#but I haven't seen it yet so here we go

[sunderwight]

Alicent's approach to motherhood is a lot like the kingsguard approach to knighthood, when you really think about it.

In ASOIAF when Jaime gets knighted as a teenager, there are strong parallels to a maiden being deflowered. The cloak, like a wedding cloak, and the blood spilled on the white, like the virgin blood spilled on a wedding bed sheet, and how Jaime is all starry-eyed and hopeful right before the whole myth of knighthood comes crashing down into cold, ugly reality, and etc.

I think Alicent has that going on but just with a different romanticized social role. Her path to honor and nobility had to involve becoming a mother and conducting herself in a certain way, because of her place in society. Even if she hadn't married a king, she'd have been married off to someone, and been expected to produce heirs and to raise them for him. Motherhood is presented as this noble pursuit for women in her society. But in the hard light of reality, it's not nearly as glamorous or morally concise of a lifestyle as it purports to be. She'll put herself between her kids and threats, just like a knight defending his liege, but we never see her actively enjoy motherhood and she clearly struggles to connect with her kids on an interpersonal level. Just like how Jaime got knighted ridiculously young, Alicent got married ridiculously young. Just like Jaime struggled between doing the morally correct thing vs doing "his duty", Alicent struggles between doing what she wants and doing what's expected of her as a mother.

It's all about the way that restrictive social roles make people miserable.

[housederiva]

Here's every version of the letter the Inquisitor gets from their LI plus Varric (which didn't make me cry at all)

If your Inky didn't romance anyone:

Inquisitor, Greetings from miserable, rainy Minrathous! (Don't tell Dorian I called it that.) The rotten weather here is making me nostalgic for Skyhold. The mountains were freezing, but at least the air didn't smell like wet garbage. We'll have to get in another game of Wicked Grace, soon. Harding picked up the trail again. I'd tell you not to worry, but I know how useless that is. Instead, I'll just say: I've got a great team on this. Neve could stare down the Maker, and wait until you meet Rook. He's/She's/They're a natural: Smart, resourceful, completely unpredictable. You'd like him/her/them, as long as you don't try to beat him/her/them at cards. Chuckles'll never know what hit him. I'll write again once we have something solid for you. Drinks at the Hanged Man are on me when this is over. Take care of yourself. Varric

Blackwall:

My love, You have summoned me to Minrathous, and I will answer your call, as soon as responsibilities here in the South allow. I have missed being by your side. Will these troubles be the last we face? The world seems always to conspire, through duty or disaster, to pull you away from me. I do not resent it. You are dedicated to purposes far larger and more significant than myself. I hope you do not think me a fool for hoping that one day, your only concern will be the color you wish our walls to be painted, or the flowers we will plant beside our gate. I'm partial to carnations. Yours always, Thom

Cassandra:

My love, We are no strangers to duty, or the separation it demands of us. You head for Tevinter, and though I want to go with you, there is work we both must do. I will not falter in the tasks that wait before me and I pray my actions, in whatever measure they can, will keep you safe. The others see only confidence in my resolve, but you have always known more than mere appearance. I confess to you, and you alone, that I am afraid. I'm afraid of what may happen, that Thedas will face such turmoil as it did before. I know not what awaits us. Yet even in the face of uncertainty, there are two things I cannot doubt and never will. The first is that our paths are never separated long. That I will find you at my side when I need you, as you will find me at yours. I will play my part in this and follow as soon as I can. The second thing I never doubt is you. Whatever lies before you, trust yourself. Trust your heart as I trust it. It will not lead you astray. Yours, Cassandra

Cullen:

The top of the letter has been punctured by small, sharp teeth, leaving most of a beloved name and a few sentences chewed to read. I fear the puppy started on this letter shortly after I did. I'd start over, but I must send this tonight if it's to reach you. Matters are settled here and I make for Tevinter as soon as possible. I almost believed chaos might spare us this time. I can't say I wished to see Minrathous before now, but I am eager to see you. I long to see your face and know that you are all right. You are I've There's I wish I was better at putting into writing all that's in my mind. For now, simply know that I love you. It is the most cherished constant of my life. The days ahead will not be easy. I know there's much you carry, more than many realize. But whatever you must face, you will not meet it alone. You have my sword, my counsel, my - I could write this list forever when all I mean to say is this - Whatever you need of me, I am yours. Cullen

