#honestly contemplating it

[co0lranch]

Currently fighting a deadline rn and its so epic cool amazingness

[infinitelystrangemachinex]

Jayce and the fallacy of the butterfly effect in Arcane's narrative

If Jayce's symbol is the butterfly, then my theory is that we're going into a full "butterfly effect" narrative in Act 2. Either we'll watch it happen, or we'll only see Jayce come out the other side of it changed by the experience, knowing - or more importantly, THINKING he knows - what to do to change the future. Literally, to "defend tomorrow."

tl;dr: Jayce will encounter the butterfly effect in season 2. Viktor and Mel both foreshadowed this in season 1. I think Jayce will fixate on Viktor and will believe that stopping or changing Viktor either in the past or the present - most likely the present - will mean he can save the future. I believe this will lead to an even worse tragedy and may have the same effect as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Ekko's approach to changing the future by sticking closer to the present - considering only tiny increments of time to alter more immediate future outcomes - will be the superior approach. I also think that Jayce attempting to change the future will create the conditions that push Viktor to become the Machine Herald.

One of the most common reactions even the casual viewer had to Arcane season 1 was this: "If [character] had just done this one small thing a little differently, [tragic event] wouldn't have happened!"

Arcane has been called a Greek tragedy for the main reason that because of how well built up the characters' personalities and reasonings are, there's no other way season 1 could have gone. There was no stopping the multiple tragedies that occurred, because with one event leading to another, the chain of seemingly inevitable events goes too far back to identify what one singular event caused everything, what one character made what one decision to put our characters on the terrible paths they walked.

Arcane is about to investigate this idea in its own narrative, and I think that Jayce will be the character to stumble into the flawed idea that you can change one event, or stop one character, and change the future for the better. This is because Jayce struggles with a few very interesting character flaws, one of them being that he believes himself to be the main character, and it is therefore his responsibility to intervene, be a hero, and fix things.

Viktor and Mel both foreshadow Jayce's future encounter with the butterfly effect.

Recall that Viktor said: "There is always a choice."

Jayce sees choices in black and white, believes that he has no other options but to go along with what he's persuaded and pushed into, and acts too boldly with too much power multiple times.

Recall that Mel said: "We can't change what fate has in store for us, but we don't have to face it alone."

Jayce tries to solve big problems on his own, and though he delegates to Enforcers and the like, Jayce relies on his reasoning and his alone to make important decisions if he doesn't simply become persuaded - usually through strong emotions like fear - by other characters. In addition, since Mel is specifically talking about Viktor's plight here, it's worth mentioning that while Jayce did say that he would help Viktor in acts 2 and 3 of season 1, Jayce does wind up leaving Viktor to face his fate alone. When Jayce tries to change that fate in s2 ep1, ep2 shows that only tragedy can come of this as well.

Viktor and Mel's statements here are not contradictory. Viktor makes the point that you can always make a choice. In context, he's literally referring to the classic "secret third option," because given a choice between aggression and passivity, war and surrender, Viktor chooses to defuse the bomb instead. Mel, interestingly, seems to believe that destiny is fixed in a broad sense, and she operates as a politician and diplomat and investor who navigates that line of destiny in the most optimal way possible. In reality, in context, she is referring to the fact that Viktor can't change the way he was born and so he has no way to change his fate and therefore must face it, which is true - she's only missing the information that Viktor actually does have the means to change his illness and his body. Her wisdom still applies however, because he'll have to accept the hand that fate deals him after he makes that choice. Will he face it alone, or not?

There is always a choice, there's even secret third options, because having a fate doesn't mean that you are doomed to make only one possible series of choices. What it does mean is that each choice comes with a hand that fate deals you. It is impossible to know what all of these branching choices and consequences are in advance, and it is just as impossible in hindsight - the branches are too complex and the end outcomes are all equally meaningful, just different. If Arcane season 2 is to be a tragedy, it may show us that each possible outcome is still tragic if you fall for the fallacy of the butterfly effect.

Jayce is counseled by some of the wisest, cleverest characters with the deepest life experiences in Arcane, but he hardly ever takes that counsel to heart. If he does, he still acts on that counsel in flawed ways that have unintended consequences. This will come to a head in season 2.

