#and is also a major hypocrite

[hattafan2593]

Helluva Boss: The Circus - Alternate Ending

So I noticed that a lot of people really don't like the way Stella is characterized in Season 2. I personally have no problem with her characterization - sometimes people are just assholes. No tragic backstory. No motive. And honestly, she's just so cartoonishly evil that I can't help but love to hate her. That said, I do see where people are coming from, and it does kind of downplay some of Stolas' flaws and portrays him more sympathetically than he actually is. While I do believe Stolas is sympathetic, and I want him to improve and grow as a person, it doesn't change the fact that his relationship with Blitzo is still mega toxic, that Stolas is a member of a privileged class with little knowledge or empathy for those below him, or that he spent the entire first season doing as he pleased with little to no regard for how his actions affected those around him, including his own family.

So, without further ado, here's my attempt at a more nuanced look at Stella and Stolas' relationship, via an alternate ending to Season 2, Episode 1 - The Circus. Enjoy.

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STELLA: The fuck are you doing?

STOLAS: Reflecting.

STELLA: Well, keep it down. Via's in her room, and I suspect she's trying to sleep. (Turns to walk back inside)

STOLAS: ...Why are you still here?

STELLA: (Stops, irritated) What?

STOLAS: Why are you still here? You leave with Via on weekends but then stay around the house despite everything.

STELLA: I live here, too, Stolas, last I checked. And unlike some people, I don't run away from my responsibilities.

STOLAS: Oh yes, I can see just how busy you've been. Between the shopping trips and gossiping with your girlfriends. Truly, how do you find the time to even breathe?

(Stella stomps over to Stolas, shoving a finger in his face)

STELLA: You have some fucking gall, speaking to me like that! After what you did-

STOLAS: I KNOW WHAT I DID!

(Stella steps back, stunned. Stolas runs a hand over his face.)

STOLAS: I would feel bad if I had hurt you, but we both know I didn't do that!

STELLA: You dare-

STOLAS: Oh, come on, Stella! There was never any love between us! You and I were arranged for one reason - to birth a precautionary heir to the Goetia family, nothing more!

STELLA: Yes, Stolas. I am perfectly aware of my status as a brood mare, thank you for reminding me.

STOLAS: (sighs) I tried, Stella. I know I was and am far from perfect but I did try, for so many years. To make things comfortable for us, to have this family, but it was never enough.

(Stella rolls her eyes and shakes her head. Stolas continues.)

STOLAS: The only reason I have endured your constant insults and cruelty is so that girl can have a normal life!

(Stella starts cackling)

STOLAS: What is so funny?

STELLA: Cruelty? You think what I've done is cruelty?

(Stolas puffs up in indignation, but starts backing away as Stella stomps up to him, getting in his face.)

STELLA: You spoiled, overgrown child! You don't know what cruelty is! And what's this tripe about "a normal life?" Normal? By Satan, have you always been this delusional?!

(Stella steps back, throws out her arms for emphasis.)

STELLA: Newsflash, husband! Octavia is a Goetia! She is never going to have a normal life! No matter how she acts or how she dresses, she will always have royal blood in her veins! Nothing you or I do will ever change that, and the denizens of Hell are certainly not going to let her forget it! Especially not after this latest spectacle of yours!

(Stolas' face becomes horrified - his eyes turn to pinpricks)

STOLAS: ...what?

STELLA: (exasperated) You were seen publicly, Stolas! In a goddamned sex club, with an imp! Did you really think word wouldn't spread?! (puts her hands on her hips) And who do you think has had to deal with the fallout of your little dalliances? Who do you think has to deal with the gossip, the rumors, the contempt? Here's a hint - it's not you!

(Stolas flinches back slightly.)

STELLA: (shaking her head, bitterly) Men like you and my brother are all the same. You do as you please with no thought or care to how your actions affect others. And meanwhile, women like me have to deal with fake sympathy and speculation from the masses over how we are such failures as wives that our husband find the company of peasants more appealing.

(Stolas is stunned silent. Stella turns away from him, her arms folded.)

STELLA: I don't expect you to love me, Stolas. Or even like me. But whether you like it or not, we are married. And at the bare minimum, I expect some modicum of respect as your wife.

(Stolas turns aways, gripping his arm. His face is full of guilt. But then he turns back, his face becoming blank.)

STOLAS: Respect goes both ways, Stella. And you'll have to forgive me if I can't respect someone who publically shames my performance in bed, or tries to have me assassinated, right in front of our child.

STELLA: Oh please, she had her headphones on. And it's not like it even worked. You're still here aren't you?

STOLAS: (bitterly) Sorry to disappoint you.

(Bitter silence.)

STOLAS: (sigh) ...Look, this...this isn't working. I cannot do this anymore.

STELLA: Meaning what?

STOLAS: I want a divorce. I do not want to be married to you anymore. I want out.

STELLA: (laughs bitterly) Of course. You realize that the Goetia family will not take this lying down? Andrealphus especially-

STOLAS: I don't care what your arrogant brother thinks.

STELLA: That much is obvious.

STOLAS: And as far as the Goetia are concerned, the only thing they care about is already 17.

