#captain rants
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I gotta say I love that pretty much everyone agrees, Dragon definitely cried like a baby when Luffy was born
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Easing Old Man!Price into sex after dealing with erectile dysfunction 💓 (🌽 link)
As Price gets old with every passing day, a subtle yet gnawing voice at the of his head was telling him that he wasn't able to keep his birdie happy and satisfied despite all his efforts and it didn't help that physically he was not able to perform satisfactorily. He mentally curses himself for all the years of nicotine and alcohol use, mentally chiding himself for not listening to you earlier.
His little birdie would eventually leave him for his flaws.
But you saw it in a different light, you tried to keep John happy and fulfilled and besides there is more than one way to achieve the orgasmic bliss that John always seemed to coax out of you with either his hands or mouth or maybe both, one of his many talents. Your love for him never dwindled but you could see the sadness and unfound guilt in his eyes.
One day, he tells you that he wants to use Viagra to make sex as pleasurable as it used to be. Despite your attempts to voice that you have no complaints about the two of your sex life, John shut them down. He needed to do this, not just for you but for him, to make him feel like a man again. You start to understand that maybe reassurance may not be enough to help John find his self-esteem again so you cave and tell him it's fine.
Tonight, you both find yourselves sitting on the bed after John had taken the pill. Sweaty and flushed til the tips of his ears, John felt like a schoolboy seeing a woman naked for the first time. He didn’t know what to do with his hands, what to say or how to react after seeing his chubby cock stand tall and proud after such a long time. He looks away when you sit next to him, wearing nothing causing you to chuckle chuckle at his nervousness.
“Come on, babe. It’s not like this is the first time you’ve seen my tits. Hell, you even drank my-”
John places a hand over your mouth stopping you from finishing your sentence. You give the palm of his hand a attentive kiss before pulling away and placing a fleeting kiss oh his cheek.
You hand makes its way to his cock, giving it a few trial pumps. Seeing John’s eyes glaze over gave you all the permission you needed to continue your ministrations.
“That’s it, soldier boy. Let your birdie help you.”
#john price x reader#john price#john price cod#john price smut#captain john#tf141 smut#captain price#john price x you#price x reader#cod smut#captain john price smut#captain john price x reader#captain john price#john price x y/n#captain john price x you#john price fluff#captain price x reader#price smut#captain price x female reader#captain price x y/n#captain price x you#price x y/n#price x you#captain price smut#cod x reader#tf 141 x reader#old man!price#ri’s rants
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The fun thing about COD is that everyone who calls the 141 and every other operator their precious little mew mew skrunkly is fully aware that Soap once used an enemy soldier as a meat shield, Price responded to a barricade by attempting vehicular manslaughter, Gaz saw one terrorist attack and decided going feral was an option that should be on the table, and Ghost is, well, Ghost.
They know their little mew mews are war criminals and they do not care.
#War crimes are acceptable in fiction#insert your own rant about acknowledging the military propaganda inherent in COD#And how you should never uncritically accept the messaging therin#but also the military can't turn our 400k soapghost fics into propaganda#text post#media analysis#fandom#fandom behavior#cod#COD#call of duty#john soap mactavish#captain john price#captain price#kyle gaz garrick#simon ghost riley
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I really enjoy playing through tnp again like hi it's been a while
#the northern passage#interactive fiction#lea chen#the hunter#and captain the horse#userpharawee#I don't have internet atm and it's been on and off (mostly off) for a few weeks now#it's annoying for all the obvious reasons but also becauce now I'm kind of looking forward to being at work#because at least there's working wifi there#if only it weren't for the horrors (the customers) lmao#anyway sorry for the rant#I'm not far into the new and improved chapter 1 yet#because again. no internet >.> and limited mobile data#but it's been long enough since i played it that it feels like a fresh start and that's nice#realised I never drew lea so I had to change that#I also redesigned my hunter a little#not sure about the braid idk if he'll keep that lol#I also want to change his name because I was never happy with it to begin with#but I haven't decided yet to for now they're just the hunter (he/they)
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I played Mouthwashing, and I have thoughts, but any time I go to post something I start to realize my "hot take" is probably a super normal interpretation. I just keep seeing really extreme opposite takes about one character in particular but I think a lot of the people making those takes are actually young people who don't have a ton of life experience and actual children who probably should have never been exposed to a game with very adult themes
Against my better judgment, I'm going to say my thoughts anyway:
Curly is just a normal guy. That's kind of the whole point of the game. He could be a stand-in for your well-meaning friend or your boss or your uncle or even YOU. Especially if you're a cis man, but anyone is capable of falling into the trap of "I know him and he wouldn't do that" or "Are you really going to ruin a man's life over one mistake?" Curly is a cautionary tale of what can happen if you ignore the warning signs because thinking someone you've known a long time and are friendly with is capable of something terrible or incapable of change is difficult.