Viktor and Jayce both have a butterfly following them around in season 1. The butterfly effect refers to one small seemingly insignificant event changing the course of history, and changing that event therefore changes history. Viktor bled over the railing of a Hexgate in season 1:

And Heimerdinger sees what we can only assume is Viktor's blood contaminating (?) the Hexgate in s2 ep3:

This might be the seemingly unimportant "inciting incident" that Jayce (and Heimerdinger and Ekko) settle on as something that should be avoided or erased by changing the past (if they time-travel with Ekko, for example).

I doubt that, if this is what this crew chooses to fixate on, it will be the only event that is considered as something to change. But let's take this and run with it for the sake of discussion.

As silly as it sounds, how do you stop Viktor from allowing his blood to come into contact with the arcane? Stop Viktor's involvement with the Academy entirely? Don't invent Hextech at all? But what if someone else invents Hextech besides Jayce? What if future tragedy befalls Piltover because it didn't invent Hextech?

The possibilities and what-ifs could branch on forever. But because Jayce is who he is, and because his tragedy with Viktor is still raw and recent and frightening, I think Jayce's butterfly effect experience will have to do with Viktor.

My personal prediction is that the timeskip between s2 ep3 and ep4 will be Jayce experiencing a timeline where Viktor, taken over by the Hexcore, brings about an apocalyptic event similar to what Heimerdinger experienced in his past. Either Jayce and co. can't go into the past to change the present, or Heimerdinger and/or Ekko advise strongly against it to avoid a paradox. This will lead to them re-entering the canon Arcane timeline before this apocalypse, but still after the timeskip. Jayce, believing that destroying Viktor and his cult will save the future, and believing that resurrecting Viktor was Jayce's mistake to fix, attacks him. But the consequences don't unfold the way he hopes, because trying to change fate once the cards have already been dealt has led to tragedy before.

The butterfly is a symbol of something other than just the butterfly effect - change, evolution, and rebirth. If the butterfly symbolizes the butterfly effect for Jayce, then I think it has a different meaning for Viktor - the change and rebirth meaning.

I've always found it very interesting that we see a similar-looking butterfly on Progress Day... but made of metal.

Every time Viktor's situation changes, he adapts and evolves. If Jayce attacks him, if his cult is destroyed, if the Hexcore is causing Viktor to decay, if all of these things happen at once - he'll just evolve again, and I think the Machine Herald is the next step. And the Machine Herald will be a triumph for Viktor, but Jayce will believe that he's created something even worse. The resulting feud will be a personal nightmare for both of them.

I think this still allows Viktor to use his own agency to choose to become the Machine Herald (the MH will probably be the "secret third option" that saves Viktor, or there will be a secret third option that ends the feud) while still allowing Jayce to be offended and horrified at whatever the Machine Herald represents or is trying to do in the undercity. Introducing the element of time travel allows Arcane to explore the meta concept of tragedy and fate that season 1 was built on while showing that you can't "solve" a tragedy, because there are other terrible possibilities lurking behind alternate choices. Especially if what you're trying to change is singular people or events and not systems of power.

This is why Ekko's approach with his Z-drive will be superior to Jayce's sweeping attempt at changing the future. Ekko's goal has always been societal change. He creates his own punk society in the undercity, more progressive and successful than anything Vander or Silco ever created, and a better bastion of safety, hope, and progress than what Heimerdinger founded in Piltover. Trying to change systems by going back in time is most likely futile. But taking what Ekko has already built in the Firelights, curing his tree, and fighting for the Firelights' survival bit by bit by optimizing the present with the Z-drive shows that:

It's more worth it to focus on becoming wise (Ekko's mask is an owl) and making choices you won't regret

It's best if you don't face your fate alone (act as a collective and take care of each other)

Consider every option, not just the obvious black and white choices

Maintain and fix what you've already built instead of abandoning it once things get difficult

Adapt as needed if the choices you made lead to dark consequences, and once again, stick together and take care of each other when the bad times do come

That's my Act 2 but, ultimately, my season 2 prediction based on the butterfly symbolism we've already seen. Ekko's involvement is what will give the series the at least partial happy ending that the creators have referred to. I personally don't think that the Viktor/Jayce feud will end quite so well, but maybe, they will still survive.

[yoshifan456]

Simon Pegg, on his Instagram dog-walk story:

"I've played Benji for almost twenty years now and I don't think I've been this excited for a release of a Mission Impossible before. It's a huge one for Benji. I can't wait for you to see it. It's gonna be huge. It's gonna be memorable. I can't wait to start banging the drum about it."

...

The marketing has started....

