#dove does analysis

[girlerasers]

Deconstructing Luz & Hunter and Wittebane Siblings Parallels

Alternatively titled: Luz is actually not a stand-in for Philip and I will fight the show's writers on this myself if I must

Another Owl House mini-essay because this show's been on the mind. As the previous one, expect some mentions of abuse, murder, colonization, and so on (as per canon-typical Belos awfulness). Technically peer reviewed (my discord friends talked about it with me)

Luz & paralleling Philip/Belos

The show does a lot of work to make you see Luz as equivalent to Belos, partly in order to deconstruct that. I don't mind that actually, I think the subversion of the "just as bad as the villain" trope fits the show's themes of deconstructing the fantasy genre, given its similar takes on the idea of a chosen one and so on. However, I don't think these parallels are narrative as much as they are just a manifestation of Luz's anxieties and Belos feeding into that.

Stay with me here: We have a character who abandons the only family member they have left in order to stay in the Demon Realm. They fall in love with a witch, and fall in love with the world they're staying in. They unlearn the initial ideas they had about the world that dehumanize its inhabitants in some way—and are in conflict with Philip/Belos, who wishes to "save their soul" and get them out of there.

Am I talking about Caleb or Luz? That's a trick question, because it's both. It's literally the same character arc! And more importantly here—there's something to suggest that at least Belos sees them in the same way.

"We're human! We're better than this!"

Belos has a very peculiar dynamic with Luz in the fact that he is incredibly bent on trying to "save" her despite all she has done to go against him. He sees her as a potential ally, a human corrupted by the sinfulness of witchkind—and offers her an honestly that is pretty much never given to any other character. Now, compare this to the scene in For the Future where he hallucinates Caleb.

"I tried to save your soul. It's your fault this all happened!"

The mentality is strikingly similar—and while we don't have much content to show the specifics of Philip and Caleb's relationship, what we are given suggests a very real parallel between how he views Caleb and Luz.

What about Hunter?

A fair question, as the show poses Hunter as the Caleb to Luz's Philip—especially with him already being a grimwalker of Caleb. However, it's important to note that a significant part of that parallel is that it's incomplete—Hunter isn't the replacement for Caleb that Belos wants.

Because the cycle of killing and destroying grimwalker upon grimwalker is built off the fact that they cannot match what Caleb was. They... aren't Caleb. Even Hunter, who looked the closest, was just that: the closest. Not an actual replacement. Remember Belos had no qualms about branding him with a sigil, a death sentence on the day of unity.

Speaking of that—

King's Tide, & the curious case of Belos' Manipulation

King's Tide gives us two interesting scenes with Belos attempting to manipulate Luz, then Hunter. Both give a surprising insight into his mentality towards both characters.

Hunter, why are you hurting me? I only wanted to help you!

when trying to elicit hunter's help, belos is very much focused on that emotional relationship he cultivated in order to manipulate hunter. Why are you hurting ME. I only wanted to help YOU. but there's no further depth to it. Its a purely emotional attack. Contrast that both with his earlier scene with Luz, and what occurs in Watching and Dreaming.

And despite our differences, I want to help you, Luz. I can send you home. I have just enough Titan Blood for one more trip. Please. I don't want to see another human life destroyed by this place.

While Belos certainly isn't above using emotional attacks to weaken Luz's resolve—playing on her fears of being complicit in his crime, comparing his self afflicted monsterous form to Eda's curse, he also tries to connect with her on a logical level (at least from his point of view).

When he calls Hunter to stop fighting, it's purely because he knows he can eliminate a percieved threat by playing on his weakness—when he calls Luz to stop, it's because he wants to work with her.

You did do something good. I thought this one was another lost cause. Because of you, we can finish our work as witch-hunters, starting with them!

This exchange from Thanks to Them really encapsulates it all. Hunter is a tool for Belos to use, while Luz... I think the ambiguity in "we" in the above quote is purposeful. At face value, it's we as Belos possessing Hunter, an extension of Caleb—him and his brother together again. But he's addressing Luz, thanking Luz, and I don't think that's necessarily because Belos sees himself in Luz. A wayward human who needs guidance back from the clutches of humans... he sees Caleb in her.

Luz & Hunter, two sides of a Caleb coin

I think the two of them are both supposed to represent different facets of Caleb. They're the two characters who are deeply harmed by his manipulation, and both represent the ways in which Belos views his brother. A lost soul to be saved, family to be controlled; Someone who's loyalty must be maintained by emotional abuse and manipulation.

And I think the show becomes stronger when you look at it through this lens, instead of the forced "they're like siblings so they must be like these other siblings" comparison partially born out of Luz's insecurity.

[another-clive-blog]

Back to thinking about Claire and Clive and their traumas born from the same tragedy yet entirely different

You ever think about the fact that Clive's parents were (almost) never directly mentioned ? Layton mentioned them for the backstory talk and that's all, objective "they are dead" statement. And the other time we heard about them was in the flashback. In both of these cases, they're only evoked to announce their death, nothing else. We never get to hear about them in present tense, Clive himself never speaks about them. They're just... Gone. They won't come back, not thanks to revenge, not as ghosts, not even in discussions. They're dead and they'll stay dead.

On the other hand, Claire is very much alive- or at least she looks like it. Even before we get to the Claire reveal, every character keeps her memory alive. Dimitri is doing this all for Claire, Layton is a living tribute to her, Don Paolo's character is linked to her choices. She's everywhere and haunting the narrative before we ever learn that she is literally haunting the narrative. She's corporeal enough to change things yet her time is up, so really how much change can she bring ? She is stuck in this transitory state where she doesn't get to live yet can't die and disappear either. Even if she were to die once and for all, most of our characters would still have her as a driving force. She is forced to influence this story far beyond her death.

I wonder how they got along. Clive for whom death is absence, it is forgotten family and empty homes, and Claire for whom death is life persisting, loud with memories and transcending feelings.

[danieyells]

@yuri-is-online @jadeleechsupportgroup

Taiga, Romeo, and Gluttony

NOTE: This post contains spoilers for the entirety of the recently released Auction chapter. Read at your own risk.

So the recent chapter was everything to me. It was the shortest, but in my opinion it showed us a lot about Taiga and Romeo and their relationship to one another, and it also helped me refine a specific thought I had about Taiga and his whole deal he has going on.

To put it shortly; I think Taiga has a gluttony curse, and I think it functions as a mirror to that of Romeo's stigma, and is part of why they had a falling out, and why they can't seem to get away from each other.

To put it horrifically, horribly long....

So what do I mean when I say Taiga is cursed? Well, exactly that. I believe he's cursed in a similar way Rui or the MC are; he has an insatiable need to eat anomalies. I believe that this grants certain side effects like the MC and Rui's curse, and that one of them is a sixth sense for anomalies and anomalous circumstances.

I want to explain this before the Romeo part, because it's the basis for my analysis and thoughts on the two of them.

To start from the very beginning; I think Taiga, during one of his missions, was cursed by something like a jikininki as punishment for his 'gluttony' — the rapid rate at which he completed missions in his first year. This left him with his insatiable need to eat anomalies, but more specifically, is the reason he doesn't seem to want to eat them.

While I'm not certain the anomaly is for certain a jikininki, especially because there's certainly other similar folk legends out there, I chose that one specifically because they are noted for their sharp teeth and for not liking the insatiable need to eat corpses.

Now, what does this mean for Taiga? I think he's stuck between being a ghoul and being a jikininki, or whatever anomaly it ends up being, and I think this has given him a sixth sense that messes with his perception of time, self, and memory. But why would it do that?

Jikininki are immortal creatures, and wish to be freed from the torment they're in for the most part. If one was cursed to be part Jikininki, it would make sense for their existence to be similarly excruciating, with a difference being a lack of full immortality.

Remember the Mortkranken chapter, with the failed mermaid flesh? How their bodies continued even as their minds didn't? Taiga has multiple lines detailing how his 'body' remembers, even if his mind doesn't. Yuri and Jiro also explain that part of the side effects of the reaction are rapid mental deterioration. If Taiga had gone through a similar deterioration, it would explain his seemingly sporadic memory loss (not total blackouts like Jiro, nor specific category based amnesia either, just like. Random shit) and the fact that he doesn't have a concrete sense of identity (showcased through his constantly shifting first-person pronoun choice in Japanese). His cells of his body are reverting to their pre-aged self, and his mind is attempting to do that too, but it's imperfect and messy.

The key to the idea of the sixth sense comes from the fact that he's specifically cursed for anomalous gluttony. I think that he can sense anomalous material or anomalies themselves, and as demonstrated from Ed, this includes some sort of future sense. While we don't know the full specifics of what a sixth sense grants, we can see him utilise it in multiple different places. It's also, in my opinion, why he was sent on the Prologue mission.

Some examples of his supposed sixth sense are how he intuitively understood the anomalous dealer's entire thing, the scenes where he knows the Like Dove will appear before it does, when he senses Romeo approaching (Romeo is carrying an anomaly: his artifact), how he understands the auction is an anomaly, when he gets the mask under unknown circumstances, when he directly knows there's no anomalies... the list honestly could go on forever.

There's one other fact that I personally believe sealed this theory for me; his association with Haku.

In the recent chapter, when the MC is thinking about who to talk to about curses, Taiga instantly knows who we're thinking of, and rejects it on the basis that '[He] can't get rid of curses unless the anomaly that did the deed's right in front of him.' and that he's a 'Simp for the rules anyway.'

... Which is interesting, since it seems like Taiga has tried to ask him about this before. But if you think of this as Haku's stigma, and imagine Taiga trying to get his curse cleansed before, it makes sense! It would also be a good reason to put Haku and Taiga together in the prologue; Taiga can track the anomaly with his sense, and Haku can cleanse whatever curse it gives so long as Taiga manages to capture it or subdue it for long enough.

(Which, side note, is so tragic for the MC...)

