#he feels guilty

[maybedr3am]

Again, something small and silly, some kind of apology it would be?

Mind didn't let it there ☝️⬆️⬆️⬆️

[littleseasalt]

forever's stream crashed and when it came back to me it was in the middle of the talk so I didn't get the full thing yesterday, but now I went back on the vod and the thing he told Tina-

"Even that I wasn't in control, even that it wasn't myself, I was still there you know? And it was being really tough to see how people were treating me. Even that I knew- I knew that like, I knew that I kinda of deserved it. But ah, it- it was really hard to see how people were treating me and I'm so glad that you were one the persons who like, even seeing this side, like how crazy I was, was still being nice to me, so thank you so much Tina."

FOREVEEEEEEEEEEEERRRR

[cannibalovers]

"What if we all left together? Like we were supposed to."

[sassydefendorflower]

Forgive me for having thoughts about Roy Mustang and his role in the war.

I am not a fan of saying a character "deserves" something, because that is a boring and reductive way to analyze media. Instead I want to move within the story and its narrative/thematic beats as I discuss a character and their interpretation. And as such, I want to talk about Roy.

He's a character I greatly enjoy - and how could I not?

The story of Fullmetal Alchemist wants me to be fascinated by this man, his guilt and his love and his dreams. We're being shown again and again that he would gladly die for his friends, that he cherishes the people around him, that he is weighed down by what he did during the war. We see his love and grief for Hughes, see it almost destroy him. We see his dedication to Riza and Havoc and the people of Amestris. We walk alongside him as he plans to overthrow the Führer and change the country.

And all the while... he's still a war criminal.

I'm saying that not to condemn enjoying his character, but to give him more depth. Because I won't lie - I am somewhat concerned by the amount of takes that "excuse" his actions as just following orders. Now, again, he's a fictional character, who doesn't have to be excused for anything considering the crimes he committed are not real... but the story of Fullmetal Alchemist wants us to view him as a war criminal - and it wants us to step away from the explanation that he was just following orders.

Very poignant in that regard is the scene between Hawkeye and Edward, when she first tells him of their goal - being tried for what they did in Ishval. And Ed wants to excuse it, he's the audience stand-in after all, he is us, wanting our favorite characters to have a better fate by claiming it was Envy, who shot the child, Bradley, who ordered the extermination. But Riza won't let him. Rightfully so. Because while Edward's (our) reaction is very natural, very predictable, her reasoning is the actual stance the show takes.

It doesn't matter if they were just following orders, they were the people committing a genocide.

Some of the translations of the manga and show even call it just that: a genocide.

And while a soldier killing in a war isn't condemned by the narrative, the things the State Alchemists did very much is.

But what should they have done instead? Refuse their orders, get court-martialed and executed? Join the war on the side of the Ishvalens?

Maybe.

I am not saying that Roy's inability to act against his orders is bad writing or inconsistent characterization, I simply think it doesn't "excuse" his actions in the story. And the story doesn't want us to excuse it for him either.

If anything, one of Roy's (and Riza's) biggest regrets is probably the fact that they didn't die at the beginning of the war - there is a reason they are implied to be actively suicidal after the end of the extermination, just as there is a reason why they are no longer striving to die quite this quickly by the time Ed is told the truth.

Dying in the war - dying at the start of the war at their own hands - would potentially have saved thousands. Dying as Father is trying to take control, their goals not yet reached, would only pile two more bodies onto a pile already too big.

Part of their guilt is the harsh truth that their death could have made a difference.

(refusing to partake in a genocide is always the right choice, even at the cost of your own life)

People call Major Armstrong a coward because his refusal to follow orders was only an option for him because of his family name - I think he's being called a coward by his sister because he wasn't strong enough to join the Ishvalen warriors. Yes, Armstrong wasn't court-martialed for his insubordination because of his connections but when he broke down and refused to kill, there was no way for him to know that. I don't think that he knew he would be spared when he clung to that child and begged for mercy - he hoped, perhaps, but he couldn't have known for sure.

And, yes, he is a coward - but not for refusing to kill. His cowardice stems from his inability to join the fight on the side of those he wanted to protect. That's why his character arc culminates in him standing up for his believes, in him refusing to back down, in him fighting for those who need protection.

The manga in particular makes it a lot harder to argue that the threat of death is a good enough reason to follow orders. It makes sense for the common soldier, who truly is just trying to survive, but for weapons of mass destruction? Is it really "right" for someone to stay alive if they know they can kill thousands with a snap of their fingers, knowing they will be forced to do just that?

During the Ishval arc in the manga, this very question is asked but not about Roy and Armstrong and Riza - no, we see its direct parallels in Marcoh, Knox and the Rockbells. Marcoh, who did unspeakable things far away from the actual battlefield, creating the very Philosopher's Stone used to kill the people he murdered to create it, and Knox, who is forced to help in inhumane experiments right next to the battlefield, maybe even employing Mustang in some of the unsavory things he does - the two of them talk about the Rockbells, who chose to help the Ishvalens against direct orders, who know they will probably die, who do the right thing even though they were told not to. And what do Knox and Marcoh see in them? They are envious of them for accepting their death as a potential consequence of doing the right thing.

Because Knox and Marcoh are following orders at the cost of their own soul - and they will never forget the guilt of knowing that they could have made a different choice.

Choice.

