#but that is because we’re in the perspective of jimmy

[tohabo]

Can we start talking about how the mouth washing fandom treats curly, a disabled man, like a dog?

No?

Not yet?

Alright…

[rafesweetie]

just imagining you being kidnapped by singh instead of kie, and reuniting with your ex boyfriend, rafe. it starts out a bit hostile when he turns around and see’s you in a red dress. instantly walking over to you and saying “the fuck are you doing, huh? butting in on my deal like this? we’re not together anymore, you can’t do this—“ when you two sit down, it’s tense and neither of you are looking at each other.

mr. singh speaks for a little, apologizing for the rough tactics in bringing you here. rafe is instantly chiming in, because he needs to know what singh did to you. “what tactics, huh?” he asks, and singh just tells rafe to calm down. that’s when you look up at rafe and mouth an, “it’s okay.”

singh killing jimmy portis forces you and rafe to reconcile. you walk right up to rafe to watch through the window, like singh told you to, and are barely even aware that you’ve been holding onto his bicep in fear the entire time you watched. that’s when he knew you were scared.

he sits you down on the shared bed, looking at your pouty and nervous face. “hey, don’t bullshit me, alright? do you know where the fuck this diary is?” he asks, ice cold eyes looking panicked for once. “no lies, or else me ‘n you are dead.” he adds because he needs to put this in perspective for you. you nod gently, although you know if it was anyone else, they’d be saying no and lying.

but of course, too nervous to tell mr. singh (as anyone else would be as well), you wait for a night. you offer to sleep on the floor of your shared bedroom, saying that maybe it’ll be awkward if you two share after months apart. he rolls his eyes and tugs you beside him. you don’t fall asleep cuddling, both too nervous about this situation to initiate anything. but somehow you wake up tangled in each others arms.

flash forward to when you two have escaped. he’s bringing you to his boat, the one he took here to make the deal. when you say that it’s okay, that you should just be looking for your friends, he’s physically tugging you onto the boat with a strangled, “no, you’re not looking for your fucking friends. i’m not letting you get killed, okay? shit, kid, after all these months, thought you’d be smart enough to—“ you cut him off with an “okay, i get it!”

but the minute you’re on the boat and he’s untying the knot, you’re murmuring an, “i’m super sorry rafey,” and kissing his cheek before shoving him into the water. he can find another way home, no way you’re going back to the OBX without the pogues — it wouldn’t be the same.

[curly-my-beloved]

Lowkey hate most of the Anya x reader fanfics (even though there so few) because they always make her weak and shy.

I kinda get it if it takes place after the Jimmy incident, that shit is traumatizing, especially if you’re in a relationship during it. (I would know)

But instead of really showing the horror of it all, the disgust, anger, fear, and the feeling you cheated on your significant other, even though you obviously didn’t, they kinda just make her meek and sad.

Not saying that you don’t feel sad during the aftermath of something so traumatic, you feel a whole bunch of mixed up feelings, but it just pisses me off that it isn’t really explored that much.

(Back to what I was originally saying)

But oh my god, does it make me upset when its supposed to be on earth, before the Jimmy stuff, and they still make her all timid and reserved.

Just because that’s how Jimmy sees her doesn’t mean that’s who she truly is.

From the little things we get to know when we’re out of Jimmy’s perspective (and the facts Wrong Organ gives us), that it’s very obvious she isn’t normally like this.

She’s determined, funny, knowledgeable, competitive, and empathetic, she is so much more than just a "victim" and the way Jimmy sees her.

ANYWAYS, I was bored and wanted to rant about this, I’m not actually that upset over the way people perceive Anya’s character, it’s more of just a random irk of mine that I dramatized. (´−｀)

I doubt any sane person would so through all the trouble analyzing a character from a random indie game like I did, probably something I should talk to my therapist about. *sigh*

-🦴🎀

preach, actually.

[curlyflesh]

when the fandom started, everyone was set on highlighting jimmy/curly’s relationship for how immoral and relatively fucked up it is. yall see that fanart and expected the ship was gonna be Nice? 😭 plz only get into mouthwashing if u like psychological horror. then you’ll see…

the most intrigued jimmy/curly shippers also draw the most beautiful n thoughtful anya fanart btw. most of us see ourselves in her and prefer to highlight her in her own light while also pairing the two men that wronged her the most together in their own little hell. respectively

the main focus of the game was jimmy/curly’s relationship through jimmy’s faulty eyes n how curly was the Literal result of jimmy’s wrongs. anya is the glue to the story and as soon as she died, that glue melted n everything else fell apart, everyone literally started dying…

it’s rare that you’ll understand what really happened to anya organically until you take a second glance or until someone explains it to you. that’s when you feel the intensity of the storyline. why anya isn’t just a character you can throw around to make a bold case about a psych horror game, why she isnt meant to be romanticized especially not with someone who did nothing to help her because of the ‘brotherhood’ he shared with his co-captain …

what im trying to say is, i promise the last thing we are doing is forgetting her. we’re taking the game for what it is, which is a psychological horror game in the perspective of two unreliable narrators who constantly battle with some sort of savior complex. jimmy trying to right his wrongs while battling delusions of guilt, curly being forced to swallow and consume a guilt that isnt his until said guilt has to be his because he’s forced to watch everything he’s built get torn down and Die in front of his eyes (*eye …. soz).

that same guilt/lack of responsibility killed anya and eventually everyone else. this game is psychological, i think its fair to let people consume it however they want!

[mitziholder]

Can you talk more about my lesbian experience with loneliness pretty please

ok. It’s dog shit written as the salve of a deranged narcissist’s ego.

