#arrow 3x01

[forbescaroline]

235 FAVORITE SHIPS OF ALL TIME (ranked by my followers) 51. oliver queen and felicity smoak - arrow

[winnie-the-monster]

[the-feral-gremlin]

Oliver being his own greatest fear makes so much fucking sense in even more ways then him fearing the possibility of fucking up the thing he has going on with Felicity. I WILL elaborate

[itachi86]

roy freezing that bomb was so cool

[goodwhump-temp]

Takashi Natsume Whump | Natsumes Book of Friends

1x01 Slammed against tree, trips, lonely childhood, pinned 1x02 Head grabbed x2, nightmare, passes out (18:30) 1x03 Lonely childhood, jumped, [flashback; heartbroken, crying] 1x04 Falls down the stairs 1x05 Restrained x2 1x06 Passes out, possessed, head thwacked, elbowed, nearly trampled, crying 1x08 Falls off cliff, trips 1x09 Trips, caught mid-air (kinda hot ngl), nightmare, restrained x2, choked, caught in spell 1x10 Pinned, possessed, carried, sneeze, nightmare, jumps off cliff, unconscious 1x12 Cursed, worsening pain, head thwacked, trips 1x13 Trips

2x01 Ball to the face, choked, nose thwacked, pinned, grabbed 2x02 Nightmare, choked, hands burned 2x03 Restrained, dragged, nightmare, subconsciously crying 2x04 Trips 2x05 Fever, passes out (10:10) 2x06 Nightmare, cursed, captured 2x07 Missing/captured, restrained by the neck x2, falls down cliff, rope burns, poisoned/youkai blindness, head thwacked, knocked down, passes out 2x08 Thrown out the window, choked, drowning 2x09 Uppercutted, freaked out x2, coughing, knocked unconscious, fever, passes out 2x10 Chewed, weak 2x11 Arm bit 2x12 Uppercutted, bullied, hand bleeding, bandaged, tackled 2x13 Depressed, restrained, knocked unconscious

3x01 Passes out (06:30), collapse/unconscious (09:35), shoulder painfully bit 3x02 Choked 3x03 Lonely/bullied childhood, nightmare, snatched 3x04 [Childhood; bullied, ambushed x10, crying] 3x05 Choked, freaked out x3, mini-smacked x18, SNATCHED, knocked unconscious 3x06 Choked, dropped from the sky, knocked down x3, pinned, dragged, knocked unconscious 3x07 Captured, restrained, large fall down cave, grazed by arrow, bleeding, knocked down, held 3x09 Falls down bridge, freaked out (09:00), pinned, crying (happy tears :)), fingers pricked x4, knocked unconscious, nurses bed 3x10 Mirror absorbs into eye, great eye pain x5, head grabbed 3x11 Mirror absorbs into eye, hit with hammer 3x12 Collapse, fever, nightmare/jolted awake, subconsciously crying [Flashback; knocked unconscious, flown off a cliff, hospitalized, crying] 3x13 Lonely childhood, falls into pit

4x01 Manhandled, choked, knocked down, captured, briefly unconscious, restrained, catslapped 4x02 Imprisoned, knocked down, falls down slope 4x03 Hands scratched up, poisoned, pain, choked, cheek grazed, restrained 4x04 Pinned, protected 4x05 [Flashbacks; lonely, neglected] 4x06 Trapped in a bottle 4x07 Trapped cont., scared, collapse, exhausted 4x09 Knocked off the balcony, knocked unconscious (log trap) 4x10 Panicked running/trips, passes out, sick from exhaustion 4x11 Passes out, nightmare, parent lore, denial, crying, emotional pain 4x12 Childhood bullies/trauma, manipulated, restrained, catslapped, possessed 4x13 Possessed cont., unconscious, [Childhood; emotional pain x3, scared, bullied, hit x20], choked, crying

5x01 Nightmare, jolted awake, passes out, scared, squeezed 5x03 Blackmailed 5x04 Choked x3, manhandled 5x05 Unconscious (20:20) 5x06 Pinned, voice taken, soft coughing x5 5x07 Passes out 5x09 Tired as fork 5x10 (Different POV of 3x16; Lonely, bandaged/after hospital) 5x11 Fever, collapse, hallucinating, very sick for multiple days, headache, nightmare, worsening sickness 5x12 Passes out, carried 5x13 Repetitive nightmare, tired

6x01 Transformed as child, amnesia, manipulated, terrified 6x03 Freaked out x3, pinned 6x04 Knocked off roof, pinned, SNATCHED 6x05 Head bonked, awakes/cared for 6x06 [Flashbacks; lonely, nightmare, found unconscious] 6x10 Squeezed

[thebluemallet]

Eros/Psyche Parallels in Bridgerton Season 3

The show was not subtle with the Eros/Psyche parallels this season. So I attempted to go through episode by episode and find the connections. If I miss any obvious ones, let me know and I'll edit the post.

3x01- Out of the Shadows

Starting off strong with the opening credits! You briefly see a butterfly. Not only do the Featheringtons use butterflies as often as the Bridgertons use bees, but the butterfly is a symbol of Psyche.

