#but like. i am literally never gendered correctly unless if i bring it up first. and there are two ways to feel about this

[moe-broey]

Man I don't even go to Genshin anymore but I see people redesigning that new glasses girl with the blonde mullet and pink gradient and getting rid of her pink gradient like. Do you hate me specifically. Do you hate love and fun

[oyasumi-dove]

‘Afab writers are a problem because I’m afab and I don’t like femininity.’ Isn’t the take you think it is, hon. And don’t give me that ���that’s not what I said” bullshit, cause you literally did. From an afab person who loves my femininity and writes *tagged* fem!reader, it brings me joy that my very existence pisses you off. Must take a lost of effort to be that fragile…

Hating anyone who’s afab and a writer just because some ignorant people don’t tag fics is genuinely the worst excuse I’ve ever seen. It’s not that big a deal. What, did the scary fem!reader fics reach through the screen and bite you or something? A lot of afab readers tag their fics, a lot of non afab readers don’t tag their fics, the x reader niche has way bigger problems with tagging than not tagging the gender of the reader. But I guess none of that matters because god forbid you go five seconds without showing your obvious bias.

Honestly, stop pretending you’re doing this in good faith and actually trying to help. You’re doing it to get on people’s nerves. Your spam posts are vague and don’t actually tell people what you want them to tag, you’re a massive hypocrite, and you respond hatefully to anyone who doesn’t suck your dick. I hope your ultimate goal is for the problem you’re complaining about to get worse, because that’s the only thing you’re accomplishing here.

Hhhhmmmm

Well…!

I did say that it was a personal issue for me and I had a bias. I don’t think I tried to hide that fact! However, I stated that the writers who didn’t tag their posts as fem!reader were the problem for me. It’s only some of your guys existence that pisses me off 😍

I can see that my response was worded horribly, though, I don’t know how to explain myself to you. If you think of me as a hypocrite then how exactly am I suppose to change your views on me..? Like ok, I guess im a hypocrite to whoever you are.

I never said I wanted to be the “good” guy in all this LOL. I am open to change my opinions on certain things, but I haven’t exactly always been nice about it. You can tell in my posts. Of course I’m going to start lighting up when people agree with me and actually hear me out. Literally who wouldn’t!??? With all the people who do not agree with me, I’m just arguing back with them?? Am I not allowed to counter their messages when half of them are spewing shit my way 🤦

You aren’t my problem! At least you (proclaim) to tag your work. I don’t think you write for every other fem!writer. Also I don’t know where you got those statistics from with the “a lot of non afab writers don’t tag their fics” yadayada, ok. Try to block every variation of fem reader and scroll down an x reader tag right now!

I really am that fragile though!! Because who the hell doesn’t feel dysphoric when coming upon an untagged posts and get hit with she/her pronouns 💀 Spoiler alert: Not every afab is happy or as comfy as you are with their femininity. YES, it will kill me if I see an untagged fem reader fic. If I see a another one I will actually succumb to the sweet relief that is death :(( Not even my FILTERED TAGS will be able to stop this…!

There’s so many posts about tagging your work correctly, how to actually use your tags and what to do with them. My first fucking post is showing you how to add tags. Unless you WANT me to start adding text on every single one of my posts on how to use tags, because that sounds like a great idea :3

Hhhnmmm

[cuntess-carmilla]

First of all I believe I'm owed economic compensation for such a long essay of a reblog from a multiple checkmarks user. Second... *long, exhausted moan of pain*

I am NOT talking about feelings here, I'm talking about material benefits. Money, time, resources, social power, cultural power. I don't know why a 40 years old grown adult would try to argue from the POV of what sounds like fantasy fiction when we're talking about real people's real lives, and I shouldn't even waste my time arguing about this, but while whatever that character had going on must have been Really Sad, I have the feeling that the people she had life and death power over didn't give a shit how lonely she felt and that once she ran away, unless the system that gave her that status and power was dismantled, she was replaced by somebody else so the lives of those under her thumb (no matter how unwilling or sad her thumb was) couldn't give less of a shit that now she's fucking happier now that she isn't lonely.

Besides, getting people titles and awards can literally be life-fucking-changing and grant someone chances at better income, prestige, respect, etc. Are you really making the "money doesn't make you happy though :) you poors :)" point but about gendered oppression instead? Really?

Yes, I know there are already men who are stay-at-home fathers/spouses/etc with breadwinning women partners. Never said they don't fucking exist. They just aren't the norm. That hypothetical you described by the end of the paragraph that addressed that isn't even something I said or was pointing to. Holy shit, talk about making up a guy to get mad at.

Remember my example of incels? I pointed to them because while they correctly diagnosed that part of the source of their loneliness is that women aren't guaranteed to them as we used to be just decades ago is because of some of feminism's achievements, their conclusion wasn't to be better men and have something to offer so that they can build connection with a woman because they're bringing something to the table emotionally (even though that would clearly benefit them as human beings even if they never find a partner), their conclusion was that then we should roll back those feminist achievements so that women are back to being dependent on having a man and thus they'll have more of a chance to not be lonely without changing anything about themselves.

You're right, a lot of the time people behave as class traitors... It's rarely people from oppressor classes, though! As seen above in my paragraph about incels. Oppressor groups will often have an iron grasp of class loyalty because, unlike marginalized people, they actually have something immediate to win.

