#and they lived long so they must know a lot and therefore are who people goes to for good advise

[thelien-art]

Smiling Gimli cuz we all need that sometimes

[arielleslipgloss]

It Girl Habits!!

(none of these photos are mine)

“You cannot live your life to please others. The choice must be yours.” - Anne Hathaway

Stay busy!! Do you see those it girls like Serena Van Der Woodsen scrolling on their phone all day? No, you rarely do. It girls are always busy doing something. So, therefore do some self care, study, workout, read, journal, go shopping, go on solo dates, hang out with friends, paint, have a dance party, etc. Do fun activities and take care of yourself. Another example of a busy it girl is, Elle Woods. Elle Woods wasn’t becoming one with the couch everyday. She had goals to achieve. She had people that doubted her to prove wrong. So get up! Start planning out your day or week. Start making goals!!

Have goals! You wanna know why you’re bored all the time? Well, it’s because you have no goals. You practically don’t have a life because all you do is sleep, eat, scroll, and repeat. You’re wasting time doing nothing. You could’ve had a clean room by now. Maybe you could have finished that book. Whatever it is, you could have had it. You could’ve been 1% better than yesterday. You don’t though because you have no goals. That time you’re wasting, can be used toward your goals. It can be used toward your dream life. Maybe, you do have goals? Yet you don’t even take action. What are you waiting for? For someone to do the work for you? No, get up and start taking action.

Be mindful of what you consume online!! Just like how who you surround yourself with affects you. What you consume online affects how and who you are. For example, listening to sad music makes you feel sad. Music is meant to tell a story that you feel deeply. You may not even relate to the song, but you feel as if you do. So, you become sad and continue to listen to sad music. When listening to uplifting music you gain confidence. You still feel like you relate to the song. Just with a more positive effect. As for what you watch and read. Don’t read/watch stuff that will put you down. Watch/read content that will help you.

Complimenting yourself every time you pass the mirror!! Some may say it’s cringy, but DO IT. Would you rather be cringy or be the best version of yourself? Exactly, so either say it out loud or in your head. Say it even if you might not believe it. Say it because you deserve it! Try to be creative with your compliments. Not all compliments have to be about your looks. It could be your personality, your thoughtfulness, how creative you are, etc. Also loosen up, be your own hype girl. When you see the mirror you could say, “Omg I look like the main character.” “Oh wait, I am!” Lastly, don’t forget to have fun with hyping yourself up.

Mediating or journaling when stressed!! When stressed we start to feel a lot of tension. So, that’s why meditating is so important to do when stressed. All you have to do is sit down and focus on breathing. Plus, It calms down your nerves, relaxes the mind, body, and soul. Not just that, but plenty of other benefits. Which includes, helps focus, betters mood, helps you sleep, slows down aging, etc. As for journaling, it’s practically free therapy! That is, at least in my eyes. All you need is a notebook, a pen or pencil, and yourself. Journal what’s making you stressed or anxious. Let all your emotions out, write freely. Your words don’t have to make sense. Nor do you need to have perfect writing. In fact, when you journal it may be all over the place. However or whatever you write, just let it out.

Expressing your gratitude!! Life is so beautiful and has so much meaning. So, either write down what you’re grateful for or thank God. You are so blessed to be here today. That is only just one thing to be grateful for. There are so many things to be grateful for, air, family, friends, your mind, being born as you, water, books, food, shoes, clothes, and so much more!! Express your gratitude everyday. It could be the most random thing like, a poster. As long as you’re truly grateful, then express it.

7. Having a low screen time!! Cliché, I know but it’s true. Your devices are consuming you. Think about what you use your device(s) for. Good examples are, for work, for motivation, tips, workout videos, inspiration, knowledge, and maybe even faith reasons. Now here are bad examples, procrastinating, sinning, hating on others, scrolling, because you’re bored, to watching videos of people that make you insecure, and lastly to cope with something. Which to clarify, trying to cope by using your phone, I understand somewhat. On the other hand, it could make what you’re coping with worse. I say that because there are so many studies on why our phone is bad for us. Seriously, so many and we are completely unaware of the damage it does. So for that reason, try to use your phone only for the good. I know you’re probably going to make an excuse. Which we all do and that’s ok, but please try.

8. Encouraging yourself to do better!! You should always be working hard to be 1% better everyday. So on the days you don’t feel like doing anything, encourage yourself. Show up for yourself, you will be so happy after. Lastly, trust yourself to get whatever done!!

9. Having a healthy sleep schedule!! For me, I try to aim for 8-11 hours of sleep. For others, it may be 7-10 hours of sleep. Whatever makes you feel the most well-rested should work. Just try to be consistent and mindful of the time. I also recommend to be off your phone for at least 30-60 minutes before going to bed. It will improve how you sleep a lot. That also being said, try not to be on your phone when you wake up either. It’ll help improve your health by a lot. Especially, the health of your brain and eyes. As I had mentioned, try to be consistent. Set a certain time to go to bed and turn off your phone. Then, get your lovely beauty sleep gorgeous!!

10. CLEANING!! The last habit is, cleaning. Now, I don’t just meaning cleaning your room or house. I mean even your body and mind. For starters, a clean room equals a clean mind. Therefore, stop procrastinating and start cleaning. Turn on some fun music and maybe even romanticize cleaning. Just make it fun and DEEP clean. I know someone reading this has been procrastinating on cleaning. You know who you are, so clean everything. Then, for cleaning the mind a little extra meditate. I feel like I already went over a bit about meditation. So lastly, for the body, take your showers consistently. Also, please wear deodorant. I see way too many people nowadays not wearing deodorant. Seriously, wear your deodorant.

“Always walk around like you have on an invisible tiara on.” - Paris Hilton

Remember, always apply lip gloss and stay pretty! Love you, dolls 💋

Info I used: https://reallifecounseling.us/blog/benefits-of-meditation

My Pinterest: @arielleslipgloss

[toffeebrews]

Killer is literally a cat! REAL!

purely stereotypes here of course

- Obvious one first, cats tend to be written off as villians inherently. They're more complicated than that but because how they behave and what is said about them people are scared of them. Although, it can be matter of approach... (this sounds like im excusing killer I'M NOT TRUST!! I promiseeeee I know he's done bad things i promise don't jump me.)

- The other obvious one, he owns cats therefore is a cat person. Therefore therefore, he must be cat- coded.

- He has the whole "don't love me too close, I'll hurt you" sorta thing going on.

- Explicit boundaries, when pushed, he'll bite and claw and scratch his way outta there. I guess in his case stab or punch, etc a lot! excessively! seriously my guy! calm down!

- He cause trouble but on purpose! He seems like the type of guy to stare directly at you and knock something off the counter just to spite you or to get a reaction.

- There is a stereotype that cats can switch from being affectionate to biting you. I think this can fit into Killer's unpredictable behavior.

- Cats play with their food :) They enjoy the thrill of the chase, it's a game. Until they get bored and play with something else. Apparently cats also do this to tire out the prey, so do with that info that you will.

- Cats tend to hide when they're sick as a survival instinct.

- Cats tend to show affection in ways that's not understood by others.

- HC'ed with attachment issues, cause like, yeah. Cats with separation anxiety will become destructive if left alone to long.

- Love bites.... that is it.

- They're loyal to their master of sorts but not necessarily out of trust but instead of a resources given.

- In media, cats tend to be snarky, manipulative and observant. Now who does that sound like...

- Cats are typically seen as tricksters, Killer is bit a trickster himself? no?

- Sorta a stretch, but the phrase "cats have nine lives" reminds me of him. This ties into his whole reload thing except he has way more than nine!

My favorite thing is when people add on so please feel welcome to!!!!

[caligvlasaqvarivm]

Love is Stored in the Cat: A Nepeta Leijon Character Study

I guess these are a series now! I also have a request for Feferi in my inbox that I'll get around to eventually.

SO! Dear, sweet Nepeta.

Nepeta is the troll that is most against the existence of the hemocaste.

I believe the Ultimate Self speech was originally going to be from her, not Davepetasprite^2.

She's bad at shipping.

These all make her extremely impurrtant!!!

So furst of all, I'm going to start with the same disclaimer as my Eridan essay (go read that first!!! It sets up a lot of ideas that I'm expanding on here), which is that the things Hussie says are going to be lowered in value, because he likes to play coy about plot stuff. I'm also not counting anything but the actual text as canon, and even with in that text, I'm counting everything after GAME OVER as soft canon - a suggestion of what would have been, often truncated for time, often a deliberate middle finger to the shitty fandom.

Okay, so with that squared away!

Nepeta Says Fuck The Hemocaste

I'm not going to bother doing a deep dive on Nepeta's characterization, because fur the most part, I think the fandom more or less gets her right - she wears her heart (h33h33) on her sl33ve, after all! She's a very sweet little catgirl who loves roleplay and shipping, who is also a vicious hunter of wild beasts and lives in a cave. She's very nice and friendly, but has a tough streak and a spine.

She also says fuck the hemocaste, why does that even exist:

CT: D --> Your fraternization with the base classes have 100sened your morals, can't you see this AC: :33 < no! i dont care, they are fun AC: :33 < and i dont know anything about classes or bases or blood color, it doesn't matter! AC: :33 < what does gr33n blood even mean! it doesnt mean anything to me and it shouldnt mean anything to anyone else!

This is a radical stance not outright shared by any of the other trolls. Aradia calls highbloods "hateful sn0bs" that she and Tavros shouldn't have "ever had anything t0 d0 with", the highbloods are, of course, all casteist to varying degrees, and even Karkat seems fairly accepting of the class divide, at one point taunting Vriska that her rejection from the blue team is "ANOTHER INFURIATING VICTORY FOR GUTTER BLOOD OVER ARISTOCRACY". Not to mention his long-held dream of becoming a threshecutioner.

Even Feferi, despite saying to Eridan that "W-E AR-E NOT B-ETT-ER T)(AN ANYBODY!!!!!", is actually perfectly comfortable with the caste system's existence, comparing having to stop using her royal typing quirk to "peasant-IFICATING" herself - and let's not forget that a Beforus under her rule had its caste system 100% intact.

This means that Nepeta is the ONLY troll who has said, in no uncertain terms, that the caste system should not exist. It's stupid, it's bad, and it doesn't meowtter!

AND SHE'S RIGHT.

But she's never able to fully express this opinion, which brings us to:

A COMPLICKATED RELATIONSHIP WITH EQUIUS

Now, before I say anything, I must insist that I do believe these two work as good moirails. That does not, however, stop them from being 13, and therefore, being poor to each other the way 13-year-olds sometimes are. I don't think they should break up; I think they should re-examine certain dynamics, and I think they need some space to breathe apart from each other.

Equius has a lot of problems, which I won't get into overmuch here, because... that's a whole essay on its own (are you people seeing a trend yet). But with regards to Nepeta specifically, he's extremely controlling and protective, to the point where she's a little scared of him before the game begins:

AC: :33 < well it does sound like it will be a lot of fun but i think i should get purrmission first GC: BL4R!!!!! GC: TH4TS SO STUP1D GC: H3S NOT TH3 BOSS OF YOU AC: :33 < i know! AC: :33 < but still im kind of scared of him and i think purrhaps its best to just run it by him first so there isnt a kerfuffle about it or anything

She's also afraid to tell him about her crush on Karkat, since she knows he doesn't like Karkat:

AC: :33 < well AC: :33 < i have never told anybody this not even my moirail AC: :33 < heh, actually hes the LAST guy i might tell, he so wouldnt appurrve X33 AC: :33 < but yes i have liked somebody for quite some time, but alas he doesnt know it

By the time they end their game, she's gotten over this fear, seeing as she spends many hours curled up with Equius in a pile of robotics parts, but it still must be noted that they have some issues in their relationship that were never resolved, primarily on Equius's end. What this means for Nepeta, however, is that in addition to setting her up as the most outright anti-classism troll, the comic sets her up to be socially isolated due to her moirail's paranoia about letting her associate with both lowbloods (seeing them as bad influences) OR other highbloods, seeing them as dangerous.

