#he's not thought through any ethical dilemmas

[salt-blog]

On TOP of the repeated conflicts of interest he brings up that his supervisors could easily solve, his TOXIC workplace culture, AND the fact that he's literally dating his boss' daughter, Baek Yi-Jin gets sent to cover fucking 9/11!! And he gets psychologically damaged!!! I thought this show was about fencing but what I'm getting is that Baek Yi-Jin probably should have gone to journalism school.

[hoshifighting]

idk if someone asked you this but i’m a new reader and I REALLY REALLY LOVE YOUR WORKS!!!

can you please make wonwoo, the nerdy president who u thought was innocent and sweet but he’s the one behind ur fave nsfw audio creator???? AND HE’S A HARDFUCKER.. not what u expected tho..

i don’t know if i make sense but please pretty please 😭☝️

Synopsis: where you discover that the nerdy class president is the one man who creates the most nasty NSFW audios that you spend long nights listening to. WC: 2.8k WARNINGS: smut, audio porn, masturbation, hard fuck, dirty talk (obviously), bad sleeping habits (because of wonwoo), fingering, spanking, dirty talk, pussy eating, penetrative sex, protected sex, wonwoo whining, a lil invasion of privacy.

you’ve been running on fumes all day, the hazy buzz of sleep deprivation clinging to your brain like static. it’s no surprise, really. your night had gone the way it always does: you got home, flopped into your chair, threw on your headphones, and let onyx_lens—your favorite nsfw asmr creator—drag you under with that stupidly deep voice of his.

it was kind of pathetic, actually. you barely remember what the script was about—something about obedience or whatever—but you do remember the sound of his voice sinking into your brain like warm honey, making you cum so hard that you blacked the fuck out right after. now here you were, bleary-eyed and trying to stay upright in literature class, the regret of last night’s poor choices catching up with you.

wonwoo, the class president who was somehow both effortlessly chill and annoyingly observant, had been glancing at you every few minutes. you could feel his eyes on you as your head dipped forward for the third time, only to snap back up like a busted bobblehead.

but, in true wonwoo fashion, he didn’t say anything. no scolding, no judgmental sighs—just quiet observation.

when class finally ended, you were ready to yeet yourself into a nap for a solid 72 hours. you were shoving your stuff into your bag when wonwoo’s voice cut through the noise.

“you good?”

you froze. his voice wasn’t the same as onyx_lens’s, obviously, but it had that same deep, smooth timbre that made your brain short-circuit for a second. it didn’t help that his question sounded so much like something out of an nsfw script. you turned to face him, hoping your face wasn’t giving away how flustered you suddenly were. “uh—yeah,” you said, shaking your head a little too quickly. “just tired.”

wonwoo raised an eyebrow. “not sleeping well?”

your brain screamed. your tired, half-horny brain screamed louder. the overlap of his voice and onyx_lens in your head was un-fucking-bearable. you managed to nod, muttering something about late nights and deadlines, hoping he wouldn’t pry.

he didn’t, but his next question wasn’t much better.

“think you could help me with the sci-fi project? your last lit analysis was good, and i could use the extra pair of hands.”

you blinked at him. “me?”

he nodded, adjusting his glasses. “you. unless you’re too busy with...whatever’s keeping you up.”

oh, you mean my nightly sessions with onyx_lens and my vibrator?

you swallowed hard and tried to play it cool. “nah, i can help.”

and that’s how you found yourself standing outside wonwoo’s apartment later that evening, clutching your bag. his place was exactly what you’d expect from him—minimalist, neat, and smelling faintly of coffee.

“come in,” he said, holding the door open for you. “make yourself comfortable.”

easier said than done. you perched awkwardly on his couch as he set up his laptop on the coffee table, your eyes darting around the room in an attempt to ignore how nice his voice sounded in person.

“so,” he began, sitting across from you, “any ideas for the project?”

you cleared your throat, trying to focus. “uh, maybe something about robots and humanity? like, exploring ethical dilemmas or something.”

wonwoo nodded thoughtfully, his gaze fixed on you in a way that made your skin heat. “good idea. we could tie that into the main themes from class.”

he leaned forward slightly, scrolling through a document on his laptop, and you couldn’t help but notice how his glasses slipped down his nose. you were so not prepared for this level of proximity or his stupidly deep voice.

“you okay?” he asked again, glancing at you.

you blinked, realizing you’d been staring. “yeah, just...thinking.”

his lips twitched into a small, knowing smile. “good. let me know if you need a break or...anything.”

the way he said anything sent a shiver down your spine. you weren’t sure if it was exhaustion, residual arousal from last night, or the sheer presence of wonwoo in his element, but your brain was a mess.

you were supposed to be helping him with this project, but all you could think about was the way his voice would sound whispering in your ear, saying things that would make onyx_lens blush.

you were so close to winning the “most pathetic college student of the year” award it wasn’t even funny. after much back-and-forth with wonwoo, class president of your downfall, you somehow convinced him to let you walk home alone. except the man still went all soft and paid for a taxi anyway, which, like… thanks? but also stop being so nice, what the hell.

it was nearing 11 p.m. when you got home, and as if on cue, your phone pinged with a notification: onyx_lens’s weekly live is starting.

you stared at it for a second, blinking in disbelief. today’s theme? "neon circuits and orgasm denial (a cyberpunk experience) 8d audio"

sci-fi-themed. of fucking course.

you almost laughed at the audacity of the universe for this one. was this some sort of cosmic joke? was wonwoo onyx_lens?! no way. no goddamn way. you shook off the thought as delulu nonsense and dragged yourself to the bathroom for a quick sponge bath.

by the time you flopped into your chair, headphones on, the live was already in full swing. that voice—that stupidly deep, velvety voice—flooded your ears as the chat buzzed with unhinged comments. onyx purred, and you were done for.

you couldn’t even focus on the sci-fi plot he was spinning, something about rogue androids, monster cock, neon vibrators and human experimentation. his voice wrapped around you like a silk chokehold, and you were gone—just a vibrating mess in your chair, coming undone embarrassingly fast.

fast forward to the next morning: you woke up feeling like a used dishrag. again. headphones still on, your phone dead, and the memory of last night’s live replaying in your brain like a broken record.

by the time you dragged yourself to class, you were running on fumes and vibes. your hoodie was scrunched up around your face, making you look like a cross between a gremlin and an overgrown baby.

wonwoo noticed. you could feel his eyes boring into you as you tried—and failed—to stay upright. you were so close to just giving in and laying flat on the floor. honestly, it might’ve been comfier than your chair at that point.

wonwoo, sitting two rows away, looked like he was internally debating whether to intervene or let you rot in peace. when the bell rang, you startled awake like you’d been electrocuted, nearly knocking your stuff off your desk in the process.

“you okay?” he asked, falling into step beside you as you shuffled out of the classroom like a zombie.

“i’m fine,” you mumbled, voice muffled by your hoodie. “just need food. like, now.”

you detoured to the convenience store on the way to his apartment, snagging an entire kimbap roll and tearing into it like a starving animal. wonwoo followed behind, holding your water bottle with a look that was equal parts judgment and amusement.

“you couldn’t wait?” he asked, watching as you ate half the roll in one bite.

“bro,” you said around a mouthful of rice, “if i didn’t eat this, i was gonna pass out on the cold asphalt. your problem now, mr. class president.”

he rolled his eyes but didn’t argue, just handed you your water like the reluctant babysitter he was.

this was going to be a long afternoon.

you couldn’t help yourself. the suspicion had been eating away at you for weeks now, ever since you first heard his voice in class and that nagging sense of déjà vu set in. wonwoo had escaped to the bathroom, and you had the perfect opportunity to snoop.

your fingers hovered over his notebook, but then your gaze darted back to your own screen. back and forth, back and forth. his notebook. yours. the coincidences were piling up like a conspiracy wall in your head. the voice, the specific vocabulary choices, even the cadence—how did i not notice this earlier?!

“fuck it,” you whispered to yourself, grabbing his notebook and quickly pulling up the site where you normally streamed your favorite asmr creator. just to check. just to confirm your theory.

your heart pounded as the site loaded, every second dragging like molasses. the channel page opened, and at first, it seemed normal. too normal. you almost clicked away, feeling stupid for even suspecting anything.

but then you saw it: edit profile. analytics.

your breath caught, and a sharp scoff escaped you as you crossed your arms. oh, my god. the realization hit you like a freight train. it’s him. wonwoo. class president. sci-fi nerd. “how the fuck did i not notice?” you muttered, half impressed by his audacity.

you were so lost in your spiraling thoughts that you didn’t hear him return—until his voice, practically kissed your earlobe.

“what. do. you. think. you. are. doing?”

you jumped so hard your knee slammed into the underside of the desk. whipping around, you found wonwoo standing over you, his expression unreadable but his jaw tight.

“uh—nothing?” you stammered, trying to slam your laptop shut, but his hand darted out and stopped you.

