#but this is not hannibal season 3 finale the wrath of the lamb

[braceletofteeth]

How about 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 9 & 11 for the ❤️🧡💛bl ask game 💚💙💜 (this might be my sneaky way to get bl recs)

1. Favorite Main Couple

Hira & Kiyoi, from Utsukushii Kare/My Beautiful Man.

For one, I really like these characters, not only for what they are like as a couple, but for them. For their personalities, their thought process, the way they talk and feel about things. That already sets them apart from other couples that I've enjoyed as far as their romance went, but didn't get invested in (both!) the characters themselves—and I noticed there seems to be a correlation between how much I like the characters involved, and how much I care about their romance.

But if we're talking about them as a couple, I think what I like the most about their relationship is the equilibrium. The idea that Hira and Kiyoi are perfectly balanced.

Aaaand I know there is definitely at least one person who have watched the show going “WHAT” right now, but let me explain first 🤚🧐

Hira loves in a way that is very, very specific, and Kiyoi wants to be loved in a certain way that is also very specific. The love that Hira has to give, not everyone can handle; the love that Kiyoi would like to receive, not everyone can give to him. The fact that they meet and somehow find in each other exactly what they craved for?

That's the stuff miracles (and OTPs) are made of.

3. Favorite Main Character

Hey, have I ever told you the story of How I Met My Blorbo? No? Well. Would you believe it. It was actually through a “Most Whipped” poll from the infamous @ bl-bracket.

It was the second round, and he was winning against Kurosawa, from Cherry Magic—someone whose whippedness I was already familiar with, and thought would be pretty hard to beat. I didn't know who this Hira guy was, or what he could have possibly done or be like to be considered more whipped than Kurosawa. So, already intriguing. I went back to check the first round. On that round, he had won by an even larger margin. It was almost ridiculous. Taking a look at the comments left in the reblogs of both rounds, who I got described back to me was a boy who was so whipped it was considered weird and probably unhealthy. Huh! Very intriguing indeed. By then, I was practically sold.

It was only a surface level of interest at first, just because I think Being Whipped is one of the best character traits for someone in a romantic relationship to have; as well as being very intense, and even a little (or a lot) weird about it.

But then, I actually met him and *breathes in* God, there's so much to say about Hira. I fear I'll never get to say it all... but let me summarize to the best of my abilities (I'll try to keep it short).

The Hira that we're first introduced to is a resigned boy who feels inadequate and rejected by his school peers. His response to that unwelcome environment is that he, himself, doesn't wanna be a part of the community—he'd rather keep to himself, or “be invisible”, as he puts it. He finds comfort in his solitude, or at least he tries to.

He has a hobby—photography—but he feels like he just does that for the sake of doing it. There's nothing in particular that he'd like to photograph. He's just going with the flow. All he does in life, it seems, is go with the flow, letting the tides take him forward.

Essentially, he's lacking companionship and a purpose, and that's a very frustrating way to live. When you just lack one or the other, you can still find some fulfillment in what you have. But when you lack both? It gets really hard to think of your life—or yourself—as valuable.

So when he meets Kiyoi Sou, and decides to dedicate his whole being to him—body, mind, and soul? I get it. I really do. Because the acts of service give him purpose, a reason to be, and it also establishes a connection to somebody, even if it's unilateral. It's a chance to be present, but somewhat still at the margins, never the one at the center of attention.

Hira believes he's unworthy of attention. He stays so much in his own head, he can't see his own qualities. And mind you, he has plenty of qualities! For example: Hira is book smart (see: finishes his homework much faster/with less difficulty than the others), strong (see: no less than three people are needed to hold him back when he's defending Kiyoi with his own hands), competent (see: learning how to do all house chores by himself), talented (see: admired by the other members of his uni's Photography Club), and handsome too (see: gif above people who had never met him before commenting on his looks and even hitting on him as soon he takes his hair off his face and dresses in an outfit that complements his body). Well-mannered, loyal, honest to a fault. And cute, in an awkward way. And funny, even when he has no intention to be.

But, of course, he has some flaws too, like... *frowns*... *frown deepens*... It will come to me... *staring at the wall*... Oh. He usually won't communicate how he feels unless someone else prompts him to. Which can be frustrating and cause problems... but that's on everyone else *shrugs*

(I jest like I'm not one of the people who have felt frustrated because of this...)

As much as he might struggle to communicate how he feels verbally, though, usually his face will give him away. Be it showing his displeasure, or his awe. And no one shows awe like Hira Kazunari. Like, I don't know how the actor, Riku, does that, but you can see literal stars in his eyes sometimes. “Oh, you mean heart eyes?” nononono ☝ I've seen heart eyes. That's not it. It's not the look you give a lover—it's the look of someone who travels back in time and watches the universe born.

Which sounds normal, right? No! No, it doesn't! Now you get what I mean about this guy?! How can someone be so passionate about anything? He's so... So. He's so much. He found what he wanted to dedicate his life to, and he never once doubted the conviction he has in its merit. That was it for him. The fucking big bang, over and over, forever. Nothing can compare to that, and his life is fulfilled as long as he gets to keep experiencing it.

... Anyways. He's a fascinating little guy, and a kindred spirit to me. I love watching him discover that he's capable and deserving of being and having much more than he assumes he is—despite his every attempt to deny himself so.

5. Favorite Female Character

So, I already answered this one time, but allow me to take this awesome opportunity to mention two other female characters that haunt me to this day—the sisters from Manner of Death, Janejira and Rungtiwa.

Now, if you're not familiar with them—basically, one is one of the most disgusting people you'll ever have the displeasure of knowing, and the other did nothing wrong in her life and suffered more than Jesus.

Jane, although not being there in person for most of it, is a fundamental piece to the narrative. She's what brings everything together. You could almost say MOD is her story—about discovering what happened to her and why that happened to her; her motivations, and the conclusion to her mission.

