#and they can have it... but then we could have been given the option to play as a skinny or average guy or girl because default isn't that

[infinitelystrangemachinex]

Jayce and the fallacy of the butterfly effect in Arcane's narrative

If Jayce's symbol is the butterfly, then my theory is that we're going into a full "butterfly effect" narrative in Act 2. Either we'll watch it happen, or we'll only see Jayce come out the other side of it changed by the experience, knowing - or more importantly, THINKING he knows - what to do to change the future. Literally, to "defend tomorrow."

tl;dr: Jayce will encounter the butterfly effect in season 2. Viktor and Mel both foreshadowed this in season 1. I think Jayce will fixate on Viktor and will believe that stopping or changing Viktor either in the past or the present - most likely the present - will mean he can save the future. I believe this will lead to an even worse tragedy and may have the same effect as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Ekko's approach to changing the future by sticking closer to the present - considering only tiny increments of time to alter more immediate future outcomes - will be the superior approach. I also think that Jayce attempting to change the future will create the conditions that push Viktor to become the Machine Herald.

One of the most common reactions even the casual viewer had to Arcane season 1 was this: "If [character] had just done this one small thing a little differently, [tragic event] wouldn't have happened!"

Arcane has been called a Greek tragedy for the main reason that because of how well built up the characters' personalities and reasonings are, there's no other way season 1 could have gone. There was no stopping the multiple tragedies that occurred, because with one event leading to another, the chain of seemingly inevitable events goes too far back to identify what one singular event caused everything, what one character made what one decision to put our characters on the terrible paths they walked.

Arcane is about to investigate this idea in its own narrative, and I think that Jayce will be the character to stumble into the flawed idea that you can change one event, or stop one character, and change the future for the better. This is because Jayce struggles with a few very interesting character flaws, one of them being that he believes himself to be the main character, and it is therefore his responsibility to intervene, be a hero, and fix things.

Viktor and Mel both foreshadow Jayce's future encounter with the butterfly effect.

Recall that Viktor said: "There is always a choice."

Jayce sees choices in black and white, believes that he has no other options but to go along with what he's persuaded and pushed into, and acts too boldly with too much power multiple times.

Recall that Mel said: "We can't change what fate has in store for us, but we don't have to face it alone."

Jayce tries to solve big problems on his own, and though he delegates to Enforcers and the like, Jayce relies on his reasoning and his alone to make important decisions if he doesn't simply become persuaded - usually through strong emotions like fear - by other characters. In addition, since Mel is specifically talking about Viktor's plight here, it's worth mentioning that while Jayce did say that he would help Viktor in acts 2 and 3 of season 1, Jayce does wind up leaving Viktor to face his fate alone. When Jayce tries to change that fate in s2 ep1, ep2 shows that only tragedy can come of this as well.

Viktor and Mel's statements here are not contradictory. Viktor makes the point that you can always make a choice. In context, he's literally referring to the classic "secret third option," because given a choice between aggression and passivity, war and surrender, Viktor chooses to defuse the bomb instead. Mel, interestingly, seems to believe that destiny is fixed in a broad sense, and she operates as a politician and diplomat and investor who navigates that line of destiny in the most optimal way possible. In reality, in context, she is referring to the fact that Viktor can't change the way he was born and so he has no way to change his fate and therefore must face it, which is true - she's only missing the information that Viktor actually does have the means to change his illness and his body. Her wisdom still applies however, because he'll have to accept the hand that fate deals him after he makes that choice. Will he face it alone, or not?

There is always a choice, there's even secret third options, because having a fate doesn't mean that you are doomed to make only one possible series of choices. What it does mean is that each choice comes with a hand that fate deals you. It is impossible to know what all of these branching choices and consequences are in advance, and it is just as impossible in hindsight - the branches are too complex and the end outcomes are all equally meaningful, just different. If Arcane season 2 is to be a tragedy, it may show us that each possible outcome is still tragic if you fall for the fallacy of the butterfly effect.

Jayce is counseled by some of the wisest, cleverest characters with the deepest life experiences in Arcane, but he hardly ever takes that counsel to heart. If he does, he still acts on that counsel in flawed ways that have unintended consequences. This will come to a head in season 2.

Viktor and Jayce both have a butterfly following them around in season 1. The butterfly effect refers to one small seemingly insignificant event changing the course of history, and changing that event therefore changes history. Viktor bled over the railing of a Hexgate in season 1:

And Heimerdinger sees what we can only assume is Viktor's blood contaminating (?) the Hexgate in s2 ep3:

This might be the seemingly unimportant "inciting incident" that Jayce (and Heimerdinger and Ekko) settle on as something that should be avoided or erased by changing the past (if they time-travel with Ekko, for example).

I doubt that, if this is what this crew chooses to fixate on, it will be the only event that is considered as something to change. But let's take this and run with it for the sake of discussion.

As silly as it sounds, how do you stop Viktor from allowing his blood to come into contact with the arcane? Stop Viktor's involvement with the Academy entirely? Don't invent Hextech at all? But what if someone else invents Hextech besides Jayce? What if future tragedy befalls Piltover because it didn't invent Hextech?

The possibilities and what-ifs could branch on forever. But because Jayce is who he is, and because his tragedy with Viktor is still raw and recent and frightening, I think Jayce's butterfly effect experience will have to do with Viktor.

My personal prediction is that the timeskip between s2 ep3 and ep4 will be Jayce experiencing a timeline where Viktor, taken over by the Hexcore, brings about an apocalyptic event similar to what Heimerdinger experienced in his past. Either Jayce and co. can't go into the past to change the present, or Heimerdinger and/or Ekko advise strongly against it to avoid a paradox. This will lead to them re-entering the canon Arcane timeline before this apocalypse, but still after the timeskip. Jayce, believing that destroying Viktor and his cult will save the future, and believing that resurrecting Viktor was Jayce's mistake to fix, attacks him. But the consequences don't unfold the way he hopes, because trying to change fate once the cards have already been dealt has led to tragedy before.

The butterfly is a symbol of something other than just the butterfly effect - change, evolution, and rebirth. If the butterfly symbolizes the butterfly effect for Jayce, then I think it has a different meaning for Viktor - the change and rebirth meaning.

I've always found it very interesting that we see a similar-looking butterfly on Progress Day... but made of metal.

Every time Viktor's situation changes, he adapts and evolves. If Jayce attacks him, if his cult is destroyed, if the Hexcore is causing Viktor to decay, if all of these things happen at once - he'll just evolve again, and I think the Machine Herald is the next step. And the Machine Herald will be a triumph for Viktor, but Jayce will believe that he's created something even worse. The resulting feud will be a personal nightmare for both of them.

