#but at least there's some exploration of who they are and why they do what they do

[dmgloom]

Interesting.

Keep in mind, this is all anecdotal, and I'm not trying to refute the thesis here, more... exploring how my own experience fits in with this.

I'm in a few predominantly male spaces, and indeed "college isn't worth it" "you should go into trades" etc is the conventional wisdom offered to our youngest participants. I've said it myself. I don't believe it's offered with any willful misogyny- it's just a kind of true.

For a lot of men, the career paths valued appear to be more skill based than certification, or at least they were. You didn't go school to be a web designer- well, you could, but why bother when you could just show off your designed web sites? Why go to school for game design when you could just design games? Etc etc etc. I remember several prominent employers back when I thought I could do anything explicitly saying "we're less interested in what degrees you have than what you can do." Blizzard and Riot, two monoliths (and male dominated e-sports juggernauts in their time) told us "college isn't that important".

For me, college was dubiously worth it. Undiagnosed ADHD is more or less an academic death sentence once you get closer to graduate work. That 4 out of 5 dropout rate becomes something like 90-95% iirc, and that's for known cases. I learned some things, but mostly I gained a ton of debt and nothing to show for it. I preferred my classes that had more women in them, in general.

Who can say why. I'd suggest it because with fewer men, there's a lower chance of having That Guy. There's only so much imbecilic arguing with the professor one can countenance.

It may be because I ended up somewhere Not Entirely Male, myself.

Regardless. I wonder if some of it has to do with this conventional wisdom being true- for men. It doesn't take an active imagination to guess that a woman applying for these programming/web design/etc jobs must be over-credentialed relative to her male "peers" to be reasonably considered for the position. Still misogyny, in the end.

Why aren't we talking about the real reason male college enrollment is dropping? (Celeste Davis, Oct 6 2024)

"White flight is a term that describes how white people move out of neighborhoods when more people of color move in.

White flight is especially common when minority populations become the majority. That neighborhood then declines in value.

Male flight describes a similar phenomenon when large numbers of females enter a profession, group, hobby or industry—the men leave. That industry is then devalued.

Take veterinary school for example:

In 1969 almost all veterinary students were male at 89%.

By 1987, male enrollment was equal to female at 50%.

By 2009, male enrollment in veterinary schools had plummeted to 22.4%

A sociologist studying gender in veterinary schools, Dr. Anne Lincoln says that in an attempt to describe this drastic drop in male enrollment, many keep pointing to financial reasons like the debt-to-income ratio or the high cost of schooling.

But Lincoln’s research found that “men and women are equally affected by tuition and salaries.”

Her research shows that the reason fewer men are enrolling in veterinary school boils down to one factor: the number of women in the classroom.

For every 1% increase in the proportion of women in the student body, 1.7 fewer men applied.

One more woman applying was a greater deterrent than $1000 in extra tuition! (…)

Since males had dominated these professions for centuries, you would think they would leave slowly, hesitantly or maybe linger at 40%, 35%, 30%, but that’s not what happens.

Once the tipping point reaches majority female- the men flee. And boy do they flee!

It’s a slippery slope. When the number of women hits 60% the men who are there make a swift exit and other men stop joining.

Morty Schapiro, economist and former president of Northwestern University has noticed this trend when studying college enrollment numbers across universities:

“There’s a cliff you fall off once you become 60/40 female/male. It then becomes exponentially more difficult to recruit men.”

Now we’ve reached that 60% point of no return for colleges.

As we’ve seen with teachers, nurses and interior design, once an institution is majority female, the public perception of its value plummets.

Scanning through Reddit and Quora threads, many men seem to be in agreement - college is stupid and unnecessary.

A waste of time and money. You’re much better off going into the trades, a tech boot camp or becoming an entrepreneur. No need for college. (…)

When mostly men went to college? Prestigious. Aspirational. Important.

Now that mostly women go to college? Unnecessary. De-valued. A bad choice. (…)

School is now feminine. College is feminine. And rule #1 if you want to safely navigate this world as a man? Avoid the feminine.

But we don’t seem to want to talk about that."

[glitter-stained]

I'm not saying making tentatodd sexy (as in like, a crossover between a mermaid and glossy black octopus-y tentacle porn monster) would have fixed Nightwing Brothers in Blood... but it would have made it much better

[dindjarindiaries]

Hunter was trying to be a good older brother to Crosshair and a good father to Omega in The Return, despite a few moments of weakness, through protectiveness, observation, and supportiveness. He ultimately succeeded in his objectives.

The Bad Batch S3E5 "The Return" will always be one of my favorites because it doesn't shy away from the complexity of the family's dynamic after 1) losing Tech, who was often a peacekeeper/mitigator, and 2) regaining Crosshair. While I, and many others, wish the former was explored more, it does an excellent job of showing us even more about these siblings' dynamics than we even knew before.

As always with any analysis, this is a disclaimer that you may view this episode in an entirely different way due to various biases, one of the most notable being based upon your own favorite characters and your own life experience. All I ask is that you read through carefully before chiming in with any counterarguments!

The line of dialogue that most of my argument here hinges upon is from Hunter about midway through the episode, just before his and Crosshair's fight.

"I know you."

Going back to the very beginning of the episode, we see Hunter and Wrecker sitting and waiting for Omega to wake up. Crosshair's clearly not there, and when Omega asks about their brother's whereabouts, Wrecker says he wasn't there when they woke up, before Hunter adds this.

His face is clearly displaying concern, even though his words are reassuring. He's no doubt worried about Crosshair, too, but like he says later on: he knows Crosshair. He knows what to do when Crosshair's upset, and that the sniper wants/needs time alone, hence why he and Wrecker didn't go after him. Hunter is trying to reassure Omega, who isn't as familiar with Crosshair at this point, by insisting that this is how he adjusts to change. It's important to note that there doesn't really seem to be any hostility radiating from Hunter (or Wrecker) towards Crosshair here.

In fact, the duo only gets up and goes to check on Crosshair once Omega's involved. This proves something else that's important to understand for Hunter's character in this episode: he's wrestling with both his concern for Crosshair and his protectiveness over Omega, and that's because of this moment from season 1:

Because of Crosshair telling Hunter in S1E15 that he had his inhibitor chip removed, without the context of when, Hunter has to assume for Omega's safety that this was Crosshair acting of his own accord. This is because, if Hunter's to be a reliable protector of her, he always has to be as cautious as possible with those she's surrounded by—and unfortunately, in this case, that includes Crosshair.

(Remember that, even as the sergeant of Clone Force 99 and the eldest brother/caretaker of their family, Hunter's priorities have shifted since the war ended; Omega now comes before all else. He says this as early as S1E7 to Rex, when they had only had Omega for a short time. This is now at least a year after those events, which means that sentiment's only grown stronger for Hunter, especially after losing Omega to the Empire for six months.)

Because Crosshair is smart and also knows his brothers just like they know him, he comes to this conclusion himself. This is why he's not surprised when they start watching him and Omega from a distance, and why Crosshair insists it's because "They don't trust me."

Then, Echo arrives, and they start making plans to go to Barton IV. This is where we see Hunter's protectiveness of Omega really shining, along with some interesting glimpses of Hunter's concern/curiosity about Crosshair and what he went through.

