#does the spell even matter?

[girl4music]

Xabrielle VS Spuffy: Correlations between Xena’s ‘Fins, Femmes & Gems’ and Buffy’s ‘Something Blue’

You know they re-wrote the script 48 hours out before going into production for ‘Fins, Femmes & Gems’ from Gabrielle being obsessed with sexual positions to Gabrielle being obsessed with herself - but the funniest thing about that is they still had Xena obsessed with fishing but Xena never needs Gabrielle around her as much as she does when she’s not obsessed with that.

“She’s come for me. I knew she would. She can’t live without me for a minute. Not that I could blame her.”

Obviously it’s a metaphor but I still think it’s hilarious.

The way it comes across is that Xena is obsessed with Gabrielle as well as Gabrielle… But it’s just hidden behind the metaphor of “fishing” together. And they always pull that one out in this show: they’re “fishing”.

And so my question is - if Gabrielle’s apparent obsession in the original script was sexual positions rather than just an obsession with Xena… Why is it Xena that’s the main factor there? Obviously it’s because the “non-spell” parts of them still came through just as it does in the re-written script for the actual episode.

I just found it funny how Renee immediately jumped to “being in love with Xena” when the obsession in the original script was just about sexual positions.

Why is Xena even relevant to that?

And in the re-written script, if the obsession is fishing.

Why is Gabrielle relevant to that?

The answer is because they’re already in love with each other and they’re the main factor because that’s who the obsession informs regardless of the spell cast.

In this episode, it’s not a direct spell meant to make the one under it fall in love with anyone. It’s just making them have an obsession about something or someone.

But with Xena and Gabrielle in both the original and re-written script,.. the main factor is each other regardless what they’re apparently “obsessed” with because they’re not actually under a spell with each other.

They’re for real and so the “obsessions” they have are only so desirable because of that reason. Each other.

The same way in BtVS’s ‘Something Blue’ the spell Willow cast was “why don’t they just get married?” and not “why don’t they just fall in love with each other?”

It’s just a natural consequence because they’re for real.

It’s really about removing the restrictions/resistances to the characters’ sexual and emotional inhibitions. Meaning if you give them a reason to gravitate towards each other that does not directly mean “I chose this”, they’ll go for it because then they won’t feel any guilt.

Why would they? It’s just the “spell”.

So with ‘Fins, Femmes & Gems’ both in the original and re-written scripts, the “spell” isn’t the driving force of what’s pulling Xena and Gabrielle towards each other. It’s the excuse. The driving force is their real love for each other and romantic attraction and unresolved tension because that’s what’s really bothering them.

So depending on how they approached it - it wouldn’t necessarily be an insult to queer people if they were allowed to produce the episode with the original script so long as they made it clear the “spell” wasn’t the main factor just as they did with the re-written script.

There are several times in the episode where their respective “obsessions” were completely forgotten about in the midst of the crisis of losing each other.

Obviously it’s because each other mattered more to them than some daft obsession spell they were under - of which only appears to be desirable to them because they have each other to be “obsessed” with them for.

It’s a metaphor… The “obsession” is really each other and I think that would have been the case no matter which script they decided to go with for the episode.

If Gabrielle was obsessed with sexual positions instead of herself. If Xena was still obsessed with fishing. So long as they still approached it the way they did in the re-written script - I think it would have been totally fine because even in the re-written script, it was pretty clear that these “obsessions” weren’t why they were so,.. so

MARRIED. That’s the only word I can use that justifies what’s going on in that episode. Their need for each other to be around because they’re already married.

Therefore, I think the comparison to BtVS’s ‘Something Blue’ is dead on. Because Spuffy don’t act that way because the spell forced them to get married. They act that way because they already behave as if they are.

It’s just more so because “it’s not us”/“we’re forced”.

‘Fins’ is exactly the same. Behind the metaphor or the excuse - it’s just 2 suppressed idiots in love that can let go of ALL sexual and emotional inhibitions and just be happy because in those moments they’re just “Xena” and “Gabrielle” and the plot/seasonal arc can TAKE A SEAT to allow for some crucial character stuff that needs to take some precedence after what happens.

