#he doesn't feel like its an inferior position

[allastoredeer]

In a lot of fics with the whole 'they're switching!' but in fact it's 99% of top!Alastor and then that one mention of top!Lucifer it's always the idea that 'Alastor need a lot of time to allow himself to bottoming for someone, let alone Lucifer!'

...but Lucifer somehow doesn't need even more time to even consider an idea to bottom for a sinner, especially the kind that is Alastor.

Sure, Jan.

I miss the mean egotistical Lucifer we got in the show. I want him back. His jealous insecurity is so special to me, I'm waiting for it to return from the war. I wish more fics explored his bias against Sinners and how he, very much, looks down on them. One song and a rebuilt hotel isn't going to change the distaste he's had for them for thousands of years, and I've yet to come across a fic that genuinely addresses that.

ON THAT TOPIC, how about a fic where Lucifer is confronted about the Exterminations that he signed off on. Where's my fics exploring the rage and hatred the Sinners would have for him? Damned or not, Sinners had to have had friends. Community. Our Hazbin crew can't be the only found family in Hell, there had to be other people who cared about each other. Who made a life for themselves. And I'm sure a LOT of them lost people they loved during the Exterminations.

Not to mention the sheer terror of being ruthlessly hunted and murdered for one day in the year (in a way that permanently kills them). The Sinners really got their own Hell version of The Purge, didn't they? Except they can't fight back or defend themselves in this one (or don't think they can, at least).

I'M JUST SAYING, chances are, the Sinners wouldn't like Lucifer just as much as he doesn't like them. I am dying for a fic that actually gives Lucifer repercussions for his actions. God, PLEASE, I need it so bad.

More on topic with the actual ask (LOL) I really want to write a bottom!Alastor fic where he is confident, in control, and knows exactly what he's doing during sex. Sexual attraction or not, he will get the last word in, and if that means riding the king of Hell until he's a blubbering mess then so be it.

[inamindfarfaraway]

I love how Paul's character in The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals is defined entirely by a lack of desire, or desire defined only as 'not what I don't want'. "What Do You Want, Paul?" is a big joke about what a terrible narrative protagonist he is. But it's deeper than that. Throughout the show, even in the smallest, most insignificant phrasing, this man only ever expresses wants in these negative forms, as if he's incapable of feeling attraction in itself rather than simply avoiding what he dislikes. And only avoiding! He never says that he hates anything, either! That would give him passion, drive, perhaps the goal of actively removing that thing. No, he exclusively uses the verb hate in past tense.

He doesn't like musicals, singing, dancing or public performances. He makes this very clear, to the point that it's one of his most significant character traits. At no point does he ever talk about liking any media.

He doesn't want to do social activities.

He doesn't want to give away his money. About both this and the above, he can provide no logical explanation or moral justification. He just doesn't feel like them.

He always gets black coffee because it has "no cream, no sugar, nothing in it"; that is to say, he might not necessarily love it, merely prefer it over its sweeter or more complex alternatives.

He doesn't believe that Emma should have to sing and dance at work - he doesn't want her life to be so unfair and annoying to the both of them.

He doesn't want to obstruct the workings of his office (saying "that's the last thing I want" triggers "What Do You Want, Paul?").

He says, "I wanna go home!" when Mr Davidson is singing at him, but means that he wants to be somewhere safe and not stuck in this incredibly uncomfortable situation.

He doesn't want to die.

He specifically doesn't want to die in Clivesdale, because fuck Clivesdale.

He doesn't want to join the Hive.

He doesn't want to leave Hatchetfield, even when it's the site of an alien invasion that is his personal worst nightmare. He actually says that "All things considered, I like Hatchetfield", arguably an exception to the standard. However, he's also well aware of the town's flaws and problems. He grew up one of its poorer residents, attending the inferior, underfunded Sycamore High School where he casually admits the students "hated [themselves]" and having to watch its more respectable rival Hatchetfield High's school play. He has no strong investment in his tedious middle-class office job. He doesn't get along with some of his fellow townsfolk, like his coworker Ted and all the employees of Beanies except Emma. He awkwardly evades giving to charity and the homeless every morning on his way to work. His life is decidedly not one of utter bliss, and yet it's good enough for him in that he doesn't have the energy, ambition or imagination to want anything more. Since he's "been here [his] whole life", his affection for his hometown could be more an aversion to everywhere else or the hassle of travelling. Sticking with the devil he intimately knows.

He doesn't think badly of Emma, and says so because he doesn't want her to or believe that he does after learning that she helped make a "hated" experience of his happen.

He doesn't want to let Bill die, which is why he goes with Bill to rescue Alice. His heroism and proactiveness at the turning point of the end of Act One start to notably erode his apathy, but his phrasing reaffirms his negative motivations: "Hey, it's not like you're asking me to go see Mama Mia!", "Emma, there comes a time in every man's life when he has to draw a line in the sand. And I will never be in a fucking musical."

He doesn’t want Bill to blame himself for Alice's endangerment, stay in the area once Alice is revealed to be a vessel of the Hive or kill himself.

He doesn't want to do some light reading on the universal truth of love and the strength of the human heart.

He has no positive motivation. He breaks one of the most basic rules of being a fictional character, let alone the main character the audience is supposed to root for. He isn't just an antihero, he's an anti-protagonist. Although this could easily make him boring or unsympathetic, he manages to seem relatable. Real. Human. He captures so genuinely an ordinary person living an ordinary life suddenly trapped in a horror story. How many of us can honestly articulate "one concrete goal that motivates all [our] actions"? Even if you can, you wouldn't undergo a narratively fulfilling and thematically cohesive arc related to that desire the way a fictional character would. We're all essentially just trying to survive each day. To make or keep our lives however we define 'good enough'. We may not have a crystal clear picture of our ideal life, but I bet we all have a long list of things we don't want in it. We're all Paul. He even says, “I want what anyone wants”.

What more appropriate antagonist for this man to face, then, than a force that exists to strip people of their autonomy, their individuality, their personhood, and force them to play archetypical characters in a conventional narrative? The Hive observes that Paul is an anti-protagonist and takes offence to this. It seeks to convert him into his antithesis, the "bold" "leading man" of its musical who the audience can "sympathize with". The Infected highlight this in the opening song, in which they eagerly anticipate and prepare the audience for his entrance... and he misses his cue. He isn't following their script. Perhaps that's why the audience is able to believe in this average, unassuming antihero's potential to succeed, to defeat the Hive or at the very least escape it, despite how fraught and grim the situation becomes. The story certainly proves itself to be cruel to its characters; but Paul doesn't operate like a normal character. The Hive promises to fulfil people's desires and make them happy throughout the play. Charlotte, Bill, Hidgens and Ted's deaths are connected to, by either direct causality or thematic relevance, their respective desires for Sam's love, Alice's safety, world peace (and the glory of a musical career) and Ted's own survival. Paul is uniquely immune to this pattern of death related to a core motivation.

Until:

"I can't leave without Emma”, “a friend of mine."

"Is there a chance of something more?"

"I think so. I'd like there to be. I want there to be."

He wants Emma, her life and her happiness and maybe, just maybe, her love. He wants to love her. To spend time with her. For the first time ever, he wants more out of life, not less. He's a little bit more of a character. After the Infected reprise the "Did you hear the word?" section of the opening song, building up to his appearance, this time he does enter the theatre, coming down the aisle just as he was meant to. Right on cue. Paul is now vulnerable to the narrative - the Hive's narrative. And the Hive's control.

Still he resists, even while doubting if he was ever really happy before. Not only does he use his final words, fittingly, to declare that he doesn't like musicals, but before that he firmly refutes the Hive, and the philosophy behind it and all the pressures and temptatations it might represent: "It doesn't matter what I want." What matters is the good of the world. Emma. Love. Hope. Freedom. Integrity. Humanity, which must be wonderful if we can make sacrifices like this for all the right reasons.

Rest in peace, Paul Matthews. You were the opposite of a conventional protagonist, but a true hero.

[sugar-grigri]

Nayuta must become the big sister

I think what's especially interesting to note in chapter 154 is Nayuta's failure to use the right tactics.

Denji raised Nayuta correctly, emphasizing going to school, trying to control her possessive outbursts while being extremely present for her. In short, he nurtured her, giving her the protection he hadn't enjoyed as a child himself.

Although Nayuta knows her own nature and instincts, and is not naturally altruistic, she still looks at herself in a certain way: from society's point of view, and from her own, she is a child.

What I'm trying to say is that it's not insignificant to have Makima reincarnated; we could very well have had Nayuta, already an adult, because she's a devil who doesn't grow up. Nayuta already seems to grow up much faster than humans, so Fujimoto could very well have decided that a demon, especially a knight of the apocalypse, should already be born as an adult.

She grew up more quickly, and by the time Denji had finished devouring Makima, she already had the appearance of a 4/5-year-old child.

Fujimoto made Nayuta a child, because it's this state of being that makes her a control demon so paradoxical. Indeed, if Makima was so powerful, it wasn't just because she was older; the fact that Denji had killed Makima didn't change anything in terms of the fear one can feel of control.

What affects Nayuta's power, capable of controlling only 3 people at a time, is the way she conceives herself.

Makima was so powerful because she occupied a fairly high hierarchical position among public hunters, just as she had unquestionable authority over her agents. What's more, the government assigned her an objective of a universal nature: to protect all mankind from evil things. This role of universal protector, albeit a protective one, naturally places Makima, the control demon, in the role of guardian, humanity being as harmless as obedient puppies. The only thing Makima couldn't feel superior to was Chainsaw Man, for he is the entity that provides the means to pursue her universal goal of protection.

The key to Nayuta's fate is the fact that she has been loved and pampered by Denji. She makes it clear: it's natural for a demon to kill humans. Which, on the other hand, indicates that it's completely unnatural and almost unnatural for a demon to love and be loved by a human.

To have been loved, to have been happy, enabled the control demon to understand other ways of relating than pure domination, whereas Makima didn't understand human relationships, to the point of being moved by a hug, so unattainable for her.

Nayuta understands the nuances of relationships, just as she claims not to be the leader of powerful public officials but a mere child, which always places her in an inferior position to her enemies. That's why she's less powerful: to be in control, she needs to feel superior, which she can't easily do when she sees all these adults surrounding her so vehemently.

She focuses more on her social role as a child to be protected than as a demon attacking head-on. She still adheres to her role as a child, she's not obsessed with CSM because she can't reach him, he's now in her inner circle, she doesn't have a universal goal such as protecting the humanity like Fami suggested, she just wants to go to school.

In short, the control demon no longer wants to control, no longer needs to, or when she does, it's out of sheer necessity. The fact that she's weaker was Kishibe's objective when he gave custody of the demon to CSM, to make the control demon more human, more childlike, to avoid this exponential need for control. In short, the fact that the Control Demon's supreme objective is to be loved has contained its power, because its objectives have been achieved.

We can see how love is an unnatural thing, because it limits a demon who should be supreme through his solitude. For Nayuta's sake, to get out of her situation in chapter 154 would be to have a crisis of ego, and I think that symbolically it's not out of the question that if Nayuta abandons her role as a child, she'll grow up brutally. For a demon, appearance and age are simply a question of positioning in society. Makima had chosen to take on the appearance of a femme fatale to enable her to manipulate more effectively.

A soft voice, an attractive appearance to encourage us to lower our guard, the better to control coldly.

