#but i don't care the potential for a really really sad tragic love story here is. delicious

[willosword]

okay nevermind im talking about them anyways. can you imagine being lilith in this situation? your whole experience with heaven boils down to "they wanted me to be subservient to some douchebag, they hate free will, and they hurt the love of my life" only for that same rebellious angel you fell in love with to become so traumatized and homesick from the fall that he shrinks into himself and stubbornly rejects the humanity of the kingdom you want to empower? how many times do you think she tried to break through his newfound pessimism? how long do you think it took for her to give up on daring him to dream again? she stuck by his side for 10,000 years (or however long idk bible lore), even though their worldviews became so, so different. what would that have even been like. do you think there was a part of her that hoped having charlie would bring that part of him back?

[yannaryartside]

Sydney has never antagonized Carmy

I keep coming back to that scene between Cicero and Sydney where he tells her basically how insufferable Carmy is, but she just says “I don't know what you want me to say to that. There is a layer to this about Carmy being her superior, but it is definitely more than that, the bear operates like a family joint and Syd is part of it, she is expected to take part in the drama.

There has always been a tendency between the people that surround Carmy to criticize him, both when he is doing good or doing bad.

Now, this season Carmy really continued the circle of violence he was once trapped in. He did it because he thought it was the only way he could be the best, because evil chef taught him so. The show made a point to show us Carmys kind nature until s2 so we could understand that the abuse he inflicts on others doesn't come from a place of actual malice.

But his family doesn't know about evil chef. Knowing it will not make Carmy’s behavior okay either. The way most violent people were abused as well.

Sydney has never acted like Carmys behavior is okay, even when his family ignored the other shitty things he has done because it didnt affect them directly until now.

All that being said, it was amazing to see Sydney never talking bad about Carmy behind him. The scene with her and Cicero was a stellar example of it.

Now, why doesn't she takes sides? Why not talk about Carmy behind his back?

Because that won't resolve anything, it would not be helpful to anybody. She doesn't take sides (this is not a you vs us thing) she doesn't judge. She even comforts Cicero about his regrets in his lack of involvement with the bear kids, when she grew up with a very present father herself, she could have judge, she didn't.

Edit: idk if I was sucesfull on making a point here:

Sydney doesn't like to condemn or limit the potential of people to what she knows is the worst of them. Her whole relationship with Richie is a good example of it. Once he started to show up for her and she saw that he cares for the restaurant she started trusting him. She has endured Carmys antics in part because she knows how much he can encourage and support the ones surrounding him, her included. Even faith has its limits of course.

I just wanted to highlight that judging/condemning others is easy, especially behind their backs. She never assumed she knew the whole story. She never took any high ground. She just called it shitty behavior as she saw it, and even did it with patience and love for everyone involved.

There is a sad undertone to all this, wich is as a black woman she may feel she needs to put her own needs aside for the things she wants to achieve. I think she took a role of a protector this season. She may have felt she was responsible for helping the crew under her survive this, even when she constantly called on Carmys bullshit.

She was a good friend, she has been a good person all around even how much she has been push. I don't want to advocate for women to be limited to the moral compass for the tragic hero. Still, I am sure that if she were a male or white, you would see all corners of the Bear fandom treat this character like the equivalent of Captain America or Superman. She will be the hero and Carmen will be the villain. Because she is indeed the moral compass, she is an example to the viewer on how to react with maturity, holistic view, and compassion to all the messed up situations the story throws her in.

[marybeatriceofmodena]

Spoilers for Dragon Age: The Veilguard under the cut (with a bit of criticism, nothing dramatic though)

I'm enjoying the game so far and all the lore reveals on Solas and the Elven gods (which are the best part of the game so far, hands down). I'm also liking the companions we're meeting so far (BELLARA <3), they're all very charming, but I think my one complaint is that... they're all too nice to each other? Not that there's anything wrong with that (I lied. Friends are USELESS IN MY PLANS FOR WORLD DOMINATION), but I'm really missing all the delicious little nuances the previous games had between the companions. Like, sure, players will tend to choose the "good" options for companions and make sure everyone gets along well, but you don't even get the option to, I don't know, set the can of gasoline on fire, or even get an occasion to even just put out the can of gasoline on fire.

Like, if Baldur's Gate 3 is anything to go by, players LOVE exploring tragedies, to the point there have been so many people who just replayed the game, again and again, just to see how different outcomes go. And I mean, I went in not expecting BG3 quality (as sad as it is say, because Dragon Age has been such a formative experience for me as a story). There's the nuance of Lae'zel and Shadowheart hating each other in part because of, yeah, racism, but also in part because they're much more like each other than they'd care to admit. There's the nuance of Astarion making fun of Wyll and dismissing him as an idealistic idiot, when you know it all stems from envy. There's the nuance of Karlach being hands down the most beloved person in camp, yes, but because all the companions see a little something of their own suffering in her, and see that despite it all, she decided to be kind. Like, yeah. They bicker. They argue. They might try to stab each other. But it makes them feel real, and it makes them becoming fire-forged friends all the more satisfying.

And maybe I'm just too early in the story for now, but it is... weird that everyone is just completely okay with Lucanis being possessed by a demon. Like, you'd think at least one companion would get a bit panicky about it (understandably so)? Like, maybe Neve feeling queasy around demons due to fears surrounding them/blood magic/insert tragic backstory element here? Hawke and Co. were maybe a bit too chill about Anders being a potential abomination, sure, but there was still tension there.

It ultimately feels like Mass Effect: Andromeda (except I'd argue the characters in DATV are actually interesting lol), where I just wish I had *something* to chew on lol. I'm not asking for a catfight, just something!

(There's also the fact that the Crows are way too nice as well but that's a topic for another day lmao)

[deadrayg2mf]

The Gargoyle's Captive (A Deal with a Demon #3) by Katee Robert

Honestly, like, what do I even say at this point that ya'll haven't heard from me about how much I freakin' love Katee Robert and this series. I will keep this one brief for real because if I don't it'll just be like "Oh my god, Ray, shut the fuck up we get it - this book came out three months ago you're late to the party!"

Okay, so aside from it being Katee freakin' Robert, this book is full of enemies to lovers, femdom, grief-consumed protags, and - my favorite, of course - angst. Yeah, did I see the plot twist coming from a mile away? One thousand percent. Did I care? Frick no. Okay, so we're following the same story - deal with a demon, seven years basically married to leader of demon territory, maybe a baby... But this time, it's Grace the monster hunter and Bram the Gargoyle.

Grace is another enjoyable female lead who is a headstrong take-no-shit kinda gal, probably what you would expect from someone who makes a living out of hunting monsters. She's the last of her family and she's really only here for answers because Azazel happens to be the same demon her mother, who disappeared, made a bargain with, and by golly, she is going to get those answers even if it means selling seven years of her life. Bram is traumatized, grief-stricken, lonely, and at this point has the most sad-boy, giving up on life, fuck it energy I've ever seen in a protagonist - and I am so here for it. I eat that shit up. I love the tragics - stories and characters. He's also the last of his family after his entire family was murdered by an outsider his father brought in. He doesn't actually really want to be there but the opportunity and benefits it brings are too good to pass up, especially when you're in the leadership position he is...

I loved the story clearly, and really liked how handling grief was portrayed, no two people will be able to handle it the same even when they are in the same situation. Grace dug her heels in and became even more stalwart and determined while Bram gave in to the grief of loss and resigned himself to an empty life... and even potentially having it purposely ended at the hands of a scrappy little monster hunter in the bath... They are two people coming to terms with events of the past, the shadow of their parents, and suddenly dealing with someone new who they bought at an auction/got auctioned to for the next seven years that they don't necessarily get along with. That's right, they're totally toxic for each other. Don't worry, we're always promising happy endings here :) It's fast paced, there's a lot to get through in 186 pages, but I really think it was done to the best of its ability. Do I wish this was 500 pages? Uh, YEAH, but it is what it is and what it is, is really good. I will admit... it took me a hot minute to slug through obviously. I actually feel a little bad about this review because I was kind of forcing myself to read this. I wasn't in the right headspace and so while objectively I knew I was enjoying it I was also aware that I was, like, not locked in. I am very much intending to reread it when I'm not begrudgingly reading while rotting in bed just because nothing sounds enjoyable.

