#at all the sacrifice that was tied up in it and the genuine danger it felt like the kids were in

[warblogs17282]

I'm not done talking about how stupid of a take that 'Stolas is selfish because he chose Blitz over Octavia' is.

But this time, I want to talk about the implications that Blitz being executed has.

Let's start with the I.M.P crew, Loona loses her loving father, who she very clearly cares a lot for, Moxxie and Millie lose their best friend and their jobs at the same time, as the asmodean crystal is registered in specifically Blitz's name, meaning that Blitz dying means the human killing business dies with it, because they have no other reliable options for getting to the living world. Fizzarolli loses his best friend as well that he only recently got back into his life.

Plus, Blitz being executed would just send Satan's message loud and clear to all of imp-kind, which basically amounted to 'We'll kill you if you step out of line. We'll kill you if you even attempt to rise above your station we forced upon you. We'll kill you if you ever dare to challenge our power and authority. We'll kill you if you aren't our little obedient puppets.'

Stolas knows that Blitz is a father, Stolas knows that the Asmodean Crystal is registered in Blitz's name, and if chose to let Blitz die, he'd have to live with the fact that his choice caused so much suffering and pain to others, including to other people Stolas knows Blitz cares about deeply, showing that the stakes have always been much higher than just 'Blitz vs Octavia', even for Stolas.

Stolas went into that trial fully expecting to be killed, Stolas went into that trial assuming that Blitz would eventually be okay after his death, to allow Blitz to keep his found family and keep being able to provide for himself and others with I.M.P, to allow Blitz to keep making that name for himself.

You might be thinking at this point, 'but wait, then why did Stolas mention his daughter after he lost his powers and such then?', and I have the answer to that question right here.

Again, Stolas went into that trial fully expecting to be executed, and in s1 e2, during that song Stolas sang to Octavia as a kid, Stolas says "When I'm gone, you'll be okay…", which is quite literally saying that Octavia will be okay, even in the event of Stolas' death, which I'm pretty confident in saying that Stolas genuinely believes in this. I just don't think that Stolas factored in Stella and Andrealphus being abusive and manipulative towards Octavia specifically, which I believe perfectly explains why Stolas only mentioned Octavia after he got his actual punishment.

Plus, Stolas knew that Octavia would inherit everything of his in the case of his own death, because he literally ensured that everything and I mean everything would pass to Octavia, as Andrealphus bluntly points in s2 e4, alongside giving Octavia the chance to experience happiness, to be able to choose happiness, even when he's dead.

Finally, I shouldn't even need to say this but,

1: We all know that Stolas would literally sacrifice everything for Octavia, he literally was sacrificing his own happiness for so many years so that Octavia could live a 'normal life'.

2: Stolas had to make a split-second decision there, he had zero time to think anything over, plus Octavia wasn't anywhere close to being in mortal danger, but Blitz was.

In conclusion, if you all want to insist on making this thing a trolley problem, then I beg of you, remember the problem is nowhere near purely 'Blitz vs Octavia' for all of the reasons I've brought up in this post, and also remember that it's Andrealphus and Stella who tied them down on the tracks to begin with.

[0silver0dreams0]

The love of a mother

Alicent Higtower and Rhaenyra Targaryen Headcanon's

The love of mothers is a powerful force—nurturing, protective, and unwavering. Yet, when that love becomes controlling, toxic, and overbearing, it blurs their vision, turning care into harm and leaving their little ones to bear the weight of their misplaced intentions.

✧ Alicent Hightower views you as the perfect reflection of her ideals—her legacy, her masterpiece. You are not just her daughter; you are her most precious possession, the embodiment of all her sacrifices and struggles. The idea of you falling short of perfection is unthinkable, and she ensures you never forget how much you owe her. After all, she almost died bringing you into the world.

✧ You are hers in a way that no one else could claim. Not Viserys, not Rhaenyra, not even your own siblings. She reminds you often that while the blood of the dragon runs in your veins, it’s her blood—the blood of Oldtown, of Hightower—that truly defines you. Alicent would do anything to protect you from the chaos of the Targaryen legacy, even if it means isolating you from everyone else.

✧ She demands excellence in everything you do, from your studies to your manners, even the way you carry yourself. Every stitch of your gowns, every word you speak, every bite of food you eat is meticulously scrutinised. To Alicent, this isn’t cruelty; it’s love. She believes that by shaping you into perfection, she is protecting you from the unpredictability and danger of the world.

✧ Marriage is a distant, unwelcome thought for her. She knows it’s inevitable, but the idea of you leaving her side fills her with dread. If she could, she would keep you with her in the Red Keep forever, safe under her watchful eye. The idea of someone else taking you away, no matter how noble or worthy they might seem, is unbearable.

✧ Privacy is a luxury you are rarely afforded. Alicent’s eyes—and the eyes of those she trusts—are always on you. Even when she isn’t physically present, she ensures that someone is keeping track of your movements. If you ever fail to notify her of your whereabouts, she will not hesitate to send guards to find you, regardless of how innocent the situation might seem.

✧ Though she allows you moments of solitude, they are carefully controlled and limited. She sees too much time alone as dangerous—an opportunity for rebellion, for outside influences to seep in. If you ever express a desire for more freedom, Alicent is quick to remind you that everything she does is for your own good, that the world outside her protection is cruel and unforgiving.

✧ Her love is as suffocating as it is fierce. She constantly praises you in public, holding you up as the standard of what a princess should be. But behind closed doors, her expectations weigh heavily. Every slip, every perceived imperfection is met with quiet disappointment, a reminder that you are destined for greatness and cannot afford to falter.

✧ Despite her strictness, there are moments of tenderness. Alicent’s love for you is genuine, even if it’s overwhelming. She brushes your hair at night, speaks to you in soft tones, and shares stories of her own childhood. These moments, rare as they are, make it easy to forget the chains she’s placed around you.

✧ Deep down, Alicent believes she is saving you—not just from the Targaryens, but from the world itself. In her mind, her control is a form of protection, her rules an act of love. She cannot fathom the idea of you slipping through her fingers, and she will do whatever it takes to ensure that never happens.

✦ To Rhaenyra, you are the daughter she was meant to have, the one who should have stood by her side as her heir, her pride, and her legacy. Despite the blood ties that bind you to Alicent, Rhaenyra sees you as hers in a way that no one else could ever understand.

✦ When you were a young child, you adored her. Rhaenyra was the opposite of your mother—warm, playful, and unafraid to let you be yourself. She would sneak you sweets, spin you around in the gardens, and tell you stories of brave queens and daring adventures. For a time, you found solace in her arms, a sanctuary from Alicent's suffocating control.

✦ Rhaenyra cherished those moments, convinced that you would one day see her as your true mother. She would whisper to you about the beauty of Dragonstone, promising to take you there and show you the world beyond the confines of the Red Keep. To her, you represented everything pure and untainted in her life, a chance to reclaim the happiness that had eluded her.

✦ But everything changed after Aemond's accident. The night he lost his eye, you stood in the hall, your young heart shattering as you watched your family descend into chaos. The bond you once shared with Rhaenyra was severed in that moment. To you, she became the enemy—the woman whose sons hurt your brother and shattered the fragile peace of your world.

