#blorbo from my mythologies <3

[tolkien-feels]

Things that are absolutely not canon but I Can Do What I Want so here's what I'm rotating. Sliiightly au depending on how you interpret some things, but:

Eonwe, whose might in arms is surpassed by none in Arda, stopping Feanor at the gates of Tirion to all but beg him to not try and fight Morgoth without the aid of the Valar

Eonwe hearing from Manwe the news about Thorondor helping rescue Maedhros, and having way too many conflicting emotions about it, because he is overcome by both love for Manwe and frustration that this is already bending the rules and he can't go fight Morgoth until the right time comes

Eonwe rushing from Valmar when Earendil comes and calling him looked for and longed for, and helping him plead the case for the War of Wrath

And after Morgoth is cast down, the sons of Feanor, right back where they started, refusing his wisdom and choosing to rebel, and again Eonwe won't stop them from leaving, unharmed even though they have killed people under Eonwe's command

Just. Eonwe who will fight Melkor in the Dagor Dagorath, getting to have a storyline about deeply grieving the fate of the Children of Iluvatar

[sincerelystesichorus]

astarion, anne carson, & autobiography of red - small character study blurb

In which I've written 40k words of Astarion character analysis fanfiction and I'm definitely still normal.

Astarion used to be blue, but ever since that night two centuries ago, he was reborn red. And he had spent at least the past century thinking that red was irreplaceable. It was – red, it was in his blood and the little blood Cazador would let him wring from rats, corroded and stained. His very life force. He was Cazador’s, his spawn, his jewel, his ruby. There was no cure for red. Not until you became the successful means to an end. He had been sure of it. Being red wasn’t good. It made everyone who wasn’t red, and that felt like most everyone, stare at you like you put off a certain aura… like they knew you were a monster that could only act off of instinct and emotion. And it was so frustrating, because parts of Astarion were blue still, knew what was better, but they were nothing in comparison to the suffocation of red. The emotions, and especially anger, fear, came on so strong. It was hard not to act on them, to test out what the boundaries of pure action were. Astarion knew the color and impulse all too well.

I expand way more on the idea of people as colors within my writing than Autobiography of Red does, where Geryon is the only one who is red. This further pushes Geryon's feelings of being separated from humanity in his narrative, but there's a lot of inherent evil and fucked up things within Faerun so I felt expanding on colors and specifically shades/hues was a better way to communicate this for Astarion.

Geryon's red is tied very instinctually to emotion though, and so representing red as a chaotic force of emotion in my fic didn't feel like too far a step. I took a lot of inspiration from Magic: the Gathering's color pie lol. While you never get an exact description of what's wrong with Geryon, you get a lot of the symptoms, reminiscent of some sort of innate childhood mental illness, on top of the obvious trauma present in his story.

Back to Astarion, though. I've just never not been able to code him with CPTSD, I think that's obvious, but I also know that poor bastard has a personality disorder skffkjdf. The game always hammers in he has no sense of self outside of his looks, which he can't even be sure of because he can't see himself. Astarion has to work his confidence and self-image off of memories of his body and face from two centuries ago, and from his master's word. Cazador has assigned him to this seduction role (or, I feel its at least implied that Astarion was ultimately forced into it because he was seen as the Szarr runt, he was pretty and easy to push around, and I'm also pretty sure Petras has a line about getting to eat dogs now and then?) and Astarion fulfills it because it's all he can do. All he feels good for. His actions aren't his own for two hundred years, and in a morbid way of coping with constant sexual trauma, he functions off of "Well, at least I'm pretty," but even that assumption comes from Cazador's rule.

Astarion had decided he was mostly pure red, splashes of black and blue coming in, bright and visible. The remnants of his past and an even deeper level of Cazador’s corruption, bruising his psyche.

Carson is again sparing with other color imagery as to fully emphasize Geryon feeling like this big red monster, but I love this little excerpt on fearful anger.

Black/shadow is already a strong force and theme within the game so it was easy to work with, acknowledging it as a sort of staining evil. Astrion has his later lines about how he never stopped viewing himself as Cazador's slave, and I think showing that corruption is obviously important. He's hurt but can still heal (as opposed to an ascended Astarion... who I have little if any hope for sdfkjdskf).

Cazador had spent the last two centuries branding it into his skin and mind, breaking his psyche to the point Astarion was worried there’d always be little cracks that remained. That he’d always be Cazador’s wilted poppy, ashamed and folding in on himself, his neck miserably drooped aside for the taking. 

Cazador is Astarion's Herakles, and I think that metaphor works even better considering that whole little side lore with Vellioth in the ruins. Herakles kills Geryon because he must, Geryon is a way for Herakles to ultimately reach a life free of consequence, but it's not like Herakles is innately malicious in the act. He is hardened after already facing so many labors and the trauma that was forced on him by Hera that induced his journey in the first place.

Cazador wants power, some part of him is probably truly convinced he's easier on his spawn than Vellioth was to him (a lot of insults to Astarion are about his feelings and "whining", Cazador feels vindicated in his trauma and is far gone), and sacrificing Astarion is simply a part of that journey. There is no world where their destinies do not intertwine. Geryon will always be pierced by Herakles, and Astarion wouldn't be the Astarion we know without being pierced by Cazador (and without his ultimate decision to finally separate himself from him, or to become him.) Astarion, understandably, will never not feel some sort of shame or agony over this moment, from natural emotions and I'm sure years of Cazador victim-blaming him. He consented to Cazador's help that night after all, didn't he? (And we simply won't acknowledge the coercion.)

Astarion’s attempts to prolong the inevitable were shattered by thick layers of stone suddenly slamming in front of his face, muffling sound and casting him into a void. He could hardly hear Cazador’s foul laugh as he departed. Astarion waited all night for Cazador to return. And then all of the next day, and the next one after that. Days became weeks. Weeks became months. Astarion started to agree that dying would have been easier. More peaceful. He had pondered hundreds of ways to attempt to kill himself while stuck in this abyss, the voices that had started developing only giving further inspiration, but it was impossible. He was sure.  All he could do was wait. Beat and claw at the stone around him. Curse. Repeat. Sometimes he'd wonder. If he'd ever get out of here. If Cazador would remember after forgetting. If this would be his forever. The voices began to recite to him again. Just how long eternity can be.

I think this is the greatest and most obvious similarity between these two, within Carson's retelling. Geryon feels somehow trapped and doomed by the narrative from his early childhood, and receives some blunt confirmation of it when he faces early sexual abuse. This affects his entire life, his early relationships. Geryon can't be older than ten in this excerpt, but knows the pain of isolation because of his trauma and for feeling different.