Honestly, I don't think I could do half of what Jane had the courage to attempt. Except for Tan and Dr. Bunn, it seemed like the whole world was against her. Powerful, terrifying people, as well as people close to her. People who should have been on her side no matter what, were the ones who hurt her the most. That in itself could break anybody's spirit. But she kept going. When the ones who should have defended her weren't there, she fought back for herself. She said she would do it herself. She would put an end to it herself; finally take back the control of her story.

When I think about all the rage, horror, and hurt that woman must have felt, I just about go mad all over again.

And Rungtiwa. When I talk about Jane's older sister, it might sound like I hate her. And I do. She's the character I hate the most out of every universe. The day she has no more haters, I'm no longer in this world.

But, as it is inevitable, the more you hate somebody, the longer they stay with you. I'll never forget about Rungtiwa, or how deep run her greed. What it led her to do, and to become.

7. Top 5 BL

Utsukushii Kare

A few months ago, I read a list in here, on this very website. Someone had asked for recommendations on High School Japanese BLs, and the kind owner of the blog made a list of their favorites. There were about five of them, it wasn't a long list, but Utsukushii Kare was listed as one of them.

That was very weird.

No, I don't disagree with the author of the post. Utsukushii Kare is good, and should be recommended. There was nothing wrong with that list, technically. But it still felt weird, to see Utsukushii Kare there, among the others. And it was then I realized that, before that moment, I had never, ever, ever thought of this drama as a High School Love Story.

I had never thought of it as a story that had a school as a setting, and it wasn't just because they were only high school students for half of it. I didn't consider Hira's house as the setting either, nor any of the other locations they passed through. Not even the city they lived in. In my head, to call those places the setting of their story was technically correct, but also completely wrong.

“Well, Brace, where did you consider the story was set, then?” Hira & Kiyoi's World, of course?????? What kind of stupid ques-

Listen. Even when they were at school, in many of those scenes, it was just the two of them. When they were outside, too, they were alone together, in most of them. And when not, more often than not, they would be looking at each other, would be thinking of each other. It was like nothing else mattered... more.

This drama helped me give name to my favorite trope of all time, which I now call A World of Two. Well, it's more like a dynamic than a trope, and one day I'd like to talk about it more extensively in a separate post, because there are specific causes and possible collateral effects to it—but it's basically when two people make each other the center of their worlds.

When they come together, it's like they are in a separated space and time from everything. It's a whole world in a single space, that they share together, and it can only exist because of the connection they have. Some kind of mutual understanding or attachment that makes the ones outside of it, strangers, but the two inside, natives; from the same land, the same home.

(In that space, during that time, they feel more like themselves than in any other.)

Never Let Me Go

I struggle to find words to describe or something to compare it to... It's like...

A movie from the 1970's that is set in the 2020's, except the vibes are not futuristic, but of an old play, a tale as old as time. A modern fairytale. A dream that you wake up from and it's like you just came back from an adventure; all your memories of it have a glint to them, the colors in tones you have never seen, your heart longing for another world, the feeling of plenitude. A melody that sounds grand in a ball room, but intimate in your home, when you play it for a loved one. A blend of summer love and 72 years of marriage. Butterflies in your stomach. Heaven on Earth.

The more I talk, the more pretentious I sound (although it's all true). So let me try to keep it simple: I like the classics. I like when people join forces to fight against the world together, overcoming obstacles and the miserable situation they are in. But I also think there should be just as much—actually, even more—joy, love, and hope, in between all that. To show what they could be, what could be theirs, if it wasn't for all The Horrors. I believe that's what makes the most satisfying Happy Endings.

... There's also something about how Palm and Nuengdiao would get lost in each other's eyes. The recognition there—a conversation between their souls, that no one else was privy to.

Strangers From Hell

Still funny that the devil fell in love with him and Yoon Jongwoo tried to convince you he didn't understand why, but he was lying the entire time.

Also my doctor said I can call BL whatever I want, because of the uniquely acute vision I have (he's a dentist).

KinnPorsche

[Little House on the Hill starts playing on the background]

A part of me stayed at that safehouse. It may never find a way out.

... Also. Maybe some people look back now and are able to think KinnPorsche was not that big of a deal, but to me, she still remains That Bitch™.

The cinematography, those locations—they are severed in my brain. Most of the songs from the soundtrack were not made with it in mind, but it was almost like they were. I still listen to many of them. And I can still repeat many of those lines of dialogue from memory—a reflection of how many times I had them repeated to me because of how impactful or iconic they were for us. The storyline was engaging, every week. Both the protagonists and antagonists were entertaining. There were many characters, and they made us remember them all. Even those who were only there briefly. And all three main couples were good—you'd get hurt no matter what your preference was :D

And all the while, great action scenes, plus some other surprises no one had ever seen on television anywhere.

It was the most thrilling experience I've had watching anything, and sometimes I fear I'll never get to feel that again.

Love in the Air

Everyone puts different values on different things. LITA might be a bit rough around the edges, but both Love Storm and Love Sky are comfort zones to me.

Their stories are, at their core, about trust. And you know what? It's easy to make a story about that in which one of the characters doesn't trust easily and the other is this admirable, dependable person... but that's not quite how it goes here.

In LITA, the people (Rain / Prapai) who need to earn another's (Payu / Sky) trust, don't exactly inspire that trust in the beginning. In fact, they do the opposite, and need to work for it, to become a version of themselves that they, too, come to believe that their partners deserve.

Sky's and Payu's trust issues come from past relationships that went wrong, but in very different ways. Sky was in an abusive relationship, and discarded when it was over; Payu was rejected for his personality, his overbearing tendencies. Those experiences led them to not open up their hearts as easily again.

On the other end of this, there are Prapai and Rain, and they are... they are a mess, it's the word. They are so lost, at their respective starting points. But Rain, at least, receives instructions: Payu wants him to succeed, if Payu—the way he is—is what Rain decides is right for him. If he's serious about it. And despite the initial mishaps, it's always clear that they are a perfect match, singing to each other's tune.