I am sick of things being lauded as revolutionary and important just because they’re Real - Real and Honest. honest does not mean good. memoirs are works like any other. they have their biases and a point to make and goals to achieve. I can read into their content and criticize their handling of it and the goals and motivations of the “characters” therein. and, believe it or not, I am not in the business of clapping for wannabe rapists just because they were so far gone they thought that hiring a prostitute was an essential expression of their adult autonomy and independence (and Female Power and Sexuality blah blah blah blah blah)

boo-hoo. poor me. I had anxiety and depression and an eating disorder and I self-harmed and and and I was the most pathetic sad little worm on the planet. I was so sad and so lonely. and now I have put it out there into the world - seeking absolution from an army of people who think that what I did was fine because I put it all on display - and you can’t criticize it because it is so real. if you criticize it, you’re afraid of dark and uncomfortable subject matter. if you criticize it, you just didn’t get it. (on that note, I would say that I got it better than the author. the portrayal of that prostitute really says it all. lol. lmao.)

really, why should I give a shit about the pity party therapy session of a woman who used her own pain as a justification for exploiting another human being, who contributed to the sex industry, whose only fear was of disappointing her parents and only shame was the fact that she was too inhibited to really enjoy the experience? why should I support and uphold the work of a person who did that and then profited off of it? why should I appreciate the cultural contributions of someone whose perspective on Lesbianism is a purely self-indulgent affirmation of what people already imagine to be true: that we’re mentally unstable, dysfunctional sex perverts?

I wouldn’t clap for Jimmy Swaggart, either.

I am not going to say that I hope she dies but I’m ending the sentence there.

[watarfallar]

Have Some more

Grian: If anyone needs me, then fuck off.

Pearl: Look, I know you think my judgement's clouded because I like Scott a little bit. BigB, holding Pearl's notepad: You doodled your wedding invitation. Pearl: No, that's our joint tombstone. BigB: My mistake.

Bdubs: Guess who just found out the difference between wax paper and parchment paper the hard way? BigB: Wait, what’s the difference? Bdubs: One you can use in the oven safely, and the other you can also use in the oven... if the thing you are trying to make happens to be fire.

Scott: I hate you. Pearl: Well, according to this picture I drew of us holding hands, that is untrue.

Impulse: What is your favourite mythical story? BigB: The Story Of My Will To Live. Impulse: I don’t think I’ve heard of that one before.

Scar: Why is Joel making me do the dishes again? You haven’t washed them in a week, Ren! Ren: It’s because I’m Joel’s favorite. Scar: I hate you.

Pearl: Is the pink panther a lion? Impulse: Say that again but slower. Pearl: I don’t get it. Impulse: He’s a PANTHER. Pearl: Is that a type of lion? Impulse: No, it’s a fucking panther. Pearl: *googles panther* They aren’t pink? Impulse: AND LIONS ARE?!

Impulse: Good night. Mumbo: Sleep tight. Tango: Don't let the bedbugs crawl up to your ear and whisper threatening things that make you question yourself. Scar: Great, now Mumbo's crying.

Scar: Pearl, I don’t think I can handle any more of your tomfuckery. Pearl: Oh yeah? Well I can keep going until you’re all tomfuckered out!

Joel: What happened?! Pearl: Do you want the long version or the short version? Joel: Sh-short?? Pearl: Shit's fucked. Joel: Okay, long. Pearl: Shit's very fucked.

Scar & Tango:*Playing video games* Joel: You guys woke up at 5:30 in the morning just to play games? Scar: *silence* Tango: *silence* Joel, finally figuring it out: ...You two never went to sleep, did you? Scar & Tango in shame: Yeah...

Joel to Cleo, who’s about to get married: Today, two families are becoming one. Tango, in an ominous voice: Two families enter, one family leaves. Scar: That sounds so threatening… Skizz: The Wedding Games… Scott: May the bouquet toss be ever in your favor. Cleo: Beautiful. Joel: Fuck all of you!

Impulse, handing out popsicles: Which flavor do you want? Tango: Blue flavor! Impulse: Uh, you mean Blue Raspberry? Tango: Blue flavor! Blue flavor! Impulse: Blue is not a flavor! Tango: BLUE FLAVOR!

Impulse: I currently have 7 empty notebooks and I have no idea what to put in them. Any suggestions? Grian: Put spaghetti in it. Impulse: I am currently taking suggestions from everyone but you. Jimmy: Put spaghetti in it. Impulse: I am currently taking suggestions from everyone but you two. Tango: Put spaghetti in it. Impulse: I am no longer taking suggestions.

Grian: *sharpens knife* We've got ways of making people talk. Grian: *cuts piece of cake* Joel: ...Can I have some? Grian: Cake is for talkers.

Scott: Oooh, a train! Jimmy: We’re in a train station, Scott.

Gem: Sometimes I drink milk straight from the container. Bdubs: The cow?? Gem:What? Impulse: Bdubs, W H Y?

Pearl: *sneaking in through their window* BigB: *turning in their chair and flicking the light one* You want to tell me where you've been all night? Pearl: I was with Jimmy? Jimmy: *turning in their chair* Wanna try again?

Scar: You can track Pearl? Jimmy: Of course I can. If the NSA can do it, so can I.

Tango: The last time I went to an urgent care clinic, I checked off 'excessive crying' on the symptom list, and then the nurse got really confused and said that was meant for babies.

Martyn: So, Scar and Gem. Martyn: According to this, you two are being accused of: Armed Robbery, Vandalism, Drug Abuse, Grand Theft Auto… Scar: We had a bad day. Martyn: And… MURDER?! Gem: It was a pretty bad day…

Bdubs: Could you guys at least try to see this from my perspective? Martyn: *crouches down* Joel: *kneels down* Cleo: *sits on the floor* Bdubs: Bdubs: I hate all of you.

[tangosyourtek]

Tango: but I love you

SolidarityGaming: so, please let me go

+ an in-depth analysis to every choice made for this edit

(i’m not normal about ranchers)

I’ll start off with the caption, I made Tango say “but I love you” as a confession to Jimmy, and Jimmy responds with “so please let me go.” In the lyrics it’s actually “but I love you so” however, in their specific case Jimmy needs the ‘so’. He’s telling Tango that because he loves Jimmy he has to let him go.

Throughout double life they grew closer, they supported each other and let the other do things independently. Tango didn’t treat Jimmy like he needs to be locked in a cage to survive. He praises everything he does and lives in the moment with him. This supportive and positive behavior is something Jimmy hasn’t experienced in the life series. And that behavior made it easy to grow close with Tango & fall in love with him. But because of his curse, he knows in the end that he is going to doom him. He doesn’t want to hurt Tango so he goes with the easiest option, in his opinion, to steer Tango away. But this just ends up hurting them both.

