#but i do think he had (has) the capacity but isn't opposed to relationships (naturally)

[thevelominati]

[cookiecomics]

ATOTT is excellent and a fascinating take on Ren being a sociopath or at least potentially a sociopath.

I was curious if you subscribe to the (unironic) take that all Wildcards have high functioning ASPD because of their ability to mask and play different parts for the sake of getting what they want from their social links/confidants?

I don’t know about Kotone or Makoto because I never played P3, but given the potential horrific choices for bad endings that Yu and Ren are capable of in their respective “Persona games” it seems like they don’t actually care about “justice” and are more concerned with their own goals or the goals of those they choose to care about. If they have the capacity to care about someone, it is often deeply obsessive to the extent that breaking the law and harming others to protect the object of their affection is not off the table.

Meanwhile the Inaba Murderer and Black Mask culprit are often reviled by the audience simply because unlike the protagonists, they had already fully crossed that line.

Naoya and Tatsuya on the other hand are of the Emperor and Sun arcana respectively, thus with the absence of Wild Cards in their respective “Persona games”, all “players” are permitted Primary and Secondary Arcana as opposed to a Wildcard who can equip Personas of any arcana while other “players” can only equip one Persona from their Primary Arcana.

Tehe, i love this question because yeah I do unironically subscribe to the idea that Ren and Yu have the potential towards high-functioning ASPD (since aspd cant be diagnosed in teens ) :3 And for the most part I have three main reasons why I think that.

Their foils

The transactional nature of social links/confidants

Their bad endings

I know some people don't like to examine the accomplice ending, the killing Namatame ending or the Yaldaboth ending but the implications are staggering. Yu and Ren can do some pretty self-serving stuff on top of their already transactional relationships (Ren in particular).

Yu especially is kind of wild since he not only has the capacity to straight up commit murder but assist someone in getting away with it. Joker also didn't shy away from the possibility of killing both Madarame and Kamoshida (since they did mention the possibility of Madarame dying to Yusuke).

I could speak for hours nonstop about how they till feel connected and bonded to both their foils despite their actions. But I guess the most important thing I wanna mention is that community work is actually posited as a means of helping youths with reduced empathy / high cognitive empathy feel belonging within their community. Adachi and Akechi lacked people around them either by choice or by circumstances but despite having people around them both protags can still flip the lid on their morals pretty spectacularly. Suggesting that the difference between Adachi and Yu or Akechi and Joker isn't a matter of 'one good one bad' they are mirrors and their actions are what defines them.

And just to be clear lacking empathy or having lower empathy does not automatically make anyone a bad person it just makes the bad stuff that much easier to do and causes a bit of distance between yourself and others.

People have this kicked-puppy reaction to the idea of their favs they perceive as 'good' not being seen as empathetic in my eyes but a person with low empathy can do good things, it's an action thing not a feeling the right things. It's hard to describe to someone who doesn't have it.

Both Yu and Joker have themes of feeling this sort of loss of identity or uncertain identity that's related to the development of alot of cluster b disorders.

Anyways, I see alot of 'joker is very empathic' posts alot and i don't mind seeing those posts, that's just not the impression I got from him when I finished the game.

And I certainly did not get that impression from Yu.

Ironically, that's why I'm not a huge fan of Mementos Mission or the P4 Manga, both kind of file away both protags darker qualities in the stories and turn them into just generic hero types.

But i have deeper beefs with MM i will not get into here just know its the fandom's darling but not mine.

Sorry for the long answer and sorry to the people who sent me asks about makoto's confidant or Ren's palace sdkjfhsjdkf those asks require brain power i haven't had in months but i will get to them!

[ask-the-crimson-king]

Primarch Sexuality Headcanons

Inspired by this post in which I got very excited to see someone else advocating for an ace-Fulgrim so I'm gonna list my view on the primarch's and their various sexualities.

May do a follow-up on the various captains and other Astartes in the Legions, though that post would get pretty huge pretty fast. I have a lot of opinions.

I invite others to share their perspectives if they have them. For full disclosure, I am coming at this as a homoromantic asexual who is VERY sex-repulsed, so that is, naturally, going to tinge my own perspective.

In Legion order:

Lion El'Johnson - Demisexual or grey-ace, uncertain about romantic interests. I haven't read too much on the Lion, and I know it seems to be popular to make the lad gay, but I don't quite get those vibes from him. I think he prefers women.

Fulgrim - Asexual panromantic. As was said in the thread linked above by the Consortium-human, definitely for aesthetic attraction. He is a peacock in the most literal way possible and I think he'd like his romantic partners to maybe be similar? I can definitely see him dressing them up ostentatiously.

Perturabo - Love the iron hermit, he's definitely a demiromantic asexual. Definitely sex-repulsed. Others would say aro but I could see him being romantically interested in someone if they took the time required for him to see them that way. I don't think gender would matter too much, but I think he'd have a more masc preference.