✦ Rhaenyra, however, refused to let you go. She saw your anger and hatred as temporary, something Alicent had planted in your heart. In her mind, you were still her daughter, and she would do whatever it took to bring you back to her.

✦ She writes to you often, sending letters filled with warmth and longing, even if they go unanswered. Each one is carefully worded, a mix of fond memories and subtle pleas for you to remember the bond you once shared. When you ignore her, it only strengthens her resolve.

✦ Rhaenyra is convinced that you’ve been poisoned against her by Alicent and the Hightowers. She believes that if she can just get you away from their influence, you’ll see the truth—that she is the one who truly loves you, who will always love you, no matter what.

✦ In her attempts to reach you, she sends gifts: rare books, jewellery, even a dragon-shaped pendant she once wore as a child. Each item is a reminder of the connection she believes you still share. When her gestures are rejected, she grows more desperate, her longing turning into obsession.

✦ She daydreams about the life you could have together, far from the political scheming of court. In her dreams, you call her “mother” once more, and she is able to protect you from everything and everyone, even your own family.

✦ The animosity between you only fuels her obsession. Your anger, your rejection—it doesn’t dissuade her. If anything, it convinces her that you need her even more. She blames Alicent, Aemond, and even Viserys for the distance between you, but never herself.

✦ Rhaenyra’s love is both suffocating and heartbreaking. She truly believes she’s acting out of affection, that her need to reclaim you is a form of salvation. But her love comes with conditions, and her refusal to let you go is as dangerous as it is consuming.

✦ No matter how much you push her away, Rhaenyra will never stop trying. To her, you are hers, and nothing—not your anger, your loyalty to Alicent, or even the events that shattered your family—will ever change that.

Taglist: @ursinaw @dakota-rain666 @laura-naruto-fan1998 @pookiedragonfire @jjggdfvvy @maryldrsstuff @1soultaken @ceramic-raven @eissaaaa @moodyblueberrytree @xadaboo @labryel @zoeyburton @hopingtoclearmedschool

[appleflavoredkitkats]

finally, after a gruelling one month, sonic 3 released in the philippines. i have Finally watched it, and even if it’s been only a day, i have a Lot to say about stobotnik— not necessarily from the movie, i feel like we discussed that enough, but moreso what i hope to see for stobotnik in future movies.

for the past weeks before i watched sonic 3, i read up on people desperately wanting villain!stone for sonic 4. this seems to win the popular vote on what should happen with stone next movie, and as someone who wanted stone to go batshit as well, i definitely liked reading all the different ideas for it. BUT, and this is a big but, i do think there needs to be more considerations when it comes to stone if we do want to see him as such.

for starters, a popular take is that stone should cope with grief Badly, which makes him vindictive of the main team. while i think this is funny and has a lot of merit for fanwork, i do think this risks repeating the themes of sonic 3. particularly, the entire movie IS about grief and how to cope with such, about shying away from revenge as a foolproof way of responding to grief. not to say that stone wouldn’t cope well, but i do think, narratively and thematically, it would be smarter to move away from a movie plot that literally has been done.

i genuinely wouldn’t want the movie to end with another “i shouldn’t do things out of revenge!” since we literally Saw that. moreover, i think we need to give more merit to stone and robotnik’s relationship that stone would understand the nuance and meaning to robotnik’s final sacrifice. of course that is a tall order, especially considering the sudden grief, but i think we forget also how dedicated stone is to robotnik. he WOULD respect and do what he thinks robotnik was trying to impart in the last scenes. not to mention as well, stone has no reason to target the main team in particular when he explicitly mentions in the movie that this plan was dangerous because of gerald, NOT sonic.

but. i DO think there could be a way we can have villain!stone in the next movie, because i do think he could play a narratively antagonistic role. i’ve been arguing that the next movie’s central theme could potentially be related to identity, especially since we got metal sonic and amy being introduced. if stone assumes a villainous role (and possibly created or activated metal sonic), i think he should be doing it not because of grief, but rather he wants to assume the legacy the doctor left behind. because, well, who is he if not robotnik’s henchman?

if he gets “revenge” or attacks sonic again, i don’t think it should be out of revenge. there should be something logical to it, possibly some conflict i can’t foresee, but it should have something to do with stone going, “well i think the doctor would do this, so i’m gonna try my best emulating such”. i know it sounds very similar to the “think about maria” plotline, but my take is that stone, again, isn’t doing this for vengeance, but moreso objectively tries picking up what robotnik left behind. (which, he would. of course he knows what the doctor would want.)

this especially can distinguish itself from sonic 3 IF the end of his arc would tie into identity, about stone figuring out what he himself would want independent of robotnik. this also ties in well with metal sonic and amy’s presence in sonic 4, because on one hand, we have metal sonic, which is self-explanatorily a “better” version of sonic. not only does sonic have to examine his own identity, but imagine if metal was made in service of either stone or GUN, and gains sentience and wants to be their own person. isn't that just a neat parallel to stone? then, on the other, we have amy, who is written originally to be whatever the opposite to a bechdel test is. of course, amy’s developed to be so much more, but i think it would be interesting for them to tackle it explicitly in the movies, whether it is through amy undergoing her own conflict or amy being the person who helps the others realize what it means to be their own person.

all to say, villain!stone shouldn’t be a grief allegory but an identity one. the line is very thin, but i think it’s okay as long as the underlying question is “who am i without robotnik?” and not “what should i do to avenge his death?”.

(also, had the idea that if stone build or helped build metal sonic, imagine if he also tried making a robot!robotnik haha as if haha)

another consideration i had is that, if stone only plays an antagonistic role, meaning he isn’t an active villain but merely an opposing force against the team next movie, i think it should come from some sort of misunderstanding. this definitely has to include GUN in some way, because i feel like rockwell was underutilized, and the weapon in the sky thing was definitely not addressed. perhaps stone’s evil plan ISN’T to hurt the main team but rather abolish GUN, but GUN employs and tricks the main team to think stone is doing something villainous against them.

if this is the case, i do think another central theme to consider is the entire megamind nature vs nurture debacle, what does it mean to be a good or bad person? one way i can see them going about this is the team questioning why stone is so down bad for robotnik, only to reveal that robotnik’s more nuanced that he is, which only stone understands because he identifies himself in robotnik (thanks lee majdoub). this also ties in well with metal sonic defying his original purpose, but i am not quite sure how amy ties into it but it’s not impossible to connect her to this plotline anyway. shadow could potentially have a role in this too, of what it means to do good after all he did wrong.

also hoping this movie ends with an anti-military moral. like everything is nuanced except the military <3 the military is what caused both gerald and robotnik to go batshit so.

and oh god stobotnik, okay i’ve gone so far talking about stone without talking about stobotnik, but i have two suggestions, especially considering jim carrey’s possible return: he is dead (with emotional considerations), or he is alive (with domestic considerations). hold on let me explain.

i will. absolutely hate it if robotnik turns out to be alive if and only if it’s shown at the beginning of sonic 4, and he assumes the role of main villain again. we've had ENOUGH, we already got to finish the entire 360 for his arc and what a shame it would be if he returns with the importance of his sacrifice to be taken away. yes, i hate that robotnik died as a person who loved him, but also his death is is really good story and writing-wise.