Marginalized groups are often THE groups that do worst at self-interest and solidarity with each other because they live in societies that undermine that from every angle. For one, being taught that the marginalized group they come from is awful and undeserving (and that's why they're truly marginalized) so they should break away from their peers (betray them) if they want to move ahead in life. Two, oppressor groups often bond through abusing or at least shit-talking those they oppress, and class traitors often see joining in those behaviors to prove they're "one of the good ones" and to befriend those oppressors useful. And a huge bunch of etcetera that at this hour I don't have the energy to keep typing up. Honestly, how are you 40 fucking years old without a grasp of why sometimes marginalized people become class traitors.

Lastly, I don't care if the patriarchy harms men. I sincerely do not give a shit if the gun they keep firing at us every second of every day sometimes backfires on them by accident. Boohoo. They can get fucked for all I care. Not my problem. It's literally a problem created by them, for their benefit, and I don't give a shit. I'm just trying to not be murdered while on my way to the grocery store.

Men won't benefit from a more feminist society outside of being less pressured to perform hegemonic masculinity. A more feminist society will cause a net negative for men not because a feminist society will set itself to kill them or oppress them, but because it will take away the privileges they currently hold just for being men.

Mediocre men who only get ahead in their careers because more capable women are overlooked or not even allowed to put their foot through the door? In a non-patriarchal society, they'll get stuck behind.

Similarly, men who only get the chance to achieve their ambitions by dumping all the domestic and emotional burden of their existence onto the women they live with? No more. In fact, they'll have to shoulder some of that responsibility in equal parts with the women they live with so those women, too, also can try to reach their goals. Actually, if the women they live with are undoubtedly more talented or promising than them, it will only make sense for those men to do labor similar to what's expected of women (workers or stay-at-home) so that those women can focus on perfecting their craft or career unburdened by cooking, laundry, cleaning, home-managing, etc.

Men will no longer be paid more than women of the same racial/ethnic group.

Incels have already correctly pointed out that a reason why young adult men are so lonely currently is because some of feminism's achievements; women entering the work-force (beyond extremely poor and often racialized women who never had a choice), women being allowed to have bank accounts and own... Anything. The fact that being married to a man isn't a requirement to any of those things in many societies means now women can opt out of being with a man if they don't want to (categorically, or just the man in front of us) so men who in the past would've had a guaranteed wife despite being deplorable humans, are now alone.

That's the point of "privilege". It's an undue benefit obtained directly from unfairly taking away from others. And this is why male feminist allies tend to sooner or later show their true colors, too.

It's not because men are inherently evil. It's because even if a man genuinely believes that women are – gasp – full human beings and that the treatment we get in patriarchal societies is awful and inhumane, there will come a time in which effective feminist praxis, as a feminist ally, will require him to sacrifice the benefits that patriarchy extends to him. And he won't. The same way rich people can think it's so so sad that homelessness is a reality, but they won't vote for a candidate who's a threat to their class privilege and wealth.

Feminism will not benefit men for the most part, and men who actually give a shit about fairness will be okay with that. Problem is, most won't. Most already aren't. Not necessarily because they're Evil Bastards who want women to suffer, but because it's against their self-interest.

Stop campaigning on "feminism benefits men", because 1) that it benefits women, who have been treated like dogshit in all patriarchal societies for centuries, should be enough reason to support feminism, and 2) it WON'T, and men instinctively know that.

[forbidding-souda]

can you do korekiyo x black fem reader?

just him like.. asking questions about box braids or telling y/n how beautiful her dark skin is

Korekiyo Shinguuji with a black girlfriend

i have so many articles open right now so fyi I am not black (+ for context I'll like to clarify that I have straight n thin hair so even things about curlier hair I have to look up) but anyhoo

and ofc if you want me to change anything then i'll make edits

videos i watched that really mildly had nothing to do with this ask but i really like watching youtube videos: what's it like being black in japan in 2021 , hairdresser reacting to box braiding videos

currently playing: evil by 45 grave

playlist: joker

-Mod Souda

❤ The two of you were equally interesting to each other. Both of you got along immensely, even when you were barely acquaintances. You always felt rather,,,, safe with him? He never looked at you differently - he always had the kindness and (often) temper to correct other people misunderstandings when it came to your culture - this is something you hardly witnessed for yourself since he made sure not to do it in front of you, not to put you in that position and possibly embarrass you. He often does presentations at museums and open businesses about different cultures and social correctness. He will sometimes runs them by you first, getting the approval of somebody within the culture because he starts spouting stuff (even though, technically, he's the master of the subject - but no matter how many facts or statistics he learns, it's not as if he can experience any of it for himself).

"Aaah, I see where you have been all day." He looks up at you from his book.

You take off your shoes, slipping your jacket from your shoulders and taking off your mask, the loop of your house keys still around your fingers. Your new (knotless) braids go to your back, the parted hair on your head forming shapes of triangles instead of squares. You give him a dramatic spin before stepping into the living room.

He stands, meeting you halfway and staring really deeply into your hair.

"Women of wealth would get them," he reaches out to touch then but halts halfway through, remembering his manners and bringing his arm back to his side. "They would take so long that it is thought only those who could afford the time were the people who did not have to labor."

You hum in agreement, grabbing a single braid and brushing the end hair against his arm. "Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful," he says. "How long does it last?"

"These? I'll keep it in for maybe two months. It matters."

