#and no one in this fandom acknowledges it

[monochromaticbutter]

MK1 is a major step back on the little queer representation the Mortal Kombat series has

Now, Mortal Kombat hasn't ever been particularly avant-garde about LGBTQ+ representation. I'm aware of that. But with MK1 they've proved something to me: they're cowards.

Reworking SubScorp, basically the ship with a 20+ year lore and the most fandom activity of this entire franchise, into some weird, pseudo-incestuous thing for absolutely no reason, is already a step back. Making Tanya's and Mileena's relationship into this "impossible romance" (AKA a very convenient way of leaving things ~ implicit ~ ) and then proceeding to shift focus entirely to Tanya/Rain in the Khaos expansion is another step back (yes, Tanya is bisexual and that's not a problem, don't put words in my mouth - I mean to say they found a convenient way of giving her sapphic relationship little explicit subtext and then ran to focus on her M/F relationship).

Genderbending an originally male character (Sektor) to make it more palatable to the audience when you try to build chemistry with a male character is also such a display of cowardice. How does no one in this massive well-funded studio have balls to display an explicitly queer ship on screen like they display the straight ones?

They took the laziest approaches possible and I wish more people were talking about this, not gonna lie. At least with Kung Jin, who seems to have been banned to the shadowrealm for now, they gave him a little plot line portraying homophobia as a genuine fear many of us have. The "me" who played MKX was terrified of coming out at the time and having Raiden acknowledge and accept him made me sob in a good way.

It's frustrating to see this retrogression as a fan for 15~ years.

[creatingblackcharacters]

My favorite Black character of all time has got to be Valerie Gray from Danny Phantom.

She's a high school student turned vigilante after the vigilante efforts of the main hero result in her Dad losing his high paying security job. She was popular at school until then and she deals a lot with losing her old friends and social status.

She starts out with ghost hunting equipment given to her by the mc's arch nemesis, specifically with the intent that she would be going after the mc for revenge about her dad losing his job. Later, she obtains ectotech armor from one of the town's regular rogues.

Her hunting down the mc is interspersed with her making friends with the mc in their secret identities, at school. She even dates the mc at one point, not knowing he was the ghost hero haunting their town.

She ends up breaking up with him without even finding out he was Phantom, or her telling him she was Red Huntress(even tho he secretly already knew) because she wanted to protect him from the ghosts she fights around town. She's a complex character who is definitely a teenage girl, one who struggles with her place in things. I've been a DP fan since the show started airing when I was small so she's been a love for a long time. 🧡💛🧡

VALERIE!!!!! okay so you don't know it (til now) but I have perpetual beef with the DP fandom. And it's because I watched this fandom do everything in its power not to acknowledge the chemistry that she and Danny had. An entire white character with no face made up by the fandom before Valerie. Hell, even before Tucker 😭 so much for friends to lovers or enemies to lovers. But I remember as a kid going "OH EM GEE HE LIKES BLACK GIRLS!" which 😅 but still! I loved it. I was so hurt when they didn't last 😭 like come on!!!

Hot Chocolate: Valerie 😍😍 another one of my childhood crushes! Smart, cute, deadly. Forget Sam, give me more Val! I am a lover of Danny Phantom and I still sometimes wish it continued or we had MORE depth or something! I know it was a kids show but Danny had so much potential! Yet he'd forget his abilities, AND he didn't pick Valerie! (I get she was protecting him but still.) and Butch Hartman is.... Yeah. Anywho, Val FTW.

[porcelainseashore]

Coffee & Secrets (6)

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Rookie Cop! Leon x Barista! Fem! Reader

Summary: As a cozy coffee shop owner in Raccoon City, you’re no stranger to visitors seeking comfort, quiet, and warmth. When a rookie officer named Leon finds a kindred spirit in you, it sets in motion a chain of events that forever changes the course of your lives. An alternate universe set in Resident Evil 2 Remake and inspired by the game Coffee Talk.

Content & Warnings: Canon divergence, coffee shops, romance, slow burn, strangers to lovers, idiots in love, fluff, slice of life, swearing

Author's Note: We’re nearing the end of this series! Thank you to everyone on here for your support, especially in the comments and reblogs. This will probably be my last Leon fic for a while. Sometimes it felt like I was writing into the void and it was a little disheartening, but I started to realise that I need a change of scenery and explore writing through other fandoms.

AO3 Link

Chapter 6: Full Circle

“Am I looking at the new Chief of Police?” 

You cracked a grin as Marvin graced your shop clad in his shiny new outfit and badge that made him look almost regal. Gold stripes and stars lined the cuffs and epaulets of his navy blue jacket. He removed his elegantly embroidered peaked cap, tucking it under his arm as he rubbed his buzz cut. And there he was again, the same old Marvin that you knew.

“You sure are.” He winked, reflecting your grin before a minor shadow loomed over his face. “Can’t say the circumstances I got promoted in were the most pleasant though.”