Astarion was plucked up by Cazador right out of law school. While for us it's not all that young, for elves he was fiercely immature, basically just starting to come into himself at his first big-boy job. Astarion was likely raised with a lot of privilege that also made him a bit more naive, his book smarts not meeting street smarts, which has him meet his end. In his undeath, that basically flips, Astarion plays his manipulation games and indulges in petty crime and seduction, unable to dedicate himself to studies. He reads and he's witty, but can you imagine the Astarion we know as a judge? It's giving Divorce Court. It's giving Judge Judy. (Honestly maybe that's what got him whacked in the first place.)

Astarion is already constrained to what Cazador lets him be as a slave. He's less than a person, and his own body is one of his greatest trauma sources.

All of this, to be punished so supremely when making an act of slight self-preservation. Astarion wanting to maintain some of his principles and let someone go. It becomes his greatest regret, his worst and most defining punishment. It's how Cazador breaks him.

I restructure some of the circumstances within my fic, as to better tie in the main romance, but it still functions as a punished act of self-preservation for Astarion. I'm also sure most people are familiar with the pain that solitary confinement can bring, but if not, it's genuinely inhumane and dehumanizing. Lack of stimulation is extremely damaging to the psyche, I wrote in Astarion breaking into psychotic episodes while enclosed, but even in game, he speaks about going catatonic. I'm sure minorly from exhaustion after fighting, but also from the isolation. His mind likely just drifted and dissociated beyond belief, and I can't imagine it. This is my favorite piece of Astarion's story we are given, it really is just so pivotal and heartbreaking, to be punished for having freewill in the most objectifying circumstances.

In summary to Astarion Ancunin I just sorta feel like this I guess...

ddfsdfdk but yeah just emo about my poor boy feeling so weird and disconnected yet so drowned in his own emotions you know...

[my homage to autobiography of red, fic series page, my ao3 page]

[fuck-you-upmusicbracket]

If I Killed Someone For You (Alec Benjamin)

Would you love me more/If I killed someone for you/Would you hold my hand/They're the same ones that I used

"the first 2/3 of the song are just confessing to this hypothetical murder and trying to gauge the response and supportiveness from the "you" in the song— and THEN it hits hard with the verse: "You have to understand that The one I killed is me Changing what I was For what you wanted me to be I followed your direction Did everything you asked I hope that makes you happy Cause there's just no turning back" and it's just. holy shit. i. i don't even know that to say past that. it's just so. wow. like the fact that the entire song is seeking comfort, aid, and approval for this theoretical murder, approval that seems to never come based on the tone of the song...... truly feels so much like grieving the futility of changing yourself for someone who isn't even listening. incredible blorbo song and hits hard. definitely fucks me up at a solid 8/10."

Loki (The Mechanisms)

Flashes like camera bulbs fire in my brain/Is this truly me, am I going insane?/In faint bloody flashes I watch people die/And if that was me, then who am I?

"This one has some context behind it, the album is Norse mythology-inspired scifi and Loki had been helping Odin build a train that would travel through space, specifically a wormhole in space. Loki then attempted to blow up the train and killed Baldr in the process. She was sentenced to death and executed, except Odin lied to everyone and did not execute her. Odin instead fucked up her memories so that she (Odin) could still use Loki's knowledge of the train. This song is Loki grasping for her memories and being unable to keep hold of them. A few songs later we see Sigyn, her wife, finding her and Loki doesn't know who she is"

"JUST. WOW"

[ilminnestrone]

Hi, I'm Kei! I'm an Swiss-Italian queer person with a formal diagnosis for Level 1 Autism and High Cognitive Potential with a minor language impairment (I struggle with non-literal communication).

I'm trying to keep this blog a safe space, and safe spaces do not exist without conflict. Safety is built through constant conversation and taking tough stands against those who threaten that safety: this means that to protect safe spaces, they can't be safe for unsafe people. That means that I'll block bullies and who associate with them regardless of my personal sympathies.

In my everyday life I am an activist, but this is my recreational space, therefore I won't post or engage with political content. However, I'm not a separate entity from my political and ethical self, so I will block anyone who offends my most cherished values (aka basic human and animal rights), and more often than not my struggles and believes can be clearly deduced.

People of any age and background with similar values/interests are welcome, but keep in mind that I do engage with NSFW content.

Do please slip in my DMs if my presentation didn't scare you!

Do please send me an ask about my blorbos!

Do please leave me a comment if you liked my fics!

I might rarely participate in roleplay or collaborative fanwork.

Final Fantasy VII (Compilation) ❤️ Genesis Rhapsodos, Sephiroth, Angeal Hewley, Rufus Shinra 🚢 AGS, GenGeal, GenSeph, SephGeal, Tsengru, Sefikura, Zakkura, Zaerith, Cloti, Zaerith + Cloti, Aerti, Valenwind, Strifesodos, AeriSeph 💀 Yuffentine, ZackGeal, AGSCZ (and Adult x Minor ships in general)

The Vampire Chronicles (3/15) ❤️ Armand 🚢 Armandaniel, Marius/Amedeo, Lestat/Nicolas

Others 🎮 Age of Mythology, Resident Evil, Devil May Cry 🎸 Arctic Monkeys, The Last Shadow Puppet, Gackt 🎥 Doctor Who, Sailor Moon, Good Omens

[amphibifish]

any prns . minor

hi hi ! i'm fish and i post norse mythology + norse myth adjacent media (mostly maloki), alongside animanga (watamote esp.) avenue q, and vocaloid + proseka. very occasional oc stuff. i also draw/animate a lot !!

mutuals + followers if we've spoken like more than once feel free to ask for my discord :3 !!!

ave q document . ao3 . my art

no real dni i will block if i don't like you -- don't repost my art on other platforms -- not norse pagan i treat them like blorbo from my edda

[wwillywonka]

wwillywonka's Interests

(links are in red)

-here is my super long, super detailed list of the things i blog about. if you read the whole thing, you're amazing and i love you. thanks<33 -a more comprehensive list of my interests can be found here. i update it often. -please for the love of god do yourself a favour and listen to blooms by arthur sharpe

Willy Wonka/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

special interest since 2014

read my ongoing willy character study fic here

my willy playlist

beside the original dahl books, the 2005 movie is the best and most superior version. i believe this with my whole body, mind, and soul and cannot be convinced otherwise.

other favorite versions of canon: gareth snook on the recent uk tour, gene wilder (of course). see gareth snook’s take on willy’s character here

i have consumed every single piece of wonka related media/content that is reasonably available to the public including horrible elementary school productions on youtube and random college theses. i consider myself the foremost expert about anything and everything regarding willy and can get defensive if that is challenged. i am also aware that i take this way too seriously considering willy is just a silly little fucked up guy who forever ruined my taste in men in my preteens. but i stand by my opinions.

i’ve also been writing a very self-indulgent willy x oc (ross able) fic for nearing 4 years now and have yet to publish it in any capacity. that being said, i tend to talk about it in tags for my own reference, so if you’re ever curious to know more, feel free to ask<3.

i do not support roald dahl, tim burton, or johnny depp in any way. their existences are entirely separate from my enjoyment of catcf. bigotry and prejudice are not tolerated on this blog.

i think the prequel is fine but unnecessary. it’s so whatever to me that i sometimes forget it exists.

i am literally charlie bucket (so obsessed with willy wonka that my parasocial need to be in a weird friendship with him is all-consuming and the only thing that keeps me going). if you ship any of the literal children ticket winners with willy, get off my blog.

willy is my specialist girl, a genius inventor evil capitalist, the blorbo i spin around in my brain 24/7 and want to put in a microwave, my wife, and also the absolute worst guy to ever do it. she is my everything. they’re just a sad gay twink. he’s even bigger than jesus.