He's not entirely wrong - his refusal to allow her to participate in FLARP kept her from winding up entangled in the horrible chain of revenge, as Tavros alludes:

AT: iT'S PROBABLY FOR THE BEST, AT: tHAT YOU LISTEN TO HIM, AC: :33 < i dont know AC: :33 < you think so? AT: wELL, AT: iF YOU DIDN'T LISTEN TO HIM BEFORE, AT: yOU MIGHT HAVE PLAYED GAMES WITH US BEFORE, AT: aND SOMETHING BAD MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED TO YOU, AC: :33 < hmm purrhaps

But he's still wrong. And it's probably an uncontrolled manifestation of his Heir of Void abilities - he's both consciously and unconsciously hiding her from other people.

This isn't to say she doesn't stand up for herself! Many of her discussions with Equius are pseudo-arguments, and she does get her way often enough, managing to get him to roleplay with her, and managing to get him back in the roboti% pile to talk about his feelings about Aradia. She also talks to the humans explicitly against Equius's orders, although she's keeping it a sneakret from him:

NEPETA: :33 < but equius already furbid me from doing that :(( NEPETA: :33 < not that i am listening to him, but shhhhh! :33 KARKAT: WAIT, HE DID? KARKAT: OK, THEN AS YOUR LEADER I ORDER YOU TO RP WITH THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. BE AS OBNOXIOUS ABOUT IT AS YOU CAN. NEPETA: :33 < yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

But the fact that she has to tiptoe around him like this speaks to them having issues in their relationship that go unexamined and unresolved, especially since it's clear that Nepeta really would like to be friends with more people, were Equius not getting in her way. So, even though I do think they are good moirails for each other - they clearly genuinely, deeply care about one another. But they could use some relationship counselling.

In fact, Jasprosesprite^2 outright calls her lonely:

JASPROSESPRITE^2: Or the girl who likes ships! Cause they made her less lonely. ;3

So, she's anti-hemocaste and lonely, two character traits that were set up and never resolved. And beclaws this is Nepeta, in her honor, I'm going to talk about a third:

Her Unrequited Crush On Karcat

She has the BIGGEST flushed crush on Karkat. It's seen on her shipping wall twice, once with the word OTP on it.

And, despite never discussing it with her moirail, Nepeta mentions it once to Jaspersprite, and once to Jasprosesprite^2.

Now, I'm not really here to debate on the validity of KatNep - I think it's fine, even if I don't personally ship it, and don't personally think it would work out (there are lots of indications that they wouldn't work out, including Jasprosesprite^2 outright saying so). However, her crush on Karkat is both complicated and creates some interesting setups for her character. I am going to discuss it fairly critically either way, so KatNep shippers have been warned.

A lot of her feelings about Karkat - and about shipping in general - wind up being heavily interlinked with her status as a Hero of Heart, so I'm going to expand on it more there. But what I will note in this section is the fact that, despite Nepeta insisting twice that she doesn't think Karkat knows about her crush on her:

NEPETASPRITE: :33 < it was karkat NEPETASPRITE: :33 < but i never told him and im pretty sure he never found out how i felt!

He tooootally did:

KARKAT: OK, BUT TO BE FAIR, I'M PRETTY SURE SHE'S STILL OBSESSED WITH ME. KARKAT: IT'S A VERY UNFORTUNATE, VERY RED AND VERY UNREQUITED SITUATION I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TIPTOE AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, OK?

Interpret that how you will for shipping purposes, but I want to propose that this is a reflection of their statuses as Heart and Blood players. Heart, despite its players' obsessions with romance, is not the romance aspect, Blood is. Karkat displays this very same romantic acumen when he tells Dave that he's known Terezi and Gamzee were a thing for a long time, despite everyone else on the meteor trying to keep it a secret from him. Heart is, instead, about identity, feelings, motivations, souls, and self. In other words:

Nepeta Is Kind Of Bad At Shipping

Let's take a look at those shipping walls.

Let's break this down a little. Nepeta's ships are not entirely wrong, but even the successful ones are kind of wrong. Here's what I mean. We've already discussed how Equius and Nepeta's moirallegiance has some... issues in it. If we go down her list of ships that actually do happen, most of them have some issues in them!

Aradia expresses her regret for getting together with Equius in the Ministrife. Kanaya and Rose suffer some major relationship problems when Rose starts drinking, to the point Karkat feels a need to step in as an auspice. Karkat and Gamzee fail, as Karkat is not calmed by Gamzee, and Gamzee stops listening to Karkat. And while Sollux and Feferi seem to be fairly healthy, after they both wind up in the Furthest Ring, he's pretty much always next to Aradia - he and Feferi don't even get to exchange words with each other once they're in the Furthest Ring. Purrsonally, I think he and Feferi are meant to end up as moirails, but shhhh.

So what's happening here? Well, this goes back to her identity as a Heart player. Heart is concerned with feelings and motivations.

They simply want to understand the one thing we all are stuck with for our entire lives, i.e. our own minds. Forging an identity is extremely important to the Heart-bound, and every decision and action goes toward building a coherent narrative of their own story. That isn't to say Heart-bound don't care deeply for their friends and allies; they just have a tendency to assume that everyone is as concerned with identity as they are.

Nepeta's shipping has also been associated with her isolation and loneliness. When you put this together, it implies that Nepeta's shipping is about her desire to understand others, and much of her ships are based on one of the parties having feelings, regardless of compatibility, feasibility, or broader implications. After all, despite the fact that she has pretty terrible romantic acumen, she IS able to instinctively identify that Eridan's advances toward her were insincere:

NEPETASPRITE: :33 < well ok i guess eridan hit on me a few times NEPETASPRITE: :33 < but his advances always struck me as cr33py and insincere

And that Karkat secretly LOVES and RESPECTS his friends:

JASPROSESPRITE^2: On the contrary Nepeta. You deserve someone who will RESPECT and ADORE you. NEPETASPRITE: :33 < well... yes NEPETASPRITE: :33 < i always hoped to find someone like that some day NEPETASPRITE: :33 < i dunno maybe youre right but in spite of whatever problems he might have i always felt like i saw something in him that made me think he could be that purrson!

Or knowing that Equius loves to play games, and still feels sad about Aradia exploding:

AC: :33 < i s33 right through your stupid act, who are you trying to kid! AC: :33 < look how you go out of your way to use words that have x's in them so that you can use your silly purrcent signs AC: :33 < or use these absurd words that you can shoehorn a '100' into, even if its not strictly replacing 'loo'!!! AC: :33 < you are so transpurrent AC: :33 < i can tell you like to play games, d33p down you are a guy who likes to play games! AC: :33 < i can smell a guy who likes to play games from so fur away with this nose, you have no idea X33

NEPETA: :33 < she was so happy, just like she used to be, and she said she would s33 you soon! EQUIUS: D --> That's a nice thought, and thank you for sharing it EQUIUS: D --> But it was only a dream, and will surely have no consequence in reality NEPETA: :33 < equius? NEPETA: :33 < are those f33lings i an detecting with my wiggly whiskery nose? EQUIUS: D --> Maybe

Because feelings, and not relationships, are her actual domain.

And speaking of Heart powers...

Nepeta and the Ultimate Self

So from this point forward, I'm going to assume you're more or less agreeing with my take that at some point after Game Over, Hussie - for whatever reason - gave up on his original ending, and wound up truncating his ideas so he could finish the comic faster. I go more into detail about that here.

So, in this hypothetical original ending, I firmly believe that the speech about the Ultimate Self would have come from Nepeta. First, let's take a look at what the "Ultimate Self" entails, as it appears within the comic:

DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < everything that ever happens to every version of you is an important part of your ultimate self... like a superceding bodyless and timeless persona that crosses the boundaries of paradox space and unlike god tiers or bubble ghosts or whatever, it really IS immortal DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < but in your physical form there are all these partitions in your mind that prevent you from remembering any of that which makes your existence f33l totally linear DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < which is probably for the best! DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < in a regular body s33ing all that would be too overwhelming ... DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < and after it sinks in for a while you start coming to this understanding of a greater self DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < maybe i "got it" quicker though because of the two people i was and their aspects DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < understanding heart is all about the nuances of a distributed self DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < nepeta never got to make much headway with her aspect but shes finally gettin the chance DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < the time aspect is all about running into different versions of yourself so you kinda get confronted with it in a really literal way that can be disturbing DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < obviously davesprite stuggled with that too, but now its fine DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < hes fr33 from worrying about it all and what it means for his place in reality DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < because he can s33 now all his selves have relevance in painting the full picture of who he truly is DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < im not COMPLETELY sure because im not like some sort of ASPECT MASTER but DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < my avian slash feline intuition tells me that all roads will lead you here eventually DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < gaining the d33pest possible understanding of any aspect will bring you to the same final conclusion about your ultimate self

Now, I believe - and I hope you'll agree - that it's kind of lame, narratively, for Davesprite to have been set up with so much angst about not being the "real Dave," and for Nepeta to have all her issues with loneliness and shyness, and for these two specific iterations of each other to have never interacted, but suddenly getting double-prototyped fixes all of their problems, and they achieve Ultimate Selfhood despite being two total strangers to each other. So let's instead break down the more salient points about what Ultimate Selfhood entails, divorced from the fact that it's Davepetasprite^2 doing the narrating:

Every player in the game possesses an "Ultimate Self," an ultimate culmination of all their experiences and memories, specifically referred to as a "persona"

Normally, people are not aware of this, because it would be too overwhelming to deal with so many memories and iterations of each other.

Everyone will achieve Ultimate Selfhood eventually as the final culmination of their understanding of their aspect.

Heart is all about the nuances of a distributed self.

Let's talk about that last one some more, and by that I mean, let's see what Calliope has to say about it:

TT: I don't know why it had to be this way for me. Juggling these two waking selves at once. TT: I guess I'm used to it, but it still makes for a pretty intense existence. TT: Do you even know what the deal with that is? Like is there any precedent in your readings? UU: i don't know aboUt precedent, bUt it makes plenty of sense to me as the type of path one might expect for a hero of heart. UU: a path rUled by the heart aspect can be a joUrney of splintered self. UU: that is, the player's being may exhibit the same kind of fragmentation which certain classes coUld caUse in others. UU: i think this is what has triggered yoUr dUal-awareness between waking and dream selves, thoUgh it woUld not sUrprise me if the symptoms manifested in even more ways than this.

Now, Dirk has a clawmplicated relationship with his alternate selves, given that he's a Prince, but Nepeta wouldn't have the same struggles, or at least, not to the same degree. The problem is, hampered by Equius and her own shyness about discussing her thoughts and feelings with others:

NEPETASPRITE: :33 < i get so shy and worried what people might think of me if i say how i f33l NEPETASPRITE: :33 < im always so scared that they wont f33l the same way or just think im stupid or pathetic or something

She never actually gets to explore this part of herself.

But What If... She Did?

The way I imagine the original ending going is that each troll that gets saved by John's interference in the timeline then asks John to help them fix their own mistakes, thereby saving somebody else. Each successive trip through the meteor brings new character development, and also riddles the comic with progressively more password pages, which I think would be really funny. And throughout all this the Game Over team is searching for Vriska, Meenah, and the treasure, and resolving their arcs that way, so it's not like they would be replaced - they're the ones who get to kill LE. The process, in my mind, goes like this:

Terezi asks John to save Vriska, and prevent her from getting too spades with Gamzee, as these are her two greatest regrets.

Vriska obviously had great regrets about killing Tavros, both pre- and post-retcon, so she asks for his death to be prevented.

Tavros staying alive means that he and Gamzee wind up hashing out some stuff - Gamzee mentions that he feels "So aT ChIlL WiTh yOu" while talking to Tavros, and Tavros reciprocates the friendship and also - interestingly - acknowledges Gamzee's religion, calling it beautiful even if he doesn't necessarily believe in it. This is interesting because Karkat's inability to do so is explicitly one of the reasons their moirallegiance broke down. So having Tavros back, alive, means that he and Gamzee would likely end up in some sort of relationship, probably pale despite flushed leanings, and would bring Gamzee back into the fold.