When Penelope opens her wardrobe to that sea of YELLOW, her butterfly dress from the first ball of season 1 is visible.

Penelope talks with Genevieve about needing to find a husband this season and then we cut directly to Gregory with a bow (sans arrow) and he's pointing it directly at Colin. The bow and arrow is a symbol of Eros/Cupid.

Penelope sheds her cloak at that ball like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon.

The original Eros/Psyche myth has some jealous sisters and Prudence and Philippa, while maybe not jealous per se, are not happy to see their baby sister shining so brightly when she arrives.

And for more connection to the sisters--Psyche is the youngest of three daughters and her two older sisters are married before she is.

This one is, admittedly, a bit of a stretch but in the original myth there's some ire from Aphrodite because of all the attention Psyche is getting. And Cressida rips Penelope's dress once she is getting all the attention at the ball, specifically from Lord Debling.

Eros is sent by Aphrodite in the original story to marry Psyche off to marry someone/thing horrible (or just making sure no man wants to marry her) but Eros ends up falling for Psyche himself. Colin offers to help Penelope find a husband as a way to make up for what he said about her last year and, well, we all know where this is going!

3x02- How Bright The Moon

Edited to add (credit to @bridgertonblue)- Colin cuts his hand on the glass in the study. They flashback to this scene a few episodes later when Colin finally decides to take action with Penelope and his feelings for her. This can be a parallel to Eros getting struck with his own arrows and falling for Psyche.

Eros only visits Psyche at night. Colin comes to see Penelope at night in the garden after their scheme is exposed.

Eros accidentally struck himself with his own arrows and that's how he came to fall in love with Psyche. Colin kissed Penelope because he thought he was doing it for a friend, and he ended up awakening feelings he didn't even realize he had for her.

3x03- Forces of Nature

In the Architectural Digest Bridgerton Set Tour video, you'll see butterflies on the staircase in the entrance hall of Featherington House. It's not exclusive to this episode, I just thought I'd highlight it here since it's when we have the Eloise apology scene.

THIS ONE IS A HUGE STRETCH BUT I'LL PUT IT IN HERE ANYWAY--remember how windy it was with the balloon and Colin's arms that Penelope couldn't stop drooling over? Psyche was carried by Zephyrus-the West Wind-to her fancy new home and the godly husband she never sees.

3x04- Old Friends

Eros is tasked with marrying Psyche off, falls in love with her, and marries her instead. Colin offers to help Penelope find a husband earlier in the season, realizes he's been in love with her this whole time, and we get the iconic line, "For God's sake, Penelope Featherington! Are you going to marry me or not?"

3x05- Tick Tock

This one is another stretch, but Psyche has some jealous sisters who are not permitted to visit her at her new home (until Psyche convinces her husband to let them visit many months later). Prudence and Phillipa are being mean to Penelope over her engagement and Portia doesn't allow them to attend the engagement party. A Bridgerton engagement party, so you know that stings.

And another stretch! Psyche gets pressured by her sisters to find out her husband's true identity. Penelope gets pressured by Eloise to reveal her secret identity to Colin.

3x06- Romancing Mr. Bridgerton

Eros tells Psyche that she can never know what she looks like, which is why he only visits at night. If Psyche knows who her husband is, then eventually Aphrodite will find out and she'll be pissed. But Psyche, filled with doubt thanks to her jealous sisters, lights a candle while Eros is asleep, revealing his identity and betraying Eros.

Penelope writes/delivers her Whistledown column at night. Colin follows after her, discovers her secret identity, and feels betrayed.

3x07- The Joining of Hands

Eros leaves Psyche, feeling betrayed even though he still loves her deeply. Colin is cold and distant to Penelope in the fresh sting of his betrayal. But he still loves her and goes through with the wedding.

3x08- "Into the Light"

Eros refuses to see Psyche because he's been so hurt by her betrayal. Colin sleeps ten feet away from his wife's bedroom door (they must have had other bedrooms!) and leaves soon after she wakes up in episode 8.

Psyche has to go through some trials put forth by Aphrodite to get a chance to see her husband again. Penelope is confronted and blackmailed by Cressida when the latter learns that she is Lady Whistledown.

Psyche approaches two different goddesses to help her find Eros. Sometimes they refuse to help. Sometimes one of them points her in the direction of Aphrodite's place. Those two goddesses are Hera and Demeter. Two members of the most unlikely dream team in this episode are Portia and Eloise.

Hera is the goddess of marriage, women, and family, and she doesn't have the reputation of being an upstanding mother in mythology. She parallels Portia, mother to three ladies who she wants to see in secure marriages.

Demeter is the goddess of the harvest and agriculture. This is more of a reach, but she can parallel Eloise. In her book, her love interest Sir Phillip is experimenting in his greenhouse with peas(?) (I should probably read that book again) to increase their yield. Eloise also initially refused to get in between Penelope and Colin in the previous episode.

When Psyche goes through these trials, she's pregnant with Eros's baby. The showrunners confirmed that Colin knocked up Penelope in that mirror scene so she's in the very early stages of pregnancy here.