The fact that Omega and Hunter have the same expression here... that's intentional. Omega is but a mirror of her brothers, and always has been ever since she met them. She and Hunter are literally displaying the same amount of sympathy and concern for Crosshair here.

Now, this look from Hunter that's immediately after Crosshair's done talking is read as anger from a lot of people, which is understandable. To me, though, especially through this lens, it looks more like Hunter is coming to a conclusion. Hunter can tell that Crosshair knows more (and has gone through more) than he's letting on about, but he doesn't care that much about getting the intel that Echo no doubt wants. Hunter just doesn't like the fact that Crosshair won't open up about what happened to him.

It's important to keep in mind that as Hunter and Wrecker were watching Omega and Crosshair before, they undoubtedly saw Crosshair's target practice going poorly. Hunter would certainly make note of that, and thinking of his physical struggles along with hearing this... well, yeah, Hunter's gonna have a serious pondering face, because he wants to know what's wrong with his youngest brother so he can help him. But because he knows his brother, he knows that he has to keep his space for now and be mindful.

Once plans for the trip to Barton IV come up, Hunter proposes that he goes with Crosshair and Echo, again proving that Hunter isn't really trying to avoid Crosshair. In fact, Hunter only expresses any concern when Omega wants to join, and we all know why. He's worried about her and doesn't want to risk it, which he says plainly.

It's clear, though, that Hunter is still worried about Crosshair being so close to Omega, too, especially if they're going to an Imperial hideout. Hunter has trauma from that moment in S1E8, and it's not easy for him to see past that, as much as he does still care and worry for his youngest brother. Again, he has to suspect that anyone is capable of hurting her, aside from the brothers who've been protecting her alongside himself the entire time.

Crosshair even acknowledges this when he and Hunter pass one another while packing up the night before.

(I'd like to note that, in this moment, Hunter's the one who moves to accommodate Crosshair's path. To me, that's more evidence of the fact that Hunter is keeping a safe distance from Crosshair to let him process, but because Omega's there too, he's also keeping a watchful eye on him. He's really torn between the two.)

"Don't hold it against him," Crosshair tells Omega. Why? Because:

Crosshair understands that most, if not all, of Hunter's moments of caution towards Crosshair have everything to do with Omega and her safety, rather than Hunter being angry at Crosshair. Hunter doesn't like that Omega's going on this risky mission, and he really doesn't like that it's happening with Crosshair there, when he hasn't even told Hunter everything that happened. How is he supposed to properly protect her (and Crosshair) without knowing all the details?

(And how sweet is it that Crosshair agrees with Hunter's take on Omega coming with them?)

They get to Barton IV, and there, we get one of Hunter's moments of weakness, when he's really giving in to his protectiveness of Omega and his frustration/worry about having such few details about Crosshair and his falling out with the Empire.

(But first, let's quickly acknowledge Crosshair emerging in his old armor, and the fact that Hunter, Wrecker, and the others kept it. Hunter (and Wrecker I believe) both lost pieces of their armor during their search for Omega, no doubt either losing them in dangerous situations or selling things to get by, but they never once touched Crosshair's kit—even when it would have been really easy to sell his things before selling their own.)

Because the base is empty, Hunter starts to worry that it's a sign of something bad. Remember, just because Hunter is the level-headed sergeant and leader of the group, he's not immune to trauma. Imagine how traumatizing Eriadu and all his failed attempts to find Omega with Wrecker were for him, especially with him literally being a tracker. The last time they were all together like this on a mission was when Tech died.

So, Hunter gives into that protective sense and challenges Crosshair, because now he needs the details. He has a sense that this place is notable to Crosshair, but not how, and if he wants to protect Omega, who is his main priority, he has to find out. He's also getting more and more frustrated that Crosshair won't talk to him about it.

This can be evidenced by one of their exchanges. It's only after Crosshair brings up his cell again that Hunter insists, "I get the feeling there's more to this place than you're saying." And... well, Hunter's right. This is a place of trauma for Crosshair, and Hunter's no doubt picking up on that. After being reminded of Crosshair's imprisonment, Hunter has to ask, he has to press, in his mind, for the wellbeing of Omega, Crosshair, and the rest of his squad.

Again, Hunter doesn't like operating off little information to accomplish all these things. He's a protector at heart, and he always has been. Crosshair not giving him all the details he can remember (likely because of his own trauma) makes Hunter feel even more on edge, and that's why he lashes out a bit more at his brother, questioning him about why he didn't mention the raiders before.

Unfortunately, with Crosshair deflecting to avoid his own hurt, Hunter takes the bait and engages, leading to their exchange of "Just following orders?" "If you're scared, why don't you wait on the ship?" Thankfully, Echo steps in and breaks it up, which gives Hunter time to clear his head again. This is Hunter's first biggest moment of weakness.

Now, we're getting to one of my favorite sequences: Hunter watching Crosshair from a distance inside the depot.

Hunter clocks Crosshair's discomfort right away after Echo says that Crosshair's words about the base serving its purpose "Sounds familiar." Again, it's easy to understand why people might read this as Hunter being angry or cautious, but to me, it looks like Hunter's just trying to get a read on why that particular exchange sent Crosshair away, and what exactly he's looking for.

Wanting to figure out more so that he can help Crosshair and thus help them all in this very moment, Hunter quietly follows Crosshair, and that's what leads to him seeing Crosshair pick up Mayday and the other regs' helmets.

(Hunter lurking in the back right. I'm obsessed with this shot.)

Remember, Hunter is observing this as someone who remembers Crosshair not wanting anything to do with the regs. He antagonized them perhaps the most out of any other in the squad during their arc in The Clone Wars, and he even told Hunter in S1E15 that the Batch was superior to the regs, and to most other soldiers in general. Hunter seeing Crosshair treat these reg helmets with such reverence is such a strong indication to him that something major has shifted for Crosshair, and it had likely happened on this planet.

But Hunter, again, knowing his brother, remains a quiet observer. It would've been easy for him to engage here, but he recognizes that Crosshair needs this moment to himself. Hunter even leaves him to it after. Would someone who really didn't trust Crosshair at all whatsoever turn their back to him like that? What he does is give his brother privacy, and acknowledge that he needs to know what happened... but this isn't the right place or time to be pressing him about it.

Danger is lurking, though, and Hunter's desperation to know the truth so he can be better equipped is growing. It hits a peak when Crosshair, prompted by Batcher's barking, checks the perimeter by himself. Pay close attention to how Hunter reacts to Crosshair's exit.

It isn't really anger in this expression. Wrecker's behind him is certainly one of concern. Hunter instead looks determined, and that's because he's about to pursue Crosshair to start getting answers. He's tired of not knowing, and because the stakes are starting to rise, and the evidence is all around him. Hunter decides that he's given enough space and now has to push Crosshair to talk to him.

Because, as Hunter's about to say in a few seconds, he knows Crosshair. He knows, and from what Echo says later, he's always known how to get Crosshair to talk, and it seems that it often involves some fighting and bloodshed—because Crosshair has a harder time opening up than his other brothers.

But Hunter will be damned if he doesn't try, especially now that Omega's safety could depend on this information.

Now, at last, we're at the pinnacle moment of the episode for these two characters: the fight, and another moment of weakness for Hunter. He reminds Crosshair that he knows him, and he demands this time to know what exactly happened here.

