#and it is so ridiculous and annoying to me and it is a phenomenon of every genre

[mamawasatesttube]

i understand that ... the whole. everything. that fanon t*mkon does is super annoying, but the way some people push back against it by insisting that tim and kon weren't close before tt03/the geoff retcon is so funny (read: annoying) to me. this is simply not true ♥ so here, have a brief, nonexhaustive list of examples of tim and kon's friendship from kon's side:

tim is kon's second choice for "who to learn nonpowered fighting from" when he loses his powers (sb94 #76).

when he has a power spike and freaks himself out with his own strength (dismantling every single gun in los angeles), tim is the person he turns to to seek comfort and advice (sb94 #85). (and also to bother him because "bothering tim" seems to be one of his hobbies.)

he refers to tim as his "ex-best friend" after their fight on apokolips (sb94 #92).

like... you don't have to ship them. you can be very annoyed with the way fanon has warped their relationship. but to suggest that they didn't actually have any sort of close bond before tt03 is... rather egregiously not true? and just feels like a spite response to me. idk man. they have very clearly been good friends for a long time, before geoff had anything to do with them.

[a-dash-in-the-middle]

going to music places with only knowing the genre and liking new songs, and singing the ones i knew, and singing them badly bc i missed half the lyrics and not having an encyclopaedia of the genre in my mind bc i always liked the music and the pretentious pricks from serbian turbo folk to punk metal and grunge will not stop me from enjoying new things and knowing nothing about the band who sings it

[cheolieji]

Maybe Svt reaction to you getting shipped with another member ?

i love thisss thank you for the request!!

request: Seventeen's reaction to you getting shipped with another member

° don't be shy to request!!

♡ I hope you guys liked this one. It's my first time writing all the members at once, and it's very fun to write. Hehe, ( i made this in 40 minutes, and im so out of ideas😬)

context or wtvr: we're just gonna say you're the 14th member and is dating one of them, but fans don't know

Seungcheol: Very confused because he's been making it VERY obvious you guys are dating. "What... Mingyu? why him– i'm right here" ( will go on his secret account to call bullshit but he's the one getting flamed on twt )

Jeonghan: Wouldn't really care, honestly. you get shipped with every member, and it's another normal day in caratland BUTTT if you're in the same room as him, and he came across a post about the ship "that's insane, what the hell? seriously? babe, look at this. They're shipping you with joshua. " he's actually annoyed, and you're just laughing in his face

Joshua: he wouldn't know until you or another member told him. This dude does not check his social media, nor does he care, maybe a little jealous, but at the end of the day, you're his

Jun: Will call all the way from china just to tell you, "Hello, baby, did you see Wonwoo being shipped with you? that's crazy. i mean, you guys are close, yes. but I'm dating youuu. How could they imagine you and wonwoo wahh thats crazy" is ranting as if he's not your boyfriend. will go on and on about how unreal and an insane phenomenon it is

Soonyoung: is lowkey mad even though it's just a little ship fans made. "No sense in dating! I'm always all over you, and they don't notice? but when coups look at you a little, they go crazy, " he says as he's rolling his eyes

Wonwoo: Bro does not care. I'm sorry, he knows you're his and his only (there is a hint of jealousy thooo

Jihoon: is too busy to give a shit and just like wonwoo, he doesn't care. Plus, Carats ships you with everyone

Seokmin: Is more concerned about your feelings than the ship itself. "babyyy, how are you feeling? you know i love you, right?" he's acting as if he's the one getting shipped with another idol

Mingyu: too cocky to care. he's hot, and he knows it. Also, you'll never leave him for another man, lmaoo

Minghao: is jealous, of course, but has to put on that. "So what? i don't care" face of his — "i mean, i guess, im jealous. come on it so obvious we're dating, no?" ( no, not really. hao, but you do you, bae )

Seungkwan: "Should we just reveal our relationship? because you getting shipped with hoshi is out of hand. " — ''you're just saying that because you had a fight with him earlier.' '' stillll its ridiculous, and it doesn't sound like a bad idea, right?" "You're just jealous boo go to bed, istg"

Vernon: isn't jealous but thinks it's interesting(?) because why minghao and not him? he's usually holding your hand and hugging you, but for some reason, fans just think it's cute friends holding and hugging each other and not a couply thing....

Chan: When he found out about the ship, he'll get more clingy and start to hug you around the camera more, and you're just like, tf?. "You okay chan?" "Absolutely! just making sure they see me hugging you. " said as he's practically choking you (uhh, i think they see you, honey)

[is-the-thing-actually-jewish]

are Hanukkah sweaters a Jewish thing? i've seen them before but 90% of the time, they're people trying to make christmas displays more "inclusive." so are they legit Jewish or no?

Rating: Capitalism.

Hanukkah sweaters are a prime example of what I previously characterized as "capitalism's tendency to tepidly repackage any Christmas symbols in literally or metaphorically blue-and-silver wrapping paper to appeal to a Jewish market." As the "ugly sweater" phenomenon has grown more popular, retailers saw an excellent opportunity to widen their market by having "Hanukkah" versions.

That said, there's a wide range of Hanukkah sweaters out there, some of which are more problematic than others. Ones that are literally just recolored Christmas designs with a couple Jewish-y things tacked on, like this "Shalom Gnome" design or this "Oy to the World" design are more problematic than enthusiastically tacky designed-from-the-beginning-to-be-Jewish ones. The former says "Hanukkah! It's Christmas for Jews! Jews! They're just Christians without Santa or Jesus!" while the latter says, "Oh, you're going to walk around with an eyesore sweater full of tinsel and actual little jingle bells as though anyone could possibly forget that it's Christmas season in this country? I see you, I see you, and I'm just going to casually wear this sweater with a menorah and candles that actually light up because Judaism rocks, that's why."

Then there's a whole genre of Hanukkah sweaters with, let's say, more adult content, and people's mileage may greatly vary on how they feel about them. Personally, I find the ones riffing off more secular aspects of the holiday to be largely harmless, such as this "You Spin Me Right Round, Baby" design with dreidels. On the other hand, while some may find it amusingly subversive, I find ones making fun of the religious part of the holiday (i.e., the actual hanukkiah/menorah) to be in poor taste at best. There are a plethora of "let's get lit" Hanukkah sweaters like this one that genuinely annoy me. (For one thing, Hanukkah isn't even a drinking holiday! If you want a drinking holiday, we actually have those but Hanukkah isn't it!) Ones like this that make it into a creepy pick-up line actively disgust me. And this "gelt digger" one is genuinely antisemetic, given the stereotypes about Jews and money.

I would be remiss not to mention what I personally think is the best of the Hanukkah sweater subgenres: animal puns. My fiance owns this Meowzel Tov sweater with a truly garish design. What does "mazel tov" have to do with Hanukkah, you may ask? Absolutely nothing, but hey, cats! Can't be upset about Jewish cats! Similarly, llamas? Not Jewish at all! But Happy Llamakka? Okay, cute pun, cute graphic, I'm reluctantly charmed. Your Menorasaurus would not be kosher for actual use as the candles are all different heights, but you know what, that actually makes me smile.

