#ceterisparibus

[ceterisparibus116]

Hi! *awkward wave* Just came here to say, I miss your stories. :) And to ask why The Lord of the Rings? Why now? Just curious, because it's been a long time since I read these books and watched some of the films.

hiiiiiiiiii and hello DD Fandom, I promise I haven't abandoned Matt. He's one of my permanent blorbos.

However, some Stuff occurred and resurfaced in my life a few months back that I realized I could explore more closely via LOTR than via DD. So that's what I've been doing.

Also can we just...can we acknowledge the parallels between Frodo and Matt for a second?

incredibly strong moral compasses

martyr/messiah complexes

not wanting to endanger the people they love with their Mission

thinking if they don't Do The Mission, then no one will

risking it all to protect Home, even while being very aware of Home's flaws

NERDS

disabled

introverted yet super articulate/eloquent

orphaned + adopted

not really ever fitting in with their expected communities

being WILDLY merciful

a huge part of their arc actually hinging on if (and to what extent) they will show mercy to people others believe are irredeemable

seeing themselves in the people others believe are irredeemable...

giving mercy even to people who pose an active and immediate threat...

JUST ALL THE MERCY, ALL THE MERCY

TRAUMA

see themselves as expendable in pursuit of the Mission (canonical in Matt's case; highly probable in Frodo's case even if it's not explicit in canon)

FAITH (canonical in Matt's case, and Frodo calls on "Elbereth" enough to clearly believe in higher powers, even if he doesn't know all the doctrine)

supported by a best friend who doesn't quite understand what this whole Mission thing is really about but is supportive nonetheless

heightened senses (okay I'm kinda reaching on this one but Frodo does canonically have heightened senses thanks to the Ring + the Morgul wound)

dark hair and beautiful eyes what no that's not relevant sorry

Like listen. I'm just saying. If Frodo were a ninja with anger issues and if Matt ate more than 0.5 meals a day, they would be the same person.

[eluvion]

Ik ur talking abt mcu and the sokovia accords but fun fact, the author of daredevil volume 5 (2016) is actually a lawyer

OH yes i did actually hear abt that!!! thats super cool i love reading fiction where you can tell through really technical and small details that someone is really versed in what theyre talking abt

[sustinentiae-spei]

Hey guys, do you wanna read a fic about Merry and Frodo conspiring to help Pippin heal and Pippin and Sam conspiring to help Frodo heal and basically just a study of hobbits and ptsd that I thought was gonna be like 5 chapters max and now it's looking like maybe 13 or more and over 10k?

Of course you do.

[ach-sss-no]

I got a bingo! @feedthefandomfest In time for March to not be over yet!

Fics (these are all the squares i have, and all LOTR fics that are either gen or have mild romance between characters that are canonically married to each other)

but seek alone to hear the strange things said by jezebel_rising to smile on the pale dawn by jezebel_rising Revision by teasel (lydiabennet) Two Thousand Years of Hubris by Rimeson A Taste of Home by TeamGwenee Fair as the sea and the sun by eye_of_a_cat Minas Ithil by ceterisparibus He Calls by Lamnguin

[thevoidstaredback]

Hope by ceterisparibus

The top of Chapter 7

Peter, babe, Idk how to tell you this, but your "temp" roommate is Dad Shaped™. Not only that, but he's already starting to parent you. You're stuck with him now. Like Donkey and Shrek

[autisticgenderworm]

I’m thinking of writing a little sequel to this wonderful fic!! If you’d read it, I’d like ideas and desired details in the comments! <3

[stleoshi]

Top 4 Fic Recs

If I could only read four fics per fandom for the rest of my life, I would choose these.

Under the cut are recs for Danny Phantom, Daredevil, House M.D. Rurouni Kenshin, Sherlock Holmes, Supernatural, and Thor, though I may add more later.

Danny Phantom

The Disparaged Series by imekitty (gen, rated T) Long

Maddie Fenton’s obsessive quest to capture Danny Phantom brings disastrous consequences.

A recent take on the classic “dissection fic”, with Danny/Maddie’s relationship at the center of it. The first two fics in the series are complete, and the third is currently being updated monthly.  The author skirts the limits of the readers comfort in an absolutely fascinating way which would not work in a lesser authors hands. I’ve been loyally following it for a couple years now and I find that I’ve never had to reread a previous chapter in order to remember whats going on. It’s very memorable.