[burquillos]

diluven misses you and so to do i miss it 😔

Will you accept this drabble I have in my notes:

"Don't you like the bard?"

"Whether I like the bard or not hardly accounts for whether I should pursue him or not."

"Actually, I think liking the bard is all the reason you need to pursue him."

Diluc let's out a tired sigh. He doesn't want to have to explain Venti's kind of secret alter ego to Kaeya of all people. He's exhausted. He wants to go home.

But things have been going well with Kaeya lately and he was happy when they started opening up to each other again on this particular night. Well, up until Kaeya opened up the conversation about his love life. Kaeya had always pestered him about it, even as a kid. Both him and his father, ever the romantics.

Though annoyed, he appreciates the sentiment because he knows it comes from a place of genuine concern. Keaya wants reassurance that he will be fine and that someone will take care of him and love him even when him and his father aren't there. Knowing Kaeya, not wanting him to be alone is deeply valuable. However...

"It's complicated" Diluc scowls.

Kaeya leans on his forearm on the counter. He looks at Diluc, unamused.

"You like him. You obviously want to be with him. And from the looks of it he likes you back. What's so complicated about that?"

Diluc doesn't respond but he can feel a slight tingling on his fingertips and his cheeks as he stands there tense and frozen.

Kaeya closes his eyes in contemplation, "Ah..I see."

"What?"

"Master Ragnvindr of the Dawn Winery must not be seen engaging in romantic affairs with a mere commoner. How tragic-"

"No."

It was out before he knew it. Said too fast and too defensively to be considered casual. Like letting a part of himself accidentally slip from his tight grasp.

Kaeya couldn't have been more wrong. Venti is far from a mere commoner. His identity as Barbatos is... holy and powerful. The kind of being who can move mountains, literally and figuratively. His whole life he tried to be worthy of only two people and that included his late father and Barbatos.

But even that pales in comparison to Venti himself; kind and compassionate, cunning when he needs to be, he brings joy and laughter to the people of Mondsatdt with his songs. He listens to his people and guides them into action, never hesitating to reach out to others, even a person like him who has built walls around himself.

Venti has a way of seeing through him but has never once used it against him. He keeps the hidden, little pieces of Diluc tucked away and keeps it safe.

He wants to believe that there is something special about that. That that kind of treatment is something Venti gives to him and him alone.

But he knows Venti's love is grand and extends far and wide over Mondsatdt and its citizens. He knows he's nothing more but a speck among countless others that recieve that kind of godly love from him.

As a protector of Mondsatdt, he cannot afford to be selfish with Venti's love, not when Mondstadt needs it more than him. He is quite well off in terms of status and wealth after all. Honestly, Diluc is quite content to love from afar.

In the end, all he could mutter was a soft "He's too good for me..."

Kaeya barks out a laugh, slamming his hand on the table and leaning back. "VENTI!?" he wipes a tear from his eye "You're saying this about Venti?! The drunkard?? The guy who regularly schemes his way for some apples and booze??"

"You know what I mean."

"No. I don't"

"Well I'm not tired enough to have this conversation."

"Fair enough."

Kaeya leaves a few coins on the counter then stands up to leave. Before he could exit the door, he turns back to Diluc. "For the record, he said the same thing about you being too good for him." Finally, he leaves.

Diluc is left staring at the door. He can't quite believe that statement. He's not looking down on himself or anything, he knows he's quite sought after, he even uses that as an advantage when negotiating sometimes.

It's just that, compared to Venti who shines brightly and whose smile literally lights up the room, he feels like such a downer in comparison.

Once upon a time in his life, he might've had the same smile too, but he's changed since then. He's not the golden child with a loving family running around Mondstadt fulfilling his dreams anymore. His fire has long ceased to be kind and burns with rage and vindication instead. He feels as if he can't have that smile back. That if Venti stands next to him and gives him a little grin he can't smile back with the warmth and kindness he deserves. That all Venti would see is a broken man.

He feels too bare with Venti and that is something he cherishes deeply and also something he dreads.

[please-read-the-manga]

One thing I'll always find funny is Tobirama trying to make this random plea for the democratic process to keep Madara (and the Uchiha) out of power due to his own prejudiced fears.

And then doing an absolute 180 on all that when he's in power so he can self-select and field promote his own student (but of course not Kagami 'one of the good ones' Uchiha lol).