I think this still allows Viktor to use his own agency to choose to become the Machine Herald (the MH will probably be the "secret third option" that saves Viktor, or there will be a secret third option that ends the feud) while still allowing Jayce to be offended and horrified at whatever the Machine Herald represents or is trying to do in the undercity. Introducing the element of time travel allows Arcane to explore the meta concept of tragedy and fate that season 1 was built on while showing that you can't "solve" a tragedy, because there are other terrible possibilities lurking behind alternate choices. Especially if what you're trying to change is singular people or events and not systems of power.

This is why Ekko's approach with his Z-drive will be superior to Jayce's sweeping attempt at changing the future. Ekko's goal has always been societal change. He creates his own punk society in the undercity, more progressive and successful than anything Vander or Silco ever created, and a better bastion of safety, hope, and progress than what Heimerdinger founded in Piltover. Trying to change systems by going back in time is most likely futile. But taking what Ekko has already built in the Firelights, curing his tree, and fighting for the Firelights' survival bit by bit by optimizing the present with the Z-drive shows that:

It's more worth it to focus on becoming wise (Ekko's mask is an owl) and making choices you won't regret

It's best if you don't face your fate alone (act as a collective and take care of each other)

Consider every option, not just the obvious black and white choices

Maintain and fix what you've already built instead of abandoning it once things get difficult

Adapt as needed if the choices you made lead to dark consequences, and once again, stick together and take care of each other when the bad times do come

That's my Act 2 but, ultimately, my season 2 prediction based on the butterfly symbolism we've already seen. Ekko's involvement is what will give the series the at least partial happy ending that the creators have referred to. I personally don't think that the Viktor/Jayce feud will end quite so well, but maybe, they will still survive.

[itsa-me-lily]

First: How sfw/nsfw are we allowed to go with asks and whatnot, as well as stuff you won't write? I'm not intending on sending anything crazy, I just don't wanna cross boundaries

Second: Every guy in my family (minus one), married in or born in, is/was military, and I have heard that it's not uncommon for military spouses to cheat on their partner, especially when deployed. I'm not saying dear reader is cheating or anything of the sort, but I could def see some fresh dumbass recruits trying to pull the legendary Lieutenant's wife, if only for bragging rights. Curious how that would shake out (would the recruits ever be seen again, who knows!)

TLDR for the first part, I'm okay with NSFW asks and you can find my list of no goes (as well as the master list for Military Program Spouse) here

Now for the second part

Content Warning; Discussion of size (kind of), discussions of cheating (kind of) (please let me know if I'm missing anything)

Also Reader is fat, like size 18/20 pants, like there's a jiggle no matter what she's doing (remember kids fat isn't a dirty word what size you are doesn't define your morality, your actions do)

Also also please know that my brain does not want to let go of Reader telling Simon "well we wouldn't be in this situation if you could pull bitches" but I don't think it's going to fit in this

Honestly the sex talk had gone better than you had anticipated. In the past when you had tried to explain being demisexual and what that meant for your sexual attraction to other people you'd gotten blank stares, been told you were just picky or that you were just talking about a crush that everyone got. You knew it wasn't, but it got old fast. And while Simon stared as you explained yourself, he didn't push or tell you that it was some new made up sexuality.

It was refreshing.

You weren't even that offended when Simon had stated he had no interest of sleeping with you. You'd come to accept that you weren't everyone's cup of tea, not everyone liked a little jiggle in the wiggle. So you'd be two people who legally shared the last name, roommates, broskis if you will.

You'd agreed that any extramarital activities had to be respectful, discreet, and that if it turned serious divorce was an option on the table. Or well, you listed out your ideas in what you thought was a logical manner and Simon just listened before grunting what you thought was an affirmative and then turning on the TV for some sort of sports game. You were a theater kid growing up, you weren't a fan of sport ball. So the two of you started your married lives with the ever perpetual hall pass.

Not that you ever used yours. Again there was the fact that you only felt any real attraction or desire once you had gotten to know someone, felt a connection that...intrigued your soul for lack of better phrasing. And you are a very self sufficient woman. People weren't typically banging down your door to...well bang, so really you just went about your days.

It was probably why you hadn't noticed the recruit flirting with you at first. At first it was just a polite nod and acknowledgement of who you were when you had to come to base to fill out paperwork. Then there were the times you'd run into him while walking through the neighborhoods. Private (or was he Second Private? You never really paid attention) Pearson was alright, a pretty boy who seemed to know it, given how he seemed to preen with attention once you caught on to what was happening. Yeah he was alright but nothing that really wanted to make you deal with the headache of dealing with two men in your life. Plus you were pretty sure he had mentioned something about working with Simon? You were not a person who shit where you ate.

So you played dumb when he tried to flirt with you, and never took him up on any offers to 'help' you around the house or to show you how to use the gym equipment, after hours of course. The cockiest had to have been when he offered to help you 'stretch' any time. The smile he wore when he offered that one was so slimy you felt like you needed a shower after.

It all came to a head one day in the mailroom. Somehow a random package had been delivered to the house instead of on base, and since Simon was out doing god knows what somewhere in the world it wasn't like he could take it with him. So you were doing your good deed of the day and dropping it off. Only to run into Pearson, who was with friends...even better.

You had tried to just smile politely and wave, acting like you were in the middle of running Very Important Errands. It didn't help much. Pearson and Co still came up to you like you were all the best of friends, Pearson even being so bold as to drape an arm across your shoulders, or he tried you. You side stepped him easily enough to his annoyance.

You lightly chit chatted, looking for an opening to excuse yourself. You'd be blunt if you had to, but you really didn't want to deal with any back lash for being a 'bitch'. Though maybe you should have. He must have sensed your deep rooted desire to get the fuck out of there, because Pearson put on the grosses looking grin, leaning in as if to share a secret.

"The boys and I were going to go out for some drinks tonight. Why don't you come with us? Promise we don't bite."

The last part was whispered liked it was a promise of the opposite. You honestly wanted to barf. A) Drinking wasn't really your scene. B) Pearson definitely wasn't your scene.

"As tempting as that sounds, sorry boys. I uh- I don't drink."

"Oh come on pretty girl, one drink won't hurt you."

You wanted to roll your eyes as Pearson tried to tempt you out, reaching to tuck a piece of hair behind your ear. Thankfully you had heard little rumors that maybe the 141 was coming home. Simon wouldn't mind you using him as an excuse...probably.

"Really I can't. Simon should be coming home soon and I still have things I want to take care of before he's back."

Maybe it was the threat of their CO being back that caused all of them to freeze for a moment, giving you the opening to slip out from their little triangle they made, making your way to the exit. Pearson must have really been desperate, or just that stupid to practically shout after you.

"Come on, you really can't enjoy him more than me right? Doubt he's really all that great and impressive."