Okay, now that the basis of 'Taiga is cursed' is out of the way, how on earth does this relate to Romeo?

Simple. I think Taiga's curse directly mirror's Romeo's stigma, and it's what caused their rift.

Romeo's stigma, as we learn in the new chapter as well, is dependent on his attachment to the items he throws. This, thematically, works with Romeo, who is known to be greedy. Everything he does is motivated by a profit of some kind, whether that profit is social or monetary or whatever. He wants special privileges so he does special missions. He wants money so he raises fees and coerces people to gamble. He wants popularity so he dresses nicely and pampers himself. It doesn't always mean he is money grubbing and stingy (because we see he's willing to spend lavishly on grooming and decor!) but it means that he's attached to what he has. His stigma requires him to give up that attachment. It is a punishment, a sacrifice, as a result of the pact. Similar to how Luca lost his brother (and gained a protective stigma), Romeo has to lose what he feels is worth something in order to fully utilise his ability. Call it a sort of pride.

I think, on the other hand, Taiga's curse is one of envy. He has a desire to eat anomalies, yes, but the desire becomes stronger the more attached someone else is to the anomaly. He doesn't need any interest in it, really. If someone else likes it he will need to eat it.

Taiga covets Haru's Peekaboo to eat instead of the wild one that we also know is in Jabberwock. He's composed about the Like Dove (barely, but he restrains himself!) until Romeo wants it. He steals the plants from Rui's BAR, not the ones in the garden outside (both are Rui's, but his bar is arguably the more loved thing of his since it was fully his choice). He covets Mortkranken's anomalies, and becomes mildly obsessed with the immortal one as soon as it becomes a major research subject. He's also completely fine holding and handling the mask, presumably for a long time, up until Romeo sees it as valuable and worthy.

Now, this doesn't necessarily make them instantly incompatible. But when you take one of Romeo's core traits being 'Greed towards anomalies' (He wants to collect them and frequently complains that other houses are 'stealing' them from under him; he sells them; he gets missions from Hyde to get them; etc), it becomes evidently clear that Taiga's curse is directly oppositional to it.

I think it's pretty obvious by now that Taiga and Romeo have a pretty turbulent relationship now, but were extremely close in the past. Multiple characters state that it would be nice to see them on good terms again, and it's certainly worth mentioning that Romeo is one of the few people Taiga consistently remembers. They both know each other exceptionally well, too. Taiga knows how to get under Romeo's skin and Romeo knows Taiga's habits.

Going back to the idea of this curse causing their rift, if Romeo was constantly on the verge of an important capture, or even if there was just one mission that was important, and Taiga ruined it by eating the anomaly, I doubt Romeo would easily forgive and forget. I think it could very easily cause a massive rift that just kept growing with each new snack Taiga picked up.

I think a moment that gets its nuance overlooked a lot is the scene just before Taiga eats the dove. The Japanese line emphasises that Taiga is referring to HIS heart, that Romeo could shoot through HIS heart, not just a general appraisal of sharpshooting. He even points directly to his heart as he says this, and it makes Romeo hesitate. They're BOTH in pain in this scene. They're both conflicted; this is their ex-partner (which I don't mean in the romantic sense, just in the general sense) who they were very, very close with, and who is now literally at arms length with a loaded gun. Romeo could just shoot him. Romeo could put an end to all of this supposed pain. And Taiga might even let him. And wouldn't that be karma for all he's done? But he can't. He hesitates.

And you know what appears after that? The dove.

This dove that symbolises both general desire (flies over peoples' heads when they're thought about) and Romeo's desire. His desire to escape probation. His desire to make money. His desire to capture, not kill. His desire to reconcile instead of fight. His desire to shoot.

And Taiga kills it. Eats it.

I think this is the most tragic scene between the two of them. This is the crux of it; they both want to reconcile. They want to be friends, to be close, to stop the war raging between the two of them that has done nothing but hurt them both AND hurt the wellbeing of Sinostra, but they can't, because Romeo will ALWAYS desire, and Taiga will ALWAYS take that from him.

It's a cycle they can't escape. The auction chapter shows it too. Taiga is almost disappointed at Romeo's greed. He seems jaded by it, and seems proud and happy when Romeo gives it up for once. Romeo is happy too; MC goes out of her way to say that Taiga handing him the mask makes him look more peaceful than he ever has before. It is quite literally a perfect ending for the two of them and a perfect way to reconcile.

And then Taiga eats it! Again! But I think the most horrifying part of it is that he tries to warn Romeo.

The comic doesn't translate or even transcribe it, so it's so, so easy to miss, especially if you don't speak Japanese, but Taiga grunts out the words 'I', 'Eat', and 'Next' as he approaches Romeo and the mask, and it's the direct reason why Romeo is able to realise that Taiga is about to eat it before it actually happens. He basically just grunts out 'I'm gonna eat that next' as he's fighting against it! But inevitably, neither of them can stop it. The cycle continues.

As long as Romeo is greedy, and as long as Taiga is gluttonous, they will never be able to fully reconcile, no matter how much they both want it. Both of them have to change, but I want to point out that at this moment Romeo is the bigger active obstacle between the two of them. Romeo can't let things go, he holds onto everything and lets it build until it explodes in one way or another. Tiris, his stigma, is symbolic in that sense, that he has to learn to let things go, because if he lets it build too much it will explode spectacularly.

(All of the ghouls have this sort of symbolism with their stigma, so it's not just a Romeo thing, but it's definitely important to his character.)

But Romeo can't get over it yet. He can't get over his greed, he can't let go of things he can't achieve (like getting Kaito's necklace), he can't get over past betrayals (Taiga, what happened with his family, etc)... He's too stuck and stubborn, and his refusal to budge has therefore lead to Taiga's refusal to push. Taiga has stopped caring about getting on good terms because he knows it won't turn out well. He's given up and become cynical, which in turn means that IF Romeo were to change, Taiga... still probably wouldn't. They're cyclical again. Always, always missing each other. So close and yet so far.

I hope the MC can be the catalyst for this cycle to end. Or Ritsu, who is a good equalizer to the two of them. But until she learns to see her own worth in the Academy, and until Ritsu accepts that sometimes he's wrong / he doesn't always know the most out of everyone in the room, I'm afraid Romeo and Taiga will remain stuck in this loop forever...

[lubrumalis]

ghost character analysis

tw: spoilers from ghost mw2 comics, nsfw, dead dove do not eat, mature content.

this is pretty much a part 2 to ghost headcanons except with more lore and analysis (im still not sure if reboot ghost has the same backstory as the og ghost).

ghost is not a cold, calculated, ruthless man. maybe in a separate au or something, but theres a huge difference between ghost and simon riley. in fact, we need to understand that the reason he even chose ghost as a new name for himself is because of all that's happened to him. his family got killed, he got tortured by roba, and had to eliminate many men on his own. before that he was simon, not ghost. in the comic he literally calls the child hostages he was saving ‘sweetheart’ and ‘love’. hes not that mean and cold yall

we know that PTSD does shit to it's victims, ghost lost his entire family and had no one. think of it as a coping mechanism to have a new name to be known as.

ghost is a ruthless killer. simon is just some guy.

ghost sets himself to an incredibly high standard of discipline. i think it's intuitive that military boys will need to be punctual and organized to some degree, but ghost takes this to a whole other level. considering his father's abusive behavior (explained by his disturbing statements said to simon, is a drug addict, and beats simons mom) his home life was likely chaotic as a child.

in the mw2: ghost comic (issue #3) it specifically stated the following: "discipline, precision, control. these are what riley built his whole life on. break those down and the dark stuff begins to ooze out..." again, this is probably a form of trauma response to his childhood.

so what does this lead to? well firstly, this probably means his room is incredibly tidy and organized (monotone design i know :,c).

would never in his life touch drugs. this is a promise he made to himself.

also kinda proves that ghost aint a reckless guy. he thinks things through before doing it.

ghost isn’t that hypersexual. theres no way of knowing his history with women, but i like to think ghost is not that horny 24/7 and needs a fuckbuddy. in the mw2 comic, he was on a mission and was in an area full of prostitutes (wasn’t actively on duty, but on his way) when they tried to hit on him he politely rejects one of them, and later tells them to fuck off😀 so yea contrary to popular belief i dont think he really enjoys one night stands or the idea of being entertained by random women. in fact, i hc he might actually be a virgin or just have a really low body count.

ghost is a feminist!😁 (misandrist too). ok let me reword that, ghost doesnt like men and respects women. one of the reasons why he doesn’t want to be around prostitutes and do one night stands (his father killed a hooker in front of him, very traumatic) is because he thinks the concept of quick, casual sex is not good for society and dilutes the value of meaningful relationships. but also, remember the discipline, precision, control thing? its apart of his principle. but also, in the comic, sparks (soldier he worked with) knocked out and attempted to rape a woman, ghosts literally looked disgusted and called the police (also why he’d never do that himself, i dont get the hcs that say he does). ghosts seen how his dad treated his mom and absolutely hates abusers. anyways onto misandry—i think ghost internally thinks men are violent and disgusting (ghosts would choose the bear over the man, even though hes a man) mainly because throughout his military career majority of the bad stuff hes seen was done by men, so hes much more relaxed in a room of women vs man. ghost thinks his dad is the epitome of pure evil (canon! he said this to his therapist). this doesn’t mean hes scared or hates all men tho!

ghost isn’t close with tf141… including soap. now before you attack me let me explain. sure, he trusts them to some degree, but i dont think they naturally just hangout when they’re not deployed. in the end we need to understand they are SAS soldiers, they are working a real job that mainly consists of them shooting and dismantling others. considering ghosts betrayal in the past (in the comic, a few soldiers ghost previously worked with killed his entire family 😢) he isn’t gonna just trust his teammates because theyre his teammates. im also pretty sure they all live in different cities while not deployed. tf141 probably all want to separate their job from their personal lives, which includes each other. but onto soap, i dont think him and ghost have a deep brotherly relationship. but i think they care about each other, but exchanging some dad jokes and bantering doesn’t mean they’re suddenly soulmates or brothers. think about it… you and you’re co worker joke around sometimes, never hangout outside of work, and now people are shipping you and calling the two of you besties. makes no sense.