With that, I swear I am not just pulling shit out of my ass with everything I've told you. I really did enjoy the book, I love the way it's written, I liked the characters, the cover art is amazing, and it's just another great addition to the Deal with a Demon series. I think I'll give it a solid.... 7.9/10 with subject to change in the future :)

Would I read again? Yes, I plan to. Once the pesky ole depression and imminent demise anxiety wear off.

Would I recommend? Of cousre, I'm always recommending Katee Robert... I'm not sure what happens on the day I don't...? Does the world end?

[cyraelin]

who's your favourite tribute from each district by their respective genders and why?

So I assume by that you want me to list all from D1F to D12M. Well, here you go:

D1F: Jewel (it's probably obvious, Jewel was meant to break career stereotypes and D1F stereotypes in particular, which is probably why it frustrates me when people can't accept a D1F who is strategic, cautious and caring because it doesn't feed into their preconceived ideas that D1Fs are shallow, arrogant and unintelligent)

D1M: Flash (I like all D1Ms, but I think Flash stands out because, while having a more typical career attitude than Jewel, he is also more cunning than he lets on)

D2F: Theodora (obviously, she was a fierce antagonist and a master manipulator, and her final speech is one of my favourite scenes from the movie)

D2M: Garrison (2Ms have been pretty underrated but that's probably because they either died early or had minor roles, I think people will like Garrison because despite being a career, he's more driven by honour than cruelty and he doesn't like fighting when he's at an obvious advantage so he's always trying to at least give his opponents a chance to fight)

D3F: Ada (she's a badass, and she doesn't get enough credit)

D3M: Copper (underrated nerdy boy)

D4F: Meredith (another badass girl who gets more credit than Ada but understandably so)

D4M: Seymour (should be obvious, no one can top Seymour)

D5F: Asterope (they're all cute, but Aster stands out the most because her overly generous and gullible nature end up dooming her in the end, and her story is very tragic)

D5M: Pluto (same as 5Fs, but Pluto is interesting because he's not your typical 5M—he's more pragmatic and driven and doesn't shy away from making tough decisions to protect the alliance)

D6F: Yamaha (mostly because the other 2 D6Fs are overhyped; I know Yamaha will be overhyped too, but I think she will be less popular because she's more vicious)

D6M: Helico (everyone loves him, and so do I)

D7F: Elowen (I do like younger tributes who are smart and resourceful, I just don't like when everyone expects them to be modelled after Rue)

D7M: Keith (I don't really care for 7Ms in general, but at least Keith was good in his role)

D8F: Taffeta (8Fs are almost as overhyped as 6Fs, but I can't bring myself to not love Taff; she's too sweet)

D8M: Calico (8Ms, on the other hand, are very underrated, I like all of them, but I feel like Calico has the potential to be more proactive because the issue with them is that they tend to be more passive)

D9F: Gwenith (9Fs are quite popular, but I like to make them badass without having them use weapons; Gwen is obviously the most interesting because she has the guts to call out Ry's questionable behaviour and even after her death she still remains in his mind as a manifestation of his guilt)

D9M: Ryland (should be obvious; his story is by far the most complex and tragic, and it makes me sad when people dismiss him as a simple "bad" guy)

D10F: Vida (D10 didn't really have a badass girl, but Vida is about to change that)

D10M: Maverick (he's both strong and threatening but also gentle and protective)

D11F: Mulberry (love a rebellious character who speaks her mind and stands up to the Capitol because she has nothing left to lose)

D11M: Chaff (also an obvious choice, I feel like people are sleeping on him, but he will definitely be different from your average THG protagonist)

D12F: Mica (she's just underrated and a softie)

D12M: Warren (another obvious choice; he was the first character I created and the reason why this series exists in the first place)

[talesdevourer]

Hi! Here is my thought if you'd like to hear from another perspective!

I WANT HER TO WANT HIM, I want them to sincerely fall in love, as simple as it sounds. If she won't like him I would be sad and it doesn't make sense anymore for them to be endgame in the books because it would feel forced and that's not enjoyable, but still I would ship them in my fake scenarios because I like it. But often this issues is taken too seriously... they are fictional characters, they exist in our head too so I'm allowed to imagine them happy together or whatever please me. We can be super invested in a story or a ship and as long as we don't disrespect the author or each other pov I don't see a problem.

Back to Elucien.

Right now I don't think she has feelings for him, maybe she feels a pull she cant understand, but secret love/lust/liking? Not really. Imo she doesn't even want to think about it now. Or him.

But I see lot of potential for them (aside the classic sunshine/nature aesthetic). The slow burn would be tortuous but satisfying.

I see a young heartbroken woman and a male who knows well about suffering for love. Both of them were going to marry for love until something tragic happened. Lucien swear he wouldn't love anyone anymore. He mourned his beloved for decades, I think he would understand that Elain can't move on overnight, not only from Graysen rejection but from everything since the Cauldron. He's giving her space.

Greysen spoke hateful words to her because she became different, while Lucien didn't care that Jesminda was a lesser fae and was willing to marry her anyway even without Beron's approval.

Lucien is the only one who knew Elein's father, while among her sisters Elain was the only one who didn't hate him when he wasn't providing for their family. I imagine she would like to know things about her father's last days of life, and Lucien could tell her. Tell her that her father acknowledged her love for him, even if he knew he didn't deserve it during those years. Ok I'm starting to get emotional with all this wandering 😭

He would challenge her with his wit and humor, she could be sheepish at first and then learn to leave him speechless, like omg the polite and gracious Elain has a very dirty mouth lol (ok this is just headcanon). Even in public I don't think, like I read somewhere, that he would shade her with his nature; he's courteous and together they could be very efficient hosts/diplomats and complement each other. They could maintain pleasant conversations with people.

She's to learn how to use her power, he has unknown (to us) powers since he's Helion son. Their journey would be of personal growth too.

I really believe that among the Archeron sisters, Elein is the one who's really the power to choose. The first one to know who's his mate before even talking to him, interesting isnt it? Maybe she feels "shackled" (Lucien used this word) to him, instead she has full knowledge of her situation and can act accordingly. Also I think Lucien wants to choose and to be chosen, he wanted to see if she was worth it because he had knew love and who knows, maybe he's struggling with guilt for Jesminda.

But first they have to interact more, I don't know how but in this environment, where she is guarded from the IC and every move he does is watched closely, how can they show their true selves? They are awkward and not spontaneous with each other. I wouldn't want to be in Lucien shoes, the pressure of this situation is unbearable I could never 🥲

I want them to get closer. I hope they can at least be friends, who knows maybe she will know him but still reject the bond 🥲 I can't claim Elucien will be endgame because 1) I'm not the author and 2) also Elriel and a possible forbidden love has potential, he saw her (after she said that no one sees her) being a seer when Lucien couldn't help her like others were expecting him to do, and there is physical attraction and comfort between them. Elain hears Lucien heartbeats but he doesn't. Elriel has lot of points in its favor too.

I feel like elucien is endgame and I love the destiny lovers/mated trope, a rejected bond would be so sad but atsm I don't want to get my hopes up and than be disappointed because we can argue but nobody really knows what's going to happen next

... the only thing I know is that like the damned Gemini I am I definitely talk too much about what I'm passionate (obsessed) about 🫠

As an Elriel, I actually rlly like most Eluciens. I find that a lot of their theory’s are well thought out and they want the characters to be happy. But I do wonder one thing tho, so if you are an Elucien feel free to comment and rb if u have an answer!

I know that most Eluciens think that Elain already has secret feelings for Lucien but is staying away from him bc she’s scared of her feelings or she had a vision he’ll get hurt. At the very least, most think that eventually they’ll fall in love. Again, no problem with that!

But if Elain doesn’t actually like Lucien, and she never does, would you still want them to be together? Not to say that Lucien’s a bad character or undeserving of love(I love him sm) but would you want Elain to be with him even if she doesn’t want to be?

[loiseau-lyre]

what are your thoughts on zucest fankids??

Hi Anon,

Sorry for this late answer. I'm not used to getting questions about headcanon or being asked for my opinion here, so I took some time to think about the matter and try to figure out if I really had a headcanon on that topic.