So, basically: If you get joy out of being loudly Jewish during a season where everything is yelling about Christianity all the time, go ahead and wear your ridiculous ugly sweater to the company party. Just take a close look at the design to make sure it's not actually full of Christmas trees, not pretending something extremely Christmas is Jewish because it's a pun now, doesn't use Charedi men as a cartoon stand-in for anyone Jewish, and doesn't makes being Jewish primarily about not being Christian.

In sum: RIP my browser history, I'm going to be getting such terrible ads for the next several weeks. Click the links at your own risk.

~Mod Leora

[miss-tc-nova]

Big Kitty and the Ducks - Leona Kingscholar x Reader

Going for a straightforward title today.

Anyway, a couple months ago, when I visited my family, someone brought miniature ducks and hid them everywhere, so my brother and I had fun finding and re-hiding them. It got kinda silly but that's the inspiration for this nonsense.

Premise: Ducks are infesting the school and Leona's not thrilled

Words: 1,314

~~~~~

               Duck.

               Duck…

               …Duck

               …

               Duck.

               Goddammit.

               Huffing, the lion turns his gaze away from the front of the class to the windowsill. It takes all of a single second to spot the little round body and bright orange beak basking in the sunlight.

               Duck.

               What the fuck?!

               There’s been a wild phenomenon emerging at Night Raven College in the form of water fowls the size of marbles. These miniscule birds have been popping up literally everywhere. Light switch: duck. Commons potted plant: duck. Potion vial: duck. Spelldrive goal: duck. Ceiling: duck. Duck duck duck! Hell, he even found a duck in the soap dispenser in the bathroom.

               And the whole damn school was fascinated.

               It started out with a handful of birds being found around the campus. Students laughed and collected them, but then more appeared the following day and then the next. Soon, it became a whole thing that ducks found were to be documented on magicam and relocated to another, equally ridiculous location.

               Yet while the rest of the school seemed fascinated by their sudden arrival, Leona is getting sick of seeing the little, yellow demons. Even his usually blunt, brutish dorm were enjoying the duck hunt. He can’t even begin to count the number he’s spotted in his dorm alone and it’s annoying.

               “Yo, Leona.”

               As class lets out, Leona finds his gold-digging hyena waiting for him in the cafeteria. The underclassman places a tray on a table, having already obtained the lion’s lunch for him.

               “How’d history go? Get a decent grade on that exam?”

               A fork stabs at the cut of beef. “If yer looking for next year’s answers, forget it. Trein didn’t let us keep the graded copies.”

               “Damn,” he sighs. “I didn’t really expect the exams to be the same, but an old exam would’ve been good study material.”

               “Sounds like more hassle collecting old assignments than just doing the work.”

               “You’d be surprised. Some of your second-year assignments are the exact same as this year’s.” The sophomore’s smug demeanor turns suddenly distracted. “Oh look, a duck!”

               With a toothy grin, Ruggie plucks the trinket from the table center piece. As he does, he apparently notices Leona’s annoyance and offers his finding.

               “What? You wanna take ‘im?”

               “Get that stupid thing away from me,” Leona growls back.

               “Ooo, spicy. Shishishishi.” He earns a glare. “I figured you wouldn’t be into it, but I didn’t think you’d care enough to hate it.”

               There’s a pause. Then another laugh escapes the younger student.

               “Especially for a guy who has one in his hair.”

               Leona’s eyes widen, his mouth pursing to contain the shock and fury. He’s lying—Ruggie must be lying.

               With that devious smirk, the second year gently tugs at one of his housewarden’s braids. There, wrapped into his hair with his hairtie, is one of those stupid, yellow, unassuming, miniature, goddamn ducks.

               Exhaling all his indignant fury, Leona rises. Not another word leaves his clenched jaw as he promptly leaves, ignoring all questions. From the cafeteria the lion stalks, in search of the one single individual who could’ve done this. Other students quickly clock in to the dark aura and provide a wide berth on his path. His rage leads Leona from the main building of the college down to the little rundown dorm tucked neatly in the shadows of the castle. A swift kick slams open the front door but no one is there to greet him. At least not until half of the dorm’s residents come rushing in from the kitchen.

               “Leona? What’s wrong?”

               “C’mere,” he demands, closing the gap himself.

               The Ramshackle prefect goes tense at his quick approach. A hasty hand takes hold of that adorable face, fingers pressing into the soft flesh of the cheeks.

               Low, dark, Leona’s voice rumbles. “It was you, wasn’t it?”

               The response is somewhat muffled. “Huh?”

               “You did this—you started this stupid duck thing, didn’t you.”

               Recognition sparks. “How did you find out?”

               Eyes narrowing, Leona shows the figure wrapped up in his hair. A smile works across warped lips. Despite Leona’s ire, the prefect giggles, thoroughly pleased with the ordeal.

               “Where the hell did you even get that many ducks?” he snaps, not even bothering to ask why this whole thing even started to begin with.

               “Sam.”

               Of course it was Sam.

               “You menace.” With a growl, Leona pushes the magicless student back a step. “Now fix it.”

               Eyes roll, smile still intact, while the student motions towards the sofa. The grumpy lion flops onto the couch, his head falling into the lap of the offender, as had occurred some few times before.

               Fingers play with the end of the braid. “I wondered when you would notice.”

               Huffing, Leona elects not to engage in this line of conversation.

               “It’s only been there a week.”

               Eyes snap open, his body goes rigid, lips purse, and ears flatten. There’s no way he went a whole week with this damn bird tied into his hair, mocking his disdain for the frivolity. That giggle burns in his ears for more reasons than one.

               “I found this giant bag of little ducks at Sam’s a couple weeks ago. At first, I was just using them to bug the other first years, but I didn’t expect the whole school to get in on it. You should’ve seen Sebek’s face when he found one stuck to Hornton’s horn. Of course, I asked first and he was happy to be part of the fun, but man was Sebek mad. And Ace freaking biffed it when he spotted the one I stuck to the basketball hoop. That was funny. And—”

               As the prefect prattles on about misadventures, Leona feels all the tension seeping from his muscles. Yes, the ducks were still stupid and, yes, they infested the school like locusts, but it was harmless after all.

               And it made the prefect happy.

               “And oh my gosh, I think it was Jade who managed to put one on Crowley’s hat! It’s been there for like a month and—”

               “Hey.”

               Leona’s interruption silences the freshman.

               “You done yet?”

               “Oh, one sec.” The end of the braid is tied with the golden tie. “There.”

               Before he can sit up, the prefect reaches down, placing the damned bird on his chest, staring him down with its stupid, unblinking eyes. Sneering, Leona swats the plastic from his shirt and sits up. It clatters across the floor, making its way somewhere beneath the coffee table.

               “Aww. Oh well. Guess Grim will get to find that one.”

               Leona’s nose scrunches at some pungent scent wafting in. “What’re you burning?”

               “THE COOKIES!”

               The prefect could almost apply for the track and field club for the speed used to rush back to the kitchen.

               Now on his own, Leona simply sits in the Ramshackle commons, his thoughts slowly wandering beneath the table. A string of curses slips his lips as he gets to the floor, feeling around under the table until he finds the figure. He scrutinizes the trinket in his fingers before his gaze begins scouring the room. The chandelier finally holds his gaze long enough for a quirk to tug at the corner of his mouth.

               With a steady hand and careful concentration, the flightless bird levitates its way to its new nest on the light fixture. Surely, it’ll be weeks before anyone finds it there.

               The lion’s admiration is snapped by the return of the prefect.

               “Good news! I saved them!”

               “Aren’t you supposed to be having lunch?”

               “Hey, do you want a cookie or not?”

               A brow quirks but Leona accepts a treat from the offered plate. “Might as well. It’s your fault I’m missing lunch.”

               “Huh?”

               “Nothin’.” Turning on heel, he heads for the door.

               “Wait! What did you say?!”

               His back to the prefect, Leona smirks to himself.

               “That furball’s never gonna find that duck.”