Similarly I think the idea that Jimmy is a Narcisit or trying to diagnose him with one of the spooky scary mental illnesses, aside from being weird and rude to people with mental illness, also misses the point. Jimmy is also a normal type of guy, that's part of the horror. Many men feel disenfranchised with their own life and try to seek power over others to get a sense of control. Not all of them have done things as bad as the things Jimmy does and has done but ultimately he too is a cautionary tale of what happens when you refuse to take responsibility for your own actions and the ways you've hurt other people.
Most people have not been sexually assaulted. The average person may understand what Anya is going through but might not relate to her, which is a good thing to be clear. I can't claim I know exactly what it's like to be in her shoes. I've never been raped but I have been sexually assaulted. He was a normal guy. That's the worst thing about it. Men don't often think of themselves as capable of doing things, and even when it happens, they convince themselves they haven't
I think that there is intentionality behind the two protagonists. You inhabit their shoes as a way of the developers saying under different circumstances this could be you. You're not immune to justifying your own actions. You're not immune to justifying the actions of others. You are capable of ruining people's lives in ways you can't even imagine
Obviously all that being said I'm not in anyway excusing the actions of Jimmy or implying that litterally every man is like on the brink of SAing someone at all times simply that we are all influenced by society and our society often excuses the actions of awful men which enables people to fall into their worst desires
As a final note I'll just say to the "Curly is actually and abuse victim pre crash" crowd. I think that interpretation shows a misunderstanding of power dynamics. Curly is the captain of the ship. He has power over Jimmy. That's the main reason Jimmy resents him so much. A big part of the game is Curly not realizing fully what Jimmy is capable of until it affects him. That dream sequence of him walking past all of the warning signs until its no longer possible to ignore them is pretty blatant imo.
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i dont really like it when people dumb down Curly's characterization to just the guy enabling Jimmy. I get that that makes it easier to not like him, so that's why a lot of people do that, because they feel guilty about sympathizing with someone who's done smth fucked up like that, but i really don't think it's giving Curly the justice he deserves.
regardless of if you like him as a person or not, Curly is still a victim and he suffered greatly at Jimmy's hand. Just because he did something fucked up doesn't make him a 'monster' (sorry because i saw someone say that he looks like a monster post-crash and thats sticking with me because why TF are we saying disabled burn victims look like LITERAL MONSTERS- yall use some common sense I BEG)
Dumbing down characters is what fandom does best, but i think it particularly irks me in Mouthwashing because of the nature of the story. Jimmy already thinks of the rest of the crew poorly and doesn't see them for how they really are, we don't need to be doing that too.
I also feel like people don't really recognize the fact Jimmy manipulates and abuses Curly too, even before the crash. What Curly did was fucked up but for the love, don't dumb him down to just this one thing he did.
#as someone who loves to analyze medias for characterization patterns some of yalls takes actually pain me#its kinda obvious yall didnt actually think hard about the different scenes and the interactions between everyone#like replay the game or rewatch a play through and focus on character interactions- then come back to me#ALSO THE PREVALENT ABLEISM IN THIS FANDOM DEAR FKIN GOD#YALL REALIZE THAT BEING ABLEIST TO A FICTIONAL CHARACTER ALSO EFFECTS THE DISABLED RIGHT#thats a whole other rant post tho#mouthwashing#jimmy mouthwashing#fuck you jimmy#curly mouthwashing#captain curly#mouth washing#riv rambling
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Mini comic I made based on a convo I had with my mom
Also, for the people who don't believe me 👇
(Stony isn't technically canon but it was in a fantastic 4 comic with a female Tony countperart. Idk, I haven't read it and only know about it when i was bored and checked the shipping wiki while zoning out of a movie. It's weird)
(Random note for spideypool: Wade will flirt with anything that moves, but what showd he had an actual crush on Spidey beyind attraction was when his daughter pointed out how much he talked about him and he got embarrassed. Also, the fact that he changed his entire moral code for Spidey. And they're confirmed heartmates. I haven't gotten that far in the comic yet, but I think it's like soulmates but more romantic. Also, Deadpool had a free pass list of people he can sleep with while he was married (his wife signed it and everything), and Spiderman was number five
#i cant believe she would just insult Spideypool in front of me#she's heartless 😔#and also knows jack shit about marvel but she's there so shes forced to listen to my rants#marvel#mcu#comic#artists on tumblr#shitpost#symbrock#venom#venom symbiote#eddie brock#stony#captain america#steve rogers#iron man#tony stark#morpherine#morph#kevin sydney#wolverine#logan#logan howlett#spideypool#wade wilson#deadpool#spiderman#peter parker#art
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Pedo problem in the COD fandom - Mini Rant.
