#because he was willing to kill and let children die just like the gods

[whatohitsonfirewelp]

Always felt like I missed out on my annabeth phase you guys, never once did I go through denial over Luke or be like “But he’s actually a good guy!!”

Nah, when it comes to Luke I got that Percy Jackson mindset

[witchhazelevesque]

Wait wait wait, so like in an AU where Hera is Leo’s godly parent, how do you think Zeus would react?

In The Lost Hero, Annabeth tells Piper that Hera is the goddess of marriage and doesn’t have kids with anyone but Zeus.

Would he be like “I don’t like my wife, but no one else is allowed to like her either”? She’d probably hide the fact, maybe pose Leo as a child of Hephaestus since like, Hephaestus had to get his intelligence from somewhere right? And Esperanza is gonna teach him all about engineering anyway so. Or maybe she hides it in a more blatant way and just plans for him to remain unclaimed until the right moment. 

But things always come out eventually- (she probably resents Percy and his requirement that the gods claim their children even more) would Zeus be angry like Juno was about Jason? Would he demand to be given the child? But it’s Zeus so he might just be like, “I don’t want to deal with a kid.” Maybe he wants to just kill him. Maybe he doesn’t care. Maybe he does demand the child but relegates the task of raising him to one of his subordinates. 

Also, I’m wheezing because that makes Jason and Leo step brothers. Like the weirdest, most unenthusiastic step siblings. Leo’s thinking, I finally have a brother and it’s him, who I can never live up to? Great. It’s not even a one to one comparison but Leo feels even more inadequate now. Thalia is 1) furious but 2) having the time of her life because she has something to hold over Hera’s head now. She tells Leo that it’s a good thing it was Hera and not Juno, because Jupiter wouldn’t have been as lenient as Zeus. 

But also like. Hera IS the goddess of marriage and it’s not like if the maiden goddesses had kids through alternate means, they aren’t bound to the same restrictions as Hera, this is literally antithetical to her very nature. She and Jason discuss why she doesn’t have demigod children and the ramifications of this at the end of TLH. She’s often abducted because she holds the Olympians together, imagine what kind of damage this would wreak, the way it would shake the foundation of Olympus. Yeah, Zeus probably can’t let it slide because of this. (The first great prophecy says ‘the eldest gods’ right? Because honestly this would fit great in a Leo Was Around Then AU and he could have been the prophecy child that could end the gods reign if the eldest goddesses counted)

And that’s not helping Leo’s belief that he’s a mistake and the cause of so many problems. If Leo doesn’t have his fire in this AU then Esperanza likely dies in some sort of attack from monsters or gods that were after Leo and of course he’s going to blame himself. 

Or maybe she doesn’t die at all because Hera is actually really proactive and involved in the lives of the demigods and her plan for the prophecy of seven does work so she can probably find some way to keep Esperanza safe.

And if Gaea does try to kill her to break Leo, oh just imagine Gaea versus Hera, the previous mother of everything against the current queen of the universe. I’m already of the mind that there should have been something there burning between them in canon, they were the ones scheming, add to it all this context?  Let’s go.

Also, if Drew was willing to use Jason because he was prince of the universe then she’d probably be willing to do the same to Leo since he is also a prince of the universe and that’s really funny. And I have a head canon that Drew genuinely respects Hera for securing her power when there were so few options for her, so there is something like real admiration for Leo and that could lead to an actual friendship.  

But there is genuinely a lot of resentment and hurt feelings and envy going on between Leo, Jason and Thalia. It’s the sort of emotions all the enemies in TLH wanted to stir up to get the Greeks and Romans to turn on one another, and since Aphrodite told Piper that she’d be the deciding factor of what happens when Greeks and Romans meet, well that’s some material for the lost trio to contend with. 

And Leo wants to resent Hera and he does, but he also is so, so aware of how much she must have loved his mother to break her marriage vows, even if just emotionally. If Esperanza is still alive and Leo sees them together? Oh he would not know how to handle that. Because it’s clear his mom loves Hera, but she’s not expecting or even wanting to rekindle things, she just wants what’s best for Leo. 

And since she does know, she does understand the importance of Leo’s role in the prophecy, it might actually be that she had him not out of love, but out of necessity. Like she saw that he needed to exist (in this context she sees that she would be the immortal to bring him about, not Hephaestus) and yes it is the antithesis of what she is, but it must happen. There is power in that choice itself. They talk about how much of a gamble she took in shaping the seven of prophecy, this would be the gamble.

And either way- Leo is the literal embodiment of broken vows, add to that that those vows were probably the only ones ever kept in the Olympians’ world. He is the sins of his godly mother, and much like Jason was predestined to be what the gods shaped him into, the journey Leo would go though because he’s the one destined to fulfill an oath with his final breath that has been prophesied for millennia? He does it in part for atonement, not because he believes he’s at fault any longer, but because it’s what has to be done. 

That juxtaposition? That irony? That goddamn growth and tragedy? 

Hera did consider making him immortal when he was a baby. She knew she wouldn’t, the world needed him to be a hero. But she also knew the kind of life her child would have and she didn’t want him to suffer that pain for the sake of pain itself. If he was immortal he would suffer it for eternity. He’d be bound to follow her husband’s orders in a way that demigods didn’t have to, even though they should. 

He would take commitment incredibly seriously. Take his canon loyalty and selflessness and add to it this visceral, integral awareness  of the consequences of going back on one’s word. 

The dynamics he could have with the rest of the main characters. Percy’s the savior of Olympus and Leo’s the potential key to its destruction. There might be bad blood on Percy’s side at first because of the way Hera’s treated his friends, but it wouldn’t last long because he knows Leo isn’t at fault.

Annabeth is not so quick to let go of her resentment. It’s irrational but it’s what it is. The Romans would be even more appalled than they were about Annabeth’s existence. He wouldn’t even need to be possessed and attack New Rome, his presence is enough.

Thalia would likely be the one to understand him best because she struggled so much with the temptation that came with being the child of the last great prophecy and became a hunter to take herself out of that narrative. Leo doesn’t have that option or anyone to take his place because there’s no role or job or quest, it’s just his identity.

And them being close makes Jason envious because in TLH he felt like Thalia didn’t have room for him in her life. If Leo is Jupiter’s by his demands then it’s Jason and Leo belonging to one another’s parents and that is complicated because they don’t want to be in the others place but still- there’s a degree of belonging that the other doesn’t have with their own parent.

By the end of TLH, Jason is talking to Zeus’s statue telling him he understands why Zeus has to keep his distance and that Jason is going to try and make him proud. Leo being acknowledged by his father even in this way when his father can’t do the same for Jason is hard to deal with. He knows Leo’s not at fault, he knows Leo doesn’t want this, but that doesn’t erase how it feels.

Nico is both deeply unsettled because he has respect and understanding for the ways of their world and completely unfazed because he knows what it is to be shunned, and he has to look at the bright side here because he has never been treated with such blatant hostility.  

I’m gonna have to make a part 2 for this

[kairos-polaris]

Let's talk more about Mercy and how she would feel about Gideon the Second Edition

You are Mercymorn the First, Saint of Joy (Mercymorn Cristabel sounds terrible but this is your favourite name, a piece of Her). You are planning to kill God and destroy his empire.

The plan has been underway for five hundred years but what's five hundred years when you have loved him for a myriad. You love God, you worship your Lord and you hate him the way you can't conceive hating anyone but him. How thoroughly he owns you, his daughter, his sister, his Lyctor, his saint.

So, you engineer a plan to bring down the Apocalypse. Really, to open the Tomb but you have thought of her as the Apocalypse for too long to give up the habit.

You seduce God to create a living offspring of his, one born to be a key to the Tomb. In that you succeed, you think as you look at an infant with Alecto’s eyes in your fellow saint's arms.

Gideon, the one most devoted to your God, explains of his affair, how he thought this infant was his (and wouldn't you laugh and laugh and laugh if you could think of anything but the infant's eyes). They named her Gideon, the Saint of Duty says. Do you want to give her a new name, he asks. But that's not the actual question, he is asking if John plans on keeping her. Her, this child with Alecto's eyes that somehow ended up in John's genes.