Jesus Christ Superstar

the 1973 movie has been one of my favorites since childhood but i became obsessed after seeing the musical on stage in 2023.

yes i connect everything i liked about jcs back to willy and my other fav characters :)

things i write and blog about that are perfectly captured in jcs:

being mortal and being a god are not so different

the line between godhood and celebrityhood being more blurred the further society progresses. both are corruption

toxic, all-consuming co-dependency

sacrificing everything that makes one human for the sake of the “greater good”; becoming unrecognisable, becoming a monster (metaphorically and/or literally)

faith in something that ultimately betrays

being gay and being supppeerr dramatic about it

Alice in Wonderland

i love all versions but have a soft spot for the 2010 movie

fav character: the mad hatter/tarrant hightopp

the 2009 miniseries is weirdly good

alice in wonderland is a war story. to me.

i feel similarly about alice through the looking glass 2016 as i do about wonka 2023

once again, i’ve been writing a fic based off the 2010 movie for years but have yet to publish any part of it. one day, i promise.

Loki

my love for loki started in 2012 when i saw the first avengers movie in theaters but has since grown into a love of norse mythology and its extended history and lore. loki by mevlin burgess is one of my favorite books and is, in my opinion, the best portrayal of the character in recent years. neil gaiman’s norse mythology is also great.

i love tom hiddleston so so so so much<33. he is a phenomenal actor and also a really nice man and deserves so much more recognition than just being “that hot guy who played that villain in marvel.” i recently had the pleasure of sitting in the audience for an interview he did and it was the best day of my entire life. only lovers left alive is one of my favorite movies.

i hate the disney+ show except for the literal last 20 minutes of the last episode which gave me everything i’ve ever wanted out of a loki story.

i used to be really, really, really, extremely into marvel but pretty much stopped caring after endgame (which i feel is the case for a lot of people). that being said, i still love tony stark and spider-man, particularly the toby mcguire movies (cough cough…alfred molina as doc ock <3333).

Star Trek

obsessed with tos and tng, particularly the movies (undiscovered country is my fav!). huge fan of picard. don't really care about the aos movies or a lot of the newer series. i'm also currently watching voyager (janeway is insane i love her).

spent a lot of my nerd life not understanding the appeal until i started watching tng in april 2023 and swiftly became Aware of why it's one of the most famous franchises of all time. also as someone who's super interested in fandom history, particularly queer fandom history, i don't know why i didn't get into trek sooner.

spock is my fav character because he is literally me. i am always crying over him. no one understands spock like i do (<- is exaggerating knowing he is one of the most famous characters in all of pop culture history). we are both mixed race and jewish. we are both autistic and queer. there is literally no other character whose mixed identity is portrayed so well and as such a significant aspect of their story, and i (along with so many others) see so many of the internal conflicts he deals with in myself, particularly when it comes to his relationship with his parents.

sarek's biggest hater. like bestie, YOU married the human.

data is my second fav. mccoy is a close third. picard is a very close fourth. unification pt 1&2 are my fav trek episodes!!!

huge spirk/spones/mcspirk shipper. because duh.

Doctor Who

my favorite show since 2012

fav doctor: capaldi

fav companions/other characters: donna, river, missy/the master. and yes, the tardis

fav episode: heaven sent

murray gold invented music and is everything i aspire to be as a composer

please no moffat discourse i will block you

that being said, chibnall ruined doctor who. jodie whittaker deserved so much better and i do not blame her, an amazing actress, for the horrible writing she had to work with.

currently working my way through classic who and the eu

Other Notable Favorites

Nightmare Before Christmas

Danny Elfman/Oingo Boingo

The Mighty Boosh/Noel Fielding/BritCom

Flowers/Will Sharpe Films

Good Omens

Frankenstein

Shakespeare

Dan and Phil

Adventure Time

Wes Anderson Films

The Beatles

The Picture of Dorian Gray/Oscar Wilde

The Adventure Zone/The McElroys

AURORA

Other Things I Blog About

Robots & cyborgs, dolls

Body segmentation/body horror

Fashion/Fiber Arts

Nostalgia

Clowns

Nature

thanks if you read this far xoxo

[dragonairice]

LOWKEY BEEN INSPIRED BY @not-sure-what-im-feeling s AWESOME OCS AND LORE (Go check them out)

And it inspired me to talk about MY ocs :D

I mention in passing that I am in fact writing a novel, but I try to avoid saying too much to prevent spoilers buuuuut I think I can keep it vague enough while still rambling <3

The novel (technically a novella) is called 'The Shadow Walker' and here's a draft of a blurb:

With no friends, an absent mom, an abusive dad, and a shadow that inexplicably went missing; Nicholas Walker is convinced his life couldn’t possibly get any worse. But everything changes when he meets something (or someone) who may or may not want him dead.

(Not the best but again it;s a draft)

ANYWAY THIS IS MY BOY NICHOLAS

He's 12 years old and a selective mute and my scrungliest little blorbo who experiences the horrors™. He doesn't have any friends, is neglected by his parents, and all in all has a bad time before the book starts :(

The only source of healthy food in the house (he borrows money from his dad and goes to the store alone) but is severely malnourished from eating nothing more than reheated takeout his dad left in the fridge. Nick doesn't talk verbally unless it's to his dad (out of necessity) and otherwise converses in ASL (which I'm learning for this book <3). Loves pretty buildings and stargazing, has a dream of visiting things like Notre Dame and the colloseum some day and is fascinated by architecture. I just realised that this kid would adore Minecraft but anyway after things get better for him he's given Lego models of like the eiffel tower and he loves them :)

Gonna stop before I spend the entire post talking about my boy and move onto

HIS MOMM

You know that thing that's like, "Not a bad person, just a bad parent"? Yeah. That's her. She ran away from her abusive boyfriend and left Nick behind out of fear, since she didn't know if she could survive by herself, much less with a child in tow. She ends up leaving with her best friend and they travel around the world a lot for their job. They're a musician who plays back up for bands in different places and Rachel ends up learning to play some stuff too after watching them for so long. The two end up dating at some point and they've been together ever since. Rachel still sends Nicholas a postcard every time she travels to a new place, but she doesn't have the courage to actually see him in person yet. Also fun fact. She's descended from a woman who was killed for being a 'witch' during the salem trials. This is relevant to the story :3

Do I have to talk about his dad??? Ughhhhh fine

This is Gregory Walker. I hate him. bye.