"Interesting." He makes mental notes - his brain runs around, gathering all the information he remembers about braids and specific African hairstyles. There is always chance to learn, and this would be a perfect opportunity to gather more facts and details that he can include in his arts and presentations. Maybe he can teach other ethnically Japanese people about hairstyles, maybe he can find a way to support straight haired hairstyles to learn how to do black hair.

He has many ideas.

❤ He wears bonnets to sleep, too. He has long hair he'd like to keep maintained, plus it gives him a bit of feminine gender euphoria.

❤ He had always and will continue to always call you the most beautiful girl in the world. Other words include striking, and stunning and even pulchritudinous.

❤ If the two of you are planning on having a future family together then (beyond adoption, unless you plan on adopting a black baby >:) ) he will spend a lot of time learning how to correctly braid hair. I feel as if he'd know the European way to do it - perhaps a bunch of European crowning style as well? But African/Black braiding techniques would be beyond him. He might literally travel to Africa and/or American to learn from many different people.

❤ Feminity goes great miles with him - he loves embracing it and learning about it. If you wear makeup then he's going to want to watch your style and take some tips. Also I imagine he had never heard of doing edges before so show him what that process is like.

❤ Jumbo braids and micros - anything that's beyond average box braids make him cover his mouth in surprise before rambling about how beautiful it is. He is very easy to be impressed, especially since he understands personally how hard hair can be to style.

❤ If you go to a salon to do it then he's tipping them like 60,000 yen every time you go.

❤ ^ That tiktok of that guy banging his credit card on the table except it's Shinguuji giving your salon a fat ass tip.

[heyyyitsgrey]

Bitter Cold Pt. 1(Harry Hook x Reader)

Summary: The adopted child of Hades and the son of Captian Hook meet, hijinx, magic, and fast-paced romance ensue.

Words: 874

Gender: Female

Warnings: Cursing, Probably something else too but oh well

A/n: I am just gonna go the original Greek mythology, so Zeus has like who knows how many kids

SIDENOTE- this was the very first fic I ever wrote so it’s 1) not very good and 2) not spellchecked or proof read 😃👍 continue at your own risk

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Living on the Isle of the Lost, you had maybe run into the infamous Captian Harry Hook once or twice, (like literally run into him) however, you had never actually met him. You really haven’t anyone on the Isle really. You haven’t left your house (or should I say cave?) very much, especially since the barrier was damaged. The barrier was actually damaged a year or two ago when Maleficent escaped, some of the Villans or their kids got their powers back, or gained new powers they didn’t even know that they had. You are one of those who actually gained powers from your parents.

 See your father is a god, Zeus to be exact, making you a demi-goddess. To be more specific, you are the Demi-Goddess of the North Wind and Winter. Yeah, you heard me correctly you're a demi-goddess yeah, Zeus couldn’t help himself to not cheat on Herra once again. So you're probably wondering, so if your Zeuses daughter why do you live on the isle? Well, Hera had started to do the same thing that she was doing to your half brother Hercules (make his life hell), Zeus had to do something about it and the quickest thing that he could think of was to give you to his brother, Hades.

 Zeus just so happened to give you to Hades when all of the villans were being round up, causing you to be thrown on the Isle with him. It’s been fifteen years since you were thrown onto the isle to live with your uncle Hades, even though he seems to be more of a father figure to you Zeus will ever be.  Anyways back to your powers, I bet you want to know what they are right? Well whenever, you get flustered, or overly emotional you accidentally create small snow flurries that slowly fill the room. Due to the newfound powers that you have, you don’t really leave unless Hades wants you to get something, Most of the time when you leave the house you bring, Celia the daughter of Doctor Facilier and today is one of those days. 

“Y/n!” Hades, yells from down the hall, “Yeah Dad?” You shout back, “Can you go to the market and get me some food?” He asks, presumably from the kitchen. In response, you then yell back, “Yeah sure! I’ll pick up Celia on the way!” Sighing, you get up from your bed, where you were previously sitting messing around with your snow abilities, and went to grab your cloak from the edge of your bed, pulling your hood up, you leave your room. 

“Hey, Dad!” You say scaring Hades and Celia who had probably just shown up while you were in your room. “My god Y/n! Why did you do that!” Celia yells “Becuase I wanted to now come on loser lets go!” You yell grabbing her arm, rushing out of the cave into the rushing town square. 

“Okay, so did my Dad give you a list or?” You ask Celia “Yes, he said that he wanted, a loaf of bread, a can of corn, and whatever else that we could snag,” I then think of the fastest way to get through the crowds of people, and the easiest way to avoid all of them, when she suddenly said, “Okay I know what you are thinking so, lets go this way, easiest way to get through without having to confront people,” she says pointing to one of the area’s of the market place, it was really empty for the time you both decided to go. The two of them then started to make their way to the area Celia pointed out. 

~~Quick time skip to after stealing some food~~

 The two of you where on your way back to Hades’ cave when suddenly one person moved in front of the exit to the market place. They then said, to Celia  “Fork it over you runt,” while sticking out a hand with an obviously fake hook extension. Just as Cecilia was about to hand over the food that she had grabbed, you stopped her putting your hand out, and saying “Un-un I don’t think so. We stole this fair and square, steal your own food,”   "Oh! And who would you be? You don't look very familiar,"  he said moving about three steps closer to you. You then lean closer to his face, and you say, “I am someone you don’t want to mess with,” While you were leaning away, you snatched his wallet luckily he didn’t notice. You quickly leaned over and whispered into Celia’s ear, “I snagged his wallet lets bonce,” quickly she grabbed your arm and not long afterward the two of you ran off.