STELLA: ...So that's it. We're done.

STOLAS: Yes. We're done.

STELLA: (deep breath) Fine. It's late. I will sleep in the guest room, and then we will both explain things to Octavia in the morning.

STOLAS: (nodding) That's fair.

(Stella turns to leave)

STOLAS: Stella...for what it's worth-

STELLA: Save it. The words of a traitorous embarrassment are worth nothing. You've fallen from what little grace you had. And I know you'll pay for it. You and that little plaything of yours.

STOLAS: Leave him out of this!

(Stella keeps walking.)

STOLAS: Stella! I mean it! Hate me if you must, but I will not let you threaten-

STELLA: It's not a threat, it's a fact. (turns around) You have made him part of this little game of yours. You have dragged him into the spotlight, Stolas. And sooner or later, he will be eaten alive.

(Stolas staggers back, his face a mask of rage and shock.)

STELLA: (suddenly very tired) I don't pretend to understand your feelings for that imp, but if you truly care for him at all...you will let him go.

(As Stella goes inside, Stolas' fist shake with rage and become sheathed in his magic. He turns, roaring, and slams his magic covered fist down on the balcony railing, causing it to crack and crumble slightly. Stolas then collapses on the ground, weeping.)

(Cut to Stella walking down a hallway. Her eyes are in shadow as her mouth contorts, a single tear forming and threatening to fall. Stella furiously scrubs it away, then straightens, her face a mask of cold regality. She continues down the hall.)

(End.)

[captainjonnitkessler]

Sometimes I wish we would start calling out the performative radicalism on this site for the poser bullshit it is. "Remember, it's always morally correct to kill a cop!" "Don't forget to firebomb your local government office!" "Wow, it sure would be a shame if these instructions on how to make a molotov cocktail got spread around!"

Okay. But you're not killing cops or firebombing government offices. You are posting on a dying microblogging website to a carefully-curated echo chamber that has radicalized itself into thinking that taking the absolute most extreme position on any subject is praxis but that anyone discussing the most practical way to effect actual change is your sworn enemy. You do not have the street cred OR the activist cred to be talking about killing cops, babe.

[lgbtlunaverse]

I feel like too often people frame Nie Mingjue's issues as ignorance borne from safety. Like, they think that because of his privilege as a sect leader he doesn't know what it's like to be in danger and forced to make hard choices to survive. And I disagree. Strongly.

First of all, Nie Mingjue is very familiar with death not only from war but from. You know. Actively dying since the age of fourteen. Let us not forget Nie Mingjue is dead! Super dead! And maybe he didn't die the exact way he expected to but he did, absolutely, know he was going to die. To act like Nie Mingjue is unfamiliar with the scenario of "do something you find morally reprehensible or die" is to ignore that he has been living that exact scenario and chose death.

Nie Mingjue knows death is a risk for someone like Jin guangyao, in fact he explicitly acknowledges it even in his worst moments like the stairs in chapter 49. Had his issue been ignorance, then he would've responded to Jin Guangyao saying that he's in danger and has to sacrifice others for his own safety with "No you aren't you'll be fine." But he doesn't. He accepts the fact that jgy is in danger with no qualms and says: then you should die.

That's not him betraying his values, those are his values. He is, essentially, pro-suicide. Jgy is like hey I have a moral dilemma what should I do and nmj straight up goes "Kill yourself" and earlier that same chapter when he was faced with a moral dilemma he went "I'm gonna kill myself." He believes the solution to moral dilemmas is suicide! He is extremely consistent about this! When it's pointed out to him that it would have been dangerous for Wen Qing to oppose Wen Ruohan it doesn't phase him because he thinks putting yourself at risk to do the right thing is the only moral choice. The idea that he can only hold this belief because he is himself somehow not in danger, again, requires you to ignore that he is dying the whole time. And it doesn't deter him. He is the idea of self-sacrifice as a moral good taken to its absolute logical extreme. Someone who is ready to die and demands the same from everyone else.

It makes him a very fun case study for fandom, because a lot of fandom spaces also tend to revere self-sacrifice as the ultimate good, and yet we get very uncomfortable when someone starts demanding it of characters we love. Like woah, hold on, that's a bit too far isn't it? Only we the audience get to do that!

[cavityinmybrain]

i told myself i was gonna stop engaging in syscourse but i saw a super common fucking opinion that i cant bite my tongue on

DID as a disorder has more criteria besides having two or more distinct personality states. you cannot say “DID is more than alter disorder” and then turn around and say endogenic systems are claiming to have DID on the basis of having alters, that isnt how it works.

you either recognize all of the symptoms as being important to the diagnostic criteria, or you give major over-importance to one part of it (and make yourself look like a hypocrite)

[fiona-fififi]

If I'm being honest, I actually think I would prefer to see Tommy NOT become the boyfriend. I really like the idea of the two of them dating a bit, and Tommy helping Buck to explore a little, but I think it would be much more interesting if Buck doesn't immediately jump into a more serious relationship with him. Allowing Buck to explore more casually as he starts to figure himself out just feels a little more meaningful here. He's always so quick to jump into relationships. I'd rather see him really take his time and let himself have some fun. And absolutely, Tommy can be a major part of that. But so much of the speculation around them feels like it frames him as the boyfriend, but I don't know that that's what Buck needs from him, to be honest.