Not but fr, he's a terrible father. Works at a convenience store and his co-workers fear him. Lives off of take-out and instant ramen, never checks on his son. Spends all his money gambling and buying alchohol. Literally would not notice if he missed an entire month of his life (*cough* foreshadowing *cough*)

ANYWAY ONTO TWO OF MY FAVOURITES

LEXI AND CHELSEAAA

Lexi is a single mom who grew up kinda spoiled and is still figuring out how to raise a kid. Her parents are kinda helpful about it but also she doesn't want to raise Chelsea how she was raised so hgjhrj. Chelsea was orignally planned to be autistic since this entire book is a transparent cover for neurodivergent rep but the version of her in my head is so very ADHD instead. They only show up near the end of the book so I'm still experimenting with them a bit but Lexi is a huge book worm and Chelsea loves unicorns, like, I mean in the 'mythology is cool way' not the 'stereotypical girl behaviour' way. She does love pink things and sparkles though

THERE IS ANOTHER CHARACTER BUT THEY'RE A SPOILERRRR BUT I WILL JUST SAY THEY ARE NOT HUMAN AND ALSO WHAT THE TITLE OF THE BOOK IS TALKING ABOUT

(It's a sentient shadow, that's- do you get the pun in the name- there's three references in it-)

[chaosgremlinmunson]

writers 20 questions

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

17 currently, will be 18 once I post my exchange fic 

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

24,672

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Stranger Things, I used to write for Harry Potter but stopped for obvious reasons, supernatural though I haven't in quite a while.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

5. Do you respond to comments? 

I try to respond to them as soon as I see them but sometimes I don't see the comments until a long while later.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Probably 'And Who Will Save Your Soul?' Although, I do try to have happy endings on all my fics.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

My exchange fic I haven't posted yet called Foot Meet Mouth, but of the ones I've posted? Fae Steddie Though this is still a work in progress 

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not on AO3 but I have gotten comments telling me to stop inserting Steddie into everything and that I'm dumb, which…hello? This is clearly a Steddie blog, if you're not into that, why interact??

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I've started recently, it's not my strong suit. Mainly it's been M/M smut, with lots of fluff.

10. Do you write crossovers?

Less crossovers and more taking my blorbos and plopping them into a different universe.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I don't think so, but that would be neat if it ever happened.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not yet.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

You're asking me, the Steddie blog, what my favorite ship is? Oh, that's easy, it's Chaos and Smut. 🤣🤣

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you will?

Fae Steddie, But that's due to the fact that I need to gather all the characters and figure out what character has what ability, characteristics, if they are faerie or fae creature etc etc etc.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I've been told I can be funny or make people feel good from the fluff? I'm not too sure, I like to think I'm good with descriptions.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I ramble ALOT and lose my train of thought easily.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

Honestly, I've done it but it terrifies me and I always seek out a native speaker to run the linguistics by so that the dialogue will make sense.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

My Chemical Romance, I was just a baby emo in love with Ray and Gerard. 🖤🖤

20. Favorite fic you've written?

Probably Fae Steddie so far because I'm obsessed with the game and all mythology.

I was tagged by @klausinamarink , thank you!!

I'll tag: @apomaro-mellow @bleedingoptimism @corrodedbisexual @epiclazershark @frankenstein-ate-my-left-shoe @henderdads @judasofsuburbia

And anyone else who'd like to do this.

[yakuzacanons]

I realize this is not the typical request you get so pls ignore if u don't wanna write it, it's totally fine. :3 I'd like some headcanons for the blorbos as supernatural creatures!

Hi hi hello hello, sorry it took so long to get this one done. I've actually been planning it out since I got it because it's not one I can do easily off the top of my head. I wanted to incorporate as much stuff as I could so it took a while to really lay thoughts down finally. Anyways, here it IS. It includes supernatural and mythological creatures from multiple cultures, btw. Sorry if I missed any particular faves.

Kiryu Kazuma: Dragon

Bit on the nose but our Kiryu can't be anything but a dragon. Powerful to a point of being otherworldly and with a driving fire in his belly, Kiryu is dragon similar to that of Haku from Spirited Away. He is simaltaneously tormented by his spiritual being but also extremely conscious of his abilities and how to use them. Sometimes he fears the sharpness of his own claws and wonders if his powers couldn't be used for something better or at the very least gentler.

Majima Goro: Ouroboros

With his snakeskin jacket, Majima is an ouroboros in walking human form. Known as the snake that holds its own tail in its mouth, Majima is his own best friend and worst enemy. His lifestyle of being on the absolute razor edge has left him holding his own fate in his hands, or in some cases, his mouth. He constantly lives in a state of holding on to his own past or biting it off entirely and becoming someone separate from it.

Saejima Taiga: Werewolf

Equally sensitive as he is strong, a werewolf is the perfect personification of who Saejima is and his internal struggle. He's very much a man who has a love/hate relationship with his supernatural struggle. On one hand, it makes him able to protect those he loves and stand up for what's right. On the other hand, he feels like he's controlled by it more than anything. He often questions if there's more to his life than brutish force.

Akiyama Shun: Centaur

Swift and steadfast like a stallion, all with the charisma and temperment of a human being. Handsome by nature but stands out in his own special way. Although he is prone to living lazily in his own comfort, when push comes to shove, he wouldn't hesitate to race to your side when you need him. Also really good at kicking people really hard.

Tanimura Masayoshi: Moon Rabbit

Small but mighty. Typically found alone despite having connections to other beings or even working under other more powerful creatures. Agile and has a penchant for sweet foods. Many people see him but truly do not know much about him.

Ryuji Goda: Basilisk

Similar to Kiry, Ryuji embodies a powerful snake-like creature. Although Ryuji also has great physical force, his form is slightly more reserved in that respect. If he desired, he could simply destroy another person with so much as a glance, choosing to raise his fists only for fights and people he deems truly worthy.

Nishikiyama Akira: Shachihoko

With the body of a carp and the head of a dragon, Nishiki's tattoo is truly the embodiment of what kind of mythological creature he would be. Always trailing the cusp of greatness, Nishiki finds himself trying to evolve while also struggling to remain true to himself. It's this very struggle that in the end either transforms him entirely into one being or the other or simply tears him apart.