ghost is extremely patriotic. in the comic (i reference this way too much but theres SOOO MUCH LORE i recommend reading it) ghost tells his teammates the reason for joining the military: queen and country, right after 9/11. he also said “the world has changed”. interestingly enough army enlistment did actually skyrocketed after 9/11 attacks, ghost was among them. he probably thought ww3 was about to happen, or that ‘theres no more peace’ or whatever. i hc being obsessed with soccer too lmao and getting mad if english teams dont win. also his playful banter with johnny “get us a tea?”. probably very proud of his british heritage.

ghost doesn’t have much friends. hes a really, reallyyyyy lonely guy. i hc him as an introvert in the first place, but trust issues make this worse. in the comic, he was literally in the newspaper for killing his family and then killing himself (he didnt, he was framed that way tho) so its likely most of his formers friends probably think hes dead. ghost likely got some sort of amnesty or exemption from the military after knowing he didn’t actually kill his family, but whats in the news stays true to the public. even if he does have friends he probably doesn’t share feelings with them or form a long term bond.

ghost is extremely cynical. this is obvious tbh, but i think ghost believes hes going to die in the middle of a battlefield, shot or stabbed, a painful death, body left to rot for weeks, and no one to remember him. just like that. and he accepts that fact too.

ghost isn’t a picky eater. growing up in an abusive household where his parents couldn’t hold a stable job, he had to eat what there was. some days he settles for cheap beans and toast and when people call him out for it, he tells em to fuck off😀

ghost is emotionally fucked up, probably kind of depressed. i mean this guys been through hell: got sa’d, buried alive, had to dig through underground dirt and worms with a jawbone, tortured in horrible ways, had his entire family killed, abusive dad, and the weight of his grey morales because he killed lots of people as a soldier. wow! would you look at that list, itd be more strange if he wasn’t emotionally fucked up after was has happened😅. even when tortured, seeing his family dead, ghost was never shown to have cried in the comic. i hc hes emotionally numb. however, i do think hes emotionally MATURE and able to communicate his emotions, but hes still emotionally fucked. for example a scene where he was talking about his experience with roba (guy who tortured ghost) and ghosts father to a therapist. i think ghosts may be traumatized, but this doesn’t stop him from attempting to get help and communicating how he feels and thinks about this world.

ghost wears a mask... not because hes insecure and traumatized it's to separate ghost from simon riley. first of all he learned the consequences of revealing your identity during deployment, in the comic, he reveals his face in missions before his family got killed. i think he wears a mask because 1) its practical, no one knows who he is, 2) an analogy for himself to remind him simon riley, his original identity, was dead the moment his family was murdered, this SAS soldier with a skull mask is GHOST (yes this is canon, ghost references in the comic!).

in issue #1 while some kids were being held hostage, he starts telling his life story to them to calm them down/distract them from the bad situation. this is his explanation to why he wears a skull mask, word by word: "I bet you're wondering why I wear these bones on my face. It's a tribute to an old friend of mine. He's dead now, but man if he wasn't the baddest motherfucker on the planet."

in issue #6, when ghost was trekking through a jungle in the middle of nowhere attempting to kill roba (a drug lord that started this all, brainwashed soldiers to kill ghosts family), he was never caught. ghost himself, the narrator, says that "even for a single man to get through the jungle, the patrols, the wall, the security... well that man would have to be a ghost."

however, im still a little confused whether or not reboot ghost and 2009 have the same backstories. reboot ghosts mask is more realistic and his look is much more intimidating, his reason for wearing that kind of mask is probably psychological warfare (getting milena the financier to speak up about makarov). i think 2009 ghosts reason to wearing a mask is more personal compared to reboot.

BUT WHAT ABOUT AN S/O???

i think ghost is the guy to not have one in the first place. obviously. but i lowkey think if he had one and really liked them, he would commit. in fact i find it hard to imagine hes a player or isn’t serious about relationships. when his brother tommy got addicted to drugs and fucked up his life, simon quit the military until tommy got 100% better and married. yup. he stayed to help him recover, for years. thats how loving and committed this man is🥹🥹.

ghost would not cheat on his s/o. i can't stress how important this hc is, because it's so out of character for him to do so. sure, guys in the military statistically have higher divorce rates, incidences of infidelity, and much more red flag stuff, but knowing what happened to him, he would never do that. doesn't matter how stressed, lonely, sexually frustrated this man is; he would not cheat on his partner. this guy has been through far more stressful situations and got through it, you think hes gonna cheat because hes stressed because of work?

its not sunshine and rainbows or absolute toxicity being with him. it's not really a mix of both either. ghost isn't that princess treatment, super squishy and cuddly, sweet guy who likes fluffy stuff. he definitely isn't the toxic guy who leaves you with mixed signals either.

hes quite the gentleman when it comes to approaching relationships, hes seen how his dad treated his mom, and ghost wants to do the exact opposite. i believe ghost likes to use the traditional courting methods when dating someone: gifting flowers, paying for dates, holding the door open (ladies first typa guy!!), the old fashioned stuff. idk if i should point it out again but this guy DOES NOT FW modern dating practices, he wouldn't download dating apps, or start 'talking stages'. i dont think he would write love letters just because hes not very good at writing poetry or expressing his feelings in the first place.

theres still downsides to being with him. the long distance, the time being apart (months and months). but i dont think he'd go as far as being emotionally avoidant.

also something really random ive noticed is that 2009 and reboot ghost are very different, personality wise. i like to think that 2009 ghost represents simon riley much better, but the reboot ghost actually gives the essence and character of what a 'ghost' in the military is.

more random headcanons:

simon prefers dogs over cats because dogs are loyal and stay with you until the end (stereotypically)

hates snakes and spiders

probably wouldn’t do 50/50 on dates, he pays!

avoids saying manchester slang when deployed

drinks and smokes. not always. he’s disciplined but he still does that stuff.. hes a british guy in his 30s whos kinda depressed, grew up with adults around him smoking 24/7, whatd you think😀😀 (its canon that most of tf141 smoke anyway)

listens to 80’s rock music. its canon that his mom enjoys the band siouxsie and the banshees :)), he probs does too

shaves his beard

is actually confident hes not bad looking. dude, hes 6’2, in shape with a jawline🙄

i don't enjoy hcs of ghost being the scariest out of tf141 (appearance wise yes). but soap seems much more scary imo, he was the youngest guy to pass SAS selections in the history of the UK military, and was nicknamed soap because of fast and good he is at cleaning up 'messes' (basically killing people).

id arguably say ghost is the most compassionate out of 141, if we're talking about the OG 2009 one.

[v0idlure]

MOUTHWASHING SPOILERS except i don’t know how to make that read more thing on mobile…

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jesus… every take i’ve seen on tumblr about mouthwashing is so . braindead. and lacks so much media literacy it actually makes my brain hurt. literally all i’ve seen is “curly is actually just as bad as jimmy (who is a murderer rpist)” and “hahaha jimmy curly toxic yaoi dead dove haha” like What is happening.

jimmy’s toxic obsession with curly does not have to be romantic whatsoever, and it’s kind of disgusting and concerning that people are taking it that way???? and im sorry but curly is not as bad as jimmy whatsoever and i have yet to see anyone say what they would do in his situation considering he kinda . became what he is now before he could actually do Anything at all!

it always kind of annoys me to see people misinterpret media to fit their own mindset and ideas/just agreeing and repeating what everyone else is saying cus it’s popular, instead of actually analyzing the media for what it is.

and it also just disturbs me to see so little people actually like. talk about how vile and fucked up jimmy is. i have yet to see any posts analyzing his character and his actions, including criticizing and condemning his behavior throughout the game. and none of this logic has been applied to swansea and daisuke which is annoying and just blatantly shows inherent bias.

and it’s sad cus nobody really sees them as anything other than “ohh they’re so nice ohh they’re so awesome they’re cool characters” like NO they have depth and complexity too why are you not affording them the same analysis as anya and curly!!!! ESPECIALLY SWANSEA 😭🙏🙏🙏

[marieisnothere12]

Sunday HSR Analysis

“People often forget that when the first bird took flight, the entire world envisioned a future where… No more fledglings would ever crash to their death.”

Hsr 2.2 spoilers 👇

I think Sunday values security and safety above all. Robin tells him he doesn’t need to do everything and not relax and we also see how much he does. He’s kind of like a pastor (or preacher idk the difference) hearing ppls confessions. Sunday is definitely seen as the perfect person. A responsibile, talented, brother than handles everything. Sunday’s main internal conflict is him not being sure he’s doing the right thing. He’s trying to persuade himself that he’s just trying protect people (but mainly Robin ig). And as Aventurine’s Future says something along the lines of:

“To deceive others, you must first deceive yourself.”

I think there are multiple parallels between the two. They both value security (or a false sense of it), deceive others, and in a way, gamble. Sunday’s plan of teaming up with Ratio and getting the “aventurine” stone. His questions with the Trailblazer, Himeko, March, and Firefly were pretty risky if you ask me. And like Aventurine, has questionable ways of achieving their goals. He believes he’s doing the right, and more importantly, necessary things to keep Penacony up and running. His drive isn’t principle like he suggests at the beginning, but need.

When Welt, Sunday, and Robin talk to the Dreammaster, he speculates that they do not worship the Harmony but the Order and Sunday confirms this. He says:

“We were never the children of the Harmony… Within the foundation of law, humanity establishes civilization. And through Harmony, we obtain Order.”