There was no such clarity, however, when it came to Prapai and Sky. In fact, when people were first introduced to Prapai, a lot of us thought that he was... inadequate. That he was not right for Sky, and he would not care for him the way Sky deserved.

And then, what happened? We cried. We bawled our eyes out, because of how much he genuinely fucking cared. And some of us (me), I dare say, have never recovered from that.

8. First BL

The first BL drama I've watched was Where Your Eyes Linger, back when it was released in 2020. A friend thought I'd be interested in seeing history being made, so she made us watch together. At the time, I was not into asian dramas yet—the few I watched every now and then were because of my friend.

Rewatching it recently, I realized WYEL has a ship dynamic that I usually enjoy a lot, and some well done emotional scenes—which, for some reason, didn't have an effect on me the first time, because I don't remember the story lingering with me after. Probably because it was short and passed too fast, if I had to guess? But I can appreciate it for what it is more, now.

It took three more BLs till I became a regular watcher—I watched Addicted (stumbling upon it by chance on youtube) and Semantic Error (presented by the aforementioned friend), before watching Manner of Death, a story so dope that it made me fold and search for more BLs on purpose, just in case there were other stories that good out there. It was the first step into a world of possibilities I was previously unaware of, and I have found I quite like it in here.

9. Currently Watching

Kidnap [9/12]

Takara no Vidro [4/10]

Perfect 10 Liners [2/24]

The Eighth Sense [1/10]

HIStory 3: Trapped [17/20]

Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan [1/10]

I'm using colors to represent how I'm currently feeling about them:

Pink: positive feelings

Blue: neutral feelings

Orange: negative feelings

Right now I don't really have the energy to binge, so it's been a slow catch up with my watchlist. I've been trying to watch BLs from different countries (because this year most have been Thai) and dramas in general of other genres (because most of what I've watched this year was romance). Also more GLs (there is a great diversity of them available right now!). But yes, as for BLs, only the ones listed.

Oh, but I'm also waiting for new episodes of a korean BL animation called Shutline...? Which is more smut than plot, to be completely frank, but I started watching because the main characters are a mechanic and a gang member whose job includes killing people (that might sound familiar 😬). Apparently, “I'm watching because there's a mechanic” is the new “I'm watching because there's a dentist” for me (and only God knows the places that will take me).

11. Most Anticipated Upcoming BL

It might come as a surprise, as I've been very tight-lipped, lowkey, and downright secretive about it... but it's the (alleged) romcom series The Heart Killers.

I just think “approaching a dangerous person with ulterior motives without getting caught” is an intriguing premise, you know? Keeping elaborated secrets is a difficult task, especially when it might cost your life; worse when you lose the plot and get enticed by your own lies, the fantasy you created for someone else, and might end up breaking your own heart in the process.

That's a ride that is bound to be full of ups and downs, and I need to know how high they're gonna take us before the drop, as well as how rough or delicate will be the pick up later.

I'm also just really excited to meet these characters and see how their dynamics will play out. I'm compelled by Bison's longing for freedom; allured by Kant's charms; amused by Style's shamelessness; and, last but not least, possessed by a mighty need to see someone reach inside Fadel's armor and pull at a loose thread until he falls apart.

I just think this one is gonna be fun. :)

(tried to make it sound like the normal kind of excitement, but I don't wanna lie to you, mate... I'm obsessed with this thing. It's been pretty bad. Like, really bad. It's been like that for six months, and it has only gotten worse... Don't try to help me, though!! 😩🖐 At this point, the only antidote is the release of the series...)

—

I don't know how useful this could have been as for recs, since most of the shows I mentioned are no strangers to this blog's page, but... this gave me an opportunity to reflect on them, and I enjoy doing that. So thank you for picking these numbers for me! 😊💛

See you o/

[clear-what-i-was-seeing]

LOVE CRIME IS BACK ON SPOTIFY I REPEAT LOVE CRIME IS BACK ON SPOTIFY AS OF NOVEMBER 29 2022

[nikkodikko]

Falling stars

Here's a piece from my hannibal nbc obsession which completely took over my life a year ago

Its almost been a year since ive made this (how???) But its still one of my favourite little things ive made :0

[ghostsofbones]

"I'll be your slaughter house, your killing floor, your morgue and final resting place," –Richard Siken, "Wishbone"

[fixedteacup]

the twotl ending is so amazing because it's the first time we see will fully commit, we see him give in to his "urges he kept down for so long", it's the most honest he's ever been and it's also the most open and honest hannibal has ever been – we've never seen him actually slaughter the people he ends up cannibalizing, not in the way we see him here; he tears off dolarhyde's skin with his teeth, biting off a good chunk of his neck, and this is what's beautiful. neither of them are hiding from themselves or from the other, it's a moment of unspoken understanding, of trust, honesty, and acceptance.

[trans-spidey]

After The Fall

Summary: After the fall, Will and Hannibal have some things to talk about as they adjust to living together and work through the painful things in their shared past. Will tries to work through his issues and get used to living in Europe with Hannibal. Domestic Hannigram with some hurt/comfort as they grow more comfortable living together and confront their past together.

Word count: 21215 words

[devour-the-rude]

This is what should’ve happened in TWOTL. We were ROBBED, and I will die on this hill. Also your art is beautiful I love it

[crimsondinnerparty]

Hannigram: The Ultimate Zero-Sum Game

If there’s one thing *Hannibal* nails perfectly, it’s the complex, borderline insane dynamic between Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter. But what makes their relationship so captivating is how it's a zero-sum game from start to finish.

One of them has to lose for the other to win—and sometimes, it feels like winning is the worst thing that could happen to either of them.

What Is a Zero-Sum Game?

In basic terms, a zero-sum game means that for one person to gain something, the other has to lose an equal amount. It’s like a tug-of-war where both sides can’t win at once. And that’s exactly what Will and Hannibal are doing the whole time—pulling each other apart in this twisted dance of love, manipulation, and survival.