Those kind of “love spell” episodes are worth watching because you are seeing what’s for real there with them.

It’s just so exaggerated because it’s a release for them.

The spell doesn’t actually matter. But without the spell as the excuse - they’d never go there with each other.

They’d never be brave enough to because of all the other shit going on around them or they’re enemies.

But it’s like when real romantic feelings are there - none of that is even a focus. None of that is even relevant.

Only each other. That’s how I see ‘Fins’ and ‘Something Blue’ because the spell cast is really only the metaphor.

What’s the real deal is why the metaphor is necessary.

The desire for each other and unresolved tension there.

If you can show that that’s the driving force and the main factor - then any “spell” episode - be it love, obsession or anything else - is successful storytelling and - if approached well - successful representation.

There’s major correlations between these two episodes because the “spell” is not why the characters behave as they do. But it is the reason why they would allow it in the first place and why they go way over the top with it.

As far as the characters are concerned - it’s a release of everything that’s pent up inside of and between them.

When you use a “spell” episode like that - and that ends up being what is interpreted out of it - it is successful. I mean technically Spuffy is just a “b-plot” of ‘Something Blue’ whereas Xabrielle is an “a-plot of ‘Fins’ - but nevertheless - what stands out is their odd behaviour.

It’s what people remember of the episodes themselves. But what’s not communicated is that behaviour is real because “we’re under a spell”/“we can’t be blamed”.

Yes, well that only stands when the spell is directly a love spell on each other. If it’s not - then it’s just void and the behaviour is a natural consequence of what is not being acknowledged and addressed in both the relationship and in the individual. So it’s a release for it.

In ‘Fins’ Xena figures out that the obsessions they had had nothing to do with the spell put on them but rather what it was that was bothering them deep down that they needed to get in touch with. It was about insight. Now if they were allowed to use the original script, then that insight could well have been that they were in love and were not letting themselves express it frequently. In that sense, it could have actually been a proper coming out episode that was very sincere in its intentional goal despite the “spell” factor because… I mean… I might be totally wrong about this but I don’t think anyone who watches ‘Something Blue’ - especially not on rewatches - believes that Willow’s spell was forcing Spuffy to kiss, so I don’t think that the spell in ‘Fins’ would have forced Xabrielle to “experiment with sexual positions” either - especially not if the obsession was really about insight because then the insight is that enough was enough. Either they come out to themselves and each other in how they really feel for each other and what to do about expressing those feelings physically or leave each other. And we all know there is absolutely no way the creators - not these creators - would have ever done the latter because despite not knowing the best way to go about handling it, they were all always on the side of the fans and shippers which is the only real striking difference between Xena’s ‘Fins’ and Buffy’s ‘Something Blue’.

Practically everybody in the writer’s room was on-board with Xena and Gabrielle. Not everyone was with Spuffy. But the jokes on them really because it was ‘Something Blue’ that even made Spuffy a twinkle in anyone’s eye because we had never seen either character so happy.

You know sometimes things don’t work out the way you want them. Other times they’re just a happy accident. A closer look at both Xena’s ‘Fins, Femmes & Gems’ and Buffy’s ‘Something Blue’ provides that of something which is missing in the TV art/entertainment of today.

FUN. CAMP. RELEASE. The other side of the spectrum where the plot/seasonal arc is not so important then. But the character representation and development is.

[puppyeared]

i feel like im not making any sense but does anyone else feel like there are stories that let u run with them and ones that spell everything out for you

[ganondoodle]

okay, bc i have seen this argument alot now (and it also seems to be the view point of aonuma himself..) is that "zelda cant do everything link does bc whats the point then"

and i take personal offense on that bc its a stupid argument (in. my. very. personal. opinion.- not judging people for liking it. its a ME thing)

whats the point? its that its her. its still a different character, different in story, background, personality, but i WANT to play zelda and she can do everything link does, why does she have to be so restricted and be bend over backwards to find some new way to make her 'useful' when link gets to do basically everything no questions asked (the only thing thats hers is like .. sealing power and sacrificial maiden, which i find a little underwhelming to say the least), if theres no point to it why are there always modders that model swap link with someone else, and in that case it has even less impact bc its an artificial model swap with no changes to the story (which can and should still be different when its the vanilla game with a different protagonist... its still a different character), clearly theres joy in just the model being a different one- and that isnt even to mention the story possibilities, since, again, its stil a different character

