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butterflydm · 2 years ago

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wot reread: knife of dreams (prologue - chap 11)

spoilers through knife of dreams

1. The opening quote “the sweetness of victory and the bitterness of defeat are alike a knife of dreams” reminds me of an earlier quote “the only thing sadder than a battle won is a battle lost”. It’s definitely a less annoying ‘omg why are you warning us that nothing will happen in this book’ quote than CoT’s was, tho pretty depressing. Still, I don’t dislike being reminded of the pointlessness of war tho.

2. Checking in with Galad! It’s been literal books. Galad notes that his and his companions’ new ranks were won by fighting the Seanchan but now the Whitecloaks have allied with them. Yeah, it’s a disease that’s going around the whole continent. Galad is going to confront the current heads of the Children of the Light on personal business. I really do think maybe Jordan should have made the Seanchan maybe SLIGHTLY LESS like the Shadow so that it doesn’t feel so much like everyone is losing by winning when they chose to ally with them. In order to defeat the Shadow, they are inviting slavery into their homes, and that is going to damage the next age so badly.

3. Galad calls for a Trial Beneath The Light (trial by combat) against Valda for the abuse (and also he believes the murder) of his mother, Morgase. He found out about what happened from Dain (who heard rumors) and Byer (who could confirm it). I really like this whole scene. It feels emotional and personal and yet because Galad is Galad, he is also making certain to do everything legally and ‘by the book’, so his personality holds true as well.

4. Trial by combat is such a silly way to decide if someone is guilty or innocent of a crime but Galad works with what he’s been given and he KNOWS that Valda is guilty as well as knowing that he himself is a great fighter, so I’m good in going with it. We all know Valda wouldn’t sit still for a real trial. As it is, Valda takes the moment that he and Galad have to talk quietly before the fight to taunt Galad about raping his mother and hoping to get to do it again in the future.

5. Galad learned the flame&void from Gareth and Henre (both people he trained with in Caemlyn, before he went to the White Tower, and embraces the void now. Ooo, yeah, the way he’s described feeling here DOES sound very similar to how Rand feels when he’s in the void and the extreme awareness around him that we kinda associate with channeling. I’ve decided I like the headcanon that Galad is a channeling learner. He IS Rand’s half-brother after all. Also like Rand, Galad is absolutely willing to sacrifice his own life to reach his goal.

6. “Valda’s death was not enough. Nothing except Morgase Trakand alive again could be enough.” Oh, sweetheart. This family, torn apart by the stresses of the winds of change as they have been, do love each other so much when push comes to shove and their backs are against the wall (and once Elayne had matured a bit to get over her resentment of Galad).

7. “Will you write releases for the Children who don’t want to help the Seanchan take our lands in the name of man dead more than a thousand years? What about the men who defended the Fortress of Light? Will any release get their chains struck off or make the Seanchan stop working them like animals?” You tell them, Galad! It is such a RELIEF to read someone saying this after Mat’s terrible storyline in CoT. Galad gets a gold star. Also, acknowledgement that it SUCKS under Seanchan rule even for people who aren’t female channelers!

8. We also get official acknowledgement here that the raven is the symbol of both the Shadow and the Seanchan Imperial family, and Galad and his companions use that in order to turn the Whitecloaks away from Aes Sedai hunting and towards the notion that they need to fight on the side of Light for the Last Battle. I have been waiting and waiting for SOMEONE in book to point out at least one of the Shadow/Seanchan similarities because they have been haunting me for BOOKS.

9. “He had to go. It was the right thing to do.” So we officially knock down the first of the standing figures of our ‘what do you do after you end up picking the crowd that would choose to hurt your loved ones?’ parallel (Galad, Gawyn, and Mat are our three contestants) - Galad goes for removing the head of the organization that would hurt the people he loves and subverting its previously evil/misguided purpose into a good purpose. Well done! A+ to Galad. Sadly, since our other two Evil/Misguided Organizations are headed by women and Jordan has a hard time killing women, I don’t think we’ll see Elaida and Tuon get dealt with the same way. Galad shows more genuine leadership in this one scene than Perrin has shown in all his books as “Lord of the Two Rivers”. And he’s nervous about the idea of being seen as a leader too but he doesn’t marry that with mentally insulting the people following him. He doesn’t think less of THEM for wanting to follow him, whereas it feels like Perrin is constantly judging the people who march under his banner.

(and now we have to see if Galad actually successfully follows through on his intentions here)

10. Okay, we are done gushing over Galad (perhaps excessive but, as I said, it’s just such a relief to be reading about characters who are still fighting back against the invasion of their homeland. but apologies to @markantonys - I know he is the Lesser Brother for you, lol). Moving on to Iturale! We can see if his efforts last book bore fruit. His plan was to ally with the Dragonsworn to keep the Seanchan out of Arad Doman. Haha he’s judging the lax discipline of whatever Seanchan commander is in charge of the town/armed camp that he’s spying on right now. This camp is basically a supply camp for the Seanchan expansion and his plan is to take it out. He draws out the main guards and the sul’dam/damane pair with a feinted attack and then takes them out with a ranged attack from a different direction. It is, again, such a relief to be reading about characters who are fighting back against the invasion of their home. And now that the guards are taken care of, he burns down the fucking supply camp for the Seanchan settlers. SUCH a relief to read about people fighting back against the slaver invasion. Cheers to Ituralde. Please continue to make Arad Doman a bulwark to hold against the Seanchan invasion. He has several more bands that are supposed to be conducting similar attacks across the Seanchan forces in Tarabon.

(I really do wish so much that we’d actually gotten to see MAT doing general’ing like this. Sticking Mat in Ebou Dar feels like we got robbed of so much potential plot that was actually related to the ‘power’ that Jordan gave him (the ancient memories that he literally almost DIED to get), just like Perrin keeps getting stuck in plots where wolves and dreaming are barely relevant. Why would you give characters neat magical powers and then barely have the characters USE their powers?)

11. Now we swap sides and are checking in with Suroth. Jordan finally notes openly again that Suroth is a Darkfriend, after coyly avoiding the subject for books (she was the Darkfriend working with Liandrin in TGH). She’s fretting over Tuon’s disappearance, the rebellion of the Atha’an Miere, and the disappearance of Renna and Seta. If Tuon is dead, Suroth knows that she will be horribly punished for it, even if it’s decided that she wasn’t responsible.

12. Liandrin killed Alwhin because Suroth mentioned off-hand that she was annoying to deal with. Suroth notes how easy it is to forget the presence of da’covale and think of yourself as alone when you’re ‘only’ in the presence of slaves, so she had not guarded her tongue around Liandrin properly. Suroth orders Liandrin to go and have herself beaten by one of her other slaves for the crimes of: delaying giving Suroth a message, calling herself “I” rather than “Liandrin”, daring to meet Suroth’s gaze, daring to question Suroth’s orders, and simply because it pleases Suroth to have her beaten. Amazing how Suroth is actually at her most distasteful when she’s being a Seanchan High Blood rather than when she’s being a Darkfriend.

13. Suroth & everyone else believes that Tylin was killed using the One Power, and Beslan is the new King of Altara. Suroth is annoyed that his servants only offer bows instead of deep prostration. The news that Liandrin had awakened her to receive from one of her generals is about Iturale’s attacks on the camps in Tarabon. 😘😘😘

14. SEVEN major supply camps have been overrun and burned and TWO DOZEN smaller supply camps as well. TWENTY supply caravans have been burned. SEVENTEEN outposts have been wiped out. ELEVEN patrols have vanished. And he’s expecting more reports to come in about others as well. Ituralde, you ANGEL. 😘😘😘😘 Every place was left with the same message by Ituralde’s people (who did their best to avoid civilian casualities) -- Leave Tarabon. 😘😘😘😘

15. We also learn here, off-hand, that there are seven thousand Whitecloak “deserters” - that’s Galad’s work, I bet! 😘 Suroth is in a rage and orders that Ituralde be hunted down by every available force. Honestly, if only Rand had known this was happening. Then HE could have pincered the Seanchan from the east while Ituralde was working from the north, instead of trying to make a truce with the slavers. Anyway, Suroth is considering enslaving all the ‘loyal’ Whitecloaks out of revenge for the desertion of the others. Because it’s so good under Seanchan rule! Suroth’s misery here brings me such joy.

16. Anyway, she now gets a visit from Semirhage. She asks Suroth if she’d like to be Empress. Because she’s Seanchan before she’s a Darkfriend, Suroth cringes at the idea of defying the ‘true’ Empress in such a way. Semirhage breaks the news that she messily murdered the Empress over in Seanchan. Suroth begins crying over the death of the Empress, which baffles Semirhage. Anyway, Semirhage corrects Suroth’s assumption that it was one of Tuon’s siblings that offed the Empress and lets her know that all the rest of the Imperial family is dead too, and half the Imperial Court. Tuon is now the only living member of the Imperial family. Fifty nobles are now contending for the throne and the Empire itself has fallen into pieces (like Artur Hawkwing’s did after he died).

17. It takes Suroth a little bit of time to get over the idea of anyone but a member of the Imperial family killing another member of the Imperial family but she eventually accepts the idea and agrees to kill Tuon so that she can become Empress herself.

18. We switch gears over to Pevara in the White Tower. Honestly every section in the prologue has been a banger so far (and every one better than Mat & Perrin’s storylines in CoT). Actually having characters who care about resisting slavery and the invasion of their home is invigorating. I think I’m going to be disappointed when we drop back into the ‘main’ plotlines, where collaboration is the name of the game lol.

