#but being manipulated doesn’t make a person stupid because manipulation deals with emotions and not logic

[unordinary-diary]

Ensemble and Intelligence

Everyone in the main cast is really smart, actually. Every last one of them. But it doesn’t feel repetitive or unrealistic because they’re all smart in different ways.

Seraphina: is probably the most obviously smart. She’s capable of perfect grades, she’s a skilled liar, good at reading people and puzzling information together, and she’s really really clever. The moment that sticks out to me most is when she used clever wording to trick Nadia, the lie detector, during her interrogation in chapter 28, without hesitation or breaking a sweat. I’d argue that she’s actually the smartest character in the cast.

Blyke: is mostly academically smart. He gets good grades in school and finds the work to be easy. Beyond that, he’s also good at reading people. He’s not as good as Seraphina is, but he’s able to read his two best friends like a book, and he has a much higher emotional intelligence than I initially gave him credit for. He also uses his ability very creatively, even before his power up. A moment that sticks out to me is when Remi was secretly going after EMBER, and Blyke was able to read her and piece together what was going on, meanwhile Isen had no idea anything was wrong.

Isen: is not a high achiever in school, but he excels in writing. He is proficient at gathering, piecing together, and expressing information. He’s also the only character except maybe Seraphina who consistently makes the smart decisions (as opposed to the reckless, emotional, hasty or ill informed/advised ones). Most characters make at least some stupid decisions and mistakes, but Isen is pretty much always focused on logic and foresight. Notable moments include: being able to track down John’s records, tracking down Claire, choosing not to publish the article on fake Jokers because he knew it would exacerbate the problem, tracking EMBER’s movements and basically anything he does on his computer.

John: initially seems like a total birdbrain. He acts like a dumbass, and he gets fairly bad grades. However, it’s clear from the beginning that he’s a good strategist. He thinks on his feet well, he’s good at sizing people up, and when he chooses to, he uses his ability with incredible creativity and tact. His intelligence is largely fighting centered. However, much later in the story, after John’s suspension, we see another side of him. It doesn’t show up much when he’s acting like silly old hair gel John, and definitely not much when he’s too buried in his anger to think straight, but John is really clever. This side of John is a lot like Seraphina’s smarts— he’s good at reading people, and he’s good at putting pieces together and thinking critically. Things that come to mind are when he read Arlo like a book, (something along the lines of “But you do need help. You wouldn’t have lost your cool if you had things under control.) and when he immediately sniffed out Sera’s lies (She said she was talking to Arlo about “Safe House stuff”, and John identifies that as a lie because if it were true she would have kept Remi in the room instead of asking for a private conversation with Arlo).

Arlo: is very cunning. He’s constantly scheming and thinking five steps ahead. He makes many misguided decisions due to his naïveté and misplaced trust, but he’s also very often the voice of reason. He’s a great leader and an even better manipulator. He’s always thinking analytically and connecting dots. An example is the fact that Arlo is the only person who suspected that John was actually a high tier, and looked deeper for more info. He also provided valuable insight in the Spectre investigation, and, like Isen, often encourages others on the side of caution (advising Seraphina not to meet with Spectre, involving John with the Spectre issue, telling Remi not to go after EMBER, etc.) Now, Arlo actually does give off the impression of being stupid at times, which is something I’d like to look at. He has many areas where he acts purely on his emotions and against common wisdom, but that is something that every person does. I think the reason why Arlo’s emotion-based decisions come off as stupidity moreso than other characters is because of the image he upholds: Arlo hides his emotions, pretends he doesn’t care about anything, and portrays himself as a person who acts on logic alone. Because of this, the emotions he acts upon aren’t always immediately obvious, or the audience doesn’t perceive them as being intense enough to make him behave the way he does. Therefore, Arlo’s mistakes (namely: targeting John because he feels abandoned and unfairly burdened, and refusing to believe the authorities are EMBER because he loves his aunt) — can be mistaken for a lack of critical thinking as opposed to a strong emotion.

Remi: is probably the least smart by conventional standards, but she sure as hell isn’t stupid. She has good critical thinking skills, she’s able to come to logical conclusions on her own, and she has good leadership. She was probably the first to put together that the authorities and EMBER are connected, and she was the one to realize that the writer of the Kovoro Mall article (Terrence) had been following them (Ch. 52). Not to mention that it was Remi who came up with the idea for the Safe House. However, the most notable facet of Remi’s smarts is her emotional intelligence. Remi is very good at navigating social situations, understanding herself and others, and she is excellent at communication. Highlights include the way she handled the situation with John (being understanding of him, hearing him out and offering to help him, but without compromising her own values), and the way she expressed to Blyke that she wasn’t mad at him but rather, scared for his safety, which was a clear, concise and honest way of explaining a very intense and complicated emotion, which is difficult to do in the heat of the moment.

[dippindaz]

Relationship HCs

Still unsure of how I wanna write the Sinners characters so forgive me if these are a bit choppy, I'm working on it!

Warnings: Mentions of blood, death, and very slight arson, brief mention of sexual talk(Stack), mentions of crime, brief mention of a gun(Smoke), mention of stalking(Remmick obvi), manipulation(Remmick), control(Remmick), kinda gaslighting(Also Remmick, damn this guy's a catch), AFAB reader in mind though it's mostly gender neutral, I think that's it

Characters: Smoke, Stack, and Remmick

Elijah "Smoke" Moore

His life has been full of corruption, backdoor deals, and distrust in the system. That's just how it is for men like him. Smoke reads people like newspapers, and you earn his trust slowly. If you're "not from around here," he watches you like a hawk at first.

On the other hand, Smoke doesn’t "date"—he courts. Expect slow-burn tension built through lingering glances, quiet walks through town at dusk, and handwritten notes left tucked in a book. It’s old-fashioned in the most soul-stirring way.

He doesn’t open up quickly. Early on, he watches you more than he speaks to you—measuring your words, your reactions, your soul. But once Smoke trusts you, his emotional depth is staggering. He doesn’t say "I love you" often, but when he does, it lands like scripture.

He isn’t the type to grandstand. He protects you with subtleties—walking on the side closest to traffic, checking the locks twice, noticing when your mood shifts even if you don’t say a word. He’s like a steady hand on your lower back guiding you through a crowd. And he'd kill for you without a second thought. But you’d never know—his threats are silent. Just a hard stare, a slow stand, a calm "We done here?"

Smoke doesn’t announce his anger. He doesn’t rant, or threaten. He watches. Measures. Files it away. If someone hurts you—really hurts you—he doesn’t need to raise his voice. He’ll simply make sure that person’s luck runs out. Even if that's simply pulling out his pistol.

Smoke likes smalls rituals. Consistency. Getting up at the same time, making the bed, making coffee, sitting down to eat. He’ll invite you to share those rituals, not to control you, but because sharing sacred things is how he shows love.

You'll never have to guess what he wants. Despite not being a talker, Smoke isn’t a game player. But you will need to read between silences. In return, you get loyalty and devotion that feels elemental.

He's not PDA-heavy, but behind closed doors? Smoke’s hands say everything his mouth doesn’t. He holds you like he’s grounding himself. It's deliberate, reverent. Like he's memorizing every part of you.

Elias "Stack" Moore

Stack falls fast and hard—if he's into you, everyone knows. He’ll drag you into a whirlwind of chaotic plans, late-night drives, half-baked schemes, and sweet nothings mumbled against your neck at 3AM.

If anyone so much as looks at you wrong, he’s ready to throw down. You're his, and though he’d never cage you, he makes damn sure you feel claimed—in the best, most delicious way.

He can sweet-talk you into anything—an argument, a kiss, a stupid adventure. But beneath the charisma is someone who feels everything too much, all the time. You’ll be the calm in his storm, but Stack needs someone who isn’t afraid to stand up to him, too.

He’s the kind of guy who says "I love you" mid-fight, throws his jacket over a puddle for you, and would absolutely get you anything you ask for, even if it's mentioned in passing.

A stolen locket. A nice coat he bought for you. A flower plucked from the cemetery fence. He shows love like a fox bringing gifts to your doorstep—part concerning, part suspicious, but still all sweet.

Physical affection is constant with Stack. Arms slung over your shoulders, kisses on your temple mid-sentence, rough hands tangled in your hair. Stack loves hard, and he needs to feel close to you to function.

He uses every possible term of endearment for you—"doll," "sugar," "honeybee," "sweetheart," "babygirl," "pretty thing." He’ll call you "trouble" with a grin and whisper sexual things under his breath in front of others just to see you blush.

You spend most nights at the Juke joint together. He thrives in low-lights with the blues playing and whiskey flowing. He’ll take your hand and twirl you through a crowd like you’re the only person alive. He might get into a fight. He'll likely win. He’ll definitely make it look like it was for you—even if it wasn’t.

Stack takes things personally. You cry? He’s already on his way to break somebody’s jaw. He doesn’t think first. He reacts. Wildly, passionately. His love is loud, so his vengeance is louder.

Stack's temper is a match waiting for a strike. But with you? He softens. Even during the fights you may have, he'll barely raise his voice, if at all.

He is feral about making sure you’re taken care of. He grew up knowing pain and hunger, and you’ll never feel it if he can help it. Even if it means going back to a life of crime.

Remmick

At first, he waits. Watches. Learns what you like, what you dislike before you ever know his name. Then, Remmick woos like a gentleman—pulls out your chair, quotes poetry, knows exactly when to laugh, when to lean in, when to say your name like it means everything. But it’s never just romance—it’s strategy. Your reactions are data. Your affection is leverage. At least, that's how it started.

Everyone else is expendable, usable. But you? You’re different. Once you’re his, he doesn’t let go. He might test you, manipulate you, but it always comes with that unsettling devotion. You’re not part of his plan. You are the plan.

He'll act like some upper class man in most scenarios, folks trust easier that way. But when it comes down to it, he fights like someone who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. Because truthfully, he did. That duality is part of his draw—and his danger.

With enough motivation, he can find anyone. And if they hurt you or insult you, you won’t hear a word about it after the fact. You’ll just see a headline the next day about a new missing person. And his only comment? "I warned 'em."

Whether you have money or not means nothing to Remmick, he doesn't want that. He wants your loyalty. Not the easy kind. The kind forged through shared secrets and dangerous truths. If he has your trust and you have his, he’ll kill the whole town for you. Burn the world for you.

He's possessive, but not always openly. You won’t always see it. But you’ll feel it when someone else touches your hand too long. That cold silence. The next day, the person is gone. "They had debts," "Shame, really."

Remmick doesn’t control in obvious ways—he guides. He convinces. Suddenly you’re wearing what he likes, avoiding who he hates, echoing things he’s said. But he frames it like care. And maybe to some extent, he believes that's what it is.

He doesn’t believe in second chances. Betrayal is met with ruin. But if you wrong him—hurt him, lie to him—he can’t let go. Not really. He might punish, withdraw, twist the knife—but he won’t walk away. You’ve been branded into his soul, and he hates that as much as he craves it.

Someone talks bad about you? They’re scared shitless later that night. Touches you without permission? Their business burns down. Hurts you? They vanish. He doesn’t just get even—he erases.

He trusts almost no one. Most people he keeps close are pawns and usually not even people. But you? You’re the one person he doesn’t use, even if he manipulates the world around you. He’d kill for you. He’d die for you. And though he'd never let it happen, he expects the same devotion.

You’ll never get the full story (At least not while you're human). Not until it’s too late. You’ll know pieces: his banjo, the letter in a foreign language he hides, the night he came home covered in blood with calm eyes. You’re not sure if he’s trying to protect you—or protect himself from what you might think.

