#and i will hear no other argument
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Text
Saltzburg, my beloved.
#thank god i finally have a better copy to make gifs from#thanks to my friend#so from now on#space oddity is gonna have better gifs to tease new chapters#praise be#anyway#can we all just agree that he looks amazing for almost 68#because it still blows my mind#also he carried this whole scene#and i will hear no other argument#i'm down so bad for him#you don't even know#saltzburg keitel#asteroid city#willem dafoe#edward norton#adrien brody
34 notes
·
View notes
Text
Contrary to popular belief etho and bdubs are not divorced and in this essay I will
#dbhc flavored because. well. look at me#do I seem normal to you#dbhc#dbhc art#art escapades#dbhc etho#dbhc bdubs#bdoubleo100#ethoslab#wild life smp#wild life smp spoilers#wlsmp#wlsmp spoilers#dbhc wlsmp#ethubs#bdubs#etho#bro they’re freaking LAUGHING under those arguments. they obviously care so much for each other and in my Ted talk we’ll be#[and then she talks for 3 hours]#they make me so happy btw. bringing joy to my household on these nights#trafficblr#traffic smp#now. 'divorce' duo folks i hear you#'well of course they're laughing--the cc's don't actually hate each other' you would be correct#but consider this: they're allowed to be whimsical and have play-fights *in character* too#im speaking to a small minority of ethubs fans btw & this is not meant to be pointed LOL im being so unserious and very silly about them ^.#KICKS MY FEET#etho and bdubs duo i love you. never stop being weirdos#IM NEVER DRAWING THAT DANG HORSE AGAIN BTW#this is a lie probably <3
2K notes
·
View notes
Text
// twohats/secret ending spoilers ahead
okay okay so we know how Loop feels throughout most of ISAT, watching Siff talk to THEIR party, THEIR friends, working to get THEIR happy ending, but what about the last time Siffrin talks to them before entering the House for the final time? Act 5, when Siffrin is set on killing the King himself
How hopeless Loop must feel during it?
Loop, trying desperately to convince Siffrin- and probably themselves- that they're here to help! Siffrin isn't stuck looping forever, thats what Loop is there for! To help! To get Siffrin out of the timeloop! To fulfill THEIR OWN WISH
"I was b-brought here to help you, and I thought if I was here, we could-" "I thought that if we tried together, we'd-"
For once, Loop probably isn't thinking about how they're here to help a different Siffrin out of their timeloops. Probably isn't worried about being replaced, being shoved to the sidelines, being placed in the role of the understudy.
No, they're probably only thinking about how they're supposed to be here to help, how they're here to get Siffrin out of the timeloop, and they're failing. Siffrin is losing hope- practically hopeless, at this point, and Loop... can't help. They don't know what to say, and what they do say, Siff doesn't listen to.
They're failing the one thing they're supposed to be doing.
They couldn't break out of their own timeloop, and now, they can't even help a different Siffrin out of his.
The Universe answered their wish, but they can't even fulfill their role. They can't be the savior they so desperately needed, and are left watching this other Siffrin go through the same hopelessness they themselves went through. The one thing they were supposed to do- the one job they had, and they can't do it.
This was not what they wished for.
#i hope this made sense#i am just. so normal about that whole conversation/argument#i just#AAAAAAAAAAAAA#feel free to add on to this or even disagree/correct me#i have not studied Loop's character as much as others#id be interested to hear other's perspectives on this#isat spoilers#isat two hats#isat loop#isat siffrin#in stars and time#Siffhunt speaks
115 notes
·
View notes
Text
i'm your hell, i'm your dream; i'm nothing in between
#only friends the series#ofts#oftsedit#boston#ofts boston#my gifs#my edits#mine: only friends#mine: boston#yes this was the bad idea i had at like 11pm last night and then fucked off to make#idk if i should tag anyone in this it's. ridiculous#but i may do the stupid other edits i've been considering for weeks#such as the mew wannabe edit#but it will look like this because i'm lazy and i have no caps of mew so i'll have to start from scratch#that could develop into very old rocky country song ray edit#but i'm already beyond burnout atm soo o oo o#who knows!#anyway. here's boston and his theme song#bitch by meredith brooks#seriously. i'll hear no argument.#go and remind yourself of the lyrics they're BOSTON#they went with a bizarre 90's aesthetic for the show and so now i'm assigning them all insane 90's songs actually#i've decided that. right now.#don't @ me about the motherfucker one i made myself laugh okkkkk#i wanted to do the entire song but i guess i'll stick to the chorus lmao#ofs boston
376 notes
·
View notes
Text
i'm actually really upset at the watcher "fandom"
y'all seem like a lot of fair-weather fans to a group of guys who have consistently put out shows that you love, you've gone to their live shows, you've bought their merch, you've followed them over the years as they've grown and built their own brand
and then when they come out to say "hey, we're proud to announce the next big step for us as creators, producers, talent, and directors," you fucking scream and rail and throw a fit because they are launching a paid service that allows them MUCH more creative control and freedom while also supporting their staff in a more sustainable way???
