#but enjoyment shouldn't hinge on it

[urne-buriall]

per the fic notes: the Oak Tree King is based on “Erlkönig” (or Erl-King), a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. it’s been set to music frequently, and I borrow specifically from Josh Ritter’s adaptation of the song as “Oak Tree King” here

for today's notes: there's a lot in a name. Erlkönig is literally Alder-king, hence Elijah's last name of Alder (which also ties his fate to the forest - as if this would always happen). his contemporary, and witness to his death, bears the last name Kinbote, which is taken from the narrator of Nabokov's Pale Fire. while more reliable than that narrator, he provides the commentary on Eli's death in the same way that Kinbote comments upon the book's poem written by John Shade. the book and poem allude directly to the Erlking in reference to the death of John's daughter Hazel and the loss a parent feels for a child stolen by death. we have one more Pale Fire intertwining echo in the chapter's title (discussed previously). Hazel dies after falling through ice on a frozen lake, while the chapter's title is the poem of the same name by Gabrielle Calvocoressi about the tragic loss of children to frozen water: "Our two boys went out to skate, broke / through the ice like battleships, came back / to us in canvas bags."

obviously none of this really matters. it's just set-dressing. you don't have to read Pale Fire to understand the fic. Scott Kinbote is not a 1:1 expy of Nabokov's Kinbote and I'm always going to serve my story first, and the references second. but I find adding in these layers makes it easier for me to write. now that I've selected a last name, I've got all this other material to work with that makes the whole process richer

meanwhile when it comes to actual themes and character growth, I'm not hiding anything or being coy. it's spelled out here:

It had been easier to look at Eli, born the same year as Dean but preserved eternally in his youth. As if, but for being dead, he still had all his options ahead of him. Not as easy looking at Scott, the same age Dean was now, feeling like everything had been over for a long time. And that it had never properly started. But that was the wrong way about it, completely back-asswards.

graves we filled before the fire, pt. v

questions about Mothman and much stranger creatures come to light.

[crehador]

parting thoughts on ragna crimson (first cour)

i think it was... the first episode? that i didn't really vibe with. felt like a decent enough fantasy, but unremarkable in just about every way

THEN A WEIRD GUY APPEAR

iirc it wasn't until the second week that we really met crimson, which is kind of a shame because imo the show doesn't really start to come together until then. i like ragna well enough, but it's really the combination of the two of them that compels me

always love a duo where they have the same goal, but drastically different personalities/values/modes of operation/etc

always extra love a duo that's like "team up with me, a dragon, to kill all dragons then once we've achieved our goal you'll kill me too"

(like vanoe but with dragons. i think. my memories of vnc are actually very hazy)

and always extra extra love when ayu gets to just do his thing, playing guys who are girls who are guys who are etc etc etc

it's certainly not the best of the season, and still overall fairly unremarkable imo, but also not really bad in any way. if there's one thing i find lackluster i guess it's that i feel like they don't lean enough into this... pseudo-past life thing that ragna has going on (with the powers and presumably memories of his 'older self' passed down to him)

like ragna is still more or less his 'normal' self in terms of personality, which is fine, he's got a fun enough personality, but if he had some like... old man tendencies mixed in there, or if we saw more of his memories with crimson maybe? i don't know, just feels like something more could have been done with that fusion of past and present (or rather future and present)

looking forward to the second cour but at the same time... hoping this series won't be too long lol

[bcbdrums]

The Heist

A Soul Eater fanfic. Read on: AO3

A/N: For the Grigori Wings Discord Server's Secret Santa @sesecretsanta (finally)! My secret gift is for Ku-Hakku and they wanted something "where everyone is a white glove thief," and provided the song Ren'ai saiban as inspiration. This was also partly inspired by The Newsies, and of course, by the canon. I hope this short tale provides some enjoyment for you. Merry (late) Christmas!

The Heist

When he heard the gentle action of the door’s hinges, he held his breath within his place of concealment. The almost imperceptibly light step of a woman’s shoes on carpet followed, and then the measured release of the doorknob as the light from the hallway vanished. But for the beat of his heart, it was silent in the upstairs study of the mansion where the party was being held that evening.

Soul parted his lips, allowed his held breath to slowly slip out, and then with painful slowness inhaled again through his nose. He peered through the narrow gap in the drapes into the dark of the room, and as the expected figure stepped into view he found his posture automatically straightening in respect.

A lithe, slim form silently crossed the carpet, deliberately avoiding the thin panel of moonlight that Soul was careful to leave unbroken across the floor. Her black evening gown only served to accentuate the natural beauty that Soul had been admiring from afar for weeks throughout his investigation, and it was with further amazement that he watched her produce a small lockpick kit and calmly begin working on the wall safe that been hidden behind a portrait of his employer.

He had determined after weeks that she was working alone. And the thefts didn’t seem to be for money or leverage, as the stolen goods were just hidden away and forgotten afterward. And all that was ever left behind was her unique calling card - one that sought to frame him and his organization.

He had enough to arrest her now, but it wouldn’t answer the questions burning in his mind. And so he waited - waited until this time he would catch her red-handed and could perhaps find out why.

A single blonde pigtail fell over her shoulder as she tucked the papers into a black envelope, carefully secured the valuable documents away in her purse. And then she removed a tiny, glittering item to leave behind. Her calling card and the symbol of his department – a tiny, crystal scythe.

Soul took another breath as he watched her close the safe, listened to the soft click of the lock. Her black-gloved hands were soundless as she replaced the portrait of the grim-looking owner of the mansion, and then as she shouldered her purse and turned to go, the detective made his move.

“Maka Albarn,” he said, slowly pushing the drapes open.

She startled as the room was flooded in moonlight, and Soul watched her verdant eyes as they traveled from his feet up to his face as he stepped into view. A moment later her scowl was concealed as his shadow fell over hers, and his hands settled into his pockets while hers balled into fists at her sides.

"Curious choice of calling card," he continued as she glared at him. "Are you trying to frame me specifically, or just imply that my department is corrupt?"

She didn't answer immediately, and as the silence lingered Soul's awareness spread beyond the dark confines of the room to the sounds of the party beyond. The band had shifted into a slow jazz number, and the sounds of conversation that had been previously bolstered by alcohol were dwindling into something more subdued.

"What did you do to deserve the nickname anyway?" she finally replied.

Soul let his grin broaden to conceal his surprise. "So this is about me? I'm chuffed, Miss Albarn."

"Don't call me that," she fairly spat back. "And don't flatter yourself. This isn't about you."

"Then what is it about?"

"What do you care? Shouldn't you be cuffing me, Detective?"

