#how each character is so deeply flawed and complex but all have one similarity

[moltensmusings]

Finished fruits basket and genuinely, probably one of my favorite shoujos of all time. I enjoyed every minute of it, the emotional moments hit with me every time. This will be a bit long so under the cut let me ramble about my love for it.

Only a series as well written as that could make me cry during a scene of a character like Akito reaching out to Tohru without malice.

I think something that makes the ending work so well, is the knowledge that ultimately we don't really find out if everyone ends up forgiving Akito. I'm sure in the sequel series they reveal it, but we're left with the knowledge that some of that hurt is too great. That Akito herself is aware of this and willing to accept whatever comes with it.

I really did enjoy the characters and couples we got, it's a series that mixes realism with fantasy well enough that even for the ones I'd normally dislike I was willing to give into the romance.

Kyo and Tohru for very obvious reasons will always have a special place in my heart. Seeing Kyo go from a brooding teenager to one who openly expresses his love for Tohru with genuine smiles and tears was amazing.

I haven't actually gone out looking for it, but I also know Kureno is a divisive figure in the fandom because to some people I think they viewed the series as almost completely absolving him of any blame. I think a major part of his story involved the fact that he was self sacrificial to a fault and it was a bad thing. He made mistakes like everyone else and it led to pain. His guilt and pity kept him locked in place and I feel like one of the major messages is that love out of Pity can be so incredibly damaging. I viewed his character as someone who got suspended in that time of when he was a teenager just barely free of his curse, incapable of moving forward for fear of hurting someone. Unaware that staying was hurting more than leaving ever would.

Ultimately I have no doubt this is going to be a series I revisit regularly to watch. Tears and all it was a wonderful experience and I adored every second.

[lazypapers]

do you have any HCs about how Arthur reacted to John being distant to Abigail when Jack was born? /how Arthur reacted when John showed up after a year

Oh definitely, my HC is similar to Roger Clark (the actor for Arthur). I think Arthur resented John for being distant and leaving her and his baby for a year. I imagine a couple years before Jack was born that's when he lost Isaac and that tragedy never left him and deeply effected him. He hated John for running away and taking things for granted from the very thing Arthur always sought and wanted. So when John returns, Arthur is just livid and their relationship is broken.

Arthur seemed like a character who wanted to be loved and belong in a family. He tried that with Mary, but I felt like Mary toyed with his feelings in the most wishy washy way (I get it. Like what future would you have with an outlaw). Obviously Eliza was a rebound from him breaking up with Mary. And that one night stand led to the conception of Isaac. He still chose to stay with Dutch's gang cause that was his family and he wasn't gonna stay with a girl he barely knew and didn't love. He probably tried to bring her along but she most likely didn't want to. I have this headcanon that their relationship was getting better and had potential to work. Arthur would have wanted to stay with them more often as his son got older with each visit. I would say maybe his son was like 4-5 years old the last time he saw him (since it's hinted in the game he taught a little boy fishing during the Jack fishing mission). However, this is when Dutch would manipulate Arthur severely.

He likely pressured Arthur to choose his loyalty to him and the gang over Arthur's son and Eliza. Think about it. When Hosea left to make a life with Bessie, Dutch got really messed up about it. Which explains his disgruntlement with John's loyalty and Abigail. For a bit he lost his family unit and control. He wasn't going to lose Arthur through the same thing. So he starts tightening that leash around Arthur through his low self-esteem and self-worth. He didn't want to lose his best dog. Definitely a red flag, that a lot of the gang members felt obligated that they owed Dutch just because he saved their asses (weird savior complex going on there 😬🙄).

As for why, he didn't seem all that bothered that John left. Maybe he kind of learned from his mistake with Arthur. Under his manipulation, Arthur completely broke when Isaac died (I feel like Arthur never fully recovered from that and Dutch noticed that he wasn't the "same" anymore). So not wanting to break his 2nd Golden Boy he loosened the leash. I'm pretty sure Dutch cared deeply about Arthur and John, and he isn't this evil selfish guy the way I'm describing him. That would be later in RDR1 😆, Dutch is complete bonkers in 1911. He is just incredibly flawed and super weird and a messed up way of showing he cares in 1899 prior.

Anyways I want to draw a storyline focused on the year John left and returned in the Golden Hour. Since the Golden Hour comics are basically about the close bond and eventual collapse of the gang. It would be fun to explore that part of the era of the gang. But once my wrist stops hurting and I have more time. All I can do is talk about it instead of drawing it.

[maximumqueer]

One of the many reasons that Luffy is my favorite One Piece character, and one of my favorite protagonists in general is because he is allowed to be interesting before being relatable.

