#but i think further character development for him would allow him to make peace with his past re: ppl like queen of the night and dettlaff

[karvroom]

10 Things I Hate About Katsuki Bakugo

◤━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◥

⇦ 001. English Literature is a Pain in the Ass

002. Your Overgrown Hatred for Assholes

It was high afternoon when school was released at U.A High. Which meant the sun was beating down on everyone, but it wasn't as hot as the past few months, which you were grateful for.

You were walking out of the courtyard and into the parking lot with your best (and only) friend, Jiro. She twiddled her thumbs as you two strut across empty parking spaces. She always had an earbud in her ear; the only way you would catch her without one was if she were dead. You two shared a lot of female music artists in common, which is what initially brought you two together. That and her incredible sense in style that you ogle over.

You were content with the silence you both had while walking until a bright red car pulled up next to you, almost blocking your way to the driver's side of your car. Kaminari stopped you dead in your tracks.

"Hey. Your little Rambo look is out, (Y/N)." Kaminari looked as dumb as ever in his position. His hair falling in his face as had one hand on the steering wheel of the car. "Didn't you read last month's Cosmo?"

"Run along." You rolled your eyes, flicking your wrist at him to move forward. He shook his head, rolling away in his loud, obnoxious car in defeat.

As you and Jiro got in the car you couldn't help but think how much of a prude you had to be to get Kaminari to leave you alone. The boy has been dick riding you ever since the ninth grade. You were seniors now. It was starting to get embarrassing on his part.

After you buckled your seatbelt, you looked forward, only to see Kaminari talking to your sister. If only you could listen in on what they were saying—you doubt it was any good, but you wanted to protect Mina from any scum at all costs.

"Oh, boy." You sighed seeing Mina and her friend, Ochako, step into the back seat of Kaminari's car. They sped off. Your grip on the steering wheel tightened at the sight.

"That's a charming new development." Jiro sneered. She shared your hatred for Kaminari; just another reason why she's your friend.

"It's disgusting." You seethed. You turned the key in the ignition, starting your car. You started to drive forward from the parking space, but was stopped by some idiot on a bike. You stuck your head out the window, shouting at the boy, "Remove head from sphincter, then drive!"

He shakily nodded, moving out of your line of sight. The engine roared as you pressed on the gas pedal. You couldn't wait to get home, excited to start a new book you'd recently picked up.

"Do you actually think your sister is going to start going out with that guy?" Jiro asked, watching you drive into her neighborhood, which was close to the school. She never asked for a ride to school, but it was an afterschool ritual for you and her to drive home together.

A snort escaped from your perfectly plump and soft lips, "Yeah, right. Over my dad's dead body."

"Your old man is so strict."

"He's an idealist." You allowed your arm to fall out the window, resting it against the car door as you drove down Jiro's street. The houses in her neighborhood all looked the same, lacking any sense of character. You stopped the car, waving to your friend as she shut the door.

Jiro waved back, slinging her book bag over her left shoulder. She shot you a dampened smile, "Same time tomorrow?"

"As always." You put the car in drive, doing a U turn in the court. You retraced your steps and turned right, venturing closer toward your own house.

────୨ৎ────

You sat in the living room, on a chair which faced the beautiful blue sky in your backyard. The birds occasional chirp was your background noise. You found yourself at peace after a long day at school; only sinking further into the comfortable cushioned chair after each word your eyes scanned. You were on page 54 of 'A Room of One's Own' by Virginia Woolf.

"Hello, (Y/N). Make anyone cry today?" Your father asked, flipping through envelopes and letters of mail after entering through the front door.

"Sadly, no. But it's only 4:30." You looked up from your book to your dear, old dad, smiling to remind him what a pain he raised. You went back to reading before he could respond, trying to wrap up the chapter you were on before calling it a day. With the amount you read, you were surprised you weren't cross-eyed.

"Hi, Dad!" Mina popped, clinging onto your dad's arm. Her fluffy hair bouncing with each step she took. Your sister's style was one of a kind, ahead of its time if you will. Her pink, girly outfits paired with her ditzy attitude had any guy on their knees for her.

"Hello, precious." Your father replied, still gawking at the mail in front of him. Mina kissed your dad on the cheek as a greeting.

"And where have you been?" You paused on the page you were currently reading, closing your book. You wanted to catch your sister off guard—get her to admit to her wrong doings.

"Nowhere." She raised her brows at you.

"Hey, what's this? It says Sarah Lawrence." Your dad was too wrapped up in reading the mail that he ignored you and Mina.

He was surprised when he heard you gasp. As soon as you heard that name, you snatched the letter from your father's clutches. Your excitement was too much to contain, you had to stand up as you ripped open the envelope. A black booklet fell into your hands.

"I got in!" You giggled excitedly, pacing the room until you landed on your stomach on the sofa.

"Uh, honey, that's great, but isn't Sarah Lawrence in a whole other continent?" Your dad followed you, watching from behind as you read the booklet. Mina curiously watched from the sidelines.

"Thus the basis of its appeal." You loved your family, but you hated staying in one place. You wanted to go out and explore the world for yourself and be the one to decide what's best for you.

"I thought we decided you were going to stay here and go to school at Kyushu like me." Your brows furrowed, closing the booklet as you sat in an upright position.

You maintained eye contact with your father as you sternly spoke. "No, you decided."

"Oh, okay, so what, you just pick up and leave, is that it?" He shook his head with disappointment, his duchenne smile dropping to a monotonous line.

"Let's hope so." Mina chimed, swaying her body aside to side with her hands intertwined together behind her back. Her flowy dress following wherever she went.

You took a deep breath, maintaining your composure, "Ask Mina who drove her home."

"(Y/N), don't change the—" Your dad pointed his index finger toward you, until it clicked in his mind what you said. His brows raised as the words spewing from your mouth, as he turned to your sister who looked guilty as ever, "Drove? Who drove you home?"

"Now, don't get upset, Dad, but there's this boy..." Mina did the classic wide eyes and pouting lip as your father stared her down, hands on his hips as he did so.

"Who's a flaming imbecile. Just thought that should be brought up." You added, sarcastically smiling as you popped the 'p' at the end.

Your dad's view changed to you, "Please—"

Mina interrupted your father, making direct eye contact with you as she spoke. She was more concerned with getting under your skin than seeking your father's approval of the boy—which he shouldn't appease to at all. "And I think he might ask me—"

"Please. I think I know what he's going to ask you." His hands shot for Mina's arms, trying to get her to look at him. She awkwardly stood, instantly regretting her say in the conversation. Your dad raised his voice, wagging his finger in Mina's face, "And I think I know the answer...No. It's always no."

He spun Mina around for her to take a seat next to you on the couch. She let out a heavy sigh in defeat as she crossed her arms and legs. Mina looked in every direction except your own.

"What are the two house rules? Number one, no dating till you graduate. Number two, no dating till you graduate. That's it!"

"Dad, that's so unfair." Mina shook her head side to side, refusing to accept the truth that she wouldn't the able to go out with the dunce face.

"All right, you want to know what's unfair? This goes for you too." He pointed his finger at you, who leaned into the cushions of the couch, soaking in the comfort they had to offer. He knelt to your eye level. Your father inhaled before going on about a life lesson, "This morning I delivered a set of twins to a 15-year-old girl. Do you know what she said to me?"

"I'm a crack whore who should have made my skeezy boyfriend wear a condom?"

Your dad let out a satisfied smile at your sister's guess, shaking biscuits head in disapproval, "Close, but no. She said "I should have listened to my father.""

"She did not!" Mina slammed her fist into the couch cushions, finding it hard to believe the "nonsense" your father spat.

"Well, that's what she would have said if she wasn't so doped up." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Can we focus on me for a second, please? I am the only girl in school who's not dating." A frustrated Mina asked, using her hands to emphasize her point of view. You could understand where she was coming from, but you also thought the idea of teenage social life was overrated.

Your father's face contorted to one of near laughter, until he pointed at your figure lounging lazily on the couch. "Oh, no you're not. Your sister doesn't date."

Your head turned to your sister next to you, proudly stating, "And I don't intend to."

"And why is that again?" Your dad asked, trying really hard to nail his point into Mina's brain. She was starting to get pouty and you knew that usually meant she was ready to burst into tears out of frustration.

"Have you seen the unwashed miscreants that go to that school?" You couldn't stress enough how many boys at your school wouldn't stand a chance in society outside of high school because that's where they thrive. The boys lived off of dirt, uncleanliness and beer.

"Where did you come from? Planet Loser?" Mina cranked her head to look at you, finding it hard to believe that you two were actually related. You couldn't bring yourself to believe it either. You wanted to get a DNA test as soon as possible. Her scrunched nose and furrowed brows said it all. She was pissed and puzzled about how you've managed to survive this long as apart of the public without going into cardiac arrest.

"As opposed to Planet Look At Me, Look At Me." You mocked, sneering as you did so. Your dad's voice filled the room after your comeback, you both shot him a look.

"Okay, here's how we solve this one. Old rule out. New rule, Mina can date—" He paused, giving Mina the hope to fulfill her teenage dreams. The your father's finger pointed at you, "when she does."

He turned away from you both on the couch, giving Mina the opportunity to stand up and run after him, "But she's a mutant! What if she never dates?"

"Then you'll never date. Oh, I like that." Your dad's head whipped back to see your sister standing while you remained comfy in the couch's cushions. "And I'll get to sleep at night. The deep slumber of a father whose daughters aren't out being impregnated."

The conversation was interrupted when your father's cell phone begun ringing. A tone that was all too familiar to you—he was being called into work. He took out his phone, glancing at the caller ID before his eyes wandered back over to you.

"We'll talk about Sarah Lawrence later."

Your eyes circled to the back of your head, "Fine."

You passed by your sister, paying no mind to her pleads to modify the new rule. She knew you would never date, which angered her even more.

