#and this was very much a coping mechanism

[shrimsour]

ALAS IT IS HERE, MY PLAYABLE 2X2 CONCEPT

🦜 Design and lore

Basically this is a timeline of my 1x headcanon where he got sealed in a limbo bc of admins and met 2x whose been confined to the mindscape ever since he got corrupted. Glitch family ensues (the dynamic is still the same from my last post)

But then something different happens than in the original ending where 2x gets deleted by the Spectre, they are merely wounded and left alone in the mindscape. 2x finds a way to escape and falls into the Forsaken realm. Sheneginans ensue

Lots of cool art and trivia under cut ⬇️

🦜 Their sword is larger than them and EXTREMELY HEAVY. Due to being young they cant handle it very well. During rounds Spectre takes away their flight wings which completely throws off their balance, it's why they can't stun. It's also just heavy as fuck its like Thor's mjolnir, only they can pick it up

🦜 They are the second survivor to smile all the time except its not creepy! (Looking at Two time) they have a very heroic attitude and will to help and save people. Sometimes the braveness is their biggest detriment (weakest out of all the survivors health wise)

🦜 Bonded with 07 due to being in a similiar situation (his dad wants to kill him instead)and also just likes to imagine what would his life been like had he had a normal affectionate father

🦜 Besties with Guest, he's like her cool military uncle PARRY DUO PROPAGANDA PARRY DUO PROPAGANDA PARRY DUO PROPAGANDA

🦜 Fishing skin by my friend Fungerfan69. Loves to fish! They've been locked away in the mindscape for so long they forgot how real grass feels. They're just a very happy boye who loves nature.

🦜 Is actually quite authorative in the cabin, likes to take charge and people just listen because it's so hard to deny their puppy eyes

🦜 Their kit actually synergizes gameplay wise with Taph and Dussekar, they really boost their relevance. Man I wish 2x2 was real

🦜 1x (pre forsaken) was actually very protective of 2x, he didn't know how to be affectionate and wouldn't even admit to loving them, due to his nature of being pure hatred. But that kindness has always stuck with 2x. Unlike Telamon, 1x gently guided his swordsmanship, strict but motivating, always giving a helping hand to stand. Nowdays after rounds with 1x, someone has to stay with them to console them, sometimes everyone gathers and they watch disney movies while 2x falls asleep between cushions.

🦜 There's a lot of bad blood between Shedletsky and 2x. On one hand 2x can recognize that Shedletsky is basically a stranger but thats also what pisses them off so much. He's everything they wanted from their father - Telamon, this is what he could've been, they just weren't worth changing for ig. And they're also 11 years old and don't have many coping mechanisms, they're just angry and bitter. This guy who bears the face of a man who cursed them with all his hatred, abandoned them, never truly loved them it felt like. How can they not be uncomfortable?

[itertarot]

Pick an image:

One 💋ྀིྀི

They are curious about rope play or handcuffs, but they are too worried to actually try it.

They may have a secret desire to do it outside, maybe somewhere like a forest, just for the thrill of it. They feel a lot of anxiety though, so they do not let themselves express their sexuality as fully as they wish they could.

They really love communication, so they will want and need you to say what you want in bed. They will never judge you for your fantasies or desires.

They are very traditional overall, but they might want to explore a little taboo roleplay now and then, like pretending they do not know you at a bar just to spark that tension.

They like to go slow, they enjoy taking their time, but I do not think they can hold back or delay as much as they want to.

They will never hurt you, actually they will treat you like you are the most precious thing in the world.

If it is a girl, she will really like when her partner shows strength, not necessarily physical strength but just that protective energy. She may find it sexy when you do random things, like opening a bottle she cannot open herself.

They are not interested in bringing someone else into the relationship, not at all. They need a strong emotional connection to really enjoy sex. They will never cheat on you, nor even look at someone else body.

They really like the sun, so having sex outside or with the windows open on a sunny day is something they would love.

They repress a lot of their desires, so trust is very important for them. They need to know you are comfortable and that they are not disrespecting you.

They will always focus on your pleasure, your word is final. If you want them to be more forceful or to have heated sex after a fight, they will. For them, what matters most is that you feel good, safe, and wanted.

Two 💋ྀིྀི

Their humor gets a lot better after they have sex.

When it comes to touch, it depends on who you are. If you are a woman, they really love to play with your boobs. If you are a man, they enjoy playing and giving attention to your balls.

They are very romantic and open minded too, they would definitely be willing to get toys to satisfy you both.

They love quickies.

They also love using their hands, lots of hands here, they are very touchy, and their tongue too.

They might get a bit emotional after sex, maybe even a little uncomfortable because being so open and vulnerable can be hard for them.

They are not the type who sleeps around, that is not who they are.

(This one is not for everyone) They might even have some fear of being cheated on, for a few, it could have become a fetish, almost like a twisted coping mechanism because being cheated on hurt them so deeply. But it is not something they would ever want for real, it is just something tangled up with their pain.

They may have fantasies about scenarios where they need to fight for you, to prove themselves as the one who deserves you.

They restrain their sexual appetite for the person they see themselves marrying, they are loyal, they would never entertain being a player.

Sex in the car might be a thing for them, but they think it is dangerous, it could also be on a boat or yatch.

They really love feeling like they are in control, they love compliments about their manhood, or if they are a woman with a man, she will absolutely love praising him and making him feel strong and desirable.

They want to feel wanted, they want to feel like the one everyone finds attractive.

Right now though, they might be heartbroken over sexual intimacy, not feeling completely satisfied or fulfilled.

Three 💋ྀིྀི

The sex will be long, specifically because they really enjoy the preliminaries. They want to take their time.

They are completely not interested in threesomes, I do not know why that came through so strongly, but they just are not open to that at all.

They really like slow and romantic sex, with lots of cuddles afterwards.

They do not open up easily though, it takes a lot for them to trust someone enough to get to that point.

For them, it is either the love of their life or no one.

If this person has lost their virginity, they regret it deeply.

If they have had sex before, it could have been with only one person, someone they wish they had never given that part of themselves to.

Right now they are waiting for the right one, they do not want to have sex with just anyone else.

If it is a woman, she really likes to masturbate, she enjoys getting to know her own body. If it is a man, he loves watching his partner masturbate.

They could be religious, or maybe they just hold a deep belief that there is someone out there who is truly meant for them.

Secretly, they wish they could find that perfect partner, someone who will put the same effort and love into the relationship as they do.

If it is a man, he really loves blowjobs, it is one of his biggest turn ons.

He can hold on for a long time, but when he does finish, it is fast and explosive.

He will always try to pleasure you with everything he has, but he might not last as long as he would like because of how much you turn him on. I believe the average time will be around 10 minutes of only penetration, but again, he can last longer, up to 30-40 minutes, but probably the average sex penetration will be 10-15-18 minutes.

[dellerose]

[cracks knuckles]

TENNA DELTARUNE TUMBLR SEXYMAN PROPAGANDA TIME

Spoilers for Deltarune ahead, obviously.

Now, none of this is meant as disrespect to Cecil Palmer, an absolute OG of Tumblr Sexymen, but rather because I saw some people calling Tenna a "trend hopper" or an "industry plant." I want to prove why Tenna is here to stay in the Sexyman ecosystem and why he might deserve a chance to win!

First, his design!

Tenna seems pretty standard of a sexyman--an objecthead, specifically a TV head, with a suit and tie and sometimes some fangs. But his charm in his design isn't from that alone, it's from the fact he's 3D using an old classic technique common to the SNES era, called billboarding!

We see in his introduction cutscene he has a 3D model and then as the intro fades out... he stays 3D! He constantly moves in this bouncy squash and stretch manner. (And he's also the first and ONLY Deltarune character to get his own intro like this! He's breaking ground for the game!)

Second, his personality!

Tenna is ultimately a character marked by a profound sense of loneliness which touches the heart of players of Deltarune. He ultimately tries to act in service of others, doing anything to please them, while also hiding his motives to keep others with him at all costs. This culminates in a heel turn in the final act of Chapter 3 (which is when we first see his fanged sprite). What I'm saying is, this man is menacing but also very pathetic. Absolutely sopping wet. Which is prime material for a bunch of Tennaheads to look at him and go "I can fix him" and selfshipping is VITAL to Tumblr sexymen. Even if you don't selfship, I have seen this man shipped with so many Deltarune characters and being dragged to and fro. It is wonderful.

Third, his tragic backstory!

For those unaware, in Deltarune, there's these pillars of darkness called Dark Fountains which give a special magical form to objects in the normal world (called the Light World), giving a will and ability to speak and interact to objects that people in the Light World interact with. Tenna is the TV in the living room for the Dreemurr household, the household of the main protagonist, Kris, and their family of Toriel, Asgore, and Asriel. If you're familiar with Undertale, you know Toriel and Asgore split before the story began, and the same is true of Deltarune! Tenna witnessed enough fights and conflicts that he reflects it in his dialogue. He witnessed a divorce so bad it gave him, a literal TV, trauma... especially because he served as a distraction and coping mechanism for Kris, it seems.