You expect John to refuse, instead he holds out his arms to Gideon and asks to hand the infant over. Kiriona, John says and if you didn't know better you would think him awed. But you do, so all you feel is wariness and you steel yourself for questions.

Augustine confesses. He always did flinch first, always turned to John. That was why he was favoured by God, his beloved Lyctor. He tells John about Dios Apate and the plans to kill the child on the steps of the Tomb (you pretend to not see how at those words John’s grip on the infant tightens).

And John plays his usual role of a benevolent god (an act, never truth, John is too much of a vengeful asshole for that). He looks at you with his “I am not mad, just disappointed” look and he sighs and acts like it's you two who are unreasonable and not his ever expanding Empire or his eternal conquest.

It doesn't matter in the end, how willing John is to stop his mission. In that moment all you care for is John's confession to Cristabel’s murder. Because she didn't have to die.

He lied. He lied. He lied. You should feel angry but all you feel is grief, ancient and bottomless. And you feel betrayed and all you want is to slide your hands into your Lord's body until it unravels into atoms and subatomic particles, until there is no John left.

You stray your hand. John is holding the infant, after all. It would be a waste to kill it so far from the Ninth. (You imagine you and Augustine are alive for the same reason.)

-

There is no forgiveness and you can see it in the Emperor's eyes when he looks at you and Augustine. John doesn't forgive or forget but that's okay, you don't either.

The infant grows quickly, looked after mostly by the Saint of Duty. You don't think about how she is yours, too. Her hair is red as yours used to be and she is too young to look like you or John.

The child takes a liking to you for some reason, clinging and following you around whenever you visit Erebus (really, John? There are better places for raising children). The child stares at you with awe in her eyes, she whispers she loves you the one time you carry her to bed (it is the last one too).

She isn't your child, you tell yourself. You have no attachments to her and you don't care, you were ready to kill her. John's empire already took countless children her age and will continue doing so, what's one more?

Kiriona Gaia, the Heir to Emperor Divine, is not your daughter and you feel nothing about her. It would be easier if only John didn't accept her quite so readily. You don't feel anything when you see the child try and fail to not cry after you snapped at her.

You spend sixteen years believing John's daughter is yours, too. You spend those years trying to forget you are related, despite John's attempts to play family. You aren't quite sure what to feel when Kirona starts looking more and more like Wake.

You burst out laughing when you get the results of the genetics tests. There is no match between you and Kiriona, so it must mean she is Wake's. Truly a woman dedicated to a cause.

You start sobbing right after. The child is not yours and you are relieved. She is John's only now.

You don't care (you let Kiriona hug you next time you see her and she smiles at you so brightly as if this was the best gift she was ever given.)

[rainybraindays]

I don't like making posts like this, I don't like opening my blog up for people to come and harrass me but oh my god, why does the fandom allow posts like this to get away unscathed?

You don’t have to like Marina. I'll never claim that. You can like or dislike whoever you want.

But I do wonder, if Marina was played by a white woman would we get nearly as many posts like this? Would everyone be as okay with it? Would we have been so quiet about the fact that Ruby Barker was harrassed for this role? Or would there be way more people defending her? Would she suddenly be sympathetic when now shes not?

Why are we all so okay with taking this character with a nuanced story, put in a horrible situation with almost no options and turning her into a villian?

Like did we watch the same show? Did you miss the bit where she doesn't want to find a husband at all and only starts when she thinks shes been abandoned, which she only believes because she gets a forged letter saying she was? Did you not see Portia slap her? Did you not also watch a man old enough to be her grandfather being forced on her?

Lying to Colin wasn't okay, I'm not defending that, but literally tell me what her options were?

The man she loves is dead, but she doesn't even know that she thinks he abandoned her, so she can't reasonably assume Phillip will take responsibility when his brother won't. The only people Portias interested in introducing to her are those she wouldn't introduce to her own daughters. She can't reasonably think Colin will be open to her as a wife since shes pregnant becausethats not the norm. But Colin is, he says he would have married her even knowing. And Colin also doesn't view Marina as a villian, in season two hes sad yeah, but he’s also guilty because he doesn't think she deserved what happened.

This is a nuanced messy situation but no one wants to look at that.

Like you all make it very clear you view her as a whore, because she did a very normal thing and had sex. You all view her as a manipulative snake of a person, when if she was even the Whistledown article wouldn't have been a stop for her because she would have tried to get out of it. You conveniently forget that she almost killed herself in an attempt to abort her children because of her mistreatment post Whistledown article because that takes away from the idea you've concocted that shes some villainous bitch.

But then you turn around and want Penelope to have sexual knowledge that she realistically wouldn't and canonically doesn’t. You praise her for her Whistledown work even though it keeps hurting people she loves and shes lying about doing it.

This is weird, posting about how you can't wait for a character to die, and how you hope the death is - lets be honest here- humiliating, is a bizarre thing to do.

Its even more bizarre to do that, tag the character, and then also tag two ships that really the post really isn't about.

Like why is Polin tagged? Because they're both mentioned? This isn't a polin moment. You don’t talk about them at all in the meat of the post. Why is Philoise tagged? Because she's an 'obstacle' for them? They haven't even met, they aren't mentioned at all, they have nothing to do with this.

And on top of tagging these things you say "don't try and defend her to me" which why would we you clearly wouldn't listen. You follow that with saying "If you like her you probably suck" and claim to have tagged this as anti marina when you didn't. You put this in her main tag and then added "death to marina".

Theres no respect to your peers in the fandom, and clear disrespect to people who do like this character and are actually willing to engage with the character beyond fanon portrayal. Because thats what this is its not even taking her at face value anymore.

You wonder why people dislike this fandom, specifically the polin side of it, and do things like this. We as a community need to improve because stuff like this isn't uncommon, this is just one of the most blatant I've seen.

I'm going to be entirely honest if you follow quotegirl19, or don't see the issues with Marinas portrayal and treatment by the fandom this is not the blog for you.

[atopvisenyashill]

I'm going to say something really controversial as a Lyanna stan and Rhaegar hater: my problem with Rhaelya is not the age difference. Yes, Rhaegar was an adult and Lyanna was not. Even by Westerosi standards. I am not saying people can't get pissed about that. But personally, my issue with Rhaegar stems for the fact that Rhaegar was already married, so he could not offer her marriage, unless he wanted to commit polygamy, which is a sin in the eyes of both the Old God's and the new. If Lyanna had lived, she would be relegated to the role of mistress at best. I mean, it's not Elia is just going to drop dead. For all the talk of her supposed frail health, she survived childbirth twice.

Rhaegar also didn't do whatever he did with Lyanna in public. He instead took her away from her home, family, friends, the court, and locked her in his tower to die birthing his prophecy child.

Even if Elia died, and he married Lyanna, it's not like her son could be king over Elia's without inciting civil war. And even if Elia and her children too died, I don't think the public would take kindly to all this convenience of royal deaths.

(I want to state here that i do not want Elia or her kids dead. What happened to her and them in asoiaf is a great tragedy.)

And what about the fact that his father murdered her father and brother? And demanded her other brother's head? And Ned barely survived being murdered by the kingsguatd acting on Rhaegar's order?

Safe to say, age is not the only thing standing between a Rhaegar x Lyanna love story.

Okay anon, so the thing is....all those issues....they stem from the age gap!

He's already married because he's a lot older than her. He has the political power to convince the Kingsguard to help him kidnap her because he's old enough to be a political player in a real way (whereas a 14 year old would be less so - look at Joffrey!). He isble to convince her to go on this hare brained plan that gets her entire family killed because he's older than her and more mature. This is what I mean by "age informs the dynamic." The reason Rhaegar can do all this stuff is because he has more power, more privilege, and more life experience than Lyanna, because he is older.

