#and the napoleon one is huge

[skitskatdacat63]

My addiction is decorating the one corner of my room, I'm so proud of it 😭 Though it's so annoying bcs I just wanna plaster my walls w art but the walls are not cooperative. Lmao so that's why my doorway is prime real estate and is covered wall to wall, I'm quite proud of that too

[fictionadventurer]

One mildly chilly day in August and suddenly I want to read every Victorian novel in existence.

[rogers-attic]

there are no words to describe how much this means to me

[alpacinoinheat]

im rewatching jonathan strange and mr norrell and im about 98% convinced there must be a parallel universe where this show has a fandom as big as good omens or ofmd

[shapelytimber]

Idk where you’re hoping for people to tell you their favorite episodes to watch them but mine is the Suburbia Affair and if you haven’t watched it you for SURE should it’s so silly and the domestic Napollya is 10/10

Yes yes yes this episode was a banger !! Great taste weloveagayboi ! :)) I never recovered from the little domestic scenes gkkgfllf and great to know Napoleon Solo is the worst roommate- not surprising tho, he's a man in the 60s fkfkfkf but I won't complain about this since it gave us Ilkya 'I want to break free' Kuryakin !

And the rest of the plot was funny ! 10/10 episode (before I deduct points for sexism- but that's every episode of this show minus the Alexander the greater affair) !! We had so much fun watching it :)

[justabigoldnerd]

HE FRETS, YOUR HONOR

#in which Illya is a worried worrier who worries

[dreamwritesimagines]

Sunshine 3 - Sneak Peek

Series Masterlist

“Oh,” you managed to say. “Okay. Um, sorry I made up a nonexistent STD about you.”

“No problem,” he said with a smirk. “But for future reference, you might want to go with the wife lie. I can’t get diseases.”

You nodded slowly. “Because of clean eating?”

“Because of the X-gene.”

You blinked a couple of times, staring at him.

“Wait, what?” you asked. “But Theo got sick multiple times after his powers showed.”

“Not for every mutant,” he said. “My body just heals itself.”

“Against everything?”

“Mm hm.”

“What if we had a car crash right now?”

“I’ve been in car crashes and healed.”

“What if someone attacked you with a knife?”

“Happened before, healed as well.”

“What if someone shot you?”

“Multiple people did in multiple wars. I healed.”

You tilted your head. “I’m sorry, wars?”

“Like I said,” he said after a beat. “My body heals itself. Against injuries, and time.”

You frowned slightly, trying to make sense of what you’d just heard and as soon as the thought hit you, you gasped.

“Oh my God, Logan,” you said. “Did you know Marie Antoinette?”

“What?” he asked with a grimace, turning to look at you better. “What is it with you and Theo and France? He asked me if I knew Napoleon the other day.”

You raised your brows. “Did you?”

“No!” he said. “No, I was born in 1832.”

Holy shit, Julie was right.

You did have a thing for older men but having a crush on an almost 200-year-old man was just a little bit excessive, even for you.

A silence fell upon the car and he glanced at you out of the corner of his eye. “You okay there?”

“Yeah, just in huge disbelief,” you muttered. “Do you miss it? Back then?”

He shook his head.

“Not really,” he said. “It was terrible. Now is better, it's just a little too...”

“Chaotic?” you asked and he scoffed, then nodded.

“Yeah,” he said. “Too chaotic.”

“I mean I wasn’t born in the 19th century but I know what you mean,” you said. “Seriously, if I could just live in a cabin in the woods with Theo and a cat, two dogs and a horse, I’d do it. I even have all their names.”

“What are the names?”

“I’m glad you asked,” you said. “The cat will be Catapult—”

“Are you seriously going to name your cat after a pun?”

“Damn right I am,” you said, counting with your fingers. “The dogs are Underdog and Overdog.”

“Jesus...”

“And the horse’s name used to be Princess Pink Sparkle Her Highness when I was six, but now I’m just going to call her Hi-Horse so that someone can tell me to get off my high horse one day.”

