#and just like Philip he ends up suffering for it. but for at least a bit he was his own person. happy. free. something Belos will never be

[lunarw0rks]

SIMON "GHOST" RILEY | M.L

‧˚₊ find all my other works here! // have a request?

FICS/SERIES

Through The Ashes (28.6k) ⋙ MASTERLIST

➳ You've been given an offer to join the 141 Task Force. Upon taking it, you find yourself ensnared with the mysterious masked man who won't take his eyes off you. (Simon"Ghost"Riley!FemReader)

Old Bones (45.4k) ⋙ MASTERLIST

➳ After fleeing a toxic relationship, you fear for your safety and hire a bodyguard. He's masked, impassible, and damn good at what he does. (BodyguardGhost!FemReader)

MINI-SERIES

Torn ⋙ MASTERLIST

➳ You're Philip Graves' secret lover, and it's complicated, to say the least. When your new 141 ally, Simon Riley, catches your eye, you're forced to make a decision. (PhilipGraves/Ghost!FemReader)

DRABBLES

Bad Dreams | Pt.2

➳ When you suffer a nightmare that then turns into a panic attack, Ghost comforts you. (SimonRiley!GNReader)

Sparring | Pt.2 (18+)

➳ During a sparring session with Ghost, you end up on top of him, and he struggles to hide his amusement. (SimonRiley!FemReader)

In Your Arms

➳ You feel swallowed by depression, but Simon saves you just in time. (SimonRiley!GNReader)

Manhandling (18+)

➳ Ghost manhandles you. (SimonRiley!FemReader)

What You Paid For (18+)

➳ Simon had no shame indulging in escorts, especially ones who make an effort to flirt with him. Only problem? You're not an escort. (SimonRiley!FemReader)

Too Old For You | Part Two

➳ You've been crushing on him for a while now, even going as far as taking a stab for him. But it isn't enough for him to notice you; you're too young, too nice for someone like him. (SimonRiley!FemReader)

Poise

➳ Simon Riley was a complicated man, to say the least. His past, his trauma, combined into a fear of it rubbing off on you. You assure him it hasn't. (SimonRiley!GNReader)

First-Time With Simon (18+) | Part Two (18+) | Part Three (18+)

➳ Taking your relationship to the next level with Simon, but without regrets or haste. (SimonRiley!GNReader)

Neighbor!Simon

➳ Self-explanatory title.

Safe-Word (18+)

➳ You use the safe word for the first time. (SimonRiley!GNReader)

A Helping Hand (18+)

➳ You help Simon get off. (SimonRiley!Asexual!FemReader)

Need (18+)

➳ Simon needs you, no matter what. (SimonRiley!AFAB)

The Lieutenant's In Love

➳ When the 141 find out Simon isn't single. (SimonRiley!GNReader)

Simon, The Service Dom (18+)

➳ Self-explanatory title. (SimonRiley!GNReader)

Scar Insecurity (18+)

➳ Some spicy comfort. (SimonRiley!FemReader)

Making Simon Laugh

➳ Self-explanatory title. (SimonRiley!GNReader)

Cuddling w/ Simon

➳ Self-explanatory title. (SimonRiley!GNReader)

Right Person, Right Time

➳ Confessions & comfort. (SimonRiley!GNReader)

Do You Remember?

➳ Estranged best friends turned co-workers. (SimonRiley!FemReader)

The Terrible, Awful Thing

HEADCANONS

Plus-Sized S/O

NSFW Twitter Vid (18+) // Headcanons

ALPHABETS/MISC.

Hurt/Comfort Alphabet

NSFW Alphabet

Things That Make His Heart Flutter (ASK GAME)

[whoistrash]

Why change matters and how Amphibia did it better than The Owl House.

"Watching and Dreaming" made me cry a lot during its premiere. I was amazed and, I'd say, dazed by it. Then I forgot about it for a while. Now I finished re-watching Amphibia for the first time since TOH ended. My hype died down, and I have some thoughts. A lot, actually.

Amphibia's ending was incredibly painful and made me sob like a baby for two whole weeks the first time I watched it. That's because it was not only beautiful and heartbreaking, but truly GOOD. Brilliant, actually. I absolutely agree with a statement that any other ending would literally be a contradiction to the whole main plot, especially Anne's arc. The girls had to learn to let go in order to grow as individuals - the thing they had the biggest problem with. Saying goodbye was the only logical option, plot-wise. It still hurt like hell, though. Separating the multidimensional, against-all-odds relationships (especially my beloved spranne. Ouch, ouch, ouch). The Owl House does no such thing - everybody stays together. They live happily ever after.

Paradoxically, I think that it's the main reason why I'd choose "The Hardest Thing" over "Watching and Dreaming" every single time. I know we shouldn't really compare them in EVERY aspect, since TOH had way more things to deal with in the final episode, but the fact that Luz got to not only stay, but to freely travel between worlds as she pleases really took the whole "growing up and finding your true self no matter what the other people do/say about you" thing out the door. Luz from season one, episode one, and Luz from the finale are not really that different. Well, she certainly became more traumatised and depressed than before, but in terms of personal growth? Nope. Luz - from the very beginning - was cheerful, open, caring and very selfless, willing to literally help every stranger she met no matter how it would affect her. She had little to no boundaries, but, well, you can't argue that she was A GOOD, SELFLESS PERSON. Now, we could say that her arc here would be learning that sometimes you should put yourself before others, that you can't save everyone, that you can't trust every person you meet. And she learns it! She fucking does! She helps Philip not knowing who he will become, and then suffers from the consequences, because she helped the wrong person. And then it's all erased, when she saves Collector's life and meets Papa Titan (or whatever we call them).

I have so much to say about this. All of TOH's "villains" (Amity, Lilith, Hunter, The Collector) that were given a redemption arc literally get turned into lifeless, edgy trauma dumpsters, that suddenly loose all of their previous character, quirks and sass (well, maybe except for Lilith, she just started to express them differently, I think, but still, it was WAY too big of a change). I won't dwell on it (since many, many fans called it out already - as they should), and will focus on something different. The only one marked as irredeemable is Belos. Good. Okay. He's irredeemable, because he's a white, christian puritan who won't listen to anyone but himself. Also a genocidal maniac. That's the lesson for Luz here. "You can't save everyone. Some people are just straight up evil". And it's very, very true. But.

From all of the "villains" I mentioned before, Belos is the one that had the most reasons to, let's say, take a dark turn. Those reasons are what makes him irredeemable - he's just too convinced he's right, because, in his mind, he has evidence to prove it. But how do we learn about this? Maybe by seeing his part of the story? Maybe by learning about his brother and Evelyn, about their relationship? It couldn't be straight up awful, since Philip literally brought his brother back to life over and over again, he wanted his brother, or at least the picture of Caleb that satisfied him the most. There was more to it than only "you betrayed me and now I will hate you forever". Do we get to see any of that? No. Instead we get an all-knowing, all-doing being that literally choose Luz as "the one" for being kind and trusting, that convinces her that Belos is, indeed, a lost cause. Do you see where I'm going with this?

Luz, the person that on the literal episode two was told that there is no such thing as a "chosen one" and that she can't always hop into action to save everybody, because, it's, well, not always possible, DOES EXACTLY THAT in the finale by taking a bullet for The Collector, the, you know, very freshly redeemed and suddenly cute and funky villain, whom Luz trusts immediately. AND SHE IS REWARDED FOR IT BY BEING MADE THE CHOSEN ONE. BY A GOD-LIKE BEING THAT CLAIMS TO BE ALL-KNOWING AND CAN DECIDE WHO IS RIGHT AND WHO IS WRONG, BECAUSE OF PERSONAL (King) REASONS. Just like, you know... Belos? The irredeemable villain? And then Luz lets go of the moral dilemmas that's been keeping her up at night for the past months, makes up her mind, defeats the bad guy, learns nothing, and gets to stay in the Boiling Isles and on Earth. With her beautifully redeemed girlfriend and friends whom she kept secrets from and lied to out of fear of being ostracised (you see the pattern here, right?) for, again, months.

I love Amphibia. I love The Owl House. But Amphibia handles it's "villains", generally wronged characters and the whole change/no change thing way better. Well, maybe besides the Core - they got a bit wasted in my opinion. But still. Sasha. Grime. Marcy. Andrias. Anne herself. They learn and change. And more importantly, they face consequences and come to understand and accept them. There's no "chosen one" here. Anne gets the proposition because she's the first one to use the music box for good in literal millenia. A fact, plain and simple (not an opinion based on personal motivations), that makes sense plot-wise, and adds so, so much to Anne's arc. Because Anne from season one, episode one wouldn't care. The one from the finale cares very damn much. And that's the biggest difference.

Saying goodbye makes the message way stronger. The more I think about it, however, the more I'm starting to be afraid that there's no The Message in The Owl House to begin with. Luz learns very little, yet ends up with everything she ever wanted. There's no power behind it. The "find the right people and choose to trust them, not everyone will be your friend" and "some things are out of your control, some people are just bad" aspect is even weaker, as proven by basically the whole season 3. I will end it by my favorite quote from Amphibia, that I think about on daily basis. Have a good day, y'all.

"Change can be difficult, but it's how we grow. It can be the hardest thing to realize you can't hold on to something forever. Sometimes, you have to let it go; but, of the things you let go, you'd be surprised what makes its way back to you."