Hannibal Wants to *Consume* Will

Let’s be real: Hannibal doesn't just want to be friends with Will. He wants to **own** him. Hannibal's love is this dark, possessive thing where he needs Will to embrace the darkness completely, to be his mirror. Think about it—every time Hannibal talks about "seeing" Will, it's always about how *he* sees Will’s potential for violence and darkness, and how Will just needs to step into it.

Season 2, “Mizumono”: Hannibal’s attempt to flee with Will wasn’t just an offer; it was an ultimatum. For Hannibal, Will’s refusal to fully join him led to one of the most violent, heart-wrenching betrayals in the series. Hannibal leaves Will bleeding out on the floor not because he’s rejected but because Will *failed* him by not becoming what Hannibal wanted him to be.

Will’s Struggle: To Keep His Soul or Surrender It

On the other side of this is Will, constantly fighting against Hannibal’s pull. What makes this a true zero-sum game is that if Will gives in to Hannibal—really gives in—he loses who he is. Will’s whole battle is about preserving his empathy, his sense of right and wrong, but the deeper he goes into Hannibal’s world, the more that slips away.

Season 3, “Digestivo”: When Hannibal lets himself get caught just to stay close to Will, it shows how far this game has gone. Hannibal’s giving up his freedom, but it’s all part of trying to win the ultimate prize: Will’s loyalty. Will is trapped because any attempt to leave or resist Hannibal brings him back into this twisted love, even at the cost of his sanity.

The Finale: Both Can’t Survive

Fast forward to the series finale, and we see the game come to its ultimate end. When Will finally acknowledges his attraction to the darkness Hannibal represents, he’s no longer just resisting—he’s accepting that there’s no middle ground for them. It’s all or nothing. So what does he do? He takes them both off the cliff. In a true zero-sum game move, Will realizes that for either of them to win, they both have to lose. And so they fall together.

“The Wrath of the Lamb”: That final scene is the perfect metaphor for their entire relationship. Will’s decision to pull them both into the abyss is the only way to escape the endless push and pull. They can’t just be together; they can’t just walk away. If Will fully embraces Hannibal, he’s lost to the darkness. If Hannibal lets Will go, he loses the person who sees him most clearly. So, they fall.

Endless Cycles of Power-

Even when one gains the upper hand—Will trapping Hannibal, Hannibal framing Will—this only pushes them deeper into each other’s worlds. Hannibal sees Will as a masterpiece in progress, something to mold. But the second Will truly gives in, he stops being himself. The balance between them means that love, survival, and destruction are all the same thing.

In Conclusion: Their Love Is a Zero-Sum Game

The Hannigram relationship is tragic because it’s unsustainable. They are trapped in a game where the only real "win" comes from total domination or destruction. Hannibal's love is about consuming Will, and Will’s love (or resistance) is about holding onto whatever is left of himself. Every moment of their relationship is about pushing the other to a breaking point, and neither can win without annihilating the other.

In the end, love isn’t just complicated between these two—it’s a weapon, a means of control, and a game where survival means the loss of something essential. **They can’t exist together without breaking each other apart.**

---

Hannibal once said, “Killing must feel good to God too… He does it all the time, and are we not created in His image?” In Hannigram’s case, this line rings true: their love is all about creation and destruction. To love, for them, is to annihilate.

-—————————————————————————

[cannibalovers]

Hannibal song of the day: song no. 13

a bit about the song:

"The Lovers" (2017) is a song by Nine Inch Nails, appearing in the EP "Add Violence". It was written by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, two members of the group. It has a very anxious, almost threatening, but calming sound to it due to the amount of reverb, deep electronic bass, Trent's muffled vocals, and the instrumental which features a sound manipulator, "Luminist Garden", which is supposed to sound like finger-tapping to connote anxiety, inherent in addiciton. It fits alternative genres like alternative electronic rock and experimental. The lyrics of the song began as a poem by Trent, exploring the “inevitability of addiction and seduction” and a possible path his life could have taken if he didn't end up recovering from his drug addiction. The title can also tie to tarot, the 6th card in the major arcana being "The Lovers" - this card represents love, but also two oppositional forces coming together, in balance, as well as in a more personal light, becoming whole as an individual, coming to terms with ones flaws, strenghts, beliefs and accepting one's self. Overall, the songs meaning is about seduction and succumbing to what one shouldn't succumb to, feeling contempt and complete - whatever that may be.

i've never realised just how vulnerable and dark this song is, it took me a while to appreciate its beauty

i've had this song in my playlist since the beginning, not thinking that much of it until i finished the show, especially after the wrath of the lamb. looking back at the lyrics it reminds me of Will SO much its insane. the succumbing and the serenity the protagonist feels, GOD. in my eyes it describes Will's thoughts perfectly.

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Verse 1

"I can hear you breathing I’ve slipped out of time again Leaving all of you behind And I’m free"

The protagonist is losing himself, succumbing to the drug. He is losing his sense of timeas it can often be with substances, leaving everything behind - most likely the reality, people who care for him and normality as he feels enlightened. He even personifies the drug or perhaps the feeling he's experiencing, as he can feel it breathing, growing. It all feels so empowering, yet disturbing.

The opening lines summarise what I personally believe went through Will's head as he layed his head on Hannibal's chest SO well. He can feel him breathing, they're finally so close, all the boundaries have been crossed, it feels so surreal. He left everything behind, his perfectly crafted life, his wife and kid, something he cared for so much, his life as a criminal profiler, everything before that, leaving all of his whole old life behind - He doesn't care anymore and has never felt more alive and free before this.

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"To return to the place where I already am And have always been If I just really looked and allowed myself To see"

The protagonist realises that he has been repressing and ignoring what he now believes is his true purpose, he now believes that this state and feeling are what he was born for, what he was made for. He feels like he's on the "right path" once again.