19. We are in a meeting of the Red Ajah and they are talking about the fallout from Dumai’s Wells. The new Highest (they all believe Galina, previous Highest, is dead - which Pevara is relieved about, as Galina was one of the people that Talene knew was also Black Ajah) has received a message from Sashalle, one of Rand’s oathsworn sisters, though since she was one of the ones stilled, her oath to Rand isn’t backed up by the Oath against lying, who writes that she is in charge of most of the sisters in Cairhien. Sashalle blamed everything that happened at Dumai’s Wells firmly on Elaida and she also wrote of the visit of Logain and his Asha’man to the city and confirms that Logain has been Healed of being gentled. She also writes to let them know that she has been healed of being stilled and has sworn an oath to follow the Dragon Reborn until the Last Battle has been fought and, after that, she will submit herself to the White Tower once more. Due to everything they learned here, plus everything else that has happened recently (the huge burst of Power that they believe must have been the Forsaken), they receive permission to go forward with the plan to reach out to the Asha’man to bond them as Warders.

20. After that, Pevara meets with Yukiri on the Black Ajah Hunt business. They are currently feeling like they are at an impass. They were able to discover another Heart of Black Ajah, but the other members are all out of the Tower, possibly with the rebels and they don’t have any new leads. Basically, the Heart structure of the Black Ajah is working as designed to minimize exposure. They also learn from Seaine that what Elaida had ACTUALLY wanted them to hunt out was evidence that Alviarin was in communication with the Dragon Reborn, so their idea of going to the Amrylin Seat gets snuffed out. They can no longer trust that she is not Black Ajah herself.

21. We shift focus to Alviarin, She has learned that Talene disappeared (and thus will not be appearing before the Supreme Council) and suspects this must mean that Talene has been discovered or defected. She suspects Yukiri and Doesine as the ones who discovered the truth about Talene and orders them watched.

22. Ugh, Shaido subplot. Absolutely not. Anyway, Galina is captured by Gaul & Neald and brought to Perrin. He asks her to take a message to Faile and then has them drop her back off near the Shaido encampment. So here is something that I wonder - I wonder if part of the reasons that we got both CoT/KoD and all the main plots felt pointlessly extended out was because there was TOO MUCH PLOT in the two prologues to fit in one book, plus time needed to pass for the prologues. Of course, my solution would have been different from Jordan’s lol.

23. Checking in with Egwene! She’s still in the middle of being taken back to the White Tower, waking up in the carriage on the way there. Egwene notes the mutual hostility between the members of different Ajahs and the stench of garbage in the streets of Tar Valon. Even though Egwene is certain she’s on her way to be executed, she’s determined not to let her captors see her be vulnerable. ...apparently, the ‘defense lawyer’ (Chair of Pardon) for the accused in the trials sometimes faces the same penalty as the actual accused. That is... really fucking weird. I’m gonna blame that one on that Black Ajah.

24. When she is delivered to the White Tower, Egwene is surprised to see Nicola there and somehow does NOT leap to the same conclusion that I did, which is that Nicola is obviously the one who betrayed her. Egwene is told that she’ll be birched and she decides that she will do her best to face it like an Aiel and embrace the pain. Nicola apologises for running away and calls Egwene ‘Mother’ before she rushes off. We learn that Leane was also caught and managed to do half of the south harbor entrance, limiting the size of the ships that can get through, at least.

25. Egwene is told that she’s not going to be executed: she’s going to be a novice again. She tells the Mistress of Novices that she is Aes Sedai due to be Amrylin Seat and won’t deny what she is. The plan with Egwene is to leave her dosed mildly with forkroot during the day and shielded at night and lots and lots of corporal punishment. Before she leaves, she tries to warn them about her Dream about the Seanchan attacking the White Tower and says that Leane can back up her being a Dreamer. There’s something I really do want to poke at about the different ways prophecies get used in this series, but I’m going to let it simmer in my brain for a while, I think.

26. Egwene is taken to a novice room for the night. As she goes to sleep, she slips into the in-between world and waits for Siuan’s dreaming light to appear so that she can drop a warning into her dreams. Now that she knows that Elaida isn’t planning to kill her, she’s coming up with new plans on how to continue her work from inside the Tower. “She did not consider herself a prisoner either. She was carrying the battle into the heart of the Tower itself. If she had lips there, she would have smiled.”

27. Over in the rebel encampment, everyone currently thinks that Egwene is dead, because her boat was found overturned, but Siuan has woken up with renewed hope, because Egwene spoke to her in her dreams. Siuan goes first to Egwene’s oathsworn sisters to tell them that Egwene and Leane are alive and captive in the Tower. Sheriam votes that they Travel down to the cells in the Tower and rescue Egwene and Leane immediately but Siuan tells them that’s not what Egwene wants. Lelaine shows up and tells Siuan to talk to her; Siuan relates Egwene’s instructions and adds that Egwene says that they are going to have a meeting of the Hall in the Hall of Servants in TAR the next night, which Lelaine approves of and finds amusing. Lelaine also tells Siuan that if Egwene is killed or stilled by Elaida, then she wants Siuan and Egwene’s people’s aid in becoming the next Amrylin herself.

28. Beonin is worrying about the mystery of the sisters getting murdered by someone using saidin. We learn quite a bit about Beonin here in her internal narration and it’s all fairly interesting and fleshes her out -- she respects and trust her Warder, she has keepsakes of her (now deceased) grandmother and mother to remember them and what she learned from them, and she’s genuinely ANGRY that the Tower managed to miss so many potential channelers with its old policy, She is astonished and amazed at how many more women there were out in the world who COULD become Aes Sedai and never had the chance.

29. As Beonin heads out on her mission, she sees a ghost like other people having been seeing, and she names it the Dark One’s touch on the world. She puts an illusion on herself and hides her ability to channel -- she plans to go talk to Elaida, so she asks her Warder to trust her and wait in the city for her.

30. Elaida kidnapped the former King of Illian and he is very mad about it. She tells him that he should be grateful that she got him out when she did, because the Dragon Reborn now rules Illian. I do think it’s interesting how the Illian dialect seems to be very similar to the way that the Old Tongue is structured. She tells him that she plans to restore him to the throne in Illian (though her original plan was just kidnapping the actual King; she didn’t know that Rand was going to take the throne).

31. Elaida actually IS trying to figure out how to mend the Tower, but she’s often so busy seeing what she wants to see that she doesn’t see what is actually there. She trusts so few people and has such a short temper. The whole Egwene vs Elaida conflict kinda does feel like it mirrors Rand’s internal conflict against the taint and his PTSD, as I think I mentioned... at the start of CoT? Or maybe during my WH re-read? Can’t remember when exactly. But with Egwene standing in for his inner core of self and Elaida representing the damage that the taint & his PTSD have done to that core. The Tower is split, just as Rand is split.

32. Beonin arrives, and she is here to tell all of Salidar and Egwene’s secrets to Elaida. Beonin has been working for Elaida this entire time, deliberately sent to the rebels to sow discord and try to keep them occupied (so Elaida considers her a fairly big failure, considering their current situation). She tells them that Egwene can enter TAR in her sleep and told the rebels not to rescue her. She shows Elaida and Tarna the weave for Traveling and the one for Skimming. She also gives them the names of the ten sisters who were sent back to the Tower to spread the stories about Logain and the Red Ajah.

33. Ah, the first Forsaken meeting since their big failure at the cleansing, I think this is. Moridin has summoned them. We are in Aran’gar’s PoV. Already present: Semirhage, Demandred, Mesaana, Graendal. They are meeting up in TAR. There are eleven chairs present, which Aran’gar finds puzzling, since Asmodean and Sammael are both surely dead, from what she believes. The place in TAR where they are meeting is a memory of Ansaline Gardens, which was destroyed in the third year of the War of Power. Ah, we learn that Aran’gar has been actively spying on Egwene’s dreams. And Aran’gar was able to spy on the Hall of Servants meeting that Egwene had in TAR.

34. Moridin shows up, with Moghedien and ‘Cyndane’ at his heels in their red-and-black livery. Moridin says that Sammael appears to have resurfaced, giving orders to a hundred Fades to bring thousands Trollocs into the Ways. Moridin also tells them that al’Thor belongs to him and none of the rest of them are allowed to hurt him. During the conversation, Aran’gar figures out that Moridin has Moghedien and Cyndane mindtrapped. In contrast to Rand, Moridin tells them to find Perrin and Mat, who they are welcome to kill. It looks like he’s using the same images of them that were used back during the Darkfriend Social in TGH, because it mentions rough country clothes, which neither of them wear these days. Perrin is “tall and wide, with yellow eyes” and Mat is “not quite slender” with a “cheeky grin”. This is the first time these Forsaken have known what Perrin and Mat looked like, it seems, and Semirhage notes that if she’d known earlier, they might already be dead. Aran’gar, however, still plans to kill Rand.

35. When last we checked in with Perrin, he was planning to sell his soul to the Seanchan to work out a deal to save Faile. Let’s see how that’s going!

...soul selling confirmed! Okay, let’s move on to Faile!

36. Faile, who still has her soul, is working on her own plans. Honestly, if Faile’s storyline weren’t surrounded by so much trash, I would probably like it. She herself is definitely getting the chance to shine, being brave but also willing to be patient. Honestly, at this point in the story, Faile deserves so much better than being married to Perrin. Anyway, she is determined to escape before Perrin gets himself killed in an attempt to rescue her.

