#for context: I am we're watching the whole series from the very beginning all together in order for the first time since 2015

[relapsinghetalian]

Oh my God Hetalia is a brand new experience when your audio processing disorder is way better than it was in high school. I suddenly understand them through the accents and yah I can see how people who only witness the first bunch of episodes would be like "oh the Nazi yaoi show? The show where Nazi Germany is yassified?" It's so bad. Like I want to say it gets better and it's not like that now. He says so much more than I remember. I can understand what the fuck Italy and France are saying. This show is going to hit me like a train huh

[wordsandrobots]

If there's one thing I crave more of from IBO, it's Bauduin sibling interactions. I've watched that scene with them McGillis in S1E11 more times than I can count.

I do like that we've gotten a few more pieces of the Bauduin family situation from the side-stories. Almiria's assessment of marriage as a man and woman living together in the same house, eating together, going out together, and arguing once a month suggests certain very specific things about Lord and Lady Bauduin's relationship, perhaps making sense of why Gaelio and Almiria's mother is nowhere to be seen come the start of the series. Although, saying that, *none* of the Seven Star kids' mothers appear to be a presence in their lives. When Carta and Iok lose their fathers (effectively and actually), they're placed with guardians rather than being raised by their other parent. Which is probably yet another aspect of the predominance of bloodlines in Gjallarhorn's social mores. When only one parent truly 'counts', intimacy is going to be the first casualty.

I think a lot about how that applies to the Bauduin kids. Because they clearly know each other well enough to be properly annoying, and their father shows genuine concern for them, so I don't imagine their home-life was particularly cold or remote. At the same time, I wonder how much contact Gaelio and Almiria have actually had. The implication is that he's at a boarding school in his teens and then on to military academy. It's possible he only ever saw Almiria during holidays and while on leave. If we're being generous, we might use that to explain why he stresses her babyishness so much -- he's literally missed seeing her grow up. Although, even if that is true, Gaelio is 1) a jerk and 2) kind of weird about the status Almiria throws herself into living up to.

Don't get me wrong, he really needed that 'learning to be a better person by exposure to normal people' arc. Yet we see he has contempt for the corrupt, the underhanded and, significantly, for the specific people in his social circle. "The guests are even more vulgar than usual," indeed! I'd imagine childhood spent in proximity to those in Iok's mould would not give you a good impression of your peers. Coupling that to the whole 'running for the hills when people propose to him', it's feasible Gaelio finds Almiria ridiculous for affecting manners he himself resents. He's standing there, isolated by his status as Gallus' heir, with McGillis and Carta as his only actual friends, and Carta going like that as she gets older, and here's his baby sister acting all prim, too naive to understand she's being used as a pawn. It's small wonder he turns to mocking sarcasm.

For her part, Almiria is caught between the reality of being a child and the expectations placed upon her by the adults in her life. As much as Gaelio mocks her, she *can't* be a baby, or else the whole political structure of their lives falls apart. Being ridiculed for being a little girl is exceptionally cruel in the context of having her husband picked out for her when she was five. Like, what do you want from her, you bastards? Because what you got was a kid who idolised the idea of being grown up as a kind of freedom, while being unable to conceptualise it beyond the social structures that caused her to be in this situation to begin with. Gah, sorry, I know it's off the point, but I am constantly struck by how Almiria in some ways has it worse than the kids who are actually homeless. At least they have some measure of personal autonomy.

Anyway, jerk or no, I still think Gaelio cares for his sister and was sincerely afraid for her following what McGillis said at Edmonton, albeit in a 'I am her big brother so I should be protecting her' sort of way rather than necessarily protecting Almiria the person. I played into that hard when I approached writing their relationship post-canon: with how they were raised and the gaps between them it caused, I feel it's reasonable to assume they each have an idea of the other that causes them certain emotions, without necessarily knowing one another. They are both good at loving shadows, after all, and even if it is genuinely love, I think it would take some very hard conversations to make them close.