Soul fought the rising heat under his collar and maintained his grin. "Oh, don't worry. I will. But I'm curious. Why would the daughter of a rich and powerful family who work for an even more rich and powerful family steal from them and then try to frame me of all people for the crimes?"

"It's not about you," she replied, her voice even more level than before.

Soul held his tongue then, considering. He didn't need to know the motive; he'd caught her red-handed, and the evidence from the prior thefts would all stack up neatly in court. But he hadn't risen to the rank of detective just to lock people up.

"I'll pretend my feelings aren't hurt," he continued as he considered his next tactic, finally stepping toward her to make it official. "Maybe you'll give me a second chance, though? You think your father will mind if the arresting officer makes social calls on his daughter until he bails you out?"

This elicited a scoff and a deeper scowl out of the beautiful thief, and he moved to her side as she surprisingly, obediently, put her hands behind her back.

"We haven't even officially met."

"Oh, come on. We've talked at all those parties your dad and the boss like to throw," Soul countered.

"Stop bringing up my father."

Her tone was one of near-fury, and it gave Soul pause. He let the handcuffs remain heavy in his jacket pocket and shifted his stance to look at her. She jaw was set in anger as she gazed up at him, and Soul's mind began to turn over the facts. The cogs were beginning to align, but he still didn't have a real answer.

"This isn't about me. This is about your father."

"No duh."

Her father, Chief of Police and the one responsible for the private security of the mayor, had early in his career gained the nickname 'the scythe' for his quick and rapid execution of justice when he was a mere detective. Soul had followed in his footsteps and now bore the moniker since the fairer Albarn's father had moved on to higher duties. Those under the senior Albarn's command were sometimes called 'the scythes' as well.

"Why..?" Soul took a step back, crossed the moonlit carpet of the study and moved toward a baby grand piano opposite. "Why would you want to frame your father for stealing from his boss?"

"Why do you call him his 'boss'?" she challenged.

Soul paused, reached up to grab his lapels as his face fell, and then leaned against the piano.

"You know they're all corrupt, too. The department has been corrupt since before you joined, and you're still working with them after you've found out," she continued. "Why?"

Soul's glinting grin finally fell to a frown. "It's not as simple as you think."

"What's not simple about the abuse of power for personal gain?"

"When the gain is also the protection of the city's interests—"

"So you're really okay with all of it?" she said, eyes blazing in frustration. "I thought you'd be different, seeing as you weren't born in this dystopia."

Soul lifted his hand from the piano's frame as if it had bitten him and tugged at his lapels again.

"Sometimes we have to make a difference one person at a time before we can make a lasting change."

Maka stepped toward him and Soul stiffened.

"And sometimes one person can make a big change. That's what I'm doing."

"By trying to frame your father?"

She was silent, and as Soul stared down into her bright eyes he realized – she wasn't trying to escape. She didn't even seem nervous.

"No... That was only part of your plan. You...you wanted to be caught," he said, his brow rising.

Maka held his gaze, but he watched her breath still.

"That's it..." Soul's grin returned, his white teeth shining especially bright in the moonlight. "By leaving the crystal scythes as a message, you put suspicion on your father, and the public and media scrutiny falls to him. But if that doesn't work and the mayor shuts it down, you being caught gives you a platform. Because the daughter of the police chief stealing from the mayor would be the biggest news story of the year!"

Maka continued to stare, almost statuesque with her expression frozen and her pupils contracted. Soul could feel the tension in the room like a chord suspended.

"And if your plan fails?" he finally asked with a grin.

"It won't," Maka said defiantly.

Soul chuckled, and Maka's eyes narrowed.

"You forgot about the wild card in the deck..." Soul said as he straightened his posture. "What if I let you go?"

He watched Maka's eyes widen in genuine shock. She clearly hadn't expected any other outcome.

"You..! But..."

"I don't have to tell anyone I found you here tonight. I can let you walk away, keep on committing the robberies. While I draw this investigation out for years."

The change in the young woman was evident even under the moonlight. Her cheeks had begun to redden, her shoulders stiffen. No longer was she brave in the face of her chosen fate, but starting to panic. However no sooner had Soul processed this than she had quickly reached into her purse. His instincts registered weapon and had him moving before he saw what she wielded. He dodged to the left as something heavy came down on the closed lid of the piano, and as she turned to follow through he grabbed her wrists, hard.

"A...book!?"

A large book was held steadily in one of Maka Albarn's hands as she glared daggers up at him, her teeth bared in anger.

"Pig!" she said, her voice breaking the whisper she'd kept it at throughout their conversation.

She tried to wrench free, but Soul stepped closer and pulled up her arms, limiting her movement.

"You didn't let me finish," Soul said, momentarily breathless for the surprise. "I could...let you go. And then give you a hand."

Maka's lips parted. She blinked up at Soul in shock, and the tension gradually began to leave her arms. Soul released his grip on her wrists and they both took a step back, putting a more comfortable space between them.

Soul reached up to straighten out his jacket. "Sorry to hear about the divorce, by the way."

Maka's hand lifted faster than he could blink.

"Ow!" Soul exclaimed as the spine of the book came down on his head.

"Pigs, all you men."

"Would you cease and desist already?" he said, this time snatching the book out of her hand and pushing it across the piano lid out of reach. "Now listen and think about this. With a partner on the inside, you can gather the kind of evidence that will actually help you when you go to the press."

Maka stared, and Soul watched emotions play across her face in rapid succession, the most readable of which was suspicion. Soul simply waited, and when she finally spoke her voice lacked the razor edge of judgment it had previously held.

"You'd betray them?"

"We all want the same thing in the end, don't we? Just to live in a safe and happy society. I think of it as...helping them work toward their goals in a more progressive way."

Maka crossed her arms and continued to look at him appraisingly.

"After all... I became a detective in the first place to make a difference, Miss Al—... Maka."

Maka raised a skeptical eyebrow, but Soul only grinned and stuck out his hand.

Maka shifted her stance, keeping her arms firmly crossed. "How do I know I can trust you?"

Soul considered. "I guess you don't. But...let me give you a chance at least, to see who I am."

He kept his hand extended as Maka studied him. He turned his head slightly to bring his face out of shadow, the moonlight spilling between them.

"I could be your scythe."

A tiny, pensive smile formed on her lips. And as she slowly reached out her hand to shake his, he couldn't help but notice again how lovely she was. His own smile grew.

"You've got a deal, Detective Evans."

Soul chuckled again. "Then...may I have the next dance?"

"What?" Maka said with a slight start, pulling back her hand.

"The night is still young," Soul said, gesturing toward the door that would lead back to the ballroom, the soft sounds of slow jazz filling the room as silence fell.

Maka brushed a pigtail back over her shoulder as a light slowly filled her eyes that outshone the moon. And when Soul offered his arm, she took it.