[thekatebridgerton]

Bridgerton Vampire x Reincarnator au love story but it's fated to be tragic.

Anthony who always tries to resist Kate, who dates women close to her during all her reincarnations to prove he's stronger than this. He leaves them all for Kate, in every single one of her lifetimes and in every single one of her lifetimes, he watches her die young. Always from an accident always from something he could have prevented.

Colin who always finds Penelope as a young girl, he swears he's not going to befriend the child this time, he swears he just wants to watch her grow up and live her life, but of course he runs to her rescue in her childhood and of course he becomes her friend again once she grows up, because there's a hole inside him his family can't fill, and the allure of Penelope's honest friendship is too much. So once again, he falls inlove, he sees her get older, while he remains the same. He sees her give up her best years for him, no children and grandchildren as she grows old, just her vampire lover. And during each of her reincarnations, Colin loves her until she dies of old age.

Then there's Eloise who always finds Phillip after something tragic has happened in his life, death of a loved one, loss of a limb, attempts at self harm. She keeps finding this tragically beautiful human only after he has suffered some sort of tragedy. She never wanted Phillip to see her as his light, she's a vampire! She's death itself. But in every one of his lives, Phillip reaches out to Eloise like a man who needs light and Eloise can't help but reach back. She loves him in every incarnation, she's seen him heal from tragedy, she's seen him grow, she's seen him find happiness with her. But in every life Philip dies in different kinds of accidents. And Eloise is left mourning... again.

Benedict is the only one who believes Sophie's reincarnations are a good thing. Despite the fact that like the lovers of his siblings, his Sophie's life is fated to end in mystery, Benedict actively searches for his lady in silver, over and over, in every decade, in every masquerade, the artist vampire, paints the face of his muse, gone from him too soon. The scullery maid, the dancer, the wwI nurse, the flapper. His Sophie is elusive in every lifetime, in fact Benedict usually only gets a few years together with her before she didsapears in secret and is later found dead ( always a victim of a crime, always a wrong time wrong place kind of death). But Benedict never loses hope and as soon as she dies this lifetime, he begins his search for the next.

Francesca, Hyacinth and Gregory have never met a Reincarnator.

The closest thing Francesca ever came to meeting people who came back a century later was her first two victims when she became a vampire, Michael and John. But the last time she saw them in the 19th century, Francesca was wise enough to run away and not engage or ask questions she didn't want the answer to. (Francesca knows that if Michael and John are really reincarnators, she's going to eventually drain them again. )

Hyacinth and Gregory don't understand what the fuss is about. At least not until the 21st century. Not until Gareth...or Lucy. People that Hyacinth and Gregory last saw in Georgian England, some hundred years ago. Lucy and Gareth have been reincarnated as two local students in the same high end creepy London boarding school that Greg and Hyacinth attend to keep up appearances.

What's worse, there's some new mysterious residents in town for the summer and this time... It looks like they remember.

[lampmanliveblogs]

We get here a brief summary of Philip’s character and his motivations. It’s adequate, but perhaps a bit simplistic.

Our information is very limited and a lot of aspect surrounding Philip’s character are kinda diffuse. What we do know is that he did grow up at the time and around the place where the Connecticut Witch Trails were taking place. Based on his comment about wanting to be called ”Witchhunter General” in King’s Tide we can also assume he was at least somewhat familiar with the story of, and perhaps even the works of Matthew ”Witchfinder General” Hopkins… though I’m not 100% sure if the timeline fully matches.

The important part is this: Philip was, since a child, taught to live in fear of witches. Witches made deals with the devil to receive wicked powers, they go against God. And as I’m sure you know, a person’s religious beliefs can be quite motivating. During these formative years, Philip was playing games with his older brother Caleb, games where Philip was a brave witch hunter, hunting down the evil witches.

At some point in their adult years, Caleb and Philip find a real witch, Evelynn. Philip was terrified, but Caleb was interested. It’s interesting that although they were both were raised the same way, Caleb seemed to be much more open-minded and kindhearted than his brother. And this could very well be a nature vs. nurture thing, maybe Caleb was just naturally better person than Philip.

And I mean… were I more knowledgable about psychology, the various ailments and peculiarities of the human mind, there might be any number of diagnoses I might try to give to Philip. For one thing, assuming they were not real ghosts (which they could be, this is a magic world after all) he seemed to suffer from some kind of hallucinations last episode when he saw the ghostly figure of Caleb and the Golden Guards. But I’m not gonna say that it’s definitely because Philip is crazy and his brother was normal in the head, that’s getting way too close to demonizing mental illness and conditions.

The important part is this: Caleb could see and accept that witches were not what he had been taught they were. Philip could not.

When Caleb followed Evelynn into the Demon Realm, Philip swore he would save his brother, thinking Caleb to have been taken against his will or seduced by the witch’s evil spells. Philip (likely by finding a hidden vial of Titan’s Blood) succeeded and spent some time looking for Caleb in the Demon Realm. And considering that by the time he found Caleb again. Philip had already acquired his monstrous transformation, he must’ve spent a decent amount of time in the Demon Realm, at least a few years I think.

All that time, and he never once stopped to consider that the witches and demons he saw and met were a lot more like him than he first thought. Even as he began experimenting with the magic of this realm did he stop to consider that maybe he had been mistaken… then again, considering the magic of the Demon Realm turned him into a monster, that part might be a bit more understandable.

The important part is this: though all of that, Philip must have been thinking of himself as the hero. after all, he was coming to save his brother from the evil witch that had spirited him away into a world full of ghosts and dangerous things, and monsters running around.

So then he finally finds his brother… and finds out that caleb went along willingly with Evelynn. Not only that, eh says he is in love with the witch and that they are expecting a child together.

I believe the knife was meant for Evelynn, in the vain hope that killing the witch would break the enchantment on Caleb. But that was not meant to be, and Philip ended up taking the life of his own brother.

Unable to accept responsibility for his own actions, Philip doubled down and swore to kill all witches, no matter the cost. And so he began his grand and terrible work, acquiring power, taking control over the isles, gaining a powerful ally in The Collector. An otherworldly figure that granted Philip great power in exchange for a favor.

It might be that when he first began working on the draining spell, he was doing so because he felt that he needed to redeem himself for the crime of killing Caleb, and that only something as massive as destroying every witch on the Boiling Isles was big enough. Though at some point, and most certainly where we are now in this episode, I’m sure Philip is doing it because there is nothing else. The cost has been sunk and now all that remains for him to do in his life (if one can call the state he finds himself in alive) is to finish what he has begun and see it through to the end. I don’t think he cares about living after that.

But lets go back a bit. At some point between Caleb’s death and Philip meeting the time traveling Luz and Lilith, he began working on creating grimwalkers. Grimwalkers are clones, and these clones were of Caleb, an attempt to recreate his brother… but better this time, this time he would see the evil of witches and remain by Philip’s side, help him carry out the deed that needs doing.

However… be it because the grimwalkers inherited Caleb’s good heart, or because Philip could never see the magically created clones as anything more than abominations of wicked sorcery and a corruption of his brother’s image… no grimwalker would be alive to live for very long. Philip would always kill them, with new ones waiting to be grown. I think I’ve mentioned before that Philip’s insistence of killing the grimwalkers may be his way of in some way punishing his brother for forgetting the sacred teachings and betraying them, betraying him.

In conclusion, uh… yeah, Philip is pretty messed up.

(jeez luise… I thought to myself ”okay, lets write a couple of brief paragraphs about Philip, basically just a summary.” This is like every time I think I’m just gonna write a short, quick little one-shot fanfic, and then my treacherous brain keeps saying ”okay, but what iff…?” and then it balloons out of control.)

”Oh no! Now I’m radioactive! That can’t be good!” -The Titan, probably

Uh-oh, seems like Philip Phungi possessing The Titan’s body is beginning to have some adverse effects on their soul as well…

I suppose that’s one advantage for you, Luz. Your body was consumed and disintegrated, so you don’t have to carry about any ghosts possessing your body and using it for evil. Also, funeral’s gonna be real cheap. I’m sure Camila will appreciate that.

And yes, I am trying to lighten the mood after I spent an hour writing that dissertation on Philip’s history and motivation above.

(and i know i said i wouldn’t do any more at4w references before, but that was like… two months ago for me)

Luz: ”Are you sure you wanna give this power… to me?” Dad Titan: ”I mean… you are literally the only other person here and you’re kinda nice. Really, you were my second choice, but Raine somehow survived.”

…actually, now that I think about it, that’s not too bad an idea for like a short AU thing. Raine dies due to their injuries when Philip Phungi possesses The Titan’s heart, they end up in the In-Between, and Dad Titan gives them his powers.

(Future Lampman here: someone get me fanart of that!)

((oh, and Dad Titan calls Luz a good witch, as in the good witch Azura, the character Luz always wanted to emulate, something about luz getting the Azura books from her father before she died and now Dad Titan calls her a good witch. something about that))

Aaaawwww yeah, this is gonna be awesome, I just know it!