if we ever (never ... i know who we are talking about here) get to play as ganondorf i want to him to be just as versatile and active as link is, if we got a point and click adventure game for him instead bc 'whats the point' id be disappointed too- you can find any sort of excuse/explanation for zelda to be singled out but the fact remains it tracks with how female characters are often treated, and that hits a very sore spot for me

i guess i am unfortunately one of those annoying people that want to see female characters be treated exactly the same as male characters, possibly bc i am myself afab but identify as agender and have a deeply personal dislike for anything 'traditional' feminine bc i cannot and never will be able to truly live as myself in real life, it influences all of my work, my work is as just as much as my opinion on this, very personal

and in line with my point about modding, i see theres joy in just beign able to play as her even if its like this, i get that, i also get it for the creative aspect (though that mechanic worries me even more for the future bc it really seems to be the path now that -freedom = good, linear anything = bad-) it is a different idea and its not like i cant see that value- im not trying be "right" either, just bc i have that opinion doesnt mean i need everyone to agree, its a very personal thing, if you like it good for you! not for me though, and i think both of that is equally valid

i just personally wish she was allowed to be just like link, fight just like him but be different bc its still her and not him in the end- to be physically/playstyle like jsut like him, but you know ... as her, i dont think shed stop being zelda if she could wield a sword just like him

i dont really know how to get my point/feelings across, i dont want to step too much into personal stuff nor spam people with something that ultimately doesnt interest me alot, im just saddened by it really

(EDIT: bc i forgot to add this on here again; this isnt as much of a problem as it might sound like here, just the main topic i wanted to talk about; why im so uninterested in it is MAINLY bc i dont trust them to write anything interesting/care about lore anymore after totk, im always on the more pessimistic side that thinks its most likely worse than id hope and i know even the past games arent perfect or super interestingly written, but now its much more just a general distrust, together with everything like the price ... im just much less hopeful and cant get excited until i see more of it, like im waiting for the game to get out and reveal that its just as much of a mess and money i regret spending- kind of fear)

[fisheito]

My favourite fantasy lately is Kuya kidnapping Eiden and bringing him to a house in the woods to punish him for endangering himself during some adventure. Kuya keeps Eiden in bondage and constantly on edge, teasing and denying him. And Eiden just takes it without asking to be let out, allowing Kuya to vent his fear and frustration, because he's nice like that.

But, at some point, even the strongest little soldiers break, and just when Eiden is about to shatter from all the stress and Kuya's oppressive anxiety, Quincy comes for the rescue. He's the only one who managed to find that little wooden shack in the middle of nowhere (you know, because Kuya's allowed him to), and he comes in and persuades Kuya to relent.

Kuya hasn't even given Eiden any dick in all the (three? four?) days they've been at it, so serious he was about the discipline aspect!

Eiden cries when Kuya finally fucks him, and Quincy makes him spill

this just reminds me of Billowing Wildfire Kuya R2 where eiden saID sO HImself

i would not be surprised if kuya went full speed into an evil edging hostage situation because he doesn't know how to process eiden's mortality

[dallonwrites]

actually making my tags from my last post into their own post. writers who struggle with grammar, spelling, typos, errors etc i love you. writers who struggle with rereading their stuff thoroughly no matter how much they try, who don't always have access to other people to help them read i love you. whilst reading through and checking for these things is good practice i really believe that the weight of it should not be put wholly on the writer's shoulders. especially writers who are neurodivergent, disabled, have any condition that can impede their reading + comprehension, are overworked and overtired, are not writing in their native language, list goes on....because grammar mistakes/language mistakes/typos have nothing to do with your abilities as a creative. this is where editors should be uplifting writers, helping them, not scrutinising them for something they cannot always control

[hana-bobo-finch]