The intro clip I originally wanted to use was one of Jimmy saying “but we’re not alone, anymore.” It was cut out-of-context (the context being joel & etho became yellow). But I felt it didn’t fit right (because it was ooc and not genuinely about their relationship) so I changed it to the one it is currently. I picked this clip specifically because it shows Tango praising Jimmy and calling him his partner. Because it shows Tango was Jimmy’s healthiest teammate.

Intro done and moving onto the edit, the first clip is from the very start of double life. When Tango runs off in the same direction as Jimmy and Tango’s eyes are on him. Despite not knowing who their soulmate is, they’re already tied by fate and are actively being pulled together. And this transitions us into the second clip where Tango is walking out towards Jimmy from the tree after their first death. I matched these scenes together because while Jimmy is walking away, Tango is following behind. He’s being pulled in, he’s being drawn towards him. “Where you go, I go” also comes to mind.

On top of all that, the scenes fit perfectly with the lyrics. It shows Jimmy from Tango’s pov while Tango says “but I-“ and on the ‘I’ it switches to Tango. “I love you” Emphasizing that it’s HIM, Tango, that loves Jimmy. And on the ‘you’ it switches to Tango’s pov of Jimmy from that same meeting on the tree.

The next two clips are of Tango and Jimmy both coming close to the camera while the lyric is a drawn out “so” panning across the two of them. Honestly, it has two meanings. The first is that it’s them trying to figure out where to go next. It’s a continuation of the previous lyric “i love you”, It’s Jimmy saying “you love me, so… what’s next?”. Meant to be like “are you going to do anything about it” (Ask me out, date me, etc).

The second meaning is Jimmy is saying “so” as in “so what?”. This is him attempting to steer Tango away. It’s his way of saying “so what if you love me? there’s nothing worth loving anyway.”

The next clip is of Jimmy sliding up to Tango with the lyrics “please”. It’s portraying Jimmy grabbing Tango’s arm and him to, what the next lyrics say, “let me go”.

And with these lyrics we have the rancher’s first death from both perspectives. It’s a flashback to that night. A reminder that Jimmy’s curse will only drag Tango down with him. And before it can, he wants Tango-no needs Tango to let him go.

And we’re finally onto the second half of the edit, instead of editing the events that lead up to them losing their yellow life, I decided to start with the morning after that death. To showcase that they were losing time to be together. Jimmy’s curse was pulsing in his veins, he could feel that something bad was going to happen.

This time It’s Jimmy on the lyrics “I” and Tango on “you”. He’s accepting that he loves Tango, and that he wants to accept Tango’s feelings. But he’s running out of time to do so, especially with all the chaos going on around the server.

Which is why the next clip is Tango catching up to Jimmy (after he escapes from being held captive by yellow names) and blows his horn, their matching horn, at him. Then it’s Tango on “so” & “please”. Telling Jimmy “you love me, so let’s do this. If I love you, and you love me, that’s all we really need. that’s all that I need.” The clip of Tango right before the enderman is actually the slowest clip of the whole edit. I made it this way because it was their last interaction before the final death happened. That was the last time Jimmy saw Tango alive.

And finally, “let me go” with their final death from that enderman. Jimmy is begging that enderman to “please let me go. don’t take this (what me and tango have) away from me”. They ran out of time. They didn’t get to do everything they wanted, didn’t get to say everything they needed to. The enderman ripped them apart (quite literally) when they were finally so close. They danced around and played rancher, they were close to making it official, making it real. Nothing but a fade to black as they lose consciousness, with “I love you”s from the other playing in their head.

There’s also a parallel between the deaths shown. In the first one, it shows tango panicking about the creeper that dropped and then cuts to jimmy dying alone and not knowing what was happening to his soulmate. And in the second half it’s jimmy’s shield breaking and he’s the one in trouble now, and Tango is alone panicking trying to keep them alive but failing, not knowing what happened to his soulmate.

And then “You’re still here? Its over. Go Home. Go.” just to spite fans. ;P

[chaostroid]

MOUTHWASHING SPOILERS

meatball don’t read this until i indoctrinated you into watching the game ..

The implication that Jimmy raped Anya and she was literally so quiet about it KILLS ME

“I’m pregnant” and also hiding the gun case OHHH MY GODFGDHFJFG

I’m like 80-90% sure swansea knew and that cryo pod was for her. like. come on now. swansea’s character is so fucking awesome i hate that i like him!!!!!!!! mean old man who secretly saw his friends as if they were his own trope NAAAUURRR ☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️

Like, Swan does NAWT fuck with Jimmy. the pod could’ve been for daisuke, but somehow i knew it was for anya i swear to god. like why would he keep it from fucking everyone. Anya never asked about the utility room. at least i dont think so.

^ its also possible he’d keep it for himself, but he spoke about his life in that tied up bit as if it were already over. I really doubt it was just for him.

not like we’d see it anyway because we play from jimmy’s perspective, at least most of the time.

Curly knew because he was the captain and he was trustworthy, Swansea knew because daisuke was probably too young for her to confide in and she wanted some sort of protection - like in the last bit where you have to find the gun case and stuff / break into the medical room, swansea is no fuckign help (ik he was drunk but still)

also the way he attacks jimmy with the axe in the medical room. SWAN KNEW OK

he knew

i swear

anyway.

There was a mutual trust between Curly, swan and anya. Daisuke was left out cus of age, and jimmy because he’s literally insane. and also raped anya.

Jimmy is an exceptionally well written villain, and i love the psychological horror aspect that comes with being forced to do the things he did. Feeding curly his own leg?? WHAT!!!

I figure Jimmy is so jealous of Curly because he’s been “trying to climb the ladder” for years, but his behaviours and inability to cooperate stopped him from becoming a captain, and thats all he wanted. He got it, i guess. I think the horse / pony express part of his (what i can only describe as) mental breakdown / psychosis is just the fact that he’s been so focused on that company that he saw the horse fucking EVERYWHERE !!!

he convinced himself he’s been busting his ass for pony express for years and nobody even sees him. the highest rung for him is to be captain and he just couldn’t reach it. ladies and gents. Jimmy has been tunnel visioned in on captain-ness he lost his sense of life.