Where did all that talk about public discourse and democracy go, king? Think of the social contract, Tobirama! The separation of powers!

[suchawrathfullamb]

The Allure of The Beast: Female Sexuality Through The Devil's Brides in Cinema (Including Will Graham, a male character): an essay,

[heretherebedork]

Do you know what's wild to think about? It was four years ago that I first talked to someone else about watching The Untamed and tried to convince my friends to watch it and completely failed and came here to start yelling about my newest fandom because I'd seen gifs here and figured it was a good place to share.

Four years ago, I had no idea what BL was and had never watched a show in Thai and was only just starting to watch more subtitled shows after a long break from anime.

And now here I am, in my little corner of this fandom, 500+ shows under my belt, new friends, new issues, a whole boatload of meta, just as many gifs and so much joy that I struggle sometimes not to just tell every person I meet about how great these shows are.

And I love it here. Even with the struggles, even with the people who approach this fandom so, so differently than I do, even with the shows and fandom reactions that have broken my brain... I have found so much joy here. From friends found and kept to friends lost to anons of every flavor to new shows and old shows and all the tropes I've come to love... it's been a fascinating journey and I hope to stay on it for as long as I can.

So what I mean is... thank you. This fandom is big and beautiful and ugly and scary and wonderful and a gift and it has given me so much and I hope I've given just as much back and I wish some people found it easier to disagree but I've also learned just as much from that as I've learned from sharing joy and I love so many of you.

Four years.

Four years.

So many shows, so many boys, so much queer joy, so much queer love and so much more is always coming.

[mismess]

There is this one Elvis Presley table at a local antique shop that was obviously made by someone cutting out images of elvis from like magazines or something and mod-podging them onto the table with a layer of glass placed on top of it, it has been there for YEARS, nobody wants it.

and I love it. I want it. If it is still there when i eventually move out I WILL buy it as my first piece of furniture. This will be my dinnar table. I do not hold any particularly strong love for Elvis.

[amebelladonna]

I think a detail about Edelthea that needs to be talked about more is how impatient they were with their goals, but patient towards each other.

Edelgard seeks out to reform Fodlan as quick as possible because she doesn't have time with her limited lifespan. She doubts that she'd grow old enough to see the peaceful and unified Fodlan that isn't bound by the nobility, so she lights a fire to burn that system in hopes for the rain to pour down and dissipate it.

Dorothea's goal is to find herself a spouse and secure herself in a world dominated by the wealthy elite, because without it, she'd eventually grow old with no one to take care of her and end up back in the streets, therefore she prepares for it while she's still in her prime.

Their patience shines through when we gradually progress to the War Phase. Edelgard never expected her classmates and professor to side with her at the Holy Tomb, but she still clung to a faint bit of hope for her instincts to be proven wrong. (And even when you do defy her, she'll still be patient at the idea of anyone of her friends going back to her side)

Dorothea openly hated the violence caused by Edelgard's war and the effects it had on the former clearly left her mentally damaged. So why exactly does she stay with the Strike Force? Simple. She believes in Edelgard's vision. She's patient enough to withstand something she loathes if it means standing hand-in-hand with the woman who fights by her side to better the world.

[hidingoutbackstage]

This one moment drives me absolutely insane

[goldenspringmornings]

godforbid nesta had been ace I think cassian/rhys might have just straight killed her

[mochimouiemarty]

Severus Snape

-

Ive been stalking all the posts and analysis on his character and stuff after like, 2 years of being out of the fandom?? i love his complex character sm

[v7n5]

Tyler, I'm grateful to you; for everything that you've done for me.

These lines from the movie gave me the idea of Narrator conjuring up Tyler wayyy before the fight at Lou's tavern, the initial introduction on the airplane, and even before them checking each other out at the nude beach. It's pretty interesting to think about, and I found a Reddit post discussing this theory too.

I can imagine Tyler helping Narrator stand up to his bullies not through the classic savior type of way but through the Tyler Durden method. He'd tell him something like "I'm gonna beat the shit out of you, you're gonna fight back, and we're gonna keep doing this until you've gathered up enough courage to do the same to them, because the adults in your life aren't doing jack to put an end to this", basically turning a portion of Narrator's childhood into a more messed up version of Karate Kid (i suppose it's kinda like a manifestation of Narrator's self-loathing early on.)