Oh that stopped you in your tracks. Simon Riley was a lot of things, annoying, stubborn, an asshole, rude, louder than the fucking heavens when he snored, a person who didn't care if he used up all the hot water, one could even say he was creepy at times. He didn't open up about things, and acted like socializing was the bane of his existence.

He had a sense of humor that people seldom understood, but he still entertained himself. Scared you half to death dozens of times over with how fucking quiet he was, like he was appearing out of thin air, but he'd try to knock to catch your attention if you were in the bedroom or bathroom. Had what was probably a herculean amount of strength in a single bear paw of his, but you'd seen him try to offer a finger for Tombo to sniff when the little curly mop got curious.

You plastered on the biggest polite smile you had, the one that boarder lined on looking a little crazy with how much it stretched your mouth, and spun on your feet to look at the trio of men who really tried to try you this day.

"You all know my husband."

You didn't actually wait for a response as you walked back to the men, who all started to look like they were regretting their choices.

"Lieutenant Riley. You know, Lieutenant "built like a brick shit house" Riley."

You stopped directly in front of Pearson, hands on your hips as you met his stare straight on, before looking him up and down slowly.

"Really what makes you think you can...measure up?"

The scrunch of your face at the end made it very clear that you had decided that the younger man was severely 'lacking' when it came to any kind of measuring. Clearly none of them had expected you to react like this, given that they just stared gobsmacked as you shrugged and waved them good bye with the tips of your fingers, happily making a sassy exit to your freedom.

Simon Riley was a lot of things, and he was your husband. And no one talked shit about your husband except you.

Edit;

There's a second part I want to add to this that I'll probably work on this weekend. I'm very out of the habit of writing so it takes me a hot minute to get stuff down the way I want it. Anyway I hope you like this! And remember

A) Being Fat doesn't make you good or bad

B) I am a greedy greedy goblin who loves getting asks

[rebeccathenaturalist]

So you may have seen my posts about AI foraging guides, or watched the mini-class I have up on YouTube on what I found inside of them. Apparently the intersection of AI and foraging has gotten even worse, with a chatbot that joined a mushroom foraging groups on Facebook only to immediately suggest ways people could cook a toxic species:

First, and most concerningly, this once again reinforces how much we should NOT be trusting AI to tell us what mushrooms are safe to eat. While they can compile information that's fed to them and regurgitate it in somewhat orderly manners, this is not the same as a living human being who has critical thinking skills to determine the veracity of a given piece of information, or physical senses to examine a mushroom, or the ability to directly experience the act of foraging. These skills and experiences are absolutely crucial to being a reliable forager, particularly one who may be passing on information to others.

We already have enough trouble with inaccurate info in the foraging community, and trying to ride herd on both the misinformed and the bad actors. This AI was presented as the first chat option for any group member seeking answers, which is just going to make things tougher for those wanting to keep people from accidentally poisoning themselves. Moreover, chatbots like this one routinely are trained on and grab information from copyrighted sources, but do not give credit to the original authors. Anyone who's ever written a junior-high level essay knows that you have to cite your sources even if you rewrite the information; otherwise it's just plagiarism.

Fungi Friend is yet one more example of how generative AI has been anything but a positive development on multiple levels.

[aicosu]

Hey, just saw your post about Veilguard - do you mind me asking what it is that put you off? Thanks!

I can start by saying I've not played it. I'm not going to at this point. But basically, every cutscene and dialogue option and plot point I've watched. And for those of you that don't remember I was hugely critical of Inquisition despite my love for it. And I downright hated Trespasser. So this shouldnt be shocking.

And its a lot of stuff I dont like. I can make a short list of major things below, obvious spoilers.

Please dont read this if it will make you angry okay? This is a lot of angry ranting.

1. I said this with inquisition and trespassers but veilguard seals my hatred for the decision to center the entire plot of ripping apart the dalish culture and religion. I'm sorry I just don't think this is compelling. It's icky to create an oppressed and marginalized race with parallels to most indigenous cultures in the real world, and basically call them wrong and stupid for clinging to their culture and history. I don't care that validating the Enuvanris existance means also invalidating the maker and the tevinter reiligions too, or even the dwarven: the game centers this narrative on the DALISH. The entire implication that its their fault all along or they sold themselves into a cult and slavery is gross. The game could have easily done this but centered it around the Maker. Andraste as the blight corrupted crazy deity or spirit whatever the fuck. Makes more sense with how much Chantry has been shoved down our throats since origins, and given how much wider spread it is after literal genocides of the dalish, qun, etc it would just mean a lot more to target the oppressors/majority religion directly. And look listen, I'm a pretty hardcore athiest and even anti thiest. I hate all religions, I find stories about dismantling religion compelling but to couch it histories of marginalized people like... its just not great. Not to mention twisting their gods into systematic greedy people or shoving their "bestest god" into a human woman and trying to make her prostheltize at me. I don't like it!

2. I get why old decisions dont matter. The world is too big, sure. I dont mind that at all, actually, even with all the problems, it gives people invested in those choices. Im happy to accept it. But then... make the actual plot less beholden to it. Why bring in cameos at all, then? Fuck man set it 50 or 80 years later. But if you cant cause everyone wants closure in the DA fandom then give us closure. If not personal closure with wardens and hawkes and etc cause its all too variant — lore closure. We arent going to talk about how darkspawn were thinking and talking? Blight was always just a random elvhen weapon? What apparent the tevinter magisters then? What about the architect? What about the idea of darkspawn becoming their own race and culture? What about the old gods themselves they were just always enuvanris? How do magisters actually feel about that? Why did those who worshipped corypheous or the black church follow Elvhen gods, their most oppressed and hated enemy aside from the qunari?

Speaking of, what about all of us who wanted to confront Minrathous and Tevine for the atrocities we've built up about it for 3 games. Slavery? Off screen solved before we get there? Dorian fixed it all? I had a heated debate with Dorian about him saying how slavery wasnt all that bad "They like being slaves!" And so many conversations with Fenris about how horrible it is. Rape and murder and submission? We don't as players get to finally confront that?

How about red lyrium being sentient. How about it being a tool the elvhen then used to murder titans, but not its alive and unstoppable? How can anything be unblighted? Because plot?

What of the calling? What of it really? What of those in The Calling who were unblighted? nothing?

Not even a deep conversation about the murky ethics of liberation/slavery when it comes to the Antivan crows stealing children? I'm to forget that?

How about anything all to do with the Qun? How about that burnt in memory I have of Saarabas immolating himself in service to not just the system of his culture but his belief in his faith. We're writing him off as a terrorist and not as an example of the Qun? Lets be really real; they have been retconning the Qun every game till now them being a fully gender and sexual accepting society.