Masks by Cordria (Gen, rated K+) Mid-Length

Sometimes, people hide who they truly are behind masks. This is a short story about the day that Lancer decides enough is enough when it comes to Daniel Fenton. Sequel is 'Plunge'.

It feels a little blasphemous to pick this Cordria fic when they have many, far more iconic fics to choose from (*cough* PITS) but this one just holds a special place in my heart.

Phantom of Truth by HaiJu (gen, rated T) Long

Locked away in a secret government lab with Phantom as her subject, nothing stands between Maddie and the truth... except, perhaps, herself.

Everyone and their mother recommends this fic, and that’s because it fucks severely. There’s a complete sequel now, but I find that I prefer this fic over it. The progression of Danny and Maddie’s relationship is titilating, you’re constantly on your toes wondering how he’ll make it out of this situation half-alive. 

What A Nice Surprise by DarkNymfa (gen, rated T) Long

A ghost and two ghost hunters, sitting around. Like a family. Which they were, but, well. The other two didn’t know that. --- AKA the story of how the Fentons accidentally adopt their own son.

In a fandom full of fucked up and sad fic, it’s nice to have this cute, fluffy series to come back to at the end of the day.

Daredevil

Lucky Devil by ChuckleVoodoos (Matt/Foggy, rated T) Mid-Length

Matt gets caught, Foggy gets a clue, and cases get won.

Emotionally intimate, loving and believable. I’ve read this fic a thousand times and can never look away once I’ve started it.

Of Monstrous Shape by RosaLui (Gen, rated M) Short

“Put me in the ring,” Matt said. His glasses were cracked like a spider’s web, and in the shifting shadows it looked as if he was raising hackles in disgust.

“The House doesn’t profit from quick deaths,” said the jailor.

This fic is dark, violent, dramatic, and insanely engrossing.  The author deftly paints the world of Daredevil and I am always in particular gripped by the climax.

Trial and Error by shyday (Gen, rated T) Mid-Length

'You're a lot of scary adverbs right now, my friend. Trust me when I say that "fine" is not one of them.'

This author loves to get into Matt Murdock’s head and imagine the world the way he perceives it, and they do it very well. Each fic of theirs is a sensory trip, but this one is my favorite. Very strong dialogue between Matt and Foggy as well.

Trust: Handle With Care by ceterisparibus (Matt/Karen, rated M) Long

Matt and Foggy's new client is a mother whose son was sexually abused by a priest.

This is a fic that deals with the heavy topic of abuse in the Catholic Church, but if you are able to stomach that it is an expertly executed fic. Not many authors would be able to craft a fic like this, but you can tell that every aspect of it comes from a place of deep personal knowledge and care. Also, the author is a lawyer, which is a rare treat in that the legal case is legit.

House M.D.

Codependency by debbiel (Hilson-ish, rated PG) Short

 It was the sort of diagnosis that wouldn't rate a sad-face on his whiteboard.  And yet it could change everything.

I’m a huge sucker for the premise of this fic, but none that I’ve found have hit quite like this one. Like a soulmate au, but more poignant ;)

Down to the Water by Blackmare (Gen, rated PG-13) Short

After Amber’s death, House and Wilson try to figure out their place in eachother’s lives.

So many little moments of this fic have stuck with me over the last decade, it’s quiet and beautifully melancholy. There’s a sequel as well which you can find on blackmare’s profile.

The Open Road by Pun (Hilson, rated M) Mid-Length

Wilson goes along for the ride.

Another road trip fic! This one is how I used to imagine the show would end, and somehow in the end it.. kind of was. This is still better.

Two Solitudes by mer_duff (Gen, rated PG) Short

"You were protecting me," House snapped.  "What would you have done if he'd had a gun?  Stood there and taken the bullet?" Wilson shrugged.  "Better me than you."

A short exploration of Wilson’s tendency towards self-sacrificial protectiveness for House. I come back to this fic constantly.

Rurouni Kenshin

An Unexpected Lesson by Conspirator (Gen, rated PG-13) Long

Three years after the end of the Bakumatsu, a chance encounter with a kabuki troupe teaches Kenshin an unexpected lesson in survival.