[shorthaltsjester]

sorry it so truly laughable to me to look at campaign 3 and determine the success of the stories therein based on screentime like. disregarding the fact that i personally take c3 to be the least valuable in terms of stories told, particularly ones about romantic love, for the moment: on principle it’s goofy as hell to think that a large amount of hours = a story that has something to say let alone something meaningful to say. like, yasha and beau, for example, have a fairly small amount of hours due to the fact that a) ashley missed half the campaign b) they were also generally slowburn, and while that influences the depth of certain aspects of the story, the time spent with yasha and beau has little to do with how meaningful their story is. it wouldn’t matter if they had 10 hours of screen time or 100 if what is in question is the story told; yasha’s story as someone chained by grief choosing to move on & beau’s story as someone angry after a life of being treated like shit finally getting justice for the wrongs done to her which both conclude in their campaign’s finales aren’t successful because I can launch some meaningless number of how many hours it took them to take build those stories together into the ether and say “they did this for women’s rights” just because two women existed beside one another. both yasha and beau resonate as stories that have a significant feminist read because they both deal with fantasy versions of things extremely relevant to women in a way that maintains their agency without shirking their responsibility, and they are particularly strong stories about queerness not simply because they’re two women who fuck but because they deal with emotional themes relevant to queer experiences — anger and grief — and how, while the reasons for those emotions are grounded ones, they both choose to grow beyond the boundaries they allowed those emotions to enforce in their lives.

further, the notion of screentime for a show that takes care to show all of the players on screen at a time in a medium where the player/character distinction isn’t always clear is such a subjective calculation and on top of being a stupid justification for ‘success’ or ‘value’ of a story, is also easy to manipulate to your favour.

it’s just, the screentime for im*dna’s relevance and success doesn’t ring true to me just because it’s a bad reason. but further it just isn’t persuasive. i don’t care if i see someone for 1000 hours or 1, if a story resonates it will do so with any amount of time. whatever amount of screentime they’re calculated to have does nothing to repair or hide the fact that their story as a couple says very little of value in the text, without whatever fanfic extrapolation has taken place (and to be clear, this isn’t to say fanfic can’t be valuable, it’s to say that the character explorations you do in fic or in meta for that matter doesn’t mean that analysis or elaboration is canon). like. halfway through the campaign, before they got together, imogen told laudna “our weirdness is what makes us right” and laudna agreed verbally but now 1 billion hours of screentime later or whatever, laudna has still failed to integrate that belief into her, which is made obvious in a scene after the divine intervention that ties laudna’s life to imogen’s when imogen tells laudna she’s grateful she got to hear the music of laudna’s thoughts, and laudna’s response is “it was probably a bit of the insanity, honestly”, something which on paper might read like a joke but in the moment is played like a (maintained from hours upon hours previous) dismissal of what imogen is saying she values about laudna, evident in the way laura/imogen deflates when she says “well, it was pretty…”. and simply because it’s been a trillion hours of screentime that’s supposed to be representative of a relationship in which the characters help each other to grow.

(addendum to say that stories that are about stagnancy can be just as valuable as stories about growth, but textually and by the sections of fandom im critiquing here, imogen and Especially laudna are treated as a relationship that grows)

truly, if anything, counting up as many hours as possible to dictate the success of imogen and laudna’s story actually ends up working against the story. because i’d probably be more forgiving of the stagnancy if it was a shorter story, but knowing that they had so many hours and still failed to deliver a story with actions and behaviour that matched the claims the characters would make and the tropes/themes that would get applied to them, that makes it worse.

[bluiela]

You know what? Seeing some of the Elriels in TikTok comments really reminded me why I’m beyond relieved to not be part of that community. The sheer level of delusion and arrogance they constantly parade around is actually disturbing — and it’s always the same tired, toxic rhetoric:

“Gwynriels ship Gwyn and Az because they hate Elain.” “They just want Lucien to be happy.” “That one influencer brainwashed thousands into seeing something that doesn’t exist.” “Those thousands are just dumb and gullible.”

Do they hear themselves? The sheer irony of acting like their opinion is gospel in a book series that is literally subjective is laughable.

Most of them started shipping Elriel way back in ACOMAF. The same book that ends with Az almost dying and still protecting Mor and Elain being mated to Lucien. There was nothing substantial between Elain and Azriel then — they just latched onto it because it fed into their romantic fantasy. It’s been pure self-insert since day one.

Meanwhile, many Gwynriels were originally Elriels — until we started reading the actual text. We paid attention. We saw what the story was actually showing us. We grew with the narrative, not against it. But Elriels? They’ve been clinging to... potatoes and fantasies that Mor and Azriel have already had and done but better, ignoring canon development.

What’s truly disgusting is the tone — the condescending, cult-like idea that thousands of readers are too stupid to interpret the same pages correctly unless it aligns with the Elriel agenda. That’s not just arrogant — that’s toxic as hell.

It's rooted in superiority complex.

They genuinely think their interpretation is the only one that’s valid. That anyone who sees a different connection — based on the same text — must be an idiot. That’s not confidence in your ship. That’s arrogance masking insecurity. It’s the literary version of “if you don’t agree with me, you’re stupid.” That’s not fandom, that’s fascism.

2. It completely erases subjectivity.

Books, especially character-driven fantasy like ACOTAR, are meant to be interpreted. People relate to different characters and dynamics — that’s the point. But Elriels throw that out the window and label every opposing interpretation as delusional or “influenced.” So basically, they believe readers are incapable of forming their own opinions unless they match theirs. That’s manipulative and condescending as hell.

3. They ignore canon in favor of fantasy.

Most of them started shipping Elriel back in ACOMAF — a book where Azriel is still obsessed with Mor and Elain is literally mated to Lucien. But that didn’t matter to them. They clung to the fantasy of “shy girl x broody boy” and refused to grow with the story. Then Gwyn showed up — with actual, consistent chemistry and emotional development with Azriel — and they lost their minds. Not because it didn’t make sense, but because it threatened their fantasy. That’s not shipping. That’s fanfic delusion overriding canon.

4. They project and self-insert HARD.

A lot of this isn’t even about Elain or Azriel. It’s about readers projecting their own insecurities or fantasies onto Elain. They want to be her. And when someone prefers another character — like Gwyn, who is bold, brave, and actively healing — it feels like a personal attack. So instead of dealing with that discomfort, they lash out and accuse everyone else of “hating Elain” or being “brainwashed.”

Newsflash: Disagreeing with your ship is not hate. Seeing deeper, better-developed dynamics doesn’t mean we’re blind. It means we’re reading the damn books without a self-insert filter.

5. They attack fans, not ships.

I’ve never seen a Gwynriel mock Elriels as people. I’ve seen us disagree with the ship, yes — but the Elriels? They don’t just attack Gwynriel. They attack the fans. Calling us brainwashed, stupid, desperate, sheep. That’s not defending your ship. That’s cult behavior. If your argument only stands when you're insulting thousands of readers, maybe your ship isn't as solid as you think.

So yeah. I’m glad I’m not part of that delusional, toxic mess of a fandom. I’d rather ship something that’s actually supported by character growth and narrative development than sit around worshipping a glorified fanfic pairing from book two and pretending everyone else is insane for evolving past it.

The fact that Gwynriels don't even stoop to their level says everything. We don’t need to attack Elain. We don’t need to scream our ship is “canon” to feel good about it. We’re not insecure.But clearly, they are. And it shows.

[deafeningfanlight23]

"Are You Happy?"

ECLIPSE ONESHOT IN 2025 HELL YEAH! >:D This plays during the time when he got the star btw which was SO LONG AGO ACTUALLY DAMN I FEEL OLD :'D

Anyway, ENJOY! :D

----

„Are you happy?”

Such an interesting question with so many possibilities to use as answers. Some could be denial, such as assuring others that you’re fine although it feels as if your own insecurities and fears are feeding off your insides. However, if someone feels like being brave for a moment, they could express their true feelings. Either they’re doing ‘dandy’ and feel like they could lift stones, or they feel like a damn wrecking ball was crushed repeadetly against their mind until it crumbled into tiny pieces which couldn’t be repaired by a simple glue stick. And once someone exposes their true nature, there could be various responses given – For example, either trusted friends provide you support and make your emotions feel validated, or there could be some intellectually undeveloped people who think they are hilarious by throwing some things at your way, like “Who cares?” or ‘jokingly’ saying “Then kill yourself.” And those stupid statements may seem to the one delivering it as funny, but to the other person who receives it that genuinely struggle could only drain their energy and motivates them to keep their true emotions further in the dark.

And Eclipse is feeling like dying, rotting. Slowly and painfully, as if ants devoured him. Piece by piece. Second by second. Minutes passing, hours flying, and days turning into months where he is solely thinking about how to stop this unbearable torture of thoughts racing and swirling into chaos, looking for solutions that are ultimately swallowed by the depths of darkness whose claws only threaten to worm inside his mind. This feeling of misery doesn’t help either – It just gets piled up on the already overflowing stack of emotions. Once collecting the fragile amount of energy to stand up, this dreaded wrecking ball crashes over him like a turbulent wave of a merciless sea, suffocating him in this empty abyss where the light melts away like candle wax.

Why shouldn’t he feel happy?

He archived his goal. He has it literally in his palm. This stupid star.

He can do whatever he wishes now. He can make the world a... better place.

So why does he feel so bored, so empty? Why doesn't he FINALLY execute his plan?

He worked so hard to earn this goal and did so many reckless and villainous actions to archive it. And now, he has it.

But it didn’t bring him little to no happiness or fulfillment.

Although he forces himself to feel something, anything, besides…

… nothing.

Well, at the beginning, it felt as if he had achieved something meaningful, something which would change his life. But it did absolutely NOTHING.

And this just makes him feel… so ENDLESSLY stupid.

He crushed so many souls and lives, made his enemies suffer and inflicted such brutal trauma on everyone who crossed his path.

And what did it lead to?

Nothing.

An EMPTY version of an achievement - Which is such a paradox when you say it like this. Doesn't an achievement mean that someone gained something? But now he faces the contrast: It feels just meaningless.

But the process to get this goal was the best experience he had in his life. It was thrilling, exciting, gave him this happiness and fulfillment he craves. However, the most important thing is that it gave him a purpose. In his life that he deemed as worthless, he ultimately found a purpose, a purpose to live for – Namely his goal of getting this stupid weapon which Moon created. Planning, making deals with his biggest enemies, manipulating, and exploiting others and executing monstrous actions served to assist him nearing his goal step by step, taking his time and purposefully messing around with them more than he has to because it’s just amusing to provoke their reactions. It was such a fun to see his enemies Moon and Sun struggling, suffering, to inflict on Moon this pain he has experienced.

And now, he has this goal, and this sense of purpose has vanished. Now, he’s left as a body with nothing inside.

An empty shell.

Maybe he was an empty shell to begin with.

But at least he maybe had the illusion that he was not.

He feels so empty and stupid now.

A pathetic individual with a pathetic achievement in his hand.

Everything now is so pathetic.

So pointless.

So…

… nothing.

Does this mean he isn't happy now?

Or was he never happy to begin with?

[gojoluvs]

Please y/n for the love of God! Don’t give into him.

That white hair dick man isn’t worth the hassle! Leave him! Divorce his ass!

You married him for your father wish I know but I doubt he be mad at you once you tell him that Gojo was cheating on you with his ex while you were at the appointment and only to go to him for emotional support after supporting only then caught him on the act. I’m sure your dad will get best divorce lawyer that money can find and probably cancel the deal of giving your inheritance to Satoru.