Dad Titan: ”Luz, as we do this, I need you to do something for me.” Luz: ”What is it?” Dad Titan: ”Yell.” Luz: ”Yell?” Dad Titan: ”Yes, Yell as loud as you can. Yell so loud that it ruptures the ears of Philip and lets him know. Let him know that it is not a scream. Because it is never a scream.” Luz: ”What is it then?” Dad Titan: ”It’s a war cry! Now, blessed be ye, you silly person!”

Just gonna include this screenshot of Dad Titan’s giant skeleton he’s got standing around as decoration in the In-Between. It’s cool. I wanna have one of those in my garden for halloween.

[viridiave]

Wailing Souls

so I had a really mean thought. What if the 8path 1 gang fell to Galdera in the last battle

gonna do a funky and list them in the order of the gods that fell during the fight against Vide according to 8path 2

LONG list of HCs under the cut

8 - TRESSA COLZIONE (Honesty, Prosperity, and the Undying) - Contract-maker with deadly binding deals that ruin lives and punish those amassing fortune - Has the inexplicable ability to show up only when people are in need of the deals she offers - and many people happen to be in need of that - Is also a haunter of ships. At times she is the cause of tempests on the high seas - new ship graveyards have appeared because of her boredom - Deterrents: Marina and Olneo Colzione ○ Perhaps the easiest of the Travelers to reach out to given both her unstable nature and the fact that she was the youngest and first out of all of them to die, but chasing her down is a challenge comparable to Therion's ordeal

7 - THERION (Unreachable Conquest) - Steals more than just material objects now. Lost souls, lost people, lost nations are now part of the hoard - Also comes and goes in the dead of the night - the locations that he is known to have stolen from are all inflicted with nasty insomnia - Specifically avoids high places like the Highlands and the Cliftlands - particularly its highroads. Some are rescued by his hand should they fall by accident (or on purpose) - Deterrent: None, later Tressa Colzione ○ Lingering distrust in the Ravus household - his last meaningful connection before dying to Galdera, other than the Travelers - meant that Therion could not be reached, unless any one of the other Travelers were recovered first as they are the only people he truly trusts with his life. Even if the other Travelers are the ones to reach out to him, he will do his utmost to resist and uh - good luck trying to even catch him

6 - H'AANIT (Wrath of the Successors) - Haunter of the woods and progenitor of monsters - may or may not be cultivating entirely new species that thrive on blood - May or may not be wearing Linde's skin. If the skin is touched without permission, she goes on a rampage. - Is the reason boss monsters like the Devourers of Man and Beast and Direwolves prowl around more often - Deterrent: Z'aanta ○ Like Cyrus, the hardest part about reaching H'aanit is surviving her onslaught - the beasts that rampage the lands are things that even Z'aanta has trouble facing alone. The lack of Linde doesn't help matters.

5 - PRIMROSE AZELHART (Delusions of Grandeur) - Siren-like figure who operates in the shadows to seduce people to their cause; binds generational curses to her victims - Operates under a harmless guise like Ophilia - unlike Ophilia, doesn't have any reservations regarding recruitment methods - Haunts brothels and taverns out of a twisted sense of sympathy for the workers - Deterrent: Revello Forsythe ○ In spite of Primrose's bleak ending she still at least has past connections to ground her - but it will take a LOT of convincing, so sometimes Revello doesn't act alone in trying to reach out to her. Arianna and Odette are along for the ride when the situation is particularly dire

4 - OLBERIC EISENBERG (Isolation in Quiet Suffering) - Holes himself away inside a mountain and becomes an immortal legend that arises only when challengers approach his domain - Likely the most sane out of all of them, but is so isolated and consumed with grief that you wouldn't really be able to tell the difference - Never acts unless provoked to the point of fury. WOULD be the least harmful out of all of them if not for his strength - Deterrents: Erhardt and Philip ○ Erhardt is to Olberic as Odette is to Cyrus - being one of the only people who really understand Olberic to his core. The problem with this is the tragedies that Erhardt himself has caused, and with Olberic's sense of loss being elevated to dangerous extremes, balancing this out with Philip representing the future he swore to protect is pretty much his best bet at reaching him

3 - ALFYN GREENGRASS (Salvation and Guilt) - Silent plaguemaster who spreads poison and ills like a walking pandora's box among the lands - Comes and goes in the dead of the night. He has no set pattern for this, sometimes entire towns just end up rotting overnight - The poisons he sets also fuck up the local environment, and unlike Cyrus he can hide his presence - so he ends up being more of a pain to deal with - Deterrent: Zeph ○ Zeph COULD reach Alfyn fairly easily given Alfyn's core nature being masked over rather than overwritten entirely. The problem is actually managing to find Alfyn before he poisons a town to death, and even then you'd have to deal with his overriding guilt first

2 - CYRUS ALBRIGHT (Reckoning with the Last Stand) - Obscures information through uncontrollable bursts of magic, destroying histories through unbridled destruction - Best treated as a walking natural calamity. Nobody knows how he sustains himself in there. - An incomprehensible babbling mess - sometimes he quotes From The Far Reaches of Hell and other hellish tomes and sometimes it's just apologies - Deterrent: Odette ○ Outside of the other Travelers, Odette is the sole person who understands how Cyrus works. The most difficult part about reaching Cyrus is surviving the calamities he brings

1- OPHILIA CLEMENT (Alone, alone, alone) - Mindt-like figure who guides the lost and weary into their arms so they can spread Galdera's influence further - Basically Ceraphina again? Then again Ceraphina is how deadly cults work - Alongside Primrose is the one to operate under a guise, they probably work together sometimes to poison the Order of the Sacred Flame from the inside - Deterrent: Lianna Clement ○ Very much the only person who can reach her at this low point, but the most that the Deterrents can do is minimize their influence over their victims by taking advantage of their slight lapses of judgment ○ Lianna herself still being in recovery after the events of Ophilia 4 needs a lot of time bring Ophilia back. Her sympathizing somewhat with the Traveler's conditions doesn't help despite her inherent distaste for what they have become ○ Ophilia being the last of the Travelers to be killed also poses a hard challenge for anyone trying to reach her given all she has witnessed and gone through while inside the Gate of Finis

[canirove]

The Princess & the Football Player | Chapter 28

Previous chapter | Next chapter

Masterlist

"Good morning, sweetheart."

"Hi."

"I've brought you some breakfast" my mum says, leaving a tray with food on the bedside table and sitting on the bed.

"I'm not hungry."

"You must eat something."

"I'm not hungry" I repeat.

"Eleanor, please. I'm sure he wouldn't like to see you getting sick."

"Why did you have to mention him?" I say, covering my head with the duvet and starting to cry.

"I'm sorry. I just... Drink the juice at least. You will dihydrate if you keep crying like that."

"I don't care!"

"Eleanor..."

"Leave me alone!"

"I'm your mother, I'm not going anywhere." 

And so far, she hasn't. Since the moment she found me crying on the floor after Declan left, she has been by my side. She has spent the whole night with me, taking care of me, comforting me. When she left to pick up my breakfast, it probably is the longest she has been gone for.

"Eleanor... Ellie..." she says after taking a deep breath. "Do you know why at first I opposed to you dating Declan?"

"Because you are a snob with a stick up your ass."

"No, Eleanor" she sighs. "I opposed to it because I knew this would happen. Because I knew he'll end up breaking your heart, and I didn't want to see you suffer like this."

"Because he isn't like us."

"Exactly."

"See? You are a snob!"

"I am not a snob. But I better than anyone know how it feels to fall in love with a royal when you aren't part of that world. What it entails, all the sacrifices you must make, how much you must fight. And it isn't easy, Eleanor. You don't know how many times I had my phone on my hand ready to call your dad and tell him it was over, that I couldn't deal with the press, with everything I had to learn if I wanted to be queen one day. It was so tough. Not just for me, but for everyone around me."

"But you never did it. You never gave up like he has done."

"Because unlike Declan, I had nothing to lose. If things between Philip and I hadn't worked out, if we had broken up... Yes, we both would be heartbroken. Especially me. But that was it. I had my studies and I could start again. Maybe not in England, but definitely somewhere else. Declan doesn't have that luxury."

"What do you mean?" I ask, uncovering my head.

"He has his career. His dream. Everything he and his family have worked for since he was a kid. They've sacrificed many things for it, and he couldn't lose that."

"So instead, he chose to lose me."

"Yes. But not because you weren't worth it, because he doesn't love you, or because it was the easier choice. He did it because he knows it is something that can be fixed."

"What?"

"When I found out you were seeing someone who wasn't Charles, I thought it was just something fleeting. Then I noticed how happy you were, that you actually had feelings for whoever that boy was. And despite suspecting that he probably was one of Mason's friends and that you had met him through Roberta, I said to myself… well, maybe it will work out. Just look at her, at how she is glowing. Then you told us who he was and I knew it was a mistake, that you would end up hurting each other. But you both still kept fighting. And then, again, I thought… maybe I'm wrong. Maybe they'll work through this, maybe the fact that he has had to deal with huge pressure before at such a young age will help them."

"But you were wrong."

"Yes and no. I was wrong because he clearly hasn't been able to deal with everything that has happened since the press found out about you two and with everything else going on on the pitch. But Eleanor... The way you and Declan love each other... You don't get to see that every day. It is true love. Right now you probably feel like the world is ending, like it is over. But it isn't. This just wasn't your moment to be together. You'll have a second chance, I'm sure of it."

"What... What do you mean?"