This makes a lot of sense. Sunday’s truth spell doesn’t match the belief of the Harmony very well. It’s very forceful as we can see with Aventurine’s interrogation. Since we now know it’s the Order, his power matches that path perfectly. I mean, he’s a control freak like Ena the Order.

Furthermore, he keeps bringing up the bird story and it dying. When he tells Himeko, March, Firefly, and the Trailblazer the story, he asks them:

“…build a nest with a soft net where the Charmony Dove fell? Or build a cage for it, and feed it, giving it the utmost care from within the warmth of a home?”

March chooses to build a cage and protect it

Himeko chooses to build a cage and protect it

Firefly chooses to build a cage and protect it

The Trailblazer chooses to build a nest.

He then asks another question, the Trailblazer chooses the opposite of what Sunday chose.

Sunday then asked the third and final question.

“Would you still support Robin’s journey on the path of Harmony?”

The Trailblazer says yes.

Let me ask you this: How much can you blame Sunday? He wants protection, for himself and others. That’s why he follows the Order. He believes that you need force to have preace. Sunday wants to unite people under the Order.

But every planet that followed the Order shined bright but burned just as quickly.

He thinks his sister is naïve for following the Harmony and getting that bullet injury, but I would argue Sunday is just as naïve as her. None of the planets that worshipped Ena the Order succeeded in the long term. But the thing about Sunday that makes his naïveté worse than Robin’s, who is less naïve and more idealistic, is his arrogance and ignorance. Sunday is constantly reassuring himself he is a follower of the Order for the sake of Penacony and the Dreamscape.

I think Sunday’s view on humanity is pessimistic (as put in the hsr wiki) bc he detaches himself from. When he talks about, well anything in 2.2 it gives very “i’m a god and you pitiful humans are doomed.” However, he still genuinely wants to help people. I think this god-like stance is a bluff, a facade. We know from the Robin and Sunday cutscene that Sunday believes he has the be the one person that protects everyone, the person who suffers for everyone else. He has to put on a face that says “dw I got it.” Sunday thinks that he has and always will be the reliable one. He emotionally distances himself from everyone else to “see the big picture.”

When Sunday asks why does life slumber, the Trailblazer answers:

“Because someday…we will wake up from our dreams.”

This shocks Sunday. And if i’m being perfectly honest. I don’t really know exactly why. Maybe because he realizes that people (and himself) need to stop indulging into escapism. He may also be reminded he’s human. He isn’t perfect and his ideals aren’t the right solution for humanity.

And he replies:

“The night is still…too short…”

Sunday still wants to dream of something (or reminisce the past?). I’m not sure we gotta wait for him to be playable.

Before that Robin says:

“Even if that star… must hang in a perpetual night of solitude”

So that might also mean he thinks he deserves being alone or doing everything :((( this is a stretch tho

Robin also says:

“Brother… the weakness of humanity cannot be redeemed by others. Stop it… You want to achieve the paradise we promised but the Order is not the only choice! True happiness and the meaning life lie in defying Nihility and embracing all that life offers!”

Sunday wants to solve other peoples problems and humanity’s weakness

He might be nihilistic :((

He’s lonely :(

To close, Sunday doesn’t have bad motives but his execution is pretty questionable. The Order is more about control than anything (Ena and Sunday are both control freaks).

I love Sunday sm <333

[teineplaysveilguard]

I first bought Dragon Age: Origins about two days after release, and I was instantly hooked. I played it six times back-to-back, just to experience every origin story. After that, I kept replaying to see every possible decision and its impact. Honestly I am not sure how many times I finished origins as it was over several platforms and accounts… but it is a LOT.

DA2 came out while I was in hospital (severe manic episode and psychosis) but as soon as I got home, I dove into it. I’ve written before on my main about how much I related to Anders, partially because of the timing, but honestly, I adore everything about DA2.

I have since finished DA2 NINETEEN TIMES! Honestly I love Kirkwall so much… I love everything about the tragedy that was Hawkes live. The tragedy of Hawke’s life, the way no amount of effort or care could fix the deeply ingrained, systemic issues—it’s gut-wrenching and perfect.

Fifthteen years later there are aspects of that game I still onbsess over, the enigma of Kirkwall for example… I had so many theories, none of which are likely to ever be addressed now…

Yes, the game had issues. All games do. Some of the writing was shallow in places; occasionally a companion says or does something that feels a little out of character. Anders and Fenris were treated like narrative mouthpieces at points. Aveline’s character development is a little questionable, and, of course, the copy-paste environments were rough. But for me, the positives—the depth of the narrative, the snippets of lore and background, the things I loved—overshadowed the negatives.

Do you know how shitty it is to know that all my left in the fade Hawkes just don't matter? Which ye I guess in some ways is fitting for the guy who accomplished nothing, who couldn’t even actually kill Meredith or Corypheus, for their final sacrifice to mean nothing… but still…

Then there was Inquisition. Once again I gain it on the day of release, I may have even pre-ordered it I can't rememeber… Anyway, I’ll admit I wasn’t sold on it at first. It felt too much like a “hero narrative”—which is hard to explain, but I couldn’t connect with it initially. The companions didn’t grab me right away either. But over time, I warmed to it, and now I’ve played it six (almost seven) times, obsessively picking up every bit of lore.

same with the books… the comics… that game in the keep that I forget the name of… I've even played the table top game and DMed it

And now we have veilguard...

I was so excited to go to Tevinter in game. Tevinter has fascinated by for so long.

And I… I cannot even put into words just how disappointed I am in veilguard…

I don’t want to be “that guy” who just tears it apart—plenty of people have already done the analysis, pointed out the retcons, and broken down how much lore feels ignored.

But I need to vent somewhere, and none of my IRL friends care.

In essence, the game feels sanitised...

But here is the crux of my issue, or at least the disturbing part:

I have zero desire to replay veilguard…

[pieground]

Obey Me! NIGHTBRINGER Opening Video Analysis <informal>

Lucifer and his Brothers

Lucifer had his hands against the window, looking at the sky with his face painted with what I can only guess as nostalgia. It may seem as if he's longing for something but it is more of what happened after the Great Celestial War; that he and his brothers can no longer reach for their father, that the realm was no longer home, and that they lost Lilith along with their other brothers.

The scene tells us what it was like after their fall. Cast away from the place they once called their home, and now, it is a place they can only look upon from a distance. Locked out of Heaven (literally).

The Angels

Luke holds onto Simeon who acts as his guardian, both looking up to the sky through the window.

Now, I think this relates more to the brother's fall from the Celestial Realm and how it was never been the same ever since. They found fault in a place where it was supposed to be "perfect". It has affected everybody and it left a scar that cannot be hidden. I believe there are anger and frustrations in the angels, but that came from love— for Lucifer and his brothers. I believe there are parts in the Obey Me dating game that divulges angels, specifically Michael and Simeon, still feeling mournful about what happened. Luke has said he felt anger towards the brothers because he thinks they do not care about Michael after falling, but he acknowledged that he loves them still. Him holding onto Simeon is just as we all know, him seeking guidance, like asking if what he was feeling was alright, to the seraph who serves as his guardian.

I think Raphael walking here like it's just like the other days tells about him just continuing what he does even after the loss. He's got responsibilities that probably doubled after Lucifer was banished.

Solomon

Here we have Solomon standing in the middle of the rain, palms catching raindrops that only slipped through his fingers.

Now, Lucifer and his brothers (demons) are inside the House of Lamentation, and Simeon, Luke, and Raphael (angels) are in a place that I think was RAD(?). They are sheltered. Limited to where they stand but are sheltered.

Then there is Solomon, a human, who stands with no restrictions around him but has nothing to hold onto. Water just slips right through his hands, it seems to be related to his immortality. He's doomed to lose many things and along with those are people he loved; the curse of eternal life is loneliness.

This scene possibly shows us where humans stand, between heaven and hell.

A dove inside the cage

I thought it was a crow at first but it is actually a dove.

A dove is a symbol of spirituality, hope, and renewal. The scene showed us that the cage was opened and the dove—let us say the divinity, flew away. It tells that Lucifer and his brothers are no longer divine beings and are now not only tainted by their sins but became the very embodiment of them

The scene that followed strengthens the story for we can see Lucifer as a seraph, his hands out to catch the feather (supposedly from the dove), in what seems like an attempt to save the grace that is falling but it was too late for it's already broken. This shows how fragile divinity is especially for an angel.

Barbatos and his ability.

Barbatos most likely knew what was about to happen before the Great Celestial War, he and Diavolo anticipated the fall. If you think about it, it's beneficial for them to have the brothers working along with them as during that time, Devildom was rebuilding itself under Diavolo’s rule. Being an idealist, Diavolo wants to make the three realms acknowledge coexistence in peace. It's been said many times that to achieve his goals, he's willing to sacrifice anything.

PT.2 Here

[sarcasm-and-stiles]

Hi I saw that you were wanting requests, I’ve been having this idea in my mind since I’ve read something similar in a Spencer fic, but instead of working for Penelope she works for Hotch as an intern. So the concept is the reader would be a new intern for something but she hangs around with Penelope a lot so she starts answering phone calls from Hotch in a similar way that Pen does for Derek and the first time it happens the reader gets all flustered but as time goes on the reader gets more confident. Possibly leading into Hotch asking the reader out? Just a bunch of fluff. (Please let me know if this idea is not good or can’t be used)

A/N: Oh my god thank you so much for this request anon! This was the first thing I’ve written in a while and it was a lot of fun. I took some liberties with the prompt but I tried to stay loyal to the request. This is my first Aaron fic so I hope you guys like it :)

Word count: 1.7K (holy shit I’ve never written anything this long)

Aaron Hotchner x intern!reader

age gap

Hotch is in his 40s and reader is in mid to late 20s

Working for the FBI was itself a demanding job, but being Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner’s intern? That was a whole other story. Obtaining a Masters in psychology was great and all but the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit was always my end goal, so getting to intern was a dream come true and I was determined not to blow it. Unfortunately, while working at the BAU I discovered another dream of mine, Aaron Hotchner. As I was nearing the end of my twenties and more concerned with academics and my career, it meant that there wasn’t much room for a love life, but a girl can dream can’t she?

