#but that's still integrated plot wise into the romance

[rotzaprachim]

yeah that was definitely the best rom com i've seen in years

[huiyi07]

not sure if this fandom still has an ongoing crimson rivers discussion since its basically the jegulus gospel atp but I would still like to post my review after recently finishing it

it was good guys. i think the strongest key points of crivers is undoubtedly its characterization, which is, like, so good. crivers!sirius, I think, is one of the most perfect siriuses ever- he understatedly smart, fiercely loyal, and at the same time brutal, scary, and a little bit pyscho. He can also be vulnerable, anxious, and insecure. his personality interplays with regulus so well, and regulus is also such a great character with a strong characterization as somewhat like sirius' foil- he's so much like his brother and at the same time so not. it's really, really good. remus and james are also stellar- remus has so, so much aura and since there's not exactly a character like him in the original hunger games plot, he brings such a fresh, new perspective to the story. james is basically peeta, the "you could live a thousand lives and never deserve that boy", dialed up to 11. he's also mostly great, and I think his best moments are whenever he shows protectiveness for the people around him, especially his relationship with sirius.

I also think the worldbuilding is great. author did a stellar job integrating the harry potter world with the hunger games- espeially deciding which characters fell into what roles and whatnot. sirius being a mentor from a whole decade earlier also adds a lot of dimension to the story and I liked it whenever they explored his games and how they still affected his mental state even a decade later, which added lots of dimension to the story.

I do have a lot of issues with the story, though. The first thing I can think of is the plot. Crimson rivers really is just a repackaged hunger games in terms of plot- it borrows the same star-crossed lovers trope, and it's super super obvious to see which characters play which roles and whether their narrative is borrowed from hunger games or harry potter, which honestly makes the plot extremely predictable at times. the best moments, plot-wise, for me, was when author added their own ideas- the arenas, for one, were so so good. The history of the hallow (grindelwald, dumbledore, etc) was also integrated really well. otherwise though you can kinda predict the exact story down to which characters will live and which will not within the first five chapters. I don't think its a bad thing that it mostly follows the original hunger games plot, but I do wish there were more twists so that i'd be more invested in the high stakes.

speaking of high stakes, i'm sorry but i did NOT feel them :(. Again due to the plot being predictable, but also with the central characters not really displaying how high the stakes were, period. sirius and james, I feel, are the worst victims of this- honestly feels like they did NOT gaf much about being reaped and becoming the leaders of the revolution. this is why remus is my favorite character of crivers, because he shows the most personal involvement in actually driving the revolution narrative if ykwim (no spoilers lol). also.. the smut. guys i don't mind smut but it's so hard to take the hunger games, a literal death arena, seriously when it's the night before they go into the arena and james just keeps talking about his knife kink. like boy...

the highest stakes i felt, the point of the story that stressed me out the most, was undoubtedly when (spoilers) james and sirius were both left in the hallow and had to watch each other get tortured while their other halves in the pheonix were LOSING their MINDS because that was also pretty original, the way author had tom riddle use the two. but then they honestly rescue them so quickly, like so so quickly, and then neither of them even goes through the whole "peeta becomes a mutt" thing from the og plot so the whole thing is brushed over very quickly.

tldr read crivers for the romance not the plot lol

[tm-trx]

currents.08 [2025]

selections from my week in media [ 16-22 february 2025 ]

[ anticipating ]

Wabi Sabi released their pilots yesterday and I think my favorite was Beside the Sky. The Sun From Another Star looked interesting too.

[ listening ]

I'm testing a new free listening service for my playlists. I've already run into some holes and Tumblr desktop does not make it easy to integrate, but I'm going to do my best to use this instead of Spotify.

[ watching ]

The Boy Next World, ep 7 - So much in one episode. A surprise crossover with TharnType??? Amazing. I'm fascinated by Wim and Jin and need them to go on many more awkward dates. Still very confused at the reason for Jin being psychic, other than being used as a narrative shortcut. For a few minutes, I was pretty sure Phu had figured out Cir's been lying and has been just waiting for him to fess up. Those hopes were dashed. sigh. And now we've got a third 'version' of Cir coming, seemingly with amnesia. On one hand, my soap opera-loving heart adores an amnesia plot twist. On the other: really? Three episodes left, with all that's going on, and you're going to add amnesia into the mix? sigh. again.

Fourever You, ep 9-11 - I don't get Johan and North. North went from not even thinking of Johan as a friend to making out with him and now he's sort of getting feelings? I feel like I missed an episode. Hill and Ter's storyline is what I want to see more of. Especially now that we've seen what caused their separation. I like that they're taking their time to reconnect and build the relationship again.

Perfect 10 Liners, ep 15-17 - Finally got caught up and am still really loving this show for the most part. These last few episodes felt a little bit piecemeal, with all the "check-in" scenes for the now-side couples. But the Yotha/Gun storyline was resolved satisfactorily, with the expected 'happy ending' twofer of Gun's lifelong trauma being resolved literally overnight and Yotha's mother being let off the hook so quickly. I actually have less issues with the former, because that final scene was also very clearly about Faifa. I'm hoping he and Yotha will continue to be the very interesting sibling pair that they've been and keep talking through their own history throughout this final storyline. By the end of episode 17, I was fully on board with Wine and Faifa. Before now, I haven't understood them at all. I couldn't get any sense of who Wine was or what Faifa was doing (other than being his over the top helpfully enthusiastic self). But now that those interactions are more firmly "back story" they fit a little better and I'm looking forward to seeing their story develop.

Your Sky {finished: 3.5 stars} - This was a great little show. It was a very sweet university romance, with out-of-nowhere gorgeously shot and performed bed scenes. So good, in fact, they felt like they belonged in another show entirely. I had a little bit of cognitive dissonance as a result, but I'm not mad about it. I love the lead actor pair and even though their next project together looks painfully silly I will at least try to watch because I liked them so much. Plotwise, I appreciated that not everything was sunshine and roses when Rak came out to his family. And that the homophobia was the "it's okay for tv and other people, but not for my kid" flavor. That's a nuance you don't see too often. I do wish it had happened a little earlier, episode-wise, to make the happy ending more believable. But the acting for all of those scenes was excellent and I appreciated what they did give us. I loved all of the time the show spent with both families. It's one of my favorite aspects of the show.

previous Currents posts

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[jasminewalkerauthor]

Deep dives into folklore: Wizards

Wizards have long captured the human imagination, casting spells of enchantment that beckon us into realms of magic and mysticism. Throughout the ages, these venerable figures have evolved from the enigmatic, otherworldly beings of ancient mythology to the complex, multifaceted characters of modern literature. This evolution reflects not only shifts in our cultural and societal values but also our ever-evolving understanding of the world around us. This time on deep dives into folklore we will journey through time to explore the fascinating transformation of wizards in literature and mythology.

Wizards and their predecessors in ancient mythology were often portrayed as figures of immense power and knowledge, linked to the divine. These early wizards were synonymous with gods or served as intermediaries between mortals and deities. In Egyptian mythology, Thoth, the god of wisdom, was a key figure associated with knowledge and magic. In Mesopotamian myth, Ea, the god of wisdom, possessed great magical abilities.

These early depictions laid the foundation for the wizard archetype as wise, ancient beings, steeped in mysticism and capable of wielding powers beyond mortal comprehension. These myths served to explain the unexplained, such as natural phenomena or the mysteries of life and death, elevating these figures to a revered status in the cultural narratives of the time.

The Middle Ages saw the emergence of wizards as distinct figures in folklore, separate from deities but still occupying a hallowed place in the collective imagination. These wizards were often associated with medieval courts and the aristocracy, advising kings and nobles on matters of magic and statecraft. Notable figures like Merlin, who appeared in Arthurian legend, embodied this archetype and may possibly be the first example of wizards as we know them today.

Medieval wizards possessed a mix of ancient wisdom, mystical powers, and an aura of enigma. Their magical abilities often served to drive the plots of heroic legends and chivalric romances, further solidifying their status as integral characters in medieval literature and folklore.

The Renaissance marked a significant turning point in the evolution of wizards, as a renewed interest in science, art, and knowledge shifted the perception of these figures. The era's alchemists and philosophers, such as Paracelsus, bridged the gap between magic and science. Wizards became less otherworldly and more grounded in the pursuit of understanding the natural world.

In Renaissance literature, wizards like Faust grappled with the consequences of their quest for knowledge, often making deals with dark forces to achieve their goals. This theme of moral ambiguity and the cost of power became a recurring motif in subsequent literature.

The modern era brought forth a reimagining of wizards as complex, multifaceted characters. Authors like J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, and Ursula K. Le Guin created worlds where wizards were not mere archetypes but fully developed individuals with their own struggles, flaws, and ethical dilemmas.

Tolkien's Gandalf, for example, was a wise and powerful wizard, but he also embodied selflessness and a sense of duty. Rowling's Harry Potter series introduced a richly developed wizarding world, with characters like Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape facing moral challenges that added depth to their characters.

The evolution of wizards in literature and mythology reflects the changing values, interests, and understanding of humanity over time. From ancient mythological deities to medieval courtly advisors, from Renaissance alchemists to modern, complex characters, the wizard archetype has adapted and grown, mirroring the evolution of society and culture.

As we continue to explore and reshape our world, our portrayal of wizards will likely continue to evolve. They will remain a source of fascination and enchantment, embodying our enduring quest for wisdom, power, and the mysteries that lie beyond the realm of the ordinary. The evolving narrative of wizards is a testament to the enduring power of storytelling to shape our perceptions of the world and our place within it.

Taglist (reply or reblog to be added): @axl-ul @crow-flower @thoughts-fromthevoid @alderwoodbooks @harleyacoincidence @tuberosumtater @sonic-spade @theonlygardenia @holymzogynybatman @nulliel-tres

[crazykuroneko]

Tbh I think a lot casual viewers / non book fans are probably going to not continue the show after s2 unless it diverges quite drastically on louis's storyline? iwtv is very bleak and I genuinely think they underestimated how much show viewers ended up hating lestat after s1 (and they may end up in a similar situation with armand in s2) and then you're asking the audience to watch an entire season of this guy's whole backstory. plus you're killing off one of the two likable characters by the end of s2 and shifting louis into more a side character.

a big red flag to me was the lady who hosts the podcast who doesn't have a book background saying a lot of the same stuff as show-only people. like she clearly does not like lestat or loustat at all lmao and its literally her job to promote the show.