[britneyshakespeare]

The gaslighting Duke of Vienna

[deet-doot]

So overall I liked the expansion

I have my qualms with it, mainly with how they kinda shunted Erenville and Krile aside, and we're missing what I feel is necessary character development for some other characters

But

*Overall* I felt like it was really good. I like being a side character, having the focus on someone else.

And don't get me started on the fight design. Holy fucking shit I love it. I feel *challenged* as a healer. It's great

[prompt-master]

Gifts are my love language which really just means I spend hundreds of dollars on my siblings come Christmas

[killerpancakeburger]

The fandom: Miguel isn't evil, he's just trying to save billions of lives that Miles is putting in danger.

Me: Miguel can only do this because he has no loved one left. You really think if HIS family was alive he would just stand there and watch them die?

[gendervoid-zane]

MCD Series Rewrite & Mystreet Universe Rewrite ->

MCD rewrite!Katelyn is mostly indifferent to being pregnant and having children. During season 2 and on-way, she has a “if it happen, then it happens” mentality and she’ll do her best to raise the child she does ever become pregnant. However, during season one, the idea of becoming pregnant terrified her because she was a jury member and Katelyn not only experienced how Zane used her family against her, she also saw how Zane constantly used Abby against Jeffory.

Actually, since Katelyn x Kiki is an endgame ship in my MCD Rewrite, technically Katelyn does becomes Leona’s step-mom & while Leona’s already an adult when the Katelyn & Kiki started dating, Katelyn’s already fully embraced the possibility of Leona seeing her as a parental figure later down the line. Because she genuinely wanted to be with Kiki (because being with Kiki requires one to fully care about pher daughter (not caring about Leona is full on deal-breaker in Kiki’s eyes & Katelyn fully understood that)) and Katelyn also felt like she has healed enough mentally and physically she had finally started putting her walls down & fears away to be in that position.

~

Now, Mystreet Rewrite!Katelyn. While she has experience with babysitting and would gladly watch any of her friends’ children. She doesn’t want to get pregnant and she doesn’t want children of her. In fact, if she ever discovered she was pregnant, she would quickly delete that fetus. And if she got pregnant and discovered said pregnancy pass the point that she would feel personally comfortable with aborting it then, she’ll probably either a) give fully custody of it to her dad or to one of her brother, b) give full custody to whoever got her pregnant (assuming neither of them lived together), c) give full custody of it Aphmau or Nicole, or d) if none of those options are available/don’t want fully custody then she’ll give it for adoption.

The only way Katelyn would have a hand in raising it is if she discovered the pregnancy pass the point she would feel comfortable with aborting it and the person who got her pregnant lived with her. Even then she’ll try to let the other person do most of the work (and actually it’ll probably force her to speed run anger management because while she’s doesn’t want it, she also doesn’t want to be abusive. And then speedrun therapy because at some point she’ll realize she doesn’t want to repeat the mistakes Elizabeth made)

[dentpx]

Also the non-linear storytelling completely results in….no storytelling imo. Nintendo is so aware of the fact that players might not do things in the order they want (if they even do them at all) so all the information has to be really minimal and repetitive in case somebody only does one temple or whatever. TP and OOT and MM and literally every other Zelda game put you directly in the path of the main antagonists or have really drastic things happen while you’re there. Where TOTK/BOTW it’s like, everything really intense happened a super long time ago and you watch a video about it and then go back to hunting frogs or whatever

[twowink]

and on the knightsP topic also its SO funny to me when people pick and choose who to get mad at for being transphobic in ! like sometimes you’ll see smn be like “i hate subaru he was rude to arashi during some early event stories” and then check their account and then theyre an izumiP

[nonbinarycharmybee]

me: is talking about my own au too presumptious. is it annoying. would i rather hide under a rock instead.

also me, after reading a really good au: gods please let the author be on tumblr talking about the exact details of this fic and its behind-the-scenes trivia

[ctntduoarchive]

dtblr are kinda funny though i remember last year they hated tommyinnit but this year they're going like "tommy is actually friends with dream :// so you have to unstan him as well." like Girl that's not how this works

[cithaerons]

[NOT a vague at anyone just participating in the conversation] also watching andor and being like well it’s still a disney show is like you’re right you’re not wrong but also the creators & artists involved in andor have done a ton of stuff that is NOT disney - diego luna has been doing work in latin-american cinema & theatre with an left-wing bent for YEARS, it’s just that his disney star wars work is pretty much the only thing that gets recognition, at least among the usamerican public - which is frustrating in itself. it’s just weird to choose to watch disney and then come out with the criticism of it being disney. 

[snekdood]

rw christians may have the general idea to christianize the world but that does not = them actually having the organization abilities and follow through with eachother to be successful. dont over estimate them like they want you to. they’re all also individualistically selfish so their motives are for personal gain not for the gain of All The Believing Christians. they’re just a vehicle to their goal. truly, it’s not even about christianity more than it is about using the religion as a weapon and contorting its message to gain power.