Daigo Dojima: Sphinx

Daigo is a multifaceted person with a complex life, which only makes it fitting that his supernatural form be equally complicated. Part man, part lion, and part eagle, Daigo in his older age is a balance of brute strength, intelligence, and justice. He tries his hardest to embody the best of all these qualities but struggles to find the balance within himself. Sometimes this drive to be the best of everything leads him astray, blinding him from what really matters.

Mine Yoshitaka: Chimera

Our mysterious Mine is not understood by anyone. He's truly an engima, with his form changing varying on the situation he's in and who's nearby. Sometimes Mine doesn't know who he is and loses himself in between these transformations. Ultimately, it's this constant desire to change himself that is the end of him.

Tatsuo Shinada: Tanuki

Playful yet mysterious, Shinada is a shapeshifting tanuki that transforms as he needs to survive. Mostly content to get by day to day, saying and doing what he must to make it to yet another day. Partial to free stuff, snacks, and lying through his teeth to avoid hard work or responsibilities.

Ichiban Kasuga: Phoenix

Wonder-boy Ichiban cannot die. Even at his lowest, he doesn't die, he simply transforms and shines even brighter. Although constantly pushing harder and forward in life does tire him out, he always comes back stronger than ever. Somtimes even he's amazed at what he's capable of when he puts his mind to it.

Yu Nanba: Ratatoskr

Known in Norse mythology as the messenger between the eagles Yggdrasil and the serpent Niohoggr, Nanba's time as a homeless man has caused him to observe all walks of life and made him a silent but observant person. Known more his brains than his brawn, Nanba finds ways to be of importance without necessarily shedding blood, either his own or someone else's.

Koichi Adachi: Minotaur

All brawn no brains, our Adachi. He's got a good heart in there somewhere deep down but the years have made him a little jaded. Fears his only purpose is to hand out ass whoopings and nothing else meaningful. Once he gets really riled up, good luck with that fight. The man can really pummel when he feels like it. Spends most of his alone time just doing his own thing. No one really knows what else he does, honestly.

Tianyou Zhao: Qilin

Known as a symbol of good luck, Zhao floats through life either trying his best to give better fortune to others or just getting extremely lucky himself. He tries to make it appear as though it's easy or that it comes naturally to him, but he does exert quite a bit of effort underneath the surface.

Joon-Gi Han: Selkie

Depending on the situation he's in, he can either put on or remove the skin necessary to preserve his own life. Often feels like a fish out of water, pun intended. Typically alone but people find themselves drawn to him anyways, mostly for his physical beauty. Beneath his desirable outer appearance, he harbors great power.

[wellbelesbian]

20 questions for fic writers!

tysm for tagging me @bazzybelle, it took me a while to get around to this but it was a lot of fun!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

37!

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

113,598, not bad.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

mostly the Simon Snow Trilogy, but I have a couple of Greek Mythology/Epic Cycle fanfics too. i used to write for Percy Jackson and Marve, but not anymore.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

two old Marvel fics are right at the top, then it’s:

i want the love on your wrist (oh give me the heart on your neck), the first explicit work i’ve ever written, maybe a sign i should write more.

The Tale of the Two Merwolves, which I wrote with a bunch of other lovely people in the fandom

Everything I Am Not, my COTTA fic from 2020

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

yes, I always try to!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

definitely crimson, my COTTA fic from 2022, but a close second is Visions, a little Trojan War Helenus fic i still really like.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

well a lot of my fics have fairly happy endings, but I’d say All That She Wants, an Agatha-centric fic, and Happier Memories, a proposal fic, have the most hopeful endings.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

no, I don’t think I ever have, luckily!

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

only twice so far, though I have another stewing in my brain that might get written. I can’t really say i'm limited to a certain “type” though, i’m pretty versatile, pun intended.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

no, they’re not really my thing.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not to my knowledge! i hope not.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

back when i used to write on wattpad i got some DMs asking to translate my fics and i always agreed, but i don’t know if they ever followed through.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

yes, i really love doing so! I wrote a stucky fic with one of my friends years ago, but we never ended up posting it anywhere. also, the two aforementioned marvel fics were co-written with another (now ex) friend, and the tale of two merwolves was written as part of a group.

14. What’s your all time favourite ship?

snowbaz, definitely. it’s been my longest-running OTP (do people still say OTP?) and i’ve written so any fics for it.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

hmm, i’ve only got 3 wips and i think i’ll finish them all eventually, but blow on the tinder and we are slaves to the gods are definitely on the back burner for now.

16. What are your writing strengths?

i’ve been told i’m good at writing dialogue, which is good because that’s two thirds of all the words i write.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

descriptions and anything sappy, which gives me second hand embarrassment.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

i tend to shy away from it, but if i do i always put it in italics and will put a translation in the notes unless it’s super obvious, and like when other authors do the same.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Percy Jackson! I wrote so much solangelo and was actually pretty popular on wattpad, one of my fics broke a million hits which is still insane to me. i still get the occasional message asking me to come back and finish my fics, but i logged out of that account in 2018 and am not going back.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

oh, that’s hard. i’m really enjoying writing Shoulder To Shoulder right now, but i still love All That She Wants and Liar Liar. i also really love I’m On My Way To Believing, which is a greek mythology Pyrrhus/Hermione fic. they’re my blorbos. but i’d have to say my all-time favourite will always have to be the first carry on fic i ever wrote, which got me out of a years long writing slump: Rats.

i don't know who has already done this, so i'll just tag @ileadacharmedlife @prettygoododds @aroace-genderfluid-sheep @imagineacoolusername @ic3-que3n @forabeatofadrum @aristocratic-otter @larkral @hushed-chorus @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @youarenevertooold @artsyunderstudy @alexalexinii @shrekgogurt and @j-nipper-95

[galadhir]

Tagged by @aintgonnatakethis and @judgeverse

Thank you! :)

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

88

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

802,066

3. What fandoms do you write for?

I'm a serial monogamist as far as fandoms go, concentrating on one at a time until I move on to the next. Over the past 15 years I've written

Star Wars (Prequel trilogy - all about Qui-Gon Jinn)

Tolkien fandom (all about Celeborn)

Pirates of the Caribbean (started off with Commodore Norrington/Jack Sparrow, couldn't make it work for me and jumped sideways into Norrington and Lt. Gillette)

Marvel - (the Thor movies reactivated a nascent fascination with Loki, so I dragged a whole bunch of mythology into the MCU fandom.)

