#and that MATTERS

[agreysexualromantic]

Ok I know we have all analyzed this scene to death but can we just pause and giggle at this particular moment here?

Wylan literally chuckling and hiding under the table and popping his head up to say "sure" to Jesper's (date) suggestion?

Like, the power of Jesper flirting with him is sending him directly under the fucking table.

Wylan needing a minute to figure out how to respond because sometimes he just gets overwhelmed by Jesper's Jesperness.

Wylan proceeding to be the one to just lay it all out there because he's actually brave and honest and willing to be the one who goes there first.

These two.

I can't.

[ofswordsandpens]

Okay compiling my most critical opinions on the pjo show so far (episodes 1 & 2)

The Gods' Conflict, Foreshadowing, & Big Three Kids

The show has seemingly dropped a lot of the foreshadowing and threat regarding the gods impending war over the theft of the lightning bolt. In the book, Percy remarks about how the weather's been inexplicably weird and extreme. When he gets to camp everyone is on pins and needles about something and they don't want to talk about it but its still very present. By the time he's claimed as a son of Poseidon and everyone's like "oh fuck" and then Chiron finally explains to Percy that the gods think he's the lightning thief, everything clicks into place for the reader. It all makes sense why everything seems so wrong... because things are wrong. Meanwhile in the show, that doesn't carry through as much, so the reveal of the conflict between the gods and why that's a big deal falls flat in comparison imo.

They dropped/stalled the foreshadowing of the fates and the cutting of the string. They could very well include this in future episodes, and probably will, but I think the timing of it - Percy seeing this before he even knew he was a demigod - again carries some hefty significance and helped set the foreboding tone of things being wrong even from the beginning.

They did drop Zeus's attack on Percy in the minotaur battle completely, which does disappoint me. In the book, its lightning that blasts the car off the road. In the show, Sally seemingly loses control of the car. That change is pretty significant, because it's again losing the power of RR's foreshadowing in the book. The attack on Percy outside the camp borders was a duel attack from Zeus and Hades.

Finally, I don't like the changes they made to Percy's claiming scene, namely, the reaction from the rest of CHB. Percy being a son of Poseidon is a huge deal. When Percy's claimed, the attitude is very much begrudging reverence paired with genuine fear of what it means and what he represents. In the book, Percy is claimed. People gasp. Everyone kneels. Annabeth says, "This is really not good." In the show, Percy is claimed. People... stand there? Annabeth smiles - she's going to get her quest. The only person who has the most outright negative reaction is Luke. I won't go so far to say this is out of character for Annabeth, but it is focusing on an entirely different aspect of her character in the moment, and what the audience gets from Percy's claiming scene here, the tone, is now different from the book. Basically, the reverence and fear don't really carry across to the show, which I think is important.

The phrase "forbidden child" slaps tho.

2. Gabe's Characterization, Sally's Characterization, & Why the Changes do Make a Difference

I'm going to say this with great care: The show has absolutely depicted an abusive relationship between Sally and Gabe. The show has shown Sally to be a strong woman who would do anything for her child. The show has shown Gabe to be a controlling, toxic man.

What they have depicted in the show does not read like the characters and dynamic in the books.

Book Gabe is a violent, menacing drunk. He is so disgusting and vile that monsters avoid him. This is overwhelmingly apparent from the second Percy gets home in the book, even before he is aware of the physical abuse Sally has been facing. Percy has already been dealing with physical abuse from him, amongst other things (edit to be more specific: this is including verbal, emotional, & financial abuse). I've already spoke to it here, in-depth, so I'll try to keep it short but all of this has not been translated accurately to the screen. (Is this to say that a person must be overtly abusive to be abusive? No. But does this character on-screen feel like Smelly Gabe? No.) These things have shaped Percy (and Sally) in very specific ways. As others have mentioned: Percy cannot stand alcohol. He meets Dionysus and is reminded of his step-father. He gets to Tartarus and the air reminds him of Gabe.... The character on screen, while abusive, does not share this presence at all, and that makes a difference.

Edit: To emphasize once more, I am not saying that the show has not depicted a realistic portrayal of abuse. It has (verbal, emotional, & financial so far). It has also distinctly changed the tone and Gabe's presence from the book, to the extent that it no longer feels like the same character and that does have a rippling effect on the dynamics he shares with both Sally and Percy.

3. The Lack of Annabeth

Annabeth in the show is just like... really not as present as she is in the book so far, and I'm just kinda like, why lol?