Psyche is indirectly helped by Eros (Zeus's eagle helps her out when they remember they owe Eros a favor). This angers Aphrodite and makes things worse for Psyche. Colin tries to save his wife by appealing to Cressida and ends up making things worse for Penelope.

Psyche's final trial involves going to the underworld. She deems this an impossible task and intends to sacrifice herself before she finds another way. Penelope decides to reveal her identity to the Queen and the ton, effectively sacrificing her reputation and potentially her marriage.

Zeus listens to Eros's pleas and grants Psyche immortality. The Queen is merciful to Penelope and doesn't punish her for Whistledown, allowing her to keep writing.

Psyche is often depicted either with butterfly wings or with a butterfly near/around her in art. Mrs. Varley releases the bugs (butterflies) directly after the Whistledown reveal.

Eros and Psyche are reunited and live a rare Happily Ever After in mythology. Penelope and Colin reconcile and go on to their own Happily Ever After.

[aceofwhump]

Hi ace ☺️!!!!! My fav trope is forced to watch/listen (especially if they are in the same room and whumper does nothing to the caretaker but keep asking them to reveal their secrets if they want it to stop 😏) but I cant find nearly enough of this trope

So if you know any media with this trope in it can you share ?🥰

(Also it has nothing to do with the ask but whenever I think of people outside of tumblr I imagine them with their pfp so your face is aaron in my mind sk3kdkdk 😅)

Mmmm yes that is a very good trope and yes it's also hard to find. Sometimes it pops up in fanfiction but off hand I can't think of any (I read so many it's hard to remember sometimes and I haven't updated my masterlist in a little while with tropes). Let me see what I got to rec.

My immediate thought was Chicago P.D. 3x01 when the team watches via video while Jay Halstead is beaten and tortured.

Hawaii Five-0 10x22 Steve is forced to watch a beaten and bloodied Danny through a video sent to him.

There's also this scene in Red Notice where the Rock and Ryan Reynolds are tied up and The Rock's character is tortured.

In Iron Man 3 Tony is forced to watch as Pepper is injected with Extremis

The Following 2x07 has a scene where Mike Weston is forced to watch

Stargate Atlantis 3x07 John is tortured and a video of it is shown to the team.

Stargate SG-1 5x07 Danny is forced to watch Jack be tortured

Legends of Tomorrow 1x05 Mike and Ray are tortured in front of Stein.

Arrow 1x18 Roy is tortured in front of the others via video.

Killjoys 1x05 D'Avin is tortured and Johnny watches the video

Graceland 1x08 Mike Warren is forced to watch and participate in torturing someone.

Falling Skies 5x05 has a great listening scene

Avengers Infinity War Loki watches as Thor gets tortured

Teen Wolf 3x04 Derek is tortured by the Alpha pack while his sister Cora has to watch

A Discovery of Witches 3x06 Matthew is tortured in front of Diana

Hudson & Rex 3x09 when Charlie is buried alive and the team is shown him via live video

Sense8 2x11 (finale) when Wolfgang is captured and tortured

NCIS 3x08 when Tony gets beaten in front of Ziva and NCIS 7x01

9-1-1 5x17 when Chim is tortured in front of Hen

Also, to your last point, that's so funny and I honestly do the same thing and I'm honored to be seen as just Aaron Tveit running this blog lol.

[pinkestpurple]

Show so good i'm threatening to kill myself

1;2

So this is my season 3 of 911 reaction. I tweet this in spanish and then i translate here, if something dosen't make sense, dont worry, i also dont make sense in spanish.

I dont have a mateo live reaction of the first 3 episode because i was to entertaining. 3x01 is a meh episode, but the other two are such good episodes theres a reason they are iconic in the fandom and i knew about them before i saw them. At the end of 3x03 i was like: "ooh, Buddie angst!" and when Eddie walk into Buck's aparment like nothing happen i put the same face that Buck had. Like Eddie loves Buck so much is insane. There is no way they arent gay!

3x04

"My god this is the biggest fire i ever seen" Chimney you are too funny!

Buck being a stickler of the rules?? i never though i see it

This is episode about sibiling?? They are the worst but also the best

??? Excuse me, Chim and Hen where expecting Buck to get jealous bc of lena?? GIME A NO GAY EXPLANATION

Omg, i love chris and eddie. Eddie is such a good dad!

Why is Maddie thinking she is CW Arrow?? Pls go to a therapist

Buckley sibiling making bad decisions is the theme of this episode

3x05 "Rage" is going to be such a chill episode

Buck cararota, how are you sitting there? Even if you get your job back, do you think you are going to work with them?? They will hate you

oh no! if something happens to Athena's family bc of the racist policeman and Athena keeps being a policeofficer I'm going to be so mad

my god, what i am watching, Athena stop defending the police you more than anyone knows that is a very corrupt institution

Ah! no! why they put this trope in this episode? It makes it look like the police anger and Michael's are both wrong? No, Michael is justified!