Jaghatai Khan - Grey-ace or Bisexual king. He's not someone who actively looks for relationships or flings but isn't opposed to them either, if he finds the person attractive.

Leman Russ - Exists in a quantum state between "homosexual bear" and "omnisexual bear". On the one hand, I can see him with basically anyone, but on the other, he gives that rugged sort of "passes as straight lumberjack, is actually gay as hell" type.

Rogal Dorn - Asexual... demiromantic? It's either demi or heteroromantic. Preference towards women or femme-presenting people. Probably sex-repulsed if not sex neutral.

Konrad Curze - Aromantic asexual. Has never had the interest. Has never wanted the interest. Pretty straight forward.

Sanguinius - I feel like it'd be cliche and also wrong to say demiromantic asexual. Aspec for sure. Maybe homoromantic? Maybe biromantic? He's tough to put a good finger on in terms of vibes.

Ferrus Manus - This is a gay man. Homosexual aromantic. I do not think he'd be very into a romantic relationship.

Angron - Heteroromantic asexual. If he ever had the true capacity for romance, anyway. The Nails probably stole it from him.

Roboute Guilliman - This one is tough. I want to say something aspec, as I said before maybe demi or grey. I don't think it's hard ace for him. In terms of a romantic orientation... Tough. I think he'd be interested in trying a date with a man, but I do want to say heteroromantic. Not closing himself off to the possibility of also being into them, but if he is bi-or-panromantic, he still has a preference for femme-presenting people and women.

Mortarion - See, most would probably also assume asexual, and I would maybe agree, but I've always had a thing in the back of my mind where he's just straight. Heterosexual man. Nothing wrong with it. He may be aromantic or just not interested in a relationship.

Magnus the Red - Aromantic asexual, I will say this with my full chest. Not opposed to a relationship, potentially, but would rather sex not be involved.

Horus Lupercal - I've seen some people say he's a bisexual disaster and while I can see where people are coming from, he's always had big asexual vibes, someone who's up for sex if his partners want it but is also just as fine without. Pan/omniromantic for sure though.

Lorgar Aurelian - Asexual for sure. I am consistently flipping between a bunch of different romantic orientations for him. I think he'd be an oriented demiromantic, but on the other hand. Hmm. He's tough. I saw panromantic and I think that is correct. May have a more masc preference though.

Vulkan - I feel like demisexual kinda cheapens him since everyone has flanderized him into being the "friendly" primarch, but it does feel fitting after everything I've read on him. So demi it is. Romantically... tough. Part of me wants to say aromantic. Another part wants to also put him as heteroromantic. One of those two.

Corvus Corax - Heterosexual, probably. I can definitely see him as a Castlevania-Dracula-"if you hurt my wife I will scour the lands and make sure your souls are damned for eternity"-type.

Alpharius/Omegon - It's a mystery, OooOooOO! I'm not gonna cop out like that. Based on what I've read, I see heterosexual aromantic. May be open to experimenting with men or androgenous people, but solidly prefers women as partners.

Bonus Round:

The Emperor of Man and Malcador are gay lovers. I have seen the light. I have read The End and the Death. They are homosexuals.

[desertdragon]

🌑 New moon - Who is your most mysterious character? Are they different from what people assume?

☀️ Sun - Who is your most cheerful and positive character? Why are they like that? c:

XIV Charas obviously | @pettyeti

Sun:

Lewena was designed on purpose to be the sunniest one of the main six for a few reasons. It was the first thought I had for her, a go lucky person who by appearances can pass for your typical cheery girl character who's in touch with nature and sees little fault in others. I saw this a lot from other people and media because that's how women are expected to be usually. It also shapes her first impression as the harmless white woman you'd expect to see after its been portrayed over and over other places. But I'm tricking you on purpose.

Then while she can be that thing, her subversive traits would be a pragmatic ruthless capacity on top of her raw power. The one that looks and acts the least like power means anything to her should have the most terrifying relationship to it (which snowballed into making her stronger than Vaste at her fullest potential), while still taming it through kindness. Also I thought a bimbo looking white girl for a token white in the group would be funny. Similar to Vaste in the sense his original concept was someone completely incompetent at it becoming WoL.

Plus there had to be someone in the group besides Gan who could best show Vaste to believe in herself through an upbeat example. Whereas the other three (Weyd, Syv, and Mercuo) can do that but, they center better on a serious air of support as opposed to whimsical.

Her backstory wasn't made with the goal of why she's cheerful when we meet her, but it did become part of it I guess. Everyone on the GoTs had to suffer because of fate to become sympathetic to Vaste, and Lewena's represents the wanting to find happiness as well as pretend to be happy after trauma in order to fit in. As well as in order to try moving past what happened. She also never really grew up in a sense, because there were fifteen years of increasing community alienation and realizing her parents didn't love her. Then two years of slavery. Then half a year in Ul'Dah's slums, before at last by chance Weyd rescues her.