Laying your hand on his shoulder, you gave it a firm, supportive squeeze. “Everyone knows you deserve this, Marv. You’ll do great.”

“Aww, look what you’ve done! Making me cry all over my nice suit like that,” he emitted a low chuckle, his voice cracking up as he patted your hand. Wiping away a stray tear from his waterline, he cleared his throat and pulled up a chair at the counter.

“So, what can I get for the man of the hour?”

“You know me, I’m a creature of habit,” he affirmed.

You caught the drift, your hands already busying themselves as if they had a mind of their own. “Something gingery.”

The kettle whistled as steam rushed through its spout. Taking it off the stove, you poured it over a mixture of the fresh ginger and turmeric root you had diced up. You allowed it to steep for a while before adding in the jasmine tea leaves. Finally, you strained it into a tea cup garnished with the flower petals.

“Your celebratory drink—Golden Dawn.”

“I can already tell I’m gonna love it.” Marvin lifted the cup to his lips, blowing on it lightly before drinking it sip by sip. 

“Nice music too,” he added, bobbing his head along to one of the tunes on the stereo. “This what you kids listen to these days?”

Over the next hour, you engaged in lighthearted chatter until it came to the never ending squabble of who would pay—or not. As always, you won, telling the older man to accept the gift and enjoy some quality time with his wife and daughters.

As Marvin prepared to leave, Ben and Claire coincidentally came through the door. All three of them stopped dead in their tracks, tensing up as they eyed each other awkwardly. 

It was Ben who broke the silence, extending his hand as he said, “Congratulations, Branagh. I mean it.” 

And he truly did. There was not a note of insincerity in the man’s tone.

At this, Marvin smiled, giving Ben a cordial handshake. “Thanks, Bertolucci. Guess I’ll be seeing you around, though hopefully not on my case,” he joked. 

That elicited a roar of laughter from Ben. “I go where the story leads me, Chief.”

“You really are the devil in disguise,” Marvin noted wryly. “Well, I’mma head off, so have a good evening.”

“Bertolucci. Redfield,” he acknowledged, tipping his cap to the two before giving you a final wave as he exited the shop.

“Drinks on me,” Ben declared, smacking the counter table with his palm.

You raised an eyebrow. “Wouldn’t a bar have been a better choice?”

“Yeah, we’re headed there after,” he confirmed. “Just had to patronize the place that fueled all my sleepless nights first.”

“I read the article by the way,” you mentioned in passing as you got to work. “It was very well-written and fair.”

“Facts, you can’t go wrong with facts,” he clarified. “I don’t sensationalize.”

“You could’ve been scathing, but you didn’t. That’s an active choice,” you pointed out.

The article had identified several instances of corruption and gross misconduct that the previous chief had been involved in, but in a relatively neutral tone. It also ended on a more positive and optimistic note, creating hope for the future of the RPD.

“Heh, well,” he shrugged, pressing against the bridge of his spectacles as he gave you a coy smile. “Maybe I am getting soft.”

Turning to Claire, he noted, “You’re quiet today, Red. You should be celebrating, kid.”

“Mmm,” she responded with mild disinterest, though you could see her glancing at the shop’s entrance every now and then.

“I didn’t have shot glasses, so I used your favorite—espresso cups,” you teased, placing the two orders on the table. “These should make good pre-drinks.”

“What’s in it?” Ben asked skeptically, unused to anything other than his trusty coffee.

“Let’s just say a combination of lemon, olive oil and cinnamon. I added some other flavorings to make it more palatable,” you explained. “Prevents hangovers.”

Swirling the liquid, he pinched his lips together and remarked, “Guess it wouldn’t hurt. Bet it’s got one of those hippy names too?”

“Grandma’s Cure.”

“Hah! That’s a good one!” he exclaimed, taking a swig from his demitasse.

There was a short pause before he gave his verdict, “Hmm! Not bad… not bad at all.”

However, Claire still left hers untouched and her mind appeared to be elsewhere.

“Hey, you okay?” you asked out of concern.

Claire shook herself out of her thoughts, stumbling over her words, “Y-yeah, shit, I’m sorry.”

Consuming the drink as quickly as possible, she thumped the cup back onto the counter, cleaning her mouth with the back of her hand. Fortuitously, your next customer who came through the door appeared to be the one she was looking for.

“Leon?”

The young officer froze, swallowing nervously as he stared at her. “Claire.”

You and Ben exchanged looks as you tilted your head in the direction of the exit, indicating to him to give them some space. He nodded discreetly in response, understanding what you were getting at.

Immediately, he stood up with a grunt and clapped Claire on the back. “Alright, Red, I’ll make a headstart first and you can join me at Jack’s Bar when you’re ready.”

With that, he placed some cash on the table, casually saluting you before making his way out.

Claire wasted no time getting to the crux of the matter. “That anonymous tip—it was you, wasn’t it?”

Slumping down on the seat beside her, Leon conceded, “Yeah, you got me.”