Okay please tell me that Lena is not a romantic interest, that's Buck as a girl, AND you put rebel girl as one of her songs?? The only way this works if they are eachother beards

KJJJJ the way they edit the song so is not a lesbian song

In the reaction to season 1 i mention a dimension 20 character and this season is Lou Wilson Pinochio from neverafter, that interpretation of Pinochio blow my mind, bc it is such an injustice that this boy does exactly what every one boy does but he is punished for it

Michael is such a good father, this show is making me sad

"You know how much Christopher misses you?" AAAAH Eddie you are a mastermind. How you babytrap Buck with YOUR son!? Insane

Eddie cantandole las cuarenta to Buck in the grocery store, how is two are not married if this is cleary a divorce?

Lena and Buck are the same person, i could love to see their dimanic (spoilers: they dont talk once)

3x06 Baby supertation!! I love the songs of this show

"And theres seven different kind of beaked goods in our kitchen" Bobby and Buck stress bake, they are literally father and son

Hen buying Buck a cake that bleeds when you cut it, she is just a little shit i love her

Maddie please ask for help, even if you are rigth, this is not normal

"I'm cat" is such a millennial "im not like the other girls" costume. I'm talking about Maddie or Sam Riegel, we will never know

Hen comparing herself and denny with bobby and buck, literally father and son

Eddie is that bad haircut something to do with your divorce with Buck or this a bad decision you did by yourself?

They are so cute together

3x07

No, Athena and Maddie going trough some archives and messing them up is so stress full, poor archivist, i hope you know how to get them back in order

ACAB absolutely counts for Athena because what do you mean you are arresting a guy that reforms himself (something that he could have never done in prision) and he is taking care of kids that now dont have a safety net and will end 100% back on the street, and as adults in prision?? This is revenge not justice, this is horrifying, i hate that this show is acting like Athena is in the rigth, fuck copaganda.

3x08

Okay, i have only did figure skating in rollers not ice but can a sequin do that??

Well i belive the lost fingers thing, even with rollers, that is not something fun

??? Excuse me what do you mean you dont have 3 pairs of socks in your skate? are you insane? no one that makes this show has ever skate in their life

Bobby skater?? like figure skater?? KKKJJJJ i love it

ooh, lena pull a the bard lament card, "what is my mothers name?"

Eddie i think you are a bad friend, i am with her, please apologize i like Lena

I spend the last 30 minutes trying to figure out what is the girl playing, is bach, is like the most know piece, i'm so bad at music

If hen lose her job i swear to god

3x09

meteorites? what dosen't happen in LA? is going to be aliens in future seasons?

Is a lie that no one undestands the refence of "it belongs in a museum", how all of them didnt watch indiana jones? They must be doing on propuse to bother Chim

Eddie doing eveything in his power so Chris grows up to be better than him? im going to cry, he is such a good dad

My god, Athena i hate you, dont you see that your kid is a teenager, that sees you as a figure to rebel against, bc she is a teenager, plus you are a cop, of course she sees you as her enemy, SHE IS A TEENAGER

I love every time they change Hen glasses and earings bc is such a cool way to express individuality when most of the show all of them wear uniforms

This is the buddie kitchen scene??

I scream KISS HIM to my monitor like 3 times now

Buck you should be offer him to fuck insted of fight

"You want to go for the tittle" how is the next scene NOT them fucking???

Like i KNOW they are still not cannon and even knowing it I got excited

This is evil

Radiation? SOMETHING MORE WANTS TO HAPPEN IN LOS ANGELES

Poor bobby, he is like a wet cat of a man

Desmond, Constatine ex, i know you! You go in the list with Finn's Mom, Karofsky of people i recognize

Hen didnt go to work for a few days and everything happend. Really the you didnt went to school and Messi show up

3x10

Buck telling the kids Santa is not real feels so out of character

Eddie's face when he sees Buck with Chris and Denny, please impregnate him

Buck knowing random shit like how marrie currie die, your adhd is showing

Maddie finally getting up from the ice after a year, i love her

noo, dont you care to kill Michael show!

Buck being a sunshine with everyone, jsjsjs, you still feel guilty for the lawsuit?

I knew it, you want to kill Michael, dont do it, he is one of the best dads of the show, this is homofobia

3x11

Eddie and Buck trying to catch a guy hanging from a airplane with spirit of the sky in the backgroung and you want to tell me this show is not a comedy??

Chim you could be an amazing dad, and you are such a good role model, your brother is going to be fine

I dont know what instrument hen said she play, but is traslates to "faggot" in spanish jsjsjsj

Chim:

Omg, i love the relationship of May and Michael, please dont kill him

I wanted to Michael find love but noo, lets just give him CANCER

"I'm not really a guest" we Buck, we now you two sleep in the same bed

3x12

This is 100% a set up that go wrong, Maddie knows something that Buck dosen't

I can't believe that i am saying this to Eddie and not Buck, but please Eddie dont fuck your son's teacher, is a bad idea

Calloway.. i'm still calling you Desmond, sorry

Eddie, this teacher has so many kids all with differents needs, give her a break!

I undestand Buck a yapper with adhd but him just telling everyone Eddie's problems? kind of weird

Noooo, why those this show hate gay man??