A wandering era fic that gives us a window into what might have aided Kenshin in developing his “bumbling rurouni” act. I’ve read it a hundred times over the years, it is a great story with believable OCs and balance of humor and drama. 

Out of Time by Siriusfan13 (Gen, rated PG-13) Long

During a trip to Kyoto with his friends, Himura Kenshin winds up in deep water... thirteen years in the past. How will Kenshin deal with the Revolution again? And how will his friends deal with Battousai, who has traded places with him?

This is such an earnest and loving study of Kenshin, who is my all time favorite character. This is certainly in my top fics of all time, and shares a  similar premise to my other favorite fanfiction Bargaining, which just goes to show I have consistent taste lol.

Recovery by hakubaikou (Gen, rated T) Long

As Kenshin recovers from his wounds after his duel with Shishio, his friends sense a threat and take precautions for his safety. Complete.

Kenshins characterization rings absolutely dead on and the tone in general is like canon . This fic always feels like a warm hug to me, and I come back to it often. Hakubaikou was an amazing writer and she is missed every day, I’m so happy she shared her work with us.

Twelfth Knight by an_earl (Gen, rated T) Long

A bloody street-side massacre has been identified by Saito as the product of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. There are two suspects: Himura Kenshin and his master Hiko Seijuro the Thirteenth. Unbeknownst to them, a third user of their exalted style has time travelled to the future: Hiko Seijuro the Twelfth.

A fic about mistaken identity inspired by Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

An ongoing fic that reads like a fandom classic (and I mean that very, very affectionately). The author’s Saito/Kenshin interactions absolutely crackle.

Sherlock Holmes

Bel Canto by bendingsignpost (Johnlock, rated T) Long

After years of waiting for wealthy patrons to faint, Dr John Watson discovers a far more interesting patient in the opera house basement. (AU through a Phantom of the Opera lens.)

The Phantom of the Opera AU I hold all others to as a standard. So delightful and entertaining.

How Sherlock Holmes Was Compelled to Remember One Festive Occasion Per Year:  A Reminiscence by John H. Watson, MD  by MirithGriffin (Johnlock, rated M) Short

Known to the SH fandom as The Turkish Bathhouse Fic. Charming as hell with ACD canon flavor, reading this fic has become a Christmas tradition for me.

Particular Peculiarity by saavik13 (Johnlock, rated M) Long

“How high is your regard for me, Watson?” He asked abruptly, his eyes still trained on the fire.  “If I were to confess my darkest secret would you leave? Would you abandon me here to my melancholy?”

A case forces Holmes to reveal the truth to Watson and risks both their reputations and their liberty.  Just how understanding is John Watson?

An obviously well researched and beautifully characterized fic. It feels very Granada in Holmes’ mannerisms, though it can be read as ACD or Granada. This fic is like a warm cup of tea on a cold day to me.

The Quiet Man by ivyblossom (Johnlock, rated E) Long

"Do you just carry on talking when I'm away?"

This is a BBC fic, as opposed to the rest on my list. It’s well worth the read though, ivy’s prose is so organic. It was a fandom classic for good reason.

Supernatural

a turn of the earth by microcomets (Destiel, rated M) Long

Dean’s your typical half-orphaned, monster-killing 22-year-old until a trenchcoated stranger crashes into his back windshield one September night, claiming he’s an angel that knows him from the future and that he’s on the run. Frigging fantastic.

(Or, in which Castiel gets stuck in Dean’s timeline preseries and Dean kind of hates it—until he doesn’t.)

This fic is overflowing with love, desire, longing and loneliness . It’s a time-traveling Cas fic which is something of a trope in this fandom these days, but the premise of Cas being dead by the time he meets a young Dean just lends something special to it.

I CARRY YOUR HEART (I CARRY IT IN MY HEART) by unicornpoe (Destiel, rated E)

“Take me,” Dean says. He doesn’t have to think about it. “Take me as your vessel, Cas.”

or: Cas is cursed into an endless sleep. Dean offers himself up as his vessel while they try to break it.

Compassionate, tender, and full of evocative imagery. It’s about being taken care of, and the act of caring for another.

Phantom Load by lovesrain44 (Gen, rated M) Long

Dean and Sam return to Boulder, CO, where they investigate a haunted school. The job seems simple enough to Sam, who has good, although vague, memories of living in Boulder back in 1992. Dean, however, has altogether different memories, far less pleasant and far more damaging.