First, I want to address the "shifting louis into more a side character" because no I don't agree with that. Contrary to fans believe, Hollywood-standard wise (from the number of episodes they are in, how integral their characters are to the story), both Jacob and Sam have been considered as lead actors/cast of IWTV. You can see industry news outlets calling them both as such. But because IWTV is about Louis' past specifically and AMC knew IWTV still has some hope in Emmys even though it's small, they put them in different categories to not split the votes between them (they even only submit one actor in each category for it). So, look at what we have now, Louis is the narrator yet we still get Lestat in all episodes, and he's leading the NOLA narrative forward together with Louis despite not existing in the Dubai narrative. I bet we'll still get Lestat in most, if not all episodes, in S2, because Rolin has said many many times, the show is about both of them. And I expect they'll do the same in TVL season(s); Lestat is telling the story while Louis is leading whatever will be going on in the modern time. (No, i don't believe they'll make Louis stuck on a couch the whole season to listen to Lestat's story even though it sounds tasty. He'd definitely have a way to know what Lestat's saying, but I don't see anything good writing-wise from sticking your well-developed character in one place for such a long time)

About whether the audience will be willing to listen to Lestat's past, I'll see how S2 goes first before judging that. A lot of people don't like him, but there are a lot of them who are like, "I will miss him if he dies, he's an interesting character".

And IWTV is a niche show, its genre is gothic horror/romance. Who the hell is doing gothic romance for a series in this decade? (Hannibal doesn't count, it's not gothic and still about will/won't they). Like, what AMC is doing with IWTV now is extremely daring. And with a niche show, it's always the same: you can't please everyone. There will always be part of the general audience who will leave because either it's simply not their cup of tea or they can't stomach it. Especially now when there's this purity sentiment going so strongly in general (apparently now we shouldn't ship fictional characters, every sex scene has to have a grand purpose, and you shouldn't watch any portrayal of abuse even though it's produced by the victim herself). God forbid IWTV would ever want to please those people yikes. So, IWTV won't ever get as "mainstream" as what, Succession, Ted Lasso, Better Call Saul. But IWTV would still appeal to people who appreciate good writing, people who are "idc how bad the characters are as long as they're exciting!", and people who really love horror (not that "comfort horror" BS) - there's this review of IWTV from an horror website who is like "I wish they gave us more gore and horror of vampires", oh these people would love S2.

So, tl;dr you could say it's a natural selection (hell yes Darwinism), it's inevitable. I'd rather have that audience leave than stay and ruin fans' experience by whining about the plot that won't ever satisfy them. And I'd always applaud writers who don't give a shit to what people say and stick to what they're meant to do. They slay!

EDIT: ah I forgot about this. but don't underestimate the number of old fans who will probably check the show again when the TVL season(s) come. Because no matter how big their hatred for AMC is, it will be the first time ever for TVL to be adapted on screen. First time in 38 years (yes no one considers QotD movie ever existed). That's too big a temptation!

[hardworkandguts]

Macross Zero

マクロスゼロ

(OVA)

Musical mecha romance by Shoji Kawamori

Era: 2000s

Rating: C

Plot: Before the Zentradi and Lynn Minmay, there was a war caused by the realignments that followed the crash of the alien spaceship that would be reborn as the Macross. Nearing the end of that conflict, both sides converge on a small island in the Pacific in search of an artifact connected to the Protoculture.

Length: 5 episodes (~30 minutes)

Review: Well, it's a thing, surely. The themes are here - not much of a love triangle, but Spacy is back doing Very Normal things, War is hell - this time to show the impacts of it on a mostly isolated island and it's population (including a very dodgy blood collection drive) and we get to see the first Variable Fighters in action and how are fighter pilots going to adapt to it. Also, Roy Fokker again. It can have a bit of a Mystical Native thing going on, justified in that ancient aliens exist and we are not alone and we never been alone etc. Not really that interesting as a story, and other than reminding you Macross has also goes on occasion on "how far humans are willing to go to fuck over other humans", there's not that much here.

It's going to be a thing from here on, but I don't really like the typical anime character design and the 3D fighters with super detailed textures. A few years before, Ghost In The Shell SAC shown how you can save your mechanical animators a ton of work by incorporating 3D animation, but it was done in a way the tachikomas are output in a way they look similar to the other characters they interact with, in here, and I accept that is a matter of taste - it looks distracting. There's just also a very uneven quality to the scenes - some are gorgeous ones, some more 3D-heavy look like a videogame cutscene and finally a few have just messy and muddy backgrounds. I'm not one for constantly lamenting the death of cel animation, but these early years of digipaint and integration with 3D elements were undeniably a bit rough as directors struggled to make everything fit, Macross Zero being no exception. The upside of that is that the fighting action is incredible, even if mostly focused on the jet mode, justified story-wise as transformation is still a new technology.

Recommended to: Macross fans and that's pretty much it.

Plus:

Fairly good action

Minus:

Visually a bit of a mixed bag, and looking really bad at times.

[blues-valentine]

A long rant about teen wolf because why not (finale + stalia)

I’m here watching old episodes of TW and i’m still trying to understand why last season sucked and it’s simply because it destroyed and minimized so many great relationships in order to force Stiles + Lydia at the end. I roll my eyes every time people pull the "they were a slow burn" card because you can tell the writing wasn’t going to go there anymore.

Lydia and Stiles had the typical manic pixie girl dynamic and nice guy syndrome trope for 2 seasons, and it doesn’t matter how many scenes you pull out, it wasn’t reciprocated romantically because Lydia on season 3 was obviously falling in love with Aiden. That awful panic attack kiss happened on 3A season finale and it should’ve worked as a catalyst for romantic feelings through out season 3B but it didn’t — they continued Lydia’s romantic plot with the twin and the kiss wasn’t mentioned nor did it seem to impact them differently. As I said in an old post, the only way I could’ve believed them romantically would’ve been starting off their romantic development on season 3 after Stiles outgrew the nice guy syndrome and they started to have a mutual friendship but the only thing it did was solidify Lydia with Aiden. Also, you can tell that the writers were going to set up Stiles with a romantic interest all season 3. They were trying it with Cora Hale until Adelaide Kane had to leave the show for Reign so they wrote her off. They moved on introducing Malia on 3B, and funny enough, her plot gets immediately linked to Stiles. 3B could’ve been the perfect set up for a Stdia romance but they didn’t do it.

As opposed to what people think, Stiles and Malia had a solid start. Stiles being the only one that could understand Malia even in her coyote form and having this need to protect her. Malia immediately acting as a catalyst for Stiles' nogitsune multiple times and just the nogitsune understanding right away that Stiles was attached to Malia and could use her to get him. Malia waking Stiles up from the nogitsune. Their relationship ever since it started has been about understanding and dealing with the guilt of the things you do when you don’t have control of your own body. You can tell right away in the Echo House episode that Malia is extremely loyal by nature and she saw Stiles as someone she could trust. They were in a very weird situation and found confort in each other.

Season 4 to me just completely solidified their relationship. It was a season were you could tell both Stiles and Malia need each other strongly and even if the "i love you" was never spoken it was pretty much understood in context. Stiles was really to leave his jet to search after Malia. People saying Stiles never loved Malia are delusional. "I’ll never leave you behind" was their own version of i love you. We saw both Stiles and Malia going through a fight that made them stronger. Malia felt integrated to the pack and as part of Stiles' family. We saw a Stiles terrified of the idea of losing her. Stiles for the first time had someone that would put him first, that appreciated his efforts. We know he couldn’t sleep without her. The show made it clear how serious their relationship was by making Stiles become Malia's anchor and help her in her during full moon. By S4, there wasn’t even a mention of Stdia as a romantic pairing and all of their scenes were platonic at best.

The Stiles and Malia "break up" on season 5 was so strange because it made not sense character and plot wise. Stiles being mad about Malia knowing he killed Donovan and at her for saying "it didn’t matter to me" and proceeding to dump her without explanations doesn’t make sense because Stalia's whole relationship was about accepting the bad parts of each other and giving themselves a break to deal with trauma and emotions. Malia didn’t care about it not because death or killing wasn’t important to her but because she understands the person Stiles is and was giving him space to come clean. We are talking about the same Malia that was scared on season 4 about being a monster like Peter and was still dealing with the guilt for the things she did as a coyote. The Stiles and Malia they showed us would’ve talked about it and overcome it together. The season started with both Stiles and Malia speaking about their future together. We saw Stiles being terrified of Malia hurting herself — and he dumped her because she knew him the best (?). Then you have a cheap line about Stiles always liking Lydia by season finale said by Kira of all people (that wasn’t even there until 3B) and it was also an episode in which they made up an excuse so they won’t have Malia in the episode with the group so they could pull that fan-service when we know Malia would never leave Stiles or the pack alone when she’s needed, especially not in Echo House, a place she knows well. In fact, Stiles not caring about Malia and what she was going through with her mom on season 5 was extremely out of character. It’s the same Stiles that set up a clues board without Malia knowing to find her mother in the first place.

Season 6 was the nail in the coffin for me. Arden Cho/Kira gets written off because apparently "Kira's story line has wrapped up" according to the writers which was so weird because she was the character with the strongest background and so much could've been done with her relationship with Scott but they needed her out of the way to sell the season. The whole memory wipe of Stiles from everyone’s memory (except Lydia) was such a forced way for the writers to throw a romance between Scott and Malia now with Kira out. That relationship was weird especially when it was established Malia considered Stiles as basically her one pair (like a mate) and there was never a romantic inclination between them expect for pack member and leader. I said it before and will said it again, forcing the "Lydia is a banshee and that’s why she was the only one to remember him" was so they could force Stdia on the audience and you can tell served as a way to revisionist the way their interactions were portrayed before. Lydia being so magically in love with Stiles was sudden and fake. Most importantly, the season did a huge disservice to the heart of the show: the friendship between Scott and Stiles. Scott should’ve been the one to remember Stiles. His best friend, his family, a member of his pack. That would’ve given the show a nice full circle moment — but offering ship fan service was more important.

[milaswriting]

Romance Guide

Romance Lock

My thoughts right now are that romances will be locked in chapter 15, which will then lock you to that ro for the rest of the series.

You won't need to have a set amount of points to romance an ro, but text/dialogue will change depending on how many you have, e.g., if you have less than 5 points, your chosen RO may be surprised to see you/have a one on one conversation with you.

Thoughts on Supernaturals Stat

This may be scrapped when Golden is done and published, but for now, the thoughts behind the stat are that if you're more negative than positive with this then it'll take longer for your chosen ro to fall for your mc.

Romancing K

When creating K, I wanted to make sure that they are not a character that's sexualised - they’re complex, have layers and it’s not all about sex for them. Before the romance lock, and when you lock on their romance route, their initial thought won't be to have sex with your mc - so don't expect that. A friends with benefits won't be available either.

K and P Poly Route Romance

I’m still not entirely sure whether this will happen, but it may be an option for your mc. I do see K and P being a romantic couple, so a poly route would work.

K and P Being Together

Also not confirmed, but if you're romancing A or B then there is a possibility that K and P could end up together.

I think it's fair that ROs you don't romance are able to find love elsewhere. though the mc is literally the main character in the story, there is a found family trope in Golden and the ros (and other characters) are still an integral part of this story so like the mc, they're finding themselves too, especially with all that happens plot-wise in game.