I’m broken out of my reverie as I enter the bullpen.

“Morgan, have you seen Hotch yet this morning? I have those case files he was looking for.” I asked as I sidled up next to his desk.

“Sorry pretty girl I haven’t—never mind.” I look at Morgan with confusion written on my face.

“Sorry, I was running late.”

I tighten up a little before turning to address Hotch.

“Morning boss! No need to worry. I think that you’re allowed to be late every once in a while.” I say with a small smile. ‘Late to work’ isn’t in Aaron “punctuality” Hotchner’s vocabulary, so for him to show up late meant that something must have sent his morning off kilter.

Hotch started towards his office and I followed him, determined to finish the task set before me. He opens the door and holds it for me. I follow him through letting it close behind me to give us some privacy.

“Is everything alright with you this morning Aaron? You seem a little off.”

Hotch struggled to meet my eyes before replying, “What? Oh. Yes I’m fine. Jack woke up with a fever, so I had to wait on Jess to stay with him before I could leave the house.”

“Aw poor Jack,” I say as I place the files on an unoccupied area of Hotch’s desk.

“Thank you Y/N. Could you go and get Garcia, it’s time to start briefing the team.” I nod and exit his office closing the door shut behind me.

I walk to Penelope’s lair and let myself in. Since I’m only an intern, and have no field training, I am confined to the office. This means that I spend most of the time that Hotch is on a case with Penelope. This also means that Penelope is aware of my tiny monumental crush on our boss

“Ah good morning my dove! What brings you to me this beautiful morning?” Penelope’s sunshine demeanor is contagious bringing a smile to my face.

“Hello! Unfortunately I am here on business not pleasure, Aaron wants to start the briefing.”

“We must be on our way then. We can’t leave Aaron waiting, can we?” Penelope said while wiggling her eyebrows at me.

I blush realizing that she caught my mistake. “Hotch. Hotch wants to start the briefing.” I sigh knowing that my attempt to cover up my mistake was in vain. I quicken my pace to catch up with Garcia as she enters the conference room. When we walk in most everyone is already in their seats chatting comfortably. I look around and notice that the only available chair is the one next to Hotch and I steel my face as to not clue him in on my recent and obvious casualty surrounding my feelings for him. When I sit down he sends me a soft smile before calling everyone’s attention to the newest case that would be taking them to Nashville.

——

The team had landed safely in Tennessee, and by the next day I was out of things to do so I decided that the best way to spend my time was doing whatever I could to help the team by aiding Penelope.

I knock on the door before letting myself in announcing my entrance, “Good morning beautiful! How can I be of assistance to technical genius Penelope Garcia today?”

Garcia turned to look at me quickly before facing her computer once again. “Hello my lovely! Grab a seat and I’m sure I can find something for you.” As I’m settling myself in at the desk I hear the phone ring.

“Can you answer that for me love?” I nod and pick up the phone.

“Hey babygirl, how’s miss smart and sexy today?”

“Sorry to disappoint you Morgan, but I don’t think I’m the girl you’re looking for.”

“You’re never a disappointment y/l/n, although Garcia’s expertise may be more helpful in this situation.”

“Roger that. Passing you along.”

As I heard Penelope and Derek’s flirty phone banter, I couldn’t help but think about what it would be like to do the same thing with Hotch.

———

I had been combing through files for helpful information for the past couple of hours. My eyes were sore and my heart was heavy, nothing seemed to be of much use. I leaned back from the files and let out a sigh.

“Is everything alright my precious flower?”

I crack a small smile before responding, “Yeah yeah everything’s fine, just a lot on my mind.”

“Anything you want to talk about love?” I let out another small sigh.

“I was just thinking about my love life, or lack thereof.”

“You’re a catch hot stuff! You just need to put yourself out there. Anybody would be lucky to call themselves yours.”

“Just put myself out there. Easier said than done.”

I spent the next few hours thinking about what Penelope said while continuing my work.

Put myself out there, I can do that. What’s the worst that could happen? Flirting with your boss never has serious consequences. No. Yes. I can’t keep hiding my feelings, sooner or later someone is going to realize. It’s not like I’m subtle.

After forming my plan, all I could do was wait for the right time. Luckily I didn’t have to wait long.

Ring Ring Ring

I check the caller I.D. to see Hotch’s name flash up at me, and I flip open my phone. “Speak and I will obey.”

There was a pregnant pause making me second guess jumping straight into the deep end.

“Y/N, I need you to get an old file for me. It’s in the filing cabinet in my office. Once you have that I need to to send it to me ASAP.”

“Yes sir. Your wish is my command.”

I can hear him hesitate before answering, “…Thank you.”

——

The next time I’m in contact with Aaron is when the team returns from the case the next day. Everyone is cleaning up their workspaces getting ready to head home. I’m chatting with Reid about a new book that he had read when I hear Aaron’s voice call for me.

“Y/N, could I see you in my office.”

My mouth opens and closes slightly before I nod and walk up the few steps to his office. I step inside on uneasy feet. I couldn’t help but shake the nervousness around me.

“Shut the door and have a seat.” I do as I’m told. I begin twiddling my thumbs and it seems like hours before he talks again although it has only been a few moments. “I wanted to talk to you about yesterday.”

“Oh my god I’m so sorry. You’re gonna fire me aren’t you? I wouldn’t blame you. Oh my god-“

“Y/L/N.”

“I’m so stupid.”

“Y/N stop talking.” I look up quickly and shut up. “I’m not firing you. I’m just - I’m just a little confused. Yesterday seemed a little out of character for you.”

I let out a shuddered sigh, “I was- I was putting myself out there.”

“Putting yourself out there?”

I look him in the eyes before saying, “I guess I’m going all in. I know you’re my boss and I know it’s inappropriate for me to even be saying this but…I like you Aaron—romantically. You don’t have to respond…I know I’m putting you in an awkward position but I just couldn’t keep it to myself anymore.” After finishing my speech I have to shift my eyes to my lap, his analyzing stare too much for me to take.

“You’re right, it is inappropriate.”

I nod my head too ashamed to look him in the eyes as my own welled with tears. I stand up to let myself out of his office.

“I’ll uh…I’ll be…goodnight sir.” He lets me walk out the door without protest. By now the team has gone home which kept me from more embarrassment. I gather my belongings and rush towards the elevator. When I finally make it to the elevator and the doors begin to close I let my tears quietly fall. But a hand pushes itself between the closing doors, forcing them open. I rush to wipe my tears and look up. When I do I’m face to face with the man who had caused my tears. As quickly as he had gotten into the elevator he pressed the button closing the doors and leaving us alone together.

“Y/N.”

I refused to turn and look at him.

“Y/N, please.”

“What? What more do you have to say. I get it. I’ll get over it I just need some time.”

“I-I have feelings for you too.”

I look up at him, “What?”

“I have feelings for you too, and when you told me I didn’t know what to do. I-Ive never been in a situation like this before.”

“You do?”

“You’re very intelligent. Always trying to help others and you give your all no matter the task. And although it is not the main reason I find you so intriguing, you are beautiful. I know that we will have to learn to navigate this situation, but if it’s something you would want, I would like to take you out to dinner.”

It takes me a moment to respond, but when I do it’s with a wide smile on my face “I would like that very much Hotch.”

“Please, not Hotch. I love hearing you say my name.”

“I would like that very much Aaron.”

He takes a small step closer and reaches out to my face, wiping away a few stray tears before he cups my face.

“Can I kiss you?”

I look into Aaron’s eyes before saying, “Yes.”

[milk-ly]

Kotoko and her connection to Dante’s Inferno’s Satan

Disclaimer: This is just about symbolism and I know how it sounds but I promise I’m not trying to imply anything or demonize her! I love Kotoko! Ive just been repeatedly noticing details about the parallel for several months now and I just really want to bring it up! This is just an analysis of the details MILGRAM has provided for it. I’m incredibly sorry if I make a mistake!

Kotoko has a lot of parallels to Dante’s Inferno Satan, especially in relation to Es.

To make sure we’re all on the same page, Dante’s Inferno is a Christian poem that outlines the 9 circles of hell. MILGRAM directly references Dante’s Inferno by quoting it in all the t2 door arts.

“Abandon all hope, ye who enter.” A quote derived from a sign at the gate of hell in the poem.

Each ring of Hell contains sinners with different levels of sins, and each ring’s sin was meant to be worse the further inside you go. Ive seen a couple theories that each prisoner correlates with a specific ring of hell. (Ex: Haruka is ring 1, Limbo; Yuno is ring 2, lust; etc)

But Dante’s Inferno only outlines 9 rings, what about our 10th prisoner, Kotoko?

While it could be that she’s again the “outsider” to the other prisoners, the last section of the 9th ring of Hell is significant because it is the center of Hell, containing Satan. So it could be reasonably argued that Kotoko correlates with it.

MILGRAM already has a TON of religious references. One that I’ve seen pointed out is how it seems the cover art of each novel is a reference to a famous Christian art piece.

The Es in each novel seems to be where Jesus relatively is. Remember that Jesus is both the son of God AND God. God gives sinners their judgements which sounds very similar to Es and how they're giving the prisoners (the human sinners) their verdicts.

Plus, the quote Milgram quotes is on the doors the prisoners are entering, and in Dante’s inferno, it’s on the gate of hell so you can compare or theorize that MILGRAM is a parallel to (or straight up is) purgatory. And Es, being the one who decides the verdict, parallels God.

Also, her t2 VD is named “YONAH,” which is the masculine version of the name Jonah. Not only does this relate to her themes of masculinity again, Jonah is a name that originates from Hebrew origins which means “dove.”