How about the changes of mages vs templars if and maybe they walk free now? As if that entire conflict wasnt the brewing boiling point for three games?

What about the elvhen rebellion they so rightly started after centuries or murder and racism? Can we stop pretending that rebellion isnt an act of violence and has to be? Can we stop erasing the idea that systemical upheavel can be anything other than radical? Hello? Anders is one the phone asking for you?

How about that ending, the veil isn't even torn? Spirits don't walk the earth as intended. Why not solas' plan? Why not restore order. Why not join or dissuade him as he asked us to in trespasser?

It just all feels washed off, Thedas. I'm allowed to be angry and upset that they spanned all of these topics and asked me to engage with them on a deep ethical and moral grounds only to never mention them again. I dont think making your player base feel stupid for caring is great.

3. On personal levels, Solas has been ooc since trepasser. And frankly, the explanation of his relationship with Mythal is disgusting. Made the first slave and turned from his true nature into a tool of war—and reaffirming his subservance by making it that only Mythal could stop him? How is that not a toxic dynamic, and they fram it as loving and romantic? Imagine them trying that Fenris who can only be talked down by Danerous. Come on. It should have been Lavellan — or it really should have been not at all. Let him. The devs want to destory Thedas and start over? Let solas reset time and recreate the earth and tear is all down and erase most of the history. Do it you cowards. Give me an unrecognizable DA5 where spirits and mages rule and the elvhen thrive and war with each other. Give me slaved humans and a topsy turvy all that changes remains the same reality. Why not if you want to illuminti titan everything anyway.

4. I dont believe in the veilguard, I should have a choice not to. I should have a reason to care about it or my companions or fewl some sort of reason we must all work together aside from "theyre adorable". All the other games you had companion parties in organic and believable ways. Rook is leader cause.... ? What if I dont want to be? At least my Dalish inquisitor fought tooth and nail not to be called a christian messiah. Hawke had FRIENDS. And the warden found those who knew what a blight meant. And many of all of us disagreed. Vivianne got not sympathy from me. Why should Neve? Fenris will leave your party if you waste your time when the Magister comes to town. I dont want to coddle Harding about her stupid chantry. I do not to talk to Lucanis happily about the crows. Maybe I dont want to be friendly all the time. Maybe I hate everything Bellara is doing. Or taash.

5. The writing was on the wall in inquistion hoenestly. What with Iron bull letting me decide is he mass murders his found family or not. But jesus these new companions are like 10 yrs old. I don't know you decide. Your a fucking adult. I cant take a single one of them seriously. Even Sera screamed and yelled at me if I challenged her. Solas and I almost broke up mutiple times arguing about tradition and purpose or that damn Mythal well (again and no wonder he would object to doing anything akin to being emslaved by her, only to submit himself in this game. As if the well mattered at all. As if morrigan matters at all.) I just don't feel as though I'm bonding with anyone, I'm babysitting. Im being told what a great person I am that I can teach everyone elementary school behaviorial learning. I dont want to, I dont even want to be "good".

6. Petty stuff:

I hate the art style both in the UI and the models. I hate it. And the expressions are so poor compared even to Da2.

I hate all the armors. Everyone is bulky. Hate it.

Ugly combat.

Cant control or walk around as my companions and try out other classes.

CC cant change eyes or facial structure much so all rooks heads look the same and kinda... everyone looks like a dwarf. Sorry. Imo, imo, every rook I have seen looks like a dwarf.

Dont like the music.

Dragons are ugly.

Morrigans outfit makes it look like she has 4 titties.

I hate this elvhen "steampunk" tech when so much of their magic was shown to be earthen and mystic. Dumb. No explanation as why it would become this way it just is now.

Blood magic erasure cause the devs are scared of us being cool I guess.

I hate the humor. Every joke doesnt land for me. And there are simply too many.

[pjsk-hot-takes]

I think as an autistic person the idea of autistic Rui isn’t like. Inherently Bad or anything. I think there’s other characters that have more stuff supporting it (Kanade, Nene, Kohane) but it’s not like inherently a bad headcanon or interpretation

but the way people *handle* it is….. weird……

Like it’s used a lot as a justification for his behavior. Which like I’ve BEEN ostracized for being autistic so I know what it feels like. And I don’t think he deserves to be ostracized. But why are we acting like him literally using bombs on school campus with absolutely zero qualifications is a normal thing that needs to be defended.

Like that’s still extremely dangerous to the other students and just completely disregarding of other peoples safety. I don’t care how much Rui claims he “has it under control” he’s a teenager!!!! He doesn’t have a degree in pyrotechnics!!!!! He should not be doing that especially not at a public school where people could get hurt!!!!

And like if for whatever reason he genuinely needed to do something with explosions. Like if it’s a stim or a special interest or whatever. There’s a lot of safer alternatives you could try?

stim boards are a thing! Video games are a thing! Fanfic is a thing! If it’s the science process of it I’m sure you can simulate something similar in real life that is far safer. I’m sure if he has a psychologist they could help come up with other options. Literally if he needs to do these dangerous stunts there are safe!!! Alternatives!!!!! It doesn’t need to be the real thing!

Also, like, if it does need to be the real thing - one, keep it to shows maybe??? Where everyone is consenting??? Two, there are actual pyro technicians that you can hire for that exact purpose. Rui has no reason to mess with dangerous explosives unless it’s for budget reasons which like I THINK omitting real explosions or going for a safer alternative that mimics explosions is a better idea than messing with dangerous ones and having little to no clue what you’re doing. Sure maybe Rui has read up on it but he’s still a teenager and still isn’t a professional and shouldn’t be trusted with dangerous equipment that could hurt others in public.

Rui doing this type of stuff around Tsukasa and himself is one thing, because at least they’re consenting, but in public is a whole different story.

I feel like the fandom babies and infantilizes Rui. Like “oh noooo he’s just autistic it’s not his fault he puts people in mortal danger :((((( look at him!!! He’s so sweet!!!!!” I just. I don’t like it. I think autistic people SHOULD be allowed to point out the ableist undertones here without like, being shot down.

And yeah it’s true some autistic people might not know when they’re doing things wrong, but that’s still not a justification to defend his right to put people in mortal danger??????

Like, if Rui doesn’t understand that, he still. Shouldn’t be doing it. Like he should still be given safer alternatives that could maybe work instead and be safer for everybody involved. Not given free rein to cause as much damage as he wants that’s. Idk I don’t like that and I don’t like how much people fervently defend it.

Giving him alternatives isn’t, like, a Bad Thing. He can engage with dangerous stunts in safer ways or at least do it in a way that doesn’t endanger other non-consenting people.

