#he seriously could be so bad

[creepypastalover97]

I can personally do a whole analysis rant about why raditz deserved better, based off this one manga panel image if anyone's interested.

[skitskatdacat63]

"it was good fun! Surprisingly competitive I would say!"

[disregardandfelicity]

so many posts like 'why did armand save and stay with louis if he wanted him dead?'

because he didn't want louis dead. he just didn't want to be alone, and louis's interest seemed fleeting. sure, he directed the play with gusto, but that's how armand adopts every role he's given, whether he cares about it or not. he is "the slave of everything that ever claimed him." he falls "under the spell of one and then the other." he led the children of darkness that way, and he led the theater that way.

[gingermintpepper]

Obsessed with the way Evadne's relationship with Apollo is described. Obsessed with the way Apollo was especially gentle with her because she was sheltered, hidden away and hadn't had any sort of experience with love prior to Apollo (and due to it being described as her 'first learning Aphrodite's joy' through Apollo', it was probably her first time even being attracted to someone). Obsessed with the way when she runs away, she stops in a violet patch to give birth. Y'know, violets, very famously the flower so strongly associated with Aphrodite that they were used in love potions? Those violets. Obsessed with the way that when Apollo realised his lover was going to have to deliver their child alone, he sent BOTH the goddess of childbirth and ALL THREE OF THE FATES to help and support her. Obsessed with the way that Apollo sends snakes to feed his baby honey straight from their fangs because Evadne abandons their son out of straight primal fear when her stepfather finds her and how the description of that honey is 'sweet venom' [ἰός] of the bees and is DEFINITELY a poetic pair/pun with [ἴον] aka violets and that every single thing about this relationship, conception and birth is a complete and utter fairytale down to Evadne's insanely overprotective stepfather having an immediate change of heart when he learned Evadne's child was an actual, legitimate Son of Apollo and the babe, after being cared for by his dad's honey-fanged snake buddies, was found perfectly healthy five days later swaddled in a blanket of violets (y'know the flowers so strongly associated with Aphrodite that they were used for lo-) and they called him Iamus aka Boy of the Violets which is AAAAAARRRR I AM GNAWING AT MY ENCLOSURE

Iamus was made of love. Everything about him was surrounded by deep and profound love and like, let's not even talk about his whole Thing of when he came of age and was like "I need to find out what my purpose is" and he literally had a Disney Protagonist moment where he ran out into the wilds and was like "Father!! Grandfather!! Tell me what I'm supposed to doooo!!" and then APOLLO FUCKING ANSWERED AND LED HIM TO ONE HIS TEMPLES ENTIRELY BY TALKING WITH IAMUS AND LETTING HIM FOLLOW HIS VOICE FOR THE WHOLE JOURNEY LIKE -

What do y'all know about the kind of SSS tier romantic escapades Apollo had fr?

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

When discussing or analyzing Dazai, one thing I hope you will keep in mind when reading anything I write about him is that from my perspective, he is always, always both.

What do I mean by this? Well, I find there tends to be a general split among people who hold the opinion that "he's a manipulator and will always be manipulative" and "he's doing his best to be good and helpful and live up to Oda's last wishes for him", of which, neither is completely right - because he is both. But even among the people who hold to this dual-nature interpretation, I find that his individual actions and motivations still tend to be thought of in a dichotomous manner - is it manipulative, or genuine?

Again, I think it's always both.

Dazai has a very pragmatic view on a lot of things - he is always looking for the usefulness of things and people so that the situation turns out in his favour. He's incredibly adept at this, and his prediction and placement and careful reveals are all manipulation tactics to get his allies and enemies doing exactly what he needs them to. I don't think anyone can contest this since we see it over and over in the series.

But that's not all there is to it. He's not solely manipulative and he does, to some extent, sympathize with others - I think there are several instances of this in the series, but I want to stress that this has been apparent since Chapter 1!

For context, Dazai is recalling what Atsushi said to him a few minutes earlier, but it's very interesting that it should be this specific part of the conversation. He could've flashed back to the part where Atsushi said he had nowhere to go; no money, no food - he is about to trick him into joining, after all, and this is the key piece he uses to basically force Atsushi into the Agency. But instead it's Atsushi's self-deprecation that catches his attention, and it really does, because even during the conversation, he turns to look at him after he says this with an odd expression.

You could say that this makes Atsushi easier to manipulate, if that's your angle, but that can't be solely it, because in the later conversation with Hirotsu, we know Dazai was planning to bring Atsushi into the Agency and set him up as one half of the new Double Black the moment he met him. The panel shown there is the riverbank, set much earlier in the day than this scene. He was already planning to pair him with Akutagawa since he figured out he was the tiger, so what's with this reaction?

Well. Sometimes the simplest explanation is the best.

He manipulated Atsushi into joining with the intention of utilizing him in his future plans. He also helped him and gave him a place to belong, and importantly, he likes this kid! It's both.