"I..." she says, taking a deep breath. "I think that one day, both of you will be strong enough to fight against anything and everything, and you will be ready to get back together. I don't know when that will happen, but..."

"It isn't a goodbye, it's a see you soon" I say, remembering what Declan said before he left.

"That's it, yes."

"If one day that happens... If we get back together… Will you support us? Will you be by our side?"

"I will. I promise you I will" she says, caressing my cheek.

"It would have been easier if you had told me all this before, you know? Everyone kept telling me that you were just trying to protect me, but if you had explained it to me..."

"I know. I just… I didn't know how to do it, so I took the harsh way. But I love you, Eleanor. You know I do, don't you?"

"I do" I say, sitting up.

"I'm sorry I didn't do things right. That I hurt you so much. Both you and Declan."

"It's ok" I whisper.

"I know things are gonna be very difficult. That right now you are heartbroken and feel like nothing makes sense anymore. But I'm here for you, and I will help you with everything. Now and always" she says, taking my hand on hers. 

"Thank you, mum" I cry.

"Oh, come here" she says, hugging me.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Eleanor."

[let-us-cultivate-our-garden]

I love Hunter dearly but now that I think about it, he really did become Caleb, and that’s kinda fucked. Bro had a crisis about being a Grimwalker and in the end he wound up exactly like the guy he was a clone of, and he didn’t even get to kill his abuser. I mean I love torturing my faves as much as the next girl but it really feels like he was only there to suffer in s3

Agreed anon. Although I don't think it would have benefitted Hunter if he killed Belos, that would cause more trauma and he's been through more than enough. He should have at least been present during the final battle and his near-identical physical resemblance to Caleb could have been a trigger for Belos that would have been taken advantage by the kids to take him out for good. Or Gus could have used his illusion powers to stop Belos, remember when he glimpsed inside Belos' mind in KT and basically saw the whole thing between Philip and Caleb and yet this is never brought up again? Good times.

The show writers also admit to torturing Hunter because it's easy. Now, admittedly, this is a rather tongue-in-cheek answer but the fact remains that the show puts Hunter through the wringer and barely addresses his trauma. Which is just bad writing and it makes me uncomfortable to see a character go through so much and for the show to only offer crumbs of acknowledgement.

[mccdreamys-writes]

smiles for miles – 26. silence is never silent

take me back to understand, we deep inside our hearts know, we don't make the wind blow. - The Common Linnets, We Don't Make The Wind Blow

N O V E M B E R   1 8 T H   2 0 1 1

Last week, I found myself back in the lecture hall, a place I hadn't visited in a while. I had skipped teaching last semester because work had consumed all my time. With cases piling up, there was no room for academic pursuits. But now, with things settling down a bit, I felt drawn back to the world of academia.

Work felt strangely quiet this week, an eerie calm hanging over everything. It was the kind of silence that made you feel like something big was about to happen. In law enforcement, calm moments like these often signaled that a storm was brewing, something significant waiting just around the corner.

It reminded me of a superstition in emergency rooms—the belief that saying "It's a quiet night" could jinx things and bring chaos. It was as if acknowledging the peace invited trouble. Similarly, the quietness at work hinted at trouble ahead, a reminder that in our line of work, calm moments were often followed by chaos.

As I neared the end of my lecture, ready to dive into the details of next week's lesson, my phone buzzed on the desk, snapping me out of my academic focus. A message from JJ popped up, short and ominous: "We have a case and it's a bad one."

Letting out a sigh, I wrapped up the class, hastily ending my presentation as I headed for the door. The weight of responsibility settled over me like a thick blanket as I hurried to my car. The urgency of the situation pushed me forward, a grim determination driving me towards the office.

As we gathered in the conference room, there was a palpable sense of shock and determination hanging in the air. The images on the screen painted a horrifying picture: three bodies hanging from tree branches, their mutilated torsos, hearts torn from their chests, and their dignity stripped away with their genitals exposed for all to see. The chilling inscription above the macabre images simply read, 'Washington D.C.'

Garcia's voice broke through the solemn silence, her tone tinged with a sense of urgency and concern. "We're staying home today," she announced firmly, her words carrying a weight that left no room for doubt.

With a solemn expression, Garcia introduced each victim: Elijah Benedict, Alan Damon, and Philip DeJong. Their names echoed in the room, a reminder of the lives lost in this brutal act of violence. Ranging in age from forty-three to fifty, they were now reduced to mere statistics in a tragic tableau.

Morgan's words broke the tension, voicing what everyone was thinking. "Someone's got a grudge," he stated firmly, the seriousness of the situation evident in his tone. "This feels personal."

Rossi cut through the silence with a question that hung heavily in the air. "When did these attacks happen?" he inquired urgently, his concern palpable.

Hotch, as authoritative as ever, provided a grim timeline. "The first victim, a week ago," he began, each word weighed down by the severity of the situation, "the second, three days ago, and the last one, this morning." His words lingered in the room, a stark reminder of the swift and methodical nature of the assaults.

Garcia, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she accessed the chilling details, added to the grim narrative. "They were all held captive for at least a day," she concluded, her voice trembling slightly as she relayed the extent of the victims' suffering. "But no more than two, because in all three cases we have colleagues who can confirm they were at work at least two days prior."

"Do we have any connections between them?" JJ's question drew everyone's attention to Garcia, the team's digital expert.

"They all had more than just a thing for women," Garcia replied, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she dug deeper into the digital archives. "I'm still combing through their backgrounds for more connections or useful info. I'll keep you posted if I find anything important."

Despite the heaviness of the case weighing on us, the day wore on without any major breakthroughs. We'd spoken with the victims' families and colleagues, but hadn't uncovered much. Still, the urgency of the situation hung in the air, reminding us that time was ticking and another abduction could happen at any moment.

As I stepped into the familiar embrace of our home, weariness clung to my every step, burdening my shoulders with its weight. But the sight that greeted me at the table instantly lifted my spirits—a home-cooked meal, lovingly prepared by Maile, awaited me. It was a silent testament to her thoughtfulness and understanding, a gesture made all the more special by the fact that I had given her a heads-up about my return time.

The delicious aroma that filled the air hinted that Maile hadn't been the chef behind tonight's dinner—a fact that both amused and touched me deeply. Cooking wasn't her forte, something she freely admitted and often joked about. Despite her occasional forays into the kitchen, she knew her limitations well.

I couldn't suppress a chuckle at the thought of her valiant attempts, knowing the likely outcome. There had been times when I couldn't resist sneaking a taste of her creations while her back was turned. Yet, the results always reaffirmed her self-awareness; her dishes consistently fell short of culinary excellence, sparing me from any further taste-testing adventures.

But even in her culinary missteps, there was a certain charm—a willingness to try, despite knowing the odds were against her. It was just another endearing aspect of her personality, one that I cherished dearly and wouldn't trade for anything in the world.

"Hey," she greeted me with a radiant smile as I trudged wearily through the doorway, my exhaustion palpable in every step. Without a moment's hesitation, she gracefully relieved me of my burdens, gently setting aside my bag, and enveloping me in a comforting embrace. In the sanctuary of her arms, I felt the weight of the day slowly lift, soothed by the rhythmic beat of her heart that seemed to echo my own.

"Thank you," I whispered gratefully, my voice a mere breath as I leaned into her embrace. "I needed that."

Her response was simple yet profound, spoken with genuine sincerity. "Anytime."

With a gentle nudge, she guided me toward the table, her touch a comforting caress against my weary frame. "Now, let's eat," she urged softly, her voice carrying a warmth that seeped into my bones. "Tell me all about your day, and then let's just relax together tonight. No agenda, no worries—just us, unwinding and being together."

Her words, infused with a sense of tranquility, promised an evening of solace away from the chaos of the outside world. As I settled into my seat, the enticing aroma of the meal she had prepared enveloped me, coaxing forth a sense of contentment and gratitude. It was in these simple moments, shared within the comforting embrace of our home, that I found sanctuary and peace amidst life's trials.

She made every hardship of the day worthwhile.

As evening draped its comforting embrace around us, we settled snugly onto the couch, cocooned in its warmth. My fingers wove delicate patterns through her hair, offering a gentle caress that sought to soothe her troubled mind. In the hush of the moment, I broached a question, my voice a mix of curiosity and care.

"Are you starting to remember things?" I asked softly, my words hanging in the air, stirring up a sense of unease within her.

"It's coming back in flashes," she confessed in a quiet voice, the weight of her inner conflict heavy in her words. "But I don't want to, Alex." Tears welled up in her eyes, reflecting the turmoil raging inside her, a silent testament to the overwhelming emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

With gentle care, I wiped away the tears from her cheeks, hoping for my touch to bring comfort to her raw emotions. Pulling her closer, I wrapped her in my embrace, our legs intertwined, my chest against her back, and my chin nestled in the curve of her neck.

My words flowed softly, like a soothing breeze in the night. "It's a good thing, Smiles," I murmured, my voice a gentle caress against her ear. "You need to process, and why not now? You're not alone. I am here."

"I am scared," she admitted, feeling the weight of her vulnerability in her words. "I don't want to be. I mean, I don't even have the right to. Look at what you're facing at work every day-"

Before she could finish her self-deprecating thoughts, I interrupted, my voice firm but kind. "Don't go there. Don't belittle your pain because you feel like someone else's is worse," I urged, my gaze locking with hers, unwavering in its intensity. "You can't feel their pain, and they can't feel yours. You have every right to be in pain."