“I shouldn’t have pressured you into it, I’m sorry,” she blurted out.

“No, you wanted to do the right thing,” he sympathized. “I was so caught up in an ideal that never existed, I forgot about that.”

“It was decent of you to get Bertolucci to hold off on publishing the article until Irons stepped down,” he continued. “At least it was less of a blow to the department as a whole.”

“Still, the way I treated you was uncalled for,” she argued. “You’re a good friend, Leon, I…” her voice cracked.

“Sometimes, people say things because they’re hurt,” he mentioned, giving you a knowing look. 

You smiled back, acknowledging the very same advice you had given him when you first met.

“Pals?” He stuck out his palm.

“What are you, twelve?” she scoffed. Breaking into a dazzling grin, she grasped his hand as though they were sealing a pact. “Pals.”

“Care for another?” you offered, presenting the drinks you had crafted up on the side.

Claire’s eyes twinkled. “Don’t mind if we do.”

Sherry arrived soon after, instantly taking to the redhead like an older sister. Eventually, Claire went off to join Ben, promising to return for a proper goodbye before leaving to finish her semester.

“How was school?” you asked, scooping yet another dollop of whipped cream into Sherry’s drink upon her instructions. She could be quite assertive when she wanted to be.

“Good…” she hummed. “Made a friend.”

“That’s awesome!” Leon commended.

“Oh, and no one dares to touch me, ’cause I told them you’ll kick their ass,” she added.

“Wait, what?” he guffawed, but she suddenly had the urge to use the bathroom and scurried off.

“Impossible,” he huffed as you snickered.

Leaning on your elbows over the counter, you addressed him, “Not that I don’t ask you this every day, but anything new with you?”

“Well, apart from the stuff with Claire and the RPD, it turned out that the background checks on the suspicious lady in red came up clean,” he reported.

“Wow, Kevin must be pissed.”

“You don’t say. Wesker kinda just lets her through too. The whole thing just screams trouble to me,” he admitted. “Guess you win some, you lose some.”

“Anyway, speaking of Kevin, he told me to pass you this.” Chucking a folded letter on the table, his icy blue eyes watched you like a hawk as an unreadable expression formed on his face.

“Huh, looks like everyone’s doing the rounds today,” you muttered, opening the paper to read its contents.

A telephone number was written down in bold black marker, followed by a “CALL ME ;)”

Your shoulders trembled as you burst out laughing, shaking your head in disbelief. That guy had some nerve for pulling off such a stunt, unless…

“You gonna?” Leon quizzed, and you swore you could sense a hint of jealousy in his voice.

“Whaddya think?” you smirked, closing the gap as your nose nudged against his.

His eyes fluttered, and he sucked in a sharp breath. You felt his lips barely graze yours until—

“So… are you, like, boyfriend and girlfriend?”

All at once, you were back at square one, Leon having hastily distanced himself away from you as Sherry stared at the two of you inquisitively.

“Yes—no. I mean, no?” Leon stuttered, his cheeks burning crimson as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

You let out a frustrated sigh, deciding to leave them to their devices for the moment while you counted stock in the cabinets. At some point, Sherry wanted to go home and Leon took it upon himself to drive her back.

As you said your good nights, to your surprise, Leon wrapped his arms around your waist, dragging you in for a spontaneous embrace. “We’ll talk about this soon—about us,” he whispered into your hair.

Soon could not come soon enough.

Dividers by @cafekitsune

[hostilemuppet]

Whenever someone says they wish lesbians (and women in general) were as well represented in fandom as (gay) men are people are always like "what, you want us to write porn about characters we aren't attracted to?" Like why do they immediately think we are talking only about porn. Why can't they write their 2k word character studies about a female character with an actual personality as well as that male background character that shows up for 7 seconds in episode 52? Why can't they write a coffee shop au about two female best friends-to-lovers once in a while, after they've had their fill of genshin mslash slowburn? Why do they hear "lesbian" and immediately think "porn"? No one says they had to write or draw porn of women, and if they genuinely aren't interested in acknowledging any female character ever then that's fine I guess, but I wish any time someone says they wish female characters were given as much attention as male characters it wasn't deflected with the assumption that the only reason anyone could ever want to give a female character attention is they want to fuck her, because that's all women are for

[mrdogface]

wrote big post & deleted

So I'm a male victim of sexual violence and I've been kind of dreading getting to this storyline as a result of the fandom conversations around it, specifically because there's a weird vibe with a lot of fans of Talia al Ghul that this is bad and shouldn't have happened, Grant Morrison is a klansman, he hates Muslim women, blah blah blah.

The thing that I find bothersome isn't so much whether X or Y actually happened within the comics. My read of the Demon Trilogy (Birth, Bride and Son), is that it absolutely did, but Bruce was written according to these outmoded, toxically masculine standards of manhood at the time that characterise being assaulted as "getting lucky," or "who cares, she's hot." The reality is if the genders in that narrative were reversed we simply would not be having conversations like these, and that makes me deeply uncomfortable because I often see, both in comic book writing and in fandoms surrounding comic books, this downplay of how sexual violence affects men and whether those effects should even be considered, especially if they get in the way of conventional heteronormative sitcom-style relationship trajectories.