Gamzee would then be like, yeah, wow, that time I killed Nepeta and Equius was pretty bad, huh? Especially since his decision to hang onto his friends' bodies and prototype them is often interpreted as him genuinely feeling bad about his dead friends (he tells Kurloz to shut up when Kurloz mentions all the dead friends, and his religion seems to be about a paradise he wants to share with his friends anyway). So he'd ask John to prevent him from killing them, resulting in the two of them getting to live.

Things get much more hypothetical from here, since so much of the character dynamics would have changed, but I think by this point, Equius might command ask John to let him say goodbye to Aradiabot before she explodes, which he expresses feeling very sad about. However, in doing so, John and Aradiabot end up in the same room, and when she realizes that he has the ability to change the timeline without repercussions, she'd seize him by the arm and demand that he take her back in time, to before she died. After all, she expresses regrets about her reckless actions, and how she always felt like it was all one big setup.

She would take Aradia's place in the Vriska revenge chain, being once more freed of her robot chassis, and from there, would trick Doc Scratch and the Handmaiden into thinking everything was still going according to their designs. Meanwhile, Alive!Aradia would be hanging out at Equius's place, borrowing his void powers to avoid notice, coordinating a new timeline that keeps the beats of the original (too much deviation causes unpredictability, and an paradox'd timeline offshoot without John's direct interference would still become doomed), but allows them greater freedom and the ability to overcome the machinations of Doc Scratch and associates.

This would also prevent Sollux from becoming so self-loathing, since it's no longer "his fault" that Aradia dies, although he winds up in that hole again after Feferi gets killed. Now that his Aradia is alive, he wouldn't feel like he might as well stay in the bubbles because his closest companions are there, so he'd make it to the end, and would ask John to prevent Feferi's death.

Eridan still dies; he's so disconnected and isolated from all his friends that his course of actions is largely unaffected even by everybody else's timeline tweaks. But before Feferi can suggest bringing him back, Karkat would butt in.

The Friendship Troll should be the one to demand that ALL of their friends be revived, especially if they had everyone except only one guy, and Karkat and Eridan are heavily implied to be moirails anyway. The course of Karkat's fixes are so comprehensive, and primarily romance-based, that the end result of this final loop is everybody not only being alive, but god-tiered, with appropriate character development.

Now, where Nepeta's Heart powers would play into all of this is that she would start to notice something going on. After all, Heart players are sensitive to their splintered selves, and (Nepeta) is probably much closer to Nepeta than regular doomed timeline offshoots. As the loops continue, and Nepeta has more and more time to talk to people, and meets her dead alternate selves, and even meets (Nepeta), she starts to awaken to her Ultimate Self - to come into possession of alternate memories.

And if the Ultimate Self is a very soul-y kind of concept, such that Heart players have a natural advantage in coming to understand it, then isn't it a natural fit that a Rogue of Heart - one who steals from Heart or steals Heart for others - would be naturally inclined to share the wisdom of her alternate selves, and even the very concept of the Ultimate Self, with her friends?

Because the Ultimate Self is actually, in my opinion, a pretty good narrative device. It turns the sadness of the dead and doomed timelines into something littersweet instead, and makes it so any weirdness regarding time travel and not really knowing your friends anymore will eventually be resolved, even if off-screen.

It's not really narratively satisfying when Davepetasprite^2 suddenly comes into being and reaches enlightenment, but imagine if instead it's a post-character development Nepeta comforting Davesprite on his relevance, or Jade on her loneliness, or John on not really knowing these new post-retcon versions of his friends? It would feel a lot better, since in this hypothetical, she would have reached that point after on-screen character development. Being able to share her true self with her friends on the meteor - by necessity, since what else are they going to be doing for three years - leads to her finally being able to fulfill her role as a Rogue of Heart.

Also, at some point during these repeated meteor trips, she dates Karkat (whether that's successful or not, I'll leave to reader interpretation - you already know where I stand), fulfilling Jaspersprite's musing that she might only be able to date Karkat after she dies.

So that's two out of thr33 of her outstanding plot hooks resolved... okay. So, I try not to make these essays into ship propaganda, but hear me out:

Hate Is Stored In The FefNep

Okay, so, remember that thing about how Feferi is actually a huge casteist hypocrite? Well, let's also note that the comic, post-Murderstuck, seems to put Nepeta and Feferi together a lot - they're a Commodore and Rear Admiral in the ghost pirate army, respectively, and they also wind up as Fefetasprite. So I think it's not entirely out of left field to say that these two were implied to have SOMETHING going on.

And that something... is a difference in political views.

I mean, let's be real, there's a reason Fefetasprite is the most explode-prone after Tavrisprite. Miss "The Hemocaste is Stupid and Shouldn't Matter" vs. Miss "I Love Being A Princess And Call Jade Hornless and Finless (Derogatory)"? Come on, tell me you don't see it.

Without getting too much into Feferi, this hypocrisy, and unwillingness to check her privilege (so glad I found an excuse to use that term unironically), are probably her greatest character flaws - ie, the things you would expect the story to address about her. Meanwhile, one of Nepeta's flaws, which she laments to Jasproseprite^2, is that she feels too shy to talk about her feelings to other people, leading to her having never expressed her views on the hemocaste to anyone but Equius.

I think that they initially think they'd be friends. Each one of them would go "oh man, this other girl is soooo cute, I wish I could talk to her more often!"

And then, once they do, they realize they fucking hate each other. Nepeta would go "X00 < you are such a hypocrite who f33ls like youre better than all of us!!!" and Feferi would go "You're suc)( an uneducated glubbing P-EASANT! 3X0" and then they'd claw each others' eyes out. It would be so funny, and if a homestuck ship isn't extremely fucking funny, then why are we even here.

But more importantly, this would further them along into resolving each others' arcs - Feferi would be forced to grapple with the greater implications of classism, and Nepeta - who is shown having a spine the most in defiance of somebody else - would grow more aggressive about being open about her feelings in defiance of Feferi. Even Equius would get roped into it in a positive way - you can just imagine him going "D --> Can I really believe my auricular sponge clots D --> Nepeta, you are finally taking interest in politi%" and be 100% on board with teaching her so Feferi won't be able to call her uneducated.

And then for flushed, I dunno! Karkat's an option, and Jade and Jake also both love the fuck out of furries, and Tavros seems nice. But yeah I'll die on the fefnep hate ship. Guys it would be so funny.

Thank you as always for reading! Let me know if there's a troll you want to hear me ramble about next.

[doubledaybooks]

Read an Excerpt of WHEN WOMEN WERE DRAGONS by Kelly Barnhill

I was four years old when I first met a dragon. I never told my mother. I didn’t think she’d understand.

(I was wrong, obviously. But I was wrong about a lot of things when it came to her. This is not particularly unusual. I think, perhaps, none of us ever know our mothers, not really. Or at least, not until it’s too late.)

The day I met a dragon, was, for me, a day of loss, set in a time of instability. My mother had been gone for over two months. My father, whose face had become as empty and expressionless as a hand in a glove, gave me no explanation. My auntie Marla, who had come to stay with us to take care of me while my mother was gone, was similarly blank. Neither spoke of my mother’s status or whereabouts. They did not tell me when she would be back. I was a child, and was therefore given no information, no frame of reference, and no means by which I might ask a question. They told me to be a good girl. They hoped I would forget.

There was, back then, a little old lady who lived across our alley. She had a garden and a beautiful shed and several chickens who lived in a small coop with a faux owl perched on top. Sometimes, when I wandered into her yard to say hello, she would give me a bundle of carrots. Sometimes she would hand me an egg. Or a cookie. Or a basket full of strawberries. I loved her. She was, for me, the one sensible thing in a too-­often senseless world. She spoke with a heavy accent—­Polish, I learned much later—­and called me her little żabko, as I was always jumping about like a frog, and then would put me to work picking ground-­cherries or early tomatoes or nasturtiums or sweet peas. And then, after a bit, she would take my hand and walk me home, admonishing my mother (before her disappearance) or my aunt (during those long months of mother-­missing). “You must keep your eyes on this one,” she’d scold, “or one day she’ll sprout wings and fly away.”

It was the very end of July when I met the dragon, on an oppressively hot and humid afternoon. One of those days when thunderstorms linger just at the edge of the sky, hulking in raggedy murmurs for hours, waiting to bring in their whirlwinds of opposites—­making the light dark, howling at silences, and wringing all the wetness out of the air like a great, soaked sponge. At this moment, though, the storm had not yet hit, and the whole world simply waited. The air was so damp and warm that it was nearly solid. My scalp sweated into my braids, and my smocked dress had become crinkled with my grubby handprints.

I remember the staccato barking of a neighborhood dog.

I remember the far-­off rumble of a revving engine. This was likely my aunt, fixing yet another neighbor’s car. My aunt was a mechanic, and people said she had magic hands. She could take any broken machine and make it live again.

I remember the strange, electric hum of cicadas calling to one another from tree to tree to tree.

I remember the floating motes of dust and pollen hanging in the air, glinting in the slant of light.

I remember a series of sounds from my neighbor’s backyard. A man’s roar. A woman’s scream. A panicked gasping. A scrabble and a thud. And then, a quiet, awestruck Oh!

READ MORE

Excerpted from When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill. Copyright © 2022 by Kelly Barnhill. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

[maxdibert]

Was Severus smarter or more powerful than Sirius or James? We know he fought back but did he ever manage to back up his courage or did he do it simply out of pride and hate? We know he was powerful, I mean Voldemort taught him how to fly, but if Sirius never went to Azkaban could these two rival each other? I would love for Snape to actually be slightly more stronger or smarter than these two but canon doesn’t really prove that.

I think people sometimes forget that Sirius and James came from pure-blood families. That means they came from a magical lineage of generations, and from the moment they were born, they were surrounded by magic. They were raised in the wizarding world; their parents and relatives used magic all the time, their cultural references were purely magical, their environments were magical, and everything they knew revolved around magic. This already gave them an advantage over any classmate who didn’t come from the same background. What many had to learn from scratch, they probably already knew because they had seen it at home (basic spells, basic potions, basic charms, and even magical history).

It’s like if, for example, I wanted to dedicate myself to horseback riding but had never been around horses, and when I signed up, I had a classmate who not only had talent for riding but also had grown up on a horse farm and had been around them since birth. Logically, that person would have an advantage over me.

I think James and Sirius were talented and powerful wizards, but I also believe that, academically, they had an advantage over those who didn’t come from a magical family and/or cultural background. They must have already known many things that others didn’t, which is why, as mentioned in the books, in some subjects they barely had to try to pass or get good grades. For example, I came from a very intellectual family and read advanced philosophy books for my age because my parents instilled that in me. As a result, I excelled in those kinds of subjects without having to study or pay much attention in class. Did I have talent for it? Yes, but I also had a solid foundation on the topic that others didn’t.

I believe Severus was a genius, and I think this because there is genius in creating your own spells and especially in being able to take a textbook and literally correct and improve it as a teenager. I also think that his talent was probably on par with James and Sirius, but he likely lacked the foundational tools and therefore had to work harder than they did because he grew up in a Muggle environment, in a house ruled by a Muggle father. As much as he knew more about magic than Lily, for example, I highly doubt he knew more than Sirius, which would be illogical considering their backgrounds.

Perhaps as teenagers, they were ahead of him due to that same advantage, in the same way that I believe they were more talented in practical matters while he was better at theoretical and intellectual things.

Clearly, the 33-year-old Severus is more powerful than the post-Azkaban Sirius because Sirius has a significant setback from being locked up for so long. If they had been on equal footing, would they have been equals? It’s hard to say, honestly. I also think it depends a lot on their strengths and what they excelled at. I don’t see Sirius or James being better than him in Occlumency, Legilimency, or Potions, even if they had lived normal lives, but I also don’t see Severus being better than them in Transfiguration, for example.

In that sense, I think it also depends on their talents and interests as wizards and in what fields they developed. I do think he would have been a rival and that, in a one-on-one fight, it would have been pretty difficult to knock him out. I also believe that Severus had to hold back a lot at Hogwarts, mainly to avoid being expelled, but in a free fight and on equal footing, with no risk of going to Azkaban, would he have left them half-dead? He probably would have surprised more than one person.