“I’m gonna fix this. we’re gonna get out of here.”

i think he says that because he’s more or less trying to convince himself that he can still fix everything, rather than just mindless rambling to everyone who’s died.

His breaking point back into whatever can be perceived as consciousness is curly in the end. they ran out of pain meds so he tried to help him by feeding him something, and then puts him in the pod.

Putting Curly in the pod is his remorse. Killing himself is his guilt.

THIS IS NOT A JIMMY APOLOGIST SECTION . goodness. that guy is so fucking evil it was genuinely crazy, i just like writing about how i saw things.

Out of all the characters, They’re all my favourite except for Jimmy. Fuck that guy. love you curly. ❤️

There will be mouthwashing fanart soon on GYAT ITS COMING

I love it so much

❤️❤️❤️❤️ mouthwashing

[f1rewalk3r]

i dont talk about being NPD pretty much ever because why would i lol but i wanted to bring it up specifically in this context:

Jimmy is my favorite character from Mouthwashing.

I don’t want or intend to excuse his actions- his assault of Anya is the literal catalyst for the story- but I don’t believe he’s a “bad person” because I don’t believe in the ontological distinction between “good” and “bad” people. Pulling a page from BoJack Horseman- there are only good and bad actions. And Jimmy makes a lot of really awful decisions! But fuck, I think he is so well written when he makes these bad choices. Again, not attempting to excuse or downplay him raping Anya- I myself have been the victim of some pretty shitty stuff. But I’ve also perpetuated some pretty shitty stuff. So here’s a narcissist’s perspective of a narcissist:

I think it’s possible to recognize and atone for shitty choices. However, it can be difficult, especially for a narcissist, to recognize the consequences of their actions in the immediate context of making them. He crashes the ship because he is faced with the fact that his post as co-pilot will mean nothing after the layoff. Meanwhile, the heroic leader of a crew stranded in space? That’s something. Something that almost certainly will overshadow the inevitability of Anya immediately reporting him the second the cargo run is over, and, better a hero or a castaway then an unemployed rapist, right? He didn’t mean to horrifically maim curly, but hey; he’s captain now! What good luck! And with Curly unable to speak, the entire Responsibility can be placed on him for the crash.

There’s something to be said also for the conversation he and Curly have just before the crash. He tells Curly that he was supposed to be responsible for everything. He was supposed to take care of it. Here’s the thing about narcissists- we’re really good at avoiding responsibility. So his rape of Anya isn’t his fault, not *really*- Curly was supposed to be responsible! But now Jimmy has all the responsibility. So he starts making choices- and they aren’t good ones.

I don’t think he wanted or expected Daisuke to be horribly maimed by the vent- in fact, I would expect a totally delusional mindset that he would totally be fine crawling through the vent to be very in character for Jimmy or any other narcissist. But obviously he won’t do it himself. He doesn’t want to put himself in danger- but very likely, he believes that Daisuke is simply the better choice due to his training.

I don’t think many of Jimmy’s bad actions (that we see over the course of the game) are conscious ones. He’s simply acting in line with his worldview. You see, here’s the thing about narcissism- having low or no empathy kind of sucks, actually! That’s not just me playing the victim (admittedly something narcissists are wont to do) - when you have low empathy, it’s incredibly difficult to believe that other people do. So when he tells Daisuke that Swansea is saving the last pod for himself- that’s not him consciously manipulating Daisuke. It is a very obvious manipulation, but Jimmy genuinely believes that Swansea intends to use the pod for himself- because it’s exactly what he would do if he was in Swansea’s position, and that in of itself is enough for him to vilify Swansea.

Similarly, I don’t think he intended to cause Daisuke suffering by disinfecting him with the mouthwash- we, as the player, remember Anya saying it’s useless as disinfectant- but that’s because it’s been mere hours for us, while for Jimmy, it’s been months. He genuinely believes it will help Daisuke.

We get to see a lot of his own rationalization with his donneresque dinner party and his conversation with Curly- as long as someone survives, he can be a hero, he can gain public recognition and respect- what more could a narcissist want? I mean, I’m a semipro musician- I would fucking know.

When his sanity starts to slip, and he’s attacked by horrific monstrosities - that’s a subconscious manifestation of his guilt. Until the end, he is unable to reflect at all- but that doesn’t stop the subconscious from seeing through the artifice of ego.

To the last moment, his directive is to “take responsibility,” and in his own twisted way, he does! He does in the most selfish way. When he finally recognizes the last step he can take to fix everything, it is the most selfish one of all. It is his last resort- not one he chooses earlier, although he perhaps could have and spared the crew plenty of suffering. I think it’s powerful that his last words are that he can fix everything- because he really could have, if he had just gotten off the Bad Choice road.

This post is far too personal and far too meandering at this point- so I’ll leave it at this. Jimmy is a man who does some truly monstrous, unforgivable things, and I love him. He’s my favorite.

[trafficblr-confessions]

This fandom DOES have a bit of a misogyny problem but I highly disagree when people point to Lizzie’s death as an example, unless it’s specific circumstances.

I agree when it’s something that totally disregards her character, like “she sacrificed herself for Jimmy” when there’s no reason she would do that, but when it’s literally just… talking about another character in relation to her death? How is that misogyny.

People will be like “everyone’s making her death about Joel” instead of realizing that characters can affect each other and we can talk about that? Plus most people who do that seem to be huge Lizzie fans who are sad that her story is over and tried to let it continue through Joel, so it’s actually more like “making Joel’s story about Lizzie” rather than the other way around.

And then when people say fans are “making her death about Jimmy”… SO WE’RE NOT ALLOWED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT JIMMY FINALLY DIDN’T DIE FIRST AFTER 5 WHOLE SEASONS? JUST BECAUSE THE PERSON WHO DID WAS A WOMAN? It is just WILD to me that we’re not allowed to talk about this literal groundbreaking moment in the series. This would’ve happened to anyone who died first, it’s not misogyny (except like I said in specific cases where Lizzie’s character is totally disregarded/ignored). People are ABSOLUTELY allowed to talk about how her death relates to Jimmy, because it Does, he celebrated and everything. Characters can affect other characters, it’s not misogyny to talk about a man in relation to a woman.

