#how his brother projected his insecurities onto him

[sillysnack]

put saiki kusuo in bsd yokohama and the bsd cast will be questioning their whole lives.

[umbrellajam]

#anyways trust me when i say that none of this is meant in a negative way because this is what i Like about them lmao

#forever thinking of the M/F fight where dick expects that tim will go alone with his line of thinking just because he says so #and is shocked when tim doesn't and instead has his own thoughts and feelings abt the matter #and babs has to tell him that tim isn't him & had a fundamentally different experience to him

#it's like hmmm very realistic to me #the way they do this to each other in a way that almost is depersonalizing but like isn't actually #it's more just that they understand each other so well most of the time that it's easy to forget that they're their own person #with their own thoughts and feelings

#like hm. there is something very realistically siblings about it in that #older siblings do tend to try and dominate the relationship with their thoughts and feelings because #their first memories are of being expected to lead their sibling and the sibling usually comes at a time when the older sib is v possessive #so the older sibling conceives the younger sibling as belonging to them and being kind of a hm extension of them vs their own person

#meanwhile the younger sibling has no knowledge of a life where the older sibling doesn't exist #and the younger sibling's experience is that of observation of the older sibling from basically the very first day of life #so the younger sibling will often see and perceive the older sibling in very interesting ways #they're always learning something with thay observation good or bad #and thus probably develop more instrinsic understanding than even the parents do #and conflict comes because each is their own person but it's hard to see them that way sometimes

#anyways there's also another thread where for dick it's hard to conceptualize tim's family of origin as real compared to them #but that's like mainly headcanon just know i'm right and it's interesting (tags via @scintillyyy)

can you really talk about tim's tendency to idolize and place dick on a pedestal and his semi-entitlement to understanding dick without also talking about dick's tendency to project his own feelings and insecurities onto tim and also his semi-entitlement to his right to try and micromanage how tim should feel and react about things. i, personally, cannot.

[silvercat-s]

You know what really gets me about Silco and Jinx? Silco had the potential to be the perfect father for Jinx.

Vander definitely loved Powder, don't get me wrong, but I don't think he truly understood her or knew how to parent her properly. She was too sensitive, too different from him. His tough love approach wouldn't work on her the way it did with Vi or the others, so he focused on parenting Vi and trusted her to parent Powder in return.

But Silco? Silco understood Jinx's insecurities. He recognized where her strengths and weaknesses lay, probably because he’s always felt like her—weak in comparison to his strong, fighter brother. He knew what it was like to feel inadequate. And he was surprisingly nurturing, affectionate and patient with her, which was exactly what a sensitive girl like her needed to really feel loved.

Unfortunately, all of this is tainted by the tragic foundation of their relationship. With Silco being such a traumatized and broken man that he would project all his fears and trauma onto her, becoming so fiercely possessive due to his abandonment issues that he isolated her from everyone else, which only worsened her mental state.

Not to mention the tragic circumstances in which they met, with Silco being indirectly responsible for her worst trauma in the first place

All of that breaks me when I think about it. it's a relationship that has so much love and affection in it, but it's based on such pain and corruption that it could never end in anything but tragedy.

[sturnswrites]

guarded hearts - pt.2

fratboy!chris x fem!reader

⤳ you meet chris while working on a class project, your personalities are very different but chris is determined to get you out of your shell.

⤳ fluff

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The morning after the pregame, you weren't entirely sure how to process your feelings about the night before. Chris had been...surprisingly fun. He’d kept things light, made you laugh, and didn’t seem put off by your guarded nature. You’d gone to bed replaying snippets of your conversations, confused by how easily he had managed to lower your defenses, even just a little.

But you reminded yourself not to overthink it. Chris was charming, sure, but charm was fleeting.

-

The following week, you run into Chris in the building’s mailroom. You were sorting through a stack of junk mail when his voice cut through your thoughts.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite neighbor.”

You turn to see him leaning against the doorway, his signature grin firmly in place. “Chris,” you greeted, your tone flat. “Fancy seeing you here.”

“Small world, huh?” he jokes, moving closer. He nods toward the bundle of papers in your hands. “Anything good?”

“Unless you count coupon books and credit card offers, not really.”

Chris chuckles. “Exciting stuff. Hey, what are you up to later? My roommates are out, and I was thinking about ordering pizza and watching something. You in?”

You hesitate. You didn’t usually spend time one-on-one with people, especially not guys like Chris. But something about his easy confidence made you feel at ease.

“What’s your definition of ‘something’?” you ask cautiously.

“Anything you want. I’ll even let you pick the movie.”

You pretend to consider. “Fine. But if you make me watch some dumb action flick, I’m leaving.”

“Deal,” Chris said, his grin widening.

-

You show up at Chris’s apartment later that evening, arms crossed as you survey the empty living room. “Wow, no party tonight? Shocking.”

“Just you and me,” Chris replies, holding up a pizza box. “Hope you like pepperoni.”

You smirk, “Lucky guess.”

The two of you settle onto the couch, the TV casting a warm glow as the opening credits of your chosen movie rolled. Chris was surprisingly attentive, listening to your commentary and laughing at your dry humor. It was...comfortable, in a way you hadn’t expected.

“Alright,” Chris said during a lull in the movie. “Real talk. Why don’t you ever go out?”

You stiffen, your eyes glued to the screen. “What makes you think I don’t?”

“You just seem...I don’t know, like you’re always on guard.” He hesitated, his tone softening. “Not that it’s a bad thing. Just curious.”

You take a deep breath, considering how much to share. “I’ve just had bad experiences,” you finally admit. “With people. It’s easier to keep my distance.”

Chris nods, his expression thoughtful. “I get that. But not everyone’s out to hurt you, you know?”

“Easy for you to say,” you mutter.

“Hey,” he says, nudging your shoulder lightly. “I’m not saying you should trust everyone. But you can trust me. I’m not gonna let you down.”

You glance at him, surprised by the sincerity in his voice. You want to believe him, but the walls you’ve built around yourself weren’t so easily dismantled.

-

Over the next few weeks, you and Chris fell into an unspoken rhythm. You started walking home together after class more often, your conversations ranging from sarcastic banter to deeper topics about your goals and insecurities.

Chris was endlessly patient, never pushing you to share more than you were comfortable with. Instead, he focused on making you laugh, filling the silence with stories about his brothers and their ridiculous antics.

One night, after a particularly long day, you found yourself texting him.

Y/N: What are you doing?

Chris: Watching a terrible reality show. You?

Y/N: Bored.

Chris: Come over. I’ll make popcorn.

You hesitate for a moment before typing back.

Y/N: Be there in 10.

Chris was waiting for you at the door, a bowl of popcorn in hand. “You’re lucky I didn’t eat all of this while you took your sweet time.”

“Charming as ever,” you tease, rolling your eyes as you step inside.

The living room was dimly lit, the TV casting a soft glow over the couch where you two usually sat. You plop down, kicking off your shoes, and Chris settles next to you, the bowl of popcorn balanced precariously between you two.

For the first half-hour, the conversation was light, filled with sarcastic banter and commentary on the terrible reality show Chris had insisted on watching. But as the night stretched on and the popcorn dwindled, the atmosphere shifted, becoming softer, quieter.

You lean back into the couch, your head tilting slightly toward Chris as you stare at the screen. You were hyper-aware of how close you were sitting—closer than usual. At first, it had been casual, just the natural result of sharing the couch. But now, your legs were pressed lightly against each other, and neither of you made a move to shift away.

Chris seems to notice it too. His hand, which had been resting casually on his knee, moved slightly closer to your leg, though he didn’t touch you. The silence between you felt heavier than before, charged with something you couldn’t quite name.

“Do you ever think about where you’ll be in five years?” you ask, breaking the quiet.

Chris’s voice is softer than usual when he responds. “All the time. Honestly, I just want to figure out what I’m passionate about. Do something that matters, you know?”

You nod, not trusting yourself to speak right away. The warmth of his leg against yours was distracting, sending a strange, unfamiliar flutter through your chest.

“What about you?” he asks, glancing over at you.

You hesitate, your fingers playing with the edge of your sleeve. “I guess...I just want stability. To feel safe, like I’m in control of my life.”

Chris doesn’t respond immediately, but when he does, his tone is low and steady. “You’ll get there, Y/N. You’re too smart not to.”

You turn to look at him, and the way his eyes meet yours makes your stomach flip. His expression was so sincere, so open, that it makes you feel exposed in a way you weren't used to.

“Thanks, Chris,” you say softly, your voice barely above a whisper.

“Anytime,” he replies, his lips curving into a small, genuine smile.

As the conversation drifts on, the distance between you two seems to shrink even further. At some point, Chris shifts slightly, leaning back into the cushions, and you find yourself doing the same. Your shoulders brush against each other, and your legs remain pressed together, neither one of you making a move to pull away.

It’s subtle, but it was the first time you have felt something between you and Chris beyond just conversation—a quiet, unspoken connection that makes your heart beat a little faster. You aren’t sure if he feels it too, but Chris’s occasional glances in your direction and the way his voice softens when he speaks suggest that he does.