TW: Opinion. Pedophilia mentioned. Cursing. Offensive. 18+.
Entering my Wendy Williams Era and saying what I want because I want to. I already know everyone is gonna jump me (again), but do you think I care? I say my truth and say what everyone thinking.
Hey, I have a question... what's up with people making COD characters borderline pedophiles??
I mean, 18 years old is legal, but let's be honest, any man in his 30s and older who would date an 18 year old is... you know - someone who would go younger if it was legal. (Anyone who argues with this fact, you're either underage or sus af).
I feel so icky when I scroll in a tag and see all these FF's titled "Ghost x innocent!Reader," or "older!BF Price x Younger!GF Reader," or "Step-dad!König x stepdaughter!reader." Like r u fr?
The fact that there is so many of them is disturbing.
Look, I'm no prude. I like kinky sex and all that freaky stuff, and I don't mind age gap relationships, but the way you guys write makes it clear that you like the aspect of the taboo-ness of "that" type of relationship, if you could even call it that.
I get so disgusted by the way you freaks write my favorite characters. How dare you make Simon (a beautiful, loving man) or Price (who, let's be honest, never touch an 18 year old) into some gross pervert.
Don't get me wrong, I like perverts, but not creep perverts.
Pedophilia or hints of it will never be tolerated. And should never.
Also, most of this fandom is made up of bad smut and even worse dialogue in smut. Seriously, I cringe. What the hell.
We need more 30+ year olds in this fandom writing because I can't take the unrealistic, bad fanfiction running around.
And of I hear "doe eyes" one more time, I sweat to God, Bitch...
#cod mw2#mw2 x reader#mw2#cod mw3#vladimir makarov x reader#simon ghost x reader#simon ghost riley x reader#simon riley x reader#simon ghost riley#mw2 headcanons#john price#captain price#keegan x you#keegan russ x reader#cod mwii#konig mw2#konig call of duty#call of duty#konig x reader#rant post#mini rant#makarov x reader#keegan p russ#ghost x reader#captain john price
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It has been a HOT minute since we last posted!!
Anna and I have been quite busy recently, and it doesn't help that I've been going through art block on top of that!
So, until we get some things sorted out, here is a simple Rex/Fives doodle of them after a routine sparring session~
#fives is most likely ranting to Rex about how dumb the Senate is#and Rex is just smiling/trying to look like they aren't borderline rebelling against their government#star wars#the clone wars#clone wars#anna talks#tcw#swtcw#clone troopers#sw#clones#clone captain rex#arc trooper fives#side note we just watched Ahsoka ep 5 and can't stop crying--igjhkdgddhrjsu Anakin... calling Ahsoka Snips? Are You Kidding me?!!?#leon talks
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Re-watched Captain America: Winter Soldier and First Avenger (in that order lol) and hey guys
Remember that time Steve woke up in New York City 70 years later and panicked, thinking he was in HYDRA hands and haha, actually it turns out, he kind of was??
Also remember that bit where he found out in the most deadpan way possible (thanks Nick) that everyone he had ever known and loved was dead or aged to to the point of death in the blink of an eye, and no one ever actually like, gave him a moment's sympathy for the fact his entire world ended in a split-second of self-sacrifice that ended up just being one battle in a war that never ended?
Remember when he found out that the only person left who loved him, Peggy, only occasionally remembered him in moments of lucidity haha and then it turned out that the only other person who still lived and who loved him, Bucky, also only remembered him in moment's of lucidity?? Good times, good fucking times, I'm an emotional wreck about it
And one last thing, because I will never ever fucking ever let this grudge go, remember that time Tony fucking Stark who I mostly love but in the context of Steve Rogers specifically I want to tear him to shreds, decided to have beef with a literal traumatized 20-something year old war veteran whose entire world just dissolved into nothing in the 70 years he was on ice, and Tony fucking Stark decided to pick a fight with this guy and rag on him 24/7, despite being in his 40s himself and completely comfortable, stable, and with insane levels of wealth and privilege, because his fucking dad who has been dead for decades apparently loved this guy more, something that would have bewildered Steve who like, barely knew Howard outside of work, and that Steve had fucking nothing to do with Howard's neglect of his son because it all happened while he was unconscious?