Stargate Universe (all about Colonel Young)

Star Wars (Sequel trilogy - all about General Hux)

The Untamed (all about Jin Guangyao)

I've also done a couple of little shorts for Torchwood, Motive and Talented Mr Ripley

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

A Kindness Repaid - in which Loki and Captain America become friends

Supervillain Honeymoon - someone wrote a fic in response to A Kindness Repaid in which Loki and Steve got married, so I had to write a fic in response to that, in which I figured out how the Asgardians and the Avengers would take the news

The Same Last Name and the Same Coloured Eyes - in which Jin Zixuan decides to be a good big brother to Jin Guangyao, and averts most of the tragedy of The Untamed as a result

Defying His Doom - in which Doctor Doom inspires Loki to improve his public image, and they end up winning a Nobel Peace Prize.

Stepping Stones - an epic Stargate Universe fic I wrote with @seekingidlewild, in which an accident with the communication stones leaves Rush and Young bodyswapped and all communication from Earth cut off

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Of course I do! I've met all my best fandom friends by chatting with them in the comments of fic (mine and theirs.) Also who doesn't love talking to people about their writing?

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I tend to avoid angsty endings if I can. That said, it's probably Battle of the Golden Wood which ends with Galadriel and Celeborn saying goodbye, as she leaves Middle-earth and he refuses to follow.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Hard to say - I tend to make them all as happy as possible. If I can save the world at the same time, I'll do that too. Maybe Seeds of Old Trees, which gets Celeborn and Galadriel back together and sets Tolkien's elves on a path towards a future of exploring outer space.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I have had some rude and entitled comments. People trying to convince me that my blorbo is actually a terrible person who should be locked up (SGU) or that my understanding of the lore is faulty (Tolkien) and therefore I should have written a different story from the one I actually wrote. But I wouldn't really call that hate.

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Heh, it's funny. I came into fanfic repressed and writing gen. Then I unpacked the repression, had about ten years writing slash, during which I discovered the queer community, wrestled with God and came out as an asexual queer Christian. Then I leaned into the asexuality and ended up writing gen again.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

In general I don't, but the craziest one is also the only one I've written - Strange Meetings in which Qui-Gon crash lands in Middle-earth and meets Legolas. They were going to go to the drowned ruins of Doriath and recover a Silmaril, but I lost interest after a couple of chapters.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

The same last name and the same coloured eyes has been translated into Russian, and I think one of my Tolkien fics was translated into Chinese, but that was on a non-Ao3 site.

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Absolutely! I wrote a number of Elu Thingol/Celeborn fics in the Tolkien fandom with Mirien, and Stepping Stones (where Rush and Young are bodyswapped, and Skipping Stones (where Young is age-regressed into a child) with @seekingidlewild

I loved it! It's a great experience writing with someone whose writing you already enjoy. Lots of bouncing ideas off each other and excitement - and of course it's half as hard and twice as fast as doing it all yourself.

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

I don't think I have one. I'm honestly a single blorbo at a time writer, and I will read and write fics in which that blorbo is paired with just about anyone. I'm not particularly bothered which ship they're in.

I do have a soft spot for Rush/Young though, because they have such in-your- face dysfunctional obsessional chemistry on the show. And in contrast I also love Xiyao (Lan Xichen/Jin Guangyao) because they are so obviously in such a gentle, radiant sort of love, that I choose to believe would have survived the revelation of Jin Guangyao's multiple murders.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I would have said Do Not Bear Grudges, which was going to be my JGY resurrection fic, but it fought me so hard that I ended up deleting what I'd already written and I'm glad to have it gone.

I still vaguely wish that I had finished The Stolen Ones however, which was about Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi and was jossed by the Jedi Apprentice books. (I still think mine was better.)

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think I'm pretty good at description/settings/worldbuilding, and I often have an unusual take on things due to my non-neurotypicalness.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I'm not great at giving each character their own unique voice, so my dialogue can get a bit samey. Also I forget that characters can lie - all my characters pretty much tell the truth all the time, which makes it difficult writing the kind of sneaky characters I so love, like Loki, JGY later movies!Hux and even Rush.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I could not do it. Massive respect and kudos to anyone who writes in a second language. It is beyond me.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, when it first came out. The internet was on dial-up and fandom was on yahoo groups. It was the first time in my life I'd ever been able to speak to other sci-fi geeks like myself. An amazing experience, and good times!

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

I know it's cheating a bit to choose more than one, but these three hang together as a series, telling the story of Celeborn and Galadriel from first meeting, to tragic parting and final reunion Oak and Willow, Battle of the Golden Wood, and Seeds of Old Trees. At about 140,000 words, it's a good size novel. And of all the characters I've stanned over the years I still feel Celeborn needed me the most. (Though Colonel Young comes a close second there.)

tagging @seekingidlewild @darthlenaplant @darthnostra @wyomingnot @gamebird

and anyone else who wants to have a go! :)

[bizarre-blorbo-bracket]

Round 1 poll 12: Lleu Llaw Gyffes from Welsh mythology vs The Penitent One from Blasphemous

Propaganda under the cut:

Lleu Llaw Gyffes:

His name is “the blonde guy with good aim” in old Welsh. Like that isn’t the meaning of his name, his name is LITERALLY “Blonde Guy With Good Aim” because he and his morally dubious wizard surrogate father had to trick his absent mother into giving him a name and that was the best he could get away with. He had a wife literally created out of flowers specifically to be his wife and he was such a cold neglectful husband that she cheated on him and then murdered him with the help of her lover. He is invulnerable UNLESS he is: pierced with a lance that was crafted only on Sundays over the span of a year AND it’s thrown at him whilst he’s straddling a river with one foot on the back of a goat. And he STILL doesn’t manage to avoid getting killed because his wife goes “Lleu I’m so worried about you :(((( won’t you show me the very specific manner in which someone could murder you…to ease my mind” and he didn’t find this suspicious at all so immediately demonstrated it to her and then was surprised when her lover pops out and chucks the lance at him. He doesn’t die but instead turns into a hawk which iirc is NEVER EXPLAINED. Then when his wizard turns him back into a human he hunts down his wife’s lover and manages to kill him by throwing a lance THROUGH THE SOLID ROCK the lover is hiding behind. Obsessed with him. Obsessed with the way he undoes everything good in his life by fixating on undoing the damage his mother did to him. I am such a Lleu apologist even though no-one is arguing against me.