[on-wine-dark-seas]

hey muse I have a question. how do you deal with self-esteem as a writer? I want to start posting fanfic but I'm worried I'm not good enough and no one will like it. sorry if this bothers you but I've enjoyed your writing since the Dragon Age days and your writing is so good.

So, this ask kind of made me tear up ngl. It's always surprising when people follow my writing from fandom to fandom regardless of what I'm writing. It's...it's humbling to think there's people out there reading my words and saying they just enjoy my prose in general.

That being said, I honestly can't answer your question in a way that ties everything neatly together. I'm going to be very honest [and vulnerable] for a moment.

I'm not a popular writer. I don't know the experience of being a popular writer. My Dragon Age fics were the first time in all my years of writing I got a modicum of popularity in a fandom for my writing. I don't know what it was about those stories that grabbed people, but it felt nice for a while to have people engaging with my work. Boosted my confidence, and pushed me to be a better writer which led to me being published professionally. The DA stuff was 8 years ago so thanks for rocking with me even when I was on hiatus.

Right now? I'm a nobody in the JJK fandom. Just some old auntie who wants to make her faves kiss her OCs like always. This is the way the fandom pendulum swings for most of us. That I even get comments on my fics is a testament to me knocking the rust off my skills. It's disheartening, but that's also how things work when you're in a massive fandom like this one.

I don't like to see fandom as a competition, so I have to write these stories for myself first and foremost. As long as I'm having a good time and enjoying my stories and sandbox, I should be okay if others aren't fawning over everything I post because it's enjoyable to me. But I have other factors that contribute to my experience in fandom, so everyone has a unique experience with this sort of thing. It's perfectly normal to crave validation for our writing, but we shouldn't hinge our self-worth on our AO3 stats or Tumblr notes. I did that for years and destroyed my confidence in my writing for a while.

That being said, anon, the best way to combat and ease these anxieties is to put your own happiness and enjoyment in fandom first. Your audience will come later, and in some cases it may be long after you've left that fandom. So send your little story boats out into the abyss. Someone out there will enjoy it, even if it's just you for a while.

[iustitians]

Attached: a seashell about the size of the palm of one's hand. The exterior is ordinary enough, save for a brass hinge at the joining ligament and a matching brass crown to the side, subtle hints that the shell has been altered. Upon unhinging the closed shell, one will find a dual waterproof watch and compass in the upper portion, and enough hollow space in the bottom half of the shell enclosure to keep a few Mora or other small items. The natural iridescence of the interior reflects multicolored rays of light over the watch face.

(The gift along with a note are left at Sedene's post; despite all of their past bump-ins, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the lad is still intimidated by the Iudex.)

Monsieur Neuvillette,

I hope your birthday is prosperous and enjoyable; although I'm regrettably unable to deliver this in person, your gift and present three months back on my birthday brought light to my day, even if I may not have shown it. The shell timepiece is something I made with what the otters gave me after our previous expedition, combined with some parts I had lying around. I hope it serves to communicate my well-wishes despite the lack of my physical presence.

Sincerely, Freminet

After an obligatory safety inspection, the gift finds its way comfortably into Neuvillette's office. Customarily, his law-mandated birthday holiday (a phrase he knows humans who have heard it find really funny, but such is his life) is a day off for him; last year, he devoted himself to Fontaine's post-flood recovery even on this day, but today, he can indeed spend it without his nose stuck in paperwork.

... Granted, once the Melusines removed an all-day trip to Elynas from his schedule by visiting him at the Court, he is left with little else to do besides sitting in his office and watching, not without fondness, as his daughters take over the normally stiff and formal room, playing games, sitting on the floor in groups and drawing - thank goodness he had multiple piles of spare paper lying around - and putting colorful stickers on everything that is not an official document. They are cheerful and a little mischievous, but they know better than to cause him a headache by destroying something important.

Seeing the seashell as it is brought to him, the Iudex smiles. Quickly, he has a couple guesses for the sender, and when he reads the note, one of them is indeed proven correct. Once read, the letter is given to one of the Melusines, who will place it in one of personal cabinets, where he keeps some mementos from across the years and passing human generations; the seashell remains in his hands for further examination. Neuvillette recalls that Freminet was said to have a knack for tinkering with various devices, including the little penguin he usually has with him, but this is his first time seeing the young man's work up close. And indeed, he finds himself most impressed.

The seashell remains in his pocket afterwards, with his plan being to use it as the sender had intended. A short note of thanks and greetings, adorned with several stickers from his daughters - of Leisurely Otters, Romaritime Flowers and Lumitoile - is passed on to one of the Melusine officers from the Phantom, who will deliver it to Freminet during a not-so-chance encounter.

[experthiese]

@noitxll / kiss roulette

10. A kiss along the jawline.

It should come as no surprise that Lupin enjoys being the center of attention. At first, this might seem antithetical to the idea of a phantom thief: why would one who took such pains to stalk through the shadows, suddenly find enjoyment in the bright glare of the spotlight? Wasn't getting seen equivalent to failure, to being being defeated by the same people his career hinged on being better than?

And, sure, his predecessors might've have agreed with such an attitude. His father wanted nothing more than to be an unseen puppetmaster, pulling the strings of every vaguely important politician and turning them into nothing more than a figurehead for his ideals. Even his grandfather had made a point to avoid Ganimard whenever possible, a far cry from the eternal rivalry the Third has cultivated.

But that's the point, isn't it? Lupin isn't his predecessors: he's himself, Lupin III, determined to live life as he pleases and blur whatever stupid rules master thieves are expected to follow.

He doesn't fear attention.

He revels in it, encourages it, feeds off of it.

He needs it.

So, naturally, he takes no pleasure in sitting here, surrounded by vehicles he's dying to open up (but probably shouldn't). Most frustrating of all is the fact that he can't even blame Noland for his lapse in attention—these are some very nice pieces of machinery, and Lupin understands better than most the bond between a man and his cars. He's all but married to his sweet little Fiat, and that's to say nothing of the pedestal his SSK sits up on.

But! Still!

The garage and all its occupants will still be here later; Lupin will not! Would it kill him to throw a glance over his shoulder every so often? To give some indication that the world's best thief hasn't gone entirely forgotten?

Lupin sighs, shoving himself off of the workbench he'd been leaning on with a little more force than necessary. If he isn't going to be given the attention he wants, he'll have to do what all good thieves do, and simply steal it instead.

A hand cups Noland's chin and tilts it upwards, and Lupin's mouth finds his jaw a moment later. The kiss lingers there for a second, long enough to feel Lupin's smile pressed against his skin, before he pulls away looking like the Delcatty that got the cream.

❝ There's more where that came from, if ya want it. ❞

If you'll pay attention to me long enough to get it.