I have no definite idea about the identity of Zuko and Azula's incestuous children, or the circumstances in which they might have been born. It depends on each fiction that I write and for three different stories, I would potentially have three different versions, with children who would not necessarily be the same.

On the other hand, I think I can exclude Izumi, the heiress of Zuko according to LoK.

I will explain why:

For me, even though I happen to read and enjoy fanfics that make Izumi the baby of Zuko and Azula (whether their relationship is formalized by marriage or hidden), I can't imagine the possibility of a situation in which the Fire Nation would accept an illegitimate child, born from a scandalous relationship, in addition, ascending the throne. I believe even less in the possibility of a marriage between Zuko and Azula. I'm not saying that idea doesn't make sense. This can be defended if we consider that in many civilizations, there were marriages between members of the same family. The Fire Nation seem rather concerned with preserving blood and believe in a certain hegemony of their people. So it's entirely plausible.

But what attracts me to this ship, and you will have understood it if you have read my texts, is above all the tragic substrate that can be drawn from it. So I prefer to imagine that incest is completely taboo in the Fire Nation, making their relationship a scandalous union that they must hide at all costs.

If Azula was the Fire Lord, it wouldn't be hard to hide the identity of her kid’s father. She could easily marry a man she doesn't love, have her kids with Zuko, and still claim they're the rightful heirs (much like Cercei Lannister in GOT).

But it does not happen that way. I try to stay canon compliant with what we see in The Legend of Korra. Zuko was the Fire Lord and bequeathed his throne to his daughter (probably an only child, I think we don’t have any certitude about that). Which would mean that for Izumi to be legitimized, Zuko would have had to pretend she was someone else's child. As easy as it is to lie about someone's paternity, it's difficult to conceal who the real mother of a child is.

If Izumi is the daughter of Zuko and Azula and she has not been legitimized by marriage, there are two possibilities imo:

1) Zuko arranged himself a marriage with another woman, an accomplice, who agreed to participate in the trickery. It's not a bad idea, and it makes sense actually, but it would mean that Azula has been deprived of the opportunity to raise her child and has to put up with seeing another woman take care of it instead of her. Which I find too sad to be acceptable!

2) OR : Zuko came back to Caldera one day, a baby in his arms, without telling anyone where it comes from, and everyone would settle for that. I don't really like this trope, even if it seems possible to me if we think of Iroh’s situation, who came back with Lu Ten and legitimized him, without us ever hearing about the existence of a wife. Again, in this scenario, Azula is deprived of seeing her daughter grow up. I think I could deal with that ifAzula made the choice not to raise her baby (to save it from shame and ensure it a better future with Zuko) and walked out of their lives. But I find that quite depressing as well.

If the incestuous relationship between Zuko and Azula resulted in the birth of one or more children, then I would tend to think that these kids live in hiding, perhaps with their mother and that Zuko comes to visit them as soon as he can. (Which would also explain Azula’s disappearence in LoK)

But I can easily imagine something sadder but realistic: Azula running off with their baby and disappearing from Zuko's life for ever.

As you can see, my vision of things is far from defined.

As for the baby’s gender, I've always imagined it to be a girl, especially because it echoes Azula's relationship with her own mother. And I think it would be more of a challenge for her to raise a girl than a boy, because of that. So more interesting from my point of view!

I hope this answer was satisfactory.

Thanks for the ask!

[itsclydebitches]

I’m curious: Do you give a shit about Summer Rose? I don’t. They’ve dragged it out for too long and I question whether the characters truly give a shit about her

I vaguely care about the version of Summer that exists in fandom re-imaginings. Fic, fanart, theories — the community has come up with some versions of Summer that are pretty awesome. The canon? I'm not interested, largely because Summer isn't a character. Eight years in and what do we know about her?

She was a huntress. Tai's wife. "Super mom." Baked good cookies. Had silver eyes (but we don't even know if she understood what they could do/utilized them). Disappeared on a mission. Possibly grimmified. Looks sad one time and happy another in Ruby's memories.

That's it and I'm being really generous here regarding assumptions — she probably learned how to use her eyes — placing importance on tiny details - we hear second-hand she occasionally baked — and taking the theory embedded in a single scene at face value — Ruby thinks she became an experiment so... I guess she did? Summer isn't a person in this narrative. Half of what we know about her is built off of other people — Tai's wife, Raven's "replacement," Ruby and Yang's mother — while the other half is continually couched in speculation. We don't know anything personal about her outside of Yang's one scene reminiscence from six years ago. She's almost entirely a blank slate which, yeah, explains the interest we do see in the fandom. She's essentially RWBY's version of Build a Bear. Like the fighters in this world? Like Ruby's general design? Like the previous generation from this story? Here's a ready-to-go template named "Summer Rose" that you can fill with whatever you'd like, from what her weapon was to her entire personality. I would imagine if we interrogated other fans' interest and stripped away their headcanons, we'd fine that their love for Summer stems primarily from the creative opportunity she offers. People love their version of her, not RT's, because RT hasn't written enough of a character to be invested in.

However, Summer's status as a potential mystery is another point of interest... but again, that was only (very) recently clarified, resulting in fans once again leaning into headcanons. I never thought Summer was missing — to me, the show did no work to imply that she was potentially out there, or even that Yang, Ruby, Qrow, and Tai hoped she might be out there — but many fans assumed that and ran hard with it. Summer is the super mysterious, badass mom who got caught up in Ozpin's manipulations and was the one who warned Raven about the war, only to disappear under horrific circumstances, but she'll return by the series' end to continue the fight with her daughter... cool story, it's just not RWBY's story. It's only in Volume 7 that we confirmed no one in the family knows what actually happened to Summer, or even if Ozpin has any additional information about her disappearance. It's only in Volume 8 that we introduce this idea of Summer being a victim of Salem's experimentation. Up until the current arc, Summer was never treated as missing, just dead. Even now we have no idea if she's out there as a grimm somewhere, or if we're meant to assume she died post-experimentation somehow. More importantly, we're given no indication what the characters think. Does Ruby believe her mom is under Salem's control right now? Does Yang? Do they want to attack Salem head on with the hope of finding their mother? Do they hope there's a way to strip her of the grimm parts, similar to how Ruby briefly released the faunus man? No idea. There's no emotional or intellectual work done in that scene, just a speech about how Summer took a risk, that makes her a hero, so Ruby is a hero too. That's the only takeaway. Summer's newly introduced, tragic backstory, so far, only exists to forward the show's thesis that Ruby remains above criticism, regardless of her mistakes. As much as I'm happy we finally got a sisterly moment between the girls again, at the end of the day it's no different from May's 'You can't do anything, so never-mind my former insistence that you pick somewhere to help' or Qrow's 'You're not like Ozpin, despite making Ozpin's exact choices.' The biggest revelation we've had about Summer is, within moments, no longer about Summer. It's not even about the girls' changing relationship with their mom/the memory of their mom. It's about how Ruby will always be Yang's hero.

Going off of that, as you say, anon, the characters don't act like they care about figuring out what happened to her. Ruby waits until she's 17 to ask her uncle what happened to her mom, the guy she's had access to her entire life. Qrow, apparently, never asked Ozpin if he knew anything about Summer's disappearance, despite being close friends with him for years and never showing any hesitance about speaking up for what he's passionate about. Yang's big flashback moment is going off to find her birth mom, not Summer, and then she proceeds to not mention her until she randomly throws that disappearance back in Salem's face in, again, the most recent volume. Keep in mind, this happens before Ruby reveals her grimmified theory to Yang. So... why is she blaming Salem for Summer's disappearance/death? I mean yeah, of course Salem is the villain generally speaking, but her orchestrations actively got Pyrrha killed. They got Penny killed. They are, as the characters speak, killing the civilians via cold and the soldiers via grimm. She was just torturing Oscar. Out of everything Salem has done, why is Yang focused on Summer when, far as we last heard, the family thought she just died on a mission? Because Salem confirmed in Ironwood's office that she, at some point during Summer's entire life, met her? That's... not a lot to go on and Yang's leap in logic is never explored. It's all so badly written and, worse, it feeds into the show's other problems. Maybe if they hadn't ignored Ozpin for two straight volumes, they could have asked some super basic questions like, "Did you send my mom on a mission against Salem and is that how she died?" or "Did my mom know how to use her silver eyes and did that make her a target like Maria?" Ozpin's supposed manipulations, the danger SEWs are in, and the general danger of being a huntress are all smashed together into one confusing, theory knot and the characters do nothing to try and untangle it. The story pushes Ruby as the strategic leader who saves the day based on love — a characterization I am 100% here for — yet the story likewise makes her dumb by having her never ask for the most basic info and her love likewise only extends to what the plot currently needs: can't ask about mom, can't worry about a missing Qrow, can't look for Maria and Pietro, can't consider forgiving Ironwood even though we're laughing with Emerald, etc. The story clearly wants us to care about Summer, but it hasn't done the work to establish her as a character and the other characters' investment in her is... very shaky at best.