As for your promise to Shoko well fuck her. Just give him a chance she says! Like hell I’m giving another chance! This marriage is a nightmare! This bipolar mess Satoru is inconsistent with his treatment and actions for y/n! One minute he act like she is super manipulate villain who stand in his way only to next act like he care about her and then fuck her only then to go back to despise her. I don’t if Jiyuu is clearly a gold digger and Satoru is blind to it or Jiyuu is the most toxic mess of person ever to exist and again Satoru is too stupid to see it. It his problem not y/n

Oh please Gojoluvs give y/n a man who is decent to her and put Satoru in his place. Any man will do. Weather it another jjk man or a different anime man heck even a Manwha man will do! Just give y/n a win for once😭

I hope y/n stop caring about this rat ( that right I’m not even calling him a man) and just act indifferent to him because that best thing to do to someone like Gojo. To have someone like y/n who try their best to get along with him and care for him only then to act indifferent to him. No more caring after him and trying to comfort him just leave him be to his own devices. Not out of hatred of course.

Because sometimes in life no matter how much you redeem yourself or try to make up with someone. Doesn’t mean they will forgive you and give you another chance because you changed yourself. Sometimes it too little too late and they want out and leave you for good and there nothing you can change about it.

Sorry for my long rant😭🙂‍↕️ this chapter got me really angry at Gojo and his hoe. I just want now Gojo to suffer as y/n has and y/n to be happy and away from this toxic mess of a relationship.

DONT APOLOGIZE!!! This was absolutely beautiful 😭😭🩷 Satoru is actually such a manipulative prick in this fanfic. Like this man is blinded by lust, the only reason why Jiyuu has him wrapped around his finger is because of their history together.

This man literally payed for Jiyuu’s apartment, like he bought the apartment and put it under her name.

The only reason why Y/N has any feelings towards that man is because she has no one in her life, Toji’s gone and no other man has the courage to talk to her. Shes really independent on her own, I know I haven’t really talked about her past that woman was her own boss. She was almost the same level as Toji in his company, its unfortunate that she has a fear of disappointing her father :(

Shes just attached to Satoru because of her vulnerability and the fear of being abandoned again. Im praying that someone comes along and treats her like how she deserves to be treated 😭🩷

[myfandomrambles]

11th Doctor Episode Rankings pt. 1

Episode Rankings: Worst to Best

(Pt.2)

Spoilers

44) Crimson Horror: 

Gross don’t kiss the lesbian, I can’t put it higher for this reason. It's not a good use of disability. I do love the Paternoster gang being here even if the usage is not great.  (2/10)

43) The Wedding of River Song: 

I love the end speech when River says “Shut up! I can't let you die without knowing you are loved by so many, and so much, and by no one more than me.”  It makes me feel emotions. I like the ideas here a lot. But it’s just an awful execution of the ideas. It’s confusing as an answer and also a really dumb answer to the question of how The Doctor got out of it. Like he was in a robot? That’s just not that great of an answer. I was not impressed and I'm still not impressed. The lines about friends being the best of me is also great though I love that. Just can’t stand how unfinished it feels and how confused it just doesn’t feel like a good answer. (4/10)

42) Nightmare in Silver: 

Eh, boring for sure. The Cybermen aren’t done well here which sucks. It’s just mid-tier. The stuff with Matt’s acting isn’t great but Clara’s stepping up is good characterization-wise. But it’s just not that interesting so I just say it’s pretty boring and disappointing. (4/10) 

41) Victory of The Daleks:

It’s a 5 because Winston Churchill is a terrible person, I have to dock 5 points for that alone. All of the following praise is tainted because Winston Churchill is awful. I like The Doctor breaking down. It's perfect to show where The Doctor is after everything he lost at the end of the Tenth Doctor’s life and how the Daleks were who he fought during the Time War and when he lost Donna. I like that The Doctor thinks that the most human thing that will keep Bracewell human is war and loss but Amy knows it's the kind of hurt when you love someone. And I like the rainbow Daleks! Like, have some fun and stop being a stick in the mud. Their design could have been used to have a Cult of Skaro-type thing but everyone was so mad so we just got boring gold Daleks and a Dalek parliament that meant nothing. The spaceships were fun. I think it’s fun and The Doctor confiscating the tech was good. I'm glad they did it. The Doctor using a jammie dodger was silly but I like it. (5/10)

40) The Hungry Earth: 

Mostly mind tier here. The idea is good, I like the concepts here and some of the side characters are good. But let down by having one really bad side character that is annoying. Drags a little. Good scene with The Doctor and the Silurian but why does The Doctor let the kid wander off that’s stupid!  (5/10)

39) Closing Time: 

Fun to watch, for the most part, with some second-hand embarrassment being the worst part of the episode. Bad use of Cybermen but still generally a good time. I rewatch it though to listen to Eleven talk to Alfie and talk about dying. It’s great dialogue. He’s so tired and old but also still has that elven heart. So while there is second-hand embarrassment I still want to watch it again. (6/10)

38)  Cold Blood: 

Has some redeeming factors. The idea of Humans and Silurians making a deal is cool but it just ends up feeling anticlimactic in the end. The way the humans were stupid and almost messed it up is annoying. But it is interesting enough and isn't painful to watch. (6/10)

37) The Rebel Flesh: 

Great concept and twist on clones. Love how looking back we know The Doctor is manipulating Amy and Rory in coming here and touching The Flesh so it could read him. I like The Doctor trying to get everyone to work together. I like how Rory has his own little journey. But it’s not my favourite Story I don’t love stories where part of it is “who’s who” stories. (6/10)

36) The Almost People: 

I love the manipulation with Amy even if I don't love Who's Who stories. I also like the idea of the psychic connection with The Flesh. The Doctor’s slightly cold response at the end when he dispels Amy's avatar is kind of unnerving. But I hate the flesh monster form. It makes me deeply uncomfortable and I think it was a mistake in the actual interesting part of the story of what makes people human and not human. Liked that they did go to try and make the flesh recognized and something that shouldn’t just be tossed away. (6/10)

35) Asylum of The Daleks: 

I know this is a hated one but I like it perfectly fine. Amy and Rory’s breakup makes sense, even knowing Melody, their baby was still stolen and infertility can affect Marriages. I'm okay with it being closed up because I don't want it to last the whole season. That would suck. The idea of a Dalek Asylum is silly; it makes more sense for Daleks to just kill those Daleks. And then The Doctor being erased from the Daleks' minds makes no sense as while Daleks have external hard drives don’t they have organic minds that wouldn’t be erased that easily? And then I don’t like it plot-wise either as Daleks should know The Doctor, and they undo it anyway. But I really Like Oswin. I love the scene where The Doctor walks into the Daleks who survived him and they freak out, even if it’s cut short. I like Amy and Rory’s scene. (6/10)

34) The Bells of Saint John: 

Liked Clara for the most part, she’s good and I overall like season 7 Clara, unlike many people. But I find the great intelligence to be a slightly boring villain in this episode and the evil cloud is not super engaging. But I also found nothing upsetting and enjoyed rewatches of this episode perfectly fine. I like that The Doctor uses their weapon against them.  (6/10)

33) The Power of Three:

The ending of just waving the sonic makes no sense. The scenes with Amy and Eleven do make me happy. I like the way Eleven tries to fit himself into Amy and Rory because he fears losing them. I like the scene with Eleven and Brian. I like Kate. Amy and Rory’s choice I think should have been explained a little better. We know they were making a choice but we mostly see them making comments about their real life. I think a few hints about their preference for The Doctor would have been good. Eleven's line with Amy is great: " And there is so much, so much to see, Amy. Because it goes so fast. I'm not running away from things, I am running to them before they flare and fade forever. And it's all right. Our lives won't run the same. They can't. One day, soon maybe, you'll stop. I've known for a while." (6/10)

32) The Angels Take Manhattan:

The Statue of Liberty shouldn’t be a Weeping Angel and that bothers me the way they make a paradox and nothing bad happens to the wider world is strange. But I definitely feel emotions when Amy dies and I feel bad for Eleven. The way they are a family together and they all know each other and know who they are to each other but the time is cut so short is really emotional. And Eleven’s last scene with River is so good. I like it so much. Amy’s farewell at the end is good too. But you do have the question of why The Doctor can’t visit them by going to New Jersey at the same time they live in New York and visit. Which is why it can’t be a seven or eight. (6.5/10)

31) The Curse of The Black Spot: 

I enjoy it. I don’t have a ton to say but I think it’s a good concept for a pirate episode! Meshing pirate stuff with space stuff? Fun! I love the spooky space spirit nurse, what can I say? Like that, it has a little tension and has some fun. Also, Rory dies again, good fun. Love that they all for their loved one and The Doctor goes to his TARDIS. Side characters aren’t that engaging but I also don’t hate the main two. It’s just a fun watch! (7/10)

30) The Time of Angels: 

Fun! Angel lore isn’t all that great as it conflicts with the first story but I think the scenes work super well with Amy. The tension is crafted masterfully and the holy soldiers are cool and very well acted. And I love River. She's exciting and good and she and The Doctor have chemistry and are fun to watch.  (7/10)

29) Flesh and Stone: 

A great follow-up and enjoyable to watch! The Doctor’s emotionality regarding Amy’s possible death is very effective. River is great. The usage of the crack in the wall is great. The angels are still pretty creepy. Amy is used nicely and her fear is done well. (7/10) 

28) The Day of The Doctor:

Good stuff, it's emotional and fun. I didn’t hate it changing the saving the Time Lords as the past Doctors wouldn’t have known that they saved Gallifrey so it still made sense for the rest, and that The Doctor still did horrible things during the time war and still experienced the whole war and we know it still hurt The Doctor, [we see this going into 12 btw] but I do get why people hate it. I do think Eleven is characterized very well by being sad, funny and angry and that he gets to do a lot. I think The Doctors saving Earth and the Zygons works really well as the quintessential Doctor thing to do. I liked John Hurt’s War Doctor. Do I love eight and would have loved to see him? YES! But, John Hurt is so amazing and warm it still works so well. The Moment works so well here and The General. Clara is good here too, getting a key part in helping The Doctor see sense. Ten is very good too, AND RTD is the one who came up with Ten getting with Elizabeth The First not Moffat (The End of Time pt 1) so get off Moffat’s back for the love of god. The flashes to the past and to these emotional expressions and stuff were super cool filmmaking choices as well. (7/10)

27) The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe: 

I don’t hate it, okay? Of course a bit of bioessentialism but I really don’t think that was the point being made here at all. I think Eleven's “humany” quote and then crying happy tears himself is so sweet. And then his quote “Because what's the point in them being happy now if they're going to be sad later...The answer is, of course, because they are going to be sad later.” The Doctor being an eccentric house caretaker is fun actually that feels like something he would do. The idea that he shouldn't be alone at Christmas is also very sweet. (7/10)

26) Journey To The Centre of The TARDIS:

Cool concept and cool visuals. The side characters are a bit boring. However, I love Eleven manipulating the other characters and making them afraid of him blowing up the ship, super cool and awesome. Honestly, I believe he would blow up a ship if he felt pushed enough. I really felt feelings when Eleven felt bad about not being able to save The TARDIS when she’d always saved him. I was sad for him and the TARDIS. When he yells at Clara and she tells him she’s more scared of him than anything else, a great moment. I love it. Good stuff. (7/10)

25) Let’s Kill Hitler: 