She wandered after your father, "Wait! Dad!"

He picked up his suitcase with one foot already out the door. He quickly stated before shutting the door, "Gotta go."

You kept reading the booklet Sarah Lawrence sent you as you walked up the stairs. You were barely half way when Mina decided to shout at you, "Can't you just find some blind, deaf loser to take you to the movies so I can have one date?"

You turned on your heel, facing Mina who was standing on the first step with her arms crossed and a scowl across her features. You weren't sure if your dad made the best move to leave you alone with Mina—even if someone's life depended on it. He may get a call from a neighbor saying how two young women got into a cat fight in the front lawn.

"I'm sorry. Looks like you'll just have to miss out on the witty repartee of Denki "Eat Me" Kaminari." You used your fingers to make air quotes, allowing your hands to fall back to your sides as you stared at your sister in disgust. You couldn't believe she wanted to go out with that jackass when she had much better options.

She scoffed, turning around to walk away, "You suck."

You rolled your eyes, mimicking Mina's voice as you repeated her hateful words, "You suck."

◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢

⇨ 003. French is the Language of Love

taglist🫐 @katsukota @wheezdostuff @honeydwitch @chuugarettes

[antirepurp]

not to be stone ocean brained but i adore the complexity it brings to jojo in a more direct way than anything before it. like pucci is the most obvious display of it since he's the first time we get an antagonist whose motivations we can understand and sympathize with even if we don't agree with his actions, a villain who isn't just evil for the sake of having a force the protagonists can fight again

but it goes much further than that with the main cast too, and we're given weather report whose character is given a 180 towards the end of the story and our perception of him as a "good person" gets challenged and questioned and toyed with before his untimely demise

we get anasui who is so unlikeable in so many ways and whose motivations are unbelievably shallow, and that makes you ask yourself why he is like that and forces you to think what the fuck is wrong with him, right to the end where he dies protecting his friends

we get foo whose entire character arc revolves around her identity and the question of what it means to be alive. a pile of plankton desperate to prove her intellect and superiority to humans just to be something more than her parts, whose life on this earth may have been the most fulfilling one out of her friendgroup

we get ermes and her dirty desire for revenge that drives her to commit crimes and eventually to murder someone just to have some closure, and in the end the implication of peace is there, that things are finally over, but rereading the end of the limp bizkit arc fills me with a sensation that it may have not been what ermes expected it to be. she derailed her life at a young age to get her revenge and she was allowed to have it, but did she ever think of what would come after it? what can come of her after it?

and there's jolyne and jotaro and the complexity inherent in both them as individuals and their relationship. the intention is that we read jotaro as a good person, someone who only wanted to protect his loved ones and still care about jolyne, and that jolyne forgives him once she realizes this, but it doesn't take that much digging to start finding cracks in the picture. because there's never any true closure when both of their lives end in a sea of emotions, neither of them ever addressing their hurt and their mistakes. because jolyne's mother is so very absent from the story and never visits her in green dolphin. jotaro cannot bring himself to express himself when reuniting with jolyne for the first time in years, not until he finds himself on the brink of death. jolyne's hurt cannot disappear as easily as we should believe it does. she only gets angrier as time goes by and the stakes get higher, and while she chases jotaro's discs because she does care it doesn't erase the anger that's been seething in her for most of her life

i don't know. it's just such a lovely development in writing when phantom blood gave us a comically evil villain and a protagonist whose kindness and goodness filed him smooth even if it made him something of a mythological hero the story could point back to later on. i adore it

[tenebraevesper]

I got a question. Why is Shadow your favorite character?

That's something I haven't really thought about. Usually, when I declare a character my favorite, it's kinda like a gut feeling - I see X Character and I instantly know they'll be my favorite. Nevertheless, I'm sure you'll probably want a more in-depth explanation.

Shadow the Hedgehog definitely fits the character archetype I tend to gravitate to, which I tend to describe as Troubled, But Cute (put a pin on the ''cute'' part tho), Anti-Hero or Anti-Villain type of character with a tragic backstory, who has an intimidating or untrustworthy presence, or is just a jerk, but deep down, they are sweet and/or genuinely care about the other characters in their own way.

If you want more examples, here is a list of my favorite characters from other franchises:

Impmon/Beelzemon from Digimon Tamers, initially a mischievous Digimon who caused trouble for the main cast, his traumatic experience with his own Tamers and his desire to become stronger led him to a path of destruction, followed by one of the most incredible and heartbreaking redemption arcs I've seen.

Bass.EXE/Forte.EXE from Rockman.EXE/MegaMan Battle Network/MegaMan NT Warrior. Bass is a Solo NetNavi who had been created by Dr. Cossack to improve internet security, but was betrayed by the humans when the internet at the time, Alpha, went berserk, causing Bass to be mistakenly blamed for that chaos. Believing that humans are monsters, Bass has set the goal to become the strongest and destroy humanity once and for all. He is also MegaMan's strongest rival, and I especially love how their relationship is portrayed in Ryo Takamisaki's MegaMan NT Warrior manga, where they both show deep respect for each other and it is acknowledged that MegaMan is the first person Bass allowed himself to bond with. Huh, when you think about it, Bass and Shadow are kinda similar, especially when the latest chapter that focused on Bass had him finally make peace with his past.

Darkrai from Pokémon, specifically Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time, Darkness and Sky. To quote the Pokedex: ''Folklore has it that on moonless nights, this Pokémon will make people see horrific nightmares.'' Darkrai is a Pokémon who is capable of causing horrible nightmares, but the truth is, he cannot control this ability and isolates himself on Newmoon Island. In Rise of Darkrai, he is portrayed as a misunderstood anti-hero who wanted to defend his home from Dialga and Palkia, and in PMD: Explorers, he is a maniacal tyrant who wants to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and these two different portrayals are one of the reasons why I adore Darkrai so much. And yeah, he definitely isn't the conventionally ''cute'' type, but I always had weird tastes.

Félix/Chat Noir from Ladybug PV, who I consider to be a different character from the CGI show. Having been cursed with bad luck, Félix needs to find ways to convince to Ladybug to kiss him while working together with her against the main villain and also dealing with Ladybug's civilian form, Bridgette. I'm certain that, if his character had been developed further, we would see a different side to him, show that there is more to Félix/Chat Noir than what is on the surface.

[sunnyslovin]

How to Fall in Love With a Scholar

Lesson 2: Becoming an Assistant?

synopsis: Frequenting the library you catch the eye of a mysterious snarky scholar with brilliant ideas,

ideas that will change all of Teyvat he tells you- and you just have to be a part of it. Who would pass up an opportunity as life changing as this?

Unknowing that it would involve much uncertainty and chaos along the way to a cure. You don’t even know how to properly dispose of a body for god's sake!

Experiments, awkward feelings, and antics ensue as you both struggle to figure out what exactly it is that you want from this research- and relationship.

Previous Lessons-

Lesson 1: https://www.tumblr.com/sunnyslovin/732305116817981440/how-to-fall-in-love-with-a?source=share

_______________________________________

The library was always a peaceful place, though it never was quite this interesting. Most scholars seemed to avoid the silent sections, preferring to study with others around. Zandik, on the other hand, was always holed away in the quietest corner, never minding the silence, but welcoming it. The only company he allowed was yours. Every other day you'd walk in to see him there, and for some reason you were comfortable around him. His quiet nature seemed to mesh with yours, and the two of you seemed to enjoy each other's company. You began looking forward to these days, with the occasional conversation with the strange academic.

As the days passed you learned quite a bit about each other.. ranging from your pasts to, more mundane everyday things. You talked about your majors and interests, what you wanted to do. Learning about Zandiks interests in ancient machines and furthering human advancement. In turn he learned about yours, entomology and reading. Although you both had the same fundamental understanding that this was just an acquaintanceship, you couldn't help but talk for hours sometimes, or steal glances at each other while reading.

The stern expression that always seemed present before faded the more you both talked. He would look down at his book, but his mind was elsewhere, not minding the looks you stole here and there, he occasionally caught your gaze too. Noticing your hand gestures while you talked, and your mannerisms. There was a layer of intrigue in his voice, and he seemed genuinely interested in your life and aspirations. He’d also begun telling you about the darker aspects of Sumerus culture he had always known about, and the shady things he had done for his research.

Another week passed and it was another day of you both chatting in the library after class. Zandik had begun to open up more and you suppose to a certain degree, trust you? Or just know from judge of character that you weren't one to tattle because he opened up a conversation about his.. extracurriculars.. going on about the research he was doing to find a cure for Eleazar. A few things that required more.. unconventional methods. Sitting in front of you now, legs crossed and arms folded, he grew frustrated at the lack of progress. Making it known in conversations.. and making it known with that scowl on his face. It did sound hard.. You finally spoke up, “You know.. I really admire what you're trying to achieve but, I don't think the Akademiya would be too happy about your experiments if they found out..”

Chuckling softly, there was a hint of annoyance in his tone, “I know they would be unhappy with my actions, which is precisely the reason I choose to conduct them separately. I aim to further human research and development, at any cost.” Pausing, he smiled softly before continuing on, “You know, I never would have expected to be sharing this with anyone, or for them to be so understanding of my actions.” He closed his book. “I've been thinking, you would make for an excellent lab assistant.”

Closing your book as well, loudly exhaling, “It's just.. I don't want you to do something brash one day and get caught.. You would certainly be expelled and.. ughh I don't want to be here alone again, that would be terribly boring!” Laughing quietly before looking at him a bit more serious, “I.. still have some qualms about your actions, but.. I do understand. As for lab assistant, you know my research lies with insects, not humans.”

Zandik smirked and placed his book on the desk in front of him. Looking directly at you, his tone almost teasing. “You don't have to worry. I won't get caught, that's one thing you can be certain of.” His expression shifted to one of seriousness. “And I know your research lies with insects, not humans. But, I've read some of your notes, you're far more intelligent and capable than many other students in the Akademiya. I could use a helping hand.”