Quiet, moving, and melancholy. The past-present scenes are woven together very well. Subtle where it needed to be. Just an amazing fanfic, though it deals with some possibly upsetting subject matter which is presented up front in the warning section.

So Says The Sword by komodobits (Destiel, rated E) Long

Castiel doesn’t mind working security duty; he was briefed shortly after the initial salvation of the Sword from the pit, and again before taking up his position. He knows what to do. However, it’s easy to forget that the green room isn’t real. Time moves differently there, the space ever-changing to make a prison of mountains, cathedrals, salt flats, orchards, and whatever Castiel was led to believe about Heaven’s greatest weapon—Dean Winchester is something entirely unexpected.

Original, dazzling and creative, komodobits was an absolute force in this fandom. They took it upon themself to recreate the entire Destiel relationship timeline, and did so beautifully.

Thor

Bargaining by Proantagonist (Gen, rated T) Long

Faced with an eternity without his brother, Loki strikes a bargain to change the past. Post TDW.

This is a near-perfect fanfic, and one of the most emotionally satisfying stories I’ve ever read. Cannot stress enough how much this fic means to me, it’s possibly my favorite fanfic of all time.

Mirror, Mirror by Lise (Gen, rated T) Mid-Length

While poking around in corners of the palace, Loki finds a peculiar mirror that doesn't show his reflection.

It’s clear that I love Loki’s various issues, and this fic puts an industrial spotlight on them.

Slow Poison by Mikkeneko (Gen, rated T) Mid-Length

Years before the events of Thor and Avengers, Loki is working as a spymaster for his father the King. Or at least... that's what he  thinks he's doing.

I love miscommunication and fucked up family dynamics. This fic is like a friend to me.

[shiorimakibawrites]

The Thing That Speaks For Itself

Ficlet that I wrote last year but I’m only now getting around to posting somewhere besides AO3. Inspired by a conversation with ceterisparibus on weird legal terminology.

The Thing That Speaks For Itself

“So what are you going to name him?” Foggy asked.

Matt had absolutely no idea. He's never had a pet, let alone named one, before. He mentally reviewed what he knew about the kitten in question – male, soft fur, very sharp claws, and noisy . . .

“Res Ispa Loquitur?”

Foggy laughed but also started a debate about whether or not legal terms qualified as pet name material. Matt eventually conceded that explaining the joke to non-lawyers might get tiresome.

He absolutely refused to yield on his second name choice of Thurgood.

END NOTES

I’ve got a germ of an idea about Foggy and Matt being juvenile in law school about the term dicta and it’s similarity to another word.

[daredevilexchange]

a.k.a. doggy daycare

a.k.a. doggie daycare

Summary:

“There’s a missing chapter here,” Matt said. “You sent a man to jail, not a…” he gestured in the direction of the basket.

“Is there a scientist with a dog ray?” Foggy asked hopefully. “And if so, how much does he charge if I want to borrow it for an hour?”

“Foggy, no,” Matt frowned.

“Foggy, yes,” he nodded. “I got a list, bud. Judge Andrews was very mean to me last month.”

“Let’s put a pin in that for now,” Matt said, patting him on the arm. “Jess, is there any more information you can tell us?”

“Lemme ask him. Hey bozo, why are you a dog?”

Kilgrave made a series of yips, growls and barks.

“He says he pissed off a witch,” she translated, shrugging. “He says he didn’t know because she was dressed like a soccer mom.”

A remix of “Dog Days are Over” by these_violet_delights for the 2023 Daredevil Defenders Exchange.

Fandoms:

Jessica Jones (TV)

The Defenders (Marvel TV)

Relationships:

Jessica Jones/Zebediah Killgrave

Jessica Jones & Matt Murdock & Franklin “Foggy” Nelson

Additional Tags:

Past Rape/Non-con

Implied/Referenced Mind Control

Transformation

pomeranian

Dog!Kilgrave

Implied/Referenced Abuse

Frank borrowed from the Ella series by @Ceterisparibus

Foggy loves little dogs because of course he does

[marveltrumpshate]

November 2022 MTH fills

Strange to think that it was only a month ago that we announced the auction results. If you miss the MTH high, have some fun going through the fills that were posted in November below.

