#dead brother = magic focused trauma

[foundfamilyhq]

Below is propaganda submitted in support of why this character should join the tumblr found family:

Like other characters in the game, he takes inspiration (both visual and thematic) from a disney villain. As such, while he is heavily Judge Frollo coded, he himself is not just bishiefied Frollo. Instead of being a racist prick, his beef with the other characters is their use of magic (which he has as well). This is because before he unlocked his magic, he had a brother that had unlocked fire magic (similar to Rollo here) but had less control so the fire consumed him without any of the adult mages stopping and saving his brother. As such, he wants to eliminate all magic (including his own) to spare others a fate like that which befell his brother. So the boy needs a hug and some damn therapy, both of which we can give him should he become part of the tumblr found family. (Also he's got a great work ethic and various skills such as event planning, cleaning, and dress making. So we can get help with that from him too if he joins.)

[merwgue]

Lucien Vanserra: The True Victim of A Court of Thorns and Roses

Let’s get one thing straight: while everyone’s focused on the traumas of Feyre, Nesta, and Rhysand, Lucien Vanserra is quietly enduring some of the most heartbreaking and soul-crushing treatment in the entire A Court of Thorns and Roses series. This man is the definition of “forgotten hero,” a character shoved into the background while everyone else’s emotional baggage takes center stage. But when you really break down his journey, it becomes clear: Lucien is the true victim of the story. Abandoned, betrayed, rejected, and shunned—he’s lost more than anyone gives him credit for. And let’s not even get started on his non-existent support system.

This essay is for Lucien, the character who deserved more.

Tamlin: A Complicated Friendship

Okay, let’s ease up on Tamlin for a second. He’s not the villain in Lucien’s story, but it’s impossible to overlook the ways in which he’s failed Lucien as a friend. Sure, Tamlin saved Lucien’s life, and in the early books, their camaraderie seems genuine. Lucien is loyal to Tamlin, even to the point of defending his choices when everything in the Spring Court is falling apart. But here’s the thing—Tamlin is a terrible friend to Lucien in the long run. When Tamlin goes off the rails, obsessing over Feyre and becoming a controlling mess, Lucien gets stuck cleaning up after him.

Lucien is the one trying to hold the Spring Court together while Tamlin spirals, and what does he get for his trouble? Tamlin’s neglect and emotional distance. He stands by Tamlin because of loyalty and friendship, but let’s not pretend that Tamlin did the same for him. When Lucien finally helps Feyre escape Tamlin’s suffocating control, it’s less of a betrayal and more of Lucien doing the right thing. But Tamlin? He sees it as the ultimate backstab, and that’s where their relationship falls apart. Lucien, once again, is left out in the cold, torn between his sense of duty and doing what’s right. He deserves better, but Tamlin’s emotional instability makes sure that Lucien never really gets to be his own person.

The Autumn Court: The True Hellscape

If you think Lucien’s life in the Spring Court was bad, wait until you hear about his childhood. Born into the Vanserra family of the Autumn Court, Lucien was the outcast of a vicious, backstabbing dynasty. Beron, his father, is a tyrant who not only sees Lucien as an expendable pawn but actively wants him dead. His brothers? Equally charming. It’s clear from the start that Lucien never had a chance to thrive in the Autumn Court, a place where power is everything, and kindness is seen as weakness.

And let’s not forget the whole Jesminda tragedy. Lucien dared to fall in love with a lesser fae, a love that cost Jesminda her life when Lucien’s family decided that this romance didn’t fit their elitist ideals. Jesminda’s murder was a turning point for Lucien—he fled his home, knowing that if he stayed, his family would finish the job. He’s a fugitive in his own court, forever on the run from the very people who are supposed to protect him. The Autumn Court isn’t just abusive—it’s a prison. Lucien had to escape, and in doing so, he severed any ties he had to a place that was supposed to be his birthright. Now he’s left without a home, a family, or a sense of belonging.

Elain Archeron: The Ultimate Rejection

And now, onto Lucien’s “reward” for all his suffering—Elain Archeron. Because apparently, the universe decided that after all the abuse, loss, and betrayal, what Lucien really needed was to be rejected by his mate. Let’s be clear: the mating bond is supposed to be this magical, unbreakable connection, right? Wrong. In Lucien’s case, it’s a constant source of pain and rejection.

Elain doesn’t just ignore the bond—she actively refuses to even acknowledge Lucien’s existence. She treats him like an awkward acquaintance, if that. Lucien, being the respectful guy he is, gives her space and time, but let’s face it: Elain’s rejection isn’t just about needing time to adjust to being fae. She’s chosen to flat-out pretend like Lucien isn’t her mate, and that stings. For a man who’s lost everything—his home, his family, his friends—this bond should have been a light at the end of the tunnel. Instead, it’s another source of heartbreak.

Lucien doesn’t even have a chance to prove himself to Elain. She’s decided from the start that their bond doesn’t matter, that Lucien doesn’t matter. And while everyone is wrapped up in the Nesta-Cassian drama, Lucien’s quietly standing on the sidelines, feeling the weight of his mate’s rejection. It’s brutal, and the narrative never gives him the closure he so desperately needs.

The Night Court: The Perpetual Outsider

Lucien finally gets out of the toxic mess that is the Spring Court, but what does he find in Velaris? A new home? New friends? Ha! Not even close. Rhysand and his inner circle barely tolerate Lucien. Rhysand is too wrapped up in his own superiority complex to give Lucien a real chance. Let’s not forget that Rhysand, the Great High Lord, practically sneers at Lucien for his past alliances and treats him like an outsider.

Sure, Feyre brings Lucien to Velaris, but the rest of the inner circle doesn’t exactly roll out the welcome mat. Lucien is treated with suspicion, kept at arm’s length, and never fully integrated into their group. He’s just… there. Rhysand’s so busy being the “hero” that he doesn’t see Lucien for what he really is—a loyal ally who’s willing to sacrifice everything to protect the people he cares about.

And don’t even get me started on Amren. The self-proclaimed “second-in-command” spends most of her time glaring at Lucien, like he’s some kind of ticking time bomb. It’s almost laughable how little effort anyone makes to actually welcome him. Lucien’s loyalty to Feyre is the only reason he’s tolerated in Velaris, and even then, it’s clear that he doesn’t belong. He’s an outsider, floating through the courts, never truly accepted anywhere.

No Home, No Family, No Love

So where does that leave Lucien? He has no home—his family tried to kill him, his best friend fell apart, and the court that’s supposed to be his sanctuary treats him like a stray dog. He has no family—his father is a tyrant, his brothers are cutthroats, and his mate wants nothing to do with him. And he has no love—not from Elain, not from his friends, and certainly not from the universe that keeps throwing him into impossible situations.

Lucien’s story is one of relentless isolation, rejection, and pain. He’s been cast out of every place he’s ever called home, left with no real allies and no future. And yet, the narrative doesn’t even bother to give him the closure or redemption he deserves. While everyone else is busy finding their happily-ever-afters, Lucien is left wandering, a victim of fate, circumstance, and neglect.

Conclusion

Lucien Vanserra is the forgotten victim of A Court of Thorns and Roses. While Feyre, Rhysand, and the rest of the inner circle grapple with their various traumas, Lucien quietly endures some of the most heartbreaking experiences of the entire series. His loyalty is betrayed, his love rejected, and his place in the world shattered. He has no home, no family, no friends, and no love—just a never-ending cycle of loss and rejection.

If anyone deserves sympathy, it’s Lucien. The series may focus on the dramatic arcs of its other characters, but Lucien’s story is the true tragedy. He’s the character who’s been failed by everyone around him, and the one who truly deserves a happy ending—but likely won’t ever get one.

[angstics]

3.3k words summarizing queliot if you've never seen the magicians. or if youve seen it and you want to indulge in my insane criticisms. lord touch his mind

okay so the magicians was a tv show about a bunch of post grads learning magic in magic university then discovering that the fantasy world from a kids book series was actually real and the Beast of that world was out to get them. WHO GIVES A FUCK. the crazy people were focused on the relationship btwn main character quentin coldwater (depressed, heart on his sleeve, surprise sex maniac who is new to magic and loves those books) and gay best friend eliot waugh (substance addicted (big surprise!!), gay trauma, named after evelyn waugh oh you know…) they form a friendship and it’s weirdly touchy and close. eliot keeps trying to seduce quentin but it’s never serious. i dont even think quentin notices. anyone remember the “lets not talk” scene? he was about to fuck that sad man. anyway this tension was actually fulfilled by the end of the 1st season with a drunk threesome including the two and their best friend margo. they at least kiss and cuddle and MAYBE sucked dick if the ghost of his girlfriend who haunts him later is to be believed (which i do #cockinhismouthsunday).

at this time articles that were like “THIS SIFI SERIES IS PROUDLY BISEXUAL” were coming out which. lol. lmfao! quentin never had any sort of queer identity. not even a hint of it. the homophobia of the show started with the regurgitation of the “sad drunk lonely sex-crazed” gay man trope with eliot, then the “everyone is fluid but no one actually has same sex attraction” trope, THEN by sidelining and killing off almost every gay or trans character, THEN THE QUENTIN THING. and the quentin thing turned people insane. let’s see why.

so after the threesome, eliot and quentin continue having a good friendship. there is some tension that isnt present with margo which sure is a choice… but it is resolved by a heartfelt crowning ceremony nd hug. oh theyre kings of the magic land now btw. eliot and q are pretty much separate from this point on xcept for certain episodes/moments. it is strange they dont have any storylines together. but love finds a way. at some point a version of eliot sacrifies himself for quentin. if u look at the scene it is on instinct it is crazy. then they reunite at the end of s2 but it’s all business really. the show was really involved w its nonsense plot.

anyway season 3. hahaha. so like i said theyre separate most of the show past s1. this is true in this season xcept for episodes 305 and 313 (with some notable moments in between). the plot of this season is that they have to go on quests to collect keys. the creature that gives eliot this plot calls quentin his “brother of the heart”. ok! when they see each other for the first time in a while in 304, they hug in a very sweet way :) look at this photo from bts during that scene :) i have it framed

after a series of other quests, 305 turns out to be the Eliot and Quentin quest! finally a story with the two! the quest is for the “time key”, which is fabled to be given to whoever solves the mosaic puzzle in fillory (magic world). the puzzle? they have to arrange 100s of tiles in a way that depicts “the beauty of all life”. quentin is very excited about it. eliot is happy to hear him infodump. they eventually get pushed into fillory to solve the mosaic. turns out they were also sent DECADES in the past. there might have been a way out but they were dead-set on solving the mosaic and getting their key. so they get to work. they live in a cottage attached to the mosaic and they spend hours, days, months on it. just the two of them and the mosaic. this episode is called “a life in a day” which is so perfect you wonder why the writing couldnt be that good within the show.

at the 1 year anniversary, quentin kisses eliot. and eliot kisses him back. and you wonder woah what does this mean?! well keep wondering girl because this tv show does not care to explore any of that. it chugs on and eliot and q fight about “living their lives there” and quentin gets a Wife and has a child with her and then she DIES (leaving her as a narrative incubator rather than an actual character, which is very in line with the sexism of the show). and they grow up and decades pass and the child grows old enough to leave and it seems eliot co-parented him but (again) the tv show doesnt care to show you that. and this whole time theyre working on the mosaic. years and years. eventually they grow old. it’s just the two of them. until eliot dies. quentin goes to bury him in the mosaic plot and he finds a special little tile. he places it in the mosaic. he gets the key. the puzzle is solved. “the beauty of all life”. but quentin is alone. his life companion is gone. and that’s the last we see of him.

we go back in time til before they enter fillory. their friend stops them and she has the key through time shenanigans and they never live that timeline. UNTIL!!!!! they do. they remember it all. what does decades (50 yrs btw) of living happily together mean for them?!? FUCK ALL APPARENTLY!!!! because the next episode (306 if yr keep track) they mention it ONCE AND NEVER AGAIN. and there is so much beneath the surface with the looks and the line that mentions it (“go be life partners with someone else” eliot says jokingly in a manner that shouldve been the catalyst to quentin’s magic-induced suicide spiral later that episode).

ok quentin does mention it once more to his dying dad. but nothing about his Male Life Partner Of Fifty Years. Nothing. they dont even talk about it with their best friends, leading one to believe they just kept it a secret . which. okay.

okay. so theyre apart til the last episode of the season. and quentin decides to sacrifice himself by locking himself in a cage with a monster for all of eternity. he says the quest prepared him for it which is yikesss. eliot refuses. but quentin insists. they travel to the prison (he gets back together with his gf during this trip btw they had been apart that season after some shit. one of their worst writing decisions i hate this stupid ass cockroach relationship). quentin almost exchanges himself. then eliot shoots the monster. dooming them all.

so the monster doesnt die. instead he possesses eliot. and that becomes the story for season 4. at first quentin and co think eliot is dead. and it’s devastating lol. an interesting thing is that the monster was so. touchy with quentin. unbearably so. it’s such a perverse reflection of eliot’s touch. which is sorta pointed out by quentin in this quote (paraphrase) “i know it’s not eliot. but he has his face and his eyes…”

anyhow 405. hahahahahaha. so this episode it’s revealed eliot is alive but trapped in his own head. and to get out for a moment and tell his friends he’s alive, he needs to confront his most terrible most shameful memory. the whole episode is him trying to figure out what it is. meanwhile, quentin and co are setting up a plan to kill the monster. and quentin breaks up with his gf (lol). in a deleted scene that WAS shown in promo they argue about the monster. and quentin says “im team eliot”. lol

anyhow, eliot’s hit a dead end. he cant figure the worst thing that’s happened in his life. then his memory of quentin (theyve been hangin out) says he’ll “sacrifice” himself if he had to. eliot smiles and says “i know youre just a memory… but youre a very generous one.” and quentin says— (im reciting this from memory btw all of this has been from 4 years of NON STOP thinking about it) quentin says “well you sacrifice for the people you love” and he gives eliot a VERY pointed look. and then it dawns on eliot. and the guilt is instantly palpable.