After that Tyler went into hibernation for 20 years or so, then made a comeback because he could sense the Narrator was turning back to being spineless and feeble and becoming the kind of grown-up that they both hated. Narrator got a gut punch from Tyler as a coming-back-home gift and he was like "this feels oddly familiar" lol

Essentially, the whole thing happened because Narrator never grew out of his imaginary friend phase.

[coolguyoninternet]

The longest subway ride

(Quick ORV doodle, if you get it you get it if you don't i'm sorry)

(Also personal headcannon of ending under cut)

Dokja never left that ride. He's still there, waiting for his consciousness to slip away into eternal reading, where his subconscious self finish the job. He waits, and waits, and waited. He'd keep on waiting until the next "Kim Dokja's Company" came. He'd wait until the next "Secretive Plotter" came. His soul never came back in the first place- either. They simply created a new consciousness back in the subway for that body- That "Kim Dokja" sitting with his loved ones on earth is just a fragment of his soul. That fragment of his soul will live on for him, as the child drifts away into eternal slumber on the subway, dreaming until they get here. He doesn't deserve such a happy ending, he knows, and he will atone for the fact he had such a life he didn't deserve. Those that read the story became part of his consciousness, where thousands, millions of different endings imagined by the reader will live on as a fragment of his soul. Some imagined him going back to his earth, some didn't- and all those ending are canon, simply because we, the reader of the reader's story, will create an ending for all those fragments of souls he had left behind.

Or otherwise known as "he didn't leave the subway your train of thought is his subway.

[viperwhispered]

The First Dance

You can find more information on my yuusona Emi and her relationship with Jamil here on the masterlist.

Emi will be feeling kinda embarrassed or self-conscious the first time she would have the opportunity to dance with Jamil. (At some sort of a party or event, or maybe even just the two of them listening to music, or whatever the exact situation might be. But probably not ballroom dancing or something more formal like that for the vibe I'm thinking.)

Like, Emi's seen Jamil on the SDC stage & practices, she has a decent idea of how good he is. And she just doesn't feel like she's gonna measure up.

Like, sure, she has some dancing background, and she loves the idea, but at the same time... What if she's disappointing? What if she makes a fool out of herself?

The thought of Jamil finding her wanting... Sometimes it just creeps up on Emi, especially with things where she knows (or thinks) that he's just clearly better than she is.

So Jamil probably would have to coax Emi a bit. She mentioned she likes dancing, right? So why not dance with him, then?

If Emi expresses why she's hesitant, that she feels like she won't be able to do as well as Jamil could, I can just so see Jamil just scoffing or rolling his eyes, being all "come on" and tugging Emi with him. Like, there's some softness to him, but also exasperation - like does she really think he's here just to judge her? Come on now.

On the other hand, once Emi really gets into it... Jamil's just gonna melt.

She's just so playful and cheeky and happy and before Jamil knows it, his heart is just aching from getting to see her like this. The way she looks at him, teases him by coming close only to pull back, the way they keep on responding to each other's movements, circling around each other. Both of them learning how the other likes to move to the music and adapting to it.

Like, Emi thought Jamil wouldn't appreciate this? Wouldn't want to see her dance her heart out with him? He'll definitely have to dispel such notions right out of her head, pull her nice and close to him, lips brushing her ear when he tells her how lovely she looks, how much he appreciates this opportunity.

And, of course, Jamil will appreciate seeing how flustered he can get Emi by saying such things - and how he can practically see Emi attempting to pull herself together, trying to think of ways to get under Jamil's skin in turn.

As if he isn't already gone, as if he isn't just spelling his own fate by coaxing her into being ever bolder and brighter with him.

Tagging: @scint1llat3 @diodellet @moonyasnow @bibi-cha

If anyone else would like to be tagged for Emi / jamemi things, just let me know!

[n1et]

I just got a cane and oh my god, my entire body is shaking. It's as if I was standing up for all my life and just sat down. Life changing decision to just go and get one, and it only costed 34 PLN, I could get like a single burger with no sides or drink for that. Solid oak, admittedly about 3cm too long but I'm gonna trim it in a sec.

And I never even had big issues with my legs, just a slight left hip joint problem, nothing painful, 99% of the time I didn't notice it. But I guess it was just overworked and stiff all this time? Even my tension headaches got slightly better.

If you feel like you have ANY issues with your legs just get a cane, or even go to a medical store and try it out for 10 minutes, you don't even have to buy it at first. The investment is so low and the difference is potentially massive.

I can't believe I waited over 4 years to do this.