i think. i think if he comes back to life, it needs to be done 1.) at the end of sonic 4, and 2.) to conclude the stobotnik storyline once and for all. considering the suggestions i previously made, if robotnik were alive, i think it would be a more powerful punch if stone meets robotnik AFTER his own character arcs, and they come back as two wholes. after, i don’t think we shouldn’t see stobotnik again for future installations, but considering there would be 6-10 sonic movies i think it’s important to at least lay off making stobotnik the main villains or at least side antagonists for a while. i think they could have little cameos at least, possibly helping the characters or trying their best to acclimate to domestic life. you choose!

but if robotnik were permanently dead, i do think his appearance in a future film would be a flashback or memory, of stone remembering a time where he and robotnik were doing something that made stone realize how much robotnik loved him. something more intimate, something with the expected goofiness but with underlying tenderness. perhaps he left a final video message, perhaps there’s a scene which is very steven universe rose’s scabbard-esque (if you know you know).

also, this isn’t even considering the possibility of a into the sonicverse or time travel type scenario where there is a possibility of bringing robotnik back from other dimensions, because that in on itself is such a big plot possibility with a lot of implications for other characters that i won’t entertain it for now in this post. but it is definitely possible!

i’ve also considered the possibility that… maybe stone and robotnik wouldn’t appear in the next movie too! which. i’m not against if they bring it up in the fifth movie instead, because i delusionally believe silver and blaze will get introduced and that opens a whole can of worms for what other stobotnik possibilities could exist. 

but anyways those are my main thoughts, feel free to add on if you’d like to. i just needed to rebut all the “stone should be a senseless villain against sonic and team next movie” ideas. but you’re free to explore that anyway in fanwork lol, i think it’s fun.

[fullscoreshenanigans]

#I won’t even hate watch this #all hope i had died with Yuugo’s screentime #but this would be so fun to try when i am psychologically prepared (via @graphx)

If you're doing it all in one sitting I highly recommend switching everything to sips and nixing the OST rule.

TPN S2 Drinking Game WIP (English Dub)

Sip:

The kids mention missing Norman

Someone says "shipment/shipped"

They reuse bgm unaltered from S1

Chug:

There's awkward 3D

There's a timeskip montage

Finish:

Someone swears

[empressofthewind]

i rewatched the japanese version of the death note musical for the third time today and i just NEED to talk about how well rem’s character arc is done. because my god, her fate is foreshadowed SO well and i love how you can see her feelings for misa developing in real time.

the first song she sings in the musical is "they're only human", and she has a very clear fascination with the idea of love. the line "looking down from above / i'm intrigued by their love" is the most clear indicator of this, but mentions of love are included in various places throughout the song, which establish the theme for rem’s arc. in the beginning, she is fascinated by the concept of love but feels removed from it, believing that love is merely a mortal concept and one that she herself will never experience.

this is then reiterated in her duet with misa, "mortals and fools". misa sings about how wonderful love can be, whilst rem sings about the dangers of it, and asserts that she "never will understand it". in her view, anyone who falls in love must either be a mortal or a fool. this song goes especially hard with the foreshadowing, particularly in the lines "love can make you come alive / or take your life away", and "love makes you break all the rules".

there's a small reprise of this song where ryuk sings most of rem's initial lines, and rem instead sings some of misa's, showing the subtle beginnings of a shift in her attitude. this is where we really see her feelings for misa start to develop, which brings with it the big conflict of her arc - she knows, based on her prior observations, that love only ever ends badly. ryuk even says at the end "rem, don't break the rules", seeing how attached she's already become to misa. side note, i also love how much ryuk and rem interact in the musical. they have great onscreen chemistry and their differing attitudes towards humanity make for a nice contrast.

and rem's final song is "when love comes", which closes out her arc as she accepts that she has fallen in love with misa and starts to consider the possibility that she may need to sacrifice herself ("share a kiss and then surrender / when love comes"). there is also a very tender moment here when L has misa tied up, and rem kneels at her feet and hugs her legs. it's similar to the scene in canon where rem brushes misa's bangs away from her eyes, but takes the tenderness up several notches and it's so so sweet.

there are also so many small moments throughout that show her affection for misa, both through her general protectiveness and physical acts like putting an arm around her or touching her cheek. the way misa’s character is presented as very vulnerable and lost as a result of her parents’ death also helps make rem’s feelings understandable and convincing. when rem first sees her and misa faints, rem comments on how pure she is. it’s like rem is so jaded from her many, many years in the shinigami realm that seeing misa - a young girl with such pure, mortal feelings of love and genuine hope for the world - triggers a protective instinct in her that later blossoms into her own kind of love. but it’s bittersweet, because the reason misa has that hope and love to begin with is because of kira, and he’s the one person rem wants to protect her from most.

[bats-and-birds-24]

Okay, so I know that we're all mad at Gege, and for good reason. But I don't agree with the fandom that he's wasting good characters by killing them off.

JJK is an allegory for the terrible pressure placed on people to be the best, or to be useful, which makes people stop seeing them as a fellow humans. And the characters in the show represent that.

For example, Gojo is labelled as the strongest, and as such, no one sees him as a person other than Geto. They always either put him on a pedestal or find him to be a nuisance that they deal with because he's useful to jujutsu society, such as the jujutsu society elders. Even in death his body is used as a tool.

In Geto's case, the honor of being powerful enough to save humanity from curses was dashed because he saw how the non-sorcerers they were trying to save treated them, in spite of the sorcerers facing heavy casualties. Jujutsu society didn't even send someone to check up on him, and he just spirals after the failed mission. After realising that this society didn't care about him, he tries to create a society that does care about sorcerers, at the cost of normal people, the same people who didn't care about him.

Yuta was sentenced to death because of the dangerous curse that was attached to him. Jujutsu society dehumanized him because of factors that he cannot control, same with Yuji.

Gojo sees this and realized that he can't let them be dehumanized like Geto was, gotten rid of if they were deemed pests or used until they were broken if they were deemed useful.

Yuta himself adopts this view in this chapter, risking his life so that they can defeat Sukuna. Yuji also adopts this mentality when he declares himself a cog in the machine that kills curses.

Hakari, Maki, and Noritoshi, are all an exception to this rule, as Hakari refused to let himself be merely a tool and have things decided for him. He enjoys passion and passionate people, while jujutsu society may admire his cursed technique, they don't respect him as a person. Maki and Noritoshi only achieved their full ability after cutting ties with their respective clans.

The Zenins viewed Maki as useless as she was both a woman and had no Cursed Energy. While the Kamo clan only viewed Noritoshi as useful for being male and inheriting a powerful cursed technique.

Megumi had a lot of potential with the ten shadows technique but when he gave up, the elders would have had him executed in order to kill Sukuna.

Sukuna himself stands in opposition to all of this, seeing everyone as equally worthless in a world where the strong have every right to make the weak suffer. In this sense, him and jujutsu society share the common view that only strength matters.

Yuji and the rest of Gojo's students stand in contrast to both Sukuna and jjk society here. They spend more time trying to save Megumi, because they see him as their friend. They spend more time protecting the people close to them not out of some sense of duty or usefulness, but because they genuinely care about each other.

Yuta takes Gojo's body not out of a sense of duty to kill Sukuna, but because he cares about Gojo and doesn't want his sacrifice to be in vain. Gojo died not by doing his duty, but by trying to care for his students.