[threefandomsinatrenchcoat]

Write that fic for yourself! Don't write something ONLY to post it. Explore something that interests you. Write about that rarepair nobody else seems to ship. Do it for yourself. And then, either other people will have a similar interest and like your fic, or it'll at least be meaningful to you. I'm not saying it's not okay to feel more motivated to write due to comments, kudos, hits, people recommending your fic, etc. That's totally normal and community is a big and important part of fandom. I'm just saying your enjoyment of your own art shouldn't hinge on it.

Say it with me now

You are never late to a fandom. Your fic is never "invalid" for being "late". Your fic doesn't need a high word limit. Your fic does not need a high standard. Your fic does not need to be highly popular. Your fic isn't less valid than a popular author's fic. Your fic isn't inheritly bad. Your fic is amazing. Your fic is valid. The only thing that matters is that you're having fun. Fandom is not consumption and consumerism. Fandom is fun, free and for the people. Fandom is not a popularity contest. We're all nerds at the end of the day.

[vivekbagri05]

HaaNaa's Opinion Trading App: Where Insights Meet Investment

HaaNaa's Opinion Trading App offers a unique approach to investment, blending insightful market analysis with a user-friendly trading platform. This isn't just another app; it's a community-driven ecosystem designed to empower both seasoned investors and newcomers alike. Let's delve into what makes HaaNaa stand out.

The Power of Collective Intelligence: HaaNaa's core strength lies in its community-based approach. Users can share their market perspectives, analysis, and predictions, fostering a collaborative environment where diverse opinions converge. This creates a dynamic source of information, enriching the overall investment experience. While individual opinions shouldn't be taken as financial advice, the collective wisdom gathered on the platform provides valuable context and diverse viewpoints, helping users make more informed decisions.

Beyond the Numbers: Understanding the 'Why': HaaNaa goes beyond simply presenting raw data. The app encourages users to explain their investment rationale, sharing the "why" behind their choices. This emphasis on qualitative analysis adds crucial context, enabling users to learn from each other's successes and mistakes. This shared learning environment is a significant advantage, fostering a more sophisticated understanding of market dynamics.

User-Friendly Interface and Accessibility: HaaNaa prioritizes ease of use. The app's interface is intuitive and accessible, making it suitable for both experienced traders and those new to the world of investment. Complex financial data is presented clearly and concisely, avoiding jargon and unnecessary complications. This commitment to accessibility ensures a smooth and enjoyable user experience.

Features to Enhance Your Trading: The app likely offers a range of tools to enhance your trading experience. These might include real-time market data, charting tools, portfolio tracking, and potentially even automated trading options (though this would need verification on the app itself). These features, combined with the community aspect, create a comprehensive trading ecosystem.

Risk Management and Disclaimer: It's crucial to remember that all investment carries risk. HaaNaa, like any trading platform, will likely include disclaimers emphasizing that the opinions shared are not financial advice. Users should always conduct their own thorough research and understand the risks involved before making any investment decisions.

Conclusion: HaaNaa's Opinion Trading App presents a compelling alternative to traditional investment platforms. By combining community insights with a user-friendly interface, it empowers users to make more informed decisions. However, it's essential to approach the information shared with critical thinking and remember that the platform does not provide financial advice. The app's success hinges on the active participation of its user base; the more diverse and insightful the community, the richer the learning experience becomes. If you are looking for a platform that fosters community and encourages a deeper understanding of the markets, HaaNaa is worth exploring.

[1010lilfoot]

Sorry for the bummer question, do you ever regret making Sam’s talent having extra arms? I was talking with an artsy person I know about making a character with extra arms of my own, and they told me that a character with many arms is a bad idea because I’d have to draw six arms every single time they make an appearance. So I wanted to ask you how true do YOU personally think that statement is? Should I not make my bug themed super hero with extra arms like I wanted?

Not a bummer! I personally don't regret the six arms. Though I'm sure that answer would differ depending on who you ask, so if I were you, I'd think about what I like to draw and what I don't mind drawing!

I like drawing people the most, so a few extra arms doesn't bother me! And I'm not as confident with manmade objects/backgrounds, but I don't mind drawing them in TDL often because I like how they add to the comic. (Comics (and/or similar mediums) are a good opportunity to practice things you aren't confident in.)

Of course, this all hinges on your enjoyment! Especially if you're drawing for fun, you shouldn't force yourself to draw difficult things you get no enjoyment out of. If it's your profession, or a hobby you're passionate about improving, I'd say challenge yourself, but if not, enjoy yourself and focus on what you like! Aim for avoiding burnout either way.

To wrap this all up, I say do a short test run! Whether it be comics or something else you're interested in, draw a few pages/etc. and see if the extra arms tire you out or not. Good luck!

Anonymous asked: After rereading the chapter where Sam had her moment of accepting her talent, I just wanted to ask really quick, does Sam ever wear her ponchos anymore? personally I think they look pretty neat :3

Anonymous asked: Will we get to see more panel redraws sometime? I’d love to see a redraw of when Sam has an epiphany about not hiding her talent anymore and accepting that her talent is a part of her!

I picked this page! Funnily enough, the poncho is not there, haha... (whoops!) She still wears them occasionally! Right now, in the comic, it's currently around the beginning of fall, so we might see more ponchos/cloaks as winter approaches!

Anonymous asked: Sam’s last name is Jones!?

Yes! ^^ It's rarely used by any other characters.

[avi17]

Maybe I'm just seeing more of this than usual since I'm in my biggest fandom in a long time but like. I feel like the kids today have very much forgotten that you're allowed to just...ship a thing. You're allowed to think the characters had interesting potential and just. Do the thing. You don't have to dissect eye movement and body language and where people are standing and stuff to prove it's canon- that stuff is chemistry, and it can be real and present without it being intentional. Doesn't make it any less real, but also doesn't make it some kind of conspiracy- there are movies from 70 years ago where actors had interesting chemistry that comes off homoerotic, but that certainly doesn't mean they were playing it that way on purpose. You don't have to wildly skew stuff actors say in interviews either, putting words in people's mouths is actually a little creepy.

I think we're at the point with queer representation and canon queer ships where we've had enough of it turn out to be real that we want it to always be real, and we feel like we have to prove it is real to feel valid in shipping it. I'm here to tell you that you don't have to do that.

I'm not saying those ships SHOULDN'T be canon, I'd love them to be. In some cases the story would be way better if they were. But you don't have to prove they were Canon All Along to be allowed to enjoy them. And if you hinge your enjoyment of a piece of media made by cishet people on the idea that the actors are going to confirm your ship was canon, or feel like you have to validate your ship by insisting it will become canon, I feel like you're just gonna end up disappointed.