I undestand, that they put the scene of the two neighbors like a "valentine's day is for all kind of love" kind of thing so people like me dosen't get their hopes up when they show to the buddie scene but c'mon, why is buck there, could be a scene with carla and eddie but noo

3x13

Show i am having breakfast why are you showing me a woman getting her arm chop by a bowling machine

If they kill Michael is episode i'm going to stop watching this show

Please Michael, i need you to take better care of yourself

"I can say it for the both of us" OMG I LOVE THEM, Chim and Maddie are THE PERFECT COUPLE, i can't

Michael is always the one to put the other cheek, let him be angry, i love that he is compation as a guy but makes sense for him to be angry!

MICHAEL TELLING BOBBY TO KEEP HIM ALIVE, I AM CRYING SO HARD, WHAT A STUPID SHOW

Maddie is very smart, i love that for her, at the same time, what the fuck is going on??

3x14

Chimney overthinking everything instead of calling someone is so me

Are they trying to steal a museum?

I love the chaos of this ep

"She has everything she needs" Buck i could kick you

I don't love how they tell everything at the end but is a good episode

3x15

I'm finally in Eddie beggings!!

Of course Eddie story beings when Chris is born 😭

"¿Por que no me avisaste?" EDDIE DIAZ TALKING IN SPANISH, i love it

Buck loves Chris so much, everytime he goes to the station Buck glues to the kid, never beating the other dad allegations

Oh yes, a story for four graders: how i survive the war

I could not be a firefighter, i couldn't go into the ground for any kid that reminds me of my son

God Eddie was only i little older than me, he should be at the club

I undestand Eddies traumas but Sharon should have castrated him

BUCKS REACTION, I AM GOING KILL MYSELF

Eddie defending Sharon to his parents! I didn't say anything

"He belongs with us" oh hell no! You are not Chris parents, don't you fucking dare! You pieces of shit

"Don't drag him down" pero que hijos de re mil puta!!!

Of course the first person he thinks about when he is dying is Buck

God how much i love Chris and Eddie, their relationship reminds me of how someone (don't remember who) talks about a child being their parents heart, and thats so true Christopher is Eddie's heart. And thats why is weird when someone eliminates Chris in fanfics like that's an integral part of Eddie

3x16

"You wanna do a rope rescue? Of course you do!" Kjjj Eddie don't say it like you didn't cut your own rope last episode and almost die, my brother in christ you two are a disaster

"Our best boys" 😭😭

Buck with the old firefigther thinking he wants a family, if this season Eddie puts him in his will i wll punch my computer bc it means that Buck HAS everything he wants but he dosent realize yet

I'm going to chew cement

Why is Buck talking like he dosen't live with Eddie and Bobby is his old man?? Like babe that's your family

Jeff Blim??

IT IS Jeff Blim

What is this a crossover episode?

Nooo, Jeff Blim don't die

They save Jeff Blim :)

"You are never going to be left behind" "You promise?" I will kill myself

3x17

Why the first plot of this episode, literally Manuelita?

If i invite you, my wife, Chim is going to invite his parther, his parther is going to invite her brother, and her brother is going to invite his... bestie? Okay...

Michael guilty tripping May to do what he wants, classic dad

I know Athena is going to be fine because 911 is never letting go of Angela Bassett, at this point i don't know why Angela Bassett didn't let 911 go

Chim and Karen's friendship is something i didn't know i need it

I love the friendship between Michael and Bobby!!!! They are what homophobes want Buddie to be

Abby?? Omg Abby, Hi!!

Welcome back baby!! I was a little suspicious about Buck mention you again

3x18

I love Abby, I'm so happy she is back

WELL, Abby telling someone Buck stop waiting for her and cutting to Eddie and Buck talking about Chris, C'MON, HOW I TAKE THIS OTHER THAN EDDIE BEING THE NEW LOVE IN BUCK'S LIFE? LOOK AT ME WHEN I TALK TO YOU!

Nooo, Chim being sad about Hen leaving him, nnooo

Athena being such a mother and not resting for a second

EDIES FACES WHEN HE MEETS ABBY

Omg bobby how are you still climbing? You are fifty something please

"I'm not Athena" Bobby slap him

Situación tenza como pelo de chancho

YES!! THEY GIVE MICHAEL AN HOT DOCTOR YES! I LOVE THIS SHOW

Buck goofing around with Eddie, Maddie and Chris i love this family

Yes! Maddie pregnant! I can't wait to meet Jee!!

Oh no, what do you mean next season is the 2020 pandemic season, noooooo

I still don't want to watch season 4 even when twitter says is a good season.

Anyways here are my reactions to season 1 and season 2

[echo-bleu]

3x01 coda, so spoilers ahead. Also on AO3.

Jaskier ascribes his lack of sleep to the action of the day, at first. He did, after all, get shot. Yes, alright, the arrow only left him with an impressive set of bruises around his shoulder blades, and a broken lute (it’s only the fourth lute he’s gone through in the last six months, and he’s forced to admit that none of Cyssiel’s lutes are quite as good as Filavandrel’s, but still, they don’t come cheap). His back aches and so does most of his body. He’s surrounded by soft breathing and the more distant snorts coming from the horses. He’s not used to this any more.