Gege is saying that following orders and doing your duty until you burn yourself out isn't good, and neither is making yourself out to be better than everyone else because you think that the world revolves around the logic of "survival of the fittest". Which is Sukuna's line of thinking.

I think the story is going to end with only Yuji surviving and him beating Sukuna not because he's just a cog in jujutsu society, but because he's Yuji and he loves his friends and family.

The curse of "die surrounded by the people you love" from his grandfather is reversed as Yuji learns to live for the people he loved.

He's saying that people work best together, but not when they are forced to for some nebulous idea of duty or justice, but because of simply caring about each other.

That's why Gege made us care about these characters in the first place, so that we can fully understand the injustice that these characters are going through.

[shysublimecoffee]

As someone who has strong ties with family and how in my culture parents are ranked highest and to respect my elders and then seeing the blasphemy of what Itachi did to "his" family and people riding on him saying he cared for his little brother lol is disgusting.

Maybe ya'll don't know what true familial love is.

He did what he could given the situation, but let’s be honest—his actions were far from heroic. Killing everyone and traumatizing his brother was his "best"? He manipulated and pressured his brother into violence, planning to strip him of his will and brainwash him into submission to the very people who caused their suffering.

Itachi didn't sacrifice himself; he sacrificed others, including children, for his ideals. True heroism isn't about preemptively killing based on speculations of future crimes. Itachi’s so-called sacrifice—leaving Konoha and living as a criminal—wasn’t a real sacrifice considering his background as an ANBU. He was trained for such roles, and it’s likely he would have continued in a similar capacity even without the massacre.

The notion that “greater good” justifies his actions disregards the rights of the minority (the Uchiha). Kishimoto used the threat of civil war and attacks from other villages to justify genocide, based on a speculative scenario that hadn’t even materialized. Justifying the massacre with potential future threats is a weak argument.

I don’t pity an arrogant, fundamentally messed up individual who imposes his dangerous methods on his younger brother. Itachi didn't respect truth, transparency, or justice. He asked Naruto to keep the massacre’s truth hidden, prioritizing reputation over justice. Kishimoto tried to portray him as intelligent and humble, but in reality, Itachi was arrogant and self-righteous, believing he had the right to decide whether the truth should come out.

Itachi is not a loving brother or unsung hero; he’s an over-glorified character embodying the series’ flawed political views. He was a self-righteous, manipulative extremist. The writing presents him as a pacifist, but he believed in preemptive killing for stability—a “peace at all costs” extremist. Itachi and Danzo’s method of achieving peace was to eliminate anyone who might become a threat, including children who might seek revenge. This isn't pacifism; it's a purge of dissidents, maintaining peace through violence and oppression.

Had Itachi killed Sasuke, it would have been a kinder fate. A swift, merciful end for a 7-year-old who had never encountered such raw evil could have spared Sasuke a lifetime of agony. Instead, Sasuke was left to grapple with unimaginable trauma, deprived of any consolation or reparation. His life became a tragic trajectory where he was constantly manipulated and used for others' goals, rather than being genuinely cared for.

Sasuke's suffering was prolonged and compounded by a loveless marriage to someone who pestered him relentlessly. His entire existence turned into a series of painful experiences, with people wanting him for their own purposes without truly caring for him. The tragedy of Sasuke's life is not just in the events that transpired, but in the profound loneliness and exploitation he endured at the hands of those who claimed to love him.

How does any of this consistutes as love?? A good big brother would never do what Itachi did; his actions completely undermine the concept of love altogether.

[ploppythespaceship]

Superman & Lois (Season 4) - Thoughts & Review

Well. It is hard to say goodbye to this show. Genuinely, I have not been this attached to something in years. So here is my final review for the show's final season.

Which, I am sorry to say, was an incredibly mixed bag for me. As usual with this show, there were many excellent ideas marred by some terrible pacing... but also just some silly ideas that never quite came to fruition. But enough of the season works that it's a fairly solid ending, and it solidifies that this is the best onscreen version of Clark Kent there's ever been.

Full spoilers under the cut.

What I Liked

Clark's death in the first episode hits hard. It's brutal, and shockingly dark. It sets the stakes for a much more intense season than anything that's come before.

The performances are stellar, especially from the core cast of Kents. Each of them gets at least one scene to really show their stuff, and it's excellent.

Sam's sacrifice to bring Clark back is perfect. 10/10, no notes. It's a fantastic ending to his character, and probably gives him the single most satisfying and cohesive arc across the entire show.

I also just like Clark coming back to life with a human heart, and being weaker as a result. His resurrection has tangible consequences, and affects him forever going forward, so it doesn't feel cheap. It also ties in nicely with Lois' cancer arc from last season.

Frankly, Clark just has such a good overall arc this season that it makes me more willing to overlook some of the show's other glaring flaws. He has to adjust to being weaker. He has to learn to let his sons help him, and stop trying to overprotect them. He has to let go of his secret identity when he realizes it's doing more harm than good. Truly, genuinely, the best live-action Clark, and it is not even close for me anymore.

Jordan also has a great character arc this season. His failure to bring Clark back finally leads him to accept that he isn't truly ready to be a hero, and he willingly gives up his suit for a while. But it all comes back full circle when he helps the scared woman in the diner -- not for the attention or the glory, but because he empathizes with her. Knowing how much it took for him to reach that point makes it so damn satisfying.

Kyle and Clark develop a weirdly cute friendship this season that I kinda wanted to see more of.

Episode 7 is this season's standout -- "A Regular Guy," when Clark makes the decision to drop his secret identity. I thought they might take the season this direction, and was worried about it, and I have never been happier to be proven so wrong. The decision is incredibly well-motivated, built up to naturally, and has long-lasting consequences. It's a really, really solid direction to take this last season.

The Clark and Lex street brawl in Episode 6 was also a damn good scene, even if the setup was contrived as hell.

I love the finale revealing that Clark has switched his focus away from physically saving people from danger and more to using his voice to address systemic problems in the world. That is such a good direction for his character.

What I'm Mixed On

The finale did one of my TV show pet peeves -- explaining every last detail of the characters' lives, instead of leaving things to the imagination. Like, do we have to see the twins' wives? And all 9000 of their children? Really?

What I Didn't Like

The pacing for this season is abysmal, by far the worst of any season. Clark comes back so fast that his death ultimately holds no real weight -- there's no time for the characters to truly mourn him. The twins training to help Clark fight is all crammed in the last few episodes, when it should have begun way sooner. The episode with Lex's daughter goes nowhere and is just a waste of an hour that could've been better spent on something else. The reduced episode count is definitely a factor here, but I still think the writers could have restructured things to better fit into the runtime that they had.

The lack of supporting cast is noticeable and frankly distracting. Having everyone besides the Kents be on a revolving door feels odd. Important characters are just missing for some really major scenes -- John Henry isn't there to help track down Doomsday, Lana isn't there to react to Clark's return or to him revealing his identity, Chrissy isn't there for important moments at the Gazette. And while I do appreciate the laser focus on the Kents this season, it comes at the expense of them not having other characters to interact with. Smallville just feels a bit empty without the rest of the cast.