“damn i feel like I got hit by a bus, I wonder why I’m so tired”

me at 1:00 am last night freaking out because I just realized that the one panel where pumpkin daddy’s stupid little beard was transparent was fixed in the version of the page that the author sent me (this is shocking information) (when did it get fixed) (this is amazing) (I’m so glad I don’t have to see his ugly ass chin anymore) (this is definitely worth staying up another half hour)

[dravidious]

Trauma Center GUILT OC - Codename: Metronome

Metronome consists of four cores that remain stationary on the organ. Its cycle of activity consists of a pair of sequential patterns. First, the cores will each spawn a cloud of pus over themselves, one at a time in a random order with a steady rhythm, each spawning accompanied by a sound effect. Then, following the same order and rhythm, each core will briefly flicker, making a sound and dealing minor vitals damage. After each core has flickered, there will be a few seconds delay, then the cycle will begin again.

To treat Metronome, the scalpel must be used to cut each core during its flicker, causing that core to shrivel up. This will also interrupt the cycle and stop the other cores from flickering, so you can only land one hit per cycle. Using the scalpel on a non-flickering core will interrupt the cycle, cause large vitals damage, and spawn pus clouds in random locations.

Shriveled cores will still spawn pus clouds, but they will not flicker or make a sound during the flickering stage, making it more difficult to keep track of the rhythm.

Once all four cores are shriveled, Metronome will make its last stand. First, each core will begin vibrating. This has a rhythm and random order just like its normal activity, but no pus clouds spawn. Then in the same order, each core will briefly flash, and during this moment they must be injected with an antiserum. If any core is left uninjected, or if an injection is mistimed, moderate vitals damage will occur and several pus clouds will spawn, and the attack will repeat in a few seconds. Once all four cores are successfully injected, Metronome will be defeated and can be excised and extracted.

[mariocki]

Infinite list of favourite lyrics: 229/?

Bobbie Gentry - Ode to Billie Joe (1967)

"And Papa said to Mama, as he passed around the black-eyed peas:

'Well, Billie Joe never had a lick of sense; pass the biscuits, please.

There's five more acres in the lower forty I got to plow'

And Mama said it was a shame about Billie Joe, anyhow.

Seems like nothin' ever comes to no good up on Choctaw Ridge

And now Billie Joe McAllister's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge"

[...]

"Mama said to me, 'Child, what's happened to your appetite?

I've been cookin' all morning, and you haven't touched a single bite.

That nice young preacher, Brother Taylor, dropped by today

Said he'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday - oh, by the way

He said he saw a girl that looked a lot like you up on Choctaw Ridge

And she and Billie Joe was throwin' something off the Tallahatchie Bridge'"

[seagull-scribbles]

My own design of knuckles and Shadow (without clothes) because I crave violence

[vilnan]

literally it costs 0 dollars for native english speakers to be kind to us who are not <3

[theres-whump-in-that-nebula]

“You did not live in a house of horrors. I was raised to believe in hellfire; now that was bad!” Okay and impending global genocide of any culture that disagrees with your beliefs isn’t? Being raised mentally preparing to withstand torture at the hands of police in a “do it to Julia” situation isn’t? Being socially isolated from your peers on the grounds that they’re evil uneducated dumb worldly heathens controlled by Satan isn’t a bad thing? No. Those are all good things which every child should be taught in order to experience “the real life.”