Logan looked like he was in actual pain for some reason.

[josefavomjaaga]

LOL.

That's something that had me confused reading all the spoilers. So, Wellington is on the ship that takes Napoleon from France to England? Why? What is he doing there?

We’ve devoted plenty of time to why Phoenix was too old to play Napoleon, so I feel compelled to highlight another absolute miscast: Rupert Everett as Wellington:

He is 64 years old. Playing a 46 year-old (and Wellington and Napoleon were the same age).

The fictitious meeting between Wellington and Napoleon literally felt like I was watching a grumpy old dad berating his reprobate son. Just god-awful. I’m actually dying to see Waterloo again.

[aphroditelovesu]

How many children would Yandere historical Men wish they had? If the fem-reader wanted five or more children. What would the historical Men reaction be?

Characters- Edward Seymour, King Henry V, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, King Henry VIII, Charles Brandon, Lorenzo De Medici and Francesco Pazzi?

Hmm... I guess it really depends but I would say they would all like to have lots of children with her but they know it's quite common for a woman to die in childbirth so they would keep that in mind.

❝divider by: @cafekitsune

Edward Seymour ♡

Edward would like to have at least two children, both sons. He would like to have daughters with his beloved, but he would prioritize sons to keep his family in power. If his wife wants to have more than five children, he would be fine with that. The more children you have, the more tied and dependent you will be to him.

King Henry V ♡

Henry would like to have several children with his beloved, mainly because he is a Monarch and needs to keep his royal lineage continuing. If his darling wants to have more than five children, that's great! Henry would probably like to have at least ten children. Even though he is terrified at the thought of you passing away in childbirth, he still wants to have a huge family with his darling.

Napoleon Bonaparte ♡

Napoleon wants to have at least one son to also maintain his power through a male heir. He doesn't have a specific number of children he would like to have with his darling, at least one is certain. But if you want to have more than five children, Napoleon will be fine with the idea. The more the merrier, right?

King Henry VIII ♡

Henry wants a male heir above all else and when you give him that, he won't worry about the idea of ​​having more children unless you bring up the idea to him. Henry would be so caught up in the joy of finally having his dream son that he wouldn't think about his next children. However, I imagine he would like to have at least one more son, just in case. Henry would be worried about having more than five children because he fears losing you but he won't be against it if you want him to.

Charles Brandon ♡

Charles really isn't worried about the idea of ​​children at the moment, he's more focused on enjoying his wife and spending as much time as he can with her and he's well aware that he would have to share his attention with a child. However, he knows that he needs to continue his lineage and that's why I see him wanting to have only two children, three at most. He wouldn't like it more than that and mainly because he knows how dangerous childbirth is and this man can't lose you under any circumstances.

Lorenzo de' Medici ♡

Lorenzo wants to have many children with his darling and there is no discussion about that. Eight children at least, that's what he wants. Coming from a powerful family, I don't see him putting the Medici's power at risk because of the lack of descendants. Although he doesn't want to risk your life in childbirth, he will still have many children with you. Lorenzo likes to see you pregnant because it just affirms that you belong to him.

Francesco Pazzi ♡

Francesco would like to have a considerable number of children with his darling. At least four children, but he's not opposed to having more if that's what you want. He loves you and wants to make you, so if having more than five kids is what you want, who is he to judge? Francesco just needs confirmation that it won't kill you. He couldn't bear to lose the woman he loves.