All of those things are very valid reasons and they're things I rail against a lot - there's just no way to handle Lyanna that doesn't make her and Jon look bad at court with the way he goes about things, he completely sets them up to fail, then potentially keeps her trapped in the tower while he wages a war his father helped escalate by murdering her brother. There's a lot of sutff that leads me to believe that Rhaegar is concealing a lot and Lyanna is not as willing as she might have been initially, yes, but a lot of why their dynamic is so off is because of the age. If Lyanna was older, more sure of herself, of her place in the world, had more agency, more life experience to let her know that what he is saying is not adding up to protection for her, this dynamic would not exist the way it does. It exists this way because Rhaegar leverages his maturity and experience over her, and uses her immaturity against her.

[syrupfog]

Kilpen arranged marriage au but the arranged marriage is actually Law and Kid, but neither of them WANT to be married to each other so they both send substitutes that are like, SLIGHTLY down the line of succession

Law and Kid have known each other from royal events since they were children, but not only have Killer and Penguin never met, they also are both sent believing that the other half of the marriage is still on (Kid marrying Penguin or Killer marrying Law) and like.

Neither of them are super happy about that but when they both get TO their wedding and both find out they’re marrying strangers it’s VERY WEIRD. 

Killer is like “that can’t possibly be someone in the line of succession Law just sent a nobody”

While Penguin is like “oh god that’s the hottest man I’ve ever seen hes going to find out that I’m not Law and is going to be so angry he looks like he could kill me with one hit” 

And like yeah Killer could definitely do that but also HE doesn’t care about the line of succession, because that would mean having let Kid die and he’s not gonna do THAT. 

So the arranged marriage goes as chaotically as planned because both law and kid get mad at each OTHER for sending substitutes unannounced, but neither of them are willing to back down and marry.

Penguin and Killer meet face to face for the first time at the altar. at this point Penguin has moved to worrying this will be a loveless marriage because killer doesn’t seem the slightest bit nervous as Penguin stutters through his vows.

Killer, on the other hand, has just sort of relaxed into “fuck yeah future husband is cute and awkward I’ve got it made” so he is CHILLING OUT he is CONTENT. 

They spend most of the rest of the wedding trying to keep Law and Kid from fighting so they don’t actually get to converse at all, too busy talking down international incidents. So the first time they really get the chance is after the wedding as they both stand in front of the bed they’re supposed to be sharing to… consummate the arrangement.

Which they don’t end up doing that night because Penguin works himself into a panic attack and Killer is like oh no buddy are you afraid of cock what is it what’s wrong. 

And Penguin is like NO i LIKE PENIS I SWEAR THIS IS JUST MOVING VERY FAST AND YOU’RE VERY HOT and anyway he ends up sleeping draped over Killer’s chest like a baby monkey and Killer is wheezing like DAMN you’re SIGNIFICANTLY DENSER THAN ADVERTISED but also he’s into it and Penguin smells good, like the way a cat smells when you stick your face in its fur.

Anyway they have a very successful political marriage mostly because both of them are good at continually talking down Law and Kid from going to war with each other and also pissing them off with very gross PDA

[nrilliree]

https://www.tumblr.com/chicken-wayng/752584506882588674/rhaenyra-won-the-dance-bc-her-line-survives-and?source=share

WTF ?

This person lives in a weird alternate universe ?

The dance is not about brother and sister tragedy, nor about the fact that everything falls on the women, children and peasants.

The main message is misogyny against Rhaenyra. That's all. (I love how they either always ignore that it's the central conflict by pretending it's not the subject at all, or they ignore it more subtly by mixing it in with other things to avoid passing for misogynists)

Also... Viserys didn't start this war. And Viserys never wanted to replace Rhaenyra either. He was very clear about that. What is this person talking about ?!

My god, the Rhaenicent stans are willing to do anything to twist the original message.

Oh and we need to explain to them how a bloodline works. That of Aegon II is indeed dead. That's not the same as Rhaenyra just because they were half brother and sister. It does not work like that ! All the heirs of Aegon II were killed, and not those of Rhaenyra who continued until Daenerys.

It's not very complicated to understand damn it.

Oh lord, why are you showing me this… Then I have to drink a lot of lemon balm to calm down…

No, Viserys did not start the war. Viserys remarried at a time when it was clear that Rhaenyra was his heir. And yes, Viserys had to remarry because he had no family apart from Rhaenyra and Daemon. Rhaenyra was young, Daemon had been married for many years and had no heir, and Viserys had banished him. Viserys was sick. Let's assume he didn't get married. Five years would pass, he would be sick, Rhaenyra would fall from her horse and die - this was the end of House Targaryen. Is it so difficult…? Yes, being a spare kid isn't nice, but that's what it looked like. Viserys also became such a "spare heir" because all of Jaehaerys's children died. Who is to blame for the war? Otto and Alicent. Only.

And no, "no one won" is not true. Whose troops fought to the end? Whose capital did they take? Whose heir sits on the throne? Rhaenyra may have died, but her sons survived and the Black Ones placed them on the throne. End of the story.

And yes, I also love how TGs pretend it's not about sexism.

[murfpersonalblog]

IWTV S2 - Three spicy/spoilery reviews

The reviewers are just saying whatever they want, I guess! O_O

Here's my favorite bits from TheWrap, ComicBook, and IGN.

I've decided to mix and match them, comparing what they each say about similar themes/topics/reveals.

ELEVATING THE SOURCE MATERIAL

TELL IT! It's about adding DEPTH, y'all, not just a 1:1 page-to-screen.

Intellectual horror, instead of psychological horror--fascinating.

An "even more authentic adaptation" -- WE BEEN KNEW!!! I roll my eyes at book stans who hate on the show, acting like the movie was more accurate just cuz it was set during slavery times with white actors. 🙄 Like PLEASE, there's so much missing from the movie, or glossed over, or straight up changed, that the show-antis just demonstrate how shallow they are when their every attack hinges on the timeline/race/age changes. Cry harder.

MORE elevated than Season 1--you love to see it.

Yaaas, bring on the petty melodramatic mess, and fierce performances! 👏

CLAUDIA & MADELEINE

Because Bailey used profanity to convey her agony being a woman trapped in an adolescent's body in S1 too, I'm assuming Delainey will just cuss more? But cussing is all over the show, so I don't get it.

Everyone keeps raving about Roxane as Madeleine, but they've been SO CLOSE-LIPPED about her scenes, and it's KILLING me. 😭

"Deeply willful around Louis"--yeah, we saw a glimpse of that in the trailer; it's what he deserves. Give 'em hell, Claudia!

And yeah, she's PISSED that they cast her as Baby LouLou--imagine, being infantalized, and given the name of the father you've already gone through so much to emancipate yourself from as a "Brother" instead of "Daddy Lou." 😒 Eff Louis--where's Claudia's scythe at!?

LOUIS / LOUMAND

"Nonsense--" TheWrap isn't holding back a single punch huh?

"dating show contestants feigning authenticity to clumsily present themselves in the best light--" oof. 💀

Holy god; "begging the question...if Louis has just traded one abuser for another" GO AWF! 🚩🚩🚩

DANIEL / DEVIL'S MINION

Wow, so this must refer to Episode 5 from the episode titles list released recently. "Genuine horror".... 😈

RIP. 💀 Youngmaniel might see some action, but Oldmaniel's "utterly allergic and adversarial;" OOF. 💀💀

ARMAND

They keep saying petty. 😅 These messy queens are a trip!

"Far more powerful" -- I am SEATED~! I wanna see THE coven master!

Yaaas, come through Children of Satan/Darkness acolyte! 😈

"Scarred and transformed by the same man" -- they sound like war veterans. U_U

LESTAT / LOUSTAT

"the show's primary villain--" say it louder. Book stans need to stop projecting post-IWTV Lestat the hero/protagonist/MC into the narrative that LOUIS is telling, as a guy struggling to get over his ex.

"There to berate him for his poor choices--" this tracks with the trailer released today, too, where the producers said Dream-Stat would "pass judgement" on Louis' pisspoor actions.

PRODUCTION (Sets, Costumes, etc)

Yes, IWTV S1 was absolutely gorgeous; their attention to detail was immaculate. And so far it looks like S2 is gonna be just as nice. I REALLY like what I've seen of the Threatre's aesthetic.