It isn't uncommon for a protagonist to be written as an audience stand in, especially in shonen. And when a character is written that way, they tend to either be overpowered with very few flaws (to fulfill a power fantasy) or are written in such broad strokes for mass marketability that they end up being incredibly bland.

But Luffy isn't like that. We as the audience aren't necessarily meant to find Luffy relatable in that typical protagonist way. Aspects of his character are relatable, but in a way that is natural. It's the audience finding parts of him similar to themselves, not him being written for the sole purpose of relatability.

We don't know everything about him from the jump, we learn about him as the story goes on. We learn who is is a person, what his flaws are, what his virtues are, and how they intermingle with each other to create an interesting and unique character.

He's allowed to have character traits that could be considered unsavory. He's selfish, impulsive, if he wants something then he is going to go after it, consequences be damned. He can be rough and abrasive at times, blunt to the point of rudeness. But despite all of that he is still unwaveringly kind and caring. He trusts his nakama implicitly. He loves so deeply and fully that the people around him are drawn in like moths to flame.

And that is what makes him such a good protagonist. The fact that he is allowed to be a complex character, that he is allowed to make decisions that aren't necessarily the best or most optimal ones, or be so overpowered that those decisions don't matter in the long run. He's allowed to make mistakes, and learn and grow from them. It's no wonder that he's been number one in the One Piece favorite character polls since they started.

Anyways, happy birthday to the future king of the pirates and (in my humble opinion) the best protagonist in all of anime/manga.

[imjulia-andilikecats]

Why I Ship Mareven and Yes, I'm Aware that They're Toxic

I've noticed a couple of posts questioning how some readers ship Mareven given how toxic it was and proceed to list off all the terrible things that they did to each other through out the series.

Before I start my rant. Warning, this is long and I might just ramble at the end. Also please be reminded that these are MY reasons, as to why I enjoy this ship. I don't represent the whole Mareven shipping team. I made this post based on MY observation and the desire to absolve myself from the feeling of shame for liking Mareven.

We can't deny it. Anyone who read the series, even just the first book could easily tell that Mareven is toxic.

Which leads to the most common question for this ship. Why is Mare and Maven still being shipped even after Maven's betrayal and even past Glass Sword?

Simple, it's their unique and complex dynamic. They are both deeply flawed characters that have frightening similarities. Which could have lead to a wonderful friendship or a romantic one.

However, due to their social status and political beliefs. Mare joining the Scarlet Guard to free the Reds and Newbloods from Silver rule. Maven wanting to be king of Norta and was willing to do ANYTHING to keep his crown . They are of opposition to each other's goals, which lead them being sworn enemies. Causing severe pain and suffering to the other, when given the opportunity.

Yet, there would be moments between the cruel actions and harsh words. Where one of them would show affection in hopes of rekindling what they had and the other mourning the person that they thought they knew.

Even viewing them through the lense of a non-shipper. They have a fascinating exchange of dialogue and the uncomfortable amount of tension whenever they are near each other, even the mere mention of the other's name would momentarily push them off balance. There was simply no dull moment between these two.

The REAL question should be: "Is Mareven being a toxic ship REALLY the reason some readers dislike the ship OR is there something else at play?

Before I continue: It's understandable not to like a ship, if a toxic relationships between fictional characters aren't your cup of tea.

However! I don't think "being toxic" should be the daming reason to fully drop a ship and EXPECT everyone else to do so. Because I feel that those Mareven Ship "Dislikers" don't seem to detect the MAIN cause of their dislike for this ship.

I think the dislike of the ship could be attributed from some Mareven fanfics and shippers. Maybe they dislike how they treated Mare and Maven when paired together.

For example: Mare being seen as an object or tool in fixing Maven and making him happy. Void of any emotion or flaws, as she is simply an extension to the desires and fantasies of the writer. Other cases, some Mareven shippers openly trash Mare for not reciprocating Maven's affections, as they see him as a unloved child that needs a hug. Seeming to forget that Maven is completely capable of committing atocities against the people he "loves" and other characters that were unfortunate enough to encounter him and his mother.

The simplification and misinterpretation of both complex characters once they are viewed as a couple is frustrating.

Which is why I think the EXTERNAL FACTORS, such as SOME Mareven fanfics and shippers surrounding the Mareven ship, are MOSTLY the cause that ignited the dislike for the ship not just Mareven being toxic.

To put it simply, there is nothing wrong or shameful for liking a toxic ship like Mareven. It does not AUTOMATICALLY mean you have a twisted perception of what a functioning relationship should be nor have poor reading comprehension.

