#he is nothing if not pragmatic

[susiephone]

i love how the wizard was around elphie and glinda for about 5 minutes and immediately was like "okay yeah these two are gay for each other, i can use that."

[ghost-bxrd]

hi please I need this in my life rev robins tim adopting Jason is amazing I need whatever deets you got skskskisk

Here have some more bullet points! ✨

Instead of tires Jason happens upon a fancy drone Tim had stashed somewhere. He takes advantage of the situation (this kind of fancy tech sells for a thousand bucks at LEAST!), hot wires the thing, and takes off with it. Sadly, Jason misses the tracker so Tim sniffs him out within the hour, thinking Batman’s onto him (who else could have the knowledge to wire HIS advanced tech but Bruce?)

Tim kind of blue screens when he sneaks into Jay’s hideout and finds a malnourished kid nibbling on a piece of stale bread and the drone clutched in one hand

Jason thinks he’s done for when the new crime lord shows up. Like- that guy cut the heads off several people only a few days ago and- oh, oh god, he just stole from a crime lord. Oh no, oh shit-

Tim is still blue screening and thus totally misses that the kid went into fight or flight mode until the drone comes sailing at him and hits him clean in the face.

Jason, in his panic, jumps right out the window (death via fall is better than having his head cut off, or whatever else perverted thing the new crime lord is into)

Tim barely manages to react in time to keep Jason from plummeting several stories, having even more trouble dragging the kid back onto solid ground because the little shit actually tries biting him! (Tim is lowkey impressed)

Jason never stops fighting, managing some solid kicks and punches that Tim’s gonna feel for several days, and keeps spitting at Tim even after he’s finally got him pinned

Tim, after inspecting Jason’s handiwork on the drone and considering the kid’s fighting spirit (not to mention the ill seated realization that Jason might not make it much longer on the streets with how thin he is), knows that the kid is either gonna die or be picked up by Batman (or god forbid, Damian) if he finds out about the kid’s skills. So really, it’s a no brainer what Tim has to do now

Bruce and Damian think they’ll have to do another tally mark in the list of crimes Hood committed, now thinking not even street kids are safe from him

Jason’s not sure he likes this weird arrangement, but Hood turns out to be surprisingly young and doesn’t want him to do any weird crime stuff and actually teaches him things about tech, so… he thinks he’ll stay. For now.

(Tim spends exactly one week around the spitfire that is Jason and decides that, yes, he would kill everyone in Gotham and then himself if anything happened to him. Not that he’s gonna let anybody know that.)

[grimmweepers]

˚˖𓍢ִ໋🦢˚ 𝓻𝔂𝓾𝓱𝓪𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓶

there was an ache in my heart when i awoke in a strange, beautiful world that wasn’t my own. even as months turned to years, i still missed the familiar skies, the voice of loved ones and the home i had left behind. i wrote letters that went nowhere and whispered silent prayers that reached no one. it was like i was plucked from my own reality and placed in a world where i didn’t quite belong.

yet, as much as i longed for home, i was determined to learn in this new life. sumeru became my sanctuary and the akademiya, my solace. i learned their languages, customs, and secrets while sharing stories of the stars, landmarks, and beauty of my own world. the scholars listened, fascinated by the similarities and differences, but none more than al-haitham—a student assigned to guide me through this foreign land. he was a quiet presence. thoughtful and curious. he did not pity me.

and over time, he went from guide to peer to something more. over time, i wasn’t just seeking knowledge but also him. but what was the point? what was the point of falling for him if one day, i could just disappear—vanish back to my world, leaving him and teyvat behind? this could slip away at any moment. this might be as fleeting as a dream.

despite all reason, i still found myself loving him deeply. in a world that wasn’t my own, he had become my home.

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬: very slow burn, mutual pining, friends to lovers

𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐔𝐒: 22.10.22 | playlist | genshinverse ryu | home for christmas (fic) | moodboards

𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐒: modern au | akademiya days | season of love | minecraft |

[swan2swan]

"Ozai is just a shallow villain."

I see this argument far too often, so let me put this one in the ground once and for all and explain why Ozai is one of the Greatest Big Bads of All Time...and I'm going to do it with just one shot.

First, before anything else: appreciate the animation here. Not sure who the animator was, but I believe JM studios worked on this, so shout-out to that company and its fine animators!

But now...analysis!