The divorce was so bad, even the TV got divorced.

Wait, what? Tenna is DIVORCED?

And now we get to my final propaganda summary, Tenna is heavily implied (which in a Toby Fox game is basically canon because he uses implication to mean something rather than to shy away from it like other writers) to have formerly been married to Spamton, who hilariously is ALSO in this competition.

Uh, nothing I say will be as good as just showing you the supercut. It's pretty bad.

And this cut is missing a few things! It's Pretty Bad.

In summary. Tenna is a red suited, 15 foot tall, art style breaking, charming, tragic, pathetic, sad, endearing and canonically gay divorced character. He isn't just a trend hopper but like any Toby Fox character, if his ex is anything to go by, he will be here to stay for years. He is legitimate!

His character has so much more to offer, this is just the summary I wanted to give for people on the fence to learn Tenna's general deal.

[cherrywriterrr]

bad signal

rafe cameron x oc series(au)

summary-> a college neighbors-to-enemies-to-maybe-horny situationship. by god, it’s messy. Tessa plays her music so loud it could kill a Victorian child. Rafe is a rage gym boy with curtain bangs and an existential crisis. They live in side by side apartments and don’t know each other yet. But then he changes his Wi-Fi name to youretooloud and she claps back with dealwithitbitch and that’s when everything starts to go to hell. They’re both hot. Unfortunately. They’re both stubborn. Unfortunately. They both think the other is an annoying, self absorbed menace with a god complex. Unfortunately, they’re right. -smau and irl. (not that much social media!!)

warnings-> 18+mdni. This series contains explicit content and is written for mature audiences.It has very strong language, excessive excessive swearing, detailed smut scenes, and detailed graphic descriptions of it. Will include college partying(classic), underage drinking, smoking(lots of it at one point) toxic af dynamics, emotional manipulation??, jealousy, a lot of jealousy, cannibalism used as a metaphor, and drug addiction related content: past addiction, rehab, and mentions of overdosing.Mental health struggles,impulsive decisions, and unhealthy coping mechanisms are also mentioned. If you question any of the above please don’t interact!! You’ve been warned. For the one who said “cannibalism?! count me in.” this one’s for you!

rafe

-22. transferred from rehab. business major. football player. boxing. obsessed with routines and quiet. hates being distracted. wears headphones to sleep now because of her.

tessa

-20. art major. full of attitude. plays music constantly at max. thrifted weird shit. guitarist. screamo and rock. secretly soft. starts playing music even louder and practices at night just to annoy him.

them<3

“I hate you but I hear your laugh in my head when I’m alone.” aggressive sticky notes on doors. silent treatment. pranks. changing wi-fi names. rooftop. bean me up cafe. trap house. group chats.

chapters(soon)->one · · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·two · · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·three · · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·four · · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·five · · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·six · · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·seven · · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·eight · · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·nine · · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·ten

masterlist<- taglist here<-

just a quick reminder — if you ever want me to stop tagging you, please don’t hesitate to let me know. no hard feelings at all! also, if you’re not interacting with the posts, I’ll assume you’re no longer interested and might remove you from the taglist to keep it active. appreciate you all 💋

tags-> @rafesbabygirlx @rafesteddy @qversazex @viqtoria @rafescloudie @devoutedlover @iconiccolo @alphabetically-deranged @sc05 @t0x1cfaerie @k4yr14 @purplerose291 @mrspuffdriving @silkylovey @babygoddam @meetmeintheemeraldpool @lolasangelz @glitterylightkingdom @mayanqueenxx @deeninadream

© All work on this blog is original and belongs to me, @cherrywriterrr. Do not copy, translate, repost, or steal my writing in any way. If you do, you will be blocked — no warnings, no exceptions. Respect writers. Stealing isn’t inspiration, it’s just theft. — cherrywriterrr©️

[transformers-spike]

Discussed Longarm x reader stuff with @drunkeninlovesailor and I think it may have actually ruined me

Bro is already having an internal identity crisis after spending centuries (at the very least) disguised as an Autobot - and now he finds a human he fancies and ends up using them as a coping mechanism for the shit he has to go through

And obviously, he has to maintain his disguise, so he can't show them his true form. It doesn't matter how much they love him, they will always reject the true him because of what they know about Decepticons (the very same rhetoric he helped spread)

He wants to frag them as Shockwave so badly, but he can't - not without ruining everything he's built. And so, he resorts to drugging his human and taking advantage of them in their sleep

At first it starts off "innocently", just him brushing his claws through their hair or taking them in his servos, exploring the sensation of flesh against his claws

But of course it gets worse - he breaks the promises he made to himself and starts self-servicing while touching them, then stroking their genitals - and finally, fragging them

Sometimes they wake up in a drug-fueled dazed, hearing their sweet Longarm's voice telling them to go back to sleep, and the entire thing feels like a dream

[sonoranbumblebee]

Syd & Stevie at the Wedding

posted this as a comment on another post but it got long so here as well

Humor is Stevie's coping mechanism. He was once a sweet and innocent Berzatto newbie but because he loves Michelle he has adapted to the chaos and learned to celebrate it as a part of his wife's world.

In "Fishes" Donna threw a spoon at him and cursed him out and he had the appropriate WTF reaction but then just rolled with it so he could stay a part of the evening. He gave Nat the full-body hug she needed to recover from a really bad encounter with Donna. His grace was the definition of giving grace.

Stevie introduces himself to Frank as someone who "married into the family." It's now his family too although also always an outsider. Later he comes up to Syd and Carmy in conversation. We can see from the way that Carmy lights up when he sees Stevie that this is someone in the family he loves and trusts. Moreover we can see that he wants to connect Syd and Stevie, so he introduces them and blushes the whole time while the two of him sort of have a separate exchange almost above him about how fucking great Carmy is.

My head canon is that when he's at the gate waiting for his plane back to New York he calls Michelle and tells her "You ducked too soon. Carmy was there, first of all, and he has a fucking girlfriend." "Bullshit." "He's still calling her his friend but she works at his restaurant, she's hot as hell, and they stare at each other a lot." "Oh my god. Nooooooo. No." "Yes." "I cannot believe I missed that." "I know! Sucks to be you."

Stevie knows quickly who Syd is to Carmy. Syd is a candidate to marry into the family. When he asks about meeting Donna and comments on her hesitantly, I don't think he's taking a shot at Carm at all. I think he's extending some allyship to Syd. They don't need to make a fuss about it, but Stevie is letting her know that if she needs someone who can help her grapple with and interpret that, he's been there. I do think it probably shamed and embarrassed Carm a little bit, but not because it came from Stevie but just because he is horrified at the idea of Syd being dragged into his family's chaos because she is connected to him.

Then the scene ends but I would argue the relationship between Stevie and Syd really begins. At some point Carm gets pulled away but Stevie and Syd are still together when they get called under the table. I very much see that as Stevie looking out for Syd, Carm's girl, in the exact same way that Richie does except Richie is in the middle of his own family right now, so he can't cover Carm's too.

Syd, Stevie, and Pete all end up under the table in a cluster. Team Berzatto Spouse! They love their person, and they're sticking with them through everything that comes with that person, including Donna's mental-illness-fueled abuse and being a part of the larger family network where no-contact (Carm's approach for the past 5 years) can never really pull you out of the entangled web that is family.

So in short, I took the interaction about Donna as Stevie telling Syd "welcome to the family, sorry it's insane hope you have a great time anyway, let me know if you need help with your batshit-crazy mother-in-law I just met you but I can see that Carm loves you so I love you let's enjoy the ride"

[superfroak]

For the most part I guess I can’t disagree with this, I’m just more willing to buy into the story’s ideas of using magic to cope. And I think it’s interesting using it as a way to escape otherwise impossible to escape trauma, like using magic to escape an impossible locked room. But I think you’ve made good points that it isn’t as much about accepting the good with the bad as I thought. There’s a couple points I wanna argue against though. I don’t think the red flashbacks being framed as “tearing out the guts” was to preserve kinzo’s honor or anything, it was clearly done in the meta narrative to distress ange and lion, which I think was the point: not that revealing these things is airing out dirty laundry, but how does learning these things actually help them at all, personally? Sure, we as readers want to understand Kinzo’s character better, but does knowing the exact extent of his crimes actually do Ange any more good?

I think keeping the memory of others alive, and how exactly you remember them, is supposed to be framed as a tool specifically for your own benefit in the present, not really to actually honor them, which is why the actual truth doesnt really matter, and why remembering the good is framed as more important than remembering the bad. Of course the only reason this coping mechanism is at all feasible is because Ange’s entire family is dead, we directly see how poorly it works out for Maria when she’s forced to face actual reality with it. And yeah it does kinda require ignoring the other living relatives of the victims, maybe the idea was that they all already had faith that their family members weren’t at fault, and ange was the one most wracked by that doubt and thus still searching for the truth? I dunno, but if any of them were still invested in learning the truth it does fall apart a bit. So it only really works on this scale for Ange’s very specific situation, I guess (does it undermine the themes of not revelling in tales of abuse for entertainment if the most significant way to apply the thesis of the story is to one specific story of abuse designed for our entertainment?)