Don't even get me started on Civil War, we will be here all day in how these supposedly equal sides weren't even slightly equal in morality or logic at all, but I will die on the hill of Tony fucking Stark was being a Grade A fucking asshole for his stupid man-child fight he picked with Steve Rogers when you actually objectively view Steve's life story as a human being instead of a symbol that he was literally forced to be
Whew. Ok. I'm ok now.
...
AND ANOTHER THING...!
#steve rogers#captain america#catws#caws#catfs#cacw#seriously though I could rant for literal days#look i mostly love tony but I can't stand the beef he has with steve it is so messed up to me and severely damaged my love of the character
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I'm not that much into the mouthwashing fandom, but I find it kinda funny that the only JimCurly shippers I've seen at this point always fall in one of these two categories
And honestly, my take on the ship falls exactly in-between
Like, yeah, Jimmy IS an abuser towards Curly now that he can't defend himself, he takes his frustration out on him, he mutilates him, he feeds him his own goddam leg, Curly is a victim of Jimmy
But saying that Curly is 100% innocent here is not quite right, Curly always seemed to forgive what Jimmy did and was a total enabler to his actions, not wanting to take sides when problems came up but subconsciously taking Jimmy's side, as seen when Anya asked for help
Anya told Curly of what he did to her but we never see Curly actually confront Jimmy on what he did, he only tells her "we'll go to him together", ok? You can still talk to him about it by yourself?? and when he does talk to him directly it's more like "sorry that happened, how does that make you feel?"
So JimCurly is kinda like "yeah, you kinda half brought this upon yourself by not stopping the monster before it finished opening it's mouth and now everyone is paying for it, including you"
Don't kill me, this is my own interpretation of the ship 👐
I still prefer Jimmy pretty much dead and the rest of the crew happy and alive, even Curly for that matter
#jimmy x curly#jimcurly#ship#jimmy mouthwashing#mouthwashing#curly mouthwashing#captain curly#rant#mouthwashing game
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One does not simply unsee the crocodile resemblance in Luffy once the theory enters your head.
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Blowjobs with Single Dad!Price 🍆 (🌽 link)
John is absolutely depraved and desperate to ruin a pretty little thing like you. He resisted you for so long, but he could only resist so much. He fucks your face when the kids are asleep. He takes you to the bed that he and his ex-wife used to sleep and and trains you, ruins you for him.
You'd be stripped naked, eyes half-lidded as you wait for your instructions. John settles in bed with his boxers off as you crawl into bed in between his legs. Kissing up his burly, hairy thighs, you make your way to his glistening, touch-starved cock. Tongue poking out, you lick the slit on the tip of his cock, gathering his salty pre-cum on the tip of your tongue. Moaning softly, you savour his taste gradually getting drunk on the idea of being used by him.
Licking a long from the base of his cock to the tip, you make your way down once again peppering it with kisses, saliva coating every inch of it. A breathy cock-drunk chuckle leaves your mouth as you begin to suck his balls one at a time earning a shuddering groan from John.
While you take your time savouring his fat balls, John grabs the back of your head pulling back to his cock, forcing your head down without a single warning. Your eyes roll to the back of your head as you gag on his length.
“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes, Birdie. Think you can get away with teasing me, hm?” His raspy voice makes it to your ear, moaning around his member.
Trying to look up at him through glisten eyes, John once again forces his cock down your throat slobbering all over it like a bitch in heat. He hits the back of your head a few times making sure the tip hits the back of your throat causing you to gag louder.
John lets out a grunt of disapproval as he hears you get louder, pulling you off his cock giving you a chance to breathe properly. Face flushed, eyes glazed over in bliss, your lips glistening with spit as it trails down your chin and onto your tits, you look at him doe-eyed and remorseful.
“The kids are bloody sleeping in the other room.” He scowls at you.
Before you could mutter an apology, John shoves his cock back into your mouth all the way down to the hilt as you nuzzle your nose into the end of his happy trail, this time quieter and more dutifully.
“Well done. You’re learning fast, Kiddo.”
