIST

Klaus & Elijah - they were my tops in TVD as well (tied with Caro). TO honestly made me appreciate Elijah even more, and shot him up all the way to where Klaus was as well - and he’s usually less frustrating than Klaus (except for the 3rd season lmao). 

It’s honestly ridiculous how quickly I ended up loving Freya even though she was a new character and we didn’t know if we should trust her but??? She loves her siblings so much and she’s just so wonderful and ride or die and I want the best for her and I’m also shaken that she’s apparently not immortal??? Even though I’m pretty sure she could be she’s powerful enough  anyway @ TO find a way to make her immortal so she can hang out with her siblings forever. 

Oh my god and Vincent he’s another character who just showed up who surprised me with how much I liked him. Plus the fact that he shows up, insults people, and then reluctantly helps them??? My aesthetic. 

Kol and Davina bc tbh they feel like one nowadays. For Kol - honestly more of this is probably from TVD as well but again, not gonna clog up that list so. He’s a little shit and probably more reckless than Klaus but I love him!! He’s enjoyable to watch and no matter the form I actually really liked watching him. NowDavinaaaaaa. She’s so talented and awesome honestly her character deserves all the happiness in the world as well kk cool 

Marcel and Rebekah hi yes I’m cheating again anyway Beks is unfortunately not in the show as much as she could be but still I love her so so much and Marcel is fantastic even when he’s being an antagonist I’m rooting for him tbh

WE’RE CHEATING AGAIN I LOVE HAYLEY A LOT AND IT’S SURPRISING BECAUSE I HATED HER IN TVD BUT TO MADE ME LOVE HER

Hopeeeeee my small daughter who’s powerful af watching her grow up through the seasons has been wonderful and I love her.

Special shout out to Jackson who was gone too soon and reminds me of Jack Pearson from This is Us which makes me hurt. 

....sorry @ camille for being the one character that I was “meh” about this entire series whoops 

Ask me my Top 5 anything!