I will say if you talk about other characters in relation to Lizzie without ever talking about Lizzie herself, THAT’S not good. But my point is most people aren’t even DOING that. This fandom kind of underestimates just how popular Lizzie is, as a YouTuber and a character. People keep saying “they never talk about Lizzie on her own!” when that’s literally not true there’s soo many people who talk about her and her alone. Basically if you see a post talking about how sad Lizzie’s death is from Joel’s perspective, stop assuming they haven’t also made posts about Lizzie on her own. Talking about how a woman’s death affects a man isn’t misogyny unless it’s the only part of the death/woman you’re ever talking/thinking about.

Sorry about all this it just bothers me that so many people point to these as examples of misogyny when most often it’s not, it’s usually just Regular Fandom Discussion. There’s other examples of misogyny in this fandom out there that are more undeniably misogyny, or you could actually specify which parts of the fandom’s reaction to Lizzie’s death are misogyny rather than just saying “they talk about Joel and Jimmy sometimes”

.

[heardchef]

Okay, so, can I offer a perspective as a viewer with no shipping expectations/affiliations whatsoever? 

What I respect a huge amount about the writers and Storer is that they seem genuinely determined to make sure that the woman characters in the show are whole people, with stories and lives that exist outside of their connection to the main character (Carmy). I do think that’s admirable. And I also get the sense — especially having seen the reaction to the romantic storylines being what it has been — that the resolution on their part to come out and say, ‘No, it’s never happening between them’, might have something to do with *all that*, tangentially. Which is to say, would Sydney as a character suffer to be considered as a whole apart from her relationship with Carmen if that’s where they went with it? Or would she be reduced to just that; just her relationship *to* him? Because, internet fandom do be weird like that sometimes.

But, I do also think that people are underestimating what the *intention* of Carmen with Claire — and Syd with her Dad, Marcus with his Mom, The Berzattos with The Berzattos, Richie with his ex/daughter, Tina with School, etc — was, this season. Storer said that it was always meant to be a season where we meet who these characters are outside of who they are to each other, and the restaurant. And so because we get to leave the restaurant, when we’re back there, it feels like more. It feels like being trapped in a pressure cooker (or, a walk-in, if you will). Because everyone is all in, and the risk has to work, or they’re all screwed. And it all means more to us, the audience, as well, because we know exactly what there is to loose. 

Part of the point with Claire specifically, to my mind, was always to properly bring Carmen home. He’d been holed up in The Beef since he got back, pointedly avoiding his life outside of those four walls. And so, when he’s forced back into it, he’s forced to accept that he *is* home — that people know him, that there’s nowhere for him to hide. He’s forced to accept who he is to other people, and to understand who he is, without Michael. He’s not just Chef, he’s Brother/Friend/Son/Uncle/Man. And so in facing that — that, despite himself, he does exist outside of a kitchen — it was always going to be that he went with safe if he went anywhere. Girl he’s been in love with since he was in school who knows his family and all his shit and who he doesn’t have to get to know because he already knows her, and who already knows him? That’s safe. Living up to an idea of himself that people already had? That's baby steps.

(And beyond just that, beyond trying for safe, is it really so unrealistic that Carmy would be bad at balancing life and work? He’s literally never done it before, by any measure.)

But another thing I think the final episode makes clear, is that Carmy had, at least subconsciously, been avoiding taking on the full responsibly of the risk he — the great hope, Food and Wine's Best New Chef — has lead everyone into taking. He lets Nat handle it, and he lets Syd handle it, he lets Jimmy handle it, and he even lets Fak and Richie handle it. But he was always terrified of handling it. And to be honest, he never really does — he doesn’t cram or keep his skills warm or go on a tasting adventure all over Chicago. He regresses into habits he had from before, that contributed to making him the wreck that he is, and he actively avoids having to confront the reality of work by escaping into not-work.

And so that’s where we’re left — with everyone a mess, in a mess. Season Three: Season One, Electric Boogaloo. 

i talked about this a little bit before [here].

i think that part of the reason why people want to a see a romance between syd and carmy is because of how well-developed, interesting, and nuanced the women in this show are. i think people want to see romance tackled as beautifully and intricately as this show has tackled grief, addiction, and mental health.

i agree with your points about claire. yeah, this season was about expanding horizons and experiencing life outside of the kitchen. i understand what her purpose was for carmy, being the guiding hand to show him that yes, there is more than these four walls you trap yourself in. you are more than your work. i just think the execution was a little lackluster.

people calling her carmy's pete isn't the compliment they think it is. we don't see pete much but when we do see him he doesn't exist just to act as nat's lighting rod for all of her negative emotions. is he that sometimes? yeah, for sure! his relationship with nat is a big part of his character but he gets to exist out of that and i don't think claire was afforded that same dimensionality.

at the end of the day i truly do not give a flying fuck what this show does with romance, who ends up with who, or any of that. that's not what got me into the show and it's not what'll keep me invested. i just want to watch a show about a motley crew of chefs and how they evolve and change.

i appreciate you offering your perspective! sidenote: i found it sweet how carmy picks-up drawing again after reconnecting with claire. he's still drawing his ideas but instead of pants it's food. he may not be able to handle the responibilities he's faced with or balance his two lives but he knows how to handle some prismacolors lmao.

but, yeah. shitshow for season 3, shitshow for season 3, shitshow for season—

[vague-bisexual-crimes]

Tuesday - “the voice had promised me that, as soon as I came to the king, he would receive me.”

I stare at it. It’s beautiful. God. It’s so beautiful. Jimmy is so beautiful. Rowan is so beautiful. They love each other so much. I want to cry. Nobody will ever love me like that. Doesn’t matter. Jowan exists. There’s something good in the world. There’s a point to being alive.

“Mate, that’s touching,” he says. “Very sweet. Romantic.” He looks up at the two of us and puts his hand on his heart. “I wish you both every happiness.” Say what you want about Lister Bird but he is first and foremost a COMEDIAN

“It’s not a big deal. You know what? I bet you just fell asleep when we were having a party and forgot about it and someone walked in and thought you looked cute.” I don’t believe him. All I can see is some girl waiting to kill me in a wardrobe. I can’t ever be famous cause I’m like this is a perfectly rational way of thinking. On a different note: honestly you’ve got to give him props for going several more days before he tries to run away from his life because that would’ve been enough for me

Also, Lister, baby I know you have no recollection of taking that photo and you’re drunk as shit but why would you suggest someone broke into the apartment? That is. Entirely unhelpful.