Rolling your eyes, you let out another long exaggerated breath. “Ok Zandik whatever you say, but.. if you do get caught one day just, don't leave me here with these.. these people..” Glancing around the library you notice a few students studying while others pick out books, all having the same air of arrogance surrounding them. “As for helping you.. you're far too flattering with those words but, I can't fathom how I could be of any assistance.” Shrugging, he leaned back in his seat, “Believe me, I won't let you down. You're far too nice for these people to deserve your presence.” Smirk flashing across his face, he shook his head. “As for helping me, being a lab assistant requires very little technical knowledge. You don't need to know everything there is to know. As long as you can be an extra pair of hands during my experiments, you'll be fine. I'm sure you'll pick things up quickly.”

You nod at his words, thinking.. The offer was intriguing.. “Hm, I'll give it some thought and come back with an answer tomorrow, how does that sound?”

The young scholar nodded slowly, a trace of excitement in his eyes. “Very well, that sounds good with me. It would be good to have some help with my research..” Smiling softly, he tilted his head, “But don't you dare answer yes because you feel obligated to help me. I won't be bothered if you decline the offer, I'm quite used to doing things myself. Besides, I'll find another volunteer, sooner or later.”

“I hear you, and i'll think about your words well Zandik.. now shush and lets get back to reading..” You both respectively go back to reading your books in silence next to each other. After some time passed it was once again time to say goodbye, leaving the library to head back to your apartment for the night. Mind filled with thoughts about the offer, seeming to weigh on you as you mentally list out the pros and cons, it was quite a struggle trying to decide.

Eventually reaching the abode, thinking about this and that. You didn't have many friends, so an acquaintanceship was a nice change. You enjoyed his company, and being an assistant could be fun. But what if it wasn't? Would it be a mistake or could it help to expand your knowledge and interests?

Studying your own research and eating dinner, your mind occasionally came back to the offer and as you drifted to sleep the thought of it occupied your mind, not willing to leave so easily. Your own research seemed to pale in comparison to what you could possibly gain from your involvement with him. Perhaps it was the excitement that came from something new, or just the curiosity of what would happen if you agreed to his offer, even if the two of you were just acquaintances. Whatever the case, sleep did not come easy to you as you tossed and turned. Filled with an anticipation and nervousness for what's to come.

The next day classes seemed to drag on and the lectures seemed never ending. Until they were and you were at the library door again, still a bit nervous about this new endeavor. Shaking off any anxiety, the oak doors parted way to the book sanctuary, your feet leading you to the back, to the familiar spot.

Zandik glanced up from his book as you came over, giving a small nod in greeting. His expression remained straight, but it seemed to hold a tinge of expectation as he waited for your response. “Well? Have you thought about my offer yet?” Straightening up to turn to where you sat, it was as if he expected you to respond in an instant.

“Wow, not even a hello, how are you, anything? Maybe I'll retract my yes just for that!” A smile formed on your lips at that look of expectancy, and the playful sarcasm you spoke that rang the answer to his question.

He raised an eyebrow at your words, almost in a way to ask if you were joking or not. Seemingly thinking about your response, he tilted his head slightly still holding that tinge of excitement in his eyes. “I- so.. is it yes?” He stared at you, waiting for you to confirm his suspicions. You could feel the anticipation emanating from him, as he tried to hold back the elation currently being felt.

Rolling your eyes with a sigh and a smile, you gave way to confirmation. “Yes, I thought it over and.. it would be stupid of me not to accept such a rare opportunity of hands-on learning you could seldom find elsewhere.”

The scholar in front of you heaved a sigh as well, though one possibly from relief as the butterflies fluttering in his stomach slowly seemed to die down. He thought he was keeping his joy in check, but it was evident in his tone; the words rolling off his tongue exuded enthusiasm. “Wonderful.” Thoughts passed through his mind, and he glanced at you curiously, “Do you have time to start your duties today, perhaps? I believe I can give you a quick tour, and show you my current lab location.”

_____________________________________________

notes:

Hi all, thank you for reading! I've cross posted this from my ao3 if you care to check it out, https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnylovin/works

mad short chapter but progress 🧍‍♂️ how do you feel about becoming his assistant?? should be interestinggg 👁️ next chapter will be welcome to mtv cribs vibe- lab tour!!

If you have any comments or anything to share, feel free to. I'd love any feedback as this is my first long story! It's also my first times ever posting to tumblr & I had a bit of trouble formatting this so any advice would be helpful towards that as well! :)

[horizon-verizon]

The fact that Alicent surrounds herself with mentally unstable people, Cole and Larys, and is surprised when they act out, but continues to have them in her service. Also, despite seemingly being horrified, she did not turn Larys in for kinslaying and continued to have him as her ally. She benefitted from the death of Lyonel and Harwin by writing to her father and convincing him to return.

So her being privately upset at what Larys did doesn’t really mean anything if she doesn’t actually punish him and actually benefits from his crime. I would respect Alicent if she stopped with the holier than thou attitude and just owned up to the fact that she isn’t morally better than anyone else, and is willing to do whatever it takes to put her son on the throne. But since she doesn’t and still thinks she’s a better person than everyone, I hate her.

Sorry but she’s genuinely so infuriating. Her words inadvertedly got the father of Rhaenyra’s children (and her lover of 10 YEARS) killed and she’s harboring & protecting his killer and she STILL try to maim/murder Harwin’s son and look at Rhaenyra as if she’s the worst person in the world for... not raping her gay husband ?? I didn’t expect her to be friendly with Rhaenyra but Jesus Christ, a little humbleness would be nice.

I genuinely think that bk!Alicent would be similar in that she'd believe she was righteously getting the throne by any means for her sons. She also self victimizes at least twice in the record, once when she says Rhaenyra is too vengeful regarding her plan to kill Aemond and Alicent says "bastard blood she din war", the other time when she tasks her granddaughter to kill Aegon III. This is her expressing how righteous she believed herself to be, right towards her own death.

My problem with show!Alicent is that the show itself is unconsciously consciously making Alicent's abuse the motivation for us viewers to think how she thinks is truly correct, even though they will show Aemond and Aegon being much more violent and out of what little control she already didn't have over them. It's not so much that they are trying to say the greens were always the "good" guys or the protagonists so much that they are changing the female lead characters of canon (again, GRRM himself has described Rhaenyra as not like show!her) to reflect a reductive outlook on female nobles and how they try to obtain more power for themselves apart from their husbands and children by using the patriarchally given powers and privileges and what sort of access and influence they hold available to them. Alicent is much less intelligent, Rhaenyra much less defiant and self-focused. So we the audience witness these women as more...psychologically feeble than GRRM made them. Even with people pointing out the whole Rhaenyra wasn't as militaristically active or using mother's grief to take them out of this action that takes up the most spectacular parts of the Dance story. even with Rhaenyra of the show maybe being more "active", she still reads as psychologically tampered to me. Benevolent sexism on the writers' parts. Why can't women be fierce and or flawed, violent, etc. esp when part of it is a response to them not allowed the freedoms or privileges they are trying to obtain? It's further emphasized by both the inconsistencies, contradictions of characterization/dialouge, lore holes, AND how they tend to tack on actions, words, or traits at the last minute instead of developing these women they create...precisely because they didn't really think too hard about these women's motivations.

Alicent's and Rhaenys' "peacefulness-guide-violent-men" are both characterized as undebatable standards of morality when the situation they are in really doesn't call for it or allow it. So the whole "no war" business acts as an out-of-touch, condescending commentary the writers use to evaluate the moral characters of several characters' actions and push the responsibility of the war more on Rhaenyra than on most greens, too. How can we really look askance or hold the greens accountable when the show refuses to explore the many unprovoked sexist & homophobic and bastard-phobic comments each one makes BEFORE Luke's death? When Borros doesn't? When there is no Maris using Aemond's insecurity about his masculinity against him? They don't show what Rhaenyra/her family is up against, how it was never about "the realm's" safety or Rhaenyra's character but their own desire for power. Sure they'd be psychologically messed up by this proclivity for position/rule-following-above-personhood/love...that doesn't erase their power-seeking motivation being their top characterization either! Some say this is unrealistic of the bk!greens. I say, why? People are like this in the real world, and it'd be compounded by the greens being royals with 3 out of 4 male possible candidates in a monarchist feudal not-as-challenged patriarchal world!

Yes, they try to show how Alicent is hypocritical...but many times, they don't allow Daemon or Rhaenrya to directly challenge Alicent or Otto, like how in episode 3 Alicent says to Rhaenyra to not mind the politics of men...when Rhaenyra is heir...and these two are supposed to have been close enough friends for Alicent to supposed to have accepted that Rhaenyra's struggles with Aemma's state/her position/how Viserys treats her, etc. and not just dismiss them as her not removing herself from "man's business"...and Alicent at the same time saying Rhaenyra "must make the effort" to Viserys while she doesn't "make the effort" to let her supposed friend really try to confront her own detractors or think of ways to stifle their influence over Viserys. Much less acknowledge their threat.

So Alicent reads as more unpalatably, pathetic self righteous to people, instead of deliciously hypocritical. Because she's both shown to be so vulnerable and correct at times while the show switches up on us and shows her hypocrisies as if they are saying "see, we know who this woman is...but also, she's making some points".

No the actual text that Gyldayn writes is highly biased and probably ignores or definitely doesn't have critical information about certain events...but there is still the matter of this story having begun with a "disagreement" about the deserving of women's anger AND positions.

IDK if I made this very clear, but if at first you don't succeed...

[sesamestreep]

Nick/Jess, 15!

15. i’ll save you a seat (from this prompt list)

IT’S MILLER’S TIME

The bestselling author of the hit YA series ‘The Pepperwood Chronicles’ opens up about seeing his work adapted for television, his new novel, and becoming a father.