~~~~~

Just some pics of our fun we had

~~~~~

Nova’s Twisted Wonderland Masterlist

[alicerosejensen]

What about uhh Leon with a playful gf? Like in a childish endearing way. A child at heart and likes adventure :D

So, I’m slowly clearing out my inbox and answering old requests. In this case, I decided to make headcanons (I have writer's block).

There are no special warnings. Any version of Leon you want (for me it’s most likely Leon!Re4).

💙 Perhaps sometimes he will be annoyed by your behavior but rarely. His negative attitude will only manifest itself in moments when he is emotionally vulnerable (especially after a mission).

💙 Loves to fall asleep with you under these plush bedspreads but in a dream, he will involuntarily pull it over himself.

💙However, you will not stay without warmth. Leon loves hugging you very much, although you can already sleep, sleep won't come to Leon for a long time, so he will just hug you and look at all these plush toys and various little things that he gave you or that you bought yourself.

💙 I don't think Leon will fall in love with someone who behaves just like a child, but some mischief would give him hope that in this world he has something worth fighting for.

💙 He will buy all these cute stockings to please you.

💙 Leon doesn't really like different adventures because of his job, but if it's something harmless, then no problem. Sometimes he also wants to make a joke and cheer himself up by remembering that he is still a man and not just a slave to the government.

💙 He may sometimes feel uncomfortable in your apartment because of the abundance of toys, but again this is a temporary phenomenon. I'm more than sure that later he will buy you these giant stuffed animals himself.

💙 Leon will always be ready to go to fairs and various festivals with you (provided that he does not eliminate another threat in the form of bioweapons).

💙 If you have a little dog, Leon will even try to get along with him. Maybe he doesn't really like dogs, but from this little miracle he will also be touched and ask you to take him for a romantic walk together.

💙 Without any problems, he will allow you to make all these masks, scrubs, peels on it as a joke and even make some funny photos with you, but on condition that they are stored in personal archives.

💙 Leon will even help you realize your childhood dreams that you did not have time to realize at that time. It may be a small thing in the form of some kind of trip to a place that you have always dreamed of, or a thing that may no longer have any value and usefulness, but you still want to get it since you did not have it in childhood.

💙 He wouldn't have a problem shooting for you in a regular air rifle range, but if you really want to win on your own, then go ahead, baby. At least if you screw up completely, then Leon can save the day.

💙 You may even ask him to let you shoot with his gun (under his supervision, of course)

💙 He doesn't mind when you throw an arm or leg over him in a dream. Over time, Leon will get used to it so much that he will feel uncomfortable sleeping without your body parts on him.

💙 Leon S Kennedy are constantly teasing. This will often lead to him being hit on the head with a pillow, which can eventually turn into a soft battle.

💙 He likes quiet or slightly noisy evenings with you. He likes these old movies with delicious food or some sweets while the movie is on and you're sitting or lying next to him and gently fingering strands of his hair laughing or at least smiling at his ridiculous comments or jokes.

💙However, sometimes while watching, you can seriously start a dispute with him on any topic and take offense at not agreeing with him in opinions.

💙 Although these quarrels never last long.

💙 In any case, he loves you anyway and will most likely be the first to reconcile. Even if you act like a real kid sometimes.

[theerurishipper]

It’s so hard being an Adrien stan in this fandom. People are constantly nitpicking every little thing he does. He can never do right by them. It’s so frustrating. And that’s not even mentioning how he was treated in canon

I feel you anon. I wasn't actively posting for the fandom during the major salt periods, like right after the airing of Syren and then Chameleon, but I was around to see the ridiculous salt fests that would go on. People love to pick on Adrien for every single little thing that involves him making a decision that doesn't cater perfectly to Marinette's whims and needs, but woe be upon you if you say anything about Marinette that isn't praising her. It's not even like I have a problem with Marinette as a character. Some of her writing in Season 4 and 5? Yes. But in Seasons 1-3, I really loved her. She was such a breath of fresh air for me as a character. She was so full of charm and life and energy. But she got ruined for me by her stans who jumped to salt on every other character for not exactly agreeing with her every decision and for having minds of their own and having desires that weren't about her.

And another annoying part is their insistence that Marinette is treated oh so cruelly by the narrative and poor Marinette is always suffering and everyone is treating her so cruelly and she deserves better than people who aren't willing to be her faithful slaves. Then Seasons 4 and 5 brought this into canon, and then you saw people who were salting on Adrien for being upset about being neglected by his partner, and they were blaming him for "feeling entitled to her" despite never calling her out for her treatment of him. Lemme tell you, the chimney discourse was wild. And all that bullshit ass "discourse" about him harassing Ladybug, while ignoring all the stalking Marinette did and pretending it was nothing. I generally ignore anyone who says either of these things because they are clearly meant to be jokes, and I think calling Adrien a harasser is just as ludicrous as calling Marinette a stalker, but the double standard of taking the joke seriously for Adrien but not for Marinette is annoying, to say the least.

And ultimately they just want Adrien and everyone else to be Marinette's sidekicks/yes-men who will never disagree with her and will always do whatever she wants and will never think for themselves. And you unfortunately can see this attitude seeping into canon too, with how Adrien isn't allowed to have independent thoughts outside of how he can be of service to Marinette. Nothing matters for him, the only thing that matters is her and what he can do for her. She's allowed to yell at him and throw him into trashcans, but fuck him if he disagrees with her on something and isn't happy to just sit by and accept being replaced and ignored. And canon Adrienette is such a good example of this phenomenon.

But the salters will whine and rage about how Marinette is such a victim of the narrative and how she suffers so much that we should all excuse her less than perfect actions, while also raging at Adrien for any small slight and denying that he also suffers. I guess Marinette can be excused for being traumatized and stressed, but being a victim of horrific abuse is too less of a reason for Adrien to be excused, and I guess it means he isn't suffering. To them, only Marinette's feelings and suffering matters. And this has also become true for the show, because Adrien's feelings don't matter, only Marinette's feelings about him matter.

And the worst fucking thing I've seen from this fandom is the occasional post about how Adrien is "spineless" and "cowardly" and "doesn't have a backbone" because he is non-confrontational and doesn't get up in arms about everything. And, aside from the fact that there is absolutely nothing wrong with not flying into a righteous rage about everything, this is some fucking heavy victim blaming bullshit. Like, y'all know that Adrien is like that because he's a victim of abuse, right? That his actions are a trauma response, right? It's called fawning. How awful of Adrien to have been conditioned into being non-confrontational by an abusive father who wants him to be subservient to his every whim! How useless is he for being traumatized because of the abuse he suffers! What a loser!