I know it’s overall hated but I had so much fun. The use of Hitler is questionable but Rory gets to punch the Loser in the face which is nice. The twist with Mel and River is so Moffat but it was fun and I think the idea that Rory and Amy still got to know their daughter to some extent is nice. River and Eleven flirting it a bit over the top but I think the way it ends with her agreeing to save him is so sweet. The teselecta is a cool concept in this episode even if I hate the way it's used in the finale. It’s cool overall to see baby River. I love seeing more of The Doctor’s rules. That's fun. [I also believe this is when The Doctor tells River his name] (7/10)

24) The Lodger: 

Is it the most plot-dense character-defining groundbreaking episode? No! Did I have fun? Yes! That’s all I really have. I have no defence for myself.  (7.5/10)

23) The Girl Who Waited:

Love the angst here. I love the way Amy’s love of Rory was what saved her and what motivated her, I thought that was so sweet and so on-brand for Amy and Rory’s relationship all the way to the end. I thought the way Amy’s belief in Eleven broke down was great and in great connection with her and Eleven’s arc for the season. Eleven lying to older Amy and Rory but then putting the ultimate choice about saving which Amy on Rory *chef’s kiss* peak Eleventh Doctor. Not my most emotionally moving episode though and the concept just isn’t my total favourite but overall it’s pretty great. (7.5/10)

22) The Vampires of Venice: 

I love the real introduction to Rory. I like that he doesn't give The Doctor the “bigger on the inside”, I like him telling The Doctor off, I like Rory wanting to protect Amy and I like Eleven listening and telling Amy to go with Rory. I like Eleven’s swagger talking with Madame Calvierri. I like the lore drops! I think Eleven might have wanted to help more at the beginning but I do understand The Doctor being kind of fickle and deciding that because she didn’t know Isablea’s name he stops offering a hand to get her a new planet or whatnot. I think it’s a good Doctor Who story and I really appreciate all of their characterizations with really good moments, the aliens are super cool and Madame Calvierri is just a good villain. And the death is a good ending for the bad guy to go against The Doctor and make him feel the repercussions of his actions. Also, the silence name drops at the end is great. (7.5/10)

[doubleaspectrum]

Ouran High School Host Club Ep. 12 Review

Previous Reviews:

To Episode 1 Review.

To Episode 2 Review.

To Episode 3 Review.

To Episode 4 Review.

To Episode 5 Review.

To Episode 6 Review.

To Episode 7 Review.

To Episode 8 Review.

To Episode 9 Review.

To Episode 10 Review.

To Episode 11 Review.

What Am I Reviewing?

Ouran High School Host Club – Episode 12: Honey’s Three Bitter Days!

Have I Seen This Before?

Nope.

A Recap:

Following their formation of the “I love Haruhi and am also stupid” subsection of the Host Club, the twins and Tamaki create easily resolvable and preventable shenanigans with their bad decisions. Specifically, they stain Honey’s plush toy Usa with tea and spend most of their time cowering in fear of an angry top-level marital artist. Fortunately, Mori is there to keep them from feeling the consequences of their actions.

Some time later, Honey develops a cavity due to his unhealthy eating habits and the Host Club enforces a ban on sweets until Honey recovers. Don’t ask me why they didn’t send Honey to a dentist, because I don’t know. In an attempt to subvert the ban, Honey begins to lie, manipulate, and guilt-trip his peers and clientele, but his tactics fail every time.

On two sidenotes, Renge has taken over the peanut gallery and Mori is dealing with a romantic subplot.

Everything comes to a head when Honey starts lashing out and attacks Mori. After Honey leaves, Haruhi deduces that Mori was riling Honey up as a form of self-punishment; Mori confirms this and admits that he feels responsible for Honey’s cavity because he forgot to remind Honey to brush his teeth. Fortunately for Mori, Honey overhears everything, apologizes for the attack, and promising to be more careful with his oral hygiene.

The episode ends with the romantic subplot being resolved when the girl crushing on Mori joins Renge’s peanut gallery.

Which Character is the Strongest in Terms of Writing?

Honey.

It shown right at the start with the idiot trio’s fears about Honey that this episode is meant to be about exploring more about Honey as a person. One of the best ways they did this is by making Honey the antagonist of this episode.

Bear in mind, I’m not saying that Honey is evil. In terms of writing, the Host Club carries the protagonist role because they have a well-intentioned goal that they strive towards, while Honey carries the antagonist role because he attempts to subvert the goal for selfish reasons. I can see an argument being made that Honey is the villain of this episode, as long as it’s being acknowledged that Honey is not evil.

Making Honey the antagonist was a good decision because we got to see what kind of person he is when he opposes the Host Club; and he is someone who proved every concern that Tamaki and the twins had about him to be correct.

Case in point, the three idiots were afraid that upsetting Honey could cause him to throw a tantrum and resort to violence against his peers. Honey proves this concern to be correct when he attacked Tamaki’s teddy bear to express his frustration, attacked Tamaki without provocation, and attacked Mori out of frustration.

As another point, the trio of lovesick morons also put Honey and Kyoya on a comparative level, and Honey proves those concerns correct too. Over the course of the episode, Honey lies to Mori, manipulates the club’s clientele, and guilt-trips Haruhi in an attempt to get the sweets that the club is denying him.

Another way to summarize what happened with Honey is that he validated the bully image that Renge gave him in Episode 4. He showed that he’s not above violence or emotional blackmail when he doesn’t get what he wants.

As a matter of fact, seeing Honey’s capacity for manipulation, dishonesty, and violence made me think that his character comes with an inherent dilemma; because the idiots were right, Honey is dangerous. Moreover, he’s not above using his martial arts expertise when angered, so the Host Club is less trusting of him and more afraid of him. The question this leaves is, “Can Honey be trusted?” Is he the Host Club’s most precious ally? Or is he a time bomb waiting to go off? The idiot trio certainly think that latter, while the episode’s ending suggests the former.

Any concerns I have with Honey are settled since he apologized to Mori. Maybe Honey should give Tamaki lessons, he certainly showed how easy it was to recognize being in the wrong and say, “I’m sorry.”

Which Relationship is Strongest in Terms of Writing?

I’m torn between Honey’s relationship with Mori, and Honey’s relationship with the greater Host Club.

Honey and Mori:

There are three areas of focus with this episode which are shown as the episode starts, continues, and ends.

First, the beginning of the episode demonstrated that Mori is a key part of keeping Honey from destroying the Host Club. He was aware of how to defuse the situation with Honey when Haruhi’s love interests started causing trouble. Most importantly, Honey listened to Mori and calmed down right away. This suggests a relationship akin to a grenade and the pin. If Honey is a bomb, Mori is the reason the bomb doesn’t explode.

Second, as the episode carried on and Mori enforced the sweets ban, the relationship started to take on the image of a misbehaving child and an ever-patient parent. The best examples of this involved Honey’s attempts to smuggle sweets into the club, and his attempt to lie about being cured. On both accounts, Mori knew Honey was lying but never made the direct accusation. Instead, Mori played into the lie and physically acted to prevent Honey’s schemes from working.

The last area of focus was after Mori admitted to his self-punishment by earning Honey’s ire. Mori admits that he worries about Honey constantly and sees himself as the problem if Honey goes through anything difficult. It’s an unreasonable amount of pressure, but it’s clear that Mori takes on that self-made pressure out of love for Honey. Honey himself was clearly touched to know that Mori loves him that much.

Honey and the Rest of the Club:

With the exception of Mori and Haruhi, this episode suggested that the rest of the club operates under the assumption that Honey could betray and brutalize them at any given moment. In other words, most of the Club doesn’t trust Honey, they’re scared of him.

With Tamaki and the twins, they made it clear that they expected Honey to rearrange their skeletal structure after the ordeal with Usa. Given the contents of this episode, it’s suggested that our three airheads were right to be afraid, since Honey isn’t above attacking his friends when angered.

The case is more subtle with Kyoya but I believe he’s scared of Honey too. This interpretation would explain why Kyoya doesn’t remove the money sink that is Honey’s snacks. This interpretation also adds another dimension to Kyoya’s episode-wide happiness; not only did he not have to buy Honey any snacks, he was clear from any retaliation since Mori enforced the ban.

As of the end of this episode, it seems that Haruhi and Mori are still the only ones not actively afraid of Honey. This could make for a good spot of drama in a follow-up episode.

Which Character is Weakest in Terms of Writing?

Renge.

Renge wasn’t just being annoying, she was unnecessary!

As I said in the recap, Renge’s role was a narrator in the peanut gallery. This only functioned to add humour, but it wasn’t funny at all. Every time she showed up, I just wanted her to leave.

To make things worse, Renge’s peanut gallery routine is the only reason the romantic subplot exists, and I hated the romantic subplot (I’ll explain later), so this whole routine isn’t doing me any favours.

Which Relationship is Weakest in Terms of Writing?

Nothing comes to mind here.

How is the Conflict?

If I look at the Conflict’s content, it all seems petty. It really was just a misbehaving child not listening to the authority figures looking out for them.

However, the drama of the Conflict was everything.

This episode carried the question of what Honey could do to the club if he used his powers for evil, and it left some chilling answers. Honey is capable of lashing out, hurting others, disregarding his capacity for harm, and even stooping to emotional manipulation. Honey could be a terrifying opponent if he had a reason to oppose his peers.

Moreover, Mori was important to the Conflict because we got a view of the emotional effect Honey has on him. This conflict was important to him because Honey’s friendship is important to him. This conflict wasn’t just about if the Host Club could fall, it was about if Mori could lose his will to live.

Honey has too much power, and it’s scary how it could be misused.

Is there Anything Else I Can Praise or Criticize?

The Romantic Subplot:

I hated it.

When the subplot first showed up, I was wary of the girl talking to Mori. The language she used made me very uncomfortable. For instance, “I need you to accept my feelings.” I didn’t like seeing that because it suggests less that she cares about if Mori reciprocates and more about if he’ll indulge her. That’s a pretty selfish way to go about starting a relationship.

Moreover, I inferred from that sentence that the girl had already confessed and was turned down. If she’s being persistent when already turned down, then I’m worried for Mori’s safety. No means no, end of story.

 There was also the part of her asking if Mori’s refusal to accept was if he had someone else. That’s a really narrow-minded and narcissistic view of the whole thing! It suggests that she can’t comprehend that Mori would say no out of a lack of attraction to her, and it enforces an amatonormative image onto the whole ordeal! Speaking as a biased asexual, I’m not happy with that.

There’s one last reason I hate this subplot. That reason being IT WAS COMPLETELY MEANINGLESS! The whole thing amounted to a joke where the girl joined Renge’s peanut gallery and cooed over the homosexual subtext between Honey and Mori! That’s all it was! A joke! Nothing meant anything here!

What Writing Lesson Can I Take from This Episode?

This episode was a good demonstration of using how the character is perceived to expand their characterization and create drama. This episode did this using Honey. Instead of viewing him as the cutesy child as per usual, it changed the view of Honey by making him technically the villain. And by using the villain role, I got a more three-dimensional view of Honey as a person and even got to ask some interesting questions about the structure of the Host Club.

So, the lesson here is to consider how the characters view each other, and lean into a viewpoint that is valid and suggests a different side to the character.

Or to pull a simpler variation, try to imagine the hero as a villain in a different character’s point of view. It could make for a revelatory view of an existing relationship or the hero’s characterization.