-

You and Chris walk home from class, following the natural rhythm you have created when leaving your class. 

Chris adjusts the strap of his backpack, glancing over at you. “Do you ever notice how this campus looks so much better in the evening? It’s like the golden hour gives it a personality or something.”

You smile, tucking your hands into the pockets of your jacket. “A poetic frat boy. Who would’ve thought?”

Chris laughs, nudging your shoulder gently with his own. “Hey, don’t box me in. I’m a man of depth.”

“Sure you are,” you tease, rolling your eyes.

As you turn onto the sidewalk leading to your apartment complex, your laughter softens, and a comfortable silence settles between you. The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting a warm glow that mirrored the way you felt when you were around Chris.

Your thoughts drift as you walk, the crunch of fallen leaves beneath your feet filling the quiet. You glance down at your hands, which are tucked into your jacket for warmth. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Chris shift beside you, his hand brushing against yours briefly before he moves it back to his side.

It happens again a few moments later—a slight, almost accidental touch that sends a jolt through you.

Your heart quickens, and you swallow hard, unsure of what to do. Your mind races with thoughts of past hesitations, but the quiet warmth radiating from Chris’s presence was enough to nudge you out of your own head.

Chris clears his throat, his voice softer than usual. “So, I was thinking… maybe next week we could grab coffee or something? Just the two of us.”

You turn to him, your expression caught between surprise and a tentative smile. “Like we don’t already spend enough time together?” you tease, though your tone lacked its usual edge.

Chris chuckles, his hand brushing yours again—this time lingering just a little longer. “Yeah, but coffee is different. I could use an excuse to hear you roast me more in public.”

You laugh, your cheeks warming despite the chill in the air. “You’re hopeless.”

“And yet, here we are,” he shoots back, grinning.

As your steps slowed near the entrance of your apartment complex, Chris hesitates, his hand hovering just beside yours. This time, he doesn’t pull away. Instead, he lets his fingers lightly graze yours before gently curling them around your hand.

You freeze for a moment, your breath catching in your throat. You look down at your intertwined hands, then up at Chris, who was watching you with a cautious yet hopeful expression.

“I—uh,” you stammer, but your words falter as your heart softens.

Chris’s grip was warm, firm but not overwhelming, like he was waiting for you to pull away if you wanted to. You didn’t.

“It’s just a hand, Y/N,” he says softly, his tone playful but with a vulnerability that makes your chest tighten.

You exhale a shaky laugh, looking back down at your joined hands. “Yeah… just a hand.”

But it wasn’t just a hand. It was the first step—small, simple, but monumental in its own way. You didn’t fully understand why you let yourself take it, but as you walked the rest of the way in silence, hand in hand, you realized you didn’t want to let go.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

yay second part so cute - writing shit like this makes me want it IRL so bad

⭒ margot

----------------------------------------------------------------------

@mattsdillon @hesvoid3434 @admeliora94 

[ceaselesswatchersspecialboy]

Heyo! Got a question or two. (Or six-)

- Do you ship Mabifica? Or Dipcifica for that matter? I personally like the former more but I'm just imagining Bill's reaction to having to deal with the fact the girl who insulted Mabel is now dating her/her brother.

Actually, even if you ship neither, I just want his reaction the the Pine twins now being friends(?) With Paz.

Would he try to scare her off? Would he warm up to her?

(If you couldn't already tell, Pacifica is one of my favorite characters, just below Mabel.)

- Does Stan and Ford ever get as close as they did at the end of the show? I mean, Ford must be reeling, sure. But.. Do they ever get on that boat?

- Does Bill make an effort to reconcile with Ford? Even just a show of apology?

- And does Ford bond with the twins? Would he just see them as another thing Bill has tainted?

- Also. Are you planning to make fanfiction of this? Or a comic? Or any media that tells the story? It's now become an integral part of my life.

- Last one! What other bonding moments does Bill have with Wendy? We've got the bets, yeah. But is that all?

(I found your au an hour and a half ago, and I'm already this invested. That is absolutely amazing, considering I don't really latch on to things. (Thanks a lot, autism) I love the art, and I love the tidbits. If it ever gets too overwhelming, don't be afraid to take a breather!! ><)

Hello! I shall do my best to answer!

— I’m personally a Dipcifica enjoyer myself! I don’t see them getting together this summer, so it’s less of a dating thing, but Bill would be decent at recognising the signs of a crush forming thanks to Mabel exposure all summer. He’d be completely against it. He’s listing every reason why the Northwests suck to Dipper, all the times Pacifica has done something to make Mabel feel awful! He’s maybe a little dramatic about it, in true Bill fashion, and is taken aback when Mabel insists it’s okay.

Pacifica’s changing, they both say! Mabel fully intends to be Dipper’s wingman!

Bill finds that idea ridiculous. People don’t just change. Humans are known for staying the same once they’ve settled into their body — that’s just how it is.

Pacifica has proven to be the opposite of everything Bill has taught the twins, and so he sees the blooming friendship as a threat and doesn’t like it. It doesn’t help that it’s around the time his fear of changing is at an all time high, so he’s maybe projecting a little onto Pacifica.

He definitely tries to scare her off initially, and when that doesn’t work, he settles with threatening her should she ever make Mabel upset against. His threats are… very intense and it’s clear the issue runs deeper than just Pacifica. He really goes for her insecurities. Honestly, this may be one of his worst moments in front of the twins? Stan ends up having to intervene and try to figure out what’s going on in Bill’s head beyond just being protective over Mabel.

(Pacifica girl I am so sorry)

He doesn’t warm to her per se, not yet, as much as he learns to tolerate her sometimes being around. She does her best to avoid him anyhow.

— Still working out the exact details so I don’t have much to say right now, but yes, he does. A verbal apology from Bill is also kind of a big deal. Like Stan struggles saying Please, and Ford struggles saying thank you, Bill struggles saying sorry.

— Ford does bond with the twins! I think I mentioned in a post a bit ago that Dungeons Dungeons and more Dungeons is like a gateway for their relationship, and it helps Ford become more comfortable around them and vice versa. Though the general unease still lingers at times, Dipper starts to get comfortable asking him more and more questions about Gravity Falls, and Mabel knits him a few sweaters and tries to catch him up on all the pop culture he’s missed etc. Sometimes he snaps at them when he needs space, and he tends to hide behind Stan some days, but they do get to know this new Ford, and begin to get closer to him bit by bit before Summer ends.

I think he does see them as something Bill has tainted, but not in an irreversible way. If anything, it motivates him to try and get to know them more once the initial fear has settled, to try and re-instate himself as Ford Pines, and be their Great Uncle.

— I don’t plan on making a fic or a comic, mainly because I am busy right now and juggling a lot. It just isn’t something feasible for me and I notoriously don’t do well managing long projects. But, I am hoping to do art and maybe mini comics for it, once I defeat my art block and style crisis, perhaps some one-shots too if I can also defeat my eternal writers block. I’m honoured you think that way of it though!!

— They generally have a very positive relationship! Bill is seen as the cooler Stan by her friends, mainly because of the fact he doesn’t really act his age, and happily enables anything they want to do, and so whenever she needs something, she tends to go to him. (“No hard feelings Stan!”) And If Stan taught her how to shoplift, Bill probably taught her how to get away with murder, not that she’d really need that, the thought still counts. They also share similar music tastes, so when Bill’s around the shack, he’ll ask Wendy to blast some AC/DC while they work. He’s also taught her all the ways to get under Stan’s skin, because he knows for a fact she’ll use them.

I think this AU too, he’s the one who showed her the rooftop spot. He encouraged any form of rebelling against the system, even if that means slacking and getting Stan to shout at both of them.

Thank you so much!? That means a lot to hear and I hope you continue to enjoy it!! And I appreciate it, I’m trying to take it slow and answer whatever asks I can and when I can, to avoid getting overwhelmed.

[goodolddumbbanana]

There is something very funny that Nexus couldn't find anything bad to say about Sun except Sun has been haunted by many mistakes. I mean, if he truly wants, he can twist the knife more. (Sun is a coward, Sun is an idiot...) But no. He still has some hesitation when speaking about Sun, like even he doesn't believe what he said.

He is in denial. Refuses to accept that everyone cares about him and just throw it under the water. And he self projects all of it onto Earth.

The way Nexus asks Earth to join him, I think apart from the fact he deeply inside feels lonely, but also, he is jealous of Earth.

Why do they love her so much but hold so much expectancy on him? Compared to him, Earth is like a golden child. Sun isn't scared of her, Lunar trusts her, Solar gets soft around her, Monty is crazy about her.

Nexus wants to ruin her, he wants to make her just like himself. Because if Earth joins him, which means, he was right. The family is the problem, not him, never him.

Something very interesting about how he interacts with each member in the celestial family.

With Moon, he shows no mercy. He enjoyed torturing Moon, to prove himself is more superior than Moon. That he is the one who is better, that even with all the nasty shit he pulled, Moon is always the big bad guy. Moon's treatment is similar to Ruin, because from Nexus's perspective, they are both bringing a lot of pain for him.