Honestly, the deranged Marinette stans are the worst. If someone says that shit about Adrien, they can go fuck themselves honestly. The gall to accuse a character who is an abuse victim of being "a spineless worm who can't grow a backbone" (someone legit wrote this word for word). Acting like he's the scum of the earth for not agreeing with Marinette 24/7 and victim blaming him for not rising swords drawn the moment someone does something mean to her.

So yeah, I understand you anon. It's really annoying to see all these "hot takes" going around. But there are still many Marinette fans who are nice and don't say all this goofy shit about Adrien, and there are plenty of Adrien stans who love and defend our boy. My advice is to block the salt tags, follow the right blogs and curate your experience the best you can. Trust me, it took a while for me to learn to stop putting myself through the agony of looking through these salt posts and to start blocking tags and salters' blogs. But I'm better off for it now. It won't stop some of these posts from popping up here and there, but it'll massively improve your fandom experience.

Thank you for your ask!

[metanarrates]

i havent read the books in ages and i never even watched all the movies, but my take on the hunger games as a Phenomenon is that having it spawn so many empty, vapid copycats (like divergent) retroactively made it come across as a lot deeper than it actually ever was.

i do like it and the message its meant to convey, and if nothing else i do think it manages to make that message come across just fine (even if its not particularly explored or nuanced), its just that the writing in the books isnt particularly exceptional. iirc its fairly dry and surface level, and it lets itself get too easily distracted by the romance despite katniss explicitly being supposed to not be someone who gives a shit about any of that. i think i was especially annoyed by that in the third book, but that might also just be because i never particularly liked peeta and having so much of it be about katniss' angst over him felt kinda grating.

all in all, definitely a ya book, definitely more interesting than most other things in its genre that came out during that period of time, definitely not the masterpiece it's sometimes talked up to be

I have a worse opinion of it than you, since I just don't think its messaging even is all that consistent most of the time, but yeah I agree with everything else. people remember it as deeper because it at least tried to have things to say. upon examination, it's just... not all that good. interesting to examine, sure, and once I finish reading the books I'm going to be looking at its cultural phenomenon because that's also fascinating, but the actual quality of the books is not great.

i think what's really knocking me on my ass about this series is that it keeps using an awful lot of very Genre Fiction stuff that is conceptually not all that serious, and then keeps asking me to look at it as a serious work with educational and political merit. i read an interview recently where suzanne collins discussed "writing about war in a way that is accessible to teens," which just feels absurdly jarring in the context of a series where a core premise is that an evil government needs a pair of teenagers to pretend they're in love in order to quell revolutionary stirrings. I'm not saying that ridiculous genre elements and serious topics can't be blended well (I fucking LOVE a lot of stuff that does that) but you can't have what is fundamentally treated as a romance novel plot serve as fuel for a serious story about actual war. there's not even a well-thought out metaphor to make it stick. it just asks me to take it seriously and I can't because it's hilarious.

[chronic-invisibility]

it’s so weird for me to try to figure out how my brain arrived at a certain thought or having a certain song stuck in my head. like i have the part of fake happy by paramore in my head where hayley’s just going “da da dada da da” stuck on a loop in my head, sometimes it lets me get to the next bit of the song but then it loops back again, and i was like how did that get stuck in here? well, i was watching the 50th anniversary docuseries about snl with my parents and there was a split second shot of times square and the big red steps which are on top of the tkts booth and i made them pause it so i could tell them that last week when i was in the city the big red steps were roped off and people couldn’t climb up on them which we decided was probably either bc someone was fucking around and got hurt and ruined it for everybody else or bc it’s been snowy and icy lately so maybe they’re too slippery to let people go on so they Don’t get hurt, and then i was talking about all the annoying people in times square who take your picture as a souvenir and then try to get you to pay a ridiculous amount for it and how i saw a medium sized group of tourists trying to figure out how to get a woman’s manual wheelchair into those new gyroscope 360 picture thingies and how the dudes who were working the thing were standing there uselessly like it never occurred to anybody that a disabled person might want to interact with this tourist trap and how shitty that is and then we kept watching the snl thing but my brain now associates nyc but especially times square with the music video for fake happy bc it’s pretty much just following hayley williams around nyc (and sometimes when i miss getting to be in the city as much as i used to i watch the video on youtube and ik most people hate times square and yes it is very overwhelming esp sensory-wise and there’s all the annoying people trying to sell you shit and the people in those character heads and also the pigs carrying machine guns around but i like being in times square for short periods of time bc it makes me feel like i’m actually part of humanity just being around so many people even if nobody’s interacting with me specifically i just like feeling like i’m part of life) and that’s how the song got into my head. it’s like mental gymnastics trying to figure out how my brain gets on certain topics, but i recently learned there’s a term that people w adhd made for that phenomenon called dolphining or dolphin thinking or smth where someone on the outside is baffled how someone can go from one topic to something that seems completely unrelated but if you saw what was going on under the surface it makes sense how they got there, like how you can see a dolphin jumping out of the water but not see them swimming underneath until they jump out again, but for thoughts in your brain and they go so fast sometimes i even have a hard time figuring out how i got there

[snappydragon14]

Snow special!

(It's actually snowing where I live, so here you go. P.S this is not Canon with the story line!)

Soar gazed at the snow beneath her hooves as Ike already dashed through the thin layer of snow. Rolling around the icey wonderland as Mictlan continued to shiver and scowl at the natural phenomenon. His arms crossed as his eyes stayed narrow, trailing behind Soar as his tongue proceeded to flick in and out of his mouth in a slow movement. Most scents around him were weak or dead - only leaving the scent of the angel in front of him and the rodent running around - even the annoying gargoyle trailing behind who seemed completely immune to the cold temperature.

Just as Ike lost balance in his footing and slipped down hill onto a frozen lake, trying to stand only to fall forward onto the ice. At least watching the rodent struggle would take Mictlan’s mind off the freezing cold air and the snow beneath his feet.

Soar stepped forward, her sharp eyes catching the way Ike’s small frame struggled to steady himself on the frozen lake. The angel sighed, shaking her head with a mix of fondness and exasperation. “Ike, you’re going to break something,” she called out, her voice carrying on the crisp winter air.

Ike pushed himself upright on shaky legs, his tail twitching for balance. “I’ve got this!” he chirped, just before his feet slid out from under him again, sending him sprawling onto his back. A loud laugh escaped him as he sprawled on the ice, making no effort to get back up.

Behind Soar, Mictlan continued to scowl, his forked tongue flicking as he grumbled. “Why anyone would find joy in this misery is beyond me,” he muttered, brushing snow off his bare arms with an irritated huff. He cast a glance at the gargoyle trailing them—a cocky carbon copy whose stone-like exterior showed no reaction to the biting cold.