[reactingtosomething]

Reacting to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (cont’d)

Part II: What If His Mom Was the Murder Planet?

The Setup: Find Part I of our Guardians Reaction here. As usual, annotations added after the fact are in italics.

The concept art above is by Andy Park.

SPOILERS BELOW.

MIRI: Ok, I think we’ve avoided this for too long: Kris, tell me your thoughts on Baby Groot. Or perhaps your thoughts about everyone else’s thoughts about Baby Groot.

KRIS: I think Baby Groot is fine

I just feel nowhere near the amount of love The Internet feels for him

MIRI: This surprises me not at all

KRIS: And as we briefly discussed this is completely unsurprising

MIRI: Exactly

Did you find Baby Groot to be a disappointment in comparison to adult Groot?

KRIS: I do think the extended gag of him trying and failing to fetch the control fin was the best comedy writing in the movie

MIRI: Ahhhhh yes

KRIS: Yeah, I guess so, though I’m having trouble putting my finger on it

Because both versions of Groot get their heart and their humor from a contradiction

Adult Groot is outwardly imposing and then we realize he’s so innocent

MIRI: I think it’s because you know you’re supposed to find him cuter than you do

Ohhhh

KRIS: Baby Groot is outwardly cute but then we learn that he still has his viciousness

MIRI: Whereas Baby Groot is adorable but a murder baby

KRIS: Yeah

MIRI: I mean, they really have reversed the heart of the character that way.

Huh

How do I feel about that

hmmmmm

KRIS: Adult Groot gets one of the best emotional beats of Vol 1, when “I am Groot” becomes “We are Groot”

MIRI: I guess it depends on if Baby Groot is genuinely Groot, reverted to childlike form

Or if it’s like a form of propagation--basically Groot’s baby

KRIS: Whereas Baby Groot is sort of a one-trick pony, albeit in a good way where you don’t really want more than that one trick

MIRI: I really enjoyed Baby Groot as a discrete concept

KRIS: Teenage Groot was surprisingly great

MIRI: But thinking about him compared to Groot is bumming me out a little

Yes, teenage Groot was delightful

But I think that’s a one trick that would get old super fast if they do that for the whole next one

KRIS: Way to tap into your inner teenager, Vin Diesel

MIRI: I mean I feel like he doesn’t have to reach too hard

KRIS: I really want Thor to meet Groot

Fair

MIRI: Adult Groot?

KRIS: I guess whichever Groot

MIRI: I now really want to know if the Second Coming Adult Groot will be the same as Adult Groot prime

KRIS: Seems like the Innocent Warrior vibe is right on Thor’s wavelength

Or at least early Thor and Ragnarok Thor

They lost the balance in between

KRIS: On reflection, I’m not actually convinced that Wiser, More Mature Thor is a bad thing for the MCU at large, but that’s neither here nor there.

MIRI: Is young Groot growing up to be the same version of himself, or is he a new person (Grootson) being shaped by these violent but ultimately loving misfits???

KRIS: I thiiiiink the comic treats him as one continuous Groot when he regenerates

MIRI: Then is the innocence supposed to be something he grows into somehow?

I mean, he was violent in the original movie

But not as deeply so

KRIS: I think his innocence is probably supposed to be his core, especially as a metaphor for Nature

MIRI: Maybe he would have been violent to anything that was a Groot sized rat thing, he just never came across that while big

I guess the whole not understanding the water fountain thing could be read in the same vein as the failure to retrieve the crest

Also, because it needs saying at some point: I did really love Baby Groot’s dance in the opening

And the whole hat bit

KRIS: That was a great opening I want to mention our snarky Arclight usher briefly

MIRI: I loved him

KRIS: Who seemed pretty miffed that Vol 2 repeats a lot of beats from Vol 1

MIRI: I hope his failed career as a standup comedian leads him to much happiness in his life

I mean that 100% and I didn’t mean for it to sound as mean as it did

KRIS: But at least on a second viewing, I thought the callbacks and parallels were mostly effective, and that credits sequence absolutely is in the THAT WORKED column

I did not love, on a structural level, that both movies have a middle that’s defined by the Guardians getting a long World-Buildy Explanation

Complete with Visual Aids

That repetition is one of the few things that worked worse for me on a second viewing

MIRI: But Kris, they needed to use that special effects budget up, or they won’t get as much next time!

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the glory of Yondu’s rampage after he gets out of the cell

KRIS: One reason the repeated structure works (and I’m only realizing this now) is that each movie lets Quill come to terms with his feelings for a different parent

MIRI: Because that 100% worked for me

Ahhhhhhhh that’s such a good point!

See, I’m over here like “the murder arrow sequence was so funny!” and you’re hitting the underlying emotional structures

I think that sums us both up pretty well

Unfortunately (for me)

KRIS: Oh, see, I’m still ambivalent about that, because I just think Yondu is the epitome of an action problem these movies have: our heroes are Absolute Badasses..... except when the story needs them to lose

MIRI: 1) you’re entirely right

KRIS: Like how is Yondu not just completely unstoppable

MIRI: but 2) the sequence was really cool

KRIS: It looked amazing

And the music was particularly well used, I thought (as someone who did not grow up with any of this music)

MIRI: I think part of our difference on a lot of these points is what we wanted from this movie.