You know, I've watched the first two episodes of High Guardian Spice. That show is a trip. It's ridiculous. It's bad. BUT one of the few things it's done right so far is introduce the very basic characterization, "Protagonist's mother went missing on some dangerous quest and she's invested in finding out what happened to her." RWBY hasn't even done that much work, so what's there to care about? Just the potential of Summer.

[papers4me]

S3 E6 is when I knew the anime creators didn't understand Tohru or what Fruits Basket is really about. They just wanted it to be a "perfect girl saves cursed family" story. It ruined the anime for me and I will never watch it again. Tragically I think lots of manga fans don't care or notice how the changes damage Tohru's character. They just want to see the plot and cute scenes animated, but the details and subtlety of the main female character's arc are not considered as important. It's sad!

If we think of the following: why do ppl watch sth they know its story already? Among the reasons are:

To see it come to life! To feel the emotions they once felt reading but this time with the powerful tools of voice, colors, & music to maximize the experience. Books are good & everything & they provide depth & time that moving pictures can't, but visual imagery wins if it's coupled with epic screenplay/perfect adapted plot.

Ppl have different perspective, what one likes isnt necessary what others like. So, some fans might just want to see their novel come to life to see their own fave cute scenes & that's it. In their mind, the books are superior, so they accept beforehand, that they wont see the " story/plot" at its best, so they're excited for certain cute scenes that are related to certain feelings they experienced reading the books. Nothing is wrong with that.

Some are individual fans, so they're here for certain characters, if this character gets their "story" told properly, they're not bothered with how butchered the rest are. Again, nothing is wrong with that.

Some care for the story itself & while they accept that things are bound to change, reduced or cut, they're intelligent in picking up on what harms the overall plot & what doesn't. These fans get called " haters" if they criticize cuz they aren't " grateful". Granted some of them might be disrespectful in their criticism. but those who are respectful get drowned under the "ungrateful/ you dont understand it is tv/anime adaptation not faithful" accusation. Altho, furuba kinda dug its own grave with their " we are faithful to the original work" advertisement. Reading the manga now, nope. They aren't faithful at all in the third act/final arc, except for the ending. Tohru got axed. Akito, too.

I get your frustration with the final arc. You understood what was cut & felt disappointed, I'm discovering what was cut & feeling confused! XD. For all the reasons to cut content, furuba is one of those rare instances where they cut the real good & best part! They cut depth!. The thing is they are blatantly biased. Only certain characters get depth & others meet the ax. But I've never seen a show that cuts its own protagonist! But it's all comes to the anime's understanding of its protagonist: "perfect girl saves cursed family". Notice how the only tohru-cut content is when it is NOT abt "perfect girl saves cursed family". Once the story is abt tohru's own personal struggle & she's no longer saving anybody, it is CUT & the things they cant cut cuz they're part of the ending, the anime water it down: " tohru's se03, ep6" or alter it for cheap drama " tohru's se03, ep6". That is tohru's only focused ep in 3 seasons... she had focused ep in se01, ep5 but that ep only scratched tohru's surface.

-The argument that" C'mon, just be happy we got a reboot! we never thought such day would ever come" & " hey~ the manga isnt going anywhere" is true & wrong. The argument is true cuz:

Yes, be happy the reboot exists. Other anime wish for that.

Be happy 60% of the story (two thirds) is faithful. Other anime with great manga, get butchered anime endings or no endings.

Be happy, we have a finished manga with satisfying ending, other manga are unfinished for good, others are on hiatus, others have disappointing weird endings.

but still, The argument is wrong cuz:

you are allowed to express your own valid dissatisfaction & disappointment with respect. Actually, thats healthy!

Criticism is form of love. You only care cuz the cut/ruined part is 100 times better than uncut part & the comic fillery content in all 3 seasons! They cut the best part not the worst which is.. disappointing.

All forms of art are subject to personal taste & subjective perspective. Those who love everything abt it can gush & enjoy & those who don't can express that. If seeing one side bothers the other, simply block~ one button is all it takes~

Also, unfortunately, female protagonist are mostly way less complex & shallower than male protagonists.. so it is a shame seeing potential female depth cut in favor for the "perfect woman" imagery. That alone warrant valid criticism.

I love furuba se03. its the best part of the entire anime, but yeah~ i could see its " plot" issues from far away even before seeing a single manga panel. Reading the manga now makes me feel mixed feelings & i'm gonna express them, the good & the bad alike. It wont change how precious furuba is to me as a story, but it will be a good healthy outlet to express valid appointment.

As always love your addition<3

[lanxyuu]

I was rewatching Sayu's confession from Nagi no Asukara Episode 24 (as one does), and it made me realize how much potential that Kaname and Sayu had as a ship... and how much I wish that they actually had a meaningful bond beforehand :'((

Like, their personalities work so well together! Sayu's straightforward nature combined with her sharpness lets see through Kaname's passive, reserved demeanour that he always puts up. And finally seeing somebody with the insight and bluntness to actually call him out, and notice, his internal cycle of self-pity and bitterness and dejection is like... nice, and something that I think Kaname needed—especially considering how with his relationships with every other character in the show, the focus is rarely on him.

That "Stop acting like the tragic heroine!" and "Heroine? Not the hero?" exchange is one of my favourite moments from the confession honestly. Seeing Kaname's attitude and feelings finally being addressed? And through such a fun/witty but also direct remark? And his very in-character response of throwing in a joke about it, despite his feelings and situation? IT SHOWS BOTH OF THEIR CHARACTERS SO WELL AND IT'S SUCH AN CATHARTIC MOMENT AHHHHH

But it's not only that!! We've also seen that, despite her bluntness, Sayu's actually still pretty emotional. She's had quite strong emotional reactions throughout various points in the story (that fight with Miuna, seeing Kaname again for the first time, her outburst when they were discussing Manaka). Plus, she did act pretty shy and self-conscious around Kaname—overall showing that she does feel things strongly and gets influenced by her emotions.

So then with how calm, laidback, and levelheaded Kaname is, I can see him being the calm to mellow out and balance Sayu's intensity, the reassuring steadiness to her turbulence. This element is definitely similar to Kaname's dynamic with Chisaki, with him being the one to always comfort/console her—but with Sayu, she's still perceptive enough for this not to be just one-sided emotion dumping like it was with Chisaki and Kaname. And with her sharp tongue, she's still able to make responses back, which makes these types of interactions between the two of them more engaging and interesting to me.

Like this! He takes in her feelings, provides his own comfort in response, and you can see how she's overwhelmed by emotions as Kaname says he'll start seeing her as a girl his age, but still she responds with the quip of "You're pretty condescending, aren't you?"

And I just LOVE this type of dynamic as opposed to just crying, or flat emotional responses, you know? :""))) Being able to joke and banter amidst the heavy emotions... it just adds such a nice dimension to their dynamic.

And side note, I really like Kaname's response—he's not making any promises to her besides respecting her as a girl his age. Which is fair! This type of response feels so rare in romance anime (not that I watch a lot), and is pretty realistic, in my opinion. A "maybe". Get you a couple from a romance/drama anime who can handle confessions by responding reasonably and NOT running away in tears

And overall, the few moments of heart-to-heart we saw between the two of them during her confession showed a glimpse of SUCH a nice relationship.

[cont.]

Kaname: That big brother you admired is actually just a big kid.

Sayu: Don't go putting words in my mouth!