Soar turned her head, her wings twitching slightly as she glanced at the crimson warlord. “If you’d stop sulking and try, maybe you’d see the fun in it,” she teased. Mictlan’s narrowed eyes shifted toward her, his expression souring further. “Fun? Sliding around like a fool until you fall on your face? I’ll pass.”

“Suit yourself,” Soar said with a shrug, stepping onto the frozen lake with ease. Her hooves clicked against the ice as she moved gracefully, her wings subtly adjusting her balance. She bent slightly to extend a hand toward Ike, helping him to his feet.

Ike’s face lit up, his teeth chattering as he clung to her arm. “You make this look so easy. How do you do it?”

“Practice,” she said simply, guiding him with slow, deliberate steps. “And a little balance. Keep your knees loose.”

Mictlan watched from the edge, his gaze flicking between the two figures on the ice. He scoffed as the gargoyle—completely unbothered—lumbered past him and stepped onto the frozen surface. Unlike the others, the gargoyle moved with surprising fluidity, as though skating came naturally to him. Making sure to give Mictlan a cocky smirk before skating away, making the gods blood boil.

Mictlans eyes narrowed further, his pride pricked by the challenge. With a deep growl, he stepped forward, the snow crunching under his feet until he reached the edge of the ice. He hesitated, his forked tongue flicking out, but the triumphant smirk on the gargoyles face was enough to spur him forward.

The moment his feet met the slick surface, Mictlan’s balance wavered. He growled again, his arms flailing slightly as he tried to stay upright. “This is ridiculous,” he muttered.

Ike, still clinging to Soar, let out an encouraging cheer. “You’re doing it, Mictlan! Kind of!”

Mictlan shot him a glare but couldn’t deny the small spark of pride that crept in as he managed to take a shaky step forward. The frozen lake stretched out before them, an icy wonderland bathed in the pale glow of winter, and for the first time, Mictlan found himself almost—almost—distracted from the biting cold.

Mictlan’s next step, however, proved less fortunate. His foot slid out to the side, and his body twisted awkwardly as he struggled to regain balance. He let out a hiss of frustration, his claws scraping against the ice as he dropped to one knee.

“Graceful as ever,” Soar quipped, spinning lightly on her hooves as she glided closer to him. She extended a hand, the gargoyles smirk widening. “Need some help?”

Mictlan glared at her, his pride warring with practicality. Finally, with a resigned grunt, he reached out and clasped her hand. The icy cold of her touch made him flinch, but she pulled him to his feet with surprising strength.

“You’ll get it,” she said, her tone softer now, though still laced with amusement. “Just lean into the movement.��� Mictlan grumbled, but he begrudgingly followed her lead as she guided him across the ice. Each step was tentative, his muscles coiled with tension, but with Soar’s steadying hand, he managed to stay upright.

Meanwhile, Ike had resumed his chaotic exploration of the lake, his movements more like a squirrel darting across branches than any coordinated effort to skate. The little demon spun in circles, his laughter ringing out across the frozen expanse until he inevitably lost his footing again and went sliding on his stomach.

The gargoyle, by contrast, moved with eerie precision. His heavy frame glided effortlessly across the ice, his stone wings shifting subtly for balance. He looped around the others, his expression as cocky and amused as ever.

“Thou makest us all appear ill-favored.” Itzquemitl called to him, shaking his head in mock exasperation. Mictlan let out a low growl, his competitive streak flaring. “We’ll see about that.” Ignoring his earlier struggles, he pushed off with more force, trying to replicate the gargoyle’s fluid movements. For a brief, glorious moment, he succeeded—gliding smoothly across the ice.

Then his overconfidence got the better of him. His foot caught a rough patch, and his momentum sent him spinning out of control. He crashed to the ice in a flurry of limbs and a loud, undignified yelp.

Ike was doubled over with laughter, clutching his sides as he pointed at Mictlan. “You almost had it!” he choked out between giggles. Mictlan shot him a deadly glare from where he lay sprawled on the ice. “Laugh it up, rodent,” he snarled.

Soar skated over, her expression a mix of sympathy and amusement. “You’re getting there,” she said, offering her hand once again. “Just maybe don’t try to show off until you’ve got the basics down.”

Mictlan grumbled under his breath but took her hand nonetheless, pulling himself upright once more. His pride might have taken a hit, but he wasn’t one to back down from a challenge—especially not one that involved showing up that smug gargoyle.

As the group continued their icy escapades, the cold and snow seemed to fade into the background, replaced by the shared laughter and occasional mishaps of their winter adventure. Even Mictlan, for all his grumbling, couldn’t entirely hide the hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

As the hours passed, the frozen lake became a stage for their trial and error. Mictlan was determined to master the ice, his competitive nature driving him forward despite the constant tumbles and slips. Each fall only seemed to fuel his resolve, though the occasional grumble of frustration slipped through his clenched teeth. Ike, meanwhile, had found his stride—or rather, his chaotic version of it. Instead of attempting graceful skating, he embraced his own brand of movement: skidding, spinning, and tumbling across the ice with endless energy. His laughter was contagious, filling the winter air and drawing a reluctant chuckle from even the stoic gargoyle.

"Watch this!" Ike called out, crouching low and pushing off with a burst of speed. He zipped across the lake, his tail whipping behind him for balance. For a moment, it seemed like he might actually succeed in pulling off a proper glide. But as always, his enthusiasm outpaced his skill. His feet slipped out from under him, and he landed face-first in a heap, sliding to a stop near the edge of the lake.

Soar clapped slowly, her wings fluttering as she glided toward him. "Impressive," she said, smirking down at the sprawled-out rodent. "You're getting better at making it look intentional."

Ike grinned up at her, unfazed by his latest wipeout. "I know, right?" He rolled onto his back and waved his arms and legs, carving out a snow angel on the thin layer of frost that had formed on the ice.

The gargoyle passed them with the steady grace of a veteran skater, his scrawny stone hooves barely making a sound on the ice. "Amateurs."

"Oh, we’re Amateurs all right," Soar quipped, her sharp gaze flicking to Mictlan, who was carefully attempting to mirror the gargoyle’s movements. His steps were stiff and deliberate, the feathers on his crown whipping back and forth as he struggled to stay upright.

Mictlan growled low in his throat, his pride refusing to let him give up. He pushed off once more, this time managing a shaky glide that carried him halfway across the lake. He stumbled slightly but caught himself, his feet scraping the ice as he steadied his footing.

“There!” he barked triumphantly, his blue eyes blazing with determination. “I told you I’d get it.”

Ike clapped enthusiastically from his position on the ground. “You’re a natural, Mictlan! Well, sort of.”

“Keep it up, and you might even pass for coordinated,” Soar teased, though her tone was genuinely encouraging.

Encouraged by his small victory, Mictlan pushed himself harder, his movements growing more fluid with each attempt. The ice groaned softly beneath his feet, a reminder of its fragile nature, but he paid it no mind. For once, the cold and discomfort seemed secondary to the strange sense of satisfaction he felt with each successful step. This was definitely a wish within the underworld he would never get to experience again.