[saviourkingslut]

Gotta love how we were told that we had to wait for the game to come out to make any judgments about it and now it's basically confirmed that the characters are going to be gimmicky one-note snooze-fests it's now a "good thing" the characters are lazily written (and ugly 🚶) and that we should just "enjoy the camp" since FE "never had that strong character writing before."

I dunno man is it really too much to ask for a decent story with decent characters AND for the fandom to behave itself (read: for edelstan equivalents to behave themselves)? Do we really have to settle with mediocrity now? :/

it's like, on the one hand i get it, bc i understand that people are excited to have a new game and don't like people being negative about it before it's even been released. and if you're excited about it, and a leak seems to confirm that the characters and the story are... probably going to be lacklustre, you're going to try and defend the game anyway, as much to not feel letdown yourself as to stop the onslaught of even more people being negative about it.

but then it's also like, people are allowed to be critical of a game if it has mediocre writing. it's a pretty vital aspect of a game and it seriously impacts most people's enjoyment if it falls very flat. saying that you "should just enjoy the camp" bc "fe never had strong writing" isn't really a great defense imo. obviously fire emblem has its problems with writing but it has shown before that it can produce enthralling characters and stories. sure, it has produced plenty of badly written characters too, but one does not exclude the other. to add to that the 'camp' aspect is actually something that doesn't really do it for a lot of people already, so i wouldn't call that the ultimate saving grace of this game either.

it's never a good thing if a game's writing is mediocre, period, imo. especially for a game that basically hinges on two things which are 1) its tactical gameplay element and 2) its story and characters which it needs to get the player to engage with the tactical gameplay element in an emotionally involved way. obviously people are allowed to enjoy this game even if i don't like a lot of aspects of it. but then in return people shouldn't be attacking those of us who aren't impressed for wanting more than just mediocre writing. for me a new game simply does not equal excitement if too many aspects of it are below my (basic!) standards (based on previous entries) and don't meet my expectations.

[dollsonmain]

I was thinking about that post talking about how you shouldn't only enjoy your hobbies when someone online is interacting with them and should see if you still enjoy them without posting anything about them for a while and if not, do something else?

And for me, that's not exactly possible because my ability to continue doing my hobby hinges entirely on others BUYING THE RESULTS.

I COULD not post about my progress and methods and stuff and still sell them and it would be about the same for me, I would still do it, but why not share that enjoyment since I can.

So I guess in one way I pass that test and in another way I fail it.

[mmmthornton]

This shouldn't have to be said, but since the internet has completely destroyed any sense of what reasonable debate looks like...

You can't have an honest debate with someone if you think that any reason they have for having the opinions that they do is suspect. I mean both in thinking "You HAVE to be an idiot if you think this way" or "You HAVE to be using secret dogwhistles or arguing from a place of deciept". Any argument you have with a person while thinking that is just screaming at a brick wall and while it might feel good to "own" 'em, its not actually accomplishing jack shit. We used to use the term "trolling" for this exact reason and the expression "don't feed the trolls" means that engaging in arguments this way is bad for EVERYone in that community, so knock it off. It doesn't matter how high your horse is, you're making it worse.

This also means you HAVE to at least try to learn the difference between good and bad faith arguments, and maybe you'll get that wrong but if your entire philosophy of debate is "everyone who disagrees with me is an idiot/an evil demon trying to lull me into sin" you're not actually standing up for an ideal apart from yourself. There IS a world of difference between "Anyone who thinks Emily Dickinson is a lesbian is an SJW with brainrot" and "I'm worried we're being pressured into choosing sides between sitting back and watching the collapse of a foreign nation and supporting the growing power of NATO" and if that's really baffling to you please just....take a little while to not talk about it. Its okay, really; your enjoyment of the internet doesn't have to hinge on pointlessly arguing with everything you come across.

[ginjointsintheworld]

Do you venture into the NA on Reddit? There is a very interesting exchange regarding Leyren, specifically a thread on the new Global promo for 4x07. Ultimately the debate is that it would be a cop out by the writers if Leyla did anything other than leave. The optics of a POC being ok with being treated like a charity case is not good. Leyla had an option she was content with in Washington and was already on her way to being a doctor before Lauren's actions. My hope in Leyren is dying now help!

i'd like to preface this by saying that i think at a certain point, it's futile to spin our wheel trying to figure out the writers' and showrunners' intentions because at the end of the day, only they know what twists and turns will happen and we as an audience and fans only have so much to go off of. so i encourage you to keep your fandom experience as enjoyable for yourself as possible and sometimes that may include not engaging with people who decidedly want a much different outcome for the story than you do. i personally heavily curate my own fandom experience because i've encountered my fairshare of people who have such a skewed viewing perspective from mine that the differing opinion crosses from an interesting alternative lens to just infuriating. frankly it's never been worth it in the end, at least for me, to try and digest their view at that point.

now! that all being said, i'll get into the reddit happenings. this is going under a read more because it got... way out of hand lol

first of all, the donation/5th spot situation is absolutely NOT like cheating in a relationship and i find it annoying to say the least that they're trying to equate those two things. while both are a betrayal of trust, one was a deeply misguided attempt with good intentions while the other is just outright selfish, damaging betrayal of the entire relationship and commitment to the other person. i just had to get that off my chest.

i'm not going to lie to you, if i had assurance that leyla leaving NA didn't mean the end of her character, never to be seen again and that she'd have a planned return and with a proper storyline and not just a shoo in at the last minute in the series finale, i could live with this path. that being said, i also think it's perfectly fair and NOT a betrayal to leyla's character if she breaks up with/wants space from lauren but remains at NA. 

this person repeatedly asserts (you’ll see it in more SS later too) that leyla didn't earn her residency spot and it was purchased for her by lauren but here's the thing. the residency admissions director obviously had prejudice against foreign trained doctors given how he scoffed at khyber medical school despite lauren stating that it's one of the best medical schools in pakistan AND the fact that leyla's not only a fully trained doctor with a decade of practice (assuming leyla is around lauren's age), she practiced in refugee camps. so she has extensive knowledge with seeing a variety of medical problems with very little resources available. practically ED experience. lauren was objectively not exaggerating when she said leyla was an extremely promising candidate. hell on some level, LEYLA is aware of this prejudice. "you know how competitive these things are. and it was my very first try and i'm a foreign trained doctor." this moment in 3x14 was the first time we've seen leyla express insecurity regarding her training and experience. but let's be frank, she's overqualified and shouldn't even have to repeat her residency. the u.s. medical system and doctors have it's own slew of problems. remember max FIRED half of the staff in the pilot because the doctors didn't give a shit about their patients and were phoning it in.