I planted a gentle kiss on the back of her neck, my touch offering solace to the swirling turmoil in her mind. With a deep breath, she found the courage to open up about the memories that had started to come back to her.

"I remember hearing more voices," she admitted softly, squeezing her eyes shut as if trying to transport herself back to that time. "Not just James and Ira. Other voices, but I can't place them. At first, I thought they might be part of your team, but they're not. I can't remember how many there were, or if I even saw them. I just knew they were there."

I held her close, my warmth surrounding her like a shield, as I pressed another kiss to her temple, offering comfort and reassurance. Feeling my support, she continued, "There were at least two other men," her voice trembling with uncertainty and unease. Each word dredged up memories she'd buried deep down.

"That's good", I said with genuine admiration, a soft smile gracing my lips as I gazed at her. "You did good, baby."

N O V E M B E R 1 9 T H 2 0 1 1

As I stepped into the bustling bullpen, the familiar symphony of activity surrounded me—the rhythmic tapping of keyboards, the rustle of papers, and the murmur of voices blending into a harmonious cacophony. In the midst of this organized chaos, Hotch emerged like a captain navigating through turbulent waters, his purposeful stride signaling an imminent discussion. "Alex," he called out, his voice authoritative yet welcoming. "Can I have a word?"

His unexpected request sent a shiver of apprehension down my spine as I followed him to his office, my mind swirling with questions about the nature of our impending conversation. Despite my uncertainty, I complied, trailing behind him as we entered the sanctum of his private workspace. The soft click of the door closing behind us added a weight of seriousness to the atmosphere, intensifying the gravity of what was to come.

Seated across from each other, Hotch's usually composed demeanor was tinged with an unusual solemnity as he retrieved a file from his desk. A sense of foreboding settled over me, a knot tightening in the pit of my stomach. "We've identified the DNA found at the crime scene," he began, his words hanging heavy in the air like a dark cloud.

My exhaustion seemed to deepen as I struggled to comprehend the significance of his revelation. "And why are we discussing this privately?" I inquired cautiously, my mind racing to grasp the implications. "Why just you and me?"

Hotch's expression remained unreadable as he delivered the bombshell that left me reeling. "Because," he began, his voice steady, "it matches Maile's DNA."

A wave of disbelief washed over me, threatening to drown out all rational thought. Panic surged through me as the weight of his words settled in. "I should never have uttered those words," I berated myself silently, the casual remark I made earlier now haunting me with its unforeseen consequences.

[unproduciblesmackdown]

also given that the logic of said superiority authoriority is an entitlement to deny someone's personhood & use them as an object for your purposes, from obviously getting to direct what they must do & can't do, to enjoying whatever gratification from lashing out / demeaning which is also going to serve as an affirming exercise in authority when one can do that from an insulated elevated place....a crucial part of whatever form of this violence, from the most nanoscopic triangle in the sierpiński triangle pyramid scheme hierarchy, to the hypothetical largest (zoom in or out to whatever degree: the same shit also), being that indeed the superior parties need the deserved insulation from any Consequence to exerting their superior status, including indeed from having to witness the consequences For the "inferior" parties, such as whatever externalizations of suffering they recognize as such, which either (a) need to be put away (b) are manipulative performances or otherwise exaggerated (e.g. being a pussy / not even having the sense to realize how little suffering they're Really experiencing) or (c) can be fun to witness if you decide you enjoy that as an affirmation of power as per your ability to completely detach from any avoidance of causing pain, harming for its own sake, b/c you Can

all which is to frame how Interesting it is that after all those moments of going "well, they keep bothering with reaction shots of winston noticeably feeling hurt & expressing it, sometimes also verbally. it's like it could be setting up something" it set up Nothing; while once again just like has been done dozens of times a scene just Ends on winston being rejected &/or hurt, no resolution then, no resolution ever, and in the case of 7x03 was so significant an attack that just like in 4x11 when mafee gets to take out his own Loyalty Insecurity on winston while everyone else hangs around in tacit to overt approval, everyone just leaves the room & we get winston staying behind in the Most distant position aaand scene's over! thread's over! david levien get back here after you Liked that 4x12 livetweet of mine pointing out "so see & winston was right anyways??" like....that is: we are given the Perspective of someone who is also now Leaving winston behind, thus immune to the consequences of however that treatment could actually affect him or how he might struggle to deal with that now (who cares! the answer is: Alone) like Whatever, next time we see him he's completely fine now. and i'm just so happening to think that all the little moments of getting to see winston wither & withdraw & etc in reaction to being shitted on was also us being granted the perspective of Gratification that he's punished for speaking or existing or whatever, without it ever going anywhere or mattering beyond that instant. we too are the ones who surely get to relentlessly bully the autistic person & damn if we don't at least enjoy someone getting to go off the rails restoring their ego by doing absolutely whatever they want to him, which just so happens to be perfectly aligned with getting him Back In Line. pull yourself together winston! the only consequences you're experiencing we wanna deal with are the ones where you give us the algorithm we decided we want, actually. and now let's look across the rest of the season where the consequences for wags for being this way (or anyone else for standing by, ready to benefit, with philip bafflingly declaring as well how actually it was brutal in a good way) is approximately fuckall even as of course nobody's pretending he's one of the personal growth guys out here: rian is though, and didn't have to "grow" out of abusing winston or thinking that was fine & good or that of course she's inherently superior! and in the end we have more affection and interest for the Epic Asshole than their Cringe Targets

[vicompte-de-latarteaucoing]

Oh, dear Liden, you shouldn't have brought up the subject, you just freed the beast !

Unfortunately, it is with deep regret that I inform you that our dear captain Blake isn't the only character suffering for amnesia !

Ladies and gentlemen, if you please, brace yourselves for the ✨Blake & Mortimer Amnesiac Competition✨ !!

You have probably already meet Blake's case, now, please, allow me to introduce you to the other competitors :

Sharkey :

Okay, so I'm starting with Sharkey because he is the one with the lightest syntomes here, since he only forgot he once knew what Latin sounded like. Nothing serious then. It's not like he needs to use Latin to order his morning coffee.

Left : The Testament of William S. (p.21) | Right : The Mystery of the Great Pyramid, 2nd volume (p.22)

I don't have much to say, honestly, I don't think it's that obvious and I guess it's not totally incompatible, but I'll give my opinion anyway.

Okay, so, in The Testament of William S. I understand that Sharkey might not understand the text he was supposed to hand to Olrik. But he should at least be able to recognise it was Latin since, in The Mystery of the Great Pyramid (at least in the French version - but, since it's the original one, it's the one I take more seriously), he used an expression in Latin. So, at least in my humble opinion, it makes sense that he would understand the text was in Latin even if he didn't actually understand the most of it, and there would be no need for Olrik to tell him that as if he couldn't guess by himself.

But fine, I might just be overthinking this one. Let's move on to the real mess.

Professor Philip Mortimer :

So, then we have our dear professor Mortimer. Considering he might be the one that is more frequently knocked out, I would say he has an admirable tolerance and, as a matter of fact, got off easy - he only forgot Razul hadn't died at the the siege of the secret base (how did he even knew Razul was there in the first place if the reader didn't ?). Anyway, it's not like he needed to remember or anything, I don't think he was planning to send him a Happy New Year's postcard or else.

Left : The Mystery of the Great Pyramid, 1st volume (p.22) | Right : The Last Swordfish (p.37)

In The Mystery of the Great Pyramid, as he tells his friend Ahmed Rassim Bey, he thought Razul had perished during the siege of the secret base, just as the end of the previous adventure according to E.P. Jacobs timeline, The Secret of the Swordfish. But, the fact is that we meet Razul again in The Last Swordfish, and Mortimer gets to face him personally - for the first time, actually !

Okay, maybe he didn't know it was him when they fought, but Nasir would have told him afterwards - like he probably told Mortimer according to E.P. Jacobs, since the professor wouldn't have known who Razul was otherwise.

Anyway, I guess we will be moving on to the next level now...

Sergeant/Lieutenant Ahmed Nasir :

Well, Nasir, how should I put it ? - he might possibly have sliiiightly forgot he was Muslim... But like, I get it, even I sometimes forget I'm not Christian and say «Mon dieu !».

Left : The Secret of the Swordfish, 1st volume (p.51) | Right : The Sarcophagi of the Sixth Continent, 1st volume (p.6)

I took a vignette from The Secret of the Swordfish to exemplify, but the fact is I could actually have chosen any of E.P. Jacobs' books where he appears and found at least one vignette where he mentions Allah. But then, in The Sarcophagi of the Sixth Continent, we find him working for the Indian government and apparently following the Hindu religion ? And so, he went from mentioning Allah at the slightest opportunity to rarely mention Vishnu or Shiva. It lost me.

But then I remembered that part in The Secret of the Swordfish when he was in Karachi keeping an eye on Mortimer, and apparently he pretended to follow the Hindu religion as part of the disguise as mere servant in Olrik's Intelligence Bureau's headquarters.