It is also a reference to the book of Jonah. A main theme of this book is “Jonah wants God to operate on his timeline [...] He wanted God to dole out punishment on his clock instead of according to God's plan. Yet God showed Jonah that in his infinite wisdom, he can't and will not be rushed.” Which is pretty much exactly what happens in YONAH, and also once again compares Es to God.

Dante’s Inferno’s Satan was an angel, a splendid being, apparently the most perfect of God's creatures… an “Angel of light.” We/Es deemed Kotoko innocent in t1. She had the highest innocent percentage in t1 too because a lot of people thought her murder was justified. You know, the most perfect of God’s creatures. The most perfect out of the prisoners.

“We really can work together.”

But then Satan tried to usurp God.

“If you don’t have the strength on your own, let me take care of it. Es! I can do it in MILGRAM!”

Kotoko wants to be the prison guard because Es isn’t capable in her eyes.

Satan was ultimately sent to Hell and punished as "the ultimate sinner" for his betrayal of trying to usurp God.

We are now punishing Kotoko for her attempts to judge the prisoners herself and “usurp” Es. It works even better now that she has the highest guilty percentage in all of MILGRAM so far as the “ultimate sinner.”

As a lot know, Fuuta also has tons of religious references too. (Ex. His VD is titled Baptism by Fire) By him also passing judgements onto people, you could say that he was trying to play God.

What is that saying about us, the audience, then? And our parallel/foil to Fuuta/Kotoko?

Dante’s Inferno as a whole is very much based around the idea of “evil will be punished,” which not only encapsulates Kotoko’s ideals but MILGRAM’s as well. It makes sense that MILGRAM says that Kotoko is a perfect parallel to the facility.

(I also wanna mention that there's something that could be said about the holy trinity in relation to Es + the audience + jackalope. For example, how Jesus is God in the flesh and Es is the audience "in the flesh," by acting as a personified version of us to interact with the "human sinnners" but I feel like I might be going into tinfoil hat territory.)

[girlerasers]

Hunter & The Binary of Abuse Victims in Fandom

Warned you all I would be turning this into a full-length essay. I find the way that fandom culture treats fictionalized abuse victims endlessly fascinating, as it's such an interesting microcosm of societal views about abuse at large. The Owl House's fandom has been especially interesting in how its treated the topic, given the fact we have multiple characters that have histories of being abused, or in some way dealing with conflicting parental relationships, lending for definitely a wider array of nuance in discussion. Out of every fandom, this isn't the worst by far.

However, Hunter is definitely the more 'by the numbers' character in that realm of discussion, and one people seem more likely to latch onto and mischaracterize. So, I suppose this is just me trying to examine how exactly this is reflective of larger fandom patterns and so on.

As a quick heads up, this is going to be an essay obviously discussing abuse, but along with that specifically victimblaming, negative views towards abuse victims, etc. Just like, y'know, proceed with caution.

The dichotomy of the 'good' versus 'bad' victim

I'm sure there's a better way to succinctly describe it, but I do not have buzzwords on my side right now, so that's the short of it. A common pattern that seems to be present when discussing abuse is to rationalize why a victim was abused. If no "reason" can be found, then they are a "good victim" who's deserving of respect and sympathy. If something can be found to rationalize it, then the victim is branded as somehow deserving of their abuse. Obviously this isn't true, and the standards are oftentimes very arbitray. Whether a victim "fought back", or "left when they should've", or any number of things they "should've" done are thrown as reasons to blame a victim for their abuse.

But sometimes, miraculously, a victim manages to "win" the sympathy of onlookers (this being much more common for fictional characters than for real people, hooray for double standards and phony activism) and is branded a "good victim". You'd think that this would make things easier, that their trauma will actually be approached from a nuanced lens.... ha, no.

The role of the "good victim" is often one that characterizes them as hyperemotional, defenseless, helpless, essentially painting a caricature of someone who "couldn't defend themselves against their abuser" and is therefore pitiable. In fandom, this came in the form of the "smol bean that must be protected" (sorry to evoke 2016 onto you all), the "sad boi", or as TVtropes puts it: The Woobie. (And whaddya know, Hunter's actually on The Owl House subpage for the trope).

Hunter as a 'Good Victim'

To preface this section, I wouldn't say Hunter's place in this role has always been stable. In the same way that the way its given to real victims is conditional and subject to change, the same occurred in fandom response to Hunter. This was especially prevalent, IMO, around the time of Eclipse Lake's release and the hiatus that followed the end of Season 2A. I'll touch on that more later, but for now we'll be discussing the times in which he IS given fandom sympathy, and what that sympathy really means.

If there's one thing Owl House fans love discoursing about, its the way Hunter is treated in the fandom. I've seen this often played off as "hating neurodivergent* coded characters", but this is by far a bigger issue with the way we discuss abuse victims in fandom, as illustrated in the previous section.

( *People use the label interchangably with Autism & ADHD despite the fact Neurodivergency is a vast umbrella that includes PTSD/C-PTSD which Hunter would undoubtedly qualify for. People using the idea of ND-coding, from my experience, typically argue from the angle of Hunter being in some way autistic-coded, I'm not arguing he's not neurodivergent).

The core issue of this discussion is the way that Hunter is denied agency and autonomy from fans because of his abuse. The Huntlow discourse particularly comes to mind, whether or not a person can be ""too traumatized"' to engage in a romantic relationship. I'm not arguing for or against in either capacity, I think both sides did have good intentions and merit to arguments that got strawmanned in order to push ship discourse, but I digress. The point is that Hunter is a character that is reduced to his trauma, and whether intentionally or not, is seen as needing protection.

A healthy support network is good. Having people protect you from an abuser is good. But the way people take this borders on infantalization, often forgetting who they're talking about. Hunter is an extremely competent character, and within the show does as much "protecting" for his friends as he does in needing help. But because his identity is, to fans, intrinsically tied to the abuse he faces, he is in a way forever seen as a permavictim, feeding into this idea of needing to be protected.

When the idea of a 'Good Victim' falls apart

I'd like to take a quick detour here to also focus on that previously mentioned point in time where a lot of nasty victim-blaming sentiment came up, and how people really tend to hate victims of abuse... acting like victims of abuse.

Eclipse Lake was definitely one of Hunter's more noteworthy episodes, giving a better look as to his relationship with Belos, how it impacted his self esteem, and the fact that he really wasn't willing to let go of that. And whew, boy, did that make a LOT of people upset.

Because here was Amity, this character who'd gone through similar struggles, had similar negative thoughts, offering him help and a way to heal. And Hunter rejected that pretty blatantly in favor of pleasing his abuser. I won't explain why people were in the wrong for hating Hunter in that moment, its pretty obvious that of course the traumatized 16 year old wasn't just going to immediately abandoned everything he'd ever known in favor of people that have been, atleast from his POV, pretty fucking mean. (All love to our protagonists though!)

What I'm more interested in talking about is what exactly this means as a reflection of the way we talk about abuse. Because I think a lot of abuse "awareness" is contingent on playing up abusers as these cold, calculating monsters that plan each nice thing they do for their abuse victims as a way to ensnare them further under their control (And okay, in Belos' case that... actually isn't that far off, this is NOT going to be me going on about how "maybe belos wasn't that bad", jesus no). But that rhetoric harms both victims and outsiders.

For victims, it makes it harder to recognize they're being abused, because they don't think their abuser is this overtly manipulative person. Whether that is actually what's going on or not is case-by-case, but either way it makes it a lot harder to recognize when abuse is occurring because they see a human side to their abuser. They know their abuser has good moments that feel genuine to THEM. Meanwhile, to onlookers, and this is what's happening here in the fandom, if an abuser is an irredeemable monster that's lying about everything, then an abuse victim who apologizes for their abuser seems ridiculous.

We as the audience know Belos is a horrible person with no intention to do good. But Hunter DOESN'T know that. And every person who's telling him that's the case are people he has no reason to trust. That period of time where he was villified was based on our complete misunderstanding of what abuse can look like. Which plays into what the "bad victim" is.

Because while a "good victim" must be helpless and lacks any agency, for why else could they be abused, a "bad victim" CHOOSES to be abused. They're "bringing it onto themselves". Because if there is any reason you "could" prevent the abuse, and you don't, that's seen as a moral failing.

So what does this all mean?

I wish I had an actionable plan here, something to say "this is what you need to stop being weird about abuse" but... there really isn't that. This is a pattern that's prevalent in so many fandoms, and something that'll likely keep happening.

All I can say is that the best way to combat this is to be aware of what abuse actually looks like. Not the sensationalized stuff that's on television, I mean stories from real people. Accept that people who've dealt with abuse will have messy, complicated relationships with their abusers, and that they may have done or will do things that don't fit your view of what they "should've done". Trauma puts your brain into a completely different mindset, and it's hard to think rationally. Especially when the person you're dealing with isn't rational either.

Sorry this isn't the most pretty conclusion, or that I likely missed a few points I could've made. This is a tumblr post and I am just one fandomgoer that cares a lot about niche topics.

[kukekakuningaskris]

SSOL, Bojan, and wishful thinking

aka thoughts on Sunny Side of London and a different view than what the band paints it as - a long ramble that resembles an analysis.

So SSOL has been described by the band as a song that captures and describes their concerts, and that the Sunny Side of London is not a real, physical space and rather something that represents their fandom as well as their concerts. Thus it is seen as a fun upbeat song, meant to raise your mood and feel included in something - to feel as if you are part of something fun. I, however, have a different interpretation of the lyrics.