Will has also been repressing and ignoring. He recognizes his ferocious nature and didn't want to accept it - Yet Hannibal did everything he could to drive him to it, to kill, do what he was made for. They caused so much destruction together around themselves. That's why he separated himself from Hannibal in the first place - they were perfect and the worst for each other simultaneously.

But season 3, the longing for Hannibal has never left him, it only was easier to ignore now that Hannibal was out of the picture - but just one visit, just one look was all it took to change his mind, exactly what Will was afraid of when coming back. He has returned and started to regret leaving, again. He knew that his true purpose was with Hannibal and that he wanted to be with him, he has always been there, longing for it. He couldn't ignore it again. Finally, murdering Dolarhyde together with Hannibal has made him see it and accept it, finally allowing himself to see what Hannibal was trying to show him all these years. No hiding anymore.

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"The confusion is seducing me warm perfect flowing Wide his eyes Summer Hypnotize they see inside of me Hot swollen skin want me take me perfect embrace Black and bloody Rotten and perfect The center has moved on and all that’s left is free Finally Finally Everyone seems to be asleep but me"

These lines are supposed to represent the setting of the song itself - New Orleans, hot summer, the protagonist describing his current state; eyes blown, hypnotised, seen, accepted, sick, rotten. So horrible yet perfect, it felt so right. A paradox. The "everyone seem to be asleep but me" line is also a reoccuring imagery in the "Not The Actual Events" EP and the rest of the "Add Violence" EP, with "I can't seem to wake up" lyrics in "Not Anymore". The repeating theme in my eyes talks about the blindness and subconsciously ignoring a feeling, maybe even an intuition, a bewildered state of mind. The protagonist seems to go between feeling like they are alive and the only one seeing the reality amongst all the blinded people and like they can't wake up, realising something is wrong but cannot pinpoint what is it. Here, they feel on top of the world, like they have gone through an awakening and are the only ones to realise just how free they can be and now, are. The center could refer to stability and morals, now moving on, lost and thrown away.

This summarises the show perfectly, especially Will's side as he now realises and accepts how beautiful this all is, monstrous, sickening, but so very beautiful. A paradox that he is finally willing to accept as it is and relish. The confusion he feels, comforting instead of frightening now,

This sounds like Will's point of view of the whole thing so accurately it drives me INSANE. The confusion he feels, unusually comforting instead of frightening. Catching Hannibal's eyes, so hypnotising and warm as he tries to hold himself up and stagger to him, Hannibal's touch burning his skin so delectably. Finally, he achieved content. The feeling he has been longing to experience for his whole life.

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Chorus

"Take me Into the arms of the lovers Free Take me Into the arms of the lovers"

the progatonist is finally accepting what he now sees as something that cares for him, accepts him for who he is and makes him feel satisfied and at peace, an equivalent of a lover. The embrace representing acceptance and the two opposite forces coming together, back to the possible interpretation from the tarot card "The Lovers".

just Will wanting to cuddle and hug, cmon. but also indeed the embrace both showed his acceptance of Hannibal and himself, as well as accepting how safe and accepted Hannibal made him feel, how content he feels now that he has accepted his nature thanks to Hannibal.

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Verse 2

"Oh I see you floating there How could I ever hope to forget Always rearranging, this is Those words are a lie a mirror reflecting in a mirror of a lie A light shines still always Shadows in every wordBeneath black eaves Please don’t leave me here I could stop it Maybe I could stop it (if I wanted to)But I’m not the one driving anymore I know who I am But I know who I am Right?(Please don't leave me here with them)"

The last verse is very desperate, again admitting to ignoring their past, trying to grow and move away from the addiction but not being able to. Everything felt like a lie, but the truth always comes out - the protagonist loses control to what has been tempting him, realising it yet still trying to convince himself that he is himself, he is his own he let this happen because he wanted it to. The protagonist seems to be constatly on the hunt for connection, anything, anywhere where he won't feel alone. Maybe that's why they succumbed.

For Will, this reminds me of the lingering effect that Hannibal had on him. How could he ever forget what Hannibal did to him, how he changed him? Even he himself said that his life splits into two chapters; "Before you, and after you". Hannibal always haunted him and he couldn't escape him - not like Hannibal would let him. He always found a way to get to Will. But now, Will accepts it, even wants it. He realises just how lonely and dreadful life was without Hannibal, even if he chose to walk away. After all, how do you recover from cutting off someone who has made you feel so accepted and known?

Hannibal's manipulations and acts to try and win Will's heart has made Will feel at a loss of control, constantly messing with Will's sense of identity in season 1, making him question who he is. He tried to regain control, what he made sense of, at least - leaving Hannibal, striving to achieve the normalicy and perfection that he always wanted as he thought that that's what would make him happy and normal, cure whatever he has been longing for, thinking it was just loneliness and a need for someone caring - but Hannibal showed him what it was exactly that he was missing - acceptance and understanding, even of his darkest and most flawed parts. This feeling and realisation he could never forget. He longed and longed, hoping that he could regain this kind of connection he has with Hannibal with someone else, but to no use. He was the only person that he couldn't hide himself from and be fully seen. I think in wrath of the lamb he finally accepted that, and after that, he would never want Hannibal to leave his side or to leave Hannibal, no matter how lost and confused he feels around him. Before the fight with Dolarhyde, Will says that he doesn't think he can save himself anymore, and that might be just fine. Instead of questioning the right and wrong once again, he listens lets Hannibal lead, show him what he wanted to show all along to him instead of stopping him like he did before. Finally accepting what everyone else would see as his "downfall".