Nightwing incidentally has the worst of it. DC never seems to acknowledge or want to really explore that Tarantula raped him during Devin Grayson's run, something that never really has a meaningful resolution -- that storyline comes to a point where Dick is about to marry the bitch before War Games conveniently pulls him away. Tarantula ends up in prison but the sexual violence aspect seems minor compared to her breaking the Batman code and killing Blockbuster, and although Dick is upset and everything, it has more to do with the murder than the fact that he was raped. It's all extremely mishandled. Devin Grayson in interviews has also been uncertain whether she wrote a rape scene, saying shit like, "it wasn't rape, it was non-consensual sex."

But that's not what I want to bitch about. I don't really care about whether X or Y or Z happened or whether it's a retcon or whatever because when you place Batman & Son within its context after "Infinite Crisis," "One Year Later," and Talia within her context of "Death & The Maidens," this all actually fits really well as just where the characters are. Talia was Lazarus'd back into being a major villain and only a few years later we see her cordially discussing murdering children in Simone's Birds of Prey run. Bruce is now on the path to mental wellness, he's respecting himself, he's appearing in public as Brucie Wayne again, and it makes sense that he would now recontextualise what happened to him as, wait, they DID drug me and drag me overseas, try to force me to marry Talia, and then attempted to kill me when I wanted to leave -- gosh, there's a word for that, isn't there.

What I'm annoyed about is that often when this debate comes up in fandom the idea of exploring Batman as a survivor of sexual violence, something that Devin Grayson failed to do with Nightwing so spectacularly that her run is a meme in certain male survivor circles (not kidding; if you know you know), is rejected so thoroughly and dismissively. The last time I had this conversation (not a callout, ilu tumblr blogger who's username I don't remember) the person referred to it as "sexual weirdness." I see downplaying of the concept of sexual violence in forms like polite euphemisms or "it wasn't rape, it was non-consensual sex," or all kinds of other insane nonsense, all the time specifically in this conversation where the victim is male and it reflects the treatment of the issue outside of fandom and in real life.

It's like, people who want to relate to or discuss or understand the media through this lens, where Dick Grayson or Bruce Wayne are victims of sexual violence processing their thoughts and emotions regarding that in interesting, complex ways are sidelined in favour of people who really want the characters to fuck, marry and play happy families -- and this sometimes hits the point that involves outright hostility and petty, stupid reddit fights over shipping these characters. It's just a very exhausting, hostile space to inhabit.

fwiw I desire peace with the Brutalia nation and want to point out that these people do not fetishise the sexual assault of Bruce Wayne and usually ignore it instead. They are shipping a very different version of Talia with a very different version of Bruce, and I have no beef with that. James Bond Bruce Wayne and Bond Girl Talia IS cute and they are right to enjoy that.

My beef is with people who show up in the DMs to fight with you about Talia being a rapist or whatever when like, let people enjoy the canon Grant Morrison read of the storyline, Shiloh Connor. Chances are it wasn't written for you and means something important to someone else.

[luckyjak]

The Decisions I Would Have Included in Veilguard

(Not that anyone asked me)

(Sorry, yes, I am still a little salty about this, apparently.)

Kieran: Does he exist? Who is his dad? If he DOES exist, there should be a small cutscene when Morrigan goes to leave where we see a grown-ass Kieran wave as he picks his mom up before she leaves. If the HoF was sacrificed, there should be a HUGE memorial for them in Weisshaupt...that we see get promptly destroyed by the elven gods when Weisshaupt is attacked. Really hit us where it hurts, you know?

Zevran's fate Of all the original DAO love interests, Zevran has gotten the least amount of attention. We are going to be working for the *Crows* man. Give us a side-quest where we have to hunt Zevran down, and decide to either let him go or murder him.

Sten's fate I care about this one way less than any of the others, and I have no idea how into the story the Qun are in this game, but it would have been a nice little acknowledgement had Sten been the Arishok.

Are Fenris, Isabela, and Merrill alive, and what was their relationship with Hawke? Given the factions, let's be real: Fenris should be a Shadow Dragon, Isabela a Lord of Fortune, and Merrill a Veil Jumper. Especially if they are all alive/unromanced by Hawke. Hell, they could be voiceless merchants and the fandom would be tickled pink, I think.

What is the fate of Dorian, Iron Bull, and Josephine? What is the Inquisitor's relationship to them? Again, idk how much the Qun are involved in the story, but of all the companions in Inquisition, these are the ones who stand the best chance of being seen in Northern Thedas again. Dorian especially since we'll be in Minrathous!