so here's my question and one of the questions that i think the direction of the story hinges on, how understanding will leyla be of that reasoning? that lauren went to the extreme of donating for the 5th spot partly because yes, she wanted leyla to be able to stay in new york but also because hank practically outright admitted they didn't take leyla seriously as a candidate because she wasn’t u.s. educated (and if they did have any respect for foreign trained doctors it’s probably just for european ones). that they rated "kids pretending to be doctors" over a fully trained one. so when it comes to the question of "earning her spot" will it hinge on how she got her foot in the door? why does her worth and acceptance have to rely on the approval of elitist u.s. men who say her life's work isn't good enough? what about the fact that she's proven to lauren, to the staff, to her fellow residents that she is in fact, an exceptionally skilled doctor who has amassed extensive, unique knowledge about practicing medicine from her experiences. we've literally seen canonical proof of how leyla has established her footing. leyla helped lauren diagnose joe when she was stuck, leyla successfully placed the central line without ultrasound guidance, leyla advocated for jeanie and didn't back down to lauren, her attending and someone she has a personal relationship with, and eventually helped discover an underlining condition that doctors for DECADES missed. leyla is the most skilled resident in the ED and that is a fact. 

and listen, i don’t say all of this as an excuse for what lauren did. i will state it plainly here, what lauren did was wrong and a massive betrayal of leyla’s trust and should leyla want space or to break up or even yes, leave because of it then that’s fully within her rights. but i also think it’s a disservice to leyla’s character to assume so rigidly that she’d follow her pride to the ends of the earth. which brings me to my next rebuttal to this person’s argument

where have we seen that leyla isn’t the type of person to fight back against people’s misjudgment of her/”prove them wrong”? you’re talking about the leyla shinwari that kicked down the doors of the ED for riley and when her diagnosis was rebuffed by lauren and she was essentially dismissed, leyla CAME BACK ANYWAYS. leyla was still arguing with lauren in the ED office about the diagnosis and insisting on her point. despite lauren being the one with the official doctor status, despite her snide assumptions about leyla googling this on WebMD, she stood her ground when she could have easily backed off and left riley in the hospital’s care. in fact i’d bet that the only reason she didn’t try to come back a third time is because there were literal posters with her face pinned up to notify security. the point of 4x03 was to DEAD ASS SHOW US THAT LEYLA TAKING THE BACK SEAT TO ALL THE OTHER RESIDENTS ISN’T WHO SHE IS. that meekness was a result of her insecurities causing her to second guess herself. the real doctor leyla shinwari is assertive and confident and pulls off a renegade needle decompression in a random hospital to save a patient’s life and has no qualms going toe to toe with people in authority. 

frankly i think this person is forcing a certain characterization of leyla because they're intent on seeing lauren quote on quote pay her pound of flesh and right now the thing that will make her suffer the most is permanently losing leyla via leaving the hospital. is the pain and inevitable moment when she confesses to leyla what she’s done, knowing how this will hurt leyla and that her actions caused it not punishment? what consequence are they looking for? losing her medical license for the donation? dude, fuentes, the next medical director, is running around right now fucking blackmailing employees and arranging dangerous side deals with the FDNY resulting in someone dying. 

i won’t argue with the point about the selfishness of lauren interfering when leyla had an option with the residency in spokane that she was content with. but i think leyla had already made her peace with not getting into NA and had more time to absorb the possibility of having to go elsewhere because in her words “we knew it was a long shot.” i think it’s unfair though, not to acknowledge that her preference was to stay in new york. we met leyla in new york, a particularly hard city to survive in when she could have moved to another state and made a living being a driver while pursuing her medical path. but she didn’t. at some point, for some reason, before knowing lauren bloom even existed, leyla chose new york. leyla had two options when the medical director of NA called and yes, of course, i won’t pretend that a biggest factor in picking NA wasn’t because of lauren but spokane was an option and spokane said yes first. 

first of all, this is a tv show, fictional piece of media, why the fuck can’t i have a romanticized interpretation if i or the writers want? anyways.

true, leyla does not like handouts. true, leyla does not want to be seen as privileged full stop. right there. BECAUSE SHE’S NOT. none of that “in a way she didn’t earn.” let’s look at her confrontation with the other residents in 4x02. leyla didn’t see any issues with the fact that she had the newer stethoscope or ipad, she accepted those. she was also okay with lauren submitting a recommendation letter for her and becoming lauren’s roommate without paying rent. i have a hard time believing leyla, “no shelter, no hotels” shinwari wouldn’t push back against lauren if she thought any of those things were too much or a handout. leyla only started second guessing being privileged when the residents, for some cartoon villain reason, started having beef with her over the equipment and close apartment despite leyla confessing to them that she was goddamn homeless 6 months ago. they were complaining about having to share an ipad and an apartment when leyla was living in her CAR with her only possessions fitting into a backpack. those residents were nullifying her hardships and dismissing her experiences that have contributed to who she is as a person because she had two new pieces of equipment and didn’t have to take 4 buses to get to work. which. leyla owns her own car, she didn’t need the ride with lauren but whatever i digress there. BUT THOSE THINGS DON’T MAKE YOU PRIVILEGED. lauren is the one with family wealth. not leyla just because she has a rich girlfriend. the fact that leyla directly quotes those residents, “but i’m becoming like a different person, a person with privilege” signals to me that they got in her head and resulted in her second guessing her situation. let me ask this, now that those other residents have their own ipad and equipment, are they privileged now compared to all the other NA residents? are their successes now due to the technology? leyla’s success didn’t come lauren and it didn’t come from the ipad or the stethoscope and we see that proven later on as the season continues. 

i also find it funny that this person tries to argue that leyla could be seen as privileged and yet be a charity case at the same time. especially when quite fucking frankly, lauren has never treated or viewed her like a charity case and the conflict with the residents shows they definitely did not view her like one either. and of course, leyla would HATE being viewed as “oh she’s only here because someone bought her spot” but like i said, i think the narrative has shown leyla successfully proving so far ahead of any potential public reveal that while her spot was secured in a shady manner, leyla as a doctor deserves to be here. casey has acknowledged it, roxanna has acknowledged it, lauren always knew it. the factions in her immediate ED universe have all seen what leyla is capable of. so why can’t this all be groundwork for leyla staying? 

this person bringing up that “it goes against human nature/behavior” and “it’s not realistic” well pump the fucking breaks bruv. who are you to say with authority what human nature and realism is? humans are wild as fuck and while some parts might be predictable, people’s reactions to things vary wildly based on a multitude of factors. and this person says it’d be terrible optics to have a POC treated like a charity case when, i am asking once again, who is treating her like one? lauren? i promise you it’s not lauren. people resenting her thinking she’s a charity case definitely won’t treat her like one. so who? i know leyla’s main way of moving through life has been by her own words, “i’ve always scraped by, done the best i could with what little i had” but at what point is it okay to not have to endure every single hard path to feel like you’ve earned something? why should leyla have to constantly subscribe to the idea that suffering on some level validates her success? why is it on the marginalized POC, who already left her home country, trained under threats of attack, dedicated years upon years to her craft, to keep enduring? why can’t leyla say, ‘what you did was fucked up but i’m here and i have proven myself and will continue to succeed and i will not accept starting over because of your mistake’ and have it be valid for her character? why would that be a cop out? 