“‘nothing’ doesn’t look like you snooping through my computer,” he said, his voice dangerously calm.

your cheeks burned. “okay, fine, maybe i was curious—”

“you were curious?” his tone sharpened. “curious enough to invade my privacy?”

“invade your—bro, you’re literally whispering dirty robot sex fantasies to the entire internet. how is that private?”

“that’s different!” his ears flushed a deep red, and you couldn’t tell if it was from anger or embarrassment. “that’s content. this—this is personal.”

you rolled your eyes, leaning back in your chair. “oh, please. you’re mad i figured it out. admit it.”

he leaned closer, towering over you now, his hand pressing down on the desk beside you. “what do you want, huh? blackmail? are you gonna tell everyone?”

you laughed, loud and incredulous. “tell everyone?! dude, relax. i’m not gonna expose your little side hustle. besides…” you smirked, tilting your head to look up at him. “you should be thanking me. clearly, i’m a fan.”

wonwoo’s eyes darkened, and his lips parted as if to say something, but no words came out. 

“you’re a what?” he asks, your pulse skyrocketing as he stepped even closer, crowding you against the chair.

“did i stutter?” you whispered, the challenge clear in your tone.

his mouth crashed onto yours, teeth and tongue and frustration. you barely had time to process it before he was yanking you out of the chair, his hands rough as they gripped your hips and spun you around.

“you want to act like a brat,” he growled into your ear, his voice so reminiscent of his asmr persona that it made you roll your eyes back slighty, “then you’re gonna get treated like one.”

he bent you over the desk, the cold surface pressing against your chest as he yanked down your college skirt and underwear at once. his fingers slid through your folds, already slick just from being around him.

“so fucking wet,” he muttered, almost to himself. “you get off on this, don’t you? knowing it’s me.”

“shut your mouth,” you gasped, but it came out more like a moan as he pushed two fingers inside you, curling them and pressing them hard on your front wall.

“make me,” he challenged, his other hand coming down sharply on your ass. the sting made you gasp, your hips jerking against his hand as you tense on the desk.

the pace of his fingers was relentless, his thumb circling your clit in time with the thrusts. every part of your body was starting to be feveirsh, and you hated—hated—how easily he was unraveling you. you spent nights thinking about how it would be if onyx fucked you, and here you are. of course you would be a mess in a second.

“sorry” he mocked you. “am i too much for you?”

you clenched around his fingers, your nails digging into the desk as you tried to hold back a moan. “you talk too fucking much actually wonwoo,” you hissed.

“yeah, that's what's paying me at nights” wonwoo chuckled darkly, pulling his fingers out and flipping you onto your back with his big arms. before you could protest, he was kneeling between your legs, his mouth suddenly hot and insistent against your core, better than any other vibrator you insisted on using at night.

the sounds—the wet, obscene sounds of his tongue—mixed with your whimpers as he devoured you like a man starved. his hands gripped your thighs, holding you open as you tried to squirm away from the overwhelming sensation.

“stop—”

“stop?” he looked up, his chin glistening. “not until you admit i’m your favorite.”

you glared down at him, breathless and defiant. “you’re such an asshole.”

“and yet…” he smirked, diving back in and flicking his tongue against your clit until your head fell back, a broken moan spilling from your lips.

it didn’t take long before you were coming undone, your body shaking as his mouth pulled your clit. wonwoo didn’t stop, didn’t even slow down, dragging out your orgasm until you were a trembling, incoherent chaos beneath him.

wonwoo doesn’t waste a second after pulling back, his hands flipping you over again so you’re bent over the desk, your cheek pressed to the cool surface as he grinds against you. the thick outline of his cock rubs against your dripping folds, still covered by the soft fabric of his grey sweatpants. you gasp, your hips jerking back involuntarily, and his pearly-white smile flashes above you.

“look at that,” he murmurs, almost smug, as a dark spot begins to spread on his sweatpants from your slick. “you’re soaking me through.”

the way he emphasizes the word makes your back contort in shivers, but you’re too far gone to care. your fingers claw at the desk as he keeps humping against you, his pace quickening. when he finally pulls back, you hear the shuffle of fabric as he yanks down his sweatpants and briefs. the soft clink of a drawer opening catches your attention, and you crane your neck to see him sliding on a condom.

“you’re still melting all over my desk,” he rubs a hand over the curve of your ass. “can’t even wait for me, huh?”

before you can respond, his hand comes down sharply on your ass, the sting making you gasp. he doesn’t stop, spanking you again and again until your skin is flushed and burning.

“you look so pretty like this,” he says, his hand smoothing over the heated skin before gripping your waist and lining himself up. “all messy and desperate for me.”

when he pushes in, stretching you inch by inch until you’re full and breathless, pussy trying to clench at his big grith to adjust. wonwoo groans, his head falling forward as he sinks in to the hilt.

your walls flutter around him, and he moans at the feeling, the sound so real and raw that it sends a jolt straight to your core.

“talk to me,” you manage to gasp, your voice muffled against the desk.

he chuckles, his pace picking up as he leans down to whisper in your ear. “you want me to talk dirty? you want me to tell you how tight you are? how good you’re taking me?”

you moan in response, your hips bucking back against him as his words send you curling.

“yeah, you like that, don’t you?” he continues, his voice thick with lust. your moans grow louder, and he suddenly remembers the videos you must’ve listened to—the whining, the moaning. the thought makes his stomach flip, and he decides to give you exactly what you want.

he starts letting out soft whimpers, his voice breaking with each thrust, the sounds spilling out almost involuntarily. “fuck, babe, you’re gonna make me cum—”

the genuine desperation in his voice drives you wild, and your body clenches around him, pulling him deeper. he groans, his hands gripping your hips so tightly you’re sure they’ll leave marks, but you don’t care.

“please,” he moans, his voice high and strained. “let me cum for you. let me—fuck—”

you push back against him, meeting his thrusts as your own climax builds, your breaths coming in short, broken gasps. the room is filled with the wet, obscene sounds of your bodies moving together, and the tension snaps all at once.

you come hard, your body shaking as you cry out, and wonwoo isn’t far behind. his hips stutter, a guttural moan escaping him as he spills into the condom, his body trembling with the force of it.

he collapses over you, his chest heaving against your back as you both try to catch your breath. after a moment, he presses a soft kiss to the back of your neck, his voice still hoarse as he murmurs, “guess i’m a little better live, hm?”

you just let out a defeated moan, the coldness of the table soothing your hot cheeks.

“keep quiet about this, and i'll keep giving you more.” well, it's just an excuse that wonwoo said to fuck you over again.

[tls12lessthan3]

ok so. the thing about jang hayoung is. her being transgender is explicitly meant to represent her autonomy as a person, and show how limited kim dokja's understanding of twsa is. like jang hayoung as the character kim dokja knows from twsa is perhaps the character who brings up the biggest questions re: character's personhood because kim dokja literally designed her, she's his oc. so we are forced to question her the most - are her traits and personality more attributable to her own choices, or are they entirely kim dokjas, for example. kim dokja knows everything about her, she was entirely his idea, and it leads to all sort of ethical dilemmas about exactly how much she can be considered her own person and what exactly their relationship to each other is.

or it would, if jang hayoung doesn't neatly sidestep all that 'does she even truly exist outside of kim dokja's perception of her' nonsense by looking firmly into the camera and saying yes, obviously. he doesn't even know im a girl! so her gender is used to establish both her autonomy as a real human being AND demonstrate that kim dokja really doesn't know as much as he thinks he does, because hey it turns out even if you create them yourself people are sort of unknowable. i wonder if that relates to any of jang hayoung's themes about communication or something

anyway. these are two ideas firmly shoved into kim dokja's face by jang hayoung's gender identity, and they are two ideas he is deeply uncomfortable with. they force him to confront some thoughts he's been deeply suppressing and conflict heavily with his worldview. and unfortunately, sing shong decided to represent this discomfort with what jang hayoung's gender establishes by showing it as discomfort with jang hayoung's gender itself. that is not to say that kim dokja isn't being organically transphobic when he misgenders jang hayoung, just that that distaste for a conflict within his (gendered) worldview represents his distaste for a conflict within his (reader) worldview.

and this is bad. this is clearly a very transphobic and specifically trans misogynistic way to demonstrate this idea. its genuinely very distasteful to me that they decided to use a trans woman character like this. it casts a dark cloud over her character and the interesting things her transness represents - as well as one over the entire novel, not helped by the many other instances of transphobia we see. and i want to clarify that i do see it as bad and distasteful before i draw the following comparison, because as much as i love reclaiming homophobic and transphobic parts of the stories i like, i am deeply cautious of doing so without clearly acknowledging the harm they cause. also, i am a trans man, so i want to tread carefully when it comes to transphobia against trans women specifically.

but i do think its notable that sing shong clearly establish this link between transgenderism and autonomy and struggling to be understood within the story, and then give us a main character who's entire life has revolved around chasing those latter two things. a character who spends the arc jang hayoung stars in either in an opposite-sex-transformation or learning a 'woman only' sport as a 'man'. yoo joonghyuk, just like jang hayoung, is a character who challenges kim dokjas ideas about what it means to be a person vs character. yoo joonghyuk's entire arc is about chasing that autonomy that jang hayoung so clearly establishes through being transgender. yoo joonghyuk spends multiple arcs trying to get through to kim dokja that he does not understand yoo joonghyuk just because he happened to read about him in the way that jang hayoung clearly does when she declares herself a woman.

this is a line that the story draws for me, not one im drawing on my own - this is a link between the autonomy yoo joonghyuk wants and the gender identity jang hayoung has that orv has already firmly established (although in a frequently transphobic way). and i think thats extremely interesting to acknowledge and explore, i think its a very clear part of yoo joonghyuk's character in this arc that never really goes away. and thats (part of) why yoo joonghyuk's end is [transition]

[dr-zeddy]

Miquella is a deeply tragic character and saying he's a villain just because he used someone, who was probably way worse than him to create an order lead by kindness, makes you come off as pretty short-sighted imo Miq was as much of a victim as Mohg. He had good intentions, he truly believed he could make the he could make the world a better place.