#john price x reader#cod smut#john price#john price cod#john price smut#captain john#tf141 smut#captain price#john price x you#price x reader#price smut#price cod#price x you#captain price x reader#price x y/n#captain john price x you#john price x y/n#captain john price x reader#captain john price smut#captain price x female reader#captain price x you#captain price smut#captain price x y/n#captain john price x female reader#tf 141 x reader#cod x reader#singledad!price#ri's rants
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I was thinking. I was thinking what it would be like if you confessed to Levi. Because like...my bro will literally PANIC. I mean sure. He's a pretty man. Girl's are always clinging onto him. Love confessions are a daily thing. Random sappy letters or gifts left on his desk from people he doesn't even know. But then it's you. Nuh uh. Nope. Because you're so perfect to him right? You're pretty and smart and confident and you're so fun to be around but he's so fucking grumpy. Why on earth would you like him? He's just glad he exists in the same world you do, damn he's fucking grateful. And you're even friends with him, you spend so much time with him what else would he want from you right? He wants many many many things from you but he will not think about that.
Imagine you liking him. No? What? But then you're in his office and you're telling him you have something important to tell him but then you start saying things that he literally cannot comprehend why would you like him what do you mean you like him you're insane you're confused what the hell are you talking about? Levi would straight up go “No, you don’t.” with the deadest expression when you finally tell him you like him. He panics okay. DEADASS. There’s no other way to say it. He’s like all cool and calm and composed and he’s staring at you with blank gray eyes and inside he’s like wtfwtwfwtfdoirunawayiwannarunawaywhatdoidoineedfoureyestodealwiththiswtf Avoids you for the rest of the day…or life. You will have to go to the most insane extent to get him to speak to you again (With a little bullying from Hange) and talk about it. Because he’ll refuse to talk about it and pretend it never happened. When you do confront him to talk about it and like clear things though, he’s like…’’Okay’’. Absolute dumbfuck. (He will never never never ever directly admit his feelings for you, BUT you'll know it's a yes because he will slowly, carefully, cautiously slid his fingers between yours and squeeze your hand. Just. ever. so. slightly.)
#levi ackerman#levi#aot#levi heichou#levi rant#shy levi#captain levi#levi headcanons#attack on titan fanfiction#aot levi x reader#captain levi x reader#levi ackerman fluff#levi ackerman x reader#levi ackerman x you#levi fluff#levi heichou x reader#levi x reader#levi x reader imagine#levi.thoughts#levi x you#levi x y/n#aot levi
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sorry but he’s so hot when he’s calling out misogyny 🙂↕️
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Hot take:
Crosshair does not have the Imperial disillusionment and redemption arc of The Bad Batch
Emerie does.
Crosshair has an arc for sure yes but it's not that.
I was thinking about this scene:
and how it got right what this scene kinda didn't:
(It was so close but then bad writing decided to undercut the moment with a joke rip)
And I think it's really interesting that these characters who were more or less raised into the Empire/First Order and chose to leave it are all directly asked why.
But take a look at Crosshair's answers in comparison:
Different context for the asking, yes, but still, compare that to clones like Howzer, Cody, Slip and Cade who left or turned against the Empire because they knew what the Empire is doing is wrong and they weren't just going to blindly follow orders:
Crosshair - Loyalty, Purpose, and Survival
Crosshair didn't choose to join the Empire (though the show isn't very clear or consistent about how much control the inhibitor chips have) but he did, for whatever reason, choose to stay. By the end of S1 we know his chip has been removed and as he definitively says "This is who I am." There were likely still other influences on his decision, but listen to how he talks about the Empire in the S1 finale:
Hunter: Crosshair, I've seen what the Empire is doing. Occupying planets and silencing anyone who stands against them. You know it's not right. Crosshair: You still don’t see the bigger picture, but you will. Hunter: Can't you see they're using you?
Crosshair: We’re not like the regs, we never have been. We’re superior. The Empire can’t protect the galaxy without strength, this is what we were made for. Think of all we could do, together!
Crosshair: You all are meant for more than drifting through the galaxy. It’s time to stop running. Join the Empire, and you will have purpose again.
Hunter: They destroyed an entire city! Crosshair: They did what needed to be done. Kamino, regs, the Republic, that time is over. The Empire will control the entire galaxy, and I am going to be a part of it. Hunter: Don't fool yourself. All you'll ever be to them is a number.
He undeniably knows what the Empire is doing, but he does not care. In fact it sure sounds like he actually supports it and finds self-meaning in it. Hunter spends those episodes trying to convince him it's wrong, he doesn't change his mind. In the end they offer him an out and he doesn't take it.
Wrecker: You coming with us? Crosshair: None of this changes anything. Hunter: You offered us a chance, Crosshair. This is yours. Crosshair: I made my decision.
The next we see Crosshair in "The Solitary Clone" (S2:E3) he follows orders and shoots the Desix governor, right after Cody heartbreakingly tries to do what's right and find a peaceful solution.