With Solar, he mocks him when Solar decides not to join him. I think he admires Solar to some degree, so when he goes bad, he loves to humiliate Solar. Solar and Earth are both people who are desperately for love and approval, so he thinks he can just easily manipulate them to his side. Remember, right when Solar refuses to do what Nexus wants, Nexus calls him weak and pathetic and all. Because back then, Solar never refused him anything, solar is his yes man.

With Earth, he uses a lot of more manipulation. He self-projects himself on her, and when it didn't work, he called her dumb and said once again he will kill her.

He said Sun or Lunar or Monty they only use her, but actually, the only one who keeps asking her for therapy, the one who never actually hanging out with her anymore if not for the fact they want to ranting things out, it is Nexus, not lunar, not even Sun.

Earth comes to Sun a lot. She rants about things with him, she shares her insecurities with him as much as she shares with Solar. And only one person I didn't see her doing that with. Nexus. Nexus is the person who always needs her help, that she never can put her guard down. She always needs to be understandable and kind towards Nexus and the fact their interactions today are so much alike with how when Creator comes to her, making me feel sad.

The one who put her in such high expectations is Nexus. And both Creator and Nexus think they can just, manipulate Earth because she is always nice and wants to help people. They both think because she is desperate for love, that she will do anything. They both imply and rambling that the family she loves will end up leaving her when she has no use anymore when in fact, they are these people who use her a lot and drop her on high sight when she no longer shows any use.

And with Sun oh boy, it is a whole can of worms. Nexus hates him, he hates him with passion, seeing Sun making he throw up. But if he truly thinks that, why didn't Sun have the same treatment like Moon? Why does Nexus let Sun run around and just shut Sun down like he did with Moon? Why wasting time chasing him? And why didn't Nexus ask him to join Nexus?

Because he knows Sun, painfully. He knows his brother still loves him, still cares about him, but never, Sun would never agree with whatever he did and does.

That's why Nexus doesn't try to manipulate Sun like he manipulated Earth and Solar. Because he knows Sun might plead and beg, but for the family, there is nothing Sun would do. But He is not the family anymore, right?

So he yells at Sun, he chases around like a crying for help. Even in the cell, they are not talking much like how Earth and Nexus have talked. Because both of them are the same, immovable mountain. They both understand they are so stubborn, and nothing can change their opinion.

Do you see how much you hurt me? Do you even care?

Nexus with Sun like a child getting a tantrum and hit their mom, but still their hand keeps holding their mom's shirt. There is so much of everything between them, and there is no more word conflict yet can be approvable than hatred.

Sun is always the home for Nexus, but now when he doesn't want to go back to this hole anymore, where is he?

[abyssal-author-and-artist]

oh shit i just realized i forgot to post the trans dipper essay

oh well, better late than never!

Introducing - Why Mason "Dipper" Pines is Trans and Why that Matters - an essay I spent more time on than I did my actual college project today

Mason "Dipper" Pines from Gravity Falls is trans. Trans masculine, to be specific. Do I believe this was intentional? No. Do I believe that there's a seriously convincing case to be made? Fuck yes.

So first off, he's just like me frfr, which is pretty compelling in and of itself. But that's not enough for a whole essay, so we move onto our second point - character designs. Dipper is designed like, well, like every modern-era trans man I've ever drawn who isn't goth. The shorts, the one shirt in the one color, the absolute insecurity. He even does the hunch of the back! Also, I think I heard somewhere that the vest is to make his shoulders look broader, which I'm not entirely sure is canon but I am accepting this whole-heartedly. It's such a trans move of him. He's too young (and it's summer so it's too hot) to wear a dysphoria hoodie so he picked a vest. (I say too young because dysphoria hoodies usually cover your chest and Dipper and Mabel probably haven't hit puberty.)

The second part comes directly from science. According to this article, and many others, sex in identical twins is complicated, but most identical twins will be born the same sex. There are cases where this isn't true (which might be the case for Mabel and Dipper) or they might be fraternal, which is also pretty likely. However, looking at them when they were younger (and listening to their very similar voices), it's likely they were identical and both girls. That's not to say I dislike trans Mabel - every trans woman I draw dresses like her, so I do love her being trans as well and them hitting the age of like. 10. and swapping genders is incredibly funny and adorable to me.

So, we can't reliably use the aforementioned evidence, then, can we? After all, identical twins can be different sexes, although rare, and we don't have any proof they are identical beyond their visual (and when they were younger, audible) similarities. Well, first off, I'd say that's pretty compelling evidence already. In a cartoon, especially one as detailed and beautiful-looking as Gravity Falls (the art is good and I will die on this hill), visual language makes up for a lot. And Alex Hirsh has gone on record saying that he very much wanted Jason Ritter and Kristen Schaal for Dipper and Mabel respectively, to the point where he would have canceled the show if Kristen hadn't signed on, so I wholeheartedly believe every character (with the exception of Grenda and any other characters who had last minute va's picked) had their voice actors picked very specifically. I can't find whether Jason Ritter voiced younger Dipper, though, so that's a dead end.

Now, that's all well and good, but it's a lot of visual language, isn't it? Why don't we move into something more based in the writing itself?

So the first and most prominent example of Dipper being transgender is the episode Dipper vs Manliness. You know it, you probably have emotions on it, it's the episode where Dipper is trying his hardest to be a man's man. The episode was supposed to be about toxic masculinity and how to be a real man is to stick to your morals. It's a good lesson and in my opinion, holds up even in 2024. Pretty good. Does a great job of what it wants to do. Now, Dipper vs. Manliness has been dissected to hell and back already as a transgender allegory, so I'll keep this brief: the episode centers around Dipper being mocked for not being manly. While Mabel and Stan still see him as a man, albeit an effeminate one, it gets to Dipper. He proceeds to do anything to prove himself a real man. If viewed as a trans allegory, Mabel is teasing her brother and not realizing how deeply it actually hurts him (whether accidentally because she fails to realize how insecure he is over it or because she hasn't been there before, depending on how you want to headcanon it). As for Stan, I like to pretend he's supportive but regularly forgets Dipper was ever a girl, so he makes a serious slip up because of that (and/or he's regurgitating stuff said to him. That hits harder if you also headcanon trans Stan, which I am warming up to). Dipper proceeds to try and prove himself a man, crying when he takes even one more blow to his self esteem/sense of identity as a man, and eventually gets comfort from his family when they realize just how BADLY they messed him up. He is affirmed as a man and the episode ends. Everything that can be said, has been said - including that you don't have to act toxically masculine - or even masculine at all - to be a real man. Remember this part, it will be important later.

So, other trans moments for Dipper come a little sparser. Dipper vs. Manliness is the example for a good reason. But still, there's other moments. The short Voice Over from one of the short story compliation episodes is another one that's commonly referenced as a metaphor for voice dysphoria. Yes, Dipper's voice is cracking in ways common for a cis pre-teen boy his age, but the pitch and tone of his voice can also be seen as his more feminine voice peeking through. Taking the potion can be seen as taking testosterone or other hormones. Granted, this falls apart when you consider that Dipper is later discouraged from taking the potion, because that could be read as Dipper being discouraged from transitioning, but on the other side of the spectrum, it could be read as Dipper being affirmed as a real man despite his voice. From that perspective, his family prevents him from taking (possibly dangerous) homebrewed hrt. Also, the euphoria he gets when it does change his voice is just. Absolutely adorable.

Now, my favorite resource for Dipper acting trans is in the episode Headhunters. He's asking Manly Dan questions and Manly Dan calls Dipper a girl. And MAN the discomfort on Dipper's face. He immediately attempts to correct Manly Dan, but is shut down and the episode moves on. I think that for such a short moment, it does a good job of making Dipper seem trans, though. He is called a girl and feels extreme discomfort around it. He does not like being called a girl. He is not a girl. But he's not shocked or surprised or even really offended - he's resigned. He's used to being called a girl. Sure, he hates it, but he doesn't cry or scream or anything. Sounds to me like a trans man who's absurdly used to being misgendered but still hates it. That pain never goes away, but sometimes all you can do is flinch in discomfort, try to correct and move on, like the episode does.

For a (mostly humorous) video of more of Dipper acting trans, check out this video.

So I think we've made a pretty compelling point for Dipper Pines being trans masc here. Looks pretty good, yup, this is a great essay, let's wrap it up. Oh? What's that? The name of this essay?

Why Mason "Dipper" Pines is transgender and why that matters.

Well, let's dive into section two of this essay - why does Dipper being trans matter?

Someone could easily say it doesn't matter. Just fun fandom headcanons, that's it, wrap it up now. Nothing more to say. Dipper is trans and that's just a fun reading of his character.

But I don't think that's the case. I think that Dipper being trans means so much - to trans fans of the show, to fans who have never seen or spoken to trans people before, and to queer fans of Gravity Falls and similar shows. (I personally am a Steven Universe fan who really valued the representation there, so Gravity Falls and all it's queer coding means a lot to me.)