*exhales deeply* Are you the person, I think you are? nonetheless....

I'm going to shed my opinion on Miquella now because I seriously can not tell if this is bait or not from things we see and know in the base game and DLC and want to clarify my thoughts on him and why I believe rendering him as a victim is extremely problematic, also outside of the entire Mohg situation.

Is it so hard to internalize that the things Miquella did were actually highly morally questionable? I got to admit, he is a way more interesting character to me after the DLC because of the things he did (and I enjoy villains, so yeah.) I guess the »villain« term is as much accurate as some of you folks justify brainwashing to be ethical , when it is done with good intentions and keeps the peace, with which I personally do not agree with at all.

I don't see Miquella as tragic because honestly we have nothing to suggest that this guy suffered in any way before he decided to rip himself off of his personality. And that is the point, he decided to do that himself. No one forced him to this. Miquella had a choice, unlike Mohg. Yeah sure, you could argue that he suffered through his immense »empathy« but honestly, Miquella's empathy for the weak and shunned always came off as superficial. Why does he not care for the Albinaurics being tortured in Castle Sol, which is clearly allied with him? Where are the Misbegotten and other creatures in Elphael? Where are the Albinaurics? And the Omens? The Nomads?? Miquella claims to want to create a perfect world where everyone is equal but honestly except for words we hear, we do not see any fucking action or effort to truly include them in his world order.

And that's the thing, Miquella reeks for me at best of naivity and at worst of white saviour complex. He grew up as a fucking empyrean, he had a good relationship with at least one of his parents, he was a golden child. From the things we see and hear in the base game, and now the DLC, it feels like Miquella does not seem to grasp the complexity of the situation when it comes to subjugation. If that is due to his child-like thinking, infused by his curse or actually just his personality, is up for debate. Can you truly care for the subjugated as someone more privileged? Absolutely. But only if you truly educate yourself on the matter and actually listen to the needs of the excluded and shunned.

What does Miquella do instead? He rips everyone off of their autonomy to make decisions themselves if they refuse or challenge his beliefs. That is textbook tyranny. You can not save someone, who refuses to be saved by someone like you. Doing so anyway is extremely ignorant. In the end, Miquella actually puts his needs & beliefs before that of those he claims to desire to save. He is so convinced of his own agenda that he loses track of the moral dilemma, his approach to worldpeace poses. That is not tragic. These are the thoughts of a megalomaniac. If Miquella's selflessness was truly genuine there would be no need of compelling affection. However, he bewitches people. Over and over.

Of course, there are his efforts of curing Malenia still. But even that is, in the big sight of things, not really a selfless act because Malenia is a.) close family and b.) he gets and actual use out of Malenia's talent as a skilled swordswoman. I do not think Miquella bewitched her, I truly believe Malenia followed him by his own will and I also do believe he really did want to help her! However true kindness lays in how you treat those who can do nothing for you. Bewitching those who can do nothing for you and refuse to follow you, is not exactly a very pretty picture of his character.

And in comes Mohg to this occasion. The game is so fucking obvious about the fact that Mohg was the exploited one and I seriously do not understand why people still insist he isn't and exploited Miquella?? He is the only demigod we know for certain of, who was brainwashed. With Radahn and Malenia we do not know for sure but with Mohg we do. The fact that Mohg was bewitched implies that Miquella could not be sure that Mohg would have agreed to a deal and that would have been a way safer route than to bewitch him and his closest consult. I mean, Miquella almost DIED because he underestimated Ansbach's knowledge on how Mohg behaves. Why the fuck risk that if you could have just openly made a deal with Mohg, if he was as power hungry and crazy as the game implied?

In contrast to Miquella, Mohg is actually one of the most tragic characters in the game. This motherfucker was told his mere existence is a crime, grew up in the sewers locked away for years, he had no one except this one Outer God who seemed to care for him and showed him maternal love, something he was deprived off his entire life. Not getting into the speculation on how the cult operated before Miquella took over but it's very clear that he ruined Mohg's life. Mohg just wanted to get away from the toxicity he grew up with and created his own haven, from which he too thought, was the right thing to do. However he never forced anyone to join him. He never mind controlled people. People followed him by their own accounts.

The cult in itself is probably morally questionable too but we also have no idea how the Mohgwyn Dynasty worked before Miquella essentially took over. But by that standard, everyone is in the Lands Between is a twisted bastard with their different agendas ….

The point is that Ansbach is still right though when he says that »Mohg deserved better«. NO ONE who is genuinely interested in helping the shunned and subjugated, would chose one of the most excluded and tormented souls as their pawn. NOBODY deserves to be treated like this but the fact that Mohg is a product of extreme racism and social exclusion makes it so much worse and makes Miquella look so much more hypocritical. It suits the stuff we see in Castle Sol and the Haligtree … Miquella wants to be seen as the world's saviour so badly but seems to have no understanding on what suffering actually means. Because he never experienced it. His empathy is superficial and short sighted. The fact he is convinced he is doing everyone a favour in bewitching them, and does everything in his power to achieve his dream, makes him a truly terrifying villain. And that is something I like Miquella for. Is that really so hard to accept for people like you?

Sure, you can still live out the fantasy in your head that the mindcontrolling intermitted in Mohg to "grape" Miquella (even tho the game also never confirmed this????) if that pleases you, but for the love of God stop acting like it is a fact that Miquella was used by Mohg because he wasn't. I guess a lot of personal feelings from my side bubble up regarding this topic and I'm sorry of if I come off as passive aggressive but as a survivor of abuse as a minor by someone "popular", and nobody believed me, and Mohg being one of my comfort characters, that shit hits different. Just not a fan of turning victim-abuser dynamics upside down, sorry.

[angelnix]

just try ; newt

pairing: newt x reader w/c: 450+ | content: angst, very slight mentions of death note: more newt !! might create a part 2 of this ! (i am very obsessed w this man omg) hope y'all like it !!

since the beginning of your life at the glade, both you & newt were always around each other, whether chatting after a long day or during the bonfire nights, you always knew that you two were never just going to be friends. the stolen glances, the banter, - everything -, you knew; you always knew.

but the thought of confessing? that could never happen, you told yourself. whenever you thought about it, confessing or starting a relationship with him, the harsh reality comes back to you. with romance being discouraged as it would harm the glade work ethic, that was your first dilemma. but besides that, newt was a runner. he could die any minute, at any point of the day, and you knew it'd make your heart ache, it'd hurt.

and it hurt even more when he was the one to confess first.

he took you to the edge of the deadheads, weather, time, ambience, everything was right; but you knew you couldn't give in. though you desperately wanted to reciprocate his feelings, you knew that the relationship would hurt more than never being in one.

"newt, 'm so sorry." you say, seeing the hurt immediately etched on his face as he was rejected. "dont be.", he sighs. "m'sorry, newt. i just can't get into a thing here. y'know how it is, you know the rules," you pleaded, trying your best not to hurt him.

"fuck those rules. i love you."

hearing those words escape his lips, especially when it came from a place with absolute no hesitation, you could only cry. a tinge of hurt mixed with longing in your expression and mind.

"we can't do this," you utter, barely able to get a word out, "alby'll get pissed.."

you see him, struck with confusion, "since when d'ya care about rules?", he asked.

"i don't, but that isn't the point. the point is we can't happen, ever."

he inches closer to where your standing and cups your face, wiping the tears streaming down your cheeks. the warmth of his hands break your heart even more as your sobs grew louder and harsher - disgruntled, even.

"c'mon now, (y/n). why can't we happen?", he asks, before gesturing you to sit on the fallen log behind you.

as you sit, he joins you. the boy shifts to your direction, surveying your expression. "it's fine if 'ya don't have any feeling for me, i just needed to get it off my chest."

"we can't be together, not just 'cause of alby and the rules, but because of this god damned maze. you're a runner, newt. you could go out there and never come back. so i'd rather not get attached to you now than love you then - just for you to die."

he places a hand on your back, lightly caressing you in a gentle manner, "i could die at any time, so why don't we just try it out? see where it goes."