Is Cole a human or a spirit? This one is mostly for giggles, but I would love it if Solas and Varric continued their custody battle arguments ten years later, especially since both of them seem trapped in the Fade (?).

Well of Sorrow Absolutely should have an impact, somehow. I'm interested in seeing how they wrote themselves out of this one. + the questions that are already in Veilguard I agree with them that I don't think who the Divine is or who is ruling various kingdoms in the south will make much of an impact on the game, but yeah. These are the changes I would have made.

[iniziare]

ignoring aventurine's blatant gay coding is really something

Other things have had me a little salty this morning, so in case that influences my perception of how you intended this, my sincere apologies. Either way, forgive me for being serious for a moment, but I want to use this as a PSA to make a point going forward on this blog.

I have nothing against opposing views, and I have nothing against people disagreeing with me, but what I have something against on principle, are potentially snarky messages like this one that seem to have only one aim, which is to try and taint my character by making insinuations that are wholly unfounded (that you think me to be anti-LGBT?) and based on something that you genuinely cannot draw any such thing from. Now whether Aventurine is 'gay-coded' as you so put it, or a bisexual man (on which note: it's real saddening to see that in 2024, in-house fighting against bisexuality's mere existence still reigns supreme, good job, you're really making admirable strides) doesn't matter for what I'm going to touch on. Although out of respect for the character himself and the person who wrote him, I can't move on without noting that you may want to reread some character stories, some dialogues (particularly things said by the Harmony to him, for instance), to see whether that seals your faith in your claim, or diminishes it. Either way, I want to remind you: being bisexual doesn't reduce the significance of being drawn to the same sex.

Alright, continuing what I was saying: messages like these don't accomplish anything, outside of making you feel like you're on a pedestal; is it cold up there? I don't envy you. In all seriousness however, in all my years on any of my blogs, I have always aimed to be canon-strict with my portrayals, with which I set myself up for something that I deem imperative for myself in RP: to be criticized by the masses. I have always tried to engage with my follower base, I have always encouraged them to come to me if I'm wrong on something, I value people trying to poke holes in my logic. And if you succeed in proving that I overlooked something, I will happily admit it, and stand corrected. In that, I aim to say that I thoroughly enjoy debate and discussion (based in rationale, and not feelings), which I think are fundamental to our society even outside of Tumblr. If someone disagrees with me, my notes are open, if you want to question something that I think or have posted, my askbox (as you've learned and have made use of) is open. But all I ask is that you open a line of healthy debate with me, and not send something that is entirely baseless if you don't even substantiate your claim in your same message. But also, what I don't understand is that my post doesn't even directly diminish the popular Aventurine/Ratio ship in the fandom, it instead simply expresses frustration that not more people see the depth of the Aventurine/Topaz dynamic, and recognize it as a good ship as well, because there is a lot within the game that aims at a definite potential there. Granted, yes, that comes with having to acknowledge that Aventurine may just be a bisexual man who is also into women, but if that's something that doesn't sit quite right with you, then maybe the issue that you're pointing at me, should be returned to you, the one who initially pointed the accusatory finger here.

Again, if you want to have a conversation about this and tell me why you think that I'm wrong by substantiating your own claim, you're very welcome to, and I'd be happy to engage with you. But until then, this is all that I have for you. And before I might get a 'why do I need to substantiate my thing, Sae', it's nothing against you personally, and instead it's the simple 101 of debate. You disagree with a point that I make? Then it is up to you to tell me why you disagree, so that I can give you a fruitful counter that you can then do something with.

Regardless of the intention of your message, anon, I wish you a good day, and I hope that it's raining less over there, wherever you may be, than it is over here. I'm not motivated to go get my groceries!

[jemandthesingalongs]

so a second article has hit the da fandom and i'm in the part of the "this is genuinely so disappointing i'm considering not actually preordering/playing on release". i'm sure i'll come to terms with it and still get it but this really has been such a blow to my sheer enthusiasm that is like...incredible really for me as a fan invested in this franchise for over a decade to put me (and others) so low lmao

(under a cut bc it got stupidly long, a cookie if you read all of it)

one of the big "reasons" i've seen parroted by the fandom and the justification from the devs is (paraphrasing) you're in the north and all of these major decisions are in the south, which is frankly, stupid? sure, the choices of the divine wouldn't matter too much (if the circles are disbanded or not, for example) but the divine choice itself, should matter? the throne of ferelden? orlais??? these are major characters!

whoever is the sitting ruler of ferelden, regardless of the choice, has obv, lived through a blight not 20 some odd years prior. so one could imagine they would be invested in this, you know, double blight is going on and would like to help or help for their country? given the fact one of the last of the two archdemon prisons is canonly within ferelden!! marketing has also started the blight has spread across thedas, so one would think the current world leaders would be supporting or at least looking to the group seemingly working on stopping the blight. but i guess not since it's not a choice.