Hunter, because he knows his brother, has to push Crosshair (literally) to get anything out of him. He doesn't want this to be simple bickering like before. So, Hunter goes for a low blow. He knows that Crosshair values loyalty above all else, so he brings up Crosshair's disloyalty to both the Empire and their own squad, knowing it'll hurt him enough to get some real responses out of him.

Then comes the physical shove. This is a clear demand for Crosshair to start giving answers.

But look at how Hunter's expression changes as he waits for Crosshair to talk.

His brow softens, because Crosshair's hesitance to say or do something right away is evidence of the fact that it's something really, really serious that happened. At the end of the day, he's just worried for his brother. He wants to know, needs to know, so he can help him. It almost looks like he's pleading for an answer here.

And Crosshair does answer truthfully, revealing that he killed Lt. Nolan. Hunter is obviously shocked, and he even has a somewhat guilty reaction to Crosshair saying "after they betrayed me", because, I mean, we all know Hunter's been harboring guilt for leaving Crosshair behind.

That's when Crosshair digs his claws in to protect himself, too, also going for low blows against Hunter—starting with Hunter ignoring the warning Crosshair had sent from Tantiss.

(What's really telling to me here is that Hunter doesn't once defend himself when he easily could have. He could have told Crosshair that he was the only one who wanted to listen to Crosshair's warning, but that his and the rest of the squad's desire to try to save Crosshair ultimately won out. But he doesn't. He just takes it.)

Hunter only starts to get really angry when Crosshair gets Omega involved.

Hunter turned Crosshair's loyalty against him, so Crosshair turns Hunter's protectiveness against him. Imagine being a protector like Hunter, who's even more fiercely protective of Omega, and being told that after months of desperate, worried searching, you're the reason why the person you care the most about went through their worst bout of suffering.

Yeah, that stings. Especially because there's truth to it, the part about his jealousy towards Crosshair being the one to free her instead of himself. Hunter no doubt felt like he had failed as Omega's protector by losing her to the Empire, and not only that, but the brother he left behind had to be the one to bring her back to them.

(I also think that, in reading between the lines in this entire part of Crosshair's argument, he could even be insinuating that Hunter's shouldering the blame for Tech's death. If he knows the details, then he knows that ultimately, Hunter's the one who approved the mission. "You ignored it", in reference to Crosshair's message, could mean that both Tech and Omega could have been safe if Hunter had simply made the right call. It may not have been intentional on Crosshair's part, but I could easily see Hunter thinking that, especially if he already felt guilty about it.)

No wonder why these two are about to fist fight in the snow. Their ugliest, scariest monsters have finally come out.

And that's when the scary monster comes out, too.

(I love the symbolism!)

Hunter immediately snaps back into his protector mode. He warns Crosshair to move, but also physically shoves Crosshair out of the way and takes his previous place, making himself the one who's closest to the threat.

(Hunter does this a lot with his squad, by the way.)

They focus on getting to safety, and then figuring out a plan with the others to get the wyrm back outside the perimeter. This is when Hunter insists that they have to make sure the wyrm is drawn out that far so that they're not trapped inside with it, and Crosshair volunteers to take it on his own. But Hunter's not okay with that.

You would think that Hunter would want to be as far away from Crosshair as possible after what just transpired, but he doesn't. Instead, in this moment, Hunter is assuring Crosshair that he doesn't have to do things alone anymore, that they're brothers at the end of the day, and he wants to help. I think this is Hunter's first true attempt at making a truce with Crosshair, and attempting to extend his hand to him.

Of course, Crosshair snaps back asking Hunter if he's sure that's what he wants, and that leads to a moment of tension—but notice that, unlike the other times, Hunter doesn't retaliate. He understands with more clarity now why Crosshair's lashing out. Crosshair's hurting.

So, in teaming up with Crosshair here, Hunter knows he can mend what's most important to Crosshair by proving it with his actions: loyalty.

If anything, what Crosshair lashing out here and what Hunter going with him proves is that Crosshair's mostly hurt that he's lost the loyalty/trust of his brothers. When they get out there and Hunter's trapped underneath the ice, left to rely on his brother for guidance and rescue, it allows Crosshair to mend that sense of loyalty and trust. He can earn it back.

Not because Hunter necessarily needs him to do that, although it certainly is helpful, but because Hunter knows that Crosshair needs that. Crosshair needs to feel reliable to them again.

That's what's so perfect about Hunter's safety literally being in Crosshair's hands here. They're able to banter the way they likely would've during the war, and Hunter doesn't hesitate when Crosshair extends his rifle to pull him up and get him out of the hole in the ice.

Hunter gets proof that he can indeed trust Crosshair with his life again, and Crosshair gets that proof, too. Because, at the end of the day, they're just an eldest and youngest brother. Youngest siblings (I say as a youngest child myself) are often looking for validation and trust from their older siblings, especially the eldest. This display of trust must've been so, so validating and healing for Crosshair.

That brings us back to that first line of dialogue I highlighted: "I know you." Hunter knew Crosshair was hurting like this all along, and while he was struggling between his protectiveness over Omega and his concern for Crosshair, he was finally able to make his brother's journey to healing happen.

We then get the nods of mutual trust, understanding, apologies, and forgiveness, before they sit in peace together.

(This is one of my favorite shots in all of Star Wars. I mean, come on.)

I love how the shift in their dynamic is evident enough that everyone recognizes it once they get back. They hug it out with Wrecker, and then we shift into one of the most meaningful dialogue exchanges we'll ever get between them.

Now that Crosshair's laid more of his vulnerabilities out on the table, he seeks reassurance in Hunter. Again, youngest siblings so often just want to feel validated by their older siblings, especially the eldest. Crosshair's looked to Hunter to lead him and guide him his whole life. This is why the guilt's so evident when he comes clean about making mistakes with the Empire.

It would've been so easy for Hunter to say yeah, you did make mistakes, you did hurt us and many innocent people. Instead, Hunter says these simple few words that carry so much weight:

Hunter takes on that burden with Crosshair. He lets his own vulnerabilities show by saying, yeah, I'm with you there, there are things I wish I hadn't done, either. He then gives him reassurance and hope by saying that they can forge a new path forward, that they're not tied down by who they used to be, nor what bad decisions they made.

Hunter is putting them on the same level here, and for someone like Crosshair, who probably thought his brothers would never trust him nor accept him the way they used to because of what he's done, this means everything.

(I also feel like Crosshair really needed to hear the "I have regrets too" line from Hunter in particular. He needed a hint that Hunter really did regret leaving him behind, even if it was the best/safest option for the rest of the squad at the time. You can certainly still regret doing something, even if it was the best option at that time.)

In summary, The Return is about not just a return to Barton IV, but a return to who Clone Force 99 used to be. Crosshair's return to his squad, the return of their trust in him and vice versa. A return to the familiar.

Hunter didn't handle this perfectly, nor would anyone who was in his shoes with all these complicated relationships and trauma, but he did his best. Even while caught between his concern for Crosshair and his fierce protectiveness of Omega and the members of his family that he had left, Hunter still found a way to make things right. He completed both objectives.

For as much as Crosshair needed to have the trust of his family back, Hunter needed the reassurance that he could still keep his entire family safe on missions like these. He needed to know he could still take care of them, physically and emotionally.

And he succeeded.

[epicmarrowbonesoup]

Headcannon that postcannon Charles doesnt like leaving Edwin alone for long streches of time.