A's Sexuality

You can find a romance guide for A and their route -> here.

Touch Averse Option

This option comes at the end of chapter 8 which sets that option for the rest of the series, I think it fits the scene well. Just a reminder that the wording of the choice is, ‘i’m not a fan of unnecessary touch from strangers,’ but even when you’re on a romance route, the ro will always ask to initiate any type of touch e.g., hugs, kissing etc.

Whether you’re touch averse or not, the mc/reader will have the choice of whether they want any type of touch to happen at all, to initiate touch themselves, or whether they’d rather their RO initiate it <- for a touch averse mc, if the last point was to happen, then the ro would ask whether the mc’s okay with it, for example.

[fromevertonow]

Bloodlines vs Throne of Glass: The Two Sides of the YA Coin

!If you haven’t read either of these series but wish to, I will include vague spoilers in here. You’ve been warned!

In both these series, the female protagonist gets abducted and the male love interest tries to find her and get her back. The difference between these two scenarios though is the way in which the reunion of the couple is handled. Sure, they both go through infinite loopholes to get rid of their pursuers, but things differ the moment they finally have a moment to stop and breathe.

Let me ask you a question: once you get out of a torturous isolation that you’ve been in for months, do you think sex is one of the first things that’d be on your mind?

Because it apparently is for Rowan and Aelin. It’s been almost 1,5 year since I first read Kingdom of Ash and I’m still bothered with how SJM handled their reunion. They had their extremely brief catch up wherein Aelin explained how much she suffered during her imprisonment, but right after that they got down and dirty. It doesn’t make any sense. Wouldn’t they have wanted to just take in each other’s presence after such a long time of being apart? What is the point of including an explicit scene in a YA fantasy series where the main priority is the plot?

Then there’s Sydney and Adrian. Yes, there was a brief moment where they almost did do it… but they eventually didn’t. And that is a choice made by Richelle Mead, just as much as it was a choice of SJM to include that sex scene. Adrian even makes it perfectly clear that sex wasn’t at all on his mind when he first had a private moment with Sydney again. He just wanted to hold her and be near her. It’s literally phrased that way. In my opinion that makes their reunion even more romantic.

Recent YA stories have become much more sexed up because that is what a lot of authors/publishers think would sell better. Yes, there is a group of readers who do like to read smut, and that’s their choice, but does that mean that Young Adults should be exposed to those kinds of scenes? It’s not ‘YA’ at all, and I realize the meaning of that age group is very vague, but let’s pretend this is about 12-18 yo. These are stories for MINORS. Let that sink in!

It just so happens to be that I’m naming SJM here, notorious for her problematic inclusions of, among many other things, explicit scenes, but that doesn’t mean plenty of other authors don’t market their NA stories as YA too. It’s become a huge problem in the literary world and a lot of stories are blending into each other more and more every day bc of these marketing strategies. The same tropes, the same aesthetics, the same character sets—all because one particular story did so well money-wise. So many YA fantasy stories have immortal, drop-dead gorgeous fae in them who eventually always end in up in some sexual scenario. And it’s always the same plot: young woman finds immortal man who’s fifty times her age, they start out as enemies and learn to accept each other. But, all the while, there all these sexual connotations that could have been left out.

It’s long been established that in recent years, the lines between what is age appropriate have been blurred. But does that mean we have to agree with what is happening in front of us? An example of what is perfect for a YA with a romance (sub)plot is Six of Crows. How obsessed is the book community with all three main ships? How many of them have actually had sex? I fucking adore the complexities that Kaz brings with his phobia. It makes his attraction to Inej all the more meaningful. Every time he touches her, it’s like he’s winning a battle from another inner demon. For Inej. The woman he loves. It adds to the romance between them, but, more importantly, it is such an integral part of his characterization, his development.

Most of what’s being published in the YA genre is so superficial. It’s not about morality anymore, or winning personal battles, or showing strength. It’s all about sex. And to me, sex doesn’t sell. That is a personal opinion, but I miss the times where I could pick up a book and think, yes, this is something I can relate to. Or a book that just, simply, makes me think after I read it. A story needs to mean something. If it doesn’t offer anything beyond the superficial, then what is the point? Especially when we’re talking about the age group 12-18. A group that’s literally trying to figure out who the fuck they are. What can they make up of solid, useless smut? Explain that to me.

Ps. I know I ramble sometimes but this topic just really frustrates me

[duckprintspress]

How to Edit an Over-Length Story Down to a Specific Word Count

One of the most wonderful things about writing as a hobby is that you never have to worry about the length of your story. You can be as self-indulgent as you want, make your prose the royalist of purples, include every single side story and extra thought that strikes your fancy. It’s your story, with no limits, and you can proceed with it as you wish.

When transitioning from casual writing to a more professional writing milieu, this changes. If you want to publish, odds are, you’ll need to write to a word count. If a flash fiction serial says, “1,000 words or less,” your story can’t be 1,025 and still qualify. If a website says, “we accept novellas ranging from 20,000 to 40,000 words,” your story will need to fall into that window. Even when you consider novel-length works, stories are expected to be a certain word count to fit neatly into specific genres - romance is usually around 80,000 words, young adult usually 50,000 to 80,000, debut novels usually have to be 100,000 words or less regardless of genre, etc. If you self-publish or work with a small press, you may be able to get away with breaking these “rules,” but it’s still worthwhile to learn to read your own writing critically with length in mind and learn to recognize what you do and do not need to make your story work - and then, if length isn’t an issue in your publishing setting, you can always decide after figuring out what’s non-essential to just keep everything anyway.

If you’re writing for fun? You literally never have to worry about your word count (well, except for sometimes in specific challenges that have minimum and/or maximum word counts), and as such, this post is probably not for you.

But, if you’re used to writing in the “throw in everything and the kitchen sink” way that’s common in fandom fanfiction circles, and you’re trying to transition only to be suddenly confronted with the reality that you’ve written 6,000 words for a short story project with a maximum word count of 5,000...well, we at Duck Prints Press have been there, we are in fact there right now, as we finish our stories for our upcoming anthology Add Magic to Taste and many of us wrote first drafts that were well over the maximum word count.

So, based on our experiences, here are our suggestions on approaches to help your story shorter...without losing the story you wanted to tell!

Cut weasel words (we wrote a whole post to help you learn how to do that!) such as unnecessary adverbs and adjectives, the “was ~ing” sentence structure, redundant time words such as “a moment later,” and many others.

When reviewing dialog, keep an eye out for “uh,” “er,” “I mean,” “well,” and other casual extra words. A small amount of that kind of language usage can make dialog more realistic, but a little goes a long way, and often a fair number of words can be removed by cutting these words, without negatively impacting your story at all.

Active voice almost always uses fewer words than passive voice, so try to use active voice more (but don’t forget that passive voice is important for varying up your sentence structures and keeping your story interesting, so don’t only write in active voice!).

Look for places where you can replace phrases with single words that mean the same thing. You can often save a lot of words by switching out phrases like “come back” for “return” and seeking out other places where one word can do the work of many.

Cut sentences that add atmosphere but don't forward the plot or grow your characters. (Obviously, use your judgement. Don't cut ALL the flavor, but start by going - I’ve got two sentences that are mostly flavor text - which adds more? And then delete the other, or combine them into one shorter sentence.)

Remove superfluous dialog tags. If it’s clear who’s talking, especially if it’s a conversation between only two people, you can cut all the he saids, she saids.

Look for places where you've written repetitively - at the most basic level, “ ‘hahaha,’ he laughed,” is an example, but repetition is often more subtle, like instances where you give information in once sentence, and then rephrase part or all of that sentence in the next one - it’s better to poke at the two sentences until you think of an effective, and more concise, way to make them into only one sentence. This also goes for scenes - if you’ve got two scenes that tend towards accomplishing the same plot-related goal, consider combining them into one scene.

Have a reason for every sentence, and even every sentence clause (as in, every comma insertion, every part of the sentence, every em dashed inclusion, that kind of thing). Ask yourself - what function does this serve? Have I met that function somewhere else? If it serves no function, or if it’s duplicative, consider cutting it. Or, the answer may be “none,” and you may choose to save it anyway - because it adds flavor, or is very in character for your PoV person, or any of a number of reasons. But if you’re saving it, make sure you’ve done so intentionally. It's important to be aware of what you're trying to do with your words, or else how can you recognize what to cut, and what not to cut?

Likewise, have a reason for every scene. They should all move the story along - whatever the story is, it doesn’t have to be “the end of the world,” your story can be simple and straightforward and sequential...but if you’re working to a word count, your scenes should still forward the story toward that end point. If the scene doesn’t contribute...you may not need them, or you may be able to fold it in with another scene, as suggested in item 6.

Review the worldbuilding you’ve included, and consider what you’re trying to accomplish with your story. A bit of worldbuilding outside of the bare essentials makes a story feel fleshed out, but again, a little can go a long way. If you’ve got lots of “fun” worldbuilding bits that don’t actually forward your plot and aren’t relevant to your characters, cut them. You can always put them as extras in your blog later, but they’ll just make your story clunky if you have a lot of them.

Beware of info-dumps. Often finding a more natural way to integrate that information - showing instead of telling in bits throughout the story - can help reduce word count.

Alternatively - if you over-show, and never tell, this will vastly increase your word count, so consider if there are any places in your story where you can gloss over the details in favor of a shorter more “tell-y” description. You don’t need to go into a minute description of every smile and laugh - sometimes it’s fine to just say, “she was happy” or “she frowned” without going into a long description of their reaction that makes the reader infer that they were happy. (Anyone who unconditionally says “show, don’t tell,” is giving you bad writing advice. It’s much more important to learn to recognize when showing is more appropriate, and when telling is more appropriate, because no story will function as a cohesive whole if it’s all one or all the other.)

If you’ve got long paragraphs, they’re often prime places to look for entire sentences to cut. Read them critically and consider what’s actually helping your story instead of just adding word count chonk.

Try reading some or all of the dialog out loud; if it gets boring, repetitive, or unnecessary, end your scene wherever you start to lose interest, and cut the dialog that came after. If necessary, add a sentence or two of description at the end to make sure the transition is abrupt, but honestly, you often won’t even need to do so - scenes that end at the final punchy point in a discussion often work very well.

Create a specific goal for a scene or chapter. Maybe it’s revealing a specific piece of information, or having a character discover a specific thing, or having a specific unexpected event occur, but, whatever it is, make sure you can say, “this scene/chapter is supposed to accomplish this.” Once you know what you’re trying to do, check if the scene met that goal, make any necessary changes to ensure it does, and cut things that don’t help the scene meet that goal.