hahahahha. hahaha. hahahahahaha. okay so eliot goes to the memory he knows is the worst thing he’s ever done. his most traumatic memory, after a lifetime of violent homophobia and bad choices. the person possessed before him described this memory as being “the day he left home”.

the memory? the day they remembered their past lives. did it happen? fifty years. it happened.

theyre sat under a wedding arch (that was the b plot of the episode lol). it’s beautiful. eliot watches the memory play out, standing in front of the seated figures. the guilt. the guilt.

outside, the tension is building. the plan to kill the monster is in motion. quentin has to coax him to a certain spot. he has to look at him as he kills his best friend.

eliot doesnt know this but he gets anxious watching it play out. there is a certainty that this is it. the first time viewer has no idea whats going on. we never saw the direct aftermath of them remembering. we always assumed there wasnt anything.

well a year after 305 aired, a yr after thinking THAT WAS IT, they recontextualize Everything.

it is worth saying here that in the promo interviews leading up to season 4, quentin’s and eliot’s actors were sussing it UP. quentin’s at some point talks on q’s queerness, saying it was the one aspect of his life he didnt feel anxious about.

well

what happens is that quentin asks eliot for a relationship. remember how it was quentin who first kissed eliot? it happens again. heart on his fucking sleeve. i can recite this scene pretty well so im going to fucking do it:

did it happen? fifty years. it happened. it was sort of beautiful. it really was. i know this is gonna sound dumb but … us. i mean we work. we know it cause we lived it. who gets that proof of concept? (eliot smiles uneasily) we just got injected with fifty years of memories so i get that youre not thinking clearly. no im just saying… what if we gave it a shot, would that be so crazy? (eliot looks down, worried and thoughtful. quentin smiles RADIANTLY it is BLINDING) why the fuck not?

editors opinion: quentin is such a beautiful person. to be so truthful about something so scary is unthinkable. especially in context of him being so hopelessly and quietly in love his childhood best friend, and his whirlwind romance with previously mentioned gf, and all the tragedy he endured with these two. but this is someone who loves with his whole heart. what was he supposed to do? contain it?

then eliot hardens.

i know you and you arent… whats the matter? dont be naive it matters. (pause) q i love you but… that isnt me and that definitely isnt you. not when we have a choice. (quentin looks away. he wipes his eye) oh. okay. sorry.

and silence. the real eliot, the eliot who isnt the memory, looks on. tired and angry, he speaks to himself:

what the hell is wrong with you? what the hell are you doing? someone Good and True… Loves you. yeah it was a little crazy but you knew. you knew this truly mattered. and you just SNUFFED IT OUT.

then he looks to the memory of quentin. soft as the clouds:

q. im sorry. i was afraid. and when im afraid i run away.

then he kisses him. and he hits you with the thesis of the episode:

if i ever get out of here q… know that when im braver it cause i learned it from you.

well

thats his most traumatic memory. he is granted passage to consciousness. what is the first thing he sees? quentin. the real quentin.

q? (smiles) q (laughs) it’s me. it’s eliot. ok come on no games. it’s eliot. i said no games. (eliot looks around, worried as all hell) fifty years (he walks towards q) who gets proof of concept like that? what? peaches and plums motherfucker (this is the symbol to their mosaic life) im alive in here. (eyes as wide as saucers, heart in his throat) eliot…

and he ruins their plans of killing the monster. “eliot’s alive.”

then the episodes keep rolling. “eliot eliot eliot. why do you care so much about him?” “because i do.” and “wow i love that plan. except the part where it doesnt save eliot.” quentin gets back with his gf for reasons only the devil knows. but fine ok whatever quentin and eliot will HAVE to talk post-saving. even if the writers ignore it once more they have some kind of relationship. and they do save eliot in the finale! you know who they dont save? lmfao

quentin dies. in a manner that many including myself found weird and unsatisfactory and suicidal. and he never gets to know how eliot feels. never. he’s just gone. their story means nothing 💯

editors note: this ending broke me. i was using the show as a depression crutch, so a fate so hopeless ruined me. cant blame the show for my mistake but being so technically bad certainly didnt help.

well when the show came back for its next (and final lol) season, they did attempt closure for eliot and quentin. for some reason this was all contained in 3 episodes, most of it in the third (503) but what the fuck ever. it has its moments.

the episode is basically about eliot and alice (q’s gf i dont think ive mentioned her name. sorry alice) going on a mini quest up a treacherous mountain for grievers to return a piece of quentin’s soul back to the underworld. their fights are soooo funny. toxic lover vs almost-lover.

alice at some point says “well he was MY boyfriend this is MY pilgrimage and you just TAGGED ALONG” and (blood obviously boiling) eliot goes “right, because he meant nothing to me”. and this highlights something so sneakily homophobic about this whole affair. quentin and eliot’s relationship never mattered to the narrative as much as all the other straight relationships, especially quentin and alice’s. like i said, they would separate for entire seasons. you will be happy to know that not 1 episode goes by without quentin and alice conflicting and making up conflicting and etc. i dont understand how quentin and eliot’s relationship wasnt important enough. they were best friends, they kissed multiple times and had sex AT LEAST once if the mosaic subtext isnt considered. and the mosaic… it isnt just that they lived together for 50 yrs and raised a child and were happy, something they couldnt quite grasp in their old lives… they achieved the beauty of all life. that is a monumental achievement that shouldve changed not only their lives, but their stories.

the thing about the confession is that it wasnt planted in s3. talking about 405, the writers said they came up with it while working on that episode. it was essentially a retcon. though its inclusion explains why they didnt talk about it literally, it doesnt excuse the narrative outright ignoring it. it DEFINITELY doesnt account for why it ignored the rest of the SAME SEASON it was ESTABLISHED IN. if this was quentin and alice, they would be talking about it nonstop. and guess the fuck what when they get back together it is *non stop*.

SO. 503. they are on their pilgrimage. tensions build. eliot hallucinates quentin’s voice (it’s a soundbite from the mosaic when eliot dies which is depressing). they meet another traveller who is grieving his long dead boyfriend.

the traveller asks who theyre grieving and alice goes My Boyfriend and eliot looks away and says he knew him as a friend and it’s so sad it makes me want to die. why did they invent new exciting ways for gay people to be ashamed of who they love. i hate this show.

anyway the traveller talks about his boyfriend and how he was a magician who died young and how his dreams were haunted by him. and eliot is listening so intensely you want to jump hale appleman for being so good at this acting thing. alice goes to sleep and leaves the two alone. then they really start talkin:

(the traveller asks) have you ever had love? (eliot smiles small, hesitant) love…? yeah love. (pause) the friend we’re putting to rest. (traveller is delightfully shock) wasnt just a friend.

truly truly truly cant describe to you how much it physically pains me that it took 2 seasons and for one of them to die and a conversation with a stranger to get to this point. why wasnt this always part of the narrative. why does this only matter now after 2 yrs of fans badgering you about why this isnt part of the fucking show despite BEING PART OF THE FUCKING SHOW! it is dead obvious this was never the intent so even with something that should feel right feels wrong because the show never wanted it. it never wanted quentin to be in love with eliot. but it doesnt make sense if he isnt. i hate this show.

the convo continues 🙄:

does she know? oh god no. a torrid secret affair. (eliot looks away) no, nothing like that.

and i wish eliot was given a proper story. i wish i knew what was going on in his head through all of this. i wish i wish.

so it is revealed that quentin and eliot “had love” and that eliot is keeping it a secret (a revelation considering they werent intimate on screen past the 1 yr anniversary, they were only ever referred to as best friends by cast and crew, AND even what they were was obscured in the confession scene. and their feelings didnt matter past 405 fuck this world). this is huge. it should be huge. eliot’s first arc is about how he cant fall in love until he does and gets his heart broken. quentin’s stories are so wrapped up in alice that having another love interest should complicate that entirely. it doesnt.

the climax of the episode is when eliot expresses difficulty of letting go of quentin and alice says “he was your friend” and eliot replies (quick as if not meaning to) “he wasnt just my friend.” and wowww. how cathartic. the first time in the history of the show they talk about it. 5 seasons btw.

and eliot tells her about the mosaic and how “we loved each other for a really really long time.” and how he told him to fuck off and how he died for him and how he was never able to talk to him again. he just died.

and that part is supposed to be cathartic too. it feels cathartic for eliot the character at least. but to me the Viewer. i was sick of how they were trying to appeal to MY thoughts of what he should be feeling. as if trying to placate me. cuz if it was soo important it wouldnt just been solved after this episode. he DGAF about quentin after this. i dont get it. why cant they write a proper story.

well one line that stuck with me and i truly felt was this:

alice: he was pretty in love with you eliot: i wouldnt say that alice: .. i would

and then eliot looks at her the most devastated a man can look.

thats it. that’s quentin and eliot. a heartfelt and final fuck this show. the fic goes crazy esp the 2019 shit.

[whenishipiluxurycruiseit]

After reading some twts about how the reveal should not affect the kaishin fandom bc of how old it is and how most old shippers had the suspicion of kaishin being related and proceeded to not care and accept and even ship them more leads me to the acceptance stage and the realization stage where this is all fiction and not true thus it will not affect anyone greatly and most of us should realize this too HAHAHA

I mean i had my suspicions too ya know but like i was expecting them to be distantly related not this closely related gahdang gosho JAGDHSHS also i was kinda closing my eyes when i saw how similar toichi and yuusaku looked like when i saw them so AHDGSHS lovelies lets just think that the reveal made the ship spicer that ever

Kaishin may be cousins and what? Its fiction, this ship is old, there are even more worse ships than this, will this hurt anyone? No (unless ur really in deep like delusional deep), will this change the world? No, will this affect your daily life? No, will this change your morals? For me no, cause i know they are not real, why on earth would they change my morals.

Honestly its not just kaishin, there are a lot of ships with this kind of relationship, and other shippers must realize the fact that they are not real and no one will get hurt. If you get disturbed by the fact that we ship cousins/twins/siblings then you may close your eyes and move one to the other post, im not like validating this bc in the real and current world this may seem disturbing but everyone must know the difference between real and fiction, do not do what fiction do but you may learn what fiction do, just put it at the back of your head as an additional knowledge and the possibility that some other people might mix up fiction and real life.

Anyways so much for the monologue JAGSHS

THE REVEAL FIRED ME UP INTO MAKING ANOTHER PROMPT YEEEEY

Like im not even focusing abt how kaishin is cousins anymore but at why toichi did that to his son, what is incest compared to betrayal (not rlly cause kaito still didnt know hes alive BUT STILL THATS HIS KID??? HIS CHILD IN THE EYES OF DANGER?? AND HE LET HIS CHILD DO THAT?? BOY?)?

Like i know he protects kaito at the side (it was on magic kaito 1412 i forgot what episode) but he protects kaito with kaito experiencing trauma bc how tf how dare u use my dead dads face you traitor like that like bro??

I dont even also think that chikage knew that her husband is alive, only yuusaku (like wow cute they mustve been such close siblings but thats not the point) knows that hes alive and yuusaku probs only also knows cause hes yuusaku and yuusaku knows everything in just once glance for some weird ass reason

ANYWAYS SO

My prompt is that (please know that some of the characters are ooc!!! Esp the parents cause they dont show much wth JAGDHSH also ill put in a oc for plot purposes WAHSGAHSGA)

Shinichi, still as conan, was in a pinch and was suddenly saved by a mysterious guy. Whom he thought was like akai san but he sensed someone different like.. KID? No.. dad??

Toichi who saw a kid who looked like his nephew when he was a child is being chased by men in black (who suspiciously looked like snake for some reason but snake doesnt wear shades in the dark cause thats a foolish move) decided to help him and lose the pursuers off his back

“Boya are you ok?” “…..(hmm? What is this feeling.. i feel like i’ve met him somewhere but..)” “boya?” “Ah! Un! Thank you uncle!”

Toichi suddenly thought of shinichi when he heard conans voice saying uncle, it sounds just like 10 yrs ago when he visited yuusakus house to teach yukiko the art of disguise

Toichi then took conan to his guardians when he found out that his parents was in america apparently (1) and he also found out that his guardians were the mouris (2) which was 2 points of suspicion which wasnt that bad but just weird cause why didnt his younger brother tell anything, not that that shit tells him anything at all. Adding to the fact that he has not seen his attention loving smart nephew in the news for a while now then pops out a child that looks like him makes the suspicion highly likely. (Their family kinda has a knack for attracting dangerous orgs, from what he seen to himself and his son, he just hopes his younger brother and nephew didnt get it (which was highly unlikely now too))

Consider his suspicions correct when his younger brother decides to okay dumb (he knows ok, theyre twins for a reason and hes a older brother for a reason) the problem now was which shady org was it and how much does his nephew and younger brother know….