I didn’t super love the first one

I really really liked it

KRIS: Oh interesting

MIRI: But I didn’t LOVE it

So I was expecting this to be fun and funny

And it was

KRIS: I was totally on the BEST THING MARVEL’S DONE train the first time I saw the first one

And then I liked it a little less on Bluray viewings

MIRI: Right! So when parts of the second one are not the best, it hits you harder

I’m just kind of fatigued with Serious Action Movie superhero movies, so I’m a little more inclined to be forgiving of the flaws in something that’s a refreshing change from that type in other ways

I have a pretty high level of suspension of disbelief when I want to

KRIS: This is very true, and here is a Vox article anyone who feels this way should read

(Basically it’s about how even on a visual level Guardians is Bringing Fun Back to Superhero Movies)

MIRI: I miss the fun! I just want some movies/shows to enjoy what they are!!!!!

(Obligatory plug for everyone to watch the hell out of Wynonna Earp and Sweet Vicious)

((RIP Sweet Vicious))

I do want to jump back to your point about the unfailing hero..until the plot demands otherwise

Because it’s a really good one

KRIS: I have to say that I want coherent action physics/fighting hierarchies in any action-heavy genre entertainment

Even if it’s leaning on the Fun Train side of things

Again, Gamora’s fluctuating strength level bothered me a lot

MIRI: Yeah, I think that is a really basic expectation that I’ve let myself be conditioned out of I think people give in to a Rule of Cool type thing too easily

KRIS: Rocket is the Rule of Cool personified

MIRI: But he was designed in a lab, so anything can work!

*rolls eyes*

(but still loves most of it in the moment)

KRIS: (There’s actually a really fun running gag in the recent-ish Guardians comics where Tony joins the team, and Rocket is constantly giving him shit for how primitive Tony’s tech is)

MIRI: that sounds amazing

KRIS: Like Tony is amazed by how convenient their communications technology is and Rocket is like how do you people get anything done?

MIRI: But seriously: yes, it looks awesome for Gamora to pick up the gun that is literally bigger than her, but if she’s that strong she needs to always be that strong

KRIS: Gamora also ends up being strangled a lot for some reason throughout these movies

I don’t THINK it’s a creepy gendered thing because Ronan also almost kills Drax by strangling

But it’s like this lazy “oh what’s a position of weakness to put our action hero in” thing

I guess/hope

MIRI: You know what is a creepy gender thing? The supposedly super practical assassin always wearing crop tops and boots with heels

KRIS: WHAT is with those heels?

MIRI: THANK YOU It might be partially because she’s a very petite woman

KRIS: They’re a carryover from Vol 1 when they make even less sense

MIRI: if I recall correctly

KRIS: Yes but

MIRI: I know

KRIS: ScarJo has elevated heels in the Avengers movies

But they’re blocky so you can’t tell unless you’re looking

Because it’s mostly to make her taller

But Gamora’s have those goofy holes in them!

MIRI: Anytime you can get Kris talking very specifically about things he doesn’t know the names of is a good time. (Not that I know exactly what to call the “goofy holes” either)

MIRI: I also have some concerns about Mantis. She is really subservient 

And I don’t think any sort of gender/ethnicity thing was intended, but it’s still pretty unfortunate

KRIS: Hmm yeah

MIRI: Also, I don’t think it should be ignored that the actors who are POC end up in full body paint more than the white dudes

KRIS: I think it mostly slipped by for me because with Nebula as a bigger presence and Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) as a secondary villain, Mantis didn’t feel too “token girl” and there was a decent range of character types for the women

But low bars and all that

Yes the POC thing is sticky

MIRI: Again, no one’s intention, I’m sure. But it’s always the white guy (named Chris) who is the starting point, and then they fill in the universe from there, which makes everyone else automatically some flavor of Other

Oh, real quick on Ayesha: When she had her hair down she made me think of Ivanka Trump

I genuinely believe that is how Ivanka Trump sees herself

KRIS: Oh man yeah

MIRI: I cannot back it up in any way, but I know it to be true

KRIS: While we’re on the Sovereign, the whole arcade setup for their ships was a pretty good gag

And even almost came into the general vicinity of commenting on the gamification of war

MIRI: Yes! Really liked them going from dignity to anger at losing the game

KRIS: That is probably the most (unduly?) generous thing I will say about the writing

MIRI: Ok, I’m thinking about low bars and things we’re tired of having to complain about and I have a thought

What if Quill didn’t have the obligatory dead mom?

What if he had a dead dad?

And his mom was the murder planet

KRIS: I’m listening

MIRI: I think there would be so much more there in terms of our expectations of a mother figure

And the question of creation vs destruction

I suppose it fits less with our general narrative of Judeo Christian creation and males as spending their genes as widely as possible

MIRI: Or, you know, spreading

KRIS: Right right

MIRI: But I also think it’s less played out and therefore more interesting if you reverse it some I don’t have anything more coherent to say, but I like the idea

KRIS: Yeah, here we can definitely say that as thematically perfect as Papa Planet’s self-obsession was for a Quill arc, it’s also a really good example of why we want and need other types of people writing and directing these stories

One of Caroline’s AV Club pieces I like a lot was about how Daredevil explores different masculinities

And Guardians 2 definitely strikes me as exploring, in a simpler way, sort of foundational ideas we have about Being a Man

KRIS: Where I sort of forgot I was going here was that even though I think the Ego/Quill stuff makes a lot of thematic sense, "Being a Man” is not exactly untrodden territory, and a woman writing and/or directing a story like this could probably have found a theme that hasn’t been done to death in this genre space.