I wish they'd reworked things a bit to include more of the cast in the first few episodes, then gradually write them out more organically. I think if they'd cut the Doomsday fight in Episode 1, which was ultimately unnecessary, they could've had more of the cast around at the start. Then you could say that John Henry and Natalie are gone because they're so busy at the DOD, Lana is gone because of some mayoral duties, Chrissy is gone because her pregnancy is a bit rough, etc.

Candice still sucks. She's been bad since her introduction and hasn't really improved. Her main issue is that she isn't her own character -- she only exists as a plot point to further Jon's arcs. Besides that, she has no real chemistry with Jon, and it's unclear why they even like each other. I really wish they'd cut her altogether.

I'll just say it -- I don't really like this version of Lex. He doesn't feel anything like any version of the character I've ever known, but comic accuracy has never been a sticking point for me. Really, he's just bland and one-note. His desire to destroy Lois eventually doesn't come across as determination or ruthlessness -- it just makes him feel irrational and unstable. He's not particularly intelligent, and most of his plans are actually managed by his underlings. I genuinely think he's the least interesting main villain in the show.

Lex also doesn't have much personal history with Superman. I did like that he had beef with Lois specifically, but after a while, Superman just being a means to an end made their interactions feel sort of hollow.

His plans are also all over the place. I loved the idea of him using the reveal of Clark's identity to discredit her publicly, but that barely went anywhere. He wants to discredit her, and also kill her, and her family, and there's not really a sense of plan or direction. He's just doing things randomly to fuck with her.

I also think recasting the twins in the finale montage was the wrong move -- it's hard to relate to these actors we've never seen, especially when you can't even tell which twin is which. If Tyler and Bitsie can be caked in terrible old age makeup, you can do the same for Alex and Michael. Plus, there was no need to actually see Lois' death. That felt unnecessarily brutal and unpleasant. It could have been kept in voiceover, while showing Clark and the boys at her grave. Clark's death felt peaceful in the end, while Lois' felt like too much.

Lastly... I fundamentally disagree with the decision to give Jon powers. It undermines all of his character arcs up until this point. And if they insisted on doing it, they could have done it in a way that still gave him an interesting character arc -- but instead, he's just diet Jordan now. This one has its own post because it genuinely upset me so much. Jon was my favorite character, and this season basically nuked everything I loved about him.

[dulcemaiden]

The coming conflict between O!Ciel and Snake

In the recent events of Doll coming back to the manga and diverse opinions about which side Snake will choose, there is something I haven't seen anyone consider that can become crucial to this dilemma: The mysterious incident of Snake keeping silent about OCiel sneaking into the tents of the first strings in Noah’s ark circus. Why he did?

The anime played for laughs that it was Wordsworth the one who didn't tell and Emily scolded him.

But in the manga is different, because it was Snake himself. Smile was caught up by Wordsworth, and we all know the rest: Doll found him, grabbed Wordsworth and gave it to Snake telling him to keep the snakes inside his tent (curiously, it's the same snake that Doll caught in F.O.L.)

Actually, Wordsworth told him that precise moment what was really happening, and Snake seemed nervous and trembling, not knowing what to do: Doll was hiding Smile, who had sneaked into the tents of the first strings. He would have done something about the intruder inmediatly, but this time it was Doll who intervined. Unsure of what to do, he walked away and kept silent about the situation.

But when Snake got in his tent, his snakes must have told him how they were tied up in knots by Black, and that Smile went to investigate the tents. Given how alarmingly suspicious the situation was, and how all the first strings could be in a potential danger, he finally decided to tell Joker. When he was asked why he took his time to tell them, he couldn't give a proper answer.

So he only kept silent because of Doll.

If this assumption is correct, the whole dilemma between Snake and OCiel worsens. Unlike the rest of the circus members who irrumpted in Ciel's manor, and Joker who was with Kelvin, Doll was alone at that time, and she was actually the only one who died under OCiel’s command. Snake has seen how skilled is Sebastian when it comes to kill...

So he won't believe that Doll was a real threat to them. Snake is also aware that she hid Smile from him and his snakes, and from the others first strings in an attempt to protect him, but OCiel still took her life, and that won't be a forgivable thing for Snake.

I've read opinions that in hopes that Snake will keep loyal to OCiel and the servants, expects that he will prefer them because unlike the circus troupe who kept him in the dark, he is one of them now. But maybe that would be underestimating how deep Snake's love for Doll might actually be.

She was the first one who reached a hand out to him, and she took care for him back then. His first reaction to see her again was to effusively tackle hug her while crying. We still have to see Snake's flashbacks, but from the little we have seen, Doll is practically the main one in his memories when it comes to the circus troupe.

Maybe there is the possibility that if OCiel explain to Snake about the children's abduction for Kelvin, and how the servants protected themselves and Lizzie, with time Snake will comprehend it, but he still won't comprehend why OCiel spared his life and not Doll's, not after she went out of her way to protect him, because even if Doll tried to kill OCiel later, Snake tried to kill him too.

Even more so, I don't think OCiel will try to justify himself, since he feels guilty about Doll's death.

Back then, when Snake tried to avenge the circus troupe, OCiel had every reason to kill him: Snake had tried to kill OCiel and killed a guest by mistake, he was not innocent and he was a danger. It is hinted that he let Snake live mainly because he reminded him of Doll.

I would like to point out that OCiel is a more empathetic person than most fans give credit for. He is aware that Doll trusted him and genuinely cared for him back then.

And he had to got rid of her, seeing her as a sacrifice. Doll's death was one that deeply traumatized OCiel as we see in his nightmare in ch95.

He probably don't even judge her, as he didn't judge Joker back then, as Yana mentioned in her blog years ago. You can read it in this post traslated by @akumadeenglish.

No matter which way it goes, this conflict will be inevitable, which is really sad for both OCiel and Snake, because they have grown to genuinely care about each other.

And to finish this post, I personally think that out of all the circus troupe, the fact that it was Doll the one who has returned makes sense from a narrative perspective; because she is the central character between Snake and OCiel: Snake let OCiel had his way in the circus because of Doll, and OCiel let Snake live because of Doll.

[novemberthecatadmirer]

I don’t headcanon Eol as evil but I headcanon him as the type to do fucked-up problematic shit to their children while believing he was doing the necessary right thing

Like, I think he was the type to force baby Maeglin to kill tied up orcs “for practice.”

I take Tolkien’s idea and headcanon him as an ex-thrall of Angband, and ended up with this very bleak perception of the world, believing there was danger everywhere.

Knowing about kinslaying absolutely did not make him feel safer. Now there were these murderous overpowered elves occupying twice-stolen Sindar land. And the kinslayers were not sorry they would likely murder again when it felt convenient. (Living right next to C & C’s realm did not help with his negative feelings about Noldor at all.)

He never expected to have a child, and when he got one he ended up as this paranoid obsessive overprotective parent that wanted to tough their child up to prepare them for the harsh world. He genuinely believed he was doing the right thing, because what if an orc just appeared out of nowhere and snatch my child to the Iron Jail that happened to so many children out there

He had some idea all these trainings were traumatizing for his son but he believed it was an acceptable sacrifice.

Aredhel argued with him over it but even Aredhel did not have a good idea of what was proper to teach a child. She brought her baby out to hunt wolves “for fun.” Eol saw danger everywhere and she could not see danger at all, which caused an entirely different type of trauma.