[slimyshield]

bro. you're telling me that laurence had full on amnesia. like "weeks have passed and I still can't remember anything" amnesia. "the doctor thinks that if I haven't remembered anything by now I never will" amnesia. and the sight of his beloved dragon of eight years did not jog his memory, nor being told of various huge events in his life, including literal treason, which years after the fact still weighed heavily on him. none of that helped. I repeat: not even temeraire, the one living being above all others whose company he preferred. not seeing granby, who he knew almost as long as he knew temeraire, or berkeley or harcourt, or even emily roland, who looks a good deal like her mother, the woman laurence was lowkey dating for years. no, you're telling me that what jogged his memory at long last was seeing tharkay, who he had not known before temeraire; and he called him by his first name even as he remembered everything. and then he called in a favor to thee Napoleon Bonaparte, a favor earned when laurence committed treason, a favor that laurence practically vowed never to cash in on, in order to save tharkay's life even though he had also just realized tharkay was a spy, which laurence was super pissed about. and then later tharkay invited laurence and temeraire to live on his estate with him. as though this is all happening in a fucking romance novel instead of a nine-book series about the napoleonic wars. and I'm supposed to be normal about it??? I'm supposed to think that laurence and roland wound up together when tharkay is right there??? I Could Not Believe Mine Own Eyes reading the last two pages of league of dragons. oh my god

[karl-jensen]

METTATONVS REX

After the king Asgore had been overthrown by a Human Child, his spouse, Undyne and Dr. Alphys 'disappearing'. Mettaton now takes the trone as the underground's newest king. Everybody adored him including the Human Child. An army of robots was amassed by the monarch forming his own underground empire of Napoleonic proportions. Now his conquest to the surface begins, and all of Monsterkind will see the sun under King Mettaton's rule.

———•———•———•———•———•———•———•———•———•———•———

Designing METTATONVS REX had been a huge blast for me especially when it comes to the inspiration; of which is the Emperor Napoleon and his nephew (Napoleon III). METTATONVS REX's uniform is heavily similar from a portrait of Napoleon III, while the crown is based on Napoleon Bonaparte's wreath on his coronation. I might even make custom sprites of METTATONVS REX's army which consist of Soldiers inspired by British Red Coats seen in the Battle of Waterloo but with Mettaton's original rectangular head. This is also my headcanon when Mettaton becomes king if one kills Asgore in the game.

"GUARDS! TAKE THESE PEASANTS AWAY!"

[ic-napology]

I think it's a popular one, instead. They fit the starcrossed lovers trope after all. Quite romantic. And she entered the pop imaginary with Greta Garbo's looks.

Personally I have a million reasons not to share it though. 🤭

Idk if this is an unpopular opinion, but I think I like Marie Walewska more than Josephine and I think Napoleon should have married her (obviously not for any political or strategic reason).

[jaebeomsbitch]

Jealousy Jealousy Smut Ver (R.R.)

Summary: Roman getting jealous after a waiter "flirted" with you turns into something more...Inspired by the Grace x Roman phone scene.

Warnings: SMUT MINORS DNI, degradation, lots of cursing, male masturbation, insecurity, mention of his ED

“So you have fun tonight?” Roman asks, undoing his tie

“Seriously?” You scoff, turning to look at him while placing your heels on the floor. He looks back at you already annoyed. 

“No because you were being a huge asshole but hey, what’s new?” You shrug, turning away from him and unzipping your dress. 

“Oh fuck off, you had fun. Certainly had fun flirting with that waiter,” he says, taking his dress shirt off. 

“Fuck you,” you reply, getting increasingly annoyed. Roman had been incredibly rude to the waitstaff today, giving you the cold shoulder. He got jealous when you had a simple conversation with one of the waiters who asked how your day was going. There was no flirting but Roman let his insecurities get the better of him.

“Yeah you fucking wish,” he mutters. 

“No you wish… or do you? I don’t fucking know at this point,” you say putting on one of his oversized T-shirt. 

“Yeah yeah you want to suck my cock,” he shrugs, grabbing his sleep clothes. 

“What’s wrong, Rome? Got a micro penis or something? Are you trying to hide some hideous deformation from me?” You taunt, anything to get him to just acknowledge the elephant in the room. Every time you tried to bring it up he’d just make a joke and try to change the topic.  You’d been dating for two years now, surely he’d be comfortable just talking about it. 

“I’ve got the most gorgeous cock. If you make a mold of it I guarantee Connor would buy one, better than fuckin’ Napoleon’s,” he quips, tugging on his sleep shirt. 