(For plot reasons, I weighted that towards Gaelio seeing what he expects/wants while Almiria gains a better understanding of what's going on between his ears, but it's still rather superficial on both sides. Gaelio tries. He really does. Almiria . . . well. Ahem. I did Things with Almiria as a character.)

In terms of scenes we could have gotten but didn't, I'd personally want to see a Bauduin family meal. Gallus, Mrs Gallus, Gaelio and Almiria, all round a table together. Probably a very big one that made it impossible to have comfortable conversations, with fancy food and servants fading into the walls. It'd be the dinner from hell, one way or another, but I'd love to get a glimpse at the full dynamic.

[interestsofabookwormbitch]

Season 1 Episode 6

I'm watching another episode finally. I was gonna watch it earlier today but I fell asleep. But onto the best titled episode.

2004. Flashback.

They're so little! I love childhood scenes in shows. And they're just figuring out their powers too! How cute.

Ow. Child abuse.

Well, this guy isn't gonna last long. But also, like why do people do that? Also also, you think getting thrown back by an invisible force would make you rethink this, no?

Ok. So murder is fun. I mean, guy had it coming, I saw it coming, I just hate when kids have to do stuff like that.

Well that was a harsh way to start. I kinda thought that'd be nicer.

Ok, so this is gonna be like a series of flashback from Max, right?

Yo, it kinda sucks, cause it seems Max and Michael had such big plans, but only ended up staying and settling for Isobel. And not to say that's completely her fault, plus I do need to see the full context still, and also like technically I'm just guessing. Still, it seems as it goes along Isobel keeps appearing more messed up than I originally thought.

See, you know the problem with getting into that stuff is it's so hard to get out, because of people like that. Poor Rosa. It really really sucks she never even really got a chance

Those two were friends? What happened?

We're they together!? Because that constellation is definitely gonna be Ophiuchus and this scene they seem very much together. Am I jumping to conclusions? I might be jumping to conclusion.

Ok, high key love Alex's jewelery here.

Aw, offering him a place to stay. So this is like the very beginning of the relationship. I love that. Also Michael looks confused and I wonder how often people outside of his siblings are kind to him even.

Lmao, Max is so smitten and Isobel is just loving teasing him. Also I feel that prom dress diet. I got mine fitted while cutting wait for wrestling Nationals (which I had said not to do, but no one listens to me) so I ended up having to cut weight again for prom

Oh, so there's definitely something up with her. Like some kind of dissociation disorder right? I'm not gonna guess which one because I'm not a doctor, but you know what I mean?

Oh my gosh, we saw this scene before. Also, I'm changing my theory. Rosa was in love with Isobel. One sided romance.

Their dad us so cute. And red is definitely Liz's colour.

Oh my gosh. So she like trigger for her is the thought of her brothers leaving right? It causes that flip in her. Interesting. I could be wrong though

I love the fact that Max is wearing the red rose though. Sort of symbolizes how he's supposed to be the one with Liz since it matches with her. Where as Kyle gas a white one.

Aw fucking bullies. And wow Kyle was such a dick. I am so happy he's changed.

Agdksgks. Moment there. Why does that make me happy with Michael jumping in?

Also, yeah Liz, get mad at Kyle, he fucking deserved it. Homophobia is not a pretty look.

Ok, Isobel keeps throwing me through a loop, cause I was thinking one sided, but now I think she also has feelings for Rosa, but like, only in this state. I may be reading into things that aren't there, but this feels romantic.

Oh my god. Running away together. That can literally not be read as anything but romantic. Also poor Rosa is getting jerked back and forth by this girl, and it's not even like it's intentional

I like how Liz is just so casual about the fact that her and Kyle aren't gonna stay together.

Absentee parent s are literally the worst tbh. Like how can you do that to your child? I'm not gonna get into the rant I was gearing towards, but just know being a parent is my number 1 ambition in life, and I can't imagine not wanting to pour all the love you have into your kids.

Oh, are they gonna kiss? Wait, ok, nevermind, when do we get a kiss between these two?

And yeah, ok, Isobel definitely needs some therapy. I'm just gonna say it.

He does stay in the toolshed. Ok this is cute. Stop. Please. I like this a lot.