Building on the previous one, you can do the same thing, but for your entire story. Starting from the beginning, re-outline the story scene-by-scene and/or chapter-by-chapter, picking out what the main “beats” and most important themes are, and then re-read your draft and make sure you’re hitting those clearly. Consider cutting out the pieces of your story that don’t contribute to those, and definitely cut the pieces that distract from those key moments (unless, of course, the distraction is the point.)

Re-read a section you think could be cut and see if any sentences snag your attention. Poke at that bit until you figure out why - often, it’s because the sentence is unnecessary, poorly worded, unclear, or otherwise superfluous. You can often rewrite the sentence to be clearer, or cut the sentence completely without negatively impacting your work.

Be prepared to cut your darlings; even if you love a sentence or dialog exchange or paragraph, if you are working to a strict word count and it doesn't add anything, it may have to go, and that's okay...even though yes, it will hurt, always, no matter how experienced a writer you are. (Tip? Save your original draft, and/or make a new word doc where you safely tuck your darlings in for the future. Second tip? If you really, really love it...find a way to save it, but understand that to do so, you’ll have to cut something else. It’s often wise to pick one or two favorites and sacrifice the rest to save the best ones. We are not saying “always cut your darlings.” That is terrible writing advice. Don’t always cut your darlings. Writing, and reading your own writing, should bring you joy, even when you’re doing it professionally.)

If you’re having trouble recognizing what in your own work CAN be cut, try implementing the above strategies in different places - cut things, and then re-read, and see how it works, and if it works at all. Sometimes, you’ll realize...you didn’t need any of what you cut. Other times, you’ll realize...it no longer feels like the story you were trying to tell. Fiddle with it until you figure out what you need for it to still feel like your story, and practice that kind of cutting until you get better at recognizing what can and can’t go without having to do as much tweaking.

Lastly...along the lines of the previous...understand that sometimes, cutting your story down to a certain word count will just be impossible. Some stories simply can’t be made very short, and others simply can’t be told at length. If you’re really struggling, it’s important to consider that your story just...isn’t going to work at that word count. And that’s okay. Go back to the drawing board, and try again - you’ll also get better at learning what stories you can tell, in your style, using your own writing voice, at different word counts. It’s not something you’ll just know how to do - that kind of estimating is a skill, just like all other writing abilities.

As with all our writing advice - there’s no one way to tackle cutting stories for length, and also, which of these strategies is most appropriate will depend on what kind of story you’re writing, how much over-length it is, what your target market is, your characters, and your personal writing style. Try different ones, and see which work for you - the most important aspect is to learn to read your own writing critically enough that you are able to recognize what you can cut, and then from that standpoint, use your expertise to decide what you should cut, which is definitely not always the same thing. Lots of details can be cut - but a story with all of the flavor and individuality removed should never be your goal.

Contributions to this post were made by @unforth, @jhoomwrites, @alecjmarsh, @shealynn88, @foxymoley, @willablythe, and @owlishintergalactic, and their input has been used with their knowledge and explicit permission. Thanks, everyone, for helping us consider different ways to shorten stories!

[6blackfilin9]

I love your Anko fanart! Tell me, what are your views/headcannons on Anko X Kazuku?

hThank you so much for the ask, finally I can answer it

here is my big thank you for the waitng

In a nutshell, the shipp was created by accident while me and my buddy were working on our first Naruto AU in 2019, where Kakuzu and Deidara survived their shitty plotholes end eventually ended up in Konoha

Yeah

so, the shipp’s birth date is july the 1, 2019

anything like classy, aristocracy kind of tension-filled passionate gothic romance with playful, psychological games & hurt/comfort vibes with slight scent of rivalry is KakuAnko

Basically, they are: a very, very old man with absolutely horrendous background who’s trying to finally have his mother*cking 10 or 30 years of peace, and a rather young lady with a rocky youth who’s being good & noble yet has very strong antihero tendencies

You know, I think they do have potential, since, in fact, they seem to be very similar, at the core

They are both very pragmatic realists, the people of logic and reason, yet if Kakuzu’s irritability doesn’t affect him a tiny bit due to his ideal self-control, Anko’s can lead her to quite bad places, sometimes. They put their interests in the first place, and even though she tries to attach them to Konoha’s, she still has ‘personal’ things (I’ll write ‘bout it lower*). Their mindsets are so complicatedly organized that, at some point & way, it prevents them from having many close people, and makes them very hard to see through and predict

Both of them are very flexible & adaptive, independent individuals with similar outlooks on plenty of things and high intellectual level. They clearly can find plenty of traits that they would highly respect and adore in each other

Here I will speak mostly for “why and how” kind of things, bc both of them are terribly tricky to accurately figure out. But there will be some headcanons too

So, there are still some odds about them, due to the strong difference in their occupation, like, in plenty of cases they are really tricky to be brought together, because:

- Of the job

In original, Anko is a Konoha’s special jounin, and she is very dedicated to serving the country. Independently of whether she likes her job or not (depends on the plot), she orienteers at the people, at society’s gain from her work. So, accordingly, in any other AU her job is somehow connected to civil service, whether it’s something police-like, connected to science, or something like CCG in Tokyo Ghoul

Kakuzu, on the other hand, is a hitman and a persona non grata in literally all the five big countries, Konoha too (which makes it barely possible to bring them together in the original universe without hard complications or heavy drama. But still possible). He orienteers on his own gain alone, but, depending on the job, it can include others’ gain, too.

This detail makes him a saint once he holds supervising position in some company or any high position in the government (the better the working conditions of the staff now- the more money in the prospective), and the sheer nightmare once he has it on the opposite side of the law. Him as a mob boss is a complete different topic for discussion, but to get the point, in this case, the trouble isn’t him increasing the level of criminality (its rather vice-versa), but taking hold of too much control in the high and underground structures. Even as an ordinary hitman he’s rather tricky, since everything depends on the case

In most of the stories, they come to some sort of compromise, and how hard it is to reach it depends on how shitty his job is and how attached they are to each other at the moment

Like, in the above mentioned Shippuden AU and Harry Potter AU (which I also wrote with my buddy) everything went like clockwork, because there they are both more or less on this side of the law, in Tokyo Ghoul AU (which I also wrote with my buddy) it is a bit more complicated, with her being in-law and him being very much outlaw, in the Avatar AU (which I also figured out with my buddy, but we never happened to write it) it is also pretty smooth, with both of them being outlaws and then jumping out to the glory after all the shit is done, but in another Shippuden AU of mine, this all would be just a motherfucking bloody disaster

- Kakuzu is actually a hard nut to get attached to anyone

He lived too long to be truly afraid of anything, though. Its mostly because he doesn’t really need to get attached to or become close with someone to satisfy his need for communication. The man can get along with anyone once he wishes to, he can have countless acquaintances and plenty of buddies, but he doesn’t have many comrades and barely can call anyone a friend. Because he is used to lose everything and everyone he ever had or happened to have, because of his inhumanly lengthened lifespan.

It requires time for him to get used to the person, and then, eventually, in some cases, spend plenty of it to get attached

Plus, for him, due to his profession, each close connection is a really great responsibility for him. In most cases, he’d think twice of weather he is ready to take it or not

Though it of course has the personal factor, too

In Anko’s case, she has a grand privilege by being a very intelligent and keen woman, not just in cognitive plane, but in emotional, too. High emotional intellect is actually a rare trait, so she automatically stands out of the crowd for him. Even though it won’t guarantee his alliance, it will grant her his high respect and some sort of sympathy

- Kakuzu is, technically, an asshole

He does have his moral compass, which includes a great amount of common social morality, but he also has that “I am working” state

Even though Kakusu has a set of professional principles, and he still acts accordingly to what he thinks is right, one and the very same situation can be solved diametrically different once the context changes from working to casual and vice versa

This, and him being very independent and quite antisocial, makes the degree of assholeness depend on various factors

This can lead to major conflicts of interests, and if they are possible to have any compromise or not is strongly attached to the circumstances. After all, both are very, very prideful and dignified people

- In other words, the only major issue for them would be morality questions. It’s possible to make the case acceptable for Anko, since both of them ain’t truly squeaky clean, along with Kakuzu being willing enough to watch his borders

- She is provident and doesn’t really need a lot of money on a daily basis, which is much of a joy to him lol

- *they both seek for the stable ground, first of all

Taking in consideration the life conditions Kakuzu had in his youth (despite war state, he still stably had family, friends, grand respect from everyone, home, warmth and food) and how terribly he was torn out of his secured social environment, I believe what he seeks through all his bounty hunt and other money-connected manipulations is stability. Sustainability he had back then. The only way to have it in the conditions of our existent world order is to have money (and a very good mind and luck)

Anko has indeed much more altruistic motives, yet it’s still not that simple. It seems to be, on the first sight, yet considering the “Orochimaru related cases” and her very wayward behavior toward them, it’s clear she keeps her own motives and needs in mind oh so well. The service she has is very well payed, it allows her to do what she likes or believes is right, and to have the living conditions she finds comfortable. And only here, relying on the made sustainable basis, she does what she does

- Thus, they both illustrate the principle “first help yourself, next help the other” just right

- She knows she can keep an eye on him, yet it’s clear for her that her influence isn’t borderless, as well as telling him off some stuff is kind of a not wise thing to do. So in the majority of cases, she never interferes

- This is not common, yet he can actually change some plans if the situation is serious and the compromise can’t be found. He is that kind of person who works on a further prospective, and in this context, this would be the relationship with his loved one

- While Kakuzu is quite conflicted and has very reserved controversial persona, Anko is both controversial, conflicted, and sort of two-faced, on top of that

She is a very sincere, cheerful and humbly honest human being, yet she has some darker natural traits of her character that became rather strong with age and traumatic experience. Cunningness, guile, ways-depend-on-the-case and a bit of ruthlessness, that is. Moreover, she has some unsolved personal issues, which makes her even more twisted.

Like, remember the time when she confronted Orochimaru during the exam? And Kabuto, on the war? Getting rid of them is indeed beneficial for Konoha, but it’s clear that for her it is personal vendetta in the first place. She wouldn’t have tried to do this alone, otherwise, because these two are rather dangerous ones, to say the least.

She uses greater good to cover her real motives (even though it is not truly complete bullshit), and seems to have a terrible habit to keep silence about really important things, which makes her quite prone to lying, in some cases

And sometimes it very badly pisses Kakuzu off, since it makes her prone to doing useless but dangerous shit too

Yet this not any kind of separate hidden side, it is integrated into her personality, and coexists with her bright one. That’s where her violent humour comes from, for example.