You know the way he did in the beggining of the show, leaving Edwin alone so that Charles could be with Crystal or just giving Edwin space to be with other people(Monty or Niko). I think post-Hell Charles Rowland would feel uneasy about not having Edwin in his line of sight while at the same time not wanting to make a big deal out of it.

Like how in the last episode Edwin is alone and Charles leaves others to pack so he could check up on Edwin, that sort of thing. Or how he was hessitent to follow Crystals plan at first becouse he has to rescue(see) Edwin ( to me it also looks like Charles was so busy rushing to Edwin he didnt noitice Nikos body but that might just be me)

Anyways i think it would be a fun direction to take Charles's characther in. Considering in s1 he is already weary of Edwin spending time with the Cat King, youd get that whole jealousy thing but doubled and mixed in with his feeling of inadequacy as the brawn. But also s1 establishes Charles as being at least partially insecure about their bond: having to correct Edwin whenever Edwin says how Charles would move on quickly and constanty seeking reassurment from edwin about their friendship (ep 1 when he asks what would happen if death came, ep 4 with his fight with the night nurse, seeing Brad and Hunter the best friends as him and Edwin)

And then you also have the reversal of how Edwin was jealous of Charles spending lots of times with Crystal and now Charles is protesting every second Edwin isnt with him. And ofcourse Charles does it from a place of fear and love but Edwin would maybe interpret it the wrong way, who knows?

And, from what the writers have told us, Edwin in s2 spent at least some amount of time flirting with other men (hopefully without Charles lurking in the background) and from what we know from that one cameo Jayden and George did, there was a lot of tension between the boys...

Now im not a writer i didnt write the s2 script or anything, im not saying this is what would have happened in s2 but.... i think the tension might have come from that. From Charles seeing Hell as a traumatic expirience and his PTSD manifesting as his insistence on Edwin not leaving his side, Charles's insecurities and his fear of losing Edwin being at an all time high. While Edwin, who has learnd how to forget Hell, is acting as if nothing happened at all, exploring his sexuality and making new friends in the process.

It would make Charles confront all of the skeletons he's been hiding in the closet but also it would ask the simple question of why is Charles so insecure in their friendship? Why is he constantly mentioning them being best mates? Why does he need it so much? Why is he constantly searching from reassurences that they are best friends?

And for more angst, from Edwins point of view he is doing everything Charles wanted him to do in s1. Hes accepting and letting the dead boy detectives workplace to grow and change, he is being more open and friendlier, he is encouraging Charles friendship/relationship with Crystal and he is no longer playing trauma Olympics at the drop of a hat. So why is Charles so mad? Hes working through his shame and his supiriority complex, hes growing as a person and Charles is still stuck at the staircase.

[liondrakes]

To add on with personal insight: I first awakened when I was in middle school, but shied away from embracing who I am out of fear. I didn’t come around to embracing myself until I turned twenty.

I don’t think it’s a matter of the experience being too “deep” or “serious” for children. Hell, some adults (therian or otherwise) don’t even see their identity as an overly profound experience. It’s their life. End of.

It’s a matter of belonging that needs to be taken into account. People can experience that at any age. Children spend a lot of time contemplating about who they are and where they belong, so it makes sense why such a vast influx of them flock to this community through a very popular outlet… even if said outlet tends to spread a lot of contradicting, and sometimes incorrect, information.

I would know because I did the same thing years ago. If I were to apply any of this to myself, I wouldn’t be considered a “real” therian, or alterhuman in general, back then because I learned about the otherkin community through Vine when I was thirteen. From there, I sat with the possibility of having this experience. I ruled out that I likely did, but I didn’t announce myself as a member of either community as mentioned before. I shut it out for a while. This decision was made out of concern of being judged by the spaces I already found myself in.

On one hand, can I understand the frustration with young, misinformed therians on TikTok? Yes, especially when they try to recirculate outdated definitions and discourses. Nobody is obligated to educate them, though I personally encourage it if you want rampant misinformation to cease.

On the other hand, I don’t think their behavior disproves their therianthropy. They still have a lot to learn about themselves and their community. Even if they’re the kind who insists that they’re not an animal, they should at least be directed to terms in the community that help describe what they experience (ex: synpath, otherhearted, otherpaw). They’re trailing behind, but they’ll find their way.

Furthermore, some of what they say (such as claiming therianthropy “isn’t” identifying as an animal) is likely a means to prevent the judgement and lack of belonging that they fret over. The “Oh, well, I’m not really…” response reads as a defense to me. I’m aware that there’s kids who genuinely don’t know therianthropy inherently means being an animal, but this is also the same generation with unfettered access to the internet. If they wanted to know beyond TikTok, they’d know. These kids could be putting up walls to turn away folks who’ll subject them to harassment for even daring to step outside of what they consider “normal”.

By no means am I saying they’re allowed to dilute the label because of this. No one would should go out of their way in making themselves palatable to assholes. I say this to shed light on how they might be feeling and why they assert these claims, despite said claims about therianthropy being wrong.

Children, especially teenagers, are very cautious about how they are perceived. It’s not that they can’t comprehend having an identity like this. It could be a huge thing for them to understand, but I don’t think we should blanket it as that alone. That has never worked out for any community, regardless of the label and its context (as discussed by Paleo).

Many of these children are clinging onto the belonging they feel amongst us. Despite having to brace for anti-therian/kin bullying, and doing so in a very backwards way, they still conduct themselves as members of this community.

Some of them may not continue to identify as therians in the future. This happens with adults too. It’s not a child-exclusive circumstance. Even if it was, then so be it. Life happens. You explore. You make discoveries. Whether or not those experiences remain a part of you is something that only time can tell.

Some of them also have the possibility of staying within this community. They have the capacity to keep learning from and engaging with their peers. I embraced my alterhumanity as an adult, but I still had much to learn. I wasn’t thirteen anymore. The community I familiarized myself with had long changed, so I had to catch up with everything.

I just don’t think the original post is a fair approach to younger members of our community. They have ample room to grow. I’m not saying older members should hand-hold them through everything, but we as adults have the experience to know that kids aren’t devoid of their own complexities when it comes to identity. We were all kids once. Our circumstances may not be the same, but we must ask ourselves: “Would l say the same thing about myself when I was fourteen?”

Better yet: “Would I say this about anyone who was misinformed about our community but still felt like they belong here?”

You can feel however you wish about their lack of understanding, but that lack of understanding doesn’t define them as people. If that were the case, anyone who questioned an identity and didn’t figure out all the details would be put in the hot seat.

Don't bash me in for saying this..but I don't consider anyone 14 or under who especially has tiktok to really be a therian.

They're more than likley gonna grow out of it. I'm not hating them for saying they are a therian but most people that young don't even know the meaning and seriousness of the identity.