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, painting the icy landscape in hues of gold and orange, the group finally slowed their pace. Soar perched on the edge of the lake, her wings tucked neatly behind her as she watched Ike and the gargoyle engage in a clumsy race across the ice. Mictlan stood nearby, his breath visible in the chilly air as he observed the scene with an expression that bordered on contentment.

“Not so bad, huh?” Soar said, glancing at him with a knowing smile.

Mictlan huffed, his tongue flicking out briefly. “It’s tolerable,” he admitted grudgingly. “But don’t expect me to enjoy it.”

Soar chuckled, her eyes sparkling in the fading light. “I’ll take that as a win.” And as the last rays of sunlight glinted off the frozen lake, even Mictlan had to admit—if only to himself—that this icy wonderland wasn’t so bad after all.

As the group continued their escapades, Mictlan felt emboldened by his small victories. His strides grew longer, his glides more confident. The ice groaned faintly under his feet, but he dismissed it, focused entirely on proving his newfound skill to Itzquemitl.

Soar, ever observant, noticed the subtle shift in the ice’s texture where Mictlan skated. Her sharp eyes narrowed, and she called out, “Mictlan, watch your footing. That ice looks thinner over there.” He scoffed, brushing off her warning with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I’m fine,” he snapped. “I’m not some fumbling mortal. I—”

Before he could finish, a loud crack echoed across the lake. His eyes widened, and his movements froze, though not in time to stop the inevitable. The ice beneath him gave way with a sharp, splintering sound, and he was plunged into the freezing water below.

For a moment, there was only the deafening silence of shock. Then the surface erupted as Mictlan clawed his way back up, gasping and snarling as the icy water sapped the heat from his body. His red skin glistened with frost as he grabbed at the jagged edges of the hole, his claws struggling to find purchase on the slippery surface.

“Mictlan!” Soar shouted, already dashing toward him. Her wings flared wide as she glided to the edge of the broken ice, her movements precise and controlled. Behind her, Ike and the gargoyle froze mid-motion, their eyes locked on the unfolding scene.

The gargoyle was the first to react, plopping himself in a nearby snowbank with a large giddy grin of amusement while Ike only let out a shriek and fell backward yet again “I’m fine!” Mictlan growled through chattering teeth, his voice rough with anger and embarrassment. “Don’t—gah—don’t help me!” Ignoring his protests, Soar knelt near the edge, her hand extended toward him. “Stop struggling and grab on!” she commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Mictlan hesitated, his pride warring with his survival instincts, but the bitter cold quickly made the decision for him. He reached out, his claws wrapping tightly around her forearm. With a grunt of effort, Soar leaned back, using her wings for leverage as she hauled him upward.

The ice groaned ominously under her hooves, but she didn’t falter. “Come on,” she muttered through gritted teeth, her muscles straining as she pulled him free. Getting him out of the freezing cold water and onto the unbroken ice.

As soon as he was out, Mictlan collapsed onto the frozen surface, his body trembling violently. His skin was coated in a thin layer of frost, his breaths came in ragged gasps, and the usual rich colors were now pale and dull. “Stupid... ice,” he spat, his voice weak but still laced with irritation. He took it all back. This icey wonderland was a nightmare.

Soar knelt beside him, her expression a mix of worry and exasperation. “Stupid god,” she shot back, draping a wing over his back . “Were you not listening?"

“I’m fine,” Mictlan growled again, though his chattering teeth betrayed him. And his limbs refused to stop trembling.

“Fine, my tail,” Soar snapped, helping him to his feet. She slung one of his arms over her shoulders, her wings bristling as she supported his weight. “Let’s go before you turn into a snake-sicle.”

Ike scurried over, with wide-eyed concern. “Mictlan, are you okay?”

Mictlan glared at him, though the fire in his gaze was dimmed by his exhaustion. “If you... say one word about this later... I’ll—”

“Save your breath,” Soar interrupted, shaking her head. “Let’s get you warmed up first.”

As the group made their way off the lake, Mictlan’s stubborn pride kept him upright despite the bone-deep chill that had seeped into him. For all his complaints and grumbles, though, he couldn’t deny the grudging gratitude he felt toward the angel—not that he’d ever admit it aloud.

[paragonrobits]

i'm trying REAL HARD to figure out what I actually want in an OC species for me to make my Transformer-inspired characters into, but i keep having problems with it being too complicated or figuring it out so here's a few thoughts.

They need to transform. Obviously! However the exact means is unclear; is it an inherent power or innate ability? Or is it a literal power granted to them, through magical means or physical modification?

In general, I am not leaning towards the classic binary main mode/alt mode, but instead they tend to have multiple forms, usually primary form (not necessarily bipedal), a beast mode (animal form), a vehicle mode (something that moves), another mobile form (to expand options) and possibly a monstrous form that's similar to RID's animalistic robot modes, unless that's just the primary mode or something.

Lately I've been leaning towards the idea that each transformation possibility is unique to each one, and that it is specifically a POWER, at least at this extent. They could naturally have the power to alter their own forms in a more limited way, explaining why they tend to have this gimmick so consistently. (Alternatively, this transformation is a form of shapeshifting and a particularly common variant; in-story its an established technique which is why it consistently takes this form. Possibly all beings can do it.)

Alternatively, they might be a species analagous to DND mimics, and this power is what happens with that ability gets tons of magic poured into it, unlocking specific forms that resonate with them.

Are they an actual species of robots that can reproduce, or unrelated robots who develop this power? This is another hard one. I usually imagine Transformers as able to reproduce, so it might be easy to translate that, but i also worry about the logistics of how much that might make sense. I might be leaning towards the idea that they're not related and are something that tends to pop up with robots who achieve genuine sapience, and the ability to physically reproduce is something granted to them (perhaps in the form of an interior factory, so to speak).

Do they have Sparks? Not sure if I should translate that or not.

Connection to OC Gem-like species? I've had an idea for a while that the Gem equivalents from SU in my OC settings are functionally the same species as these Transformer-types. Their central mind being a power core; inserted into a mechanical frame, that frame becomes their living body. Otherwise, it congeals ambient magic into a physical form, becoming something more like a Gem? But is this a good idea? It sounds like it might get complicated and I don't know if that makes sense or not.

Are they as tough as Transformers? Transformers in a lot of continuities are ridiculously tough, to the point that Waspinator famously was crushed into a cube and it was just annoying for him. So are these guys that durable? That feels like it makes them too powerful. I think it might work better that in GENERAL they're tough but not to that extreme.

Don't make these inherent aspects, make them powers. This is one possible solution that, in turn, leans another way of dealing with it that might work okay; they're not a species, they're a phenomenon. Perhaps when robots develop sufficient intelligence enough to be considered truly free-willed, they tend to develop a lot of physical capabilities that are broadly similar. With training and magic or empowerment rituals, this is turned amplified into being full on mode shifters. So these are not physical traits, but powers; otherwise they're not that different from humans or other species, in the broad scheme of things.