The best way to see all the fills that have been shared with us is our monthly roundups tag or our #MTH-fills channel on our Discord, but you can also view them through the following methods:

Our Tumblr tags: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Our AO3 collections: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 (only has works posted to AO3)

Completed works tag list

To find specific content, use our completed works tag lists above which includes instructions on how to search for a particular character, gen or romantic relationship, universe, and fanwork type. 

SOLO CHARACTERS

CLINT BARTON

@smallshinystudio - Chibi Clint fridge magnet for @winter-angst​

DARCY LEWIS

@ghostcwtch - Portrait of Darcy from “Freedom’s Reach,” a post-U.S. Civil War Western AU fic where circus performer Clint answers war vet Bucky’s ad for a husband by and for @drgirlfriend

MATT MURDOCK

@theswordwizard - Art of a smirking Earth-65 Matt Murdock with the words “I’m not Daredevil” on the illustration for @amazing-spiderling

NATASHA ROMANOV

@ghostcwtch - Portrait of Natasha from “Freedom’s Reach,” a post-U.S. Civil War Western AU fic where circus performer Clint answers war vet Bucky’s ad for a husband by and for @drgirlfriend

@smallshinystudio - Chibi Natasha fridge magnet for @winter-angst

SAM WILSON

@ghostcwtch - Portrait of Sam from “Freedom’s Reach,” a post-U.S. Civil War Western AU fic where circus performer Clint answers war vet Bucky’s ad for a husband by and for @drgirlfriend

@smallshinystudio​ - Cap’s shield earrings for @tehroserose​

STEVE ROGERS

@ghostcwtch - Portrait of Steve from “Freedom’s Reach,” a post-U.S. Civil War Western AU fic where circus performer Clint answers war vet Bucky’s ad for a husband by and for @drgirlfriend

@smallshinystudio - Cap’s shield earrings for @tehroserose

GEN/PLATONIC RELATIONSHIPS

AVENGERS, GOTG, AND MORE

@justlous-art - “Nothing Left to Say” (a fanvid set to the song of the same name by Imagine Dragons featuring the MCU superheroes) for @cristinuke (MTH 2021)

BRUCE BANNER & BUCKY BARNES & CLINT BARTON & STEVE ROGERS & NATASHA ROMANOV & TONY STARK & THOR & SAM WILSON

@tikiwhip - “Bucky and His Napping Adventures” (a comic about the Avengers finding Bucky napping in random places in the tower) for simp (MTH 2021)

BRUCE BANNER & LOVE & SKAAR & THOR

@mutantbanner​ - Art of Bruce, Love, Skaar, and Thor on a space road trip for @blueeyesblazing​

KHONSHU & STEVEN GRANT & JAKE LOCKLEY & MARC SPECTOR

@uovoc - an MCU comic featuring a prank war between Marc and Jake that goes poorly and loops in Steven and Khonshu for shadrad

MATT MURDOCK & PETER PARKER

CeterisParibus/@ceterisparibus116 “Love and Shameful Things” (MCU angsty legal drama Matt & Peter fic) for @goddess47 (MTH 2021)

MILES MORALES & MAY PARKER & PETER PARKER & JOHNNY STORM & MARY JANE WATSON

@joshriku - “but we deal, we deal” (fluffy hurt/comfort fic about Peter’s loved ones trying to convince Peter to get help for the chronic pain he has because of his Spider-Man lifestyle) for @jellearl

STEVEN GRANT & JAKE LOCKLEY & MARC SPECTOR

@haliaz​ - Art of MCU Steven, Jake, and Marc having fun at the pool with toys, floaties, and pool noodles, dressed up as pirates for @ruquas​

SHIPS

BRUCE BANNER/THOR

@mutantbanner​ - Art of Bruce, Love, Skaar, and Thor on a space road trip for @blueeyesblazing​

BUCKY BARNES/CLINT BARTON

@ghostcwtch - Podfic and bonus art of “Freedom’s Reach,” a post-U.S. Civil War Western AU fic where circus performer Clint answers war vet Bucky’s ad for a husband by and for @drgirlfriend​ - Podfic of “Afterimage,” a Bucky/Clint fic featuring medium Clint and ghost Bucky by @mariana-oconnor​ for @bulkyphrase​