This is also why Barem is so dangerous to her: he's big-boned, aggressive and very tall, so he can be naturally frightening to a child. If Nayuta wants to control him and regain the upper hand, she mustn't see herself as a child with a gun pointed at her head. That even when assaulted, even when held at gunpoint, she's still in full control, that despite the chaos, she's still superior.

It's no coincidence that it's a gun that's pointed at her. Guns are fatal for humans, but for demons, especially the most powerful ones, they don't mean much. Nayuta doesn't need to be afraid of a gun, she needs to embrace her demon nature.

And she's on that track because protecting CSM, rather than being protected by him, means she can now play the role of a big sister.

What's more, she needs to get to know her own need for violence and cruelty. Chaos isn't what she likes, this chain of violence and combat isn't what she desires, because what she wants is cold, absolute control, where all she gets is unfailing obedience, people falling into line, not men with spears fighting each other in a primal manner.

She has been brought up by Denji, adopting his mannerisms and his way of speaking, but she also needs to distance herself from this fraternal figure in order to be herself.

All this leads me to say that the Knights of the Apocalypse, by moving away from what they are, are THE ONES who bring about the apocalypse, which is totally obvious, hence their name.

By loving something abnormal for the demon of control, by falling in love with his worst enemy for the demon of war, by wanting to save humanity to better eat what it produces for the demon of famine... show how they are all affected by humanity, to the point of putting aside their demonic nature.

Think of it as a kind of broken balance, which leads the eldest, the demon of death, to intervene. Why? For death represents absolute equilibrium; no one can escape it, it is an absolute rule from which it cannot be dislodged, it is an inevitable and firm end. Common to all species.

So she intervenes, to pull the ears of her little sisters Nostradamus' prophecy doesn't predict the apocalypse - in fact, it predicts that it will be triggered by the Knights of the Apocalypse, who have set out to protect mankind from the apocalypse. It may sound complicated when you put it like that, but the idea is to reinforce the idea of inevitability: protecting mankind from the apocalypse isn't a rebellion, something that can work; on the contrary, Fami's plan triggers it because she denies her nature. It's a losing game.

When I say that Nayuta needs to be a little more Makima again, it's not just for her own good, it's also for the good of humanity, and I find that ultra interesting: it's necessary for the antagonist we got rid of in part 1 to return, at least partially, in part 2.

But she mustn't go back to being that obsessive protector, she must simply resume its role as predator. Mankind needs predators: with the evolution of technology, it thought it could challenge its food chain, but paradoxically it needs to be bruised by demons to survive, since the balance of the world is at stake.

It's all the more symbolic that Barem and Fami use the wrong strategy: like Prometheus, they give fire to men via contracts with the fire demon, reinforcing the idea of evolution to escape its nature. It's even more symbolic that many weapons serve this project, such as Miri, the demon of the whip and the spear, hybrids linked to this civilisation.

It's absurd for the demon of control to argue that she's just a child. If she wants CSM to escape, she must also allow him to free himself from his role as big brother and protector. And the answer to this question was given by Fumiko, who didn't realise that dogs and Meowy weren't just animals. What she should despise is certainly not her own family.

Humanity is nothing more than pets, and this realisation is the key for Nayuta to become herself again.

[marithlizard]

More thoughts about "Mastermind", etc: 1) When you look at the "most viewed" part of a Youtube video it's almost always a sexy moment. But this time I think we all know _exactly_ what the most viewed moment is. Bryce and Brandon were born for these roles and Sam Haft is a fucking genius.

2) (looks up this Patrick Page guy) No wonder everyone swooned over Hadestown! The vocal talent in these shows is ridiculous.

3) Oh. As @hina-has-no-life pointed out, Blitz isn't being hailed as a hero because he survived the trial. It's because Satan livestreamed the whole thing, being too lazy and contemptuous to even think about editing, and all of Hell has now seen Blitz _successfully_ argue with Satan himself to defend his employees, to speak out for all imp-kind who are just "doing their jobs", and to use his final words to shout defiance at the unfair system. That's gotta be unheard of. It probably won't last, but for the moment, kid Blitzo has achieved his dream. He is the most famous imp ever.

4) We've seen Stolas gleefully tackle a huge pile of paperwork in "Oops". And in "Ghostfuckers", we saw Moxxie despairing over an even bigger pile. Was this all setup for Stolas's new career at IMP? 5) Prediction: It won't be until bedtime the next night that Stolas realizes Blitz doesn't have a bedroom. And he's just too tall for that sofa. He needs his own place, but how could he possibly afford one?

6) Prediction: Loona and Millie will each find a quiet moment to deliver a shovel talk to Stolas. Moxxie will be too busy showing Stolas the ropes and being so relieved to have someone competent to shove the accounting off on. But when Stolas asks in bewilderment how the finances got so bad, Moxxie will point at a downward-trending graph and say "See that? That's when you two broke up." 7) Hope for the future: someday Moxxie, Stolas and Vassago will go see musicals together while Blitz and Millie hang out and shoot pool (and the occasional bystander). Everyone will be happy with this arrangement. 8) Barbie saw that broadcast. So did Cash. So did Paimon. All of them will show up in S3. 9) Wait, Stolas began studying the grimoire to do his job as a young kid. We don't actually know what his job _is_, other than "finding prophecies", but Andrealphus won't have clue one about how to do it. Will he make Via do it for him? Will Paimon show up to tell him he's an incompetent asshat and take it away? Or will Stolas regain his position before it matters? 10) I still want to know about the legions! Is there literally an army division somewhere twiddling its thumbs waiting for a war? Does Stolas mentor officers and run war games? Or is this, like, a metaphorical sort of legions? Eldritch beings summoned from the void? It would be hilarious if Andrealphus visited "his" new legions and it's just three bored shark demons and an imp sitting around reading comic books. 11) I'm throwing my hat in the ring and betting that Stolas and Blitz will be a couple by Sinsmas morning. Of course it would be "sensible" for them to take time to work on their own stuff, but neither of them strikes me as that kind of person. Plus I'm sure Stolas has thought about how brief imp lifespans are compared to his own, and what a dangerous career Blitz has even by demon standards. What use is being sensible if it means giving up the limited time you have with the person you love? Also, I really thought Loona's antagonistic relationship with Moxxie and general feeling of inferiority was being built up as a significant part of her character arc, that she and M&M would have to work things out and come to a position of mutual respect. But "Ghostfuckers" showed them making progress in that direction, without anything needing to be said. That's not a criticism - but it did remind me that a show's creators aren't always going to make the same choices we would, or give things the same weight we would. If Stolitz mostly reaches their happy ending next episode, that doesn't make the story weak or problematic or whatever. It just means Viv and Brandon think they have reached a good place with each other, and it's time for the show to focus on other things for S3.

[babyghettolove]

I'm going to re-comment this for Tumblr, but I feel lie some people are reading Curly WRONG.

TW // MENTIONS OF SA

While it is true Curly is a respectable captain, cares about his coworkers, and tries to keep peace, he is just another victim of the Bystander Effect. He is a man who falls short on his actions, when he is supposed to be keeping everyone safe and felt lead on board. It's shown he failed with Anya, whom she trusted the most, which butterflied its way into the rest of the crew.

Of course, he didn't intend to hurt the "working class". He didn't intend to make his friends/coworkers feel inferior because of his position, but he indefinitely did. Though, Jimmy was the only one to take it intense. This is the way I see Curly, and maybe how the game wanted us to see him too. Blonde, blue eyed, perfect, well-liked, like he had a halo around him at all times. Like he was just a "yes man" golden retriever type who could do more than his coworkers could. (i.e. his dreams of getting a house and being promoted after hopping off the ship, fall in love.. something his coworkers probably couldnt do, like Anya not being able to do medical school, or Daisuke doing much with his baseball career/shortcomings). Which, i feel Curly seems humble about, i.e. sticking up for the crew and telling them about them all getting fired (i dont rlly remember if Curly was going to leave/find a better job oops), wanting his friends to know he cares and wants to be there for them.

It's like he was a magnetic man who could lure in anything he wanted with nothing but a good attitude, but because he never experienced so much bad, he didn't know how to help Anya. He couldn't perceive or realize his OWN FRIEND could do that. He even tried to patch up the situation for both of them INSTEAD of siding with Anya. He couldn't in the way that he felt like he should be a go-lucky guy, a peacemaker. Like how another character I compare him to says, "You're better at delivering sad news. I'm a good news kind of guy. (Mr. Peanutbutter)." People just want to see him as happy, this go getter, this leader who did no wrong and could make everyone in a room hyped. And Curly, being played that role maybe his entire life, never figured out how to deal with severe negatives, just like with Anya's SA. It's incredibly sad, disappointing. If only he knew to take anyone accountable for their actions/to confront Jimmy, to report him, to support Anya..

He's just as guilty as Jimmy in the sense that he never spoke up. And not speaking about a crime you witness is just as big as the sin.

I love Curly, but DAMN.

Someone needs to hold him accountable too. Just because you care doesn't mean anything. Actions are truly louder than words, which were both taken from him by the time of his demise. A tragic character that could've been saved with logic.

[i-cant-sing]

I'm not trying to be rude or anything genuinely, but doesn't Islam support pedophilia and child marriage? As well as oppression of women? It's a beautiful religion, but when you sit and read these old laws that are still practiced today and never abolished....

*sigh* what laws? what proof do you have for all your claims?

I'm gonna assume about the child marriage and pd thing that you're referring to Prophet Muhammad's marriage to Aisha, and if u do a little google research you'll find many answers refuting the claim of him marrying him when she was a child, that she was married at this age and consummated the marriage at another, that she was actually a teen and the scribes just didnt write her age right or things got lost in translation, that a person is considered mature when they can be held responsible for their actions, or when women start menses, or that Aisha was actually a highly intelligent woman and she was far more mature for her age. The more you research, the more you'll find out about this claim. Its better in their words than mine, especially since youre not the first person in 1400 years to raise this accusation.

What I will say is that at the end of the day, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had MANY enemies, so if such claims were true, I think they would've used every opportunity they could bring him down. They would've used it against him. They could've used it when he passes away.

AND that medieval times and european countries did marry off their royal kids for years, even if the kids did not consent. But i feel like no one accuses them of pd and child marriages, no no- everything is bad when Islam is involved, hm?

You say that Islam oppresses women. I think no other religion is as protective and progressive as Islam when it comes to women, all u have to do is to not CONFUSE religion with culture.

Imma give you a few examples of just how Islam treats women, and feel free to tell me any other religion or culture that gives as many rights to women as Islam:

Considering the fact that before the advent of Islam the pagan Arabs used to bury their female children alive, make women dance naked in the vicinity of the Ka'ba during their annual fairs, and treat women as mere chattels and objects of sexual pleasure possessing no rights or position whatsoever, these teachings of the Noble Qur'an were revolutionary. Unlike other religions, which regarded women as being possessed of inherent sin and wickedness and men as being possessed of inherent virtue and nobility, Islam regards men and women as being of the same essence created from a single soul. The Qur'an declares:

O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate, and from this pair scattered (like seeds) countless men and women. Reverence Allah, through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and reverence the wombs (that bore you); for Allah ever watches over you. (4:1)

"Women are considered inferior to men." No. This is so wrong. The Shari'ah regards women as the spiritual and intellectual equals of men. The main distinction it makes between them is in the physical realm based on the equitable principle of fair division of labor. It allots the more strenuous work to the man and makes him responsible for the maintenance of the family. It allots the work of managing the home and the upbringing and training of children to the woman, work which has the greatest importance in the task of building a healthy and prosperous society.