that's sick and pathological, and i wonder how many of y'all were blogging in support of the wga/sag-aftra strike, because if you were and you're pitching a fit now? check yourself. not fucking cute to say you support those folks and then bitch and moan when your so-called favorite creators take the initiative to support themselves in a way that they feel more confident in.
"but we liked the old content that looked like it was made in a basement and the blue and yellow text and--" okay, did you ever think that maybe?? MAYBE???? the guys wanted to do something better??? if you really supported them, you'd be in support of their creative ambitions, too.
#this is about some cool guys who aren't a-listers okay#i would not be making this argument about anyone other than people who deserve it#so fuck off#i don't give a shit if you're mad at me because i'm not the enemy#youtube is#stop being half-assed 'fans'#if y'all really did care you'd be proud of them for taking on a challenge like this#ughhhhhh#so fucking sick of hearing people bitch#watcher#watcher discourse
157 notes
·
View notes
Text
Primo wears wigs. He has more wigs than your average drag queen, and he wears a new one everyday. Is primo bald? Does he have hair that he just dyes and styles frequently? Nobody knows, it’s an abbey wide mystery.
#I saw bald v long lucious locks primo discourse on my twitter feed#and I felt a mighty need#siblings and ghouls alike have entire power points dedicated to each side of the argument#and if anyone asks him?#he will just ignore the question#he blames it on bad hearing#they’ll ask the other brothers too and they’ll just shrug#ghost bc#the band ghost#shitghosting#nameless ghouls#cardinal copia#papa emeritus iv#papa emeritus ii#papa emeritus iii#papa emeritus i
97 notes
·
View notes
Text
ive been thinking about hard of hearing steve, who started losing his hearing after starcourt, the scoops troops are the first to find out because of how attached they are, robin erica and dustin all insist on steve learning to sign but he's insecure about learning a new language so they slowly learn and start teaching him
after vecna, eddie gets adopted to their little group and starts picking up on the signs and learning on his own, still struggles to hold a conversation, esp with the likes of robin or dustin, but he atleast knows simple words and phrases enough to communicate, eddie also gets into the habit of signing ILY to steve before he leaves, except steve rarely studies asl on his own most of what he remembers is from robin/erica/dustin, who never thought to teach him that specific sign, so steve just thinks eddie is just being a metalhead throwing up a 'rock on' gesture, hes still absolutely endeared by eddie doing this but he doesn't realize that eddie saying he loves him everyday, what follows is a ridiculous amount of pining where only steve doesn't know because everyone else know what that sign means, he only finds out because after gossiping with robin(who has tried to tell steve that its reciprocated) about eddie, erica interupts their convo by telling steve that eddie tells him he loves steve everyday (that clown is so obviously in love with you, how are you still pining? you're supposed to be a expert, steve?)
(edit 07/23: this fic is now on ao3)
#she says this loudly in the middle of an empty family video eddie walks in during the middle of the argument that follows#immediately gets roasted and gets a boyfriend bc steve is not running from the chance in front of him#yes i am projecting my hearing loss onto steve deal with it#also i dont like the idea that steve hates himself for losing his hearing even if its from tramua bc it makes me feel shitty about mine#instead i like to think he leans into it like a grandpa he might never get hearing aids or maybe he does and avoids ever turning them on#but i do think he would be insecure about trying to learn a new language when he previously has shown to struggle with school#so even after eight months of learning he's still kinda learning basic signs while the other scoop troops are catching on more#hard of hearing steve is something so personal to me#stranger things#steddie#steve harrington#eddie munson#hoh steve harrington#hard of hearing steve harrington#stranger things headcanons#steddie ficlet
693 notes
·
View notes
Text
i love Patrick Brewer
just the way he looks at David. i mean, damn he looks like he falls in love every time he sees David. his eyes, his face, that man was in love from the moment that David didn't understand a Baseball reference.
PROVE ME WRONG. YOU CANNOT.