Annabeth in the books is already way more involved in Percy's life. She was in the infirmary feeding Percy ambrosia after the attack (ulterior quest motives lol), she's the one who lead Percy around camp and re-explained godly parentage to him - and its a moment where she's very sincere with him, and even trying to help him! Instead these moments are given to Chiron and Luke, which I do get the merit of, but still, these were her moments!

Annabeth in the books had already surmised that the gods were fighting, something was stolen, and the something bad was going to happen, all before Percy had even been claimed. And she shared that with him! Again, the loss of foreshadowing and little bonding moments has me :(

I'm a little worried how they're going to deal with her crush on Luke because its pretty central to her character in the books! It helps Luke to manipulate her and also keeps her from admitting he's done something wrong. Also, it was very sweet and funny reading her get flustered - It drove home the point that she was just a kid with a crush that she didn't know how to handle. But in the show Luke spoke to her and I was expecting there to be some sort of reaction to it and there just... wasn't? (This is not something I'm laying at Leah's feet btw! Only the writers/directors!) We're only two episodes in tho so maybe we'll see it some more moving forward.

4. The Minotaur Battle

Again, I've already spoken about this in depth here but !!

The lack of Zeus's lightning strike, them all coming to a standstill and just chatting instead of running for their lives, Grover being awake and just sort of off to the side watching the fight, Sally being like "Promise Me Grover Swear it"... it all just doesn't ring right to me

I wanted more panic, more terror, more urgency. Higher stakes. I wanted Grover unconscious, I wanted to see Percy drag him into camp, and I wanted to see more of Percy's grief alongside his rage. Like the book did.

The pacing in the show here, and just overall, is weird

5. Other Stuff

Mrs. Dodds fight kind of fell flat too. It was honestly too sudden and Percy killing her in the show seemed even more accidental than in the book lol. Like, accidental impalement vs intentional swing of the sword.

They really had show Grover throw Percy to the wolves and not just gaslight him, but low-key have a part in getting him expelled? Not sure how I feel about it tbh.

More New York. I wish we had gotten the part of Percy taking the bus home with Grover included cause like? Him ditching Grover was funny, but it would have been the perfect opportunity to show Percy traveling through New York and establish it has his home. Shots of him looking at the city, walking the streets, interacting with people near his building.. yeah.

More Montauk too tbh. Like more shots of him and Sally on the beach rather than just the cabin.

Nectar and Ambrosia! Unless I missed it, which I might have, why have we still not gotten an onscreen depiction of it yet lmao.

[respectthepetty]

Others have mentioned it, but it's the way Yak didn't look up when Yei was yelling at him even though Yei pulled him up by his shirt until Yei said "faen"

Especially because the only other time he looked up before was when Cher was reading the posts about the fight and mentioned "faen" was one of the reasons people were throwing out for Yak losing.

Yei seemed to miss all the signs that Yak was avoiding Dee.

And Yei didn't even realize his brother liked anyone when the series began.

So I like that even in the middle of an ugly argument with both brothers crying, Yei was the first one to acknowledge Dee as Yak's boyfriend and say he was fine with it in the same breath.

Because even though faen is neutral, Yei knows that Yak has been struggling with his feelings for Taem and Dee.

Yei knows his brother has been sneaking out at night to see Dee.

Yei knows his brother calls Dee a "fuck buddy" but he also knows that Yak gave Dee his chain.

Yei discussed with his husband that he doesn't care who Yak likes, and it's true.

But it's important that Yei, who Yak considers his father figure, says "faen" because they both know exactly who he is talking about.

Yak was already worried about the public knowing when he was in a relationship and that was the first thing the public threw out when he lost, so regardless if the brothers have a heart-to-heart later, this small moment buried in this big fight was significant because Yei, even in his anger, tells his brother that he does not care that he loves a man.

Yei is disappointed, but he made it clear with one brief statement that it isn't about who Yak loves. This is about Yak's performance.

They have their issues, but Yei loves his brother. And with one simple statement, he made that clear.

NOT THAT STATEMENT!

[grapejuicegay]

there is a parallel between mhok fixing day's shoes the moment day wants to use them again and august not only not finding a replacement for day's hair band but also not being able to find day a gift that isn't hie own head band which is tne thing they shared and that day has no possible use for anymore and more than just pity it was the very clear implication that august made that day's life has ended with his lack of vision and that everything in his life is the things that used to be there before. where even with the shoes mhok had been asking day to go for a run for a while and he refused to until august asked but mhok never touched the shoes until day asked him to and he also added some changes like the bright neon shoelaces (easier for day to see so he can maybe tie them himself? don't talk to me....) and a little pin of his favorite flower because that is a thing day still likes and the bright colour is a thing he likes NOW and the shoes are something he wants to use NOW do you see what I'm saying here

[heretherebedork]

Hi!