And I do wish kuwatrice was more of an actual character, its a bit unfortunate. Maybe you could say that’s the point, she never had enough autonomy to become a person, or that her character was meant to be filled in by chick beatrice, but ehhh.

And I think ryukishi shoulda done a lot more to make the trick ending actually neutral and valid, it claims it’s really just our choice but it really isn’t even at all. But I suppose the point is more to reward you for understanding his thesis enough to buy into it. But I’ll definitely be thinking on these points whenever I eventually reread it because handling these things carefully is part of what makes umineko work at all so I think it is worth reconsidering.

Also, not really relevant, but I think there’s some room to speculate on if those red flashbacks were even true, though I figure they probably are, the only one that really has room for speculation is kinzo wanting to steal the gold. I also disagree that it shows kinzo actively twisting the narrative to frame himself better, the theatregoing authority that gets him to tell his story at all is supposed to only show the truth, which I’d interpret as him telling the story how he truly believes it happened. I don’t know whether to interpret that as kinzo subconsciously whitewashing his original motivation being from greed and not loneliness, or if he was so crazed by lonliness that he set this plan in motion in a convoluted effort to “save” Castiglioni. But I think it makes it more interesting. Though also, I think Kinzo having the power to “write his own narrative” being reflected by Featherine is a notable theme so i suppose thats still an element of it too.

Is it ACTUALLY possible to solve Umineko on your own? Like, realistically?

This article contains no spoilers beyond chapter 2, which is the bare minimum you need to read to even understand what Umineko is about.

As I was reading the answers arc of the Umineko no Naku Koro ni visual novel, also known as Umineko When They Cry, also known as Umineko no Naku Koro ni Chiru, I wondered:

Can this mystery actually be solved before the story explains the solution? And by “actually” I mean “being an average reader that spends a couple hours thinking really hard about it”, since I assume that it is solvable if you are a die hard fan with 4.000 free hours that is willing to re-read each chapter 10 times and write a book full of notes.

Also, by “possible” I mean that the solution makes perfect sense and can be reached by following logic steps.

I feared that looking up the answer on the internet might produce an accidental spoiler that ruins the whole experience. Still, I took a peek, since I needed some guarantee before committing the time to try and solve it.

I found some threads on reddit where everyone agreed that it was in fact solvable. Some people going as far as claiming they solved it all by episode 4.

So I tried to solve it. I spent some hours on it, rereading some chapter and competitions of red truths. I had some theories, but nothing that neatly explained all the murders. It didn’t look like I could get any further, so I kept reading.

After having finished the whole visual novel, reading over the manga, watching 8 hours of video on youtube, and reading old forums for even more hours, this is my red truth:

It is impossible to properly solve Umineko.

But then, how come that all those people claimed to have solved it themselves?

The truth about those people is that they did not solve Umineko, not by a long shot.

What those people did:

- Figure out a certain twist in the story that heavily implies who the culprit is and assume that’s the solution.

What those people didn’t do:

- Actually go through every murder and provide a proper explanation of how that character could have done it, supported by clues in the game and without contradictions.

Why is it impossible to properly solve Umineko?

- Most of the actions that the culprit must have taken are not hinted at all. - There is no limit on how many culprits/accomplices there are. - There is no guarantee that the accomplices or even the culprit are the same in all the games. - There is no guarantee that the culprit is not killed. - Anything that is not a red truth can be disregarded as “lies of the narration”. - Red truths are valid as long as they are technically true in any possible context or interpretation, which makes them worse than useless (more on this later). - It’s never explicitly stated that the Umineko mystery follows any of the “rules of a good mystery” explained in the story.

So, basically, there isn’t nearly enough information and rules to find the truth. Even if you reached a solution, you could never be sure it is the solution, and coming up with a solution given the listed conditions is unsatisfactory and trivially easy.

Before proving that, let me quickly address the riddle of the epitaph.

Is it possible to solve the riddle of the epitaph?

No.

Why is it impossible to solve the riddle of the epitaph?

Because the solution requires:

- The map of a certain country during a certain time period (none of which are mentioned in the first 4 chapters, I think, and I doubt you could even find it on the internet). - Expert knowledge of Japanese kanjis and a some Chinese. - Solving metaphoric riddles of questionable logic. - To be actually present in Umineko’s world so you can examine and interact with “the door to the golden land”.

However, the riddle of the epitaph is possible to guess.

This is what anyone who claims to have solved the epitaph actually did. They guessed the answer using these 3 steps:

1- Ignore the most convoluted parts of the epitaph and assume the location of the door to the golden land based on what would make sense for the narrative of the story. 2- Solve a play on words by interpreting it in the only way that would fit the description of that place. 3- Roughly guess how opening the door to the golden land could work.

—-

Now, let’s go back to the solution to the murders. I claimed that coming up with a solution given the listed conditions is unsatisfactory and trivially easy.

Let me demonstrate. Here is the solution for all the murders in Umineko assuming the culprit is whatever character you want:

- All the servants, Nanjo, and all the members of the family required to make it work are accomplices. They are either bribed, threatened, convinced or tricked. - Every death is being faked unless stated in red. - Every scene not directly witnessed and described in a literal fashion by Battler is a “lie of the narration”, so it never happened. - If it is stated in red that your chosen character is not the culprit, it is because the word “culprit” is not being used to mean “the mastermind behind the murders” but “the responsible for some particular action” that your chosen culprit is not directly responsible for. - If it is stated in red that your chosen character is not a murderer or did not kill a particular person, it is because while carrying out the murders they were roleplaying Beatrice, so the red truth is considering that the actual murderer is their Beatrice impersonation, not their actual self.

Easy, right? Completely unsatisfactory too.

You would assume that the actual solution is elegant, doesn’t require twisting the red truth so much, and is completely supported by hints, but you would be wrong.

The VN doesn’t even explicitly confirm who the culprit is and it doesn’t go into detail about how each murder was carried out either. However, the manga does. I will refer to this as the “official solution”.

The official solution is so bad and full of holes and contradictions that a lot of people think it’s actually a trap set by the author for “people who stop thinking”.

So there’s 2 possibilities here:

- Umineko is a disappointment and is not solvable. The author did a poor job shoehorning explanations that were not hinted and forgetting details that contradict them. - Umineko is a hidden masterpiece. The author committed to a master trolling and pretended, even during interviews, that the flawed official solution is the truth, all just to hide the proper solution for those who don’t stop thinking. Let’s call this the “hidden solution”.

Why is the official solution so bad? Short edition.

I’ll go into more detail later, but in brief:

- The solution requires fairly ridiculous “anime logic”. - The solution doesn’t follow the rules of a proper mystery that Umineko itself explains. There are no clues to figure out how most of the murders where carried out or by whom. - The are as many clues pointing to the culprit as there are red truths contradicting it. - The solution is willing to disregard basically everything that is not a red truth as “lies of the narration”. - The red truth directly contradicts this solution, unless we interpret it in arbitrary and twisted ways in order for it to mean something else. - The logistics and details of the murders are ignored. Corpses are moved around like pillows. The culprit is never stained by blood. Shots are not heard unless the plot requires so. Etc.

Is it possible to reach the official solution?

It’s possible to figure out who is the official culprit. There are heavy hints for it, hard to see initially, but sorta obvious in retrospect. Since it’s a big twist, you should be fairly certain that you found it when you do.

However, for the reasons listed before, finding the culprit doesn’t allow you to find the solution to the murders, since anyone can be an accomplice, any narration can be a lie and any red truth can be interpreted as something else.

So, what about the hidden solution?

Is it possible to reach the hidden solution?

I’m not saying a hidden, elegant solution doesn’t exist, but for the reasons listed under “Why is it impossible to properly solve Umineko?”, you would never know if it is elegant enough to be the actual truth. It would also certainly require 4.000 hours if not more. Such a hidden truth would require you to disseminate and analyze almost every single word of this 120 hours novel.

However, I don’t see how you can make sense of all the red truths without twisting their logic and meaning so they don’t contradict real facts or one another, which makes me think that the actual solution being bad is more likely than a hidden, perfectly logical solution.

Up until chapter 6, I would have totally bought that the whole story was perfectly thought off up to the last detail, but chapters 7 and 8 are so bad I don’t believe that anymore.

Why is the official solution so bad? Extended edition.

Since I don’t want to spoil it, let me give you a fictional example of a solution that is roughly as bad as the official one, with the same kind of justifications.