And also, like, Rui and other characters doing this type of stuff for the sake of comedy isn’t actually a bad thing imo I still think it can be funny so I’m not saying it should be erased or toned down in the actual story. I just think people trying to defend it from a moral stand point is weird. Like you can acknowledge it’s not. A good thing to do in real life???? And maybe not glorify it????? And still enjoy/find it funny in the story like it’s just a comedy thing.

Maybe this doesn’t make sense I’m tired but. Idk I don’t like how people treat Rui being autistic as a justification for anything he does wrong ever. It feels infantilizing.

.

[polling-sonic-fans]

I gotta be completely honest with you, I'm a little frustrated with the people who interact with this blog. I don't want to be rude, especially not to you the mod, but seeing how popular the added "unsure" and "haven't heard of this" options can be for some polls, I feel like it takes from the poll entirely. For example, the recent one about Sonic Omens. I think that anyone who doesn't have a leg in the race just shouldn't vote, and the poll isn't for them. I feel like including options for people who can't even answer the question sort of messes with the data. I only mean this as constructive criticism, not to cause harm or hate, and I hope to hear your side of it, as well as submitters who make the polls. What do you think?

This, too, is data I must learn. My thoughts are under the cut, thank you for your feedback.

Joking aside, I understand the point, but I moderately disagree.

For the past month or so this blog has been running completely on user submissions. I only edit options to add something I think is missing and will result in unnecessary distress (see: the lack of chill on the first Sonic Voice Actor Poll. Lest we forget.). I do not currently remove options; I presume people meant what they said unless they tell me otherwise.

I do understand that some polls may have a lot of people choosing the opt out option, and that could pose specific problems. I don't think I agree with your example for this: I for one had never heard of that project, so would have voted the opt out option. And while I could and possibly would just ignore that poll, there's a chance someone might just pick or guess any answer if their response is not encapsulated in the options. People are nosy. They want to know the results even if they don't know anything about the topic.

Also, you can always calculate the proportion of the votes that went to each without the cop-out option with some simple percentage calculations. So the data isn't invalidated, the sample is just smaller. That is also data: it tells you many people aren't aware of or engaged with that topic. I think that is interesting too.

Where I could see your point is on more general but difficult things. If I listed a poll like 'Who's better: Shadow or Sonic?' I expect many people would want to click the cop-out option because they really like both, and there I would lose data. Because if they were really pushed, they could probably manage an opinion, but it would be easier (and give the gratification of button pressing) if they can not think about it and choose a 'I refuse!' button.

However, even in such cases I still think it's important that I do not edit people's polls to remove catch-all options if they have listed them. For all I know, the submitter was actually interested in capturing data on how many people would refuse to answer, and would be dissappointed to have that option removed.

My final note is I have found myself feeling quite protective of my submitters, especially those I suspect are regulars. This is not a massive blog being overwhelmed with asks. I would have given up already without them, I used nearly all of my ideas to get to past the first 100 polls. So if the polls are mislisted, contain errors, or you have grievances with them: raise those with me, that's my job. Give the submitters the kudos for providing the entertainment. I am not the last person you should be rude to but the first.

I don't want to ask voters to do anything except vote honestly, even if the answer is they don't know, and share questions they like. If they could continue to refrain from starting barfights on my posts that would also be swell. But I guess enthusiasm is appreciated.

Those who've read my essay here, please do leave your thoughts on the subject in the replies - I will be reading with interest and will let it impact my own polls, if not alter the submissions. Genuinely, thank you for the ask and your interest in the data we're making here, I am pleased that you are invested and like me want good data!

[sideprince]

I didn't choose either answer in the poll because I don't think those are the only two options. There's a lot of grey area between culpability and innocence, and I think canon deliberately avoids giving a clear answer on this.

Lupin says in PoA (emphasis mine):

‘Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me towards the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be - er - amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree-trunk with a long stick, and he’d be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it - if he’d got as far as this house, he’d have met a fully grown werewolf - but your father, who’d heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life … Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden to tell anybody by Dumbledore, but from that time on he knew what I was …’

-Prisoner of Azkaban Ch. 18

Here Lupin is saying that the prank was Sirius' idea and implies James only heard about it later. He says that James "heard what Sirius had done," which implies he wasn't included by Sirius from the outset. It's unclear who James would have heard about it from, although based on this quote, we can assume it wasn't Lupin (who was already in the Shrieking Shack, prepped and ready for Wolf Time). It might have been from Sirius himself, although Lupin's re-telling seems to imply otherwise, but then he has a habit of skirting over uncomfortable truths. It may have been Pettigrew, or it could have been any other student, depending on how prone Sirius was to bragging. On the one hand it's unlikely that Sirius would have mouthed off about sending Snape to the Whomping Willow, given that it would have exposed Lupin and potentially made other students curious, but on the other we see in SWM that James could be careless when talking about Lupin's condition and he and Sirius followed each other's lead a lot, so that may imply that Sirius was careless too:

Wormtail was the only one who didn’t laugh. ‘I got the snout shape, the pupils of the eyes and the tufted tail,’ he said anxiously, ‘but I couldn’t think what else -‘ ‘How thick are you, Wormtail?’ said James impatiently. ‘You run round with a werewolf once a month -‘ ‘Keep your voice down,’ implored Lupin.

-Order of the Phoenix, Ch. 28

Lupin also says in Half-Blood Prince (ch. 16) that James used to refer to his condition as his "furry little problem" and that “Many people were under the impression that [he] owned a badly behaved rabbit.” So there's some evidence that James talked about it in public, which can imply that Sirius did too, though I don't think we see evidence of it in canon. Nevertheless, carelessness like speaking too loudly to your friends while others can overhear is not the same as thoughtlessly telling others outside your friend group about something sensitive. So while I'm putting this forth as a potential option, I don't think it's likely.

Ultimately, however, this is Lupin's perspective. He wasn't actually present at the time when James found out that Sirius had sent Snape to the Whomping Willow, and since Snape glimpsed him in full werewolf form, it seems like Lupin was also in no state to have any idea what a bunch of school boys were doing or discussing, let alone who said what when. Which means his perspective on events is almost certainly influenced by whatever he was told afterwards, either by the other Marauders or Dumbledore. Presumably the disciplinary actions Dumbledore took were done while Lupin was still transformed, given that there was some urgency to making sure Snape kept quiet, but it's likely that once the full moon had passed, Dumbledore would have called Lupin into his office to update him on the situation. It's also likely his friends would have talked about what happened and told him. In addition, since Sirius is in the Shrieking Shack when Lupin reveals the above info in PoA, and James is, well, dead, it's also possible that Lupin - ever the people pleaser - is defaulting to Sirius' version of events.