First and foremost, I'm not going to keep you in the dark as to why you're remembering my earlier point. As a recap, it was this: Dipper vs. Manliness, and by proxy, Gravity Falls as a whole, says that you don't have to be traditionally masculine to be a real man. For a show that spends a lot of time mocking a kid commonly headcanoned to be a trans man, that says a lot, and a lot of stuff I think more people need to hear.

You do not need to act like your gender to be your gender.

You do not need to present like your gender to be your gender.

You do not need to fit some rigid box that society enforces to be who you are.

If you are a man, you are a man, trans or cis, regardless of how you act. (And the same goes for women and nonbinary people! You don't have to fit a mold.)

You don't owe anyone anything.

You don't owe people masculinity. (Or femininity or androgyny for that matter.)

I think that's part of the reason Dipper vs. Manliness ages so well. Dipper reads as trans, especially to queer fans, and his story in that episode tells us that we don't have to be someone we're not for people to take us seriously as who we are. At the end of the day, the really masculine thing is staying true to you - a sentiment echoed and reversed in The Last Mabelcorn, where the most feminine thing you can do is to stay true to yourself. I can't find it right now, but I could swear that there's a That GF Fan video explaining my point a little better. The point is, there's nothing that makes you more of whatever your gender is than staying true to yourself.

Additionally, if Dipper really is trans and someone sees themself in him, that can help them explore their gender or explain it to other people. Young kids who have never interacted with trans people before can see Dipper and grow up to connect the dots - or grow up to have him crack their eggs.

I know I'm new to the fandom and I was already out before watching the show, but he really helped me explore my gender. I like dressing like him - he's very relatable, even though I'm old enough to be in college now. I see him as a very anxious, slightly paranoid trans kid, and I see a lot of myself in him. He has a lot of issues, and a lot of issues that aren't trans specific but definitely hit harder when you are trans. He makes me feel seen on a level that I never thought a cartoon character could do.

Honestly, here would be a good place to put a rant about representation in kids media - queer kids under the age of 12 exist and struggle. I liked a girl (before realizing I was trans) in fifth grade, so about 9 years old. There are kids who experiment with their gender when they're younger than that. We're here and we exist, and every single time a character in children's media is made and is prevalent, another kid is able to really see themself.

That's really the point of this section. Dipper is trans. That matters. People - mostly queer kids but people of all ages - see themselves in him. He's here and we see him as queer because it's validating. It feels so good to hear Stan affirm him at the end of Dipper vs. Manliness, because it proves that at the end of the day, you don't need to present as super masc or femme or androgynous to be who you are.

Gravity Falls, through coding Dipper as trans, sent a message:

You are seen. You are loved. You are valid.

Thank you for reading this all. Trans Dipper means a lot to me, and I love writing him and seeing him in general. I want more of him because Dipper being trans means the world to me.

I love you all. Have a wonderful day. Remember to stay true to yourself.

[sleepyjuice-juice]

So I don't hear too much talk on here about the Webtoon "Our Walk Home," but I just LOVE the way it handles perfectionism/people-pleasing and the big role that family dynamics play in yielding those tendencies. As a former major people-pleaser and perfectionist, dissecting Akihiko, Daiki, and their relationship to one another as brothers is an absolute must. Let's get into it, shall we?

Aki has mentioned that his older brother Daiki has done more to raise him than either of their parents (see episode 20). In his twenties, Daiki is a young, high-achieving and successful businessman. He also places an incredible amount of pressure on his younger brother to follow the same path.

I want to first analyze why Daiki acts this way.

It is more than likely that all the times Daiki has made comments on Aki like "Aren't you ashamed?" that those are all feelings that Daiki has felt. After all, it is obvious that while Daiki does not show his emotions much, he is just as afraid of failure as Aki. He's been projecting those insecurities onto Aki, and now Aki has inherited them.

From being so fiercely independent at such a young age, he was forced to grow up too fast, because he had to take care of his and his brothers' own lives with little to no help from the time he was literally a kid, himself. There was never room for him to breathe, of course he didn't have the space to mature emotionally. Obviously, the massive responsibility Daiki had to shoulder contributed to his fear of failure, but we don't know all the specifics. We hear him allude to his other family members - Akemi, Mom, Dad - when expressing that he didn't want Aki to "end up like... others." (episode 16).

Of course, not being able to rely on his family and being forced to grow up fast was a shortcut that came with a price: trust issues!!! 🎉🎉

Now he doesn't trust anyone else to take care of things, including Aki - so in a toxic brand of brotherly love, Daiki manipulates him so that Aki trusts his older brother's judgment more than his own. That way, Daiki can keep all his ducks in a row. That is how Daiki has learned to be reliable - he is excessively controlling in order to compensate for the lack of control he had over the environment he lived in as a kid.

Now, I do genuinely think Daiki loves his brother! Aki wouldn't look up to Daiki so much if he was cold to him 24/7, that would result in different issues for Aki (that might be worth exploring actually, but would have to be their own post). He really does care and wants him to succeed, it's just that in the process, he also internalizes Aki's "failures", letting it speak to his efficacy as a guardian and a person. That is why he is so insistent that Aki depends on him, only him. Since childhood, his definition of his own competence has been his independence, with an emphasis on his dependability.

And when you look at how this affects Aki, well... Aki has learned not to trust himself. He relies on extrinsic factors to measure his own worth, and it's not just his brother's validation anymore - it's everyone. Growing up, the love he received was conditional and based on his conformity, so every judgment made on anything he does becomes a judgment of his character. He hates himself because he was never shown that he deserves love even with his imperfections.

Aki's mask requires an exhausting amount of maintenance, and yet, that has become the standard - perfection is his status-quo, and people around him are always expecting him to meet it. Dependent on approval of others, he minimizes the parts of him that are harder to stomach, sacrifices honesty for digestibility. That's the only way he can be loved and be happy, right?

But the KICKER is that if the authentic parts of him can't be loved as they are, then no matter what success he reaches, Aki can never truly be happy with himself. And I mean, really think about it!! On the outside, Daiki is the picture of success, and yet, he's still so goddamn pressed about how his brother is living his life. Does that sound like someone who's found happiness? No!!!! Self love will always be intrinsic. Success won't be satisfying enough to either of them until they learn to work on what's going on inside.

Both Daiki and Aki will never escape their human depth, so even though "Our Walk Home" is Aki's recovery story, I really hope we get to see both of them heal. Daiki could use those years of growth he missed out on, but will he shed his ways in favor of approaching how his roots grew into a tremendous weed, drinking up all the life around it? Or will his stubborn reality prevail, leaving no room for Aki and Daiki to coexist in the spaces their realities overlap? Only time will tell. Thank you for coming to my ted talk

[onejellyfishplease]

BEHOLD! my new TMNT iteration!

tmnt: Strained Eyes

In this iteration, much like rottmnt, all of the turtles have super powers. however, there is a little catch. while the rottmnt turtle's powers suit their soul, Strained Eye's turtles... don't.

(please ignore the fact that Mikey doesnt really look like a spotted pond turtle, i came up with the design first and had to find a turtle species second)

So! Mikeys powers basically allow him to cause every thing he touches to rot/decompose/desintergrate. he does have some control, but not reliably.

And though he is a good cook, there is a 50/50 chance that you will end up eating mouldy/rotten food. but all the other times it will be delicious.

he (obviously) has insecurities about touch, he is very aware that he could very easily kill someone with just one touch.

he can also grow mushrooms on command -he can also grow them on his shell which freaks out his brothers a lot.

also hes not actually blind in one eye! its mostly just cosmetic.

Up next we have Donnie! compared to Mieky hes a very brightly coloured boy!

his power is illusions! they can be incredibly lifelike. the problem is, These illusions can be permanent if Donnie doesnt dispel them, and sometimes are summoned only by his subconscious. So Donnie can struggle with figuring out if something is real or not.

The only senses his illusions cannot mimic are touch and smell (and taste) so he is usually extremely tactile, holding onto his brothers to assure himself that theyre real and not just a projection of his mind. he covers a lot of stuff in his lab (and his brothers) with strong smelling perfumes as well.

application wise- he uses his powers in tandem with his machines to make incredibly realistic looking androids. example: robot cat that looks like real cat. robot dragon that looks like REAL dragon, etc etc. he can also use them to appear human and turn invisible. (he can expand this to all his brothers) but he still hasnt gotten down the art of human expressions, so when ever he appears human he looks quite uncanny when he talks.

It's Leo!!

now Leo is ~battery powered~ his powers basically allow him to absorb energy straight from the source, such as absorbing the electricity off of an electric wire, or even sucking the energy from a person. or eating batteries.

an unfortunate side affect (depending on how you look at it) is that Leo doesnt need to sleep. ever. as long as he keeps absorbing energy then he's completely fine! and the more electricity/energy he absorbs the faster/stronger he gets! he also thinks faster! coming up with excellent strategies on the fly!

however- the same is true of the other way around, when Leo runs out of energy (which he does often- hes VERY bad at judging how much he has left) he will start to get more lethargic, his cognitive funtions will slow down and his short term memory will start to degrade.