Since London is known for its bad weather and rain, the title Sunny Side of London feels like it is referencing something that doesn't exist. Something you dream of and wish for, but don't actually have. In this regard, the lyrics are wishful. The lyrics wish for a place in which everyone can be as free as a dove, in which your money, sexuality, gender, skin colour or religion don't matter. Wishing for equality and for a place in which all that matters is your happiness and love for others. Looking at this from the perspective of a wishful dream, the lyrics turn sombre, as if painfully aware that this is not real and the place they yearn for does not exist. The lyrics wish for a sunny London and a beautiful day. But only wish, because it is not real, and is impossible to achieve. Or, like a sunny day in London, could be achieved for just small moments before it's all gone again, and what's left is a depressing and unaccepting place,in which you are not free. A representation of reality.

Additionally, the lyrics are often read and understood as being about the audience the band has - the fans that come to their shows. However, I think that the lyrics are about Bojan himself, much like Barve Oceana is written about himself. In 2021, Bojan said that during their concerts he is free as a bird because he is surrounded by friends who know him well, so he doesn't have to be ashamed of anything. This correlates to the lyrics of SSOL that are about hugging your best friend, being as free as a dove, and nothing except happiness and love mattering. In the same interview he said that when he is on stage he never feels like he doesn't belong or that he doesn't know what he is doing there. That is to say, the stage was a safe place for him - his own sunny side of London.

When looking at the recently shared image of the early version of SSOL lyrics, it seems like Bojan himself is even more present in the song than in the final lyrics. Overall, these lyrics are more personal to the band. The earlier version uses a lot of 'we' and 'us', while the published lyrics only use 'you'. This shows that while the finished song is aimed toward the listener, the first versions also included the band itself in the people who were at the sunny side of London. With lines like "It's a place for people like me and you / So if you feel like joining us too" it is clear that this is Bojan himself speaking, and he is also looking for the sunny side of London.

This takes a more depressing turn when considering when the lyrics were written. The song was written in August of 2023, less than a month after the concert during which Bojan suffered a panic attack. He has later said that since the incident the stage hasn't felt as comfortable to him, and that he has lost his safe space. Paired with the idea of the sunny side of London being something unreachable and wishful thinking, it seems as if the lyrics are mourning the loss of the safe space Bojan had. The lyrics are hopeful, aggressively so, as if trying to find a place of freedom while knowing that it is just a dream, and that the reality is much harsher. It seems like Bojan was trying to dream up a place in which he would feel safe and accepted, since in reality he had lost that.

In conclusion, reading the lyrics of the song as if the sunny side of London was something that didn't exist, the lyrics seem depressing, as if knowing such a good and accepting place could never exist. It also reveals Bojan's struggle with trying to feel comfortable on a stage again, since the lyrics seem to be for (if not about) himself.

[moonsaver]

Moon.. I've come back for the 3rd time...

I came across someone who said that Sunday's wings are clipped, and it got me thinking. A bird with clipped wings usually has impaired flight. So what does this mean for Sunday?

He could have done it to himself as a form of self-restraint to stop him from getting distracted by temptations and to stick to getting towards his goal. However, that.. It wouldn't make sense, not for me anyway. For a man who wishes that he could fly with his sister, it would be a rather acontradictory action.

No, wait. He certainly could have done it due to his self-destructiveness. He feels as if he himself does not deserve the privilege and the freedom to be able to fly because he does not matter. All he is supposed to do is reach his goal and make the people in penacony not have to be burdened by the harshness of reality, all of that for the exchange of himself. If this were true, then in the end, he became the very bird he wanted to cage in order to protect.

hhgKHQH but then there's Mr. Gopherwood.. according to research, there are some bird owners and trainers who choose to cut primary feathers to inhibit flight. So what if Sunday was forced to have his wings clipped because of the dreammaster, to control him, to ground him?

It could take months or even years for a previously clipped bird to heal, depending on the severity of the clip and how long its wings were clipped. Even then, if the birds wings were cut incorrectly, it may never be able to fly ever again. Perhaps this is why he said, "We were supposed to fly into the sky together," followed by him saying, "If only I could.", because he meant it both literally and figuratively.

In the end, no matter the reason, Sunday is still a bird trapped in a cage, unable to spread its wings and fly.

Hello nonnie! Always happy to have returnees, haha.

Also, this is very neat. Heartbreaking of course, but very neat.

I personally don't believe Sunday's clipped wings came to be as a form of self-harm. But I could be wrong? Majorly, I believe it would mainly be attributed to more of a symbolization, and some "incident" that would happen that follows it.

The analysis about gopher wood doing to to sunday seems more plausible, although that's also a bit conflicting in my opinion. If gopher had directly clipped sunday's wings, I feel as though sunday would have much more built up resentment towards him, despite as a reverent dreammaster. However, at the same time, sunday was highly manipulated by him, so perhaps he never did anything about it. In the end, I dont think gopher would have done it himself, at least not directly. Perhaps it must have been a form of punishment? A sort of "sacrifice" to be tethered to his responsibilities as the Head, instead of Robin who chose to become a singer? Maybe an accident? Who knows. But there's huge symbolization about him being the bird that can't fly, versus Robin soaring the skies, as they envisioned with the Charmony dove. It's also a huge thing with "staying safe and being taken care of in exchange for freedom" vs "risking everything in order to pursue what you want", it's a sort of condensation of their personal ideals.

Regardless, that's just how I feel. I could be wrong, because I don't think I'm that good at analyzing or such, lol. Anyways, this is very interesting to ponder about.

[thelikesoffinn]

Mad Woman Rambles - The Masterlist

Astarion

The "main" Analysis

"I will never understand why the ascended choice is wrong for him."

Astarion and the other Spawn (Tag Ask)

On Astarion being stopped during the Ritual (Ask)

Astarion and Kindness (Ask)

Astarion and Poly-Relationships (Ask)

Why do you hate Ascended Astarion? (Ask)

"You will regret leaving me." (Ask)

Does Astarion regret killing Cazador? (Ask)

Astarions Type (Ask)

Does Astarion have DID? (Ask)

Could Durge have DID? (Ask)

More In-Depth Explanations of various Terms and Concepts

What is survival mode?

Why is it bad if Astarion is "falsely" associated with DID/Asexuality?

Fanfiction/Character Chit Chat

Ascended Astarion and a more reserved Tav

Astarion and Saoirse, the Noble Barbarian

Astarion the Dead Dove

Astarion and Vien, a more reserved, skittish Tav

Astarion and a traumatised, people-pleasing Tav

Ascended Astarion when Tav chooses suicide

Astarion and a solemn, stoic monk Tav

Could Astarion be with someone who doesn't have any Trauma?

[lubrumalis]

ghost headcanons! (realistic)

tw: nsfw, spoilers, dead dove do not eat

a lot of these are based off of my personal understanding of him

part 2 —> character analysis of ghost

general:

didn’t go back to manchester after his family died, too many foul memories—a lot of friends will probably know him as a murderer (comic reference, ghost was accused of killing his family in the newspaper)

has a fit body. a lot of people like to hc him as big and bulky, i think otherwise! its actually a huge disadvantage to be bulky in size as a soldier (logistics while fighting yk). most SAS soldiers are trained for endurance and fitness, i think he has a moreso lean body

hes not cold and ruthless, wouldn’t say hes a big softie either.

VERYYYY punctual. always on time

will not abuse or rape anyone. this guys been through atrocities, he would never do it to someone else

won’t hire a prostitute, ever.

honestly, hes just another dude in the military. he loves dad jokes and bourbon😭

ghost doesn’t think hes mean or tries to be, he simply is intimidating because of his size and way of talking

he likes watching soccer in his free time

gets internally offended if someone thinks hes from london (anywhere but Manchester)

very dark humoured. tell him any dark joke and he wouldn’t care

loves tea

listens to older british bands, like the smiths

cannot understand modern slang at all. what does ‘iykyk’ and ‘rizzler’ mean???

texts like a typical millennial. uses ‘😂’ and ‘😜’ unironically. types with proper grammar and spelling with punctuation too, maybe an occasional LOL

also unironically likes posts about trust issues and being a sigma male. he doesn’t actually think hes one, he just relates to those quotes that are like: “being alone is better than with fakes” 😭😭😭😭

ghost probably hates other men more than misandrists 😕 i think its bc hes always fighting other men and dealing with the cruel things theyve done, so ghost subconsciously feels more on guard with men he doesnt know

has insomnia

doesn’t cry. ghost doesn’t remember the last time he cried.

isn’t rich rich, but has a ton of savings. he doesn’t have a family or spend a lot. so the money piles up.

relationship hcs:

first off, i dont think he’d realistically get into one anyway LMAO

s/o would have to the chasing, i dont think ghost is the kind to actively pursue someone

he has charisma, doesn’t feel like using it

hes very against the idea at first—his family got murdered because he was in the military, you think hes gonna let it happen again?

probably will not like someone working with him as a soldier

i think itd go two ways: a) you are a civilian who aggressively pursues the poor guy and he gives in, b) you work as a military nurse and gradually get to know him, c) you are a longtime close friend of his before he was in the military

i cant see him being fwb with anyone, only one night stands

hes not a toxic partner or super lovey dovey

ghost doesn’t entertain multiple women at once

itd most likely end up in a breakup where he fears for your safety:(((

BUT lets ignore that

tbh, i think he would probably be with someone very empathetic and kind to others. he doesn’t like people overly energetic, too soft, or someone that annoys him

persons gotta be independent and good with long distance

simon doesn’t care about age gaps, but probably wants someone at least in their late twenties

had a hard time opening up, eventually told you everything once he trusts you

another reason why i think he wants someone empathetic is because he has severe trust issues😃😃

last thing he’d care about is looks for long term relationships

the type of guy to disappear for 6 months and reappear to be like “remember im your husband???”🫡

doesn’t let you tell your friends about him—No hes not being uncommitted or toxic, but hes simply being cautious after what happened to his family

you can’t show anyone photos of him, his name, his occupation, NOTHHINGGG

so you fake a name for your bf who your friends think you’re lying about

definitely does not let you post on social media about him either.

installs security in your home, teaches you self defense, and gives you weapons. this guy can be paranoid

will never hit you or lay a hand on you

ghost genuinely thinks you saved him—his life was bleak and empty before you came in. subconsciously thinks of you as a savior

he buys you gifts, does chores for you, he really likes you :(

ghost actively tries to make his voice sound softer and friendlier when hes talking to you

doesnt understand playing mind games, things like the silent treatment or “im ok” when ur not ok thing. just tell him how you feel

doesn’t tell his team about your existence. you and his job are always going to be separate.

avoids talking about what he does in the military. ghost has killed and injured many and he doesn’t want you to see that side of him.

scary dog privileges for SURE

[livelaughghoul]

Lewis Hamilton - Birth Chart Analysis

Disclaimer: This is for entertainment purposes only, nothing observed or taken away from this should be considered fact. As a reminder, I know fuck all about Formula 1, I just like fast cars (DALE EARNHARDT LIVES ON IN MY DREAMS, GOD BLESS AMERICA). 