37. Our first Mat chapter, so let’s do a theme & slavery check-in!

Characters who were previously strongly anti-slavery in WH:

Mat, Setalle Anan, Juilin, Noal, Teslyn, Joline, Edesina, Thom, Beslan

Characters who inexplicably softened their anti-slavery stance in CoT:

Mat (knows sul’dam secret)

Setalle Anan

Noal

Anti-Slavery characters who haven’t changed their stance as far as we know:

Juilin (gold star for Juilin tbh)

Teslyn (knows sul’dam secret)

Joline

Edesina

Thom

Characters who are focused really only on their own personal freedom and not anyone else’s:

Seta & Bethamin (slaves if the Truth Were Known)

Domon (wants to be free to marry Egeanin)

Characters who show signs of growth and change:

Egeanin (knows sul’dam secret)

These characters remain strongly pro-slavery:

Tuon (knows sul’dam secret)

Slaves:

Selucia, and the horde of Seanchan that are out looking for Tuon

Themes that were set up in Winter’s Heart:

the secret of the sul’dam

questioning the empire

the heir to the empire being a dormant marath’damane

These were completely ignored in all of Mat’s chapters except his very last one, in favor of Mat navel-gazing about his marriage prophecy and Tuon reminding us at every possible moment that she’s a slaver and an asshole. Honestly, it kinda feels like that last chapter of Mat’s in CoT is the only one that should have existed at all, because that’s the only one that actually dealt with anything that was set up in Winter’s Heart. And maybe his reaction to the cleansing could have been in a quick cut-scene along with Perrin’s and Elayne & Aviendha’s.

Anyway, let’s see if Knife of Dreams can do any better than CoT with Mat. I know it has a reputation of being better than CoT but... I don’t remember liking it better, especially in Mat’s storyline. But we’ll see!

38. I’m no longer keeping track of plot points that undermine Winter’s Heart, because it feels like we’ve already completely changed the intended story and Mat’s characterization at this point, so there’s no reason to bother. CoT!Mat seemed somewhat weak and self-serving (though he was obviously still uncomfortable with slavery, at least, but a far cry from his visceral disgust in WH) and came across as willing to look the other way while Tuon does her evil deeds. I desperately miss pre-CoT!Mat. Egeanin, Juilin & Amathera, and the three Aes Sedai are really the only people I find worth caring about in Mat’s storyline anymore. Maybe Thom. Oh! Auldra! She’s worth caring about.

39. Nothing worthy of note happens in chapter six.

40. Chapter seven:

Egeanin is officially going by Leilwin Shipless, the name that Mean Girls (tm) Selucia and Tuon gave her last book to be assholes to her. I will call her Leilwin née Egeanin for now, I think.

God, I really hate CoT/KoD!Mat, who is now pretty much the most toxic male character in the series who isn’t an actual Darkfriend*. Which sucks. Only two books ago, he was one of my favorite characters. But almost any time CoT/KoD!Mat is in a scene with a female character, he’s being SUCH an asshole.

If I’m trying to maintain any kind of throughline between books 1-9!Mat and CoT/KoD!Mat, then I could speculate that he’s taking all his anger and frustration out on the Aes Sedai because he feels like he CAN’T take it out on Tuon, because he’s convinced himself that he is required to respect and trust Tuon as his future wife (no matter how little she deserves his respect or trust) or on any of the Seanchan characters, because they are under Tuon’s wing. But that still makes him a massive asshole, so. Yeah.

Anyway, Bethamin channeled and can’t deny it to herself anymore, so at least we are finally engaging with the themes that were brought up in Winter’s Heart. Teslyn just wants to let Bethamin die from channeling sickness and, tbh, can’t blame her for feeling that way. Bethamin was the sul’dam that was trying her hardest to break Teslyn back when she was a damane. Joline and Edesina insist that Bethamin must be taught so that she doesn’t die. Mat does think that this should put an end to worrying about the sul’dam trying to use the a’dam on the Aes Sedai.

I guess we also find out in this chapter that Rand is having sex with Min instead of doing anything useful like checking in on the Black Tower.

*okay, in fairness, he’s not as bad as Masema is or Valda was. But that’s a PRETTY LOW BAR.

41. Chapter eight:

Aludra has invented cannons (ish? fireworks ‘lofting tubes’ that can be aimed) that she has named ‘Dragons’ and even though Mat doesn’t show much spine when it comes to himself with Tuon, he does still understand that she’s the enemy, because when he tells Auldra that he knows the Dragon Reborn (grew up with him), he makes sure to tell her not to whisper a hint of it to the Seanchan. And Aludra is absolutely wanting to be aiming her Dragons at the Seanchan. I’m putting her on the list, on the side of the good guys. And Mat does make it clear that this point that his goal IS still to actually return to Rand’s armies and lands.

I really would have settled for Mat x Aludra. It never would have been a favorite pairing but it would have been so much better than Mat x Tuon.

Leilwin née Egeanin and Domon get married. This must mean she’s been able to work past the block in her mind that was still thinking of him as a slave, which indicates that some strong progress has been happening with her off-screen. Mat bafflingly assumes that Leilwin née Egeanin would take Domon’s last name when she married him. It’s so weird that this is an assumption by someone in the world of WoT; another of the subconscious influences from Jordan’s own RL culture, I suppose. Anyway, she didn’t.

Mat also does not betray to Tuon that he’s a friend of Rand’s when she tries to figure out if he knows the Dragon Reborn, so, again, he does still remember at this point that she’s the enemy. And Mat also realizes that (given what he knows about the political situation) he will probably have to fight Seanchan once he’s back with Rand and he doesn’t seem upset about it, so he hasn’t gone completely dark side on us. Mat also continues to be terrified that his own future wife will enslave him so. Yeah. Charming relationship. /sarcasm (Mat’s genuine worry and the fact that Tuon has the power to enslave people encapsulates why I cannot read any of Tuon’s threats as ‘flirting’; a slaver threatening to enslave someone is NOT flirting; someone who regularly abuses their power threatening to use their power against someone is NOT flirting)

42. chapter nine:

I do appreciate how much it feels like Leilwin née Egeanin is cutting her emotional ties with the Seanchan. I am glad that there actually was growth from the background characters in Mat’s storyline here, even if Tuon and Mat themselves are a waste of time.

Every passage that involves Tuon leaves me with that same gross “what a complete asshole” feeling that I always get from reading PoVs from Valda or from Darkfriends only she doesn’t even need to be a PoV character to make me feel like I’ve been coated in slime. Mat’s apologetics for her to do the trick. Honestly, marrying Mat off to Tuon really does feel like we married Egwene or Nynaeve off to Valda. It’s such a horrific fate.

Mat thinking of Tuon as “more beautiful than ever” during a moment when she is actively enslaving and torturing people is straight-up character assassination for our guy who used to be the person who cared the most about consent and freedom. Mat Cauthon is dead and it’s so depressing. At least he does go and bury the a’dam after this, but this chapter is a fucking horror show. It’s pretty much as disgusting as “Pink Ribbons” back in Winter’s Heart.

And Tuon does break her word to Mat here, no matter how she dances around it. But she’s a liar, a hypocrite, a torturer, and a slaver, so I’m not surprised by that. She also sounds desperate to believe that she can’t have anything in common with the animals that she looks down on. But, again, Jordan had his chance to actually do something with this storyline for her and chose not to, so Tuon will live and die a person who chooses to do evil things. Tuon says here that she can choose not to channel, just as she chooses not to steal or commit murder. She literally is in charge of an invasion force that is murdering countless people across the Westlands and also had two of her siblings assassinated back home iirc. She’s a thief, too, but it’s a spoiler what it is that she steals later on (I mean, apart from the countries and land that her people are stealing as well). But let it be known: she is a thief. She’s all three of the things that she claims here that she isn’t: she’s a murderer, a thief, and capable of channeling. Everything about Tuon’s storyline is so frustrating because she HAD the potential to be an interesting character in WH and the CoT&KoD just go “nope! she’s gonna be The Worst (TM) instead! and she’s gonna drag Mat down along with her!”

She’s also an incredibly whiny brat here, trying to win Mat’s sympathy over the ~mean ladies~ daring to try to ~talk~ to her and annoy her with their existence, acting just like the child that she keeps telling us that she isn’t, only a child with way too much power. Forget Mat; Olver is the character she should be betrothed to, based on how old she ACTS (she reminds me of Veruca Salt from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory tbh, only Veruca was, what, like thirteen years old, I think?).

The thing is, I would be fine with Tuon being The Worst (TM) and acting like a thirteen year old entitled brat if Mat (and other characters like Setalle Anan, etc) actually stayed in character and they reacted to her being a brat? But Mat's whole weird thing where he just actively has decided that Slavery Is No Longer Worth Caring About On A Moral Level when that was NOT how he was behaving in WH is just... it makes this entire storyline so bad and out of character. It feels like the narrative (not Mat but the narrative around Mat) just isn’t willing to be honest about what kind of character that Tuon is being written as, and that is so frustrating. Again, it’s the same thing where Tylin was CLEARLY a rapist and yet whenever she and Mat parted ways, all of a sudden the narrative rushed in to reassure us that ACTUALLY Mat likes her just fine and he’s gonna miss her bunches.

Mat finally does admit to himself that Selucia is a slave and not a ladies’ maid. It does not appear to change anything in his behavior.

43. chapter ten:

The fact that Mat continues to ‘court’ Tuon after the horror of chapter nine is... depressing. pre-CoT!Mat truly is dead and gone. I miss Mat so much. I miss him even more in his own chapters than during other people’s. Heterosexuality makes you evil, I guess, is the lesson I feel like we can take from CoT & KoD. (I’m joking. Mostly). Tuon threatens to invade Tar Valon and make it her capital (which would involve enslaving hundreds of women as damane) and he just goes, “oh gosh what a tough little woman.” ??? YOUR SISTER is planning to train as Aes Sedai and you are AWARE of this. TUON WOULD EAGERLY ENSLAVE YOUR SISTER AND FORCE HER TO KISS THE GROUND IN FRONT OF HER FEET. And there is not a single exaggeration in that sentence! You literally just watched Tuon collar people who are JUST LIKE YOUR SISTER and talk about them like they’re not people! You know this isn’t an idle threat on her part! She literally DID it last chapter! Ugh. Jordan screwed up Mat’s character so badly in these two books. Like again, maybe this is supposed to be Mat so deeply in denial that he can’t even access his brain but it’s just... it’s just bad. Again, where is our Shadow Rising energy? Why is Mat a limp dishtowel when it comes to all Tuon-related things?