The pagan society of pre-Islamic Arabia had an irrational prejudice against their female children whom they used to bury alive. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was totally opposed to this practice. He showed them that supporting their female children would act as a screen for them against the fire of Hell:

It is narrated by the Prophet's wife, 'A'isha, that a woman entered her house with two of her daughters. She asked for charity but 'A'isha could not find anything except a date, which was given to her. The woman divided it between her two daughters and did not eat any herself. Then she got up and left. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to the house, 'A'isha told him about what had happened and he declared that when the woman was brought to account (on the Day of Judgment) about her two daughters they would act as a screen for her from the fires of Hell.

You know how in the west, there's like so many divorce stories about how the wife didnt change her surname to her husbands? YEah, Islam does not do that. It allows women to keep their name even after marriage.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said this in his farewell pilgrimmage:

"Fear Allah regarding women. Verily you have married them with the trust of Allah, and made their bodies lawful with the word of Allah. You have got (rights) over them, and they have got (rights) over you in respect of their food and clothing according to your means."

Woman as mother commands great respect in Islam. The Noble Qur'an speaks of the rights of the mother in a number of verses. It enjoins Muslims to show respect to their mothers and serve them well even if they are still unbelievers. The Prophet states emphatically that the rights of the mother are paramount. Abu Hurairah reported that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and asked: "O Messenger of Allah, who is the person who has the greatest right on me with regards to kindness and attention?" He replied, "Your mother." "Then who?" He replied, "Your mother." "Then who?" He replied, "Your mother." "Then who?" He replied, "Your father."

How many of you can say that my religion/culture says that "Paradise is under my mother's feet" (which means that as long as you serve your mom well, you could enter heaven). In another tradition, the Prophet advised a believer not to join the war against the Quraish in defense of Islam, but to look after his mother, saying that his service to his mother would be a cause of his salvation. Mu'awiyah, the son of Jahimah, reported that Jahimah came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, " Messenger of Allah! I want to join the fighting (in the path of Allah) and I have come to seek your advice." He said, "Then remain in your mother's service, because Paradise is under her feet."

Some of you will claim that oooh women are oppressed because they have to wear hijab or cover up- girls, listen. If you've ever listened to locker room talk, if you ever KNEW just how most boys think about the female body, you would actually wish to wear an iron armour and hide away forever. I've seen men GAWK, and CATCALL women that were covered from head-to-toe... I used to think that you know, maybe its fine to have a niqaab that shows your eyes, surely no man could ever be into that. No. Nope. If you havent realised it yet, then you will experience it first hand one day that eyes are literally "the windows to the soul"- like you know how writers often mention getting lost in their lover's eyes, or how beautiful someones's eyes are- yeah... theres a reason for it.Look around you, look at your friends's or family memebers eyes and you'll know just how much the eyes talk, how much they convey.

When Islam was introduced, for the first time women could have share in their inheritance.

But Islam tells women to stay at homes- NO IT DOES NOT (please read any context)! 'A'isha reported that Saudah bint Zam'ah went out one night. 'Umar saw her and recognized her and said, "By God, O Saudah, why do you not hide yourself from us?" She went back to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and told him about it while he was having supper in her room, and he said, "It is permitted by Allah for you to go out for your needs." The predominant idea in the teachings of Islam with regard to men and women is that a husband and wife should be full-fledged partners in making their home a happy and prosperous place, that they should be loyal and faithful to one another, and genuinely interested in each other's welfare and the welfare of their children. A woman is expected to exercise a humanizing influence over her husband and to soften the sternness inherent in his nature. A man is enjoined to educate the women in his care so that they cultivate the qualities in which they, by their very nature, excel.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has on many accounts, many times advised men to be gentle, to be kind to women. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has said: "The best of you are those who are best to their women."

These are just a few examples but I think that if you were to open your eyes and look at it with a broader mind, you'll see Islam is not what you were taught to believe. I dont believe in coincidences that much, so I think that the very fact that you sent me this ask may be a sign that something deeper inside you is telling you to do your own research, that even you dont believe that Islam is this "oppressive and backward" religion.

Hope this helped <3

[bayleavesfromthevine]

some kn8 ramblings (with a side order of manga spoilers)

i love that (as far as we know) kafka and mina's tragic backstory is "dead cat." we know nothing of their parents, homes, or friends from after the kaiju attack, only that mina's cat died. (obviously, the series isn't over yet, so this could be totally disproven at any point, but bear with me lol.)

i actually find that really refreshing. yes, it's so heartbreaking to lose a pet, but it's not the typical trope of a character's power level correlating to how traumatized they are (ex: family massacres, everyone they've ever loved ending up dead, backstabbing, torture, etc etc). their traumas are grounded in very realistic and relatable circumstances, and i think that goes to show that a character doesn't need these extreme reasons to want to do good and fight the scary monster. mina's cat died in a kaiju attack and she wants to make sure that no one else has to lose their best friend/ball of floof to a kaiju ever again. that is enough of a reason and a noble one at that.

soshiro, as another example, has a complicated relationship with his family, but they aren't dead or rogue. he's not seeking revenge on them, but rather they did not support him when it mattered and made him feel inferior - that is a traumatizing environment to grow up in, and unsupportive parents & sibling favoritism are also SO grounded in reality.

it really makes these characters feel real, and i think it's a powerful thing for a reader who maybe doesn't have the best relationship with their parents/siblings like soshiro, or who has lost a beloved pet like mina, or who doesn't have natural-born talent in a specific field like kafka, to see these characters take those experiences, work through them, find a support system, and overcome them.

(side note: i LOVE to see that soshiro actually went no contact with his brother for past behaviors! that sets such a powerful example to readers that it's okay to cut out people who have made you feel like shit!!)

of course, there are other characters like narumi and reno who have heavier backstories, but i love that their experiences don't automatically turn them into the brooding emo characters who think only of killing kaiju and seeking revenge with zero intentions to form friendships with the people around them.

it's just really nice to see. i feel like in stories that have a large cast, it's easy for a character's backstory to completely shape their personality, rather than being shaped by a multitude of experiences - good and bad - gained throughout life. (in cases like reno and kikoru, we see them grow as people & change their outlooks due to their positive experiences with kafka and the rest of the defense force. that doesn't override their past experiences, but adds layers to who they are overall.)

i see kn8 getting criticized a lot for lacking in depth or themes - and i do think there is a conversation to be had about locating the series' central theme and whether or not it's been clearly communicated (and whether or not that even matters) - but i also think part of that criticism stems from having a fantastical premise (that maybe SHOULD have a little more death, but that's another conversation entirely lol) with deeply grounded characters, a contrast we don't see too much of - especially from series in the battle shonen & shonen-adjacent genres (thinking about shows like naruto, aot, jjk, demon slayer, hell's paradise, etc).

basically, i find it refreshing that kn8 isn't over-traumatizing its characters despite the fact that the premise would allow it lol

[thecoolerliauditore]

whats ur scott/pearl dynamic... i agree people have got to be weirder about platonic relationships. they can just as insane as any other one and its delicious!

I'm so sorry anon scott/pearl is like. ethubs level insanity inducing for me I'm pre-emptively putting a cut here because I know it's gonna get horrid.

short answer is queerplatonic. medium length answer is that pearl desperately just wants a friend and scott is insane.

Gonna try doing this chronologically because otherwise I'll drive myself insane.

Last Life

LL Scott and Pearl is defined, to me, by a mixture of their genuine care for eachother and their very strange power dynamic. They are both aware that their team-up is born out of being mutually beneficial for the game rather than any sentimental reasons (a really nice contrast to FH) at least, in the beginning.

Pearl values Scott so much that she literally would give up her life (or, lives) for him as well as kill for him. Scott seems to believe for a good chunk of LL that what Pearl values him for is the labour he can perform for her (e.g. gathering resources and fighting alongside her) but I'd argue Pearl simply valued Scott as her friend above all else (Pearl desperately craving companionship above all else is going to be a massive running theme going onwards so I'd say it makes enough sense).

Even when it comes down to the final four and the two split up, with Pearl even saying that she "doesn't have to feel bad" about killing Scott, they have eachother on the mind.

I don't really know how to break this down without just linking the clip itself but:

Scott: Ren, stop running! Je-sus!

Ren: Leave me alone, go kill Martyn! Why are you going for me?!

Scott: I have to, you killed Pearl!

Pearl (ghost): Aww... Aw, that's sweet...

What bookends Scott and Pearl's LL relationship, to me, is Scott rescuing Binky the axolotl from Pearl's body after she died. Scott has always loved animals but he's also someone very meticulous about his inventory management and maximizing his chances at winning, and this final 1v1v1v1 was him at his sweatiest gameplay-wise.

There were much more useful things he could've chosen to loot but he chose to save Binky and even places him down in a pool of water in end to make sure he survived even after Scott himself dies (with the way he spoke, I think it's clear he was either ready to kill himself or knew Grian was about to smite him).

Other examples of their developing sentimentality and trust for eachother over the course of the season include Pearl catching a blue axolotl later on and remarking that it's "Scott's favourite colour", their stare-down routines for the boogey assignments (a really nice contrast to other alliances, like the fairy fort, who would literally scatter for the same thing) and, despite how I usually talk about this moment, Scott refusing to consider Pearl as a boogey-kill target (his refusal WAS because of gameplay purposes, but the fact that he never targetted Pearl, even when she had the most lives in the game, I think says something).

Scott's alliance with Pearl in LL is also unique in a lot of ways compared to other seasons. As mentioned before Scott does alot of things to powergame, and one of those is building his base in the corner of the map where it is harder to attack (he even says this outright in 3L). The Scottage, however, is dead centre in the LL map and causes him endless amounts of mostly southlander-induced grief. He also acts somewhat like he believes he is inferior to her on occasion (likely egged on by the previously mentioned power dynamic their alliance is built on), such as when he complains that people keep assuming Pearl built their house when he did (implying people believe Pearl is the more skilled builder), whereas Scott in other seasons very rarely ever shows any sign of insecurity.

Their relationship is not without a hint of darkness, as Pearl is essentially blind to Scott's feelings regarding her both positive and negative. In return, Scott is also unaware I'd argue to the end that Pearl valued him simply for him rather than what he could bring her, as I think that's a concept Scott struggles with in all of his relationships. Which leads to The Horrors.

TLDR; LL Scott/Pearl is awesome. Pearl is a wild card in Scott's life that changes up alot of things that are foundational to him. But I think that scares him because:

Double Life

Throws up. thinking about it.

I think this is where my thoughts on Scott/Pearl differ from a lot of people because I don't think Pearl feels anything more for Scott than a want to have back what they had in LL or at least closure for why he left her.

It's been awhile since I've watched her POV but I remember it being a big deal to me that Pearl never referred to Scott with any romantic terms. I think she says "soulmate" at some point but within the context of DL that word loses a lot of its connotation. Plus she was upset at Cleo too, although most of her ire was directed at Scott (imo because of the soulmate thing but also because they'd been allies for longer in LL).

Scott, on the other hand, outright accuses Pearl of "cheating" on him and starts to push the "crazy ex-girlfriend" angle onto her hard throughout the season. Despite Pearl never acknowledging anything resembling romantic in their relationship beforehand. At one point, Pearl breaks into his house and proclaims that she's just going to live there from now on, to which Scott says "this is why I'm gay."