LOS ANGELES - The lunchtime crowd at Gogo’s Tacos in Silver Lake is more plentiful and aggressive than the colleague who recommended the spot for my interview with Nick Miller led me to believe it would be on a weekday, which means I spend the twenty minutes between when I show up (ten minutes early) and when he arrives (ten minutes late and convincingly apologetic about it) fighting off other patrons who are convinced I’m lying about expecting someone and want to steal his seat. His appearance in the busy restaurant is welcome for more reasons than one.

We’re here to discuss the new Netflix adaptation of his bestselling book series, The Pepperwood Chronicles, into a television series. The first season, which drops this Friday on the streaming platform, takes on the Herculean task of adapting the first book in the series (clocking in at 628 pages) into just eight episodes of television. It’s a highly anticipated project for the army of Pepperheads out there, who want to see if Sebastian Stan truly has what it takes to embody the titular grizzled New Orleans detective from Miller’s beloved novels, but it’s not the only project that’s been occupying Miller’s time lately. He’s also got his debut novel for the adult market, the stylishly-titled HoBo, which draws heavily on his childhood in Chicago, coming out in November. But the project he’s most anxious to brag about is one he had—by his own admission—very little to do with, aside from the original idea. The lion’s share of the credit belongs to his wife.

“This is Reggie,” he says, stretching his phone across the table proudly, swiping through dozens of photos of a pleasantly chunky infant in a Chicago Bears onesie. “Oh, and that’s Mario,” he says, when we get to a photo of a dog sniffing the same baby, asleep in a car seat and wearing a hooded jacket with bear ears.

“I know he looks like a funky little alien right now, but my wife says that most babies get really cute around the six month mark,” Miller says, after suddenly remembering that he has tacos he could be eating. He takes an enormous bite of one before making a face. “God, don’t print that. My son is already adorable. I love him.”

We debate whether or not I can actually print that comment (guess who won) for a few minutes before Miller finally allows us to move on. I ask, given his penchant for drawing details from his own life to use in his novels, if this recent development for him means we can expect the next Pepperwood installment to find Julius Pepperwood and his leading lady, Jessica Knight, contemplating parenthood. 

“I don’t know about that,” Miller says, with his mouth full. “It’s not that one-to-one for me. Yes, Pepperwood is based on me in some ways, but in many other ways he isn’t, you know? Same goes for Jessica Knight. She’s based on my wife, definitely, but I’ve never felt constricted by that. I’ve always felt like the characters follow their own path, though they take inspiration from my real life.”

In this answer, Miller has given me both an articulate response and neatly sidestepped giving any confirmation of further Pepperwood installments, which forces me to ask the question directly. His face goes blank for a moment afterwards, and he spends a while chewing before he attempts to answer.

“I’m not saying no,” he finally replies, wiping his hands on a napkin, while looking thoughtfully into the distance. “But I’m also not saying yes. There have been people—and my wife tells me not to read the reviews or the comments, but sometimes, you know, shit happens and you see some stuff—there’s people who think Pepperwood is too happy now. They liked him when he was tortured. Now, he’s got the love of his life by his side, he solved his brother’s murder, he made peace with his father. It’s like, where’s the tension anymore? But at the same time, I don’t want to make him miserable again just to sell more books.”

Miller talks about Pepperwood (and Knight and all of his characters) like they’re real people, a fact he shrugs off when I point it out.

“Of course,” he says. “Of course they’re real to me. It’s important to remember that they’ve been with the readers for six books now, but they’ve been with me for longer than that. And they don’t leave me alone when the book is done, either, like they do for my readers.”

They don’t seem to leave his readers alone after the last page, actually, if the healthy fandom producing fanart and fanfiction online are any indication. Miller, of course, has thoughts.

“I’m pleased about it,” he says, with his usual Chicago-born nonchalance. “It’s always made me happy that my work resonates with people, especially young people. I didn’t see that coming, in the beginning. It wasn’t supposed to be a YA series.”

The origins of The Pepperwood Chronicles are the publishing world’s version of a Cinderella story. Miller initially published the first book in the series himself at the encouragement of his friends, hawking the hand bound (!) copies at local bookstores with the encouragement of his then-girlfriend, as well as his future wife (“Two different women,” he clarifies. “It’s a long story.”) The hefty novel all about the seedy underbelly of New Orleans very quickly found a devoted fan base amongst a surprising audience: teenage girls. Where other authors might have bristled, Miller instead took his unexpected champions in stride.

“Like, there was definitely some initial shock to get over,” he explains. “If I’d known I was writing to teenagers specifically, I would have cut, well, a few things from that manuscript.” He’s referring delicately to some pretty explicit sex scenes and graphic violence, which definitely get toned down in later installments of the series. Confronted with this, Miller shrugs and says only, “That’s show biz!”

Speaking of show biz, how does he feel about the Netflix adaptation of his work?

“It was really interesting,” he offers, thoughtfully. “I’m grateful they didn’t ask me to write it, because it turns out I’m a terrible screenwriter.” Before I can ask him to elaborate on that, he continues, “But the team really did check in with me a lot and they made sure the tone felt right, and the changes they had to make worked with my understanding of the world and the characters. I felt like they really respected Pepperwood, which obviously means a lot to me.”

Miller is being generous, of course, considering he and his wife are both executive producers on the series. When I mention this, however, he waves it off. “They still could have told me to fuck off with my opinions,” he says.

As for working with his wife in that capacity, he’s more than happy to sing her praises. “She’s great. Aside from myself, she’s the person I trust most to get Pepperwood, you know? Like my editors and my agent and everybody, they’re amazing, but if I’m really stuck, Jess is the one I can turn to and be like ‘does this work? Or does it suck?’ And she’ll tell me. She’s always been that person for me. She’s the first person I shared the first draft of the first book with, so her input is invaluable. Or is it valuable?”

“They mean the same thing,” I tell him.

“That’s stupid,” he replies. “I mean, I’m not calling you stupid. The English language is stupid sometimes. My wife’s input is very important to me, is what I’m saying. Her instincts are spot on.”

And they should be, after all. When she’s not producing the Pepperwood TV series with her husband, Jessica Day (yes, you’re reading that right. Miller’s wife and the inspiration for his character Jessica Knight is named Jessica Day. Check the dedication on the first Pepperwood novel if you don’t believe me) works for Scholastic, as a part of their team that handles community outreach to K-12 schools across the country. (Miller’s publishing deal is with an imprint of Simon & Schuster, in case anyone is worried about favoritism.) Before that, she worked briefly in the nonprofit industry and as a middle school teacher and later vice principal. 

“She understands the demographic perfectly,” Miller summarizes, fifteen minutes into an endearing monologue about how great his wife is. “I think the writers for the TV show liked having her around even more than having me. She really knows her stuff.”

When I follow up a few days later with Ms. Day for comment, her husband’s remarks amuse but don’t surprise her. “He’s always giving me too much credit,” she says, humbly.

Does it weird her out at all, to have so many people so intensely invested in the fictionalized version of her love life?

“It’s funny. I know the names are really similar and obviously Nick borrows things here and there from our real life,” she says, “but I really don’t feel like Jessica Knight is me. So I don’t take it personally at all.”

This isn’t the first time this attitude has come up in interviews. Last year, when casting was announced for the Netflix series, Day made headlines for defending the production’s decision to cast British actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Jessica Knight after many fans claimed she didn’t match Knight’s description in the books.

“Gugu’s a very talented actress. I’ve seen her screen tests and she will blow you away when you see the show, I promise!” Day took to Twitter to say at the time.

“She capture [sic] JK’s energy perfectly,” she added in a further tweet. “Please welcome her to the Pepperwood family as we have!”

Now, Day is less diplomatic in her response. “It was a small portion of fans who were upset,” she says, “but they were the loudest contingency. It was very upsetting, and honestly tacky. So what if she doesn’t look like me? The character isn’t me, first of all. And the books are set in New Orleans, for God’s sake! It would be stupid if the entire main cast was white people.”

When I accuse her of saying the quiet part loud, as the kids say, Day seems nonplussed. “It’s those new mom hormones, I guess,” she replies, as a baby cries in the background of the phone call as if on cue. “I just don’t give a fu…dge.”

Miller, during our interview, feels similarly. “The team went with the best people for the parts, and we made it clear, my wife and I, that they absolutely weren’t trying to cast our doppelgängers. That wasn’t the point. Honestly, it would have freaked me out if they had.”

So he doesn’t think he and Stan look alike? 

“No, not at all,” he says, automatically. “Do you?”

“He kind of seems like a more Hollywood version of you, yeah.”

Miller takes a long time thinking this over. “That’s…huh…”

In order to distract him from the existential spiral I’ve inadvertently led him down, I switch us over to the topic of his new book, HoBo. It’s made several lists of most anticipated books for this fall (including this publication’s) but there was a while there where Miller feared the manuscript would never see the light of day. 

“The publisher thought it was too dark for the teen market,” he says, without any of the smarmy pride one would expect from the average male author accused of being ‘too dark’ by The Man. “I had no idea! I thought Pepperwood was too dark for teens and they loved it! So, there was a bit there when I was like, ‘okay, so this is the end, I guess.’”

Miller isn’t being melodramatic either. There was a moment, according to him and confirmed by his editor, Merle Streep, where they considered parting ways. Luckily, they came to an understanding once the dust settled and Miller pitched the novel, then titled “Chicago Hobo”, for the adult market. The source of this brilliant solution? You guessed it: Jessica Day.

“My wife’s a genius,” Miller states. “It was so simple and yet none of us could see it. Of course they should market the book to adults, if they thought it was too gritty for teens. Obviously.”