I think Eol had a very twisted perception of danger due to some past trauma and would take drastic measure to have control over the situation. Which rather caused a lot of damages.

[bratspike]

no megan because it makes SO MUCH SENSE.

okay. hear me out. we know dead reckoning as a movie was envisioned to pay homage to the previous instalments of the franchise, right? so luther knowing about ilsa being alive + helping her hide brings it full circle to that scene in fallout where he tells her that he's the one who taught julia how to be a ghost. ALSO. "we're in this mess because ethan wouldn't let me die." cut to the entity presenting ethan with the choice between grace and ilsa and "he cares about you more than he can admit. that's one more worry than he can handle right now. if you care about him, you should walk away." and so she does. we know it wouldn't really be a choice because ethan would never let anything happen to ilsa but at the same time some flaw deep in his core being (again, fallout. but the entire series, too) won't allow him to let grace die either. and so ilsa chooses for him. grace isn't the reason ilsa dies, but ilsa is the reason grace gets to live. she plans and schemes and deceives like she's done since she was introduced in rogue nation; she's morally gray, she's like smoke between everyone's fingers; she's the queen on the chess board (i am once again quoting luther), the one that sacrifices herself to come back and save her king at the right moment.

we also know from kittdrige that the entity thinks they follow a pattern: ilsa gets in trouble (she steals the key/paid assassins are after her), ethan gets her out of trouble (they fake her death), she gets in trouble again (she comes back). but if she is dead, if she stays dead, then she has all the power because how is the entity supposed to predict someone's moves if it can't see them? if it doesn't think they're an active player?

so by faking her death ilsa becomes the one who can overturn god. her "death" gives ethan all the leeway he needs. it's reason enough to go full rogue; like you said, ethan will probably be more and more blasé about the dangers he'll take because he won't have to worry about his friends and the love of his life. essentially, he'll become who he was always thought to be: the wild card that no one, not even an all seeing computer, can prepare for, and that will ultimately save the world.

and this is where the entity's plan is faulty: the entity is trying to isolate him, but by doing so, it is giving him all the reasons and motivation he needs while also giving him his friends the freedom to operate undetected and to come back when he'll need them — one after the other, saving the best for last. aka ilsa. the final and unpredictable resource. the deus ex machina.

literally the only way for them to win is if she leaves because otherwise her life will always matter more to ethan than his own. but his life. his life is what keeps the rest of the world alive. they're two faces of the same coin: tied together, both absolutely necessary, they hold up each other. but they face different ways and they have to work in each other's shadow (which, again: references to both rogue nation and fallout).

it just. it makes sense. at this point i am genuinely convinced that those who think ilsa is really dead either haven't watched the other movies or are just daft. like of course mcq is not gonna knock on your door, hug you and tell you she's alive but all the evidence you need is RIGHT. UNDER. YOUR. NOSE. connect the fucking dots.

(sorry this is so long!!! i just have so many feelings about these movies)

you are just simply so correct you’ve laid out exactly what is in my brain! luther as the ethanilsa whisperer/protector just makes it all so much clearer. and you’re right! ppl who expect mcq to reassure them don’t understand him and tom and creatives at all. story is king!!!!!!

[c-130jsuperhercules]

okay rant on dark souls poison swamp got too long

like. one of the ways people fault darks souls 2 is that Miyazaki wasn’t very heavily involved in it. But apparently, looking at the other games, ds2 was even better for it. Like, take each games obligatory poison level, and i know i’ve ranted about this before, but holy shit. Dark souls 1, blighttown. the top part, fantastic, once you get past all the frame dropping issues. the verticality of it, the complexity of it, the way it makes you change up your play style, love it. The bottom tho? the bottom of blighttown? i will die on the hill of how bad and boring it is, not that anyone reasonable would kill me for it. You get past this amazing level of spooky mosquitos coming after you, evil dogs, stupid fucking toxic dart shooters, elevators, the whole nine yards only to get to the bottom and be introduced to Walking Simulator but it Hurts 2011. And, you have to keep going back there if you want to finish like three or four npc quests. 

DS3? Ohh, now there’s a miyazaki poison swamp alright. This time, he didn’t even put a blighttown before it, and don’t get me wrong, road of sacrifices is a pretty decent level, but it wasn’t blighttown with five extra years of thought put into it. this time, we’re spared the npc quests in favor of having a fuckton of items(one or two of which you do need to grab for an npc quest tho). I will give ds3 that it does have better enemies in it than ds1, tho. rock throwing fucko got nothing on the elder ghru. And we can see that this time, FromSoft heard people say “ohhhhhh the poison at the bottom of blighttown almost killed me so oftennnnnnn, it was so annoying to have to mitigate for the sake of some npcs and a couple items” and decided to just drop the poison damage down to fucking nothing. I have genuinely not used a poison cure item out of necessity in ds3 everrrr. At least the boss fight that came afterwards was badass.

Dark Souls 2. Now, i may be biased, but i do believe Harvest Valley is the best poison “swamp” between the three. Here, poison is actually a danger, but there’s enough items around and in a small enough area that it feels like holding your breath to dig around in a radioactive treasure chest, instead of wallowing through the equivalent of a prostate exam if the guy you’re elbow deep in suddenly decides to kegel really hard and twist. Instead of standing ankle deep in poop water, you at times are wading through a toxic miasma, that sticks to your skin and continues to make that poison meter rise unless you use several poison mosses to wait it out, use a cleansing spell, or bathe! BATHE you can fucking bathe by rolling in water. Poison even does about five times more damage, compared to ds3, simultaneously making poison builds viable while making the entire way they approached poison different. Instead of it just being a status effect that puts a little timer on how long you can trudge around for, it is an actively threatening experience, you have to cure it as soon as possible or you will be facing some heavy losses. The devs, recognizing that, made it so it’s not an ever-present, yet mild hazard, but something more akin to a trap from ds1 sen’s fortress. And that’s not even getting into earthen fucking peak

Earthen fucking peak is one of my favorite areas in any souls game. It’s unorthodox, it’s fun, it’s vertical, it’s surprising, i love it. There’s several hidden doors, headless fucks, women you can make out with(but watch out), an old shifty fuck who makes ladders, you see pate again, elevators, hidden rooms, and the main advantage it has over blighttown(in addition to being a larger, more fleshed out level with a lot more stuff going on), is how well the boss at the end ties it all together. When you get through Blighttown, you face Quelaag. When you get through farron keep, you face the Abyss watchers. Neither of these bosses share a connection with their boss run except by lore. Mytha, the Baneful Queen, tho? Not only is she a headless snake lady, akin to the headless manikins and the poisoned area, but her boss room is almost filled with poison that heals her if she stays in it. However, if you set fire to the windmill(which you can find out how to do bc a npc summon will help guide you and point to it and cheer when you do it) below her boss room, the poison stops getting pumped up there, making the poison ring around you smaller, and the boss fight that much easier. Like fuck yeah! That’s what i call interesting level design! That’s what i call sticking to a theme! Not to mention, you kill her deeply devoted and in-love-with-her servant on the first floor, then go upstairs to meet her, so the entire is a metaphor for cuckolding.