MIRI: I’m wondering about the fact that barely touched on stories often work better than secondary ones--in this case Nebula (esp in Volume 1) vs Gamora. I think it might be because when writing Gamora, they’re very aware of writing The Woman’s story, and keeping her accessible as a love interest. Whereas Nebula is a factor in that story, rather than her own story. So she gets less well-intentioned-but-poorly-executed thought and is instead just written as a character

Does that make any sense?

KRIS: Yyyyes

MIRI: I saw Guardians 2 as more of an exploration of how to be a family than how to be a man, but I definitely think Being a Man is a big factor, if only because men are most of the characters

KRIS: I do think family was sort of the all-encompassing theme, but in the A-story I thought there was a definite thread of interrogating Quill’s macho-ness through his dad

Or interrogating is too fancy of a word but you know what I mean

MIRI: right

KRIS: Re: family, all I really had for “Fast and Furious parallels” was “affectless bald man saying ‘Family’”

MIRI: But would you say Yondu’s is more Man or family? hahahahahahhaa

KRIS: Hmmm

MIRI: And also Vin Diesel is there

KRIS: I guess I’d split the difference and say Father?

or “Daddy,” I guess

MIRI: Yeah I did not enjoy the Daddy line

KRIS: Can we go back to the romance question for a minute?

MIRI: Always!

KRIS: Do you think Pratt and Saldana have chemistry?

I don’t really feel it

MIRI: Huh. I don’t think they do

And I think at least part of that has to come from the weird inconsistencies in her character

She’s supposed to be all conservative and removed and immune to his pelvic sorcery

But she’s also wearing these ridiculous outfits with half her tits showing

MIRI: Please note that I am a fan of people showing as much or as little of their tits as they choose, but when it’s a character and it makes NO SENSE for that character in any other way I call bullshit

KRIS: Yeah that makes sense. I will probably not hate the eventual official Becoming a Couple because they’ve been low key and patient about it, but since they don’t have Tony-Pepper level chemistry it’s definitely easier to get pulled out of it and just see “oh, designated endgame”

MIRI: Yeah, the strings are very much visible there And I don’t hate it but I definitely don’t love it

KRIS: I mean I would have LOVED if the way they took the family theme had been specifically “orphan siblings” so Gamora became everyone’s sister

Which would have added an interesting level of resentment to Nebula’s story here

MIRI: I mean I’m always low-key annoyed that the 1/5 gender ratio means the woman is always eventually going to be in a relationship dynamic while the men only are if it fits, because of that same disparity

KRIS: Yep

MIRI: YES YES YES

That would have been so interesting!!!

This little crew of orphans, which 3 of them very much are already

Finding family and support in the middle of being violent bounty hunters jetting through space

That is all I ever want ever

KRIS: I also just finished rewatching Selfie, if anyone is looking for something else where Karen Gillan is alternately hilarious, hangry, and heartbreaking, that doesn’t demand the time or emotional commitment of Doctor Who.

KRIS: I guess we should tie this off pretty soon. Any last major thoughts?

MIRI: I really enjoyed it, and I’m here for more things being enjoyable

That said, the fact that they did some things SO well does make the more sizable inconsistencies grate a bit more in retrospect

KRIS: I will always wish everyone could write dialogue better, and I’m pretty sure like the first one better, but I’ve largely come around to enthusiastic approval

And ACT 2 IS SO SLOW

except when it cuts to Rocket and Yondu

MIRI: I am in awe of their balance of humor and action. Really blew a lot of other films out of the water on that score

Oh, and props to Sean Gunn for pulling his fairly absurd character off with grace!

“I didn’t mean to do a mutiny. They killed all my friends”

KRIS: Yeah, the best way to watch this is as a family dramedy with action bookends

KRIS: Should clarify here that I meant “family” in the sense of theme, as opposed to “fun for the whole family!”, but I have heard of friends-of-friends bringing 8-year-olds or so to see it with no problems.

MIRI: in that accent/voice and I still bought it 100%

KRIS: Yeah he worked really well

And I forget where but you can probably find a really sweet interview with James Gunn about how he loves working with his brother

MIRI: awww

You know how I love the sibling relationships

KRIS: Karen Gillan for Secretary of Swagger and/or Sullenness

MIRI: Oh, and I never need to see a nervous system becoming a man from the inside out ever again. That needs to stop being a thing

KRIS: Swagger more so in Vol 1, I guess

MIRI: Very much agreed

I need her to be in more things

Ok, done?

KRIS: Yes

In closing

I’M MARY POPPINS, Y’ALL

MIRI: Yes, he is cool!

[visualnoveldiscourse]

Amnesia: Memories- Kent Route Day 10

We pick up on Day 10 at Kent’s house after we tell him about our scary encounter with the mysterious possible murderer.  

We are off to a great start.  No memories, spirits in our heads, friends that think we’re out to get the targets of their affection, an emotionally constipated boyfriend, and now we might have a serial killer after us.  Good deal. 