If he completly runs out of energy his heart stops and he dies.

but dont worry! you just need to zap him with more energy and hell get right back up again (Donnie has a defibrillator just for Leo). though its best not to leave him in that state for long. because like that he is still functionally a dead body.

And finally we have Raph!

Raph breaths fire. a very simple power, in fact he can even hold his breath for hours apon end and his skin is extremely tough! theres basically no side effects too!

Hes so lucky compared to his brothers, having a power that suits him perfectly and doesnt mess him up in the head.

because of this, Raph has kinda moulded himself into the hyper aggressive mom friend, making sure they dont all run themselves into the ground because of the drawbacks to their powers.

he still has anger issues too <3

[pianokantzart]

Something I love about the Mario movie is how is basically squashed any kind of ideas of Luigi being jealous of Mario from the get go that fans have come up/theorized throughout the years.

The whole “Luigi is jealous and tired of living in Mario’s shadow” has no leg to stand on when it comes to this movie.

In fact, Luigi is actively the one singing praises towards Mario, he knows that his brother dreams big and has a big heart, he knows his brother is amazing and he loves him for that.

Does he have low self esteem? Absolutely. But there is absolutely not a single bit of jealousy/envy towards Mario, Luigi loves and adores him far too much to ever be jealous and angry at Mario, someone who means the absolute world to him.

Oh don't you get me started.

Too late, I’ve gotten started. YOU ARE SO RIGHT. The movie did to theories that Luigi's “bitter and jealous” what it did to theories that Mario’s an antisocial asshat.

There are two things I can point to that are to blame for the theories that Luigi is bitter and jealous:

The description of his Negative Zone final smash from Super Smash Bros. Brawl:

"Luigi's final smash. As exotic music plays, he performs a dance befitting a sorcerous incantation. A barrier envelopes him, negatively impacting all in his area. Random effects include getting launched, sleeping, moving in slow motion, tripping, fainting, and losing attack power. This technique is a reflection of the dark side he embraced in his brother's shadow."

2. His characterization in Paper Mario

But there’s like… almost 40 years of games to glean from. You can literally pick and choose whatever you want to form any sort of theory (like a certain internet man did when arguing that Mario is an animal abusing sociopath). But 99% of the games show about as much evidence that Luigi is bitter as they do that Mario is a bad person– none at all. Quite the opposite, in fact.

As for Paper Mario, it's the only time Luigi is directly characterized as envious... NOT jealous. He still loves his brother and sees him as worthy of the praise he gets, but he feels bad being stuck at home, and desperately wants to be brought along for the adventure– to have his opportunity in the limelight. But Paper Mario is kind of its own thing, established to be a separate universe from the mainline Mario games. In the Super Mario Brothers RPGs– which delve deeper into the bros character while remaining more aligned with the classic "canon"– the dynamic is quite the opposite! Mario dives headfirst into danger while Luigi desperately avoids it unless there is no other choice. In Super Mario Brothers Superstar Saga he tries his darndest to not be taken along for the adventure, confident that his brother can handle the task.

But one consistent across the Mario games is Luigi being the underdog of all underdogs; unlucky and clumsy, the butt of the joke, and constantly undermined. Naturally this causes people to get defensive of him– get angry for him, and project their feelings onto the character himself.

But tHEN WE HAVE THE MOVIE!!!!

Nintendo is given a chance to craft Mario and Luigi into fully fleshed-out characters with motivations and backstories, not just plucky videogame personalities for people to project themselves into, and boy oh BOY did they knock it out of the park.

While Mario is still a headstrong hero with a never-say-die attitude and a heart of gold, everything he does is for his brother. Mario has insecurities about feeling small and wants to prove himself to his father, but in the end his love for Luigi is his main motivator. Mario can handle being threatened, made fun of, and told he’s crazy, but if you want to truly hurt him, tell him his actions are hurting his brother. Try hurting Luigi directly, and Mario will tear you a new one.

In return, everything Luigi does is for Mario! Lu’s not the willful ball of determination and gusto that his brother is– he has always been nervous, softhearted, and sensitive, which is why he lets his brother lead the way. Luigi’s not living in Mario’s shadow, he’s thriving off of his confidence! He recognizes Mario as his best friend and greatest source of strength, and will follow him absolutely anywhere.

There is no sense of Mario being treated like the beloved star of the show while Luigi gets the short end of the stick. They are both downtrodden, both learning, and both dependent on each other. It's not just Super Mario, it's the Super Mario Brothers, who equally inspire each other to be the best version of themselves.

[zebra-rigel]

Hi hi!! About your demon cultivator SJ and Plant Spirit SY teachers au:

I'd been wondering how Shen Jiu got into demon cultivator but then I realized that, wait, he DOES have an ass of a shizun, so maybe that's how. Which means whatever the canon SJ had got going on, he'd have much worse in this au. He'd be more evil, more direct in his cunningness, more of the badass villain that he is.

Okay now that led me into thinking about those I-can-fix-him posts but with plant spirit SY, and who's to say he hadn't made it worse instead? As in, SJ and SY do have to spend quality time (a lot of time, even) to open up and do his part in fixing SJ, plus they do kinda share the same memories (I think I remember one of your posts saying SY shares SJs memories) and life force and all, but BUT hear me out. SJ never had never met such a pure soul before, not with any malicious intents that humans reek of, and SY is such a precious gem how could he not attached? Sneakily inserting insecurity and anxiety+attachment issues here...

Maybe that's why SJ yeets LBH into the Abyss? Because the kid got too close to his kind of adopted brother? But that said, he saved Ming Gan and Ning YingYing among other kids. So this goes against my theories because I portrayed him as more unstable and an evil-ey person. (Close to Bingge, I guess?)

Okay so perhaps Shen Yuan did heal Shen Jiu and maybe LBH wouldn't be yeeted off a cliff out of jealousy. He's kinder here anyway.

First of all, thanks for the ask! I'm very excited to answer your questions :) sorry in advance cause I wrote it at different times so it's a bit long and wonky, (ᵕ—ᴗ—) so be prepared lol

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How Shen Jiu became a demonic cultivator

Shen Jiu didn't get into demonic cultivation as much as he stayed in it- it was a direct pipeline from Wu Yanzi's tutelage to becoming an established demonic cultivator himself. (I haven't figured out the specifics yet, but what I do know happened is that when they visited the Immortal Alliance Conference, Shen Jiu recognized Yue Qingyuan and fled.)

I think that canon Shen jiu would have killed himself before turning to demonic cultivation as a lifestyle, so in my au Wu Yanzi is different from canon. While he was he was just as much of an asshole and bastard, this one was at least a competent teacher. The way Shen Jiu travelled as a wandering cultivator is based on his lifestyle whicle travelling with Wu Yanzi. The man used to take him to demonic sects in an attempt to have him learn their cultivation techniques aslong with the various aspects of demonic cultivator culture, which is completely different from the lifestyles of immortals.

In my au demonic cultivation is something that CAN be done right but only if you start cultivating early and correctly. As an example: Ming Fan is going to become a perfectly healthy demonic cultivator as long as he follows his shizun's teachings and is brought up in the right environment. (cursed grounds with plenty of demonic qi)

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Which means whatever the canon SJ had got going on, he'd have much worse in this au. He'd be more evil, more direct in his cunningness, more of the badass villain that he is.

Is this SJ worse than canon SJ? Yes but also SY is there so it's toned down a bit. he's kinda projecting onto sy with his qi-ge xiao jiu issues. he'll get better over time, I swear, but I also wanted sy to be kind of an enabler initially. (for the angst. because he's a plant spirit and doesn't have the right context for sj's actions and how self-destructive they are)

Okay now that led me into thinking about those I-can-fix-him posts but with plant spirit SY, and who's to say he hadn't made it worse instead?

mwahaha Exactly! Shen Jiu really will protect A-Yuan any way he knows how.

SJ never had never met such a pure soul before, not with any malicious intents that humans reek of, and SY is such a precious gem how could he not attached? Sneakily inserting insecurity and anxiety+attachment issues here...

I SWEAR you picked this out of my head, that is exactly the dynamic they have going on asfksfsdagdf

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Maybe that's why SJ yeets LBH into the Abyss? Because the kid got too close to his kind of adopted brother?

kind of YES? The comments on the sj's bad disciplinary methods poll reminded me of how utterly sj hates men(thx @kgne-k) and taking @meemawdeen's suggestion shen yuan now takes on all male disciples and shen jiu takes all the female disciples!

I now have a silly goofy idea where the disciples have a 'hidden rivalry' which is official in sj's eyes, except they also actually really vibe with each other <3

SJ sees it like bai zhan peak and qing jing peak but toned down(?) while to shen yuan it's like 'ah, my disciples must be permenantly in the awkward getting to know each other polite stage'

but my actual mental image is closer to like, 'all-boys boarding school within two blocks of an all-girls boarding school' (this is an extremely niche reference stemming from my preteen hyperfixation on ruskin bond and enid blyton books so feel free to ignore it)

SO ANYWAYS, because of this 'rivalry'+forced divide (enforced by sj, though sy has no idea) it takes sj a good three years to realize that the sweet personal disciple apparently attending to and being fawned over by shen yuan is NOT ning yingying as he had previously assumed but instead. his Fucking half-heavenly demon disciple who can't even get his seal to break. Cue Shizun re-introducing 'Throw him into the Endless-Abyss' into the list of 'Possible ways to get Luo Binghe's seal to Break (so we can finally Use his Heavenly Demon Blood)'.