The following are not spoilers, just a completely fake theory I just made up that not only appears to fit perfectly as a solution, but also appears to be heavily hinted through the game:

The culprit is Maria. She is actually not 8 but 20 years old. This is the big twist that makes people think they have solved Umineko upon realizing it, regardless of whether it completely fits or not. Then they reinterpret everything as needed to make it look like it’s supporting this truth, as I’m about to do.

This truth is right in your face the whole time, as Rosa is constantly scolding her for not acting her age. It makes no sense that she would be that bothered by it if Maria was actually 8 years old.

This is also heavily hinted by the way Rosa abuses Maria in front of other people while they all allow it. Hitting a 20 years old is not nearly as abusive as hitting an 8 years old.

All the characters agree to treat Maria as an 8 years old since that’s the way she acts and they don’t want to be mean to her, unlike her mother. This is also the reason why she is visually depicted as a little kid; as far as anyone is concerned, she is a little kid. “Without love it cannot be seen”; because they love Maria and respect her personality, they can see her as a kid.

This is all a facade maintained by Maria to trick everyone. She’s such a fanatic of the occult that her mask slips when talking about the topic and she starts acting like the creepy adult she actually is. Another massive hint that’s in your face the whole time.

She’s also shown to know Hebrew and have the whole Bible memorized. There’s no way she could be a little girl.

Even her appearance reveals the truth: She’s the only one who wears a crown, signaling that she’s the queen of the chess game.

If you have read up to chapter 5, you should recall a scene in which a certain character seriously confronts her about the existence of magic as if she was an adult, to the surprise of everyone else, who think this character is being rude. This is another massive hint that she’s actually an adult and everyone is pretending for her sake.

The reason she carries out the murders is because she truly believes Beatrice exists and will be resurrected with the ritual depicted in the epitaph. She is always saying so openly and being unaffected by the murders no matter how grueling they are or if the victim is her own mother.

The kind of person who claims to have solved Umineko would have stopped here and decided the mystery is solved. The twist is obvious in retrospect and it seems like Maria could actually have carried out the murders if she was an adult. It’s obvious that this is the solution, so there’s no need to think it further or go through every murder to check if it actually fits and is supported by clues. This story is a masterpiece!

But now we are on the internet and there are idiots who claim this solution is bad or contradictory, so let’s prove them wrong:

First chapter, first twilight:

Maria enters the parlor with a gun and kills everyone.

Yes, she kills 6 people by herself without missing a shot, even though in later chapters it’s said that the guns in the mansion don’t shoot straight and are very hard to reload for an amateur

She then carries 6 corpses to the storeroom at the other side of the garden all by herself, without getting blood stains on her clothes or on the path to the storeroom, and without anyone hearing a thing.

Later on, Natsuhi also has a gun. This confirms that there are guns in the mansion, so Maria could also get a gun, making this crime hinted and solvable.

First chapter, second twilight:

Maria goes to Eva’s room. Eva has no reason to suspect her, so she lets her in, then Maria kills her and Hideyoshi with the gun she carried hidden on her purse (another big hint; she’s the only one who can carry weapons around without being noticed).

The chain on the door was never set, that was a lie of the narration. This makes sense since Battler himself didn’t witness the scene. Genji and Kanon find the bodies and go tell other people.

While they are out, Maria somehow draws a giant magic circle in blood on the door, without moving the bodies or staining herself, the floor, or the bed where the corpse of Eva is laying. She had drawings of the same circle on her notebook, making this crime hinted and solvable.

You get the point, so let’s skip the rest of the murders and assume they can be explained by Maria somehow.

Let’s assume that in later chapters it is said in red that Maria is dead and her death was a homicide. This might seem to contradict our theory that Maria is the culprit, but it actually doesn’t. The sentence is referring to “Maria the kid”, which is treated here as a different entity from “Maria the adult”, in a similar way as how Maria treats her mother as either her real mother or “the evil witch” depending on whether she’s angry or kind. “Maria the kid” being dead means that she has discarded that facade and won’t use it anymore*. This can be considered a homicide since “Maria the adult” is the one who decides to “kill” her facade.

*She will actually use it one more time when it’s convenient for the plot, but this is treated as a resurrection and doesn’t contradict the truth that “Maria the kid” was dead at that point in time.

All of this makes sense and is solvable.

This is what the official solution apologists believe.

Umineko completely betrays the player.

Umineko is constantly asking the player to solve its mystery, going as far as to insult readers who don’t try hard enough, and seemingly assuring you that the game is perfectly solvable and follows the rules of a good mystery.

All of this is a lie.

I take particular issue with the red truth.

The red truth is introduced in a way that requires trust and cooperation from the player. It is not realistic to think that Battler (or you, the player) would be convinced that a lying witch that is trying to trick you would be trustworthy when explaining the rules of the game or the nature of the red truth.

However, you do the concession because you are, in fact, playing a game. You understand that the game is challenging you to solve it, so some rules must be laid out.

The red truth is accepted as a shortcut to avoid having to read through 2 hours of explanations for every minute detail. You accept that when “character X is dead” is said in red, the purpose is to tell Battler (and you, the player), that you should not waste your time trying to find ways in which the death of character X could have been faked, and for the story to not waste time either trying to deny every possible way to fake that death (which would be futile anyway since you can’t believe anything the witch says).

Red truths are sometimes used for misdirection, but that’s all good and part of the fun as long as they can still be taken at face value and interpreted literally. “Character X didn’t exit the room” tricks you into assuming that character X was inside the room to begin with, but the solution here is to take the red truth literally and don’t make any extra assumptions, not to change the meaning or the context of the red.

Eventually, however, the game provides consecutive red truths that directly contradict each other. The official explanation is that a red truth is valid as long as there is a way in which it could technically be interpreted as true. For example, if you and I are in the same room, I can claim in red that “there’s only one person in the room”, because I’m speaking out of context and by “the room” I’m not referring to this room, but any other room with a single person in it, or because you did cruel things in the past, so I consider you to be a “monster”, not a “person”. Therefore, the red truth “there’s only one person in the room” is no truth at all.

You might think it’s a cool twist that the red is not reliable and the witch was tricking you all along, and I agree that from a narrative standpoint it is.

However, from the point of view of a player being encouraged to try and solve the mystery, it is a complete betrayal of the truth you placed in the game.

The ending of Umineko is awful and the whole “solvable mystery” is a hurtful lie.

[viviansturns]

𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒑𝒂𝒍𝒔 - part 2

... you find yourself falling for your university pen pal

cw (whole series): flirting, fluff, very sad angst

January 14th, 2025

Hey Y/N,

So you seemed pretty anxious and midterms are coming up, and I sent you flowers. I’m not sure if anyone still sends flowers via mail, but I figured why not? I hope they survived the journey and aren’t all fallen apart or ruined.

Speaking of snail mail… Why is letter shipping so slow? I’m pretty sure my last letter went on a world tour before landing at your place.

Your glow in the dark stars are actually exactly what I wanted as a kid, but my dad said they’d peel the paint off the ceiling.

Anyway, hope you’re surviving midterms without too many panic attacks. If you need a distraction, I’m just a letter away (albeit a slow one).

Sorry there’s not much to this letter. I’m not sure what to say today.

Talk soon,

Matt

_______________

January 25th, 2025

Matt,

The flowers were actually perfect. A little squished, yeah, but still good. I didn’t expect them, which made them kind of disarming. In a good way.

Letter shipping is painfully slow. I keep checking the mailbox like I’m waiting for something urgent.

Break left me more tired than rested. My parents have a way of making everything feel heavy, even when they’re trying to be light. I get what you said about everyone being slightly off.

I had a panic attack two nights ago, nothing new, but it still shook me up. I haven’t told many people that.

If we were at the same school, I think I’d drag you to a cafe just so I didn’t have to sit with this stuff alone. You’d probably bring a sketchbook. And we could just draw people passing by. Or eachother or whatever.

—Y/N

P.S. if you send me a polaroid of you i’ll draw you too

_______________

February 5th, 2025

Y/N,

So I don’t really have a polaroid camera, but I printed out some pictures to send. There’s a bunch because I wasn’t really sure what kind of one to send. Face reveal I guess, hope it’s how you imagined me or something.

Also, sorry to hear about the panic attack. I know that feeling, like your body’s short-circuiting for no good reason. I get them sometimes too, especially right before exams.

Midterms are a mess already. My roommate pulls all-nighters and eats dry cereal out of the box like it’s a coping mechanism. I’ve just been trying to keep my head down and get through it.

I liked what you said about the cafe. That sounded nice. I’ve never really had someone to do that kind of quiet with.

Hope you’re holding up okay.

—Matt

P.S. I’ll send better flowers next time. These ones didn’t have the best reviews, but I liked the colours.

_______________

February 16th, 2025

Matt,

WOAH okay, I didn't know you were a literal model? Yeah that’s crazy you kind of look like how I imagined but more… I don't know. Anyways, I drew the first one because I liked it the most, I hope it’s okay. 

You’ve been on my mind a lot lately—more than I expected. Getting your letters feels like catching my breath. There’s something about the way you write that makes me feel like I’m not as weird for thinking the way I do.