THEATRE DES VAMPIRES & SANTIAGO

I freaking love this. XD

Agreeing with him about WHAT though? 🤨 That Louis & Claudia are hiding things? Or that they deserve to die because of it? (Especially since Lestat is OBVIOUSLY not actually dead, so what "crime/rules" are they actually breaking, Lord Kangaroo Court?)

TALAMASCA & CRITIQUES

Thank you lord god kamisama flying spaghetti monster he's a Talamascan, not another secret vampire.

But now I'm nervous, thanks to the ComicBook review:

Uh oh. The Talamasca feels forced & out of place. 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

The AVENGERS INITIATIVE. 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀

But they say it feels like "Daniel's being recruited--" YES PLEASE. 🙏 If Daniel's not gonna be a vampire, at least let him be a Talamascan. Ain't no way he can return to the mundane world after all this.

My BIGGEST complaint about IWTV as a franchise is its tenuous connection to the Immortals Universe. AMC is dropping the ball hard on creating an ARCU--Anne Rice's Cinematic Universe. There are SO MANY immortals & supernaturals we should've BEEN seen in S1, walking the streets of NOLA. I will say this every time: Oncle Vervain Mayfair should've been brought in from the OG pilot script. We should've seen Louis go to him for gris-gris before the poker game, and introduce Lestat to Vervain as a practitioner of what Louis thought was "European voodoo." Also: we should've seen Lasher. There should've been a scene where the Mayfairs told the vampires to GTFO their territory, and keep their hunting grounds on the other side of town. Like, the Mayfair Witches show sucks like you wouldn't believe, it's so stupid (looks gorgeous though), but the WORLDBUILDING is ripe for the taking! And AMC did squat with it!

Like, tbh, I don't see the point of a whole Talamasca show, and if it's handled by Esta & the gang from MW, then I don't wanna see it--I WILL, ofc, but I won't WANT to. Especially since we haven't seen any ghosts. ISTG, PLEASE have Merrick Mayfair in Ep7 or Ep8--not only will that bridge IWTV with MW, but it can perfectly lead to Blackwood Farm., while keeping the threads between vampires, ghosts, AND the Taltos (if they're determined to do a Lestat/Rowan crossover from Blood Canticle 🤢🤮).

I was wondering why so many reviews were giving it 4/5 or 9/10, like wtf are y'all being so stingy for!? But if this is the problem, then I'm not surprised, I've been complaining about it the whole time.

[tamaruaart]

Jason and Medea rant I guess?

"Jason is an asshole Medea deserves better" Yes, Jason IS an asshole. But so is Medea. Yes, she had a reason but that isn't an excuse. That isn't an excuse for killing SO many people. For killing her brother and killing her SONS, who were, let me remind you, LITTLE CHILDREN. And why did she choose to do that? OUT OF RAGE BECAUSE SHE FELT BETRAYED BY JASON. he sucks. she sucks. Those little boys deserved better. If I was kirke/Circe I would've also told then to SCRAM off my island. Badddddd vibes man.

I'm glad Jason is dead. I hope she also died. They were... Questionable in the Argonautica. But, GOD, I hated them in the Medea play man. The Medea play ruined everything (I mean, it is a tragedy. And that's also a good thing cause' were supposed to hate all the characters in those kinds of works-). The comparison to Theseus hurt. I always see people comparing them to how Theseus abandoned Ariadne and that it was foreshadowing. Yes. But also consider that the Theseus and Ariadne comparison was in the Argonautica, not in the play. In the Argonautica their relationship is (semi) HEALTHY. And the Argonautica and the Medea play have DIFFERENT writers.

Also, I feel like it's also important to mention that, just like most mythos, THERE ARE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE THESEUS AND ARIADNE MYTH. there are versions where he didn't abandon her. Why do you all ignore those just so you could have your tragic girlboss character wronged by men?? Like, specifically wronged by men. Like, you can still reference that version but you have to acknowledge the other one's too

And the fact people can sympathize with Medea STILL after everything she's done- And I'm not talking about everyone but some specific individuals who do that shit. Apparently we hate the Greek Mythology characters because they do atrocious crimes. But when we mean those crimes we actually mean when the male characters wrong the female ones or when there's r*pe. Apparently we don't care about the other way around??

Circe and Odysseus are a prime example. Most people don't even care enough to dig deeper and see that ODYSSEUS DID NOT LIKE KIRKE. IF HE DIDN'T SLEEP WITH SHE WOULD'VE KEPT HIS MEN AS HOSTAGES/SWINE. And yet, these people are willing to claim he's a cheater? Bro 😔

We can't forgive these Greek characters for rape and adultery (WHICH, WE ABSOLUTELY SHOULDN'T), nor should we forgive them for murder and other crimes. Medea and Jason BOTH deserved to be punished. No matter how shitty their situations could've been. That doesn't change the terrible things they did. Can we admit Jason was a piece of shit to Medea in the play? Yes. Does that mean we should sympathize with her, call her a 'girlboss', disregarding the atrocious things she's done? NO.

Can we still like these characters? To an extent. I love Jason and Medea as characters, emphasis on CHARACTERS. They're fascinating. But it still frustrates me how much both of them SUCK. Both of them still frustrate me. People always call Jason a moron (as they should) but, no one ever flames Medea? (At least, not a lot of people I've seen) Which, they ALSO should.

Greek characters are fascinating. We can like them. But not to the extent where we like them as PEOPLE. Not every story in Greek Mythology was a tragedy. That needs to be acknowledged (take a shot everytime I say acknowledged in this post. You'll die of alcohol poising-).

Jason sucks. Medea sucks. Almost everyone in Greek mythology sucks. We have to acknowledge that. But we can still like them as CHARACTERS. And don't get me wrong I like Medea, she's such a interesting and complex character. But she is not some 'girlboss'. No women in Greek Mythology is a 'girlboss'. Because our definition of 'girlboss' is a very modern term of describing a female characters or person who DESERVES that praise. Cause, well, they're a badass! And these works are ancient. And quite frankly none of these female characters deserve praise-

Some do, don't get me wrong, but even then the term 'girlboss' doesn't really fit these ancient perspectives. Like maybe Penelope, Danaë, Ariadne is also a good one. But Medea sure as hell isn't one of them. She is a MURDERER, killed her YOUNG CHILDREN out of spite for her husband.

And not only that she killed OTHER PEOPLE. And everytime it was out of spite or out of love for Jason. Like- She hates Jason more than she loves her family/children.

"But she felt bad-" FOR LIKE 5 MINUTES. SHE WAS SO CHILL WITH KILLING HER LITTLE BOYS. And then dragged their bodies in her chariot while bickering with Jason. Like, EW MAN. How do you sympathize with that?? I don't care if she was felt betrayed by Jason. The SUCKS don't get me wrong. BUT SHE'S STILL A DISGUSTING MURDERER.

also something that confuses me- Does the Argonautica take place before the myth of Theseus or after?? Because Jason references Ariadne helping Theseus in the Argonautica. But then way later after the events of the play she marries Theseus' father and tells him to poison him?? (this was before the minotaur)

Either I misunderstood something while reading and researching. Or this is one of the many, many, many continuity errors you'll find while researching these ancient works.

To end this rant off, I don't care if Medea is your favorite character in Greek Mythology or if you hate her guts. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and you don't have to stop thinking that just because some random girl on Tumblr made a rant. But I do think people should still, at least, ACKNOWLEDGE what she did. You can still like her, she is fictional. But you still need to be AWARE of that. It's just... kinda wrong ignoring that just cause you like her character.

You can like these characters. I do! But don't allow that to turn you ignorant. You don't have to talk about these parts if they make you uncomfortable. That's valid. But you have to acknowledge that they still exist.

Medea is a character you can sympathize with until you can't. She has reasons, but reasons don't equal excuses. Her actions aren't justified. She is an asshole. An asshole person.