The crazy ex/yandere thing was much more something Scott framed her as than anything she actually was, as her initial desire was to reunite with Scott AND Cleo and her insane giggly persona was something she adapted after Scott had started imposing that character onto her.

Adding to that, I do think if Pearl was actually romantically interested in Scott, she would've expressed it already during LL when the two were most close or even after DL when Scott gets a lot more brazen with the way he talks to Pearl. That isn't to say that she cares any less for Scott than he does with her, I just don't think the word "boyfriend" ever entered the equation for Pearl.

As for Scott, things get a little muddier. I think he's weird about Pearl because he's weird about romance and women in general. Scott has a very idealized vision of romance and operates under a certain belief system that he is doing everything with the goal of eventually achieving the happily ever after he desires (e.g. his 3L ending) - I think it's interesting how many times he emphasizes "fate" in 3L with him and Jimmy's relationship (as well as how that plays into other series, like esmp1).

With that in mind I think it's not too far a reach to say that Scott probably views the "soulmate" title differently to Pearl and sees the romantic connotations where Pearl doesn't. However he clearly isn't uncomfortable with a woman being his "soulmate" (despite the "this is why I'm gay" remark), as he calls Cleo his "chosen soulmate", so the issue is definitely with Pearl specifically. In my mind the key difference between Pearl and Cleo, in relation to Scott, is that the former acts to challenge Scott's beliefs about himself and the world whereas Cleo acts as a reinforcement. I can expand on that but this isn't the Scott/Cleo post and it's plenty long already so I'll spare you for now.

To clarify: I don't think I can definitively say Scott feels anything romantically for Pearl either. He definitely is stranger about her than she is to him, but his worldview regarding romantic attraction is very idealized to a point where it's hard to draw the line at where the performativeness begins and ends. e.g. I do think he loved Jimmy but I don't think he was initially romantically attracted to Jimmy.

Scott throws around romantic terms very liberally too, as seen in 3L when he referred to Scar as Grian's husband, so I think it's reasonable enough to assume that he just does that thing where he sees a relationship reach a certain level of fondness and assumes that it must be romantic and applies that to his own relationship with Pearl or assumes Pearl must operate by the same logic and so her pursuit of him must be romantic.

So, with that all being said: Pearl specifically having the "soulmate" title freaks Scott out because it makes his assumptions about his feelings for her real and acknowledging this would send him down an identity crisis spiral OR a worldview crisis spiral both of which would make him immediately explode. His relationship with Cleo is casual and alliance-y enough for him to not be uncomfortable with the same title being used for her.

As such, he abandons her, taking out the root cause of his discomforts and possibly projects his own feelings onto her through the "crazy ex-girlfriend" stuff. That second part I admit is a bit of a stretch and dubiously sourced but if anyone wants more about that ask me about Scott's views on women in general sometime.

Scott never actually hated Pearl, he hates himself but he doesn't allow himself to admit that so he has to hate Pearl for making him this way instead. Unfortunately Pearl lacks the tools and context to protect herself from him or help him, so she only ends up reinforcing what he believes.

Pearl's line at the end about how she forgives him is. Dubious at best to me. She certainly doesn't act like she has in the future and I think it was more born of her need to believe he still cared to some capacity, to the point where even that could be read as a sign of affection.

Limited Life

Limlife Scott/Pearl is hilarious because they're both very not over DL and while Scott does his thing where he likes to pretend none of his feelings from previous seasons carries over, Pearl is a little shit to him the whole time.

I honestly don't have a lot to say here other than that they're both very spiteful this season, Pearl more obviously than Scott, and Scott killing her in the end without a word is horror to me. I wrote a thing once about the part where Pearl says he looks like a rat if that's interesting.

It is a little bit sad to me how Pearl almost resembles her LL self at times despite claiming to be in red mode, very mischievously giggling to herself when she refuses to return the Mean Gills enchanter. Except this time Scott does not entertain her antics whatsoever and even feels victimized by them.

Side note I think Nosy Neighbours and Mean Gills are a great parallel to look at and I'm sad more people don't talk about the similarities between those two.

Secret Life

This is the season where Scott either lets the mental illness overtake him completely or acquires an entire new one because. jesus fuck.

Scott is still doing his thing where he pretends to not hold onto feelings from previous seasons and says - TO Pearl - that he and Pearl are over their differences.

Very early on in the series, Scott runs into Pearl and, after she's out of earshot, says to the camera "you guys are obsessed with flower husbands, when really it's just been me and Pearl," which is a very. Odd thing to say considering what's happened so far. Not only does it feel very out of character for him to even imply he's aware he never truly cared for Jimmy as a partner, this very casual outright acknowledgment of the perceived romantic tension he believes he has with Pearl, despite everything he did previously to fight it off, is so very strange. If it wasn't for this one line I don't think I'd feel as confident saying Scott feels more for Pearl than Pearl does for Scott, but he did say that and he's insane for it.

Not only that, right before that, Pearl (having just bumped into him) says something about it being strange that they keep finding eachother, to which Scott says that it must be "fate". Shudders.

He also waits for her to leave before saying the line comparing her to Jimmy, implying at least some level of self-consciousness. I guess he's ready to say those thoughts aloud to himself, but not directly to Pearl?

This isn't the only instance of Scott being strange about Pearl this season. Later, when Scott gets a task to get three people to say "love you" to him, he spends extra long trying to bait it out of Pearl, which is the same scene he says they're both over what happened in DL. He actually incorrectly uses the term "trauma bond" here, which is really funny to me but also very Freudian slip of him.

Pearl doesn't say it back and Scott teases her with this come the next episode where he playfully cites it as a reason he doesn't want her near his base, where Pearl finally entertains him with an equally playful "love you, Scott," which is apparently enough for him.

The Jimmy parallels continue here as well, since Scott also unsuccessfully tried to do the same thing with him in Limlife and, unlike all the other people who he didn't succeed getting those words out of as part of his task that episode, Jimmy and Pearl's rejections are the only ones he commented on afterwards.

There's smaller instances too, such as him chasing after Pearl on his horse throwing bread at her when Pearl baited him into helping her with her task or him being all too comfortable with having Pearl around his alliance despite acting antagonistic to her allies (snidely saying under his breath "she wants you to win..." when Bdubs mentions Pearl's promise to him, or refusing to take Joel in as an ally, are examples).

In my humble opinion. Scott is maybe overcorrecting. He probably does feel guilt for DL and LimL and desperately wants Pearl back, but he's allergic to self-reflection so his way of getting there is to write everything off as water under the bridge (we're cool now, Pearl! Right Pearl.Right Pearl. Right) and dive into trying to claw out any sign of affection from Pearl to confirm to himself that she still cares. Loves him, you could even say. I still don't really know what to make of that line where he compares their relationship to FH but. Whatever.

You might've noticed at this point that this section is very lacking in half of this duo. Where the fuck is Pearl. I haven't really talked about her because, in all honesty, I don't think she really cared that much for Scott this season.

She certainly still wants to be friends with him again, that much is evident by her entertaining his "love you" bullshit, but she was much more concerned about the Mounders and Gem that season. Scott trying to push him abandoning her back in DL to the side probably didn't sit right with her, since she actually agrees with him when he says that, but later hunts him down specifically saying that they had unfinished business from DL.

TLDR Pearl pretty much avoids any confrontation with Scott until she snaps at the end, but is still wrestling with her need to have him back.

I think it's super upsetting how, after all the clinging onto Pearl, Scott ends his season by murdering her friends and running away from her when she chases him down. He wants her back so desperately but he would literally rather die than have to deal with the confrontation.

Real Life

I don't count this one as canon.

If I have to say anything I'd say this is evidence Pearl has memory issues or murdered Scarlet Pearl in her sleep.

Uh yeah that's about it. Fellas is it gay to like a girl so much you have to kill yourself

[yanderenightmare]

saw you tag benevolent sexism as a trigger warning on one of your pics, was wondering if you could explain what that is? as compared to just regular sexism

Benevolent sexism is the same as any other type of sexism. As in, it's still very much sexism. But there is a small fundamental difference that separates it from most sexism.

Most sexism is based on "negative" feelings - such as (men are stronger than women; therefore, men are better) or (women are hormonal and emotional; therefore incapable of intellectual thought) or (women are weak and only good for birthing children; therefore, they shouldn't do anything else), etc... you know the gist...

But benevolent sexism is more based on "positive" feelings - such as (women are cute, adorable, lovely creatures; therefore, men should cherish them).

And while that's fine and all, what makes it sexist is that those thoughts are generally rooted in other thoughts that still inspire female inferiority to men - such as (women are soft, small, weak creatures; therefore, in need of a man's protection or help) or (women are pretty and dainty little things; therefore, they shouldn't do certain things or have certain jobs)

It's still sexism at its finest, but instead of having undertones of hatred toward women, it has these over-protective and overbearing justifications.

It also applies when people judge a woman's worth strictly by how good a wife, girlfriend, or mother she is - instead of how good she is at her job or in any other aspect of her life.

This is all based on sexism toward women, but it obviously works both ways.

Such as judging a man strictly on how good a provider he is, how talented he is in sports, how much he works out, whether he's likely to win in a fight... etc...

And notions such as (men are strong; therefore, they should take all the hard labor and fight our wars) or even (men are tough; therefore, they shouldn't cry) and (men are capable: therefore, they shouldn't waste their potential doing girly things)

In the fic you're referencing, there was a character (Dabi) who spoke about both sides, both women and men.

“Most girls are better survivors.” - “They learn quickly to accept what will keep them safe, and then, they find solace in whatever they can to maintain their mental health as well…” - “Boys fight until they break. Leaving them a shell of what they once were. But girls don’t have the same pride.” - “They leave themselves behind and become someone new.”

To be honest, I'm not entirely in agreeance with myself when I flagged this as benevolent sexism. But I felt some type of warning was necessary since he's talking about what separates women from men.

Dabi is complementing women by saying this while simultaneously dissing his own gender, but he's also degrading both in a way by insinuating that girls don't have any will to fight back because, in his words, they don't have any pride. He also says that girls are quick to change depending on their situation, saying that they become someone new. Meaning, essentially, he doesn't really think women take any pride in who they are and will change their personality just as quick as a chameleon camouflages itself.

It's really up to each of his own whether to take this as a compliment or not. Either way, I find it a slightly sad point of view.

But a sad compliment or not - it's still kind of tough to say whether it's sexist or not. However, it's obvious he has certain opinions about women - and I figured I might as well flag it as benevolent sexism just to stay safe.

the fic

[theromanticscrooge]

Drawing Parallels Between Glinda and Elphaba With Elodie and Enid

As of writing this, I haven't checked out the Wicked book series or the theatrical movie yet. This is making reference to just the stage musical.

The core of Wicked is the meaningful but tragic friendship between Glinda and Elphaba. Glinda is an overachiever; the prettiest, the most popular, and the girl who usually gets everything she wants. She feels lost when she's not just handed the position for Wizard's apprentice. The same headmaster dresses her down in public: her abilities are weak and she'd never live up to the qualities needed for the role. While Glinda benefits from pretty privilege and natural charisma, she's seen as just her looks and nothing more. She works to maintain her image and social standing, but she doesn't know if someone legitimately likes her for her or only likes her at surface level. The headmaster's harsh comments slice to the core of Glinda's character: She wants to be acknowledged and understood on a deeper level. She wants to know that she's capable and hardworking; that she can live up to more than just her shallow image. That she's worthy of all the love and adoration she receives.