Midterms are finally over. I’m mostly just relieved. I crashed right after my last one and slept for twelve hours straight. It helped.

Also… what’s your number? I know the letters are kind of our thing, but sometimes I want to say something small without waiting two weeks. Still—if you don’t want to, I get it. I just catch myself thinking, he’d probably get this, or I wonder what Matt would say about that, and then I remember I have to wait for stamps and envelopes.

Random vent. Or actually not that random because it was just valentines day. I’m not in a relationship or anything. I guess I wish I was. Not for the whole performative, “look at us” thing. Just the quiet parts. Having someone to come back to. To tell about your day. You seem like you’d be good at that.

—Y/N

[INSERT DRAWING OF MATT HERE]

_______________

February 27th, 2025

Y/N,

Your drawing actually surprised me. It’s really good. You caught details I never even noticed and you somehow made me look less tired without changing anything? It’s like a vibe you added.

I’m glad you got through midterms. I know you said they hit hard this time, and I kept hoping you were getting enough rest. You don’t really say when you’re struggling until after it’s passed. I’m probably the same way.

About your number—I’m not going to give it to you. Not because I don’t want to, but because I don’t want to mess up what we have here. There’s something special about waiting for letters, about the slow pace. It makes everything feel more real, more deliberate. I don’t want to lose that.

That said, I wanted to send you something more immediate, so I included some chocolates. Probably a little late for Valentine’s Day, but I hope it still counts. You said you wished you had someone, and maybe I’m not that person, but I hope this made you feel thought of.

You’re easy to care about, Y/N. I don’t think I’ve told you that yet.

—Matt

P.S. If the chocolate melted on the way, just lie and say it didn’t.

P. P. S. I lowkey wouldn’t mind more photos. To draw or something.

_______________

March 11th, 2025

Matt,

The chocolate didn’t melt. (Okay, it did a little, but I ate it anyway. It was perfect.)

Your letter sat in my bag for three days before I opened it cause I really wanted to read it, but give it the right kind of attention, y’know? These letters mean a lot to me, and my roommate says I’m spending to much time thinking about them. Or you I guess.

Also, “you’re easy to care about”? Kind of an insane thing to just drop at the end like that. I don’t know what else to say about it.

I’ve been going on long walks lately. No destination, just walking until I forget why I needed to clear my head in the first place. My parents called me twice this week and I didn’t pick up. I don’t know what to say to them right now. Everything feels like effort.

I think I used to believe that being alone meant being independent. Now I’m not sure. Lately, I’ve just been craving something that feels safe. Not even romantic, just… steady.

Thank you for being that, in a weird way.

 —Y/N

[Image of you - 1] [Image of you - 2]

_______________

March 22nd, 2025

Y/N,

You said you’ve been walking a lot lately. I’ve been staying up too late for no reason. It’s like I don’t want to go to sleep because I don’t want to wake up and repeat the same day again.

I had a weird week. Someone I used to be close with is sort of back in my life. We were on-and-off for a while—one of those situations where you never fully cut it off, but it’s never really working either. It’s hard to cut her off because she’s just so… magnetic I guess. Nothing’s happened. I don’t even know if I want anything to. It’s just confusing.

I keep thinking about what you said, about craving something that feels steady. That stuck with me. I don’t think I’ve ever really had that. Not with people, anyway.

It’s strange how writing to you makes everything else feel clearer. Even the stuff I don’t want to think about. Maybe that’s why I keep doing it.

Thanks for reading all this, even when it’s messy.

 —Matt

P.S. Thanks for the polaroids.

_______________

April 10nd, 2025

Matt,

Thanks for the update. Sounds like a lot.

I didn’t really know what to write back at first. Took a few days to figure out how I felt, and I’m still not totally sure.

Glad you have people around. Complicated or not.

Things here are fine.

—Y/N

_______________

April 21st, 2025

Y/N,

I think I worded that last letter badly. I didn’t mean to make you feel like I was putting something between us — I wasn’t trying to change the dynamic, just needed to get it out of my head.

You’re the only person I tell this stuff to. I should’ve thought more about how it’d sound on your end.

I don’t really know where that other thing stands, if I’m honest. But I know what this has started to mean to me. And I care about what you think — probably more than I should, but that’s where I’m at.

I really miss your letters when they take too long to show up. This means a lot to me. 

—Matt

_______________

May 1st, 2025

Matt,

Thank you for being honest. I don’t want you to hold anything back with me — I want to know what’s really going on in your head. That’s how this feels real.

I care about what you think too. More than I thought I would. It’s strange how someone you’ve never met in person can mean so much.

I miss your letters when they take too long too — and I catch myself rereading the ones I have.

I hope we can keep building this, however complicated it gets.

—Y/N

_______________

May 12th, 2025

Y/N,

I’ve been thinking about your letters a lot lately. It’s strange how much comfort they bring me — like you have this quiet way of making everything feel less heavy, even the stuff that’s messy or confusing. I don’t think I’ve told you that enough.

I’m sending some flowers again. Nothing too fancy, just something simple that I hope will brighten up your room or maybe remind you someone’s thinking about you. I figured it might be nice to have something living and soft around you, since I know things can feel a little overwhelming sometimes.

Also, about that Polaroid — if you feel like it, could you send me another? I don’t want you to feel pressured or anything, but you’re pretty, and I like having a little piece of that when I write back. It’s silly, I guess, but it makes this all feel a bit more real.

—Matt

P.S I know you didn’t ask but here’s one of me smiling. 

i sure hope that ex doesnt cause a problem... anyways arent they adorbsss

*THESE POSTS ARE SCHEDULED AS I AM AWAY CURRENTLY, TO FIND OTHER PARTS YOU NEED TO SCROLL DOWN ON MY BLOG*

[altocat]

I've been thinking about how much influence Cloud's memories have on Sephiroth's identity post-Nibelheim. I find it really interesting, especially with how Seph tries to outright rejects Angeal's memories of him in Opera Omnia, while reiterating that Cloud should remember him.

Sephiroth willingly gave up everything-his memories, his humanity, his very identity- to his mother, and to Cloud. Outside of mother, Cloud is his everything.

Cloud seems to be the only person that Sephiroth is willing to engage with OTHER than Jenova. He'll act nastily towards Aerith sometimes. Or he'll act very hostile towards Tifa. But it's all in service of manipulating Cloud/getting Cloud's attention. Cloud is basically the only time Sephiroth sort of forgets about his "godly" ascension and actually displays some level of human emotion--those being sheer petty malice, amusement, and possible lust.

Makes you wonder if he needed SOME sort of coping mechanism after going insane. Cloud presented himself as a prime target after killing him. Sephiroth not only needs Cloud as a means of continuing to exist after death, but he also likely needs him because Cloud is sort of the only thing holding his ravaged psyche together. Without Cloud, there IS no Sephiroth. Just the being that merged with Jenova. Cloud is what keeps him somewhat singular, somewhat himself. Even if he'd like to kill him. Or at least permanently mentally scar him.

What a truly healthy, loving relationship!

[vsa-pieldepapel]

Do you think there is any merit in the aggressive route? (I don't think it has a common consensus name, but I like to call it "Lost Route", in reference to enemies getting LOST)

The consequences seem to be inconsistent, with Berdly's arm's fate hinging on whether you fought his and Queen's boss fights with damage or not, and Tenna's fate hinging on two necessary recruits and ignoring wheter you beat him with violence, and Jackenstein's on having no lost enemies I think?

The [FIGHT] option seems to be neglected in being telegraphed to the player, essentially discouraged, until the Aurafarmer suddenly jumps in and makes it required.

Regardless of whether it's... questionably designed, I wanted to ask whether you think there is any point to tell, like there would be in the Undertale's Neutral routes. Like "the bonds you break make you stronger" and if there's anything beyond it.

Oh, this is interesting. I can't give too thorough an answer because I honestly hadn't sat with it too much until i got this ask. I've actually never tried this route, so I'd have to find footage and break it down. It's interesting in that it's not Snowgrave- in UT you just had to be violent, but in DR there is a very specific type of violence that leads to the "bad ending"

I do think gameplay wise it's going to be the closest equal to UT's neutral routes. Due to the nature of each game, DR's balance of violence and pacifism is more nuanced than UT, which I appreciate for being its own thing. Obviously the meta reason is that sometimes there will be players who will want stat increases for strategic reasons, but because UT was meant to make you feel like your actions have the same weight as they would if the pixels were real people, every murder in UT feels insane, where DR is touching more on the themes of unreality, escapism, and parallel dimensions. The division between both worlds is thematically relevant, so the nuance is needed.

I find it interesting despite Ralsei's utilitarian views of himself and fellow darkners, and his obedience even if you instruct him to be violent, that he still insists that you be kind to the darkners. This makes me believe his approach is a sort of cope to deal with whatever big suffering or sacrifice is implied in the Last Prophecy, and in truth he values his life and others'.

