#and like every relationship is important

[desolecairo]

I couldn't care less about the LTD stuff around ff7, but something I absolutely love about Aerith and her relationship with Cloud is how genuinely loving she is without turning their connection into something romantic. Like, she is very supportive and understanding, she cared about who Cloud was behind his mask and still holds him accountable when it's needed. In return, Cloud grows as a person, he shows empathy and tries to connect with those around him (and it shows while handling his conflict with Tifa, listening to her and asking for her forgiveness); he learns.

Like, every relationship Cloud has with each character is important for him in different ways, but with Aerith? It's kind and soft, probably even healing.

[p4nishers]

can't believe tom hiddleston ACTUALLY interrupted the interviewer to say "one last thing, i think mobius is loki's friend and i don't think loki has ever had a friend before" like king. i love how u felt the need to add that truly

[ignitesthestxrs]

there's something about the way people talk about john gaius (incl the way the author writes him) that is like. so absent of any connection to te ao māori that it's really discomforting. like even in posts that acknowledge him as not being white, they still talk about him like a white, american leftist guy in a way that makes it clear people just AREN'T perceiving him as a māori man from aotearoa.

and it's just really serves to hammer home how powerful and pervasive whiteness and american hegemony is. because TLT is probably the single most Kiwi series in years to explode on the global stage, and all the things i find fraught about it as a pākehā woman reading a series by a pākehā author are illegible to a greater fandom of americans discoursing about whether or not memes are a valid way of portraying queer love.

idk the part of my brain that lights up every time i see a capital Z printed somewhere because of the New Zealand Mentioned??? instinct will always be proud of these books and muir. but i find myself caught in this midpoint of excitement and validation over my culture finding a place on the global stage, frustration at how kiwi humour and means of conveying emotion is misinterpreted or declared facile by an international audience, frustrated also by how that international audience runs the characters in this book through a filter of american whiteness before it bothers to interpret them, and ESPECIALLY frustrated by how muir has done a pretty middling job of portraying te ao māori and the māoriness of her characters, but tht conversation doesn't circulate in the same way* because a big part of the audience doesn't even realise the conversation is there to be had.

which is not to say that muir has done a huge glaring racism that non-kiwis haven't noticed or anything, but rather that there are very definitely things that she has done well, things that she has done poorly, things that she didn't think about in the first book that she has tacked on or expanded upon in the later books, that are all worthy of discussion and critique that can't happen when the popular posts that float past my dash are about how this indigenous man is 'guy who won't shut up about having gone to oxford'

*to be clear here, i'm not saying these conversations have never happened, just that in terms of like, ambient posts that float round my very dykey dash, the discussions and meta that circulate on this the lesbian social media, are overwhelmingly stripped of any connection to aotearoa in general, let alone te ao māori in specific. and because of the nature of american internet hegemony this just,,,isn't noticed, because how does a fish know it's in the ocean u know? i have seen discussions along these lines come up, and it's there if i specifically go looking for it, but it's not present in the bulk of tlt content that has its own circulatory life and i jut find that grim and a part of why the fandom is difficult to engage with.

[valtsv]

my feelings on romance really aren't complex tbh. i enjoy making meaningful and long lasting connections with people and i've definitely loved some of them in ways that wouldn't be considered platonic by an outside observer, but when it comes to the concept of "romance" and romantic relationships i'm just like

[ambrosiagourmet]

In a world where both “long-life/short-life” and “party leader/party mage” relationships are both seen as very popular and common romances, Marcille & Laios are fighting for their lives w their undefined qpr thing. And I’m proud of them.

[beastwhimsy]

comfort character cuddle pile. I love you wizards

[lokittystuckinatree]

Out of every single relationship in the Whoniverse, whatever the Doctor and the Master have going on just hits different. Like a rock. I’m sure everyone feels this way about their fave Doctor ship, but my experience is that once you go Thoschei, you cannot go back. Given the narrative symmetry, character foiling, interwoven parallels, tragically dramatic irony, frustratingly unspeakable ambiguous romance that defies traditional ship canonization in the true chaotic spirit of Doctor Who, and a unique backstory setup that allows the characters to have history that other individuals cannot match, while fate (and the format of the show) pushes them together over and over again indefinitely, without hope of lasting reconnection lest the setup break, the Doctor and Master’s codependent anti-soulmate life or death partnership arguably (narratively) cheapens every other pairing beyond comparison. Their tragedy never leaves you. (And keeps you up at night)

[theblacktiecacti]

jay went to clown school. let’s talk about that

[spockandstars]

Okay but pushing the Spock/Saavik thing, which has never been canon (I don’t count the cave thing because that was done to save his life under crazy circumstances, and books are not canon), in Unification is an interesting choice!