But Kakuzu, on the other side, is completely monolith individual, yet sometimes his mindset can create contradictions when it comes to something important to him. but it's another topic

And seeing these layered constructions, and motives, they can pretty finely predict each other’s behavior. Not super-neatly, but they for sure see the basis. This is what helps Kakuzu to prevent Anko from doing some stupid shit, sometimes

- Anko has a role of an indicator for the people who don’t understand and see the changes in Kakuzu’s mood sometimes, since she usually reacts quite openly. Yet, when she has the same unreadable mask of cold, or one of guile, it’s a nightmare for them

- They prefer the non-verbal way to show their feelings, even though Anko is obviously the more chatty one

- They don’t say things such as “I love you”, or other sensual stuff like that really often, believing it to be some sort of cherished words that shall not be spelled mindlessly

- Anko isn’t majorly into PDA, but she fancies it much more than Kakuzu does. She has her whole moments of studying something with her hands, whether it’s a hand, scar or face. He’s more into passive display of affection, like wrapping an arm over her waist or leaning to her or something of this kind; they can allow themselves to (not sexually) kiss in public though

- She knows he doesn’t like to walk hand in hand due to considering it a youthful thing, so there are times when she intentionally walks holding on to his sleeve; generally they walk separately in order not to bother each other, but sometimes they walk arm in arm (like an old Victorian couple lol)

- Being older and wiser, Kakuzu eventually upholds some kind of mentoring position, yet he never considers himself any kind of a teacher or master to Anko, believing her to have a good head of her own. He is just insightful enough to break something through to her or give a word of advise

- This, combined with his highly powerful demeanor, also makes him have the leading position in their relationship

- Anko respects him much enough to fortify this, entrusting with plenty of life questions (like organizing the family budget), even though they make the majority of decisions together. Mostly because he is truly wise and highly experienced individual.

- This makes him one of the very few people Anko would actually listen to and take their opinion in consideration

- So basically they have equal relationship with some tendency to patriarchal order

- And it is, really, mostly economically-based disbalance, with him earning much more than she does

- Yet they never have any financial-based issues, since both of them keep in mind and respect the contributions of each

- There is major power play here, too. He has the absolute might, she has seduction. Anko loves how he makes her want to submit to him, let him have all the power, so she likes provoking him. And she knows he adores it, loves the subtle control she has over him

- They don’t have conflicts in their everyday life. Each knows how to avoid pissing one another off

- He cherishes her playful demeanor, her intellect. Combined with her cunningness, it allows her to rival him, in social sphere. The way she constructs her phrases, the way she speaks, mimics, moves, how bewitchingly it suits her feminine snaky features makes his blood boil and heart melt

- Both of them, actually, have rather specific kind of dry, dark humour. Kakuzu’s is very cynical, satirical, quite often menacing and subtly demeaning; Anko’s is very sarcastic and quite dirty, even gruesome and rather violent

- Sometimes they “fight” verbally as a form of a play. In some circumstances they may sound pretty vile, so some unobservant people mistake this for display of hate

- In general, Anko is the one to heat things up with her playful demeanor, which can include provocation and rivalry, and Kakuzu is the one to keep this energy in borders, accumulating it up to much more intense states

- They both put the comfort in the first place when it comes to household. Everything must be cozy, useful, silent and super clean

- Yet they are both very unpretentious and modest, really

- She absolutely adores when he is showing his serious, severe side, or powerful demeanor. She finds it incredibly suitable for him. She also likes how his real age is sliding out in this or that way. Like, even though he has rather young face (that of 37-40 y.o.), his eyes give away that he’ve seen oh so much more than it seems; the grumpy noises and grunts he makes, the lazy attitude in movements and the way how rapidly he finds a comfy pose once he has a chance to take a seat

- They are both rather patriotic, yet while in the most stories Anko’s feelings mostly lay towards the country she lives in, Kakuzu’s more often lay towards some places, so called small motherland.

- Kakuzu actually could be a source of deep, strong admiration and delight for her, despite all of his bullshit. The unbreakable will he has, mighty burning heart, all the wisdom, talents and mind. Being sent to fight god damn Hashirama, clearly a genius of his times, financial & management genius at the least. And, still, after all the hard times he’ve been through, he maintained the very strong sense of dignity and nobility, even though slightly twisted due to the profession and abnormal lifespan

- And the very same things can serve as the source for her chagrin: with all those traits, he could have been so much more rather than a criminal. With all the gifts he’ve got, he could have been of great use to society. He’s much easier about this, since his prospective is much wider and embraces decades (and in some universes even centuries) instead of months & years, and he knows that he’d be switching sides throughout his life, being on this and that side of the law, yet he still is a bit uncomfortable once it’s brought up

- They are deeply into science, which makes them atheists. He’s into medicine and human biology, she’s into chemistry and reptilian biology; both of them are nuts for physics, history and psychology

- They solve complicated physical and mathematical problems together time to time. She is the first one to have tea-breaks due to losing her temper over it, he tries to figure things out right until you can sense the smoke coming off his head

- Actually, they do have a stumbling stone aside from job & morality complications. And this is Anko’s attitude towards Orochimaru

What she does is basically ruins her life very-very slowly, maintaining the issues she has and planning to make him pay for all he’s done

Kakuzu knows exactly what is really going on with this attitude and why, but he can’t really do anything about it. Like, he knows he can’t make her change her mind or put something into her head

All he can do is really nothing but try to explain how those things are working, and even this option is basically a landmine field for him. At some level she does understand that he could probably be right, yet she just refuses to go back on her mind. And this is actually really dangerous, so at some moments they can fight quite badly about it

- He’s scared shitless to lose her, though; especially like that, even though he knows clearly that he will, anyway, sooner or later

- he knows that losing loved ones ends up with sheer disaster for him, yet he isn’t afraid to pay such a high price for those six, five or four decades of being with her. Because these decades are that of a paradise ones for him. Wife and family, as well as stable job, incomes and life conditions, are some sort of physical definitions of sustainability he craves. Especially family, yet it’s far ahead to plan

- The fact that he will have to bury her one day makes her rather depressed, as well as the knowledge that the only thing she can really do about it is to try to bring him as much happiness and comfort as possible before she dies

thank you, i'd say more, but it's too much already

[astradrifting]

This is kind of inspired by this recent ask I sent to @esther-dot about Jon’s characterisation and Jonsa shippers’ apparent disregard for it, because it made me think of another part of Jon’s characterisation that is really integral to who he is. Mainly, that Jon really loves his brothers. Especially Robb. His rival and best friend and constant companion. Jon envies him, competes with him, buried a formative traumatic memory where he was deeply hurt by him... but ultimately loves him. Complex relationships with his brothers, both the Starks and his Night’s Watch brothers, are a running theme in Jon’s chapters.

Speaking of Jon’s brothers...

Aegon VI and Robb have a lot of potential parallels, actually. The “Young” moniker, red-haired counselors who are also their parents, trained to be the heir to a great kingdom from a young age, the barely younger half-brother Jon borne of their father’s dishonour of their mother… one that they might both have a good relationship with despite that?

The show tried to play with Jon ‘accepting’ his Targaryen lineage through the jonerice romance, very unconvincingly because it was simultaneously undermining it at every opportunity, in what was maybe a half-assed attempt at Pol!Jon (”They’ll all come to see you for what you are” isn’t anything but a threat in all contexts).

Jon will ultimately choose the Starks over everything else, that’s not really a question. But if Jon were to genuinely connect with another Targaryen, it’d likely be easier for him to find kinship with a half-brother than with an aunt - he has a basis for positive relationships with trueborn half-brothers, while the only aunt figure he’s ever known about is a) long dead and b) actually his mother. I think it’d both make more sense and be more compelling for GRRM to leverage Jon’s existing complex relationships with brotherhood by having him interact with and build a relationship with Aegon, than a rushed and out-of-character romance with Dany. 

Jon also is already primed to believe that Aegon is the real deal, that he was saved as a baby, because he’s already done the exact same thing himself - he swapped out a baby of royal blood who was in danger for a common-born boy, and then sent him halfway across the world for safety (side note: if Septa Lemore is Ashara, and if the baby was actually Ashara’s son as theorised here by @agentrouka-blog, that would just strengthen the parallel, because it would be his body double’s mother caring for him, as Gilly has to do for Mance’s son).

They’re definitely going to come into conflict first - politically, Jon will likely be in a position of power in the North by the time they meet, maybe as the KitN through Robb’s will or regent for Rickon, and probably will fight for Northern independence, while Aegon is fighting to be king of the Seven Kingdoms, not 6. Personally, it will be hard to get past the fact that Jon is the direct result of Rhaegar dishonouring Elia, plus that the Kingsguard who should have been protecting her were all stationed in Dorne, guarding Jon’s mother (in whatever capacity). But these interactions, a conflict and eventual friendship/brotherhood between them, would all be a lot more layered than jonerice can really offer. If a relationship between Jon and Dany was truly all that GRRM has been building up to, then there would have been no need for R+L=J - it adds nothing to that storyline, it doesn’t even make it a forbidden romance, because aunt-nephew is hardly the worst incest the Targaryens have engaged in.

It’s almost inevitable that Da*nerys is going to kill Aegon VI/Young Griff in the books, likely by burning him with dragonfire, in the Second Dance of the Dragons. The weird Dragonpit meeting in the show was very contrived, but it does make sense for Dany to meet the ruler on the Iron Throne at least once in a semi-peaceful context. In the show, she used her dragons only to intimidate Cersei, but she didn’t have a personal grievance with her. Aegon is in much more danger during such a meeting. After all she will think he is a pretender, and she doesn’t much care for the rules of safe conduct, as she showed to the envoys from Yunkai.

Dany shrugged, and said, "Dracarys."

The dragons answered. Rhaegal hissed and smoked, Viserion snapped, and Drogon spat swirling red-black flame. It touched the drape of Grazdan's tokar, and the silk caught in half a heartbeat. 

[...]

"You swore I should have safe conduct!" the Yunkish envoy wailed.

"Do all the Yunkai'i whine so over a singed tokar? I shall buy you a new one... if you deliver up your slaves within three days. Elsewise, Drogon shall give you a warmer kiss." She wrinkled her nose. "You've soiled yourself. Take your gold and go, and see that the Wise Masters hear my message."

(ASOS, Dany IV)

"Ah, there is the thorn in the bower, my queen," said Hizdahr zo Loraq. "Sad to say, Yunkai has no faith in your promises. They keep plucking the same string on the harp, about some envoy that your dragons set on fire."

"Only his tokar was burned," said Dany scornfully.

(ADWD, Dany VI)

So Dany will burn the Blackfyre pretender, and everyone will be happy and cheer to see the rightful queen, the last Targaryen, Slayer of Lies, Breaker of Chains, Insert-The-Million-Other-Titles-Here. Right?

Except how would she prove that he’s an imposter? She can’t exactly roll up with an Alt Shift X video pointing out that Illyrio has said some weird things about Aegon. Is Varys going to have an attack of remorse and explain his whole plot, complete with Blackfyre family tree? Or maybe she’ll explain that she went on a vision quest in Qarth and Aegon totally matches up with the vague symbolism that a bunch of drugged up warlocks told her before she set them on fire?