The thing you say about the telegraphing is real, at the same time, we know that toby deliberately put ACT as the second command because, iirc, he wants you to consciously ACT, and attacking would be your baseline, automatic, unga bunga response. That makes the dissonance between FIGHT being narratively discouraged but mechanically encouraged fascinating.

It does lead to unexpected/Funny results though. My first ever you became stronger outside of the one purposeful snowgrave run was this and it was half-unintentional.

I forgot that you could purify the fetuses, I saw the X over the mercy bar and, having fought the knight, I was like, well, i guess there's one thing to do... And I did get stronger. There was a stat increase for all party members. But most interestingly, the game tracks specifically how you react to the fetuses. In the file where I purified them it says just that, and in the abortion file it says "Slain". I wonder if killing the weird titan fetus creatures will have ramifications and if so, why specifically the spawn. I don't think there's enough information for anything conclusive yet though.

Toby has repeatedly emphasised there is one ending, and my belief is that the prophecy is meant to be a misdirect; that there is one ending but that ending happens because Susie chooses to go against the prophecy. The one ending is her ending and everything else is variations depending on what you do through Kris.

Perhaps in Deltarune, where "your choices don't matter", it's meant to emphasize the weird pointlessness of being violent when the result wouldn't change. Maybe you can't change the ending, but being kind results in a bustling Castle Town where darkners live happily, and that matters too. Given the end result won't change, can you still be made to care about the minute details along the way?

Apologies if this answer isn't super complete. This was very interesting, thank you!

[sonoranbumblebee]

This whole post is both brilliant and dead-on and so thoughtful

My only quibble is I think I would give more credit to Stevie. I have different take on Stevie's approach. Humor is his coping mechanism. He was once a sweet and innocent newbie but because he loves Michelle he has adapted to the chaos and learned to celebrate it as a part of his wife's world.

In "Fishes" Donna threw a spoon at him and cursed him out and he had the appropriate WTF reaction but then just rolled with it so he could stay a part of the evening. He gave Nat the full-body hug she needed to recover from a really bad encounter with Donna. His grace was the definition of giving grace.

*My* read on the "Donna?" three-way exchange is a little different than that above. Stevie introduces himself to Frank as someone who "married into the family." It's now his family too although also always an outsider. Later he comes up to Syd and Carmy in conversation. We can see from the way that Carmy lights up when he sees Stevie that this is someone in the family he loves and trusts. Moreover we can see that he wants to connect Syd and Stevie, so he introduces them and blushes the whole time while the two of him sort of have a separate exchange almost above him about how fucking great Carmy is.

Stevie knows quickly who Syd is to Carmy. My head canon is that when he's at the gate waiting for his plane back to New York he calls Michelle and tells her "You ducked too soon. Carmy was there and he has a fucking girlfriend." "Bullshit." "He's still calling her his friend but she works at his restaurant, she's hot as hell, and they spend a *lot* of time just staring at each other." "Oh my god. Noooo." "Yes." "I cannot believe I missed this." "I know! Sucks to be you."

Stevie knows quickly who Syd is to Carmy. Syd is a candidate to marry into the family. When he asks about meeting Donna and comments on her hesitantly, I don't think he's taking a shot at Carm at all. I think he's extending some allyship to Syd. They don't need to make a fuss about it, but Stevie is letting her know that if she needs someone who can help her grapple with and interpret that, he's been there. I do think it probably shamed and embarrassed Carm a little bit, but not because it came from Stevie but just because he is horrified at the idea of Syd being dragged into his family's chaos because she is connected to him.

Then the scene ends but I would argue the relationship between Stevie and Syd really begins. At some point Carm gets pulled away but Stevie and Syd are still together when they get called under the table. I very much see that as Stevie looking out for Syd, Carm's girl, in the exact same way that Richie does except Richie is in the middle of his own family right now, so he can't cover Carm's too. Syd, Stevie, and Pete all end up under the table in a cluster. Team Berzatto Spouse! They love their person, and they're sticking with them through everything that comes with that person, including Donna's mental-illness-fueled abuse and being a part of the larger family network where no-contact (Carm's approach for the past 5 years) can never really pull you out of the entangled web that is family.

So in short, I took it as Stevie telling Syd "welcome to the family, sorry it's insane hope you have a great time anyway, let me know if you need help with your batshit-crazy mother-in-law I just met you but I can see that Carm loves you so I love you let's enjoy the ride"

Grace and shame

Carmy and for Nat's reintroductions to their mother after years of tension, and in Carmy's case, no communication, were fraught. We saw this during 3x08 Ice Chips with Nat's labour which Donna featured heavily in, and then in 4x07 Bears at Tiff's wedding where Carmy is blindsided by his mother and rescued by Richie and Syd.

At the risk of stating the obvious, these types of relationships are hard. Growing up with an abusive parent is hard. Family violence, coercive control, emotional abuse: these things are often open secrets in the immediate and extended families where they play out. When you come from communities where large extended families are as much your family as your immediate family (like Carmy's, like Syd's like many non-white, non-WASP communities), the open secret can range to a huge network. Folks you don't even know might know about your parent's fucked behaviour. So for children who are caught up in the middle of it all, there can be immense trauma both from being subjected to their family's abuse but also from navigating a whole ass community that has views and thoughts on the situation. And of course, folks in the family who are struggling with mental health issues and/or addiction like Mikey, like Donna, like Papa Berzatto wherever the hell he is, also have their own shit to navigate in these larger networks - particularly if they are trying to make up for the harm they may have perpetrated. There is more than enough shame to go around in these situations.

So with this context, I wanted to look at how three particular characters - Pete, Syd and Claire - respond to Donna Berzatto and her attempts to reengage with her family and what their responses tell us about relationships on this show.

Pete

In 2x10 The Bear, Pete spots Donna smoking a cigarette outside of the restaurant during Friends and Family (FNF) night. She has not come inside and is reluctant to do so, despite my beloved trying his best to convince her, knowing that his love, Donna's daughter Nat, was hoping to see her.

Donna tells Pete,

Donna: I don't deserve to see how good this is. I want them to have this good thing. And I don't wanna hurt it.

Pete tries a bit more to get Donna inside the restaurant but she begs him to let her go and tell her that its okay that she leaves. He reluctantly obliges and then goes back inside. We next see him talking to Nat while holding back tears BECAUSE HE IS A LOVING ANGEL OF A MAN.

When Nat concedes that the odds were right and Donna didn't show for FNF, she and Pete have the following conversation:

Pete: I mean, you...you know, this isn't easy.

Nat: What isn't easy?

Pete: You know, its a lot of people, a lot of history. Its just a lot.

Nat: Yeah. Yeah, its...

Pete: I wouldn't hold it against her.

Nat: No?

Pete: Not this one.

In the convo above, Pete gives both Nat and Donna grace.

When I first saw this episode of The Bear, I teared up at this scene. Pete has seen up close how the ravages of Donna's poor mental health and alcohol abuse have impacted all three of the Berzatto children, particularly his partner. As an outsider who hasn't been subjected to her abuse in the same way as her kids or extended family who have been around longer, he also has the distance to objectively see that Donna's abuse hasn't sprung up out of a vacuum. That she too, is harbouring her own ghosts. But Pete is not preachy about the latter with Nat. He doesn't tell Nat to forgive her mother for all of her sins. I mean, how could he? He's in no position to.

What Pete does tell Nat is that he wouldn't hold Donna's absence on FNF against her - "not this one" he says. And that's because of the insight he's gotten from Donna in their conversation outside the restaurant as well as the fact that Donna's absence is comparatively low stakes when it comes to the spectrum of impact that her abuse has had in the past (i.e. no one's getting their walls knocked down by a car or having Donna threatening self harm in their face). Pete also gives his advice to Nat as a recommendation - something he would do. He's not telling Nat what she should do. Thats a call for her to make. Pete gives Nat the grace to feel however which way she needs to while saying his piece.

I'll say it before and I'll say again: I LOVE THIS EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT, KIND MAN.

Also notably, the harshest words I've ever heard Pete use about Donna to Nat - or anyone else - were about the timing of her phone calls in 4x08 Green lol.

Sydney

Sydney meets the Berzatto matriarch for the first time in 4x07 Bears. But prior to this, she'd already heard from multiple sources about how difficult life in the Berzatto house was for Carmy. Sydney knows, through Richie, that Carmy's eldest brother shot himself in the head (recall the hardware store convo between them in 1x02 Hands). She knows, through Carmy, that Mikey was an addict and that Carmy is attending Al-Anon meetings to navigate his emotions following the loss of his brother (recall their alley chat at the end of 1x03 Brigade). She knows, through Carmy, that his mother drove a car through the family house and that he perceives his family as "weird" and "fucked-up" (recall her, Marcus and Carmy discussing cannolis in 2x08 Bolognese).