Dorian:

Amatus, I'm writing. Again. Yes, the sending crystals still work and yes, you'll be in Minrathous in a few short weeks. But a letter, written in blind longing, is real. It can be touched, and it can be held, when ink and paper must substitute for your skin on mine and my breath in your ear. I used to scoff at frequent declarations of affection. Trite, I thought. Save them for rare and precious moments. But time and love are no longer things I care to squander, especially not as we race again toward calamity. And so, in each of these fleeting, ephemeral seconds, I will tell you that I love you. Whether penned or spoken, or conveyed by glance or action, I love you. In this moment, and in all the moments to come, for as long as they do, I love you. I will find you soon. Yours, Dorian

Iron Bull

Hey, Kadan, Not the first time we've marched toward different battles. I know you're keeping the crap from catching fire up in Tevinter. Wish I could be there, but I'll make sure there's a world for you to come back to when you're done dealing with crazy vints and stupid Antaam and whatever other crap Solas kicked up. (Shit, the Antaam. Remember when I was worried what would happen if I went tal-vashoth? That right there!) I know you're gonna be careful, and you've got Morrigan there. Just take care of yourself. If anything happens to you, I'm going to have to take Krem and the Chargers and stomp across all of Tevinter to come get you. It'll be a whole thing, and you know it'll upset Dorian. Being apart from you made me realize something else. I spent so long being whatever the Ben-Hassrath wanted me to be. An investigator. An agent. A mercenary sending reports. These past years, since the Inquisition ended, I've been able to just be what I want to be. And what I really want to be is yours. I like the person I am when I'm with you. So come back safe. Love, The signature appears to be a stylized rendering of the Iron Bull's head.

Josephine:

My Dearest Lord/Lady, I have spoken to friends in Minrathous. They offer us their hospitality, not to mention shelter from the worst intrigues of the Archon's Palace. While you're well acquainted with the roving eyes of grand courts, please take care. Tevinter's regard can be the oldest and cruelest of them all. The family writes the weather back home is beautiful. I do miss our quiet times together. There is a question I've wanted to ask you for so long. I would like to pretend I have been busy, or it was not the proper time. But, if I am being honest, I only waited because I have been afraid of choosing a poor moment. Please, let me make a promise to you here. When we return to Antiva, I will ask you, on the steps of the estate, if you will do me a great honor. And I dream you will say yes. Always yours, Josephine Postscript: I cannot believe it nearly slipped my mind. Yvette and Lord Otranto send their best wishes, and hope to see us back home in time to welcome their third child.

Sera:

(An artistically doodled journal page presumably from the Inquisitor's partner, Sera.) Keep this as close as I need you. (A drawing of a pile of flowers, with lines like it's moving, an arrow pointing to it labeled "us.") - North again, Mini-wrathus still stuck up its own pucker. - Magiturds are scared of us. They don't even know. - We work with Maevaris, right? She's wow. - So many Friends! Jennies in all the walls! - We kill him this time. He took from us twice! (A drawing of a cracked egg scribbled out, with "can't even joke" in letters that tore the page.) - Still thinking of you sideways. - Never mind the Dalish, here's the Veil Jumpers! Tempest-kin! (A drawing of a tall, shorthaired elf (Sera?) and Irelin brandishing two fingers, backflipping as a tree explodes in runes.) - The memory thing makes my head spin. If that Rook doesn't take it, throw it out. - Tell Morrigan ppbbth! for me. - I'll also tell her ppbbth! She knows why. - Tell them to Stripe. Him. Up. I wanted more books. (More heavy scribbles that tear.) - You meet; I'll keep you safe. Then I'm your time off, and you're my time on. (The last section has different colored inks, like Sera has returned to it several times.) New naked names: -Sweet-tits (scribbled out) -Bestest (scribbled out) -Loverly (scribbled out) -Lovey (scribbled out) -My-for-always-and-ever - name's not too long, time's too short. -But "Sweet-tits," though (scribbled out)

Solas:

Vhenan, I do not know if you will see these words. My ritual is ready and will soon be set in motion. Perhaps when you read this the world will be as it once was, and you will see why all I did was necessary. I cannot ask your forgiveness, but I hope you come to understand. That night in Crestwood, when I shared the truth about your vallaslin... you do not know how close I came to breaking. I could have shared the truth, or even put my plans aside and simply stayed with you as Solas... as I wanted. I regret the pain I caused you. What I feel for you will never change. The note is unsigned, but the handwriting is Solas'.