In this moment, right here, Ozai literally burns away any genuine arguments that he is anything less than Him. Yes, just a few hours ago, he was blustering about how he is now "The Phoenix King". Yes, a month or so ago, he held a meeting just to proclaim to all of his advisors and children how he would become the Supreme Ruler of All the World. Yes, he's an egotistical, genocidal lunatic with one of the biggest god complexes ever put to screen.

But then...he sees Aang. The Avatar attacks his airship, knocking it out of the sky. And that's when Ozai snaps out of his power fantasy and becomes the Final Boss.

He doesn't hesitate for a second. The trappings he'd dreamed of wearing for so long, the fine clothes he adorned himself with for the occasion today...he pulls them from his body. The ornate cloak of the Phoenix King, the freshly made symbol of his power...he burns it. He discarded his crown, and already shed his (ridiculous) helmet when he realized that it would hinder him on his mission--so now he's just a man.

In an instant, Phoenix King Ozai has shed himself not only of his cumbersome garments, but of any pretense that he needs anything but himself to show his power.

And that is only the first part!

He does not look around for help. He does not order his crew to follow him from the ship; there is no cry of "Seize him!" He does not turn to minions, or secondary schemes, or even seize a weapon (there is none more potent than him right now). He calls fire from his own hands, and leaps down to enter the battle himself.

He does not curse the ruination of his scheme. He does not tell anyone to bear witness. In this moment, Ozai has one purpose, and that is to kill the one person in the world who can challenge him, the legend that the Fire Nation has feared since the days of Firelord Sozin: the Last Airbender.

All it took was for Ozai to see this challenger, and he descended onto the field of battle himself. He had no interest in backup, no need for witnesses to his glory: he had one task in mind, and he was going to do it.

[i-cast-zone-of-truth]

I liked that Zelda was re-humanified at the end of totk! I don't think it was cheap, I think it makes sense that the zonai were wrong that she would be stuck forever (since thinking they know everything and being proven wrong is kind of their thing). And I think her thinking she was giving up any chance of existing as a little elf and seeing her future friends again is plenty of sacrifice.

I was gonna say the Ultimate Forever Sacrifice wouldn't be wrong, just way different, but actually I think it would suck. There's no scaffolding in the rest of the story to support it!

However, I do have some suggested tweaks:

1. Let Zelda keep those cute horns and maybe some other dragonish traits

2. Let her take some time to re-acclimate to speaking, walking, etc

3. No need to discuss the future of the kingdom, ok? The kingdom is set dressing.

3. Let Link cry over Zelda! That's his wife!

[lupismaris]

..

[wonder-worker]

Any judgement on [Richard III's] reign has to be seen as provisional. The critic of the reign only has to consider how the Tudors would now be regarded if Henry VII lost at Stoke, to realize the dangers of too many assumptions about the intractability of Richard’s problems. But it would be equally unrealistic to ignore Richard’s unpopularity altogether. The fact that he generated opposition among men with little material reason for dissent, and that the disaffection then continued to spread among his own associates, says something about what contemporaries regarded as the acceptable parameters of political behaviour. There is no doubt that Richard’s deposition of his nephews was profoundly shocking. To anyone who did not accept the pre-contract story, which was probably the majority of observers, the usurpation was an act of disloyalty. Gloucester, both as uncle and protector, was bound to uphold his nephew’s interests and his failure to do so was dishonourable. Of all medieval depositions, it was the only one which, with whatever justification, could most easily be seen as an act of naked self-aggrandizement.

It was also the first pre-emptive deposition in English history. This raised enormous problems. Deposition was always a last resort, even when it could be justified by the manifest failings of a corrupt or ineffective regime. How could one sanction its use as a first resort, to remove a king who had not only not done [nothing] wrong but had not yet done anything at all?

-Rosemary Horrox, Richard III: A Study of Service

[halfdeadwallfly]

fighting to hold myself back from saying i love you every time he says something that reminds me of it

[jackfrostsdaughter]

Reading the no.6 manga for the first time and like… when I watched the anime I remember noting that Rat was very much a physical affection kinda rodent, it’s so much more in the manga.

My man can’t keep his hands off of Shion to save his life.