But no, it’s more than that. He’s grown stronger, tougher outside of Geralt’s zone of action. Today wasn’t even in the top five worst dangers of the last year. He barely had time to be properly afraid for himself – only for Ciri, for the dwarves, for Geralt and Yennefer, until he heard a swish and a thud and felt himself falling. He’s fine.

It’s something else.

He’s not the only one awake. Geralt is sitting in meditation, on watch as always, his eyes closes but his senses on alert. Yennefer and Ciri are snuggled against each other, but neither of their breathings has the regularity of sleep. Are they bothered by the day, too?

There’s Rience, of course. His continued existence sends a shiver down Jaskier’s spine. That day in Oxenfurt, now, that ranks as one of his worst. Top one, possibly. He’s never quite got it out of his head, the flame burning his fingers, the sheer terror of the moment.

He’s after Ciri. Jaskier can’t imagine how terrifying this must all be for her, running and running with half the Continent after her. She’s the only reason he came and faced this. He’s not the brave type, but she is.

As if reading his thoughts, Ciri makes a small, sleepy noise and climbs over Yennefer to curl up against him. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m alright,” Jaskier murmurs.

“No, you’re not.”

Yennefer sits up, perfectly composed, like she was never lying down at all. Geralt opens his eyes and catches Jaskier’s gaze, shaking his head.

No lying, then. Alright.

“I don’t know,” he sighs. “Something’s rubbing me the wrong way.”

“Rience?” Yennefer asks, and of course, she saw just how shaken he was, afterwards.

Jaskier shakes his head. “You did save me, in Oxenfurt.”

“Only after you risked yourself to get me and a bunch of elves on a ship.”

“Yeah.”

Silence falls uneasily. Ciri embraces Jaskier’s waist tighter. Jaskier sits up – groaning softly as the ache moves down his back – and gathers her into his lap like a much smaller child.

“We’re going to get him,” Geralt says, with all the quiet confidence that he usually deploys for Ciri.

Jaskier doesn’t particularly believe him.

“It’s not just him,” he says, unconsciously rubbing his fingertips. “The Scoia’tael.”

“What about them?”

“They attacked us.”

He doesn’t even know how to express it, how to explain almost two years of working with the elves in a few words, how to explain that…

That sense of betrayal.

The elves have been betrayed first, of course, and over and over. Jaskier has gained quite the perspective on that, recently. They’re doing the best with the scraps they have left, and they’re rightfully angry.

Jaskier has no right to feel betrayed.

“Their commander,” he says carefully. “Gallatin. He saved my life, once.”

“What?” Geralt frowns.

“Stormed a Temerian army camp. It’s a very long story.” Jaskier avoids everyone’s eyes. Ciri half sits up to look at him, but he looks away. “My point is, the Scoia’tael don’t attack dwarven caravans, not unprovoked. And Gallatin knows me. Half of these elves were my friends. Why would they do this?”

“It’s Francesca,” Yennefer says quietly. “Their queen. She’s the only fully elven mage I know of, and she’s… driven. She said Ciri is Hen Ichaer.”

“Their queen? Don’t they have a king? Filavandrel…”

“Is more of a King Consort, really. At least, from what I saw when they had me prisoner.”

“Right.”

“Can we go back to the Scoia’tael saving your life?” Geralt asks.

Jaskier would really rather ask about the Hen Ichaer thing – it rings a bell that he can’t quite put his finger on – but both Geralt and Yennefer are staring at him and he can’t escape them.

“Erm,” he says. He starts fiddling with Ciri’s braid, if only to stop himself from rubbing at his fingers until they hurt. “I kind of got captured by Temerian soldiers?”

“Captured?” Yennefer echoes, just as Geralt growls, “When?”

“Uh, like three months ago? It was after the… before the… yeah. But not for long! I was only there for two days!”

He’s not helping his case, apparently.

“Gallatin and his commando got me out,” he says hurriedly. “I wasn’t even hurt! Just a few bruises and scrapes and, you know, all fine.”

Dammit. Now they look downright furious. Even Ciri, looking up at him from his lap, has wide eyes.

“Why were you captured by Temerians,” Geralt asks, his voice dangerously low.

“Because I’m the Sandpiper?”

Geralt blinks. Yennefer winces. Jaskier suddenly remembers why he never told Geralt about that, back at Kaer Morhen.

Well, to be fair, there were many reasons. They were busy. There was the whole business with the Deathless Mother, whatever that was, and trips to other spheres, and various witchers not really liking Jaskier’s presence. It’s not like he meant to keep it from Geralt, really.

He just found it easier to let him assume whatever he wanted.

“You’re the Sandpiper?” Ciri pipes up. “We heard about that! That’s so cool! So you help all the elves get out of the places where they’re being persecuted?”

“I try,” Jaskier smiles shakily at her.

She smiles back and hugs him tight.

Geralt is still silent. Jaskier doesn’t like that at all.

“The Sandpiper,” he says eventually, slowly, staring at Jaskier.

“Yes?”

“You’ve chosen a side, then.”

The silence is deafening. Jaskier holds Geralt’s gaze the best he can – not very well. But this isn’t something he’s going to defer to him on.