“I just want to see it,” you joke, looking up at him with a glint in your eyes.

“You’ve fuckin’ seen it, pretty sure you’ve got a whole folder of dick pics to blackmail me later with,” he laughs climbing into bed with you.

“That’s a photo, it doesn't count, the scale is off. Maybe put a quarter or something beside it next time. I’m not saying we have to fuck I just want to see it,” you say, turning to him and cuddling putting your hands under your head. 

“Just call your waiter if you want to see a cock. It might not be as impressionable as mine but it’ll make do in a pinch,” he nuzzles into the pillows, closing his eyes. 

“You know what… maybe I will,” you say reaching for your phone. His eyes whip open, watching your movements. He gapes as you turn your phone on then quickly yanking it out of your hand. 

“What the fuck?” You try to reach for it, he stretches his arm back. 

“No,” he simply says.

“No? Isn’t that what you wanted? You have a kink for being cucked or something? I’m just doing what you asked,” you shrug. 

“Oh fuck you! You know he’ll never be able to please you. You want to get fucked? Fine,” he says, unceremoniously detangling himself from the sheets, cursing under his breath. He climbs on top of you, pinning your hips down.

“Wait… Roman, are you a pervert? You want me to go fuck the waiter and tell you how much better his dick is?” You laugh, scanning his face. He stays quiet, he couldn’t stand the thought of someone else touching you. 

“Oh my god, you little fucking pervert. You’re disgusting,” your face turns a little more serious as his eyes turn half lidded. He seems almost dazed at your words… oh, he likes this. You break free from his grasp, grabbing his shoulders and pushing him down next to you. You straddle his hips now. 

“Look at you so fucking pathetic, you look so stupid right now,” you say looking down at him from the bridge of your nose. 

“Aww the spoiled little brat can’t even get his dick hard,” you taunt, hand on his chest as you lean forward. You get close to his face. 

“Is this what you want? Want to be treated like the piece of shit you are?” You ask, eyes flicking toward his lips. His chest rising faster in anticipation as he nods. You shift down his hips to give him more space until you feel the unexpected bulge in his sleep pants. This was entirely new.

“You’re already turned on? No doubt, since no one ever fucks you. Can’t find someone to give you want you want,” you say. 

“Take off your shirt,” you demand, leaning back on his thighs. 

“W-what?” He asks, he’d never taken his shirt off in front of you. Afraid you’d call him fat and he’d dive straight back into restricting his calories.

“Did I say you can talk? Disgusting perverts like you aren’t allowed to speak unless spoken to, understand?” You say, arms crossed. He tries to nod his head, his mind spinning at this new dynamic.

“I’m fucking talking to you idiot,” you lean forward, face centimeters away from his.

“Yes, yes I understand,” he stutters, reeling in the feeling of being out of control.

“Take it off,” you say, tugging at the bottom of his shirt. He hesitates, slowly sliding it up his torso before leaning up and yanking it off. He can’t even look at you, he shrinks into himself, arms across his torso trying to hide. You forcefully yank his arms to his side. 

“Fuck, Roman,” you say looking down at him. Scanning every piece of skin you see like it’s the most beautiful sunset you’ve ever seen. 

“What’s wrong?” He says, voice shaky.

“You’re so fucking pretty,” you peck him on the lips. He’s far from fucking gone. In all the reactions he imagined he’d received, this wasn’t one of them. 

“Good now, sit up and take your pants off,” you say, completely removing yourself from him. He misses your weight on him. He tries to ask why but you shut him down.

“God you’re not only a fucking sicko but you’re a moron too? Follow my fucking directions,” you say sitting down close to the edge of the bed. He scrambles to sit up, pulling at his pants off but keeping his boxers on. 

“Touch yourself,” you command, staring at him. You open his legs wider and sit in between his feet. You wanted to be close enough to see him but far enough so he can still have full control over the situation. If he said no you’d stop immediately but he slowly drops his palm to his bulge. Nudging at it like it’s something foreign. 