Patrick actually sees David for David. Anxious David, Snarky David, Insecure David and he loves him completely all the same.
fuck I love them. Patrick and David people, Patrick and David.
#schitts creek#schitt's creek#david rose#patrick brewer#david x patrick#they are in love#actually true love#i will hear no complaints#no arguments#argue with your mother#patrick brewer is a button#david rose is an anxious bitch#why am i tagging this like fanfics#they see each other#and they grew together and got through things together#and it's late and im emotional about them
133 notes
·
View notes
Text
i feel like im not making any sense but does anyone else feel like there are stories that let u run with them and ones that spell everything out for you
#im reading that post that says artists are directors of audience reaction and not its dictator:#'you cannot guarantee that everyone viewing your work will react as you are trying t make them react. a good artist knows that this is what#allows work to breath. by definition you cannot have art where the viewer brings nothing to the table ... this is why you have to let go of#the urge to plainly state in text exactly how you think the work should be interpreted ... its better to be misinterpreted sometimes than#to talk down to your audience. you wont even gain any control that way; people will still develop their opinions no matter what you do#im thinking abt this again cuz i was thinking maybe the thing that lets adventure time work so well the way it does is cuz it doesnt#take itself too seriously that it gives the audience enough room to fuck with subtext and then fuck with them back yknow. i think it was#mentioned somewhere that they werent even planning to run with the postapocalyptic elements that are hinted in the show but changed their#mind after the one off with the frozen businessmen and dominoed into marcy and simons backstory. on the other side there are stories that#explain too much to let the story speak for itself and i think it ends up having to do more with the crew trying to lead ppl in a certain#direction than expand on what they have and i see a lot of this with miraculous. like when interviews and tweets are used as word of god in#arguments and it becomes a little stifling to play around with it knowing the creator can just interject. u can say its the crews effort to#engage with its audience but it feels more like micromanaging. and none of this is to say there ISNT room for stories that spell things out#theyre just suited for different things. if sesame street tried abstract approaches to themes and nuance itd be counterproductive#a lot of things fly over my head so i need help picking things apart to get it- but it doesnt have to be from the story itself. ive picked#picked up or built on my own interpretations listening to other ppl share their thoughts which creates conversation around the same thing#sometimes stories will spell things out for you without being so obvious abt it that it feels like its woven into the text. my fav example#for this might be ATLA using younger characters as its main cast but instead of feeling like its dumbed down for kids to understand why war#is bad its framed from a childs point of view so younger audiences can pick up on it by relating to the characters. maybe an 8 year old#wont get how geopolitics works but at least they get 'hey the world is a little more complicated than everyone vs. fire nation'. same for#steven universe bc its like theyre trying to describe and put feelings into words that kids might not have so they have smth to start with#especially with the metaphors around relationships bc even if it looks unfamiliar as a kid now maybe the hope is for it to be smth you can#look back to. thats why it feels like these shows grew up with me.. instead of saving difficult topics for 'when im ready for it'#as if its preparing me for high school it gave me smth to turn in my hands and revisit again and again as i grow. stories that never#treated u as dumb all along. just someone who could learn and come back to it as many times as u need to. i loved SU for the longest time#but i felt guilty for enjoying it hearing the way ppl bash it. bc i was a kid and thought other ppl understood it better than me and made#feel bad for leaning into the message of paying forward kindness and not questioning why steven didnt punish the diamonds or hold them#accountable. but im rewatching it now and going oh. i still love this show and what it was trying to teach me#yapping#diary
95 notes
·
View notes
Text
Maybe I'm being sensitive but this whole scene just frustrates and annoys me because like
comparing Steph and Tim so callously with comments that he's "better" and a "quick learner" after her death
having Cass lowkey victim blame Steph for her own death "But she chose--" and "She messed up." plus trying to convince Tim that it's not Steph's fault
the "Maybe it's time I gave you a lesson" like I don't really have a good reason for this one it might just be a personal thing but the tone of that whole sentence makes me feel frustrated and talked down to
#mypost#dc thoughts#cassandra cain#tim drake#stephanie brown#batgirl#robin#spoiler#making use of characters to prop up the narrative#i don't know enough about cass' character and maybe you can say it's in character for her to do it i don't know#but like it's not the point though they didnt really explore her feelings for it as much as using it to make a statement#that tim is sooo much better and smarter than steph and that maybe she died because of herself like UGH#at least that's how it feels like to me#this is a joke but maybe this is tim's karma for victim blaming jason lol getting to hear all the arguments from the other side#ummm do i need to tag this with anti?#i'm not really hating on any of the characters here it's just the narrative that's annoying me and this very much reads as
68 notes
·
View notes
Text
new content bucky is a Daddy and no one can change my mind i don't even wanT TO HEAR IT
#the pudge? the gray? the bob/slicked back?#the motorcycle?#the suits?#you're telling me that in a world where steve left (i hate it) bucky wouldn't throw himself into a provider relationship?#cling to any scraps of it?#long to have a sense of purpose with someone that is worthy of protecting for GOOD?#please#he's the Daddy that stays your Daddy no matter how often he comes and goes#it doesn't matter that you don't know what he does for work#it doesn't matter that he shows up into your life unannounced and leaves just as unpredictably#it doesn't matter that you have flings/see other people#he's always your Daddy#ALWAYS#anyway...#i haven't been on tiktok in a while archie have you made insane tiktoks of him yet my queen of edits#(also i don't want to hear the argument of bucky not wanting to be connected to anything/anyone because of his fears and his past)#(that's too saddddddd let me have this Daddy Bucky)
23 notes
·
View notes
Text
I am proposing Nick as an apollo child??? maybe???