Cody: Tell me something, Crosshair. This new Empire, are we making the galaxy better? Crosshair: We’re soldiers, we do what needs to be done. Cody: You know what makes us different from battle droids? We make our own decisions, our own choices. And we have to live with them too.
After this (glorious!) conversation, Crosshair stays. Maybe this began to seed some doubts, but he actually smiles a few scenes later when Rampart assigns him another mission. It seems like for him it truly is as he said in S1:E1 (chip not enhanced yet but still influencing him enough for his brothers to notice he's acting strange):
Crosshair: Republic, Empire... what's the difference.
Crosshair: Orders are orders.
This unethical mission that finally pushed Cody over the edge does not change Crosshair's mind about the Empire, at least not enough for him to take action.
But what does?
Mayday: And here we are, the survivors. Combat troopers stuck babysitting cargo shipments. Crosshair: Mission’s a mission. Mayday: Yeah, I used to say the same thing.
Mayday: After all the clones have done, all we’ve sacrificed. We’re good soldiers, we followed orders. And for what?
This mission has nothing to do with how the fascist Empire treats the galaxy, it's about how they treat their soldiers. It's about how Mayday loyally fought and served his whole life and Lieutenant Nolan let him die
Lt Nolan: He served his purpose as a soldier of the Empire. Crosshair: You could have saved him! Lt Nolan: Perhaps you didn’t hear me, he is expendable, as are you.
Crosshair thought he could find purpose within the Empire, and Nolan shows him exactly what that will be.
His turning point is accompanied with this powerful visual of the ice vulture, a symbol (and threat) of death, and also set up within the episode a symbol of survival:
Mayday: Vicious creatures, but you have to admire ‘em. They find a way to survive.
This critical moment (that gives me chills, oof this episode is a masterpiece!) comes right after Nolan calls him expendable and directly threatens him:
Lt Nolan: And if you speak to me again with such disrespect I'll see to it you meet a similar fate, clone.
then Crosshair sees the vulture's shadow and turns to Mayday's dead body (ahh visual storytelling my beloved) then makes his decision:
Crosshair turns against the Empire not because he believes Hunter was right about this:
Hunter: I've seen what the Empire is doing ... You know it's not right.
but because he was right about this:
Hunter: All you'll ever be to them is a number.
Redemption (both in fiction and irl in my humble opinion) comes with making amends and reparations (which is why death 'redemptions' bother me so much but that's a rant for another time). Unlike Emerie, Crosshair never explicitly denounces the Empire or his own actions within it. He never says anything to specifically show if and how his views have changed from what he said on Kamino. He makes amends with his family (sending the warning message, helping Omega escape, making up with Hunter) but that's about it. The most we get in terms of acknowledgement is this:
Crosshair: I thought I knew what I was getting into with the Empire. I thought I was being a good soldier. Hunter: Nobody really understood what was happening back then. Crosshair: I’ve... done things. I’ve made mistakes. Hunter: I have regrets too, Crosshair. All we can do is keep trying to be better, and who knows there just might be hope for us yet.
Which is nice and all but it's more about them making up as brothers so it's way too excusing tbh ("no one knew what was happening back then" ummm? "The Empire will control the entire galaxy, and I am going to be a part of it" remember? And even if at first Crosshair was being controlled by the chip, the fact that he chose to stay after it was removed* means he condones and is therefore still accountable for those actions).
There's also a bit of self-destructive guilt:
Crosshair: Omega, don't risk anything for me. I belong in here.
Crosshair: Omega needs you both. So I’m doing this alone, it’s what I deserve. Hunter: Don’t even think about plan 99, Crosshair. Omega needs all of us.
(which thank you Hunter for pushing back on the death redemption bs and oh look is that a wrap up for the purpose thing?)
But there's no action taken on his part to make up for what he's done or to stand against the Empire (aside from the bare minimum of help with Tantiss, only after it became personally relevant, which like yeah he had trauma to deal with but still).
While I do think the implications/follow-up of Crosshair's turn should have been handled better in S3 (like rip Howzer! he deserved an apology, but that's a rant for another time), I don't necessarily** think this arc is a bad writing choice. It's just saying different things than we expect:
Maybe Crosshair's story is not about standing up against an unjust system, like we see with many other characters (who deserved more screen time but that's a rant for another timeeee). Maybe his story is about how even those who are loyal to the Empire, who actually believe in it, still suffer under and within it's rule. Not to garner sympathy, but to show that there is no winning.