It’s always sort of been Rowan and Jimmy, plus Lister. We still love him, of course. But that’s just the way it is. SOMEBODY SEDATE ME!!!!!!!!

“I suppose I never thought you actually cared about this band that much. And to see you…just start shouting at your mother like that—” Thinking about Angel feeling like she’ll never live up to her parent’s (mostly mom’s) expectations of her and how she’ll never be as successful as her brother and how she’s just barely scraped by school and doesn’t have a fucking clue what she’s going to do with her life. How for almost her entire teen years all she’s had outside of trying to be what her family wants of her and what she thinks she has to be is The Ark. How she’s been there since the beginning before they were anybody and how she grew up with them and sees The Ark (but specifically Jimmy) as this like safe and perfect thing (But, God, if anyone’s the angel around here, it’s him) and they’ve been everything to her for years and now she’s going to go to their concert and she’s going to meet her best friend in person for the first time and her mom is against all of it and she can’t figure out how her mom doesn’t understand that they mean everything to Angel and this is more important than school, than uni, than her life so when her mom attacks (from Angel’s perspective) the whole trip and concert and everything it just feels like she’s attacking Angel.

I’m fully aware I’m average. God, I’m so, so aware I’m average. But I’m not going to think about any of that right now. I don’t need to. This week isn’t about my life. I don’t have to think about it at all. This week is about The Ark. so mentally well <333 very healthy

We enter the bathroom. Lister tells us to go away, but Rowan just walks up to him and starts rubbing his back as he throws up again. I don’t really know what to do—there’s not much I can do—so I just sit down on the radiator and wait.

There’s a big window on one side of the bathroom. Big enough to climb out, probably. We’re in the ground floor. We could just climb out and run. Get up and go. !!!!!!!!! AAAAAAHHHHHHHH. I LOVE FORESHADOWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THIS IS A DAVE THE INTERVIEWER HATE ACCOUNT!!!! FUCK HIM!!!!!!! CECILY SHOULD’VE LET LISTER FIGHT HIM

I think the truth is that everyone in the entire world is confused and nobody understands much of anything at all.

Oh the old lady on the tube.

“You look like it’s the end of the world, my love,” she says. I like to think God does have a plan for everyone. But I also think there’s too much shit in the world for all these plans to be perfect ones. Or maybe God doesn’t have time to write a plan for everyone. And some of us are just trying our best and getting it all wrong. “Definitely not that serious.” I say. “Serious is relative,” she says. “That is for the Lord to decide.”

JIMMY’S KNIFE MENTION

RAIN MOTIF RAIN MOTIF RAIN MOTIF

“You’re so hot in real life,” he says under his breath, as if he didn’t think I’d hear. I laugh, like he’s joking. The buzzing in my ears gets louder. “In real life,” I say. Ough. Oh Jimmy.

I stop kissing Magnet, turn round, and see Lister standing at the end of the corridor, leaning against the wall. He shakes his head at me. “Come on.” I pretty much just start walking away from Magnet, without saying bye or anything

And also fuck Magnet

BUT WE’RE GODS JIMMY!!!!!! WHATS BETTER THAN THAT??????

“I just want to go to a concert,” I say. “And then I’ll feel better.” “Were you not feeling good before, my girl?” he asks. I don’t think I’ve ever felt anything except The Ark.

I reach inside my jacket and take out Grandad’s knife. It has my great-grandad’s name on it—Angelo Ricci. Holding it makes me feel real. It reminds me that I was born. That my life is something other than this birdcage I’m trapped in. Isn’t it?

[kasylikeskiwi]

Crimes of the Empires

Hi idk if this has been made before I'm not super active on here, but Shubble’s character has inspired me to make a list of Reasons the Empires are Probably Criminals, because she seems to think everyone is going to shun her because of being wanted as if they don’t have their own baggage to deal with. If you have any suggestions on things I’ve missed, please feel free to add on I don’t watch every POV consistently  Shelby - faking her death - murdering the sheriff - actually several murders at this point but they do respawn so not that big of a deal imo - practicing magic illegally

Scott - he literally goes around and steals that’s his whole THING - ran a black market, which also incriminates everyone else who participated in that...which was basically everyone -having an actual llama as a bartender is surely frowned upon

Joel - I mean if we’re counting murder... - vandalism technically, although it WAS funny - sold illegal toys - destruction of property, he literally unleashed a wither in Jimmy’s empire - I feel like I must be forgetting several things

Lizzie - identity theft - scamming people as a fortune teller and in several other situations - illegal gunpowder business run with fwhip - blew up her own empire, which I don’t actually know if that’s a crime

Fwhip - regularly steals from Lizzie’s berry farm - I’m pretty sure he regularly steals from most people - you can say “safety is our number one priority” all you want I don’t believe you - illegal gunpowder business with Lizzie - the warden “wedding gifts” killed so many people

Sausage - I don’t watch his POV often but if the Witches Academy is mad about Shelby’s magic then I can’t imagine how they’d react to Sausage’s inter-dimensional travel

Jimmy - He’s in his villain arc right now need I say more

Gem - She might actually be safe - she’s on thin ice with the sun religion thing though I’m pretty sure that’s a cult

Pix - He literally took SOMEONE’S HOUSE without asking first - he’s literally roleplaying the British museum - plus the line between archeology and grave robbing is just too thin sorry dude

False - well if we don’t count all that she did on hermit craft prior to empires... - she still spied on her twin - knocked several people unconscious  - collects member’s heads - and stole her twin’s cat which is pretty rude

Oli - weirdly enough I can’t think of many despite him actually being in jail for a while, but I don’t count that justified - he did steal Gem’s goat horn though - also maybe making things at the festival overpriced but I don’t know if that’s a crime or just capitalism

Joey - He’s a pirate crime is literally his thing

Katherine - I don’t watch her POV either but from other people’s perspective, she is actively denying a very obvious problem with her empire and I think that’s probably bad Anyways I don’t think Shelby has anything to worry about

[grimmmviewing]

S1E7: “Let Down Your Hair”—A (Watched 2/24/24)

“We’re not cops! We own a doggie wash!”