"(y/n), everything i go through, i want it to be with you. whether life or death i know i want you, - i'll always want you. that's how i've felt ever since."

you sniffle, wiping away the last of your tears. you tousle your hair, fixing it as an attempt gather yourself. sitting up straight, you turn to newt.

"i guess we could."

[subukunojess]

Details About The Monster Odysseus AU

I might be the only one yelling at the void, but I want to brainstorm about the EPIC musical AU I thought of in more detail:

In terms of how it starts, at first, I thought of the obvious answer being Poseidon curses Odysseus in rage to become a "monster" but then my brain thought of: What if it were Zeus? Not only it would fit the bill of things a Greek god could do (which I think any of them could since Athena turned a human into the first spider), but it would come full circle from "The Horse and The Infant"/"Just A Man". Could you imagine Zeus seeing this mortal having this moral dilemma of "when does a man become a monster" and he's like: "Guys, guys, I have this perfect idea for a joke" only for the odyssey to happen with the monsters and gods influencing Ody's monster form? But I'll put a poll:

Now to the monster features. I went through the people and monsters that Odysseus has faced significantly. I did not include the sirens and such because they were obstacles and such. However, I ended up adding one more person since it would be symbolic to have 9 people = 9 Sagas. So in order:

Polyphemus: Not much is taken from the Cyclops. You can argue that the Cyclops for a time is a chosen monster from the Circe Saga, but for this AU, Odysseus adopted his brutality and sometimes when he acts like Polyphemus, Odysseus closes one of his eyes.

Aeolus: Perhaps wind/storm powers. Mostly he could attract/summon Winions. Symbolically, he struggles with trust now.

Poseidon: Ruthlessness, obviously, and Odysseus ends up becoming a sea creature themed hybrid with scales and such.

Circe: Odysseus can act like a siren/seduce. He also has slight puppeteering powers.

Hermes: Whether he likes it or not, Odysseus adopted Hermes's laughter/vibe. Also big motivator

Tiresias: It does not happen often but Odysseus gets visions or foresight. Maybe attuned with the Dead.

Scylla: Sizeshifting and all things monster! Tentacles, hydra heads, sharp teeth, the works.

Zeus: Odysseus has scars after being struck by Zeus's lightning. Plus he plays around with ethics.

Calypso: At first, I wanted to skip Calypso entirely. I didn't know what to do with her and whether or not Odysseus could take away something. I guess for now, just the sense of being trapped for a long time and he learned persistence.

So you might think, hey wouldn't this make the King of Ithaca OP more than he normally is in the musical? Yes but also to counter it, I want the powers/features to be tied to his emotions/trauma.

And that's what I have so far!

[rougepancake]

WORK ETHIC

FT. Vampire Hunter! Tengen Uzui; Vampire! Afab! Reader

WELCOME TO THE MONSTER MASQUERADE

WARNINGS: Minors and ageless blogs dni. Violence, marking, biting, sorry but Tengen gets whiny (bottom tengen for the win), no mention of his wives, alcohol. Not proofread.

SUMMARY: Vampires hide in the dark, out of fear that the light will carry away their souls into the nothingness. It’s a vampire hunter’s job to take them out before the sunlight can. They follow a strict set of rules, but many wind up breaking them. Even Tengen Uzui.

There’s something about the way he looks at you from across the room. You’re serving drinks at the bar as usual, and you recognize the faces of many different regulars, except for him.

He’s the only one you don’t recognize.

You’re 98 percent sure that he’s not even from this town. He sure doesn’t look like a local. But that’s not even what makes you uncomfortable. It’s the fact that he’s staring you down in a room full of people, as if he knows what you are.

So, to deter his thoughts, you decided to walk over and take his order.

“I’m sorry mister, but you’re going to have to buy a drink if you wanna sit here,” you smile kindly, careful to not show him your teeth. “What can I get you started with tonight?”

His deep red eyes meet yours and you feel shivers run down your spine. Oh shit. He knows. “Can I get your name, beautiful?” He asks with a cocky grin that doesn’t meet his eyes. It’s unsettling, and you want to run away, but you can’t. He’ll kill you.

“Just call me whatever you want darling, cause my name isn’t of any importance to someone out of town.” Maintaining your smile feels like a chore, since it’s no longer genuine. If you didn’t know any better, you’d say that he could sense your fear.

“Well you can call me Tengen. Tengen Uzui. And I’ll take whatever your best seller is.” He waves you away and you let out a breath that you didn’t even realize you were holding. You head off to prepare his drink, all while doing your best to not look back at him. He was watching you, and you knew it. Someone had sent him out here in search of you. But why? No one could have possibly have known your secret.

The hours began to pass by as if they were nothing, and soon, the regulars began to filter out. Before you knew it, you were left alone with none other than your new friend Tengen.

Your new friend who was out to kill you.

“It’s closing time, you might wanna head out.” Your voice echoes across the room, and you notice him startle at the sound of it. A couple of drinks and he was already this out of it? Maybe he wasn’t who you thought. Or maybe you happened to luck out by getting him drunk.

“Why don’t I head out with you?” His words slurred slightly, and you couldn’t help but sigh.

“Did you drink away your woes, Tengen?” The question passed through your lips without a second thought, instant regret washing over you. You were met with silence. Maybe he hadn’t heard you.

Warily, you looked over your shoulder. You had expected to see him sitting at the table still, yet there was no sign of him. There’s no way he could have disappeared so quickly. It was physically impossible.

“Shit.” The sun would be rising soon, which meant that you had to get out of here as soon as possible. But you couldn’t just leave him behind, lest you confirm his thoughts about you. It was a true dilemma you found yourself in, and you didn’t like it one bit.

“In a hurry to leave, are we?”

His voice came from behind you, and you could sense how close he was. You should’ve seen that one coming.

“Just a little. I’ve got things to attend to when I get home.” Nice coverup. Hopefully he wouldn’t look too far into it.

“May I ask you some questions first?” He circled around you so that he could get a good look of your face. Without warning, he leaned in, his breath warm against your cool skin. “Have you seen any suspicious activities going on out here?”

He didn’t even wait for you to answer, instead, he reached his hand up and grabbed your chin harshly. He reeked of alcohol, and his eyes were lidded. It was only now that you realized how much taller he was than you.

His thumb moved your upper lip up, revealing your sharp fangs. Instinctively, you bit him and kicked him away, thankful for your inhuman strength.

“Who blew my cover?” You couldn’t help but ask as you pushed him down onto the floor. You could tell he wasn’t expecting you to fight back, seeing as he was stunned by your actions. “Answer me!” As you raised your voice, his eyes widened. Where had his stake gone?! Any of his charms?? Shit! Did he leave them behind at the inn?!?

Your fangs flashed as you lowered yourself to his level, and he tensed involuntarily. “That’s none of your business, monster.” You kicked him and grabbed the collar of his shirt so you could pull him closer to you. After such an insult, he deserved what was coming to him. “You’re not as flashy as you make yourself seem, and it’s disgusting.”

“And you’re not as brave as you’d like to think.” A single deep breath and you’d be able to smell his blood pulsing through his veins. He was definitely a delectable taste, you could just feel it. “Look at you, your heart is pounding in your chest, and it’s making you smell… divine…” You released him and stood up, giving him a disgusted stare. “But I’m not hungry. Such a shame. It seems like you liked the idea of being fed off of.”

“Woah now, you’re gonna leave a man like me all hot and bothered?”

“Yes.”

You saw him shift slightly, tilting his head away from you, as if to showcase his neck. Did he seriously want you to bite him? Or did he just need a reason to put you down…

“What? Do you want me to taste you?” He’s avoiding your gaze, and you can’t help but scoff. Desperate. “You know if I bite you you’re bound to me, right? It’s like a contract that’s in place until you die.”

“Can’t a man be curious?” He propped himself up onto his elbows, giving you a smirk. “Your fangs are pretty flashy, and I love flashy things.”

“Aren’t you supposed kill me? Isn’t that your job as a vampire hunter, or am I misunderstanding your job description?” You lean back down and stare at him, your curiosity getting the better of you.

“I dunno… you’re pretty hot for a vampire, gotta shoot my shot before I shoot you, you know?”

What a cheesy ass line.

“Do you want to be bitten or not?”

“Sure, just make it as sexy as it sounds.”

You couldn’t help but wonder if he seduced all vampires he came across. He must have an interesting love life if so.

[inkyarcturus]

One of the things I always consider within the context of the wizarding world and the consequences of having magical powers is the idea of consent within the story.

(I’m sorry this will likely be very rambly and unfocused)

Within book 6 (The half blood prince) we get introduced to the idea of love potions and the consequences of them when utilized on a person. This is a nonconsensual act using potions to force another person to “love” another, including forcing them to kiss, have sex with, and be so devoted that they would be willing to do anything for a person.

Yet, it is still treated as a joke/not that serious within the story (Romilda Vane attempting to drug Harry).

The introduction of this potion was one of the first things that made me look back at past charms, spells, potions etc. that would be in direct violation of a persons consent which is treated nonchalantly by the characters in the wizarding world.