Crosshair has another 'so what changed' convo in S3:E14 with Rampart, in which they draw parallels to each other:
Rampart: You used to believe good soldiers followed orders. Crosshair: Depends on who's giving them. The Empire betrayed us both. Rampart: And you think you can fight them? That's not you. You're like me, loyal to no one but yourself. Crosshair: I've changed.
(note how he says who's giving the orders, not what the orders are)
"Loyal to no one but yourself" describes Rampart much more than Crosshair, since we often saw Crosshair pride himself as a loyal soldier of the Empire whereas we saw Rampart abuse power to be self-serving within the Empire (like when he killed Wilco to save face). But they were both betrayed either way. Vice Admiral Rampart, snively Imperial opportunist through-and-through, shouts "I was following orders!" as he is arrested for the Empire's purposes. (Edit: and where Crosshair rejected the Empire and found new purpose fighting for his family, Rampart was still self-serving in the finale. He still tries to gain power for himself and he gets his comeuppance).
Even Hemlock, the final boss immoral Imperial scientist, who has to be benefiting the most from this system, echoes the expendability idea:
Hemlock: What I am working on is beyond your understanding. Something so vital to the Empire it makes me indispensable.
Then there's CX-2, also set up as a parallel/foil to Crosshair (fight me), who in the end is discarded as no more than a weapon, a tool that served it's purpose, showing us what would have become of Crosshair if he had stayed.
There is no winning in the Empire. Loyalty is not rewarded, it "doesn't go both ways." Everyone has to fight for their value. Even high ranking individuals** who for a time benefit from the injustice, in the end are just pawns to be used up and cast aside at a whim for the Emperor's gain. Even people who are motivated by self-interest alone cannot survive within this system, the only viable option in this galaxy is to fight the Empire and dismantle that system. (unless you conveniently find a magically safe island to hide away on but that's a rAnT fOr AnOtHeR tImE)
Which brings us back to...
Emerie - Cooperation, Compassion, and Choice
(Okay this post has already gotten away from me but I still want to talk about her to show the contrasts.)
Emerie may not have been given a lot of screen time to really flesh out her development, but there is a lot that is pretty clearly implied with her:
Crosshair: They’ll never turn her [Omega] over. Hemlock: They don’t have a choice. She is a clone, and therefore Imperial property. *Camera cuts to an angle more centered on Emerie’s face*
Crosshair: Give me your access card! Emerie: It won’t get you outside!
Emerie: I tried to warn him what would happen if he did not cooperate with the Doctor.
Emerie: Prisoner? Omega, you are no such thing. It will take time to adjust, but you will acclimate. It is far safer in here than out there.
Emerie: You should go back to your room. Crosshair: You mean her cell?
Emerie: Why children? Hemlock: Children are easier to attain and more agreeable to the subjugations. They are unaware of why they are here and what they possess.
Emerie: They're children. Like I was... Was your plan to discard them too? Nala Se: The Empire will keep them in order to control them.
We don't know a lot about Emerie's background, but it's clear that she had a lot less choice than Crosshair and less opportunity or ability to leave. Unlike Crosshair, we never directly hear Emerie's views of the Empire (and she was most likely 'taken under Hemlock's wing' before the Empire even came to power), but lets look at how she talks about the Tantiss:
"Remain calm. Cooperate and you might survive."
"Don't make this worse, Crosshair! There is no escape!"
"All of us serve a purpose here."
"The Doctor will inform me, if it's necessary."
"It's best not to ask questions."
"Escape is not possible, Omega. This is for your own good."
She honestly does the best she can within the system she is also trapped in. She tries to help Crosshair, Omega, and the vault kids in the only way she knows how (warns Crosshair about the hounds and security, tries to protect Omega from Hemlock, tells Scorch his "actions were extreme" with Jax, insists on overseeing Bayrn's retrieval, double checks his m-count (to give him an out), and tries to find out where he came from). When she gives Omega, and later Eva, the doll, I think it shows just how little she really is able to do here (and it's kinda heartbreaking imo).
The framing of this shot especially (after Jax's escape attempt) visually shows how Emerie herself is trapped/imprisoned:
Despite the fact that very little of this is Emerie's fault, she has very little power and she is doing all she can, the narrative does not excuse her role in the Empire:
Nala Se: What will you do, Emerie? Emerie: There is nothing I can do. I don't have that kind of power. Nala Se: Don't you?
Emerie: I- I was doing my job. Echo: Yeah, I’ve heard that before. You’re a clone. How can you be part of this?