This one hooked me immediately and just got better from there: It starts with an obvious, goofy, classically amorous Cold Open Couple in the woods who get accosted by a violent weed-grower when they stumble onto his turf, but then that guy goes to investigate a noise and gets lassoed (and killed) by some very long, very thick hair. The physicality of the titular “hair” comes as such an arresting novelty after so many episodes of just facial transformations denoting monstrousness/fairy tale creature status.

There are also some very fun and interesting bits and pieces of world- building and deepening here—like Monroe casually establishing that the Santa Claus of the Grimm universe is actually a Wesen. Beyond that pleasing tid-bit, he also talks Blutbad childhood, socialization, and maturation, giving us some insight into what it’s like to be born and grow up as something more than human. The fact that this episode is about Blutbaden again, but with this feral long-missing child twist, rather than introducing another new, conveniently Rapunzel-like creature is great since, as I said, it “deepens” rather than “broadens” the established universe. The pattern of each episode introducing a new creature for Nick to read about and Monroe to explain casual-like was getting a bit bland.

The hair as a weapon, trees/a treehouse in place of a conventional tower, a lost rather than imprisoned girl—It’s a satisfying-enough adaptation of iconic Rapunzel elements. And there’s also something about this particular story of finding and struggling to communicate with this nearly nonverbal girl, protecting her from dangerous humans, and ultimately bringing her back to her mother after she was initially taken into the woods years ago by a neighbor that just feels more fairy-tale-like in its own right than any of the previous plots. The way that it kind of side-steps the exact nature of Jimmy Addison’s intentions for the extremely young Holly Clark also just feels much better than similar material in “Lonelyhearts.” It’s a grim (ha…) take, but it preserves enough of the whimsy and structure of a fairy tale to just feel Right.

While this is a very busy episode—to the point that half of the initial couple in danger is still technically left tied up in a basement somewhere, after being abducted by the grower’s brothers, when the story is over—it still has room for some great moments for characters other than Nick. Both Monroe and Hank get to have their time as characters in their own right: Hank as he returns to this emotional missing person case that he was unable to solve before, and Monroe as he tries to be a mentor, if not father figure, to a confused Blutbad child who can’t even speak, much less understand what she is. Hank in particular benefits here, as the character gets to go deeper than the joke-making sidekick for what feels like the first time, to me.

On a lighter note: The refrigerator repairman from “Danse Macabre” and his buddies spying on Nick because they can’t believe Grimms are actually real is extremely cute. I love how Nick is treated like the fantastical creature here from their perspective.

[nerdyenby]

Blue time :D I’m watching Joel

Pregame

I watched the first 20 minutes on Saturday without writing anything lol

TUNA ON PIZZA??!?!!!?!???! I like tuna as much as the next guy (probably more if we’re honest) but that is a solid no, tuna is meant to be eaten cold

“‘Who’s your favorite YouTuber?’ LDshadowlady of course, she’s great” They’re so cute I could perish

Joel saying he couldn’t choose between Jimmy and Grian because “they’re both my bad boys” The bad boys being the most wholesome group in the series is everything to me, actually

I’ve only just started to watch Joel more regularly but I’m glad he’s maximizing his bi wife energy :))

“I’m playing full screen now because I’m not a nerd- I’m not a noob anymore” and H is so proud

Joel is SMASHING that parkour!!!

Simultaneous quick changes but instead of outfits it’s accents

Slowly accumulating all the empires peeps :)))

The kazoo driving them all insane

“I don’t wanna play anymore” so true Scott

Bingo but Fast

How many pics have I watched that just never noticed the old lady hat???

Ok yeah this is their domain, I don’t know who else would’ve looked at that bingo card and instantly made a composter lol

The overly loud ace race music instantly flooding Joel’s (and my) veins with adrenaline

Guys I think it might be scuffed

They had such good comms and organization

Them all taking a solid fifteen seconds to figure out what order Joel and Scott’s usernames are in alphabetically

Battle Box

Y’all I think Scott watched the update video /j

The carrot mechanics get more scuffed the more people try to understand them lol

Okay so I’ve never actually watched fWhip and I thought his name was Jim for a second there but Scott was just saying “Gem” slightly more Scottish than usual

“Guys it’s okay, at the end of the day, we won bingo and that’s all that really matters” so true Scott

“Keep away from Bakyamon and Punz” “And Oli, ‘cause he smells” Joel 😂

Scott saying they aren’t even communicating well, they are, just not effortfully lol

“It’s the Empires synergy” so true

Joel best bingo player on the planet, real and true

Hole in the Wall

They’re so fixated on the veggies lol

“I love hole in the wall… sometimes… when I have good ping” conditional love smh

Joel just laughing midgame “This is so stupid” it is /pos

The way they were more intensely focused doing calls for Scott than when actually playing lol

“How did they make hole in the wall more stressful???” “ The eating” I love you Gem (I know she continued talking but that’s what I heard and it’s funnier this way)

Survival Games

Joel and Scott losing their minds over the map lol

The more perspectives I watch the more convinced I am that there is not a good spawn in this map

They’re all just vibing, they’re so calm lol

A skybase above a skybase? What is this, Limited Life??? (I’m so funny)

This sg feeling like a mashup of skybattle and tgttos is so quirky of it

Joel and fWhip running for their lives while Gem and Scott are doing a let’s play 😭

“Oh you’re a top? Wow” SCOTT!!!