So this goes against my theories because I portrayed him as more unstable and an evil-ey person. (Close to Bingge, I guess?)

It's interesting that you thought of him as close to Bingge cause I do too, but more like- a bing-meified Bingge? Does that make sense? Like he used to be totally down for a few rounds of murder and ritual sacrifice but now he has kids and a brother to look after so its off the table (◔_◔)

He's kinder here anyway.

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I hope I answered all your questions, please tell me if I missed anything! Thanks for reading if you made it this far <3

[dallasgallant]

There’s some parts of this I’ve spoken about in metas before, and I’ll link those at the bottom of this post. But the thought came back to me in my re-read,

Pony is the brother to put a particular emphasis on education. He also has a tendency to project his dreams and insecurities onto others.

On the topic of Soda dropping out of school he takes it considerably hard and as a subject of embarrassment. He could “hardly stand it” and is mortified when he has to explain it to anyone, especially a socy girl like Cherry due to the image it brings to mind. Soda can take this loss a little easier since he doesn’t view his academics in the same way, it wasn’t likely he’d be going to college like his brothers. I mean so in the kindest way, there is nothing wrong with that despite what Pony has built up in his mind (now dropping out is a sad thing, but understandable in the circumstance)

When it comes to Darry, there is less worry from Pony and more anger at what should have been for his brother— he never got to go to school to start with. He’d been working but now works two jobs twice as hard, this particular passage sparked this post;

Like my previous post about Darry being “rough on” him I think this passage too benifits from Pony partly looking back on the events and his thoughts as they happen at once. As he’s really starting to consider all that goes on in his brothers lives, all they had to give up or should have gotten to do but life threw them a bad hand. I also find the paragraph a little amusing as he starts out sympathetic and then “he’s a loser now :( he has nothing going on except all those friends I just mentioned.”

As another thing about Ponyboy is he deals with a lot of internalized classism… not just being a Greaser but poor generally. Which is why his brother dropping out of school is such a huge deal to him but not as much to the rest of the gang. He’s in those upper level courses, he has far more exposure to soc and middle class eyes and expectations he works to defy consciously or unconsciously. His brothers and the gang are more “cushioned” in the east side, surrounded by similar circumstance and not the same age and condition to build up the complex Pony has. He’s the youngest of the gang and needs to fully take in their “Be cool” mentality, so insults like ‘Greaser’ or ‘white trash’ roll off of him more than they sting. (Which isn’t to say it’s entirely annoyed, some aren’t reactionary, but being cool helps mitigate)

The rest of the gang and his brothers are already settled with being a Greaser, being working class, they have their ways to cope and make the most of what they have instead of angsting. There’s an acceptance to it Pony doesn’t have yet, he’s a dreamer - he thinks about getting out, about the should be’s.

Soda and Darry aren’t without ambition or struggle though, don’t get me wrong but it’s different from what Pony focuses in on. Soda, while not focused on anything grand wants a better Job and to marry Sandy. Darry is a practical sort, he thinks of the here and now and his only ambition for the time being is to keep them all together. Their worries and struggles are tied to bills more than they are to the past should have/could haves, the way Pony sees it. We don’t actually know what Darry’s plans were before he pivoted, just that it’s a shame that college wasn’t an option for him… but it could be for Pony. He could have the chance Darry didn’t.

My point here was how much Pony looks into the past and looks at the broader picture and gets upset, and he’s right to don’t get me wrong, but then doesn’t understand when his view is not met. When Darry and Soda are so in the moment, guided by their grief in their own way but not reflective of the system™️. But all that they’re doing is ensuring that Pony has the time to dream, watch movies and read as he does. In a way, in the complex he has built up he Pities his brothers just as much as he put them up above the others.

~

* want to note that I am not saying that Darry and Soda aren’t or haven’t ever been upset about school or about other bad things in their lives that are more personal. I’m saying it more that they are able to put it aside for the sake of staying together and moving forward - that they’re more adaptable than their little brother. They know how to “use their head”, a part of street smarts is being able to adapt to conditions. Hurt but not be dragged down- survive above all. Its smarts that Pony can’t get from a book but through the story, and unfortunately consecutive tragedy. I’m also noting that some of Pony’s pity is condescending in itself as they have bad circumstances but aren’t lost or miserable— now Darry is more stressed than any 20 year old should ever be but Pony skirts past some of the positives he has, you know?

I’m still in the middle of my re-read and I hope this makes sense. Here’s some of my past metas I found were a similar which might better elaborate (they’re also older so I cannot promise complete quality)

Here. Here. Here.

*check out my rb too, some more thoughts added!

[soybento]

So. Here's the Thing. The drama SEVERELY changed parts of the MDZS novel. Enough that Wei Wuxian's character AND as a result (off the top of my head), Jin Guangyao, Madam Yu, Jiang Cheng and even Su She's character. This is going to be a whole thesis so here we go.

Let's start with one of the largest topics of debate in the fandom, Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian, and specifically Wei Wuxian's position in the Jiang Clan and the heat about Jiang Cheng's actions. In the novel, Yu Furen doesn't like him for her husband's preference of Wei Wuxian over Jiang Cheng (this is the same in the drama) and his supposed previous love interest, Wei Wuxian's mother (debated, ambiguous). Added to this is Wei Wuxian's ambiguous position in the clan. Jiang Fengmian never specifies what his rank/position is (as other people have pointed out) and as a result, all the Jiang Clan members kind of...have their own relationship w/ him courtesy of their own projections. For example, Yanli's relationship with Wei Wuxian is the simplest, mostly because she's the daughter, not a strong cultivator and is destined to eventually leave the Jiang Clan. She chooses him as her brother. For everybody else? It's a lot more complicated. Yu Furen (understandably if not justifiably) does not want to treat Wei Wuxian as her own son (aforementioned reasons). She sees him as a threat to her son's right of inheritance and also, doesn't trust the origin of his birth. This is definitely Jiang Fengmian's fault since he took in his servant's son but also not exactly since it's complicated by their close friendship and his unreciprocated feelings for Cangse Sanren. Consequently, Yu Ziyuan projects her insecurities not only on Wei Wuxian but also Jiang Cheng (we know this) and constantly compares the two of them. She wants her son to be better.

Jiang Cheng is a product of his parents and sister's relationship w/ Wei Wuxian but what I think the drama changes is the fact that Jiang Cheng cares for Wei Wuxian as a *martial brother* and a future right hand man. He gets the brother stuff because his sister has loved Wei Wuxian as her didi, he gets the firm ideas of Wei Wuxian's future position in the Jiang Clan from his mother (and also the lack of denial from Jiang Fengmian himself). He doesn't see Wei Wuxian as a brother *only*. Instead, he partially projects duty and destiny onto him because of how they were raised. This is why I don't think it was wrong of him to refuse to take in the Wen Remnants. He had a duty to the Jiang Clan that he chose to prioritize to keep himself out of the political tension that Wei Wuxian was in the center of. He didn't see it as disowning a brother but as a strategic withdrawal from the situation for his sect. Say what you will about him but I don't believe that he's unjustified in wanting to ensure the safety of his Sect (especially as clan leader). Growing up, Jiang Cheng did get a lot of conflicting opinions on his own worth. He fell short in almost all his relationships because he would approach Wei Wuxian w/ the anger and competitiveness his mother expected of him only to disappoint his sister who expected them to be siblings in the truest sense of the word. He disappointed his mother because he *did* see Wei Wuxian as more than just his fellow disciple, not just a future servant. He didn't disappoint his father but his father never made his affection for Jiang Cheng clear and this lack of communication led him to draw his own conclusions on Jiang Fengmian's preferences.

My issue with the drama is that much of this is not clearly defined or explained. He is villainized for his eventual estrangement with Wei Wuxian because we're operating from the assumption that his feelings for Wei Wuxian *are* of the sibling kind and not the messy duty vs martial brother type. His position is understandable after reading more of the novel. Plus all the changes about the siege led by him (which I'll talk abt) and Nightless City and the Qiongqi Pathway Ambush and him rejecting the Wen Remnants. And the ending at Guanyin Temple makes sense. Wei Wuxian is released from his commitments to the Jiang Clan and that is the kindest thing Jiang Cheng could do for him (again, others have pointed this out, I'm simply reiterating it). Because Wei Wuxian *does* care for Jiang Cheng as a brother but his feelings for him are also complicated by duty and obligation to the Jiang Clan and dealing w/ the complicated myriad of expectations from the Jiang family. That and less of him being a brother is what leads Jiang Cheng to think Wei Wuxian betrayed him. It's like he betrayed his duty to the Jiang Clan and not just their brotherly commitments.