In book 2 (the chamber of secrets) we get introduced to the idea of the oblivious charm, used by Lockhart to alter a persons memory. We are told this is wrong, but most of the moral dilemma is focused on the fact that Lockhart is stealing credit for the acts of others, NOT that it is a spell done without consent which could have devastating affects on a persons psyche.

We get a glimpse of these affects in book 5 where we see Lockhart still affected by the backfired spell, unable to remember his actions.

The reason why I am focusing on this charm in particular, is that Hermione used it on her parents. Unconsensually deleting their memories of her and moving them to another country. Essentially making the choice for them on whether or not they would be involved in the war and their daughter’s life.

I feel this is not given nearly as much focus as it should be in the canon or fanon, they could have had their memories permanently removed, if done wrong there could have been permanent brain damage?

But this also hints at the fact that other magical folk have been using memory charms on muggles forever, as seen in book 3 w Aunt Marge. Now, we all don’t like her, but that doesn’t mean someone’s memory should be altered or completely removed without their consent. The idea of someone unknowingly rummaging around in your thought, memories and overall mind is horrifying, especially when you won’t even remember it after.

There’s also the whole, Dudley’s pig tail and the twins joke candy on Dudley. Both being horrible pranks to experience and the first he had to get surgery to remove. Neither of these he consented to experiencing yet are treated as jokes. Wizards have a sense of superiority to muggles to the point that they are willing to overlook their opinions, even the pro-muggle wizards do this.

While I focused mostly on wizards not respecting the consent of muggles, this is absolutely seen between wizards as well.

We all know the scene of Snape being held upside down and stripped by James.

Draco being transformed into a ferret by “moody”

Hell, the entire idea of imperio? Which, side note, how the fuck did “moody” get no repercussions for using on a student? Even with consent, that spell makes it impossible to opt out once under UNLESS you are powerful enough to break through, which is never a guarantee.

Children are given a weapon at ELEVEN which could theoretically be made to make other people do whatever they want. These kids should absolutely be taught about the ethical and moral usage of magic!!!!

I don’t know if any of this made any sense, but just, I think more people in fanfics should focus on the idea of consent within the magical world and how it should be treated with respect.

Heir to the House of Prince mentions it, and I just need m o r e.

[humor6969]

Mom said it's my turn to talk about how Edgar and Mike’s interactions affects the relationships they build with people around them, how that in congruence with the plot, helps develop the themes of self-identity, tyranny, and how we perceive the world around us through the lens presented to us by the very society that limits us, as presented in WOE.BEGONE.

Mike and Edgar’s relationship exemplifies w.bg strongest narrative theme. Both of their characters are introduced with the uncomfortable sword of damocles that is power hanging over their heads.

When Mike was introduced he was powerless. It’s clear he was unhappy with his life and that playing  w.bg was the only thing he thought he could do to feel in control. Nothing could dramatically change your future like putting your life on the line for internet fame. Ironically w.bg only served to further demoralize him, taunting him with the promise of power while further taking his agency.

Edgar was introduced as someone who hadn’t realized the power they don’t have. There was a massive gap in knowledge between what Edgar knew and everyone around him knew. In that way he was isolated from most other tier two co-workers without realizing it. Even Mike was getting to know him on false pretenses. Mike had power over him, he also had knowledge similar to the rest of tier two employees and was manipulating Edgar into helping him learn more.

By dating Mike, Edgar gained new kinds of control/power. A growing desire for more is always one of his strongest motivations, as opposed to Mike’s motivations that vacillate from desperately wanting power to running away from it.

Mike is not only the person who first introduced Edgar to time travel, but also provides Edgar with people willing to follow his orders. He is someone who totally shares those desires. (power hungry assholes <3). We never hear Edgar speak much about people he knows outside of base even before it was created. Edgar might have felt lucky to have found someone like Mike, who (had already done the hard work being social with his co-workers) comes with a pre-established friend group.

His new boyfriend came with not only immense world shattering knowledge and power (as well as near total compliance concerning) but a loyal army for him to command.

These problems are typified by all the ethical/moral dilemmas they are forced to face with the idea of iterative personhood. 

I said "near total compliance" above as most disagreements he and Mike have are caused by how differently they both treat iterations even when they share the same definition of that concept. Mike (as he has made it very aware) sees iterations as a unique individual. His iterations are just some real fucken weird guys who happen to share a lot of his memories.

Edgar doesn’t. Even as the person who created and defined the term ‘iterative personhood’ he views them as disposable copies of the ‘real thing’ or as a back-up. When someone dies he can just load a new copy of them from his save data good as new. 

And as much as Edgar has said he would never hurt any Mike he does so repeatedly throughout the whole series. Edgar might think it's a pity to kill an iteration. Edgar clearly doesn’t like killing anyone (especially a Mike) but he never empathizes with them. He nods his head sympathetically and probably does truly believe it's a waste of a life, but he never has acted like he’s losing a person he cares about. Edgar has shown little to know remorse when it comes to lying or manipulating Mike. Only apologizing when his plans cause Mike permanent suffering or trauma. Although this does not come from a place of malice (*cough* read this post by orchidbreezefc *cough*)

Even iterations of Edgar don’t seem to care about any of the differences between the many Mikes.

When Mustardseed is captured by the Flinchites and interrogated by Michael. Mustardseed immediately speaks to him in the exact way base Edgar has been shown to speak to his Mikey. And not just the same tone of voice. He uses the same playful comments, affectionate teasing, and pet names without any of the hesitation Micheal was noticeably experiencing. To Edgar, he was picking up just where he left off with OverMike. 

(I wish we had more moments with Edgar. Most speaking lines he has are in scenes that have some kind of big Plot Event. I wanna listen to him and Mikey talk about movies. I wanna dissect them)

Edgar may be smart enough to work in a top secret government weapons compound but without Mike he's stuck working a 9-5 desk job with no real human connection. 

Without Edgar, Mike is a dumbass cutting his body parts off for podcast views. 

Mike and Edgar’s relationship changes the whole structure of the show. I feel like the ‘Mike talks to the audience while openly referencing he’s making a podcast’ framing device ends in the middle of season three. Specifically, episode 31 where that pretense drops. I honestly don't know if it's just a coincidence or if Dylan Griggs has made a comment about it (if so whoopsies but I'm trying to make a poetic-y point here). But it's the first episode with only character dialogue and has no narration. It’s also the first episode where Mike shows more serious romantic interest in Edgar. Obviously the narration is still a major part of most episodes but Mike stops breaking the fourth-wall to quip about episode production.

Honestly Edgar’s whole character is my favorite part of w.bg. He makes such a great contrast to the Mikes’ personalities and beliefs while still being a strong guiding force for him to depend on. 

Hope this reads as more then sleep deprived rambling. Inspired by @orchidbreezefc's post (this might not have made sense without reading it)

[chantiepie]

GET THIS MAN | Prologue:

Warning: Sensitive content ahead. Mature language.

Genre: Comedy with a Dash of Dark Romance.

resumo : You know when you're stuck in that boring job and suddenly a new security chief appears and turns your world upside down? Well, that's what happens to Y/N. She's there, struggling through the daily grind, when Jeon Jungkook arrives and knocks her off her feet in a way she never imagined. I mean, who would've thought a security guard, a decade older, could be so intriguing? But then, out of nowhere, that one-sided flirtation starts to feel mutual, and the next thing you know, Y/N is falling more and more for him, even though she suspects there's something dark going on behind the scenes. Caught between ethical dilemmas and confusing feelings, she needs to figure out how far she's willing to go... Preferably straight to his bed.

﹍﹍﹍ 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 ﹍﹍﹍

The low sound of the radio on some random station accompanied Y/N during dinner preparation. Talking about burnout was already becoming a tough routine in her repertoire. Memories of the week at the office, busy days, the mistakes of newcomers, including hers, made it difficult to focus on just one thing, even on her day off.

Her mind wandered, questioning whether she should follow Queen Beyoncé's advice and quit her job, start a new life. However, now Y/N had a reason to feel motivated to go to work: the new, not-so-new, building security chief.

It was almost impossible for her to feel attracted to someone, being a romantic idealist. Reality always disappointed her for being analytical and detail-oriented when it came to getting involved with someone. Even when she met John, her first and last boyfriend, in the late teens, despite liking him and thinking about marriage and children, there was always the doubt whether she really loved him or if he was the only person she had gotten used to. She swallowed his clear flaws, like not liking to think long term, the disdainful treatment of his parents, and even the appearance she found a little less attractive. Y/N laughed aloud as she finished cutting the cucumber.

Among several reasons, she remained single from her twenties until her late twenties. Obviously, she had her flings here and there, but she never had enough disposition to maintain them. When the initial obsession ceased, she couldn't even pretend with any normalcy any interest in the person. Consequently, she faded away gradually.

She lamented recalling her attitudes, but did she feel guilty? That's another story.

She finished preparing the salad and devoured it without even noticing. She always tried to maintain good habits to compensate for smoking. Another flaw for her self-criticism list.