 Heeey, if there’s a serial killer aspect to this story, are we going to be rescued by big, scary Kent?  Yes, please~ I have always been a slut for a damsel in distress story.  But what would make me even happier is us rescuing Kent!  0v0

Kent is suspicious of the fact that we say we don’t know the guy that apparently knows both of us.  

Orion suspects that we might have known the scary guy before he lost our memories for us.  I agree that it’s unlikely that we have never seen or met him before.  Kent, ever the diligent man, notes our paleness and asks if we know of any reason anyone would want to hurt us.  Unfortunately, we have no memories and we’ve been hiding that, so we can’t tell him any form of helpful answer.  My answer choice here is “I can’t think of anything,” since we literally know of no reason that anyone would wish us harm.  

I dunno, man.  Maybe I’m pale because a scary guy I don’t know knows my name and your name and was talking about killing me and then you’re like “maybe he’s a serial killer.”  You tell me, would that not elicit at least some concern?  

Of course, Kent immediately follows that up with “He must have been really scary!”  And I’m like no fucking shit.  Before any further conversation can be had, Kent comes closer and looks really freaked out.  

Awh, was he going to hug us and then he realized he was about to touch us and was like “holy shit, better not frighten girlfriend”? Like, I could probably use a hug right about now, maybe chill, Kent.  

“I wasn’t going to do anything outrageous...”  Kent, you’re blushing because you wanted to give us a hug?  Precious.  Or... not.  

Well, I suppose hand holding can also be comforting.  But personally, I’d rather have a hug.  But he doesn’t stop there.  

Kent really worries too much.  We’re dating.  Hand holding and hugs and even sometimes kisses are typical things to expect from romantic relationships.  Having you come closer to me and hold my hand to comfort me is a plus, not scary. This must be because of our rocky relationship and the rocky foundation of it.  

“So you don’t need to be so guarded.”  Is the final part of Kent’s next lines.  Were we making a face?  Like.  Kent is the least threatening person we’ve met the entire game.  I’m pretty sure I could put him up against a kitten and the kitten would be scarier.  

Fortunately, Kent takes our concerns seriously.  He offers to walk with us after dark to make sure we’re safe.  I also love how Kent doesn’t put forth a bunch of blustering bravado to impress us.  He could just as easily have said “I’ll walk you home every night to make sure you’re safe.  I’ll beat him up if he bothers you.” or anything else involving typical macho man bravado.  But instead, he says he might be able to help deal with that man.  Help deal with that man.  Not swoop in as a hero in a cape to save the day.  Not fix the problem for us.  Not to reduce us to a prize in some macho man fight about who gets the girl.  He says he might be able to help us deal with him.  

Another significant choice of words is saying that he might be able to help.  Kent makes no guarantees that he would be able to protect us from any threat.  He humbly acknowledges here that he might not be able to deal with this guy if he seriously is dangerous, but he will do what he can to help us if it came to that.  There is nothing I like more than a guy that is honest with me and himself about his capabilities and the situations we are in.  

We are going to die.  I know I was just harping about how nice it is that Kent is honest with me and that he will help me deal with this scary man, but if the scary man is here right fucking now, I need more than like two seconds to mentally prepare myself for the fight or flight reflex.  If I’m hiding, are you going to shove a shelf against the door or are you gonna be dumb as fuck and open the door for the serial killer?  

Kent, I don’t want to watch your bespectacled ass die in front of me while I hide under your desk and hope I’m not discovered-

Son of a fucking bitch.  Kent.  Ikki.  I’m over here having a panic attack because serial killer and you two have to play your fucking math nerd assassin games?  That’s it.  I’m done.  Play your games like the overgrown children you are.  I’m going h o m e  and there is nothing you can do to stop me.  

Oh.  I can’t leave yet?  Not cool, game.  I’m mad.  Can’t we just leaaave?  No?  Fine.  

Kent apologizes for the interruption that Ikki caused in our discussion. As if that is what merits an apology.  How about giving me a heart attack and knocking twenty years off my life?  

Ikki changes the subject to math puzzles that Kent likes to make and when he discovers that Kent already gave us some of said puzzles, he has the most hilarious reaction.  You fool.  You didn’t even suspect that I love math puzzles.  Maybe soon, I’ll join your stupid play pretend math assassin games.  

Okay.  So I can’t really fault him much for this one.  Although, I am personally offended.  We already know that we met Kent through a basic/beginner’s math course thing, so it’s natural he would consider our math skills elementary at best.  But still to come out an say it in front of your bro and in front of me.  Rude. (This is another rare occasion where Orion and I agree).  

Immediately following Kent’s statement, Ikki takes to his defense... Or so it seems.  “I’m sure he’s a ton of trouble.  He’s not a bad guy though, so try to be patient with him.”  

Kent is suddenly affronted by something Ikki says or does and one thing that I don’t like about this scene is how we don’t know what Ikki is doing until Ikki and Kent describe it.  Would it have been that much more difficult to draw Ikki’s hand reaching over the camera to rub our head?  

Kent is, understandably, upset by this development.  Ikki is taking some liberties here, what with rubbing the head of his best friend’s girlfriend.  

Wow, Ikki.  You’re not even hiding the fact that you’re doing this to make Kent jealous. The tone of voice the actor uses here cements that fact, which I cannot portray to you through text and screenshots.  To Kent’s credit, he keeps his cool, calmly telling Ikki that he has no morals.  