even setting aside the lore and plot significance of the majority of choices, even if it truly did not matter, you can say the exact same for choices within dai itself, however the devs knew the desire to have that impact + fan service, even minor, still superseded lore and plot significance. the hof letter and mentions by their romance partner is clearly fan service (since tbh i doubt leliana or morrigan would willingly talk about their partner themselves) but it was also telling you, the player, where your mc was. another example is there is no impact who the sitting king of orzammar is, but the game still mentions in a codex the consequences of that choice, even if the anvil was kept or not in ambient dialogue.

these and many more mattered, not in a world shaping way, but to tell you, the player, yes you played in this world and here's the acknowledgement of it, thank you. i didn't need to decide the fate of the world to enjoy leliana talking about my warden or varric supporting templars because my hawke did, because it still felt like i mattered, that yes this is a world i changed, even in a small way, that i lived in it.

and they removed all of that.

like, hell it was even a good way to "check-in" in choices and characters without dedicating entire plot beats to them! the epilogue for a non-divine!romanced leliana heavily implies she and the warden are still doing their own things but meeting up when hey can. that aside the cure? the fucking cure??? did they find it? did they share it with the other wardens? was it suppressed? the other members of the inquisition were invested in stopping solas, what about them? since you are literally going to their turf, is dorian, josephine, isabela, and even bull okay? is zevran or fenris going to be ignored? fenris had a whole comic about him!

the only way i can take this is being told to no longer be invested in previous material, even material leading up to this game. even if i know that's not really the truth, it really feels that way.

i don't even like the excuse for getting newbies into the series, because, well, dai did that fine WITH returning characters and overall plots lol? there's a loss of some context and dai itself had writing flaws with this method, but it did show you could have both returning and new players work fine, and not alienate said new players despite it being the 3rd game.

speaking of dai, why bother making the choices so endgame linear if they wouldn't of even mattered? why no matter your choice of divine, another group rises up to oppose her? why have the grey wardens going quiet and possibly on the brink of civil war, exiled or no? i had assumed at the time the bottlenecking was future proofing to create less variables, and i guess i was wrong since there are no more variables lol!

i'm genuinely not sure what they truly thought would be the reaction, given they are still trying to pull returning players via the marketing? like. varric, harding, morrigan returning, the focus on the grey wardens as a group (and likely why davrin gets such a spotlight) are all indications for returning players. fuck even solas, no matter what you feel about him, is a returning npc! to resolve his plot!!!

i never truly believed we would see big huge cameos, i did expect the divine, those who live in the north, but otherwise simple codex entries or letters if anything.

but to have.......nothing? be left with nothing? burns.

i do mean this completely honestly: what is the point of investing myself, my time, my money, hell even just interest in this series anymore? without the impact of previous games (or a better lore reason, such as a longer timeskip than 5 fucking years since the last dlc) then this is your run of the mill rpg with better writing than most, but that's all it'd really have. i didn't fully play or get into the series because of the decisions carrying over, but it sure as fuck kept me and others coming back. if this is the norm going forward past da4 then well, might as well pick any other rpg series.

[klm-zoflorr]

Respectfully, but I have a completely different opinion as to why Jon keeps calling Elias "Jonah" in the last season as I feel like most of the je fandom on tumblr.

So like, for me, Jon is SUPER Eye. He always was, I feel like he was even more suited towards the Eye than Jonah, he's more after the concept of knowledge itself than after the goal of using the Eye to defeat Death and reign all-powerful.

So, when Jon keeps calling him "Jonah" I don't think it's to distance the both of them, to deny the man he knew as Elias is now their enemy and has to be defeated at all costs. I just don't feel like it works with Jon's character, it just feels... Wrong, to me, to have him be so firmly in denial and never have it be solved.

I think instead, he's using that name because it's the truth. Using someone's real name, acknowledging their real past and accepting it, is more important to him than anything. He's seen behind the curtain; he's seen Elias' real self, secret identity, revealed a mystery and gorged himself on knowing parts of his story and the reason why he became like that. He's not going to go back to using a borrowed name, because it's not the truth, it's someone else, it's a pretense and an act. "Elias Bouchard" is someone he thought he knew, yes, his boss who was nice but kind of useless, the normal guy with all the edges softened down. Jonah Magnus is who he actually interacted with, who he admired, the one who is so irritating and mysterious but has a grander purpose, the one who parallels him in so many ways and feeds his obsession for the Eye and his powers, the one who is a monster too and accepts it, the one who tells Jon "It's fine. What does it even mean to be human?"

It's, to me, acknowledging Elias' real identity as a body-hopping monster and loving him anyways.

[ravenclod]

DISC: this 'essay' is NOT hating on madohomu, or hating on people for shipping them. nor is it hating on Homura, or implying that her actions should be changed. It is simply an opinion from someone who loves Homura's character who also ships Madohomu, and just wants to rant about things i feel are ignored by the fandom. Please read the full thing before reblogging or replying with your opinions so i dont need to repeat myself.