Leilwin née Egeanin’s character arc is continuing in the background and SHE is growing and changing as a person. She talks to Amathera to try to convince her that she doesn’t need to lower her eyes to anyone and tries to make it clear that she doesn’t see her as escaped property anymore but a person. Very reasonably, Juilin doesn’t trust this change of heart and remains protective of Amathera, who has been through a lot of shit.

Mat re: Juilin - “He disliked any Seanchan, for what they had done to Amathera.” And if you had an ounce of the empathy that Juilin does, you would feel the same. You DID feel the same, back in Winter’s Heart. Fuck, I miss Mat.

*sigh* Leilwin née Egeanin is still punching Domon in the ribs.

Mat reads Moiraine’s letter to Thom and agrees to save her from the Finn. Olver has magic knowledge from Birgitte about the Tower of Ghenjei. How convenient that Birgitte told him all these details. Anyway, handwave ta’veren, etc. Mat does finally tell someone about his encounter with the foxes & snakes -- Thom, Noal, & Olver.

44. Nothing worthy of note happens in chapter eleven.

45. Of the themes that were set up in Winter’s Heart:

the secret of the sul’dam

questioning the empire

the heir to the empire being a dormant marath’damane

We actually do start dealing with some of these themes with Bethamin! Mat is (sadly? hilariously?) basically a side character to the actual meaningful plotline here rather than being an integral part, because he’s way too focused on navel-gazing about his marriage prophecy. But Bethamin, Seta, Joline, Edesina, and Teslyn appear to be having a very interesting plot that is unfortunately mostly happening off-screen, with Mat and Tuon occasionally getting in the way and making things harder for them. And Egeanin is also continuing to question the empire as well, being willing to marry Domon, an idea she had previously struggled with because he was technically her slave and she’s coming to terms with treating Amathera like a person and not a slave as well. And Auldra is doing a sideplot where she is actually helping Rand’s armies. They all have more interesting stories than our actual PoV character has in these chapters.

Honestly, I can envision a much better version of Knife of Dreams where this circus plotline doesn’t involve Mat and Tuon at all. We’d just have a subplot with minor characters of seeing these three Aes Sedai helping the sul’dam break through their conditioning. Would have been roughly 1000000000x better than the plotline that we actually got.

It’s just MIND-BOGGLING that the ONLY purpose that we’ve had for Tuon being marath’damane so far is it enabling her to further abuse and torment the Aes Sedai, because it means she’s able to torture them personally instead of ordering Seta to do it. Was this really the reason that Jordan made her marath’damane - so that she could be an even more hands-on abuser?

Tuon being an asshole (in 60 pages on-screen):

calls Mat ‘Toy’ x39

Has definitely regained every inch of being an asshole High Lady Who Will Be Empress Someday. Circus plotline was pointless. Might as well have had her stay in Ebou Dar and just bought Mat from Tylin as da’covale, honestly. Her character ‘arc’ would be about the same.

There are dozens of minor moments that I’m not listing, but she’s basically an asshole every time she opens her mouth. Mat lets her get away with anything, because he no longer owns a spine, I guess.

She tortures and attempts to enslave some of Mat’s traveling companions because they dare to try to have a conversation with her about wanting a treaty.

She threatens to invade Tar Valon and make it her capital city.

Mat is mentioned by:

Perrin x2

Mat thinks about:

Rand x13

Loial x3

unnecessary scenes:

Perrin’s pointless sidequest (shaido): 1 (15 pages), 1 (14 pages), 1 (16 pages)

Side Character Romantic Drama: 1 (2 pages)

Mat’s pointless sidequest (tuon): 1 (16 pages), 1 (10 pages), 1 (19 pages), 1 (14 pages), 1 (13 pages), 1 (25 pages)

#wot #wot reread #wheel of time #knife of dreams #wot book spoilers #wot spoilers #i miss mat so much #i hate this new mat #new mat sucks #mat cauthon #slaver empress tuon #seanchan warning #but the vast majority of this prologue is actually fantastic #the prologue has rights #perrin and mat don't have rights #faile can have A Right #egwene is great too #anyway i don't think anyone is surprised at this point by how deeply i dislike the seanchan empire #the wheel of time

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tetrakys · 2 years ago

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Hello, Tetra.

I am new here, only for Eldarya because yeah, another unsatisfied customer about how ANE has developed, and I have recently found out that on tumblr I am free to read as many fanfictions as I want and I truly wasn't disappointed. I wanted to know if you have written one yourself and if so, on which route. Also I wouldn't say no to recommendations as well, apart from Play with Fire and I am not your enemy, already read and enjoyed deeply.

Lance is my favourite, how surprising, even though I prefer the Ashkore from TO, how surprising again. ;))

Anyways, I am very interested about their plans after finishing ANE. I want it so bad to release different alternate life stories, like what would have happend if Erika had turned her back on the guard and lived a forbidden romance with Ashkore, what if Valkyon survived the final battle and what if Ezarel never left. Also, a little disappointed that Miiko left as well, I remember that I was a hater of her in the first episodes released, and ended up really liking her character development. Actually, the only character that I could stand at the beginning was Ash. :))

AND MORE SPIN-OFFS, THEY WERE AMAZING. The one with Chrome was very funny, the one with Leiftan answered a lot of questions and the one with Valkyon was a little silly but still enjoyable, (maybe I have a thing for dragons, they are my favourite mythical creatures <3). I can't believe how Valky didn't put the pieces together and finally realise it was his brother all along and how he didn't sensed his dragon smell. :'((

What do you think about this whole spin-off/alternate life fiasco?

One last thing, I have read MCL and Henri's Secret back in high school. In MCL I enjoyed the most the original routes, not what they have done with the point system (same for Eldarya) and whatever is going on with UL and LL not a fan. And Henri's Secret was great, I really liked the sweet romance type at that time and I have recently heard that they released season 2 as well and I am kinda skeptical about it because I have seen it two times already how beemoov can destroy their games, and I don't want to risk seeing another game that I loved falling apart. So if you or anyone have played it, tell me does it deserve a chance?

Thank you so much in advance if you'll respond to my message. For their own sake, I wish beemoov will hire you ASAP!!!

Hi anon, welcome to Tumblr! Yes there have been lots of people writing fanfics here throughout the years, I've also enjoyed writing for a little while, my masterlist is here. I also have an AO3 account under the name Tetraktys where I've maybe posted a couple of extra things, mostly my contributions to events organised in my discord server. And when it comes to Eldarya, yeah I mostly wrote about Lance ☺️

Now, about your other questions:

Yes ANE is a big disappointment for me, the latest episode was a let down just like the rest of the season. Finally sleeping with Lance should’ve been the best day of my otome life and instead I felt nothing but sadness for him being a shell of his former self, at this point I only play for the illustrations and the main plot. And yeah I would love more spinoffs and alternate life stories, I selfishly hope people will still invest in the game so that more content will be produced after this season ends.

What do you mean with spinoff/alternate life fiasco?

About MCL, I understand you, I personally love UL but the original boys are the best, who was your favourite? If you haven’t already you should really check out Lys and Kentin's AL episodes because they're great, I can't wait for Armin to be released.

And about Henri's Secret, I really liked season 1, I played the whole thing on Steam in 3 days and it was amazing. I didn’t play season 2 because it was only produced for mobile which I don’t really like, I much prefer playing on pc, and also because most of the plot is about jealousy and drama due to a woman love rival. This is a trope a really dislike. If you want to read more about it, check @crownysworldofficial who played both the revamped S1 and the whole second season and posted illustrations and summaries.

And about Beemoov hiring me, haha thank you for the vote of confidence! Not sure for what purpose they could hire me for, but it'd be funny.

Again, welcome to the fandom! 💕

#mcl #my candy love #eldarya #henri's secret

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ordinaryschmuck · 3 years ago

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Why I (Want to) Love Tangled: The Series/Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure

Salutations random people on the internet who most likely won’t read this. I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons.

When I heard Disney was making an animated series based on Tangled, acting as a continuation from the original movie, my initial thought was, "Why?"

Sure, Disney is infamous for its unnecessary sequels of the story after happily ever after, with the many, many, many failures that follow suit. Even then, though, most of these continuations were movies that kind of have the potential to tell more of a story. But what more could be said about Tangled? Sorry to spoil a movie that's over ten years old at this point, but by the end of it: Rapunzel lost her golden hair, was reunited with her parents, fell in love, and lived happily ever after. Her losing the golden hair is the most essential part of that list because how can you do a series based on a Disney princess when her most iconic feature is gone? Then I found out that the series forced a way for her hair to come back, and my new initial thought became, "Oh man. This is gonna suck, isn't it?"

Despite the hesitation, I decided to give it a chance anyway. After all, I've been pleasantly surprised before. Things like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, and even The Owl House (yes, really), were shows (and a movie) that I didn't think would be that special. Only to find myself enjoying nearly every minute. So after watching Tangled: The Series/Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure, I can certainly say I was surprised...but it was entirely for the wrong reasons.

And to explain how requires spoilers. So if you haven't checked the series out yet, I highly suggest you do it to form your own opinion. Just keep in mind that it's a bit of a mess, but it can be an enjoyable mess...sometimes...let me explain.