[a-d-nox]

how to find your word/theme for the new year

oftentimes, people like to know what their theme is for the next year. they want keywords! stuff that is short sweet and to the point (i am gonna do a bit of an explanation for why i picked the word but you will get what i mean). grab your solar return charts - yes, charts! chances are you will be experiencing two general themes in the year (unless you were born the week before the new year or the week following the new year).

my birthday is in october, so it feels like i get a head start on the theme that will take up a majority of my next year. at the same time, i have these two random months at the end of the year that are not the same as the bulk of my year...

so looking at your solar return charts - we want to examine the 1h! the 1h will tell us what is the driving force of the year. so on to my examples for my year (assuming i don't move):

january to october

1h sagittarius (9°, 21°): grow, explore, optimism, freedom, etc

1h ruler in 6h: routine, health, work, service, etc

combining the themes

balance: sagittarius demands personal growth and expansion but 6h requires service and the support of others, if not the support of your body.

expand: sagittarius and jupiter wish to explore new opportunities - the 6h is about health and the job you do, so this could be about expanding your personal development in terms of how you nourish your body or seeking out new job opportunities that will aid your personal development.

harmony: there is a natural opposition oftentimes between asc and 6h (at least using WHS)... so this could be a year of boundaries learning how to balance self-assertion while also being generous towards others.

wellness: both then 1h and the 6h are tied to the body in some way shape and form... and sagittarius is a natural explorer, so this could be a time for you to explore your health, your fitness routine, dna, etc. chance are there is something you can learn to become a better version of yourself physically!

november to december

1h aries (1°, 13°, 25°): courage, assert, lead, confidence, self trust, etc

1h ruler in 8h: transform, power, growth, heal, etc

1h chiron: confront, wisdom, transform, self-acceptance, etc

asc square moon: integrate, present, feel, etc

combining the themes

empower: there is a lot at play in the end portion of the year and for a majority of 2026 for me. with the asc square moon and 1h chiron it seems likely learning to confront being hurt and to be okay with being not okay. 1h ruler in 8h and 1h aries can be about feeling encouraged to reclaim power over a situation. mars/ares is a battle god he has seen some shit and still standing tall, scars and all.

heal: playing off of the themes discussed in "empower", it takes strength and courage to say you want to heal and get better - to no longer want active wounds but scars instead. this is a more focused, emphasized look at 1h ruler in 8h and 1h chiron.

release OR resilience: asc square moon and 1h ruler in the 8h demand a catharsis. let go of what is no longer serving you emotionally. unpack the mental and emotional baggage you carry with you. emerge stronger (1h aries) and wiser (1h chiron) for doing so.

self-acceptance: aries is the 1st sign of the zodiac and often is referred to as the child of the bunch. 1h ruler in the 8h may require you to dig through emotional past stuff. asc square moon is all the emotional stuff you still have bottled up and haven't released yet. 1h chiron are wounds you can't heal yourself... you have learn to embrace everything - hug your inner child because they need it, go through the past stuff and process it, accept those bottled emotions because they have been a part of you for so long, and recognize you can't always patch up your own wounds. accept who you are as a whole - baggage, blood, bottles, and all.

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[scribescrawls]

Sentinel as a Foil to Starscream

Though I think the more intentional foils to Sentinel are meant to be Orion/Optimus and D-16/Megatron in terms of the writers' intention, I think in some ways Starscream and Sentinel do foil each other whether the writers intend it or not and I think they have the potential to foil each other in interesting ways in the future too even if Sentinel is dead if they ever explore TFOne Starscream's character more. Now everything I say is mostly interpretation, inference, and headcanons since we had a total of like 5 minutes of screen time for TFOne Starscream lol so I would like to preface that these are just my personal delulu thoughts. I think what's interesting about the potential parallels between Sentinel and Starscream is that in some ways they may share many similarities, but also greatly diverge in other ways. I think they are cut from the same cloth in a lot of ways. For instance, in terms of similarities I think they share traits of being very prideful, arrogant at times, ambitious, scheming, cunning, vain, and inclined more toward self preservation and can have tendencies of self-interest.

It's kind of ironic and funny that one of the major differences between them is loyalty. In most other continuities Starscream is the one betraying leaders to take power for himself, but in this one its Sentinel who does that. And in some ways TFOne Starscream's actions can be interpreted as showing a very strong sense of loyalty to the 13 Primes. Like instead of trying to make any deals with Sentinel to save his own skin he'd rather choose to live 50 cycles in exile on the dangerous surface in terrible conditions with no energon flowing on the planet and being hunted down like animals by both the Quintessons and Sentinel (even after they get caught he instead curses Sentinel and tries threatening him instead of trying to join Sentinel's side to save himself). Not only that but he and the rest of the High Guard are essentially committing guerilla warfare and still trying to sabotage Sentinel even after 50 cycles of these living conditions. I've mentioned it in other posts, but most people do not simply commit guerilla warfare under those conditions for your average deceased leader. To choose to suffer like that I think potentially indicates the possibility that the High Guard and Starscream cared very much for the 13 Primes to keep fighting to avenge them. So in this way I think they foil each other in that Starscream ironically shows great loyalty to the 13 Primes and their memory while Sentinel shows none.

It's also interesting to note that Sentinel criticizes the 13 Primes mentioning his disdain that he spent half the day watching them losing a war and the other watching them waxing poetic about 'loyalty' and 'honor'. Sentinel seems to not have cared at all or at least very little for their cause and for the Primes. Meanwhile Starscream when talking about who they are mentions that they were the High Guard who witnessed Sentinel's betrayal and saw the Primes fall and that they've been doing whatever they can to sabotage Sentinel. Like to hold such anger at the betrayal implies a certain amount of 'loyalty' and 'honor' to either the cause you were all fighting for against the Quintessons, defending Cybertron, or for the 13 Primes themselves or maybe even all of the above. If Starscream and the rest of the High Guard did not care for these things there would be no reason to be so angry and emotional over the betrayal. Because if they do not care for these things why not join Sentinel and the 'winning' side? But they don't and they're full of anger and vengeance so it means they must care a great deal.

Now you might wonder ‘If Starscream was apparently so loyal to the 13 Primes, why did he not follow Optimus and pledge his loyalty to him since he’s the new Prime actually chosen by Primus and holds the Matrix of Leadership as proof to back it up?” And of course this is just my headcanon, but the reason I think Starscream holds no loyalty to Optimus is because to Starscream Optimus from his point of view has not proven himself as a leader worth following and has not done enough to win Starscream’s loyalty in his eyes (I might make a separate post about why Starscream thinks this about Optimus later but this post is already getting very long so I leave that for another time lol, also I would like to note that yes I do personally think Orion was worthy of being a Prime and holding the Matrix but I'm discussing things from specific character perspectives in this post). I feel like to Starscream just having the title of Prime is not enough even if you were chosen by Primus himself. He strikes me as a skeptic who wants to see proof that you deserve the title and are worthy of it before he’s willing to follow you. And considering the movie portrays the 13 Primes in this continuity as honorable leaders who live up to their title and names, I think their deeds and actions proved that they were worthy leaders worth following for Starscream. I think this is one of the potential great contrasts between Starscream and Sentinel in TFOne. Whereas Sentinel’s loyalty will never be to anyone except himself, Starscream’s loyalty is also to himself but it can be extended to others.

However, to gain Starscream’s true loyalty I believe is very difficult but once you have it I think he’d go to great lengths for you even so far as going into exile and using all his wits to scheme/keep you alive/do anything to see your side wins/succeeds. I personally believe that he followed the 13 Primes not because they were Primes but because of who they were as people. So even if Optimus is a true Prime chosen by Primus it means nothing to Starscream. I feel like Starscream is the kind of person who’s audacious enough to tell god to his face that he thinks he made a stupid ass decision if he truly thinks so and will elect to ignore the decision if he disagrees with it. It’s arrogance bordering on hubris that comes with both pros and cons. On one hand, it’s a good thing to not just blindly follow anyone just because they have the title and it’s important that there is someone there who will point out a leader’s blind spots or poor decisions even if the leader most of the time makes good decisions. On the other hand, this arrogance also potentially results in pig headed stubbornness when you’re convinced you’re right even if you’re wrong.