Of course, Kent is getting prety worked up about Ikki touching us.  It’s probably because Kent can’t even bring himself to hold our hand without dramatically working up to it.  Ikki is being pretty insensitive to his best friend.  And Ikki isn’t content to leave it at that, either.  

Before, it could be excused as a little lighthearted teasing, but now Ikki is just being an asshole.  Like, dude, maybe leave Kent and his insecurities alone?  Also, maybe stop rubbing my head, cause like, I don’t remember you asking permission to touch me and I’m sensitive about things like that.  But alas, being a silent protagonist with a spirit running our show, we don’t have the option to punch Ikki for being too familiar and touching us without permission.  

Ikki, seriously?  With friends like you, who needs enemies?  Openly flirting with your best friend’s girlfriend and pushing our boundaries by touching us and making open advances without permission.  Kent is having no more of this.  

He’s clearly getting pissed.  Ikki should call it quits, since it’s obvious that his playful teasing isn’t being well received.  But he doesn’t.  He casts another jab at Kent by brazenly asking for our number right in front of Kent.  

Look, there is nothing wrong with a guy and a girl who are not romantically involved exchanging phone numbers.  Men and women can be friends, after all.  But Ikki’s timing here is awful.  He’s flirted with Kent and insinuated that he would give us more intimate contact and Kent is already suspicious that Ikki intends to seduce us.  It’s just a dick move. 

We, the MC, could definitely do more to discourage Ikki’s advances, but we’re a blank paper bag with little real input into the story.  So, we exchange numbers and Ikki backs off and heads out. 

Alone, Kent approaches us, with a deep blush on his cheeks.  Is he going to ask us for reassurance?  Is he going to attempt to reaffirm that we have feelings for each other?  Is he going to do something sweet? Oh, Kent-

This sets off so many alarm bells in my head.  He’s got his hand balled up in our hair and his expression is the scariest I’ve seen on him.  Kent is so insecure that he would hurt us to prove to himself that he is manly enough to touch us in an intimate way.  

Personally, in real life, this would be a straight up deal breaker for me.  I don’t give a flying fuck how cute you are, how smart you are, how much I like you and am interested in you romantically, the minute you cause me physical harm is the minute your ass is on the curb.  No one, no man and no woman and no one of any gender on the spectrum will be allowed to cause me physical harm of any kind and stay in my life.  Unless it’s completely accidental, like, we ran into each other face first and now we’re laying in the floor groaning about how much our heads hurt.  

You have disappointed me, Kent.  You have disappointed me.  

But you are still, by far, the best boyfriend this game has to offer.  You heard me correctly: there are boyfriends in this game who treat us much worse than this.  Much worse.  I will miss you and your insecure hair pulling when we move on from your route to another.  

Fortunately, we get a chance to talk to Kent about how this hair pulling, rubbing thing feels.  I choose “I don’t dislike it, but it hurts.”  In this scenario, alone with a man bigger than me, who is already holding me by the hair, I wouldn’t want to antagonize him.  Best to pacify him and when I’m no longer in immediate danger, run for the hills.  

I don’t forgive you.  First of all, your hand is still balled up in my hair.  You’re pulling my hair as you apologize to me for pulling my hair and hurting me.  Second of all, you lost control and you hurt me.  You hurt me because you wer insecure and you are intelligent enough to know better.  Not laying a harmful hand on someone you profess to love isn’t difficult.  It’s being a decent human being. 

Well, first of all, he wasn’t pulling my hair and hurting my head.  Second of all, I don’t have a good answer for that, because the protagonist is a blank, passive page and Orion calls almost all of the shots. But we’re hiding this from Kent, so we don’t have a good explanation for him.  But!  Regardless!  You have no right!  To harm me!  No matter if you think someone else was allowed to do it!  

Can we go home yet?  No?  Kent has to angst about how Ikki will make advances on us? You don’t trust me to love you and to choose you over Ikki?  Just what is our shitty relationship based around, anyway?  Why are we even still trying at this point? 

Then get your hand out of my hair, shit fuck.  

“While I hesitate to even hold your hand, your heart could turn towards him...” Hand.  In my hair.  Fuck you.  Also, before this fiasco, I would have said “of course not.  You are being paranoid.  “I’m afraid that he could take you away from me.”  Dude, I don’t even want to see your face right now.  

“It takes all I have just to touch your hair.”  Then stop touching it. It’s not like I’m forcing you.  

Oh, well, since you put it that way- you are not forgiven.  Not that quickly, you asshole.  Prove to me you aren’t gonna abuse me and that that sort of thing will never happen again.  Oh, wait, things like that usually have repeat performances.  

“Could you go home for today?  ...I’ll walk you back.”  

Oh, thank God.  Just the words I was waiting for.  I don’t especially want you to walk me home, but better for you to walk me home than me be axe murdered in the street, I guess.  

Back at our apartment, Orion says “That was a surprise.”  and I’m like, which part?  Kent going crazy and pulling our hair or Ikki violating our personal space or maybe the way that Kent excused his behavior like an abuser would do?  

Which is a major warning sign in my book.  Danger, danger.  That’s not something to be happy about, Orion.  “He might like you more than we expected.”  Bro.  This is a bad thing, not a good thing.  Instead of getting more onto Ikki about this, he let all of his anger out on us.  That’s not cool.  

What a crappy note to end day 10 on.  And our romance was finally starting to get better.