WHAT I LIKED

The Animation/Art Style: The series swapping from 3D to 2D might have been the most brilliant decision anyone could have ever made with this series. Usually, when an animated movie gets turned into a show, the most noticeable downgrade is always the animation. Whether it’s not as detailed or not as fluid, it's always subjective that the movie is better animated than the series. But by switching up the styles, the contrast becomes objective instead. 2D and 3D animation each have their pros and cons, so deciding which one is better is nothing more than a matter of opinion. So by changing the style, Tangled: The Series/Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure avoids getting complaints of being a downgrade from the original movie. It also helps that the art style of the series is really unique.

The best way to describe how the show looks is that it's like a coloring book brought to life. At times, everything looks like it was drawn and colored in with crayons, which sounds like an insult, but in actuality, it's one of the best features of the series. As much as I love most animated shows nowadays, I will admit, they all look a little too similar at times. Then here comes Tangled: The Series/Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure, which tries to incorporate a whole new style that successfully sets it apart from most shows.

As for the animation itself, it's really well-made! It's remarkably expressive when required, while the movements are really fluid during the correct scenes. Sure the fighting can be a little floaty during some action set pieces (yes, those exist here), but the dialogue and comedic moments are really where the series shines with its animation. I may have problems with the series as a whole, but I give credit where credit is due for the perfectly executed effort that I see in every episode in terms of animation.

Rapunzel and Eugene’s relationship: This was not something I was expecting to enjoy from the series. In the movie, Rapunzel and Eugene were fine. They were the typical Disney couple that worked off of each other enough that it was always entertaining, even if it was unbelievable that they fell deeply in love with each other after, like, two days. They weren't bad, but they weren't anything to go crazy over.

But the writers for the series said, "You know what, let's make these two adorable in nearly every scene they're in." And they are!

Even though I don't believe in their relationship in the movie, I fully believe it here. Both characters have a large amount of faith in one another on top of having endless love for their partner. Like how Eugene knew Rapunzel would be fine when taking out an airship or how Rapunzel couldn't bring herself to say a bad thing about Eugene when making Cassandra a sparring dummy of him. It's legitimately pleasant to watch, to the point where I put Rapunzel and Eugene in my top ten list of favorite fictional couples. They're that good to me, and it's one of the reasons why I don't jump on the bandwagon of shipping the two main female characters together. I'm all for LGBTQA+ representation, but give Cassandra her own girlfriend. Rapunzel's taken, and most of my enjoyment of this show comes from her and her man. So, you know, keep things as they are.

Cassandra (Seasons One and Two): Seeing how I've already mentioned her, let's talk about Cassandra, shall we? Because when making a series based on a movie that had only four prominent characters, with two of them being comedic animal sidekicks, you're going to need to introduce more members to the main cast to write more potential stories. And Cassandra, in Seasons One and Two (I'll get to Season Three), is a worthy addition. She acts as a strict straight man (I know the irony) who interacts well with Rapunzel and clashes perfectly with Eugene on occasion. She was passably entertaining in Season One and developed amazingly in Season Two. Her growing frustrations with Rapunzel's actions lead to a slow build-up that made her betrayal heartbreaking but somewhat understandable. And as for the results in that betrayal...yeah, I'll get into that later. For now, I'll just say that Cassandra was a pleasant addition to the main cast, especially when she was a part of the main trio, and she's yet another good surprise that the writers supplied for the series.

The Songs: The songs are...not going to be for everyone. Most of them are passable yet kind of generic, while others sound like they belong on Disney Junior (Looking at you, "Bigger Than That"). But when Tangled: The Series/Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure makes a hit, MAN, it is a home run. Numbers like "Ready As I'll Ever Be" and "Nothing Left to Lose" are sung phenomenally, orchestrated well, and are songs I can listen to on repeat multiple times. And "Waiting in the Wings" is not only something I consider to be the best song in the series, but it's also something I'd place as high up on Disney's best due to how f**king incredible it is. "Waiting in the Wings" is a powerful ballad that manages to be both tragic yet inspiring on top of how well it sums up Cassandra as a character. The writers may not always be on top of their game when it comes to music, but songs like these prove that they know how to earn that Disney name.

And that’s all I have for the likes...Oh boy. That’s not a good thing is it?

WHAT I DISLIKED

It Peaked at Season One: It did. It really did.

Season One felt like the writers had a grip on what type of show they wanted: A slice-of-life series with Rapunzel dealing with the issues of her kingdom with a meager threat of these black rocks growing in the background. It was all cute and well-balanced for the most part, but that all disappears in Season Two. Because now it's sort of about this adventure, but because Tangled: The Series/Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure set itself as a slice-of-life series, there need to be these small-scale stories that intertwine the grand narrative being told. The issue is that the story comes to a grinding halt one too many times as fans are forced to sit through these filler episodes that, while not all of them are bad, still feel like a distraction. And by Season Three, the series does feel more focused while having some slice-of-life episodes added to the ongoing story instead of distracting us from it. But the writing isn't as strong, there are several plot holes in the narrative (how did Rapunzel's sunstone get into her dress?), and there is way too much time going back and forth on Cassandra's morality. They claim that she's a villain while arguing that there might still be some good in her, and they continue this train of thought for nine episodes when it really could have been settled in two. For me, it's a bad sign for a series when the first season is the best one. Because if it's all downhill from there, what's the point of even watching?

It Tries to be Epic: This might have been the worst decision the writers could have made.

Now, here's the thing: I don't mind grand epic tales of adventure and battles against demons. If anything, I'm all for them...when it's appropriate and fits with the tone of the series.

Tangled: The Series/Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure suffers a similar problem Frozen II has, in which the writers felt like a big, life-threatening adventure was the perfect continuation of a meager, personal story about the relationships of characters. It isn't. If anything, it's completely missing the mark about what the original story was about. And sure, sometimes writers can succeed in telling personal stories through grand adventures. Just look at The Owl House and parts of Amphibia. But with those shows, it's established within the first few episodes that action and peril will be a series staple. With Tangled, while there was some action and peril, it's all very subdued compared to how high the stakes got raised in later episodes in the show. Especially in the series finale.

And, I mean, c'mon. You're making Rapunzel an action hero?

Judy Hopps? Yes.

Moana? Maybe.

Raya? Most definitely.

But Rapunzel? The character who’s all about optimism and seeing the best of others. That's the character you're going to morph into a hero that fights against an evil demon laid dormant for years? Did you even watch the original movie? Yeah, sorry, but I just don't buy it.

If you want to tell an epic story that gets the blood pumping for fans addicted to adventure, go for it! See where the wind takes you. But make sure to set that tone as early as possible while also making sure that it fits with the characters. If not, the end result is a series that feels like it's trying to be something it’s not.

Eugene is Kind of an Idiot at Times: It should be noted that Movie-Eugene and Series-Eugene are practically two different characters. In the film, Eugene was more or less the straight man, as he often questions the wackiness in the world around him and keeping Rapunzel grounded in reality. For the series, most of that personality got transferred to Cassandra. Thus making Eugene's new role in the series act as the egotistical imbecile. Sure, he had those moments in the film, but not as frequently, and it really pains me when the writers really lean hard into a minor aspect of his personality. Sometimes there are moments when Eugene acts like his original self. But it's all small scenes that are spread apart with entire episodes where he has half a brain cell. I'm sure some people didn't mind this change to the character, but as someone who adores the movie version of Eugene, I can't help but feel disappointed.

The Villains are the Worst: Now, I don't mean the one-off villains that show up, cause some chaos for a bit, and disappear at the end of the episode. Those are characters with fun personalities, occasionally cool designs, and do their job as villains of the week. It doesn't matter if their motivations are laughably simple, as their purpose is to be enjoyable characters above anything else. So I actually enjoy those villains...it's the ones that act as season-long antagonists that really grind my gears.

The purpose behind these types of foes is to build up how evil they are throughout the season. The issue is that the writers try to give these characters, or at least two of them, a point. To be fair, this can work. Just look at Killmonger from Black Panther and sometimes Karli Morgenthau from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. You understand and probably even sympathize with the logic and reasoning these characters have. It's just that their actions couldn't be farther from what you would do. The problem with Varian and Cassandra is that they have the motivation, but it's not written suitably for the story.

Cassandra is a whole can of worms I'll get to in a minute, but Varian is someone I can easily discuss for a brief time. Because while I can comprehend his pain for having his father frozen in yellow rock, I don't think turning evil is the best decision to go with that character. Because A. Everything is his fault. He blames Rapunzel for not helping him, but even if she didn't have a crisis to deal with, there was nothing she could have done to stop it. His frustrations are not only unjustified, but given the fact that this wouldn't have happened if he listened to his father in the first place, it feels like him becoming evil is too drastic of a turn. And B. Varian worked much better as a supporting character rather than a primary antagonist. He was just this hopeful, if not a clumsy scientist who wanted to prove himself, who causes minor catastrophes due to not thinking ahead. Turning a character like Varian into a villain is a bit of a misstep because if the guy acts hilariously incompetent as a good guy, it makes little sense to have him be intelligent and ten steps ahead of Rapunzel when being evil. If he were to become more serious and careful when helping the rest of the main cast, I'd consider that character progression done properly. But becoming a villain is just an overreaction.