[rachelbethhines]

60 Years of Doctor Who Anniversary Marathon - McCoy 2nd Review

Destiny of the Doctor: Shockwave - Short Audio

It's amazing how much a decade can change your perception of something. Destiny of the Doctor (not to be confused with the video game Destiny of the Doctors) was a special audio series released for the 50th anniversary. Each entry focuses on each Doctor having a short adventure that eventually ties into a larger story arc. Kind of like the Prisoners of Time comic that ran at the same time, but without a crossover at the end. The series is a blend of both the Companion Chronicles and the Short Trips formats. Like the Companion Chronicles, each entry features one main character narrating everything and a guest actor playing another character to bounce off of. And the adventures are roughly an hour apiece. Yet the narration is all in third person rather than first, and the story is not necessarily told from the perspective of the companion. Hence why it's kind of more like a Short Trip. Plus Short Trips tend to come in collections like this.

But I'm beating about the bush; what of the story itself. Well it's good. It's well produced, nicely preformed, conveys the era it depicts perfectly as an anniversary special should, and the plot is both easy to listen to as a standalone while still tying into the larger story arc in a way that's not distracting. It's also deeply triggering. The story involves a planet blowing up and everyone running for their lives all while a group of doomsday cultists try to 'save' everyone by killing them. Now back in 2013, this sort of plot was fine. Standard Who stuff even with the bleaker setup. But in 2023, I've now lived through a global pandemic, several climate change induced natural disasters, two economic crashes, an attempted Nazi led coup, seen various terrorist attacks, wars, and senseless act of mass violence play out daily on the news, and watched as idiots repeatedly refused to partake in basic safety persuasions all because they didn't 'believe' in the very obvious danger before them because they wanted to feel 'special'!!! I just don't have the patience anymore. The main problem I have with this story, beyond just the anxiety inducing opening which is meant to evoke such feelings, is the sympathetic way the deadly lunatic tiring to murder everyone is dealt with. I kept wanting to reach through the speaker in order to slap the silly little dumbass. I appreciate that the story doesn't have her give up her faith as part of her redemption... but it also doesn't feel like she learned anything either. Even when she changes her mind and sacrifices herself to save everyone else instead, it's feels less like a change of heart and realizing that what she did was wrong, and more like she just changed her plan cause her deity told her too. Ugh! I can't. I just can't anymore. I no longer care why authoritarians do what they do. I'm not interested in empathizing with their selfish insanity. I don't want to 'hear them out' or 'politely' give them a platform. I genuinely, truly believe that coddling abusers is what has led to all of our recent problems with the world, and a cult is nothing more then an organization of abusers. That's what makes it a cult. And it doesn't matter how outwardly 'nice' or simply 'misguided' the antagonist is in this story, she's still a bully. End of. And I desperately wish that she was called out on that by the main characters rather then being forgiven so quickly.

[kneelbeforeclefairy]

So I haven't done like a huge study of it, but I think the short answer is there isn't any practiced religion.

So in the first episode, Arthur says "god have mercy" when looking at Morgana, "thank God" when he finds merlin again, and Huniths note to Gaius says "May God save you both." I think these are the only references to a single god in the show, though I seem to remember one time when Gaius says "thank God," in a very casual way, the same way one would say thank goodness or something. The first references in episode one you could chalk up to early installment weirdness, which there is a lot of in episode one (Merlin's Anxiety Time Stop ability never appears again, a guy has a last name, Arthur has cronies who disappear etc) and the last one seems like just a common figure of speech that some writer forgot wasn't used and stayed in. But it looks like the show was intentionally avoiding references to religion and especially singular god. But, for the sake of world building, let's assume they have meaning.

In verse, gods are literally real. Off the top of my head is Merlin's summoning of the White Goddess who heals Gwen, and the Triple Goddess is mentioned more than once, though she never appears. There are other spiritual creatures as well, (the Disir, Merlin himself) , that are literally real as well who aren't necessarily worshipped as gods. The afterlife is known to be real. (Lancelot coming back as a shade, Arthur immediately accepting as fact he can talk to his father, references to the spirit world, the weird spirits whose names I can't remember who came through during Samhain.) Uther may consider these things sorcery, but he doesn't disbelieve their existence.

Of course, there's constant talk about the Old Religion, which sometimes seems to be a euphemism for any sort of magical practice, but does sometimes seem to have been a semi-organized religion with High Priestesses, who served the Triple Goddess, and who performed at least some rituals and rites that had to do with gods, though ancestors and spirits are referenced too. The druids seem to have their own practice and culture, and it's possible other magic users have some sort of nature religion, or worship of magic itself, that isn't necessarily tied to whatever the High Priestesses have going on. From how Gaius describes their rituals (human sacrifice, blood magic, summoning the dead, and at least one made an ARMY of the undead, creating lamia) it's possible the high priestesses were not ...popular ..among the people, as their rites were dangerous and violent, and they were a closed society limited only to very powerful, female, magic users, which suggests ordinary people did not participate in the old religion in an organized way. One of the reasons I think Uther was able to carry out his purge so successfully and with so much popular support was he started with targets that people actually did fear, and removed some genuine problems. Then, of course, while the people were celebrating the destruction of evil magic, he was able to frame ALL magic as evil, and destroy everyone who had magic, weather they were good bad or indifferent.

Gaius is an interesting case. From his name I always assumed he was Roman, perhaps coming to Albion as a child, or, more likely from his extensive knowledge of Albion's history and legends , is of mixed Roman and Brittanic heritage. The ikon in his rooms suggest that he, at least at some point, was Christian, as Christianity was the official religion of Rome, which is supported by his use of the singular god a few times. Hunith saying "may god protect you both" in her letter may not necessarily be a reference to the god she believes in, but to the god Gaius believes in, as a polytheist may see the Christian god as just another god that some people worship. However, Gaius knows a lot about the Old Religion, and speaks of it with respect, though he speaks of the high priestesses with some scorn, suggesting that he may never have followed their brand of it. Perhaps he's culturally mixed in religions as well, and the icon doesn't necessarily represent his personal beliefs, but is culturally significant to him rather than religiously significant.

So here's, going off of all that , what I think is going on in Merlin. Before Uther's reign most of the inhabitants of Albion practiced the Old Religion, which could mean different things to different people, but largely worshipped the Triple Goddess. The High Priestesses were the direct servants of the Goddess, but they may have been feared more than loved. Ordinary magic users may have had a more benign practice that didn't have much to do with the High Priestesses, more like a nature religion. Magic users may have had a special place or role within the old religion, and It is possible ONLY magic users practiced the Old Religion, with ordinary people being more secular, but they seem to know OF it.

After Uther conquered Camelot and made magic illegal, the old religion was similarly abolished, and all it's practices. Gaius, out of obedience to this decree, may have given up any worship of either or both of his religions. Uther does not offer a replacement for the old religion, but seems to mandate secularism and atheism.In the 20 years since the end of the purge (and who knows how long the purge took, we know Arthur's birth kicked it off, but we don't really know his age, though it's been 20 years since Kilgarrah was imprisoned, which I think was the END of the purge, since Uther declares it a holiday to commemorate Camelot being "freed" from sorcery) it seems that Uther's anti religious beliefs have taken off, to the point that most people don't practice any religion, and don't seem bothered by that. Festivals that were once religious (the high priestesses had rites to summon the dead on Samhain) have now become secular celebrations, and the upper classes, at least, have no organized beliefs or practices. Most of them still seem to believe in the EXISTANCE of the afterlife, or spirits, but they'd be stupid not to, as these things are literally real, they have just reframed them as Sorcery, and thus evil, or, at very least, to be avoided. Arthur himself never references gods, so his exclamation of "god have mercy" and "thank God" seem to just be figures of speech, perhaps picked up from Gaius, or leftover from influence from the Romans. He doesn't say "god have mercy" again, and I don't THINK he says thank God again, but I could be wrong.