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these two make me insane and unwell and this song combined with with them and me being unable to fucking express my views and thoughts cohesively drives me even more insane.

anyway thank u, hope u enjoyed<3

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additional notes:

the pun in the last sentence of v2 was actually not intended i didn't realise that LMAOOOO

ffs i reedited this for like 50 minutes straight and tumblr went oopsies smth went wrong couldnt save. i left it in drafts for a few says thinking maybe i will find motivation and will to reedit it but all i feel is irritability and the urge to delete the post so yall getting the unchecked version sorry WHY ARE U SO DIFFICULT TUMBLR

my playlist post

[fatalism-and-villainy]

Thinking a lot about The Cliff Scene* in The Wrath of the Lamb, because there are multiple possible interpretations of Will’s motivations there, but my personal reading is that he does not have a God Damn Clue what he is going to do about Hannibal until he does it.

What I come back to, when I think about this scene, is Will's actions in the season 2 finale, where he calls Hannibal on the phone to tip him off. We don’t get the full context for these actions until Aperitivo, where he tells Jack, “I wasn’t decided when I called him, I just called him… I deliberated as the phone rang… I decided when I heard his voice.” Mizumono deliberately instills ambiguity as to his intentions and loyalties - explicitly so with the parallel conversations with Jack and Hannibal at the beginning of that episode! - but this later conversation with Jack clarifies that he did genuinely intend to go through with the plan he and Jack had laid out to catch Hannibal, but made a spur-of-the-moment to disrupt it - hoping Hannibal would just run - because in that brief moment, he couldn’t bring himself to betray him.

And then all through the beginning of season 3, he is - to paraphrase his words to Hannibal in Yakimono - “dealing with his feelings about Hannibal,” feelings that he doesn’t seem fully decided on how he wants to act on. Despite agreeing with Chiyoh’s summation that he feels killing Hannibal is the only way to avoid becoming like him, this motivation doesn’t seem to loom large for him at all in his search for Hannibal. Rather, from his exchange with Jack before he leaves for Italy, the way he haunts Hannibal’s abandoned house, and his words to Chiyoh about how he’s never known himself as well as when he’s been with Hannibal, the strongest impression his trek through Europe leaves is that he misses Hannibal, that at least part of him regrets not running away with him, and that he’s profoundly conflicted about his feelings and thinks being reunited with Hannibal will provide clarity. And then, we get the scene in Dolce, just after they’re reunited, where you can just see him deliberating before he pulls out a knife and tries to kill Hannibal. It’s almost like the reverse of the situation leading up to the season 2 finale, where he goes in intending to take down Hannibal but, after internally wavering, comes down on the side of helping him - here, he seeks to understand Hannibal while struggling with his own feelings, and then, in the decisive moment, comes down on the side of trying to kill him.

So then in The Wrath of the Lamb… he’s cagey what exactly his intentions are. When he says to Bedelia “I don’t intend Hannibal to be caught a second time,” it’s ambiguous whether he plans to kill him or free him. Bedelia seems to assume the latter (“can’t live with him, can’t live without him”), but Will doesn’t clarify. He only says “this is my becoming,” which could refer to either, and in his mind, I think they’re united - either killing Hannibal or letting him go would fundamentally change Will, turn him into the person’s he’s tried to resist becoming.

So when he tells Hannibal that he intends to watch Dolarhyde “change” him, he means it in the moment, just as he’s had powerful but momentary convictions regarding him before. But I’d say what’s looming largest for Will in this episode, bigger than any one aim, is the feeling of having power over Hannibal. Earlier in the episode, of course, he reveals that he intentionally manipulated Hannibal into giving himself up. When Hannibal asks if it was good to see him, and Will says “Good? No,” he means that Hannibal has once again forced him to contend with his darker impulses, with the part of himself that is drawn to violence and having power over others (see: Chilton). And the timing of that reveal to Hannibal is relevant to contextualizing Will’s later actions, because once he’s putting the plan to catch Dolarhyde into play…. he likes that he holds sway over what happens to Hannibal. He knew how to manipulate Hannibal, three years ago, he wanted to use his last encounter with him to rub that in, and I believe his plan to fake Hannibal’s escape sees him embracing the fact that his ability to manipulate Hannibal brings him pleasure, rather than just being something he deploys for strictly utilitarian purposes - what his claims about not having Hannibal’s appetite in “Digestivo” seem to suggest.

And then, when he’s handed the opportunity on a platter to let Dolarhyde kill Hannibal, when the situation seems to be playing out exactly as he planned it… he can’t do it. Everything he does in Wrath of the Lamb is a “deliberating as the phone rang” moment for him. That moment of eye contact he shares with Hannibal just before he reaches for his gun lets him decide, just as he decided when he heard Hannibal’s voice on the phone.

So, the cliff…. to answer the question of whether he intended to kill himself and Hannibal or escape together, I’d say, honestly, either one. Will knows it may well kill them, and he’s certainly all right with that outcome, but I wouldn’t say that specifically is his primary motivation. Crucially, contrary to popular opinion, I don’t read Will’s actions here as an altruistic sacrifice to rid the world of the evil they might both perpetuate. He’s well aware that he’s crossed a line he can’t come back from, at least by his own standards, but I think this act is a bit more selfish than noble self-sacrifice. Like many other decisions he makes regarding Hannibal, it’s a spur-of-the-moment decision, primarily driven by emotion. And the emotional drive behind it is, first and foremost, possessiveness. As he embraces Hannibal here, figuratively and literally, he’s realized that he can’t bear to see anyone else kill Hannibal - and after what they’ve just shared, he can’t let him go either. The way he wraps his arm around Hannibal’s neck in those last moments, to me, is similar to him pressing his hand up against the glass earlier in the episode, when he tells Hannibal he maneuvered Hannibal into giving himself up, and that in some way, he will always hold that over him - that they will always belong to each other. He just needs to claim Hannibal for himself, and go with him, whether or not they survive. It might best be summed up by this exchange with Bedelia from this episode:

Bedelia: We assign a moment to decision. What you propose is so thoughtless I find it difficult to imagine that moment exists. Will: Decisions are made of needed feelings. They’re more often a lump than a sum.