[catchyhuh]

It's flu season. How would they live through the sickness + would they take care of each other? Bonus: how did they survive the pancemic / quarantine situations?

you know the funny thing is the only time i’ve ever had the flu (which was miserable and lasted a full week WITH the vaccine already in my system so remember to ALWAYS KEEP UP WITH YOUR SHOTS) i had been into lupin for about a yearish, and i watched fuma AND napoleon’s dictionary in one night to pass the time and only at that moment did i truly understand the. variety of animation quality present in the lupin the third franchise. i can still taste that medicine in my mouth whenever i see either of them. but anyway

lupin:

lupin has two sick modes: not feeling too peachy but will act like he’s dying to exploit special treatment and being pampered, and actually very, very sick, but will deny he’s that sick because he feels weird having people truly, honestly, sincerely worried for him. 

would he take care of others? well. yes. not in a very tender way, but he doesn’t want them DYING at least. like, if jigen is bundled up on the couch, red nosed, blanket over his head, and pathetically asks for the remote, lupin will get up and give it to him, but he’s not holding his hair back when he’s vomming lol. he WILL offer a hairtie though. you see? it’s about that level of care. you’ll be far from miserable, but in all honesty, he COULD do more

would you believe people standing multiple feet away from you in a museum makes it twice as easy to plant secret tracking devices and tiny bombs and shit? would you believe? would you believe masks made facial recognition tech twice as easy to crack since most people turned it off anyway? WOULD YOU BELIEVE?

jigen:

jigen feels this weird defensive embarrassment about being sick. people like jigen don’t GET sick. or so they all tell themselves. so when he’s actually like, SICK sick, miserable and nauseous and coughing, it bothers him MENTALLY more than it does PHYSICALLY

as a result he doesn’t want people taking care of him. it’s going to happen anyway, usually from lupin, so he doesn’t waste energy fighting, but he’ll only barely acknowledge the fact he’s the picture of death right now

his usual personality is in full play when he’s taking care of someone ELSE though. you’re only getting the help if you beg or if he can immediately tell you’re going through it, but if you DO get his help, he’s going to talk and talk and talk about how you KNOW better than to hang around after someone tells you to your face they’ve been sick. you’re lucky he gives enough of a damn to get you the big stack of tissues with the special lotion in them so you don’t rub your stupid nose raw. you’re welcome btw,

fujiko:

oh the emotional turmoil of being “too perfect to get sick” but also LOVING getting whatever you want under the guise of “please? i’m sick :(“ it's so hard to be her. so difficult to have her lavish life

fujiko is not. the most doting person. you wanna talk about someone who will just stand in the next room over while you’re hunched over a toilet bowl all pitiful and green in the face. it’s not that she doesn’t care! she just. would rather never ever ever see that shit lol

fujiko’s usual targets are selfish, hateful, yet unbearably idiotic and easy to manipulate. so… she kinda loved when covid was at its full peak, because she got an IMMEDIATE visual shorthand for who was deserving of her sugar baby schemes. ESPECIALLY if they constantly made a big deal about how they refused to mask up. so… yeah, made her life incredibly easy!

goemon:

actually gets the sick the most out of them because he forces his body to withstand extremes that NOBODY’S BODY SHOULD REALLY BE WITHSTANDING. gets the flu almost every year despite getting shots and the like, but he survives. 

all of them WOULD take care of him, but he rejects the help. it’s not fully a pride thing; he’s heard many times that you heal faster by working your body as normal, so it can readjust quicker. but… he doesn’t really question why they’ve already got some warm soup lightly simmering on the stove so it doesn’t get cold before he pours himself a bowl, or why they just HAPPENED to have the nausea medicine right on the coffee table…

the same “get better faster by getting off your ass” technique is in full swing when he’s watching OVER somebody sick though, so… very much a tough love approach. but if you act even a smidgeon MORE miserable during the process you might get him to back down a tiny bit

zenigata:

(sticking the DO NOT EMULATE sticker on his forehead again) zenigata could stand sopping wet in negative degree weather with the patient 0 covid guy standing right in front of him, breathing right into his nose, and there’s ONLY a 50% chance he’ll actually get sick. and even if he does get sick, IT WON’T STOP HIM IN THE SLIGHTEST.

zenigata is weird because if he’s taking care of one of the gang, first he gets this HAHA IDIOT YOU SHOULD’VE KNOWN YOU’D GET SICK but when they actually start paling and getting weak he’s like “oh my god you lost a shit ton of electrolytes. we need some gatorade” so once you get past that initial gloating stage he’s not bad. just. very overwhelming, as he usually is

gets touchy about being taken care of depending on who the caretaker in question is. for 85% of people, he’s brushing off the help, insisting he’ll be back on his feet, and really, you shouldn’t hang around him either or you might catch it too. but if it’s somebody who’s already seen him drunkenly sobbing over the smallest act of kindness or quite literally jumping out of windows in a lupin-filled blind rage then. yeah, he’s a little more accepting of the help. 

[sonnetnumber23]

Good Omens 2 Re-watch. Episode 5.

“You leave me with no alternative” – says Aziraphale to the musician preparing to promise to give him a book for free.

[Love the Doctor Who theme playing in the background, hehe]

“Nina and Maggie are depending on me. They just don’t know it yet.”

First of all, all those jokes about Aziraphale organizing a ball to dance with Crowley are actually very true. And I don’t think he’s doing it just to hold Crowley’s hand – he really wants to see Nina falling in love with Maggie so that he himself could believe that Crowley might open up to him someday at last. Again: he wants to have control over something; he wants to feel that he is capable to make someone happy, and to deal with his own problems himself too.

Secondly, Aziraphale could have just as well made all those people come to the ball – after all he made those men in suits leave his bookshop and never return – but he chooses to negotiate with them, manipulate them, but let them come on their own free will. He’s basically tempting them all, but “They don’t have to say yes,” as Crowley once put it. And Crowley is following him around watching this.

***

I love speeches they do in Hell. :D Dagon in the first season, now Shax. :D No wonder, Crowley was the one to record the greeting message. XD

***

Nina talking to Crowley is so much gentler than when she’s with anybody else. Both here and later when she tells his about Lindsay leaving. You just see how she feels him and relates to him. It’s like it’s easier for her to talk to someone for whom everything is harder than for most of other people. She’s all prickly with Maggie and Aziraphale because quite often they act like the world is a happy place made of rainbows and unicorns with kind people all around you. Compared to that Crowley must seem kind of more real to her, or at least less annoying, huh.

And God, oh God, Crowley’s face after that conversation. How can a person show so much emotion with their dark glasses on?

***

The scene on the terrace of the French restaurant leaves me with a whole bunch of complicated feelings. They’ve probably all been described already, but if I try to lay them out for myself…

The first time I watched I didn’t even pay that much attention to the “smitten” joke, because I was a bit disturbed by how little attention Aziraphale pays to Crowley’s concerns. “You’re being silly” is not the way you should calm down your demon, Aziraphale!

But, as I looked through the gifs later, and now during the re-watch, I came to realize that this moment also shows me that side of Aziraphale that I’ve been trying to feel and describe in these posts.

Now, we’ve got this “smitten” joke, which everyone likes to mention, and it’s great because it’s just in the middle of two POV’s, so to speak.

When Crowley starts talking, he’s damn serious. Though he doesn’t talk directly about all his concerns, he’s still very much in the state where he wants Aziraphale to listen to him, to hear his worries. “I spent last night worrying… He could smite me…” I wonder if little part of Crowley wishes in this moment that Aziraphale would think of the danger he’s putting Crowley in and give in, and give up his stupid idea to hide Gabriel further – at least for Crowley’s sake, and this way Crowley might keep him safe.

But then Crowley happens to stumble upon this unserious linguistic matter – “smote… smited?” – and his whole rant is compromised, as if he is too afraid himself to sound too pleading too desperate. Remember, he did completely the same when he was going to ask Aziraphale for holy water. “Walls have ear… trees have ears… ducks have ears. Do ducks have ears?” – absolutely the same. Poor boy, he just can’t speak seriously about his own fears, the danger he is in. :’( Too nervous, too afraid to ask… T_T

Crowley is known for talking a lot about how he is selfish and values his own existence above all, and yet he is always the first to take huge risks to save others. Like in every single historical minisode this season, and several times in the first season too.

And here he suddenly bares his fears to Aziraphale hoping that the angel would see that if Crowley is afraid then it’s serious and he should be afraid too.

But the thing is that he gets a completely opposite effect.

Aziraphale suddenly feels more confident. He feels responsible, and therefore he feels the strength he needs to carry out this responsibility. We’ve already seen him like this: when he tries to snap Crowley out of his panic after Warlock’s birthday and come up with a plan, at the end of the world in season 1 starting with the refusal to fight the war and further; we’ll see it later, when he “does the thing with the halo” because nothing else and no one else is helping.

And he enjoys it. You can clearly see it while he’s convincing Crowley that he has nothing to fear. It’s not because Aziraphale is oblivious of the danger or doesn’t care about Crowley’s safety. He does, he’s just met Shax after all. He just can’t help and enjoy the feeling of being brave and sure and ready to act and protect – for once. He wants it so much – to feel capable, to feel competent. I wrote in the previous rewatch posts why.

We’re so used to the (head)canon that Aziraphale loves playing damsel in distress and letting Crowley save him. But this season states it quite clearly – if partly as a joke – that he does it for Crowley more than for himself. “Saving me makes him so happy.” That’s a joke, because Aziraphale knows perfectly well that most of those times he did need saving. But whether he does or doesn’t need saving, Aziraphale is always ready to admit that Crowley has done something wonderful. He knows Crowley loves it. And Aziraphale knows he would love it too. “There must be something I could do for you.”

So yeah, maybe he is a bit intoxicated by this feeling, maybe he is too sure and optimistic about Gabriel, maybe his plan is a bit rubbish (though let’s admit – the ball plan worked better than Crowley’s rain plan), but his motives are pure.

[Oh God, I wish so much to finally see a situation where Crowley would have to rely on Aziraphale for something big and Aziraphale will be capable enough to save the day and Crowley…]

***

Should we or do we even have to talk about all the moments where people call Crowley nice in this season? Apart from Aziraphale, there’s Jim and Mrs Sandwich and really Nina would do so too if she wasn’t Nina. It’s so… On one hand, it’s for fans and all, and it works – I do a little delighted noise every time Crowley can’t help being nice and someone mentions it.

[My theory is that there wasn’t enough nice and deep Crowley in S1, so now we’re getting what they owed us.]

On the other hand, doesn’t it sound a bit like foreshadowing to you? Or, like the things we ought to pay attention to. Crowley doing good just because “why not” and because “I do what I please”, kind of proves Aziraphale’s point which is: Crowley hasn’t ever been bad, he deserves Heaven as much as (if not more than) other angels do.

***

I’m really not a fan of Aziraphale messing with people’s emotions. I know he means well, but making people feel fine and even happy while they have all reasons to be upset looks far too much as robbing them of their free will.

That’s a bit like the thing he does with Crowley at the end, isn’t it – thinking he can make him happy even if Crowley doesn’t want it, thinking he knows better what’s best for him.

And this is such a striking contrast with the beginning of the episode where Aziraphale goes to great lengths to get people come to the party on their own free will.

Again, I think this comes from the notion that this time round he’s responsible, he has an idea, and he is so excited to see it work, to be able to save the day. For once. He enjoys being in charge so much, he even asks Crowley to go out so that he can surprise him with the new bookshop look later.

The same comes for the ending where Aziraphale is so happy to be the savior that he doesn’t even listen to the person he’s trying to save.

I can understand him, I know how easy it is to cross this line and not even notice it, especially when you’re feeling euphoric about something.

But of course it was wrong both times. It even reminds of that horrible moment in S1 when Adam makes his friends smile while they’re crying.