[cielob03]

"POSSIBLE TIMELINE OF HELLUVA BOSS - SEASON 1 AND 2."

⚠️ WARNING: LOTS OF TEXT. ⚠️ The following data was collected from the backgrounds, dialogues, or dates shown during the episodes. However, few episodes indicate the exact dates, so this timeline is an approximation of the month in which the events of each episode could occur. Also, some episodes may present inconsistencies in the timeline due to the order in which they were released, especially episode 4 of season 1. If you have more information or any corrections, feel free to let me know and I will update the content. ------ ✨ EXTRA INFO ✨ ------ 🔹 I didn't consider the Helluva Boss pilot since it was de-canonized. 🔹 25 years before the episode "Ozzie's," Blitz and Stolas met. 10 years later, the fire occurred where Fizz lost his limbs, and Blitz's mother died. 5 years after that, Fizz won Mammon's competition, becoming the face of his new brand, and 10 years later, Fizz quit. 🔹 Blitz created his team to work as assassins in Hell. After a while, he got the book and rented the office to start working by killing humans. 🔹 Loona had one month left before turning 18 when she was adopted by Blitz. During season 1, she is confirmed to be 22 years old by Vivzie. 🔹 Blitz adopted Loona before meeting Moxxie. Both worked as hitmen, and Millie sabotaged one of their jobs, probably killing the target. Due to her skills, Blitz hired her to join the team. 🔹 The M&M wedding must occur just before the move to the new place, as Millie still has long hair when she gets married, and when they arrive at the office, her hair is short. Also, in the Ozzie’s episode, they celebrate their 1st wedding anniversary. 🔹 As we know, each ring seems to contain different cities or towns. In the Pride Ring, we have seen two: "Pentagram City," where Hazbin Hotel takes place, and "IMP City," where the Helluva Boss office is located. Unlike the main city (Pentagram), where most sinners reside, IMP City does not seem to show the same destruction after the Extermination, EVEN though we know sinners also live there. Therefore, the angels should focus only on the main city because there are more people to kill, and they wouldn't need to "play hide and seek" with the few sinners living in IMP City, as we know they aren't allowed to kill those born in Hell. Why don't sinners hide in other cities during the Extermination if it doesn't seem like anything stops them? 🤔 NO IDEA. I don't think the creator thought of a reason. There's literally no reason to stay in Pentagram City on Extermination day if you can run to another place, but oh well.

HELLUVA BOSS - SEASON 1

EPISODE 1 - JANUARY. (Winter).

🔴 Mrs. Mayberry died on the morning of January 8. 🔴 The teacher came to request the assassination of Martha a few days after she died, after she managed to recover from the hospital and become a "local hero." 🔴 Mrs. Mayberry must have been one of the first sinner clients (if not the first) of the I.M.P. company. 🔴 Blitz mentions that electric eels were new, and we know he bought them along with the office rental, so not much time has passed since they started killing humans.

EPISODE 2 - NO SPECIFIC DATE. (Late January, February, or early March) (Winter).

🟢 No specific date or time references, however, the next episode takes place in March-April due to the spring season, so if we go by months, it likely happens in February. 🟢 This episode is set after the Hazbin Hotel pilot (we don't know how much later). 🟢 Just as Loo Loo Land is a "copy" of Lu Lu World (Lucifer Morningstar), Robo-Fizz in his song imitates Charlie Morningstar when she sings "Inside of Every Demon is a Rainbow" in the interview with Katie Killjoy. Following the line of imitating/stealing/replicating the royal family.

EPISODE 3 - MARCH or APRIL. (Spring).

🟣 "Spring break" in the U.S. usually lasts 1 week around March or April. 🟣 The succubi and incubi under Asmodeus' orders seem to be the only ones who can legally travel to the human realm, as long as they don't cause major accidents. For example, they seemed worried when Millie mentioned that they could accuse Verosika and her group of releasing a giant monster in the human realm. 🟣 After the crystal was given to Blitz in the Full Moon episode, it was under Asmodeus' supervision, but Hell doesn't seem to have a problem with them going to kill humans. So maybe, as long as they deal with isolated issues that don't reveal the demon world (like the giant fish), there is no problem with killing humans or causing other chaotic situations.

⚠️ EPISODE 5 - SEPTEMBER. (Autumn) (Reference to Hazbin Hotel).

🟠 The Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox, usually occurring at the end of September or, on rare occasions, in October. 🟠 Due to the order in which this episode was released, a chronological inconsistency is created based on the events in episode 4, so this episode should go BEFORE episode 4 to fix the timeline. 🟠 Moxxie discovers that Straker has: “A genuine Carmine crafted blessing tipped rifle.” And although the Spanish dub uses the word "fossil" as if it were old, that's not what is said in the original version, so I won't consider it. 🔸 The angelic weapons made by Carmilla Carmine were already being distributed before the angel's assassination; however, it was a recent event after the opening of Hazbin Hotel that they realized they could be used against angels and not just demons.

🔸 THEORY: The reason why they are possibly hard to obtain is that they must have been banned for the rest of Hell. Sinners are doing their thing, they can kill each other as much as they want, but if people born from Hell, who can go to other rings, get these types of weapons capable of killing royalty, it's dangerous. So, although they might be "more accessible" to sinners, for those born in Hell, they must be illegal or harder to acquire. Also, the implications of someone possessing this kind of weapon.

⚠️ EPISODE 4.- POSSIBLE CHRONOLOGICAL ERROR. November - December. (Autumn).

🟡 This episode features Christmas discounts, and Santa is receiving children's requests, so we should be set in November or December (before the 25th). HOWEVER, the next episode is set in September, which means this episode should take place in September or a few months earlier, something that doesn't make sense because of the Christmas decorations (maybe July or August? It's very strange). If we remove the decorations, the episode is in order, but because they are present, I can only see this as a continuity error or an episode that should have aired later. 🟡 Just like in Hell, Heaven seems to have cities and towns, showing us "Cherub Town" and a city in the distance (we don’t know if it’s the main one shown in Hazbin Hotel or another).

🟡 Fun fact/continuity error? With the Sinsmas episode, we know that the IMPs didn’t seem to know that humans celebrated a similar holiday to theirs (not the same purpose, but the decorations are the same/similar). However, in this episode, they dress in Christmas attire, something they completely forget or ignore in episode 12 of season 2, confusing our celebration of "Sinsmas," although Moxxie mentions it doesn’t seem to be the same.

EPISODE 6.- NO DATE. (Autumn-Winter).

🟢 Assuming that episode 4 should come after episode 5 due to the Christmas decorations, this episode should occur in November or early December. 🟢 The D.H.O.R.K.S. agents have the first sighting of a demon on camera, which is Blitz excitedly watching some horses in the human realm. THEORY: I’m sure that before even getting the office, the first thing Blitz did after getting the book was go to see them. xD

EPISODE 7.- DAYS CLOSE TO NEW YEAR...? (Winter) (Reference to Hazbin Hotel).

🔵 M&M should have gotten married at the end of December or the beginning of January. The reason is that Millie got married with long hair, and when Blitz rented the office and got the eels, she already had it short. Then, days later (after January 8th), the teacher ordered Martha’s assassination, where they lost the recently bought eels because of Moxxie. To fulfill this 1st anniversary, it must be set in the days close to New Year's. If it were set at a different time, then this episode, like episode 4, would be chronologically misplaced (including episode 8 and episode 1 of season 2). 🔵 In the Lust ring, we can see a poster of Angel Dust, as it doesn’t appear to be old or torn. At this point in Hazbin Hotel, he is probably still working and being a famous pornstar. (Meaning, he hasn’t been freed from Valentino). 🔵 Blitz has a newspaper where an image of an Exterminator Angel appears (it seems to be Lute, judging by the horns), which tells us a few things. THEORIES: 🔹 We’re at a point where exterminations are still happening (if episode 2 of HB happens after the Hazbin Hotel pilot, it could refer to the extermination brought forward by 6 months, although I doubt this, since if we place episode 2 in March, for 6 months this announcement would be in September, not December). 🔹 Despite Sir Pentious and the confirmation that sinners can be redeemed, exterminations are still happening. 🔹 Exterminations stopped, but Lute, who seeks revenge, did something that needed to be covered by the media. 🔵 At the end of the episode, on Blitz’s phone, we can see all the apps related to the seven deadly sins (including Lucifer), Sinstagram, and "Voxflix" (Vox).

EPISODE 8.- EARLY MORNING AFTER THE PREVIOUS EPISODE. (Winter).

🟠 It starts a little earlier than Blitz arriving home in the early morning. Loona doesn’t stay long before calling Blitz. 🟠 There is another reference to "Voxflix" (Vox) on the shirt of Blitz’s friend/acquaintance, so at this point, the TV-Head company still seems to be active. (I mention this because something bad might happen to it in season 2 of Hazbin Hotel).

HELLUVA BOSS - SEASON 2.

EPISODE 1.- FLASHBACK AND EARLY MORNING OF THE PREVIOUS EPISODE. (Winter).

🟣 The episode starts 25 years in the past with a flashback of when Blitz and Stolas first met. But it ends in the early morning of the previous episodes. (10 years later, the fire happens, 5 years later Fizz wins Mammon's competition, and 10 years later Fizz resigns). 🟣 Although it may be a traveling circus, it seems that the circus where Fizz and Blitz performed as clown children was located in the Ring of Pride, at least until Fizz's birthday when the fire occurred. Thanks to Fizz’s modifications, he surely managed to impress Mammon, bringing him to the Circle of Greed to create his brand. 🟣 The episode ends with an argument between Stella and Stolas, where there are speculations that, in addition to constant psychological abuse from his wife, he also received physical abuse.

EPISODE 2.- APRIL. (Spring).

🔵 The 20th is marked on the calendar, in a month with 30 days, which could indicate April, since in episode 5 we’re in July. (Although it could also be June, but since Octavia’s mother is moving recently, I lean more towards April). 🔵 A 2021 coin appears, indicating that the first season took place in 2020, and now we are in 2021, HOWEVER, in later episodes there is an error/inconsistency in the year. (Later, in episode 5, it’s actually implied that it’s 2020, meaning the previous season occurred in 2019, HOWEVER, later in Full Moon, the date is 2023, so this is an error/inconsistency from the creator/team).

EPISODE 3.- NO SPECIFIC DATE. (Possibly April-June) (Spring).

🟢 The wedding photo of M&M is shown, with Millie having long hair. 🟢 By the time Moxxie is captured, Blitz has already adopted Loona. 🟢 We also see that it’s possible to descend to the other rings by air, as Crimson sent a helicopter to bring I.M.P. from the Ring of Pride to the Ring of Greed.

EPISODE 4.- JULY. (Summer).

🔴 This episode should take place in the first days of July, since episodes 5 and 6 happen from July 13-22. 🔴 Stolas seems to have a reminder that in 3 days he has a meeting with Asmodeus, probably to talk about the crystal for Blitz, but he is delayed because of his kidnapping. 🔴 Blitz mentions that Hellhounds need to be vaccinated every year, but they have to wait 5 years due to the slow pace of the Ring of Sloth, which means that Blitz probably set up the appointment right after adopting Loona but could only take her now. xD 🔴 We know the 666 elevator exists to go down to the other rings or the hangars where Crimson’s helicopter landed, but for Striker to remain undetected, he travels through the desert of the Ring of Pride and uses a decommissioned well to get to the Ring of Wrath.

I wonder if, in the case a sinner discovers this place, they’ll be able to descend there, or will some force/magic/power stop them automatically? Or is it just guards in the elevator who prevent access, meaning they could use the decommissioned well to get through? 🤔

EPISODE 5.- JULY 13-17. (Summer).

🟠 M&M arrive at the camp on Monday the 13th to do the investigation and stay until Friday the 17th, when Millie gives a presentation to the camp and finally manages to kill the human they were supposed to. (The date is explicitly shown, Friday the 17th of July). 🟠 Unlike the 2021 coin shown in episode 2 (April), the year when July 17th fell on a Friday was actually in 2020. In 2021, July 17th fell on a Saturday, so the possible explanations are: 🔸 We have an error from the creators. 🔸 The year is 2020, not 2021, despite what was shown in episode 2. 🔸 The 2021 coins were distributed starting in April (or earlier) of 2020, placing the second season in 2020.