In stark contrast, Elphaba has been looked down on and belittled by everyone in her life because of her green skin. She's underestimated, feels invisible, inferior; she has to work harder than others for any ounce of recognition and still feels undeserving despite earning something or having a genuine connection with someone else, romantic or otherwise. As a whole, Wicked explores the consequences behind the fever pitch of a fascistic regime in Oz. Elphaba herself can be read as an allegory for queer people, ex-Mormons, people of color experiencing racism, or anyone that feels "othered" by an existing system with a very specific vision for the what the ideal person is and model behavior.

Rising tensions lead to anthropomorphic or 'speaking' animals like Dr. Dilimund being stripped of their rights and autonomy in full view of a grossly apathetic public. Dilimund and his colleagues are forcibly removed from teaching positions, careers, and having any presence in society because they are literally seen as less than human, let alone sapient beings. The metaphors aren't subtle. Its blatant, it's powerful, and it works. In a nutshell, Dilimund is a scapegoat and the hanging guillotine of the question 'Who's next?' His fate acts as a counterbalance to Elphaba's budding friendship with Glinda. For a moment, Elphaba still believes there's a place for her in the existing system because of her newfound talent/affinity for magic that grants her prestige and social power she's never held before.

These feelings are further validated when Glinda, the peak of social desirability, also shows genuine interest in befriending her. Her belief in society at large is completely demolished after she discovers the truth about The Wizard. Ultimately, The Wizard is viewed as a benevolent, generous, and larger than life figure that makes dreams come true. He's the guiding light for a more 'utopian' society and because of how powerful he is as an icon, his role and influence in politics is easily separated from draconian policies and political unrest. Elphaba is convinced that all she has to do is ask and he'll fix the problems facing citizens like Dilimund.

Instead, the Wizard really is just smoke and mirrors. He only wants her as a means to sustain his role as a powerful leader and maintain the current status quo. Where Elphaba leaves society completely and becomes a covert, one-woman resistance movement, Glinda stays and becomes the polished PR figure and go-between for the Wizard's machinations. She's grossly conflicted and manages to hide that she knows something about Elphaba after Elphaba escapes. It also takes her longer to pinpoint what about society is broken. She hasn't been burned in the same openly bigoted way Elphaba has. Glinda has benefited heavily from the existing social system. As someone that not just believed in but benefited from it, she takes longer to disentangle herself from her broken worldview and an increasingly corrupted system. Despite obvious proof to the contrary, she believes that the system can be fixed from within. If she makes compromises, she can keep the status quo as well as create a comfortable space for Elphaba if only she'd return; she can have her cake and eat it too.

Fiyero serves as an interesting complement to Glinda's and Elphaba's respective character stories. When he starts dating Glinda, he's a reflection of how shallow and ignorant Glinda starts out. The two are content 'dancing through life' with little thought or consideration for the existing history of Oz or self-improvement. Fiyero's cavalier attituderesults in him getting kicked out of schools. He can skate by on looks and reputation alone; he's more likely to get second chances just because of who he is. Besides the headmaster's opinion of her, Glinda has mostly skated by on her looks and reputation. Fiyero is more a boost to her status and general morale because of how pretty they look together.

When Fiyero plays off of Elphaba, it both shows the surprisingly sweet, considerate side of his character as well as emphasizes how earnest, compassionate, and selfless Elphaba is. Fiyero's breakup with Glinda is messy and brusque, but his developing romance with Elphaba reflects Elphaba finally coming into her own and showing stronger confidence and conviction. She takes something for herself after years of ignoring her wants, needs, and self in the endless quest to avoid making others uncomfortable. Fiyero himself grows beyond his surface level image. He falls in love with Elphaba as he works on better understanding her situation and a desire to help push against a corrupt system.

In a nutshell, Glinda is a figure of someone struggling to understand her privilege, how that same privilege made her more of an idea than an individual person, and the further problems with the system that gave her said privilege. Elphaba is a tragic figure that desperately wanted to fit into a system, kept getting rejected, and was so betrayed by said system that she started defying it both out of self-preservation and sheer necessity.

Glinda and Elphaba became friends despite coming from very different worlds. Elphaba was the first person to see through Glinda's glamour and show honest support towards and encouragement for her goals as an individual rather than just as an image. She finds the strength to kick out the Wizard as well as start rebuilding Oz because of Elphaba's influence. Despite their circumstances, Glinda was the first person that loved Elphaba unconditionally. Because of Glinda, Elphaba finds the strength to love herself and become who she wants to be despite pressure from society at large to be something else. The tragedy is that despite Glinda rooting out the more corrupt leaders in the Emerald City, the propaganda against Elphaba was effective enough that Oz will never be safe again. While Wicked takes place in a fantastical setting, the story has very real depictions of the consequences and aftermath of a culture that's deeply steeped in a mix of colonialism and fascism.

There's some echo of Glinda and Elphaba between Enid and Elodie from O.K. K.O. Both aspire to enroll at POINT Prep to become strong heroes. Though where Glinda comes from a privileged background and easily gets everything she wants, both Enid and Elodie come from Lakewood. It's illustrated more through visual cues and dialogue but Lakewood is equated to low-income communities and small towns. There's limited opportunities here. There's some fear of getting stuck and stagnating. POINT Prep is a window to hopefully bigger and better opportunities elsewhere. Enid is on a similar wavelength to her colleague Sparko: POINT Prep is a means to an end. She doesn't have a specific vision or hope for her future. What she does know is she doesn't want her background to define who she is and what she's capable of. This is similar to Elphaba not giving immediate consideration to the potential of becoming the Wizard's apprentice. She enthusiastically embraces the opportunity in the hopes that she'll finally be accepted by others and have some chance at normalcy.

In stark contrast, Elodie has a very specific goal and vision for her future. She grew up watching the heroic feats of Chip Damage and aspires to become a beacon of hope and role model like he was for her. Dr. Grayman sets the stage for what the hero landscape looked like after Laserblast's death and the public losing faith in POINT. As far as regular civilians knew, POINT was a chaotic and disorganized mess. They couldn't be trusted with the health and safety of POINT members, let alone the public en masse. Chip Damage was an attempt at a rebrand. He became a living icon; the image of what the ideal hero looked like. He inspired hope. He encouraged the upcoming generation to follow in his footsteps and become heroes themselves.

Chip's example led to Elodie looking at POINT Prep as the penultimate segue from amateur to the next greatest hero the world had ever seen. POINT Prep was a means for Enid. POINT Prep was a destination for Elodie. Becoming the Wizard's apprentice was the next logical step for Glinda in her journey as a beloved, appreciated, and glamorous social figure. Becoming her unique take on Chip Damage was Elodie's entire life goal.

Elodie and Enid's friendship starts with Elodie showing genuine appreciation for and interest in Enid's abilities. She's good at pretending she's more skilled and worldly than otherwise, but it's a mask. They have an earnest and sweet relationship; they gel in an organic way. This also illustrates the caring and considerate part of Elodie's personality. The pomp and dazzle of her image is a tool for reassuring people. Its not just presentation; its a staple in earning someone's trust more easily. Enid is probably the only person that's seen the 'real' and vulnerable side of Elodie before the later events of the POINT Prep arc and Dark Plaza.

Glinda and Elphaba start becoming close because Elphaba leverages her position as the most promising candidate for Wizard's apprentice to enroll Glinda in the training she wanted. There's a competition for a full-ride scholarship at POINT Prep. Enid and Elodie enter with the assumption there's a mutual understanding of and support for 'may the more skilled hero win.' Enid fully intends to keep their friendship regardless of the end result. She deeply values anyone that sees and loves her genuine self. While her parents are generally loving and supportive, they have criticized her desire to be a ninja so harshly that she hides her preferred outfit and weapons at home. She had an ambiguous amount of time where she was a witch full-time at school and home; holding onto dreams and stories until she switched to public school. The ability to explore her true self even just part time was enough that Enid felt hopeful enough to take a chance on both Elodie and Rad. Unfortunately, both Rad and Elodie hurt and betrayed her trust in a way that she closes back up for years after.

Enid wants to be recognized and accepted as her full self by her parents and friends alike. This is roughly comparable to Elphaba's struggle as the black sheep in the family and unwarranted reputation as a social pariah. All she wants is to be seen and recognized as a full human being despite her green skin. She generally poses as a wall flower and makes herself small to avoid any more commotion than she gets by just existing. Elphaba starts opening up and becoming her true self when someone finally recognizes and accepts her as a person despite her outer appearance.

In Enid's case, she starts learning to trust and be vulnerable around others again when Rad, her parents, and Elodie show real attempts to apologize and make amends. She also learns how much she started relying on snark and sarcasm as an extra defense mechanism. She anticipates others taking pot shots at her interests or who lies under her cool facade. If she strikes first, then they don't have the opportunity to hurt her. When she and Rad are on better speaking terms, he feels like he can call her out on this and ask her to course-correct.

Granted, Enid closed up as a result of getting hurt by two different people taking drastic measures to uphold and furnish very specific masks for themselves. Rad leans into toxic masculinity and tries to neg her on their first date. He's convinced that he looks cooler and far more desirable if he's an obnoxious jerk with big muscles. The hyper-masculine image keeps his friends. He's too insecure to openly acknowledge his more 'feminine' interests, let alone that he's a very emotional and sensitive person. Where Enid faced pressure at home to match her family's cultural background and traditions, Rad feels embarrassed by his parents and falls prey to general social pressure around gender roles in a patriarchal system. Rad starts connecting with and more easily talking to Enid when he opens up. He finally meets Enid's vulnerability years later and that's what makes their friendship work.

Elodie was placed in a situation where she felt like she had a very black and white choice between Enid and her ambition. Capitalism exists in this fantasy world. The POINT Prep competition stems from a system that heavily relies on creating scarcity and fostering tense competition between persons. There's only one spot at POINT Prep. Elodie is thoroughly convinced that she has to fight for that spot and, as a result, push others out of her way. Her personal role model Chip Damage is also depicted as the height of individualism and how powerful one person should be. POINT started as a team effort that relied on mutual trust and collaboration.

When POINT pivoted towards showcasing Chip Damage as their posterboy, shameless advertising and merchandising included, POINT became back-up or supporting players to one star player. The new model relies on Chip and Chip alone. He is POINT. This paints Elodie's world view: She has to be ready to shoulder the lion's share of challenges and obstacles that come with professional heroics. She can't be vulnerable or lower her guard. Rather than seeing her friendship with Enid as a strength, it becomes an obstacle. If Enid makes her feel vulnerable, it means Elodie has a direct, exploitable weakness. This mindset is the cornerstone of why Elodie sees Enid as a rival and treats her with passive aggressive hostility.

Elodie's struggle is further echoed by Foxtail. In Wicked, the Wizard starts as a well-meaning guide and starts reshaping Oz to his preferred vision and standards as he becomes more powerful and influential. He's a direct comparison to historical events like British colonizers coming to the United States and forcing the existing populace to conform to their culture, standards, and way of life. That said, O.K. K.O. explores a very different fascistic figure with Foxtail. After Laserblast dies and POINT starts scrambling, Foxtail installs herself as an immediate leader with designs on building an effective, uniform fighting team. Her recruits need to fit her specific idea of what a powerful, effective hero looks like.