I think much of it might be that his brain just kinda works way too fast - he's such a natural at crafting these elaborate plots and seeing how things connect and gathering useful people like resources that it's practically automatic - though this is not a great means when you're trying to be a kinder person. There's an omake, I believe, that has him saying "I like using my head for justice", i.e. using these underhanded means to act for the better. Not great, but those are the kind of gifts he has. He's way more suited to exploitation, but is choosing to use these tactics to save people now, which is quite reminiscent of what he tells Kyouka. Kyouka's talents lie in killing people - when what you're good at isn't who you want to be, what do you do? Well, I expect you use what you have, even if it's not ideal.

Now, about the current situation with Sigma - I think he definitely likes him, and is intrigued by him and his situation. We did get a little thought bubble where the guy amusedly compares him to Atsushi, and you can't tell me he doesn't care about Atsushi (listen to the onsen drama cd, or read 55 Minutes if you somehow don't believe me). But also, it's undeniable that Sigma is in a very vulnerable position of being homeless and having had no one be genuinely kind to him before. His trust is very easy to earn, and with the latest chapter, Dazai has now saved his life multiple times. There is, as always, a practical purpose he needs him for. And I have to be somewhat amused because Dazai is quite literally telling Sigma everything he ever wanted and needed to hear. It's a brilliant means of quickly endearing himself to Sigma - but I don't think that's all it is.

Look. The most honest moments we get in this series from Dazai are, interestingly for an expert manipulator, when people are at their most vulnerable. In spite of every pointlessly cruel act he inflicted on Akutagawa, his first meeting with him was open and transparent; much like the orphanage director, it seems he thought this treatment would make him strong and adaptable (he's wrong but that's not the point of this). He cuts Kyouka off in irritation and says "don't give me that" when she implies that she would fail the entrance exam. He tells Atsushi it's normal to cry after losing a father figure and to feel however you feel, even if that person caused you nothing but incredible pain and cannot be forgiven. He refuses to entertain Sigma's assumptions that Dazai sees himself as a superior being to him.

Selective honesty can also be utilized to great effect; Mori does this, and undoubtedly it serves this purpose for Dazai too. But I want to stress that I do sincerely believe this is all still honesty from him. Manipulation, or genuine?

Both. It's both.

[raylazuko]

New headcanon.

That Diluc and Crepus are alike in a lot of ways and I get the impression that Crepus also lived vicariously through Diluc in terms of “I couldn’t be a knight so you go do that” even if he may have had some reservations with the Knights himself but wouldn’t wanna alienate them because of his kids or because of business reasons.

That Crepus and Varka have a begrudging mutual respect for each other but do not agree with each other’s tactics.

Crepus, like later Diluc, finds the knights inefficient. That he was working to bring down the Fatui in his own way secretly. There is some underground vigilante anti-Fatui group that Diluc later joined because he has contacts in Mond when he gets back.

Diluc is a kid and delluded into thinking the Knights are perfect and Crepus doesn’t wanna crush his dreams.

Then reality happens.

That Diluc has noticed some corruption already and has his reservations and annoyances. That that night was his final straw. That he’s relieved to be out of the Knights but feels like he let his father down but also has a weird feeling that he did the right thing by him.

And that he later learns more about the underground efforts and just how stupid the knights are being and that diplomacy doesn’t solve everything.

But he doesn’t wanna alienate them too much because of his begrudging respect for Kaeya.

And also he’s annoyed and slightly jealous that Kaeya took his position.

He secretly wishes Kaeya would leave but if he told Kaeya everything he knows it would destroy him. Or he just wouldn’t listen.

Or that Kaeya does know and wants to change things from the inside.

Or he stays because he thinks that’s what Crepus wanted and actually sees Diluc as disrespecting their father’s wishes.

Or Kaeya stays because the knights treated HIM well, and he doesn’t have any other family left. They ARE his family. His dad abandoned him and he doesn’t know where his mom is (if shes alive). If he has other siblings they’re probably working for the Order. His adoptive dad died and his adoptive brother views him as a pushover for staying perhaps.) Let’s also not forget that Kaeya was probably pressured into doing whatever he was forced to do as a kid as being an heir to the Abyss Order basically. He probably doesn’t know HOW to say no or stand up against institutional injustice. Anything is better than where he came from. So he mostly just distances himself from the Knights by hunting treasure hoarders for fun and gathering intel because his position is literally useless.

I also think Jean’s hands are tied because she’s also barely legal and has too much pressure and is probably going off some some handbook and can’t reorganize things too much to not piss of Varka when he gets back. Plus they’re short-staffed. It’s very likely Varka groomed Jean in some way to succeed him and just put way too much pressure on this kid so now all she knows is how to work. Yeah I don’t like Varka lol.