Its a little harder to tell what's going on among the lower classes. Uther's purge of magic users seemed pretty thorough, and it looks like belief in the old religion went with them. From the scene where Arthur stops a group of peasants from burning an old woman in season 5, it seems his propoganda against magic has spread enough that many non magic users fear magic, if not hate it out right, and they probably no longer practice any religion they might have had. If you assume the practice of the Old Religion was limited to those with magic, as most of them are dead, the common people without magic now don't think much about it, as it was never much a huge part of their lives. If they practiced at all, perhaps they were content to give up religion as long as sorcery went with it, an acceptable sacrific. To go even further, it's possible that because the high priestesses were genuinely a problem, their religion was never popular among non magic users at all, and if they practiced it at all, it may have been more out of fear that love, and they were glad to be rid of it . What does survive of the Old Religion seems now inextricably tied to the practice of magic, and seems to have gone completely underground, but survives as a more benign version of nature worship, and the Triple Goddess seems almost forgotten.

Essentially, Uther killed religion and no one minded too much.

(I admit to zoning in on the upper class' world more, and their beliefs, so if anyone has anything to add about the common people, which seems more complex, please add it. )

Christian iconography? in my Merlin??

[random-writing-thoughts]

hey, are you gonna continue 142.4? :0 no pressure!!! i just genuinely wanted to ask ^^ i really love ur writing btw, it's awesomee

Thank you so much!!! 🥰🥰

Part 130.8 is here!!

Thought #142.5

Previous

Warnings: swearing

Villain paced around the house. Hero had gone silent on the device 20 minutes ago.

They threw a plate against the wall. It shattered joining the rest of the broken plates on the floor.

The doorbell rang. Villain jumped to the window and peaked out. Someone was there... with Kid.

Villain threw the door open. Kid smiled up at them and jumped forward. Villain bent down and swept them up into their arms.

"Who are you?" They asked looking the stranger up and down.

"I'm Sidekick. Why did Hero sacrifice themselves for you?" Sidekick asked stepping into the house.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Villain locked the door and walked to the couch.

Sidekick looked around the room. "What happened?"

"I was angry. "

"So you broke every dish you could find?" Sidekick sat down and cradled their head. "Listen I don't know why Hero decided to trust you of all people, but I trust them. They must have had a reason. So..." Sidekick stared at Villain. "Tell me why they did."

Villain sat on the couch and rubbed Kid's back. "Because I forced them to. I threatened to tell their best friend about their secret and tied them to the kitchen chair."

Sidekick nodded. "Why did they sacrifice themselves then?" They said softly.

Villain covered Kids ears. "Because they're too much of a fucking hero."

Kid wiggled and pulled Villain's hands down. "Did you say a bad word?"

"I did." Villain said with a smile.

"I don't like bad words." Kid said curling into Villain.

"I know." Villain pulled them closer.

"What can they do?" Sidekick asked softly.

"Can I show them?" Kid jumped off Villain's lap.

Villain smile disappeared. "Sure. But small."

"Small." Kid repeated. They closed their eyes and held out their hands. A small flame popped up in their palm.

"The way Superhero talked about them made it..." Sidekick stood. "Fuck."

Kid glared at them.

"Sorry." Sidekick started pacing. "They lied. They said that Kid was dangerous. That they had a power that would wipe out city blocks. But they just wanted to use them to complement their own powers. Fuck. Sorry."

Villain stood. "We have to get Hero out of there."

"Why do you care? You're the reason they got into this mess."

"I know." Villain swept Kid up. They sat on the couch and pulled Kid close. "I can't just let them die. They helped me. They saved Kid and put themselves in harms way. For a..." They looked down and Kid who stared up at them. "Screw up like me they risked everything. I have to do something."

"What are you going to do?" Sidekick crossed their arms. "You don't even know where Superhero is keeping them."

"But you do." Villain said softly.

"I do." Sidekick whispered. "But Superhero..."

"I won't let anything happen to you. You don't even have to come with me, just tell me where to go. I've got a bone to pick with Superhero. They hurt my friend and my kid."

Next

[miraculouscontent]

Anonymous asked:

I agree with you. Marinette having anxiety and panic attacks has always been there, it’s just the first time it’s actually being taken seriously instead of being the butt of a joke. Narrative framing, everyone! It’s only happening so Adrien looks good for cutting Chloe off lol.

soap-lady asked:

It's not enough that they use Marinette's panic attacks as comedy, but now it's the catalyst for Adrien to "cut ties" with Chloe? Is this yet again for Bland Blond Boy's benefit?

I'm tired of narratives where the male protagonist's reward is a relationship.

(Lukanette forever) Luka respects our girl.

Yup. Again, we’re sure the writers don’t intend for any of this but it doesn’t change what’s there.

Basically, they wanted to step up Chloe’s antics for the umpteenth time, and they also wanted Adrien to have his “big moment,” so they thought, “We’ll have Chloe do something bad to Marinette, but in the past, and it was so bad that it caused Marinette trauma. Therefore, Adrien didn’t see it and Marinette isn’t even aware of it, so Adrien can’t be blamed for not doing something about it sooner.”

But none of them realize exactly how this looks when you look at the show in full and what it all means.

Anyone remember how Luka’s sacrifices for Marinette have basically never been used to promote the romance side of things?

Luka hid Marinette away in “Captain Hardrock” and Marinette didn’t even blush at. In fact, it was Luka’s concern for Marinette (when he’s only met her once) that touched her heart later. Then, in “Miracle Queen,” he gets kicked out of the plot sacrifices himself and it’s basically just a random sacrifice. The more important scene was earlier when he was comforting Marinette to the point of dropping his bike and guitar (something that would obviously be a big deal for him but that the show doesn’t make out as a big deal in terms of Marinette’s feelings).

Luka did not, at any point, “earn” Marinette’s love, because that’s not how it works. The first episode that really shows Marinette going all breathless and wide-eyed over him, he’s the one in danger when he gets akumatized, and her saving him doesn’t earn her any points at all because he doesn’t know she’s Ladybug at the time. They just communicate, Marinette is treated to a sweet confession, but they don’t get together

The show wants to prop Adrien up and make his actions a big deal, no matter how small (Chat’s sacrifice in “Dark Cupid” got him kissed, by the way, and it was his fault that he had to make that sacrifice in the first place). He’s so “perfect” and “handsome” that Marinette is afraid to even touch him. The writers are practically screaming at you by saying, “Wow, look how awestruck Marinette is by him, and you should be too!”

Luka doesn’t play that way. He does things because he respects Marinette and is genuinely happy with whatever she wants to give him (whether friendly or romantic). He’s content with playing background if he has to because his goal is never to “earn Marinette’s love.” He’s just himself and does what he believes that she wants without expecting/asking anything in return.