However, none of that compares with my issues with the main antagonist of the series: Zhan Tiri. This goes back to my problems with the series making itself too epic. Because if Zhan Tiri existed in any other show, I probably wouldn't have any problem with her. She's built up well throughout all three seasons and is kind of threatening at times. But she doesn't belong in a series based on a movie that dealt with a small, personal issue where it wasn't even the character who killed the villain in the end. It was her love interest and animal sidekick. Even if Zhan Tiri works well as a character, the fact that it doesn't feel like she belongs in the show makes her too distracting to enjoy. And that's why these villains suck. If not poorly written, they don't belong in a series that should focus on small-scale issues. And if you can functionally write an antagonist that appears for only one episode but flounder with ones that show up in several, well, that's just embarrassing.

Cassandra (Season 3): OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH BOY, do I have some words to express with this character. Like with Movie-Eugene and Series-Eugene, Cassandra from Seasons One and Two is frustratingly different from the psychotic IDIOT from Season Three. Basically, just take the issues I have with Varian, multiply them by ten, add them with some bafflingly stupid decisions, and you still wouldn't get how much Season Three-Cassandra frustrates me!

First off, her motivation...what the f**k were the writers thinking? The big reason why Cassandra betrays Rapunzel and motivates all of her misdeeds was that Cassandra's mother was Mother Gothal...EXPLAIN THAT LOGIC TO ME?! Because Cassandra should know what type of woman Mother Gothal was. She should know what Mother Gothal did to Rapunzel in the first eighteen years of her life. So how is Cassandra being abandoned by Gothal the central motivator to cut ties with Rapunzel, who is probably an even bigger victim in this scenario!? Seriously, Rapunzel was cut off from the rest of the world and treated as an unknowing prisoner because she was beneficial to Gothal. Cassandra was adopted into a household with mutual love and got to actually live her life. In no way does it make sense for her to be angry at Rapunzel.

Nor does it make sense that the writers try to play it off as a good thing in the song "Crossing the Line!" Sure, it sounds nice, but thematically, it gives across the opposite feelings that the audience should have. Because if Cassandra cutting ties with Rapunzel is meant to be tragic and awful, why is the music suggesting it's the best possible thing that's ever happened for the character? If you like the song, fine, but even you have to admit that it's thematic nonsense.

But, sure. Cassandra's evil now, and she considers it a good thing. Whatever. I'll take it as long as it leads to good stories...but here's the thing: In the penultimate episode before the three-part series finale, Cassandra asks a question. A question I would have never expected her to ask, despite everything that has happened in the last season. A question that was so baffling, I had to legitimately pause the episode to process the fact that she asked something so stupid. Because Cassandra, the character who is intelligent and grounded in reality, asked, "Am I the bad guy?"

I was honestly shocked to find out she was shocked! How, in the flying, everlasting, cock-a-doodle-doodling F**K does a person like her not pick up that maybe, just maybe, she isn't the hero in this story!? Call me crazy, but endangering the lives of people you once called friends and family, dressing in black, AND HAVING A GIANT EVIL-LOOKING TOWER MADE OUT OF F**KING SPIKES aren't qualities I would give to a hero!

If Cassandra was like Thanos, a character so wrapped up in his ego that he can't even notice how evil he is, I would understand. But she doesn't have an ego. Anger, yes. But for the most part, her personality is based on having logic and reasoning. So turning her into a villain and having her unaware that she's a villain is an act of lunacy that I am incapable of understanding. I don't know who's idea this was, but whoever is to blame...you've got issues.

>Sighs<...This series isn't good, is it?

IN CONCLUSION

I like the animation and some of the characters...but that's not enough. Tangled: The Series/Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure is a mess of a show that tries to do too much for a story that should have so little. Meaning that it's a D+ for me. I want to enjoy it and give it a higher grade, especially with how much I hear people praise this series. And if you do enjoy it, all the power to you. Your opinions are valid, even if I highly disagree with them. Because for me, this is a show that I won't get myself tangled up in again in the future.

#tangled: the series #rapunzel's tangled adventure #rapunzel x eugene #tangled cassandra #tangled varian #zhan tiri #what i thought about

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thoroughlyskeptic · 4 years ago

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“We both went to the London premiere but not together. We weren’t engaged and there was no reason to sort of show off to the world." USA Today November 18, 2014.

I'd like the Nannies to express their opinion about this please. With the full understanding that no person or persons on this side of the computer can control, sway or change Ben's mind or heart. That's not the point. The point is to understand what you believe is the psychological reasoning behind the decision to use that phrasing with his pregnant, soon to be fiancé and soon to be wife and soon to be mother of his child. According to People magazine and the Daily Mail, and those, including nannies, who said they have seen a Birth Certificate, Christopher Carlton Cumberbatch was born on June 1st. Dislike it all you want, having a birthday makes it possible, and given human nature, likely that people will speculate on the date of conception, especially considering the facts, including the timing with regards to the Oscars and the shotgun* nature of the wedding. If it was a full term no problem pregnancy, 40 weeks, not under or over due, she was 2 and a half months pregnant when the above statement was made.

This story you nannies have built up, that Ben and Sophie have a true perfect love forever, that they never fight, how do you reconcile that with the whole unvarnished truth? Unless Sophie was totally gormless, she must have known she was pregnant. If Ben was dating her and truly in love, he would have known she was pregnant. They married three months later. He was in true love with the women he married, the woman he proposed to, whom he didn't mention by her name in interviews, and didn't want to walk down the red carpet to his movie premiere with the woman making his dreams come true, his dreams of being a father.

Now you are going to yell about things like privacy. That what he said was meant to protect Sophie and hide the pregnancy. I think anyone who is at all skeptical could answer that one. No one eager for privacy about their personal life talks to reporters, USA Today, or People magazine at all, let alone does a wedding dress spread in Vogue. I'm surprised it was in the print edition, and not the digital only. After all, maternity bridal gowns aren't really "en vogue". The long and short of it is that photo spread was well positioned and they managed to photograph her to look like she wasn't 5 1/2 months pregnant, perhaps to make that style of gown more in demand. Shotgun weddings tend to favor empire waists and lots of flounce to disguise the bump.

Now, I know the next question from the peanut gallery will be, why bring this up? They have stayed together, have two more kids together and it has been x and whatever years.

Here are several responses. Pick one or more in any combination.

1. Our feelings don't have to be right to be valid.

2. You have the option to object to our perfectly valid emotional reaction.

3. We have a right to block you from our page. You also have this right.

4. If you object to our opinions, you do not have to read our blogs or interact with us in anyway. If you are constantly feeling harassed because you see content from skeptics, BLOCK THEM, don't blame them! If the worker at Sea World handed you a poncho to protect yourself and you didn't use it, you can't blame the Shamu if you get splashed.(Sorry for the outdated and insensitive analogy but I wanted something easy to understand. I disagree whole hearted with the captivity of intelligent creatures be they aquatic or terrestrial mammals.)

5. We are valid in our own right as people. If you attack us on a personal level, we will defend ourselves and we have the right to do so.

6. As long as we do not interact with anyone,(i.e. Ben, Sophie, Karon, his management, etc) we can say whatever we want on our own blogs. The majority of us have never met him and don't want to. As far as we are concerned, Ben is an imaginary person that we are writing as a character for a long running D&D campaign.

7. However, the same does not apply to you. Many of you have gone out of your way to meet him. You believe that by sending hate to skeptics or doxxing them you will earn validation from him. I worry that some of you are on the brink and if he doesn't acknowledge you one time, or does something that you can't justify with your world view, one of you will snap. You think this about us, I know. But the nannies on the whole have much more emotional investment in Ben's personal life. (As a for instance, The skeptics call him Ben because at least one nanny has said that, "we don't know that he prefers that nickname so we should use his full name" another said "nicknames are for close friends and family and we aren't those, so we should call him by his full name or Mr. Cumberbatch." If Ben even has two thoughts about any skeptic or nanny(especially how they address him in blog posts) for the entire year I'd be surprised. Unless, of course, it when he has to think about you lot bothering him, stalking him, and generally making a nuisance of yourselves.

******

I also know you complain that the skeptics don't "love" Ben in every thing he does and don't always watch all his work. The gatekeeping within the fandom, not include how you discount and loathe the skeptics, is extreme. Fans must be all or nothing.

1. Not everyone has the money to participate fully, whether that is buying movies, theater tickets, merchandise or going to conventions to hear him speak. Disregarding fans based on their ability to participate, especially due to financial inability, is gatekeeping and it is the worst kind of gatekeeping. You are saying the only good fans are rich ones.

2. Generally the nannies viewpoint is Eurocentric as well. Some people have jobs, have children to raise, have other things that take priority over "being a fan". Being a fan requires time that poorer countries, less developed countries generally lack. Some countries censor the movies that are shown. Doctor Strange was not shown in the East the way it was in the west and unless you can afford to travel to another location,(Say the London Premiere that didn't quite happen and the nannies were upset because he didn't preform like a good little monkey in a suit for them?) you are made to feel left out by the uber fans.

3. Some people have emotional triggers. Ben's roles tend more towards the dramatic then comedic. Drama can deeply affect those who have experienced similar situations. He has been in movies dealing with Cancer, Childhood Abuse, Incest, Slavery, War, Pedophilia, have I missed any major triggers?

4. He is also in the MCU and the Hobbit movies which have flashing lights which makes them inaccessible to those who have seizures and migraines. Another oft used gatekeeping tactic in fandoms is the restriction of accessibility. In the US, there are compliancy laws for disabilities(although they aren't always obeyed) but smaller, poorer countries may not have accessible movie theaters. Fans with disabilities can not travel as easily as more abled fans. Smaller independent films Benedict made at the beginning of his career may not have captions or audio description or may be unafforable for those that have medical costs to consider.