Without delay, she grabbed the pack of Marlboro watermelon flavor, undoubtedly the favorite from the list, lit it, and automatically drew in the nicotine, feeling relaxed. Compared to seven years ago, Y/N had indeed reduced, managing to keep the pack for almost a whole week. A victory.

She connected her playlist, turned off the lights, leaving only a light purple twilight, listening deeply to Lana Del Rey's voice flooding her desires.

It was incredible how every time she heard her inspiring diva, she automatically remembered the hot guy from her work.

Thinking of him again, all she knew about him were the rumors that circulated in the departments; obviously, Y/N wasn't the only one who noticed the well-favored.

She recalled a conversation she had a while ago.

"His name is Jeon Jungkook, he came from Korea very young and is thirty-eight years old," Jennie, her best friend, and who not by chance helped her get the job in the human resources department, made a point of telling her everything she knew. Clearly, not much. "You should try, he wouldn't resist a little nymph like you."

"Jungkook is an unattainable flirt, Jennie. Desire and observe from afar," even though she spoke in a joking tone, she lamented the reality quite a bit. She never even had the audacity to address him beyond a few greetings. "Nymph? Seriously?"

"Of course, just think with me. You, all cute, adorable, face like a puppy left behind in the move, no man can resist."

"Well, honestly, I wonder if you've always thought that."

Jennie laughed, winking at Y/N. "Always, my friend, always."

The noise of a notification took her out of her thoughts. Quickly looking at her phone, she soon realized who it was from.

"Where are you?" No greetings, straight to the point.

"In the same place as always, it's ten at night Jimin."

"I'm coming up." In less than 3 minutes, the door opened, revealing the man with platinum hair. They had known each other for a little over three years through mutual friends, which started with some not-so-discreet playful banter and soon turned into casual sex, sometimes some conversations.

"Who said I wanted your company tonight?" She typed quickly without looking at the door, even though she noticed the other's presence in the apartment, only to be answered almost in the same second in a loud and clear voice.

"Darling, you know you always want me."

[missr3n3]

Augusnippets Day 10

execution/fake execution/begging for mercy

fandom: cabin tales prequel to day 8 TW: torture, electrocution, forced to watch, unethical human experimentation, major character death word count: 496 @augusnippets

Rachel's hands had an iron grip around her mouth. The dry, frigid basement air stung at her wide eyes. Her knees buckled, a chill coursing through her entire body.

None of her discomforts compared to what she just witnessed.

“Wha… What the hell?” she squeaked, stepping back from the sight displayed through thick, tinted glass.

Roderick. Kevin. Sam. Jeremy. All writhing in agony from a shock Rachel feared would kill them – perhaps should've killed them. Though she couldn't see Sam or Jeremy well from the window's position, she assumed they had similar, blistering burns around their wrists, upper arms, ankles and neck.

“Hm, thought they would've figured out the premise sooner,” Mr. Barnett sighed.

“Y-you didn't tell them!?” Rachel gasped.

“The idea was to control for more variables than prior attempts at this.” Mr. Barnett quirked an eyebrow. “If they were told this is a prisoner's dilemma, they could've strategized beforehand, sullying the results. If you want to really test humans’ trust in each other, such things must be taken into account.”

“But this – then this is kidnapping! It's illegal!”

“You say that like some of the most valuable research into human behavior isn't also ethically or legally dubious. Does the name MK Ultra ring a bell?”

Rachel feared her throat would completely close up. Her mind raced, desperately trying to cut through the boys' resumed bickering to find a way out. For herself, and for them.

“But… But what the hell are you going to do with the results, then?” Rachel tried with a nervous, tense smile. “I-if what happens here goes public, you'll be arrested! S-so, we should just get them out of here and try-”

“Oh, Rachel,” Mr. Barnett cooed, resting an elbow against the glass with a small, chilling smile. “This isn't about fame, prestige, academic accolades. This…” Mr. Barnett beamed as he started the timer again. Rachel thought her heart would stop from the sheer shock of Kevin's frantic, terrified screams. “This is about knowledge. The truth!”

“Wha..? Who cares about that!” Rachel snapped, voice rasping from encroaching tears. “You can't do this to people!”

“Too late now.” Mr. Barnett shrugged. “I can't do anything now that the timer's started. It's up to them.”

Them…

Rachel snapped her attention to the window, beating against the unwavering glass with all her might.

“GUYS!” she screamed. “DON'T VOTE! DON’T PRESS ANYTHING! PLEASE!” Any further words were silenced as she watched Kevin and Roderick press the dials. “Oh fuck…” she whimpered. “Oh fuck, there's gotta be something, there's gotta-”

“Well! It's about time they figured it out.” Mr. Barnett clasped his hands in pride.

“No, NO! STOP!” Rachel desperately grasped Mr. Barnett's shoulders. Just as she did so, her ears rang from the booming screech of arcing electricity. “YOU'RE KILLING THEM!”

“Incorrect,” Mr. Barnett calmly chided, pointing behind Rachel. “They're killing him.”

At Mr. Barnett's words, the foulest stench Rachel had ever encountered stung at her nose.

Burning meat mixed with ozone.

[thegeminisage]

okay it's star trek update time. saturday we watched voy's "demon" and "one" and last night we did voy's "hope and fear" and ds9's "tears of the prophets."

demon (voy):

this one was so fun. i kept yelling THE GOOP IS ODO and it wasn't ofc but it was fun to imagine

a y class planet...i feel like we only ever see m class...this was very exciting

always exciting when they break out the space suits too

the ship landing is so silly and ridiculous. only slightly less ridiculous than the saucer splitting from tng

for a few minutes there i thought we were gonna have the tom paris/harry kim version of 2.25 resolutions. like because they could only breathe the planet's air. really really really funny

i love that the solution was to just let them clone everybody. imagine after voyager leaves and you can choose any crewman and all the little slimes want tuvok so you just have a bunch of tuvok slimes running around. 10/10

one (voy):

MY GIRL SEVEN....................

this one was soooososososo good

first of all, wtf at chakotay like talking to janeway about her bond with seven...that was gay as hell

i loved also she and the doctor eventually getting tired of each other. their scenes are so funny because they're both really autistic but in different directions

i love also when she gets put through the fire and succeeds...there is nothing she can't do. she really ran that whole ship on her own WHILE HALUCINATING i'm so proud of her

how clever to kind of leave it up in the air whether or not that guy was real, also. i went back and forth on it a few times and finally landed on not real only second before the reveal

her dream about being alone in the snowy tundra...damn. she like hates other people but also hates being alone. what a way to be

hope and fear (voy):

i had to physically pause this one multiple times to collect myself re: janeway/seven

the holodeck game. the argument where they both hit below the belt. the bit in the brig where they reference the first thing that happened in the brig and janeway had to touch seven's little eye thingy in the soft mood lighting wwwwow

i think the ethical dilemma here was a little silly though. like, my guy, you were banking on the ruthless guys who were stronger than the borg and also wanted to eat everyone else for lunch on helping YOU? like everybody say thanks janeway for getting rid of something even worse than the borg! not fuck you janeway for not letting the borg get killed by them

idk. i don't see that she did anything too awful. she sent them back home and saved them from the borg and saved the borg from them and then also got her people thru borg space AND got a gf out of it. leave her alone

i did like all the stuff about intuition vs borg knowledge though...janeway and her intuition remind me of kirk, but janeway and seven both fighting in the brig and then making up in the brig (complete with the touching) is very spones bread and circuses of them.

tears of the prophets (ds9):

man, sorry to say this, but...this script sucked bad. i dont think avery brooks is capable of phoning it in but we probability saw him get pretty close here. that final monologue, which should have ben about dax and was instead about the prophets, was poorly written

and dax's last words being about a baby - come on.

and kira and odo's argument - he is not so stupid he would do this without expecting her to be mad

and the scene between dukat and damar...where was the tension?? crazy dukat great but he's been better

even the thing with quark and bashir moping around in the holodeck because of dax was bad on paper

like, all of these things were saved (well, some of them were saved) by admirable performances from a charming and talented cast, but whew! like, julian looked so sad this became funny. kira and odo kissing to make up was so charming i forgave the premise

but dax's death was a bad death and her final arc being about a FUCKING baby was really sexist. sisko leaving not sure if he is coming back bc of some prophet thing right when bajor needs him most seems ooc. and his monologue to dax not being ABOUT. DAX. was a crime. poor terry farrell.

overall s6 has been great so far aside from a couple of bumps but man did it end on a sour note. i have heard season 7 is divisive so i guess we will see!!

TONIGHT: ds9's "image in the sand" and "shadows and symbols."