This is a difficult scene to analyze given the truncation of the story, because the show frequently elaborates more on the circumstances, outcomes, and character motivations surrounding events later on (see: Will’s actions in the s2 finale, Chilton getting shot, Abigail’s “death” in the s1 finale, etc.). I suspect Fuller&co. would have fleshed out this scene much more with a planned fourth season. But just working from what we have now, and trying to make sense of a rather… cryptic season 3, I think this is where I land with what makes the most narrative sense to me and is the most aesthetically satisfying.

(*This is all assuming that the cliff fall literally happens, which is in itself questionable to me - there are moments where I’m happy taking it as a Vertigo-style ending that’s more symbolic than anything else, something not literally happening in the story’s causal reality any more than Dolarhyde’s blood literally spills out in the shape of wings. But - especially since people on this show are capable of surviving injuries to a rather absurd degree - I’m not married to that interpretation, and I think the character insight this moment produces is compelling to examine.)

[roosterbox]

It’s Done

I’ve finished watching Hannibal. And honestly idk how y’all survived that finale back in 2015. Goddamn.

Anyway, I took notes. Spoilers, obviously.

Notes on The Wrath of the Lamb

Oooooooh boy here we fucking goooooo. Idk if I’m ready for this, guys

Poor Chilton. Really.

And poor Reba! She’s so awesome.

Richard Armitage is really great as Dolarhyde.

He’s got such a deep fucking voice, damn son.

Go Reba go!

This is my last time seeing this intro. *sighs*

Side note: at least half of the ads I’ve gotten on Hulu since watching this show have been kind of queer themed. I’m not gonna say it was because of Hannibal, but I’m not not saying that either, lol.

Will and Reba, awww. These two.

Will is such a good, ugh. I love him.

Dig dat memory palace

Get you a man that looks at you like Hannibal Lecter looks at Will Graham.

“What a cunning boy you are.” HANNI you’re such a FLIRT, stahp.

Is he stopped? Is he really, Will?

All of Will and Hannibal’s scenes in the second half of season 3 are like two birds doing a matching pair of outrageous mating dances. While also shit-talking each other the whole time. Their courtship game is next level.

THE HAND ON THE GLASSSSSSS my hearrrrrrrt

Will tries breaking Hannibal’s heart again, lol.

Oh shiiiiiiit. Told you he wasn’t stopped, Will.

Francis, if you hurt my baby boy…

Jimmy and Zeller! I’m gonna miss you guys when this ends. Even you, Zeller.

Bedelia! I’m sure I’ll see you again…

Also Will is sooooooo bitchy to her, lmao. He’s so jealous.

But Bedelia does know all.

“Meat’s back on the menu” FORESHADOWING, lmao. I love jealous, bitchy Will so much.

Yeeesh, poor Chilton. It’s kinda strange, because if this had happened to movie!Chilton? I wouldn’t have cared. Movie!Chilton is a true and irredeemable asshole of the highest order. But something (be it the writing or Raul Esparza) made series!Chilton into a more interesting, sympathetic, well-rounded character than his film counterpart. Never would have thought going in that I’d actually like Frederick Chilton, lol.

Gotta say, I’m not super fond of Alana’s post time skip hairstyle. But that’s just me.

Hanni hopes Chilton won’t be very ugly. Nice reference to the Red Dragon book, though he was talking about Will in that.

I love it when Hannibal gets all menacing. I don’t actually find Mads that intimidating as a person, but when he gets like that? Almost.

“I’ll say pretty please.” Oh I’m sure you will, Will. I’m sure you will ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

All of their fucking scenes are supercharged with sexual tension, my god.

“I need you, Hannibal.” And just like that, all of Hanni’s fantasies are coming true. Well, almost all of them. We’ll get back to that…

The escape. Yessssss.

Oh hey Francis. Fancy seeing you here.

“Going my way?” ASDFGHJKJHGFDS THESE GUYSSSSSS

The way Will looks at Hannibal ASDFJKLBFJBLK I cannot.

btw I still remember that Bryan Fuller said that Will and Hannibal’s “lips were busy” while the time passed. Don’t think I’ve forgotten, lmao.

And they’ve changed clothes, hmmmmm

There’s the Goldberg Variations again.

“My compassion for you is inconvenient, Will” might as well have said he loves him, lol.

IT BEGINS.

Hanni deliberately stood in front of the window (and Will) to take the bullet.

WILL! Francis, you touched his FACE! His beautiful FACE! How could you?!

Pull out that knife, Will.

They kill as a team. How romantic 🥰 And thus marks the moment when literally all of Hannibal’s deepest fantasies came true.

Damn, son. Daaaaamn.

I love to see my baby boy go so FERAL. It’s my favorite headcanon about how they kill together: Hanni is very clean, collected, almost elegant. Whereas Will will go straight savage on a motherfucker.

The blood spreads like wings. That’s cute.

Oh my goooooood it’s HAPPENING.

“This is all I ever wanted for you, Will. For both of us.” AHHHHHHHH!

“It’s beautiful.” I AM SCREAMING AND CRYING AND ROLLING ON THE FLOOOOOOR.

I think I love this song tbh.

The EMBRACE.

The FALL.

And then they went on the run. Also they got married. And fucked. A lot.

OH HEY Bedelia. Bon Appetit!

And with that… my first time Hannibal viewing journey comes to an end. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t very emotional about it. Also about that cliff scene, GODDAMN. I’ll see about doing a big write up about my thoughts tomorrow. It’s getting a bit late for that now.

Summary: I loved it.

I’m off to read more fanfics, lol.

[lovecrimeart]

"It's beautiful."

On August 29, 2015, the last episode of season 3 of Hannibal, titled «The Wrath Of The Lamb», was released, and on this day this episode turns 8 years old, it's not only of the episode but of the criminal love story of our favourite characters, the so-called murder husbands, Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham.

You ask what happened to them after they fall from a cliff into the sea in their arms, I hope that in the future in the fourth season everything is fine with them and that for sure they're still alive. And also the pieces of the broken teacup are reunited together.