She never got to have a normal childhood or process the entirety of what's happened to her, like the five others. Then of course at the start her and Weyd have strains on their mother daughter relationship that ironically can only get better because she developed her happy positive seeking facade. Over time she comes to fully believe it, and doesn't revert to childlike behavior when afraid anymore.

Her cheerfulness at times can become arrogance. It further makes gives her a disturbing feel when she keeps it in her body horror forms for each of her powers. Unlike Vaste who tries rejecting power and suppresses herself, Lewena has bonded with and accepted what she is, like her mother. The Primals aren't parasites the way Vaste views her Hydaelyn enhanced body, they're friends sharing a home in her flesh. As long as they pay that symbiotic relationship respect, Lewena has no reason to turn on them, and no reason to not also show them pep. This on top of wanting her aether reserves endears her to the Primals too; she's not the mortal agonizing over it they'd expected. Her positivity gives her that steel spine to accept them, and it earns their respect in a way.

The thing that isolated her as a child isn't to be cursed but celebrated. Which now that I think about it is close to Gan's perspective toward himself after how he was treated for his skin and heritage back home. Both being opposites to Vaste who fixated on being outcast for those things. Though in terms of powers I think this difference has a lot to do with Lewena coming by her power naturally instead of being forced.

She loves dance too, and the first thing I could think of for that was someone being happy. It makes her feel safe.

Full Moon:

Syv. Because he's the one I've least thought about. Lmao.

But I was thinking about this, he would be the most mysterious because his past haunts him. He's loud and friendly and loves being involved but if you're paying attention, he keeps people at an emotional distance. He can entertain and be an ear or a shoulder to cry on for others, but they're so busy seeing how he takes care of them to realize it's a one way street. He doesn't reveal his past much if ever, and if it comes out he can spin it to make everyone brush what he revealed off.

He's good at distracting you into thinking you know him long enough that unless you're perceptive, you'll think you do know everything there is. He appears simple, because while he does want to atone for his family and his personal sins, he's still hung up on the shame that past entails. He can acknowledge it but he struggles to confront it by admitting anything directly. So only a handful of a handful of people have any idea of the truth at first. Even fewer realize there's a truth they're missing to begin with.

The loud party animal and guy who always has it together really doesn't because he can't yet deal with vulnerability in himself.

[xtrablak674]

It wasn't about him...

I wasn't attracted to him, I was attracted to what would have never been.

Emotionally I was conflating two different people. Curiously I had seen photos of the young Mr. Cox before but discounted him as just another attractive young person, as I clicked to fav his image. I had seen portfolios of work that weren't that different, some with more artistic flairs than others. The catalyst was the re-reading of my Live Journal, and the recollection that I had actually dated Tony before we became friends.

Interestingly I think Tony is, or either about to be sixty, and here I was seeing the him I remembered in this youth, who was half his age. The journals revealed that he didn't have the capacity to give me what I was looking for, and probably never would. I am happy that he has found a person who is a better match to his life's journeys and the accumulated miasma of his emotional baggage. No judgement here, or virtue signaling, but people who have drug usage as a challenge have a different quality to their demons.

Deliberately I am refraining from posting a photo of Tony from the time of my memory, because this isn't about a comparison, its about an emotional trigger, its about a unnamed feeling wrapped up in disappointment and anticipation. Its not about what he looked like, its about who he was.

In Cox I do see hints of Tony, he openly admits to his struggles with mental health and this is reflected in the aloofness in his work. As a visual artist myself who works in a similar medium I can acknowledge the simple beauty and technical proficiency of his images, and how the lack of humanity speaks to Mr. Cox's own struggles in my opinion.

If I was asked to give feedback about the work I saw, I would say its begging for him to explore more human subjects, and dig-down on those double exposures which are much more telling than the casual viewer may think. As someone who has mental health struggles, but also a lot of therapy. I now have the tools to perceive that he may not quite be there yet, and I am sure the work would gain greater depths if he ever began that kind of journey. There are peaks of unexplored layers that peek out in some of his self-portraiture, but then he pulls back to safer explorations. What would happen if he sat with some of those unpleasant explorations?

But as I said this isn't about him, its about me and his natural triggerability. I saw that he is a native Alaskan and this had me thinking about my friendship with someone else from Alaska that my journals made very clear, was much more problematic then I realized.

Adam and I had started our friendship doing work that we thought was very important in HIV/AIDS education, it was something we remained bonded over for years, but the dysfunction of our codependent platonic friendship and how this impacted my romantic relationships never fully came to the surface. In my journal its laid bare that I should have left that relationship way sooner than I eventually did.

Life is so funny in how things that have nothing to do with you, your mind somehow makes a connection, and something else is revealed. If I wasn't doing an emotional retrospective of my life to-date I probably wouldn't have even noticed this young hobbyist photographer, but the reawakening of my feelings for an ex displaced emotions on to an unwitting target and thus my curiosity was peaked and my mind put on alert.

[Photo by Cayton Cox, I decided to reblog one of his post, as opposed to me remixing one of his images, because its the internet.]