[autisticandroids]

Hi! Your thoughts on Crowley’s relationship with Rowena 🎤👀?

so the thing is.... i mean i don't have a lot of thoughts that i've verbalized on this topic (besides this. lmao) but i DO have thoughts. like the thing about crowley is that i think like. and this is really in the realm of headcanons and vibes. i think that when rowena is not in the room he lives his life to spite her. or, a bit more complex than that: i think many of his conscious choices are a direct result of the thought process "what would my mother most absolutely hate? i'll do that."

but at the same time i think he admires her competence in a detached sort of way. both rowena and crowley are at their hearts cockroaches: their drive is to survive. they have immense wits and skills and they bend all of that towards slipping out of the next bad situation. and i think that it also seems like that's something crowley became like as a demon. (i say this because we know crowley went to hell for a deal, and i don't think the crowley we know would ever sell his soul - at least, not if it weren't for someone he loved very much, and crowley learning to be capable of that kind of vulnerability is something we see happen on the show, i don't think it was happening before for him.) it's not an impulse that he learned under rowena's tutelage (she barely gave him any), but rather one he learned from living under her emotional shadow. he knew her, and once he was in the situation of, you know, being in hell, when his drive to survive was tested, that was the model for survival in fight or flight situations that he learned. so he adopted it. not consciously really but like. that's how he became more similar to her.

so the thing is a lot of their tortures are similar. crucially, i think the "why do you hate me" conversation in devil's in the details is really revealing for rowena, but what she says also applies to crowley and how he relates to the world: "love… love is weakness. and i'll never be weak again." both rowena and crowley fear vulnerability deeply, and this is a barrier between them and other people. it's a barrier between them and meaningful relationships. but of course they both crave meaningful relationships anyway because they're people and people like, want those.

but they're also really different people, and i think a lot of that comes down to the fact that rowena is just much more dysfunctional than crowley. like, they're both fundamentally self-interested, afraid of other people, and incapable of vulnerability, but rowena is so afraid, so impulsively selfish, that she can't function within a system. she's basically incapable of thinking long term, because she's used to nothing she builds or involves herself in being stable, so she might as well cash all her checks now and run. crowley on the other hand is also self-interested, but is more capable of like, thinking long term in a sort of economic, game theoretical way. rowena and crowley are both thinking of the world as a game of prisoner's dilemma without ethics or empathy, but rowena defects once and runs, whereas crowley is perfectly happy to play iterated prisoner's dilemma forever. this is why he comes and yells are the leslie odom jr. demon in season seven, time for a wedding: crowley serves his own interest, but it is in his interest to be trustworthy and stable, so he will happily give up short term gains for long term rewards. crowley would never have pulled the shit that rowena tries on him in s10 where she gets just barely into his good graces and then immediately starts snooping through his shit for her own gain, not because he would feel bad, but because it's a stupid thing to do if you're thinking about the future. but if you have no confidence in the future, if you expect everything to fall apart and blow up all the time and you expect everyone to be out to get you, well, it's a fine idea. because a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. essentially, it's about the marshmallow test. rowena fails, crowley passes. so crowley is much more able to function in a system because he doesn't show up, nakedly attempt to suck everything dry, and dip. he tries to win at the system because he expects the system to still be there and also not randomly hunting him for sport tomorrow.

and then the other difference is really just that crowley is more of a soft touch. like, both rowena and crowley have this barrier to meaningful relationships because they're so scared, but rowena's is a lot more ironclad, and i'm not going to say she suffers less from it, but that suffering is a less controlling force in her life. like, i don't know if crowley could do oskar, is the thing. like i don't know if he could do that to juliet, lol. he is fundamentally... he needs the kinds of relationships he denies himself more than she does, and he's less afraid so he doesn't have the immediate terror to drown it out. like the thing is, when rowena kills oskar, it wounds her deeply, but she doesn't hesitate. love, affection, pure feeling, those will never outweigh her fear. but they will for crowley.

like, essentially, they both slip from the path of perfect long term self-interest, but for rowena that slip comes because she's too impulsive because she's incapable of trusting the ground beneath her feet to be stable, and for crowley it's a simple slip towards the siren call of unselfish affection and companionship.

anyway that was a long compare and contrast but i think it's necessary in exploring their relationship because the thing is, a lot of their relationship is just, shadows on the walls of crowley's mind. we don't know how old he was when she abandoned him but i doubt it was that old. while their relationship deeply impacted him, i think a lot of that impact just has to do with the things she denied him: affection, mostly, and the vulnerability that comes with it, but also he was an unwanted child, and she's a deeply selfish person who also did not really have material resources at that time, she also would have denied him or failed to provide material things. i de-emphasize that because like, in the crowley we know, you can see the impacts of economic deprivation: his longing to securely integrate himself into a powerful system i think especially has to do with that, but also his performance of human class despite being a 300 year old demon. but i think that's something that has to do as much if not more with the garden variety poverty he came up in, with or without rowena's parenting failures. whereas her failure to be like, kind to him is i think one of the reasons his desire for affection can sometimes outweigh his survival instinct, despite his being so guarded.

but i also think he spends his whole life with this picture of her in his head which he alternately spits on and venerates. he takes a vessel with an english accent to spite her and then uses her magic tricks, you know?

and then she shows up and is this tiny, pathetic, flesh and blood human woman, and he doesn't quite have the heart to spit on her, but he can't really venerate her either, she's too much of a fuckup and a failure. so it kind of breaks everything when she shows up and like. is a person.

[tempfolder]

Revisiting “Dune”

Following the release of “Dune 2” in theaters, and the echoes of the surrounding discourse, I started to wonder whether I missed something in my original readings of the Dune novel. The messianic aspects of the novel’s ending were described differently from what I remembered. I decided it’s time for a re-read with a focus on that theme. I came away with a better understanding of the novel, but a diminished view on the story of Dune.

A Questionable Ending

My previous understanding was that Paul managed through his use of prescience to avoid the galactic jihad in his name that he was so worried about throughout the book. The whole point of marrying the daughter of the Emperor was to allow transition of power without a full blown war. That was the elegant gambit, the narrow path he managed to take through the future possibilities of his visions. I was surprised when at the very end of the film, Paul, disappointed with the response of the Great Houses to his ascendancy, sends out his troops to conquer space, initiating the holy war.

I thought that mostly this was “Dune Messiah” leaking into the main story. To be clear, I don’t care for any of the Dune sequels. I never read them, nor do I intend to - the original novel was obviously written to be a complete work. I treat the extrapolations added to the Dune universe in the sequels as only marginally relevant to the reading of the original text. But was this plot point present in the “Dune” novel itself?

On re-reading, the book seems to match the interpretation of the film. This thread is central to the narrative yet it is resolved somewhat ambiguously, so I’m not surprised I missed it earlier. Before the climactic battle with Feyd Rautha, Paul muses:

And Paul saw how futile were any efforts of his to change any smallest bit of this. He had thought to oppose the jihad within himself, but the jihad would be. His legions would rage out from Arrakis even without him. They needed only the legend he already had become. He had shown them the way, given them mastery even over the Guild which must have the spice to exist. A sense of failure pervaded him [...] This is the climax, Paul thought. From here, the future will open, the clouds part onto a kind of glory. And if I die here, they’ll say I sacrificed myself that my spirit might lead them. And if I live, they’ll say nothing can oppose Muad’Dib.

Yet just after the battle, he says to Chani:

That woman over there will be my wife and you but a concubine because this is a political thing and we must weld peace out of this moment, enlist the Great Houses of the Landsraad.

I guess that last excerpt was a hope and the first was a prophecy.

However, this seems to leave us with a lesser book, a weaker story. What was the point if all the efforts were indeed futile? What do we learn if all the powers of Muad’dib don’t help him resolve his dilemma? 

A True Messiah

Dune has Paul coded throughout as more than just a Hero. All the narrative hallmarks are there. Paul is a young prince of an ethically noble family avenging his father through the use of his unique genetics. He is physically and mentally top-of-the-line. He has Special Powers: The Voice, Mentat capabilities, Prescience. He intuitively wears his stillsuit perfectly; he calls up the biggest maker with his thumper; he can process the poison of the Water of Life; et cetera, et cetera. The novel goes out of its way to mark Paul as truly special. He is not an impostor who survives by tricking the local superstitious populace into crowning him - he is an honest-to-god miracle prophet. If Arrakis had water, the novel would find a way for Paul to walk on it. Lisan al-Gaib!

Why have him aware, almost from the get-go, of his “terrible purpose” and still have him eventually fail? Why set up a Messiah but end up with failure?

Perhaps the intent was to contrast the Hero-led Fremen with the eco-aware Fremen? Their long-term terraforming project abandoned in favor of universal conquest? Liet’s father explicitly mentions this (“No more terrible disaster could befall your people than for them to fall into the hands of a Hero”). If that was the point, why have Paul promise to have flowing water on Arrakis with his ascendancy? That would mean the Fremen rightly chose the faster path to achieve the same terraforming result.

Perhaps the intent was to show the damage that can be done by messianic figures? Yet Paul is not a messianic figure, he is an actual messiah. There is rich critique to be made of the madness of the crowds in the face of a false prophet; much less so in the face of a true one.

Perhaps the idea was to show that even the most justified revenge path leads even the most noble to universal murder? Yet Paul is not Hamlet, he is not mad with revenge, nor does it cause him to make tragic mistakes. Revenge is just one of several motivators. Paul seems more aligned with Fremen liberation and the prevention of the jihad than with kanly (with Gurney serving as contrast in that aspect).