lol i’m realizing now that all of this has basically been a rebuttal to how this person views and interprets leyla’s character which i guess speaks to how wrong it rubbed me. so i’ll touch on my last point, which is looking at lauren, the main character who we know will stick around regardless of how everything shakes out. once again, what lauren did was wrong. the donation to create a new spot, lying about it to leyla when she asked immediately after the call, all wrong. but i flat out reject this notion that their ENTIRE relationship is built on a lie because of this. canonically, it’s been about.... 1.5, probably 2 months by the time the midseason finale hits since it all went down. so from that point forward, yes, the lie is a factor. but all the months before that? the ones where lauren showed countless moments of emotional vulnerability, where they got to know each other, where leyla bought a giant ass tree for their home, where lauren came home baring her soul to say i love you, where lauren tried to give up the best relationship she’s ever had for fear that it might hinder her ability as a doctor and leyla laughed in her face, those moments weren’t built on lies. so here’s another question for the writers, those moments. all those months before, are those enough to build back on? 

yes, lauren still has issues to work on, she’ll always have issues to work on because all the characters, all people do. but why can’t she work on them while leyla is still in the picture? i don’t even mean that as them still being a couple but why does leyla have to be written out and lauren totally destroyed and devastated for progress to be made? we saw in 4x04, lauren was put in a mini repeat of 3x14 and she made the right decision this time. she worked through it personally, sought out her resources and ultimately made the healthy choice. she’s moving forward in her relationship with her mother, she’s working on understanding her traumas and triggers, she’s continuing to build her friendships and letting down walls with people other than leyla, like casey in 4x06. lauren hasn’t been stagnant in 4a, she’s been continuing on her personal path too.

look like i said at the beginning, this show is ultimately at the whim of the writers. i can write 20 page essays all i want, at the end of the day they’re the ones with the big corkboard of notecards with the future of the stories laid out. the best we can do is enjoy the ride for as long as we can. the story between lauren and leyla has been a great one so far and i think there’s much more to tell between them as a couple and individually. hopefully the writers see it the same way. if not, then hopefully they leave that door open and whatever goodbye is just for now. 

[coffeeman777]

I’m trying really hard to understand the world as the Bible puts it, and many have different views. Some thing the world is sin. Some thing it’s anything unrelated to God. If ya anything unrelated to God and they are right isn’t all the Christians taking a huge risk watching tv and being engaged in anything not Christian? Why would anyone take the risk? Doesn’t jesus say you can gain the world and lose your soul? I’m nervous about my interests and that verse, they aren’t sin but could damn me!

I'm gonna share some stuff from a couple of previous posts that I think does a good job of answering your question:

The Apostle John defines for us what worldliness is: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. These three are catch-all terms for sin.

Christians shouldn't waste their lives on irrelevant things; the great bulk of our time should be spent on those things that have eternal value.   But times of rest and enjoyment are gifts to us from God (Ecclesiastes 2:24–26; 3:12–13, 22; 5:18–19; 9:7–9; 11:9–12:1); not all media / entertainment is worthless.  Some of it is good, and profitable to employ.   There's nothing wrong with movies, tv, music, hobbies and the like, so long as those things aren't inherently sinful, celebrating sin, or leading to sin, and as long as they don't take up more than the peripheral space in our lives.  

Our relationship with God is not founded on rule keeping. Our relationship with God is founded on faith; faith in Christ; in Christ's work, in Christ's righteousness. You who are in Christ did nothing to earn right standing with God, nor could you. All of us are powerless to save ourselves, and after coming to faith in Christ, we remain powerless to enhance, add to, or otherwise build upon the salvation Jesus has provided.

We obey God's commandments in Christ because He has enabled us to do so, and because we love Him. We crave His presence. We desperately desire to offer pleasing worship to Him, and our obedience is part of that. We pursue holiness to be like Him. All of this is good and right and central to the Christian Way, but none of this applies to the benefits we have in Christ by faith. We have God's unmerited favor, His love, and mercy, and compassion, not because we've earned it, but because Christ has. We cannot earn what Christ has provided, and we must not try to.

Heaping extra rules upon ourselves that outrun the commands in Scripture is as dangerous as it is unnecessary. At best, we make life much more difficult than it has to be, and we give the enemy greater opportunity to attack us; and at worst, we run the risk of becoming legalistic, and hinging our salvation upon the artificial standards we've constructed. And if we begin to require these extra rules of other Christians, we become spiritual Pharisees, keeping not only ourselves at a distance from God, but our brothers and sisters also. If it pleases God to say only so much, why do we think we should add to what He's said? What gives us the right?

"He has shown you, humans, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)

Walking with God isn't hard to do; Jesus has done the hard work for us. Trust Him. Follow His lead. Talk to Him. Turn away from evil, and go after good. Enjoy the freedom He gives you, and celebrate it with Him. Involve Him in your daily affairs, and in your future plans. Thank Him for everything. You can have fun and walk with God at the same time. Stick with the Word. Do what the Bible says to do. Don't do what it says not to do. Offer your deficiencies to God in prayer as you become aware of them. God is in control. Trust Him to make you into what you're supposed to be, and don't worry.

[onewomancitadel]

Follow-up question to myself: What if it's thoughtful but you're still wrong?

This is actually interesting and something I didn't address mostly because now you're talking about constraints of information and interpretation and introduction of new information (which I can't foresee). Am I, a fringe Knightfall theorist borderline esoteric, somehow more right than everyone else? Part of what hinges on Knightfall is that I think it's a superb narrative twist, and I do have somewhat of a good track record on predicting twists.

Embedded in that is the current narrative interpretation crisis that pervades Internet communities - narrative cynicism - and the general feeling that stories shouldn't be working on multiple levels but just like, be point A to point B stuff happening, which makes life harder, especially with the 'it's uncool to care' crowd, and then there's personal bias and desires, and then there's the fact that R/WBY plays around with so many genres as to almost be a little cruel, so genre conventions are not always helping us here.