[gaywatch]

@ the Emilia Perez anon - The guy who made the film totally said 'I'm gonna do a nifty trans metaphor in a Mexican setting but I already know everything about everything so I don't need to look any deeper before I try handling two sensitive and nuanced subjects that are firmly outside my lived experience, that's cool right?' And like, no dude. That's how you wind up pissing people off and disrespecting/misrepresenting at least one of the subjects you're dealing with.

In my (deeply subjective) opinion, he liked the trans narrative and metaphor of starting a new life but didn't care about the Mexico side nearly as much as he apparently thought he did. And the metaphor is compelling as hell! Never been seen before! But because he played the know it all card what could have been a layered, nuanced, challenging, emotional, enlightening look at complex topics is now all ambition with only brief moments of follow through built on a bed of ignorance so severe that it's harmful (and therefore the follow through hardly matters).

The situation as a whole calls for a little nuance, including the frustrating fact that all the general public will ever know or care about is that a trans film beat Wicked at the Golden Globes, which helps legitimize trans narratives in their eyes. But for actual trans, queer, and Mexican people it's a case of 'yeah but did it have to be THAT one ffs?' I feel like it was a similar situation with Crash and...damn I know there's a good queer example too but I can't think of it at the moment.

[y-rhywbeth2]

"You owe me." - Astarion, being directed to cast lesser restoration on me after I let him bite me*.

...really? I know it's just a randomly chosen line that doesn't take context into account, but wow.

[medicinemane]

Never think that I've stopped talking about Ukraine or that I've forgotten

I follow things every day, every day hoping for some kind of miracle that means the fighting is over, russia will leave every inch of Ukrainian soil, no more bombings... but... I know it's probably some time off... I'm not stupid, I just hope people can stop dying

I follow it every day, hear all the horrible news, keep up to date with things like the Kursk counteroffensive where Ukraine has taken a great deal of russian territory (which shows russia has no red lines)

I just don't share most of what I see on here because I don't want people to get fatigued... there's so many horrible things going on in the world, I don't want to burn people out

I'd rather someone be active and able to do a little than having to just turn off and disengage with everything to avoid losing it

All I ask is that you support Ukraine, they're just trying to exist. Just trying to live normal lives. I just hope you can support the "no civilians deserve to be bombed" platform, and say they don't deserve to be bombed by russia

If you've ever got any questions, it's not like I'm an expert, it's not like I'm living it, but I do follow things every day and it often seems like I know stuff other westerners haven't hear about... so ask away

Anyway, just never think that just cause it's been a bit since I mentioned Ukraine that they're not still on my mind

You hear less for your sake, but I keep coming back every day, and even I don't remotely see the true scale and horror of it, only snippets of... photos, videos, stories people share online

[dirt-str1der]

WHY DID YOU FEEL THE NEED TO TELL ME ABOUT YOUR AROACE SENKU HEADCANON ON MY GAY SENKU AND TRANS REI POST

Just finished Dr Stone Reboot

[iamthedukeofurl]

So this is just my take, but the key to understanding Kabru Dungeon Meshi is understanding that the Touden's party was one of the top parties in the dungeon.

You eventually learn the mission they were on when they encountered the red dragon, and it involved going as far into the dungeon as anybody had gone before. Their party lineup was two top-level mages, Marcille and Falin (okay, Marcille's practical magic skills are kind of questionable, but we're told that Falin was extremely talented within her areas of specialty) Two excellent fighters: Shuro and Namari, and Chilchuck, who considering that he runs the guild, is likely one of the most experienced half-foot trapsmiths working on the island. Laios is party leader, and while he's not the greatest fighter, he's quite good, and his obsessive knowledge of monsters means that he can guide the others. You see how Laois's knowledge helps the party already, now imagine if they had a support caster, a dwarf whose almost certainly a much better fighter than Senshi, and another tallman who is almost certainly a much better fighter than Laois all working on that knowledge.