“Look at you, you’re so fucking disgusting. trying to hide your little cock from me. Put your hand in there, fucking pervert,” You hiss, gaining more comfortability in this dynamic. He looks up at you before sliding his hand in his boxers, sighing at the warmness of his hand. He only strokes himself with the tips of his fingers, head leaning back at the sensation. 

“You’re fucking pathetic, already whining and you haven’t even fully touched your cock. God you’re just a filthy little fucking pig,”you say, he’s panting as he finally grips himself. 

“You’re gonna finish in two seconds like a little virgin. You’re fucking revolting, look at you squirming like a worm. You’re just a disgusting little worm,” you say.

“Y-yeah, I am,” he says, maintaining eye contact. 

“What else are you, huh? A selfish spoiled little brat. A sick fucking pervert, you disgust me,” you sneer, his hips jolting as he’s feels the familiar feeling in his gut. 

“Yes, yes,” his voice breathier. Hand stroking faster as he’s practically fucking his hand.

“Cum in your fucking underwear, gonna make you sleep in ‘em. So you can be reminded all night how repulsive y’are, can’t even fuck your partner, gotta fuck your own hand like the fucking loser that you are” you finalize, his hips stuttering, eyes rolling to the back of his head. You can’t help but stare at the wet patch in his underwear. You take your time to study him, eyes roaming the expanse of his chest, the vein running up his neck after squeezing his jaw tight, and the way he pulls his hand out covered in his cum. 

You grab his hand, looking at the glistening cum on it and take a lick. He moans at the feeling of your warm tongue on his skin. It’s the first time you’ve touched him. 

“Finish it for me,” you hold his wrist to his bottom lip, smearing it with his cum. 

“Typical, always having me finish what you started,” he rolls his eyes, shuddering at your proximity before licking his hand clean, not taking his eyes off yours as you stare at his tongue working at his fingers.

“Good, let’s get to bed,” you say, crawling over your side of the bed. He looks at you dumbfounded. 

“What ‘bout you?” He slurs, tiredness catching up to him. 

“We’ll worry about me another day, c’mon” you motion for him to join you. 

He takes a second before getting under the sheets next to you. The pent up cum spilled all over his underwear, it sticks to his skin like glue, making a mess of himself. He snuggles into your chest pulling you close as he intertwines your legs. 

“Ugh, you’re disgusting. Your cum is getting all over my thigh,” you complain at the sticky feeling.

“Fuck off, you love it,” he sighs, nuzzling his head into your chest. He just knows he’s gonna have the best sleep of his life. You were the first person to understand Roman, you help him explore this new side of himself.

[amateurvoltaire]

Little Yellow Emperor: the Life of Napoleon in LEGO

The Battle of Waterloo Domain is hosting a LEGO exhibit called "THE LEGEND OF NAPOLEON IN LEGO BRICKS." As a recovering LEGO addict and an eternal fan of 18th/19th-century French history, I simply had to go. After successfully bribing the husband with beer and fries and the children with waffles, we made the trip today.

The exhibition was smaller than I expected, but some of the builds were genuinely impressive. It traces Napoleon's life from his birth in Corsica to his death on Saint Helena—a neat, bite-sized way to introduce his story, and a fun way of recreating history. However, one thing that did bug me a bit: while the audio guide is available in multiple languages, all the wall texts are in French. In a trilingual country, especially at such a touristy site, that feels like a bit of a miss (plus, it gave the Dutch-speaking husband an excuse to grumble).

Gripes aside (1), the exhibit was a lot of fun. Here are my favourite builds.

1. The Campaign in Egypt

This recreation of Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign is absolutely brilliant. The photos don’t do it justice—every detail, from the Sphinx to the busy French camp, is spot on. It's also huge and apparently took close to 70 hours to build! @chickenmadam can you spot Kléber?

2. Napoleon's Coronation as Emperor

The second build, depicting Napoleon's coronation, may be smaller, but it's full of impressive details. I especially loved the grumpy expression on Pope Pius VII’s face, along with the equally unimpressed looks from the rest of the clergy—it really adds character to the scene!