The Secret of the Swordfish, 2nd volume (p.22)

And so, there I go rambling : What if, in The Sarcophagi of the Sixth Continent, the reason he had switched religions was the same as in The Secret of the Swordfish - he was spying under a forged disguise. What if he was, in fact, working for the Pakistani government (like it makes sense since he is most seemingly Baloch) and had somehow managed to infiltrate as an agent into the Indian government ?

This could actually have been an interesting point to explore. Anyway, just my rambling, don't mind me. I just don't see him switching religions only because it is convenient.

Youssef Khadem :

Here we are, I suppose, we had to bump into this inevitable, inescapable reference, and Liden's example of excellence - good old Youssef. Youssef, unlike Olrik, does not forge his death, nor escapes it - that's for amateurs and losers - he simply forget he died and comes back to haunt the reader like nothing happened.

Left : The Mystery of the Great Pyramid, 1st volume (p.36) | Right : The Gondwana Shrine (p.32)

The pictures say it all, I don't have much to add. Youssef was shot by the police in The Mystery of the Great Pyramid, resulting in him being apparently mortally wounded, at least according to the text box - of course, it could be metaphorical, but the words chosen by E.P. Jacobs (and actually translated with satisfactory accuracy) seem a bit too strong for that, but hey, it's still an option I guess... However, leaving behind Cairo and his antiques-related business to go join Razul in Kenya, Youssef came back rising from the ashes in The Gondwana Shrine without a single word to explain what had happened to him.

Don't get me wrong, I really like him and having something against bringing him back would make me an hypocrite ! But, I mean, I believe the new authors could at least have explained how he managed to survive the apparently serious injuries... Just my humble opinion anyway.

✨Epic Amnesia Battle of B&M✨

Who wins !

Who's next !!

YOU DECIDE !!!

Submissions open : If you have other potential competitors, please feel free to share their case !

Footnote : I think amnesia is a serious issue in this universe. There might be more cases, but those are just the ones I remembered without need to reread the whole collection.

Okay, but now seriously... Liden, my friend, you are terribly right : I really think the new authors should do their homework and reread the E. P. Jacobs' albums, unless they are consciously planning to continue sowing this kind of inconsistency in their stories, or simply not minding to do so, which I find equally sad

Captain Blake has amnesia.

First off, it's @vicompte-de-latarteaucoing who noticed this.

Let me explain;

Blake didn't know what Olrik looked like in Le Secret de L'Espadon because he'd never met him before.

Le Secret de L'Espadon, by E. P. Jacobs (p. 29, tome 3)

However, in Le Baton de Plutarque (which is set before Le Secret de L'Espadon), Blake has a small talk with Olrik and even has dinner with him.

Le Baton de Plutarque, by A. Juillard et Y. Sente (p. 35)

Has he sudently lost all his memories of the very talented Colonel Olrik? ...Or are the authors of Le Baton de Plutarque inconsistent with the original work?

I don't think it would be a bad thing if the new authors bothered to reread the E. P. Jacobs albums…

[gaylos-lobos]

Belos is as much a role that he plays akin to what Philip was/is, but it’s a more authentic one. One he craved out for himself. Especially the public persona of Belos is a rejection of everything Philip is and stands for and in a bigger sense a rejection of the community that raised and shaped him, of the puritan ideals Philip was tailor cut to represent.

Belos is both a rejection and reclamation of his personhood. It’s the case of him being the witch, the witch hunter and curse all at once. Philip is as much a part of Belos as is Belos of Philip, one cannot exist without the other, but neither of them are real. However the mangled corpse of a monster is the melting point of these two roles. If he ever wants to truly and fully reclaim his personhood he needs to face himself, let the overabundance of piercing eyes fully look at himself and see both directly at his trauma and wrongdoings and beyond it. Stripping himself clean of everything after accepting it and look at the person that truly resides within.

Philip like Belos will however never choose this path. Because if he would, he would first have to acknowledge that his actions where wrong, and also that he was traumatized. If Belos has to accept the wrongness of his actions, Philip will have to acknowledge the trauma he suffered. This includes the façade that his live was before the isles. Which means also acknowledging that Belos is at least, a freer version of himself as he ever was and ever could have been if he stayed.

[timemachineyeah]

I think it’s interesting that we learn Philip and Caleb became witch hunters to fit in to the existing culture of Gravesfield.

Because the thing about witch hunts is, there’s a lot of zealotry and tattling involved. If they weren’t a pair of traveling radicals, but rather two side characters in an ongoing town furor? That changes things.

Up until now I’ve been a little curious about the dynamic of having Philip be the younger brother. We are more used to stories where the older person has authority over the younger in a way that allows them to be despotic. Basically when you have two siblings in fiction and one is evil, it’s usually the older one. But Caleb seemed pretty chill? People with chill authority figures usually don’t grow up to do genocide? But Philip is really committed to genocide? And jealousy over your older brother getting a girlfriend is a weird thing to genocide over?

But now we learn, that’s not really the story. Or not the whole story.

This is a JoJo Rabbit situation. This is a Hitler Youth situation.

In a town that’s in a fervor to find the hidden secret evil citizens among them, kids are potentially dangerous. The children you love and care for are also the most likely to be unsavvy and get you killed. Sometimes older relatives under those circumstances have to, or at least feel like they have to, let their younger family members be indoctrinated without openly opposing it, even pretending to support it, because, well. Children talk. Often without filter. Maybe it would be okay, but

Is it worth risking one or both of you being hung in the square to test that theory?

So they get to this town. This town will hang or burn you if you aren’t pious enough. And this town defines piety by its hatred of The Devil. We are all trying to prove we hate the devil the most. And Caleb, older brother, is like, okay then. That’s what’ll keep us fed. That’s what’ll keep us safe. He’s not a zealot so much as he’s just trying to keep him and his kid brother alive and win the town’s favor. Maybe the zealotry even freaks him out a bit, but not enough. Not until he meets Evelyn.

But Philip? Philip believes. Of course he does. His brother has never made any indication to him that there’s room for doubt. No one has ever done that. At least no one whose execution he didn’t later watch with his entire community cheering it on. Because they were dangerous. Everyone knows how this neighbor got sick, how witches caused that terrible accident, how Satan tries to keep us from our eternal salvation. This is literal. This is real. This is eternal souls and cosmic reality. He’s a kid, at first. He gets indoctrinated young. He believes this.

And then they find the actual realm of demons. Actual hell. The source of all evil in the universe. Fucking obviously it is his divine calling to destroy it once and for all. Wouldn’t you? If you could end all suffering? Save everyone for eternity? Surely that is noble. Righteous. Sacred.

And how is he supposed to believe anything else? What is easier to believe: the whole world is a lie and he has been watching innocent people killed for entertainment since he was a child - which goes against everything he was ever taught and also feels fucking bad. Or: the witches used their evil magic to convince my brother they aren’t evil, which proves how evil they are. That lines up perfectly with everything I know, everything everyone around me has always said, and makes it okay that I participated in those public executions, and also gives me some good righteous anger to fuel me on a genocidal rampage for as long as I continue to exist.

In Philip’s head, he’s the center of his dramatic fantasy epic. He’s the lone hero up against the big bad. He’s going to take on the Devil himself.

Idk, I just think it’s cool that The Owl House was like, “hey, Satanic panics, fascism, and genocide are allied ideologies, perhaps even the same ideology, and it’s Bad”

Also, “societal pressure to conform enables and even encourages people to hurt those they love”. Camila tried to send Luz to camp because she didn’t want Luz to be bullied the way she had been, because Luz’s principal told her she had to. It was a gesture born out of a desire to protect her, but one that would ultimately hurt. Caleb let Philip grow up more pious than he was because it seemed safest, to protect him. Philip grew up believing in eternal damnation and righteous cruelty, something that has clearly ultimately hurt him I mean look at what he is now. Philip, meanwhile, hurt Caleb and continues to hurt his family because he thinks there’s a Right and Wrong way to exist. To be. The ultimate call for conformity. For hegemony. But he didn’t spontaneously generate this belief. It was reinforced from a young age from a society that wanted to make sure no one was deviating too much. To centralize and maintain power through manipulation, exploitation, and force.

Anyway I cannot fucking wait for Camila and Eda to meet oh my fucking god

[sepublic]

Kikimora’s Role

            For such a power-grabbing little demon, I also find it fascinating that Kikimora ends up playing SUCH a pivotal key role, acting as a decisive turning point in the show’s plot; Specifically, she’s the reason everyone survives the draining spell, why Belos is reduced to a drop of goop, and the Collector’s freedom. As well as Luz and her friends being stranded in Gravesfield with what’s left of Belos.

         Because if she hadn’t been eavesdropping on Belos this whole time (established way back in Hunting Palismen), she wouldn’t have known about the Collector and his power, his key role in Belos’ machinations. She wouldn’t have told King, who wouldn’t have freed the Collector in desperation; So really, Kikimora DID get her desired revenge on Philip. It was her dying, spiteful choice that ultimately saved her life, and ended the entire operation she dedicated her life to, as vengeance for Belos using and discarding her like trash… Kikimora is the reason his lifetime’s work was wasted, after she wasted her own life for him; Good for her.