Like, there's just something about the... sheer sincerity of this, this mutual acknowledgement of the fact that they're both just kids (which is also a really nice touch/nod to the theme of their age difference, or lack of it now, after this and Kaname's response)... it makes me happy for them. This is probably the most open about his feelings that Kaname's been to anyone, the most he's shown the 14 year old boy inside that constant demeanour of maturity and composure he wears—that he was pushed to wear, living with Chisaki and Tsumugu, the literal adults that he had to find himself navigating alongside.

LOOK AT HIM

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE SEEN SUCH WARMTH IN HIS SMILE FOR THE ENTIRE SHOW. I'M SO HAPPY FOR HIM.

So anyways, yeah. I think Sayu and Kaname as a pair are amazing for both their personalities as well as the connection they made in this moment. But this brings me to my second thought about this, which is how much I wish that they actually had a meaningful bond before this moment :(

Because the significance of Sayu's confession to Kaname is so great—it was the first time he realized that somebody did care about him after all. But then I think about the fact that Sayu has feelings for Kaname... because he pet her head when she was 9? Like, her feelings obviously stemmed from an infatuation as a kid, one that lacked any real substance. They barely had any important interactions afterwards for the rest of the first half of the show.

And then after skipping forward 5 years, the fact that Sayu feels the exact same way, and the fact that her 9-year-old infatuation remained so strong that it became a factor motivating her to work hard in school? It just... I don't know, these feelings just feel so... baseless to me. Which makes me so sad! Because personality-wise they're such a good pair!

But as much as I want to suspend my disbelief to wholeheartedly love this ship, compared to Hikari x Manaka who've been close friends their entire lives, or Chisaki x Tsumugu who found support in each other through the 5 lonely timeskip years... it's hard for me to completely believe in Sayu's feelings beyond this childhood infatuation, you know? She talks about how because of him, she was able to work hard, so he wouldn't see her as just a little kid" and that "because of him, she was able to keep going". And her line "You were right here in my heart the entire time!"—as beautiful as it was—the fact that it's spurred on by a 9-year-old crush... I just can't fully immerse myself in it. And even though a long-lasting childhood crush isn't completely unrealistic, for a fictional story that's comprised of deliberate writing decisions, having it happen like this is something that I feel is unfortunate and just feels so much less meaningful than every other relationship in the show. I'm just glad that Kaname's response was reasonable and compelling, given the circumstances and his relationship with her in the moment. But if their bond had any build-up or meaningful moments, that would've been so much nicer imo.

But regardless, Kaname and Sayu as a ship are my favourite in the show, and even without what I wanted, I'm still glad that her confession happened. If you're here, thank you for reading! This anime really be leaving me with unresolved feelings nearly a decade later :")

[mercyandmagic]

Hi, mercyandmagic....If you don't mind me asking, who are your favorite “villains” (or antagonists) in all of MXTX novels? Whether it’s a final boss like Jun Wu or more of a side character like Xue Yang. (Whether you want to do a ranking or just write out in no particular order)...Sorry if you've answered this question before....

Aghh sorry I haven’t responded all through the month – I’m a university instructor and this past month has been h e l l. Ahem. I will start working through your asks now!

These are solely my opinion, from most to least favorite:

1. Jin Guangyao (was there any doubt?)

I firmly maintain he’s an antagonist and not a villain because he really just wants to live safely. He only goes against Wei Wuxian because Wei Wuxian is in his way; otherwise, he wouldn’t have harmed him. And Jin Guangyao did so much good for the cultivation society once he was free of his father. Not that I’m excusing what he did with his dad, but it really does seem his misdeeds were 95% during his father’s reign, 5% when Wei Wuxian returns, and 5% the mystery of Rusong. 

Plus he’s kind, humble, defies tradition by allowing his dead brother’s murals to be treated as equal to his, and... look, to be motivated to do evil to earn your father’s love is a compelling motive. The pain of realizing he isn’t loved by a parent is... awful, and that makes me want to cry over him quite a bit.

2. Xue Yang

He’s charming in an wicked way. Not that I actually think he’s evil – he’s not. But I do think there’s undertones of text that support him as a clinical psychopath, and I don’t mean that in the way of “he’s an irredeemable monster.” I mean his lack of response to pain or risk, his difficulty with relationships, and his difficulty with empathy make me think he has a brain condition. I agree with MXTX  that he’d always be different, but so what? I think if someone had intervened earlier or helped him along the way he could have found happiness. Instead, he was asked to do demonic cultivation (which definitely affected even Wei Wuxian’s mood by the end) and a knife to slay political enemies without repercussions was put in his hands by Jin Guangshan. It’s tragic.

3. Shen Qingqiu (original)

Look, his backstory and lack of resolution breaks my heart.

4.  Tianlang-Jun

It’s debatable if he’s even an antagonist, but I’ll include him. He’s sad and his story of love and heartbreak made me sniffle.

5. Wen Ruohan

Mysterious, formidable, overwhelming in the one scene we have of him (novel-verse). He drips style and is fodder for so many fanfics. 

6. Old Palace Master 

Go f**k yourself, Harvey Weinstein of the SVSSS cultivation world.

7. Jun Wu

I grew more and more sus of him throughout the story and was truly delighted to learn he was, indeed, the Big Bad. I do feel empathy, sure – actually more so than for Old Palace Master. But Jun Wu went so far over the line and his torment of Xie Lian was so bad that I don’t care for him personally. He can have his redemption since he’s still alive and I hope he does, but stay far away from me in fanfic. I think the fact that he’s also the head of the gods turns me away from him – religious hypocrisy is something I have a harder time with personally due to experiences growing up. 

8.  Jin Guangshan

The real villain of MDZS, am I right? Oh, the sexist hatred of talented women, the predation, the manipulation, the lack of love for his son, the murder of political enemies. At least the Old Palace Master kind sorta cared for his daughter. Jin Guangshan reminds me of so many men. Go f**k yourself, Harvey Weinstein + [insert many potential autocrat names here] of the MDZS cultivation world.  

[hgwellsmykabering]

@purlturtle tagged me in a little W13/Bering&Wells questionaire for her website - Thanks for thinking of me, and feel free to post my answers on there with my lilolilyrae ao3 URL, and/or this tumblr here!

How did you get into Warehouse 13/Bering and Wells? What do you love about the show/ship, what woke your interest, what kept it going?

I first watched Warehouse 13 with my family when I was about 13 - I think season 3 had just been released, and there were re-runs of the earlier seasons on TV, I liked it and got the DVDs for my birthday.

I shipped Helena and Myka from the start - and it might be the one and only popular ship that I got into without prior influence from fandom! While I already had a tumblr, I wasn't active in many fandom circles there, and I had never even heard of ao3 yet... But when I discussed the W13 characters and possible relationships with my parents, and my mom was like 'we may not like it, but Pete and Myka as the main characters will end up together, it's always like that' (curse you, season 5, for proving her right), while my dad suggested Pete/Helena and didn't believe me that Helena and Myka were the most shippable... well, I went online, found my first fanfiction, and felt Very vindicated at not being the only one to realize their potential! So really, Bering&Wells got me into fandom.

When did you start writing for them? Do you still write for them, or have you moved to other fandoms/ships? (no worries either way, it's absolutely fair to move on!)

I started writing for them back in 2016 with a College AU that I never quite finished (and don't have the heart to mark 'abandoned' but am honestly not sure whether I'll ever come back to), then only sporadically stayed in the fandom until I found some new Bering&Wells online friends some time last year, and I started writing for the ship again a few months ago.

What do you/did you like about writing for Bering and Wells? What motivates/motivated you to write for them?

Apparently, I have a ship-type of 'Women with a tragic backstory where one had to leave the other for a while', and, well... they just fit that perfectly.

Also, all the lost potential of canon! I do so enjoy fixing that.

What kinds of stories do you or did you write for Bering and Wells? Happy endings or sad endings? Hurt/comfort, plot fics, AUs, kid fics, fix-its, smut, …?

So far it's been short fics, mostly smut, but given that since I started writing for them again this year, I only wrote 3 new fics for the ship so far, I don't think that's much of a pattern yet xD we'll see! I definitely plan to write more.

Have you created or are you still creating other forms of fan art for Bering and Wells/Warehouse 13, like GIFs, videos, paintings? Do you wanna show it off (share a link)?