I don’t think it’s going to matter if Aegon is fake or not, and we might never find out either way. The mystery of his identity isn’t his main narrative, and all of his significance to the story and to multiple other characters is removed if he’s proved to not be Aegon VI. Him being proved fake would just make this plotline a weird, unnecessary digression on Dany’s journey to being the righteous and true queen, his death just another #girlboss moment for her. That’s definitely going to be her perception of it, but once she reaches Westeros we won’t have to rely on only her POV of her actions. History is written by the winners, and no one’s going to miss that it’s a lot more convenient for Dany if the boy with a stronger claim than her turns out to have been fake all along. Arianne and the Dornish are definitely not going to take it lying down, and neither is Jon. He’s not going to fall in love with the woman who murdered his brother, especially by burning him alive. ADWD has plenty to say about how much he hates death by fire.

“Men say that freezing to death is almost peaceful. Fire, though … do you see the candle, Gilly?”

She looked at the flame. “Yes.”

“Touch it. Put your hand over the flame.”

Her big brown eyes grew bigger still. She did not move.

“Do it.” Kill the boy. “Now.”

Trembling, the girl reached out her hand, held it well above the flickering candle flame.

“Down. Let it kiss you.”

Gilly lowered her hand. An inch. Another. When the flame licked her flesh, she snatched her hand back and began to sob.

“Fire is a cruel way to die. Dalla died to give this child life, but you have nourished him, cherished him. You saved your own boy from the ice. Now save hers from the fire.”

(ADWD, Jon II)

Funnily enough, the same fire as a kiss imagery from Dany burning the envoy’s tokar appeared there too, also used as a threat. 

If he is not a kinslayer, he is the next best thing. [...] What sort of man can stand by idly and watch his own brother being burned alive?

(ADWD, Jon IX)

So Aegon’s death is not going to be a triumphant victory for Dany, after which everyone proclaims her the true queen. It’s likely to just solidify opposition to her, from every corner of Westeros. If it happens during a summit or negotiation, it’d be even more of a tragic parallel to Robb and the Red Wedding; the young king murdered off of the battlefield, at an event where he was promised safe conduct. Featuring Dany in the role of Roose Bolton and Tywin Lannister. Tywin’s already died a very undignified death, and Roose Bolton looks to be on his way too.

I think the tragedy of Aegon’s death would also hit harder if we see it through Jon, as a main POV, or at least the aftermath of it. Jon was integral at the Dragonpit meeting after all, and probably would be at a peace summit or negotiation between the leaders of Westeros and the invading force.

In ASOS, there’s a curious lack of Jon’s reaction to Robb’s death. We see his initial reaction to Bran and Rickon’s supposed deaths when he gets back to Castle Black, but he doesn’t even know about Robb’s death until Stannis arrives to defeat the wildlings, and we’re not shown the moment he’s told about it. He barely even thinks about it, not even a mention until he meets with Stannis on top of the Wall:

“Your brother was the rightful Lord of Winterfell. If he had stayed home and done his duty, instead of crowning himself and riding off to conquer the riverlands, he might be alive today. Be that as it may. You are not Robb, no more than I am Robert.”

The harsh words had blown away whatever sympathy Jon might have had for Stannis. “I loved my brother,” he said.

(ASOS, Jon XI)

And that’s literally all we get that is specifically about Robb’s death - the rest of Jon’s chapters, his guilt and grief is about the loss of all his siblings, and the idea of stealing Winterfell from them. It doesn’t really make sense for him to not think about it at all, considering how close they were. This reminds me of how he has a non-reaction to Sansa’s marriage to Tyrion as well, as talked about in this post by @agentrouka-blog. Part of this could be Jon’s tendency towards denial and suppression of all his feelings, but it also points to GRRM explicitly obscuring his reaction - perhaps because he’s going to explore it in the wake of another brother dying a very similar death? One that this time he’ll be there to witness?

[luna-rainbow]

an essay on Bucky

In the lull between J-drama season, I caught up with WandaVision, which surprised me with how inventive it was, but also how well it reconstructed Wanda's grief, and by so doing, finally gave substance to the awkward Wanda/Vision romance that popped up in Infinity War. I might talk about it all at another time. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is such a necessary addition to the Captain America narrative. Episode 3 reminded me of just how much I loved Captain America: Winter Soldier (I actually went back and rewatched all 3 Cap films after this), but how little I actually cared for Bucky or Falcon at the time. In their own way, the movies were a success, because they really brought out the heroism and idealism of Steve Rogers, and the side characters were not there to detract from this (unlike the Thor movies, ahem). The first 2 episodes were comparatively slower, but I felt it provided what the movies couldn't give the titular characters - the personal stories and struggles that would have enriched the primary plot in the movies. Even in the movies, Sam came across (like Anthony Mackie himself) as someone who was humourous and wise-cracking, but beneath that, quite mature and considerate. It takes a considerable amount of trust, not just in Cap's integrity, but also in his judgement, to then also trust Cap's belief that there is a good Bucky underneath the efficiently lethal Winter Soldier. Sam, true to form as a VA counsellor, accepted that this was Cap's baggage of grief and guilt, and allowed Steve to work through it, even as it frequently placed Sam in a position of trying to survive an attack from the brainwashed Bucky. Bucky feels quite different from the first movie. It's almost as if he has regressed in terms of his emotional age, and I suppose we can blame it on the brainwashing. It's undeniable that he's got his shoulders full of grief and guilt and PTSD, but he's not ready to work through it. He's still in fight or flight mode about his past. He spends most of his therapy sessions deflecting and denying. He deals with fresh trauma - such as meeting Yori or Isaiah - the only way he knows how, which is to keep things bottled up. He's always on the verge of boiling over, while trying to hold himself back. I've been trying to figure out his motivation for his actions in episode 3, or exactly why this means so much for him. I think, as with every other aspect of his life, it's the conflict between his volition and his habituation. The Winter Soldier spent most of the last century running from mission to mission. As much as T'Challa said of him, "he tires of battle", as much as even he himself says he wants peace, he is habituated for battle. Having a fight or a mission or a purpose to work towards takes him away from having to deal with his mental health issues. It gives him an outlet for all the stress that he has no other way to release, even if it means feeling worse for it afterwards. I think, ultimately, Bucky's in too messy a headspace to be able to accept, let alone assist with, anyone else's emotional baggage. I don't think he's maliciously self-centered as such, just that his own issues already exhausts all of his reserves to try and hold himself together for this new social order he has to live in. That's not to say Sam's issues is any less important, but just that Sam unfortunately is forced to be the stronger one. I think when the trailers first came out, people were saying Bucky would be the straight man in the comical duo, but in reality Sam's the one with the straight mind. I don't know if it's bad writing or intentional, despite the Winter Soldier being repeatedly called "a ghost", what MCU has shown of his missions have all involved overt brutality - his attacks on the Starks, Nick Fury, Steve and lately Nakajima Yori's son were all out in the open with very little attempt to consider the consequences. In fact, and I suppose this is important to point out now that he's working along Sam, he is as ruthless with his opponents as he is with himself. Particularly in episodes 2 and 3, we see that he is starting to slip back into that habit, and it's Sam being the voice of reason trying to call him out on his craziness and how much danger he is potentially creating. This series has really made me feel for Bucky, but if I take a step back, I really feel for Sam. Even without all the other issues with the Cap mantle and his family to deal with, it's a tough job putting your life on the line next to someone who's basically doing every avoidance technique in the book, while continually revisiting his traumas. At some point, something or someone is going to break, and Sam's the one standing right next to the ticking bomb. I guess what's really sweet to see in the 3rd episode is that Bucky has made some progress. He asks for help now, rather than trying to fight his way through everything on his own as he did in Civil War. It's surprising that Bucky actually realises people will help him if he allows a bit of vulnerability to come out, although I feel like that whining voice ("Sam, we don't know how they're getting the serum!" after Sam tells him he's gone off the deep end) is more Sebastian than Bucky. His appeal to Sharon was also surprising, because I expected it more of Sam than him. That all being said, as much as I like Bucky and is happy he can accept that he is vulnerable, I really don't like the way he strongarmed Sam into "breaking the law and sticking your neck out for me again". On what grounds does he expect Sam to do this? He's not Steve. Sam trusts Steve at the get go because he's a good guy who has a clean record of genuinely wanting to do the best by people. And sure, Steve also wanted to help a dangerous criminal, but that criminal was not acting of his own free will, and he was also innocent of the particular crime he was being framed for (the bombing that killed T'Chaka). Bucky is not only undermining Steve's friendship with Sam, but also undermining his own self-worth. The whole idea of Bucky asking it this way, and Sam actually accepting, was just...poorly written.

[normal-thoughts-official]

I.t.a (Identity thief anon)

I thought I had replied (if I did and you just hadn't post it it's 1000% fine ahshs)

I love Elliott so much!! And his crush is so cute (but also looking at the bigger picture is hilarious that I killed his would be father in law lmao) also awfullest thing pixelberry did was making me choose if I wanted to be his legal guardian or if I wanted him to be emancipated only to not have to do any of them since, you know, our grandpa was still alive...

Also I thought about it way too much for a choice (with no actual impact) in a game ahshshshhs, emotionally wise I'd have wanted to be his legal guardian but I think it'd make more sense (legally) emancipation because he would still get government help but there wouldn't be a risk of someone taking him away of in case I wasn't a successful guardian, and he could apply for scholarships more easily while I worked or something lmao I was just excited in that part.