Maybe I'm just a hater, but I don't understand how people can look at Homura and just excuse everything she’s done, especially in regards to Madoka, because she "actually loved everyone!” and "Is traumatised" and "It’s just toxic yuri!". It feels like a complete ignorance of her character and disregards the complexity and depth of her writing.

Now, obviously, I don't mean when people make jokes about it, I get that, but it’s when people genuinely don't acknowledge how madohomu is unhealthy and homura is a bad person. That is quite literally the whole point.

I'm aware that she does care about the other girls, which is why she didn't try to kill Mami in rebellion, and just acted like the others didn't matter throughout the show because she was all out of hope and had to concentrate on the one thing keeping her sane, which was Madoka. But that is exactly my point. That obsessiveness, that reliance on one singular person [ who is also largely unaware of the reason for said reliance ] is incredibly unhealthy. It is unhealthy. It is toxic. I'm not saying homura is abusive, like some people have, because she absolutely is not, but she is obsessive to the point of being unable to see madoka in a negative way. Even when she criticises her it’s from a "you're so stupid you can’t tell that people love you/you’re so stupid for doing this you're gonna get hurt" point of view, rather than the view of "oh you are genuinely naïve and mess up like everyone". [1] This in turn harms both of them, as she is putting her on a pedestal which Madoka will feel guilty for being on and worry about upholding, and it ruins Homura as she will simply spiral further into this unhealthy mindset.

She takes her [ Madoka’s ] word to the extreme, the word of which has no form of context and is speaking from the equivalent of the naïve Madoka that we see in the first episode. Homura then uses that to justify what she goes on to do during Rebellion, which in turn harms Madoka. when she rips Madoka from herself, I understand it's to avoid the incubators getting to her, and it is very in character, but she still actively harmed Madoka, and went against her wish to save all magical girls [ from becoming witches ] at least, in part.

Her obsessiveness does then leech off and affect everyone else, because she is also friends with them and does care for them. They begin to lose respect and gain upset over Homura, as she is now a girl who has one goal and throws them to the side to achieve this, not attempting to make genuine connections and discarding those which she does have - namely Kyoko in the show. This behaviour affects the other girls in the obvious sense of they die quicker and more frequently as Homura is no longer attempting to intervene; affecting Madoka too, as she ends up getting stressed about her friends not getting along, before then having the trauma of seeing her friends die. [ This is not to put the blame on Homura as it happens regardless, but the point is for everyone else, it will seem like Homura could have helped, even if it was out-with her power.] This will harm Homura as a result, for it will plague her how she treats her friends like this, and will only cause her self-esteem to plummet further than it already has.

Additionally, there are points where she could be argued to be manipulative, which is up to personal judgement, but it is worth noting. Obviously, it would not be from her own awareness or intention, but it is still a plausible outcome of her actions - i.e., the way she speaks to Madoka in the show, almost threatening her before then sobbing over her and acting like she is the most important girl in the world, [2] which, keep in mind, will be weird for Madoka as she barely knows this girl. This isn't to say Homura's actions aren’t understandable, especially in the show, but that doesn't remove the negative impact that they have. Homumado may be cute, and it is cute, especially pre-timeloop, but the reality is, even now, it wouldn't work without years and years of couple therapy.

I also am going to mention kyosaya, as they are also unhealthy, and I know someone may try to bring up how I love them so much in spite of this fact. They are definitely not the most healthy relationship, literally trying to kill each other in a fight in the first episode they met. It is practically impossible to ship characters in this show and have a healthy relationship [ with maybe the exception of madosaya pre-timelooping ]. However, the difference between kyosaya and madohomu is my general issue altogether, which isn't that the ships are unhealthy, but rather the way the fandom treats them in regards to them being such.

Kyosaya is known for being enemies to lovers, its known for being unhealthy and its known for being liked in the theory of "oh this is what they could have been, had they been given more time to understand each other.". It is also an equal relationship, there are no forms of power dynamic between the two, both are equally vulnerable; both hate the other at the start, and respect and care for one another at the end - as seen in rebellion. Even when Kyoko is stronger than Sayaka, that's cancelled out by Sayaka's determination and healing properties.

Homumado, on the other hand, are known for being equally doomed, but in the sense of "Oh Homura will never save Madoka, Madoka will always die, they can never be together.". There is never that acknowledgement that they wouldn't work, even if by some miracle the looping ended. There is simply too much that has happened. The only possible scenario is arguably one in which Madoka stays as Madokami, and Homura stays as the devil, for at least both have equal memories of all that has transpired, but even that has huge issues due to Homura's abandonment issues and obsessiveness toward madoka. There is also, unlike in kyosaya, a large power imbalance, which goes both ways at different points.

In the main show, this is heavy on Homura, as she knows so much about Madoka, she's seen her at her best and worst, and she knows all that will happen. She is also stronger than her, as for the most part Madoka is not a magical girl, and is unable to do anything to prevent her friends’.