Its with the above context that Syd goes into her chat with Donna in 4x07. Syd also witnesses the affect that Donna has on Carmy earlier at the wedding (recall Syd and Richie swooping in to save Carmy who is already in the throes of a panic attack when his mother finds him):

Note: Syd's unbroken eye contact with Carmy to ground him in place, out of the panic attack. Richie's hand on Carmy's shoulder and his gentle pat to Carmy's face to do the same. PHEW some days, the Big Three have my whole heart.

Sydney then has that work-family/family-family heart to heart with Donna. The convo, while full of smiling faces, complements, and Syd gushing about Carmy, was tense. You could see Donna's struggle to sit through it, to sit through hearing how wonderful her son is. We find out later in 4x09 Tonnato that this is because Donna is now coming to terms with the consequences that her abuse has had on her relationships with her kids. There is so much about Carmen, her youngest, that Donna does not know. There is so much that she has missed because of their estrangement and in her convo with Syd, she's now having some of the reality of her abuse mirrored back at her.

Syd was also visibly stressed in that conversation. Her smiles throughout were strained. You could also tell that she was making a concerted effort to keep Donna as regulated as possible (I know because I've pulled many of those smiles in my time, have spoken octaves above my usual register to keep things sweet and calm). Donna then leaves the conversation when it seems like hearing about Carmy from a stranger gets too much, and, like her interaction with Pete in 2x10, she asks Syd to cover for her. Syd then takes a long swig of her champagne because, well, she deserves it LOL.

Later, following wild scenes with that fucking table, Frank, Claire, Evie, Richie and the Faks, Sydney finds Carmy. As @yangsharperavery points out here, you can visibly see Carmy's body relax as Sydney draws near to him in this scene. Syd and Carmy then have the following convo:

Syd: She left.

Carmy: Thank God.

Syd: Okay.

Carmy: Was that...Its...It was okay?

Syd: Yeah. It was totally fine.

Carmy: Yeah?

Syd: Really. Yes, yes.

Carmy: Good.

Syd: Yeah. Um...I think it was hard or weird for her too, you know. Just everything, everybody.

Carmy: Yeah. No, I know. I'm trying to, you know, make some room for that. I'm trying to think about that.

Syd: Are you?

Carmy: I'm trying to, yeah.

We can see how Sydney's discussion with Carmy in 4x07 Bears mirrors that of Pete with Nat in 2x10 The Bear. Like Pete, Syd gives grace to Donna by acknowledging her struggle to be at another large family gathering ("I think it was hard or weird for her too [...] Just everything, everybody").

After cutting to and back from Claire, Frank and Richie trying to get Evie out from under a table (/gag me with this stupid ass stunt), we rejoin Carmy and Syd's convo:

Syd: Was it nice seeing her, or...

Carmy: I think so, I mean, I'm...I'm glad she seems okay, you know?

Syd: Yeah.

Carmy: Um...And thank you for...for talking to her.

Syd: No, its totally fine. I don't care. I think she just wanted to know how you were, you know.

In their brief dialogue, its evident that Carmy is concerned about how the conversation between Donna and Sydney went. This could be fuelled by one or both of two things:

Carmy's concern for Syd's wellbeing (given that he knows how caustic Donna can be, and how casually sexist and racist too - recall his mother's "so you...work for Carmy?" at Syd earlier in the ep); and/or

Carmy's shame and concern about how Syd might perceive him in light of his mother's behaviour.

Regardless of which of these is behind Carmy's anxiety over Donna, Syd gives him grace by acknowledging and respecting the existence of his fear ("She left" = 'she's gone, you can breathe now'). She also doesn't misrepresent her encounter with Donna to be something nefarious (which is what a few of the other guests at this wedding seem to be hanging out for - more on this soon) and reassures Carmy that his mother seemed to just want to know how he was doing. This appears to put Carmy at ease.

Later, Stevie joins the conversation and brings up Donna with Syd:

Stevie: I saw you met Donna.

Syd: Oh. Yes.

Stevie: Donna rules, right?

Carmy: *awkwardly smiles at the floor*

Syd: Uh, y-yeah, it was, you know...It was...it was an experience. *looks at Carmy* It was nice. It was fine. It was fine.

This "banter" from Stevie and others like Uncle Lee (recall his drivel in 2x06 Fishes) is what instils shame in domestic violence survivors and children of addicts. It does nothing to support the child who has gone through the violence or survived the chaos of their parent's addiction and who very likely has a complex relationship with the perpetrator by virtue of them being their primary caregiver. Stevie's sarcastic dig was small, petty bullshit. Carmy feels it too which is why his demeanour shifts to self-conscious in an instant.

Syd catches on and quickly cuts Stevie's baiting off as diplomatically as possible. I can only imagine what a relief this would have been for Carmy. I don't think we have met anyone in his circle do what Syd did when it comes to the spectre of Donna. She gave both Carmy and Donna grace and did not fall into the toxicity that the other Bears seem to regularly revel in.

Claire

Which brings us to Claire.

I know there's uproar in the fandom about how Dr Malpractice has been thrust into the plot this season and the concern around how she's been pitted against Syd. I get it, particularly in relation to the fucked racial optics of the whole exercise. But I think, as others have said on here, that her character is a narrative tool and a foil to Sydney's (which is why she's written so flatly - and I'd argue sinisterly - we're not supposed to be rooting for her). There are lots of examples of how this character has been written and acted that support what I and others are saying, including what I'm going to get into below...so humour me for a little while longer.

Recall early in 4x07, Claire and Stevie are supporting an anxious Frank who is worried about the number of Berzattos at his wedding:

Frank: What does this usually end up like?

Stevie and Claire: *obnoxiously chuckle*

Frank: What? Oh no.

Stevie: No, no, no. Sorry, sorry, sorry. It's...here's one way to look at it, its really fun.

Frank: Okay. Got it.

Stevie: Genuinely.

[...]

Claire: Its a lot of people with very specific and unique personalities that feel things very strongly. Feel things deeply, and experience life intensely.

Stevie: Intensely. Yeah.

Frank: So everything's gonna be just fine?

Stevie: It is gonna be fine.

Frank: You've been to these before, right?

Stevie: *enthusiastically* Every chance I get. Every chance I get.

In the above bit of dialogue, Claire and Stevie give no grace to the Berzattos. They actually laugh in relish of the disaster - the Fishes 2.0 - that they anticipate will happen at Tiff's wedding. Stevie talks about wanting to attend every Berzatto event he can, presumably so he can continue his morbid spectatorship.

Even Claire's attempt at trying to diplomatically rephrase Stevie's sarcastic characterisation falls short. She effectively just describes a group of people with pulses, (The Berzattos are people "who feel things deeply"? what's the alternative? oh wait...I know: replicants) but her particular phrasing (with its focus on big feelings, as opposed to rational thoughts) is how I suspect many WASPs (White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, for those who aren't familiar) view non-WASPs. We know how repressed and culturally bereft white folks who are part of the former group can be. Historically its this group that drove the British Empire and associated assimilationist policies in former colonies like Australia, Canada and America, including those that subsumed the Italian-American community into the category of "white" in America. Given this, its no surprise that WASPy Claire and Stevie get off on consuming The Berzattos, their complex history and trauma, to help fill their own personal and cultural voids.

Back to the wedding though...after Frank leaves the conversation, Claire and Stevie continue:

Stevie: I mean, what? *laughs* What other way...what other way is there to say it?

Claire: I think maybe we should've told him, like, the direct truth.

Stevie: That he's fucked?

Claire: I mean, maybe.

Stevie: There's no warning that can sum up what this is gonna be.

Claire: I know, but he's just, like, such a sweet soul.

Stevie: So was I.

Can we talk about how the WASPs in this scenario are self-describing themselves as "sweet" (read: "innocent") as compared to the "corrupted" Berzattos? The covert racism here is fucking gross.

And then Claire says about Stevie (but also about herself because its established that she is an adrenaline junkie):

Claire: But you're still here. You, like, want it.

Stevie: I do.

Claire: You get a high off of it.

Stevie: If they didn't bring it, I'd be a little heartbroken.

So we have more evidence of how Claire and Stevie treat The Berzatto family as entertainment. Trauma is to be consumed like so many cannolis. No grace is given to anyone here.

This pattern of behaviour continues with Claire's treatment of Carmy throughout the wedding, most pointedly when she mocks Carmy's anxiety associated with his family which she knows about and has witnessed (recall her telling him not to apologise for having a panic attack about the Christmas dinner in Fishes in 2x08 Bolognese). She does this in that scene under the table where all the adults share their fears. While Claire tries to convince Evie that everyone is scared, the following dialogue occurs:

Claire: I mean I'm scared all the time. So is Uncle Carmy. Right Carm?

Carmy: Oh yeah, I get scared.

Evie: You get scared, Carmy?

Carmy: Big time. I get really scared sometimes, yeah.

Claire: *in a mock serious voice* Yeah, honey, Carmy is very scared.