“I’ve chosen to help those who need it,” he says, lifting his chin.

“And here I thought I was putting you in too much danger asking for your help.”

It’s Jaskier’s turn to fall silent. He swallows, goes back to rubbing his fingertips.

“I won’t lie, I’m not in a hurry to face Rience again,” he says. “But I am also currently wanted in three countries. So as far as danger goes, today was rather… tame.”

Geralt sighs. “This isn’t what I wanted for you.”

“I know.” Jaskier swallows. “I know you never wanted me to follow you. I know you never thought I had it in me, and I still wonder daily if I really do. But this is my choice, Geralt.”

“You’ve come a long way from that vapid singing twat I first met,” Yennefer says quietly, a smirk on her lips. Ciri snorts.

“Excuse you?” Jaskier splutters. “I have never in my life been vapid!”

“Nevertheless, I’m proud of you, Pankratz.”

Jaskier flashes her a smile, before turning back to Geralt and biting his lip.

“This isn’t about you, Geralt. Don’t get me wrong, I love you all, but not everything revolves around you. I just saw people who needed help I could give, and… it’s been rewarding, even though it’s sometimes scary.”

“You mean dangerous.”

“Well, yes. But I’m here, aren’t I? Not dead yet. I might just be a squishy human, but I’ve made it work so far.”

Geralt considers him for a moment more, then finally nods.

“Dara was one of them,” Ciri says suddenly. “The Scoia’tael.”

Jaskier runs his fingers through her hair, above the braid. “Dara?”

“He was my friend. I think. I met him after I ran from Cintra, we were together for weeks. He left, but… I saw the look in his eyes. He was ready to kill me.”

“They didn’t want you dead,” Yennefer says.

“Still. He… I almost didn’t recognize him.”

“I’m sorry,” Jaskier whispers to her.

She has that same feeling of betrayal in her voice, the one that they probably shouldn’t feel – aren’t they, in some way, the traitors? The humans, the oppressors?

But the elves’ oppressed status are doesn’t give them a right to Ciri. Jaskier doesn’t know how to reconcile that – he’d happy to see King Vizimir overturned (to see his head on a pike? maybe not) for all he’s done, to see the royalty pay for their actions. Yet, Ciri is a princess too – worse, Calanthe’s granddaughter.

She’s a kid, who’s already shed a childhood of prejudice and sworn to do better. She deserves a life. She deserves the world.

So what are they supposed to do, facing friends on the other side of a battleground? Is that what war always is?

He settles for hugging Ciri a while longer.

He thinks of Gallatin and his anger, Cyssiel and her fears, Dermain guiding people through the tunnels, and even Filavandrel, so many years ago, when Jaskier was naive and so privileged that he didn’t get it. Of Yarpen, of Holma and the other dwarves in the network. Are they fighting each other too, now? The threat of Philippa and Dijkstra cutting them off was bad enough, but this? How are they supposed to keep going?

His back aches. He longs for Vespula’s soft bed, and yet he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Ciri snuggles her head against his belly, halfway to falling asleep. Maybe it’s just too late for complicated thoughts.

“Goodnight, princess,” he murmurs.

“Night, Jask,” Ciri whispers back.

Without dislodging her, Jaskier carefully lies back down on his side. After a moment, he feels a weight settle against his back, careful of his bruises. “Night, Geralt,” he says. “And Yen,” when another form curls around Ciri’s.

He’s missed them.

He closes his eyes. Maybe things will seem better in the morning light.

[sneakyboymerlin]

Merlin Death Counter

Poisoned chalice 1x04

Sidhe staff blast 1x08

Redirected Sidhe staff blast 1x12

Sigan possession 2x01

Serket sting 3x01/02

Dorocha’s touch 4x01/02

Head wound 5x02

Poisoning/fall from cliff 5x08

Fall from cliff 5x09

Arrow wound in flank 5x10

Injuries from rockfall 5x12

Honorable Mentions

Fireball 1x13

Thrown into wall by Morgana 3x05

Cailleach’s visit 4x01

Mace/flail hit 4x06

Head wound/strangulation 5x04

Magic-siphoning attack 5x12

Further reading

Scattered, deliberate foreshadowing of Merlin’s immortality

Merlin’s various injuries throughout the series

This meme I made

“Magic Itself” and the Old Religion

The nature deity theory

so how many times do we think Merlin died in the show?

[forbescaroline]

favorite platonic relationships: john diggle and oliver queen “I see you, man, and I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to have your back during Crisis, but I’m here now. I need you to come back to us. You’re my brother. I can’t lose you, man. I can’t lose you.”