I also noticed that some of those post that dislike Mareven are also Maven fans, claiming that Maven is their favorite character and are also aware of his flaws (and crimes).

So, I can even throw the same argument to them.

What's the difference between liking Maven Calore, one of the main antagonist of the series that caused harm to a number of characters, and liking Mareven that is a toxic ship where both characters were toxic towards each other?

Note: Since it's a veey messy essay. I am more than open for a discussion.

[greaseonmymouth]

It is not 7 am anymore but top 5 books read this year? 😄

I have read 44 books so far this year and most of them were very good so I don't know how I'm supposed to pick just 5 :'''D

in reverse chronological order

THE DEATH I GAVE HIM - EM X. LIU

this is an utterly unhinged locked room sci-fi murder mystery retelling of Hamlet in which Horatio is an AI and he and Hamlet have a deeply co-dependent and sexual relationship. This book is exactly the kind of thing tumblr would eat up with a spoon, so tumblr pls get on this. The basic plot is: a deeply depressed and suicidal Hamlet (Hayden) is working on a formula that can make one immortal. He is obsessed with beating death. Then his dad is murdered and the labs go on lockdown and more people die because *gestures* Hamlet is Hamlet even when his name is Hayden, and Horatio the AI does his best to keep Hamlet alive and also be a voice of reason except he's too biased. By happenstance I had read this Hamlet/Faust crossover fic (Hemlock & Wine) before reading this book, and in this fic Hamlet is obsessed with necromancy and Horatio is trying to save him. it set the mood nicely. 

You know how in Hamlet everyone dies and at the end Horatio is the only one alive with Hamlet dead in his arms? What if I told you in this book it's reversed?

WILD AND WICKED THINGS - FRANCESCA MAY

Dark, witchy, historical fantasy - set after WW1 on a fictional island off the Yorkshire coast, very 20s glam with a dark undercurrent. Witchcraft is banned, but Annie is a witch. when her father dies she inherits his house on Crow Island and goes over there to sort that out and rents a house next to what turns out to be a Den of Iniquity, not just because of the lavish parties with illegal (magical) substances but because it's queer. Then follows a dark plot involving a blood debt and necromancy and power hungry men (well, one power hungry man) and fragile old and new relationships and dark secrets and also Annie and Emmeline get accidentally magically bonded to each other (but also are in love/lust with each other) and look, I could not stop reading. 

DRAGONFALL - L.R. LAM

listen I LOVE dragon books and I've read and loved everything L.R. Lam has written so when I heard an epic dragon fantasy was coming? I WAS STOKED. this is the first in I think a trilogy and it ticks all my boxes:

sentient dragons with their own history, language, society, etc

sexy dragons?? i didn't realise i needed sexy dragons until I read Aliette de Bodard's Dominion of the Fallen trilogy or the Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman, but hey. SEXY DRAGONS

queernorm world! our second protag Arcady is nonbinary and uses any pronouns, thank u for your service L.R. Lam

very cool world building and magic system 

BETRAYAAAALLL 

I can't wait for book 2

PORTRAIT OF A THIEF - GRACE D. LI

look this post will explain everything. suffice to say: pretentious college students steal priceless art.

THE BEAUTIFUL ONES - SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA

This is a kind of historical romance but it's fantasy and it doesn't follow conventional romance novel structure (I was SO nervous it wouldn't end happily because I didn't know what to expect from the narrative I was being given, but THANK GOD IT DID). it's very fantasy of manners. it makes a lot of pointed commentary about colonialism and colourism. it's absolutely lush. I love this book a lot, it was so engaging and gripping. the characters are allowed to be flawed and assholes and complex and weak and kind - it's very similar to sprawling historical/saga books with a large cast of people with conflicting wants and needs and scheming and tragedy and love and all that, but distilled into a neat compact package focusing on three people. It's not a long book, it's quite a slim volume for what it is, but it's perfectly paced so you don't notice that you're not actually reading a 900 page family saga.

other standalones I read this year that I think are WELL worth reading:

CAMP DAMASCUS - CHUCK TINGLE

YOU MADE A FOOL OF DEATH WITH YOUR BEAUTY - AKWAEKE EMEZI

YELLOWFACE - R.F. KUANG

HONOURABLE MENTIONS GO TO:

two series I read this year that I also absolutely loved

THE SEVEN DEVILS DUOLOGY - ELIZABETH MAY & L.R. LAM

you know this post right?