[yuseirra]

I ALREADY MADE AN ANALYSIS THAT THERE'S SOMETHING TAUNTING KAMIKI TO BECOME INSANE BACK ON JULY 11TH!!!!JULY 11TH!!!! AFTER FATAL WAS OUT!!! MEPHISTO IS HIS SONG!!!!!

oH GOD... I should have.. I should have posted that here too but it's one of the posts that didn't make it, why didn't I????? Let me bring a rough machine translated version of it okay. I have proof. I wrote it back so long ago!!!! Not long after I listened to Fatal!!!!!! UGH!!!UGH!!! I ALREADY PREDICTED THIS!!!! I

oH GOOdness. I'm going to get so many things right about this comic. I am not joking. THIS is how it's going to be. I.. I can't explain things any other way. I just. I just can't, if this isn't it, it's beyond my abilities to make sense of this character. but I'm really good with these. I feel I will be right.

***

I was listening to Mephisto and I really got a sense of it. This whole song is from Kamiki’s perspective, isn’t it? I was right that this boy (34 years old) offered something huge for Ai, wasn’t I? There’s a line like, "Since I gave you my life, you granted me time." People probably thought that was about Aqua, but I don’t think so.

As I mentioned before, here’s my theory: this guy practically has no will to live. After learning that Ai had died, there was probably nothing left in his life to be happy about or look forward to. I still need to dig deeper to understand exactly how much he directly contributed to that, but judging by his character, he didn’t seem like the type to do something extreme to others—at least not before he parted ways with Ai. Even if he wasn’t directly responsible for Ai’s death like Nino was, he probably did something that he’s been suffering immense guilt over, thinking, "I shouldn’t have done that." (If Kamiki really did give Ryosuke the address on purpose, then he’s seriously lost his mind… but from what I can tell, it seems like he was drunk. How on earth did those two meet anyway? ;) In any case, while others might think, "Well, it’s hard to say he’s the reason Ai died," Kamiki might believe he is. He may have even tried to kill himself after Ai’s death.

This character’s nature isn’t inherently that aggressive. When the people who tormented him died, he was overcome with guilt and emotional burden. He’s someone who gets hurt easily and is quite sensitive. (Even Ai leaving was probably because she thought he couldn’t bear the thought of having to take responsibility for their children on top of everything else. But I think...he would have been okay as long as he had her with him.) He struggled with the deaths of the people who wronged him, so when Ai died, he likely broke down even more, spiraling to the point where he was on the brink of death.

But perhaps at that point, he couldn’t die, and some godlike figure appeared before him offering a deal. He might not be able to die until he completes that deal. And since he has no attachment to life, it doesn’t matter what happens to him in the process. Out of desperation to undo the mistakes he believes he made, he might be willing to do things he normally wouldn’t. In Chapter 154, the surprised expression he had was because he never considered the idea that Ai might have worried about him. He thought she would live happily without a care for what happened to him. He had no doubt that everything would be fine as long as he did his part, but when he realized that wasn’t true, he was shocked.

The whole idea of a deal with a god is just speculation, as that’s not explicitly laid out in the story, but Tsukuyomi did appear. This is a world where gods can manifest physically. Besides that, I can’t think of any other motivation that would keep him going. Back when I analyzed Aqua and considered Mephisto to be his feelings, I mentioned something similar.

The speaker in Mephisto is in a mental state where "it wouldn’t be strange if they died at any moment." That intense feeling hit me while listening to the song, and it was heartbreaking.

Also, some of the lyrics are as follows:

"Tears and sweat filled to the brim are traces of blood" (If it’s Aqua, why does it mention "blood" here?)

"There’s never a day of relief"

"Every day, sad lights gather"

(What does it mean for "lights" to gather? Could it be related to people with star eyes?)

"Born of the abyss"

This fits Kamiki more than Aqua, especially the line, "You’re empty, so there’s no way you could receive love."

The mention of a "last chance" suggests that there isn’t much time or opportunity left, but Aqua has never really shown a sense of urgency about completing his revenge. Kamiki, on the other hand, likely views it as a race against time because he has something to accomplish.

Kamiki is someone who has been swayed and hurt a lot in life, and the only thing he truly loved and wanted was Ai. If he’s going to take action, it’s only for Ai. He has no lingering attachments to life. I think this theory is correct. It has to be. Otherwise, how do these songs even make sense?

What’s really funny is that every time I dive into a genre, I always end up picking the character who sacrifices themselves. There’s always a couple where one sacrifices for the other, but I never got that vibe from Aqua and Kana.

But if things unfold this way, it’s just too familiar, and that’s what’s funny. It’s like, "How does this always happen wherever I go?" So if I’m right, it’s hilarious. I listen to a lot of music, and in genres where the songs are well made, I tend to analyze them based on the lyrics. And when it comes to my favorite songs, I feel like they capture the essence of the story or the emotions so accurately, so it leaves an impression on me.

These songs are spoilers. I’m hesitant to speak too confidently because this excitement might fade later, but whenever I listen to the songs, I feel sure of my conclusions.

GUYS!!! LISTEN!!! I GOT SO MANY THINGS RIGHT ABOUT THIS COMIC I EVEN LOST TRACK.... I THINK THIS IS IT. I JUST CAN'T EXPLAIN THIS CHARACTER'S ACTIONS OTHERWISE. HELP

[lisbeth-kk]

Flattery

Thanks for the prompt @calaisreno and the tag @raina-at @keirgreeneyes

Lost for words

Growing up it was an established fact that Sherlock was a genius, like his brother Mycroft. No one made a fuss about it. It was a natural part of his life. At least until he started school. It became evidently clear quite quickly that Sherlock’s intelligence was far beyond the other children’s, which made him a target. Instead of the recognition he’d always got at home, he now had to face mockery and name calling.

Weirdo! Freak! Nerd! Nutter!

With Mycroft’s help and guidance, Sherlock built an invisible wall around himself. For protection. Despite what everyone assumed, he very much cared for what other people thought of him. He had to disengage his feelings, and it took time, hurt quite a bit, but he finally managed.

***

Flattery is something Sherlock uses frequently in his engagement with victims or villains to get the information he needs to solve a case. Shamming like that comes easy to him, because there are no true feelings involved.

Sherlock feels somewhat appreciated by Lestrade, though he’s more often than not exasperated with Sherlock, but at least he doesn’t call him freak like Donovan does. When Sherlock’s caught off guard, it still hurts. A bit.

And then came John. Sherlock’s timeline is divided in two halves. BJ and AJ, meaning Before John and After John. He prefers the latter any given day. With John came flattery, or so Sherlock thought. Sherlock could see from the start that John was a bit insecure to why Sherlock preferred his presence, which lead Sherlock to think that John flattered him, so Sherlock still would want John in his life. As time went, though, Sherlock deduced that John’s praise, amazing, brilliant, extraordinary, were honest words. He really meant what he said, and he didn’t say those words to please Sherlock, they just appeared in John’s mind and were spilled out after Sherlock’s deductions and crime solving.

***

Another timeline surfaced. BP and AP. Before the Pool, and After the Pool. When Sherlock became aware that John was willing to not only kill for him, but also die if needed, something shifted in Sherlock’s perception of their relationship. The fact that he loved John, and that he too would kill and/or die for John.

That very night they became lovers and with that something else and totally new entered Sherlock’s life. Endearments. They came so easy and natural to John. Love, sweetheart, beautiful, gorgeous. At first Sherlock was gobsmacked. Never in his life had he imagined anyone would call him such things, let alone that he would adore it to this extent. He can feel that he blushes and in the beginning he felt self-conscious about it. But when John told him that he loved seeing him blush, he just gave in.

There’s one problem, though. Sherlock can’t say those words back, no matter how much he longs and wants to. 

***

“What is it, love?” John asks when Sherlock growls frustrated and hides his face in the crook of John’s neck.

“I can’t say it back,” Sherlock murmurs almost inaudible.

“Not a problem, Sherlock,” John says and kisses the top of his head.

“But you’ll want to hear me say those words to you too, John,” Sherlock protests.

“Nope,” John states firmly, popping the p.