For Kaeya it’s like “don’t bite the hand that feeds”. Kaeya leaving the knights would lose him EVERYTHING and he cannot risk that. There’s also a real chance that Varka knows about his past and if he leaves, he would become a target due to him being potentially dangerous.

It’s just a big mess all around and Ragbros+Jean are dysfunctional adults that had unrealistic pressures put on them as kids.

[isurrendertoclones]

How did they manage to go through the entire Bad Batch without mentioning Fives once???

(ETA without Echo mentioning him once)

[constantvariations]

I don't think anything will ever be funnier than Banesaw's first of his only two sentences being, "Finally, I get to kill a Schnee," knocking Weiss unconscious in a single hit, then just chucking her into the next room so Blake can save her

[buglaur]

[topayitfoward]

thinking about Jacobi post-canon hurts my head and heart so bad because he went to space with the two people he cared about the most and left alone!!!!!! he left alone!!!!!!!! nothing he can do now will ever change that, Kepler’s death took whatever Jacobi had left of Maxwell and died alongside him. Jacobi wakes up in a universe where he was the only one who survived and it’s physically hurting me

[respectthepetty]

To begin the ninth episode of Bad Guy, My Boss off with these two making out in Elyes' office is rude because Director Term has given pink equal light for the first toxic couple of Run and Fei Long and now Thiranai and Thiti get the blinding light of love.

If I was Black Brooding Elyes, I'd be livid too knowing that everyone is getting action in his bedroom and office EXCEPT HIM!

I know Pat knows Thiti is a spy, so I understand he is acting his secretary ass of here.

But . . . Elyes has to be on this too because there is no way he would let Pat argue with him like this. He is upset at Pat for calling him a boss, so my petty sibling in sin would make sure to remind Pat that he is the boss, and Pat is the employee by sending his ass on this trip regardless if Pat wanted to go or not!

Look at the barrier between them! Thiti, you getting too smug, son!

Thiti, that man doesn't love you! He is manipulative and abusive. Get your stuff from the office and run!

YES! My color-coded boys in love might be pendejos but they aren't stupid!

I could never hate Elyes! NEVER! Pat and Elyes are in the midst of a fight, yet Pat still runs to Elyes and tells him their fight is dumb because more important shit is going down, and ELYES LISTENS! There are so many couples out there that argue and let the argument get in the way of critical business, but not my boy Elyes. He is all ears and eyes!

They can't communicate about their relationship, but they are sure good business partners. They balance each other out at work, yett causing chaos everywhere else. Good for them.

Pat calling Elyes immature while pouting is why I love this show. They are both problems, and they both love it.

And now Elyes is going to eat like a commoner because he loves his Happy Human.

AND HE WILL SUFFER BECAUSE OF IT! Watching a person sweat when they eat something spicy is the closest I will get to experiencing real love because it makes my heart so happy. He is just eating in pain and being miserable all because he loves a boy.

Pat is me, and I am Pat. Never been happier than watching a man try not to cry.

The bathroom scene is perfection! They are both naked, vulnerable, no colors, no barriers between them, and Elyes is sooooo happy.

But Pat? Oh, Pat has Elyes all heated up and now he is about to hurt him with hard questions, and I am thrilled!

Look! Look at his face. Realization is hitting him! They are entering into a fight that he didn't even see he was walking into!

LOOK AT HIM!

And now we are right back to the point the colors keep making — Elyes is doing the most all so he doesn't have to do the bare minimum. Pat has said he loves him. Pat has shown he is loyal. But Elyes is so afraid that if he says "I love you" back that it's all going to blow up the same way it did with Run, but by him not saying it, Pat won't continue to be in what he believes is a one-sided situationship. Elyes already used the day's quota of brain cells, but I need my pendejo to stop arguing while literally naked, and instead get emotionally exposed, and TELL PAT HE LOVES HIM!

But instead he is going to put a hit out on the person who hurt Pat even though his ass has been emotionally hurting Pat for years.

Doing the damn most when he could be doing the bare minimum. I hate him (affectionately).

[undertoweyes]

After all the bs hbo max had done to hotd and got I believe their only way to redeem themselves would be a comedy series about daeron i/baelor/viserys ii/Aegon iv reigns cause there’s no way to adapt those periods in a serious way

[eddiegettingshot]

like i do think it is funny that many of the blogs saying insane shit were perfectly fine with first kneejerk defending, and then continuing to be friends with queerbuck, certified racist cunt, for like months. and i am a real person. so isn’t that something

[ianthesmells]

mouthwashing is a special experience because not only do you get to watch characters not take responsibility and not expect men in power to do anything to help women in the game, but you also get to watch the same reaction play out in real time in the fandom

[whos-hotter-jjba]

Hottest JJBA Outfit Bracket - Round 1 Match 62

[eightfifteen]

I do love that Mike's life would be a lot easier if his best friends simply stopped falling in love with him