2 weeks later he found out

Apparently he wasnt the only one suspicious of someone

His, (knew it), dear shrunken nephew was too! Bc of one comment from mouri kun (have we met somewhere before?) and his suspicions were proven right when he saw yuusakus phone lying around with his message on the notif screen

(Toichis so proud, thats my nephew, be nosy kid you will go far in life)(it made his nephew cute too 🥰)

and color him suprised when his nephew has a shady org at his back too (he was kinda hoping that his nephew only stumbled on the scene of the crime that was he was chased not being a victim himself sighs the family curse)

and toichi and his nephew (whom just found out they were related with the first kaitou kid, who was supposed to be dead) made an alliance! (it kinda feels good to not only have one person know about your secrets, it also makes him relieved that his nephew has a lot of trusted people at his back other than some bigass shady org)

it also makes toichi happy that his son could be himself (not just kaitou kid but really being kaito his son whom he left with his wife toprotecttonotpullintothismessbutthey-) with his cousin

his son was inlove with his cousin

oh shit

yuusaku why did we not let them meet again

how he found out? he got the front seat

with snake

but does that really matter

(is akai kun included when hes so far away from the build the confession was happening)

(akai kun just shoot snake pls)

then it all went to shit (from his perspective cause wdym kaito did not even notice snake was there so its ok uncle shinichi kun did u also not notice my mental breakdown too)

they apprehended snake, and found out he was just some lackey in the black org and wanted to be the same lvl as gin so hes chasing after some immortality granting stone (yea hes not gonna be on the same lvl as gin hes stupid says his dear cutified nephew)

he told his younger brother about the confession

his younger brother knew all along ever since he caught kaito sneaking in their house to leave a jewel that he stole and saw him caress shinichis face.. yuusaku told him with the face of did u really not see that coming, we never let them meet when they were old enough to remember.

like valid? but at least share the tea gahdang

yukiko also knows? brother? i thought bros before hoes? (he nearly got mauled to death by his mystery loving younger brother, bc how dare you call my wife a hoe? ur the hoe u *spits real talk that hurts*)

after yuusaku hurt him internally he has come to the fact that yea he was worse than his son.. (also who can blame him, shinichi kun has yukikos genes (not that his darling wife is any less beautiful than yukiko, his wifes beauty came from being reckless and he likes that in his woman sighs i miss my wife) and their reckless genes so, with his wifes beautiful and shiny loving gene with his reckless loving gene, shinichi, conan, his nephew was the perfect person for his son. not ignoring the fact that shinichi kun is also a very understanding person. his nephew grew a lot (internally cause well.. he shrunk physically))

and now shinichi is looking at him weirdly

no way

did he not hear his sons confession

"shin kun... what did you think about what my son said to you?" "hm? ah that chase?... isnt it just a chase? oh im sorry uncle if i hurt kaito, it was needed to make it look convincing haha, i dont plan on capturing him rn dw!" "... oh! its ok shin kun ^^"

it was not okay, how does his nephew not notice his sons confession to him? (his son was a child of two phantom thieves, making a heist even grander than it already is shows that his son is courting his nephew SO HOW TF- oh, oh yuusaku just told him that every heist shinichi went to was always that grand so he might not see the difference? oh. oh my gosh.)

how to break this to his son who thought his father was dead

yuusaku just smiled (useless asshole, just bc hes still close to his son even though his son is in another identity now and can still pretend to be his new sons identities father bc of the disguising art that toUICHI HIMSELF TAUGHT HIM)

shinichi kun said to wait till evrything was over, or wait till the black org is down cause he will help explain too cause he hid it too after knowing his undeadness (at least his nephew was helpful, might be yukikos gene)

"you know, ever since i met kaitou kid, i knew that i might need his help to bring this org down, but i never knew that it would be the first kaitou kid that will help me hehe"

his nephew is so cute (yep its yukikos genes, yuusaku could never be like that anymore, still regrets the day where he showed off to his younger brother his magician skills)

the org was brought down but the antidote for shinchis problem still hasnt been made but time is an essence they need to reveal the truth to his family now or it might get worse

family reunion time! :DDDDDDDDD

shinichi went to get his son and wife while he and his younger brother prepares his execution letter

(if u wanna know how shinichi went to get kaito and chikage pls comment! ill write it up on the other post)

"yukiko chan can u-" "nope"

"yuusaku istg id u dont help me we're twins for a reason if i die you die too" "fk u" (helps him)

then it all went to shit (pt 2) (shinichi kun can see it now too, toichi thinks even hakase next door can feel it)

his son did not walk out bc of shinichi kun ("kaito, listen to you father please, you know my situation, its kind of the same but in your fathers case, you are ran" "at least you were close to her!" "does it really matter when all she saw was conan not shinichi?" "but-!" "kaito, the woman i love is slipping before my eyes because i cant go to her like before now! everytime i go back to my body temporarily all i think about is how she will get hurt if the organization realizes i was one of the victims they failed to kill and will go after her and her family and friends! there are numerous people in the org who already knew about my real identity, they mightve been killed or decided to not tell about it but there is no saying they might decide to not do the opposite!"

[thatscarletflycatcher]

There's something that has been gnawing at me since I saw some comments on the look-how-they-massacred-them poll for Daniel Sousa -with which I didn't want to engage then and there because I really didn't want to pick up a fight with another Daniel fan, there's few enough of us, but also because the argument was very difficult to articulate.

It is difficult to explain how Daniel Sousa is screwed over by Endgame without making it look like either "he deserved Peggy as a prize" or "he was the perfect prize for Peggy", because it all begins by understanding the experience of WWII and the building of the morale of WWII. Something that Markus and McFeely seemed to perfectly understand in Agent Carter, which inclines me to believe it was specific insistence of the Russos, whose concept of narrative and storytelling is at the level of a belligerent and not very bright 4 year old, that gave us that mindblowingly stupid "happy ending" for Cap and Peggy. Or maybe Markus and McFeely are just arcane creatures, at times intelligent and at times really dumb. Anyways.

Point is that both CATFA and Agent Carter understand that for these characters, fighting WWII is a matter of "each doing their bit", of, as Steve put it in The Avengers, to lay on the barbed wire so the one that comes after you can pass on. And in the process of doing that, you have great loses and suffer great grief. The price of war is immense, and for these people the price of war is the price of freedom (yes, that celebrated Steve speech from CATWS is also sharing in that same spirit. It's kind of impressive how until that awful mess of Endgame, the perspective of Steve as a character from movie to movie is one that addresses how some 1940s things are outdated, but how many others are still relevant and inspiring. It is a surprisingly nuanced take on History, that of course the Russo "Cap is an outdated relic that belongs in the past and should stay there" brothers don't seem to have what's needed to grasp).

In that context, the most coherent tone for Steggy is tragedy. Because that is what happened to many, many, many people during the war. You meet, you fall in love fast, because there is no time. And then suddenly the other is gone, never to come back. And all the promises of youth and life and future the other person represented, are gone with them. People who lived through 2020-2022 have some idea of what it is like for projects, opportunities, and years of your life to just vanish. Now you make that five years, eight months, and to mention "just" the British, 1 out every 100 people live in 1939, dead, and over 350.000 permanently disabled. If you were 20 in 1939, your life would be practically on hold till you were 26. It's a whole lot of grief, and an intense grief, that you don't solve the way you solve a random missing connection in a romcom like Serendipity or The Lake House. Doing so is cheapening and bastardizing the grief and trauma of a whole generation of people in different countries.

So, Agent Carter. Here we have a story focused on a group of people, spies, who, in different fronts and with different outcomes, made it through the war and are now facing this new world they are living in, and all the grief of their respective losses. The focus of the story is Peggy, a woman who, like many others, was allowed a wide range of action during the war, and is now subconsiously perceived as a threat by many of her male coworkers. It's a desperate bid to "go back to the way things were before", and her presence is a constant reminder that they can't.

Sousa occupies a very similar position to Peggy's: he's also a reminder that the war happened and that there is no way back, no magic solution, no pretending. And that's why both are ignored, and displaced, and why both struggle to prove themselves in a subconscious way while living by the continued principle that they are doing their bit. That is their lifeline that keeps them sane and working all throughout s1 of Agent Carter.

That's what we mean when we say Peggy and Sousa are equals, and that Sousa is contented with letting her have the spot; not because he's her inferior or her dependant, but because he's her equal -in intelligence, in ideals, in resourcefulness, in loyalty, but also in their relative positions in the power ladder- and does not feel threatened by her because of it.

(It is in this context, btw, that Peggy's rebuke of Daniel's "rescue" of her in the first episode must be understood. Because she was once treated like any other officer/agent of her same rank, she has knee jerk reactions to both being demeaned and being protected. It's also an important theme of that beginning of the series that Peggy needs to learn to let her friends in, and that she needs their help, and that that doesn't make her too weak to protect and defend them.)

But also, in another way, when we talk about Sousa becoming Peggy's husband, it has to do with the sentiment Krezminsky expresses in the series:

The ship of Steggy had sailed and was gone forever since the moment Steve became the legend in the ice and Peggy "Cap's Girl", this embodiment of the ridiculous damsel in distress we hear in the radio drama that plays on one of the episodes: Peggy fell in love with Steve when he was a scrawny, sickly lad, because she loved the man he was inside, but now forever for the world she is just another superficial, weak girl lusting after the handsome godlike rescuer, the picture of the eugenic dream of the übermensch. In Daniel Peggy loves and finds all the same things she found and loved in Steve, but in a different light, because Sousa is a different person, with a different life story, plus something else: they have both gone through war and its loss and grief, and come to the other side in need of rebuilding and finding new meaning in life and hope for the future.

In a world where the Dark, Tall and Handsome Hero of the Six Pack, Alpha Dominance and Endless Stamina reigns supreme, Sousa as a love interest is a remarkable and -sadly- bold statement about the things that truly matter in finding one's life partner.

So I think here is a reasonable point to start talking about Sousa in Agents of SHIELD. Because here's where someone would rationally say "well, but you see, there he's also chosen as a love interest!", and the reasons why context in AoS changes everything are multiple, so let's go there.

But before that, let me make clear that I do wholeheartedly believe the writers of AoS meant to honor Sousa, and sincerely tried to do their best with what they were given. That doesn't change what the end product ended up doing and saying about him.

Like Peggy is the main character of Agent Carter, so Daisy is the main character of Agents of SHIELD. As much as you can say all the team characters are important and get the focus, Daisy is the one which the narrative insists on making the focal point, as the arcs of several seasons hinge on her, and we are expected to sympathize with her first and foremost in any situation in which she is personally involved. But unlike Peggy, Daisy is a superpowered individual. She's more like Steve than Peggy; she's practically a demigod. She is capable of ripping Earth apart with just her hands. Where Peggy and Sousa were equals in the power ladder in-universe, in AoS the distance between Daisy and Sousa is abysmal. That imbalance is the first thing that leads to Sousa being put in the position of Daisy's Boy. The fact that he ends up in space with Daisy's last minute sister who is ALSO an inhuman does not help things.

As a side note, there's something to be said about futuristic prosthetics in AoS and how they interesect with disability. But I'd rather not get into it because it is a thorny subject and I don't feel qualified to speak of it.

In a different way, Daniel being Peggy's love interest in Agent Carter is balanced out by his having a life of his own and many interactions with other characters throughout the series. He pursues his own lines of investigation, he conducts interrogations of his own, he comes up with plans, he teams up with Krezminsky and with Thompson and in s2 he has downright made a life for himself as chief in California with a fiancé and all. There is a clear sense that he exists as a character outside of pining for Peggy.

In AoS, the opposite happens. Part of it is owed to the writers writing themselves into a corner: to take Sousa out of his timeline, they have to do it in such a way that his disappearance is inconspicuous, which means killing him. They do it the best way they can think of, honoring his alertness and intelligence, by making him realize HYDRA is infiltrated in SHIELD decades before anyone else does. But as a consequence, Sousa becomes the man out of time: there's no future for him, because he has died, and unlike Steve, he's not being brought back because he himself is required. They just save him because they take pity on him and the tragedy of his life. So he has no mission and no significant previous connection with anyone on the team. One of the concrete things in which this is evidenced the most is with the switch from being addressed as chief Sousa to Agent Sousa. He was chief, but between that SHIELD and this SHIELD there's not such a connection by which he can claim that title. There's no subordinates to manage. So he's sort of default-called agent without really being a proper agent.

So the writers choose the fish-out-of-water concept for him. Which is far fetched. This guy lived through wwii in a high spy setting where intelligence has knowledge of powerful interstellar aliens. He's most definitely not bewildered by phone cameras, guys. He would quickly adapt... if, again, you know, he was brought back for a mission. But the reality is that from a Doylist POV, he was brought in to be Daisy's love interest, and the only thing he can offer to her, in this huge power imbalance I have pointed out, is chivalrous manners and quaint WWII style references like when he tells her "Agent Johnson, we are going home"; both can be very charming to a modern woman, but they are things that highlight the cultural and psychological distances that separate them, and make it glaringly obvious that they have barely anything in common.

The series tries desperately to give them common ground in the time-loop episode, with this idea that Daisy is like Peggy because she sacrifices herself for others and to protect others all the time. Which is laughable because, again, in Daisy's condition of beloved main character that embodies the tortured, quasi byronic heroine that we understand to be the hallmark of about one half of the contemporary superhero type, the narrative and the characters in it bend all sorts of ways to accommodate her, not the other way around. Peggy's type is different because it is rooted in that WWII morale/frame I was talking about at the beginning of the post.

As a consequence of all of this, Sousa barely interacts with anyone that isn't Daisy (he has of personal scenes, what? one or two with Coulson, the scene where Jemma gives him a new prosthetic, and then he's given an idea to give to Mac in the finale. I don't remember any other non-Daisy ones), has no unique role to fulfill in the mission (specially because so much of the plan is entwined in Fitz and Jemma's rescue plan that was NOT counting with Sousa) and no personal goal to achieve, which weakens his standing as a character outside the romance plot, and when it comes to the romance plot, he has nothing in common with Daisy, and he brings nothing to the partnership other than... narratively forced love, and chivalrousness.

In the end, Daniel, who was a character and a person of relevance in Agent Carter, is nerfed and turned into a prop for the rushed happily ever after of the main character of AoS. And that, in my books, is being screwed over. That's what makes his becoming Peggy's husband and building a life and a future with her a much better and more preferable outcome for Daniel; he gets to build a life of meaning by his own significant work and significant connections, in his own time and place, with a wife who is his equal and with other people that have lived through the same collective experiences of trauma and grief he did.

[tydolson]

The Monster You Created: A Psychoanalytic Analysis of Jinx

What happens when the person you used to be–the person others beg you to be, the good person you once were–is buried and repressed so deeply within you that even you can’t find them? What happens when society and the people you care about continuously push you in opposite directions and try to force you to shape your sense of worth, identity, and belonging to their image? How is it possible to know who you truly are? In the hit Netflix show Arcane, based on the Riot Games multiplayer online battle arena game League of Legends, these questions are explored, as we are introduced to a character with two names, but one very tragic story.