I don’t think Megatron at this point in time has Starscream’s true loyalty either. Not that he’s already planning to betray Megatron since I think he actually believes Megatron has the potential to be a leader worth following, but that Megatron only holds his tentative loyalty. I think Megatron won major points in Starscream’s eyes in succeeding to kill Sentinel but I think Starscream will only follow Megatron so long as he deems Megatron is living up to his role as leader and I think unlike other members of the High Guard he’s the most skeptical and critical of Megatron’s inexperience in war and leadership even if he holds belief in Megatron’s potential at the same time.

This is not to say that I think Starscream is incapable of betrayal. I think he very much is but I think the reasons that would push this version of Starscream to betray someone are different. I think the reason why TFOne Starscream never tried to betray the 13 Primes to gain power in this version is because he saw no reason to. Yeah you guys haven't won the war against the Quintessons, but if the leaders are competent and you care about them and they care about you, you feel like you're all in this together and have a good work environment. I don't think Starscream was unambitious, I think he was very ambitious considering he made it all the way to leader of the High Guard, but I like to think he was satisfied with his life pre-Sentinel betrayal and therefore had nothing larger to prove as he'd accomplished a lot at that point. Leader of the High Guard working directly with the Primes, known as legendary warriors and defenders of Iacon, and noteworthy enough that you are recorded in history in the archives that Orion notes he read about them and Bee knows them both by name and face to be able to point them out individually from each other. It is prestigious even if the job may be dangerous.

And even the Decepticon logo in my opinion has a very personal meaning for the High Guard different than for Megatron/D-16. Because to the High Guard Megatronus Prime was not just a figure they heard great stories about. Megatronus was someone they probably fought side by side with, someone they knew personally. They probably talked with Megatronus, made jokes together, shared meals while out on campaign fighting Quintessons, risked their lives in battle fighting together. To them having Megatronus' face branded on them is probably not simply the way a fan picks their favorite superhero as their logo for a movement, rather to the High Guard the action to them probably feels closer to remembering a beloved deceased friend and comrade-in-arms they admired. The branding mark probably symbolizes multiple meanings for them. For many it probably also symbolizes how they'll never forget him and will always remember him carrying him with them in every battle. And I personally don't think this contradicts them believing the age of Primes is over. I think for the High Guard they hold a certain reverence for the original 13 Primes and only the original 13 Primes. But the "Age of Primes" for them has ended because their leaders/friends are all dead and are never coming back.

I think one interesting angle they could potentially go with if Starscream decides to betray Megatron and try to kill him in the future is if he thinks Megatron’s way of leadership and decision making down the line have become a threat to Starscream's life and the lives of others under his command. Because the High Guard have been fighting together long before the start of the movie I think it opens for the fun possibility that Starscream cares about the members of the High Guard to a degree and there is a certain bond that forms from spending so much time fighting side by side together even if you may get on each others' nerves at times. Therefore I think it'd be interesting if he betrays Megatron trying to kill him in a warped way of trying to save both himself and those he cares for. A 'you're going to get us all killed and I won't wait around for it to happen. I did not spend 50 cycles trying to keep as many people alive for you to throw it all away' sentiment.

It would even be more gut-wrenching if in the beginning of them working together Megatron and Starscream had grown to have a somewhat amicable working relationship with Starscream as a mentor-like figure guiding him and they became almost somewhat friends before things start devolving and fracturing as time passes. Starscream thinking something along the lines of 'It's simple math. You kill one to save the larger number of people even if it hurts to do so. Someone has to make the ruthless and hard decisions. There's no room for sentimentality in war. I have to think of the bigger picture.' And even worse if the betrayal and attempt to kill Megatron fails and Megatron feels like he got betrayed by someone close to him again thinking Starscream is just like Sentinel trying to gain power and leadership for his own selfish ambitions and vanity. Meanwhile Starscream feeling like he's been driven to a point where he has to go to extremes because he thinks Megatron won't listen to anyone but himself and thinks Megatron is blinded by selfish personal desires like Sentinel that led to Cybertron being almost doomed because of shortsightedness throwing away lives of their own troops for little gain just like Sentinel did. Sentinel being the ghost who haunts their narrative and plays on both their traumas of the ways Sentinel's betrayal affected them warping their perceptions of each other. For Megatron it's being betrayed by someone who he thought was on his side again/trusted, while Starscream feels Megatron will doom them and the entire planet through his reckless and shortsighted plans to feed his own personal selfish desires/grudges. Large parts of both their personalities differ from Sentinel, but I think if things hit this breaking point they will only interpret each other's behavior through a 'Sentinel lens' if that makes sense seeing only the worst parts of each other.

I got a little sidetracked lol, but back to Sentinel and Starscream being foils I think even the ways their vanity is displayed demonstrate their differences. Sentinel has his statues of himself and Starscream has a whole throne built for himself. They both show signs of vanity and self-importance. However, Sentinel's statues are pristine golden statues essentially obtained through selling out your own species to the enemy for short term gains by truly bowing to the enemy. Meanwhile Starscream's throne is a made of what looks like scrap metal in a dilapidated ship because he chose exile over bowing to Sentinel or the Quintessons. TFOne Sentinel and TFOne Starscream have the potential to be really fun explorations of characters who on the surface may be very alike but in certain core aspects are so different. I hope this adequately answered your ask!

[neragufetta]

Who, when, why and how did they wrote the diary?

I'm still thinking about the diary appeared in BAe1, since it's the one reveal which comes completely new, all the rest we had already known or at least conjectured. Who wrote it? For what reason? When? How could it be so accurate? Here's my hypothesys.

To be clear, in this post I'll consider "present" the date June 10th 2019, 03:55 PM.

Let's first start with what we know and what we can deduce: it is handwritten, in a mix of Chinese and Latin, which seems to show the intention to hide the diary from any potential reader or hacker; it details to the minute events that only CXS, LG and QL witnessed, and, the way the scene is edited, Lu Guang seems to be recalling the diary, which means it was written before present events.

There are different possible scenarios to explore but, without getting too lost in chatter, I want to start with one theory in particular, leaving the rest for later.

In my opinion, we should ask ourselves the question: ‘Who do we know that is aware the diary exists, knows the events transcribed in it, has a reason for transcribing them, and has the power to write them bofore happening?' I know it sounds trite to say but the most obvious answer is Lu Guang: Lu Guang has experienced the events personally, he intends to change the past but he needs to have perfect and maniacal control over every detail, which could explain the nees to to transcribe all the events in as much detail as possible in order to plan precisely what to leave unaltered, what to change and how.

The problem is that, if Lu Guang is the author of the diary, one has to wonder how he managed to write it down: Lu Guang experienced these events in one or more previous timelines, true, but how could he have transcribed the events with so much minutiae simply from memory? If he knew the events by heart, he would have no reason to transcribe them, and for the time being, I feel I can rule out the possibility that the diary has travelled through time.