so from this, here is a possibility: they are not a species in a conventional sense, but they're becoming one. Robots are fairly common, and a large number have learned magical tricks to mimic structures or objects to avoid harm, and they teach others like them. Recently, in-story, allies have refined magical techniques or physical modifications that grant them the ability to mystically expand their sense of self into specific forms that resonate with them; their different modes.

From here, each individual one is free to define themselves more freely; some become gargantuan giants, some are close to human size, and others learn how to change sizes or eject their minds into smaller bodies to interact with small beings. Others have many more forms, others less. These are specifically techniques, not really biological in nature. Other beings, even organics, can learn these tricks. And in recent times, a few have dedicated themselves to becoming stronger and more powerful, achieving immense toughness and size (becoming closer to the most powerful depictions of Transformers). A very common modification has allowed them to physically reproduce, creating children that don't necessarily have any of those traits, but can learn them over time.

Not a species, but a spectrum?

[no-psi-nan]

👍🏾 No beef here! I didn't feel bad, because I know what I'm about and I've been around a while.

But there are a lot of people who are nervous, aren't native English speakers, haven't been on the net as long, don't know too much about queer norms etc etc who would have gotten scared of misstepping with an ask like that.

And while you were really nice about it (appreciate it!) I've seen a lot people be a lot more aggressive about stuff like this, so I figured I'd make a general post about it.

Especially since somehow it's become more and more accepted for people to analyze any content related to queerness with a fine tooth comb to ensure it's all 100% up to the very latest in niche discourse and it's like.

WHY?? Literally the fact that it's queer and exists is pretty cool, considering that a lot of countries don't even allow any sort of queer expression today.

And of course there's a difference between a random person on the Internet and Disney's 100th "first gay character" — the amount of scrutiny should be proportional to the production value, or something like that.

But it would just be nice if everyone got into the "X is a little confused, but they got the spirit" mentality instead of mounting the Spanish inquisition at the tiniest hint of ignorance or deviance from the latest "established" norms (<- which are often still hotly debated anyways).

But yeah, not mad at you, just annoyed at this kind of thing as a phenomenon. Like I get that you were more likely warning me that my post *could* have been taken the wrong way but like. It's ridiculous that that should even be a concern, y'know?

[iwonderwh0]

The only example of disinformation I encountered that I can think of when thinking of tiktok is the type of videos with "interesting facts" with some eerie music on the background and some dude basically re-telling some years old "facts" from reddit, but that's my side of this platform, I'm sure there is a huge deal of some far more harmful examples.

I do however keep seeing a lot of hateful nationalistic propaganda on tiktok when it shows me something from my region, and this radicalising shit that creates this "Us vs Them" mentality is indeed scary and is far more dangerous imo than what I described above. But It's just a tiktok alternative to echo chambers that are a common phenomenon on every other major platform like facebook, Instagram, twitter, reddit and yeah, Tumblr too. Especially Tumblr, but with a slightly different flavour. Tumblr culture is honestly insane and it surprises me how people keep denying that it may as well be toxic and harmful and deceptive to your perception of the world. Like people in here be witch haunting and accusing each other in some bizzare bullshit assuming absolute worst things about each-other based on something ridiculous, and here on this platform it's considered to be just part of the culture that the majority of those who has been here for a while don't even recognize anymore as bizzare. Have everyone forgotten how tumblr Steven Universe fandom bullied fan-artist into attempting a suicide after being relentlessly bullied for drawing Rose thinner than she's canonically? Is this not a wild example of how Tumblr culture can desensitize people into being absolutely insane all while justifying it by some right cause of "attacking the enemy"?

I keep seeing accounts on this platform who wish people to kill themselves in case they support some fandom take/ship/whatever minor thing that in real world isn't at all such a big deal to get this agressive. Am I only seeing this shit because I've been here for less than a year and haven't yet got used to it?

It's just fucking annoying to see people turning a blind eye on tumblr having the same kind of problems as tiktok and facebook and all the other major apps that people here criticize so much.

[resistanceisfeudal]

me in my feelings about trek fandom:

so, that star trek confessional blog that's been going around the last few days? and the mini discourse about possible rage-bait on it? and then the new rule that they won't post anything that feels like it's attacking a specific subgroup of fandom? That whole thing?

Cursed discourse. Rotted, rancid, stupid shit. And not even the top five worst discourses I've seen this week.

I actually kind of am mad at a lot of trek fandom and do have a lot of honest opinions that would read as an attack on people...

I guess the thing that has been rising to the top is this phenomenon where people who are clearly intelligent and thoughtful in terms of how they engage with stuff in general end up having bizarre blindspots when it comes to trek.

People who thoroughly acknowledge cultural biases and the ways in which opinons are shaped by bigotry when it comes to talking about how, say, Voyager was received at the time, will turn around and flatly deny the roles of racism, misogyny and transphobia in the reception of Discovery, insisting that "it's bad because grimdark" - which a) isn't even true and b) a cursory glance through the comments on a stream of a disco episode would prove that "grimdark" is not the thing that audiences are mad about. You might have a good faith criticism (which "grimdark" isn't because it's not accurate, but idk some other good faith criticism) but that's not why the show is less beloved than snw or picard s3.

Or people who constantly reblog posts about how episodic "filler episodes" are so great, and how they build the characters and make up the heart of the shows... and then talk about characters and their relationships in ways that only make sense if you cherry pick random disconnected moments from across seven years of television.

Or someone how can talk articulately about fandom culture, stanning, and conspiracy theories, and shows insight and cynicism into phenomena like those sherlock truthers... and then says that garashιr would have been canon if it weren't for ezri, or that it would've been canon if they'd got an eight season. Like, these are ridiculous opinions that basically rely on you not watching the actual show.

Ok technically the last two were just me bitching about a ship that's popular and therefore sometimes the fans can get obnoxious. I shouldn't complain about that... while we're here, I also find spιrk annoying at this point. This is silly, back to snw.

Fundamentally, a lot of snw's popularlity is the same as picard s3: it's nostalgia heavy and the leads are white men. Overall, taking the entire audience in mind, that is a significant part of what's going on.

Now, obviously, snw is a lot better than s3 of picard (which i will die mad about). It's not a bad show, but I do feel that s2 didn't really improve on s1 and perhaps felt weaker at times. I thought the musical episode was genuinely bad and struggle to even believe people when they say they liked it. To be clear: I love musicals, I love musical episodes, I hated this one.

