#but i'm not the mood for it today

[louisianna]

I could write an entire essay (and perhaps one day I will) on how 'Furiosa' is Gothic fiction, a Gothic romance in particular, but I just need to talk about one key aspect of the relationship between Furiosa and Jack for a minute. A lot of discussion surrounding them has been about the nature of their relationship. Most people seem to love the ambiguity, myself included, and I think looking at it through a Gothic romance lens can help us understand why it works so well.

Most Gothic romances feature a heroine who is trapped inside a literal and/or figurative domestic space by a domineering man, typically a father or husband. Poor Furiosa gets both. Dementus imprisons her in the role of daughter. Immortan Joe imprisons her in the role of wife. These are restrictive domestic roles which have been forced upon her and which she cannot freely walk away from. Gothic romance is at its best when it is exposing and critiquing the cruelty of a patriarchal society and the unfair limitations it places upon women.

Furiosa evades attention by disguising herself as a boy. When Jack realises she is actually a woman, and that she is determined to leave the Wasteland, he immediately offers to help her get to wherever she needs to go. No questions asked. And what does Jack expect in return? Absolutely nothing. The trope of a good man, with experience, skill, and social standing, selflessly assisting the heroine, is quite common in Gothic romance.

Jack's words to Furiosa are never paternalistic. They speak to one another as equals. Dementus wanted to shape Furiosa in his own image, but Jack only wants to pass on what he knows. He doesn't want her to stay his protégé or sidekick. He wants her to be able to take care of herself. Until she asks him to come with her, he has every intention of letting her go her own way, leaving him behind.

Jack never comments on Furiosa's appearance. They dress as equals. Immortan Joe put Furiosa in delicate fabrics and planned to use her body for his own selfish desires, but Jack only ever touches Furiosa for her own sake. He doesn't want to possess her. He wants to protect her. He cleans and stitches up her wounds. He will place a comforting hand on her shoulder, only for as long as it takes for her to relax beneath his touch.

It's important to remember that this is a thematic tale being told to us by a History Man, a framing device which is extremely befitting of the Gothic genre. Within this legend, Jack and Furiosa's disregard for clearly defined domestic roles draws a stark contrast to the priorities of Dementus and Immortan Joe. It serves to highlight that their dynamic is free from patriarchal dominance. Whether their relationship is sexual or platonic, romantic or familial, is irrelevent. What matters is that their relationship is based upon genuine concern, deep respect, and unwavering trust. This is the lesson of their story, and it is a lesson for all to the hear. Jack does not merely represent a good father or a good husband or a good mentor. He represents it all. His character is fluid and multi-dimensional. His relationship with Furiosa is ever-shifting and all-encompassing. This allows him to be a role model to all men. But I digress from talking about Gothic fiction!

True domestic happiness for the Gothic romance heroine is only possible once she finds a companion who treats her as a peer; a social equal who gives her the freedom to choose and define the role she wishes to have in his life. It also requires finding or creating a refuge in which the heroine is safe from male power and violence. Furiosa found a more than worthy partner in Jack. Unfortunately, they didn't succeed in reaching freedom together.

Perhaps, in a less Gothic setting than the Wasteland, putting a name to what they were wouldn't have mattered so much. As it was, "my Jack" and "my Fury" was enough.

[oblique-lane]

Mourning what's not lost

[adamsrcnan]

i would like to know how many times neil curled up in the passenger seat facing andrew as they went on their little road trips. and how many times andrew told him he's missing the view. and how many times times neil just stared at him and said "no. i'm not"

[ftmsteveraglan]

i find it so funny when people say they're about the "sexualize that old man" life but then take away every old man aspect about him. in THIS house, we stand for the wrinkles, the receding hairline, the dad bod, and the joints that pop whenever he walks. if he doesn't age ten years next time you rail him, you're not doing it right. blow that old man's back out! fuck him so hard he needs a hip replacement! go big or go home!!

[whitedarkmoonflower]

Aramis & Porthos // The Musketeers (2014)

[totallynotsarkaz]

06-10-16 triple birthday sketch

[regulusrules]

Do I know you? // I thought I knew you.

BBC Merlin (2008) - s01e01 // s05e13 parallel

[ladeldee]

I just like the idea that once Missa hears Phil has another "kid" he'd try and do whatever he can to help and Phil feels emotions about it

[fissile-materialism]

You find yourself wrapped in wires and manipulators that hold you tight and drag you towards the central computer, you feel them rub against your skin and about halfway there you think you get the idea that you're going to be tentacle fucked (wire fucked?) And that this might not be that bad.

Wrong! You're cuddling with me now and I'm not letting you go

[nekrosmos]

Yeah idk this meme called to me, I had to 🥞​🐻​ (original below)

[somegrumpynerd]

I like the idea that Cross realised Killer was touchstarved (he didn't have the words for it but he noticed how much Killer would settle down from it) and started giving him very small basic affection. Pat on the back, hand on the shoulder, maybe a quick friendly hug, all things he probably learned through royal guard training and thinks of as normal friend/coworker stuff.

But as they both got more comfortable in the routine of it, Killer started instigating touches and he was not shy about it (like not just leaning into Cross's side during movie night, he looks like he's trying to get into Cross's jacket with him)

And that this more intense affection made Cross realise he might also be just a little bit touchstarved

Bonus:

[youling-the-ghost]

I've mentioned this so many times before but I can't get over how sfth are the embodiment of positive masculinity. They're so unafraid of showing their love for each other and it's incredible. The kissing is part of it, of course, but it's also just the way they look at each other onstage. It's the casual physical affection and it's their complete willingness to act feminine for a character. It brings me so much joy when they play women because they do it in such a genuine, passionate way. There's no stigma around playing a female character as a man and I love it so much.

Like, as a new man, sfth have genuinely helped me so much with dysphoria.

[thefrogdalorian]

Din Djarin has fallen down the stairs at the Met Gala!

[papanorth]

Reference pic ⬇️

[maikhiwi00]

You and me... I don't know if we're that good together. I don't believe you. [x]

[barrenclan]

You said you wanted to put PATFW on Comicfury, but isn't that site just for webcomics? Do they allow more hybrid works, like PATFW? Since it's more an illustrated novel with some comic pages.

Firstly, I follow a comic on ComicFury that is exactly the illustrated prose format and is posting happily along there with no problems. And secondly, ComicFury is the wild west and old internet space of your dreams. People are there posting their 400 page CGI fetish comics and newspaper strips from 2003 and animated Homestuck-style sagas. It has no "official format" as long as you can upload it to the website, and the only thing that is explicitly banned is AI-generated art. That’s part of what I like so much!

I can do whatever the fuck I want.

If I had to make more goddamn Warriors content after TDS and PATFW I would end up on the news. I'm never touching those fucking cat books again.