Day, however, downplays her contribution. “The issue with the manuscript came to a head on our wedding day, if you can believe it. On our honeymoon, it was all Nick could talk about. He was worried he’d never publish another book again. I suggested he send the manuscript around to other publishers to see if there was interest, but pitch it as, you know, a book for grownups. I thought it would make him feel better. I had no idea that the minute he did that, his original publisher would come back to him with a deal.”

But that’s exactly what they did. He’s also on the hook for three more books after that, though he’s cagey with details about if those will be HoBo sequels, further Pepperwood adventures, or something else entirely.

“We’re in a really pivotal moment,” Miller says, looking a little bit sweaty as he admits it. “We’ll see how Pepperwood does as a TV show, we’ll see how people feel about HoBo when it comes out.” He pauses to laugh. “We’ll see if being a father completely fries my brain and I never write another coherent sentence ever again.”

Early reviews and chatter are saying that the new novel is every bit as cinematic as The Pepperwood Chronicles, which suggests a screen adaptation is more a matter of “when” than “if.” It is, by Miller’s own admission, even more autobiographical than Pepperwood (the preteen narrator is Travis Tiller, called “Trick” by his friends, so do with that what you will). It’s based, in many ways, on his childhood in Chicago, but it’s also equal parts dystopian speculative fiction and superhero origin story, with a heavy pour of magical realism to wash it down. The cinematic universe practically writes itself.

“We just don’t know,” Miller replies vaguely. No matter what I do, I can’t get him to speculate on bringing this book to the small or big screen. “I don’t want to jinx anything,” he adds, frantically, after many such questions.

Fine. But, as pure speculation, what actor does he think, potentially, has what it takes to bring the eponymous hobo to life on screen?

“Rock Hudson,” he says, after much bullying.

When I inform him that Rock Hudson is dead and has been for more than 30 years, Miller looks crestfallen. What about preteen Trick Tiller, then? Is there anyone Miller would entrust to play his younger self?

“Cate Blanchett,” he replies.

When I point out that she’s both older than him and a different gender, he frowns. “She played Bob Dylan, though,” he counters, confused. I concede that he’s got me there.

We return to the much safer topic of conversation that is the current adaptation of one of his novels. What’s he most looking forward to now that the show is finally premiering?

“Getting to go on a date with my wife,” he says, sincerely, with the dead-eyed stare of a sleep-deprived new parent. “Seriously. We’re getting a sitter to watch the baby, we’re bringing a few of our close friends, who are all getting sitters for their babies. It’s going to be really fun. It’s going to be a classic mess around.”

A what?

“Don’t worry about it,” Miller says.

Is there anyone whose opinion he’s particularly anxious about, when it comes to the TV show? Or even his new novel?

“I’m always worried about what the fans think. I want the Pepperwood fans to like the show. I want them to like the new book, even though it’s not about Pepperwood, you know?”

Does he think there will be crossover?

“Absolutely I do, yes,” he says, emphatically. “The kids who read Pepperwood when it first came out—this is terrifying to say, but—they’re grown up now. They’re in college or they’re young professionals. HoBo is written for their age group now. It will be marketed to them.”

It’s kind of like they’ve grown up with him.

“Don’t say that,” Miller replies, putting his head in his hands dramatically. “I’m gonna have a panic attack. Having an actual biological child is scary enough.”

Speaking of scary, to distract him from another existential crisis, I ask if he’s been starstruck at any part of the process of turning his beloved novels into a TV show, and his answer is surprising to say the least.

“I mean, I was a little bit starstruck meeting Alfred Molina the first time. He was already in costume as Schmith, too, which was an extra level of weird,” he says, referring to the iconic love-to-hate-him villain of the first Pepperwood book and a supporting player in many of the series’s other installments. Still, Miller eventually got used to the idea of Doc Ock himself being in the show. 

“Oh, I know my big starstruck moment,” he adds. “When Taylor Swift tweeted about the trailer. That was like…Woah! Is this really happening?”

That’s right. When the show’s first trailer debuted in March, the Grammy-winning singer took to Twitter to express her excitement.

“I can’t believe how good this looks,” she tweeted with the emoji of the cat making the Home Alone face. “Is it September yet?!?”

Can we take his excitement over this interaction the confirmation we’ve all been waiting for that Nick Miller is a Swiftie? 

“I don’t know what that is, but I like her. She’s really talented. When my wife’s upset, she likes to listen to Taylor Swift and cry while she drinks pink wine,” he says, before taking a troubled pause. “Maybe I shouldn’t have told you that.”

Day laughs when I tell her this anecdote during our phone call and gives me the go-ahead to print it. “It’s true,” she says. “Who cares?”

So, if they had to pick a Swift song to represent Julius Pepperwood and Jessica Knight’s relationship, what would it be?

Miller’s answer is simple: “You should ask my wife.”

Day’s response, on the other hand, is more complex. “I think it evolves over time, you know, from book to book. Probably in the early books, before they get together for real, it’s ‘Out of the Woods’ or ‘Wildest Dreams.’ Maybe even ‘White Horse,’ if you want to go back into her catalog.”

What about for her and Miller?

“That’s easy,” Day says, and the smile is obvious in her voice. “I’ve always thought of ‘Mine’ as our song of hers.”

This conversation mostly just confirms Miller’s assertion that his wife knows his characters just as well as he does. It also begs the important question of whether he’ll use this big moment in his career as leverage to arrange a meeting between Swift and his wife.

“I don’t know,” he says, honestly. “Maybe? I should ask Jess. She might kill me if I pulled that on her with no warning.”

As our meal and interview come to an end, I can’t help asking Miller a question that has been on my mind the whole time: with all this talk of how great and inspiring his wife is, and how integral to his creative process she’s become, does he happen to identify as a Wife Guy?

“I don’t know what that is either. You keep saying these things—I’ve never heard of them before,” he admits. “But I like the sound of it. So, yeah. I guess so. Unless it’s a bad thing. In which case, no. Was that—did I answer your question?”

In this case, just like so many of Nick Miller’s characters before us, we might have to make peace with an ambiguous ending.

•

The Pepperwood Chronicles premieres exclusively on Netflix this Friday.

[sapphire-weapon]

My personal take on this whole aeon debate, as a non-shipper is that their relationship is just so unhealthy and I feel like his character deserves a little bit of peace in his life. Ada cannot give him that, and as much as I think she could be a great character - her character was born just from an idea of a James bond-esque sexy untrustworthy spy and....that's it. She hasn't been developed further because it would ruin the mystery.

I imagine Leon flourishing with an honest and capable partner in his life to support him. Maybe as he's estranged from his family (or whatever happened there) yknow if he's not on a mission during Christmas then he could go with her to visit her family, then the soft inner-leon could start peeking out. Or something.

I just don't know what there is to support aeon as a ship bar chemistry. I get the vibe some aeon stans thrive on toxicity. Ada is not nice. Sure she's got a soft spot for him.... But he ended up in a mental spiral because of her.

I'm nervous for separate ways. Capcom has really set up for him parting ways with Ada but I'm not sure I trust them to follow through.

Just my thoughts!

So, there's a lot going on here in this ask.

I don't like looking at ships from the perspective of "What does this character deserve to have happen?" because that's not how reality works, and it's not how storytelling should work, either. There's nothing in the universe that states that if you put X amount of work in or you suffer for Y amount, you will/should get a certain specific outcome.

What Leon deserves? Is the consequences of his actions, whatever they might be.

OG Leon does deserve Ada, because he keeps making the same dumbass fucking mistakes that keep him attached to her. If he can't let her go -- if he can't allow himself to mature emotionally past age 21 in 1998 -- then he deserves the misery and discomfort that it causes him. His horrifying, manic mental breakdown at the end of RE6 when she gets shot is earned. He did that to himself. No one else did it to him -- no one forced him to keep sticking his hand in the fire. RE4make proved that Leon can still care about Ada without becoming obsessive to the point of a horrible downward spiral that culminates in him becoming a functional alcoholic. OG Leon refuses that reality, though, and he reaps what he sows.

Is that what's best for him as a person, in order for him to live his best life? HELL no. But those are two different things. Leon gets/got what he deserved, and what he deserved wasn't what's best.

Don't be nervous for Separate Ways. Leon's role in the story of RE4make is over. Leon and Ashley are done. Separate Ways will deal with Ada, Luis, Krauser, and Wesker. If Ada is still romance-coded towards Leon in Separate Ways, then that would actually be really fucking interesting, because what Remake will have actually done is switch their roles around. Now it'll be Ada's turn to get attached to Leon in a hugely unhealthy way, and she'll get what she deserves for it, same as he did in OG. (This was also kind of foreshadowed already a little bit, with Wesker saying "don't come crying to me if you get bit.")

Personally? I get the appeal of toxic/mutually destructive ships. There is something very cathartic about them, especially if you're a self-destructive person yourself or you've just been through a bad breakup or whatever the case may be. I don't ship Joseph/Kidman in TEW or Tseng/Aeris in FF7 because I want a happily ever after. I ship them because they can never be together, realistically -- it's a dream born from a wish that will never manifest in reality, and I find the pain and longing and the "if only" that comes from that -- from the state of being so close to a person but never actually ever being allowed to touch them -- to be very cathartic.

Aeon is a similar kind of ship in concept, except Aeon goes one step further, and Ada and Leon do actually touch each other, and it just makes everything so much fucking worse. And there is an appeal to that kind of thing. I get it. I do, really, I do. The only reason why I don't ship them is because I think it's written poorly and executed even worse and it fucks up Ada's entire character and screws her over in terms of her contributions to the overall plot of RE.

But the issue from the fandom perspective is that that's not how the vast majority of Aeon shippers actually view/treat them, and that's where my disconnect with the whole thing comes from, personally. I don't understand how someone looks at Leon and Ada and thinks of retirements for them that are happily ever afters, or has fucking family/children headcanons for them??? THAT'S ANTITHETICAL TO THE NATURE OF THE SHIP I seriously don't fucking understand Aeon fandom in the slightest, and that's why I say that it's very likely just a case of a bunch of people self-inserting onto Ada really fucking hard because they want to suck Leon's cock (which, I get it! I'd suck it, too, holy shit I'd suck that man dry).