EPISODE 6.- JULY. (Summer.) (Reference to Hazbin Hotel).

🟢 The fire happened 15 years ago, 5 years later Mammon made Fizz the face of his new brand, and 10 years before the fire, Blitz and Stolas met. 🟢 The meeting with Asmodeus was delayed due to Stolas’s kidnapping and health, so this meeting took place in this episode. 🟢 Striker mentions that he kidnapped Stolas last week, so it must be Monday the 20th (23rd at most). 🟢 Asmodeus says he is NOT a fan of the “love potion” and that he doesn’t like such “artificial” things, as for him lust/courtship is an art of consent. He shows quite a bit of disgust when talking about that artificial potion. We know it’s Velvette and Val who created the “love potion", although we don’t know if other places make similar potions, the best-known one is the Vees'. We can also assume that, while Asmodeus might enjoy Angel's movies, he wouldn't be happy with a pimp like Valentino. 🟢 Crimson mentions that Asmodeus is the weakest of the capital sins, and while this is true in terms of ranks of the sins, he is certainly more powerful than the Hell royalty and much more than the IMP. However, not being someone with a "fighting" personality, but rather a "peaceful" type, this could have put him in a tough spot, considering they had Fizz as a hostage, whom they could easily kill. (It’s similar to Stolas, who is certainly strong, but a peaceful type unless the situation calls for action).

EPISODE 7 - AUGUST. (Summer).

🟢 Although there is no exact date, considering that the previous episode took place in July and the next one in September, we can assume that this episode occurs at the end of July or the beginning of September, so I placed it in August for simplicity. 🟢 It is mentioned that the "Robo-Fizz" are created for different tasks, from simple ones like standing in line to more serious ones like the sexual Robo-Fizz, and depending on what they are created for, they have a different color. In addition, they can likely be fully customized, like Kitty, Valentino’s robot. (I find it quite normal for each client to name their Robo-Fizz personally). 🟢 It is mentioned that Fizz has won the contest 10 times (10 years), after the fire, 5 years passed until Fizz won the first contest and became the face of Mammon's new brand.

EPISODE 8 - 29 SEPTEMBER. (FULL MOON) (Autumn).

🔴 The harvest moon this year is marked on the calendar as Friday, 29th of September, HOWEVER, unlike episode 2, which placed us in April 2021, and episode 5 in July 2020, here again we have an error in the year, because the 29th of September falling on a Friday is actually from 2023. 🔴 Unlike the previous year, I.M.P did not attend the harvest festival, however, Stolas should have attended since it's something he must do every year as one of his royal duties. 🔴 The 10th of September is marked as "Moxxie's day", so it is probably his birthday.

EPISODE 9 - 31 OCTOBER. (Autumn).

🟣 The episode begins the day after Full Moon, so it's the 30th of September. Blitz talks about how he and Stolas only had a bad night and that they need to "work" (have sex) because he wants to "feel like he’s earning" his way to Earth. (Although we know he just doesn't want to be away from Stolas). 🟣 Stolas received an invitation to Blitz’s exes’ party, but it is celebrated on the 31st of October, so the Apology Tour should have made a big time jump of 1 month. 🟣 During the party, Stolas mentions that the 31st of October is the day when hellish beings can be with mortals without fear of being discovered. 🟣 Stolas calls this day “All Hallows' Eve”; the celebration takes place on the night of the 31st of October, although the date is the 1st of November.

EPISODE 10 - LATE NOVEMBER, EARLY DECEMBER. (Autumn).

🔵 Millie mentions that Blitz has been in a bad mood for "more than a month", so he avoided working all through November, and we are probably in the last days of November or the beginning of December if he really was depressed for more than a month. 🔵 During the flashback, Millie mentions that "during that year she got to know the team", so it means that she and Moxxie didn't spend much time getting to know each other before getting married, considering that Blitz bought the office shortly after their wedding. Remembering that I.M.P started in January, to meet M&M's first anniversary, they must have married around New Year’s.

SHORTS - DECEMBER. (Late Autumn).

⚪️ There is no time reference, but they must occur in the first weeks of December, if they go after Blitz starts trying to improve. ⚪️ Apart from the elevator 666, the hangars, and the out-of-service well, it seems that buses can also travel between rings, since the one that Sallie May comes in has a "wrath" sign, which is where she comes from, arriving at Pride, where Millie currently lives. ⚪️ Due to Fizz's resignation from Mammon, the latter is getting rid of the Robo-Fizz. ⚪️ There is a billboard with Verosika announcing a musical tour through the Pride ring. (If any reference arises in season 2 of Hazbin Hotel, we may be able to better pinpoint the time period in which this is happening).

SHORTS - DECEMBER. (Late Autumn).

⚪️ There are no time references, but they must take place in the first weeks of December, if they come after Blitz starts trying to improve. ⚪️ Although it was initially thought that all sinners fall into Pentagram City, it doesn't seem to be entirely true, since Emberlynn Pinkle appeared only seconds after dying in front of the I.M.P office, so there is a possibility that sinners fall anywhere in the Pride ring, though most do fall in the main city. ⚪️ Theory: It seems someone created a series so that people would buy merchandise that are actually celestial amulets to protect them from the recent demonic attacks. Because otherwise, I don’t understand how that amulet saved her...

EPISODE 11 - DECEMBER. (Winter?).

🔴 There is no specific date, however, in the next episode, Stolas doesn’t seem to have been with Blitz for long, so this episode is likely set 1 week before the 24th (at most). 🔴 Demons don’t seem to have a problem with Blitz killing humans, but rather with the fact that he "stole" the book and tried to kill Stolas, however, Stolas didn’t clarify that everything was consensual and that it was Stella who tried to kill him. I don’t know why, but the song is beautiful, so I forgive it (? 🔴 Satan mentions that he was there even before Lucifer fell, but we know this is a lie, confirmed by Vivzie, and he was just boasting. However, just as that fact is a "lie," in hell, Satan IS THE LAW because Lucifer is uninterested; even all the sins sing about this fact. So, although Lucifer wears the crown, he is probably the most powerful in hell due to his nature as a seraph, Satan is "the true ruler" because he is the one who enforces the laws/politics. 🔴 There is a rubber duck that says "I’ll be back in 5 minutes," left years ago by Lucifer, probably after losing interest in the judgment/politics in hell.

EPISODE 12 - DECEMBER. (Winter).

🔵 It begins the day after the I.M.P trial. Stolas spends a few days adapting until they finally reach December 24th. (Honestly, it seems like only 2-3 days have passed since the trial). 🔵 Stella mentions that Stolas has tried to call Via "throughout the month," although it hasn’t actually been that long. 🔵 The I.M.P. are surprised that the human realm also seems to celebrate a Sinsmas, although Moxxie mentions that it seems more like something else. Even with the similar decorations, the tree, and the gifts, the I.M.P. don’t seem to remember that they’ve seen this before and dressed in Christmas outfits in episode 4 of the first season, or maybe the writers just forgot. 🔵 Stolas mentions that he is not familiar with the holiday. The Ars Goetia (the royalty) probably does not celebrate it, since it is a holiday to act like the sin you were born with or any general sin, meaning it’s a celebration of the capital sins created for the races derived from them, but the Ars Goetia are something different. That’s why we see Loona and her people eating a lot, since they come from gluttony. Or Moxxie and Millie, who were born in wrath, showing a "more aggressive" behavior, though not truly harming each other. (Moxxie was born in wrath, but was raised in greed from a young age, and is now living in pride).

[starlight-bread-blog]

My Interpetation of The Southern Raiders: Part 1 – A\ang

Warning: The views expressed in this analysis will be very critical of Aang. If you aren't critical of him in this episode, you aren't going to enjoy this post. This is your chance to leave. I probably won't have a debate for personal reasons.

——————

The Southern Raiders is probably one of the most discussed episodes in the fandom. Everyone knows Zuko Alone is great, but the discussion surrounding this episode is a war zone. In this essay I will try to answer every question posed in the discourse. This is part 1 out of three. In this part, I will discuss A\ang. I believe that understanding both Zuko and Aang's decisions in this episode will give us great insight into Katara's. Because the this episode is hers.

——————

1. Is Aang's philosophy of forgiveness valid?

(1) "Revenge is like a two-headed rat viper. While you watch your enemy go down, you're being poisoned yourself".

(2) "You do have a choice: forgiveness". // "It's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive". // "Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing".

This philosophy is indeed morally sound. Revenge comes from rage, a negative emotion that causes harm in the long run. Forgiveness is letting go of that rage, which is healing. I cannot write a full thesis, this essay is not about that. But on paper, I do agree with A\ang. He's right to say that letting go of rage is a better alternative than getting consumed by it. (However, his philosophy might not help some).

——————

2. Was A\ang being insensitive when talking to Katara?

First I must reiterate, a lot of people frame the conflict of the episode as one regarding the ethics of murder. In my interpretation, it is not. During this episode Katara was in a deeply emotional place. Her rage stemmed from intense grief and those around her should treat her as a mourner - with great sensitivity.

Now, was Aang being this sensitive with Katara? Well, in my opinion, very much so.

Imagine a scenario where A\ang just happens to meet Haru, and he's about to go on a quest to find revenge on who imprisoned his father. He tries to help him with the following sentences:

(1) Um ... and what exactly do you think this will accomplish?

(2) Wait! Stop! I do understand. You're feeling unbelievable pain and rage. How do you think I felt about the sandbenders when they stole Appa? How do you think I felt about the Fire Nation when I found out what happened to my people?

(3) I don't think so. I think it's about getting revenge.

(4) Haru, you sound like Jet.

(5) The monks used to say that revenge is like a two-headed rat viper. While you watch your enemy go down, you're being poisoned yourself.

(6) Haru, you do have a choice: forgiveness.

(7) No, it's not. It's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive.

(8) You did the right thing. Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing.

Everything makes sense, right? The pieces fit.He just talks about his cultura\personal values, nothing about what Katara needs at the moment. He could have had this exact conversation with Haru without changing a thing.

Therefore his lines are impersonal and thus preachy. In this conversation he doesn’t show signs of trying to convince Katara not to end her mother’s killer because she is, fundamentally, a good person and couldn’t live having committed murder. He shows signs of trying to make her obey his cultural ethos. This is highly insensitive. Katara was in a very emotional place, filled with rage and grief. And his response was, intentionally or not, to impose his own cultural principles onto her.

But his lines weren’t insensitive just because they were preachy, some of them were judgmental and even harsh. When A\ang is first confronted with Katara’s intentions, he says:

A\ang: Um ... and what exactly do you think this will accomplish?

You can tell from his tone and how the rest of the conversation plays out that he does know what Katara thinks this will accomplish. He asks the question as a form of disapproval - that he thinks that going after Yon Rha won’t accomplish anything. He’s not being genuine, he’s casting judgment on her. He’s almost looking down on her and Zuko, looking down from a moral high ground and sarcastically interrogating the two. Another line that sticks out is

A\ang: Katara, you sound like Jet.

He says she sounds like the man who wanted to flood an entire village full of innocent civilians. He’s insulting her, and greatly so, all the while wanting to keep a moral high ground. This is incredibly rude and condescending.

In the next scene, right after the intense argument concludes, it appears as though A\ang comes around to the journey Katara was about to go through.

A\ang: I wasn't planning to. This is a journey you need to take. You need to face this man.But when you do, please don't choose revenge. Let your anger out, and then let it go. Forgive him.

While he’s still discouraging Katara, it’s not outright condescending. But it’s as clear as day that he’d just preferred if she didn’t go on the journey at all. When he sees Zuko and Katara taking Appa to find Yon Rha, he says:

A\ang: So you were just gonna take Appa anyway?

Clearly disapproving of Katara. He doesn’t want her to go on the journey to find inner peace, he wants her to forgive the man who killed her mother right here and right now. He couldn’t change her mind on the subject, so he’ll advise her the next best thing. It is worth noting that in the beginning, before he advises her, he cracks a joke.