[image id: post by worflesbian on july 4 saying 'sci fi is when women in tank tops are covered in grease and sweat and are shouting at people and racing against time to save lives' reblogged by leafcrunch on july 13 with a screenshot addition of the tag #half a jumpsuit!!! you forgot half a jumpsuit!!!!']

this is that series. it is rebels in space overthrowing an evil space empire. it's all the worst bits of imperialism and colonialism and patriarchy distilled into one evil empire and all the best bits of firefly and star wars distilled into the rebellion. there are cool scifi science bits. this would be amazing as a two season series by competent tv makers, it's very cinematic in scope, but the characters are what give this life.

THE WINTERNIGHT TRILOGY - KATHERINE ARDEN

this is a family saga of a kind, set in medieval Russia during a time when Russia was being Christianised. I don't know how to explain this series because it's so complex and so rich. There is a main character - Vasya - but other characters also get POV sections. the first book takes quite a while before we even get to Vasya in 'the present' so to speak, this is a trilogy that isn't afraid of taking its time to tell a story. Vasya is a witch who can see/communicate with Russian 'folklore' spirits, these spirits are fading with the coming of Christianity. There is an unhinged priest, the winter king Morozko whom Vasya has an intense relationship with, Vasya's brother (a monk, based on a real person), Vasya's sister (married to the Tsar, a real person), and just...god, I don't know. I loved everything about this trilogy, the way it humanised historical figures, the way it didn't demonise either the folklore spirits (who are allowed to be non-human beings devoid of human morality! so refreshing) or the Christians, but rather conveyed how a time of upheaval like this had to have been very scary and tumultous. an absolute treat.

I did also read the entire Charm of Magpies series by KJ Charles including the spinoffs, which I really enjoyed.

[beanyboobee]

Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before.....Thanks...

Oh! I love these types of questions of course! Well my favorite character tends to change every once awhile, so I'll just sort of throw out a few. I don't know if I have 10 because it's been awhile since I've watched anything properly! But here we go! In no particular order-

1. Noe Archivisite: Noe is my favorite character in media at the moment. Specifically Noe in the Manga as opposed to his Anime counterpart. There's just something so interesting abiut him. How he is written to sort of be the eyes on the world. Also his excitement for making new friends and his ability to get lost even under the simplest of circumstances [I can relate to way to much]. But mostly I adore him because his character development is subtle but real, he is flawed but that doesn't make him a bad person. And how he veiws those around him is facinating to read. Honestly I could write an entire analysis of his character . But we would be here all day.

2 . Daisy Buccanan from The Great Gatsby.[book] Though we don't see much of her perspective, what we do see is facinating. She's almost caged in this mystery. We learn enough about her but not everything to the point of understanding her. She's an enigma on writing that cannot be tied down by any accurate term but if I were to try and pair a word to who she is. The first word that comes to mind is. Melancholy. She's a very Melancholic character. Complex in a way that can be read as she is on paper or looked into and explored more deeply.

3. Viktor Frankenstein [from the book] it is no secret to my friends that ti hold a very big place in my mind for deep diving into Frankenstein and the character that is Viktor Frankenstein. Having read the novel 5 times. Each time I find myself with a new outlook on the character. I've grown tired of this narrative that Victor's the villian and honestly I never understood it. Similar to Noe I could make an entire analysis of his character but I doubt very many would be interested. But as a quick run down, I veiw his character as a young boy who is grieving and doesn't know what to do with that grief. A boy who didn't give himself time to greive proper and so threw himself into an old forgotten passion and created something horrifying in the making. A regret he cannot take back that leads to tragedy after tragedy. A character that realised the error of his ways too late and even when he is old. Is not too proud to not admit his wrong doings and even saves another from losing themselves to passions. He is a complex character who I deeply admire and am saddened to see often watered down when it comes to films.

4. 4. Wei Wuxian [The grand Master of Demonic Cultivation] another one everyone probualy saw coming, but I adore the complexities of his character, mainly I adore the entire story but specifically how they push Wei Wuxian as a character that has motivation behind every action. A person who I at least veiwed- As the one good person in a way full of those looking for someone to blame. He isn't all good of course not innocent in the slightest. There's blood on his hands but as the book unravels and we see each life event of his you cannot help but admire him. For what a bright and cheerful person he remained to be even after coming back from the dead. After everything he never once wishes ill upon those who wish it on hom. Insted always bringing it back to how he deserves their erie. He is a facinating character with way to much to say about him that kne simple post can take.

5. Deirdre of the Sorrows [A legend from my country] A tale about a girl that was apperantly cursed before she was born. A prophecy made that everyone took incorrectly that resulted in the death of not only Deirdres lover and brothers in law but herself too. Kicking off one of the biggest wars in Irish Mythology. The Character of Deirdre slowly eroded with time as did many women in irish myths but what remains is still enough to say she was a smart woman who's broken heart and beauty was enough to spark a war. There's many differnat variations of this tale. Some where she lives others where she dies.