Now coming to the second point, it's the drama's portrayal of Wei Wuxian as a martyr. And he can be but he's so much more complex than that. To start with, I believe his character would not have endeared himself to me as much if I hadn't started with the drama but now, I enjoy the complexity of the novel Wei Wuxian more. For example, novel villains Su She and Jin Guangyao are a lot more complex than portrayed in the drama. Because the drama kind of made them scapegoats (ironic as they portray Wei Wuxian that way) for Wei Wuxian's continued innocence. The Ambush at the Qiongqi Path is so much more complex than in the drama. Jin Guangyao *does* set it up and Su She curses Jin Zixun out of spite and Wei Wuxian *is* wrongfully cornered. But he also loses control of Wen Ning and accidentally kills Jin Zixuan all because he loses control of his emotions. I won't comment on whether this is right or wrong because Wei Wuxian was cornered. He was fighting his way out of an ambush. He made mistakes like escalating the situation by antagonizing Jin Zixun, not believing Jin Zixuan wanted to help him, and not calling off Wen Ning when asked to by Jin Zixuan (because he believed he'd be shot by the archers) and accusing Jin Zixuan of working w/ Jin Zixun to ambush him. By taking away these mistakes in the drama, it takes away the complexity of the situation and what the choices say about him. Jin Guangyao did not intend for Jin Zixuan and Wei Wuxian's confrontation to end the way it did. He wanted to put Jin Zixuan and Jin Zixun against each other in the novel (correct me if I'm wrong tho). He isn't innocent of course but his motivations make more sense than him just killing Wei Wuxian on behalf of his father with no deeper mechanations at play.

Secondly, the battle at the Nightless City. In the drama (and possibly in the novel but this isn't confirmed) he commits suicide but the timeline is important. He does lose control of his puppets in Nightless City and making Jin Guangyao the scapegoat for his loss of control *again* simplifies his character as someone that can do no wrong and is hopelessly plotted against by the rest of the world. The puppet that hurts Yanli (not fatally) is one that Wei Wuxian has lost control of and not one that's been controlled by Guangyao or Xue Yang or Su She. She sacrifices herself to save him and he *then* slaughters the rest. After he finds that Wen Ning and Wen Qing have died and they plan on leading a siege on the rest of the Wens, he raises the corpses and loses control and accidentally hurts Yanli who asks him to stop. He tries, she dies, and then he slaughters a bunch of people.

And in the novel, there are a few months between the Nightless City Massacre and his death. He defends the Wens from the siege led by Jiang Cheng (and *this* is the siege that he leads which makes MUCH more sense than the siege he supposedly led in Nightless City as shown in the drama) and when they die and he realizes he's going to lose, he kills himself (probably out of guilt?).

The implications of this are major. His sister's death doesn't push him into suicide, it pushes him into war (and Wen Qing and Wen Ning's death). It's the wtf this is a lost cause I'm fucked and everyone I wanted to protect is dead that eventually pushes him into death.

Looking at this from Jiang Cheng's perspective things make a lot more sense. He is under the (almost rightful?) assumption that Wei Wuxian lost control and killed Jin Zixuan (also Jin Zixun but lol fuck that guy). He is also not clear on the details of the ambush and while we don't know this, is given the same explanation for the ambush as everyone else. That Wei Wuxian cursed Jin Zixun. And Wei Wuxian does say that if he killed Jin Zixun he'd do it a thousand times better (worse). Following this, Jiang Cheng's sister is hurt and while her actual death is a choice that she makes, he blames Wei Wuxian for it.

I won't deny that Jiang Cheng is morally ambiguous but so is Wei Wuxian and so is Jin Guangyao and Su She. The drama is almost a softer, nicer version of the novel where the protagonist is the hero and not just the person whose perspective we're getting. But in doing so, Su She, Jin Guangyao and Jiang Cheng's character are changed to fit the narrative.

What the drama also doesn't get across is that demonic cultivation isn't a good idea!!! Lan Qiren, as much as I dislike him for his rules or whatever, did have a point. It goes against the natural order of things, there's a reason why demonic cultivation should not be taught and why Wei Wuxian never took in disciples. It would result in cultivators like Xue Yang. When drama says that Jiang Cheng was hunting and killing off demonic cultivators because he hated Wei Wuxian, it takes away from the fact that demonic cultivation does actually harm the body and soul! It does in fact require human sacrifices! Just because Wei Wuxian didn't use any does not mean that the others won't! Jiang Cheng is sure to have had a personal motivation but fanon misses that those accounts have been of the crowd and the cultivation world, not from Jiang Cheng directly. His killing of the demonic cultivators was likely not as simple as fuck that guy, I hate everyone like him.

Finally, Yanli. Surprised? I have a lot of thoughts on her though so I'm gonna have to keep going. She's at the centre of the storm and also severely sidelined. She's a motif and she's a character fighting to make choices that the world does not allow women and especially women that aren't cultivators. I think thinking of the story from *her* perspective (novel or canon) makes my appreciation for her even deeper. She is, despite Wei Wuxian's perception of her, a flawed character. But she's flawed in the same way everyone else is. She grows up in a volatile family and her mother doesn't share her sentiments but she chooses to love Wei Wuxian as a brother. Although she means well, this brings about a conflict of interest for Jiang Cheng. She's perceived as this all forgiving character by Wei Wuxian and it makes sense, we're looking at his POV *but* it takes away from the fact that she consciously chooses to be that way. I think her character brings about some very interesting ideas in society about womanhood and specifically motherhood. Her role in Wei Wuxian's life is more motherly than it is sisterly and thus, her sacrifices are almost expected. What comes to mind is that her feelings on things really aren't considered. Remember when Jiang Cheng lost his golden core? Wei Wuxian comes in and he sits across from her and he tells her that this is all his fault. She's dealing w/ the loss of her parents, her brother's sudden injury and her worry over Wei Wuxian. But she's gotta tell him gently that no, that's not true. In reality, this isn't ABOUT Wei wuxian. His continued insistence that things are his fault does bring about a degree of self centeredness because it takes away from where his attention should be. After he kills her husband, his focus is on his own guilt over his actions but less on her pain (I'm not condemning him, I'm just pointing it out). Being a martyr (as depicted in the drama not the novel as much) is incredibly selfless but also incredibly selfish. When the audience doesn't see this, Jiang Yanli's actions almost seem expected. Of course she's gotta see him for the person that he is and know that he didn't mean it etc. But these expectations take away from the very real choices she makes to continue to forgive and love and forgive. She does this with Jin Zixuan and although from Wei Wuxian's perspective, he sees it as she's too nice and kind and forgiving, it takes away from the fact that she *CHOOSES* to forgive him and it doesn't just happen as a part of her character profile. Being kind is a choice, not a personality trait. Being nice and agreeable and open etc can be personality. but altruism? That shit is where the credit is due.

The narrative does minimize her (I'm not sure if this is intentional) by making her an accessory to Wei Wuxian's development. She's sidelined during important moments like the war, the rebuilding of Lotus Pier, even the times that their parents die. She steps in when Wei Wuxian or Jiang Cheng need help or a guiding hand. She steps away when the story has to focus on other conflict. She could've easily turned against Wei Wuxian for killing her husband but she chooses to see him again and later, die for him. Jiang Cheng uses her in his own way, and so does Wei Wuxian. I do not particularly mean this as a criticism but I think it's worth noting that Jiang Yanli was a traditionally feminine character whose strength was a very conscious choice on her part and is not more or less than if she had chosen to go into war w/ the rest of them. If she didn't hold back on so many things like not protesting her engagement, playing a supporting role and staying in the background for much of the narrative until the death of her husband pushes her into the spotlight, waiting for her brothers to get back from war, waiting for Wei Wuxian to tell her what's wrong when he comes to Lotus Pier and fights w/ Jiang Cheng and seems to, supposedly, not want to be there, the story would've been different. Idk different how but definitely different. She chooses not to take up space and thus, narrative attention. She doesn't push, and she doesn't demand, and she defends quietly. I think that's why traditionally feminine characters are kind of a double edged sword when perceived. Are these qualities inherent? If yes, then they're taken for granted and...minimized. Are they chosen? If yes, then it begs the question of what a traditionally feminine character is at all. Sacrifice, standing back to let other people shine, being quiet and letting other people's actions (even those that you love) control what happens in your life. I cannot imagine that these are traits that someone is simply born with and thus, give Jiang Yanli credit because she chose to be that way!!

Ending this with, I don't believe there's a wrong medium with better or worse portrayals of the characters. I think I like the drama for some of its kinder aspects and the novel for its complexity. I just think it's important to note that Wei Wuxian is more than a martyr, Jiang Cheng more than his brother (he's in his own right a sect leader and plays an important role outside of his relation to Wei Wuxian) and Jiang Yanli more than a mother figure. And we love Lan Wangji ofc, sorry he didn't get a mention. Give more thought to characters like Jin Guangyao and Su She (yes Ik ik) and Xue Yang as portrayed in the novel. There's a theme here of classism that I don't think is appreciated enough.