A\ang: It's okay, because I forgive you. [Pauses.] That give you any ideas?

Overall, A\ang’s behavior is unsympathetic and callous.Instead of placing his focus on Katara’s wellbeing, he preaches about Air Nomad teachings and goes as far as insulting her. Even when he comes around, it’s not because he realized his mistakes, it’s because he knew he couldn’t change her mind. And then he makes a humorous remark while giving him his supposed new found advice. The answer is: Yes. Aang was very insensitive when talking to Katara.

——————

3. Did A\ang know what Katara needed?

I don’t think he did. A\ang thought Katara needed to forgive Yon Rha, and as we previously established, without going after him. But even if we look at his second advice, she still doesn’t follow it.

A\ang: This is a journey you need to take. You need to face this man. [Katara situates herself on Appa's head.] But when you do, please don't choose revenge. Let your anger out, and then let it go. Forgive him.

Katara explicitly didn’t forgive Yon Rha, and yet the whole point of the ending is that she’s in a better place now. No matter what Zuko says, A\ang didn’t know what Katara needed. And considering that his lines in the episode were as impersonal as they were, it isn’t a surprise.

——————

In conclusion, A\ang’s behavior in The Southern Raiders is questionable at best. He might have had pure intentions, and had a good message, but the way he put out the message was degrading and preachy. And in the end, he didn’t know what was the right thing for Katara.

Continued

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

Hello, so maybe I’m misunderstanding something based on the bits and pieces I know about ethics and philosophy :what kinds of things constitute as morally good? You said and someone else said health is morally neutral. Which I get the individual part but wanting for others to be educated and healthy I thought * would be examples of moral goodness?¿ Help me to see more pf your point if you are willing

okay, let's talk about education and health.

those are both really big factors in a lot of people's lives, and of course it's good when people have access to opportunities for education and healthcare. I'm not arguing against that at all.

but there is no component of morality to people's level of education or health. attending college, for instance, does not make someone a better person than someone who dropped out of high school. a person with a college degree is likely to have access to better-paying jobs and impact their quality of life, sure, and higher education is desirable to many people because of that; totally understandable. but that's completely different from what I'm talking about, which is whether or not being educated is innately virtuous, which it's not. at an early age, especially, education is something that happens mostly at random, determined primarily by the opportunities available to the family someone is born into.

health is something that is moralized RELENTLESSLY, especially in American culture. many fat activists talk at length about how fatness is seen as a failure of both health and morality - the assumption being that a.) fat people are innately unhealthy and b.) a responsible person would make an effort not to be fat and therefore not to be unhealthy - and that's only one particularly visible example. think about the tendency, for instance, to suggest that people who die of COVID must deserve it based on assumptions made about their masking/vaccine status, as if thousands of people who took every possible precaution didn't also die. in my field, sex education, there's also a TERRIBLE tendency to stigmatize people with sexually transmitted infections and treat them as dangerous, irresponsible, and undeserving of sex of physical intimacy, the most prominent example being the AIDS epidemic during which many people very literally believed that the epidemic was a divine punishment for the "sin" of homosexuality.

of course, health has nothing to do with morality. terrible people live long and healthy lives, the kindest and most selfless people you'll ever meet die in agonizing pain from preventable diseases. similarly to education, it's largely determined by social position.

similarly, activities considered "healthy" carry no moral weight. if you want to eat your veggies or run marathons or never smoke a day in your life, awesome! that's great for you! and I'm right there with you, I love veggies and yoga and rock climbing and all kinds of activities, and I myself don't smoke. but nothing about any of those activities are like, divinely virtuous and make you a certifiable better person than someone who never exercises and lives on cheese and weed. that person is equally allowed to do that and is not an inferior person for choosing that path for their life.

again, healthcare and education are important to many people's quality of life, but they're human rights, not moral measurements.

[cosmerelists]

Cosmere Characters in Costco

The title says it all, really.

[Previously: Cosmere characters in Ikea]

1. Wayne & Marasi

Marasi: Wayne...is that another new hat? Wayne: Why yes, dearie. I'm now Egrid Sternsberger, a little old lady who simply must try one of those mini hamburgers! Marasi: ...I think they'll give you multiple samples if you just ask. You don't have to keep switching hats. Wayne: Now, where would be the fun in that?

2. Shallan, Veil, Radiant

Radiant: Now, remember--it requires a majority vote before we make any big impulse purchases. Shallan: This vodka bottle is the size of my torso and will therefore last a long time. Veil: That's a good reason. Radiant: ...I'll just get another cart.

3. Ham and Dockson

Ham: Hey, do you know where Kelsier went off to? For that matter, where's Vin? Dockson: [Points silently upwards, to where Vin & Kelsier crouch on top of those big, metal, Costco warehouse shelves, mistcloaks rippling] Dockson: They like to be high. Ham: W-We're inside! How is there a breeze?!

4. Lift & Wyndle

Lift: Man, that was great! Lift: I stole food from every one of those little stands and nobody caught me! Wyndle: Mistress, like I keep telling you, those stands are giving away the free samples! There was no need to-- Lift: I am the greatest thief of all time!

5. Painter and Yumi

Painter: Please let me get another cart. Yumi: I said we don't need another cart! Painter: Y-You've stacked the cart so high that people are afraid to come within six feet of us! Yumi: Who do you think you're talking to? I can go way higher than this! Painter: Yumi please

6. Adolin & Kaladin

Adolin: Ta-da! What do you think? Kaladin: About your...clothes? Adolin: Yeah! It's all from here! Adolin: I got shorts with lots of pockets, this colorful buttoned shirt, this big hat, these sunglasses--even these cool plastic shoes with holes for airflow AND these socks! Adolin: I am going to revolutionize fashion. Kaladin: ... Adolin: What? Even Wit liked it! Kaladin: I'll be going now. Adolin: Wait! I got a matching outfit for you too! Kaladin come baaaack!

7. Tress & Charlie

Tress: Wow, this one is amazing too! Tress: It's a bit bent and a bit stained, but you can really see that it's been on a journey. Tress: Oooh! This one's an interesting shape! I think it was for strawberries! Charlie: Man, and to think they just give all of these cardboard boxes away for free!

8. Navani & Rushu

Navani: That is...quite the tower of toilet paper. Rushu: How do you suppose they get the top ones down? Some kind of machine, presumably? Do you think it's stacked for space efficiency or is it meant to inspire awe, as well? Rushu: ...Should I take one from the bottom to see what happens? Navani: ...Just grab one of the ones with the bear on it, for now. Rushu: Later then?

9. Rock & Skar

Rock: I love this place! All the food is sized for a while squad! Rock: Look at this! It's a cooked chicken the size of my HEAD! Skar: I found a rack of ribs that would take two men to carry! Rock: Tonight's stew will be a true wonder.

10. Nale and Szeth

Nale: And here is what I wanted to show you--this icon of justice. Szeth: ...A hotdog the size of my forearm? Nale: Yes. Nale: Do you understand what I am trying to teach you? Szeth: Hotdogs are...justice? Nale: This one is. Nale: The owner declared that the price would remain in stone, and that no change would be permitted while he yet lived. Nale: Lack of change? An enduring ruling? A man willing to stake his life on it? Nale: It is a hotdog of justice indeed, Szeth.

[adelrambles]

Tips on Writing Bishop

I've been asked a couple times for advice on how to write a good (03-style) Bishop, and I'm well-aware he can be a bit tough to get a grasp on. As someone who's studied him specifically to learn how to write him as accurately as possible, I figured I'd compile some thoughts in case it'd be helpful to anyone else. I know a lot of Rise takes on him are basing off the 03 version, so maybe this could help generate ideas, too. SO!

Big Overall Points!

At the core of EVERYTHING Bishop does are two primary motivations. The first: the protection of the earth. What this means to him can get tricky, because it doesn't necessarily mean protecting the people, at least not all of them. But it will be better understood alongside the other:

The second: The protection of his sense of safety. Bishop has been deeply traumatized, and everything he does is born of a want to avoid that pain ever again. In his mind, earth is a safe area, a controllable factor, and anything outside it is a danger that must be eliminated. This is why he will still be willing to put himself and other people on the line in service of this; any sacrifice is worth the greater goal. (It's worth noting, Bishop will claim the first as his motivation freely, but is likely not consciously aware of the second.)

Bishop deals in Big Picture ONLY. Another reason Bishop will willingly throw away anything, including the lives of the people he claims to protect, is that he seems incapable of understanding things on a small, individual basis.

Bishop is a cold personality. He does not have strong displays of emotion. He does emote, but for the most part it's muted, so I recommend using emotional bursts very sparingly. (In my own writing, as an example, I try to limit my use of exclamation marks in his dialogue as much as possible.)

At his core, Bishop is afraid, and his response to fear is aggression. This also makes it particularly difficult to talk him down, if he's put in an emotional state. His response to not being in control is often violent retaliation.

With those basic tenants understood, let's move next to some major personality traits:

Bishop is a controlling personality. This is a direct result of his trauma response. Things that can be controlled are safe, therefore he must control everything. If something cannot be controlled, it's a threat that must be eliminated. If he doesn't know why something happened, he becomes angry (including even when it benefits him.)

Bishop is very low-empathy. When writing him, I try to keep in mind that he cannot put himself in the perspective of others. (Or if he can, he doesn't care to.)

Bishop is a sadist. He gets personal enjoyment from hurting others.

Bishop likes fighting, but only when he's winning. He will quickly leave if he can't see a guaranteed victory.

Bishop is paranoid. This is probably self-evident, but it's the reason he's often so well-prepared even when things don't go to plan.

Bishop genuinely seems to enjoy science. He's shown to be far more lenient with scientist characters than anyone else, and he seems to involve himself in his scientists' projects to a degree. Enough to, at the very least, understand their work. (Given he was the one set to dissect the turtles, it might also be argued he has some medical or biology background, himself.)

Bishop is an opportunist and scavenger. He can roll with failures as long as he can find something to get out of it. If he's presented with an opportunity to stab someone in the back, and he has something to gain? He'll take it without a second thought.

Bishop is deeply self-blind. For all his perceptiveness and strategic prowess, Bishop is not very self-aware in the slightest. He is completely blind to his own hypocrisies, and thoroughly confident in his own righteousness.

Bishop adapts fast. He accepts situations for what they are and acts (Though he may still be angry about them, or what have you.) This is likely a skill developed via longevity; the world around him has changed rapidly, but he doesn't feel out of place at all.

Bishop will take extreme risks and thinks wildly outside the box. Also self-evident, if you're familiar with the plans he enacts throughout the show. He'll put a lot on the line if he thinks the reward is worth enough, and he's willing to go to extreme lengths to get what he wants, even if his plans would be considered crazy by normal standards.

Bishop is persistent. If he wants something, he won't stop until he gets it. If he fails, he'll retreat, make a new plan, and try again. It is very difficult to convince him to back down (and certainly not on moral grounds.)

Habits and triggers I've noted:

Being restrained of any sort puts Bishop in a panic. He is more likely to have an emotional response in these scenarios, and seems to have (an albeit muted) desperation to escape. (See: Leatherhead restraining him in the first encounter; His reaction to being trapped on the surgical table in Head of State.)

When being duplicitous or suppressing a reaction, Bishop will go to adjust his tie. This could possibly be considered his tell.

Bishop seems to have a particular fear of aliens blending in as humans. His slayer project was built around the assumption that this is a common threat. (Worth noting: This makes The Shredder the model of the exact threat Bishop is afraid of. Technically, Bishop himself may also fit the description of a threat shaped like a human.)

Writing considerations:

In 03's narrative, Bishop is EPF and EPF is Bishop. Narratively speaking, any organization Bishop is head of acts as if it is an extension of his will and character.

Bishop is shown to strike fear and/or discomfort into most characters he interacts with. Anything beyond this is an outlier, and will draw a reader's attention.