And I was right about the whole kind thing, which sucks, but also was obvious.

Anyways, divulging personal things!

Agsjsgsjshw I keep pausing this. Fuck me! It was so close I'm crying. I was so happy for it too. Bitch why?

Ok, first, those girls are bitches. Second, we does Isobel keep like staring at Rosa's neck or whatever. I am so confused with their friendship.

Oh, that looked murderous. So was the intent to kill those girls, and Rosa ended up being there too? I have no idea. I'm trying to figure everything out and I really should just let the show play

Yeah she's not lying. It's definitely the blackouts guys.

Ooh ok, was like the last day Rosa was there? Or not? Cause that slowed down exit feels like a final time leaving.

It really sucks cause everyone treats Rosa like she's some horrible drug addict who just ruined things. Even Liz said she cared for no one but herself at one point, but in actuality she was trying really hard to fix herself, and no one saw that.... except Isobel I guess, but you know. She doesn't remember

Ok, that's one way to take your shot.

So they weren't as close as I thought they were. Idk the impression I had was those two were really close as kids since he was in love with her and all, but they really really weren't. And I noticed this earlier, just pointing it out.

! Is Michael shooting his shot too? Please? He is!!

Ok this date, sorry "adventure" is cute. Like actually. Dancing is such a cliche, but also I love it, so.

Agdkshakud Kiss! Agjalzhjsk! I needed a second to form words anyways. Best way of "talking" right there. I knew it was coming too, but I still get excited.

Ok, Liz. I get you. That's fair I guess.

Stop. This is so cute right now with these two. Like it's innocent and a little awkward, and I know something is gonna ruin it.

I'm crying in a good right now, cause this is literally the sweetest. "Not with someone that I've liked, as much as I like you." Literally just shoot me now. Like I'm good to go.

Max is such a romantic, and it's really cute. Also, no wonder he was so hurt when she left without saying goodbye.

Well fuck. There's the thing that went wrong. I called it. Have I mentioned I hate Alex's dad?

Oh my god! I thought this was gonna be yelling, or something. Not a Fucking HAMMER!

Holy shit! He just fucking smashed his hand up! Those are the scars from before too! And why his hand was broken that night.! Fuck me. Things add up and make sense! Why!? Fuck off! That man can burn a slow painful death to Hell. Holy shit.

Also, like, how did he get away with that? Were no charges pressed. Like what the fuck.

Oh, so Rosa was mad at Isobel, and that's why she reacted like that to Max.

Man what the fuck, I just realized he said playing music was how he felt better, and now he can't. Not really. Right? Like his had is still damaged a decade later. This is fucked man. Just chug back that nail polish remover.

Oh no, not Isobel. Shit. Everything's happening now!

Isobel what the fuck!? There severely mentally wrong with her, cause you don't just do that. Like, I don't know what to say. Like ok, obviously she's not mentally sound, but I still don't know how she reached that point. Like straight up killed Rosa right there.

Oh my god, they're freaking out (as one would be) and they blaming themselves, but like it's not their fault. How could they have seen that coming? She never did that before, it was an impossible outcome to foresee. And sure looking back you can see there was something wrong, and you will always think about what you could have done, but at the same time hindsight is 20/20, and nothing they did was wrong.

Oh, protecting her from herself. I mean, tbf, there's really no way of telling how she'd react, but still. That's gotta be hard to do.

Great staging though. The pain in all their faces though. The acting was great.

It hurts how much this broke their relationships with each other and them. Like look at how much they had going until this night happened.

Also sidenote, the shot of fire burning in their eyes is like really cool.

Oh my god everything's happening and everyone's freaking out. Liz is upset, and rightfully so. Even if I don't blame them entirely.

Isobel is freaking out, too. Asking if their a murderous species, but tbh Michael has killed no one and Max's kill was 100% self defense. Unfortunately for Isobel she is literally the only one I'd count as actually killing someone. But even that is debatable as being her fault considering how completely not her that was. We'll see how the rest of this story unfolds.

Ngl that ending hurts. Things are happening and it always has to hurt. I don't know why, but it does.