The very point of this post is not to condemn or acquit any of the characters. It's just to point out how none of them are black and white.

That's it for now and I hope I didn't forget/mistake any of the details in the drama or novel!!

[toyota12]

Gravity Falls Parallels: Stanley and Stanford Pines

To start off, aside from the similar names, both these characters endured great hardships in the 30 years before the events of the show took place.

Similarities

Both of these characters more or less project their insecurities onto the younger Pines twins, are both insensitive to each others' each interests, and have a lot of pride about themselves as individuals. However, both also care deeply about the younger twins' safety, and are willing to show their more softer sides around them. Furthermore, while both primarily connect more with the younger twin who (on the surface level) identifies with them the most, they also deeply care about the other as well. In A Tale of Two Stans, both also omit important information in their stories, such as Stan, with being homeless and Ford, with his history with Bill. Both are also easily deceived by anyone who pretends to show them the slightest amount of affection or kinship (like Stan with Darlene and Ford with Bill), and finally both were social outcasts when they were younger.

Differences

Stanley

Stan is more emotional than Ford is and is thought to be both and idiot and screw-up by most, including his father. Though he puts on a facade of being emotionally distant, others can see through it very easily. He was also somewhat clingy with his twin brother, believing he couldn't make it without him and still holding onto the idea that they could eventually travel the world together, even after Ford showed interest in a school that valued his intellect. Due to these factors, and showing more concern with his plans for the future rather than thinking about Ford after he unintentionally costs Ford his dream college, Stan is disowned by the whole family for over 10 years, and is left unable to provide for himself, becoming a criminal in the process. However, this (and his history of lying and cheating) led to Stan becoming an excellent scam artist who had to create fake aliases for himself to sell his material to anyone gullible to buy from him. This also helped him not only sell his merchandise under Ford's name when the latter was accidentally pushed into the portal, but also hide Ford's portal and ward off suspicion it and the real Stanford's whereabouts for 30 years, which demonstrates a level of cunning on Stan's part. After seeing how his feud with Ford has endangered the younger Pines twins, he convinces Ford find an alternative way to defeat Bill without giving into the latter's demands, even if to save the kids. Both because he doesn’t trust Bill to keep his word to leave Dipper and Mabel alone and how he knows that giving into Bill's demands could put the whole world at risk, which helps him see things from Ford's perspective as well.

Stanford

Ford is more intellectually gifted than Stan, and was considered the favorite of the Stan twins by his father. In spite of being not being one to act on his emotions, Ford is more open about his than Stan is. Due to this he takes, pride in his accomplishments and immediately jumps on the offer to go to a highly prestigious college, not showing much concern in Stan beginning to feel left behind. He had also come to view his relationship with Stan as suffocating by this point. Because of this, when Stan unintentionally sabotages his science fair experiment (and admitedly shows little concern over this), he accuses Stan of doing so intentionally and doesn't protest to Stan being disowned by the whole family. Both because he was born with an extra finger and his high IQ, Ford began to think of himself as someone with a greater purpose, which in turn led him becoming incredibly arrogant. This is exploited by Bill, who tricks Ford into building a gateway for the former to enter through. Ford is later sucked into said portal after treating Stan like his errand boy who Ford expected to hide his first journal without protest, or considering Stan's feelings. This demonstrates how, much like Bill (although unintentionally) Ford viewed others as tools to further his own agenda. While still problematic in present day, he is becoming more considerate of others' feelings, allowing Stan to stay to tend to Dipper and Mabel, and expressing concern at the revelation that Mabel didn't take his apprenticeship offer to Dipper well. He fully grows willing to take his family into consideration after seeing how his feud with Stan has endangered the younger twins, working with Stan to save them and finally accepting how damaging his idea of being a lone hero is, realizing that Stan has to be the one to sacrifice his memories to put an end to Bill, and not him.

[crazylittlejester]

I can ask you for some wars fix recs plz

I don’t read a whole lot of fanfiction because i just don’t have time or energy these days to actually read. BUT!! I can point you in the direction of people i know who write wars fics/wars fics i have read and remember lmao (people who see this feel free to comment or reblog with fic recs 🫶) click the underlined shit for links, and my apologies in advance for tagging every single person who wrote a wars fic i read in the past 4 months 🧍‍♂️

- i have 35 fics on my ao3 (Can_Opener) tagged with “Wars centric”. i primarily write Wars stuff, tho all of my fics are currently locked and are only visible to registered users because FUCK ai. I’ll make em public again once the ai thing ain’t an issue anymore, but for now they’re only visible to registered users

- Something Is Better Than Nothing (Try) by @rosadon3, summary: "He sat down and pulled the orange from his bag, running his hands over the skin, twisting it around so he could check every inch. It was safe. It was always safe. Why did he have to worry so much?" It's "projecting my insecurities onto my blorbos" hours.

- Yellow Potion by @gryphonlover, summary: Warriors struggles with eating enough food and drinking enough water for a variety of reasons, which has the unfortunate result of causing him to feel faint and sometimes even pass out. Good thing his brothers have his back.

- @catreginae has a fic where Wars is a vampire which I’ve been MEANING to read because it sounds cool as FUCK but I haven’t yet, but Wars angst writers support Wars angst writers so here is a link to the fic Thou Shalt Not Fall, and here is a link to their ao3

- @hyruledwarriorr has some good stuff, here’s a link to their ao3. He’s got a couple fics posted, some modern au stuff where Wars is a language teacher if I’m remembering right? and other good fics. I haven’t read em all yet but i enjoyed the ones I did!

- @maaarsbaars also has two wars fics that I’ve read, THIS ONE about Wars and PTSD, and THIS ONE where Wars has a feeding tube. here’s a link to their ao3

- and then there’s Numbered by @elle-rosewater which was absolutely FUCKING devastating and i threw my phone across the room at the end and had to stare at the wall for a bit to fucking recover. If you like plot twists, by GOD is this the fucking fic for you, i had to call my fiancee at like 10 pm and scream about it to them because i didn’t know what else to do with myself 😭 11/10 fic, will read again when I have the mental strength to go through it again KNOWING how it ends. AND IT’S PART OF A SERIES?? I BELIEVE?? anyways this is the summary: Some years after the end of the nine-hero adventure, Time was offered the chance to visit Warriors again. There was no way he was going to turn that down, no matter how odd the circumstances were.

thats all i can remember for right now, there are some good ones im remembering the plot of but not the actual titles, but hopefully people see this and can give you even more fic recs!!

[fizzigigsimmer]

This has been nibbling at me for days, but "Billy's Fantasy Girl" is such a weird awkward as fuck inclusion in the VR game. Allowing for the fact that I am not male, and I do not know for certain how the average hetero dude is conceptualizing their existence and processing their deepest desires and insecurities, but it just feels incredibly clunky and odd that Vecna is filtering Billy's weaknesses through a female of no face and name.

Do men project their weaknesses onto their partners and search for meaning within their relationships just as much as women do? Abso-fucking-lutely. My issue is not with Billy's Fantasy Girl's existence within his psyche, but with how she exists and why she exists. FG exists to reveal to the audience something about Billy. Several things, in truth. One of them, quite deftly, that Billy has all the insecurities of a budding abuser himself. His fantasy woman is someone so broken and desperate that she will put him first in everything, because he's the only one or thing that can make her feel like she has any kind of value or presence in the world (because that's how he feels). And before anyone climbs down my throat about it, lets just all agree that this is the bed soil of many a toxic relationship.

Because Billy is never going to find that, the resentment/pain/frustration will continue to build and it is likely he will seek to control his partners in the future and try to force them into the shape he needs - keep them locked in the trunk and by his side. We see the seeds of this developing in the canon with him and Max. He cares about her whether he's accepted that or not, and when she steps outside the box or does things that put her or him in harms way he lashes out.

The second thing FG exists to do of course is flip the script and show us just how broken Billy is. How worthless and desperate he feels, because he is a victim right now. More important than any potential abuse he could visit on some imaginary girlfriend or wife of the future is the abuse Billy has suffered and is suffering right now, which has made him the perfect target for The Mind Flayer - an abuser, who has literally come along to tell Billy that he's seen, understood, and he can have everything he wants if he just literally gives up control of his self and devotes himself to the monster and his monstrous desires.

All of that tracks, and is frankly the kind of deep exploration of trauma cycles that the Duffer Brothers failed to do. My issue with it is that there were much cleaner ways to make the same points, without filtering Billy through a female lens. Choosing to focus on a female and filter Billy through that female is what we call A Choice. They did not need to do it, and in just about every way there were easier ways to get the same points across without risking loosing less media literate players in the muddy waters of nuance, metaphor, and symbolism.

We could have seen Billy filtered through the eyes of the wounded child again. Vecna could have promised him a picture perfect family, like maybe his mom never left, or maybe he gets to punish her for leaving and Neil for being a piece of shit. IDK there are just dozens and dozens of ways they could have shown us he is love starved and just as desperate to give up control as he is to control his world, without literally forcing the audience to imagine a female and then saying - this is Billy btw. LOL like, y'all don't understand. Choices were made.