***

The whole atmosphere of the ball surrounded by demons is so NeilGaimany, it suddenly feels as if the stakes are higher than you expected. At least for a moment. I must say I like it that in the end it turned out that no humans were hurt after all.

Crowley throwing himself between Maggie and the demons is a moment that makes me jump a little. It’s not Aziraphale, Aziraphale isn’t even around to be impressed, and Crowley doesn’t know yet who those ominous creatures are – and his instinct is to defend the human and to stop something bad from happening.

And oh how much I love the fact that Crowley talks to those demons as someone of a higher rank! :D I love being reminded that Crowley was cool and actually very high-up in Hell. And he still has a lot more power than average demons or angels.

[I really suspect that one of the reasons I liked this season so much on the first watch was because it gave me all my favourite things about Crowley, lol.]

***

Aziraphale looking at Maggie while she and Nina are dancing – there’s so much gentleness and hope, and longing in that face! He wants the same for himself so much. And he hopes for it.

At the same time Crowley is worrying crazy, the whole weight of all these people’s fates on his shoulders. And Aziraphale isn’t listening to him. There’s already a lot of great heartbreaking meta about the way they keep things from each other and then not listening when the other one tries to talk.

I just want to stress how brilliantly the POV in this scene is done: with Aziraphale, we desperately want Crowley to take his hand and dance and talk and appreciate the beautiful thing he’s created to solve their problem (because as Aziraphale sees it, if they fool Heavens, Gabriel won’t be discovered – he doesn’t know yet that Shax has already acted on her threat). And with Crowley, we get frustrated with Aziraphale for not listening, for acting recklessly and putting them all in danger. And at the same time both of them just want to hold hands. XD

And then it’s Aziraphale who puts himself between Shax and the humans (and Crowley). He is confident and I like it just as much as I like cool and bossy Crowley. And when Gabriel volunteers to go out Aziraphale says he will protect him because he promised, and he’s still doing it with his confident, guardian-angel voice, which even sounds a little bit lower than his usual voice. He has it in him – the Aziraphale he wants to be: brave, competent, true to his word. And it comes naturally to him, even though he doesn’t always have resources to keep fighting.

There’s such sad irony that we’ve heard him be like that when he defends the Earth, humans, Gabriel. But we’ve never heard or seen him defending Crowley, have we? We’ve actually seen him defending other things and people from Crowley. Which is just… Uuuugh! Again, it’s all so natural: he sees Crowley as equal, even as someone stronger, cleverer, cooler – so Crowley doesn’t need, can’t need Aziraphale’s protection, not in this way, surely?

I hope so much that we’re yet to see Aziraphale putting Crowley above all else and defending him with all he has. I’m sure Crowley’s going to explode. Or at least I will.

***

[On a side not: I wonder whose clothes were the suit and the furry coat the Gabriel is wearing at the party? :D Did Aziraphale just have them in the bookshop?? Why?? XD]

***

Ahaha, hellish bureaucracy and Crowley’s bluff is just so Good Omens, I love it.

But he isn’t listening to Aziraphale just as Aziraphale didn’t listen to him. :( Well, he’s absolutely got his reasons: Aziraphale has put them all in danger, and after all demons are Crowley’s field of expertise. But still. It leaves Aziraphale again feeling his failure, feeling that he’s just been put back in his place.

I think the joke “saving me makes him so happy” is both a joke and Aziraphale’s little attempt to get back some of his self-esteem before the inevitable battle and after he’s just been put down by Nina. It’s interesting how Nina’s words echo in Shax’s line later in E6 “…Crowley’s moral support angel”.

Earlier I wrote about Aziraphale robbing humans and Crowley of their own free will. So here we kind of see the reason why he doesn’t see how wrong this is: people keep pointing out that he has no will of his own. And it’s a sore spot. Because on one hand he’s spent his whole eternity being told that his opinion and actions don’t matter. And on the other, he keeps relying on Crowley, because he doesn’t find it bad to rely on someone he loves and trusts. Just like he wishes he could rely on God. And that’s why he can’t see his error: he’s doing what’s in these people’s interests, he’s saving them, surely they’ll be happy to entrust their lives and will to someone who loves them?? Aziraphale would be. He always is.

I know some of these conclusions contradict each other but that’s because the characters’ feelings are so conflicted. They feel so much at every given second, and they have so much background that is not easy to shake off.

[eightscribbles]

don't forget me (i beg)

cut: he takes it too far during a misunderstanding.

copy: soukoku

paste: arguments, emotional manipulation (?), swearing

undo: "Have YOU ever been beaten and left behind?!" "I hope you're happy with yourself." "Oh, that's easy for you to say. Someone who's had EVERYTHING they've ever wanted!" "Shut up! Just- just Shut up!"

redo: hello :> i decided to start reposting works from my ao3 (unknown_borealis) because this blog was lookin a little too ded.

divider from @cafekitsune's tufted 002 post! thank you sm

title from "someone like you" by adele

please reblog and like if you enjoyed :D

The door clicks open and Dazai slips in. 

“Where have you been?” Chuuya sits at the table, a book open in his hands. Dazai shrugs indifferently. 

“Doesn’t make a difference to you, does it?” He sets down his bag and puts his coat up. 

“Oh, it doesn’t? And that’s why I’m sitting here, waiting for you even though you didn’t give me a single word of warning that you’d be late back?” Chuuya scoffs. 

“What a kind dog, waiting for his master.” The joke’s getting old. Chuuya lets out an aggrieved huff and turns away. 

“No one asked you to wait for me, you know.” Chuuya whips his head back around. 

“...What did you just say?” Chuuya slams his book shut and leaves it on the table. He stands up and stalks towards Dazai. 

“No one asked you to wait for me. You could have just gone to sleep.” Dazai picks up his bag and steps towards the bedroom, but Chuuya grabs his arm.

“No, hold on. I waited half the fucking night for you. I sat here, waiting for you to come back, hoping you weren’t dead, and this is the thanks I get? Are you fucking serious?” 

Dazai rips his arm out of Chuuya’s grasp like it burns him. “Leave it, Chibi.”

“No, I’m not going to fucking leave it! I’m waiting for you because I want to, and you haven’t heard a single thank you out of your mouth!” 

“Have you considered the fact that I don’t want you to wait for me? It’s not that big of a deal.” Chuuya’s seething now. Each word out of Dazai’s mouth boils his blood more and more. Of course this stupid prick with all his mafia executive friends wouldn’t care about one person. 

“Easy for you to say! Someone who’s had everything they could ever want, mister “youngest underboss”. I bet you have people everywhere waiting on you hand and foot.” Dazai stops, still facing away. Chuuya ignores him and continues to rant. 

“Born with a silver spoon shoved up your ass, weren’t you? Became the youngest, best underboss, everyone listened to you, followed you like lost ducklings, have you ever been beaten and left behind? Do you even know what it’s like to watch someone die in front of you?”

“I-” Chuuya doesn't let him finish. Dazai doesn’t get to say a word if he’s going to continue being an asshole.

“No, just shut up. You don’t get to say anything. I know you were the best in the mafia or whatever, but here, you aren’t any better than me or anyone else. If anything, you’re the biggest asshole of us all. So I hope you enjoyed that little trip, because I am not going to wait for you ever fucking again. Hope you’re real fuckin’ pleased with yourself, bitch.” Chuuya storms straight past him and goes to the front door. “I’m not coming back.” He slams the door shut and pulls out his phone, asking Tachihara to meet him at the bar for a night out. He’s had enough of Dazai’s bullshit. 

In the red haze, he doesn’t notice anything about Dazai. He doesn’t notice Dazai’s hands beginning to shake, doesn’t see the memories of a beloved friend flash through his eyes. He doesn’t see Dazai slump against the wall, holding his bag to his chest as tears start to fall.

He doesn’t notice when an hour later, Dazai stumbles to his feet and takes out something from his bag before exiting the house in a daze, beginning to wander the streets wherever his feet take him. He doesn’t notice when a group of bloodthirsty, opportunistic bandits spot the mafia executive and take their chance. 

He doesn’t notice the small, red box, hidden in a pocket of Dazai’s bag. 

[alyjojo]

Family Ties 🤍 - July 2023 - Gemini

Overall energy: 8 Cups rev

“It’s me, hi, I’m the problem.” Apparently that’s going to keep being the thing in my head when someone is the problem. In this case, it’s you dear. Judgement hopped out of the deck like five times during the preshuffle, and I’m getting that it’s your judgement of your family that’s caused a lot of pain. I gotta say, everything I’ve pulled in this reading so far reads like one long guilt trip. I personally am not a fan of that whole tactic as a means of coercion, it’s manipulative af, and you showing up as Queen of Swords probably agree. That could be something you deal with regularly. But for Spirit to communicate from this angle, it could be showing you as kinda cold and ruthless…unaware of the effect you’ve had on these people, thus the messages of hurt, shock, and heartbreak are what’s needed to be said more than anything. Idk & I don’t judge you 🙏

For 8 Cups to be rev shows it was once upright, and every row so far highlights you having left the family behind. I don’t get why, or who did what, just what it did to everyone. You probably cut them off altogether and stayed away for some time. Whatever you were hoping to find never materialized, you waited around for some time, for nothing, and now feel insecure and…like you’ve got your tail between your legs, about coming back around. Having to be held accountable for this Death. You don’t regret leaving, you regret that it didn’t work out, which probably isn’t what you should be feeling. Spirit, and your family, want genuine remorse. You’ve made these people feel like you don’t care about them. I don’t get that exactly, but I do get a “holier than thou”, know it all sort of attitude, and an “out of sight, out of mind” personality. You don’t feel remorse because they’re not directly in front of you, or haven’t been. Emotional detachment the a gift & a curse of all of the air signs.

Mother: 5 Cups & Queen of Swords

5 Cups is heavily focused on all that’s been lost, not paying attention to what’s still here, 2 Cups with your father. But she’s lost you, and it’s absolutely devastated her, 10 Swords. Dad has similar feelings, and the love between them is genuine. Mom is still trying to heal from your sudden absence, maybe also some words that were said before this occurred. She only wants you to come around again, at least to talk with her, being disconnected from you is one of the saddest and most painful things she’s ever experienced.

Father: 2 Cups, The Hermit, 4 Wands

Dad is probably more of a practical kind of person, he seems like a “stereotypical” man, when things are emotionally rough, he puts more effort into his work and keeping busy. He’s happy with Mom and the home they’ve created together, but he feels lonely, a lot. He’s probably the strong & silent type, but just because he doesn’t say things out loud doesn’t mean he isn’t hurting over them. He also may have dealt with a very serious work injury, accident, or event and has been home bound because of that. If you know that, and haven’t come around to check up on him, it makes him sad. He also has 5 Cups, with The Tower. It’s hard for him to express these emotions, but with your Mom it seems much easier for her, and he just mirrors everything she feels. He misses you.

Siblings: Knight of Cups & 7 Wands

I get one, and they’re a really sweet kind of person, the kind to give you the shirt off of their back if you needed it. They’re mad at you, probably because they’re sad too, but it comes out as mad. They’re also really smart, logical, balanced, and fair. They think what you did is bullshit, reckless, impulsive, and immature. It’s stupid you don’t talk to them at least - in their mind. They’ve got 7 Wands & Justice, they know they’re right 💯 They are someone willing to sacrifice for those they love, and are very kind normally. They don’t know why they can do it and you can’t. They could be Libra or have a dominant placement there. It will probably take some effort to heal this connection because their sadness & love are masked with anger & defensiveness. These are probably the hardest ones to overcome. Are they upset? Absolutely. Do they love you? Yes, that’s why they’re mad at you.