The first name we are introduced to is Powder, an innocent, naive, and deeply-loving young girl who would do anything to earn her family’s (especially her sister’s) approval. Despite being smaller and weaker than her peers, she is extremely smart for her age and uses her mechanical skills to create gadgets and traps (though they often fail at critical moments). The second name we are given is Jinx. This version of the character is an unpredictably violent and emotionally unstable alter ego of her younger self. Her entire personality revolves around causing chaos and destruction. These are two completely different identities, yet, the internal battle between the two–this shift from Powder to Jinx–plays a central role in the story as the fractured character descends into madness and ultimately becomes the monster society expected her to be. In Arcane, Jinx embodies the consequences of deep-seated childhood trauma that is left untreated and her tragic story serves as a very effective case study of the mental and psychological consequences of neglecting the mental health of society's most vulnerable.

Arcane is a story about two orphaned sisters, Vi and Powder, growing up in a post-civil war society. They are raised by their adoptive family in the impoverished, underground slums that are located across the river from the prosperous city of Piltover. During a botched heist in an affluent part of the city, Powder steals a very powerful, magical crystal. Powder creates a bomb out of this crystal to help aid her family in recusing her adoptive father, Vander, from certain death at the hands of a powerful crime lord named Silco. However, as Vi, Vander, and the rest of her family are about to make their escape, Powder sets off the bomb, which unbeknowest to her, results in the death of Vander, as well as her adoptive brothers, Claggor and Mylo. After Vi tearfully exchanges her last words with her adoptive father, Powder finds Vi and excitedly tells her the good news: her bombs finally worked! Then her eyes shift towards the charred body of Vander lying dead in the street and the bloodied goggles of Claggor, and Powder realizes what she has done. Overwhelmed by grief, Vi strikes Powder, blames her for the deaths of their family, and labels her as a "Jinx." She then leaves the area to process her emotions, but is soon arrested, further abandoning the guilt-ridden and traumatized Powder in her time of need.

The story resumes after a significant time jump, focusing on Vi’s journey to dismantle the criminal empire of Silco with Caitlyn, a police enforcer from the upper city. The only problem is that Silco, who spared, consoled, and adopted Powder after the tragedy of her youth, manipulated her into embracing her violent and destructive tendencies and becoming the villainous character of Jinx. While Vi is determined to save her sister from the grip of darkness, she must confront the violent monster Jinx has become, and one that Vi played a large part in creating.

The story of Arcane serves as a very nuanced exploration of how trauma shapes and breaks people; in recent media, Jinx definitely stands out as one of the most compelling and tragic examples of this transformation. The depth of her suffering and the very poor, emotionally-charged, and extremely violent choices she makes throughout the series demonstrate how unprocessed trauma can manifest in such destructive behaviors. Her actions, fractured psyche, and the lengths Jinx goes to in order to escape her pain can be further understood through the lens of psychoanalytic theory. To understand Jinx’s psychological turmoil, it’s essential to examine how her id, superego, and ego function within her character. In psychoanalytic theory, the id represents the impulsive, irrational, and desire-driven urges a person feels and sometimes acts on without regard for morality or societal expectations. In Arcane, Jinx's id manifests through her impulsive and chaotic behaviors, particularly in her “Jinx” persona. She bombs houses during a celebration in Piltover. She kills Enforcers and members of the Fireflies group with no remorse. She villianises Caitlyn, Vi’s partner, and attempts to kill her multiple times in front of Vi. This persona fully embraces the chaos and destruction as a means of coping with her pain.

In contrast, the superego serves as a moral compass, which guides behavior through guilt, ideals/morals, and societal norms. Although Jinx’s superego is present within her, it is profoundly fractured. She longs for love and acceptance, but she is plagued by her past actions. The intense guilt and shame that she experiences and represses often surfaces as auditory and visual hallucinations of the loved ones she killed, and they haunt/terrify her throughout the series. On top of this, Jinx’s fractured psyche is further complicated by her ego, which is trying to mediate the chaotic impulses of her id and also the overwhelming guilt and shame/need for acceptance that comes from her superego. This constant struggle results in her character’s extreme instability. Understanding the dynamics and the relationship between Jinx's id, superego, and ego lays the foundation needed to examine the core issues in her psyche that ultimately influence her recurring dysfunctional and self-destructive behaviors throughout the series.

The most obvious core issue of Jinx is her insecure sense of identity that is shaped by her low self esteem/worth. Throughout Arcane, she does not know who she truly is and this is largely because her self-worth is so heavily influenced by external validation from the people she cares about. In the second episode of the series, when Powder is talking about her small stature and machines not working, she expresses to Vi that she doesn’t feel good enough; Vi responds with, “You know, Powder, what makes you different makes you strong” (Some Mysteries Are Better Left Unsolved, 00:34:14-00:34:18), however, when Powder wants to assist during the rescue operation of Vander, she is dismissed and told she isn’t ready or capable by her sister. Then, after the traumatic incident that leads to the death of her family, Powder asks Vi why she left her out of the mission since she only wanted to help. Vi responds with, “Because you're a jinx. Do you hear me? Mylo was right” (The Base Violence Necessary for Change, 00:35:55-00:35:59).

This dismissal of her worth and subsequent abandonment by Vi shatters Powder’s mentality and creates a very deep fissure in her identity. Although Vi later attempts to “bring back” Powder by asserting that the destructive and violent “Jinx” is not her true self, Silco’s exploitation and grooming of Jinx makes her believe that her sister is wrong. This is evident when Jinx says, “Stop calling me that. It's Jinx now. Powder fell down a well.” (When These Walls Come Tumbling Down, 00:35:06-00:35:11). This is further reinforced when Silco tells her, “You need to let Powder die. So the fear of pain will no longer control you. You're strong now. Just like you were always meant to be. Jinx is perfect” (Everybody Wants to Be My Enemy, 00:29:55- 00:30:10). Vi planted the idea that being different is what makes Powder strong and gives her the nickname; Silco then weaponizes and distorts this belief to further her transformation into the destructive and weaponized “Jinx” identity.

The other core issue that profoundly shapes her development and is a large source of Jinx’s psychological turmoil is her deep seated fear of abandonment. From the beginning of the show, it is shown explicitly that this fear is a central part of her character. Vi abandons her twice: the first time when she forces Powder to stay behind during Vander’s rescue operation, and the second time when she leaves her after the explosion that killed their family (technically three threes if you would count Vi saying that she would not kill Cailtlyn to “bring back” and run away with “Powder”). This second abandonment is particularly significant because Vi doesn’t return after emotionally scarring Powder, and Powder presumes her to be dead for nearly a decade after this. With no one else to turn to, the only person Powder has left is Silco, and her fear of losing him or being abandoned again drives Powder to become an essential tool in his criminal operations. This is because she is desperately eager to please him at all costs. Silco is very manipulative towards her, but there’s also genuine care and familial love in their relationship, which makes Jinx even more terrified of losing his approval.

This deep fear of abandonment reaches a critical point when Silco is offered the chance to secure the Undercity's independence by a councilor of Piltover in exchange for handing over Jinx to the authorities. This deeply troubles Silco and he sits and drunkenly ponders the ultimatum while talking to a statue of Vander. He says, “A thousand times I've imagined this moment. Never like this. All we ever wanted. The boy didn't even haggle. And what do I lose but problems? Oh, it all makes sense now, brother. Is there anything so undoing as a daughter?” (The Monster You Created, 00:17:20-00:18:03) When Jinx hears it, she assumes that Silco thinks lowly of her and will hand her over. In her eyes, this is him admitting that he sees her as a failure or a “screw up” when, in reality, Silco is saying that he would give anything for Jinx. Jinx perceives the mere consideration of this ultimatum as a betrayal and a confirmation of her worst fear: abandonment. Jinx is unable to bear the thought of being abandoned again and absolutely snaps, which leads to her eventually killing Silco. When she realizes what she has done, she, then, immediately comes back to reality and breaks down. To top it all off, Silco’s last words before his death are: "I would never have given you to them. Not for anything. Don’t cry. You’re perfect."(The Monster You Created, 00:32:55- 00:33:06). This profound loss shatters her and marks the moment she loses the last person she believed had not truly abandoned her. It solidifies her preventable transformation into the very entity that she, Vi, and society feared most—the thing referenced in the title of the series' final episode: "The Monster That You Created."

The monster that you created. You. Who is “you”? Vi? Silco? Perhaps the councilors of Piltover? Maybe. While they all play a part, I believe that “you” represents the society that is responsible for perpetrating the neglect of some of the vulnerable individuals that live within them: children. Jinx's story resonates with the very real struggles faced by children in poverty-stricken environments, where the absence of emotional support, economic stability, and the overall turning of the blind eye from the people “across the bridge” leads to a devastating cycle of violence, trauma, and mental instability within already troubled communities. It is truly tragic when you realize that Jinx is an unforgivable villain, but also a victim herself. Powder had the opportunity to be great; she possessed a passion for creation and a remarkable intellect. Later in her life, she was then able to weaponize magic in under a week with junkyard scraps, which was an achievement that took some of Piltover’s brightest minds months to accomplish in a laboratory. Powder’s talents could have been harnessed for good, but the society and the people surrounding her shaped her to fulfill a self-destructive role that ultimately betrays the person she once was and the person that both she, Vi, and the society in Arcane would have wanted her to be.

When we ignore the needs of the vulnerable, we risk shaping a future, a monster, that we fear to acknowledge. Jinx is just a symbol of this very chaos many vulnerable individuals in the real world seek to escape. Any potential for redemption and healing that could have helped Powder/Jinx overcome her childhood trauma is extinguished by the neglect and exploitation she experiences throughout her life. With this said, nothing is going to change unless we confront, address, and work together towards solving the systemic issues that perpetuate these cycles of trauma, poverty, and violence. Acknowledging these realities–looking “across the river–” is the only way Piltover, and our real world society, can begin to forge a path toward genuine change. We can hope, only then, to prevent the creation of new “monsters” and empower society’s most vulnerable, like Powder, with the chance to heal, blossom, and thrive.

(Word Count: 2,149 of content)

[atopvisenyashill]

IF YOU LIKE THIS ASOIAF CHARACTER, I THINK YOU’LL LIKE THIS FARSCAPE CHARACTER

i did a “all gays” thing for my birthday last year but i was too lazy this year. instead here is my opinion of farscape & asoiaf characters, comparing characters i think are similar.

if you like theon greyjoy…i think you’ll like john crichton (he’s the main character).

Conga Line Of Trauma

Very loose grip on reality

Struggles with choosing between the family he’s been kidnapped into and the family he was born into

Top Two best story arcs about male victims of sexual trauma imo

Copes by imagining himself as a character in a story rather than face his reality

Pathetic wet cat of a man

if you like jaime lannister…i think you’ll like aeryn sun

theyre hot shit and everyone knows it even though they hate it - the ☀️ radiant aeryn sun☀️ and “was there ever a man as beautiful and terrible”

Well known for being good at their job (which is killing people)

Idealist that got that idealism beaten out of them

constantly repressing emotions

an arc that is very romance centered but atypical as a traditional romance

if you like brienne and/or sandor…i think you’ll like ka d’argo.

Young, experienced but not too experienced military type

Struggles with idealism and what being a soldier/knight should mean

Not forthcoming about backstory

Struggles with temper

Cool And Important Weapon And Mount

Considered mindlessly violent by many

Very weird about romance and sex

if you like catelyn stark…i think you’ll like pa’u zotah zhaan

religious and maternal

pacifist tendencies but also will cut a bitch if pressed

Infamous for being unpleasant

Traumatic death scenes

Questionable relationship with the concept of dying and staying dead

MILFs

if you like sansa and arya stark…i think you’ll like chiana

Their Series’ Hottest It Girls

Idolizes rebellion leading older brother (who ultimately abandons her in favor of his rebellion)

Desperate for family

Holds emotions close, but highly emotional

Taste for finer things in life

Baby of the group

Struggles with grief and anger

Spunky go getter

Questionable taste in romantic relationships

if you like tyrion lannister….i think you’ll like scorpius

mother died birthing him and he struggles with this immensely

tormented by a crazy ruthless woman in power

feels betrayed by a lover of a lower social status just trying to get by and gets real violent over it

The Anti Villain - has very good reasons to be insane but holy shit is he insane

Always survives despite all odds against him

If you like Joffrey Baratheon…I think you’ll like Dominar Rygel XVI (hear me out!)

Absolute ruler who faces civil war

Wildly misogynistic weirdo

Weak grasp on morality

Turned into a violent, selfish asshole as a trauma response

Hates women yet his deepest, most profound and intimate relationships are with a woman he’s not even fucking

Remains selfish and violent throughout the story but also, if you talk shit about him i will throw hands

if you like samwell tarly…i think you’ll like Pilot.

Couple of sweet fools

Underrated for being a bad ass

Intimate relationship with a Very Cool Lady From A Bad Situation (gilly/moya. moya is a living ship btw).

Just wants to be a nerd and hang with his gf (again, gilly and moya)

Doesn’t believe in himself the way he should

if you like stannis baratheon…i think you’ll like bailar crais.

Is he a hero? is he a villain? is he an anti villain? is he an anti hero? you decide!

loses his everloving mind after his brother dies

sad traumatic childhood backstory

an arc focused on what service and leadership means

[SPOILER REDACTED]

HE thinks he’s the straight man in a circle of freaks and he thinks this while being objectively the biggest freak there

and last but not least let’s go to my babies!!!!

if you like bran stark…i think you’ll like stark.

Overwhelming magical abilities

Connects magically in intimate, voyeuristic ways

Potentially unkillable

Considered a sweetie by Local MILF (his mom/zhaan)

Struggles processing a personal loss

A narrative focus on the importance of bodily autonomy

Doesn’t have as much screentime/page time as he deserves

[wangxianficfinder]

In the mood for...