It's shit like this, the insistance that it's amazing when, as a show, it's just fine, sometimes a little bad, mostly pretty good, occasionally very good - it's shit like this that makes people accuse fans of being inauthentic when they praise it. It's claims that snw is "saving nu trek", when no, no it hasn't. Discovery has been prematurely cancelled, Picard ended in disgrace, and Prodigy was cancelled, then rescued but its future past s2 is unclear. It didn't save anything.

It feels like the future of trek is going to be more naval gazing, more nostalgic pandering, more meta references and a distinct lack of new concepts... possibly even a lack of new characters at this rate.

I made this side blog to post about picard s2, because I genuinely had a lot of feelings and thoughts. I felt like, while there was some annoying shit and bad takes around, it was fun to participate and I was enjoying myself. For the last few months, really since snw s2 aired, I've been having a pretty bad time here. So much of it is petty shit that sounds bizarre to type out: small posts and variously tiny infuriating takes. This entire post is stupid and pointless, when I put it like that.

But, yeah, trek fandom has been making me pretty unhappy recently.

I'll still be here and will watch the new disco when it comes out, and hopefully feel something again. I want to be able to re-enter the headspace I was in back when S2 picard aired, and I felt free to just express my opinions without being hyper aware of everyone else's pre-conceived stuff. We all have loaded opinions and strange baggage with trek, it comes with the territory.

[phantom-of-the-501st]

Episodes 7 + 8 Thoughts

Spoilers for TBB Season 2

79's!!! 🍹

Haha, emotional damage *cries*

You know the drill, bullet point thoughts down below!

(Also, I'm writing this a few hours after I saw the episodes so I may be missing some stuff/this may be in a ridiculous order).

Love how the last time we saw that was during the Fives inhibitor chip arc. Love that! (Also, I miss Fives ☹️).

None of the Batch this ep but I still really enjoyed it!

Riyo and Bail!!! We love them both. 🥰

The shear amount of bullshit that came out of Rampart's mouth.😤

Tipoca City destroyed by a storm? What sort of excuse is that?!

Ah yes, this building (designed to withstand harsh weather) built on a storm-weathered planet was completely destroyed by a freaky weather phenomenon that just so happened to coincide with us wanting to get rid of the clones. 🤨

Coincidence? I THINK NOT!

Man, I love the clones so much. 😭

More clones with beards is something I appreciate. 🥰

SO MANY PEOPLE GOT SHOT IN EPISODE 7 WTF

Poor Slip. ☹️

The number of times I said "IS IT REX?!" to myself in the first episode. 🤣

Eventually I was correct!!!

PONCHO REX

I miss his armour so much, but the rebel outfit... damn.

Are Riyo's bodyguards voiced by Noshir Dalal or am I just hearing his voice in random places because Rampart is haunting me?

ALSO HOW ARE WE PRONOUCING RIYO?!

Did I just get that wrong this entire time or...?

The person shooting clones was another clone. The pain is real in these episodes. 😭

But dark purple is totally Rex's colour. 😏

GONKY! 🥳

Wholesome Echo and Omega moments making me cry again. 😭

Interesting that Omega has taken up meditation. 🤔 It might be playing into the idea of her being Force sensitive but she doesn't seem to connect to it on the same level as Gungi.

Echo doesn't like solitude because of Skako Minor. 😭😭😭

As soon as he brought up what the Batch did for him, I was like "oh, that's interesting considering Echo might be thinking of leaving. I wonder if they're going to play into that this episode. 🤔"

... I was not emotionally prepared.

Rex and Echo actually have more than 5 lines of dialogue with each other this season! 🥰

Echo pushing Omega back so she can't see the body. He's such a good mum. 😭

Wrecker's fear of heights OMG 😭🤣

"This is him doing better." I'm crying. 🤣

Rex saying that they need more people for the Rebellion and Echo considering it. 🥲

Also Echo volunteering to be Riyo Chuchi's witness?! He just wants to help people. I love him so much. 😭

PONCHO OMEGA.

I thought they were going to steal a wholeass Venator for a second.

Love Echo being so intouch with the Batch's plans now and Rex is just like WHAT IS HAPPENING

Tech being annoyed with himself for being 6m out.

Palps is back!!!

Hahahaha Rampart getting arrested makes me very happy. 🤣

BUT THAT PLAN BACKFIRED BADLY

R.I.P all the clones. 😭

...I cry just thinking about the end of this episode

I find it interesting how they have the Batch clustered very close together on one side of the shot and Rex and Riyo close on the other side. But Echo is kind of floating in the middle. Am I looking too much into the framing of this shot? Maybe. But I think it's interesting. 🤔

I thought Echo and Hunter might have talked about this on the nugget mission but Wrecker and Tech knew as well??? 😭

AND THEY'RE ALL SO SUPPORTIVE OF HIM 😭

THEY KNOW THAT HE NEEDS THIS 😭

I KNOW THAT HE NEEDS THIS 😭

I DON'T NEED THIS PAIN THOUGH 😭

Him crouching down and putting a hand on Omega's shoulder.

Him telling her to keep training (I'm convinced Echo taught her most of her combat).

He's so soft around her I can't do this 😭

OMEGA HUGGING HIM 😭😭😭

He looked so surprised but then he hugged her back and I'm literally dying inside

They way he steps forward a bit when be watches them leave

HIS FACE 😭

I remember seeing the trailer and thinking "I don't like the fact that he looks sad there"...

The last shot of Omega hugging Lula 🥲

I WAS NOT EMOTIONALLY PREPARED

So erm, yeah...

If you couldn't tell this episode completely destroyed me. I am lacking all coherent thoughts. No, I will not be okay.

How do I go on from this??? DO WE GET LESS ECHO???

I'm kinda hoping for an Echo and Rex centric episode, but I don't know if that's going to happen. Maybe, but I think we may just not see them until a Batch reunion later on or something.

I feel like I should have more to say but I am struggling to process emotions right now. Might watch episodes 6-8 again later but I need to work out if I am willing to cope with that. 🥲

[sophiemariepl]

Me: the HotD fandom focuses too much on black-and-white thinking and dividing into Team Black and Team Green, while there is little to no sense in doing that, because:

1) both of these sides are composed of flawed figures who either make mistakes or do awful things to advance their political position;

2) this is NOT the point that George R.R. Martin wants to make with this story. A Song of Ice and Fire universe, in the end, was never about taking sides but about seeing the greater political game.

Some random Team Black fan: Okay, I see your point, it is about flawed people, blah blah blah… but let me explain to you why Team Black is morally superior and why the Greens are awful backstabbing snakes…

Me: No, I’m not gonna listen to any of what you intend to say. I’ve seen enough of this type of narrative. The fact that you still stick to sharing this, pardon my French, bullsh*t, shows that you understood nothing of what I wanted to say. Your behavior is literally the epitome of the phenomenon I criticized.

Why is it so hard for so many people these days to admit that they like a certain character and at the same time, to admit this character is flawed or lacking in morality?

Like, because if I wanted, I could have found a counter-argument to this very weak argument about the moral superiority of Team Black (gosh, how ridiculous this even sounds) very easily. I could have said that ur literally defending Daemon, a man who literally m*rdered his first wife just because he did not want to fulfill his marital duty, and a man that gr00med his teenage niece (not to mention other evil stuff that Daemon has done during his lifetime). I will not delve into further details, because as I mentioned before, I don’t see the sense in arguing - because it is always possible to find a counterargument. We could argue like that until the f*cking Apocalypse.

I don’t know why, but I’ve seen this trend more among Team Black fans rather than Team Green fans. I swear, most of the Team Black fans I’ve met feel this need to whitewash the actions of Team Black members and it’s so annoying. Perhaps I know only one person who told me that they like Team Black specifically because they are toxic and unhinged, especially Daemon 😆