I know there are some books in which you can be poly but the only I remember was moty (mother of the year) which was a better than expected book (to be fair I didn't goof have expectations) and in that one I started to date the three love interests <3

How far along are you in endless summer, who are you romancing, what do you think of the classmates + lila and what do you think about the story in general 👀

u hadnt replied!!!! hi i missed you!!

i didnt know u could be polyam in moty! i might try it out then, i never gave it a shot cuz i hate the idea of having kids 😬 but anything for rep i guess

and YEAH I KNOW DIDNDIDNDO i love elliot so much and him and robbie are SO cute together but damn his in law straight up tried to kill us huh. like robbie deserves better than bobert or whatever his name is and im glad to have killed him but

also okay im in the middle of the second book idnfidndidndo around the part where the arachnids show up for jake. my opinions so far are kind of messy but uhhh

grace and raj are my faves, hands down. craig is a close second

i like almost everyone except for jake because hes just military propaganda in a trenchcoat with that annoying wahh im too conflicted to care about anyone white boy complex, and aleister because he was a dick to grace. idc how much he simps for her now she deserves better than him. and Quinn is kind of whatever. like her whole personality is uwu and its kind of annoying but i dont hate her or anything

the story is such a fucking mess?? udndidn i have NO CLUE whats going on 😩 if they manage to make everything make sense by the end ill be REALLY impressed cuz damn wtf is going on

im romancing sean!!!!!! what can i say, i have a type and that type is self sacrificial idiot. he has a heart of gold and he deserves better and aaaa 😭😭 u idiot man stop putting ur life in danger as the instinctual reaction BLEASE. i just want to wrap him in a blanket and make him take care of himself for once

i also like estela a lot but im not really that interested in romancing her ig? i enjoy our moments together but my feelings for her are more casual ig

i rlly want to like lila but i cannot stand her simping for discount tony stark my god. please lord just make it end

i rlly like everyone's dynamics???? its so nice to see how the group has been growing together more and more. i love them ❤️

i LOVE the vaanti. every last one of them. my beloveds. if they tried to kill us it's cuz theyre valid

varyyn and diego are the greatest couple this game has ever given me i am SO grateful for them. i just got to their first kiss and aaaaaa it was so sweet. upset at choices for not giving me art of their kiss when i had to watch aleister and grace's but 😩 its fine im fine. holding onto hope that ill get art of them eventually but i dont want to look it up and risk spoiling myself

i actually like craig and zahra as a couple a lot too which i didnt expect. i still dont fully understand what happened between them but i really hope they work it out :(

on that note i love zahra. anticapitalist queen. cant believe she fucking hacked wall street. id die for this woman even tho she wasted tiramisu

tbh i dont wanna get off the island. like what for? to go to college? when i could stay with the cool vaanti culture and be happy and not have to worry about capitalism and have sick ass tattoos? lets just kill tony stark and stay there besties

really like how they made the MC's past a mystery? like yeah we have absolutely zero past and backstory as per usual but this time it actually is an integral part of the story that we dont know that we were born in la huerta or basically anything about ourselves truly (even tong stinky didn't so like?). and it was nice to see that being a part of the story rather than just this weird feeling of detachment from the MC

the MC is so stupid and i love him

sean and craig are gay for each other. michelle and quinn are gay for each other. i diagnose everyone with gay

i literally dont have a single theory as to what the hell is going on like not one. and i have gotten almost every clue/idol/file but like i literally have no idea how to tie all of this together. this is such a mess didndkdndkdndidn im kind of excited to see what happens because ES seems to be so popular in the fandom i can only imagine the plot is gonna blow my mind, but im kind of afraid of being disappointed

and thats all ive got so far i think? udndidjd god

[hopevalley]

Season 8, Episode 7: Before My Very Eyes

This episode sure was a rollercoaster, wasn’t it?

Let’s dive right on in. :)

Plotlines:

The Love Triangle & Allie’s Adoption

Ned & The Canfields

Christopher’s Performance

Clara and Jesse

I guess you could say the plotlines were better written together/integrated in this episode than in previous ones. There’s a lot going on but most of the filming and plots just...rolled together?

For example, the saloon as the “gathering place” where multiple plot points take place simultaneously was really cool IMO. It helps the town feel livelier. 

The Love Triangle & Allie’s Adoption

The love triangle is...an enigma. I’m probably in the minority of not really being that invested in who Elizabeth ends up with, but I doubt I’m in the minority regarding my general feelings on the love triangle: I want it to end.

I think we’re at a point where it’s just super frustrating for everyone involved, and we’re stretching the limits of suspension of disbelief when it comes to the audience. 

I don’t think we’d be as harsh on the triangle if we had double the episodes a season. We get a whopping 12 this season, more than we’ve gotten in a long time, so space is limited, and time is limited, and we know she’ll reach a decision toward the end of this season, so there’s that...I don’t know...pressure I guess, on the characters and the episodes to showcase things in a manner that feels natural and moves well.

For what it’s worth I’m fine with Elizabeth’s turtle-pace, but with only 6 episodes left (5 after this episode aired), knowing she’ll pick someone soon (and it will probably be Nathan)... It makes it really difficult to stomach the Lucas scenes—not because I don’t want to see her with Lucas if she won’t end up with him, but because I feel really bad for Lucas!

Especially with the intense fourth-wall-breaking level of awareness Lucas seems to have regarding the situation. Yes, I’m talking about the line he quoted.

“Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not.” 

That’s only half the quote. This is the full quote:

“Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad.”

—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Sure, it’s applied to Henry, but it seems almost...too knowledgeable to me? 

So, the quote is from the novel Hyperion: A Romance, published in 1839. Longfellow’s wife Mary died in 1836 after a miscarriage. Overwhelmed by grief Longfellow took trips to Europe and spent seven years trying to woo Frances Appleton. She eventually agreed to marry him.

Hyperion was inspired by this. Paul is the main character. He travels through Germany after the death of a friend, and falls in love with an Englishwoman named Mary Ashburton. She rejects him.

To say this was a thinly-veiled autobiography of sorts is, uh, an understatement. To have Lucas quoting it in When Calls the Heart feels...odd. It wouldn’t surprise me if this was an omen of sorts, but...we can’t forget Lucas’s parents’ history: his mother refused to marry his father for years, just like Frances refused to marry Longfellow.

It’s not a bad quote or anything...it’s just...frustratingly on the nose.

I did appreciate Elizabeth’s admission of not wanting to be one of Lucas’s “secret sorrows.” They’re courting publicly anyway, everyone knows it. It’s time for them to be a little more open about it, at least in little ways. Him squeezing her hand on the saloon table shouldn’t be a big deal at this point.

If this was the storyline we were getting for Elizabeth (her slowly working her way toward something with Lucas) I’d be happy with it. I’m still Team Nathan but I like Lucas a lot this season and would be content with a storyline for him.

THE THING IS...I don’t think that is going to happen, and it makes me feel terrible to see him getting strung along like this. Elizabeth doesn’t come off as “has feelings for Lucas and is just nervous about showcasing it” for multiple reasons. First, she was very PDA-like with Jack, and secondly, that’s just...not how the scenes seem to be written. You can assume her reasoning but she never once is the one initiating and then backing off. He always initiates. She always backs off. It’s unbalanced and makes me feel bad for Lucas.

I really hope we get to sit inside his head a bit longer/more seriously at some point. Maybe he’s aware of her feelings for Nathan and is willing to try anyway because he believes that to some extent love is a choice? That would be really interesting tbh.

As it is, I just feel sorry for Lucas. Not that I think Elizabeth wouldn’t have hangups with Nathan, too, but I just feel like Elizabeth’s hangups with Nathan are more fear of what she is feeling/fear of what could happen to him in the future/fear of her heart being broken again, whereas with Lucas it’s almost like she’s not feeling it and trying to force that kind of affection with him makes her feel weird/gross/bad. 

I definitely think she has a good friendship base with Lucas, but if the feelings aren’t there, they aren’t there. 

Sorry, my thoughts are muddled. There wasn’t a lot going on with the triangle in this episode in terms of...triangley things. I just wish Elizabeth would choose so that the plotline could go away. I’m tired of seeing people strung along.

Nathan was pretty good in this episode. I appreciated his talk with Allie a lot; choosing to be kind and want good things for someone you like is a good example to set. I feel like in the café Allie’s dialogue about Elizabeth smiling at him was off; she probably should have said something more like, “If she doesn’t like you like that, then why does she smile at you that way?” might have sounded better. (He could have said “what way?” and she could have batted her eyes at him lmao.) Allie already knows Elizabeth is courting Lucas...and if we’re to believe the smile directed at Nathan is what tips Allie’s invite consideration to her adoption ceremony, then that would have been a better way to approach it (instead of “Did you see the way she smiled at you?!”).

I really loved that Lucas got Nathan and Allie a little gift. Honestly I just want Lucas and Nathan to be friends or something because the actors have good chemistry together and there’s a shortage of good male friendships in the show that feel Good. I wonder if we’ll find out what the gift was at any point?

The end with Allie only inviting Elizabeth to the ceremony was hilarious. I wanted to actually see the ceremony (because Nathan promising not to leave her was SUCH a good line, I almost got emotional over that and I wanted to see it put into play again) but the imagery it left us with (it looks like a wedding...) was clear enough haha.

Poor Bill, stuck in the middle of that.

Speaking of Bill, the adoption being “on him” was really sweet. And then of course Bill can’t keep the moment tender because he’s always so Uncomfortable with Feelings, but it’s still very sweet.

--

Ned & The Canfields

I don’t have a whole lot to say here, but I really appreciated this storyline. It wasn’t the best-written surgery-medical-wise, but it felt heartfelt and that’s what matters. 

Florence running around trying to do everything herself while also stressing out about Ned really felt...real. And then of course Rosemary getting appointed to the phones and gossiping forever...hahah.

I’m glad I saw the writing on the wall with Joseph; of course he’s a former pastor! I really am intrigued by what his “plans” are that are not church-related. I like that they tried not to make him exactly like Frank, but boy what I wouldn’t give to see them both pastoring in Hope Valley. Then Joseph could pursue his dream while also pastoring a bit, and so could Frank. It’d be nice, and they’d probably get along swell.

Seeing more faith/prayer in the show has been great. Also, Joseph and Minnie are so cute together... I adore them.

--

Christopher’s Performance

And here we are, talking about the man of the hour... Christopher. Henry’s “secret sorrow” or the product of Henry’s secret sorrow? It almost makes me think he got over Nora with Christopher’s mother and she cut off ties with him and married Jerry the banker.

Henry’s opinion of Jerry is obviously not great, but he’s respectful enough to not talk badly about him. It makes me wonder if Jerry is a worse man than Henry is, though. Maybe so? I wonder if we’ll get more information about it.

They really did a good casting job with Christopher; he manages to look similar enough to Henry and kind of...mimic his way of smiling and movement that’s almost uncanny. 

Of course...as Rosemary says, she knows a performance when she sees one.

I’m wondering if Bill feels similarly...

But boy do we know how Lucas feels! Lee tells Lucas that his pocketwatch has been missing “about a week now.”

Lucas confronts Christopher and instead of Christopher being like, “Oh no! I’ll keep my eyes open in case he dropped it somewhere or maybe the chain broke!” he’s really sarcastic about it?

He then tries for the second time to control Lucas (treats him like...he can order him around/bully him) by asking if Lucas found him a bigger room yet. This dude has a serious ego. The sound of Lucas intentionally shutting the door after this was delicious, though.

“If I find that you’re picking pockets, I don’t care who you are or why you’re here. You’ll be on the next stage out of town.”

Christopher just...almost smiles and stands up. “I didn’t steal any watch.”

Lucas says, “And I should believe you?”

Christopher responds with, “That’s your choice.” 

Lucas leaves, and then Christopher pulls the watch out of his pocket.

He seems to feel a little guilty when he reads the inscription...but still. He’s so skeevy. 

And then he takes the flowers Jesse drops off the ground...to give to...Rachel... Honey, you got a big storm comin’... She knows he’s bad news but I guess she’s into it. Yikes.

And then we have the scene where Mike comes to Henry with a great idea he has, and is interrupted by the arrival of Christopher. Henry tells him he wants him to teach Christopher everything he knows. Mike’s enthusiasm dries up right away.