The Penitent One:

Blasphemous is a somewhat obscure indie soulslike game which takes place in a fantasy version of 13th century Spain, posing a world where the miracles and fantastical images of catholic mythology and art are literal and happen to everybody constantly. Dedication to the holy forces that rule the land grants power, while sinning against them can physically disfigure or kill someone- the arbitrary rules surrounding virtue and sin in the collective consciousness from which these holy forces stem make this a chaotic and even apocalyptic setting. The gory visuals, difficult gameplay, and dense 13th century language make this a difficult to make into a fandom kind of game. I think there’s like one or two other people on tumblr that I’ve seen that are obsessed with it to the same degree? Anyway, the main character, The Penitent One, is a monk whose whole order has been excommunicated and subsequently executed by the church for their possession of a forbidden artifact. As he makes his way through his pilgrimage to the archcathedral to throw hands with the pope and also god itself if possible, he treats people with compassion, lays the bones of travelers far from home to rest, and violently executes the denizens of the holy miracle who have become literally larger than life in their zealous worship of an unjust god. In doing so, his guilt over the execution of his order transmutes into something holy in and of itself, and he begins to take on the guilt of others until he is a martyr powerful enough to rival the holy miracle. I care so much about his story and the world he occupies! Also he has a silly pointy hat <3

[myth-blossom]

Hey Mythy!

*🍑 If you could make a connection between your favorite character and another work you care about (whether a crossover/fusion or a wonderfully “pretentious” literary reference) what would it be? How would it work? *

and

*🍐 Is there anything in canon that you absolutely hate and love to fix in fics? A wrong choice made, a fuck-up in characterization, a misunderstanding never cleared up, a conversation never shown onscreen, etc… *

and

*🫐 What’s your favorite underrated thing in your fandom? (A ship that only you seem to write for, a character there’s almost no fics about, a trope that criminally hasn’t been written yet, etc.) *

Sorry for the delay! Thank you so much for the ask, Belle! <3

🍑 If you could make a connection between your favorite character and another work you care about (whether a crossover/fusion or a wonderfully “pretentious” literary reference) what would it be? How would it work?

This one’s a thinker! I’ve definitely made connections with my blorbos and other forms of media, but in terms of something I’d actually take the time to write, it would probably be something in relation to art or mythology. Diana Burnwood is a fun connection to mythology, of course—she’s a goddess, so it truly fits! Hehe—and I’ve envisioned some stories for her and/or 47 based on various art pieces I like. Most often, the themes of these ideas involve some form of romance, because I love the Diana/47 ship so much. But I do have some character-focused ideas too, including one interpreting our modern Diana’s connection to some of the ancient Roman goddess’s connection to hunters, wild animals, the moon, and/or the underworld.

🍐 Is there anything in canon that you absolutely hate and love to fix in fics? A wrong choice made, a fuck-up in characterization, a misunderstanding never cleared up, a conversation never shown onscreen, etc…

Regarding Hitman, there’s not much I’ve really gotten irked with besides Grey’s death. I can understand the creative choice and it hit me hard, but I wish he would have lived to see their goal made into a reality. Maybe he would visit with everyone at the Hitmansion for the holidays, or meet with 47 for a mission or help Olivia with some hacking pursuits…he would still be on the run as a fugitive, but for once he would be truly free from his demons. I like to imagine fix-it fics where the story moved forward with Grey still present in it somehow.

🫐 What’s your favorite underrated thing in your fandom? (A ship that only you seem to write for, a character there’s almost no fics about, a trope that criminally hasn’t been written yet, etc.)

Another good question! I’ve really been enjoying Diana/Grey fics as of late. To my knowledge, not too many things exist for that ship currently, but it really intrigues me and I’d love to see more works about them in the future. I really love what’s out there so far and I hope our fandom gets even more ideas to share this year! :D

If you’d like to ask me questions: Fruit Emoji Ask Game

[im-surviving-off-of-tea11]

oo thanks for the tag @bogreader !! idk which of my mutuals like to read so ill just do my best 😭 @graaaaaayy @glbtrx @manliest-of-muppets @aesthetjic

1) last book I read

the scourge by jennifer nielsen! my friend recommended it to me and was so kind as to let me borrow her copy

2) a book i recommend

anything tampora pierce, but i always especially loved her circle of magic series!

3) a book i couldn’t put down

ah, this goes to assassins quest by robin hobb!!

4) a book ive read more than twice

all for the game by nora sakavic. i reread the trilogy yearly. seriously. there’s crack in those books

5) a book on my tbr

interview with a vampire by anne rice! these were my moms favorites for a long time, so i want to read them for her :)

6) a book ive put down

…crime and punishment. i read like half of it, lost my place on my pdf, never finished. god can that bitch whine tho

7) a book on my wish list

a night sky with exit wounds!!! i ADORE ocean vuong <3 seriously his poems do something unreal to me. would love to own a physical copy!

8) a favorite book from childhood

inkheart trilogy by cornelia funke! easily one of my favorite series growing up. it continues to haunt me even now. so many memorable characters that continue to lurk in my life

9) a book you would give to a friend

ooo this one’s tough!! maybe radio silence by alice oseman? i read it last year, and i always end up liking her novels better than her comics, but yeah. i remember it being very good! most of my favorites are fantasy, but i feel bad telling ppl to read my favorite 800 page books with my blorbo

10) the most books i own in any one series

percy jackson LMFAO more specifically the riordanverse, but yeah. i had a bigggg phase, so I have the magnus chase files, some of the kane chronicles, percy’s guide to gods and mythology, the camp halfblood extra book thing, chalice of the gods, most of the trials of apollo series, and of course all of the original books (1-10)

11) a non fiction book i own

uh. idk if i have any 😭 does my guide to knitting count?

12) what am i currently reading

i keep my exoskeletons to myself by marisa crane! not sure if i like it yet, but not bad either

13) what are you planning on reading next

he who drowned the world by by shelley parker-chan ! been a while since i read the first one, but still excited

[isleofair]

8 TV Shows to Get Know Me

Thank you so much for the tag, @starwalkersdream!!! 💙💙💙

Let's see...

1. Tiger & Bunny - current obsession (as in, nearly 2 years on now and still going strong), an amazing mixture of genres that hits the spot incredibly well for me, contains my utmost Blorbos Nathan and Keith and OTP FireSky, but pretty much every single character is absolutely fantastic and will at some point surprise you.

2. Yuri!!! On Ice - my favorite, my comfort watch, a watershed in my anime history, possibly the best soundtrack of any show I know, amazing characters, figure skating, and an actual plot twist?!? Amazing.

3. Star Trek: The Next Generation - I grew up with it and I think it shaped a lot of my views on morality, ethics and what it means to be human (Data, my beloved, my first Blorbo, decades before the word Blorbo was a thing 🥹).

5. The X-Files - You can't see this show at 13 and not receive some kind of brainrot, lol. Mostly it was related to madly shipping Mulder and Sully before I could even fully realize how freaking WILD they were being about each other; but there's also something to be said about spending your teenage years waiting for the reveal of THE TRUTH THAT WAS OUT THERE, only to then realize absolutely no one EVER had any idea where they were going with the mythology of the show in the first place.