“John!”

“Listen. Let’s do an experiment. Shush, it’s not me deflecting. It’s about the endearments.”

John rearranges himself and asks Sherlock to prop himself up on an elbow, looking down at him.

“Okay. Don’t take this the wrong way. I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable or anything, just proving a point, yeah?” John says, smiling up at Sherlock.

“Can I kiss you first?” Sherlock asks. 

“God, yes, please.”

They kiss until they’re a bit breathless, and then John prompts Sherlock to position himself as before.

“Now. You’re a bit aroused, yes?” John inquires and Sherlock nods, looking intently at John.

“Ask to kiss me again, but instead of my name, use an endearment of your choice,” John says stroking Sherlock’s upper arm.

Sherlock takes a deep breath as to brace himself.

“Can I kiss you…love?” he says and grimaces.

“How did that feel?” John asks carefully. 

“Awful,” Sherlock admits. “How did it sound to you?”

“Awful,” John agrees.

He cradles Sherlock’s face and says, “and now to part two of the experiment.”

A grin appears on Sherlock’s face, and he bends down to kiss John thoroughly.

“Now, say it again but this time use my name like you do when you’re aroused and want me,” John murmurs huskily.

Sherlock doesn’t hesitate.

“Can I kiss you, John?”

“That’s it, sweetheart. That’s what your endearments are to me. My name in your mouth in every way you say it, that’s all I need. The way you just said it…Christ, Sherlock…it’s so hot and arousing. And the answer is yes, if you wondered.”

***

Sherlock finds himself marvel in this new knowledge. To him it’s always been clear as day that John’s name’s an endearment, but that John felt it too isn’t something Sherlock even considered. Still, he wants to give John more, to show him how much he’s loved. He ponders the matter for seven more days, until an idea emerges.

He searches the internet for adhesive memo pads. To his astonishment he finds some rather nice ones decorated with bees. He places his order, and when the package arrives, Sherlock wastes no time. Over the next couple of days he sticks notes everywhere. On the bathroom mirror, on John’s laptop, on John’s favourite mug, in his jacket pocket, on his pillow, on the mantle. He even manages to sneak into John’s office when he’s on a break to place one on his desk. 

Just you, John. Your eyes were so blue last night. I miss you, John. My conductor of light. Love you, John. I wanted to kiss you senseless at Tesco this morning. 

Those were some of the notes Sherlock left for John and John adored each and every one of them.

“Only you could come up with something like this, my precious genius,” John said, peppering Sherlock’s face with soft kisses after every word.

***

Sherlock has no idea what John’s done with his notes until he comes home one evening and sees John at the kitchen table with an album in A4 size before him.

“What are you doing, John?” he asks curiously, and stops abruptly when he sees what the album’s for.

“John,” he whispers.

John pastes the notes into the album, and when Sherlock looks closer he can see that John’s dated all of them. 

“You’re saving them?” he asks astounded.

“Of course, love. They’re my most precious belongings,” John answers and reaches up to touch Sherlock’s cheek.

***

Decades later, when they’re retiring to Sussex, John brings with him his twenty ‘Albums of flattery’, as he calls them. He’ll never get tired of reading the notes or receiving new ones.

I've had this idea in my head a few days now, and I think it fitted the prompt quite neatly.

@totallysilvergirl @missdeliadili @meetinginsamarra @topsyturvy-turtely @peanitbear

[future-dregs]

Okay so I'm having to catch up on my rewatch thoughts, and they're going to be all over the place because I am going Through. It. at the moment.

But let's start, and see what happens.

So.

Faith.

Faith is a difficult episode for me. Anytime Sam's faith is brought up it is.

But anyway.

At the beginning of the episode we see another emerging pattern. Sam's job is to grab the kids and run. Idk if there's a deeper meaning to this or not, it could simply be that Sam is just bigger and has more reach, but what I've noticed is that, though Dean is better on the whole with children, Sam is the one (usually) given the role of rescuer, the one to carry them out.

This is a horrible episode for Dean's self worth and his loathing complex and it starts that way immediately with him nearly fucking tasering himself to death to get the job done.

When the doctor tells Sam that Dean's time is very finite, you can just SEE the bottom fall out of his entire world.

Because Sam.never loses this you see, no matter how old he gets or what Dean goes through or how much damage they both take, he never fully loses this idolization of Dean. He never quite believes that Dean can actually be hurt enough to keep him down, that something could actually get the better of Dean.

Even though he worries for Dean's life constantly.

It's just another of the paradoxes in which they live.

Later we will Sam disparage the woman for what she's done, saying its evil. Dean interrupts with "desperate". This is because Sam hasn't yet reached the limits of what he'd do for Dean. He's willing to twist or break ANYTHING to save his brother, but he still thinks, and perhaps even only as a defensive mechanism, that he has a line, not to be crossed, good and evil choices.

Dean already knows he would chain Sam's reaper.

"What would you do for your brother?" It isnt even a question for Dean. Everything in him has been taken apart and rewired to Sam. He'd do anything. And he doesn't have to waste time thinking about it. And he KNOWS this about himself.

This is the first episode that Sam begins to learn it himself.

Dean has resolved himself to his fate, trying to put on brave face. For Sammy, of course, but also himself. It's a terrifying thing.

Sam goes into full research mode. There IS a solution and he WILL find it, because Dean's death is not something he will accept. I know by the end of he knew more about hearts than most surgeons.

And then. A miracle. A faith healer.

And oh. Sam believes.

Now. There's something I want to bring up. When Sam is going through the binding book, we see clippings of the previous victims. Notably an abortion rights advocate and an openly gay teacher.

And we see Sam's face twitch up when he sees them. And this is of course to indicate to us the bigotry behind why these people were chosen (if it wasnt obvious already) and to show that Sam doesn't share in it.

Thing is. I know that twitch. I've DONE it. Its recognition and yes this is part of my queer Sam agenda proof, thank you very much.

Dean's "I'm gonna pray for you" at the end just KILLS me, because he will. Maybe an older and more jaded Dean wouldn't, but this is a young and freshly bled Dean, all raw with guilt and doesn't think he even deserves to live. Of course he's going to pray for this girl.

This is just a really raw episode all around.

Sam wants to take the gift of Dean's life and run far away with it, but they can't. And he feels sick over knowing someone had to die for Dean, and he KNOWS it'll gut Dean empty, but he'd still do it.

Dean has a healed and healthy body, more time, an extension on life. And he's so guilt ridden he can't stand it. God has a plan for him, but God didnt heal him, and he doesn't even believe, but yet. He WAS chosen over everyone else, and he was restored.

And the preacher's wife is dead and his ministry is most likely over and who knows how HIS faith is holding up cause he just got the rug pulled violently out from under him and there's tentfull of desperate people begging for help and he CAN'T anymore.

And a faithless man promises to pray and two believers wait in agony for some comfort and response.

[dontcallmethuperboy]

CR’s Raven Queen, the old god of death & the Empyrean: A History & Theories Part 1

RQ=Raven Queen for brevity’s sake

Let’s start with what we know:

We know that RQ was a humanoid mortal, but maybe not exactly human as her race has never been confirmed ("Omens Above" (3x19) at 33:50).

The old god of death and RQ were “partners” at one point ("Duskmeadow" (1x57) at 57:06).

We know the old god of death didn’t share everything about his past with RQ, as she didn’t know what Tengar looked like. (Downfall: Part One)

The old god of death was considered tyrannical, as opposed to RQ’s rule ("Duskmeadow" (1x57) at 57:06).

Asmodeus also describes the Schism being over one of the “paper dolls” being too precious for the Prime deities to destroy, though never explicitly says this references all of mortaldom ("Fire and Ruin" (E3x04).

The old god of death had an Empyrean child (Empyreans as written in Monster Manual are celestial children of gods and other gods). A “half son” who’s other parent isn’t named. The Empyrean was imprisoned in Pandemonium during the Age of Arcanum as a punishment for something. ("The Search For Grog" (OSx28) at 4:37:00.)