#heartstopper#heartstopper fanart#nick nelson#westy doodles#okay heres the thing about this au is that there are so many options of where to put the HS characters!!!#so many arguments you could make for where they would be which i have indeed been having in my hear#but i think. im resolved to Nick as an apollo kid#sunshine boy obviously but also because he just loves taking care of people and being overall helpful to others#which i feel like would really shine in the medics cabin!!#now. where to place charlie#THE HARDER OBSTICLE TBH#gay halfbloods#<-thats my blog tag for this LMFAO
20 notes
·
View notes
Text
This is my second time trying to make this post. it will probably be as much of a mess as the first draft but oh well.
Rant? Appreciation post? Character analysis? yeah idk what this is but spoilers for Act 5 and Twohats/secret ending ahead
Act 5 Siffrin lives in my head rent free. His break was SO good, and this post is me going off about them. Specifically, this post was brought on by how Siffrin tried to destroy the world, rather than themself.
It is very interesting to me how Siffrin bends and breaks reality and the world in this final loop.
How Loop, in their giving up, took it out on themself, but Siffrin takes it out on the world.
His last loop, their last attempt at breaking out of this eternal hell, because he can't do it again. They're hopeless. They're grasping at any sliver of hope they can, but at this point he can't deny how stupid it is. How pointless this is. How all this effort will likely amount to nothing, and that he's trapped here forever. That nothing will break them out of this.
"I know its stupid, I know its a long shot, but it has to be this!"
This quote from Siff's argument with Loop towards the beginning of Act 5 always stuck with me. Siffrin, this whole time, has always told himself that things are fine. As long as they have a path to follow, they'll be fine. Slowly, we see them struggle with keeping this up, but he always comes back to it.
Not this time.
This time, its all too much. He knows his plan is stupid. They know this won't work. Why would it? But also... what else can he do? What other choices does he have? Being honest with themselves and admitting that this won't work is the same as admitting that he's trapped here forever. That reality is seeping in, but he's still struggling for whatever shreds of hope they can manage. Whatever flicker of light they can see, they'll take it, even if they know the light will go out as soon as he does. Even if he knows it will amount to nothing. He has to.
Then he realizes that Loop knew there was no escape.
Siffrin can't take it. He can't take it, because it means Loop knew this whole time that Siffrin was stuck here forever, that they knew there was no way out of this, and that they were just stinging Siffrin along this entire time.
Siffrin's guide, his helper, the only person/being who knew about the loops, the only reason Siffrin wasn't completely alone this entire time... lied to him. Strung them along. Gave them false hope that they could see a new tomorrow. And it fucking breaks him.
Already grasping for whatever shreds of hope they can, now forced to face the reality that he'll be stuck here forever. Loop lied to him. They can't trust them. So he leaves, and never contacts them again.
Then they return to the Clocktower, only to hear his family talking about him. To hear Odile say that they can't trust him, and none of the others disagree with her.
Siffrin. Is. Alone.
(Which, funnily enough, is the exact opposite of what they wished for.)
The only person who knew about the loops, Siffrin's guide, is a liar and untrustworthy. Siffrin's family doesn't trust them anymore, and are planning to leave him behind.
Siffrin is tired. They're also out of options. So, what else are they supposed to do, aside from the only thing they can at this point? The only thing they've ever known...