The legitimate truth is that we are all in “the real life” right now and in “the real life,” the Governing Body is doing the very best they can to cover up the fact that they’re a cult by relaxing the cult’s rules in a futile attempt to prevent the prosecution in the numerous ONGOING child sexual abuse cases from handing their non-tight-pants-wearing asses to them. And the other legitimate truth is discovering this fact to be the legitimate truth while having to navigate a sea of lies and high school is extremely traumatizing, especially when you feel the need to take a hard stance against the cult to prevent others’ children — children like you — from befalling the same fate by dressing up as some miserable wretch who cooked and ate children, hoping the way you look and carry yourself and stare into the parents’ eyes will scare them away. And even more traumatizing is that your tactics worked; proving that you are just as bad and scary as your preexisting OCD made you out to be. Yes I did it to myself; but consider the reason why I felt so compelled to sacrifice the entirety of my mental health to sabotage you with what little tools I had. I wouldn’t have done it had I not had a very good reason, and my very good reason was that I was a child who loved children. You were trying to protect me and it was a sacrifice; but I was also trying to protect children. My endeavor is not — and was never — a selfish one. It is not that I don’t care about you; I only prioritize the class which is most oppressed, and you are not a part of it because you are adults. Your feelings, unfortunately, are expendable in my mission to end religious child labor. I will not support your corrupt religion to make you happy when I know what it’s done to others and to myself; it is wrong, and you are wrong for supporting it. I, as a paraprofessional, refuse to support a religion which hides the sexual abuse of children for its own gain. By law I am now a mandatory reporter; I must report child abuse when I see it under penalty of law. Therefore it stands to reason that I must report your cult from the top of every mountain for the entire inhabited earth to hear so they may not even take so much as one step in your direction. I am sorry if I seem like I hate you; if the fact that I reject your ideals of theological expectational fascism disturbs you so much, then maybe you need to re-evaluate your choices.

“Your actions affect others.” I know my actions affect others; I know how they affect others as well. You’re crushed and demoralized and suffering physically from all the emotional stress; I’ve likely dug you both early graves. I know what I’ve done and I can live with it — Not easily — but I am not defeated because I know I’m in the right, and have always been in the right. No. The real question is: Do you know how your actions are affecting others? In exquisite detail? Have you listened to the victims? Have you allowed yourself to hear both sides of the story with your human ears, not ones made of tin and thought-blocking strategies and “I had it worse than you” excuses? No? Then you’d better start because the key to healing yourself is to aid in the healing of others. We are all connected as one body; and I refuse to be a cancer cell. Sorry I’m aiding in your downfall but it’s got to happen at some point.

[the-amber-droid-dreams]

being arab is just so.. weird. i dont feel represented by or at home w white ppl but also im not the kind of person ppl are usually thinking to include when they say poc...?

im arab but im not brown. im not asian, im african, but ppl always assume african = black and im not that either. my skin is on the paler end of the spectrum but ppl clock me as "other" anyway. arabs are barely represented as is and even when they are its never anyone like me, never anyone thats even from my damn region.

[geoffrey]

No your take on gay bars is wrong. Also gay men have a hook up culture whereas lesbians dont and require emotional connection.

lol.................... just walk away from me

[seawitchkaraoke]

Made it all the way through a crown of candy and I absolutely loved it! Loooove Theo, he might actually jump to the top of my fave Murph PCs, he's so good, he just wants to protect people! And he does! He just stands there and draws 20 attacks and not a single one of them hits!

That said. I know mechanically it doesn't work like that but where is the angsty fanfic where Ruby and Saccharina attack each other in the end, Theo jumps in and takes the damage from both of their attacks?

Bc like. I don't think he'd ever attack any of them beyond like, trying to grapple or push them away but I do think if it had come to that he'd have tried to take as many of the hits as he possibly could while yelling at everyone to stop it

Something, something, Ruby, Amathar and Saccharina fighting just for the dust to clear and Theo (who barely ever loses more than like half his hp the entire campaign) lying on the ground having taken all that damage on to himself....

Idk. Could be fun

[variantia]

BELLUM.   anyway field trip to that lil village Chara was raised in which sits about half an hour’s walk away from the base of Mt. Ebott

Lo punches the cult leader hard enough to make him see stars

and Chara STARES WIDE EYED as if she just knocked out the teeth of a god

bastard better keep his ass on the ground cuz she’ll knock him out as many times as it takes to keep him down

doesn’t matter what magic technique he tries to use on her

his most powerful spell is NOTHING against the sheer raw power of her love for this child

she’ll knock his ass out and turn to the rest of the cult village (which is ... empty save for a couple of sympathetic members who don’t even believe in the cult’s bullshit and have been manipulated into staying)

and she’ll just be like

anyone else got somethin to say 💅💅💅

[scrolpencer]

What do I have that my family dont? Why do mosquitos love me?? IT SERIOUSLY SUCKS (no pun intended)