Chip Damage is the template. Recruits have to be self-sufficient in a capitalist pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps respect. They're expendable and replaceable in the vision of meeting a greater good. The Wizard shapes society with a mix of propaganda, soft power, and bringing in a violent authoritarian hand against anyone that challenges his societal designs. Foxtail steps in and directly confronts whatever she considers a direct threat or obstacle. Chip Damage is propaganda, but he's propaganda directed at an ideal for people to meet vs a specific figure people rely on. Chip entices new recruits to conform and enforce. The Wizard enforces complacency and dependency.

When Enid becomes disillusioned with POINT Prep, she has a support network back in Lakewood to return to. There's emphasis on how much stronger Enid is because of Rad, K.O., and in this systemMr. Gar. She can openly express her thoughts and concerns with K.O. and Rad. She's on even footing and standing with her mentor and teammates at the Bodega. Mr. Gar benefits from his students as much as they benefit from his experience and feedback. The key difference between Mr. Gar's more independent training and POINT Prep is his tailored, individualized approach with K.O., Rad, and Enid. Everyone receives equal attention and encouraged to learn at a rate or pace that fits them. POINT Prep has specific standards for students to meet. This is blatantly abused by Foxtail threatening failing grades when students don't meet her expectations or follow her orders. There's also Chip's exclusive classes for 'advanced' students. Only those few that meet Foxtail's vision for the ideal hero receive a special power-up that gives them a brief burst of extra power. This is triggered by the need to win or competition period.

Elodie is the highest achiever and the most popular student at POINT Prep. She's part of this exclusive group of students. While she does help Enid disarm and stop Chip Damage, it's equal parts in hopes to salvage their friendship and to rescue the integrity of POINT Prep as an institution. Similarly to Glinda staying next to the Wizard even after discovering the truth of the man behind the curtain, Elodie believes in the standing history and infrastructure behind POINT. She won her spot, but she's worked hard to further cultivate and maintain her position. She honestly believes that she can fix existing issues by sticking around and working within the existing system. Unplugging Chip Damage and pumping the brakes on secret society meetings was only the tip of the iceberg. Foxtail is still in charge. And while Chip acted as emcee at events or taught a few classes, Foxtail is the connective tissue between students like Elodie and their significant overall progress within POINT. Everyone, including Chip, were cogs carefully installed and set in motion according to Foxtail's machinations; only allowed to stay or get discarded by her final word. Elodie continues to follow Foxtail's orders, albeit begrudgingly, because in that moment, Foxtail is POINT.

POINT managed to capture the imagination of someone like Elodie. Chip Damage helped redeem public trust. He was key in painting a very idealistic vision of the POINT pipeline: get recruited, go to POINT Prep, become a successful hero. POINT is only as successful as someone believes they are. Foxtail lost faith in the previous way POINT operated. Though, she still believes that POINT can be a strong and powerful institution that just needs redirection. She seizes control and forces recruits to conform, comply, and enforce her will because she doesn't trust in anyone's abilities or intuition as an individual. Conversely, Elodie believes and trusts in POINT as an institution to the degree she overlooks her reservations and concerns. She sank so much of herself and her convictions into this system that it's difficult to question the possibility it isn't working. POINT holds her imagination hostage; her future, the potential of other heroes, and what the world looks like rely on POINT as a lens to look at and evaluate these things through.

Originally, Elodie follows through with Foxtail's extreme measures because she's more convinced by Foxtail and POINT than Enid and the Plaza at large. While she did join Enid to stop Chip, she also chose to remain at and stand by POINT after the fact. When Elphaba originally asks Glinda to run away with her, Glinda refuses because she sees, and even describes, Elphaba's behavior as 'delusions of grandeur.' Glinda understands how much more self-realized Elphaba becomes outside of Oz's restrictive system; but she doesn't understand the full picture of exactly how incompatible she is with what creates Oz's status quo, especially with the more 'radical' ideas she has. The disconnect is that either one would be sacrificing a large part of their personal values and sense of self to follow the other's lead. Glinda would have to completely reinvent herself; Elphaba would be compromising on things that are absolutely non-negotiable now.

Thankfully for Enid and Elodie, they aren't tragically incompatible. When Elodie sees the resistance force in "Dark Plaza," its a real, tangible example of what she was looking for and hoping to build at POINT. Enid and other Plaza residents show a group of very different individuals coming together and collaborating as an effective, multi-pronged team. There isn't one specific person in charge or strict uniforms. Its teamwork that echoes what POINT looked like before Chip Damage. Seeing a real-world effect that challenges Foxtail's POINT is enough to give Elodie that extra nudge to defy Foxtail. She was scared of a world without POINT; its a significant part of her moral compass and world perspective. Authoritarian POINT on par with villains and confidence in what support she could find with the Plaza is enough to push against Foxtail regardless.

Honestly, "Dark Plaza" is more of an introduction to what kinds of themes and social issues Wicked tackles. Foxtail is portrayed as a redeemable, sympathetic figure. POINT's corruption is effectively defused because Foxtail surrenders, presumably starts unpacking the grief and trauma that kick started her authoritarian campaign, and passed the reigns to Elodie as a kinder, more understanding, and effective leader. The hanging question after Elodie takes charge is how to address the existential hole that Chip Damage leaves behind.

Chip himself reveals that he was just smoke and mirrors; he chooses to tell the world that they can and will persist without such heavy reliance on a Superman. Overall, O.K. K.O. places emphasis on the importance of a strong support system, that its ok to ask for help, found family, and messages about the power of community. Killing Chip Damage is one of the bigger gut-punch scenes for this message. He's never a fully actualized character; he remains an image and an idea. Elodie and K.O. encourage the disgruntled crowd to love themselves. In effect, a strong community consists of people that love their neighbors as well as themselves. Your strengths are just as important to the bigger picture as someone else's shoulder to lean on.

Elodie plans to restructure and rework POINT, but Enid does not see a place for herself there. She's still figuring out what she wants to do next and the Plaza is a better fitting interim space for her values, approach to training, and otherwise. Head of POINT Prep is the best end result for Elodie period. So much of her character rests on her wanting to be a role model and encourage other upcoming heroes. Her current role is more direct and hands-on than just echoing Chip Damage could be. She had some hand in rehabilitating Foxtail, she already defies existing prejudices about Lakewood heroes as a former Lakewood resident herself, and has more say/input on how POINT Prep programs work. Given how much friendlier she is with Enid, Elodie could direct hero hopefuls towards the Bodega if POINT Prep isn't a good fit for their respective abilities and interests.

Glinda and Elphaba end on a very bittersweet note that they had a strong impact in each other's lives and love each other unconditionally but can never see the other again in large part due to forces outside of their control. Enid and Elodie repaired their friendship, but they have a very new, different dynamic. They aren't as close as before; they can't be quite as intimate as they once were but they have figured out how to agree to disagree on certain topics, respect each other's opinions, and actually value the other's insights or intuition on given topics. In a nutshell, it's interesting to look at these sets of characters, how they live in/navigate the societal systems they live in, and how that affects their respective relationships.

[botanybulbasaur]

love through fiction

stuff below cut because its just stuff im writing while i cry

a quote i keep remembering over adnd over and over again is tahta stupid "the love was there and it changed everything. if you even care" quote because. i dont like change. i like having positive impacts on people but i dont like when i change or when they change. it feels like im losing something, an aspect i cant gain back, a feature that people mightve counted on me for. even worse sometimes, it can feel like im losing people.

so its easier to just ignore change. act like the love and the hate is the only thing that changes, not time. act like we, humans, control how long we have and how the world changes what we love.

but we don't, and we never will. the world will keep spinning and the people will keep changing against their will, against the beat of their hearts. but the fiction i keep reading

it keeps sayingt hat the love doesn't need to change anything. the love being there in the first place is a miracle, a gift, proof that we mean something and that our actions give us something. thte change was there and it made love if you even care.

'slay the princess' does a good job at taking just what i fear and placing it before me. how terrifying it is to be the one who changes, and how terrifying it is to see people change before you. but despite that everybody tried to work together. the love was there. the love was there and it told you to try and change something

then there's the love that transcends change. dragon maid be damned because kobayashi (human character) tells. uak. tells this teenage dragon character "i am. im lying to you. im trying to charm a chaos dragon with sweet lies" after the teenager tells her that she's just a human and she'll die and she's inferior and she's lying to her dragon girlfriend. i think its been a while my memory is shitty. and the girl didnt leave her side later on when she was in bed for a while. she knew that kobayashi was ignoring their differences, keeping it stacked away that theyd die at different times and i cant stop crying. the love was there and it told you that you dont have to change anything. the love was there and it told you that to be happy you have to ignore the change sometimes

amd TOHRU (kobayashi's gf) dont get me fucking started. her short monologue in the train ride back home about how kobayashi will die soon but shes just trying to enjoy what she has now. her conversation with her dad knowing she'd get hurt when kobayashi dies, following her near breakdown just thinking of kobayashi dying. the love was there and it told you to hold on and slow down, that the change is later, you don't have to be scared yet. it's okay, the love says, because it was there.

last but certainly not least dunmeshi. i know i usually bring up marcille here because i resonate with her but i want to bring up senshi and his backstory. like youre telling me he too feels guilty about his family (i know theyre not related to him shut the fuck up theyre family thats what family is) sacrificing for him but it gave him the inspiration and the courage to be who it was. the love was there and it changed me from the inside if you even care. the love was there and it changed me for the better. the love was there and it saved me

yeah im just crying now. the love was there. the love was there and it meant cooking and exploring and selling your desires to the nearest demon and it meant befriending people you'd outlive by a couple hundred years if you even care. the love was there and it made more love despite the change if you even care. the love was there the love was there im jfn,. :( THE LOVE WAS TEHRE. THE LOVE WAS THERE

the love was there and it made kobayashi risk her life for tohru. the love was there and it made laios, marcille and chilchuck risk their lives to kill the red dragon and get fain back. the love was there and it made toshiro wander deep without food to try and find someone who exhibited warmth. the love was there and it made laios and toshiro really become friends because the love was in us all all along wasn't it. the love wasn't because of change the change was love. what made us what changed us was love. what we all have that leads us forward, even in fiction. god i need a minute.

[one-strugling-bean]

Have we ever discussed how "Watchdog" could just be the name of the army?

idk, this has definitely been brought up before, but like... it feels so possible?? (even tho I'm almost 100% certain it isn't) And i wanna talk abt it soo

Right off the bat, when you compare Watchdog to other species names from woy, it looks off. You have Zbornaks, Bingleblorps, Mooplexians, etc etc -- Watchdog doesn't rly fit with that, right? It's just an english word

And its not just any english word - its a word that details the 2 biggest qualities of the watchdogs as an army: their eyes and their loyalty/obedience. (At least that's what I'm assuming. I don't think its ever mentioned if their eyesight is rly good, but yeah.)

From my 2 min of research, i got that typically Watchdog is a term used for trained guard dogs (idk if that's common knowledge. maybe it is and I'm just sounding dumb here). So I can very easily imagine Peepers coming up with this name to elevate the species' credit as an evil army.

Like - they're not super smart, nor physically strong, buuuut they are easy to manage, you can order them around, they have good eyesight (which means good for guarding/reconnaissance), and are pretty loyal. So, Watchdogs.

(I imagine Peepers saying this^ last paragraph to Hater like a sales pitch.)

On a less positive side, the name also feels like it could be a little offensive. Like... you're calling them dogs. Dangerous dogs, but dogs nonetheless. Like they're pets, inferior to people in a way.

Whenever i get to this point, I always remember how genuinely mad Peepers sounds when Hater calls his "eyeball guys" dogs in The Axe. Peepers be like "f u, my people may be incompetent as shit, but they aren't pets."