Carmy: Okay. [sighs in resignation]

Notice the difference in conjugation of "to be scared" between Carmy and Claire. Carmy says he gets scared which describes particular instances of fear and that he admits to experiencing. Claire says Carmy is scared - is very scared, actually - which describes Carmy as currently being in a perpetual state of extreme fear. This subtle difference and Molly Gordon's delivery of her line, reeks of mockery. Claire again, gives no grace to Carmy in this moment when its established she, of all people, should know how confronting being at the wedding was going to be for him. She also shames him for his anxiety. This was fucking gross and made it incredibly clear to me that the woman is not endgame for anyone (other than maybe Stevie? One of the Faks? Who cares). I mean she's also wearing a red dress like a walking red flag to drive the point home (notably, Syd and Pete have been sartorially signalled as equals as deliciously noted in @fairestbeard's meta and reblogs here).

Supportive partners

So...in summary: Pete and Syd are shown in 2x10 and 4x07 to do the quiet, consistent work of supporting each of the surviving Berzatto children through very stressful moments involving their mother, Donna. They do not shame children who have already gone through so much of it in their lifetimes. They give grace instead.

One might argue that Pete and Syd provide elevated comfort to both Nat and Carmy - a comfort that was subtextually described by Syd in 1x06 Ceres. This is in direct contrast to Claire who plainly tells us in 4x07 that she enjoys consuming the vibes down in the chaos:

[wendichester]

Idk enough I dont wanna be offensive or hurtful but the dude is incapable of liking something a normal amount lol he always has something in his mouth. he makes whats into who's. pie is his safe food. I just learned this word so idk if its legit but echolalia? He's like lapis lazuli in her mirror form when she wants to respond only able to mimic things shes heard other people say dean speaks like completely in echos !!! theres more but im def yapping at this point

getting back to this ask .ᐟ i'm putting on my sam winchester googles and start presenting my arguments on this topic──

🧩 ARGUMENT 1: “dean winchester could absolutely be autistic.”

look, no one is saying canon waved a diagnostic flag. but if you squint through a neurodivergent lens, dean winchester becomes suspiciously relatable in ways that feel a little too spot-on to ignore.

echolalia & scripting: this boy speaks in quotes. he communicates through pop culture references, movie lines, and catchphrases. it’s like he keeps an internal library of approved responses and swaps them in to make conversation easier — which is exactly how scripting works for many autistic folks. and when things get too emotional? he defaults to those scripts, often to avoid vulnerability.

special interests / hyperfixation: pie. cars. classic rock. the very specific way he maintains the Impala. his devotion to hunting, despite how much it breaks him. these aren’t just preferences — they’re anchors. intensely focused passions that provide identity, comfort, and control in a world that constantly spirals out of it.

sensory needs & routines: dean has rigid habits and comfort objects (leather jacket, Baby, burgers, specific guns). he reacts intensely when his space is invaded, his car is messed with, or his routine is thrown off. change makes him visibly glitch.

difficulty with emotional expression: he’s emotionally intelligent, yes — but deeply repressed. he has trouble articulating how he feels unless it’s through anger, humor, or deflection. he often misreads emotional cues or misses subtle interpersonal shifts. he masks like crazy, especially when it comes to vulnerability.

the masking is real: his whole "tough guy" persona? arguably a mask. dean learned very early on that the world doesn’t respond well to softness, so he built an identity that protects him. but you catch him in quiet moments — and the mask slips. he’s gentle. awkward. sincere. and so, so tired.

add it all up? and it’s not a stretch to say dean winchester reads like a neurodivergent man, especially one who has spent his whole life trying to pass as neurotypical — under trauma, under pressure, under john freaking winchester.

🙅‍♂️ ARGUMENT 2: “dean winchester is not autistic — he’s just deeply traumatized.”

okay, let’s ground ourselves. while it’s tempting to analyze fictional characters through modern psychological frameworks, intent matters — and supernatural never wrote dean with autism in mind. most of what’s being interpreted as autistic traits can be traced back to complex trauma, not neurodivergence.

rigid routines & food comforts? that's survival. dean grew up poor, on the run, hunting monsters and raising his brother. you don’t develop flexible habits in that environment — you develop coping mechanisms. pie isn’t a safe food, it’s a reward. a comfort. a rare joy he clings to in a brutal world.

emotional repression & avoidance? again: trauma. dean was parentified at four years old. his father drilled into him that emotions were weaknesses. he wasn’t born unable to express feelings — he was punished out of it.

quoting pop culture constantly? that’s cultural literacy, not echolalia. dean grew up glued to a tv in a motel room, absorbing everything. quoting movies is his way of relating, sure — but it’s not necessarily autistic scripting. it's how he connects with people, how he masks pain with humor.

social awkwardness or misreads? he’s actually quite socially adept — charismatic, witty, can manipulate or charm when he needs to. he knows how to read a room. when he fumbles, it’s usually tied to emotional stakes, not baseline communication deficits.

the show’s tone: supernatural was written for a mainstream audience, often with very shallow psychology unless the writers needed pain points for drama. projecting neurodivergence onto dean might be more about viewer interpretation than authorial intent.

so in short — dean’s behavior may resemble certain autistic traits, but it’s more accurately chalked up to generational trauma, neglect, toxic masculinity, and the brutal reality of a hunter’s life. he’s not neurodivergent. he’s just so, so damaged.

⚖️ FINAL THOUGHTS:

at the end of the day? both readings are valid. if autistic!Dean helps people feel seen, it’s a beautiful lens worth exploring. and if you see him as a deeply traumatized neurotypical man shaped by survival — also fair. he’s a complex character who wasn’t written with perfect psychological realism, so there’s room for layered interpretations. you don’t have to agree with the autistic read to respect it. and you don’t have to accept trauma as the only explanation, either. fandom is a playground — not a DSM manual.

[mrvelocipede]

My old tea cozy was falling apart, so I have knitted a new one out of cotton yarn. The glass vase used to belong to one of my great-aunts. I wish my dropcloth was less hideously wrinkled, but I do not currently have the means to iron it.

[juniemunie]

[Abandoned by the Lightners, his heart became cracked with hatred.]

Hitting a lil' too close to home?

[pingintech]

while i myself am not a naturally empathetic person the fear and disgust response a lot of ppl have around homeless people is WHY the system works as it does right now

the thought of scary dirty bums stealing houses from upstanding clean law abiding citizens is why they dont give the homeless homes

and i dont say law abiding because homeless people are all drug addicted thieving no good morally bankrupt scum although crimes of poverty (theft for food resources addiction to cope with homelessness) are more likely the reason i mention "law abiding" is because there is another "solution" to dirty dangerous homeless people that make the city unpleasant and the answer actually makes (some) people money

prison in nearly every state in america the very act of being homeless is itself a jailable offense so is panhandling soliciting encampment being out after curfew public intoxication public indecency public urination/defecation and its no coincidence those most likely to wind up homeless are mentally ill disabled queer undocumented and or bipoc

low empathy isnt a moral failing obviously but i do beg you to examine your fear and disgust responses to homeless people purely on principle because otherwise youre absolutely contributing to a system designed for cruelty designed to remove "unmentionables" from "polite society" a system built on propaganda and ideology made to evoke the very same reactionary fear and disgust responses to unhoused people

homeless people are dirty and do create trash you might say

because public showers sparsely exist and rarely exist for free because public bathrooms sparsely exist and rarely for free because how are they supposed to wash their clothes??? because many places actually lock up public trash cans because encampment is often illegal which means homeless camps are often in secretive locations

but homeless people can actually be dangerous/addicts/generally unpleasant

because its much more likely youll be homeless if youre mentally ill disabled or a drug addict and turning to addiction is a common coping mechanism for being homeless because mentally ill people addicts and disabled people are likely to be irritable and even unpredictable but arent the real issues there lack of adequate care for addiction mental health and disability???

im not saying you need to shake hands with every unstable unhoused person you meet on the street but recognize these are humans (on ideological principle if nothing else alone) and they are the way people perceive them because the systems that led them here are constructed wholecloth in order to remove the "dirty and dangerous" from society

You know what? I don't really have much empathy for people. I can pass by a homeless person on the side of the road struggling to scrape cans together and not give a shit what happens to them personally. However, I do feel anger, anger that there is such a blatant and glaring problem in society that is completely fixable, and no one is fixing it. It doesn't make sense to me. There's more than enough resources to give everyone a house and food. All it takes is money. Money that certain people most definitely have.

See, from my perspective, I don't like that there are homeless people on the street generating trash, standing around covered in filth, and generally making cities unpleasant to be in either. I'm also not stupid. While I might not care if they live or die, I can easily recognize that if we just gave them places to live and resources to use, then the streets would be easy to clean up and maintain. Then, everywhere you go could look clean, neat, modern, and stylish.

So if people have money to fix it, THEN JUST FIX IT! You don't want to see these people, these people don't even want to be there, so why not? You don't even need to care about anyone to figure this out. It doesn't make any fucking sense and THAT'S why I get so pissed off.

[teratomatica]

you always land on all fours