Joel almost saying that was the weirdest skybattle lmao

He’s so proud of Oli ;-;

“Blummin’ stupid Elon Musk” based

Joel talking about how nice it is that there’s not as much pressure for this MCC, about to get first individual

The joined the halftime show at the perfect time to get exactly zero context and no instrumental lol

TGTTOSAWAF

Joel’s such a hater lol

“I always follow the girlies, the girlies got me” so true Gem

The way Joel said “my wife!! 😩”

First time I’ve actually seen someone complete breakdown lol

Noxcrew proving Gem wrong instantly

“We expected more from MCC organizer but like, it’s fine Scott, it’s okay” fWhip 😂

They’re all so proud of Oli :((

“My favorite chicken <3” “I’m the best chicken!!” Scott and Gem my beloveds

Sands of Time

“Get that wooden arrow” “Wooden arrow?” “Wooden key arrow” “… Rusty” “Rusty, yeah” fWhip is going through it

“What is scuffed about this?” “Joel don’t complain, just take the blessing and run” so true Scott

Noooo you were right the first time Joel

That felt so much louder and longer than usual, I knew it was coming but the dread just made it worse lol

The way Joel evades mobs is somehow both satisfying and vaguely uncomfortable to watch

They did so good :D

Joel checking to see how Lizzie’s team did <333

FWhip pointing out the Pac-Man looking mouths on pink’s skins, I thought the same thing!!

Big Sales at Build Mart

Everyone freaking out at the Oreo logo is my favorite thing

“I’m really loving the rainbow flag representation” so true Scott

Don’t beat yourself up Gem, it happens to everyone at some point

Joel is such a good runner 😭😭😭

I knew this was their game but watching them demolish it is something else entirely

Scott is so surprised that Oli’s still in 2nd, it’s understandable but it’s so funny

“I’m in 3rd overall??? Okay, okay, that’s crazy. Catching up with my boy, catching up with Oli” Joel :)))

“No matter what, somebody from Empires is gonna bring it home” fWhip :((( /pos

“I will also say, no matter what, everyone guessed us at like 5th and we have been popping off this event” “They should’ve known were more scuffed than that” so true Gem

Skyblockle

They’re so upset lol

Gem asking “What’s skyblockle?” And Scott instantly crowning her igl is so iconic (especially knowing how it ends lol)

The close quarters resulting in accidental hot potato with diamonds 😭

This is how skyblockle was meant to be played, I’ve never watched a skyblockle where everyone was comfortable and felt like they knew what they were doing before lol

They cleared cyan so cleanly but I know that’s gonna be painful from their pov lol

FWhip saying it’s safe and instantly almost falling off the edge 😂

I have no idea what’s happening but it seems to be working out for them lol

JOEL’S INSANE!!! HOLY CRAP!!!!!

THATS AN ENTIRE MASSACRE!!!!

They’re all so proud of each other!!!

“Empires repping!!” SO TRUE SCOTT

Dodgebolt

Sam and Scott’s banter :))

Joel jokingly saying Punz is easy and Sam being actually toxic “they also have Phil so they have a few good people” sir 😭

Sam hyping everyone up :)))

JOEL’S POPPING OFF!!!

Rip Gem jinxed it /j

He might not’ve not 1v4’d but he went 3/3 when he was the last man standing which is still crazy epic of him

Joel turning to ask if anyone hasn’t got to shoot yet :(( /pos

Joel jinxing Gem right back lol

The temptation to make angst out of the urgency Sam told Scott to shoot him despite them having never(?) been on a lore server together

Oli and Joel’s trade <333

Why do I feel like Skeppy hasn’t spoken at all?? Is his mic broken or am I just not paying attention???

“Gem said it’s not women’s history month I can kill another woman” stop reading her mind Scott, those were inside thoughts

FWhip getting the winning shot :))

Sam profusely apologizing to the frog 😭

Oli and Joel enthusiastically congratulating each other :D

Joel did so good!!!! They all did!!!!!

[ghosts-of-love]

⭐️

anything you want to talk abt that you haven’t been able to!! little hidden references, lines you love, legit anything !!

oh my goodness okay!! with 22 published fics and [redacted] wips, this is a very broad topic haha. i might do a mix of stuff that's published and stuff that's not but that i'm still proud of! i'm gonna open a whole bunch of them now and see if anything comes to mind hehe

(spoilers for season 5 here too)

there’s a bit in an unpublished uni au involving some backstory and a dog and dog imagery in general across two different perspectives that i'm really proud of – this probably makes no sense rn but once it’s published and you get to chapter 8 (? I think) then it probably will. I just, I wrote it a while back and since then I’ve seen a real uptick in people also using dog imagery (‘kicked puppy’ etc) or cat imagery (‘soggy wet kitten man’ etc) for the captain and so I’m really happy we’re all on the same page there!!

I also changed and added a whole bit of the Captain’s backstory to this au in response to hearing Noah Kahan’s The View Between Villages. It’s incredible how much I think of the captain in this specific fic. It makes me really emotional. I hope I’m able to publish it all soon because I really want other people to understand where I’m coming from.

another thing I haven’t published yet, but I wrote the ending for tqatd basically after I wrote the first couple of chapters and I’m actually quite proud of it. Feel like I’ve done a decent amount of foreshadowing for it, or maybe not foreshadowing as such, but like little hints so it will be less of a surprise and more of an ‘oh, this was always on the cards, wasn’t it?’ type situation. Idk though now I’m worried ahaha

I know I’ve already done a whole post about this but the fact that I named the kid in adored chapter 5 ‘Jimmy’ short for James and had him be a mirror of teenage-Cap is even more meaningful to me now that we know that Captain’s name.

The printed and annotated article that Cap gives Pat in adored, called ‘The Subversive History of Women Using Thread as Ink’ is real.

There are some similarities and callbacks in tqatd that I really enjoy. In chapter 5, when Pat finds the sheet music for the songs Cap has written about him, his thoughts quickly turn saucy and he imagines blowing Cap while he plays him the songs on the piano. This comes up multiple times again.

In chapter 8, when Thomas is using his siren-y powers, the Captain believes for a moment that Pat is kneeling down in front of him and he hears ‘the sound of a piano playing’. This is because Thomas has gotten confused between what he’s seen in Pat’s head and what he’s seen in the Captain’s. He’s accidentally projecting Pat’s fantasy in Cap’s mind (not that he minds).

Then in chapter 11, it pops up again when Pat’s listing all the places they’ve had sex – the king-sized bed ‘(and a wall, and a desk, and an armchair, and a shower, and a piano seat)’.

However, it’s not until Chapter 12 and later in the timeline (Valentine’s day!) that Pat actually fulfils the initial fantasy for both of them hehehoho

that’s about everything I can think of for now tbh but feel free to ask any follow up questions :) <3 <3

fanfic writers: director's cut