Because having Jim being the last person Spock sees as he dies makes it at the very least seem like a “my first spouse died and I remarried” situation — as well as the way that Jim and Saavik look at each other. Which, I would prefer to see as a father-figure type of situation where Jim is super proud of her and emotional over how she’s been there for Spock, but for the purposes of the video I can definitely see it in this light.

Not to mention the fact that Spock getting Saavik pregnant while he was (1) without a soul and (2) a teenager was intentionally NOT included in the movies and vetoed by Nimoy for good reason. (Being that it was a very creepy suggestion!)

Because why else wouldn’t Saavik be there, given the fact that they would have had a marriage longer than the time Spock even knew Jim? (Rip) I’m personally still not a fan of Spock/Saavik and will always see it as a familial relationship, but depicting everything in this way was certainly a choice. Because of course platonic soulmates are very real, but still not being the “most important” person in your alleged husband’s life so many years after his purely platonic bestie died is a… unique dynamic, if that’s what they’re trying to sell.

Unless she got pregnant and kept the baby and then the family just rolled with it, which would be highly unconventional but still not the weirdest thing to happen in Trek.

[shepscapades]

shep I was talking to my brother about dbhc xisuma as one does and mentioned that ask about not being able to puzzle xisuma's face together mentally and my brother joked that the reason you put the spoiler bars and such on his face is cause you cant draw his whole face yet 😂

anyway I might have talked his ear off about dbhc idk tho lmao

LMAOO NOOOO!!! MY SECRET FINALLY IS OUT!!! /silly

[allogrim]

"Maitre in the bedroom, Maitre only when it's hot or convenient" is so funny to me, because like... yeah? That's... how it works? Sorry you wanted your boytoy to make you a fledgling, Louis, but he literally said the safeword and now you're being a dick about it, sooo...

[stop-breaking-my-heart-dragonage]

You ever think about how in spite of knowing their exact locations, the game never gives any indication that templar Carver has reported his mage sibling, Merril (a blood mage) or Anders (an abomination) to his superiors?

I do think about that a lot, even though I tend to ignore the Templar Carver route because I know Warden Carver to be true in my heart and soul... but I totally get the appeal of Templar Carver within DA2's narrative, y'know?

It's so fascinating, really. I've never played a run with Templar Carver, I just can't bring myself to do it, so I know I'm missing out on smaller details of it. From what I do know, this drives me crazy in the best way possible.

Deciding whether to bring him or not to the Deep Roads is such an important choice, not only because it affects his fate, but how it affects his relationship to Hawke. He tells you that he wants to go, he makes it very clear that it's important to him that he goes, too... and Hawke can just leave him behind and it hurts him. I don't think that registers enough with some people just because of how Carver is, like it doesn't matter what Hawke's motivations are [staying behind for his safety, not wanting to bring him, thinking someone should stay with Leandra, etc] it still hurts him because it tells him that Hawke doesn't need him, and Carver wants to be needed.

And yes, there are other contributing factors to why he joins the templars, but it doesn't matter what your relationship is to him, it doesn't change the fact that he doesn't turn Hawke or his companions in.

Sure, the meta reason is it's a video game and you're playing the main character. You're never in any actual danger of being captured by templars, and you're not going to lose your companions to them that easy.

But if we look at it through the narrative and Carver's character, that's when it gets interesting. You can max out his rivalry and be an utter asshole to him [there's a point where you can call him a brat and mock him for being stuck in your shadow, like Hawke can be real cruel about it] but it doesn't matter, you're still his sibling. He even makes a remark about how you might not know what that means [referring to leaving him behind] but he does. He refuses to kill Hawke in the end when Meredith makes the order, too.

Which can I just point out that Hawke has the option to let Bethany die in the end if she's with the circle and they side with the templars? Just saying, Carver NEVER does that no matter what, but Hawke has the option to betray Bethany like that and it's fucked and interesting and it makes me want to eat my chair-

As for Merrill and Anders, I think he knows that if he turns either of them in, then the chances of Hawke being brought in as well skyrocket. They're all friends, they're in the same group... bring one in, and you'll probably get the other two.

I also think Carver just genuinely likes Merrill. Yes, I'm a Carver/Merrill shipper, so I have a bias, but even if you remove anything romantic from their dynamic I believe that's true. Of all the companions, Merrill is the only one who doesn't make fun of him, or find him annoying, in party banters. He never snaps back at her, like he's never defensive with her, he's just a little awkward and nice.