Flip that to when Madoka is god however, and she is now the topheavy one, as she is fully aware of everything that has transpired. and Homura is so obsessive. If madoka were anyone else, it could very quickly turn bad with Madoka manipulating Homura's infatuation - which obviously isn't an issue as madoka is so nice, but you get my point.

It is a point though that homura still has power over madoka, especially considering her removal of "Madoka" from "Madokami". She technically has a part madoka all for herself, and has relative power over that for the time being. No one is able to do anything. It’s almost like she’s controlling a doll, except the doll is a piece of madoka she’s refusing to let return to the rest of her.

This is what I mean when I say there is no form of permanent equity between the two, while kyosaya are a yin and yang of give and take, madohomu are simply always off balance. Which is why they're so unhealthy.

Again, that doesn't mean they're not a good ship. That doesn't mean they're not cute, and they don't deserve to be together. It could 10000% work out, just as kyosaya is also toxic but could still work out. My issue isn't with the ship, the writing, or the characters, but rather the disregard to the discussions surrounding it.

To paint Homura as a "cute girl who's a bit obsessed” is a disservice to the complexities of her actions and her humanity, as again, she is a heavily traumatised 14 year old girl. Her actions are realistic, her actions make sense. But her actions aren’t good. This is not a critique on Homura, but a critique of the denial that she has done these bad things. denying as such waters her down and mischaracterizes her. It defeats the point of her as a character.

After all, she is the devil. She’s not intended to be nice.

[1] - "How stupid can you possibly be" - episode 5

[2] - fountain scene, episode 8, where she breaks down in front of madoka

[real-total-drama-takes]

I think people who say Millie got too far in the first reboot season forget that TD is a parody of actual reality television. Yes, Millie was a floater for the majority of her run. That’s the point to her character. Floaters get super far in reality television ALL the TIME, has nobody in this fandom seen Big Brother??? It would be one thing if the writing didn’t acknowledge Millie as a floater, but that’s the aspect that her character arc heavily revolves around. Plus, she has a lot of personality behind her lackluster gameplay. I think she’s very well written for what she’s meant to be. Millie they could never make me hate you

[brown-spider]

imo the pointing meme was 1,000x’s funnier in ITSV than in ATSV

[bg3-npc]

AND ANOTHER THING

Favoritism for Astarion aside, I think no one sees the tragedy in Wyll because he never really strays from "being good". We're never really given a moment where his actions had costs larger than himself. If he'd refused Mizora's pact, he'd obviously have the guilt of any lives lost on his shoulders. He accepted it though. If you're unshakable in your goodness there's no way you can be unhappy, clearly you're content with all your choices. WHICH IS THE POINT OF WYLL! HE DOESN'T REGRET HIS CHOICES BUT HE ISN'T HAPPY EITHER!

Astarion's whole thing is how fucking hard it is to be good, how easy it is to be a bad person. That's where Wyll comes into play! He showcases how often doing the right thing comes at a personal cost! That's the actual struggle with Wyll. In his efforts for justice he's losing himself. People aren't infinite resources, yet Wyll gives and sacrifices and takes the hits like he'll never run dry.

*rattling the bars of my cage* Don't you see it? The parallel themes of identity loss, the balance one most walk between altruism and selfishness, when does doing good at the detriment of yourself become detrimental to others as well, how can someone justify their selfishness, their sacrifices, when does someone need to tell you to stop giving, to stop taking? Hello? Do you hear me?? Is anyone there??? Look at it, LOOK AT ALL OF IT *starts gnawing at the bars*

edit: *BUSTS THROUGH THE BARS OF MY CAGE* ASTARION'S FIRST MAJOR SACRIFICE INVOLVES LOSING THE SUN. HE CHOOSES TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND LITERALLY LOSES THE LIGHT. WYLL SAYS YOU CAN ALWAYS LOOK TO ME WHEN YOU'RE IN SEARCH OF LIGHT. THE MARTYR HELPS THE SELFISH AND THE SELFISH KEEPS THE MARTYR FROM DESTROYING HIMSELF. *self-implodes*

[pinkeoni]

It’s funny how audience members view Mike as their underdog-average-straight guy who is a total nerd but got an awesome girlfriend anyway when the character they are actually looking for is Dustin Henderson

[wishesofeternity]

The thing about HotD is that it while it absolutely minimizes the agency and ambition of both Rhaenyra and Alicent, this is specifically used to glorify Rhaenyra and frame her as righteous while condemning Alicent and framing her lacking. That's the key difference in both their textual portrayals that has directly led to 90% of the fandom hailing Rhaenyra as the second coming of Christ while spewing the most hateful vitriol at Alicent just for existing. But y'all are not prepared for that conversation.

[duckuwu]

This is obviously a lil bit geared towards those who were alive and watching tv in the 90s, but youngins who've found their way into these shows, feel free to chime in. I was just thinking that most of us had a singular show that was OURS back then, even if we might've watched the others. Which one did you fandom the hardest / would you have fandomed the hardest?