Photo posts on tumblr! I think I only made the one moodboard for Bering&Wells so far, but I am taking prompts for photo stories, moodboards and manips to all of my ships :)

Do you have a favorite story, or a story you’re proudest of, and would you tell us which it is?

...I'll link the one that isn't smut xD and I did get positive reviews on this!

The Grey of Memories, 1.5k, T, emotional hurt/comfort, no warnings. Tumblr | ao3

From the smut fics, my fav is And You Don't Need To Stay Silent on ao3, 5k, E, emotional loud sex in a newly established relationship

What do you/did you find easy to write for them; what is/was hard or challenging? Do you feel you have a good grip on the two main characters; is one of them more elusive than the other?

Well you see... It's honestly been so long since I last watched much actual W13 canon... So now when I think of the characters, it's all a mash-up of ideas from other people's fics, plus my own specific headcanons - and I honestly don't care to change that. (Insert that text post 'does fic really have to be in character? Is it not enough that I don't need to learn any new names?')

As for writing them to still be recognizable to people with different headcanons, I've found that Helena's old-timey British-ness and tendency to use the pet name 'darling' helps a lot, while I don't have any such tricks for Myka, so I suppose writing HG would be easier there.

What's your writing style? Planner, Pantser, Plantser? Do you work with a beta? Have you ever co-written a story with someone else, and how did that experience go?

I can write one-shots in one go, but for anything longer than about 5k, or if I just don't have the time to finish even a shorter story when I have an idea for it, I note down the outline and go through it later. I don't usually work with betas unless it is a fic written for a gift exchange.

What are your favorite kind of stories/story tropes for Bering and Wells, either to write or to read? What are stories or tropes that you don't like (or can't stand) to write or read for them?

While I'm not usually a fan of kid fics, with Bering&Wells I really enjoy stories that include Christina, especially in a fix-it way, but also in AUs.

For canon compliant fics, I like some good emotional hurt/comfort dealing with trauma - as they are going through a lot in the series, and canon isn't always perfect about dealing with the aftermath.

What are your favorite Bering and Wells stories from other authors/writers? What do you like about these stories?

One of the, if not the first fanfic I ever read is Time After Time by muppetmanda on livejournal, and it is still my favorite! A long timetravel fix-it for (almost) everything, NC-17, getting together.

Other great stories:

Transient by tantedrago on ao3

Warnings: Major Character Death

38k, M, a Ghost!Helena AU

Lots of lovely angst, how Helena and Myka start to interact and get close is beautifully written.

Trapped (aka oh my god, they were roommates) by paddingtonfan69 on ao3

11k, M, deals with the 2020 pandemic

The title says it all! This is a quarantine AU with Myka and Helena as college professors, getting together while stuck in the same appartment and competing for the same job. I love the premise and I adore where the author went with it.

Only for tonight by Numo on ao3

76k, E, bigender H.G.

HG and Myka get together despite many dificulties with each other and the Warehouse regents. I also really love the idea of bigender!HG and how they are written as both genders in different scenes.

(lady I will touch you with my mind) by corchen on ao3

18k, not rated (could be E)

This fic has a wonderful idea for an artefact, and Myka and Helena's feelings and reactions are very well written!

~

I haven't replied to all of the questions, but if someone else also wants to do the interview for purlturtle's blog, you can find all questions here!

[thebeautyoffandoms]

I've been rereading ph and having thoughts™ so I've come to grace your inbox again. If this is annoying just ignore me/ask me to stop. Anyway, Elliot and the Nightrays' fates in general is probably one of the most tragic things in ph to me. Of the 3 great dukedoms involved with the tragedy of Sablier the Nightrays are the ones who didn't actually do anything wrong. The Duke Nightray at the time even warned Oswald (Glen) not to let Jack keep visiting. Yet they're the dukedom who came out of the tragedy the worst for it, being labelled as traitors and treated with heavy suspicion. Then in the present the entire Nightray family gets wiped out at either Elliot or Vincent's hands by the end of the story.

Just thinking about this in terms of Elliot, his family was like the most important thing to him. Boy was always going on about the pride of his family and any time we got even little glimpses of his relationship with his siblings you could see how much they cared about one another. And when he dies the only family he has left is his father and Vince + Gil. But his father is killed shortly after anyway and his adoptive brothers don't really care about being Nightrays. It just strikes me as overwhelmingly unfair for this family.

The Nightrays were certainly capable of being quite nasty but to some degree they got driven to that behaviour by how their dukedom was treated in the first place? All because Jack set them up as the traitors in his version of the tragedy of Sablier. But Elliot had this kind of great potential to be better than his family, we see how he opens up more to new ideas and befriends Oz, but he can never realise that potential. Idk if I have a point here. The Nightrays just fascinate me in how they were set up to fail and not a single one of them survives to the end. Some of their worst actions were just down to them being entitled/prideful aristocrats and were entirely their fault but I still think the family as a whole was dealt quite a rough hand by fate.

I love the Pandora Hearts thoughts, so no worry about them being annoying!! Even when I’m obsessing over something else, Pandora Hearts is one of those things I can immediately start ranting about- tho I haven’t reread it yet (tho I need to, and have read certain chapters?) so I have no idea if what I say is completely accurate-

But! Oh gosh, I agree. Even if I dislike them, I do feel bad- I guess they sort of had that “if you want to treat me like I’m bad, then I have to be bad” thing going on? Or maybe not, who knows. It just sort of feels like that. Like you said, some of the things they did, along with their personalities, is just them being snotty and rude- but that doesn’t mean they had it easy.

I think I feel the worst for the Duke Nightray, and his family, at the time of the Tragedy of Sablier (tho I can’t remember the personality, if we even get much of one, from him), and Elliot (Gil and Vincent too, but I’ll go off of biological family). The family at the time of the Tragedy definitely had to deal with... well, a lot- and, sure, the family had to deal with it all the way down the line, but they dealt with it head on (b,,but now the most of their heads are... off- ba dum tss.) And Elliot for obvious reasons.

Taking my chance to brag on him, Elliot was genuinely such a good person? Despite his biological siblings telling him to stay away from Vincent and Gil, he treated them as kindly as a proud little boy could. He spent time with them- and, vaguely remembering Vincent’s words here, kept Gil happy in one of the hardest times in his life. He’s got the rooted distaste for the Vessalius family for reasons that were, I’d assume, explained to him. But, he learned to befriend Oz- the worst part about Elliot’s death, in my humble opinion, is the fact that he had so much more he could do. (Tho a lot of Pandora Hearts deaths are like that- it feels like Mochijun just... went down a list of “saddest ways to have a character die”.) He and Oz came to somewhat of an agreement to do their best to mend the relationship between their families. Though two teenage boys probably couldn’t have done much to fix years and years of dispute, it does make you wonder what would have happened if he lived. He was (Ahh using past tense for him... my heart-) proud of his family enough for anyone to know. How would those who found out treat a Nightray befriending a Vessalius? How would Leo not dealing with Elliot’s death affect the story?? So many questions, but we’ll never really get an answer, cos all his potential was cut way too short.

Your point wasn’t about Elliot in particular but- I took the opportunity and ran with it- still! Overall, your point, exactly. I guess that’s the thing about any good “bad guy”? They’re not good because of the things they did, but they have something to try and explain away their actions. Something that shaped them up to becoming who they are-? Taking them at face value, ignoring their history, it made their deaths easy to handle, aside from Elliot for established reasons, and for Headhunter reasons cos that’s simply... tragic in and of itself. But, thinking about it, it really is sad that they all died off- they had no opportunity to become good guys. No redemption arc for a really, really tragic family. Tho with their pride, they may not have accepted the chance to have one-??

Put even shorter: Once again, Jack Vessalius strikes, ruining the lives of generations to come <3

[evapunk333]

Red Rising Thoughts: Golden Son

Ok, this is a little out of order because I talked about when Adrius met with Darrow in my last post and a couple of these are before and after that since I needed to put certain themes together.

This one might be a bit depressing...

The idea of Pinks has intrigued me ever since I found out what they were. However, I really wish PB would explain more how this works. Does the Cupid's Kiss react to the person having an orgasm? And if that's the case, are children of 12 or younger forced into sexual acts? (If so..damn, that's tragic as fuck.) Or is the act of "obeying" purely in just the literal sense where they just follow orders and if they prove to be truly obedient, they take out the kiss? Idk, I guess I just need answers and for now I'm literally just making up my own headcanon's for how it works for a story I'm trying to come up with.