So like.

Would Leon flourish with a supportive partner? Yes, absolutely. Is that what he deserves? Not necessarily.

I would argue that Remake Leon deserves that, which is why the romance with Ashley has already been set up. But OG Leon? He's on his fuckin own. He had so many opportunities over the years to grow the fuck up, and he never did. And that's on him.

[kylermalloy]

Something something plantcest Flowers in the Attic AU

For the uninitiated, Flowers in the Attic is a gothic horror novel published in 1979 by VC Andrews. Four siblings are locked in an attic for years on end. Incest ensues.

So imagine—Vash and Nai locked up at a young age due to [unspecified tragedy] befalling Rem, which twists their subsequent development around each other

Oh my GOSH this is perfect for them

Here’s how I think it would go. Bulleted list to follow

Warnings: transphobia, manipulation, dubcon, periods, pregnancy, miscarriage

The twins are about ten when Rem dies and are passed into the hands of some relative or guardian (I am too lazy rn to elaborate further on this character)

Cruel guardian disgusted by their existence for [unspecified puritanical reason]

Does not believe Vash when he asserts he’s a boy; only provides him with dresses and skirts which he hates to wear

Nai shares his clothes with Vash so he feels comfortable

Vash adores wearing his brother’s clothes; they’re a little too big but they’re always warm and they smell like Nai. It’s a win-win.

Guardian is incredibly paranoid about the twins lusting after one another; insists they bathe, dress, sleep separately

They Do Not. They do everything together.

Vash longs for the outside. Presses his nose to the glass, dreams of climbing trees and growing flowers and going to school—

Nai helps him draw flowers all over the walls of the attic

Whenever their guardian catches Vash wearing Nai’s clothes, they’re liable to not get any food for a few days, at least

Puberty hits them both like a truck; Nai’s voice drops, Vash gets menstrual cramps and cries over his chest pains night after night

They climb out the window, sometimes, at night. Sit on the roof and watch the stars. They know them all by name; it’s in one of the books they’ve been allowed to have.

In that peace, that sliver of freedom, Vash longs for more. Maybe he cries about it. Maybe Nai just wanted to kiss him. Anyway, they discover kissing as they do all things—together.

Within a year they’re exploring each others’ bodies. They were made for this, Nai tells him. They belong together. It’s so natural, the way Nai rises under Vash’s touch, how Vash becomes slick enough for Nai to slide right into him—

Vash is pregnant by age thirteen.

They’re almost relieved when it bleeds out of him after just a few months.

Still, some part of Vash shatters when he realizes what’s happened.

He draws more flowers on the wall, over the old ones. It looks to Nai like a memorial.

Nai can’t promise him another baby. How he could he, when they’re so young, when they live like this, when they’re brothers—

It happens again, anyway.

They’re fifteen when the baby is born. It’s a girl, and miraculously, she’s healthy.

And loud. She’s very loud.

They’ve done all they can to conceal Vash’s condition from their guardian—wrapping him in coats and blankets, him feigning sickness for the last few months, when his belly is far too swollen to hide

But how can they hush a newborn baby?

Guardian finds out, cuts off their food entirely

Vash is near hysterics; how can he feed the baby if he can’t feed himself?

They’re on the brink of starvation when their guardian returns with food; announces the plan to send the baby to an orphanage

Nai snaps. He’s gotten a knife from somewhere, and—well.

They escape, two penniless boys and a newborn baby.

Making a new life for themselves is hard; they must reinvent who they are so as to appear ~acceptable~ to society

Their mother is newly deceased; the baby is their sister. They certainly haven’t been locked in an attic for five years, nope, nuh-uh.

It’s all so overwhelming. The boys deal with freedom in different ways. Nai is aloof, cut off from connecting with others—except Vash. Vash, on the other hand, gives a piece of his heart to everyone he meets.

Nai’s not jealous, of course. He knows Vash belongs to him, utterly and completely.

Right?

He begins to restrict where Vash can go, who he can see. Stay inside, brother, the baby needs you. Trust me, I know what’s best.

Vash naturally acquiesces, but he longs for the outside, for the freedom he dreamed of for so long. The flowers, the trees.

Someone probably guesses their secret about the baby, or at least part of it. Vash’s chest is a little too prominent, and people are cruel and judgmental.

Nai takes drastic measures to defend his little brother. They may or may not have to hide a body.

Sometimes, Vash whispers, he thinks it would be easier if they split up. At least for a little while.

Nai stiffens. Absolutely not.

They haven’t had full-on sex since the baby, but Nai pushes until Vash agrees to it. He warns Nai to be careful, though—they can’t explain another baby!

We’ll go away, then, Nai says. Somewhere they don’t know us.

He won’t let Vash get away from him, no matter what.

…and that’s where my imagination runs out for now. Suffice to say whatever happens after will be painful.

[most-mistreated-characters]

We can confirm Papyrus for most mistreated just by the sheer fact that you, poll runner, put him up against Hunter in the first round (pensive emoji) To be fair to him (and us, the Papyrus enjoyers) he put up a hell of a fight. The difference in Hunter and Papyrus' fandom experience is night and day. Hunter is beloved. Hunter is celebrated. People HC he is neurodivergent and it is used to elevate him.

Papyrus, intentionally or not, is written like he's neurodivergent and the fandom took one look at him and for the last nearly 8 years has decided he need to be murdered to further his brother's angst-overfilled storylines, or that he's too stupid to live and is taken advantage of, or that people aren't allowed to swear around him or telling him his poorly cooked spaghetti is bad because otherwise Sans Will Kill You. Like as someone who reads Papyrus/reader inserts, it drives me fucking nuts, it's ALL reverse harems focused on Sans. The ones that don't are shit like. Fucking. Sans threatens to kill you if you even date Papyrus. Sans threatens you with his eyes from across the room if you dare even THINK to suggest Papyrus' spaghetti could be improved.

A trope I have seen on more than one occasion is these shitty reverse harem fics tagging it for Papyrus/reader romance and then they have Papyrus say he's ace and he just fucking ceases to exist. Horrortale Papyrus is meant to be the same as UT Papyrus but he gets a different ending that goes wrong. On at least one occasion in these terrible fics where Papyrus says "I'm Ace" and then ne does the peace sign and fades away, horror Papyrus is also there and even though the FIC ACKNOWLEDGED THEY SHOULD BE THE SAME, THEY SAID HORROR PAPYRUS WASN'T ACE "ANYMORE" which just proves people put often make classic Papyrus ace to kick him out of the big kids romance room, which as an ace person pisses me off.

One of my favorite fics ever involves the world being reset after the reader develops a relationship with him and suddenly it's a murder run and reader remembers Papyrus exists so they go into the mountain and are helping SANS FIGHT FRISK???? And there's like one fucking chapter left and we don't even get to see the reader rebuild their relationship with Papyrus after the reset, it's just "That was fun NOW TIME FOR SANS GLOWY MURDER EYE WEEEEE"

And that's one of my favorites. One of the most popular fics in the fandom is literally Papyrus being tortured by Flowey to make him "less innocent" so he can get into the royal guard.

I did a count of all the major endings in UT and out of roughly 18 major endings 9 of them involve Papyrus being dead or very sad (two sad, 7 dead)

Papyrus deserves to return.

no need to blame me. i do not hate papyrus so much that i put him against a character in the first round i knew he would lose to. dont know what you're getting at here but see what i did was put some unpopular fandom characters against popular fandom characters and some popular fandom characters against other popular fandom characters. so undertale, popular, against the owl house, also popular. im not an undertale fan so i knew nothing about papyrus, i also new nothing about hunter. i knew "popular fandoms" and put em against each other. sorry bud. root for papyrus in the redemptions.

[legendarycollectorprincess]

Hot take, but I think that Christopher's death was made on behalf of Grace's character arc.

"WHAT??? THE F*CK IS THIS PERSON TALKING ABOUT??!!

I know. Let me explain. But first, let me say that I'm not a Gracetopher shipper.

I neither hate this fictional couple nor do I think that the people who do ship them are in the wrong or anything like that (I'm part of the “Christopher being aro” squad, though). Also, I am not writing this to change anyone's mind. This is simply an observation of mine, and I would like to know if anyone else shares it (it's okay if no one does! Just don't send hate😔). So, if you like this couple, then please be aware that this post may not be for you.

All right! Now that we got this out of the way, let me begin:

I love Christopher. He, as a member of the Merry Thieves and as his own person, was one of my favorite characters of this trilogy. So, of course, I was sad with his death. But I didn't think it was meaningless, or a last minute kind of thing. I believe it had a purpose: not to reduce Grace's character, and her incredibly complex journey, to a romantic relationship.

“Oh look, Grace is good now! I mean, she did end up with Christopher, right?” PLEASE NO.

I seriously wish I was joking, but I promise you, I've come across enough posts and comments to think that some fans of the books decided that they liked Grace only because Christopher was her potential love interest. An idea that was only prompted by the family tree, before Cassie Clare decided to change it.

Because, let's be real, how many times did these characters interact so that they could develop a romantic attraction for each other? There was a mutual understanding between the two of them over science? Of course! Christopher's sympathy for Grace's situation? Absolutely! This boy was a kind soul. Grace's gratitude towards the one person who didn't see her as Tatiana's blade? It existed and it always will.

But Christopher didn't know Grace completely (didn't know of the unwanted kisses that she forced upon James and Matthew, or the horrible truth she revealed to Malcolm Fade). And Grace knew nothing about love (the romantic type, at least). She only knew the twisted and manipulative version that Tatiana showed her. She said it herself in Chain of Thorns: Tatiana made her hard and cold.