[winnie-the-monster]

[the-feral-gremlin]

My sister’s keeper By Jodi Picoult// arrow 3x01 //// The Trees Witness Everything by Victoria Chang // legends of tomorrow 1x19

[itachi86]

raaay

[goodwhump-temp]

Ray Palmer Whump | Legends of Tomorrow / Arrowverse

LEGENDS OF TOMORROW 1x02 Punched, bleeding, imprisoned 1x03 Reckless, hit by a rock (unphased), sad, worried 1x04 Knocked unconscious, captured 1x05 Gulag, beaten, weak, bruised/bloody, annoyed, restrained, tortured/electrocuted, sacrifice/beaten by hammer, weak, unconscious, carried 1x06 Bruised 1x07 Losing oxygen, passes out, heart attack, betrayed 1x08 Psych ward patient (brief), stranded 1x09 Stranded, upset 1x10 Guilt, shot out of the sky, sad 1x12 Thrown, dying, severe internal injuries, past self attacked, bleeding, weak, comforted, heartbroken 1x13 Gut punched, shot unconscious, heartbroken 1x14 Manipulated, heartbroken, choked unconscious, arrested 1x15 Imprisoned, fated to die, knocked unconscious

2x02 Imprisoned, attacked, weak, captured, restrained 2x03 Punched, knocked out, stranded, knocked unconscious, restrained, interrogated/punched, bleeding, angry, knocked down 2x04 Sad, unconscious 2x05 Identity crisis 2x08 Body slammed, protected (26:55) 2x09 Memory loss, kicked x2, hostage, thrown in trash compactor 2x11 Arm twisted 2x12 Fated to die, 1v1 swordfight, shot, unconscious 2x14 Punched x5, crash landing, stuck with Thawne 2x16 Memory loss, punched, pinned 2x17 Choked, killed, punched x2

3x01 Knocked down, painfully pinned 3x02 Allergies, imprisoned 3x03 Drowned unconscious 3x04 Younger self killed, dissapears, bullied, shaken, emotionally hurt (17:10) 3x07 Captured 3x08 Electrocuted, unconscious, mourning 3x09 Therapy, tackled 3x10 Table pinned 3x12 Shock (34:15) 3x13 Captured, leg (indirectly) hit, pain, choked, restrained/gagged, knocked down 3x15 Severely injured, dying/unconscious 3x17 Thrown, unconscious, choked

4x01 Nervous, hallucinating, lovelorn 4x02 Turned into a pig, carried 4x03 Lovelorn, undercover, pinned, knocked out (offscreen) 4x05 Lovelorn 4x06 Mean Constantine (15:25) 4x07 Knocked unconscious, choked 4x08 Shot (16:30), "dead" 4x10 Bug of truth, scared, arrested 4x11 Guilt 4x12 Thrown, unconscious, emotional, possessed 4x13 Tempted, stabs himself, pain, upset, fully possessed, missing 4x14 Possessed, missing, body threatened, throat cut, knocked down 4x15 Possessed 4x16 Possessed, Hell therapy, hit (lightly), collapses, upset,

5x02 Shaken, knocked unconscious, 5x03 Handcuffed, framed 5x05 Mind controlled, choked 5x07 Choked 5x08 Emotional goodbyes, crying

ARROW 3x10 Annoyed 3x11 Punched 3x15 Obsessive, insomnia 3x17 Jealous, trust issues/'betrayed', kicked, bruises 3x18 Shot by Arrow, bleeding out, hospitalized, weak, blood clot, seizure 3x19 Punched multiple times, choked, crash landing, pain, beaten/choked, more pain 3x20 Heartbroken 3x22 Intense crash landing, imprisoned, poisoned, unconscious 3x23 Restrained, caught in explosion

4x06 Caught in explosion, trapped, 4x07 Sad/angst

5x08 Memory loss, knocked down, kicked, trapped

FLASH 1x18 Crash landing 3x08 Brain pain, abducted, mind controlled 6x09 (Superman version) literally dies/destiny changed

[msfbgraves]

What I've always clung to in Buffy is that it dares to show you how going through life - because all the monsters were metaphores - can wear you out. By The Wish, we've already seen Buffy having to deal with immense trauma, yes - the fallout episodes, 2x01 and 3x01 deserve a mention - but we've seen her bounce back. So we see who she is when she is well. Even The Gift has seen her come back from another overwhelmed episode to make even her last sacrifice an active choice.

And at this point in the series, though, we haven't heard Spike's speech yet, we haven't explicitly been told that every Slayer you can kill has a death wish. But this Buffy has one. We know at least part of what she's been through, she, too, has had the "I'm destiny free, really," speech with Merrick, and this girl with the bubble gum lipstick was forced to turn into this soldier. She's likely always been alone. No Kendra, no Faith. The relationship with her Watcher is hands off.

She's very young - and she's so tired. The burden of life is so heavy. And there is very little understanding of that among people, I feel. Either they feel that you need to be able to go through everything swinging. Or you have to be completely destroyed. And if you are, people will blame it on weakness.

But we know Buffy isn't weak. We know this Buffy can't have been weak either. It is simply too much. You can be as strong as you want, if life asks too much of you, continuously, you get weary, and bitter, and tired, and cynical, and though you are still powerful, a spark goes out when you've been forced to see too much.

Because this Buffy also doesn't run from responsibility, either. But I feel that she, too, has not been supported. "I don't work well with others", that happens when you are to expect no help, so the only thing you can do is isolate to at least only deal with your own problems.

She has been forced to bear too many of the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and even the most powerful among us, the most responsible, even - can get depleted.

I don't want that for anyone, but I am so glad that this show gets it.

Buffy Summers ✿ The Wish