Grandparents: The Fool & The Hierophant

Either they got married very young, fast, and impulsively, and have just stood the test of time…or that’s why you ran off. Impulsively got married? Probably didn’t invite anyone, no one was involved, never spoke to anyone again? They’re also angry & disappointed. Specifically about the wedding if there was one, they would’ve liked to celebrate you, meet your person, etc. They’re old fashioned, you should’ve gotten gifts, had a party, family traditions and celebrations mean a lot to them. If you didn’t get married in a church, or have religious elements involved, that could be an issue with them too. I heard “Jewish”, that may or may not apply, moreso a specific custom or religious ceremony perhaps that’s dear to their heart. And maybe yours too, this does feel impulsive. Whether you did or you didn’t actually get married, then you probably ran off with some person, and you didn’t include them, call or come over. Their point of view is similar to everyone else’s. One day you’re here all of the time. The next, who and where is Gemini? They’re gone. Do they care?

Spiritual Ancestors: 4 Pentacles & 8 Swords

This message has a spicy 🥵 bite, idk if you have an ancestor that is sharp as a tack in their speech, cutting right to the point. I kind of get that they’re like you. Or whoever you were always told you were most like I suppose. You hold on tightly to your position on things, you’re stubborn, narrow-minded and full of bologna, is what I’m getting. You keep yourself trapped in a situation of non communication because of…nothing. You pretend to be blindfolded but really you tied it yourself, self sabotage. People really want you to open up and communicate. What Gemini doesn’t?? You could have some dominant Taurus or fixed placements with all of this stubbornness I’m getting on your side.

6 Pentacles is equal give and take, they want an exchange from you in the form of a conversation! I’m getting clear message of you pretending to act confused, avoidant, like you don’t know, yada yada excuses, and the message here is showing if you can be Queen of Swords, truth, communication, chatty and fair with most people, then you can also “cut the crap” and have conversations & connections your family. Whew 😅 damn. Even Spirit is defensive with you Gem. Even if your point of view is I married xyz in this way because of abc, sure but say that. I’m strongly getting no one here did anything wrong, it’s just differing perspectives, and they’re all looking at you like whaaat gives? I’m sorry Gem, this message is dragging your butt across sharp rocks fr, probably to prepare you for what to expect, because you’re being told to head back towards your family. They can’t know your side until you tell them, and you may want to avoid it, but you’ve got a whole group of people that just love you more than they judge you & they just want you around 💙 Overwhelm in the Oracle makes me laugh. No shit right? I’m overwhelmed just doing this reading 😆 Good luck!

Oracle:

Overwhelm

The hard work we love can leave us feeling burdened, drained, and burnt out, among others problems.

Reflection

Time to focus, balance, reflect, and guide yourself past stumbling blocks to take the right actions.

[i33ke]

usually im fine being alone but recently, everything has been so suffocating to experience. going to bed lonely, having no one to talk to when im feeling horrible, it’s not that there’s not people around me. . i just don’t exactly feel comfortable reaching out and talking like this. i feel as if there are so many people out there who are similar to me. do you guys think it’s normal to still feel so exhaustingly lonely even when surrounded by others? i dunno . . i guess id just like to experience being someone’s priority, vice versa. id expect after being in a relationship id have someone i could talk to about how i feel, while having support, but he doesn’t necessarily make me feel that way. . we argue a lot over stupid things. . and i get so frustrated when we don’t talk for extensive hours to even a day. i’ve noticed a pattern with most people i tend to love, i just they get annoyed with me because of the way i think or react to certain things that i cannot help. there has been such an awkward vibe in between me and him today and im not sure what to do. i believe that we both have problems with communicating, clearly. however it’s just . . aside from that, i wish he’d be more affectionate towards me, or perhaps give me reassurance there’s not much of that going on. i don’t know if im really just being greedy or not, but why is there not a honeymoon phase? is it because me and him were friends for about a year before and we stopped talking previously on odd terms? pahh either way, i just. . as a person i feel as if i require a lot when it comes to emotional stability and id hate to make him experience that. it’d just, simple things that would make me so happy .. but i wouldn’t want to put anyone through that actually. im aware how exhausting it is to deal with someone who’s never content, and quick to become distant. i try to be a good partner but i am so comfortable being with manipulative and disloyal guys that it has altered my perception of him.

recently i have been so exhausted with university, it is quite humbling. i feel like an idiot. i struggle with almost everything here and i just feel like i probably am not in the right headspace to be enrolled. i am just so scared of disappointing my mother and other family members that are rooting for me. i spend all of my time doing homework.. but its so tedious i can never actually study. . i wish i were like those geniuses who have photographic memory or something haha.

i miss home desperately, i miss the home cooked meals, and my family members. . this has been a tough fall

whatever

[britcision]

(Okay but I have a whole entire conspiracy theory about the cake comment and it’s that Cithis made it/whoever made it knows how goddamn obsessed Milsiril is with feeding kids cake and it’s either a nasty dig or an inside joke)

I just love the emphasis you’ve put on that scene, on the way he’s Kabru of Utaya, not Kabru of the House of Tol even when that woulda been quicker, forcing them to acknowledge his tallmanity because you’re so so so right

And here’s the really fucked thing with that whole scene with the Canaries though, and one of the most interesting things about Kabru

He explicitly treats people that way too

He “handles” them, working out what they need or want to hear to make them do what he wants, rather than being direct or trusting them to make a responsible decision - it’s the entire reason his interactions with Laios are a disaster

He writes off every other adventurer on the Island as actively bad people or just worthless, which is why he goes down into the dungeon at all - no one else can be trusted to take the responsibility seriously

Just like the elves don’t trust tallmen to handle the dungeon properly and only they can handle the demon, Kabru starts off completely certain only he can handle being the new dungeon lord - and he successfully convinces others of this too

And at the same time, he’s so very entrenched with having been raised under that mindset and knowing exactly how to manipulate it in others - he’s a little bit subtle, but he ABSOLUTELY plays on it with the Canaries that entire first scene, especially in the official translation

It’s practically ripped from How To Win Friends And Influence People

He refers to the Canaries almost exclusively as “you”, making it personal, making the connections - “I wanted to be like you [a Canary, a hero who Saves People From Dungeons]”

He’s polite, respectful, humble like he knows he’s a child and wants them to listen to him anyway, so he can’t seem emotional or get upset

He refers back to experiences in Utaya, absolutely to play on that guilt but also to bond - he saw what happened there, you know what happened there, we both want to make sure it never happens again

(Cuz yeah, damn near all of them were probably at most one person removed - it was a big deal and the Canaries lost a hefty percentage of their forces)

He plays on the horror that he likely wasn’t the only person to experience, the dead rising and attacking from behind - especially if they all knew Milsiril and served with her, if they weren’t in Utaya personally Milsiril’s squad was

At the very least, any of the squad who served 15 years ago (so possibly all of them but Pattadol) knew the Canaries who died there, and were killed by the monsters made from other Canaries they probably also knew

The kid from the warzone went into the room full of veterans and said “I am a grown up now and we don’t want this to happen again” in the subtlest, gentlest way he could

So that it didn’t sound like an accusation, or an attack. It sounded like earnest concern, “we all know what happened and none of us want a repeat, and I’m worried this plan will make that happen again”

He plays on the guilt like a harp, delicately reminding them of the failure but making sure to emphasize he doesn’t blame them - he wanted to be a Canary, to “join you”

Pretending to see them as the heroes only Pattadol thinks they should be, because buttering them up, letting them baby him, letting them feel stronger and superior and magnanimous if they listen to him at all… makes it much more likely that they’ll listen to him

(And tbh I have a second secret smaller theory that this is why Pattadol likes him so much, and is so much more receptive to the younger folks than any of the other Canaries - she’s only just an adult herself, the rest still treat her like a kid with barely (if any) more respect than they have for Kabru or Marcille or Laios and Chilchuck

She’s still being treated like a stupid kid so she’s actively not treating other people that way)

With the elves, Kabru plays their game on their terms, and he knows his role really, really well

But he’s also very much adopted the slightly patronizing “I know best” mindset from them in the way he treats other people

He never actually considers just plain telling Laios the truth - it’s all about condensing Mithrun’s story into the easiest version for Laios to hear (and assuming he’s gonna need it basically at a grade school reading level), or giving the right spin, starting off his well-prepared tragic backstory, looking for the key to manipulate Laios into giving up

When all he actually had to do was say “hey turns out the winged lion is sketchy as hell and none of us understand what being the dungeon lord means except this guy”, and that’d be it

That basically was it, and no one actually had to say it; Laios and Marcille worked it out on their own, at different rates (for comic effect)

Just like Kabru’s not the helpless kid the elves think he is, Laios and Marcille aren’t the hapless fools (or threats to humanity) that Kabru thinks they are

And that’s just so goddamn juicy

Kabru can play every elf except Mithrun like a fiddle, because he grew up in their society and knows how to play their game… so well that he’s wound up playing the same game himself, but with everyone around him

And honestly I think that more than anything else was what got Mithrun’s attention, because he did deadass walk up to Kabru and say “well you’re clearly up to something so let’s see how good you are” rather than giving the Utaya or Milsiril connections the same weight the others did

Ex-shady bitch recognizes a shady bitch

it’s funny when ppl talk about the harpy omelet scene and say things like “why did he do all of that? he didn’t need to. JUST doing that for laios???” (seen these nearly verbatim on posts i’ve made.)

i don’t really get how you can hear his backstory & not understand that every decision he makes within the dungeon is fueled by a profound trauma borne out of horrific, structural negligence. of course he would do fucking anything to enact his plan? if he computes “getting in laios’s favor = proxy control of the dungeon” and he has very limited time to do so, he will jump at the chance. he’s already DIED for this.

kabru has maybe the clearest possible motivation that a character can have. he has a Protagonists Motivation, and it guides him forward in a very coherent way in the beginning of the story. things get more complicated in later acts that directly address how that motivation manifests itself/gets contradicted, bc ryoko kui is great at exploring this, but it’s still extremely present.

and as a labru fan i strongly dislike the implication i see from some ppl that his interest in laios is mostly personal or romantic (posts that range from pure joke to actual ship meta.) even when taking the “confession” at face value, where i think he was telling the truth, there’s still a lot more to it than that. i think at first kabru does see laios as a means to an end in a way that’s impersonal, partly because he tends to keep everyone in his life at arms length. but that “end” (preventing history from repeating itself) is something foundational to his psyche, and we should consider that potential sense of safety getting mixed in with his warring fascination/apprehension towards laios. he’s drawn to him for visceral reasons, and his stated motivations are so intertwined with his sense of self that untangling this push-pull is much more interesting than boilerplate Yearning, to me.

it’s just confusing when any meta or basic discussion of kabru diminishes the weight utaya has on his inner world and i’m really surprised every time i see it? like i understand that different types of meta will put other lenses on things intentionally, and in most cases i think it’s an interesting tool to work with. but it’s a massive disservice to his character to put the most foundational experience of his life on the back burner ESPECIALLY when it’s in favor of shipping. dissecting character relationships, romantic or otherwise, is at its best when you have their full personhood in mind!!

[shrowded-eng1ma]

Zatanna dating a S/O that has venom (sorry for another Zatanna post, I love this woman)

Sfw

As you can probably imagine, your relationship is interesting.

You, tired from dealing with a alien saying the weirdest shit imaginable, and a powerful magic user that also more or less says some wild shit.