At the end of the day, we don't really know, and I think there's a reason for this. Snape's understanding of James' role is very different (emphasis mine):

‘And did the Headmaster tell you the circumstances in which your father saved my life?’ he whispered. ‘Or did he consider the details too unpleasant for precious Potter’s delicate ears?’ Harry bit his lip. He didn’t know what had happened and didn’t want to admit it - but Snape seemed to have guessed the truth. ‘I would hate you to run away with a false idea of your father, Potter,’ he said, a terrible grin twisting his face. ‘Have you been imagining some act of glorious heroism? Then let me correct you - your saintly father and his friends played a highly amusing joke on me that would have resulted in my death if your father hadn’t got cold feet at the last moment. There was nothing brave about what he did. He was saving his own skin as much as mine. Had their joke succeeded, he would have been expelled from Hogwarts.’

-Prisoner of Azkaban, Ch. 14

Snape's perspective is that James was in on the prank and helped plan it, but got cold feet at the last minute. This diverges from Lupin's retelling later on in the book, specifically in how it posits James' role in the prank. Snape, however, is also an unreliable narrator just like Lupin, because he's biased against James - and while he has good reason for it, and to have been distrustful of him, this nevertheless makes his own understanding of James' role in the event subjective. He also assumes Lupin was in on the prank as well, based on the phrasing "your saintly father and his friends" where friends is plural, not to mention this confirmation later in PoA in the Shrieking Shack:

‘So that’s why Snape doesn’t like you,’ said Harry slowly, ‘because he thought you were in on the joke?’ ‘That’s right,’ sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Lupin. Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Lupin.

- Prisoner of Azkaban, Ch. 18

It's implied by Lupin's recounting of events, however, that he wasn't part of planning the prank and wasn't even aware of it, so we could take that as a hint that Snape's perception is skewed.

It's worth noting, however, that Snape's perspective, unlike Lupin's, is based on a firsthand experience of events. He was the one who was manipulated to go to the Whomping Willow and go through the tunnel, and was therefore present for events Lupin can only retell through having heard about it from others. Even considering this, though, we never see Snape mention clearly who said what to him and when, and he could very well have just made an assumption that if Sirius sent him to the Shrieking Shack, James was naturally involved too even if he wasn't, whether he had any reason to think so aside from previous experience informing assumptions.

So again, like with Lupin, there's no clear answer.

I think these are the only clear mentions of the prank and who had what role in it (but if I missed something then @ me whoever finds more!). The only other time it's touched on by any characters who were around at the time is when we see Lily and Snape arguing in the Pensieve at the end of DH:

‘They don’t use Dark Magic, though.’ She dropped her voice. ‘And you’re being really ungrateful. I heard what happened the other night. You went sneaking down that tunnel by the Whomping Willow and James Potter saved you from whatever’s down there -’ Snape’s whole face contorted and he spluttered, ‘Saved? Saved? You think he was playing the hero? He was saving his neck and his friends’ too!

-Deathly Hallows, Ch. 33

This is even more vague when it comes to James' role and shows that each character has a subjective perspective on what he actually did.

There seems to be a deliberate choice on the author's part to make James' role in the prank unclear. It's the only detail that's inconsistent in various characters' retelling of it. In fact, you could read the conversation between Snape and Lily as having been written with the express purpose of using the prank as an excuse to show these two characters discussing James and their differing feelings on him. James is never present to confirm or deny anyone's idea of him or his role, and I think that's a considered choice in the writing.

The text is saying that the point isn't whether or not James was actually in on the prank. There's no clear answer given as to James' role, which makes me think his role isn't as relevant as the results of the one action everyone agrees he did take: going after Snape to get him out before he was hurt or killed. The point is that each character's view on his role illustrates their relationship to him, so that's where the onus is, not on the truth of what James' actions were before he stepped in to save Snape. This is part of a larger theme Rowling explores throughout the books: it is what we do that matters in the grand scheme of things. As Dumbledore says in Chamber of Secrets, "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." The text focuses more on the action James takes once the prank is in motion, not on his role leading up to it, and it gives no definitive answer to the latter - I think deliberately.

And whatever conclusion is drawn from that must, I think, include the clear timeline the overall text lays out, in which James assaults Snape after O.W.L.'s even though he's already saved him from the tunnel under the Whomping Willow. We know this because we see that argument between Snape and Lily where the prank is alluded to, which means the two of them still had a flailing friendship, whereas after O.W.L.'s Lily ends the friendship entirely. So there's a comment on James' character being given there, in that despite his willingness to save Snape, he's not become remorseful or friendlier towards him at all, at least not outwardly. So if we're drawing the conclusion that the text is pursuing the theme of choices in its vagueness around James' role in the prank, we also have to look at James' later actions, which show that despite his willingness to save a life, he can nevertheless be cruel and take pleasure in causing others to suffer as long as he can justify it to himself.

Thank you for tagging me, this was an interesting question and I had fun exploring it. My unsolicited advice on all this is: these are characters in a book. If you and/or the snater you're arguing with are using canon to justify opinions you've already formed, I'm not sure what the point is of arguing at all. You're just digging your heels in and trying to find justification for doing so in the text, at which point you're better off prioritizing your mental well being and not arguing with someone who's not interested in listening. Literature is subjective and there's more to be gained from trying to understand what a text is saying objectively, and more importantly to ask why it might be saying it, than to try and glean your own subjective perspective from a text that may or may not share it.

Also I highly recommend getting pdf of ebook versions of the books, or using potter-search.com when trying to find answers in canon. If you need quotes, this is where you can find them easily by using the search features. Relying on your own memory, ie. "as I recall" without confirming if your memory is correct is how canon gets twisted and skewed in fandoms, and if you're arguing with someone who's quoting from the book directly, then either be prepared to do the same or bow out gracefully, in my opinion.

Again, I appreciate you tagging me in this post OP, it was a fun rabbit hole to go down! And I really appreciate your kind words about my meta posts. But it does also feel like you were asking us to do your homework for you, and I've had asks like that in the past and tbh they make me uncomfortable. I enjoy literary analysis and writing meta, but it takes time and effort and I wouldn't ask someone else to do so for my sake just because I didn't feel like doing it myself or didn't have the skills. (And I can understand a sense of urgency when you're in a heated debate, but please also consider why debating fictional characters is causing such a sense of urgency if it is, and whether that's good for your mental health.) Knowing how to think critically and support your opinions with sources (not to mention being open to changing your opinion if the sources disagree with them or just simply go in an unexpected third direction like they did here) are incredibly important skills and I hope you'll use your interest in fandom discourse to develop them. (Also if there's a language barrier I apologize, but that's also something to consider when getting into a debate with someone who doesn't have that - and while that may feel unfair, and justifiably, not to mention relatably as English isn't my first language - it's worth considering whether the issue you're arguing about is worth the energy and angst you're putting into it.)