Continuation of the description in the comments ⬇️

Lets go back first from the

episode <Aperitif>, we remind you that in Jack

Crawford's office, Hannibal looks at Will and

falls in love with him immediately at first sight

especially with his empathy and uniqueness,

but he does not betray this special significance,

realizing that Willis close to understanding his

nature, Hannibal is forced to accuse him of four

murders, but when Will has seizures, their joint

therapy begins. The most intense and extreme

depiction of intimacy in the series; the

described "blurring" and "connection" of mind

and personality, confirmed romantic desire

unresolved sexual attraction

n season 2, their relationship becomes very

complicated, Hannibal helps Will clear his name

and get out of prison. In an attempt to

manipulate Hannibal and expose him, Will

begins a dangerous game by pretending to be

Hannibal's friend. However, Will's loyalty

becomes less clear during this game, and the

dark corners of his soul are freed with the help

of Hannibal. At the end of the second season in

the episode <Mizumono>, calls Hannibal to

warn that the FBI knows where they are that

they are being arrested, entering the kitchen, he

discovers Abigail, whom he considered her

dead, he turns around, claiming that Hannibal

had to leave, to which he replies that they could

not leave without him. At that moment,

Hannibal is devastated and badly broken after

learning about his betrayal, after a while, using

a linoleum knife to inflict a deep wound in the

upper abdomen, creating a <smile> scar, and

said that time has turned back, and that this

place was created for the world of Abigail and

Will, further says that he let him know him and

see him. That he gave Will a rare gift, and he

didnt want it, asks Will if he will refuse him in

ife, and he says no>. Then Hannibal claims

that Will would only deprive him of his freedom.

He asks Will if he believed he could change

Hannibal the way he was changed by him. Will

declares that he has already changed Hannibal.

This silences Hannibal for a moment before he

says that fate and circumstances brought them

back to this moment and that he forgives Will. He asks if Will would do the

same, then turns to Abigail and holds out

his hand. He tells Willthat he can make it

all disappear so that Will wades into a quiet

stream before cutting Abigail's neck with a

same knife. She falls to the floor next to Will,

dark Hannibal. clutching Inthe side of first the However, wound... nature due season. and to 3, searches Will complications, reveals for he

the

half of

3.

his

changes his mind and instead decides to try to

ead a normal life, rejecting Hannibal. Hannibal

allows himself to be arrested so that Will can

find him in the future if he ever wants to return

to him. In the second half of the season, Will

tries to live with his wife and her child without

thinking about Hannibal. However, the serial

killer Tooth Fairy forces Will to work with

Hannibal, reminding him of the absolute

freedom he experienced while with him

Eventually, Will realizes the hopelessness of his

battle with himself and admits his true feelings

for Hannibal. He realizes that Hannibal is in love

with him. Then he runs off with it. Finally, Will

and Hannibal team up, whether the former likes

it or not, to kill the Red Dragon (Francis

Dolarhyde). Then we look into each other's eyes

with the phrase <See, this is all 1 ever wanted

for you, Will for both of us.> Will hugs

Hannibal: <lt's beautiful,> and when Lecter

smiles, Will throws them both off a cliff and

they fall into the ocean. And what will happen to

them next, we will see, we hope that their

criminal love stories will continue and that their

relationship will be deep and sincere, like a

spark that sparkles with fiery lights of love

Despite the fact that I don't know if season

4 will be released, but we will hope for it

and continue to hope. Everything depends

on our leader and a good person with great

enthusiasm, ambition and hope - Bryan Fuller. "The Wrath Of The Lamb!"

[pesky--dust]

a) He called Hannibal by his name four times (and all of them were in season 3!!): 1. “Hannibal... I forgive you.” 2. “I miss my dogs. I'm not going to miss you. I'm not going to find you. I'm not going to look for you. I don't want to know where you are or what you do. I don't want to think about you anymore. (...) Good-bye, Hannibal.” 3. In “The Wrath of the Lamb” it happens twice! - “I need you, Hannibal.” - “You're our best shot, Hannibal. Please.”

Every single time the situation was so serious and even intimate for them, like not for the eyes of anyone else. Will told him that he feels more comfortable the less personal they are, but at the same time season three shows how personal they actually are. 

The deeper season three goes, the stronger acceptance for his feelings Will has. “I need you, Hannibal.” is not only about the situation with The Great Red Dragon, but also about Will’s life itself. He tried normal life with woman and child, but he missed Hannibal’s presence in his life even more, because? They know each other intimate and so feels calling someone by their name, so in “The Wrath of the Lamb” it happens with difficulty (because of denied feelings), but at the same time it says: “I feel more comfortable the less more personal we are.”.

b) I totally agree with the touch tho. Will started initiating touch between them and first - he touches Hannibal’s broken heart. We know that in “Primavera” he blames himself for everything that happened in “Mizumono”, he knows that Hannibal has broken heart because of him. And at the end of “The Wrath of the Lamb” he not only embraces Hannibal! He puts Hannibal’s hand on his waist. He finally totally accepts Hannibal’s feelings toward him and also his feelings towards Hannibal.

Don’t mind me, I’m just rambling. Love all the things about that series. 

You underestimate how much Will supports himself. So much so that he only calls Hannibal by his first name 2 times.

Впервые он даже не видит своего лица.

The second time, it is also given to him with difficulty.

He also forbids himself from touching Hannibal. But he really wants to. Therefore, he first fantasizes about how he will touch him with the hands of another person, with a bullet, with a knife. But in the end, he touches his heart first (while no one sees):

Then like this.

And only in the very final... Finally! Hannibal is about to pass out!

[incorrecthanniballecterquotes]

“We reached for each other and I thought of how many nights I had lain awake in my bed loving him in silence.”

- Will, leaning against Hannibal on the cliffside.

[hannigram-trash]

2x12 - 3x13 Parallels

My soul fell to pieces while doing this so please cry with me...