What if R/WBY is thoughtful but you just interpreted it incorrectly? Well, that's what I included damage assessment for: was Ozlem meant to never be redeemed? Was there never a mythic wound? Was there no Jungian storytelling? Were the allusions imprecise and not smart? Was Cinder's redemption meant to be tepid? The problem is that once you start asking those questions - and I did get at this a bit - is that it might have thematic stakes... and R/WBY does have thematic stakes... but they might be fucking stupid or have really, really stupid blindspots, or they might be tepid commitments to an idea they have, or it might be that Ozlem will not be resolved, it might be that Salem's meant to be unhappy forever... that's the type of stuff Knightfall hinges on. As I said, it really can't be read alone.

If the majority of fandom believes a certain thing, it might make you think that's more correct, and that's the inherent danger for me as a Cinder redemption arc and Knightfall fan. But coherent storytelling isn't being able to necessarily predict: it's being able to to identify where you went wrong and how, and how enjoyable that twist truly was... and my one hope is that Knightfall is a happy twist, because there have been some shockingly tragic ones... but I could still be wrong... and the storytelling could be coherent - but not that coherent. Not that thoughtful, let's say. Let's say instead of being totally stupid and horrible, let's say tepid, instead.

There's almost no way to walk back the theme of Love Endures. They can't really do that. They just choose whom they include and whom they don't and how that solves Ozlem. But this is my problem, Knightfall is inseparable from the basic themes of R/WBY, and the basic themes are really, really, dead obvious, and I don't mean to insult anyone's intelligence. No one is stupid for not getting it, I'm not stupid for not getting it if the story is stupid. I do think people have their basic storytelling instincts trained out of them, though, by a lot of shitty discourse.

If Knightfall weren't to materialize in canon, yet Cinder still ends the series redeemed, would you feel it was more of a missed opportunity for a potentially interesting development or a bungle on the part of the writers?

Now this is a good ask, thank you! It's a very interesting question because I essentially predicate my theorising about Cinder's redemption upon Knightfall; if Knightfall weren't to materialise, would that sort of make her redemption arc... accidental? The storytelling less precise? The Ozlem less of a big deal? Would it still be able to precipitate Salem's? When you've got all of these moving parts what as a reader you're trying to divine - you must wonder what it looks like for the storyteller - you really can't read any of these elements separately.

I've mentioned a few times that what I struggle with when it comes to the very little Cinder redemption speculation I've seen - which doesn't necessarily include her living, so her happy ending is not always prioritised but moreso her service to other characters - is that it's sort of just so. It happens because it needs to. It happens because she's sympathetic. It happens because they like her. It happens because Ruby figures out what's going on with Cinder's arm - without asking how Cinder would feel about the purification, of course, particularly if she herself has not put all the parts together yet... how do you get either of them to see each other as more than faceless enemy? What I really like about the Knightfall dynamic is that it is putting a face to an enemy - before even any real empathy emerges or... more complicated relationship.

So that informs how I read her redemption arc because I think Cinder's actually a very, very tough nut to crack, and it's why I find her so interesting. Her redemption arc is meant to be a tough nut to crack - so you either have people not really sure what it's going to look like, people convinced the Power of Friendship has already failed her and anyway Emerald got her shit out so Cinder doesn't matter (what about Mercury...), or people who think the idea of her redemption arc is flagrantly ridiculous, either because they like the idea of a cackling villain who stays evil because that's more interesting or because they hate her.

I'm mostly trying to convey that I don't really ship Knightfall because it's arbitrary. It's the ballerina en pointe on a knife's edge. It's the clincher that holds it together and makes a it intelligible.

So if Knightfall didn't materialise I would assume the storytelling is not as thoughtful as it was. That's all. I wouldn't just read it as a missed opportunity, I would read the allusions uninteresting, the Ozlem conflict not fully solved and certainly not fully mythic... and Cinder's redemption arc was never really that special, it just had to be paused until Ruby or Emerald or whomever wizened up or Cinder learnt her lesson. There was no need to write Jaune in any particular way, it would make him accessory - unless they DID involve him with no romance and that wouldn't just be COWARDLY, it would be STUPID and a complete BUNGLE and wouldn't realise the mythic magic of the story or the romance or, you know, character boon on either side. Why the fuck would I settle for platonic love for Cinder? Sorry, friends are great, but this girl grew up desperately unloved and absolutely no one's priority. Heal that or fuck off and die.

I'm not pulling the related character arcs out of thin air - this is already a thing all over the show - and I think that Emerald/Mercury is going to be a romantic redemption arc/enemies-to-lovers - so there's no reason to act like Knightfall is exceptional. if R/WBY is coherent, Knightfall is a thing. If R/WBY is incoherent and less interesting, Knightfall is not a thing. That is pretty much the way I see it. There's a lot more than Emerald/Mercury paralleling it but I wanted a very specific similar archetypical example. You can see the twin pairs related across redemption arcs through the story (which lead them to reconciling/connecting ot others). I use the word coherent as opposed to clever because I'm establishing that this isn't difficult: it simply needs to make sense. It doesn't need to be perfect. It just needs to use intuitive narrative language and basic storytelling tools and that's it. That's what you predicate Knightfall on.

Really no Knightfall wouldn't just be a loss to Cinder's character but Jaune's, because I have no fucking clue what they'd do with him otherwise. I'm being genuine, I sincerely don't know, and I think it's why he doesn't make sense to so many people because they can't read him in response to Cinder and it's just not obvious to them. It certainly depends how they play the Penny angle - but there's no reason to make him do that and connect him to Cinder again unless you have something interesting cooking.

I've encountered this idea with previous pairings before that involved redemption arcs that platonic love between the two characters could be just as interesting. I'm sorry but that's just obtuse. We know it's not the same thing. We know a romance would convey a different message (particularly if it's Ozlem in reverse and fixed) and we know that there are other powerful friendships in the series that this isn't something we're exactly starving for. There is no way you can expect a major relationship between Jaune and Cinder to just be platonic. Of course I'm banking on a happy ending, or something approximating it - tinged with loss but still happy - because otherwise the story should've ended with Salem's loss. I really can't see it as tragic love as the big transcendent send-off for the story that heals all mythic wounds.

So either R/WBY is coherent and thoughtful or it isn't. Knightfall happens or it doesn't. I'm being completely serious, I genuinely don't think there's any way to otherwise write Cinder's redemption arc as the precipitator to the ultimate narrative resolution or even if he's involved there's almost no way to do it without romance. You either answer the questions posed by the narrative or not. We know what those questions are now, we just don't know what the answer is.

It can always go tits up but I really don't care. I'd rather be invested now and do damage assessment after the fact than wonder if it would've been worth speculating about Knightfall. If Cinder's redemption is tied up in all the ideas I think are interesting about the show and so is Knightfall, then yes, I wouldn't like it if it didn't happen, but I can't be blamed for listening to my storytelling instincts. It's not about being right or wrong, it's about feeling something.