5. There is also gender bias in the Cumberbatch fandom. One need only look at their chosen name, Cumberbitches. I can think of 15 more gender neutral terms off the top of my head but men and those who identify as male were inherently excluded from the fandom. I can think of ONE male fan. Maybe one that writes under his wife's account as to not get ridiculed. Because they would be ridiculed by the nannies, that is who they are, the "gatekeepers of the fandom", deciding who is worthy to be a Ben fan.

They have made fun of fans before. Not just skeptics. People they don't like or don't want in their little clique. So the majority of Ben's fans are middle aged rich white women. Not because that's who he's trying to reach as an audience but because that is who his uber fans allow to worship him.

If you are in need of examples of how out of control the uber fans are take the following for an example.

Someone did a nice tweet about other actors. It had nothing to do with Ben, although it did feature Tom Hiddleston and other Marvel actors. The ubers starting by saying Ben wasn't listed, then jumped into, well, a screenshot is worth a thousand words.

As they say, that escalated quickly...

*Shotgun Wedding is an American term for a marriage precipitated by the pregnancy. It comes from an American colloquialism, termed as such based on a stereotypical scenario in which the father of the pregnant bride-to-be threatens the reluctant groom with a shotgun in order to ensure that he follows through with the wedding.

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tothedarkdarkseas · 3 years ago

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I wonder why people don't think of a vampire 2doc au, with Stu being the vampire.

I mean, come on now... He's the pale, tall, strange acting one... And Murdoc would be basically throwing himself into those fangs.

If Stu really didn't want to bite anyone, but Murdoc begged for it, how long do you think Stu could stand his ground for?

It is interesting how the 2doc fandom in particular really went through an "AU boom" wherein the tag and AO3 were both full of different fans presenting different AU ideas; it's not surprising that supernatural elements were pretty popular, but it's interesting to note just how often it was indeed Stuart who was the creature despite Murdoc being, er, maybe more immediately ghoulish. I have some theories about certain trends/patterns of years past, but it's a lot less relevant now and probably not worth getting into, haha. (Meaning I just spent too long getting into it and had to backtrack on the rambling.)

Anyway, vampires are the main exception to this it seems! I can definitely see the groundwork for a good story in either direction. As Jamie's recent artwork shows there's definitely something fun and campy about Nosferatu-style vamp Murdoc, but let's be honest, Stu certainly pulls off the romantic vampire better, if that's your thing. It's not even that he's particularly good at it, he's frankly laughable and Murdoc would rip the piss if he wasn't so desperately attracted to his dumb brooding eternal-prettyboy schtick. Stu looking like something genuinely ethereal and harrowing in the night but then crumpling up on himself at daybreak and going "bloody fuckin' hell, ah, sorry, I've gotta-- I've got a thing, yeah, cheers" and muttering "fuck off, fuck off" to the sun as he stumbles away and seems to grow gaunter and older by the second. Actually, just Stu still having his horrible mockney accent as a vampire, very good.

That's a good question, how long could Stu stand on his principles against drinking blood when Murdoc is so beyond willing? This conundrum is actually fairly unique to each pairing, I don't think it's the same problem or plot point when the roles reverse. In the reverse scenario, Stu may be deeply conflicted and resentful but, whether he openly acknowledges this or not, may not ultimately dislike being a vampire; he may find elements that cater to his ego and latent belief that he deserves the best without working for it, but he never asked for that. I think no matter how he revels in the perks there would always be contention in Murdoc making that decision for him and "ruining" him, in a mirror to their existing car crash conflict. But in this scenario, Murdoc has absolutely no reservations against leaving his life behind, against undoing everything that Murdoc Niccals was, and even against being literally or metaphorically under Stuart; it is a win-win-win and I'd imagine he'll fight tooth and nail to make it happen. Stuart already has a stronger sense of morality than Murdoc, but his frequent failure to follow through on difficult undertakings like veganism and generally wishy-washy attitude toward adopting spiritualism or ethical causes when it best suits him and as long as it suits him is also a defining characteristic, IMO. I think Stu would actually feel a truly compounding sense of ethical obligation and guilt once he's been cornered and shamed about feeding after his first few months of unchecked bloodlust... but I also think he's typically weak-willed, has poor impulse control when he's upset, and tends to act first and overthink after. Hard to say how long this would go on, but much like our timeline I think Murdoc would probably have more success blending the carnal enticement of blood with the animal-brained trigger to attack and shut Murdoc up.

My main question, though... do the fangs come in around the giant gap where his front teeth would be, or do the fangs replace his missing front teeth? Like...

Sorry for this.

#long post #headcanon posts

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act-addict-actors-matchups · 4 years ago

Text

@kawaiiipandaa said,

Hello! I was wondering if I could request a matchup? This is my first time doing this, so please let me know if I'm doing something wrong! ^^; For starters, I'm a Cancer and I'm 157 cm [ 5'2 ]. I suppose you can say my most distinct physical features are my short hair and glasses. Some of my hobbies consist of reading/writing stories, sewing [ just learned last year but I'm pretty proud of the pillows I've crafted ], and occasionally sketching.

I dislike large crowds, most seafood and speaking out loud. Personality-wise, I can be pretty standoffish and aloof upon first meetings. As I grow more comfortable with an individual, I'm known to be easily-embarrassed, somewhat clingy but still very much awkward. I laugh at jokes even when they aren't funny and tend to space out at times. I have a hard time opening up about my feelings, so most say that it's hard to understand me.

I prefer for things to go how I've planned for them to and when they don't, I get anxious.

✧ Thank you so much for requesting a matchup. I literally have no idea when you send this and I’m genuinely sorry for the very long wait. Please look after yourself. I wish you good health and all the best! 💓

I’d match you with: . . .

➜ HOW YOU TWO FIRST MET ; The first time you met Kazunari was via a mutual friend of yours. It really wasn’t that surprising, considering the fact that he is someone who can talk to anyone without any discrimination. And when you guys did meet, there wasn't anything special between you two― you were just his friend’s friend which was also in the same year as him, and he was just your friend’s friend. He would smile at you whenever you were near each other, maybe strike up a conversation and out of politeness, you would give him a small smile back, weirdly enough, that was all and your friend was totally depressed about it. They wanted you guys to be friends too, or maybe more than friends but you don’t know that😌. Sometimes your friend group and his would have lunches together, which wasn't rare but also wasn't common either. And you would occasionally share a laugh and coversation with the others along with Kazunari, but you were always closer with your side of friends. But one day, you've gotten sick but you didn't want to burden and worry your friends because their classes were still ongoing so you had no choice but to try and walk home before you fainted but that day was said to have a rainy weather, and when you were about to leave to the school gates, not caring if you’d get soaked or not, a familiar voice called out for you, running up to you. You were confused, nevertheless stopped yourself as you saw Kazunari’s figure coming closer to you. “Oh, Kazunari.” your hoarse voice was evident, but you tried to clear your throat anyways. “I heard you were sick and you had to go home.” he started off, “Here,” he handed you an umbrella you didn't notice he held on his right hand. “I heard that it was going to rain today and saw that you didn't have an umbrella.” Not going to lie, you wasn’t expecting that. “No i could't i―” "What? Could it be that you are falling for me? I just made your heart flutter, didn’t I?” He asked excitedly, only to receive a blank look from you, the unfamiliar thumping on your chest, butterflies in your stomache being unknown to him. “Sorry, sorry. I just couldn’t pass the opportunity to tease ya you know?” He said with a smile and continued. “Your friends wouldn't be happy since you're already sick, and I still some classes and a spare umbrella. Get well soon ♪.” As you accepted his umbrella, you walked home with nothing but Kazunari wondering in the deepest cevices of your mind that you didn't know existed. After that day, something kinda changed between you guys. Don’t get me wrong, smiling at each other in the hallways were still a thing; but there were a bit newer accompanies, the peach on your cheeks, and the nervousness on both of your nerves. The two of you would have a small chit-chats with each other even if it's just the two of you inside a classroom, occasionally laughing at a joke one of you had up your sleeves. You and Kazunari would hold unusual, and long gazes at each other― the one would also look at the other when they aren't looking, and vice versa. You get the point. It was some time after that kdrama kinda thing that Kazunari invited you to watch him perform at Mankai.

➜ PERSONALITY COMPATIBILITY ; You two compliment each other perfectly! If I had to describe your relationship it would be introverted found its extroverted and I think it’s really cute skdhskdhkdhd. He loves how easily-embarrassed and clingy you are because hello??? he literally finds you the cutest thing ever. I headcanon him as the type of boyfriend who hugs you from behind as soon as he sees you or just closes your eyes with his hands and asks “Guess who, cutie~?”. I wouldn’t worry too much about having hard time opening up about your feelings or being hard to understand. He may not look like it but this boy is perspective. Very perspective. I feel like Kazunari is naturally observant of others' behavior due to being overly concerned about what other people think of him. This helps him notice the tiniest details of others, including their habits and personality. He’s not the type of person who would force you to spill everything inside your head. Instead, he would let you know that no matter what, he’s here to talk. That he’s here for you. After all, he knows how it feel like to not voice the things inside your head because you feel like it would only cause unnecessary trouble for the receiver. Kazunari teaches you that love should be fun and full of joy. There’s no reason that loving someone should be completely serious and perfect; imperfections make love real, they make love unique. His impulsive way of loving you is uniquely him; he loves you deeply, and diving into that pool of bottomless love he has for you from the highest diving board with no lifeguard near sparks more joy in him than should be humanly possible. He falls in love with how fun it is to love— with how fun it is to be in love with you.