Had the ending suggested that the jihad was averted, with Paul successfully threading the political and military needle to ascend to the throne, it would have made a simpler, but better novel. Its payoff would have matched its set-up. It would have made Paul’s powers meaningful and his sacrifices worth it - his dead firstborn, his brush with death in the Water of Life, his Chani who remains forever a concubine. After all, if War isn’t averted, why bother with the political marriage? 

The Appeal

I want to make a digression and ask: why do we like Dune? 

After all, most of the characters aren’t particularly likable (*cough* Paul *cough*). The high-level arc isn’t particularly exciting, both in the optimistic reading (white savior leads oriental warriors to avenge father) and in the pessimistic one (white savior leads oriental warriors to break colonial yoke and unleash jihad). And there’s all that awful poetry.

So why so loved? I think, in large part, due to the apparent complexity of “Dune” (the novel). The complexity is there to provide the reader with a satisfying feeling of touching a rich world. It is a hill to climb, a challenge to overcome, gradually figuring out what’s going on, rewarded with understanding through effort.

The apparent complexity is present on multiple levels, beginning with the very liberal seasoning of the text with neologisms, with words and terms on loan from other languages. It’s there in the heavy dosage of intrigue, of feints within feints within feints. It’s there in the annotated dialogues where every half said or unsaid word conveys deep meaning to all-insightful participants. It’s in the half-familiar half-alien symbolism and mysticism of the Bene Gesserit and the Fremen.

Just as the text itself is intentionally complex, the world it describes is intentionally simplified. The universe of Dune is rich but small. Yes, it spans tens of thousands of years and thousands of planets, but it feels like the Holy Roman Empire. The mere suggestion that desert people can become conquerors of the galaxy just because they’re used to fighting for moisture is an indicator of how simple this universe is. Of course the Empire is feudal and archaic. Of course the skies of Arrakis are empty. Of course the shields force them to use knives. Of course there are no computers. The in-universe reasons aren’t important; there would simply be no novel otherwise. It also looks much cooler this way.

Which is also my larger point: a lot of Dune’s complexity is only apparent. It’s complexity for spectacle’s sake much more than it is necessary. Using the Hebrew “Kwisatz Haderach” is a lot cooler for the English reader than the literal “shortening of the way” that it stands for. A complex intrigue where you give Leto Arrakis just to betray him and give it back to the Harkonnens sounds cool, but always puzzles when you think about it too much. The best example of something that is visually striking but doesn’t weigh much upon scrutiny is the Gom Jabbar test.

A Bigger Gom Jabbar

Really, impressive scene. The box, the needle, the pain, the Voice. Iconic. Is it a profound test though? Big dilemma you gave Paul here, Reverend Mother, either suffer pain or die. Is this insightful? It wasn’t even a “hidden” test where the subject was supposed to reject the false binary option given to him by the Reverend Mother. No. Pain or Die. You decided not to die? Human after all!

If you squint a little, you can see a similarity between the showy complexity of the essentially hollow Gom Jabbar, and Paul’s meandering resistance against the tide of the jihad. Something that is superficially both complex and cool, but on deeper inspection doesn’t bear much weight as a story. If Paul’s dilemma was to either perish in the desert or to manifest as the messiah and suffer the moral pain of a billion deaths in the universal jihad – well, not a big dilemma is it? On closer reading of the novel it turns out there wasn’t even a “hidden” option that rejects this false binary.

Was there? The open question I ask myself is - was there something that Paul could have done to avoid the jihad? Was there a choice? Some pivotal point where it’s clear that Paul made a mistake? If there was, it sure is hidden well. If there wasn't, then Dune is a lesser story. It’s a lot of cool prose, but it’s a lesser story than I thought.

[emeraldspiral]

So I've gotten to the beginning of season 3 and my take from the way things went with the judge's test is that Eleanor succeeded because she actually needed to learn about ethics and the lessons were all catered to her, and she understood what her problem was and why she was like that, but no one else did.

Tahani mostly acts like a decent person but she got sent to the Bad Place because her motives were selfish. Although she knows she's like that because of her family treating her like garbage, she didn't really need to be taught the same kind of lessons about how to treat people with basic respect and common decency like Eleanor did. We saw in her relationship with Jason that she needed to improve on her classist elitism, because even when she liked him she still thought he was inferior and treated him that way. But lessons like the Trolly problem or questions about whether it's ever ethical to lie don't really do anything to address her bigotry.

With Chidi, it's not yet been explained why he has a problem with indecision and I don't know if it's something that ever will be explained. If it were me, I'd probably have made it his backstory that he was very harshly criticized as a child and that gave him a paralyzing fear of making mistakes or being judged. Or maybe he went through some religious trauma, so he's always been afraid of going to the Bad Place and that's why he's been obsessed with moral ethics his entire life. So, like Tahani, even though he strives to be good, his motives are ultimately selfish. He isn't good simply because it's in his nature, but due to feelings of guilt and fear. Reading and teaching ethics isn't really doing anything to help him because his problem is that he's looking for a singular correct answer to "How should I behave?" that can be easily, rigidly adhered to once you know it. What he needs to do is listen to Eleanor and Ted Dansen and get out of his own head, focus on helping other people instead of obsessing over his own Moral Purity, and unlearn that moral absolutist Purity Culture mindset and adopt a new mindset that allows for situational flexibility and forgiveness for both himself and others.

With Jason, his main problem is just that he's a complete airhead. I'm not even really sure what progress he's actually supposed to have made. He wasn't really a mean person to begin with, even if he was a criminal. He got Janet and Tahani to fall for him because he genuinely treats them well, it's not like he started off as a chauvinistic playboy who learns to be more considerate and respectful toward women. He does bad things that hurt people, even if it's not malicious, so he's not unlike Chidi with his chronic indecision in that regard. But Jason is just so damn stupid he can't even really comprehend when he's been placed in a moral dilemma, let alone any of Chidi's lessons or how they might apply to that situation. I don't know how he's supposed to learn why he needs to change his behavior when, as Eleanor puts it, he only seems about 20% aware of what's going on. That man needs a few more IQ points before anyone should be trying to talk to him about the Trolley Problem.

[itsclydebitches]

I rndmly remembered that the WoR episode on Aura basically stated that whatever was going on with Ozpin was the result of his own aura training... like damn, the original RWBY trilogy set things to go to significantly better places than we ended.

I don't remember that one, but it's been literal years since I watched those and I'm pretty sure I saw most episodes only once. But yeah, there was a lot in the WoR series that was either dropped or retconned. Which remains wild to me because if I was going to make a side series specifically about the world building that hasn't made it into the show, I'd want to be very certain about what I was putting out there. That's not a one-off comment by a background character in a random episode six seasons back. That's now the audience's go-to source for unanswered questions. I mean, we know now not to take the franchise additions at their word, but at the time you'd think that whatever made the cut could have had more thought put into it—or more commitment—considering that's the only reason for its existence.

Anyway yeah, I wish the show as a whole put more emphasis on aura/semblances than it does magic, especially nowadays. If aura can be continually trained and semblances continually evolve with the fighter, it would make perfect sense that the guy who's thousands of years old could have some buckwild abilities at his disposal. Really, as someone who loves Oz it's very frustrating to see how his skills have been treated throughout the show's run. We never return to the Cinder fight and it's never explained how she bested him (power scaling in this show is nonexistent). The gears on his cane are teased for years with nothing coming of it except a ridiculous mega-blast five seasons later. He can give people the ability to turn into birds because... that's definitely connected to his other powers and has been relevant throughout the show's run... He presumably doesn't have a semblance, but we don't know if Oscar gets one (or if Ozpin's body had a semblance that Ozma could make use of post-merge). He supposedly has magic but never uses it until it's randomly revealed that, oh yeah, he's been storing energy up for years and years. Here's a giant boom that conveniently hurts Salem, kills the grimm, kills Hazel, but doesn't touch any of the heroes still inside the whale, neatly avoiding the entire ethical dilemma here without explaining how that's possible.

Ozpin has been treated so badly by the narrative in regards to his secrets, his abusive past, and the merge that it's easy to forget that he's supposed to be a thousands-year-old magic wielder who was a staggeringly proficient fighter before he went through several lifetimes worth of experience and training. This guy should be a BEAST on the battlefield, even while controlling a child's body. He's a little like the Cas of RWBY to me. Whoops, made this character too overpowered, huh? He's not even the primary protagonist, so we can't afford for him to constantly be showing her up even though that would make internal sense and allow her to grow in different ways. Yet instead of coming up with interesting and logical reasons for why he can't make use of that astounding power at any given moment, we'll just ignore it. Until the heroes need a deus ex machina, of course. Then we'll slip in an ambiguous line about how that power is almost gone. Maybe it's still relevant, maybe not. Maybe it'll get the characters out of an impossible bind, maybe we'll never mention it again. Gotta keep the options open!