Additional disclaimer: I am fucking tired y’all. My week at work has been actual hellfire, and I started my summer classes so I am back to averaging like, three hours of sleep a night and I am overworked, underpaid, and barely surviving (I am NOT thriving). I did NOT dive into the aspects of his chart, honestly, I am exhausted and posting this literally in the middle of the night. As soon as I finish this, I am knocking out for the foreseeable. If anyone really wants, I will look at the aspects, but my eyes are starting to hurt. I’ll get to his tarot reading sometime after I wake up. 

Anyway, here is my look at Lewis’s birth chart, since there seemed to be a lot of interest in his overall chart, I went ahead and dove in much deeper than I have on the others. If there is more interest in this, I am happy to do this for others as well. Unfortunately, I am not able to promise the accuracy of these, as a majority of the charts will be done using UTC unless there is a reliable birth time provided anywhere. 

THE PLANETS:

Sun - Capricorn 

A Capricorn Sun to me is like a warm summer day with a perfect breeze, a feeling of coming home after a long day at work, and a perfectly baked apple crisp. It’s reliable, strong, and levelheaded. With this placement being ruled by Saturn, there is a lot of attention paid to time, how long it has taken to accomplish goals, the milestones, etc. I have no doubts that Lewis is the type to remember those important dates and want to make them important. Lewis has a long-term plan and has it planned out in an incredible amount of detail. The goat is applicable in all terms, steadfast, balanced even in the uncertainly, and stubborn.

Moon - Cancer 

I get the sense that Lewis opens up slower, but when he develops trust with someone it takes a lot to break it. There is so much protective and loyal energy with this placement, I have no doubts that once Lewis finds his people, he does everything in his power to ensure they feel valued and protected. Lewis has a gentle heart, and he loves deeply, like DEEPLY. There is a lot of emotions there, and with a Cancer in Moon there is a a tendency to almost be afraid to feel these emotions because they can be overwhelming. I think that Lewis has done the work necessary though to embrace being as emotional as he is, and there is a sense of power in the emotions he feels. 

Rising - Scorpio 

This is such an intense and petty rising sign, I love it. I also just have a soft spot for literally any Scorpio placement (even toxic men with a scorpio sun). In terms of rising, it’s a lot of resourceful placement, Lewis probably feels a sense of calm when he is in charge and feels that he has control. The one downside to a Scorpio rising is that there is a bit of a temper, like, it takes a lot to set it off, but my god, when it gets going, it’s a verbal tearing down that you would not expect. It’s got people walking away thinking about the things said for hours. 

Mercury (Planet of intelligence) - Sagittarius 

This is really nice placement, but it tells me that Lewis absolutely hates any sort of censorship or PR training. Real big jack of all trades in terms of hobbies, and a natural ability to just pick things up and be absolutely amazing at them. Knitting? One youtube video and hes a professional. Baking? No problem, practically a professional from the one time he read a blog online. Lewis is always open to learning new things and challenging himself. I have no doubts that this man is full of wisdom and grace. 

Venus (Planet of love and pleasure) - Pisces

Again, Lewis is in-touch with his emotions, and is so devoted to those that he deems worthy of his heart. While his chart does indicate that there is a tendency to have a bit of a temper, I have no doubts that once there is a spark there, he is the most gentle and kindhearted man there is. He is devoted and will cherish you with his everything. Unfortunately, there is sometimes a lot of self-sacrifice that comes with this placement that can make relationships difficult in the long run. 

Mars (Planet of physical energy) - Pisces 

I personally find this to be a pretty intense placement. It’s not necessarily due to the physicality of it, I just think that there is a lot of emotion that comes with Pisces, and when it clashes with the physicality of Mars, it can be hard to balance them out. I think that there is a tendency to shoulder others' issues and make them his own. Since Lewis is so in touch with his emotions, I think that there is a deeper and better understanding of what he needs to feel stable in a relationship.

Jupiter (Planet of luck, optimism, and success) - Capricorn 

This is an interesting placement, for a few different reasons. It’s one of my less preferred placements, but it’s definitely not the worst out there! The success in Lewis’s life can truly be attributed to his hard work and dedication. This also tells me that there is going to be longevity to the success, it isn’t just going to end. 

Saturn (Planet of responsibility)  - Scorpio 

Saturn here brings a lot of obstacles, but a lot of them tend to be on the emotional side of things rather than physical. Either there is going to be a huge disagreement between him and someone close to him that blows up into public attention, or this has already happened. This brings back some of that stubborn influence that we see in some other placements, his career is going to be something that lasts well past retirement, it isn’t just going to fizzle out. Retirement isn’t going to be traditional at all, his career is going to extend well past his driving days. 

Uranus (Planet of change and originality) - Sagittarius

Even when faced with change, Lewis is going to handle it with grace. We start to see some of the more unconventional beliefs here too, this tells me that there is a lot of spirituality and reliance on the self and manifestation. 

Neptune (Planet of mystery and illusion) - Capricorn

Lewis, the man that you are. I love a Capricorn Neptune because it is whimsical, driven, passionate, and truly in touch with the natural world. There is a lot of dedication to the self and others with this placement. There is so much hope and desire to understand the world at large and how it works with this placement. With Lewis being so connected to his emotions, I think that there is a lot of emotion tied into this placement as well. There is a lot of balance and self-soothing that can be done through this specific placement. 

Pluto (Planet of death and rebirth) - Scorpio 

Pluto is interesting. I definitely think that there is a lot of passion here, like a lot. Going back to everything else in his chart, this really kind of ties it together really well. I think that there is a lot of balance here. I mean, there is a lot emotion and passion everywhere in the chart, and then we get to this? Where it kind of becomes this overwhelming desire and passion to get their own way. 

THE HOUSES:

First house (House of Self) - Pluto, Saturn, and Southern Node

Saturn in the first house tells me that there is a lot of weight placed on Lewis’s shoulders, the majority of it being there by his own doing. Lewis values hard work, and it really shows through his entire chart. Pluto shines through in more of the personality than the work ethic, Pluto in the first brings this natural charism and charm, that welcomes people in and attracts them naturally. The Southern Node here is pretty brutal, and I think a lot of it comes down to how much emotion is carried through the chart. With the Southern Node here, it can be easy to inadvertently hurt others through words or actions. 

Second house (House of Possessions ) - Uranus and Mercury 

I love Mercury here because we are literally seeing it in real time. There is a luxury to it, an ability to continue pushing the boundaries and just build more financial security and comfort. If it’s something that he believes will make his life easier, he has no problem dropping a pretty penny. I also love Uranus in this placement, because again, we literally see it. It’s typically seen in making great finances in an unconventional career (I would argue and say professional motorsports is unconventional). I wouldn’t be shocked to find out that he has an antiques collection or at least an interest in the vintage or antique world. 

Third house (House of Communication) - Neptune, Sun, and Jupiter

Lewis will have a natural talent for being well-spoken and eloquent in his speech and finds it easy to build a connection with others. There is a lot going on in this house, so I think that there may be a tendency to be disorganized in thought more so than anywhere else. Since Jupiter is the planet of luck, I definitely think that Lewis could talk himself out of any sort of trouble. He just needs to find a mutual connection and it’s game over. I don’t think Lewis would be the type to take advantage of this natural ability to charm others, but I do think there might be a tendency to weaponize it when he is feeling wounded. Neptune brings a lot of balance here, and really furthers the belief that he is a spiritual babe! I have no doubts that Lewis finds the occult to be interesting! I would literally give anything to have a chat with him over some occult ideals. 

Fifth house (House of Creativity and Sex) - Venus and Mars 

LITERALLY THE BEST FUCKING PLACEMENT. We have the planet of pleasure and love in the same house as the planet of energy and assertiveness. Venus tells us that Lewis is a natural romantic, and he knows how to make someone feel like they are the center of the universe. Paired with Mars, we see that there is almost an impulsivity to this romantic aspect of things, and that competitive nature comes through. He is going to be the best thing that has happened to someone, he will make damn sure of that. 

Seventh house (House of Marriage and Partnership) - Northern Node

I love the Northern Node here, truly. I’ve said it already, but I’ll say it again. Lewis Hamilton is willing to commit, to his career, to friends, to partners. He is not afraid of commitment at all. This natural charm that he carries is so infectious. He absolutely is going to be the best husband out there, like holy shit. 

Eighth house (House of Death and regeneration, and legacies) - Chiron 

I don’t love the wounded healer being in this house, like at all. To me this symbolizes holding onto things that he should not, likely leading to a festering rage. As I stated earlier, it likely takes a lot to get to the point where Lewis feels that it is necessary to end a relationship in any capacity, it is going to cause a lot of personal pain and bring up a lot of challenges. 

Ninth house (House of Mental Exploration) - Moon 

Lewis is a philosophical man at heart, I have no doubts that when he gets on a topic he is passionate about, he gets deep. I love this placement for him, because it usually means a lot of success in travel, and it’s my understanding (I am sorry for my lack of f1 knowledge guys), that he is constantly traveling.