BUCKY BARNES/LOKI/TONY STARK

Lauren/@ragingstillness - “Shapes of Three” (MCU Bucky and Tony pursue Loki after finding him attractive in a photoshoot) for @periwinklepromise (MTH 2021) - “Higher Standards of Villainy” (MCU A/B/O Bucky/Loki/Tony AU fic) for @jaune-chat (MTH 2021)

BUCKY BARNES/STEVE ROGERS/SAM WILSON

darkwoodswitch/@thedarkwoodswitch - “In the Marrow of My Bones” (Bucky/Steve/Sam soulmates AU fic) for @zepysgirl (MTH 2021)

BUCKY BARNES/STEVE ROGERS/TONY STARK

@queenofalotofdifferentworlds​ - “A True Hero” (MCU Bucky/Steve/Tony hurt/comfort kidnapping fic) for @gryvon

EDDIE BROCK/VENOM

@skiplo-wave - “Movie Time” (an Eddie/Venom fic where Eddie takes Venom to the movies) for SisterofWar

ERIK LEHNSHERR/CHARLES XAVIER

Lalaith Quetzalli/@lalaithquetzallicaresi - Wallpaper of X-Men films Erik and Charles over the years for @t0nystark1er

LOKI/MOBIUS

WinterRaven/@ravensonata - “Love and Aliases” (MCU AU where Loki and Mobius are SHIELD agents who are paired up) for asgardian (MTH 2021)

STEVE ROGERS/TONY STARK

@gottalovev​ - “A Leap of Faith” (warlord Steve/kidnapped prince Tony AU fic) for @sabrecmc​ (MTH 2021)

Hermit/@hermit-writes - Typesetting for “Turns Out, I Have a Rose Garden” for @betheflame (MTH 2021)

@queenofalotofdifferentworlds - “A Simple Truth” (Steve/Tony coffee shop AU fic where Steve takes a long time realizing he’s in love with Tony) for bigbagofweird

stark-contrast/@stark---contrast - “Simple Biology” (MCU Steve/Tony fic where Tony gets hit with sex pollen and Steve helps him) for @bulkyphrase

STEVEN GRANT/KHONSHU

@skiplo-wave​ - “Precious Moon” (MCU Steven/Khonshu fic featuring a jealous Khonshu) for @yersifanel​

[softasawhisper]

helloo this is random but do you have any daredevil fanfic recommendations? <3 also you left a very sweet tag on my Matt Murdock sketches and I wanted to say thank you, I am very honoured you recognised my art style 🥺❤️

Hello!!! You're so welcome! Your art style is gorgeous!!! Your new Matt drawings are so beautiful, and that adorable Peter drawing is a favorite. The way you draw eyes is enchanting.

Okay this is kinda embarrassing but since I have nearly 400 Daredevil fics privately bookmarked I don't really recall titles…which I know isn't ideal, BUT I've compiled a small fic author recommendations list in alphabetical order. They are all from AO3, and most write about Matt & Foggy.

I know this list might be a pain since i didn't add l!nks, but I hope that's okay. There are so many other worthwhile authors that I'm sure I'm accidentally leaving out, but I hope these help you find what you're looking for!:

94bottlesofsnapple, anthesis, asidian, asperjasper, avocadodreamin, beguile, brittlestars, chucklevoodoos, ceterisparibus, elliceluella, emeraldstorm, ice_hot_13, inkforhumanhands, katbelle, lady_ragnell, marchling, missmoochy, natak, neonbrutalism, poisonivory, prettybirdy979, readythefanons, returnsandreturns, silenceinmolasses, spacenarwhal, stackthedeck, stirfbot, stripedscribe, tam_cranver, telm_393, thelonebamf, udekai, upupanyway, wawalux, whitchry9

[ceterisparibus116]

How could anyone hate matt murdock? He's truly the best character and I'm so looking forward to seeing him again in his new series 💗

Disclaimer: I'm using "you" here generally, not at you, anon. 💚

Here are a couple reasons I've seen:

He's "self-righteous" - which by itself is such an interesting concept to me, because...what's the difference between being "self-righteous" and simply having a strong moral code? Is it the fact that Matt wants other people to live by his code? To which I ask: doesn't everyone want everyone else to live by their code? If not, do you really believe in your own code?