But it’s also good, Zatanna could step in and take care of you if you and venom get TOO villainous.

Venom is 50/50 Zatanna, he dislikes how she tries to stop you too from doing heroism his way (which is literally killing the enemy) but he also likes how she helps him make you suffer.

Venom also likes it when you don’t care about what he does to others, hates it you are empathetic towards others, and LOVES it when you agree with his way.

Zatanna, well she’s a literal magician so she could just mind fuck venom’s and your ideologies.

But she won’t do that, she has hope in you and your.. alien companion, that and your her lover, she doesn’t want or even like to manipulate/erase someone’s mind/memories/or life.

Zatanna provides venom with unlimited chocolate, it one way to keep the beast tame.

Zatanna loves to be the big spoon with you, especially whenever venom tries to take you away from her (not like that… maybe?)

Venom has possessed Zatanna once, he doesn’t like it.

Because of your circumstances, Venom is more like his movie counterpart, but is still a-bit unhinged.

Because of having to live with three people, with one of them literally living inside you, your always fucking tired and barely have any energy to do Jack.

Because of this, Zatanna would often help you relax through massages, magical shows, or a nice cold shower (shower cause I hate baths)

While Zatanna would realize your emotional troubles, venom would be more insensitive, course he still cares about you (in his unique way) but he’s a alien who needs to depend on another person, he himself is annoyed he can’t live his life the way he wants.

Luckily for you, Zatanna is able to put venom to sleep using magic. So when you want peace and quiet you got to her, ask her to do his magic, and lay in a nice cold bed with a small smile.

Zatanna watches you sleep… so does venom.

During mission’s you and Zatanna would be separated. Zatanna with magical enemies, you with the mafia, thugs, drug dealers, and so on.

Venom does sometimes allow you to be the hero, but it’s 65% him being the hero.

And my favorite— incorrect quotes!!

Y/n:I hardly slept last night

Venom: When you can’t sleep, it means someone is thinking about you. Someone who loves you

Y/n: Who would be thinking about me at 3 a.m.?

Zatanna: [Heterosexual panic]

Venom: I feel like doing something stupid.

Zatanna: IM STUPID!! DO ME!!

Y/n: venom said that, not me.

Zatanna:Oh… don’t do me

Venom:THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN?!!

Zatanna: Hey, you wanna bang?

Y/n: …

Zatanna: I meant hang.

Y/n: …

Zatanna: Actually, no, I didn’t.

——

Nsfw

Zatanna is a switch, she’s too if your to tired to give a fuck, she’s bottom when you give a fuck/when you have angry sex.

She always puts venom to sleep when you two are having fun, but you still have venom’s powers. So you have the long tongue, The ability to make your body longer and bigger, I think you get it.

The average rounds you two go for is 5. But the highest amount of rounds is 8, it’s when you were angry, annoyed, and frustrated.

If your a boy, you make your cock big enough to make a outline on zatanna’s belly. If your a girl, you do the samething the boy does, gender neutral.. I honestly don’t know.

Because of venom’s powers you are able to shapeshift your body and stretch it out. You make enough cocks to fill ALL of zatanna’s holes, while your mouth works on her neck.

When shes top, she loves to overstimulate and sent your orgasm. Zatanna also makes herself a temporary cock to fuck you with.

You often have morning sex.

You and Zatanna once fucked ontop of a apartment roof.

Zatanna is quite literally a sex detective, she knows your kinks/fetishes/and when your horny, when you’ve pleasured yourself, and everything else.

Okay I’m done with this.

[minorfamilysupremacy]

this post is largely for @therealblessedaffliction bc i can’t stop thinking about that scene on the balcony between gun and vegas, so:

when you rewatch that scene, it is so immediately apparent how deep the abuse goes, and how fucked up it is that gun is tasking his son with this mission. gun knows full well who porsche is and what kind of political points securing porsche’s loyalties/affections would net him. it’s possibly one of the most vile things he does, which is saying something considering everything else he does onscreen, because this isn’t using vegas as a way to secure a business deal or otherwise benefit the minor family in some way. this is all personal and a way to strike back at korn. 

the weird thing is that while pete is correct that gun beats vegas because he feels like he’s a disappointment and he needs to take out his own pain on his son, he’s not entirely correct. gun also beats vegas because he needs to strip vegas of his humanity. if he’s broken enough, he’s easier to control/manipulate into doing the family’s dirty business because he can be bought off with the idea of approval and praise. he can be warped into thinking his entire value to the family, and indeed as a person, is tied to what he can do or bring to the table. he is not valuable as a person; he is valuable as a weapon or attack dog. (’everyone just knows i’m vegas from the minor family’ is a hell of a line because no one sees vegas as a person. ‘vegas from the minor family’ is shorthand for a ruthless, violent specter who will kill without remorse. less of a person than an idea.)

gun would have started this early, back when vegas was small enough to be at his most malleable psychologically, because it would have been less work than trying to break a child old enough to have gotten a backbone or willpower. (how much influence his mom had on trying to avoid this, i’m not sure, because i don’t know how old vegas was when she died. we do know that gun has nothing but malice for her, though -- ‘you’re just as stupid as your mother’ -- and that line suggests that vegas was close to her. it’s very obviously chosen as a line gun knows will hurt vegas to the core.) he couldn’t be initiated into a lot of the very, very dirty work -- torture, contract killings, etc -- until he was a little older, but i have zero doubt he was witness to things very early just to desensitize him and make sure he had no illusions about his future. immersing him in all of this would have been only a practical decision (writing those words made my skin crawl), but also would have been a great abuse tool because it would have isolated vegas from his peers. by virtue of being a theerapanyakul, he already would have had a certain degree of isolation, but then making sure he doesn’t ever breathe a word of his horrific home life to the kids around him? yeah, that’s a breeding ground for an angry, lonely kid who will never learn to form connections. maybe he had a close relationship with his cousins, but maybe not! it’s impossible to tell from what we’re given. (what we know: 1) as adults, they fucking hate each other; 2) korn and gun have a vested interest in sowing discord between the families to keep up the competitive edge. to me, any potential childhood closeness would have been snuffed out as the kids got older when they needed to be more fully slotted into their future roles.)

so from a very young age, vegas would have been taught to distrust, judge, and keep his distance from others. human kindness, frailty, weakness -- those aren’t things he would be allowed to indulge in. he would have had to crush out whatever emotions weren’t practical for survival.

the dehumanization is already underway. strip a little kid of the safety and support they need to grow and thrive and you’re giving them an unstable sense of self and damaging their ability to self-soothe because they don’t learn that skill without guidance. constantly being in danger of abuse is going to keep vegas in constant fight-or-flight mode. he would live only for the recognition and praise of others, because he had nothing of his own to fall back on. gun’s approval, or lack thereof, would shape how he viewed himself as a person.

any kid is going to grow up inherently and instinctively craving love and affection. it’s just how humans are wired. if they aren’t receiving it, though, that’s where they can branch out into any of a hundred different maladaptive coping mechanisms. in vegas’ case, he was given the tool of violence and a half-formed hope of approval. and a lot of abuse victims become violent not only bc they’re mirroring their abuser’s actions (which, obviously, vegas does do), but also because violence is control and it gives them the illusion they’ve asserted some power over their lives. he did not choose to become violent in a vacuum; gun systematically dismantled him as a person and then, in a sick fucking gesture of ‘assistance,’ gave him a path forward by making him a killing machine. and best of all, vegas can’t even see himself as human, so seeing the humanity in others is almost an impossibility. he’s perfect for what gun needs him to be, not that gun would let him know that because it would undo all the work he put into molding vegas for his own ends.

everything vegas knows of human nature and humanity is based on observation, but what he’s observed (and been a victim of) is how to break people. how to spot and exploit weaknesses. he knows how to wheel and deal, he knows how to get people to talk, he knows how to unravel someone and bring them to their knees. he knows how to see people the way other people see him -- zeroing in on what’s valuable about them, like information or influence, and discarding the rest. (look at the infamous ‘head, chest, or heart’ scene from episode 14. porsche and vegas have shared a quasi-friendship at various points throughout the series, but when it comes to this moment, porsche isn’t a person, he’s an easy way to hurt kinn.)

and part of the reason vegas is good at this is not just because he’s violent. yeah, a lot of guys are gonna talk if you rip out their cochlea. but that doesn’t always work! the torture briefcase is not made for the boardroom. you need a lighter, defter touch for that. you need diplomacy.

or, if you’re a theerapanyakul, you just need a vulnerable teenage boy you’re comfortable sacrificing. 

how often did gun pimp vegas out? the novel might say, who knows. i have a feeling it was a lot. for all we know, it’s still happening up until gun’s death. but what better way to show off your broken vanity project than to serve him up to god-knows-how-many powerful men in bangkok and, frankly, probably in plenty of other places as well. vegas is a beautiful man; he would have been a beautiful kid, with that delicate bone structure and that bottomless desire to please. and when he’s, what, 14, 15, 16 (again, vomiting while i write it), he’s a wonderful target for powerful men who want to feel young and in control. if he fights it, it’s more satisfying to break him; if he gives in, he can be easily reshaped into what they best desire. and gun condoned it. korn condoned it. (and if tensions hadn’t already broken the main and minor cousins apart, this would sure do it.) it gets them results; it provides an easy source of blackmail if someone tries to get out of line.

and best of all, it reinforces everything gun has been telling vegas his entire life! it continues to tie his value to what he can do and not who he is, it isolates him, it dehumanizes him and strips him of agency, and it provides more evidence to support a bleak, nihilistic outlook. gun’s outsourcing the abuse to supplement what he’s dishing out. and korn’s condoning it deepens the rift between the two families, thus ensuring that the rivalry won’t sputter out any time soon. (he pours so much poison into the ears of his family and associates, too. pete saying korn isn’t cruel isn’t intentionally malicious by any stretch, but he could have dealt less damage by directly stabbing vegas in the heart. ‘isn’t my fucking life because of this?’ isn’t just about being in hiding; it’s about how within the confines of the theerapanyakul family, he’s always been the most convenient scapegoat for their worst offenses.)

BUT. but! vegas is incredibly resilient. he weathers, quite frankly, an unimaginable amount of shit through his life and yet, as we see in the safehouse, he has kept that terrified, lonely inner child safe all these years. it’s battered and fragile, but still reacts to pete’s gentle -- and perhaps unintentional? -- coaxing. this is different from the side of himself he shows to macau, because with macau, he has to be a caretaker and protector. obviously, with pete, he still engages in caretaker behaviors, but he has an admittedly VERY warped perception of them as more of emotional equals. (it, of course, takes pete losing his shit at vegas for vegas to realize how many of the dehumanizing behaviors he’s been subjected to are now being passed to pete. it genuinely doesn’t occur to him until pete is sobbing and bleeding profusely how hurtful his actions are because he’s normalized them so fucking much over the years. he had no choice, of course, but say it with me AGAIN: intent does not negate impact.)

both actions -- pete’s bringing vegas’ humanity to light, and vegas’ realization of how hurtful denying pete’s humanity is -- come back to one very simple point: gun lost. even before he ended up dead in the main house, he’d failed at one of his life’s most crucial missions, which was to make his son the perfect weapon to destroy the main family. he spent vegas’ entire life abusing him on every conceivable level, only to have someone come into vegas’ life and realize that not every piece of him had been irreparably broken. the delicious irony is that gun trained vegas to build wall after wall and shut out person after person, but in the end, it was those same walls that allowed vegas to keep his truest, most honest self safe. gun wanted to make his son a weapon of war, and he did. he just forgot that a shield can be a weapon, too.