I think Mike also realizes Christopher is bad news.

And Henry’s just so excited to be “looked up to” and “seen as a father of sorts” that he can’t see what’s right in front of him. Normally he’d be attuned to bullshit just as clearly as Bill and Rosemary and the rest, but...his bias is in the way. He wants to fix his past so bad he doesn’t realize it might not be worth it...

I hope Mike keeps his idea to himself but I have a super bad awful feeling he’ll admit it to Christopher and then Christopher will pitch it to Henry as his own idea. I feel sick just thinking of it!

--

Clara and Jesse

Clara and Jesse were starting to repair things juuust every so slightly and then he gets mad that she’s shortening her skirt and...it all goes to hell.

It’s not that I don’t love a little drama but this is just...I don’t know. Maybe too much? I liked Clara’s discussion with Joseph because he tells her the honest truth (and he’s full of advice, for better or worse, just like me HAHA): you can’t repair your marriage if you’re not around one another to even begin to heal the wounds/talk about things.

I’m not very invested in these two as characters these days, and I’m not sure what would fix it, but this spat being dragged out for ages ain’t it right now. I’m keeping an open mind, though; it could go somewhere interesting...and at least it didn’t get resolved in one episode.

Also, I appreciated Clara venting to Bill in that “I still care about him very much way” while Bill tries (somewhat awkwardly) to support her choice(s). He’s in a bit of a tough spot; he can’t offer advice freely because not many people are going to take marriage advice from a divorced man who didn’t marry for love in the first place anyway. It’s just good to see him trying to act supportive for Clara.

--

Other thoughts:

I see we’re getting more of the plotline where Bill has to give up his uniform, but he actually made a really good point in this episode about that. He did earn it! And then insult to injury...trying to make him give up his horse, too? 

It’s cute that his horse’s name is Hero; I feel like that was stated much earlier in the show (maybe S3 or S4?) but I’d forgotten it, tbh. How wholesome.

“Am I being prideful?” I think this was a good question for Bill to ask, and honestly it probably took a bit of courage for him to even ask Lee about it/admit that maybe he was being a bit prideful. But like, it’s okay to take pride in your work/the work you’ve done. He did earn all of it and it’s not really fair to ask for him to give it all up. The jacket is one thing (it’s a physical item; yes it shows all the hard work he put in but it’s just an object), but the horse? That’s an emotional bond and it’s rather cruel to break it.

Lee excited to try on the jacket was literally the cutest thing, and I loved that Bill folded and let him try it on. Honestly? Lee looked pretty good in it!

That scene was the definition of BOYS WILL BE BOYS, hahaha.

Also, Elizabeth’s line: “Haven’t you ever lost someone so close to your heart that it tears you apart?” was SO CRINGEY. I don’t know how that made it into the finished episode. Please, writers... read this shit aloud before you film the show. READ ALL YOUR WRITING ALOUD TO HEAR THE CADANCE. I’m literally begging you. 

But also, the whole concept is still cringe. You don’t know Dylan, Elizabeth. You didn’t know Colleen. You don’t know if he loved Colleen or not. You don’t know why he ran out on Allie. You’re projecting? Maybe? But even if he did fall to pieces over Colleen’s death, that was no reason to hurt poor Allie who had nothing to do with it and did nothing wrong.

They should have edited the line to say something slightly different. “Tears you to pieces” would have sufficed. And not rhymed on accident.

Last thing for now...the lack of Carson and Faith in this episode was amazing. I know the surgery with Ned will push Carson to either take the fellowship and return to Hope Valley to be of more use there and/or push him to just stay where he is because there’s no one else in the area with his skill level.

I think I’ll be happy with it if he becomes an area surgeon more than a regular doctor... it would help him and Faith both feel necessary for different reasons. And also, he was a surgeon when he arrived in Hope Valley in S4, so it’s clearly his strongest point (and best training/experience).

--

So uh, how ‘bout that preview for next episode, though? WHOA.

Hopefully this isn’t too scattered; work has gotten a lot busier since the weather got nicer, so I have less time to write without interruption lmao. 

[gascon-en-exil]

I suppose you can call me "villain Dimitri anon" now, but I actively dislike Azure Moon for the narrative perks that you and other fans insist it has, but I can't see. What back and forth does Dimitri have with his retainers that aren't confined to supports? There's just Gilbert, Rodrigue, and Byleth ignoring the one-eyed elephant in the room.(1/2)

What support network does Dimitri have? A bunch of badly abused subjects at the end of their rope who don't have the guts to abandon him or give him a wake up call. Dimitri's redemption in the rain makes zero sense as the scene progresses, and outside of some lip service in a support, he's so cured of any trauma that not even getting the truth about Duscur fazes him. What's worse, this redemption is the main idea of the route. (2/3 now)

The back and forth is in reference to how the army in AM feels directionless and disagrees on whether they should liberate the Kingdom or rescue Rhea first. This gets references both in story cutscenes and in the exploration of dialogue of numerous characters, heavily reinforced by many of these same characters remarking on how off-putting Dimitri’s behavior is. This stands in contrast to CF never questioning Edelgard’s actions even as they’re far more systemically terrible with the work of Hubert and the Agarthans behind the scenes; even VW offers a number of scenes and exploration content of characters questioning and critiquing Claude’s actions. Felix’s mini-arc outside his support line with Dimitri is the clearest example, because he’s the loudest voice of opposition and because if you trigger their supports some of the dialogue changes to reflect that, while Rodrigue plays a predictable but workable role as the doomed mentor figure whose death forces Dimitri to confront how his obsession with revenge is hurting the people he loves.  This is all unfortunately somewhat undermined by Byleth’s presence and the need for self-insert romance, with them supplanting Dimitri’s established support network and worst of all leading to Dedue being killed off by default and then never re-integrated properly into the story lest his intimacy with Dimitri pose an obstacle to the expected lord/Avatar romance (that can’t even be pushed in the same way that Edeleth can in all routes, incidentally, because Dimitri can’t S rank m!Byleth). This is a genuine problem in AM, but curiously it’s one that I see brought up almost exclusively by fans of Dimitri and his route rather than those who hate AM and/or rail against Dimidue as an allegedly racist pairing.

None of the other Blue Lions gets a single meaningful word in in the main story cutscenes. You can get some character development for Ingrid, Sylvain, and Felix in monastery dialogue and DImitri's supports and that's it. Not to mention, gameplay-wise, dealing with Dimitri is just no fun, and there's no choice to get fed up and leave. With all of Crimson Flower's problems, at least you had to actively choose to go on that route. (3/4 now)

I wouldn’t say that’s all that different from how the other routes handle their chorus of minor characters, especially CF which again minimizes any sort of friction the Eagles might have with Edelgard even when she’s outright lying to them. There’s a reason that SS is sometimes cited as a better characterization showcase for the Eagles other than Edelgard and Hubert, particularly for Ferdinand who actually gets to be the contrarian #3 on that route. Gameplay is more subjective, although I’d rank being unable to instruct Dimitri or have him engage in monastery activities for four calendar months is more than offset by CF being exactly that many months shorter than AM or VW. Also, in terms of building characters Gilbert is far, far less of a pain in the ass than Jeritza, and I say that as someone who’s painstakingly gotten every character in the game to all ranks at S+ and all classes mastered over many NG+ runs. Having to pick CF is also an inconvenience that screws with the flow of Chapter 11 since you need to waste a battle weekend going to Edelgard’s coronation lest you miss out on instruction weeks or later weekends doing it at the start of the month. It’s kind of a moot point to argue about this anyway as the Deer have it the best when it comes to unit development, with neither of these restrictions as well as the longest route and no Part 2 exclusive to worry over.

Crimson Flower had a "big picture" war story, Verdant Wind had good character balance and exposed the truth about the player character. Azure Moon was just all DImitri. Not to mention, my own political philosophy and real-world history interests make me biased against Dimiri and his stance. (And no, I'm no fan of dictators, just not of a fan of Fearghus-style feudalism) (4/5)

I do like redemption stories. But I've seen them done better elsewhere. Dimitri's character is interesting, but his route isn't. All routes on Three Houses have problems that I nitpick about, but as thing stand, I can support Claude and Edelgard in achieving their ideals, i cannot in good conscience support Dimitri as king. Nurse him back to sanity, maybe, but put him in charge of other people's lives? No. (end)

Eh, SS is the route you’re looking for if you want the full story of Byleth’s origins and their connection to Rhea; VW’s endgame exposition dump is more about the true origin of Crests and Relics and general worldbuilding which is why I’d call it the big picture route over CF which kicks one of its major antagonists to an offscreen postgame. I also question why you single out the quasi-feudalism of Faerghus when that’s the established standard for all of FE and for most of the fantasy genre overall. Fire Emblem is notoriously reactionary when it comes to its politics, such that Dimitri’s solo ending suggesting the beginning of a participatory government might be the single most concrete move toward democracy of any lord in the series. Even as tiny a step as that is it’s more than can be said for Edelgard not delivering on her rhetoric of abolishing the nobility and...whatever she plans for the church (since she vacillates on whether she’s fine with the Seiros faith but only takes issue with the church or whether she thinks humanity has no need for gods, and the only CF ending that re-establishes the church has it run by the state which is some prime dystopian stuff). Claude similarly suffers in that his plans remain ongoing at the end of VW and lack any concrete shape beyond opening the borders and forcing people of different nations and cultures to interact and get along - a well-intended idea, but not one that will lead to serious change without a lot of work and oversight. 

Dimitri lacks such grandiose ambitions, and once he’s moved beyond his need for revenge his goals center around alleviating the suffering of the Kingdom and of his loved ones, but on a meta level that’s kind of all he needs to do. One of the reasons that AM’s story structure is more coherent and well-paced than that of the other routes is that it’s extremely well-trod ground for IS: “blue lord takes back invaded homeland from red emperor with the Power of Friendship” is the standard FE plot going back all the way to Marth, and Dimitri’s biggest deviation from that model is the somewhat realistic depiction of his struggles with mental illness. That’s probably why many longtime veterans of the series favor AM, because we know it’s the type of narrative IS excels at and we’re not expecting anything more politically revolutionary. Hell, the proto-democratic ending was as unexpected to me as Dimitri’s strong queer notes...which is why I prefer him over the other two incidentally, not because of his politics which are just fantasy boilerplate of a good king being restored to his throne, and there was much rejoicing, etc. There are gender-based readings of AM that I and others have made, not to mention people who enjoy the homoromantic push and pull of Dedue and Felix on Dimitri and how those relationships develop against one another, and I think it’s telling that those unconventional analyses of Three Houses’s most typical lord and most typical route are still more plausible than all the additional motivation and setup you’d have to throw in to make Dimitri a proper villain, or even just an antagonist for the length of more than one chapter.