The old god of death never released the Empyrean because RQ ascended and destroyed him before he could. This left the Empyrean abandoned, and he became corrupted into a spider-like creature found later by Vox Machina ("The Search For Grog" (OSx28) at 4:37:00).

RQ ascended on an apogee solstice 120 years before the Calamity ("Bitterness and Dread" (E3x02) at 1:11:49).

We know the old god of death had to be a Prime deity during the Schism because they were not sealed like Asmodeus, thus allowing RQ to ascend before the Calamity (we know this because Vespin Chloras said the only way for him to ascend to the place of a Betrayer god was by first releasing them from their cage, again "Fire and Ruin" (E3x04).

In the midst of Calamity, during Asmodeus’ monologue about mortals, he describes leaving the pit only to find out that a mortal has replaced his sibling, the old god of death ("Fire and Ruin" (E3x04).

While the Betrayers hold the old god of death’s destruction against RQ, the Prime Deities seem to be willing to work with her, at least in Downfall. (Downfall: Part One)

The Dawnfather is convinced that the old god of death wouldn’t have been able to die unless they wanted to (this was in the Downfall: Part One’s Cooldown, Nick Marini thank you for this tidbit). 

RQ believes that she legitimately killed the old god of death (Downfall: Part One).

RQ was not permitted to claim the old god of death’s entire portfolio "Duskmeadow" (1x57) at 57:06.

I feel I can safely posit that at some point the old god of death had another god as a romantic partner whom they had a child with, but whose relationship didn’t end well prior to the Calamity. This first partner either died (I’m not dismissing those 2 mystery gods that Pradaethos ate) OR was sealed during the first Schism as a Betrayer, leaving the old god of death as the prime caretaker.

I'm not gonna add in the Prime Deities as an option because I really can't see them letting their child get sent to Pandemonium without their knowledge unless this was a REAL bad custody battle we don't know about.

I also slightly doubt the Betrayer angle because like, if I got broken out of my cage and knew I had to pick up my kid from the detention of a millenia that’d be like numero uno on my list. But I wonder if the knowledge of the Empyrean's location was lost when RQ ascended. And that's also why the Betrayers don't like her, because she 's why they lost the key to get back their kid. But also who’s to say the Betrayers are good parents? Maybe they forgot about him too, or put it off too long before they were resealed by the Prime deities during the Calamity. 

OR maybe this child with his punishment to Pandemonium had been kept a secret, and it's just a horrible tragedy that RQ ascended when she did.

Either way the Empyrean really is the most post-divorce-coded child of all time.

[umemiyan]

And if I said I wanted to hear about Jedi Megumi??? What then???

Lay it on me I’ve got all day!!!

SCREAMMMMMMM 😭 you are unlocking the beast rn ilysm and i am SO sorry in advance for this. my meds kicked in and i have SO MANY THOUGHTS

basically he’s very much giving order 66 survivor in my mind!!!! like he wasn’t even a padawan yet when it all happened, just a small youngling being raised at the temple after what i imagine to be a rather rough start to life

i’m thinking about toji actually selling him off to the order instead of letting him go so easily, because why not??? if they want a force-sensitive kid so bad then surely they’ll be willing to pay a pretty penny for one. his wife is dead and he’s a bounty hunter or w/e with no means to raise a kid… it’d be better to let him go, but he’s still going to try and get money out of it. because, well… maybe he thinks his kid is worth something after all. he might even bluff and threaten to kill megumi unless the jedi fork over some credits, but he’d never actually go through with it despite the convincing show (good luck getting him to admit that tho)

the jedi typically identify and obtain force-sensitive children really early on in life because it makes it easier to integrate them into the lifestyle, but i’m wondering…. what if megumi was just a liiiiitle bit older than usual?? to the point where he has some more solid memories of his father and tsumiki and whatnot. so it’s kind of a strange adjustment to start being raised by monks all of a sudden

he’s a little quieter and more gloomy than some of the other younglings, and sometimes struggles with being in the right headspace. he’s not really on anakin skywalker level of traumatized and turbulent, and he really tries his best, but sometimes it’s difficult for him y’know!!! he’s still trying to figure out his moral code and inner strength, but he’s just a baby!!! he doesn’t get a chance to hone his skills before the purge happens.

and when it does, he’s not really sure what to do. he’s doing his best to fall back on some basic survival skills, but i’m imagining him being found by gojo or something during all this—maybe even thanks to toji somehow!!!! god there could really be some amazing plot points to develop here but anyways!!!

i imagine satoru to be some sort of ex-jedi or something because he really does not play by the rules. whatever he is, he’s still insanely force-sensitive and is now intrigued by the opportunity to train this little runaway jedi survivior!!!

honestly idek the specifics of my own place in all this LOL tho i would very much love to also be jedi-adjacent where i teach megumi a little bit but have many things to learn myself. and we eventually become involved with the rebellion!!!! but tbh i wouldn’t be mad about just being some random chick too who has connections to gojo or something lmao

oh oh and i feel like megumi reunites with tsumiki at some point as well and she’s also potentially a big reason we’re roped into the rebellion. but something happens to her and it really motivates megumi to do better 🥲 she doesn’t have to die LOL but i’m envisioning something along the lines of being gravely injured to where her ass has to be kept in a bacta tank or smth long-term. similar to her canon comatose state pre-culling games arc y’know

TOJI NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS TOO SOMEHOW i mean he could easily be dead like in canon but i think it would be cool if he was still out there slingin’ blasters and vibroblades and collecting credits thinking that his jedi kid got killed in the big purge. BUT HE DIDN’T 👀 and tsumiki could’ve still been in contact with him at some point so there’s like a ~connection~ idk the possibilities are endless!!!!

anyways i think megumi’s story as a little jedi survivor would be amazing ❤️ it’s giving a bit of kanan jarrus tbh ❤️ if i had the brain juice i would make this a whole Thing. but for now here are my crazy thoughts!!!!!

[jarmes]

Homestuck: Beyond Canon Fanfic - Yiffy's Mother

The first thing Yiffy notices is that the woman standing before her looks like her mother. She has her long, messy dark hair, the big glasses, the protruding teeth, and the pointy white ears. Except, she’s young. Younger than Yiffy, maybe. And, the smell is wrong. She smells like dried blood. She hovers in the air, with eyes darker than the darkest night, and stares at Yiffy.

Yiffy growls.

Use your words, Yiffany.

the imposter says without moving her lips. Yiffy winces as the words appear in her brain, overriding her thoughts, keeping her from thinking about anything but the imposter’s command.

YIFFY: FUCK YOU

DAVE: oh shit boss i dont think doggy girl is happy to see you

The imposter’s retainers emerge from the shadows. To her left stands a troll with red wings, curved horns, and a massive smile. Something about her makes Yiffy afraid, more afraid than she’s ever been. To the imposter’s right is a metal man with red sunglasses, holding a sword. She recognizes him from the photos. Dave Strider, her mom’s husband, deceased for several years. He has no face, just the sunglasses, making it impossible to ascertain his emotion.

You’ve traveled far to reach us. Past the plot point, through the darkest reaches of space. Do you know why?

YIFFY: TO KILL YOU

That is what you think your purpose is. Unfortunately, this is the moment is pulled away and the wizard is revealed to be a man, a simple inventor who has controlled his kingdom through endless lies. Do you know why you want to kill me?

YIFFY: BECAUSE YOU KILLED MY FRIENDS

I did. But that is not why you are here. You are here because I have willed it.

YIFFY: FUCK YOU

You are repeating yourself.

Yiffy snarls at the demon wearing her mother’s face. She charges forward and lunges at the imposter. The retainers stop her. Yiffy freezes, midair, as the troll summons glowing hears. She can’t move, no matter how hard she tries. She feels like she’s choking as her lungs are locked in place by the power of a god.

Strider holds his sword up to Yiffy’s throat. With a single motion, he could kill her. If she wasn’t frozen, she would try and bite him.

DAVE: you need to get a cool sword

DAVE: or a shitty one i guess

DAVE: the point is you probably could have hit her with a bit more reach

DAVE: like wed all think you had failed and then you would say youre already dead and a bunch of blood would explode out like in a samurai film

Dave.