(which does clash with the idea that peepers was the one to name them, cause like, what, did he just not realize the consequences of what he was calling his army? but hey, that's why this is a theory)

Also, word for word what Peepers answers Hater there is "They're not dogs either! They're-!" and then he's cut off :[

What are they, peepers?? What are all of you??? I WANT ANSWERS!! 

[bonny-kookoo]

Heyaa Bonny!

Have you thought of doing a siberianhusky!hybrid reader or for BTS? It will be so much fun to read!!

Hm, not really? But I could give some random headcanons for it? Husky-reader x ot7, Let's see...

Let's be real, Namjoon is gonna LOVE going on long hikes, walks, or bike rides with her

Takes her on every trip he can

Researches ways to keep her otherwise occupied with something if she needs to stay alone

Reads up every hybrid book he can find to make sure he's prepared for everything

Always makes sure to give positive feedback to make sure she doesn't ever feel inferior just because she's a hybrid

I can see Jin causing mischief with her 24/7

Don't look once and suddenly he's running around outside at night shooting fireworks

(I imagine like he did in the morning during the soop)

Keeps sneaking treats for her

Like, randomly feeds her a piece or watermelon or something out of the blue

She trusts him blindly though, never hesitates to accept anything he gives her even if it doesn't end up being her taste

Like how he gave her a piece of a grapefruit once and she just went 💀

Laughed but still got her something else she likes as apology

Jimin looooves cuddles and helping her with skincare etc

Brushes out her hair and fluffy tail almost every night

Gets her a stuffed animal every time he's away on a trip

Taehyung I can see being playfully romantic with her

Calls her pretty just to see her tail wag

This guy buys way too many collars for her

We're talking spoiled princess type

Sparkly rhinestones, gems, unique designs and patterns, velvet, you name it

He basically turned a horribly demeaning necessity into something uniquely beautiful

Started a 'trend' (or more a competition) for idols to buy designer collars for their hybrids now

Actually connected her with expensive brands to 'model' hybrid accessories (pretty much in the band's name)

That's when Hoseok comes in

He flaunts her

Like, brings her along to EVERY solo schedule he has just to show her off

Brings her to music video shootings, meetings, everything

Posts so many pictures of her

Yoongi just enjoys the quiet times

Whenever she needs time to wind down she just stays with him in his studio or close to him in general

As soon as something makes her anxious: Yoongi-time

He will quietly talk and reassure her

Bonus points for cuddling, running his hand over her back and head

Best Naps are taken with yoongs

10/10 no matter what time of day

Jungkook = Instant zoomies

He WILL get her to howl randomly just to anniy the other members for fun

Makes a game out of EVERYTHING

Quietly sitting on the floor? He will try and catch your tail out of the blue

Outside for a walk? Sudden game of tag

But at the same time he can just be as quiet as Yoongi

Bath times are spent together

If you're sick he's not leaving you alone ever

If he needs to go to the toilet he'll just holler for someone to look over you during his short absence instead

Overall everyone would love her

I can imagine her being a bit more withdrawn at first, especially if she's newly 'adopted'

And let's be real, they won't be instantly comfortable either

But as soon as the ice is broken they'll all just become inseparable

Maybe she's also special? As in, a floppy ear due to an accident, or her eyes are not the same color, or she's got anxiety and needs meds for it etc

Either way she's gonna be SPOILED like a princess

They Will probably set new standards for hybrids

11/10 will donate and advocate for hybrid-organisations that fight for their rights and better treatment

Everyone always makes headlines like 'member x did something unexpected with their hybrid- and its making everybody swoon' or 'member x sets new standards for the treatment of hybrids with his new Instagram post'

Oh oh and fancams! Yes, of HER

At award shows, backstage, during concerts whenever fans can catch a glance

There's compilations like 'Y/N causing chaos for 12 minutes straight' or 'Y/N's peak husky behavior part 3'

Hybrids are basically fans of HER, if not just the band

Fanmade photocards lol

Oh God and don't get me started if it's her birthday

Billboards, cafes and everything

She's gonna be dubbed the 'nation's best girl' oh my

Oh God what have you done to me please

Have mercy

I love her now

God damnit

🥲

[birdmenmanga]

Predicting the Class Warfare Plotline in Kai-hen Wizards

At first glance, Kai-Hen Wizards seems to be a perfectly normal fantasy shonen manga. With supernatural powers wreaking havoc on the world, a seemingly amnesiac prince, and immortal wizards standing atop everything, this seems like an unlikely place to find a metaphor for class warfare.

And yet, with socialism being a main theme of the author's previous work, there are already hints even just a mere 4 chapters in that Kai-Hen Wizards, too, will shape up to be a story about class warfare.

Mana and Gems

It's very clear that mana and gems are a major form of capital of this universe.

It's very telling that THIS is the first real piece of worldbuilding regarding the mana. A typical series might hone in on what the 7 different colors represent, or what types of spells one might be able to cast, but the aspect of the magic that is spotlit first... is its economic importance.

Another point of interest is how mundane those objects in the bottom left corner are. On one hand, it is almost SO mundane that it breaks the fantasy world immersion, but at the same time it really drives the point home that "even ordinary people use them every day". Gems are not actually gatekept from the masses.

What's fascinating is the section about the Seven: they're so powerful they can form gems themselves.

It's reading very much as: they do not need to labor in order to gain more wealth; they are so rich already that gems have just become a form of passive income making them richer.

The Prince

It's not just anybody who can become a wizard's apprentice, says Raichi. It ought to be someone who has a high tolerance for mana, and someone who has mana to start with.

If you do not have capital to start with, how can you possibly go about investing it and refining it into something more powerful?

Of course, there's the in-universe explanation that mana itself is toxic to the natural world. I actually quite like this aspect of the worldbuilding; it's a very obvious continuation of the ideas explored in late Kekkaishi, with the toxic mana being a climate change metaphor, but now explicitly tied to capitalism.

Even though Raichi clearly wants to be an apprentice, she feels that she is inferior to the prince when it comes to mana, and cedes that position to him even though she wants it a million times more than he does.

In fact, she's deeply frustrated by the prince's lack of interest in becoming Zemu's apprentice.

Becoming a wizard's apprentice means inheriting their spells (wealth), and magical domain (land), and is equivalent to being royalty (social status). Wizards are the bourgeois of this universe, who hoard wealth and pass it on only to those who are already in the same class as them.

The prince, who is both of high social status (being a prince), and also already possess great wealth (represented by his mana/mana tolerance), is poised perfectly to inherit the position of wizard. But his interests lie elsewhere...

The Liberation of Humans

Well, the prince doesn't think of it like that, obviously. But he DOES want Roue back, and it's clear he wants her back in a way that is specifically OUTSIDE their preexisting prince-and-wizard dynamic. He has never wanted to be a prince, and he never loved Roue because she was a wizard. He wants to live in a world where he and his favorite human can live without those socioeconomic restraints.

But beyond the social and economic classes we've already discussed, there's a third axis of oppression in this world: race.

It's made very clear that the castle has no humans in it, and hasn't ever had them because Zemu, apparently, hates humans (despite the fact he used to be one? more on this later). The inhabitants of the castle are clearly unfamiliar with interacting with humans, relying on stereotypes to make sense of the prince's behavior.

So, you're an Asian kid. Is that right? What do you like? It didn't read as a microaggression the first time around, but if someone said this to me in real life I'd definitely be thinking "why did my race have to be a prerequisite to this conversation???"

In fact, I think the prince's first encounter with Raichi is extremely telling.

She's racist!! She's fucking racist!!! We're in a world where it's apparently okay to call humans "primitives" like it's no big deal!

And YET even though Raichi clearly sees herself as superior to the prince from a racial point of view, she STILL cedes the position of apprentice to him based on the differences in their economic class! In fact she is actively upset that the prince is seemingly refusing all these great perks of apprenticeship... for no reason. After all, to her, who grew up in this capitalistic system, the pressure to climb is second nature.

The Altitude Motif

We had one of these in BIRDMEN as well! In that series, the ever increasing altitude represented the ascension to godhood (which itself was a metaphor for dictatorship). However, I believe in Kai-Hen Wizards, the altitude is actually supposed to represent the capitalistic pressure to climb. To hustle, to grind, to make those big bucks, to wring more money out of the system, to get that promotion, to move up in society.

The prince wakes up in the basement of the castle with no memories.

Throughout the first chapter, as he remembers more and more about his past, his status as royalty, and his role as the flying country's treasure, he is funneled higher and higher into the castle, even as he tries to escape.

Raichi articulates what the castle signals to the prince: you should only want to go up! Why would you ever want to go down? Or, god forbid, leave this castle and this system entirely?

What strikes me as interesting is this page in particular, where he notices the locked doors.

I think it's no coincidence that it's revealed in Chapter 4 that what doors he CAN open lead downwards.

THIS is the out from the system that the prince was looking for in the first chapter. And yet, in order to open more doors, he must participate in the castle's system.

You'll have to put your nose against the grindstone, to work within the castle in order to even attempt to leave it, and even then, the fulfillment of your wishes is not guaranteed.

And what DOES Zemu stand to gain from all this?

Quelling the Rage

In what is possibly the most self-aware protagonist monologue of all time, the prince says the following:

It's not just an incredibly self-aware examination of his mental state, it also succinctly summarizes the idea that those who stand to lose nothing are the most easily moved to violence in order to gain what they want. It's not framed in a socioeconomic way in this case, but it is nonetheless true. (Don't think about unnecessary things, Zemu adds.)

So what is Zemu's response to this threat? To dangle the prospects of freedom in front of the prince. To almost, just barely promise him the possibility of leaving this castle.

You want. You hunger. So I'll use that to my advantage, and I'll and wring as much profit from that desperation.

Don't say that you have nothing! You have so much potential (economic) value! You have so much (economic) worth! Don't say you have nothing! Provide your labor in my castle and feel content! Put down your proletariat rage. I have uses for you yet.

Zemu, the Ex-Human

What a fascinating character.

He's an immortal wizard who hates humans, and yet he used to be one himself. He can't let go of the mundane activity of eating, even though he no longer needs to do that.

I can't put it more succinctly than Disco Elysium did, the truth...

I suspect that in Zemu's journey to becoming an immortal wizard, he became so distanced from his fellow humans that he began to feel uncomfortable among them, finding himself to have more in common with the more privileged anthros.

Forecasting the Prince's Character Arc

Zemu's past, I think, is going to be the blueprint for the prince's character arc.

Right now, the prince we know, who has just cut his hair and treasures Roue deeply, is the version of himself that is most true to himself. THIS is the person he's always viewed himself as, even if he wasn't allowed to live like it. He cuts his hair immediately, despite the fact it lowers his mana and it went against the custom of keeping sharp tools away from royalty. He gets to eat the foods that he wants, he gets to help around the castle instead of being treated like glass.

But at the same time, he has clear goals. First, to bring Roue back, and second, to escape this castle. The more he learns about the castle, the more he realizes he will likely have to become Zemu's apprentice in order to achieve both of these goals.

In order to open the doors leading out, he must move up in the castle's society.

I think he will experience a gradual loss of the self, where his love for Roue, and his distaste for power will be eclipsed by the chase for ever more capital/mana. The long hair he once despised will be grown back once more to maximize his mana, and when he finally gains the ability to leave the castle and bring Roue back, he will no longer want to. He has cut off so much of himself in order to gain these powers he has become unrecognizable to himself. He will become Zemu's image.