5. Sailor Moon - You can't see Haruka Tenou at 13 and end up straight.

6. Supernatural - but for all that is holy, don't actually watch it. Just know that I did, all the way through, from when it first started airing in 2005 to when it ended (?) in absolute MADNESS in November 2020, and I received about 372639446827483 d10s of psychic damage from it.

7. Stargate Atlantis - Look at John Sheppard. Examine his amazing technicolor allergy to even the most minute and remote trace of emotional communication. Know that I had a MASSIVE crush on him. Realize why my long term relationship did not end well.

8. Anime Sanjushi - Okay, maybe three other people have ever even heard of this one (like, on Tumblr as a whole), but the way it made Dumas's novel so cool and easily palatable to little kid me, with a great mix of action and humor and nice feelings, and most of all giving me the absolute gift of that version of Aramis is just... Chef's kiss. Another deep childhood influence on me.

I've already tagged people in stuff today, and I don't want to spam anyone's notifications, so: if you see this and want to play, consider yourself tagged! 💙💙💙

[marimosalad]

8 TV shows can say a lot about a person!

Certainly for me, I think! I’m listing here many of my personal recs which (as this is a Haladriel blog) I will be talking about them in relation to Haladriel, if applicable.

Thanks for the tag @pursuitseternal 🌟

Without further ado:

———

1. Needless to say, The Rings of Power.

I’m a total sucker for Hot Bad Men™️ so I never stood a chance against Saubrand.

Blorbo aside, my attachment to this show far preceded my Saurondriel obsession — I was completely enamored with it since Episode 1, the first big scenic shot of Valinor; the Two Trees; the epic soundtrack; stunning costumes. I had tears in my eyes during the boat sailing into the light of Valinor. The scale of storytelling far exceeded my admittedly meager expectations.

Let me be clear: I did not want to like this show and was set on dismissing it as an inferior fan service following The Hobbit franchise. Next thing I knew my inner child had been awakened and my love for Tolkien universe rekindled. Add to this concoction my weakness for complex villains and the epic reveal of Hot Sauron — boom, I was done. I’ll never recover from this.

2. FRINGE.

This show has such a special place in my heart. It’s sci-fi, mystery, time travel, alternate timelines, quantum physics mumbo jumbo, love story, and a father/son story all rolled into one amazing series that ended abruptly and went under the radar for so long.

In this universe, Denethor II has reincarnated into a much more gentle, sweeter Dr. Walter Bishop who actually loves his son and will put his life at risk for his son over, and over, and over again.

I also have an undying admiration for Anna Torv’s Olivia Dunham (I’m planning a separate post of all my fictional female crushes over the years). I was so giddy to see her in The Last of Us — she’s an underrated actress who deserves to be in the spotlight.

3. LOST.

Probably the first TV show that I actually got seriously invested in as a young adult and since then I’ve watched it so many times in every phase of my life. I’ve named our new puppy after Penelope Widmore. My computer name is Not-Pennys-Boat. I’ve been thirsting after stranded-at-sea disheveled ruffians since Sawyer, who is my favorite character who was the antagonist at the beginning (I’ve been saying that Halbrand is the perfect mix of Sawyer and Aragorn).

Sawyer/Juliet is my absolute favorite onscreen couple, pre-Haladriel. Their chemistry is fire. They just work. (Hated him with Kate.) Just tell me this doesn’t scream Haladriel (aesthetically):

Bonus: scene look familiar? Desmond did it first 🔥

4. Outlander.

Ok, believe it or not, I wasn’t quite watching this for the copious amount of steamy sex just because I was watching with my husband AND my mom over the pandemic when we lived together, and needless to say it was quite awkward 😂 I have a particular inexplicable love for Scotland (despite having only gone there twice), so when I discovered the series I went head over heels in love with the landscape, costumes, historic details, music (Bear McCreary), mythology, etc. Oh, and the hot Scotsman too 🫠

Jamie and Claire are the epitome of cosmically connected soulmates, their love transcending across lifetimes. Their early sex scenes are 🔥🔥🔥.

Bonus fact: Sam Heughan was named after Samwise Gamgee by his Tolkien hippie parents. He’s been casually broadcasting that he wants a role in TROP. Could we help him? If enough of us use the tag #SamHeughanForCeleborn, will they give Galadriel the husband she deserves?

5. DARK.

Did I mention I’m a big fan of quantum physics, philosophy, time travel, and parallel universes? No? Well, this brooding German show just about represents everything I love. The perfectly planned 3-season show is everything you could ever hope for in a good TV series. It’s moody, intelligent, mind-bending, and heart-wrenching. Watch the first episode, and by the end of it, you’ll be hooked, I promise you. Oh and for the love of god, do not watch it dubbed.

6. Norsemen.

Ok, I don’t typically watch too much comedy. But I do like The Office. I also like medieval movies/shows. What if I said Norsemen was basically a medieval version of The Office? Oh, it’s so dumb. It’s so dumb I almost didn’t finish the first episode. But once you get in the groove, it’s hilarious as fuck. On Netflix.

7. True Detective.

I don’t know how many times I’ve rewatched this show — it’s my comfort show I watch by myself on my laptop on rainy evenings. I don’t know what that says about me, and I don’t want to know 😂

Aside from the intrigue of the creepy Southern Gothic and unsettling cult themes, I mainly attribute my obsession with the show to Matthew McConaughey’s brooding Rust Cohle. He’s tall and lanky, a total weirdo, a lone wolf, has commitment issues, single-minded about his job, and (a bit more than) slightly unhinged. Also known as my kind of dude.

8. Better Call Saul.

Greatest of all spin-offs, who knew that the show about the sleazy lawyer who represented the world’s greatest meth kingpin was actually a love story in disguise?

Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn as Jimmy and Kim are the perfect embodiment of a modern couple who are equals and opposites, bring out each other’s best and worst, and have an undying respect for one another which serves as the backbone for their relationship. They even take turns towing on opposite sides of the law, pushing and pulling each other’s inclinations towards Good & Bad, only to find each other drowning in the dense grey area that is all too real. They are the *could have beens* for Galadriel and Sauron in the best case scenario (I could go on with the similarities but I don’t want to spoil the show).

Bonus fact: Gennifer Hutchison was the writer for both BCS and TROP. This fact should speak volumes about the kinds of discussions that would have occurred in the writer’s room regarding the nature of Galadriel and Sauron’s relationship. Watch the show and you’ll understand.

I’ve got many more recommended shows, but I think these 8 have been my primary emotional support shows over the past few years. I debated including Raised By Wolves, but as it was prematurely canceled there isn’t a whole lot I could say about it, despite having a fantastic premise (and which I still recommend people watch).

No pressure tags (but also curious to know): @starlady66 @maironiiel @demonscantgothere @scriberated @wyrd-syster @formerlyir @nenyabusiness @thegreatzombieartisan and any others who want to join.