[seventh-district]

Making Incorrect H:SR Quotes Until I Run Out of (hopefully) Original Ideas - Pt. 4 - Nuthin' but Boothill Edition

[Pt. 1] [Pt. 2] [Pt. 3] [Pt. 5] [Pt. 6]

[cladestruction]

i see people on my tl who have already seen the movie and i'm literally like this rn:

[celtrist]

Why does Vassago already have merch, we haven't even met him yet

[girlbloggercrowley]

i am a believer in the s3 1941 kiss

[harukakitous]

Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger | #30

"Moffun... it's cold. But... I can feel a little bit of warmth."

[usercelestial]

the whole "your ship has to Endgame™️" thing has rotted people's brain and i think contributes to how genuinely miserable a lot of fans make themselves. i used to be in a lot of buddie-centric spaces and let me tell you, i was fucking miserable and not enjoying myself. not because of the people or the ship itself, but because of the insistence that it WILL be canon every season. moving the goalpost and tricking yourself into thinking that this will happen 100%, no questions, and if you don't think so too, you must hate this ship, is uh. pretty detrimental to most people's enjoyment of a ship and the show overall. it wasn't until i removed myself from those spaces and just took a step back that i was able to let myself enjoy the show that i was watching AND my little interpretations and headcanons. i still love buddie and would be stoked to see it happen but im also not gonna die on that hill. trying to convince yourself that what you interpreted is 1) the same thing everyone else interpreted and 2) the Correct Interpretation the show intended for you to make will only ever suck the joy out of fandom because either you won't be able to convince yourself and what the show shows you will clash violently against what you want to happen or you will be able to convince yourself and you'll make villains out of your fellow shippers for not also thinking the same exact way as you and you'll be disappointed when your theories don't happen. like fandom is supposed a fun little hobby and you're making it feel like a job for no reason.

[multifandomhoodies]

anyone else hate long distance relationships and lack of consistent feelings on their part

[aliusfrater]

in relation to whether or not john would have killed or attempted to had he not died in 2.01, i think john himself was already living with the impression of/duty relating to the idea that he'd have to either save sam or kill him from whenever he'd found out about the special children and that sam was a special child to the point at which he passed on this revelation to dean. so the question becomes moreso akin to dean's own season two conflict after the job of 'save him or kill him' has been passed on: what is john's own dichotomy of monstrosity? as patriarch, is it or is it not it capable of being stretched to fit sam within the ideal of what is not monstrous (evil)? and the thing is that i feel like the remainder of the first season, as well as 2.01, past the point at which john is made aware of sam's abilities answers this for you: sam was capable of fitting within what john considered to not be monstrous/john did stretch the dichotomy of monstrosity to fit sam within those who are innocent/the victim because even with his knowledge about what happened to sam, he did not attempt to kill sam.

[cementcornfield]

good lord my inbox is a mess lmao

[depoteka]

long weekend starts tomorrow so i'm trying to plan some sightseeing around my own city

[dawnquafam]

So since Orm evidently just walks this off

what the heck knocks him out like this

[cobaltfluff]

Me, watching the Bucchigiri OP: ah yes, Hiroko Utsumi strikes again

[muzzlemouths]

I've been taking a few more recovery days than usual lately and that means laying in bed and making myself CHILL by doing nothing that requires any more than a single spoon - which includes writing, most days, and there's very few things which keep my attention to the point where I don't get bored and Do Things anyway

which is a longwinded way of saying I'm getting back into anime

[escapaldi]

It's OPLA Day! Get ready for the internet to be even more obnoxious than it already is about what might end up being one of the few good live-action adaptations of anime, let alone out of many of the cartoon-to-live-action adaptations that have happened over the past 15 years even though the anime was already an adaptation, but i digress.

I, however, won't be extra-obnoxious until at least Monday, since that's when things align so I can watch it. Anything involving it (at least at first) is going to be tagged with OPLA as well as One Piece, so use that tag blocker if you gotta.