These fighting-the-Bystander-Effect conversations parallel these exchanges:
Hunter: We made a choice, and so did you. Crosshair: Soldiers follow orders. Hunter: Blind allegiance makes you a pawn.
Crosshair: We’re soldiers, we do what needs to be done. Cody: You know what makes us different from battle droids? We make our own decisions, our own choices. And we have to live with them too.
which did not change Crosshair's mind. And honestly, all respect to Echo's disappointed mom glare™ but I think it's clear Emerie had already made her decision, she just needed help to actually be able to do anything about it. When she stopped Echo, with her voice wavering on the verge of tears (ahhh v good voice acting), she clearly had no intention of turning him in. She's on her own in the Empire's most secure facility with very little resources, if she had tried anything on her own she most likely would have failed and been killed
Omega: Emerie, you don't have to do this. Emerie: (sigh) I’m sorry, but I do.
but as soon as she is enabled by an ally, she immediately turns around to help: giving information and getting Echo through security, helping the kids escape, and giving Omega the tablet that allows them to free the other clone prisoners.
Where Crosshair's turn is accompanied by the symbolic imagery of the ice vulture, Emerie's is the removal of her (literally rose-tinted!) glasses:
Symbolizing how she has shed her previous views/indoctrination that altered her perception of the Empire and blinded her to it's wrongs. It's disillusionment.
Emerie's story shows us that even those who are raised and indoctrinated into this system can, should, and will escape (with needed help). Even those who did not choose to be apart of the Empire and are not making the decisions still have the responsibility and ability to act on what they know is right.
Emerie, whose name means 'Home strength' 'Brave' and 'Powerful', and "reflects the importance of leadership and authority in the workplace".***
While Emerie is only in one more scene after her turn, so the wrap up is a bit rushed, she still very simply does what Crosshair does not:
Emerie: Because I was wrong about this place. And I'm trying to do the right thing.
Echo: I’m sure Senator Chuchi would find what you have to say very helpful for our cause. Emerie: I have a lot to make up for. I’d like to help out however I can.
She admits wrong, takes accountability, commits to making amends, and leaves with Echo to go take on the Empire (which hopefully we will get to actually see more of some day).
So, in short, she's showing us how redemption is done right!
---
Notes:
*Whether this writing choice was good/logical/in-character or not is another discussion entirely, but I'm going off of what we were given, what the show is presenting in the canon text and (reasonably inferred/intentional) subtext. Crosshair is pretty multifaceted and I could only touch on so much here. There's a lot of ways to interpret his character/choices, but I tried to avoid the realm of speculation or fanon explanations (even if they sometimes make more sense lol).
**History and political theory are not my area of expertise at all, so I have NO idea how well this aligns with real-world fascism stuff and therefore what implications this storytelling choice could have. I think the message of like 'if you think you could survive or gain power by doing what the Empire/fascist system wants you are wrong' could be good (like how everyone is actually harmed by the patriarchy type of a thing), but I hesitate bc maybe there are those who would benefit, since it's a hierarchal system, right? If anyone more knowledgeable than me has incite to share, by all means
Either way, I do think it works in-story and in-universe though. It's just in the execution. The main problem (even from a strictly theme/character arc stand point) is the lacking follow-up/consequences for Crosshair in S3. Like you gave your character accountability by removing the chip and I think that's great setup for an arc but you gotta follow through with that and actually hold him accountable!
***I'm always curious when clones have 'normal' names, like why did they chose the name Emerie of all things? So I looked it up. Idk how reliable sources are for name meanings so take it with a grain of salt but it's still fun. Fits pretty well, and clones names have definitely had significant meanings in the past (like how Rex and Jesse both mean 'king') so I'm pretty sure it was intentional.
Anyway, thanks for coming to my tedtalk
#this fandom has been SLEEPING on Emerie's arc yall!#like look at her I LOVE her#I was kinda neutral about her on the first watch but now i'm realizing just how sad and scary her story is#she's honestly pretty cool and interesting as a character and i do hope we get to see more of her at some point#also the outpost is such good writing ahhh if only the whole show had the same quality#sorry crosshair girlies your blorbo is kinda a fascist?#like we don't judge a character based off who they were/what they said at the BEGINNING of their arc#they have to start somewhere to end up somewhere else#it's how well the writing executes that transition that matters#but also where did he end up? really :/#star wars#the bad batch#tbb analysis#tbb critical#those rants may come we'll see#star wars finn#emerie karr#tbb crosshair#arc trooper echo#captain howzer#commander cody#commander mayday#tbb cx 2#writing#writing pet peeves#character analysis#redemption arcs
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