Dialogue-wise, Bishop is generally succinct and blunt. He does dabble in gloating, though, and especially likes to upset others. If he's given a chance to be mean, he'll usually take it. It can help to consider he has a Mission Mode and a Normal Mode. When it comes to Mission Mode, he gets straight to the point and hates unnecessary talking. Otherwise, he's still not very talkative, but will take the time to make pointed jabs or talk through a plan. A lot of his sense of humor seems to be rooted in how He's Better Than You (And You're Going To Die Painfully.)

It's a common pitfall that Bishop is depicted as seeking out the turtles. In 03, once he gets their DNA, he's done with them. Any encounters after that are incidental. Bishop does not care about anything that won't effect his greater goal. If he's targeting another character, it should have to do with a greater plan.

Bishop is an extremely competent combatant, shown to be able to handle up to 7 opponents at once. For a breakdown on his fighting style check out my other post on that!

Bishop is hard to kill, and oftentimes he accidentally contributes to his own defeat. (The hook from Bishop's Gambit is an example I get a LOT of mileage out of, as a perfect symbol of his self-defeating prophecies.)

We almost only ever see Bishop in the context of his work. While it could be construed that he depersonalizes himself, it's much more clear that the narrative depersonalizes him. As far as we, the audience know, Bishop's work is all that he is.

It's unclear if Bishop was released from his abduction or escaped. Depending on which you ascribe to, this can have ramifications for his mindset on how to deal with the alien threat. (Personally, because so much of his inability to cope hinges on a feeling of helplessness, I believe he was released. If he escaped on his own power, that undercuts it, somewhat.)

Thematically-speaking, Bishop parallels both his own torturers and his own victims at the same time. He has perpetuated the cycle that traumatized him in the first place by trying to fight fire with fire. (In that vein, I don't think he's capable of understanding that, not seeing aliens as people in the first place, just dangers. Considering how deeply ingrained his trauma is in his worldview and actions, it would probably ruin him, if he were ever able to actually grasp it.)

Bishop and EPF are likely a commentary on the military of the time 03 was coming out. This can be something worth keeping in mind, when figuring out his greater themes in your story, though it can just as well be discarded if it doesn't fit.

Adding to that, Bishop has an extensive american military background. His skills and knowledge will reflect that.

Bishop also plays on and references a number of real-life alien conspiracies. It can be worth digging through conspiracy history to drum up ideas and themes, too.

The ethical and philosophical quandaries of Bishop's body-hopping and humanity tend to not hold too much weight, because Bishop, himself, doesn't seem to care.

If I think of more I'll certainly be adding on to the reblogs of this post! Or, if you have more thoughts, please feel free to add! If you're in the mood for more Bishop ramblings, that's practically most of this blog atm, but this post is a particular favorite. If you're interested in Fast Forward!Bishop, specifically, consider this post! (also read Taking Pawns. slipped in that self-promo, nice.)

[k-rising]

8th house

What's the 8h house?: This house is ruled by Scorpio and represents obsessions, legacies, debts and transformations. This house represents the end of cycles, deep connections, power and control.

𝐒𝐮𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

These people are receptive. They undergo transformations throughout their lives that make them stronger, so personal development is very important for them. They are passionate about everything that has to do with secrets and mysteries, and they usually have a lot of contact with d34th. People with the Sun in the 8th house will always count on the help of others to get out of financial troubles, mainly from the father or figures of power.

𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

Hypersensitive and perceptive. These people can attract partners who have variable finances. The relationship with the mother or with women in the family can be conflictive and even toxic. People with the Moon in the 8th house have to learn to self-regulate and value themselves.

𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

These people are reserved and find it difficult to express themselves easily. It is difficult to lie to them, since they are very good at reading minds. The relationship with their siblings is usually not good, especially in adulthood.

𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐬 ���𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

Passionate, intuitive, enigmatic and jealous. People with Venus in the 8th house seek a lot of intensity in their relationships. Therefore, they need absolute commitment from others towards them. They are attracted to danger and the forbidden. They see conflicts as a way to strengthen ties. They tend to remain reserved in social encounters and fear being vulnerable and betrayed in love. Themes related to power struggles, inheritance, family heirlooms, and legacies play an important role in relationships.

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

Perceptive and intense; they are always on the defensive. They are cautious when it comes to socializing, as they are very good at reading between the lines. These people are possessive with money and in love. They may experience betrayal or some type of 4bus3 in their life. They need to be in control of everything. They tend to experience a lot of conflict in relationships. Karma is usually always on their side.

𝐉𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

Strategists. They tend to get excited about aspects of life that others find much more uncomfortable. These people help others transform their attitudes and beliefs about taboo topics and get out of difficult situations. They know how to maintain control in complex situations. Benefits often come when things seem extreme. They are subjected to experiences that test their beliefs.

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

These people resist transformations, change and growth. They may experience betrayal, deception, identity-related trauma, and painful relationship circumstances. They often implement aggressive defense mechanisms and are afraid of losing each other during intimacy. They may experience difficulties with savings, legacies, and joint finances. If Saturn is well aspected they will have a long life unless it is badly aspected.

𝐔𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

These people are unpredictable when it comes to relationships, since they seek freedom in relationships. There may be legacies or sudden losses with this position. They have to learn to deal with unexpected turns in life and must look for other alternatives to manage their resources.

𝐍𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

It is difficult for them to say no and set boundaries. These people are attracted to mysteries and the deep side of life. They are susceptible to having lucid dreams, nightmares or strange dreams and they like to analyze their dreams. They experience a lot of confusion and uncertainty in intimate relationships.

𝐏𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

These people have the power to drastically change the lives of others. Relationships are usually very intense, passionate and complicated. Power struggles, physical or emotional violence can occur in their relationships. They are usually people who break family curses and are willing to heal deeply.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝑜 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔! 　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

[ashlgcostumes]

I wrote this elsewhere for someone who was struggling to find information, and then realised it was probably relevant to many other people too, so I’ve expanded it a bit. Therefore I present;

Which boning do I want? A guide

Flat steel; flat steel flexes front and back, not side to side. Heaviest option. Pricy. Difficult to cut and finish (will tear holes in your project if you leave raw edges). Expect bolt cutters and a metal file, or faffing around with “tipping liquid” which may or may not be illegal to post in your country (Nail polish is only a temporary alternative in my experience). Will last a million years. Extremely robust shaping. If you want to hold up an entire garment on 3 bones; flat steel. DO NOT WASH (I’m not your real dad but also it does corrode eventually if you keep getting/leaving it wet)

Lot of people swear that even if you use different bones everywhere else, you want flat steel next to your eyelets. Personally; eh. This appears to be convention rather than based in solid evidence (bunch of extant Victorian corsets don’t have steel by the eyelets, some do, a lot we don’t actually know). Go with your heart and your wallet, especially for special occasion pieces

Spiral steel: flexes side to side as well as front to back. Lighter than flats (in theory). Pretty robust and long lived. Easier to cut than flat (still metal, still bolt cutters), but made of wire, basically, so you have to buy metal end caps and fit every single one with pliers. Cheaper than flat steel. Generally agreed to be more comfortable than flat steel but again. Still metal. DO NOT WASH NO REALLY I MEAN IT THIS TIME this stuff loves corrosion

A lot of modern corsets are a mix of flat and spiral and they will tell you that’s for flexibility but it’s usually for budget

Zip ties: cheap and they work, pretty much, but mainly cheap, extremely variable in thickness/size/flexibility, did I mention cheap? Don’t buy random ones online; you want to handle them and be sure they’re the size/rigidity you’re after (or even just feel good about. Some zip ties are incredibly flimsy. Heavy duty ones tend to also be thicc). Generally washable, but with highly variable results

Rigilene/other generic plastic boning: wafers of flimsy plastic. Surprisingly expensive and won’t hold up to a stiff breeze. Disappointment city. Washing sometimes also kills it? When people whine about plastic boning, this is what they’re thinking of

“Synthetic whalebone”: really fancy plastic. Consistent width/thickness/rigidity. Several options of width usually. Very light. Good balance of support and flexibility. Can cut with heavy duty scissors and finish with a nail file. Mouldable with heat. You gotta buy a lot at once, but not ultimately expensive in comparable amounts (big rolls, per metre, more cost effective than heavy duty zip ties; but are you gonna use 50 metres of boning?). Washable in a way steel just isn’t; must warn you that the whole “mouldable with heat” thing also means “very occasionally the tumble dryer kills one of my kirtles and I have to dig out a bone and replace it”

Synthetic whalebone means adjusting the way you think about boning a bit; one bone is not as strong as a flat steel. That doesn’t mean (as I’ve seen some people say) you can’t use synthetic whalebone if you’re fat; it means you’re going to want two, three or four bones side by side to do the same job. This is exactly what people did with real whalebone (good lord if you’re making 18th century stays or equivalent don’t use steel, it’ll be so heavy and uncomfortable). You can even put two bones in the same channel stacked on top of each other if you make it big enough. You tend to use more of it than you would steel, but it still usually works out cheaper - the “extra boning” channels thing only really comes into play for aesthetics (it is COMPLETELY FINE to pick the more expensive and difficult option for aesthetics and anyone who tells you otherwise is a coward)

[shinewerst]

Here I will leave some of my thoughts, guesses and headcanons. Some of them may be stupid and unreasonable, but I will share them with you anyway.

I've noticed that a lot of people headcanon Earth and Moon or Earth and Venus as siblings. And I partially agree with this. But here are my thoughts on this matter: They are celestial bodies and they do not have siblings in the usual sense, but since they live for a very long time, over billions of years of being close to each other, they can develop family feelings for each other. But only if they are always close. Therefore, most often this occurs between a planet and its moons or between several moons of one planet. This is unlikely to happen between planets, since each of them is in its own orbit, perhaps double planets are an exception. Therefore, I headcanon the Moon and Earth as brothers, Phobos and Deimos too, and Mars as their guardian. (Earth and Venus may be somehow connected, but not family) It's more difficult with gas giants. I believe that when their moons are too numerous and constantly increasing in number, they stop keeping track of them and treat them more like decorations. But Idk.

In the Solar System, having life is supposedly cool and the Earth is proud of it, Venus dreams of it, etc. but it seems to me that in other systems the attitude towards this may be different. For example, I have an oc exoplanet and in her home system this was not considered something cool. They literally treated it like lice lol.

Planets/stars/satellites do not speak any of the earth’s languages, but their own. But different systems have something like their own accents and dialects. So my oc speaks a little differently from them.

In different parts of the universe, the appearance of the planets changes and what the planets will look like usually depends on the star (I'm talking specifically about planethumans).

For the planet/star and satellites, love is something deeper than for earthlings. This is very strong, sensual.

I also noticed how in many fanfictions characters call Proto-Earth that way. But it seems to me that the term “Proto-Earth” itself appeared after his death, namely the collision with Theia and the appearance of the “new Earth”. Before that, everyone simply called him Earth.

Each of them has its own axis tilt, right? They don't really follow it, especially in the planethumans format, so I made a headcanon about them sleeping on their slants. So, Venus sleeps upside down, huh?

The Earth speaks all earthly languages and knows the stages of evolution of almost every creature on his surface, although sometimes he himself may be confused about this. His past memories are slowly fading. He does not remember how he and the Moon appeared, he does not remember that there could have been life on Venus before. I imagine him periodically reading a book about dinosaurs because he doesn't want to forget about them.

I like to think that Mars used to be a bad-tempered asshole, but Earth doesn't remember that. Mars himself does not want to remember this at all, since he has already grown out of it.

Probably the Earth became the way we see him because of humans. Perhaps he was different before. I imagine him as a sweet and kind planet who does his best to care for his friends and his little brother. But when he changed, Luna continued to love him like a brother and care for him in return.

Earth usually tells others only the good side of earthlings, but usually he complains to the Moon about how much he is hurt, about how they are starting another war and doing other terrible things. Therefore, the Moon is much more tolerant of the Earth; he must be the only one who knows how hard it is for him.

Venus is jealous of the Earth and everyone has already understood this. I like to think that Venus, after losing life on its surface, feels the need to protect Earth and its inhabitants.

Luna is aroace. Just because for some reason it seems to me that dating someone just doesn’t suit him.