They enter the House.
He has to take down the King himself.
His last shred of hope. The last flicker of light before they're plunged into an abyss of despair. Their final attempt at ending this loop, no matter the cost.
Alone.
What else is he supposed to do, who else are they supposed to lash out at, aside from the world itself?
There is nothing left for them here. No one to go back to. Their family hates him, and Loop is untrustworthy. They can't even remember his own blinding country, can't read or speak the language, and can't remember anything about it. Everything he could be holding onto is gone now.
So, he takes his anger and despair out on the world itself. On the House, his eternal prison. On the sky, with stars they don't recognize. On a world, that will forget him and abandon him just like everything else has.
Because, either he breaks out of the loop this time, or there won't be a world to come back to to loop again. Because they can't do it again. Not anymore. They've had enough. What's the point of going on any further? Whats the point of trying to open a door that doesn't even exist?
Its either this, or nothing.
Loop had no one from the very beginning. They were alone for it all. When they gave up, they took it out on themselves. Who else was to blame for their suffering, after all?
Siffrin, however, had Loop. They weren't alone for any of it. As hopeless as they felt, Loop was there to help him. That is, until now, and Siffrin can't handle it. Can't handle the only person whose been supporting him through this knowing that he was trapped here forever from the start.
Of course he'd take out his anger on a Universe that betrayed him. What else would they do?
#FEEL FREE TO ADD ON TO THIS#ID LOVE TO HEAR OTHER'S OPINIONS ON THIS#Siff and Loop's Act 5 argument haunts me daily#and i am infatuated with Siffrin's Act 5 break#Act 5 in general is AMAZING#I LOVE IT SO MUCH#best act imo#HOWEVER it wouldnt be as good without the buildup from the other acts#so all the acts are amazing#in stars and time#isat spoilers#isat act 5 spoilers#isat act 6 secret encounter spoilers#isat siffrin#isat loop#isat#siffhunt speaks
69 notes
·
View notes
Text
I find it so funny that the whole "enemy possesses your friend and forces protag to fight them because the protag doesn't want to hurt them" trope would NEVER work with fairy tail
#fairy tail#natsu gray and erza would absolutely hurt each other#only way it might work is if the target is wendy#not even lucy is safe#i dont wanna hear any “natsu woukd never hurt lucy😟😟” arguments YES HE WOULD.#he respects her as a wizard to much not too give it all hes got#erza would do it for the good of the guild and knowing that this was the only way to get her back so best to get it over with quick#gray would hesitate but in the end he wouldent refuse#with natsu gray and erza though using any wojld probably just make the other 2 attack harder💀
30 notes
·
View notes
Text
am i rlly going to write a death note literary analysis when i could be doing other things
about the discourse going on in the tag abt "death note is acab and thats why the characters couldnt better the world with the note (/written in somewhat jokey matter)" vs "death note is trying to say we all have potential for evil, especially if you get a chance to insta-hurt ppl without repercussions, and it doesnt matter if youre a cop or not", i personally feel like it ignores the things that i like abt death note, which is "both of these things are true", and simultaneously "both of these things do not matter". the first part of this is dedicated to the first point, the latter to the last.
first point. i think its an important part of the message and themes (unintentional or not, and i lean on the former because... come on, can you really say the author intended you to not think of the cops as good people, at least compared to light and l) that light is a cops son, and that almost everyone who gets the death note is cop adjacent/thinks like a cop and is already corrupt/powerful when they get it (mello raised to think hed be just like l, yotsuba group is self explanatory; you cannot look me in the eyes and tell me teru "churchill" mikami, who was hand selected by light out of a bunch of rabid kira supporters, is a normal citizen). i appreciated the cop post bc its rlly important to not gloss over that aspect.
all of this would be an argument for "only someone like them would do something like this, and i am not like them, so im above them and immune to thinking about what id do with it", but... misa is the MOST important outlier in all of this bc her murders are solely selfish in nature and shes not doing any of this for "the greater good"!!! her nature of being an exception and still a very very bad person is really really important...
or it would be if death note gave a shit about her character at all!!! im not talking about her tragic side, im talking about exploring the ramifications of her killing people the way lights murders are (somewhat) explored. that would strengthen the message greatly! but shes dismissed and that weakens it overall. firstly, she's dismissed by the characters when l only sees her as a way to get to kira and basically shelves her the rest of the time. secondly, shes dismissed by the narrative when her character is gradually ground down to a stump and (not to sound perilously close to the bad takes ppl meme about) she never faces repercussions for her actions. every other character using the death note is treated relatively seriously, but misa just dies bc her love is dead. im not saying this isnt a... fitting punishment or that it isnt in character, but it doesnt fit snugly into the theme other people are talking about of "you reap what you sow" at all.