~*~

1. I’m in a mood for fics with musical cultivation as a big/important part!

The Communication Effect by draechaeli (M, 144k, wangxian, JYL/JZX, MM/WQ, canon divergence, arranged marriage, no golden core transfer, not everyone dies au, wens live, adoption, pregnancy kink, consensual non-con, light bondage, fix-it, WIP)

Hear a song this deeply by so_shhy (T, 87k, wangxian, modern cultivation, music, kid fic, action/adventure, canon typical JGY behavior, slow burn, fluff & angst, happy ending)

❤️ a stone to break your soul, a song to save it by rikke (M, 180k, wangxian, Canon Divergence, arranged marriage) 

anyway, here's wuji by kakikaeru (T, 18k, ZhuiYi, WangXian, LingZhen, Post-Canon) and the rest of the series

The envy of the world by vulnerable_bead (E, 48k, WangXian, Case Fic, Fluff and Smut, Post-Canon, Established Relationship, Canon Compliant, WangXian as teacher(s), WangXian as musicians, Spell-weaving) the climactic scene has WWX and LWJ confronting the antagonist in an elaborate musical-cultivational ritual

(no one else can) take me there by azurewaxwing (G, 4k, wangxian, modern w magic, mixed media, academia, getting together)

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2. Hi! Do you know any fics that are from the perspective of girls/women in the mdzs world? Just fics from the pov of the female disciples and/or cultivators that give a glimpse of what life is like for them.

Alliance of the Traveling Pants by JustAWanderingBabbit (G, 112k, 3Zun, WangXian, WIP, Canon Divergence)

death either way by lastdboy (E, 22k, wangxian, JYL/JZX, canon divergence, not everyone dies au, burial mounds settlement days, alternating pov, fix-it of sorts, burial mounds ensemble as family, heavy angst, hurt/comfort, grief/mourning, presumed character death, angst w happy ending, canon-typical violence, survivor guilt, scheming, politics, demonic cultivator WQ) this one has multiple povs including wen qing and jiang yanli

thunderstorms by antebunny (G, 11k, JYL & WWX, JYL & JC, JYL & YZY, canon divergence, fix-it, character study, BAMF JYL, YZY 's A+ parenting, angst, childhood trauma, hurt/comfort, yunmeng siblings, protective siblings, cultivator JYL, OOC JYL)

Quiet Night Thought by Starlitverses (Not Rated, 64k, WangXian, het wangxian, Arranged Marriage, Canon Divergence, let lwj have friends agenda, lwj and mianmian and wq and jyl friendship, LWJ and NHS friendship, Mutual Pining, YZY Bashing, Bad Parent YZY, LWJ-centric Protective LWJ, Protective WWX, Golden Core Transfer Fix-It, WangXian Get a Happy Ending, Scheming NHS, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies) has female LWJ, pov shifting, focuses a lot on JYL, LQY and WQ and their friendship

someone will remember us by captain_apostrophe, MonocerosRex (M, 39k, ChengQing, MingQing, Prompt Fic, Fluff, yunmeng siblings, Family Feels, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, he gets thoroughly trounced dw, Canon Schmanon, previous generation, Blood, Violence, Guns, Cowboys) an anthology for MDZS Womxn Appeciation Weeks

unblemished by mud by chomrafy (Not Rated, 2k, XuanLi, MXTX Ladies Week, Overprotective Brothers, LQR’s beard, Madam Jin worships LY, Madam Lan lives, WQ Lives, JZX is still dead, Gossip, almost-reunions) includes a canon-divergent moment with WQ, a modern JYL trying to enjoy a date despite the surveillance of her would-be Mall Ninja didis, and a girls’ night out with the parents’ generation

With Surgical Precision by metisket (T, 20k, WQ & WN, WQ & WWX, WangXian, Time Travel, Families of Choice, sibling bonding through murder, Z chirurgiczną precyzją (podfik) by tehanu, [PODFIC] With Surgical Precision by Gwogobo, With Surgical Precision [PODFIC] by Opalsong)

The Cloudweavers《云织之者》 Series by Joythea (G/T, 38k, WangXian, Fluff, slight angst, Seamstress AU, Cloudweaver AU, Post-Canon, Wangxian Fluff, Original Character(s), OC Perspective, Canon Compliant, Comedy, Innuendos) the POV character is one of the titular Gusu Lan seamstresses who make the protective robes, qiankun pouches, and other magical textiles

stare at the sun by chomrafy (not rated, 2k, a-Qing & QS, a-Qing & JRS, canon divergence, fluff, light angst, a-Qing & QS live) QS runs away from Koi Tower to live incognito in a commoner village, taking in AQ as a babysitter for JRS.

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3. Hi Mods! for the next I´m in the mood for, are there fics where lxc apologices to wwx for calling him lwj's mistake?

Of Reflections and Repentance by Admiranda (T, 3k, post-canon, canon compliant, a long overdue apology, it's never too late for a little character development) LXC apologizes to WWX for many things, including what he said in the temple.

~*~

4. Hello, do you have a fic recommendation for canon divergence au where Jin Ling 100th days celebration went differently? Like wwx is escorted by lwj/jc/jin zixuan, or wwx bring a-yuan with him, or he come in disguise, or wwx died instead of jin zixuan, or wwx only send them a gift but didnt come in person, or wwx come a few days earlier or use different road, or something like that? Thank you

The Fire Lapping Up the Creek by notevenyou (E, 66k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Hurt/Comfort, Canon-Typical Violence, Injury, Injury Recovery, Blood, Respiratory Illness, Major Illness, Fever, Grief/Mourning, Burial Mounds, Angst with a Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Hunger and food scarcity, Surgery, Fix-It of Sorts)

when you're doing all the leaving (then it's never your love lost) by tardigradeschool (T, 26k, WangXian, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Canon Divergence, Sharing a Bed, Sharing Clothes, Fix-It, the inherent eroticism of under robes, Golden Core Transfer)

The Amazing Adventures Of Jiang Xiaolian And Family Series by bumbledees (T, 70k, WangXian, Mutual Pining, Crossdressing, Fake/Pretend Marriage, Happy Ending, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Yunmeng Bros feelings, crack taken mostly seriously)

and

My Leaves Reach Ever for the Sun by nonplussed (T, 26k, WangXian, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fix-It, Crossdressing, Idiots in Love, Sharing a Bed, Canon Divergence, Happy Ending, Mutual Pining, so much mutual pining, And yet, still not as much mutual pining as canon, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies) Both feature WWX crossdressing to sneak into Koi Tower to be with Yanli / change the events of the 100 Days celebration

ius in bello by Lise (T, 2k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Tearjerker, Sad Ending, Heavy Angst, Grief/Mourning, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Not A Fix-It, POV JC, [Podfic] ius in bello by flamingwell)

Birthday Party by waffles_4_breakfast (E, 100k, WangXian, Fix-It, Canon Divergence, Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Misunderstandings, Sharing a Bed, Angst with a Happy Ending, Getting Together, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, Poison, Torture, Módào Zǔshī Novel Canon, Requited Unrequited Love, First Time, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Rough Sex, Oral Sex, Come as Lube, Bondage, Dom/sub Undertones, Spit As Lube, Rimming, Consensual Non-Consent, Safe Sane and Consensual, Additional Warnings In Author's Note)

in this place where we don't have a prayer by Cerusee, Mikkeneko (T, 42k, WangXian, XuanLi, ChengQing) self rec, but I think this fits the bill?

forget the shade from this other tree by VagabondDawn (T, 11k, canon divergence, JZX lives, no qiongqi path ambush, canon-typical wangxian)

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5. hello again! for the next itmf i was wondering if you have any fics where they mix cql canon with small elements from the book? like the blindfold kiss or other moments like that. thanks so much for all the work you do! i wish you well and that you’re staying safe and healthy.

~*~

6. Not sure if this is ff or itmf, because there is a specific fic I lost, but also just want a general trope. I'm looking for fics where WWX's resentful energy is into/gentle with LWJ, and LWJ welcomes it, like allowed it to touch him, touches back, maybe they use it during sex. It doesn't have to be right away, just him eventually accepting that the resentful energy is an extension of WWX. (Rest of ask moved to FF - Mod C)

No one else but you by chrisemrys (M, 15k, wangxian, WIP, canon divergence, first kiss, stolen kiss, love confessions, fix-it, everyone lives au, semi sentient resentful energy, golden core reveal, fluff, hurt/comfort, first time)

But the rose was awake all night for your sake/Knowing your promise to me by x_los (E, 7k, WangXian, Tentacle Sex, Tentacle Dick, Sunshot Campaign, Happy Ending, Healing Sex, Magical Healing Cock, Sex Magic, Ritual Sex, YLLZ WWX, LWJ Has a YLLZ Kink, Telepathy, id tentacles, the physical manifestation of repressed emotions, Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Episode 22, Getting Together)

Helping Yourself by nirejseki (Not Rated, 1k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Temporary Amnesia, Short-Term Memory Loss) kinda ish? there is a "resentacles" tag that the asker may want to check out !

Fragments lost and found by AgentFreeWill (G, 4k, WangXian, LWJ aquires a companion, Original Character(s), visiting the rabbits, Night Hunts, LJY ftw) post-canon; a small resentful energy thoughtform attaches itself to LWJ as a familiar

~*~

7. hello hello! could you recommend me some wangxian fics that are heavy on the angst but still have a happy (ish) ending? I am in the mood to cry cathartically :')

absolutely no noncon, please. thank you!! @yourancestorsarefrowning

a star called sun by thelastdboy (E, 93k, WIP, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Heavy Angst, Self-Worth issues, Amputation, Situational Mutism, Slow burn, Angst with a happy ending) i'm currently posting the last chapters of this story that's very heavy on the angst but with promised happy ending

Concord by Deastar (T, 41k, WangXian, Arranged Marriage, Gūsū Lán Sect Rules, Depression, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending)

With No Particular Affection by Chrononautical (E, 92k, WangXian, Modern AU, Arranged Marriage, Kid Fic, Miscommunication, Family Drama, JFM and YZY's A+ Parenting, Good Uncle JC, Wedding Fluff, Genius WWX, Street Kid WWX, Homelessness, Rich LWJ, Oblivious WWX, Cinnamon Roll WN, Implied/Referenced Suicide, WWX Has a Pregnancy Kink, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Angst)

An Apple a Day by dandelion_san (G, 2k, wangxian, character death, fluff, hurt/comfort, family) bit different maybe but so bettersweet

梅花开放 | the plum blossoms bloom by doubletan (E, 6k, wangxian, major character death, post-canon, sick fic, hurt/comfort, angst, fluff, established relationship, JC & WWX reconciliation, kissing, crying) really very sad, very minor light at the end

the Spodumeme and Yiqie fics in this post both fit here too

Sunder by naqaashi (E, 32k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Soulmates, Golden Core Reveal, Golden Core Transfer Fix-It, WWX Has a New Golden Core, Heavy Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Denial of Feelings, Mutual Pining, Emotional Sex, Porn with Feelings, PWP, Light BDSM, Fix-It, POV LWJ, YLLZ WWX, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Top/Bottom Versatile | Switch WangXian, Light Dom/sub, Explicit Sexual Content, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Grief/Mourning, Five Stages of Grief, Suicidal Thoughts)

The Right to Care by travelingneuritis (E, 61k, WangXian, Modern AU, Mood Whiplash, musician LWJ, nanny wwx, Developing Relationship, Breakup, Texting, Pining, Eventual Happy Ending, Adoption, Child Abuse, abuse intervention, Miscommunication) made my friend cry with this one 😊

~*~

8. hi, for the next iitmf, can I ask for fics with drunk lans being chaotic gremlins? especially lwj or lxc (but any of them is good!). many thank!

Until We Find Our Way by cqlorphan (T, 9k, WangXian, Post-Canon, Getting Together, Love Confessions, Drunk LWJ, The Cloud Recesses Rabbits, Light Angst, Fluff and Angst, Sharing a Bed, the horrors of, Intimacy, and then because they earned it, Kissing, Inspired by Art, Mutual Pining)

A-Zhan is Three by westiec (T, 1k, LXC & LWJ, wangxian, post-canon, twin jades of lan dynamics, LXC in seclusion, hair braiding, sleepy cuddles)

indecent exposure by sarahyyy (M, 1k, wangxian, modern, drunk LWJ)

this could be the start (of something new) by varnes (T, 2k, wangxian, modern, drunk LWJ)

i know who i want to take me home by ScarlettStorm (E, 16k, wangxian, modern, bartender WWX, drunk LWJ, caretaking, meet-cute, fluff, comedy, smut, minor angst, major shenanigans)

When Can You Suck Dick Again After Gum Grafts? by Dyapaya (M, <1k, wangxian, modern, drunk LWJ, surgery, medication, fluff, crack, no smut, drama, pouting, confusion, sexual humor)

Playing Nice by deliciousblizzardshark (T, 11k, wangxian, canon divergence, Love confessions, first kiss, mildly dubious consent, public displays of affection, drunk LWJ, fluff and crack, alternating pov)

why'd the chicken jump over the fence by yellowcarnations (G, 2k, wangxian, modern, fluff, drunk LWJ)

My Heart's Desire by phnelt (G, 3k, wangxian, modern, fluff, drunk LWJ)

💖 Advisable Lan rules and other shenanigans by apathyinreverie (G, 4k, wangxian, LXC & LWJ, JC & WWX, Canon Divergence, fix-it, humor, drunk LWJ, smitten LWJ, soft WWX, possessive LWJ, gusu lan rules, drunk shenanigans, fluff)

My Zhiji's On Broadway by ScarlettStorm (E, 15k, wangxian, modern with cultivation, drunk LWJ, drunk shenanigans, getting together, first time, minor angst, major comedy, smut)

are you my wisdom tooth? because i'd like to take you out by yellowcarnations (G, 3k, wangxian, modern, established relationship, fluff, humor)

Chapter 2 of no fear of fire by chomrafy (G, 6k, WangXian, Fluff, Angst, Family, burial mounds family, Sunshot Campaign, Teaching, Yunmeng Shuangjie Reconciliation) features a drunk and disorderly Qingheng-jun smitten with a Mermaid! Madam Lan.

~*~

9. Hiiiiii~ great day today! iitmf a fic where wwx, lbh, and hc are brothers? Or have some kind of close familial w eachother? It can be modern or canon timeline thank you!

~*~

10. Itmf soft wangxian fics! (preferably under 20k, but longer is okay too) I'm looking for the fics that make you feel all warm and fuzzy and jubilant and giggly about wangxian. Maybe they're just figuring out their relationship, or it's just wangxian being domestic. Anything goes as long as it's soft! Ty friends!