I think I upset you with my reblog and commentary, and I want to apologize. 

My commentary wasn't meant to be "you are WRONG and I am RIGHT". I just wanted to play in the same sandbox with the idea you presented, and I think the way I wrote came across as more absolute declarations instead of wanting to talk more about how Ming still has a long way to go to show that he's changed inside vs his actions and how we the audience interpret it so radically different based on our own ideas/experiences. I don't want to silence opinions or takes. The opinions are the fun part! It really was meant for fun fandom discussion! 

I sincerely apologize. I will not hijack another of your posts. 

"And then Tong gets kicked off a cliff." - Please let me say how much this is the most unifying statement we all agree on. 

I understand that and I do strongly believe that the fandom has conversations to be had and I know it wasn't meant to be how I read it but... yeah.

Thank you.

I'm not... I mean, man, how does a person phrase 'I'm not seriously upset but it bothered me in a way that I know it shouldn't have".

Ming does have a long way to go.

But, and I say this because I don't know how else to say it, your phrasing left no space for that growth. And that was what bothered me. Because you tags definitely implied something very different than the rest of the writing did. The post itself, to me, implied that Ming was entirely wrong and needed to leave Joe alone and that there was no growth or chance of growth. That Ming couldn't bring Joe joy or warmth.

I think the problem is that it's not that I want to shut down the idea of hijacking, that can be fun! But when the hijacking is entirely the opposite point of the post... it's a struggle for me.

And that's why I almost didn't respond. Like... I don't want to say 'don't ever do this!' I just want to say 'don't shut down what you're hijacking'.

Sorry.

But also thank you. Like, I get it. When you put it like you did here, I obviously have no arguments! Like, dear lord, Ming has so much growth to do and he's just started! But he has started. And taking all of his started growth and turning it into a negative is just... making his growth impossible and I've seen enough takes like that.

So anyway.

I'm not saying never hijack or don't talk or don't interact with me. I'm saying... if your entire point disagrees with my point entirely... that's time to make a new post! Because your point is better on it's own without mine.

(Honestly, it feels weird to say this, but your tags talking about your excitement about everyone's response and your post just being a declarative shut down of my happy post really did push me to respond. Because your tags and this both feel so positive and enjoyable and the post itself felt like it was just a refutation to my post.)

[internetgiraffekid1673]

Convinced my queerphobic brother to be less queerphobic and he has NO IDEA!

Okay, I just had a very genuinely entertaining and somewhat uplifting experience as a half closeted aroace. Now while this was a positive experience for me, general trigger warning for queerphobia.

So, one of my brothers (Sandwich God, not J-Dog), who I love very much, is unfortunately an asshole that I constantly wish was a better person and that I cheer along with every time he's able to overcome one of his bigoted beliefs or unhealthy behaviors. He's AuDHD (not related to being an asshole) and frequently has trouble communicating his emotions and ideas, but therapy has made all of us better about it and so most of the time nowadays, when we have conversations, we're actually able to understand and assimilate the other person's perspective (I am so proud of him for the progress he's made and I also regularly want to deck him for the progress he hasn't made. It's a complicated relationship).

One of the ways he is an asshole is that he is rampantly queerphobic. This is the main reason I am half closeted---I am not ready to sacrifice the good rapport we have because he isn't at an accepting point in his life, and I know that the queerphobia is something he can overcome with time and positive exposure. So I can't be publicly out and proud while we live in the same house if I want to have the kind of productive conversations about queerness with him that I am currently having. It's messed up, but so is queerphobia in any form.

So. He doesn't know that I'm aroace. He is aggressively queerphobic and heteronormative and is going on about how he thinks that everybody has a natural drive to get married and have kids by 30.

I offhandedly comment that I think sex is gross (apothisexual here) and that I never want to do it. And he kind of stares at me. You can see the gears turning in his brain as he tries to assimilate this information. He decides it must be something about how our mother (victim of sexual abuse) raised me that makes me like that. I shut that down very quickly by just telling him "Do you know how many sex talks my mom has had with me and how much LESS grossed out by sex that made me?" Which is true by the way! I didn't understand why anyone would want to do it before those talks, especially with all the associated risks. Now I am 100% confident that I don't want to, but the idea that other people want to and do have sex doesn't gross me out at all, just so long as they're not spewing details in front of me.