So with that in mind, lets revisit Kabru and his obsession. Kabru knows people, and can read them very well. He's also got a wider perspective on the nature and danger of dungeons due to his backstory. Kabru isn't here to get rich delving the dungeon, he's here to Solve A Problem. He's a relatively recent arrival to the island, that or his mismatched skillset means that he and his party are much slower to progress through it than the Touden's party. Either way, he spots the Touden party as The Party To Watch when it comes to conquering the dungeon. Laois, as party leader, is obviously of particular concern. So, Kabru turns all his insight onto Laois and he gets...nothing. Laois cares about money from a pragmatic standpoint, but isn't especially concerned with it. He's easily conned. He's not driven by hatred, greed, or ambition. There's some curiosity there, but it's not the driving curiosity of an obsessive academic, Laois is an enthusiastic hobbyist who has figured out how to make his particular interest into a valuable skillset. Kabru is looking for the protagonist of an epic fantasy tale, and he finds...just a guy. A guy who didn't feel at home anywhere, and found a place and a life where he was welcome and valued. A guy whose skillset and companions puts him first in a race he doesn't even know he's running. And if you're Kabru, that's infuriating and fascinating in equal measure.

[syoddeye]

simon doesn't pursue people, he operates more like a one-man strike team. his approach to human connection is transactional, pragmatic, a matter of logistics.

on the rare occasion he's looking for company, he wants someone easy, who won't fuss when he introduces them to a thin motel mattress. won't ask what he does for work or try to make plans for the morning. won't bother him about 'next time'. nothing long-term. no strings.

he doesn't have a 'type' so much as a protocol: pick someone malleable, pliant, and preferably on the pill.

then you start working at his local.

the first time he sees you, he doesn't notice much beyond the basics: efficiency, attentiveness, pouring pints and bantering with the regulars with aplomb. by the second or third time, he's paying closer attention. you're not just good at your job—you're quick, always three steps ahead of the chaos. you give out smiles left and right, but it's more muscle memory than genuine warmth. and you're clever, too. funny, even, when someone manages to earn your attention for longer than a transaction.

you could probably keep up with his humor. go toe-to-toe.

you're off-limits, though. that's the rule. bartenders are switzerland—neutral territory. don't shit where you eat. it's a system that works, so long as he doesn't let himself think too much about the view when you lean over the counter or the lilt of your voice when you ask what he's having tonight.

then one evening, you take another man's number. some leering idiot, too comfortable with inserting himself into your space, grinning like he's cracked your code because you haven't humbled him. simon doesn't react, not outwardly. he nurses his drink and watches as you smile, slip the napkin into your pocket, and turn back to the bar.

but that's when you become a problem.

he tells himself it doesn't matter, that it's nothing. he doesn't want a number or a date. but the thought of someone else having you—someone who doesn't know what to do with a woman like you—it's a splinter buried just deep enough to keep him thinking about it. irritating, prone to fester.

how to approach you, though? he can't be as direct as he'd like, can't pin you down with a look or crass words. no way to corner you when you're safe behind the counter, or disappearing through a staff door. hanging around until you're off would be pathetic. dog behavior, he thinks, with a twinge of contempt for the mental image. he's got too much self-respect for that, at least.

no, he's got to actually make an effort. use his words.

the next time he comes in, he waits. no more corner tables or watching from afar. he sits close, pretends not to notice how your hands look slicing a lime. he orders his usual and tries not to overthink your tone when you set it down in front of him.

"you alright?"

you reach for his card, fingers pinching the plastic, but he holds on, smirking when you tug and then huff.

this is the moment. his moment. the one he's been building toward in his head for days. but there's a hitch, a blip in his usual confidence, and he fumbles. he blames your perfume.

"so…you come here often?"

not what he meant to say, but not the worst.

the shockwave of his nuclear-level failure doesn't register until your lips twitch, and it finally sinks in. his eyes widen a fraction as the realization lands. oh, he's fucked it. all his rehearsing, for nothing.

"…yeah," you say, voice flat, a single brow raised as you gesture vaguely toward the bar around you. "i work here?"

his mouth dries, but his face doesn't change. he doesn't fight it when you pull the card out of his grasp. there's the barest glint of something in your eyes—amusement, maybe, or pity. he's not sure which is worse.

you turn away to ring him up, but when you glance back, he's gone.

next

[nihilisticlinguistics]

okay but Evan way way overreacting to the whole deal of St. Dottos is like. an extremely solid choice on Brennan's part.

amplification.

he was trying to resist it but he matched the dramatic energy anyway, just without buying into the Medical DramaTM. his anxiety, his survive-at-all-costs pragmatism, his catastrophizing, all turned up to 11.

declaring that K is dead apropos of nothing. stapling a Coke label to his bare chest. shouting something so un-airable they had to censor it out of the actual dropout show a la "Sam Says Say Something We'll Have To Bleep"

amplification.