He hurts his friends - which, yes he does, that's true, but also: his friends hurt him. Daredevil is a complex and grounded show in which people hurt each other, even the people they love. Furthermore, this critique ignores the way that Matt's mental illness and trauma contribute to his harmful choices.

He makes the same mistakes - which, yes he does, but that's what makes him human? Also, again, that's what mental illnesses like depression do: they loop the same harmful thoughts through your brain and make it so, so hard to break cycles of destructive behavior.

He's a liar - yep, but that gets real complicated when you look closely. First, we have to distinguish between "lying" and "withholding information." Was Matt obligated to tell Foggy and/or Karen about his senses and his vigilantism? By what logic? Personally, I don't think he was. (Yes, his secrets hurt Foggy and Karen, but the fact that some people are hurt does not automatically mean that the choice that led to the hurt was morally wrong.) But even if you do think that Matt was obligated to tell Foggy and/or Karen about his secrets, and certainly if you think Matt was obligated to tell them about Elektra and the fact that he survived Midland Circle, we come back to the issue of mental illness and trauma. I could (and have, lol) write a whole essay on how Matt's secret-keeping is directly impacted by his experiences with Stick, Elektra, and even Foggy. Again, that doesn't excuse his behavior, but it definitely helps explain it.

He's a hypocrite - to which I say, first: everyone in the show has degrees of hypocrisy. But also: how much of a hypocrite is Matt, really? Is it hypocritical for a person to want their friends to make safe and smart choices, without showing the same regard for themselves? Hypocrisy doesn't mean "I hold two opinions that don't make sense from your perspective." Hypocrisy means "I act counter to my own moral code." But although Matt absolutely acts in ways that don't make sense from other perspectives, they do make sense when you understand his worldview: a worldview that a) sees himself as essentially expendable compared to other people; and b) sees himself as more capable of withstanding threats than others. His actions are perfectly consistent with that worldview. And although Matt occasionally acts counter to his own moral code (such as by desiring/attempting to kill Fisk), he shows a remarkable lack of hypocrisy by the way he always eventually comes to a point of realizing that he was wrong, rather than ignoring his own behavior or attempting to excuse it.*

So yeah. I don't think anyone has to "like" Matt; but some of the takes I've seen are so hostile or even angry that I worry about how those people treat real-life friends who struggle with depression, trauma, unhealthy coping mechanisms, etc.

In real life, people are imperfect. Sometimes they're imperfect in really ugly, harmful ways. That doesn't mean you have to be best friends with such people or trust them with every part of yourself - but if your only reaction to them is hate or anger then, frankly, I think something needs to change in you.

*Honestly, if I'm going to talk about hypocrites, I'd point to Foggy. His "People have bailed on Matt his whole life, and I'm not gonna be one of 'em" line from S3 was sweet, but it completely failed to acknowledge the times when Foggy has bailed on Matt. (Or even if Foggy believes that those times don't count as "bailing," it ignores the fact that Matt probably does see those instances as moments of rejection, abandonment, etc.) I had to rewind when I first watched that episode, like, "Wait, did he really just say that?"

Contrast this with Matt's apology to Foggy and Karen in S3, where he bluntly says that they both deserved better from him, and he makes no attempt to downplay or justify his behavior.

Anyway, anon, a semi-related essay that you might also be interested in is this one, where I talk about things I think fandom gets wrong about Matt.

[stevishabitat]

Just a Single Moment - ceterisparibus - Daredevil (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

[sustinentiae-spei]

It seems like each of the hobbits have trauma corresponding to one of the four elements. >:)

[fanficmaverickpodcast]

The latest episode of The FanFic Maverick podcast is out! The show is available through the link above and also on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and iHeartRadio.

In this episode I chat with Ceterisparibus about the Spiderman and Daredevil fandoms and her Peter Parker & Matt Murdock found family fic called ‘Hope.’

Thanks for coming on the show @ceterisparibus116!

The link to ‘Hope’ is here:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/35779252/chapters/89217889

Keep on rollin’!

[hcficreccer]

Trust: Handle With Care - Chapter 1 - ceterisparibus - Daredevil (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

Trust: Handle With Care

Matt and Foggy's new client is a mother whose son was sexually abused by a priest.

A heartbreaking and well written peice.