we do have something of an equivalent to misa's grayscale motives. surprise surprise, its light yagami. first is light's characterization in the musical (i will also note that misa never kills anyone in the musical). light's thinking is coplike, yes — he literally starts his first song by talking about "throw[ing] away the key" — but also, oddly enough, could be read as progressive and therefore sympathetic to tumblr ("let the corporations make the regulations / and hold no one accountable when everything gets wrong / let the rich and famous get away with murder / every time a high-priced mouthpiece starts to talk, his client gets to walk"). compare to the anime and manga, where his bigotry and pride and disgust come from a place of lukewarm dissatisfaction and boredom. the musical has much less time to play around with lights character, so it gives the audience something to immediately hook on. more on how that actually plays out later.
in the animanga, none of this is justified from the start. animanga light could say he was just killing people to make humanity way, way worse, and that wouldnt matter, because at the root of it, it was always his boredom that made him pick up the note. of course he actually believes in justice and believes hes doing the right thing (no, he believes he's doing the wrong thing, for the sake of the world... the right thing, because he is god...), but it was boredom at the start. all animanga light says about justice and righteousness and the law is a front in the end, bc he is exactly like l and misa — amoral. selfish. searching for entertainment. hedonistic. we know this. he kills naomi misora*. he kills lind l. turner. everything hes saying deserves to be dismissed from the beginning.
"but doesnt that mean you agree with the discourse post you wrote this post to argue against?" like i said, i agree with both of them! but i... still think its not right to reduce death note to the message of "the power to kill people is bad". because that is not exactly what the story is saying, even though that's literally its whole plot and therefore reaching that conclusion is self explanatory (lmao). let's look at the concept of mu. nothingness. "there's no heaven or hell". The Real Slay The Princess (Death Note Essay) Starts Here.
in light's final moments in the death note manga, while screaming about not wanting to die, he remembers that the first day they met, ryuk told light that "there's no heaven or hell. no matter what they do in life, all people go to the same place. all humans are equal in death". it is retroactively revealed that light knew this the whole time, operated under this knowledge for all the years we watched him — the knowledge that nothing he does is actually bad, that nothing any human does is actually bad, that shinigami are not "evil", that the universe does not care. that no one cares except humans. this oblivion absolutely terrifies him more than anything anyone could ever do to him. its what he thinks of before anything else as he flails there, screaming, dying. one could say everything he does after that day is him trying to escape that fact, or wrest control over it. but it doesnt work.
here are the lyrics of requiem, the musical's final song, sung over the bodies of l and musical light, a light who was at least somewhat good-intentioned at first: "sleep now, here among your choices / then fade away / hear how the world rejoices / shades of gray / gone who was right or wrong / who was weak or strong / nothing left to learn". this is the final message the death note musical and the manga chose to leave us with. there is no judgement. even after all that acknowledged hurt, after all the damage done, there is no judgement.
in the manga and anime alike, the world is just as fucked when light picks up the death note as when he dies. sure, we as readers can guess otherwise logically (and be optimistic, believing the world was never fucked regardless), but that's not what death note wants you to think. it ends with matsuda and another member of the task force noting how the world is worse again even though they killed kira (matsuda is clearly much worse for wear, but still determined), we see the shitty motorcycle band again, it ends with misa and a whole kira cult on a mountain even though kira died a long time ago...
its extremely important that light is never killed by any human or any aspect of the law. he is always killed by ryuk: a chaotic force completely detached from human sensibilities, one that does not care about good and evil. same with l; in the anime, manga, and musical, he is always killed by rems senseless, morally gray love (and you could argue in the kdrama that hes killed by love there too lol). justice is just a set dressing.