“But Christopher could have been the person to teach her about true love” AGAIN, PLEASE NO.

This is just like the “she could fix him” trope. And only because this time the female character was the “broken one”, and the male character was her “savior”, it still isn't right or makes it any better. I mean, this is practically the same issue some people had about Matthew and Cordelia, and the reason they didn't want them to end up together.

Besides, Christopher already WAS Grace's savior. He showed her kindness and patience when she was at the most hopeless point in her life, when she was locked up in the Silent City. He gave her the opportunity to help him with the creation of the fire messages, and helped her to rectify some of the damage she had done to people (like Cordelia).

But most importantly, he showed her that she was worthy of a second chance. In fact, before he died, he made sure to make his friends understand that they should no longer treat Grace with resentment, or else they would be just like Tatiana. In doing so, Christopher also gave Grace the opportunity to continue to improve as a person, and learn to love herself, without fear of further judgment.

Grace is now free to walk her own path. The actions she takes from now on will allow her to find the peace she so desperately needs. And she couldn't have had that by fulfilling her role as Christopher's wife in the misleading family tree. And I think that's for the best. I think the author saw that several people weren't getting this message, so she made a reminder that being in a romantic relationship shouldn't be grounds for your past mistakes to be forgiven. Or the only reason for you to feel worthy of a second chance. Sometimes, all you need is someone who believes in you, like Christopher believed in Grace. Like he believed in all his friends.

[acourtofthought]

Have you seen the Eris/Az ship? This is new to me and maybe it’s just people randomly throwing characters together bc at the end of the day you can “ship” whoever you want. But… it seems so random? No evidence, no foreshadowing, just pure hatred as far as I’m concerned lol. I’m also not in love with Eris like so many people… he just hasn’t done enough for me at this point to really like. I know we don’t have the full story with him and Mor but I guess I’m missing something bc I’m just not on the Eris train yet 😂 Do you have any thoughts on him? Do you think we’ll get the truth in the next book?

If there were any real hints pointing in the direction of Azris, I could see them being a great couple.

They are both a bit vicious / angry, struggle with the knowledge of their past actions and seem to have issues with vulnerability so seeing the two of them find acceptance from one another and peace together would have been a great story. Whereas Az will probably become a gentle version of himself around a female because of how his mother was treated, that seems like it will take away a big part of who Azriel is and I think some readers don't like the thought of him being watered down like that. Azris would have allowed both Azriel and Eris to express themselves through angry hate sex.

The potential could have been there if SJM had furthered developed it.

But I haven't seen anything suggesting that Azris will be an actual contender. Maybe I've missed clues since I never went searching for them but the fact that he instantly fell in love with Mor (and has been for 500+ years), then fixated on Elain then experiences calmness around Gwyn, mentions her charming nature and shares Mate coded language with her doesn't really put the idea out there that he's interested in other males.

Helion very clearly appreciates males and females so if he weren't still in love with the LOA, I wouldn't have him lean towards one or the other. But Az the way Az has been written, I've never picked up on interest in males.

I do think we'll eventually get the truth about what happened between Mor and Eris. My guess is he gave Mor the freedom he knew she wanted but in the cruelest way possible to make it believable to his father. Because he either knows Mor's preference, is her Mate and knew she wouldn't be happy in Autumn so he let her go, or both.

[wolint]

CULTIVATE YOUR SPIRITUAL POTENTIAL!

CULTIVATE YOUR SPIRITUAL POTENTIAL

Galatians 5:24-25

Life is full of things to be cultivated, such as knowledge, wealth, health, and much more. But how many of us set out to cultivate our God-given spiritual potential? Regarding Christian service, everyone has a different potential. Our potential in service will vary with the gifts that God has given us and with the opportunities that come to us. But in Christian character, each of us has the same potential—the potential to be Christlike. We have the potential to produce a full harvest of the "fruit of the Spirit." As we consider each of these qualities in detail—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, faith, temperance—you may think, "Such is beyond me." Not so! That is your spiritual potential. You are potentially fruitful.

If we live in the Spirit—if we profess to believe in a spiritual religion—let us walk in the Spirit. Let us show in our lives and conversation that the Spirit of God dwells in us. God addresses us according to our spiritual potential. That’s one of the reasons God allows us to face challenges that sometimes appear to be far beyond what we feel capable of.

And they that are Christ's—all genuine Christians—have crucified the flesh. They are so far from obeying its dictates and acting under its influence that they have crucified their sensual appetites; they have nailed them to the cross of Christ, where they expired with Him. The inner life should rule the outer life and not indulge in rivalry and jealousy.

The Christian relationship with the Lord is based on individual life, not collective, and not based on the church (that is another relationship). But all through scriptures, the Lord treats and recognizes those whom He called by their spiritual potential. God addressed Gideon by his spiritual potential in Judges 6:12-13: "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour." God chooses for His work those instruments which, during His operations in nature and providence, He has qualified for His purpose.

Would you dare to do a little personal assessment? What percentage of your spiritual potential are you exercising? How would you measure your fruitfulness? Can you see signs that you are moving toward Christlikeness? Have there been changes in your relationship with God, in your relationship with others, in your relationship with yourself, that would encourage you to believe that you are moving toward your potential? This is an important consideration.

Prayer is essential in cultivating spiritual potential. Ask God to help you recognize and develop your gifts, to grow in the fruit of the Spirit, and to guide you in your spiritual journey.

Growth in the Christian life is growth in these very areas. The fruit of the Spirit should be developing and maturing in our lives. How much of the spiritual potential is being expressed in your Christian life? Is there evidence of Jesus Christ in your life? You need to reaffirm that, beginning right now, you will follow only the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit, and that you will depend upon Him to make you like Christ.

Regularly assess your spiritual growth. Reflect on questions like: How am I growing in Christlikeness? Are there areas where I need to improve? What steps can I take to cultivate my spiritual potential further? This self-assessment helps you stay focused and intentional in your spiritual journey.

The miracle of a Christ-like life will begin to become a reality to those who know you best. Your spiritual potential is not in where you are or who you’ve made yourself, but in who God calls you.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for filling me with so many potentials. Help me to cultivate and use them wisely and always in Jesus’ name, amen.

Shalom

WOMEN OF LIGHT INT’L PRAYER MIN.

[markantonys]

what's my personal ideal route for this game? well, i follow rand and mat after shadar logoth and add them both to my harem. in caemlyn i buy a diamond outfit from elayne (the leadup is "before you go see my mom to get arrested, quick, put on this really nice outfit to impress her!") and this is what i will wear for the entire rest of the game all the way through the last battle because i want to get my money's worth. i also have a One-Time Hookup with morgase after she doesn't arrest me. after the eye, i follow the girls to tar valon and add elayne and egwene to my harem and start befriending gawyn. nynaeve and lan are safe from my harem, i'll leave them to be with each other in peace. at falme, i tell min to keep her hands off my boyfriend rand and then hook up with lanfear on the bed next to rand's unconscious body. i follow mat and the girls back to tar valon for some quality time with 3/4 of my current harem and further befriending of gawyn, then follow mat to caemlyn for hijinks and then tear, where i flirt with aviendha when mat and i run into her aiel crew on the wall of the stone (the aielwoman in that scene IS aviendha and you can't change my mind).

tear is prime opportunity for harem quality time! elayne, egwene, mat, and rand are all there, and i now add faile as well because this is the only time i will ever see her due to the fact that i will never follow perrin's plotline. i encourage rand and elayne to date each other, so we're now in a throuple and threesomes ensue. then i follow the aiel waste crew, add aviendha to my harem, encourage her and rand to date each other (threesomes ensue), and have One-Time Hookups with various aiel side characters. i encourage rand and mat to date after rand saves him in rhuidean (i know i said the rules of the game would only allow you to set up other characters if they're each other's canon love interests, but this is my game so i say rand and mat are able to be set up) and threesomes ensue once mat is no longer in critical condition. on the way back, i have a One-Time Hookup with asmodean (it's actually a threesome with rand). foursome opportunity with rand, mat, and aviendha after the fight against rahvin.

i stick with rand until dumai's wells, which is one of the potential points where gawyn can either betray you or side with you (there will be multiple potential points depending on which plotlines you follow). he sides with me, of course, seeing as i have been treating him as my babygirl all along, and he is now my official companion who i will take along on all my future travels, and this doesn't break the plot because he doesn't actually do anything between dumai's wells and the seanchan attack on the tower so it's fine if i extract him from his plotline. rand takes me and gawyn to mat's camp and we go with mat to salidar, then ebou dar, with harem quality time aplenty. gawyn and i go to caemlyn with the girls, at which point i encourage elayne and aviendha to date and threesomes ensue. foursome opportunity when rand visits caemlyn. gawyn and i go with him for his subsequent travels, and i hook up with graendal in arad doman.

after the dragonmount epiphany, gawyn and i dip out to go check on egwene. i encourage gawyn and egwene to date and threesomes ensue. i leave gawyn with her and go back to caemlyn just in time for mat's arrival, and i encourage him and elayne to date (my game i make the rules) and threesomes ensue. mat says, "hey, while you were gone, i met this seanchan empress that i think is pretty. should i go for it?" and i smash the NO button on that, and no threesomes ensue.

i go with elayne to merrilor and enjoy harem quality time with everybody. i go with rand to ebou dar and punch tuon in the face during negotiations because every ounce of her character development is paywalled to high hell and i'm running low on diamonds due to all the threesomes and hookups, but i make a mental note to do a replay for a proper tuon route someday because i can sense how much potential her character has and it's a real shame it's so difficult to unlock it. tuon betrays me and the seanchan don't come to the last battle, but it's fine because the sharans are soon in shambles because i manage to squeeze in a spicy spicy hookup with demandred during the last battle (through the power of ta'veren all things are possible so jot that down) and i kill him at the end of it. gawyn thus survives. egwene also survives because i help her obliterate taim so she doesn't need to go overboard (your character is a channeling learner (not sparker), but actually learning to channel is paywalled and i have gladly shelled out). after the last battle, my harem is all across the continent, so i split my time between rand/mat/elayne/aviendha in caemlyn, egwene/gawyn in tar valon, and faile in saldaea. i have gone the entire game without interacting with perrin.