         I feel bad for Kikimora, because both in-universe, and on a meta level, she got a bit left out; Left out of a healing arc in leaving the Emperor’s Coven, left out of most of the plot-heavy affairs. Trying desperately to seize her bit of the stakes at Eclipse Lake, only to be a side nuisance, and ultimately irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Kikimora likely knew just how inconsequential she was to the plan and the grander narrative, to ‘destiny’ (hence how literally small she is symbolically) and tried to insert herself into its machinations to survive, desperately clawing a way in, scraping it open if necessary.

         In a way, she failed but also succeeded? She got close enough to know about the Collector. And on a meta level, you do get the implication that the writers wanted to do more with Kikimora… An early concept of the S2 intro has her proudly brandishing a glowing purple gem (while Hunter has a different haircut), so who knows what that could’ve meant? But in the end, the writers and Kikimora herself managed to still salvage something for herself, thanks to the Collector; So she still gets a last laugh, just barely, and it really does save her skin.

         It saved the isles, even, so maybe Kikimora can be content in THAT legacy at least, and try to boast of it when all is said and done. For someone who wants power and authority, what’s better than having it in your hands, the stakes to decide if everyone lives or dies, depending on what you choose to tell a furry little child? We should celebrate this narrative weight of hers more, actually, for Kiki’s sake! It’s fitting… Belos rejected Kikimora’s desires by shoving her aside at the last second, demoting Kikimora to delivering the Abomatons needed to keep everyone trapped for the ritual;

         But in doing so, he inadvertently led her to Luz and Hunter; Which led to Kikimora entering the skull on the justification of having Hunter to present and redeem herself with. If Belos hadn’t been cruel in demoting her to the ‘Crate Coven’, Kikimora wouldn’t have been present for the kids’ confrontation with him; Luz wouldn’t have been there to place the sigil on Belos, contributing to his downfall; And King wouldn’t have arrived to save her, just for Kikimora to tell him what he needs to do! She’s an awful person and hardly altruistic, but I gotta respect that spiteful, take-you-down-with-me tenacity that ultimately did garner something. Kikimora doesn’t forgive nor forget, and she MADE Belos pay for underestimating her…!

         Belos seemingly did everything right, and/or managed to protect himself against certain mistakes; But in the end, it was the one he dismissed the most, Kikimora, that undid him in the end! The one loose end he didn’t bother to tie up by just killing her, because Belos’ undoing sadism towards witches wanted Kiki to suffer from the draining spell. She didn’t even allow him to die a martyr who succeeded in killing the witches. 

        If he’d just been nicer to this ONE witch… It’s like Saruman being taken down by a lowly nobody like Grima Wormtongue. She wasn’t as focused on or flashy about it as others, but pretty much totally independently of our heroes, Kikimora developed her own contribution to the rebellion against Belos, arguably more pivotal than anyone else’s. One could even claim she did more than the CATTs did in stopping the Day of Unity! Imagine.

        Then there’s the fact that if she never tried to kill Hunter to further cement her role, he would’ve never bonded with Luz, which wouldn’t have kickstarted his choice to leave Belos! Not only does that provide further emotional torment and mockery to Philip, seeing his brother’s grimwalker abandon him yet again, and even fall for a witch too; Hunter will likely play a role in Belos’ ultimate demise in S3, helping to foil him! So Kikimora didn’t just stop Belos’ plans, she got him killed too! GOOD FOR HER.

        I’d love to see Kiki kick herself silly in glee over this realization, if she hasn’t had it already, if she saw the Collector boop Belos into oblivion and assume he’d died there. Belos was so obsessed with the grander narrative and ‘destiny’ against more obvious enemies like Luz the Human, his opposition to powerful witches like the CATTs, that he failed to consider the literally little guys, the comparatively less thematically relevant outsiders (King, Kikimora, the Collector) as the underdogs who ultimately undid him. Call THAT “The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth”!

[littlecaesar]

Caesarion couldn't help the faint shudder when she mentioned that. Anyone with half a functioning brain could see he was infinitely more popular and well liked than his father, but he didn't have any immediate desire to take on the family business quite yet. There'd been plans put in place should such a thing happen for quite some time, owing to both his father's advanced age at his birth and his obvious general unpopularity in subsequent years, but that didn't mean he'd be overly thrilled to have to enact them. "While obviously it will be the event to end all other events when it does happen, I hope it's not particularly soon," he admitted, knowing she was one of the few people he could admit that to and not worry about it, "Naturally I'd do it and be damn good if it came down to it, but I'd rather not take the throne as a teenager if I can help it."

As he'd been born for the job, he'd been trained since he was old enough to realize it to take the throne someday. Largely owing to his mother of course, who was often said to be more regal in demeanor and actions than the actual King and she hadn't been born royal. It wasn't even remotely arrogant of him to say he would be a good king, both by training and general personality he knew he'd be well suited to the role. It was something his cousin Lucius told him all too often, mostly while he was thanking his lucky stars Caesarion had been born in the first place and relieving him of the burden of being a future monarch.

"Ah, but you see by definition most of the things I have access to would fit at least some of the requirements, even if they're all obscenely expensive," he replied, doing a mental catalogue, "Not everything is big enough to sink the Titanic, even if that's what my taste runs to. And mother's for that matter. Remind me to get her to give me her keys when we go home and I'll prove it to you."

He laughed rather loudly when she started to whisper about the Etruscan people and pasta, how had he somehow known she'd have a tidbit like that stored away in her brain somewhere. "You're starting to sound like my Uncle Philip," he said, putting on an even more over-exaggerated Greek accent than usual "Those lazy no good Italians, save you little Ptolemy, never had a good or original thought in their lives. Stole everything from us genius Greeks, the bastards." He then sighed in a pretend long suffering way, grinning down at her. "I suppose you're right, I'd survive. Would be a shame to have to fumigate my clothes for peasant germs though, the horror!"

He laughed once again at her imitation of Charmian, it was pretty spot on and he knew his phone was probably full of similar ones from his second mother. Probably a few more calm ones from his actual mother too, along with probably at least a half dozen screaming ones from his father. He would either listen to those later for entertainment or just delete them outright, he hadn't decided just yet.

Demetria rising up and kissing his cheek had been a surprise, and it distracted him enough to not make a crack about how she'd managed to get so high up without stealing shoes from Gene Simmons to be able to reach. "I'm impossible to forget I'll have you know, and it's not like I'm going anywhere," he insisted, tugging her over with his arm linked through hers, "I'm afraid you're stuck with my bird bothering rich boy arse for the rest of our lives. So deal with it Miss Future Genius Historian." A cloudy look crossed his face as he contemplated the thought of not being around; he didn't care what his father or anyone else said, that wasn't changing anytime soon as long as he could help it.

Seconds later she interrupted his thoughts by letting go of his arm and taking off, this time into the Casa instead of somewhere in the city so he didn't have to worry about where she was. Somehow getting past what was probably crowds waiting for their turn, she popped up above him on the balcony. He looked up at the tiny figure in that pretty red dress and waved at her, glad she was still having fun despite all his intrusions that day.

A thought flickered into his mind then, and he knew a decidedly devious grin was ever so slowly spreading across his face. While normally he at least made an effort to try and keep her out of the news as much as humanly possible, owing to her obvious hatred for it, there was just something in him that couldn't resist given the setting and her words. "Romeo am I? Well then," he called back up, clearing his throat and searching his mind back though the Shakespeare he'd memorized back in school. Projecting his voice to make sure she heard in, not that it was necessary as his voice carried anyway, he started to recite one of the play's most infamous passages.

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid art far more fair than she: Be not her maid, since she is envious; Her vestal livery is but sick and green And none but fools do wear it; cast it off. It is my lady, O, it is my love! O, that she knew she were! She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that? Her eye discourses; I will answer it. I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks...

"Well, since you consider me smart allow me to impart some wisdom on you, your royal snarkiness - don't say that comment about your dad within earshot of anyone who can understand Greek or you're going to be on the throne and planning the coronation to end all coronations" Tria mused, elbowing him playfully while continuing their conversation in Greek. "You've got to know they're waiting for a reason to pounce an abdication on your father and get you on the throne."

Being part of the unseen of backstairs had given her an insight into the machinery of monarchy that few had. The scrutiny of poll numbers, crowd size and positive press numbers led themselves to many a witty joke about men and their obsession with sizes that Tria always had to bite her tongue to avoid making. Though they continued to push the current reign, it was obvious to Tria that there was also a movement in the courtiers to prepare for the next reign and make sure they were in good standing with the Prince before the time came.

The looming feeling of dread at the thought of his rising up to the throne was chased away by his words on her preference for rings. She found herself staring at him, not quite believing what he was saying - or how accurate it was. It was often said how well she knew him but everyone always seemed to miss - including her! - that it went both ways. "Sometimes you surprise me in the most unexpected ways." She managed, obviously ruffled by the casual revelation. In a bid to right herself, she joked as he took her arm again an they walked together, "Just not one of your heirlooms, I couldn't imagine having something worth more than most of the homes in Rome on my finger - I'd be terrified."