Like, HE'S SO NICE TO HER! He tries to find common ground with her! She asks him about "swording" and he's taken aback by her saying he's good at it, but you KNOW that if someone like Anders asked him the same question, he's be all, "shut up, you're stupid, stop talking to me >:["

Think back to that banter Carver can have with Aveline post-act 1 where they're talking about how the guard wasn't the right place for him [hard disagree with you there, Aveline] and Carver says he was a bit of a tit, wasn't he.... and every companion will agree except Merrill. She doesn't say anything, whereas other companions like Anders will be like "ugh maker YES" and if you have a purple Hawke, they'll go on to other ways Carver was a tit like?? I think Carver and Merrill got along and he doesn't want to turn her in because she was nice to him! And she's a blood mage! He knows what will happen to her if the templars get ahold of her! He doesn't want to see her made tranquil or killed!

At that point, he's witnessed what bad blood mages can do, assuming you've brought him along for those quests, but even so. He knows Merrill isn't like that and he likes her, so of course he's not going to turn her in despite that being his literal duty.

Then there's Anders who Carver doesn't like. If you're in a romance with him, Carver will tell him that's why he doesn't turn him in but c'mon Carver, you know that's not the only reason. My theory is Carver may not like Anders and he knows the man's got a spirit of justice inside of him... but Anders also runs a free clinic. If he's ever taken in by templars, then so many people [including a LOT of Fereldan refugees] will be without free health care and will suffer for it. I think in Carver's eyes, Anders might be irritating but he doesn't more good than harm. Carver knows first hand how shitty refugees and poorer people are treated in Kirkwall. Anders' clinic is the one place they can go for help and actually get it, and he's not going to be the one to take that away because the templars say "magic bad."

So yeah, I'm not as informed about the Templar Carver route, but I do think about how if I did do that route, he wouldn't betray Hawke or their companions no matter what and what that says about him.

[backpackingspace]

Okay yes odysseus absolutely fumbled first meeting with penelope. He was an absolute goof. Tripping over himself, blushing, loosing games because penelope waved at him, getting caught mid lie ect ect

But have we considered penelope was equally a mess?

[dreadfuldevotee]

Carol Cutshall I know your game, Rolin & Co. I've got you beat. Color (in terms of wardrobe, specifically) in IWTV so far has been representative of a kind of vibrant inner life and honesty in characters. It's the reason why it's so jarring go from seeing Louis in his beautiful multicolored array of stylish clothes in New Orleans to his solid, un-broken string of Couture Minimalism All-Black Ensembles in Dubai. Even in just comparing his unassuming browns and muted tones of Paris next to Claudia's self discovery in pastel. So, to then turn your eye to Armand; always in black, white, greyscale and browns so dark that in most lightings- they end up functionally black.

And then I think about how his rare pops of color, outside of his green shirt in Just Start The Tape, are orange and red. Adoration of the Shepherd continues to be a interesting painting to tie to Armand, this time in the detail that our only image of Armand before his turning is him in a bright blue gown. And in thinking of all these things at the same time, mentally, I am whacked in the face by a piece of trash on the wind which has this The Vampire Armand quote plastered to it

Anyways, anytime someone goes "Oh I hope to see Armand in color in S3" I think the monkey's paw curls

[aroaceleovaldez]

Hi i've read some posts of you about Tsats and it seems like you didn't like the book.

Honestly i'm with you in this 'cause i find it problematic on so many levels (characterizations, inconsistencies, ableism) but apparently there's gonna be a sequel???? What do you think about it?

i think i can pretty concisely summarize my thoughts about the sequel with:

Longer version: It just feels wholly unnecessary. There's no continuation to use for a sequel, really. The first TSATS was unnecessary to begin with but it was so focused on leaving no stone unturned that it functionally left no loose ends to tie up. There's just nowhere to go with it unless they do even MORE retconning and warping characters OOC to string some kind of plot out of, but even that wouldn't reasonably give them enough to make a full novel's worth of plot out of anyways, which means if this sequel is novel-length like the last then it will drag on SO. MUCH. TSATS1 already had horrible pacing problems. There's no way this won't be worse.

[ingravinoveritas]

fandom-chameleon23 replied to your post “"He should be used to this by now." Maybe, just…”

If it was a joke he’d smile or laugh after the glare, but he just looks so angry. It made my heart sink just watching.

@fandom-chameleon23 Likewise. He looks angry, and almost...disappointed. Like he was giving her a chance to just be normal around him, and she couldn't do it. And as you said, had there been that smile or laugh after the glare, that would change the tone of the video drastically...but he stormed off instead. The immediacy with which his expression and body language changed and how he couldn't move away quickly enough as soon as he realized she was recording him said it all...