this is not just because death note is a tragedy, because good and evil can still matter in a tragedy. the theme of "nothingness" and "good and evil doesnt matter here" is also shown in a situation relatively unrelated to light winning or losing, or being good or bad. and its in fucking lawlight of all things. we all know ls not a good person. we know lights not a good person. this is tip of the iceberg death note knowledge. but the moment they start to interact, none of that starts to matter. textually, their relationship becomes more important than the people theyve killed and hurt. and the thing is? the thing is? THAT WORKS STORY-WISE. THAT'S ENTERTAINING. AND IT'S NEVER TEXTUALLY CALLED OUT IN A LASTING WAY. l and lights relationship, no matter how much i meme it, is genuinely important to the themes and "mu" because it makes it clear that despite all the pretensions, despite everything, this was never about good and evil. and it still works in the story. this is why death note is simultaneously a comedy — isn't the battle of good and evil supposed to matter more? well, fine, i'll keep watching this anyway. that suspension of disbelief comes crashing down the moment l dies, though, and a relationship built on nothingness (the "mu" sort, meaninglessness, not "character development" nothingness, theres plenty of character development) gives way to just nothingness (again, "mu", not light's post-l depression nothingness), forever.
(an aside: there is no one to root for in death note, and the only things to root for are either interesting character relationships, convoluted plots, or complete and total destruction: for everything to end so no more damage is done.)
not to say that death note does not encourage its readers to consider what damage they might do with the death note (obviously.), or that its characters never do. look at matsuda, a much easier heroic figure to latch on to than soichiro because of his unique place in the cast dynamic and because he's willing to consider both sides of the situation and kill light instantly for all he's done. its just that the story's own stance on the subject is... complicated by the existence of shinigami worldviews and by its own insistence that the world cannot change for the better.
also, this is not to say that this is executed well by the death note manga at all. it is a very strong tool, artistically, to establish and then violently remove any emotional connections between characters and make your story only about the exceedingly convoluted lengths characters go to to survive and catch each other so the reader can realize how ultimately pointless all of this is, but like... is that a good story choice if that's all you do? i would say not really. add in a good dollop of misogyny that destroys the second-to-last character who might actually be an interesting contrast to the rest of the cast's dull one-track focus on winning and justice, and youve got yourself a shitty story that... honestly still achieves what it went out to do, just not in a way id ever want to replicate.
anyway, back to the parts death note's actually trying to say. no matter what any human does in their life, no matter how they try to hurt or help the world, they all die in the end. hey, light, they all die in the end. once dead, they can never come back to life. and the seasons turn. and the world rejoices. and you say "goodbye"...
that's all.
no analysis of death notes overarching theme would be complete without nears final monologue, the definitive roast of light, the "you're just a murderer" speech: "what is right from wrong? what is good from evil? nobody can truly distinguish between them. even if there is a god." if we take this as talking about the actual god in the room (ryuk) as well as light, then near admits that humans will never be able to withstand these overwhelming forces and that, using justice and happiness and selfishness, they are just scrabbling to find meaning in things they ultimately have no control over.
but of course, near does not stop there. "[...] even then i'd stop and think for myself. i'd decide for myself whether his teachings are right and wrong." nears alright with not having control over everything, because near can still control nears own actions. these forces can and do exist, but they have no sway over nears own humanity — unlike light, who caved.
one of the creators of death note said they believe its message is "life is short, so everyone should do their best". the first time i learned this, i was like, thats... nice and optimistic, but an awful reading of the story! "life is short, so everyone should be desperate and striving like light yagami", who literally cut off other ppls lives for his own life? what character in death note are we supposed to strive towards when we "do our best"? they all do awful things with their lives! honestly, maybe they shouldnt have tried their best, if this is what their best is!
but with the view of "mu"... it makes a bit more sense. just a little. maybe.
there is no good and evil. there is only what humans think, and no matter what we do, we all die in the end. it is easy to be crushed and terrified by this in the same way light is, but what is more important than justice and righteousness and finding meaning is... doing your best. not being a person that hurts others too much. not letting yourself get swallowed up by an ideal. not going too far. and simultaneously, trusting yourself.
it leaves a few questions, though... was the currently dead l even a little bit right about his blatantly amoral approach, then? was there a point to this pain, and me slogging through this dumbass manga, and all the people that have lost their lives to a selfish teenage cop's son and the whims of everyone chasing after him? was there a point to any of this...?
the manga** never answers this. it stays clinically impartial until the very end. the musical is anything but clinically impartial (and i love it so much for that), and its ryuk that has the last word.
"there's no point at all."
of course theres no point. none of this was ever supposed to happen. that is what matters more than all the hurt and the crimes and the pain.
and that's... actually okay, because it's over now.
yes, death note has many really important themes present in its story, but its viewpoint is nihilism first and foremost. thats why its so fun and easy to play around with all the other messages, because no matter what fun or torment or awful things or righteous justice or absolute nothingness or sentimentality happens in between, there is always an end.
there is always the end.