That's what it all boils down to. All these characters had a choice in Ishval. Not as humans, since they are fictional characters, but as archetypes and metaphors. Arakawa tells us again and again that there is a choice, always. The choice to be merciful, the choice to be kind, the choice to stand back up again.

Defying orders was a choice they could have made. Maybe at the cost of their own life, but then again: they are at war, they must have known their death to be a possibility from day one.

And this is what informs so much of Roy's character: he made a choice back in Ishval, and he's been paying for it ever since. He followed orders, even though he knew it was wrong. He bought into the military's propaganda until it was too late, and he killed thousands upon thousands because it was easier to follow along than to do what was right.

That's the bane of his guilt, the thing that now forces him to keep on living: following orders is never an excuse, especially not if you're a living weapon and you're willing to pull the trigger.

Roy wants to save his country, and then he wants to face the consequences of his crimes - and then, finally, the knowledge of flame alchemy can be gone.

No one should wield that amount of power, is what the story wants to tell us, because what if the person holding that weapon is ready to just follow orders.

It is utterly human how Roy behaved - and as such, it has the potential to be utterly depraved and cruel.

And he knows that.

As a fictional concept he "deserves" nothing as he is not real, but as a character within a narrative Roy carries every ounce of guilt on his shoulders knowing that this is the price he has to pay for being a soldier. A State Alchemist. The Hero of Ishval.

There is no excuse for what he did, which is what makes his character writing so intriguing.

Nothing ever excuses genocide, and Roy knows that - and that's why he's still alive.

[eagle-head-charge]

are you feeling okay today?

I feel numb and I want to throw up. Why?

[found-moss-cult-lost]

Its fine.. *stands up and brushes myself off*

Know what you can have it anyway..

*throws recorder and walks off*

....[Cory catches the recorder and looks at @alexartink walking away]

[chloesimaginationthings]

I know Vanessa regret saying this in the FNAF movie,,

[teamhangaround]

Obi-wan very much regretting the decisions made tonight.

[sunshikilo]

wanderer's adventures in sumeru

THANK YOU FOR 70 FOLLOWERS BY THE WAY!! some news, i made an offical art twitter account! 🥳 its @/marsunshi and i linked it, right now im focused on genshin there and will be a lot more active, but im still going to try and post mcsm content here because i have Many wips ^^ i also have my ao3 linked there and i have a few drafts of mcsm works that i might post at some point..who knows

[skeleslime-phantom]

Maybe he'll come around to it? 🤔

[crustyfloor]

Something about this scene gives me nightmares because it looks like Till is about to go off for a second but when he sees that it's Ivan he immediately just looks away and I don't know why (can't tell if he was lowke choked up, didn't care since it was Ivan, was resigned, or some secret third option)

[starry-songs-canvas]

Not Coming

“Bruce! They’re not coming!”

Bruce Wayne’s newest adoptive son shouts at him with worrying certainty, especially considering the turn this kidnapping incident has turned into. What, with the falling burning plane all around them.

“Superman can hear-“

“No, Bruce. That’s just some stupid marketing ploy the Justice league uses to deter crime.” Danny sighs bitterly, (tiredly, hopelessly) as his shoulders slump slightly.

[paunchsalazar]

they were sleeping together at this point

[konigsblog]

Revenge sex!! Popular!reader filming herself with nerd!konig who thinks that she has feelings for him!!

nerd-könig doesn't realise that you're simply just taunting him for your own enjoyment and gratification.

you had been dared by a couple of your closest friends to get with the big, large loner in the corner to see what he's got between his thighs, and you almost felt guilty if it wasn't for the curiosity burning inside of you. it wasn't a surprise that könig was so large and girthy. i mean, you could tell just by looking at him, that deep down he was nothing but a pathetic, perverted loser. könig fixes the rectangular glasses sitting crookedly on his face, his breath reeking of booze and the scent of marijuana sticking to his fair, flushed skin.

könig doesn't deny that he's a virgin. you take full control by pinning him down to straddle his broad waist, attempting to bounce on his achingly large cock with the stretch burning inside of you. his breathing is ridiculously heavy and his eyelids are heavy with exhaustion and delirium, thrilled that a woman has finally shown interest in him, or so he thinks. könig is tired of jerking himself off and getting off to porn magazines and videos all alone in his bedroom. he needs a woman to tend to his sexual needs and desires.

könig is almost a little too eager to lose his virginity, especially to a gorgeous girl like you. it's laughable and humiliating for the poor creep, who can't keep his grimey, dirty hands off of you. you push his large hands down to his side, recording yourself as you ride him and take nearly every inch of his slick and swollen dick. könig pathetically begins to thank you for being so generous, for allowing him to feel a pussy for the first time. it wouldn't be unbelievable if könig never lost his virginity.

he's too open with you, sharing all of his filthiest, darkest secrets with you, oblivious to your untrustworthiness and the fact that you plan to leak these videos and recordings.

[angelofthe2000s]

Spuffy is great because it’s so predator/prey but working out who is actually the predator and who’s the prey will give you a headache

[papercutslut]

Stan has memory issues, partially because of the memory gun, partially because of old age. Ford has taken it on himself to memorize every important detail of things that Stan cares about, so that he can always remind Stan.

Ford has an encyclopedic knowledge of birthdays, random fishing facts, silly little puns, and even "The Duchess Approves" shipping; just so when Stan asks "Hey, do you remember...." He always has an answer.