This is something else that makes me think. As a Pink, Theodora is well aware of the plight of her own color, yet she cares for Darrow so much that she still suggests that he take advantage of one of her own kind because at least he will be gentle. It's a tragic life that Pinks have to lead and I want to keep exploring them because I think there is a lot of potential for really good, albeit sad, stories regarding Pinks in general. Hence why I am bringing in an OC I made for the Ghost fandom and making him a Pink. He already has a bad reputation regarding sex in general and while he has a tendency to revel in it too much, it also brings a lot of pain so I think giving him the life of a Pink makes a ton of sense!

This just killed me the first time I read it and I still felt it the second time. I can't even imagine how it felt to know that, not only did you lose your wife, but your unborn child as well. But, it speaks to Eo's conviction that she would rather her child die than to live and suffer in the world they lived in now. Was it selfish of her to make that decision for Darrow as well, probably...but it was obviously the only thing she could do to force him into action. However, I don't think she understood how hard it was going to be for Darrow to live without her. He is just lucky that his Uncle worked with the Sons of Ares or else things would have been much different!

And here I go again talking about Tactus again 🤣

Tactus is such a tragic character to me. Not only because of how he ended later on, but how he lived. He's obviously a bit of an addict, but is also desperate for love and attention that he bugs Roque when Roque is just trying to relax. And then you have his brothers... terrible people who can't even be happy for his brother's success and friendship with someone who actually has honor. It's like they almost prefer Tactus to be a drug addict little Pixie...it's sad.

Before I move on though..this also made me question something. Roque said they started the brothel when they were 14...so, Tactus is obviously younger than Apollonius and Tharsus, but are those two the same age? Do they have different mothers? Different fathers? Seriously PB...give us a separate Valii-Rath story!!!

Roque..really? Why are you so friggin cute???! 🤣🤣

Ok, had to add some cuteness to the end of this one just to make up for the rest of it lol.

[aspoonofsugar]

Hi...how are you? If you don't mind me asking, who are your top 10 favorite anime characters? And why you like them? Sorry if you've answered this question before.....

Hello!

I am fine, thank you! I hope you are well too :)

Ok, I have answered similar questions here, here and here.

That said, my rule is that every time I am asked abt my faves, I will add new ones in an endless chain :’’’). So, actually thank you very much for this ask. It is always fun to talk about faves!

That said, my new “faves” are not all anime characters. Still, I hope you would still enjoy reading about them. I have mentioned some of them in this other list, but I have not explained why.

As usual, in no particular order.

1) Suzuha Amane (Steins;Gate)

She has my favourite story in the series. She is an example of why I think Time Travel can be enriching when it comes to characters and relationships, if well used. She is basically a child soldier from a bad future and seeing her enjoy herself in a peaceful time is delightful. At the same time, I love how she ends up being so important for different people in many different ways because of her time travels. She ends up being both daughter and friends, big sister and little sister, mentor and disciple of the same characters. She manages to experience many different relationships with the same people and this ends up making her story and her character beautiful. At the same time sad and hopeful.

2) Fragile (Death Stranding)

I have talked about her here. Fragile embodies one of the thematic hearts of Death Stranding imo. She embodies the beauty of humanity. A humanity who is fragile, but not that fragile. It is a humanity that specifically because it is frail is beautiful and must be protected. It is a humanity that wishes to reconnect and to build something new. A humanity who is frail, but not weak.

3) Yosano Akiko (BSD)

Yosano (together with Chuuya) has one of my favourite backgrounds in the whole series. Her background is great because it explores how a healing power can be used in a disastrous and utilitaristic way. It is also a story that highlights the strong link between death and life and how death is a part of life and also something that in specific situation gives value to life itself. In short, her story and character are incredibly complex and deep.

4) Mikasa Ackerman (Snk)

I have written about her multiple times. In particular, this is why I love her. Mikasa is for me an incredible refreshing character and her story and character moments are all all very beautiful and delicate, but also powerful.

5) Gabi Braun (Snk)

I like children characters that are also complex. Gabi is like this. She is a kid, but has a very well defined personality and you can clearly see why she is how she is at the beginning of the story. However, she is also challenged and is able to grow and to bloom. I like what her arc represents and her relationship with Falco is very cute. I also like that she is able to be useful in fights despite being a child and not having superpowers. Her ability are well fleshed out since the beginning and they remain as a constant throughout her story.

6) Emerald and Mercury (Rwby)

I adore them. They are the reason why I am currently so passionate about Rwby tbh.

They clearly represent two different sides of Cinder and are linked to the root of who she deep down is. Moreover, they are two very complex characters on their own rights and have opposite strengths and weaknesses.

Emerald is a child hungry for love who would even accept wasted food to try and fill that hole she has inside of her. She steals from others to feel whole, but she is never able to truly get what she wants.

So, she traps both others and herself inside complex illusions and refuses to use her (very powerful) gifts for others. Despite this, it is clear that she has an incredibly high potential to care... she fights her feelings, but they are very slowly resurfacing. She is a gemstone covered in dirt (I am the one, who rose out of filth and was loved by no-one) and her outfit clearly conveys this as well.

Mercury is a child who has been hurt so badly he thinks he can’t be anything else, but what his abuser told him he is. He killed his father, but is still very clearly stuck in a cycle he can’t escape and that will repeat itself forever, if he does not manage to change. Before there was his father, then Cinder and now Tyrian.

He very clearly lashes out at others because he feels he is less than them in a way (he has no semblance, he has lost a part of himself). However, it is clear he has within himself still the ability to care. He very obviously cares about Emerald and tries to protect her in a misguided way. His attempt to help her are honestly just heart-breaking. He wants her to be safe, but has no idea of what a safe environment is.

In short, Emerald and Mercury are very clearly two abused children, who react to their abuse in different ways. Mercury’s sense of self is so fragile he just kills it and tries to fit where he is, while Emerald develops her semblance aka that part of her she uses to hide her true self behind.

8) Allison Hargreeves (The Umbrella Academy)

I love Allison’s powers and arc in both the series and the comics. I would love to write a meta about her eventually :’’’) Probably when TUA comes back and I feel motivated again. Anyway, I love that in the show her story is basically about her finding her authentic voice. She has lived a life made of lies and now she is trying to discover who she truly is and has trouble accepting her powers as a part of herself. Who is she without them? When should she use them? How? And won’t she disappear behind them if she uses them? How can she be herself with her powers? And how can she be herself wthout them?

What is true and what is not?

Allison’s arc is basically a very nuanced answer to this complicated question.

9) Five Hargreeves (The Umbrella Academy)

Five is my favourite character of the series. I love him very very much. He is a tragic character because he is so active, but his actions end up creating more problems than solutions. To avoid the apocalypse he should simply spend time with his siblings and care for them as people, who he does, but often fails to convey to them. I also like how in both seasons his power are fundamental for the plot and are used in the finale to solve the conflict.

He spends the majority of season 1 doing everything alone and ends it, by choosing to bring his siblings with him.

Season 2 happens because Five aims too high (a mirror of how he always values the bigger picture instead than the small meaningful moments with his family). This is why in the finale he travels back of only some seconds, just enough to prevent the deaths of his loved ones.

10) Levi Ackerman (Snk)

I love that Levi is such an important character both in terms of plot and in terms of themes. I think the Serum Bowl is one of the hearts of Shinjeki no Kyojin and one of the moments where the theme of freedom and choice is explored in its more nuanced way.

11) Krel Tarron (Tales of Arcadia)

I love Krel’s development. It is subtle, but it is very effective. Krell deep down wants companionship, but uses his own bias to put distance between him and others, so that he can’t be refused. Seeing him defrosting and becoming warmer because of his friendship with others is great! And I love his dynamic with Aja and how the two sibling are complementary and grow in opposite directions. I really like their arcs and their complementarity.

BONUS: Cinder Fall (Rwby) and Viren (Tdp)

They are bonus characters because they are not faves on an emotional level. However, I really like how they are written and that they both form a complex trio of foiling with two kids characters (and the kids characters are in both cases faves).