➜ SHARED ACTIVITIES ; Since you have a harder time with big crowds than him, who doesn't mind showy spectacles, he usually spends time inside for you because he doesn’t want you to become uncomfortable. But be sure to offer going on outside dates to him from time to time. Both of you are into crafting, so I can imagine you two making masks, drawing together or making collages. You just get together to hang out and decorate your masks. You can both do your own thing or have them based on a theme. Whatever works for both of you. Don’t worry if they turn out horrible, that’s part of the fun. Oh, and Kazunari will make sure to get some photos together after you finish and post them on his social media accounts. Also, you two have a fun drawing game, where one person draws one part, and then the other does the next part. Or if you want a really interesting picture, one person draws until a timer runs out and then the next person goes. Depending on how serious you are taking the game, the finished piece is usually either a masterpiece or something that neither of you can describe. Needless to say, you two get a good laugh on the later. Oh, also I hope you don’t mind PDA because Kazunari likes to show the world your good times. The conversation would never cease as you lay wrapped in his arms. One arm would be slung around your waist, and the other resting beneath your head. Usually cuddling with Kazunari would be playful, more tickling than actually laying around, but sometimes, like a lull in the storm, he would stop talking, choosing instead to bury his nose deep in the crook of your neck. The room would be cast in silence. As you laid beside him though his mind reeled. You were real. You were beside him, a goddess in a mortal world, and you were with him out of every person in this world. Of course you had faults, but they were what made you, you. “I love you.” He would say, breaking the silence of the room, and causing you to startle. He had to tell you though. For all he knew, you would disappear like the dream you seemed to be, when he opened his eyes again.

➜ ZODIAC COMPATIBILITY ; Kazunari’s birthday is on August 1, which makes him a Leo. Cancer and Leo both have a playful attitude and a desire for an epic, enduring romance. These two are neighbors on the zodiac wheel, and depending on the degree of their sun, they share many of the same cosmic energies. They are fun-loving and creative. Leo likes romantic gestures, and Cancer knows how and when to show sincere affection. Both are strongly loyal, even to the point of possessiveness, Cancer for safety’s sake, Leo for the sake of their self-confidence. They are also both committed to a enduring, rewarding connection. Since their desires are similar, a Cancer and a Leo may fill very important voids in each other’s lives. What’s the best aspect of the Cancer-Leo relationship? Their mutual commitment to a sincere relationship. Together this pair can share a supportive, positive and healthy vibe. People see them as a winning combination, and their mutual desire for a secure, loving relationship makes them strive for harmony.

#act! addict! actors!#a3! matchup #kazunari miyoshi

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keshetchai · 8 years ago

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Question, do you have any thoughts on demonolatry? It is a path I am seriously considering and slowly researching. I'm still working my way through the book The Devil and the Jews, but what I've read so far plus what I've been coming across in my demonolatry research (Hebrew is a source language for many texts) plus still being very ignorant of Jewish traditions over all has me cautious. I feel comfortable in demonolatry but don't want to trespass/appropriate something I have no right to.

Oh goodness, I have….different takes on my gut reaction/answers. I’ll divide them into mini-answers!

Answer #1: [The most generalist answer about cultural appropriation]

If the source language for a variety of texts in something is in a language you don’t understand, and isn’t a heritage language for you, then chances are high it would be appropriative for you to adopt this kind of practice. This might not always be a hard and fast rule, but like…it’s a pretty sure bet in this case that a bunch of Gentiles who made a practice using misinterpreted and perverted Hebrew texts for their own needs and then continued on for several decades or centuries is just going to get you an end result of cultural appropriation/cultural perversion.

Answer #2: [The issue of Jewish appropriation & western Orientalism]

I honestly don’t know much about demonolatry, but from what I can tell it’s another spin on western occultism which was and is, at its core, appropriative of Judaism as an “exotic” flavor to be added as Gentiles saw fit. The whole “seal of Solomon” thing being appropriation by occultists is part and parcel with this kind of stuff, and it’s really really weirdly orientalist. The use of a holy language in Judaism (Hebrew) for this stuff is just….really trying to make it more “magic” seeming.

I mean some of these occult texts are what, 1500-1600’s? When you realize Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, and the inquisition continued to try and make sure that converso Jews didn’t revert to their heritage faith – I mean it’s just more of the same obsession with perceived connection between non-Christian (read: Jewish and Muslim) ties to demons and devil worship/working.

But then there’s later stuff, from what I can tell it’s like a chunk of stuff 1500-1600 and then again after the 1700’s a period 1800 - Today (at least the bulk of this stuff is before or after the Enlightenment period in Western Europe) and…. Surprise surprise, a bunch of white guys being obsessed with the magical secret demon rituals of the “exotic orient” is undeniably connected to gross European colonial/imperialist attitudes. Another generalization: stuff written by dead white guys about the “orient” or “near eastern” practices in the occult arts are full of shit.

Thing is – fear of cultural appropriation aside – is any of this NOT fully enmeshed in orientalist imperialist western attitudes? And is any of it going to hold up to any kind of academic-historical-archaeological scrutiny?

Answer #3: [The issue of “All religions have stuff we can’t prove, but some religions have more complete mishmash based on conflated facts and made up stuff that ignores academic study on the originating culture(s) than others.” AKA the Academics of Appropriation]

Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh. If the PDF I found on my google search of the term is a real source on the demonolatry issue, then it just lumps a gazillion different devils/Angels/spirits/goddesses/gods/whatever that are all occurring over the span of what is in reality probably 2-3,000 years. They have nothing to do with each other in many cases! Like a “devil” that has an Arabic name naturally occurs much later in time than a really early babylonian type language spirit because of the timeline of when those languages began and developed. I’m also probably the wrong person to ask - the very mention of “Lucifer’ makes my eyes want to roll out of my head because anyone who ascribes that to a demonic-figure misunderstood that it was a criticism of a Babylonian King, and had zero to do with any kind of supernatural figure.

I don’t particularly know much about Mesopotamian/Fertile Crescent/Near Eastern/Levantine paganism but I do know an archaeological/art history scholar who does study the prehistoric/ancient near east and I just deeply truly feel like the emphasis on near eastern paganism is mostly about 19th century Orientalism. I’m going to guess that a majority of the stuff discussed by demonolatry is riddled with factual errors, misunderstandings, and conflations that come out of ignorance of the region, time periods, and religious practices that took place.

I try to be respectful of the fact that different people find solace in different kinds of religions, but I won’t lie - I found myself deeply dissatisfied with the whiteness, appropriation, and bad scholarship I found across pretty much all modern pagan variants some time ago. Like it’s not just not cohesive/disorganized, it also just…doesn’t have any grounding in the actual historical reality of these beings/spirits in the faith origins any of them come from? I find most people in paganism/neo paganism are really interested in only very specific texts. Like they’ll read someone’s (European) grimoire from the 1600’s but won’t pour over Sumerian archaeological digs and academic papers on Hittite worship - because the point is not really these ancient/prehistoric paganisms but the *idea* of them - the orientalist *concept* of the ancient near east. like why does everyone talk about the meaning of the color of the candle you use for an ancient (whoever) entity when candles….hadn’t even been invented yet? I’m pretty sure that spirit doesn’t care because wax/dipped (dyed & COLORED) candles weren’t a Thing Then. You know? the rituals mentioning pillar candles for something that was worshipped in like 3000 BCE just isn’t based in any actual practice of the time because they didn’t have that then. It’s a tiny detail, but you could expand that to almost anything you wanted.

Maybe that’s harsh of me? But like personally I deeply dislike this kind of stuff because I find it just as intellectually dishonest as many organized faiths can be, except these people tend to publicly emphasize their ancient spirituality/faith predates “xyz”. But if you can avoid Hebrew entirely, avoid Jewish-Hebraic entities AND Islamic AND Zoroastrian entities and are just focusing on like….worship of things from ancient religions which just don’t exist anymore? I mean, I guess? Like just don’t….use anything that at all uses or borrows from Hebrew/Judaism/Tanach (or the Christian Bible). That might help avoid Jewish appropriation but won’t get rid of the orientalist lens issue.

Anyways….

Last Answer: [The: “I have a Mom of Color” aka “the comedic kinda” answer]

NOPE NOPE NO NAH NU UH sure appropriation is bad but do you know what is ALSO BAD????? Inviting spirits into your life that have their own motives and powers and minds!!!!! NOPE.

Why would any spirit deign to work with your ass for free? THEY WOULDN’T! What makes u think they’re gonna let you set the price for their services? THEY WON’T! You also can’t work with someone else’s spirits, you have to work with your own!

Idk man I was forbidden from playing at seances as a child, my momma literally told me to never summon anything because you don’t know how powerful it is and whether or not it wants to hurt you I compulsively throw spilled salt over my shoulder to blind any devils behind me, I have a hand of hamsa amulet by my door, I grow sage at my windowsill, I have literally been trained my whole lil Mexican life to avoid the devil even though my mom explicitly does not believe in hell or an actual literal devil.

Honest we don’t believe in the devil but JUST IN CASE…..

So uh tl;dr:

1.) yes. It’s got appropriative elements 2.) and Orientalism/racism 3.) also I don’t even know if any of the sources I found actually are true of the origins of these entities in any historical or academic sense which is a large part of why I think it’s rooted in Orientalism/fetishizing of the near east 4.). I’m like ethically (ethnically?) obligated to tell you demons are Bad News and My Momma Says I Have to Go if Someone Uses so much as a Oujia Board, Right Now, Immediately, She is Calling Me for Dinner Probably. (I mean I can’t stop you and have met satanists/lucifer worshippers and wasn’t scared of them personally, and I don’t even believe in “The Devil,” but also I ain’t white.)

Thanks for asking though! Sorry if I seem….idk unfair? I think these criticisms I’ve made can be applied to a LOT of things, which is why I apply them also to any modern paganism strain.

#religion #demonolatry #paganism #avoiding Jewish appropriation #cultural appropriation

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