Tria laughed as he asked about pasta, rolling her eyes she nudged him but still - she had the answer. "Pasta has been found in Etruscan digs. Waaaaay before Verona. Like... before Jesus. And, do you wanna know the big scandal of the Etruscan people?" She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "Some believe they were Greeks who settled in Italy which would mean Greece could claim pasta also." She gasped playfully before allowing herself another laugh. She had a feeling he'd like that - for a future Italian ruler he was incredibly proud of his Greek heritage. "You'd have survived if it was a hotel still - it'd be an experience. Something to tell the grandchildren. Rich people rashes can be treated and go away, memories last forever." She stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

"My God my mother," dread seeped into her tone that not even the brilliant sight of the casa before her could fix. "I bet my phone is filled with messages and missed calls and my voicemail is full with screeching messages - undoubtedly about you." She changed her voice to a near perfect impression of her mother. "Did my baby boy arrive safely? Is he with you? Demetria! Demetria! Look after my boy! He's delicate. Only Egyptian cotton; don't forget!" Perspective though - she was at the casa, she was with Caesarion and she could deal with her mother at another time. Preferably as far into the future that she could push it without leaving her mother no alternative but to chase her down. The horror.

But she couldn't dwell on that too long; not when he was talking about their future. Not their future. They would always be in each others lives but inevitably they would grow apart. He had a destiny to govern the future while she wanted to take care of the past. But they still had now. Now, in Verona, at the casa, with Juliet watching them from her pedestal. Without really thinking, she rocked up onto the balls of her feet and kissed his cheek. "I promise I won't forget you when I'm director of the archives of Italy," she teased playfully as she sank back down to her natural height. "And I promise you'll always be welcome as long as you don't heckle me and I can tell everyone about how you nearly drowned in the river because you were being an idiot with the gulls."

Not wishing to dwell on a future of passing moments, she left his side and with a mischievous glint in her eye, disappeared through the great iron door and out of sight in the casa until she emerged onto the famous balcony. The view was breathtaking; no wonder they had wished to make Shakespeare's vision come to life. Through the throng of visitors in the courtyard, he was easy to spot. She waved down at him, laughing as she called down, "Romeo you look so small down there!"

[noridoorman]

When you're sick - DBD Killers

Trapper - Evan MacMillan

Sicknesses disgust him to some degree but it’s nothing that stops him from taking care of you. He’ll prepare some tea and soup and let me tell you, this guy is a tea fanatic. You could never tell how much he loves tea by the way he looks and acts. His father always tried to tell him how tea is feminine and he should drink beer like a man. Evan makes amazing tea, sometimes you even hope you’re sick just to taste it. 

The Wraith - Philip Ojomo

He’s very hesitant as he doesn’t want to get sick himself but he absolutely loves the idea of taking care of you. You’d always care for him at his lowest moments but would never take anything back in compensation. If you have trouble sleeping he’ll cuddle you until you feel just a little bit better. 

The Hillbilly - Max Thompson Jr.

Nobody took care of him when he was sick so it was your responsibility to tell him what to do! And also teach him a little things here and there. Max doesn’t care if he gets sick, he’d rather get sick than seeing you suffering with a cold and crying because you can’t sleep. He’ll be your personal warmer and won’t mind at all if you use him as a pillow.

The Nurse - Sally Smithson

Sally worked in the Crotus Prenn Asylum as a nurse and not really in a normal hospital. Despite that, she knows everything there is to know about recovering from a cold or fever. She’ll provide you with every bit of love and care and will nurse you back to health in no time. Don’t expect her to show affection though, she knows she needs to keep her distance and will do so.

The Shape - Micheal Myers

Even though you can’t tell by his mask, he’s genuinely concerned for your well-being and will stay by your side the whole time. He won’t show you affection, even if you beg for it, but he’ll stay by your side until you feel better. Strangely enough, his breathing comforts you despite creeping out everyone else. His presence alone gives you a warm fuzzy feeling. You won’t recover as fast but at least your suffering won’t be as bad.

The Huntress - Anna

Hunting is one of her favorite activities and something she has to do to keep you two save, but once she finds you lying in bed with your body burning up, she dropped all of her hatchets and played mommy for the rest of the time. You couldn’t even move a leg outside the bed without having her storm in the room and tucking you back in bed while humming her lullaby soflty. At least sleeping wasn’t that terrible, even though your terrible coughs would constantly wake you up.

The Spirit - Rin Yamaoka

Rin’s mother told her everything there is to know how to take care of a sick person. She wanted Rin to become what Rin always wanted to be, a doctor. So you best bet that Rin knows all there is to care for you. She knows she isn’t allowed to kiss or cuddle you but can’t resist the urge when she hears you coughing and sniffing helplessly in your bed. She’ll end up with a little bit of sniffles too.

The Legion - Frank Morrison

He melts at your affections and when he realizes that he can’t kiss you like he usually does, it BREAKS him. He does everything in his power to make you healthy again, chicken soups, cuddles, tea’s and medicine, he’ll do everything in his power to get back the kisses and cuddles (and to make sure you suffer less). He’ll definitely get sick too and definitely would want you to spoil him too.

The Legion - Julie Kostenko

Although she’s not squeamish, she will NOT hug you, kiss you or even come too close. She sees how much you’re suffering with your sickness and doesn’t want to suffer the same. Despite that, she’ll make sure you feel somewhat loved (and sexy) during your sickness.

The Legion - Joey

Joey had a doctor teddy bear he took care off when he was younger and you can’t convince me otherwise. But you’re not a teddy bear! Doesn’t matter to him, he’ll cuddle you like one and make sure you’re comfortable all the time. Stuffy nose? Terrible cough? Always feeling like shit? He’s got your back and you could swear that every illness is afraid of him.

The Plague - Adiris

She’s been sick her whole life, everything you complain about is her normal. Yet, she still offers you compassion for what you’re going through. Sometimes, she can get a little annoyed when you complain and moan about the pain and headaches as she’s used to those things. She’ll stroke your hair and whisper prayers for you (because you always said you loved hearing her voice).

The Ghostface - Danny Johnson

He doesn’t get disgusted by blood and gore but a cold?! He freezes! Getting sick is possibly the worst thing that can happen when you have a job like his, how are you supposed to stalk someone if you cough every second?! He’s the one to overdo it with the medical supplies and might even wear a full body hazmat suit just to make sure he can cuddle you while you’re sick and not get sick himself.

The Oni - Kazan Yamaoka

Kazan is not the best at caring for you when you’re sick, but that doesn’t mean he’s the worst either! He’ll do whatever you ask him for although with a groan. He’d rather want to kiss your sickness away as it is way easier than making chicken soup.

The Executioner - Pyramid Head

He doesn’t get sick anyways and therefor doesn’t mind taking care of you. He’ll be a bit awkward with cooking you soup but will get the hang of it pretty fast once you teach him. He’ll cuddle you to sleep and gladly hold you closer if you ask for it. But once his duty calls, he’ll drop everything and leave you on your own. Even the hot soup, ouch.

The Trickster - Ji-Woon Hak

As a Kpop Idol, Ji-Woon had to stay healthy almost every time to be fit for all his performances and recordings. You’d expect him to never ever come near you again but to your surprise, he acts more clingy than before! He’ll cook you every family recipe he knows and might sing a little bit for you so that you can fall asleep easily. 

[jazz-my-soul]

God, Philip what a fucking disgusting coward you are.

I still don't understand why i'm force fighting my brain to feel some form of pity towards Philip but i still for some reason do find him interesting.

In first few pictures, you can see Philip and his brother (maybe friend but i'll go for a brother) playing along and sticking together. Philip enojying his brother company the most and most likely looking up to him. It is obvious when they go to the witch realm things turn for the worse because (since they are from 1600/1700 and at those time, the mindset of humans were different. I'm not defending Philip here but the stories of witches were really goddam brutal in the human world and people would get killed just by paranoia and fear). From the brotherly love, there was an obvious hint of spite and jelaousy that his brother is actually enojying the witch realm and that he actually found a witch partner there as well and i believe that deep down the partner being a witch wasn't a problem, it is most likely just a fact that his brother is going foward with his life and he is just being left behind.

That toxic/twisted love for his brother is what caused him to kill his brother in pure anger and spite because of utter denial that his brother "betrayed" him for a mere "witch" and for this "disgusting" world.

Perhaps my pity for Phillip is because, maybe just maybe he created grimwalkers because he WANTS for his brother to stay near him and not leaving him behind, he keeps destroying other grimwalkers because they (as his own brother) are slowly learning and enojying the witch realm as his brother did, the other grimwalkers are hesitant to help him to do these cruel things and you can see Hunter being a perfect example of that because he is a really loves wild magic but because the grimwalkers have his brother DNA and Philip can't as much as he wants too, take that part of his brother away from them.

Isn't the Philip the utter perfect example of a bitter coward?.

The most ironic thing is even if he destroys other grimwalkers and the reason why they are being destroyed is because they have his brothers personality, he still keeps making them all over again because just maybe he is too prideful, arrogant to admit that he misses and regrets killing his own brother.

And the most likely reason why he wants to destroy the witch realm and why he wants to ger rid of the magic and make other witches suffer is because they took his brother away from him, truly Philip what a godsent you are.

What hurts the fucking most is that his brother accepted his curse, his brother showed him affection amd hugged him and all his brother wanted is from Philip to show his affection back, for Philip to accept the things what he loved so that all of them can enojy their time togehter in a new world as a family.

Philip deserves to die and he dosen't deserve to be reedemed for his actions, at very least i want to see what his goal is and just if there is truly some form of guilt for his actions.

Philip's time does seem to tick away and i doubt that his curse can be stopped and in the end it would be his downfall as well.