Also Wizarding World is not a reliable source. You absolutely have to pay attention to the specific language used in every article, because a lot of it is meta and not canon, usually indicated by non-committal language ie. "possibly" "may have" "could have" etc. If it wasn't written by Rowling it can't be relied on as canon. "Last minute change of heart" can have multiple implications and it's always better to go to the source text than to analysis first.

Also my last bit of unsolicited advice: when someone sends you a quote from a text, ask them where it can be found. Book and chapter (page numbers get iffy with digital media because they can change, and with HP there are so many versions that even hard copies make page numbers unreliable). Quotes can be selective, and it's good practice to look them up yourself and see if there's any additional language preceeding or following the quoted text that affects context. Also twitter is a TERRIBLE medium for the conversation you're having with this person.

Hep

I need arguments, quotes, or something that confirms that James knew about the prank

I'm arguing with a snater convinced that James didn't know about the prank, He says James finds out about the prank at the last minute and goes quickly to save Snape.

If you answered yes, pls tell me why.

I'm convinced that he did know, James and Sirius were inseparable. It is impossible that he did not tell him. James probably thought it funny at the time, but as night drew nearer he saw the seriousness of what was gonna happen and the consequences and went to save Snape at the last moment.

I even sent him this quote

"If it hadn’t had been for James’s last-minute change of heart, he could have been responsible for Snape’s death " Written by The Wizarding World Team

And his answer was....

As I recall, there is no mention of a change of heart in the book. I don't know if he doesn't know how to read or what, but in the quote I sent him it's implied that James did know.

But he's very convinced that James is innocent and didn't know anything.....

He sent me a quote from the book, which also does not specify that he did not know. It doesn't say when James HEARD or from who he hear about the prank. "went after" it doesn't say that he went Immediately after knowing it.

Like ok he heart it and went but, it does not specify when he found out or if he went immediately after he found out about the prank to save snape

Tbh I'm very confused

Any comments will be appreciated 🥺🩷🩷

[noandnooneelse]

So about that thing where Jeeves will just not bring up that he's related to someone way past the point where it'd be normal. because we go the entirety of The Mating Season without Jeeves bringing up that since Silversmith is his uncle and Queenie is his daughter, she has to be his cousin.

‘Yes, sir, in the servants’ hall. He was helping Queenie, the parlourmaid, with her crossword puzzle.

On one hand, why on earth wouldn't he mention here that that's his cousin? On the other, if Jeeves had mentioned it Bertie couldn't be surprised about it when Silversmith talks about how his daughter has gotten engaged to Catsmeat - and if Bertie had known, he might have told Catsmeat to stay away from her, so he wouldn't have ended up engaged to her, which might have made for less entanglement, and entanglement is what the entirety of The Mating Season is about. But realistically, would he even have told Catsmeat? Bertie-knows-Silversmith-is-Queenie's-father-and-doesn't-tell-Catsmeat isn't really any more contrived than Jeeves-doesn't-mention-that-he's related-to-her, though of course, it's a very Jeeves thing to do. (so is the reason why Jeeves never talks about family in detail because of all the times he has tried to tell someone and also Bertie something about some of his aunts and gotten the answer that actually no, We Do Not Care About Your Family and he's taking it to heart?)

(and it isn't that Jeeves never talks about his affiliances with other servants - way past the point where he regularly brings up his friendships with other servants, in Tie that Binds, Seppings talks about how Jeevs is "comforting the parlourmaid" after she got struck by a potato.)

Same with Egbert - he doesn't mention the cousin until he absolutely has to. And also Mabel, who he only tells Bertie is his niece when he genuinely can't avoid it. To the point where the fact that in order to have a niece he has to have a sibling - side note, it has to be Mabel's mother who is his sister instead of her father being his brother, right? Since, when reminded of the address of his hotel, Biffy recognizes it, but Bertie mentions that he'd left the address with Jeeves - and if Biffy, who can be reminded of and then recognize things he's forgotten, is thinking about how he's forgotten Mabel's last name, wouldn't he have noticed that oh actually, her last name was Jeeves? Which opens up the option of her being dead, this being the reason why Jeeves never mentions his sister, despite the fact that the common ground between a milk-walk in Clapham or a boot-shop in Crinklewood is that it's located in London, so Jeeves should have family he never mentions basically next door. But seeing as how he never mentions family either, she could be perfectly alive and well and Bertie wouldn't know.

The same being true for Charlie Silversmith's wife - he has a daughter, so chances that he has a wife are quite good, actually. She might be dead, but then, she doesn't have to be. Given that Uncle Charlie is in service as well, it could be that Jeeves just doesn't know her as well, since Uncle Charlie married her at some point after becoming a butler, and that that happened at some point after all of Jeeves' childhood visits, but extrapolating from Jeeves' reticence to talk about his family, she might be attending the village concert and spending her time catching up with Jeeves.

Which would work out to the three aunts Jeeves claims to have in Tie that Binds - Aunt Emily who is interested in psychical research, Aunt P.B. Pigott with the cat, and the third aunt who is married to Uncle Charlie. (out of all the mentions of aunts Jeeves has, that'd mean that there is at least one that is clearly assignable to a specific aunt - Jeeves has "an aunt [...] who resides in the south-east portion of London. Their temperaments are much alike. My aunt has the same taste for the pleasures of the great city. It is a passion with her to ride in hansom cabs", which would then have to be Aunt Emily with the psychical research, since Aunt P.B. Pigott lives in Maiden Eggesford and Aunt Silversmith would likely live in Deverill Hall in Hampshire)

[here-there-were-dragons]

i have to wonder what super hardcore militant vegans think should be done about obligate carnivore animals, because in all my painfully-rapidly-approaching-30-years i've literally never actually seen anyone give a clear consistent much less halfway feasible answer on that

[thethingything]

I need to call our dentist today because we're back to pretty much unmanageable levels of pain, but also our gums are swollen and that side of our face is hot to the touch and our mouth keeps tasting really bad so clearly there's something very wrong

[stateofgracetaylorsversion]

i’m absolutely not complaining about ttpd as an album, i love it even more than i thought i would, but i do kind of wish she would’ve waited to release it until after the eras tour was over so it could’ve gotten its own tour :/ like the visuals and the stage design and the outfits are just sooo good and not only is it being cut down into only seven songs so it can fit into an already massive setlist, but everyone who went to the shows in the us, mexico, south america, asia, and australia — aka a huge portion of the tour dates — didn’t get to see any of it live. like it’s so impressive that taylor was able to add the ttpd section into the existing setlist but i can't help but feel disappointed bc this means we likely won't get a ttpd tour, which is something i would kill to see </3

[silver-horse]

so the body customisation in BG3 is basically just a choice between 2 bodies. the default one and an even more muscular/buff body. they only added a muscular body, they didn’t add a skinny one, right? 