That's all for now. Maybe I'll create a second part cause I might have forgotten something :p

[beauty-and-passion]

So... The Wisdom Saga

Also called "The Videogame Saga".

But seriously, now I understand where all the videogame influences went. In five songs we have a mini-boss fight and, shortly after, a boss fight with five levels and an open-ish end.

Also, this is probably the first time we have had such smooth transitions from one song to the next. While other songs in other sagas may be divided by hours or days, these songs are divided by minutes - a couple of hours max for the last two.

These songs surprised me. When I listened to the first snippets long ago, I wasn't particularly captivated by some of them and didn't enjoy the voices much either. Well, this proves I should never listen to the snippets, because the songs I considered weak turned out way better than I imagined.

But let's start from the beginning.

__________________

Legendary: as I imagined long ago, this was an upbeat song and yes, It also hints at how Telemachus deals with his father's legacy. But it's also more than that.

First of all, we get to know more about the situation in Ithaca: there are 108 suitors, which by itself already gives you an idea of how "crowded" the place is. It's not a couple of people: there are people literally everywhere. And these people are getting more violent and more unhinged, to the point they call Penelope "a tramp" (thus also disrespecting her as their queen) and showing how much they want to violate her.

This raises the stakes A LOT, because neither Penelope nor Telemachus are safe. Penelope probably lives in terror, because who knows what could happen, if any of the Suitors get a hold of her in an empty corridor. And Telemachus literally told Athena: "today is the best day of my life because I got in a fight, and didn't die", which by itself shows how heavy life must be for him, to the point he risks his life every time he gets out of his room.

Honestly? Love this. High stakes, real dangers and Antinous as the bigger threat who can destroy everything Odysseus left. Cannot wait to see him coming back and slaying all the Suitors.

Back to Telemachus, we learn a lot about him too! He's a young boy who, just like any other young boy, wants to prove himself. His desire to show his strength and fight monsters is typical of any young adult: he feels big, he can fight! He wants to fight!

However, this "want to fight" isn't just young impetuousness. There are at least three reasons why Telemachus wants to fight this much:

Hope. By fighting, Telemachus hopes to find his father. As far as he knows, Odysseus might be dead: he himself admits it too ("And no idea if you're dead or just too far"). Still, he wants to believe he will find him, by fighting the monsters around him. Cannot wait for the Ithaca song in which he will realize that oh, his father became one of the monsters he wants to fight.

Awareness. Telemachus's desire to fight isn't just big, reckless words. He wants to fight, sure, but he's also aware of his limits ("And I would fight them if I was half as strong as you"). This proves how mature he is, despite being still a kid.

Responsibility. Despite knowing he's not the biggest or strongest fighter, Telemachus still wants to fight, in order to protect his mother. (Somebody help me, come and give me the strength / Can I do whatever it takes to keep my mom safe?"). And this proves Telemachus already has something a future king need: a sense of responsibility. The awareness that, even though he's not the best, he's still responsible for the wellbeing of all the people around him, therefore he must intervene.

At the end of the day, all Telemachus needs is what he asks for: a supporter. Someone who will give him a sign/the strength to do what is right. Someone who will tell him he did good and guide him.

And yes, he probably needs this, because he always missed a father figure in his life, the father who should've taught him how to fight and helped him. And this proves Telemachus is alone. Think about it: he's a young man who was probably forced to stay inside for his entire life, while his home is invaded by strangers and he cannot even walk around freely without being picked on by these older, stronger men. Of course he craves someone who will tell him that hey, you're good and strong, just do this and that and you can fight these monsters.

Thankfully, today is his lucky day.

__________________

Little Wolf: it's such a videogame song, it's great <3 The singers are all amazing, Athena's voice always gets me on my knees because she's too good and how she helps Telemachus... uuurgh, I love character development <3

Also, this confirms my previous point: all Telemachus needed was someone teaching him how to fight and motivating him. As soon as Athena does both things, he's able to fight.

And this fight made something clear: Antinous can be contrasted, but not defeated. He's too strong for Telemachus, despite the help of a goddess. The stakes are very high: this guy is dangerous, he promised blood and tears, he will not stop. Telemachus and Penelope are in danger. We need Odysseus' return.

__________________

We'll Be Fine: Athena's character development time! After dropping Odysseus on the spot because he refused to obey her when she forced him to do the right thing, now she's back, with a more mature mentality.

Athena wasn't in the wrong, when she told Odysseus to get rid of Polyphemus: he was an enemy, he could've brought more danger - and so it was. Her mistake was being too harsh. She was so focused on the matter at hand, to ignore Odysseus' emotional state. She was so wrapped in her own logical thinking, to ignore his demons. Or, as she said:

Maybe, if I made a different call Maybe if I hadn't missed it all Maybe, he'd be fine Maybe we'd unwind

And we saw this change in her demeanor in the previous song, as well as in this one! She apologizes for pushing Telemachus too much, she supports him, she opens up and accepts his friendship, instead of saying "nope, we're not friends".

In the end, she reaffirms her support too, by telling him he's a "good kid"! I doubt she ever said to Odysseus he was good.

And this change proves, again, how human the gods are. They are flawed, they make mistakes and, when they do, they realize it and change. Exactly like us.

__________________

Love In Paradise: I have two thoughts about this song I need to share asap:

The singer has the voice of an angel and I love her and I am so SO SORRY for not liking it when I heard the snippets months ago. I will blame them forever, because the final version of this song is amazing and her voice brought me to my knees.

Holy shit this song is a lot darker than I thought.

I love how we moved through the sagas with Athena, only to find Odysseus stuck on Calypso's island, Ogygia.

Also, I love how Calypso is like: "Ahah, you silly, you talk in your sleep <3 Who is Penelope?" "She's my wife" "... Anyway, you're stuck with me forever, now let's make love". She wants the man and doesn't give a fuck about anything else, not even the wife. I hate you and I love you, Calypso <3

And that's when the song gets dark. Because Calypso can say "yes I get it, your life was difficult"... but she's too stuck looking at everything behind rose-tinted glasses. She loves him and she believes her love will be enough to solve all issues.

the only problem is that her love won't solve any issue. Because he still suffers for all the shit he went through. Shit he faced (and made it happen), for one sole reason: to come back home.

So, once you take back from him that reason... of course he ends up being suicidal. Of course he gets haunted by the voices of his past. If he was still able to come back to Ithaca, at least these demons would be quieted. They would still haunt him, sure, but the awareness home was close could've helped Odysseus to keep himself sane.

But if you take away the possibility of coming back home, which was the sole thing keeping these demons at bay... of course they get so strong. Strong to the point, he begs for help from his old friend.

And Athena, who finally learned her lesson, offers her help.

__________________

God Games: this song is weird.

Unfortunately, I spoiled most of them thanks to the snippets (I'll never make the same mistake, I promise) and they were about the best parts. Apollo and Hephaestus' were very short and their reasons quite basic - which is perfect for a game with multiple levels so I get the progression from level I, to level II, III and so on.

In addition to that, I would like to point out this post from @wildissylupus in which they point out how Athena used the three modes of persuasion to win the game and how Zeus, despite making it difficult, didn't make it impossible for her.

The only thing that left me confused and the song weird is the end. Zeus throwing a tantrum because Athena won his game can be understandable, but also... no? I mean, she's the clever one. She's the goddess of wisdom. He should know, considering she's his daughter.

And since we're at it, she's not just his daughter: Athena is Zeus' favorite daughter. And he struck her with lightning, out of a tantrum? Zeus? At her, let me repeat that, favorite daughter?

I don't know, it's too weird. Zeus is an asshole, sure, but not to her. Not even during a tantrum. So... maybe he will repent too? Maybe he wasn't as hard as it seems? Also because why get angry, when you already know she's clever and will definitely win your stupid game?

No idea, but I cannot wait to hear how things will go. And considering Mr. Rivera-Herrans' speed in releasing the sagas, I bet the next one will come out sooner than we think.

Wow, only two sagas left...

[watchmorecinema]

Yukio Mishima has been trending this week for uh, reasons. He was a world renowned Japanese author and all of his work is overshadowed by his actions on November 25, 1970. You might not want to read more about this guy because he is horrible and disgusting, but he's utterly fascinating and the movie about him is brilliant.

He's a really interesting character, to the point that he sounds fictional. He's gay, obsessed with ritualistic death, a right wing lunatic, led a private militia that was halfway to a cult, and also was a legitimately great author. His life is covered in the film Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters and it's easily the most beautiful film I've seen in my life. Look at the stills I posted above; every frame of this movie looks like that. It's all just a series of beautiful paintings with people living in them.

The way the film is structured is that it tells the story of his life in three ways. His past is told in black and white flashbacks with static cameras. This is closer to how a movie from the 50's would look like (specifically ones directed by Yasujirō Ozu). The events of three of his books are told with this beautifully stylized look, with sets that look like stage plays. The events of November 25, 1970 is told in an almost normal fashion, with regular colors and competent camerawork. The past is nostalgic, the present is mundane and only in fantasy can you truly come alive.

Through this movie we see the ideology of Mishima coming through. His nationalism, his sexual feelings and his thoughts on beauty and death all come together. Death isn't just a violent and tragic end, it is in itself a beautiful act. Beauty is the only true goal of life and creating beauty brings honor. Growing old and ugly is an act of hate; to die at your peak is to give love back to the world. It is therefore treasonous to live long enough to die peacefully. He pities what heaven must look like now; when men died young and beautiful it was paradise, but now it is filled with old men.

This is an objectively insane way to view the world but it is also fascinating. How much of this was what he believed, and how much of it was just begging for attention? In one instance when asked why he moved to the right politically he said "because the left was full". It was a joke answer, but he clearly wanted to be in the spotlight. His shield society was a paramilitary group dedicated to living a virtuous life of beauty, honor and old ideals. It was also a group of good looking, athletic young men led by a (barely) closeted, conservative gay man. So much of his life could have gone differently but also he was pretty much in control the whole time; he was independently wealthy and revered on the world stage. He could do whatever he wanted, and apparently the way his life went *is* what he wanted.

What's special about Mishima, both in the film and in real life, is that he's a smart and eloquent guy. In films the guy with a crazy worldview is someone like Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver or D-Fens from Falling Down. Travis couldn't understand the alienation and loneliness he felt and he couldn't find any healthy solutions. D-Fens was smart enough but not emotionally strong enough to confront his problems or deal with them maturely. These are people that could benefit greatly from therapy (other examples include Joker from Joker, Rupert Pupkin from the King of Comedy, Frank Murdoch from God Bless America, Patrick Bateman from American Psycho, Tyler Durden from Fight Club and so, so many more).

These are either 20 something year olds that are lost in the world, alienated and lonely, or 40 something year olds with a mid life crisis when they realize that everything has fallen apart. People who don't know where to go, or realize it's too late to change things. Travis Bickle had basically no friends, no family, no charisma with women and a lot of rage and anger. D-Fens lost his job, his self respect and was estranged from his ex-wife and daughter. These are people who's lives are shit at best (Patrick Bateman is a bit of a subversion. He is rich and successful, but his life is completely hollow, his relationships are shallow and he personally is very, very pathetic. I need to write about American Psycho later that film is great too.).

Mishima is different. He's smart enough to understand his issues and how to find help. He's got the money and means to do so. He's famous and rich enough that he could basically get away with anything weird or eccentric so long as it was harmless. On the world stage he was a popular author, and at home he led a life of political activism. If he was unhappy he could easily find healthy ways to fix it. His self destruction was the most avoidable of any of them, yet he's the only one that existed in real life. You expect these people to have serious personality flaws and unfixable (or seemingly unfixable) problems, not to be poetic writers that adhere to healthy living and regularly journal about their emotions, while enjoying respect from their peers and fulfillment in their work.

It's a hell of a film. Paul Schrader has not written or directed anything better (he actually wrote Taxi Driver too, so he had some experience with this type of character before) and it stands out as an incredible experience to watch. Like, Mishima's life is public knowledge and you can probably guess how it went, but I've purposefully not said what happened on November 25, 1970 because I don't want to spoil it. It's an event that actually happened but it's better for you to find out via the film than some wikipedia page.