As far as we know Lu Guang possesses at most two powers:

 - his original power, which, in his own words, allows him to know the twelve hours after a photo was taken, provided it was taken more than twelve hours earlier

 - the power to immerse himself in photos, obtained from CXS, which we do not know, however, whether or not he retains once immersed.

Writing down the diary with these powers seems impossible to me, so in order to explain how he succeded we have only two option: either Lu Guang lied about the nature of his powers (which is likely, ngl), or, and this is my guess, having both powers had an expected effect: the condition that the photo must be older than 12 hours in order to be used ceased to exist, allowing Lu Guang to take a photo and then use it to find out the next 12 hours in advance!

I know this sounds far-fetched but let me explain: from Lu Guang's point of view, coming from September 13th 2021, all photos prior to this date were taken well over 12 hours earlier, so even a photo just taken in 2019 for him is past and usable, nullifying the 12-hour restriction.

This way, by taking a photo he could know the future 12 hours in advance, transcribe them and then assess what to leave untouched and what to change.

I may have also spotted a possible faint piece of evidence to support my thesis, but since it is related to the kidnapping of CXS by Vivian's clique, and there are still a lot of unresolved details about that event, I won't go further.

Now, I know that this is just one possible explanation to part of the evidences, but it is also the one I wanted to focus on and share with you, without boring you too much. However, if you are very, very curious, the following section expand the other possible explanation I could come up.

-----------------------

THE BORING ANALYSIS

Let me repeat and expand some of the info I briefly shared before:

The events are written in Chinese, whereas the rest is in latin

This could be because the authors of Link Click didn't want to disclose the full content of the diary and decided to throw in a bunch of anonymous ipse lorum sentences, which mean we can ignore the latin content. However, if it was actually written in latin, it would mean that whoever wrote it put good effort into hide its content to the casual viewer, only to leave the most important details (like events and corresponding times) in clearsite. Not a wise choice, imo, but characters in fiction aren't always wise, tbh, so both option are in place.

2. It's handwritten

Whoever handwrote it spent their good amount of time doing it, considering that writing it on a computer would have taken him far less time. It makes me wonder what advantage manual writing might have had over digital writing and the only answer I can come up with is that a computer could be hacked and the author did not want to take the risk. That's shows proper dedication.

3. It contains details from an event known only by the trio

Whoever wrote it was either present when the events took place or had access to the memories of those who were present or had an insight into the future.

4. It is briefly displayed while LG thinks that everything is going the same way

The speach - video association seems to imply that Lu Guang had had previous access to the diary, he read it and possibly wrote it.

5. It contains a number of detailed events that had yet to happen

I can think of only two explanations: either the diary was written in the future and then transported in the past, which would require a complete new power, never seen in the show before, or it was written in the past, which suggests that either the author went from the future back to the past or had knowledge of present events before they occurred.

With this in my, let's proceed with the questions one by one:

WHO wrote it?

Someone who became aware of the facts, due to one of the following option: - they were present at the time of the facts - LG, CXS or QL - they foresaw the events thanks to some power - Such powers could be those of Xiang, Lu Guang, Li Tianxi, or someone we don't know yet  - the facts were reported to the author, by someone who experienced and/or foretold them - in this case they could be anyone.

WHEN was the diary written?

Either in the past or in in the future and then sent somehow back to the past

On behalf of WHO?

The author wrote it either for himself or for another recipient

WHY did the author write the diary?

So that someone, the author themself of a different recipient, could keep track or learns the events in advance and: - stick to the events as they happened - could intervene at the appropriate time and change the events - could intervene at the appropriate time and prevent someone else from changing the events, or at least adjust the course, should some change occur

Extra questions with a yes/no answer: if we assume that Lu Guang read the diary, was he an intended recipient? Is the diary safe?

What strikes me the most, again, is that the events are listed by the minute and, let's be honest, if the author had written the list of events based only on memory, they could not have been so accurate, therefore the scenarios I can imagine are the following:

 - the recipient of the diary is the author themself, and they cannot rely on memory only but have knowledge of future events thanks to some power or someone sharing the information

 - the recipient of the diary is the author themself, they have detailed memory of the events but still need to write them down for planning

 - the author and the recipient are different people, the author knows the events to the minute and wrote them down for the recipient's interest.

I hope it makes sense, explaining these past/future concepts is brainwrecking and I'm pretty tired at this point and not all that interested in exploring other possibilities,  such as that Lu Guang is not the author of the diary but stole it or received it from someone else. Feel free to explore the possible outcome yourselves.

Bye!

[xbuster]

Oh god, are we really entering the era of anime about fake Vtubers

[lovelyrotter]

yknow i love transmasc/tboy dirk always and forever but the way some ppl treat transmascness vs transfemmeness in HS's narrative........kinda sucks. like the whole thing about how being transfeminine is a literal transient experience and lets the character in question (any character) truly escape the oppression of HS's narrative-as-a-character which is patriarchal and toxic (lord english, hussie-the-character to an extent. i guess. idk ive seen a lotta ppl lump SI-hussie in w/ this), which is great and does hold weight as an analytical lens esp with how hussie irl is nonbinary. but where does this leave transmasc characters. why are we treating (headcanoned) transfemme HS characters like this and then tbh gleefully dooming (headcanoned) transmasc characters to eternal narrative suffering brought by LE and then mocking them for being ''gross tboys'' full of ''icky testorerone'' so its their fault theyre in this perpetual torment really? because they ''''chose to be a man''''? dunno man its starting to feel bad. especially since some bnf's who are really into this fan theory do actually kinda treat the general idea of transmasculinity like somthing to hold with tongs at arms length away from them. as if its alien or infectous or something and then get really mad when equally dysphoric transmascs do the same with feminity. why are we dooming dirk strider to eternal toxic-masculine suffering and what does that say about how we treat real life transmasc folks both in and outside of the fandom

[baronessblixen]

You know, I was wondering:

If canon stopped at Je Souhaite and CC wrote the Revival later (but excluded William-Jackson and the mytharc), I wonder how much more... I don't know, plausible? it would be?

The problem with the Revival-- or why I never got into it-- was that so many out-of-character moments had to happen (S9 mostly) in order to set it up; and it never seemed worth my effort to watch. But I have IWTB locked and loaded for later this month; and I began to wonder if the Revival would have made more sense if Mulder had become lost in his obsession/depression after Colonization didn't happen, period, sometime after Je Souhaite; and the two being torn apart because of his tendency to withdraw into himself. I always thought that, even though they'd lost their son canonically, it was a factor that bound he and Scully tighter together; and their will-they-won't-they post S9 never rang true to me. I do factor in the need for space especially if Mulder won't/can't listen (precedent being set in Syzygy and Never Again and One Son etc.); but the reasons given (or not) for each "breakup" weren't... dealt with very well.

And maybe it's just me but some conversations in the Revival would have made more sense? if Mulder and Scully had never had kids and were happy but their happiness was shattered here and there because of Mulder's obsessions and regrets and not because Scully gave it all up but still walked away from him twice. (Plus One I think? was the "what if you get married and have kids" convo, and wouldn't that have been an interesting twist if Jackson wasn't a part of their history?)