Seen and not heard by eatmyass (E, 51k, WangXian, Case Fic, No Sunshot Campaign, AU in canon setting, Kid Fic, dadxian, Strangers to Lovers, Found Family, POV LWJ, Pining, Sharing a Bed, Fake/Pretend Relationship, First Time, Falling in love in metaphors)

🧡 Stunted, Starving Juvenility by TomatenMark (E, 548k, WangXian, WIP, Fix-it of sorts, Talisman master WWX, Not JFM Friendly, Study Arc, Getting together, Fluff and Angst, Engagement)

emergent properties by luckymarrow (E, 8k, WangXian, Modern AU, Family Fluff, Trans Male Character, Trans LWJ, Queer Families, Queer Youth, Adoption, Baby LSZ, Teen MXY, Crossdressing, but not as a kink, gender expression, Dilf4Dilf Wangxian, Penis In Vagina Sex, Blow Jobs, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Smut, gender euphoria, Cunnilingus)

romantic relationships are prohibited in Cloud Recesses by 12262325 (E, 26k, WangXian, CSSR/WCZ, High School, Established Relationship, minimal plot, Fluff, Eventual Smut) super fun high school fic

Worship you till morning comes by feyburner (E, 6k, wangxian, modern, meet-cute, first meetings, first time, fluff, kissing, falling in love, smut)

Child's Play by flowercity (FaoriE) (T, 14k, wangxian, LWJ & LSZ & WWX, modern, fluff, pining, family, single dad WWX, kid fic, love at first sight, light angst, brief hospitalization, seizures, alcohol, making out)

💖 Soft boys being soft- Wangxian soft fics by deliciousblizzardshark (multiple works, 230k)

~*~

11. fanfic rec of modern au where jiang cheng and wei wuxian are brothers and fall 4 the two lan brothers >w<

older sibling radar by sami (G, 2k, WangXian, Modern AU, Minor or background Relationships, Fluff, SO MUCH FLUFF, Getting Together, First Kiss, Peak Older Sibling Energy)

~*~

12. Hey I was wondering what your favorite fics were that were written by Chinese diaspora authors? Especially those that capture aspects of Chinese culture or being diaspora? Unfortunately I have been disappointed by a lot of insensitive and racist ideas in a lot of recommended fics.

Danmei Diaspora Creatives collection

Out of the Bin and Into Your Heart by Alaceron (T, 27k, WangXian, Modern AU, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Oblivious WWX) as a chinese diaspora individual this is by far my favorite fic!! it captures the chinese american culture so well and I love all the chinese puns

would u be okay with set in modern china written by Chinese authors, not diaspora? however let me rec this fic and the author

Your Heart, My Table by Spodumene (G, 30k, WangXian, Modern AU, Canada, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Family Dynamics, Parent Death, Supporting Character Death, Chinese New Year, Comfort Food, food is love, Getting Together, food as a love language)

do u want the fics to be related to being a member of the Chinese diaspora specifically, or is it you want wangxian fics in general written by diaspora authors?

only fools rush in by justpeace (M, 22k, WangXian, Modern AU, College AU, Slow burn, Humor, Banter, Flirting, Fluff, Getting Together)

Heat It Up! with Wei Ying by justpeace (T, 10k, WangXian, Modern AU, coworkers to dating, Getting Together, Chinese Food, racism that largely happens offscreen, workplace racism, toxic workplace environment, Workplace Relationship, food as a metaphor for racism, Humor, Happy Ending, Angst and Humor, food as a metaphor for flirting, References to Drugs)

countingcrows is one of my fave authors! They include a lot of realistic Chinese details in their fics, which range from canon-divergent to modern.

The Distance Between Fondness and Something Akin to Love by countingcr0ws (M, 20k, WangXian, Arranged Marriage, Not Canon Compliant, War, Cloud Recesses, Romance, Mistaken Identity, Impersonation, Awkward Flirting, Canon Divergence, Wedding Planning, Chinese tradition) is a great canon-divergent,

and

🧡 I Don't Want to Debut! by countingcr0ws (G, 56k, WangXian, Modern AU, Reality show, Idols, Actor LWJ, Forced Contestant WWX, Tencent's 2021 Idol Producer) is a modern one with tons of current slang and jokes

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13. Itmf fics where wangxian have broken up or they know how the other feels but can't be together for whatever reason...except they end up hooking up or such anyways? The pining???? The longing???? I beg!

Tempo Rubato by Spodumene (E, 108k, wangxian, modern, angst w/ happy ending, romance, persuasion au, separations, pining, miscommunication, depression, self-harm, reconciliation, smut)

there's no promised goodbye here by Yuisaki (T, 54k, WangXian, wwx/ocs (but in passing), Modern AU, Post-Break Up, Roommates, Domestic Fluff, Drunken Shenanigans, Sharing a Bed, Cuddling & Snuggling, Sharing Clothes, Drinking, Fluff and Angst, Pining, Angst with a Happy Ending, Getting Back Together, Ensemble Cast, Unreliable Narrator, CW IN BEGINNING NOTES)

Friendly Advice by ilip13 (E, 3k, wangxian, modern, lovers to friends to lovers, with a stranger intermediate d/s stage in between, accidental domming, under-negotiated kink, fake dating, happy ending)

today my heart swings by ilip13 (E, 10k, wangxian, modern, established relationship but also exes, ex sex, porn with feelings, implied/referenced cheating but more accurately open relationship, mentioned WWX/others & LWJ/WQ, implied/referenced homophobia, switching, light bdsm, Light bondage, hopeful ending, unreliable narrator)

~*~

14. Hi! I have found some really good fics from this blog. I would like to thank you for the work you do. I would like some help in exploring a certain curiosity that I have.

Both Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian are portrayed to be grey characters. But while Wei Wuxian is vilified, Lan Wangji has still somehow managed to retain his reputation. I always found it interesting that Wei Wuxian was the one who took action for morality while Lan Wangji did everything he did for Wei Wuxian. Yet they are perceived by people as the villain and the man who was led astray.

There are many stories where Wei Wuxian grew up as a rogue cultivator but not many where we can explore Lan Wangji as anything but Gusu Lan. Can you help me find a book where Lan Wangji's character is explored without the impact of Gusu Lan's 3000 rules. His base character without the tempering of the Gusu Lan more stringent morality.

I am really interested in exploring Lan Wangji's character in depth. Thank you.

Turn Left by kianspo (M, 148k, WIP, WangXian, NieLan, Canon Divergence, Fix-It of Sorts, Friends to Lovers, eventually, references to child sexual abuse, not main characters, Neurodivergent LWJ, Slow Build, Lán Family Feels, specifically, Twin Jades of Lán Feels, lwj-centric, Twin Jades of Lán Dynamics, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies)

the Lan Wangji's half of the Non-Cultivator Wangxian rec, if I'm understanding the request?

can you clarify if you want canon divergent works only ? or are modern aus okay? I don't think I follow that lan zhan did things for Wei ying. I think LZ was brought up a certain way which of course influenced his actions, he then had his world view challenged (with Wei ying as the catalyst) and it expanded and he changed as a person. Maybe we are thinking about different parts of the story tho.

modern AUs that dive into lan Zhans character

When You Wake, 怎能当梦一场 by MouSanRen (T, 39k, WangXian, WWX is in a coma, Angst with a Happy Ending,Modern AU, Single Dad LWJ, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Parenthood, YZY's A+ Parenting, JFM's A+ parenting)

live from new york by varnes (E, 87k, wangxian, JYL/JZX, This is a SNL AU, however the juniors are featured and there are lots of shenanigans!, slow burn, friends to lovers, pining, getting together, happy ending)

Many happy returns. by orange_crushed (E, 25k, WangXian, Modern AU, Mistaken Identity, Misunderstandings, Grief/Mourning, Loss of Parent(s), Implied/Referenced Suicide, Past Suicide of a Parent, References to Depression, Anxiety, Therapy, References to Anti-Depressant Medications, Escort Service, Loneliness, Everybody's Abandonment Issues, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic Fluff, Moving In Together, Oral Sex, Penetrative Sex, Hopeful Ending, Recovery, References to Escorting/Sex Work but No Actual Escorting/Sex Work)

总有一天; a place to hide (can’t find one near) by yiqie (E, 76k, WangXian, Modern AU, Pianist, Getting Together, Mental Health Issues, Suicide Attempt, Suicidal Thoughts, Depression, Hospitals, Overdosing, Eventual Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Additional Warnings In Author's Note)

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15. ITMF some wangxian ghost wedding!! Obviously drama sadness joys happiness!! ( Bonus if no one is bad except the bad guys ofcourse!!) @whateverweilanlovechild

lovers be lost (but love shall not) by la_muerta (T, 13k, wangxian, 1910s au, arranged marriage, case fic, ghosts, ghost marriage, happy ending)

Ghost Wedding by nirejseki (G, 4k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Ghost wedding, Introspection, Crack Treated Seriously, mostly seriously anyway, Good Uncle LQR)

To Capture A Ghost by atomicmuffin (T, 10k, WangXian, MDZS cast in TGCF universe, Humor, Family Feels, Hurt/Comfort, Gods & Goddesses, Spoilers for MDZS, POV Multiple, Character Study, Shotgun Wedding, Adams Family Aesthetic) wangxian ghost wedding

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16. What is your most fav current fic? Only one please 😗 @whateverweilanlovechild

🧡 Discarded by teawater (E, 125k, WIP, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Dying Lan children, Hurt/Comfort, YL WWX, Golden Core Reveal, Case Fic, Depression, Family Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Worth Issues, Angst with a Happy Ending, and it's not always dark, POV Multiple, BAMF WWX, dubious morals in the Lan sect Feels, Pining, Grief, Fix-It, BAMF LWJ) i'm really enjoying discarded right now! -Mod Kay

🧡 Stunted, Starving Juvenility by TomatenMark (E, 548k, WangXian, WIP, Fix-it of sorts, Talisman master WWX, Not JFM Friendly, Study Arc, Getting together, Fluff and Angst, Engagement) (link in #10) one of my all time favorites

🧡 One Can Keep A Secret (If He Does Not Know It's There) by H_Belle (T, 5k, WangXian, Modern Cultivators, Inventor WWX, Secret Identity, Identity Reveal, YLLZ WWX, Rogue Cultivator WWX, Pining LWJ, POV WWX, Background Wangxian Getting Together, Jiangs are only mentioned in the passing, inspired by a tumblr post) (this has recently become one of my favorites and I am so honored to have inspired it! ^^ - Mod C)

The Mistletoe Virgin by Vamillepudding (G, 12k, WangXian, Modern AU, Romantic Comedy, Friends to Lovers, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Deaf LWJ) I will never shut up about how good this is😫✋

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17. Helloow For the next ITMF:

A) I'm currently in the hunt for some cql and donghua/novel WangXian crossover, it could be one character waking up and seeing their alternate self or something similar.

B) In which WWX calls Madam Yu "Mom" amd that they have a good relationship throughout.

Thank you!!!

17A)

💙 feel better love by Anonymous (T, 8k, WIP, WangXian, implied WangXianXian, Post-Canon, Crack Treated Somewhat Seriously, in a haha jk...unless? way, Light Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Crack, Crossover) let me rec my fave that i always rec in this situation and also add that i'm working on something inspired by this story

The Young, the Horny, the Jaded and the Jade: Partners in Time by Admiranda (M, 49k, WIP, WangXian, Established couple, Crossover, road trip with your older selves, teasing your younger selves about their obvious crushes, yin iron does yin iron things, mdzs/cql crossover, adult wangxian, Teenage Wangxian)

We always get what we deserve!(Doesn't matter even if you think you don't deserve it. Fate has mysterious ways!) by Ajareenlovesbtsandshinee (Not Rated, 16k, WIP, WangXian, Post-Canon, CQL WWX and MDZS WWX Exchange places, Happy Ending, Post-Canon Fix-It)

Key Differences by pupeez4eva (T, 5k, WangXian, Humor, Dimension Travel, Crossover, Drama!WWX meets Novel!WWX, Public Confessions, Post-Canon)

17B)

Talk Hard by DeviyudeThoolika (E, 161k, wangxian, LXC/JYL, JZX/WQ, JC/MM, Modern, college/university au, roommates, falling in love, getting together, separation, getting back together, BAMF WWX, drunk LWJ, protective WWX, good parent YZY, pining, fluff, politics, hurt/comfort, slow burn, angst w happy ending)

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If you didn’t get an answer to your ask here, don’t forget to make use of @mdzs-kinkmeme and MDZS KINK MEME on Dreamwidth. Authors actually do use them for ideas. You may get what  you order!***Your prompt doesn’t have to be kink! Fluff, crack,  whatever - it’s all good!***

[pruneunfair]

How I think the OG stories of otome isekai would be viewed if they were real.

Sodom and the holy grail (How to get my husband on my side)

From the tidbits of the og story we get, Sodom and the holy grail focused more on politics then romance with the plot being about rebelling against Ruby's father and other corrupt church members, Rudbeckia would be a minor antagonist in the way of the main ship of Izek and the FL Freya and as we are told, the entire Borgia family would've been killed off by Izek after Rudbeckia poisons Ellen. It'd probably be well liked for focusing more on gritty politics and tragedy than shojo romance and as far as we know, Freya wouldn't be a terrible FL since the narrative would have no reason to make her awful: 8.5/10

May rest be at your side (the tyrants only perfumer)

there isn't a lot revealed about this one, only that Ariel was the villainess and the og fl would show up on time instead of waiting to make her big entrance. It looks like a basic rofan so I'll just guess it'd be an underrated and cliché story: 5/10

Snow white (not sew wicked step-mom)

Its literally just another iteration of snow white, so it would have all the basic stuff in snow white. The apple, evil step-mom, magic mirror, dwarves, and a healing kiss. Plus some historical points for the fact that the cannon ending for Abigail in the og story was being forced to dance with burning hot shoes which was how the evil queen died in the Grimms brother version. :7/10

Lovely princess

As the title implies, Jennette is a lovely princess along with her sister Athy. It's been described as a basic unoriginal found family tale with Jennette being loved by everyone including her murderous father with a backstory that she had a wicked mother who used magic to have Jennette. It ends with Athy being unjustly executed for the false crimes of poisoning Jennette while the latter lives on with a happily ever after. This would probably be universally despised if it were a real story for the bullshit reason Athy was killed off and the lack of care for it: 2/10

Lady Lily (the villainess maker)

Its another basic damsel in distress and Prince charming tale that's canonically a dumpster fire since it was written by a 14 year old, from what I could remember Charlotte invents a new form of skirt/dress for women to wear at balls and she catches the eye of a few men, it's so terrible that it ceases to function and ends up in a loop if things dont go according to how they are supposed to, so it's basically the average wattpad fanfic. 1/10 for being such an inconsistent mess the villainess maker plays into how stupid it is.