But hey, wait!! Doesn't that make for kind of a depressing story?!

Well, it's a good thing that I feel like that's just going to be the first act of the series. Tanabe may write bittersweet tragedies, but she tends to add a hopeful spin to the endings. And we haven't even gotten to...

The Wizard Killers

What's the deal with the immortality anyways? Shouldn't you be born immortal? How can you BECOME immortal? This just smells too sweet for it not to have a cost...

I suspect there's some philosopher's stone-esque shenanigans going on here, where the lives of (likely, but probably not exclusively) humans are used to form the basis of the immortality (a metaphor for the exploitation of "inferior races", naturally). Thus, to kill an immortal... you simply need to cut off their source of lives.

This could explain the part of Zemu's characterization which is extremely reluctant to take on the prince as an apprentice. It could be that he knows the immortality is built on the exploitation of humans, and while he benefits from it now and he doesn't want to NOT be immortal anymore, he also feels guilty subjecting other humans to this same moral dilemma. (This may also explain why he refuses to keep humans in the castle-- guilt.)

It would follow naturally that the Wizard Killers are a group of human revolutionaries seeking to dismantle the rule of the wizards so their lives will no longer be used as fuel for the wizards' immortality. Obviously the anthros look upon the Wizard Killers with great fear as well, because they see themselves as closer to immortals than those primitive humans, even though they too are oppressed by the capitalistic wizard system.

I think the prince's awakening and radicalization will happen when the Wizard Killers arrive on Zemu's doorstep. I can see this happening in a few ways:

Roue is the vanguard of the Wizard Killers. There's no way he wouldn't be swayed if it was Roue there to turn the tables. Roue VS All the Capitalistic Wealth I've Accumulated: WHO WOULD WIN? (What??? But isn't Roue dead??? Well... what if the prince and Roue swapped heads... and both of them are actually still alive... <- I don't have the energy to expand on this in this post. It deserves its own, albeit much shorter, post. Or maybe it'll just get directly jossed this week)

The gardener, who we haven't actually seen yet, is a Wizard Killers sympathizer, and if they end up having a close relationship with the prince, could possibly radicalize him by coming out as a Wizard Killer when the rest of them arrive.

okay yeah I don't see a third way yet but also we only have 4 chapters so far so I think I should be forgiven for this

Either way I do feel like this is a largely incomplete picture of what's going on in the universe. We've only met one of the other wizards, and we still barely know what the kai-hen actually is. However I do feel fairly confident in the "the prince becomes Zemu"/"minority representation in elite society will not actually liberate said minority because the time spent amongst elites will fundamentally change you" prediction... if I'm wrong we can all point and laugh as it gets jossed week by week. and I guess I'll have the outline for a cool kaihen fanfiction

[astrolaurical]

THE ULTIMATE BTS ASTROLOGY ANALYSIS: MOON SIGNS- YOONGI

BTS moon signs masterlist

Ok, it may look weird starting off with Yoongi but I have a good reason for it! Jin, Jhope, and Namjoon all have their moons in their 1st house, so I wanted to put them close together so as you are reading, you can see how the SIGN (Aries for Jin, Taurus for Hobi, Sagittarius for Namjoon) can change, making the PLANET (moon) act so different from person to person.

For reference, Here is what planets, signs, and houses mean. For all things astrology, go here. The moon is your emotions and how you react and handle your feelings in day- to- day life. The house and what zodiac sign your moon is in will affect how you handle your emotions compared to someone else.

YOONGI

Moon in Virgo 6th House

When the moon is placed in the house of service, it makes the native very giving. If you had to think in terms of love languages, a 6th house Virgo Moon would 100% be an “acts of service” kind of person. They live for helping others, and will be the first person you call when you are having a crisis. With Yoongi having his moon in the 6th house, he does need to be mindful that he is serving himself as well, and not always helping others so much that his own cup becomes empty. He needs to remember to fill his back up. His moon being in Virgo can make Yoongi’s disposition attentive and analytical, which is great when he is helping… but can get annoying or preachy when he is critiquing others. While he is doing it out of a place of love, his analytical approach to everything can make those around him feel inferior or inadequate.

Virgo Moon Opposite Pisces Sun

Yoongi’s ego (sun) is in constant battle (opposition) with his emotions (moon). His water sun is exactly 6 signs away from his earth moon. In easy terms, he will constantly be battling between trying to decide between own needs (Virgo moon) and the needs of others (people pleasing Pisces sun). One important lesson Yoongi will have to learn in his life is how to balance dedicating the appropriate amount of energy to serving others without overextending himself to the point that he doesn't focus on his own needs. He must learn to love himself fully and recognize this pattern in order to conquer his people- pleasing habit. Once he learns to take time for himself and not view it as selfish, but necessary for his mental and physical health, will he be able to truly love himself and then be able to give his love again to others.

Virgo Moon Opposite Pisces Mercury

Yoongi’s mind is always on. He may have sleep issues because his mind is always constantly spinning. Because of his nonstop thoughts, this can cause him to have extreme mood swings. He can go from too serious and logical and being disconnected from his emotions to the complet other end of the spectrum and being completely not driven by reason and overly emotional. Because of his extreme mood swings, he might have a habit of bringing his inner issues into his relationships with others. To resolve this problem, finding an outlet for his inner turmoil like physical exercise would help to balance out his emotions.

Virgo Moon Trine Capricorn Uranus

Yoongi and Hobi both have this placement since entire generations will have the same Saturn-Pluto since they are slow moving planets. These qualities demonstrate differently in these two men because of their different moons. Let’s look at Yoongi’s first. Whenever you think of Uranus, instantly think WEIRD. Why? Because it is the only planet that spins on its side. Uranus is ruled by Aquaruis and takes on its traits, like quirky, eccentric, alien, unique, forward-thinking. Anything outside of the box. So when Yoongi’s Uranus is trine (positively aspected) to his moon (emotions)- it makes him enjoy all of the qualities just listed above. He will even exude them, as well.

Virgo Moon Trine Capricorn Neptune

You’ll often see Neptune and Uranus right beside each other in natal charts. In relative terms, they are pretty close to each other in the Solar System, so therefore they would be in your chart. Just because they will often have the same aspects does not mean they act the same. Neptune is ruled by the god Triton, the god of water. He makes everything feel dreamy and underwater. Very fantastical and like looking through life with rose-colored glasses. While it is great most of the time, too much Neptune influence can cause one to be delusional and gullible. Yoongi has Moon trine Neptune, making him very artistic. He has a great talent for bringing his incredible visions to life. He can see the big picture and has no problem in meeting his goals to get there. He has a strong empathy for others and probably always sees the best in others.

Virgo Moon Sextile Scorpio Pluto

Pluto (transformation) is positively aspecting Yoongi’s moon (emotions). Whew. Life would be so much harder if it was negatively aspecting.  With Pluto sextile moon, Yoongi is very sensitive to the emotions of those around him. He is a strong empath, mirroring the emotions and feelings of people he loves. Because of this, he could feel constantly drained of energy and need alone time to recharge his emotional batteries. Emotions have a powerful impact on the people and circumstances in his life, and if he takes a look back on his most-life changing moments, he will realize they are all related to high-emotion moments. His intuition leads him. Psychology, mystery, and investigations appeal to him. Will probably never admit it out loud, but likes to be where drama is because it satisfies his deep curiosity for mysteries.

[laventadorn]

Hi. Me again. In canon Umbridge finds out about Dumbledore's Army/Defense Club due to Umbridge giving Marietta Edgecombe (I think that was her name), Cho's friend, truth serum. But, I was speculating the nuance of actual betrayal, and forcing the younger generation to re-asses their house biases. Like, maybe b/c of the presence of a Slytherine, people just assume the worst of them. Harriet defends them. Only, for it to be a fellow Gryffindor, or Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw who sells them out to Umbridge. Whether you go there or not in your fanfic, I was just curious about what you think of the nuance of the positive/negative extremes of ALL the houses. I think it was confirmed Umbridge was in fact in Hufflepuff, which shows the fine line between loyalty and fanaticism. Pettigrew was Gryffindor; the fine line between bravery and ego. Ravenclaw can probably be so practical that they sometimes don't think about people's feelings. And through Snape (especially the way you write him ; chef's kiss) we see the nuance of Slytherine. And since you're keeping Cedric, I hope we get more POVs (however brief they may be) of the other house characters. I LOVE that you're expanding Harriet's circle of friends, slowly but surely. Hermione and Ron will always be her closest friends. But, I loved how we saw Cho, and even Fleur in 4th yr, Asteria - I hope we see more Millicent - so, I look forward to more of that goodness. I think that's one of the reasons why I keep coming back to your fics for re-reads. You've added nuance that I felt was lacking in canon. Anyway, thank you for writing such a beautiful story.

hello again! someone once said "JKR divided the human race into four groups and then ignored two of them," which i think is pretty accurate... and the older i get, the sillier the whole house system seems. my brain is not operating at its peak today, so some of this might be garbled nonsense or just repeating the obvious, but:

to me, the houses don't have any inherent value as a means of determining character. i think it would be more accurate to say that people are sorted based on how they want to appear to others or how they think of themselves. this isn't a bad thing per se -- i think it's neutral and natural. it might not even be conscious, especially when they're young.

we can read harry's experience this way, for example. dumbledore says "it's our choices that determine who we are" and cites the example of harry turning down slytherin and choosing gryffindor, but i would argue this is not because slytherin is inherently evil or gryffindor inherently good; harry made his choice based on how the houses were described to him. the sorting hat frames it differently than hagrid did (slytherin is the "way to greatness" vs. the bad people house). harry doesn't want to be bad*, so he just says "not the bad people house" until the sorting hat gives up. it's more like the house system reinforces beliefs or biases because you get 4 separate groups who establish what behavior is "the best," and then what could have been a minor inclination (or even a major one) gets reinforced into something bigger. hufflepuff seems to have the least issue with this, as helga is described in one of the songs as "tak[ing] all the rest," i.e. the kids that didn't sort into the other three houses with their prized qualities of courage, intelligence, and ambition. a person doesn't have to be smart to get into ravenclaw, they just have to prize intelligence (or want to be perceived as wise or intelligent). in her mind, umbridge could believe that she is very loyal to traditional wizard values, but in reality, she's just a sadist who loves control (fanaticism). peter probably wanted to be seen as brave because he was scared of everything all the time -- but then he wasn't actually brave, and this could've reinforced his inferiority, especially adding in james and sirius' bullying behavior and his own clearly mixed admiration and resentment.

idk, i'd like harriet to just realize the house system is so deeply flawed and largely based on pure perception as to be inherently meaningless. maybe she doesn't make a big platform out of it, but she's already pretty much decided this on a subconscious level from her interactions with asteria and snape. so if someone were to ask her, she'd say, "i dunno, it doesn't really seem to matter. just do what you think is right."

and: thank you! c:

ETA:

*it could be argued that harry doesn't want to go to the bad people house because the dursleys have always labeled him as a nasty, rotten boy etc. and he doesn't want to wind up in that position in the wizarding world. (plus, what child wants to be seen that way?) then he meets malfoy, who makes him feel small, and this reinforces his No Slytherin point of view. these are very child-appropriate concerns, so i'm not saying this is narrow-minded of the text; it feels quite honest, really. of course, this is just about Not Slytherin; the Hat puts harry in gryffindor based on what it senses in his personality. so maybe i'm undermining my own point :)