They are both two complex villains with complicated motivations that tie in their own self identities. They are also very clearly not the final villains of the series, but are still pretty much at the centre of the conflict of their respective stories.

Thank you very much for the ask!

[dreamerandcrazy]

Ok, so I haven't been able to comment much on my Riverdale rewatch mostly bc i'm watching it with my boyfriend and we have an agreement of no cell phones when we're watching, otherwise we can't pay proper attention to it. But I wrote down some notes about the episodes I did watch (I watched up until ep 6, which is very ironic bc apparently today is its anniversary, so yay for my perfect timing). I actually remember most of the stuff that happened in s1, so here's mostly a few things I paid more attention to or noticed about the characters and the ships, or things i'm able to look at through a different view now that i've watched all the seasons. Strap in if you want to see my notes, if not just scroll please, no ship or character hate here please. Also, feel free to ignore, this is really just a personal look in some stuff I didn't notice in my first watch.

- Betty's character used to be much happier and lighter in season 1. I know we're introduced to "Dark Betty" right in episode 3, but still, I feel like the way Lili played Betty in season 1 did not hold the same "darkness" as it does in the following seasons. The scene where she is dancing happily in her bedroom because she's going to homecoming with the boy she likes? The scene where she introduces Jughead to the Blue & Gold and gets him to work with her? Her genuine innocent happiness at seeing her sister again after so much time? The way she interacted with Kevin and Veronica? Those were all chef's kiss because she actually feels like a teenager in them. In all her girly glory, she radiates youth energy and it's a thing that was sadly lacking after s1. Btw this is not a critique at Lili's acting at all, I blame it entirely on Ras and his obsession with dark Betty.

- There's actually so many indications of Cheryl being a lgbt character in the first episodes that I have no idea how I missed it the first time. But then again, there were many indications with Veronica as well, and sadly that's not the path Ras chose for her.

- Jughead in s1 is truly so superior in so many ways that it's not hard to see why he quickly became such a fan favorite. I think even if he wasn't played by Cole Sprouse, he still would have conquered many fans' hearts. Sadly, the things that made Jughead such a loving and interesting character for me also fizzled out in s2 when the writing team decided to make him a woke serpent leader instead of allowing him to sticking to his true personality as a passionate mystery lover, a dedicated friend and very nerdy, which was very cute. I feel that we got some of that back for him in s4, which was good, but sadly s1 is where my love for him really stayed to stay. But I still care for him, and s5 has a promising storyline for him which i'm excited about, so let's see if s5 Jughead can become better than s1 Jughead.

- Going back again to Cheryl for a sec, I just noticed that the red lipstick actually wasn't that common for her in s1? At least not in the first five. I wonder when did it start becoming her trademark? Anyways, it's actually a really good look her and allows you to appreciate Madelaine's natural beauty even more.

- Also, did anybody notice how Alice lowkey figured out who killed Jason in ep 2 lmao, like... in episode two she legit says she wouldn't be surprised if the Blossoms themselves had killed Jason, which... is what happened LMAO, considering we know it was his father. And even more hilarious and tragically ironic note, in ep 6 she's laughing at Betty suggesting that Hal killed Jason because "do you think your father has the stomach for it?!"... Ma'am... i'm-.... 😂😂😂😂.

- This rewatch has reminded me of how much I adored and how I much I miss Josie and the Pussycats. The girls were such a nice addition to the cast, and their songs were so beautiful. I truly wish we get to see them again someday, but at the same time I also think the actresses deserve to be at a work place where they're given the treatment they deserve and not completely ignored and treated like extras.

- Archie/Valerie was super cute and is very underrated in the fandom, but i'm glad Valerie stood up for herself and didn't take any of Archie's or Cheryl's sh*t. Still sucks because they were really good together, though.

- Why was Jason not allowed to talk, lmao? Like, i'm sure it's become a running joke in the show at this point, but back when season one was airing what was the excuse for it? He appeared in so many flashbacks and scenes and we still never heard a single word ☠️☠️☠️☠️. I just want to know what was the reason lol.

- I liked s1 Reggie, but I feel like Charles Melton's Reggie is better because he actually feels like a douche with good intentions lol, and he has more of a personality. Most of the time I even forgot about Reggie in s1, but after s2 he definitely made me more aware of him. So for that, I like Charles Melton's Reggie more. But the actor from s1 still did a good job with what he was given.

From now on I will be talking about the ships, so bear with me, and know that I am a multishipper. Yes, I have my preferences. No, my word is not law, it's just an opinion, so please respect it.

- Bughead is still super cute in s1. I feel like from s1 they will always be my otp, even if I no longer feel as strongly about them now and have a different insight as to where I would like their story to go, and now I definitely see the problem others had mentioned before of how they kind of took over the show, which is something I kind of closed my eyes to before... But I really loved them in s1. It felt like a very juvenile teenage relationship, they didn't give much thought on why and if they should be together, they just went for it like teenagers usually do, and they were very very cute together.

- I feel like if you don't count Beronica (because they really were the best no matter what you say or ship), if there's a ship that deserves "best chemistry" award for s1 is probably Varchie. I lost my interest in them years ago, but this rewatch reminded me of why I actually loved them once. They never really became an otp for me, but Kj and Camila's chemistry in s1 was VERY GOOD, and I really liked them. Their kiss in the pilot was electric and the s&xual tension was OOF, and that chemistry carries on through the season. You can easily tell something will happen between them eventually. It makes me sad bc I don't know what happened after s1, but their chemistry from s2 onwards was just... not there for me. Which is ironic bc it's the season they truly started dating and they got a lot of smexy scenes, but I just... didn't feel it. But I'll leave that comment to my s2 rewatch. For now just let me enjoy Varchie's chemistry in s1 while it lasts because it was really good.

- Now we get to Barchie, who I made clear was the reason for my rewatch, so let's get to it. I LOVED the way Barchie was written in s1. I remember when I first watched Riverdale, I was curious about their dynamic but didn't put much thought into it because I loved Bughead too much and wanted them to be together, and I thought Barchie would be the traditional "first og ship" thing and wouldn't have a big follow up, but boy was I WRONG and am I GLAD for it. I'll talk more about their development in the next seasons when I get there, so for now let's focus a bit on s1. Just in like the first two episodes, there is so much Barchie foreshadowing, like, it's legit insane how it was right there in my face and I missed it the first time! "I have never felt what i'm supposed to feel with betty", "it's not my fault he doesn't like you", "I can't give you the answer you want"... Omg, those are obvious eyebrow raising "this will come back to bite you in the a$$" moments and it's incredible how they actually DO! I would call it clever writing, but like... it's Riverdale lol. So I really am just glad that the ship was done this way, i'm glad Barchie has the back story that they do, they've really come a LONG way and i'm happy I get to experience their whole growing storyline. It's also especially good because s1 actually provides you with scenes that show you their friendship and how they're so close, you see them hanging out, talking, their pictures together, everything was just really done well with them. Still have a bit of critique with the way Archie contradicted himself sometimes regardinf his feelings for Betty, but let's be honest, we've watched enough Riverdale to know that's just a problem with the writing.

- Kevin/Joaquin is still my favorite Kevin ship, i'm sad it's completely impossible to go back to them someday so for now i'll just be really glad it existed and that I got to see them even if it was short-lived. They had great chemistry and their kiss scenes always outsold.

- Beronica... sigh. Beronica. The most wasted chemistry i've ever seen on CW and I've watched a LOT of CW shows. There was so much potential there, s1 was practically overflowing with them and it's one of the reasons it became some popular. I remember when the Beronica fandom was the biggest one, ah, good times. Veronica and Betty were easily the best part of season 1, their friendship, their lowkey romantic moments, they were just superior in every way. This ship deserved better, not even just as a ship, but as a friendship.

- Veronica's s1 hair >>> Veronica's hair in seasons 2-4. I loved the side part and I am glad it's back in season 5, it looks so much better like that.

- Cheryl, as always, deserves better. Can't wait for her to meet Toni so I can watch again Cheryl finally get to love someone and be loved back, which is exactly what she deserves.

For now, that is all! I will probably make another post soon when i'm done with season one and from season two on I will be live-blogging the episodes since I will be watching it alone. Once again, pls, no hate, my thoughts are my thoughts. Peace.