[burningcomputerpersona]

i hate questions where they have two different options on each end of a scale and ask you to pick anywhere in between. like those are not complete opposites and my answer can't be boiled down to a certain point on the scale. either ask me two seperate questions with a yes/no scale each or just don't ask me at all

[melonpond]

I think it should be absolutely mandatory that people work at least a month in a blue collar job and take time to learn about their coworkers before making a statement about blue collar work. I simply think it would fix so many things.

[dreamstar-moonlight]

👆👆👆

The himbo, malewife, goofball -fication of percy jackson is such a crime by both the fans and riordan. It has made Mr not like percabeth as a couple because in all posts and in later books annabeth is such a girlboss, while Percy's dumb and can't fight his way out of a paperbag without her. All the posts are about how annabeth will be an architect and percy would love to be a trophy husband.

Even the humor in the books went from Percy's sharp wit and snark to 'my pancakes can't drown because I'm a son of poseidon.'

And now this recommendation letter bullshit.

Honestly now I'd wish percy just separated from annabeth (but they remain best friends.) He stays home with his family, becomes a camp counselor, helps young demigods, holds God's accountable and eventually becomes a social activist. (I also dislike him doing something marine biology related. It's clear he hates academics but he always wants to help people. Him helping demigods and mortals is such a wholesome profession for him.)

I fully agree with the first half of this, though I slightly disagree with part of the latter.

The later-series and fanon mischaracterization of Percy is at least a solid 50% ableism minimum, full stop. He's being warped into a very stereotyped ADHD character and the exact reason why he's being characterized as "dumb" is because of ableism. Percy is a very intelligent character! That's exactly why he's so in sync with Annabeth and they're such a strong duo! It's just generally Annabeth is more book/academically smart.

I disagree with where you say he hates academics - because that's one of the common misconceptions about his character. Percy doesn't hate learning or academic subjects! He's not even bad at them! We know explicitly that when he is in an accommodating environment he is interested in learning and gets significantly better grades! Percy only dislikes school because it is generally an environment that systematically he struggles with. It's literally just he has a learning disability (two, actually)! That's it! When his learning disability is accommodated for he does well! It's almost like that's what accommodations are all about! We know this from the first series! It's discussed pretty in-depth! Percy isn't a dumb character and he doesn't hate learning, he's just been let down by school systems so much that he's inherently distrustful of them. If they actually accommodate him though then he does just fine!

And that's exactly what CHB was all about and why New Rome University was supposed to be such a big thing for him! CHB is a learning environment geared for demigods. NRU is a demigod college. Both inherently imply an environment meant to cater to and accommodate students with ADHD and dyslexia! They are both systematically structured to be able to accommodate him! Heck, CHB and CJ even both address in the wider themes of the series a metaphor about how ADHD and dyslexia are commonly seen as childhood disabilities, and how it can be more difficult to find accommodations into adulthood because of that attitude but those disabilities don't just go away - that's why CHB is a summer camp but they talk about how demigods outside of CHB don't often fare well. The metaphor there is those who are not getting help or accommodations are struggling. Because that's how that works! This is a fully intentional metaphor from the first series! CHB is never framed as being perfect for demigods, because one of the entire central conflicts of the series is Percy and Luke going back and forth about this flawed system meant to help and support them but still letting people fall through the cracks. The "claim your kids by 13" thing is a metaphor about how acknowledging a child's disabilities (and possibly getting a diagnosis) earlier/as early as possible means they will have more time to learn and build up resources and support for themselves to be able to use later in life. One of CHB's major flaws is that it can accommodate demigods to a certain point, but it can only do so much before those demigods have to leave (the metaphor being accommodating school systems when those disabled students do not have any other forms of accommodations in their lives.)

And that's why Camp Jupiter was framed as being so revolutionary for Percy because it had an environment acknowledging that this is not just a childhood disability, adults with ADHD/dyslexia exist too and still need and deserve accommodations, AND is a place where those accommodations are available. That's why Camp Jupiter and NRU are treated as such special and important things to Percy, because it's essentially Percy being shown this type of thing can and does exist and it is available to him. It is an option he never thought was possible. Percy never thought he'd be able to go to college because he would not be able to go through school without accommodations, but NRU proves otherwise.

The part that's absolutely stupid is Rick then proceeded to retcon NRU so that apparently it's not a full college and Percy still has to take classes at normal mortal college which DEFEATS THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF NRU EXISTING. Rick has fully retconned that demigods struggle past the ages of 16-18 when they're on their own (see above elaborated metaphors) and in doing so we have fully killed all symbolism in literally all of that. It's so stupid. And by having the plot of the CoTG trilogy entirely be that Percy is not actually allowed access to NRU in the first place because he is a son of Poseidon and has to do extra to even be accepted is stupid!

All that to say, I agree the marine biology feels like a huge cop-out and a disservice to his character by reducing him to just a son of Poseidon. The literal only reason why it's the default option people take for him is because oh, fish thing, fish guy. But I feel like everyone ignores the really obvious answer for what Percy would want to do which is - writing. Both his parents are writers/authors and he clearly admires that about them. Percy likes telling stories! He canonically is already a published author in-universe! That's what the books ARE in-universe! The first series fully exists in their universe and Percy is the author! This is explicit canonical information! Percy canonically has help physically writing it down (accommodations) but he is still the credited author! Percy is a writer! Already! Canonically! Why are we making him a marine biologist he already has a profession that ties into his character significantly more. Like you said, Percy likes helping people. That's what the books in-universe are supposed to be for! It's point blank at the beginning of the series! Book one! The thing everybody quotes all the time! The books exist because it is Percy trying to give advice to other demigods who don't know what's going on yet! It's Percy's writing down his experiences to help new demigods understand and contextualize their experiences so they can understand themselves better and figure out what's going on - WHICH IN ITSELF IS ALSO A METAPHOR ABOUT ADHD/DYSLEXIA! Because the core of the series has and always will be built around ADHD/dyslexia! Percy as a protagonist EXPLICITLY was created so that ADHD/dyslexic kids could see themselves as a hero!

Sorry that all was a very tangential rant but my point being: Absolutely. Percy in newer stuff in the franchise and in fanon is horrifically mischaracterized in ways that are functionally either fully ableist (shoutout TSATS for just outright claiming Percy is intentionally lazy and skips school out of disinterest, which is like the number one ableist attitude towards kids with learning disabilities) or a complete erasure of Percy's disabilities. Also I think he should be a writing major not a marine biologist.

[myheartxmyman]