I don't think this one ever got a name but it's the og-story from Today the villainess has fun again

Iris is a poor Viscounts daughter who sets out on her own and becomes a maid. After a while of hardwork, she finds herself back into regal life after the crown prince and Reilynns fiance takes a liking to her, from there Iris has multiple men to choose from and along the way she opens up a perfume store I think?. This sounds like the type that would do so well on a webtoon but everywhere else would roast the shit out of it and side with Reilynn. 3/10

The flower from another world (divorcing my tyrant husband)

The FL Aisha travels to another dimension where she meets the Emperor and they fall in love. The "villainess" Robelia gets shoved to side and dies while Alexandros makes Aisha the empress. I feel like if this were a real manhwa, they'd probably vilifiy Robelia to justify Aisha butting into another relationship but as is, this story would probably also be despised for its treatment of Robelia. 1/10

Bridgette wants to be happy (Seducing the villains father)

The og plot was Bridgette as the FL and her love interest learning to heal from the traumas of the past that affected their parents lives. Characters would be mostly different since Yerenica and Erudian would be dead and Soleia may not even be a main character, that would be her son Dekalb. So we are talking a tragic story with a happy ending. This sounds like something I would actually read and I can see it being popular if it were real. 9/10

Stop obsessing over me brother! (Not your typical reincarnation story)

Self explanatory. I feel like this would just be some weird as step-bro fetishist crap judging by the title and the fact that Killian and Cliff really are Rhyses de-facto older brothers. Edith really did this one a favor by stepping in: 0/10

[absurdly-overpowered-astronaut]

I find Del and Junah’s connection over song really interesting!

I thought I had a screen cap of the scene but I don’t so for context I’m talking about the scene where Fidelio and Basilio talk about opening a dinner. When Basilio says Del could sing there and that Del admires Junah for her singing.

From a writing perspective It would have been so easy to have Del be protective of Junah because she is famous or pretty but I really like the fact that they root his affection for her in song , in a shared interest (if any think hulkenburg fills the role of being interested in Junah because of the aforementioned atleast initially) and an interest he seems to not engage in/is representing or only shows to Basilio because of his defensive and everyone’s out to get to the only one who I can rely on is my brother attitude.

I think fundamentally Del wants to be more emotionally honest and I think he wants to trust people and that ties into singing. Singing can be so emotionally vulnerable not only are you putting yourself out to a crowd but your probably singing about your deep seeded feelings or things that have resonated with you their is this connection and vulnerability that Del has convinced himself he cannot have. Weakness is death. Vulnerability is death. That is how he sees the world.

(Not the best screen shots in the world but working with what I have already in my camera roll)

I’m pretty sure Junah talks about connecting with an audience and sharing your feelings with said audience or something like as well.

But specifically what I really want to talk about is this line

This line implies that not only dose Del like singing but that singing his part of his tribes culture. A culture which he is probably completely disconnected from otherwise. The details will probably get cleared up in bilcelio’s social link but for now I think the implication is that their parents are dead/they where seperated from them very young and that they where both involved in the magic experiments?

(Del says he couldn’t protect Basilio from them which could mean that only Basilio was taken but I more so interpret the line as Del down playing his own trauma and focusing on his failure and Basilio’s suffering then him saying only Basilio was part of the magic experiments)

Which just adds another layer to del’s interest in singing and also his relationship with Junah because they both came from tribes that where discriminated against heavily

[helreginn]

"were you ever going to tell me the truth?" - Lucifer

send “were you ever going to tell me the truth?” for my muse’s reaction to your muse saying that to them.

Her eyes found his in the low light. And promptly swept past his dark and angered gaze. He wasn't angry at her. She knew it. Angry, yes. At her? Far, far from it.

She had told him.. the barest truth of her past. The cliff notes and abridges.

Hel had left... much unsaid. Much that he had to hear from someone else.

"I was a village girl. My family was bound, exiled and banished. Now I care for the dead."

Only there was more at the beginning. More to the middle. And even more to the end.

She is a Hagia's daughter. Heir to a seat few understand. She is a beloved daughter and doted on sister. These things are fact. Immutable. No past tense. She was a happy child. Carefree and wild. Her family were happy. Large and loud and loving. And then a man let his fear outweigh his reason. And she was no longer a happy child. The first was Fenrisúlfr, tricked and bound. Bloody maw ever open lest he impale himself on Týr's sword. They emptied the world of magic items just to tie him there. The next was Jǫrmungandr. Thrown into the ocean to grow and writhe in misery as he became too large for his captive enclosure.

The oldest and the largest done away with first so the younger, smaller siblings had no one to protect them.

Sleipnir was claimed for an immortal life of servitude and humiliation. Next were the twins. The horror wasn't apparent until the twins. A wolf, A serpent, A horse. These were their chosen forms. Keeping them stuck that way wasn't as cruel as the other things enacted. There are worse things than being inhuman. But the twins? They had not yet found their bestial forms when they were foisted upon them. In their fear and panic one son tore the other apart. And the Æsir, horrified themselves but not enough to defy their King, picked up the pieces. Some went to Loki, the most vile and perverse of binds. Innards of his gentle son, ungently tied. Sigyn wept as she caught the poison dripping from above, knowing her sons were gone. This was all that she could do. And the rest.. The rest went with Hel. Her small hands and feet covered in mud, blood and viscera as she was walked into the dark. Hand in hand with one brother. Alongside pieces of another. How desperately she had wailed. Her hands getting filthier as she clawed at the pieces of a boy she no longer recognised when they had left her there. Váli sounded not like himself. Like some kind of banshee. If he were not already a ghost he would have torn his throat apart from the inside. Hel certainly did. Left there alone in the dark, the cold. The only living thing in all the underworld. By the time the tears and screaming and desperate pleas subsided, Hel found that she was unable to speak. And did not gain that ability back until she was fully grown and far too old for her young age.

Goosebumps speckled her near-translucent skin as she focused on her breath. Focused on the in and the out. Knowing that if she let herself give in she'd end up hyperventilating. Again.

How long had it been since he'd asked? A moment? An hour? She didn't know. Still couldn't bring herself to look him in the face.

She had done nothing wrong with her omission. But it felt like a lie. He had told her his whole truth and she had kept hers all to herself. Where it could do the most harm. If she shared it, opened up and let someone else carry the burden, surely the blade would become dull. No, Hel preferred when her trauma cut clean. If it is hers alone, no one else can use it against her.

But someone told him. He didn't say. Didn't have to. Hel recognised those eyes. The same on everyone who wore them regardless of colour or age or shape. The sorrow. The horror. The sympathy, for truly they have no means to empathise.

It felt like she might begin to wither beneath the weight of that look on his face.

Finally, she did manage one small, "No."

[msfcatlover]

I am never not thinking about my personal AUs. Which will probably never see the light of day, unless you ask me about them or I boil over into a handful of concept/rant posts to huck into the void like so many frisbees.

Please, ask me about my AUs.

Current AU brainworms (almost all batfam):

The Reverse!Robins AU, featuring Duke as the eldest, Nightwing!Damian, Oracle!Tim, Steph as the Red Hood figure, Jason getting the Red Robin arc, and Dick as Batman!Cass’s sidekick.

The Magnus Archives universe fusion, where almost the entire family are Avatars. Focuses more on the fun slice-of-life silliness of being a bunch of eldritch fear-eating monsters than the Horrors(TM), but also body horror & nightmare fuel are fun.

Low-fantasy Urban Fantasy AU. Supernatural entities are exceptionally rare, and that is why almost nobody in the family is one. Gotham itself is semi-sentient, the Wayne bloodline has a Fisher King style cursed-bond to the city, Dick is highly magic-sensitive, Jason comes back as a Revenant, Tim is a changeling.

Monster Batkids AU, aka “Every monster can’t be your son.” Dick is a living doll, Jason’s a gargoyle grotesque, Tim is a ghost echo, Steph is a dullahan (zombie edition), Cass is a homunculus. Bruce, Alfred, & Babs are still exceptionally talented humans. Damian’s a genetically-tweaked clone, which means he’s kinda straddling the line between the two groups.

Changeling!Jason. Catherine Todd had a little boy with eyes that sparkled like sapphires. Bruce Wayne took in a homeless boy with eyes like soft grey river-stones. They have the same Name, but they are not the same child.

De-aged RH. Jason made it all the way back to Gotham, but never kicked off his big comeback plan. Dick Grayson opens his door to find a very irritable 13yr old version of his dead little brother telling Dick that he’s been cursed & doesn’t remember anything.

De-aged Robins. Dick, Tim, Steph, & Cass went to bust a villain operation a few days ago before going completely dark. Jason kicks the door down, clears out the place, and finds four very fighty 10yr olds in need of rescue.

“If Worst Comes to Worst,” aka the time-travel AU. Robin lived long enough to see the entire family fall. Robin lived long enough to see the world, for all intents & purposes, end. Robin held the line for as long as possible, and when that line reached its end, Robin faced it on their own terms. Robin woke up again on the day Jason Todd was supposed to meet Bruce Wayne, and swore to fix everything that went wrong. The problem? There are 5 different Robins, from 5 very different apocalypses, with 5 very different sets of trauma responses, and 5 very different plans to save the world.

“Perchance to Dream (2, Batbros Boogaloo),” aka “Hey, what if that one episode, but Jason’s the one in the machine & Dick gets halfway stuck in there too while trying to rescue him, basically ending up an intangible, invisible specter in Jason’s dream?”

Talon!Jason. Shiela Haywood did not sell her son out to the Joker. The Court wasn’t happy to find themselves with the wrong Robin, but they made do. Five years later…

Talon!Dick. In which I say, “Hey, you know what there’s not enough of? Fics where Talon!Dick meets Street-kid!Jason, and they both go, ‘Oh, this loser definitely won’t survive on his own! Guess I have to adopt him now.’”

Platonic!ABO. Which is to say, a setting with the usual social & biological rules expected of A/B/O stories, but without any sex or romance. Because I have discovered that the found family hits extra hard, the sick fics are basically therapeutic for me, and I wanted to play with the family dynamics I kept seeing in other Platonic!ABO Batfam fics.

NTT coping. Please, ask me about all the brotherly bonding Dick & Jason could’ve had back in the 80s. I have many thoughts.

_______________________________________________________________

The Magnus Archives:

Archivist!Tim. Yes, seriously. Sick of this only showing up in crackfics, give Tim the respect (trauma) he deserves (desperately doesn’t)! (please, I have like 4 seasons outlined, please)

De-aged Archivist. Late s3, Jon gets turned back to his childhood self in both body & mind. It seems like it’ll likely wear off on its own, but in the meantime there is a child in the archives and nobody really knows what to do about that.

______________________________________________________________ Slay the Princess:

Slay the Monster. Death isn’t change, Death is stillness & stagnation. The construct is not frozen, it’s alive & ever-shifting. There’s a monster in the basement, and on a path in the woods there is a princess. She’s here to slay him.

Original Routes: The Dancer & The Dream (art)

[thelostrainbowthenovel]

Bios: The Arianian Rulers

- Ruling Queen Noelani Neptune

. Age: 43

. Gender: female

. Sexuality: no label

. Family: parents(deceased), younger brother(deceased), Talia(oldest child), Amaya(second oldest child), Skye(middle child), Zephyr(youngest child)

. Relationships: Caelestis(husband)

. Abilities: cloud magic(natural)

. Physical Appearance: tall with a slim yet busty build, waist-length and curly pale pink hair that fades into a pale salmony color, light brown skin, blue eyes, multiple ear piercings

Ruling queen of the Kingdom of Arian, wife to Caelestis, and mother to Talia, Amaya, Skye, and Zephyr. A normally bubbly, expressive, and seemingly happy queen, but Noelani did not always start out this way. Her parents had her at a much later age than most, and both having severe health complications, she was always so anxious as she was so scared of losing them. When she was a young child just starting school, things seemed to start looking up as she heard she would have a little brother soon, but her heart shattered when he was pronounced dead shortly after birth due to complications. Throughout the rest of her childhood and into her adolescence she went through a dark, depressive era as she experienced too much pain and heartbreak left-and-right that she did not want to confront or deal with. As she became a teenager she became enamored with the idea of becoming wild and rebellious, as she always had a fascination with the style and found it to be an outlet for her pain. Her favorite memories of those years were all the fun and crazy adventures she went on together with Queen Demeter Erdmann of Erdennia, as they were always best friends, though their adventures had to end as they became adults and Noelani had to start royal training and take over the throne much earlier than expected as her parents became too weak to rule for much longer. During this time was when she met Caelestis, who brought such a light to her life that she got together and settled down with their family quickly with him. As an adult she has learned to confront her trauma and allow herself to move on, she has become a very wise queen that many look up to for her compassionate and empathetic nature.