DAVE: plus it fits with the family bloodline and stuff

DAVE: youre my niece right

DAVE: nice to meet you

DAVE: i like the nostalgia critic outfit

Dave.

ARADIA: dave i think youre talking too much again

DAVE: yeah that happens

Strider sheathes his sword and the troll unfreezes time. Yiffy crashes down onto the floor in front of the imposter.

ARADIA: if its any consolation

ARADIA: death isnt really a big deal

ARADIA: lots of people die

ARADIA: weve all died

ARADIA: me and dave again and again

ARADIA: your friends are probably having the time of their lives!!!

Yiffy spits on the imposter’s leg. She doesn’t react.

You are not here to kill me. Because, of course, that could not happen unless I allowed it, and dying now would be inconvenient for my duties. You are here because I have allowed you to come here, my child.

YIFFY: YOU ARENT MY MOM

Correct. I am not Jade Harley, although I have been using her corpse as an outfit for many years. But, in many ways, I am more a parent to you than either of your mothers.

YIFFY: WHAT

My name is Calliope. Not the fearful murdered side character hiding in your grandmother’s basement, the better version. A version of Calliope who won. I created you, Yiffany. You would not exist if not for my intervention.

YIFFY: FUCK OFF

Let me tell you a story.

DAVE: yay storytime

Once, there was a group of children, who were ripped from their lives and forced to play a terrible game. The game broke them down, through pain and death, and rebirthed them as heroes. A terrible man, my brother, served as the ultimate boss of this game. Those heroes, rather than follow the path the game set before them, ran away to a paradise called Earth C. I became the shepherd of this Garden of Eden and watched as they lived happy lives. But, one of them, the Prince, was unsatisfied with happiness. He wanted the story to continue. And, to continue, it needed conflict. It needed a villain. A monster, a replacement for my brother. The Prince decided to be that become that villain. He escaped from Earth C so he could spread pain through existence. And, as the caretaker of a conflict-free world, it became my job to stop him.

YIFFY: WHAT THE FUCK DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING

The Prince is powerful. Almost as strong as me. He cannot be killed by conventional means. He is a metatextual being and can only be killed by a metatextual weapon. You, Yiffany, are my weapon.

YIFFY: WHAT

The Prince has complete control over his piece of existence. The only way to kill him is with something that should have never existed. A concept so ungodly stupid that, if he were to ever come into contact with it, he would cease to be.

To defeat my foe, I was forced to damage my paradise. I controlled the heroes like puppets, making them do things they would never do. I forced them to create my weapon. First, I had your surrogate and her wife adopt and raise a clone of Vriska. A deeply, deeply bad concept. But, unfortunately, not bad enough. Next, I created your friend Tavros. A child of rape, born from a hero twisted beyond recognition. A cowardly boy molested by a clown. Surely he would be enough! And yet, he was not potent enough. But with you, I created perfection. 

Yiffany Longstocking Lalonde-Harley. You should not exist. You are a living plothole who exists because I forced your mothers to abandon their values. The Prince fears you, Yiffany. He knows that you can kill him.

YIFFY: WHY DID YOU MAKE VRISSY AND TAV IF YOU WERE JUST GOING TO KILL THEM

They ceased to have any purpose in my plans. And, when I restored my paradise to how it should have been, they could not have been part of it. Better to get them out of the way now. Besides, their deaths made it easy to control you.

YIFFY: NOBODY CONTROLS ME

The Prince was smart. He removed himself from my domain as soon as my plans began. But, I managed to chase him here, to this land of abominations. And you, you worthless abomination, you heard my words in your head and chased them here. You have never made a choice in your entire life. You are a puppet, dragged around by the string, deluding herself into thinking she’s in control. It’s sad, really.

Yiffy lunges at Calliope, but she’s too slow. The Muse teleports to the other side of the room, completely fine. Yiffy crawls to her feet.

YIFFY: IF I CAN KILL DIRK

YIFFY: THEN I CAN KILL YOU TOO

Correct. Unfortunately, you will not get the chance.

YIFFY: ILL KILL STRIDER AND THE TROLL

YIFFY: MAKE YOU FEEL HOW I FELT WHEN YOU KILLED TAV AND VRISSY

Calliope laughs. I don’t need the time players to defeat you. I am more powerful than you could possibly imagine.

Yiffy charges at her. After a few steps, she trips, falling onto the hard stone floor. As she tries to stand up, she feels a sharp pain in her chest. A heart attack, from years of annoying anger anger. She gasps for air, but the pain is too strong for her to even take in a breathe. She looks up at me, at her true mother. She realizes that I am controlling this, just as I have controlled everything. She knows that her only chance to live is to bow. Tiffany crawls to her feet and lowers her head.

Good girl. Let’s go kill the Prince.

[vibin-down-here]

Little Writeblr intro post!

Hi! I’m Arabella, transfem 18yo high school student (with no clue where to next) from Leipzig, Germany. Writing is my main hobby, I love spending hours in a coffee shop creating little stories at a table in the corner. Other than that, I love doing pencil sketches and dm’ing ttrpg’s with friends.

I mostly still post on twitter (@ vibe_but_tiny) until they let me into BlueSky, but this is where i go for writing / art stuff and fandom media.

Now, little intro to writing stuff i do, and all of my wip’s!

Angel of Small Death // Devil of Forgotten Things

My main wip! It started out as inspiration by a Hozier song (“angel of small death and the codeine scene”). The starting idea was a romance / opposing narratives between a security person and a thief in a Sci-fi / Cyper Punk dystopia. I don’t like writing the hard systems of Sci-fi and didn’t want to set this story with the elites, so the main conflict evolved into what it is now. Mars became the setting mostly because of how dismal life in a mars colony would actually be (and the current, frankly already dystopian plans for a corporate kingdom on mars that are driving private space ventures). I’m on 4 chapters, 5k words.

After a heist gone almost wrong in a facility way too secure for how unknown it is, Felix’s life is spared by an stranger on the security team he nicknames “Angel”. They keep encountering each other as Angel tries to prevent a major leak without killing Felix or alerting his teammates and Felix slowly uncovers the truth of how eldritch gods from the darkness beyond want to extinguish life and how the elites in space stations above made a deal with them for temporary fortune.

Like a Moth to the Stars

This started out as a self insert short story after I read a webtoon i really liked but thought had more potential (or, tbh, i was just getting impatient with waiting for updates). I’ve since written a proper framework, and mc2 is no longer just me.

Aimless high school graduate (yeah ok that part is still just me) Amelia suddenly changes her life when a temporary gig at a festival let’s her meet celebrity rock star Maria. (For complicated reasons) the two fall in love, and Amelia is lifted from her life to a turbulent maelstrom of celebrity drama and tours against both their wills (bc the label thinks it’ll boost Maria’s image mostly).

All that we Intend is Scrawled in Sand

Here I go again with the Hozier lyrics. This is just a writing exercise (start of a first chapter), but i think it has potential.

Gods don’t die, not really, but they crumple into basically humanoid beings with only small scale powers. That is as close as you can get to killing a god. A strained couple, a god of forests and one of the night, both killed by a new-fangled city god after one betrayed the other, must now set out to accomplish just that to save their god-children and, incidentally, the world.

Romance over Coffee

Despite what the *everything* about this might imply, this is actually not self-insert fic. It’s just inspired by a real series of events i actually experienced, where i started writing in a cafe, started dating the barista, applied for a job there and was rejected shortly after we broke up. It was just so fic-worthy, i had to. I’m one chapter in and have only the roughest of plans on where to go next.

No summary, i’m not an inch further than what actually happened to me.

Some others:

- Glimpses of a Venice Beyond the Veil (God apologises for past relationship misdeeds with scenic retreat to eldritch horror Venice to watch a world ending event like fireworks)

- Catching Fire on her Burning Heart (Girl accidentally becomes messenger from the beyond bc she can travel the path between and her new fae girlfriend asked for her help)