#*naomi was killed off bc the author thought shed solve the case too quickly. ironic. i dont think it was meant to forward a theme other than#'light evil! oh no!!!' bc it had minimal buildup and absolutely no repercussions. it is just kind of smth that happens#everything in death note is just smth that happens bc. at some point i just have to admit its NOT RLLY WELL WRITTEN#but it says something. it says many things. and i like balancing the two in my head#death note#personal#**>reduces anime ending to a footnote /j#anime ending: light regrets COMING THIS FAR- not his crimes. he sees l as another regret and dies.#another example of the tragic self (and tragic relationship) ultimately being more important than morals#l would be proud of the torment he inflicted on light if he were not fucking dead#i would also bring up the argument that the way every death note character uses the note is so extreme that its hard to compare them#to real people but lets assume that the author was trying to replicate how actual human beings work as much as possible*#you made it deep enough into the tags would you like to hear about near and mello being nonbinary—#'there is an end so why not enjoy the middle? chain yourself to a hot boy eat strawberry shortcake be bisexual and lie'#*either that or they were just explicitly trying to have fun like they said they was doing#light yagami#sure ill tag my boy#'you cant say the curtains are just blue!' well can i say the curtains were shittily made#norrie if you look at this post ever again ill death note you myself
23 notes
·
View notes
Text
as a jew, seeing what all of these israeli leaders have said is sickening. as a jew, anti-palestinian rhetoric is sickening. as a jew, zionism is sickening.
how dare my people -- a people who've been massacred, ethnically cleansed, dehumanized, forcibly removed, and discriminated on religious grounds for their entire existence -- do the same to another people? how dare we turn our backs on them, when they suffer like we have?
i understand that so much of us have been fed zionist propaganda our entire lives; the same happened to me. i understand the desire for a homeland where we don't have to fear antisemitism at every turn; i want that too. but it doesn't take much thought to understand that a homeland for us, which actively oppresses and kills another people, is antithetical to what we want.
if you, as a member of an oppressed group, believe that your freedom and safety can only exist when you oppress another group, you are acting no better than the people who oppressed you. such a belief is horrible, and cynical, and wrong.
as a jew, i want jewish people to be happy and safe and connected to our heritage; as a jew, i also want other peoples to be happy and safe and connected to their heritage.
don't call the palestinians "amalek". you are turning us into amalek.
doesn't the torah tell us to have empathy for those beaten down by the world? doesn't the torah tell us to make the world a better place? doesn't the torah tell us to free people of their shackles and help them escape oppression?
i have so many israeli aunts and uncles and cousins; i fear for their safety. of course, my parents do as well. i'm worried that this fear, in addition to anything they were led to believe earlier in life, is placing my parents even deeper in the zionist camp. but it doesn't have to be this way! my relatives' safety does not rely on the continued oppression of gaza!
it is easy to be uninformed, to be swayed by propaganda, to blindly hope that israel was founded in good faith -- but we can't lie to ourselves. a world steeped in senseless hatred (which we are now promoting!) could never be a home for us. none of us are free, liberated, equal, until all of us are.
as a jew, to other jews, i implore that we stand with our palestinian siblings. i want us all to be happy and safe. i want us all to live in harmony -- in the holy land and around the world. that is what we all deserve. <3
#melonposting#i apologize for not reblogging/posting much stuff about israel/palestine until now#i kept having this fear that my mom would see and get angry at me#but what do i care? i want both jews and palestinians to be happy#oh yeah. and i keep hearing the argument that 'jews living in the holy land before israel was established weren't treated well'#i don't know if that's true or not... but does it matter?#like of course antisemitism is horrible. but that can be dealt with#forcibly taking over their land is not the answer#like if israel were never a thing and people saw that jews living in the holy land didn't have rights#they'd do something about it!#and if you think they wouldn't (which is a fair thing to think)... well then you should do something about it!!!#don't solve oppression with more oppression you idiot!!!!!#no positive change will ever come to a world which doesn't think positive change can happen#and oppression is not positive change.#and it also pains me how so much of zionist rhetoric feeds off of post-holocaust fear#and i get it. i get that in the mid 20th century we were so scared and angry after the holocaust#and that we desperately wanted a safe haven#i will never not empathize with that fear and rage because it's justified#but that is no excuse to oppress another group of people. there are other ways to be safe and happy i promise#just stop hurting each other... please... you're not helping anyone...#palestine#israel#zionism
65 notes
·
View notes