And he just stares at me in confusion. And he says "Maybe your brain is just broken." I say, "I am confident that it is a me thing and not a thing about how I was raised. I don't ever want to have sex and if I'm still single at 65, I will.be perfectly happy." I go into a few more details to assure him of this: I've never had so much as a fictional crush. I got to have the fun experience of having teenage girl only sleepovers and listening to every other girl rave about the hot boys they want to kiss and just tell them "That's great! I'm so happy for you! Me? No, I don't want to kiss any boys. Or girls. Or anyone."

Now, I am being incredibly entertained by his expressions this whole time. You can tell that his brain is having a war with his misguided belief of "queer people don't actually exist, they're all just deluded" and his factual understanding of what I'm saying. He trusts me, I have no reason to lie, and this absolutely matches up with what he's observed from my behavior.

And finally, he goes. "Huh. I still think you're broken or something, but if you're fine with it, I guess that's okay."

FELLAS! Do ya'll understand that something magical just happened here?! Before this conversation, my brother was one of those queerphobes that saw it as his job to personally inform every queer he sees that they're wrong and need to stop. And in this one conversation, I triggered a paradigm shift from THAT to "I may think they're wrong, but I guess they're happy and they're not hurting anyone, so I should probably leave it alone."

DO YOU GUYS REALIZE WHAT A VICTORY THIS IS? I may not have used the words asexual or aromantic. I may not have made him realize that diversity in how humans experience love is normal and good actually. But I helped him make a big step from actively hurting people to passively bigoted. And being passively bigoted is still bad, don't get me wrong. But it's still so much better than where he was before this talk. I can only hope that a) it sticks and b) I can keep having conversations with him like this where he's able to internally break down those destructive behaviors.

Today was a victory for me personally and for every queer person he'll meet in the future. He's still an asshole. But he is now less of an asshole than he was before, and that's important.

[twinksintrees]

one thing about malcolm bright is that he will care so much

[grrrrrrrbarkbarkbark]

Shout out to the Jewish people that helped me unlearn some toxic lessons christianity had taaught me.

[onewomancitadel]

Not that this is topical or anything but I remember crying alone in my bedroom reading the premiere leaks of TROS. Anyway

[111papilio]

brazil miku

[thestarlightforge]

*deep breath*

A) that there IS no point— THAT is the point of this WHOLE SHOW. That there was LOVE and SACRIFICE and GOOD INTENTIONS, and NONE of it mattered. The Dance still happened, everybody lost, EVEN DAENERYS, the PRINCESS WHO WAS PROMISED from Aegon’s dream. Is that nihilistic and depressing? A bit. But it also illustrates the whole problem with monarchies (and intensely paternalistic/queerphobic/racist/religiously zealous/imperial/nuclear powered monarchies particularly), which is an important message.

B) that Alicent Hightower is a Huge Huge (repressed) Lesbian, and even queer people can be driven to awful ends (abandoning your son) if for their whole lives, these systems of oppression ritualistically curb-stomp their spirits.

C) that History (Fire & Blood and unfortunately a large portion of the fandom) will see No Point because it refuses to acknowledge queer people’s (especially queer women’s) full identities in its assessment of their characters or motivations.

“History will paint you a villain. A cold queen… grasping for power, and then defeated.”

“Let them think what they must. I am at last myself… with no ambition greater than to walk where I please and to breathe the open air. To die unremarked and unnoticed… and be free.”

“You speak as if from a distant dream.”

“Come with me.”

“My part is here, whether I will or no. It was decided for me long ago.” (softly) “Go.”

My reaction after Alicent sold out Aegon:

[kosmogrl]

the secret to life is always having something to look forward to

[correllian]

[queerstudiesnatural]

some of my favourite sign fails <3

[girlinafairytale]

i genuinely hate how people have to sit and write a post that stands out while boosting a fundraiser because most people won't bat an eye at the misery and inhumane conditions Palestinians are living in.

i see people making art and telling others to use it because fundraisers with art are generally reblogged more often. i see people using colored text in order to make the post more eye catching.

palestinians on instagram are using popular audios and stitch trending reels at the beginning to make the world pay attention to them. imagine having to make something look entertaining in order to survive.

they are living under constant threat of israeli airstrikes, bombing, scarcity of food and disease. many have lost a lot in the past few months.

palestinians on tumblr are posting their pictures and the horrible conditions in which they are living. they travel long distances for internet connection only to be called a scammer by some privileged ass who cannot locate gaza on a map.

here are some verified gfms. please share the linked posts. it's the bare minimum we can do from the comforts of our home.

@amjadshiltawu: link to the post

vetted

@dima96yousef: link to the post

vetted

@tamer200333: link to the post

vetted

@ahmed8311: link to the post

vetted (#161)

@saratahrawi: link to the post

vetted