ANYWAY. Ramble aside, I'll probably have more thoughts after IWTB... which should be interesting because I'm skipping right over S9 (so that my brain keeps it firmly in the AU category.) And IF that goes well, I miiiiiiiiiiiiight? dip into the Revival episodes that have nothing to do with the mytharc or William? Maybe? (Maybe not. XDD)

Is there a will-they-won't-they situation with them? To me there isn't. It might seem that way because CC didn't come right out and showed them as a couple in IWTB cause he wanted the audience to be surprised or something. But their love and what they feel for each other and that they both wanted to be together (and were) was never in question for me. And there is a lot of what you say in IWTB. Mulder and his obsessions and how that might drive a wedge between him and Scully.

As for the breakup in the revival, it just wasn't done well if you ask me. Like it's mentioned and then next episode, their dynamic is as it always was and you completely forget about it for the most part. There are a few mentions and in fact, there are a few great things in the revival.

The Plus One conversation - to me - was so misplaced in that episode. They were so beyond that point. It's a conversation they should have had in IWTB maybe. They were in their 50s (!) and talk about what "what if you meet someone and have a family". Sorry but that doesn't work for me.

The whole thing was clunky and just a way for CC to let Mulder and Scully have sex. Even without William/Jackson, that conversation happened too late for me. Cause it's never about what COULD have happened but what can still happen. And they're just too old for me for that at that point.

I think you can easily watch IWTB without having seen season 9. The only episodes you really need knowledge of to watch it are The Truth and maybe William.

I say give the revival a chance. You can always put it into AU category if you hate it :D

[icewindandboringhorror]

Recent game related things .. hrmm...

[cacturne]

hwait (finally looked it up) theyre actually allowing you to roleplay a city elf in veilguard?

[llycaons]

sometimes I feel like I've overcorrected on the unhealthy relationships in media thing because there is so much nauseating bullshit out there that people present as aspirational, which is kind of a shame because a lot of the most interesting fictional relationships are absolute nightmares and it's a real gift to see them appreciated by people who understand the nuances and the appeal

[mbat]

dude so im exploring the uncensored library map right now, and i decided to fly up to the area where all the flags are hanging in the center dome area because i love seeing the details in video game maps, and... dude they have books on every single country that they have a flag for. like they seem to be mostly, if not all, just a few pages long, but the dedication... like this map is actually amazing, what the hell.

seriously, even if you dont plan on reading most, or any, of the books in this map, please still download the map, its just impressive on so many levels, and is so beautiful too. also its a way to support the creators, of course

[banj0possum]

My Lovely Melody

Yandere!Rockstar x GN!Reader

CW: yandere is a playboy before he meets reader, suggestive (creepy) thoughts, minor obsessive behaviour

🎸 Axel's been in many relationships with both men and women alike, but all of his little flings felt nothing more than that, just flings.

🎸 And he was content with it, I mean being a famous rockstar meant lots of people wanting a chance with you and he indulged in that fact.

🎸 He could sleep with whoever he wanted, whenever he wanted, and he wouldn't have to deal with the commitment that comes with dating or any of that messy stuff.

🎸 So why the hell can't stop thinking about you ?!?!?!!

🎸 He scratched his head trying to make sense of it, his messy hair getting even more ruffled as he tries to get the image of your smile out of his head.

🎸 You were in a miscellaneous store full of alt clothing, trinkets and various other stuff when he walked in with his bandmates.

🎸 It was fairly normal when he came in the store. It was dim with some random punk song playing faintly in the background. His friends started exploring, looking at the graphic t-shirts and mugs shaped like skulls and the like.

🎸 He got a bit bored and wandered to the other side of the store. It had posters, candles and..who's that?

🎸 There you were, staring longingly at a plush toy sitting on one of the shelves, just standing there.

🎸 He didn't think much of it, probably just some person baked out of their mind. "Hey buddy, you doin' good?"

🎸 You snap out of your gaze and look at the big hulking man in front of you. You stutter out an apology and explain your little misfortune.

🎸 "So you want this..toy...but you can't afford it..?" He raises a brow at you as you nod, making him chuckle.

🎸 He thought for a moment, looking at the stuffed creature, well it wouldn't hurt to buy it for you, he's pretty well off from all the gigs and concerts he's been in so...

🎸 "How 'bout I buy this thing for ya then? But you owe me~" He winks, thinking he could score some quick sex for being such a 'gentleman'

🎸 But no, instead of a blush or a knowing smirk, you just looked at him with the widest, most innocent eyes he's ever seen, you were practically shaking with joy as he said it.

🎸 You thanked him profusely before listing off things you could do in return, treating him to some food, buying something for him in return, plain paying him back..he was a bit surprised.

🎸 "O-oh...uhm that was a joke heheh, y-you don't have to do all that babe..." He blushes.

🎸 The two of you head to the cashier, his friends spying from behind the aisles as his gaze is locked on the little ball of cuteness beside him.

🎸 Seriously? Did you even know who he was? This has never happened before...most of the time, he would pay for someone's drink or something and they'd be on his dick in seconds, but you, you were so..different...it felt nice..

🎸 You didn't even get it in a bag, you immediately took the plush after it was paid and hugged it close.

🎸 so cute so cute so cute so cute so cute!!!

🎸 "Hey uh..so me and my buds are in a band and uhm..wanna maybe..watch our next gig?" He asks nervously, he's never been so shy towards anyone!!

🎸 You agree, thinking it's the least you could do for what he did for you.

🎸 You take out your phone, Axel can't help but grin at the case, it was cute, like you~..

🎸 "Here's my number if..you need it.." You smile at him, that smile..that damn cute smile...you had his heart wrapped around your finger at this point.

🎸 "Th-thanks sugar..I'll see you there.." He smiles back as you part ways, he heads back to his friends who were bombarding him with questions as he watches you skip out of the store with your new little soft friend.

🎸 That night, he was getting ready for the show when he got a message notification and sees that you sent a picture of the show from one of the seats with some text "Good luck out there!"

🎸 His face was on fire as he realized you were there, he peeks out in the crowd and there you were, your little plush toy in tow.

🎸 You look so out of place from the people in spiky jewelry and dark outfits, you were just in a hoodie and baggy pants, albeit the hoodie had a MCR design on it, but you can tell it was very soft compared to the rest of the audience.

🎸 Finally it was time for the show to begin and it was the most passionate he's been in a while, it seemed as if the words he was singing were dedicated to you and you alone.

🎸 The little glances at you made you giddy, like a friend seeing their bestie perform, you were cheering excitedly for him, not in a fangirly way, but one of genuine support and amazement.

🎸 After the performance, Axel tried finding you, but the crowd was too big and he assumed you must have left already.

🎸 Wait..why is he being so buddy buddy with you? You just met today! It's not like you two were best friends or anything!

🎸 He tried dismissing the thought of you, tried distracting himself by flirting with other people, but he could only think about you, and making you smile like that again..

🎸 no no no! get out of my head!

🎸 Maybe a little fling can ease his mind?

🎸 Even on his bed with some random girl after show, he can still think of you.

🎸 Would your skin be as soft? or maybe softer? How would your hair smell? He bets your moans would sound delicious..

🎸 shit FUCK!!

🎸 Even after his one night stand, he kept thinking of you

🎸 He stares at your messages, you sent a lot of pictures of your plush toy doing goofy things to him, so cute..so silly...he can't help but smile.

🎸 He decides to look you up on social media and..

🎸 Wait a minute...you make music too?

yep this was a bit short but idk man i love making you guys suffer <3 stay tuned for part 2 (i am actually out of ideas guys please request me please please ple-)