still thinking about a WOT dating sim game. your character would be the sixth emond's fielder (and also ta'veren, to explain why everyone wants to date you) and you leave the village with the others, but after that point, you choose which group to follow every time there's a Party Split. this means that you get to experience WOT but only your favorite plotlines and you can just skip all the others!

dateable characters: rand, mat, perrin, egwene, nynaeve, elayne, moiraine, lan, aviendha, faile, various other heroes

characters you can have a One-Time Hookup with but they will not date you: lanfear, graendal, demandred, ishamael, asmodean, various other villains, various minor characters who appear only briefly in the story

gawyn and tuon get their own category because if you build up enough relationship points with them, they will be your allies (and love interests should you so choose), but if you don't, then they'll betray you at a key moment in the story.

help gawyn work through all his inner turmoil (20 diamonds, ++relationship)

tell him you believe he can work it out on his own (free, +relationship)

tell him he's a little bitch (free, -relationship)

force tuon to channel and accept that she's capable of it (20 diamonds, ++relationship)

tell her she can channel, but do nothing about it (free, +relationship)

punch her in the face (free, -relationship)

you can date as many characters simultaneously as you want and they will never get jealous of each other. you can date multiple trakand siblings and they will not care. you can have rand as your boyfriend and also have a quick hookup with demandred and rand will not care (although demandred will probably talk about him the whole time). if a character isn't dated by you, you will have the option to set them up with their canon love interest provided that that character isn't dated either. alternately, if both of them are dated by you, then you have the option to turn your V relationship into a throuple. you can pick one love interest right off the bat and ignore everyone else for the whole game, or you can create a harem with every single character in the series.

whoever owns the rights needed to make a WOT videogame, please hire me

[gayregis]

angouleme being adopted by the hansa does not only mean she’s on their good sides, but also would have protection and amnesty with the factions of brokilon and vampires. so. epic win i guess

[sandraharissa]

Part 2/3: Fishbones

Jinx talks to Fishbones in LoL. There could be some stuff I’m missing, I can only look up fandom wiki and from the lines available there you can see a clear attitude toward Fishbones.

I’m gonna start by saying that based on Arcane and knowing that Jinx talks to Fishbones I assumed Jinx will hallucinate Silco’s voice coming from the gun alike how Claggor and Mylo hallucinations worked. There’s even this moment where, as Jinx is about to use the gun for the first time she recollects Silco’s “We’ll show them all.” which I think was supposed to be her memory of his words however it perfectly sets up why her mind would go on to associate Silco’s voice with Fishbones. That would also allow for the ghosts of the dads, Warwick and Fishbones, to haunt their daughters and continue informing their arcs.

Now those are the lines Jinx says to Fishbones and in italic it’s her narrating his responses:

"Hey Fishbones, should we blow something up? 'You might inconvenience people and hurt their feelings.' You're the worst weapon ever!"

 "Fishbones, you know what we oughta' do? 'Do the laundry, wash dishes and pay some bills.' Stupid dumb rocket launcher."

 "Hey Fishbones, think we can wreak havoc forever? 'No, you should buy a home and save for retirement.' You know I can replace you, right?"

 "Maybe we should settle down and live peaceful lives. 'Really? I always hoped one day you'd---' Haha, nope! You're a death machine for life!"

Firstly lol, secondly what the hell? Am I missing smth? Are those all the lines there are?

So Fishbones, presumably voiced by Silco, tries to get Jinx to chillax and be a more functional human being and she mockingly shuts him down?

That’s so funny.

But also fascinating. Idk how likely it is that they’ll keep this interpretation for future Arcane seasons, they could go with smth completely different, but the idea that Silco’s voice is trying to be a positive influence fries my brain cos I’d assume the opposite. That it’d be a corrupting influence and not one that tries to be her voice of reason and empathy.

So if her interactions with Fishbones look like this in Arcane, then it’s possible maybe he isn’t a hallucination of Silco. Cos it’s also weird she narrates the responses of the gun, so does she really hear it speaking or it’s more that she plays with it like a doll?

Or it’s possible they’ll simply expand on her interactions with Fishbones in future seasons. Maybe sometimes she hears (and even sees) Silco and sometimes she doesn’t and so then she narrates imaginary conversations with him cos that’s the only way she can talk to him at that point in time? Or the narrating (where she deepens her voice btw) is just her joking but she does hallucinate him on other occasions. Then the real hallucination could be saying stuff that’s more in character like ‘drink some water Jinx’ but later jokingly she exaggerates the way he talks like ‘get insurance and solve world hunger’.

Or maybe they’ll scrap the way she talks to Fishbones altogether and make up their own version.

-

I guess another thing worth pointing out is that despite her constantly mocking Fishbones she’s attached to him. She claims she can replace him but she doesn’t despite how annoyed she seems to be with him, and she even says ‘we should settle down’ like he’s a person. And then there’s this line from LoR (which came out more recently and includes Ekko naming Powder and Benzo and Cait’s line to Jinx "She's too far gone..."):

"Just you and me Fishbones! Ugh, and them." (when they’re in the presence of another champion)

Which could be the game developers getting inspiration from Arcane (when it was still in development) and leaning even further into her attachment to Fishbones. Which actually would reflect the kinda attachment she would have toward a hallucination of Silco after the events of Arcane (just you and me).

So like, I still think there’s 99% chance that Jinx will hallucinate Silco through Fishbones however those game interactions really caught me off guard and I’d expect the writers to change them drastically or at least put a difference spin on them. But unless the game canon is completely disregarded then we’re still in for a pretty interesting twist where Jinx is mostly annoyed with/jokingly mocking the visions of her father, her only family as far as she’s concerned, that she very tragically killed.

[lazyliars]

“You weren't trying to kill me Jack, you're Jack Manifold.”

A small theory.

Tommy is treating Jack as his baseline, his anchor. Jack is (in Tommy's mind) the one thing that has remained constant in his life, and he's happy to completely ignore any and all changes that Jack might be going through.

Tommy is a character that thrives when the things around him have a degree constancy, – and the world seems intent on making sure that isn't the case, for better and for worse. Tommy has had a rainbow of different when dealing with change; from failure to process and shutting down, to begrudging acceptance and growth.

The bench is a good example of this – Tommy's main goal throughout s2 was getting that feeling of simplicity back; when he and Tubbo sat on the bench and listened to music discs together. The discs as physical objects were never important, it was about the sentiment behind them.

It's worth stating that Tommy can adapt to change. His sacrificing those very discs during the first L'manberg war proves it. He was willing to sacrifice a precious sense of constancy to risk everything for someone else's (primarily Wilbur's) dream of change because he loved Wilbur and believed in L'manberg.

But there are changes that Tommy is forced to accept, and ones that he can avoid confronting. His rationalization of Pogtopia Wilbur and the “real” Wilbur as different people being a good example of the latter.

Through this lens, Jack Manifold as a person also falls into the category of “avoidable change” I believe largely because he didn't see Jack develop as a person; he did it mostly quietly, during the Manberg war, and then further when Tommy was in exile and not in a situation where he was able to see outside himself and his own pain. In both cases, Tommy wasn't present physically or emotionally to adjust to his friend growing up.

On the other hand, someone like Tubbo is so inextricably tied to Tommy that the changes Tubbo went through are impossible to ignore. Even then, he was still blindsided when Tubbo chose to try and protect the nation he had been saddled with over Tommy, a choice that would've been obvious to someone more perceptive of such things.

Tommy doesn't do this maliciously – on the contrary, he seems to imagine an idyllic “before time” where there was no conflict and everyone was happy. Of course, we the viewers know that this time never existed and the peace that Tommy remembers was never built to sustain a, well, changing world. There is of course an irony to this, as Dream wants a twisted version of this very same thing. They aren't comparable morally, but there is an almost tragic note to this shared desire to go back to simpler times that, really, didn't exist the way they remember.

Meanwhile, Jack has also been through the ringer. Like Tommy, change has been forced upon him, and he's fought to keep things the same. However, instead of bullheadedly trying to force things to stay the same, Jack has adjusted – badly, in some cases, and in others, he's outright destroyed the option to go back, like with Manifoldland, and in some ways, in trying to make himself the Villain in Tommy's story.

Jack isn't the person who Tommy thinks he is anymore. He's scared, pissed off, and lonely. He can't be Tommy's sidekick anymore and he isn't the same – Tommy treating him like is part of why Jack hates him so much.

Back to the interaction they had in the hotel: Tommy refuses to listen when Jack tells him the truth and he refuses to believe it when he can’t deny having heard it. Tommy can’t accept that Jack has changed, because that means that he has to accept that he can’t ever go back.

Jack literally told Tommy that he tried to kill him. He told him about the nukes! Tommy has been suspicious of Jack in the past, he’s not an idiot. But he is intentionally ignoring the warning signs (something he did with Technoblade) even when they’re blaring red in his face, because it would hurt so, so bad, and he would likely interpret it as himself being “worse than everyone he hated,” if he accepted the whole truth, and that’s terrifying.

I think this reflects on what i perceive as Tommy’s biggest character flaw: Stubbornness.

And it’s a boon as much as it’s a flaw; It’s what has allowed Tommy to continue persisting even when the world seems intent on wrecking him and everything he loves. But the same thing that kept him alive through a string of horrific occurrences also makes him resistant to change - because when things have changed for him in the past, they’ve often been for the worse.

I could say more but i’d run the risk of rehashing my other “Jack Manifold and Tommy should reconcile” post lmao