3. The Coup on 18th Brumaire

Again not a very big build but... those red capes... the hats... the outfits —need I say more?

4. Napoleon asks Josephine for a Divorce

This moment is supposed to be, by all accounts, heart-wrenching for everyone involved—Napoleon asking Josephine for a divorce. But, since it’s LEGO, it ends up looking unintentionally hilarious.

5. The Crossing of the Berezina River

This is another brilliant build, capturing what was arguably Napoleon's greatest military disaster. While it's not as large as the Egypt campaign scene, it’s packed with intricate details that make it just as interesting.

6. Napoleon's Civil Code

Yes. He has a GIANT parchment.

7. Daddy Napoleon and his son

Because the King of Rome has a purple teddybear and a grumpy statue of his dad in his room...

Bonus: The Battle of the Arcole Bridge

Not particularly impressive per see as a build, but this is one of my favourite moments in Napoleon's story, so... why not?

Notes

(1) Yes, they recreated the siege of Toulon. No, Bonbon isn't in it. That makes me sad.

[yanderepuck]

Kinktober Day 5

AND WE'RE BACK FOR A FOURTH TIME. It's that lovely time of the year where I write mediocre smut with no plot for a whole month. So sit your ass down and take a few minutes to read some smut.

As always, kinktober is held by our local Napoleon simp, @xxsycamore

If you'd like to read the last three years, go here

Remember to reblog and tell me what you think

Make up sex | Mirror sex

"Look at how pretty you are."

Leonardo hugged you from behind in front of a mirror.

"Oh stop that," you laughed a little. You tried to turn around to face him but his arms kept you there.

It was a lazy day for you and so you were wearing one of Leonardo's shirts. It's huge on you and you could get away with calling it a dress.

The mirror is new. You got it yesterday and were excited to show Leonardo the new addition to your room. Slowly, you have been making it more to your style. Your old mirror was nice, but it just wasn't fitting the vision you had in your head.

Leonardo slouches to kiss your neck, then rests his head on your shoulder, looking at you through the mirror.

"I wonder what the rest of your looks like in the mirror," he smirked and before you should ask him what he means, one of his hands lifted up your shirt.

"Leonardo, sto-ahhh," your words cut off as he groped your chest. You immediately start to get flustered. Your eyes look away from the mirror, trying to look at anything else.

He pulls the shirt up higher, massaging your boob in his hand, pinching your nipple, making you squirm. You press your back against him, not have anywhere else to go.

"Just as I thought. Beautiful. But what if," his words trail off and his other hand goes past the waistband of your underwear, not giving it a second thought about inserting a finger or two in you.

"Ahh."

Your body presses against him harder and you already feel your legs shaking.

His fingers are slow but he makes sure they are knuckle deep. He spreads them and wiggles them inside you. It's almost like his two fingers are keeping you standing.

"You're already so wet, cara mia. Were you thinking about me?" He kisses your neck again. You tilt your head to the side for him to keep kissing you, but instead he lets your boob go and grabs your jaw to make you look straight ahead.

"Look at how beautiful you are," he purrs in your ear. His fingers start pumping in and out of you more.

You gasp and try to hold onto him. Your moans only get louder. He pulls up your shirt again, reaching across to give your other boob attention.

"L-Leonardo," you moan, not sure what else you want to say.

"Yes, cara mia? Do you want more?" You say nothing else and he smirks. "You want to watch my cock slide in and out of you, don't you?"

His fingers leave you empty as he pulls down your underwear. Once they drop to your ankles he gets his pants to the floor as well.

Keeping an arm across your chest to keep you against him, he takes a few steps back to sit on the edge of your bed.

As he pulls you onto his lap you feel his hard cock press against you.

"Spread those legs for me," as you get yourself seated on his lap he grabs your hips to help lift you up.

Once your legs are open to his liking he brings you down on his cock with no warning, stretching and filling you.