- King Consort Caelestis Neptune

. Age: 44

. Gender: male

. Sexuality: bisexual

. Family: parents, 1 older sister, 1 younger sister, 5 nieces, Talia(oldest child), Amaya(second oldest child), Skye(middle child), and Zephyr(youngest child)

. Relationships: Noelani(wife)

. Abilities: wind magic(natural), scepter/sword-fighting

. Physical Appearance: tall with a lanky and lean build, shoulder-length and curly white often put in half-up styles, light brown skin with a few birthmarks along the sides of his body, light bronze eyes, multiple ear piercings

King Consort of the Kingdom of Arian, husband to Noelani, and father to Talia, Amaya, Skye, and Zephyr. Growing up in a middle-class family, Caelestis had a rough time as he was born very sickly and was always rather weak, prone to getting hurt and an easy target for bullies. One near-fatal incident when he was a young child left him severely injured and close to death, had a soldier not been nearby to save his life. Out of the compassion and empathy of their heart they passed down their prized lightning bolt scepter to him, to help him further defend and protect himself. For the next several years of his life he focused on building up his physical strength and training with his scepter, eventually learning how to use it to better channel his magic as he was always rather weak with it. While many would look at his life and expect him to become a soldier himself when he became of age, he shocked everybody when he wanted to become a member of the royal council instead. While he has the highest respect and support for the army and has close friendships with many soldiers, he always had an interest in politics and diplomacy from all the history books he read during his sickest days as a child. Around this time was when he first met Noelani, finding her adventurous and free-spirited nature a nice change of pace from what he was most used to at the time, but he fell for her quickly the more he got to know her better on a deeper and more personal level. He is looked up to highly and respected by many, mostly for his kind and friendly nature that has allowed him to get along with many citizens, nobles, and royals from other kingdoms.

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 2.5/5

Book Blurb: During the Great War, a combat nurse searches for her brother, believed dead in the trenches despite eerie signs that suggest otherwise, in this hauntingly beautiful historical novel with a speculative twist, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale. “A wonderful clash of fire and ice—a book you won’t want to let go of.”—Diana Gabaldon, author of Outlander

January 1918. Laura Iven was a revered field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax, Canada, Laura receives word of Freddie’s death in combat, along with his personal effects—but something doesn’t make sense. Determined to uncover the truth, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital, where she soon hears whispers about haunted trenches and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could Freddie have escaped the battlefield, only to fall prey to something—or someone—else?

November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German by the name of Hans Winter. Against all odds, the two form an alliance and succeed in clawing their way out. Unable to bear the thought of returning to the killing fields, especially on opposite sides, they take refuge with a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear.

As shells rain down on Flanders and ghosts move among those yet living, Laura’s and Freddie’s deepest traumas are reawakened. Now they must decide whether their world is worth salvaging—or better left behind entirely.

Review:

A combat nurse searches for her brother during the Great War while a darker strange force intercepts him. The story is set during the Great War and follows Laura Iven and her brother Freddie Iven. Laura is a combat nurse who was discharged from the corp while her brother was still fighting in the front. She's living in Halifax, Canada but receives word of her brother's death along with a few of his things yet something doesn't ring true to her. Laura is determined to find her brother and what actually happened to him, and that begins with her journeying to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital. While there she begins to hear a strange rumor about a strange hotelier who's wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion and Laura just knows he is connected to her brother somehow. While Laura's story takes place in 1918, we also follow Freddie's story set in 1917, where we get to see what has happened to him. Freddie wakes up after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German man named Hans Winter. Freddie and Winter work together and form an alliance as they find a way to escape. Yet their escape is short lived as they soon find refuge with a strange man who has the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear... Can Laura find Freddie before it's too late? This is a beautifully written story that really captures the PTSD and trauma of war. Despite that, this one definitely was not for me. I was expecting something a bit more, yet this was really slow and honestly, not for me because I found myself getting bored over and over. I adored Arden's previous books but this one just did not work for me personally at all. I think if you enjoy war time stories this would be for you, as someone who does not, and was expecting a bit more paranormal/magical elements in the story this one was definitely less magic and more historical. The story focuses on trauma and sibling relationships and the historical war time, and if you enjoy quiet slow burn stories then give it a go, I feel like it would work for you. I just didn't find myself all that invested in the story and the characters felt flat to me. About the 30% mark had me just not caring all that much about what was happening and finishing the book felt a bit like a slog. I will continue to read Arden's books though because the author has a really beautiful way of writing and I look forward to what she comes up with next.

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[ginger-idiot]

So-

I make a shit ton of head canons for different characters. and its basically just a bunch of random bullshit that I don't mind anyone using.

like.

at all.

Take them I don't care.

So- anyways.

DREAM AND NIGHTMARE RANDOM BULLSHIT GO!

Both Dream and Nightmare have a very... strange accent, lets say. Its a mix between a Scottish accent and Irish accent. Everyone that came from Dreamtale had this accent (I say had because their all dead :) )

----------------

Since the two brothers canonically have no gender but do identify as male, they don't have a set form for their ecto to snap into when it's formed. HOWEVER! Dream's ecto will take on a feminine shape, but it doesn't have to be fully feminine. Same with Nightmare except his is masculine.

----------------

They don't have actual bodies! Their "little kid" body was a vessel created by Nim before their spirits were shoved into them. They have to put either magic into the vessel, or build a new one to make it looks like they "aged".

----------------

If they start to dust, they can leave their vessel and be completely unharmed aside from some minor damage.

----------------

Dream and Nightmare were shoved into their vessels the moment they were fully formed. This was very, very dangerous and decades too early, but it could've killed Nim if she kept them like that any longer. Because of this, they are extremely pre-mature and their actual spirits are still kids, by immortal god standards. (They're tiny as all hell.)

----------------

Going back to head canon numbero uno, They use voice changing magic to hide their accents! Being the only two beings in the whole underverse with an AU (that, need I remind you doesn't even exist properly anymore) exclusive accent is a little embarrassing.

----------------

Dream and Nightmare have a mind link that they can use at any time, it isn't always on and is kind of like a walkie-talkie.

----------------

Dream can intentionally suppress his heat cycles at the cost of his own energy. This is useful for if he's kidnapped or if he's in a situation that heat could REALLY mess up. Nightmare can't do this.

----------------

Nightmare and Dream actually have a very close relationship. They managed to work things out between them sometime after their fight in 0.6. They only fight nowadays to spar, train, or uphold reputation.

----------------

The Bad Sanses see Nightmare as an older brother to them, and Night sees them as younger brothers. The Bad Sanses (Including Nightmare) see Dream as their youngest and also have a good relationship with Dream, fighting only to spar, train, uphold reputation, ect. ect. (The day Dream finally swears is the day that they throw the biggest party known to monsterkind.)

----------------

Nightmare can control weather he wants his goop to be acidic or not, this comes in handy for when he has to comfort his brothers (Bad Sanses included, not just Dream).

----------------

The twins aren't actually twins! Nightmare is older then Dream by a few years, but since their vessels are the same age, they're called twins.

----------------

Nightmare's spirit took longer to fully form then Dream's.

----------------

Nightmare was originally apposed to the idea of Dream swearing. "He's pure like snow!" in his exact words. But after Dream ate the apple and became shattered, (More on that later) it's become sort of a necessity for Dream to finally swear.

----------------

Dream skips meals often, mainly from some deep trauma but also because he gets too focused on his job. The Bad Sanses usually force him to eat though.

----------------

Dream ate the apple, yes, but he doesn't like to be in his shattered form, he'll only use it if it's absolutely necessary. Nightmare helped him get out of shattered after witnessing him throw away his life for him.

----------------

Dream and Nightmare went into a deep, hibernation-like state after the X event. The whole ordeal took most, if not all of their energy, requiring them to rest for years on end. When they finally woke it was because someone disturbed them by causing EVEN MORE peril to the underverse.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anyways that's all I have for now, feel free to use these as you like! maybe even change them up a bit idrc.

[conchelle]

So I've thought a little bit more about Subahibi. Some of my opinions have changes while others have solidified. Its definitely a visual novel that invites the reader to come to their own conclusion about whats happening and yeah, I think I'm gonna do just that.

I still don't accept the simple message of "Live Happily" from this VN. To me it just doesn't make sense if you even begin to think about what happened in the first half.

But then I realized a crucial detail that I was missing. Perspectives. Each chapter is told in an individual character's perspective. There is no solid information given in Subahibi. Only interpretations through another character's lens. The only way we can confirm the existence is something is if it's consistent enough with multiple accounts.

By the end of Subahibi we are still locked to someone perspective. That being Tomosane. In the end what the reader takes away from him is to "Live Happily."

As a core message, this fails for reasons I've already went on and on about. But then I stopped and considered. What if this wasn't the story itself trying to relay a message, but rather the advice from a cast of characters with heavy survivorship bias.

That's when everything made sense to me. The character we're left with by the end of the story are more or less completely uninvolved with the characters we came to knew in the first half. Tomosane doesn't know anything about Zakuro. Hasaki never really got to know the Takuji her brother ended up becoming. Yuki never even got a chance to meet anyone who atteneded Kita high school

They don't know the suffering of the characters who didn't survive. They only know their own and their own recovery. Living Happily worked in their situation and that's the advice they had to relay.

From that viewpoint, that message makes complete sense. I can accept that. But it just brings up probably the biggest issue I have with the story.

The first half and second half of Subahibi are almost completely unrelated.

Subahibi is a remake of a 1997 visual novel called Tsui no Sora that more or less follows the same story beats as the first half. So basically the original plot was written without what would become the second half of Subahibi in mind. And yeah it really shows.

Everything in the first half of Subahibi that relates to the second half just feels like a convenient excuse. The story tries to make the viewer think "Ooooo does this story have supernatural elements? Or maybe it's all just mental illness oooooo~"

The story really wants to throw me for a loop and I'm just not buying it because the fact that the whole Supernatural or Mental dilemma exists at tells me all I need to know.

Because the thing is. Everything that could possibly be the work of some kind of super wacky magic powers just make more sense when you frame them in a more human lens.

Was Mamiya really possessed by his deceased brother or is it just years of abuse and being forced to take on the image of his dead brother that destroyed his mental state and sense of self?

It just seems like a no-brainer to me. Why would you even attempt to insert the idea that supernatural magic can be involved when the explanation already provided is sufficient and realistic enough?

Did the trauma Mamiya experience cause him to develop DID or was it just Yuki and his original soul inhabiting his body the whole time?

Again. In this context the more fantastical option just makes less sense. The whole "magic" aspect is never expanded or developed enough to make me believe that this could even be a possibility in this world as opposed to trauma and mental illness which the first half of the story heavily focuses on.

My main issue with the second half of the story is just the fact that all it's attempts to connect and relate to the first half feel completely out of place. It pretends that its trying to throw some interesting questions at you to ponder about when in reality every question it brings up has already been logically explained in the first half.

It all just feels like a convenient excuse to distract the viewer from realizing that the second half practically throws everything you already know in the garbage and desperately tries to confuse you in hopes you won't notice. None of the characters we leave off with have anything to do with the characters we start off with.

Mamiya Takuji? Completely retconned. Despite being a whole person with thoughts and desires his entire character is wiped and never mentioned again. If we look at this from a completely realistic lens. His trauma is completely wiped cleaned and his cured from all mental illness. He doesn't get to improve as person or recover, he just reverts back to the younger version except with all the knowledge of someone of his current age. It doesn't make sense.

So let's look at this from the magic supernatural lens. His personality is wiped because it's actually his evil dead brother that's possessing his body and eventually he comes back and make the evil spirit go away!

None of these ideas are thoughtfully developed and one explanation shows gaping holes in the writing while the other is a more feel good quick excuse that tells the viewer not to dwell on it too much. Either way they both accomplish the same goal of completely writing out one of the most important characters to the first half so they can loosely connect him to the "true" protagonist of the second half.

How about Zakuro? She's a pretty integral character in the first half. She more or less kickstarts the plot so what's up with her? Despite being deceased her presence is heavy in the narrative and ends up effecting a good amount of the characters. So what do they do with her in the second half? Nothing? Absolutely nothing? Cool!

Like I get it. In the end her death wasn't anything more than just that. She lived and she died but the characters inflate her existence into something more even though she was mostly ignored while she was living. She wasn't a God or a savior. She was just a girl and that's fine.

The issue is that by the second half her entire existence has become irrelevant. None of the characters we follow know anything about her other than the fact that her suicide was the catalyst to all of this.

We never get a follow up on what really happened afterwards. It's implied she still has a family out there but they never make themselves known. Apparently it was a huge thing in the news but this is only mentioned in a passing statement. Despite it having an impact on so many people the cast we're left with barely acknowledges it.

Yuki is a whole character I genuinely don't even feel like going in depth into. Apparently she exists because Takuji wanted the ideal version of himself to be the only version of himself and in order to do that the old Yuki would be replaced by this new one who had the same personality but none of the memories and this had to happen because...reasons.

Her character really is just the most convenient excuse as to why the Yuki we end up seeing in the second half doesn't align with the first one we see. Once again she's just another character that very loosely relates to the second half and is quickly written out of the story when convenient.

The ending of Subahibi resolves all its conflict by writing out all the characters that were involved in the conflict. The conflict can't exist without the characters driving the story so how do you come to a resolution? Just remove them. Make them irrelevant. Takuji was obliterated from existence. Zakuro was forgotten. Yuki just stopped being relevant. So of course the characters in the second half got their happy ending. They were barely involved with the events that happened.

So in the end what do they have to say about everything that transpired? A simple message that has nothing to do with the events that actually occurred.

There is a third ending though. It's very vague and the most popular interpretations of it is that Ayana is somehow the ruler of this universe. Whether it be her dream, she's God disguised as a human, or she's the writer's self insert. It intentionally invites the viewer to come to their own conclusion about what all of this really is. And you know what? Yeah. I like it.

I feel it's way more in line with the themes Subahibi was trying to present than any forced happy ending for characters who could matter less. For a story like this, yeah.

I've seen a huge split between people who feel like the story dragged on and picked up in the second half and people who thought the story was interesting in the first half and fell off it the second. I'm not surprise there's such a divide because they are fundamentally two different stories with a very small convenient thread connecting them

I never really mentioned how I feel about the second half's narrative on it's own. I think it's alright for what is is. But of course it's greatly held back by the fact that it's trying to tell a story by hijacking another one. It's at its best when it doesn't even try to connect the two.

idk idk these are my thoughts. maybe they'll change again but I feel pretty solid on this