"Ahh! T-too much!" You tightly hold his arms, trying to lift yourself up, but he keeps you down.

"You're fine," hes watching you in the mirror. "You've taken my cock plenty of times before."

He keeps his hands on your hips keeping you in place, but gives you enough freedom for you to wiggle around.

"See? You're fine. Even wiggling and tightening around me trying to get yourself off."

You whine a little. "I better not be sitting here just to warm you."

"You're the one saying I'm too much. I thought you want-"

"Just fuck me," you whine, wiggling more for any kind of friction.

"Hold up that shirt for me."

The moment you pull up the shirt enough for your tits to show, he thrusted up into you.

He got rougher as he found a rhythm, all while he looked around you to watch you in the mirror. The flustered look on your face as you watched his cock thrust in and out of your hole only got him harder.

You managed to get the heels of your feet on the bedframe ledge so that you can lift yourself up and down on him. The moans from both of you got louder as you did.

The harder you come down, the more your tits bounce. You grab them yourself, squeezing them.

Leonardo holds your hips tighter, his fingers digging into your skin.

Through the mirror you look behind you at him. You can see a bit of his fang poking out as he moans.

You crave to know what his fangs feel like, you want to tell him that he can bite you, but there's no use getting into that now. But seeing that bit of fang gets you wetter at the thought of what he could do.

His cock and your walls slick up, making it easier for him to get deeper.

You start squirming, feeling yourself getting close.

"You better watch yourself when you cum," he says in your ear. "You make the cutest face that makes me want to fuck you again and again."

You whine, complaining. You don't want to watch yourself. It's embarrassing. But how he's making you watch is hot.

It doesn't take much more to get you to cum. Your eyes flutter a bit. Without any warning, Leonardo grabs you, flipping you down onto the bed, not caring where you are in comparison to the mirror. Now with you flat on the bed he holds you down to keep you in place.

"Now I can fuck you properly."

[orangepeelshortbreadcookies]

Madeline Usher - Setting herself up for failure

Because the thing is, Madeline was never close to successfully develop an AI human consciousness. Not even by a long shot. Roderick convinced she was, because either he knew jackshit about tech and algorithms, idolised his sister, was delusional about her progress, or Madeline was lying to him the same way Vic did, or a combination of all of these. Or Madeline was deceiving herself.

Because, based on the themes of the show, how could she create a fully realised human mind from scratch, when she doesn't understand what it is?

She loved Roderick's kids and his grandkid, but only as extensions of her brother. Not as people. She failed to understand Tamerlane's cry for help, dismissing her desperate (and valid) need for love and companionship, her immense guilt, and ended up giving her niece the most batshit worst advice that only further exacerbated her paranoia and isolation. She didn't bother caring about what the children were up to, if what they did did not pertain immediately to the superficial benefits of the family. She thought Napoleon made "debutante balls". Napoleon, whose occupation was in video games, provided he had had better creative encouragement and guidance, potentially could have been the best person in the family to connect with Madeline on a professional level. As an equal.

It was not a huge surprise that Madeline's digital recreation of Lenore was that soulless, horrifying text chain Roderick received at the end. Even as Madeline was permitted to a diary full of the girl's thoughts and dreams, she did not understand her, and at that point was incapable of trying. She did not know Lenore as a person, the kindness that drove the girl, in the same manner that she did not understand how people like Annabel Lee and Dupin operate. The one time she was given a chance at instrospection, when Annabel Lee told her "You are so small.", she squandered that chance by burying it with Griswald and never thought of it again.

Madeline was brilliant. She had an incredible, ruthless drive for success. She foresaw the necessity of her field. She understands how the world works. When it concerned her. She understood the worst parts about a person. When it concerned her. It was her intelligence, arrogance and hubris that Verna respected. Madeline also did not understand the good parts about a person. What makes them whole. Her humanity was amputated, half of it by her own doing, and she lacked the self-awareness to realise that her amputated worldview was not the whole picture.

So of course she failed at her lifelong dream of creating a living digital consciousness.