But the one in which the scream that was heard from her mother's stomach before she was born. Is the same scream she let's out before dying of a broken heart is my favorite characterisation of her a tragic heroine, who loved so deeply she couldn't live without it.

6. Cinderella [from Disney cinderella] I wrote a whole essay on her for a college paper of which I will not go back into. But basically her character inspired little me to become a better person and for that she is always one of my favorites.

There's definetly more I just can't think of them at the moment

My brain has now gone blank and it's 1 am so I'm afraid this is all I got-

[mediaevalmusereads]

The Overstory. By Richard Powers. Norton, 2018.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Genre: literary fiction

Series: N/A

Summary: The Overstory is a sweeping, impassioned work of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of - and paean to - the natural world. From the roots to the crown and back to the seeds, Richard Powers’s twelfth novel unfolds in concentric rings of interlocking fables that range from antebellum New York to the late twentieth-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. There is a world alongside ours—vast, slow, interconnected, resourceful, magnificently inventive, and almost invisible to us. This is the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world and who are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe.

***Full review below***

CONTENT WARNINGS: suicide, violence, blood, bodily harm

OVERVIEW: I saw some minor buzz about this book some years ago, but I haven't managed to pick it up until now. I wasn't really clear on what it was about, and to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure if I do even after reading it. Overall, I found The Overstory to be deeply moving, full of gorgeous prose and characters that will stick in my mind for a while. The reasons for a 4 star reading will be more apparent below, but suffice it to say, I think this novel is a must-read for nature lovers as well as anyone who is worried about trees and climate change.

WRITING: Powers' prose reads like a poem. It's mindful of its cadence and deploys figurative language in an affective way. I particularly liked the way the prose conveyed a deep love and appreciation for the natural world. The way Powers describes trees is absolutely stunning, and I can see the way he emphasizes things like connection and harmony.

But with this luscious prose comes a pace that is at times perfect and at others, tedious. Perhaps this pacing is on purpose because Powers continually emphasizes the way time is "perceived" by trees, but as a human reader, there were moments that I think were drawn out too long.

PLOT: The plot of this book follows 9 characters from childhood to adulthood. Each of them has a particular relationship with trees and the natural world; one is a professor studying tree communication, one is a video game developer/coder (who creates a popular game based on hoarding resources), and several others get swept up in the timber wars of the 1980s and 1990s.

Part of what made this story so engaging was the way each character interacted with trees and how their lives changed as a result. I loved reading about the love for trees and the feeling of belonging in nature, and I was wholly sympathetic to the characters' causes.

If I had any criticism, I would say that by the end of the book, the story gets to be a little bleak. Some may argue the end is appropriate, and that's fine. I don't think it should have necessarily ended with sunshine, rainbows, and false reassurances. But personally, my climate anxiety is so bad that the end of this book had me a tad depressed and not at all motivated to fight for a better world.

TL; DR: The Overstory is a lyrical novel filled with a deep affection for trees and nature. Told through the life stories of 9 protagonists, this book leaves a deep impression on those open to be awestruck (and heartbroken) by the natural world.

CHARACTERS: Because this book follows so many characters, I'm only going to speak about them in broad terms.

Personally, I found all of the protagonists deeply interesting. Not only did they have unique and distinct origins, but they also had a variety of jobs and ways of interacting with the world that it truly felt like no two were similar. I also appreciated that they were complex and flawed, with some of them having traits that wouldn't be all that admirable in real life. It made each character feel multi-dimensional and fully realized, so it was quite easy for me to remember and keep track of them all.

I'm not sure if I have any criticism, and even the ideas I do have, I'm not sure if they would be valid. For example, two of Powers' characters are POC, which is great, but I was surprised neither was Indigenous, as that perspective would have been interesting in the context of this story. But at the same time, I'm not sure I would have appreciated Powers parroting the viewpoint(s) of an Indigenous peoples, so maybe it's best he didn't.

[tuiyla]

not a top 5/top 10 ask, but it's still a ranking question: you said before that Katara, Santana, Marceline, Korra and Asami are your top 5 favorite characters of all time and that Korrasami, Bubbline, Brittana, Hollstein and Catradora are your top 5 ships of all time. How would you rank the characters that are part of your OTPs but didn't make it into the list of faves of all time (Brittany, PB, Carmilla, Laura, Catra and Adora)?

(Can you tell that I've been binge reading your blog? 🙈)

Well first off I'm honoured you'd be binging my blog, hope you had fun! Second, fun question let's get into it.

Hard to choose between Hollstein and PB, they're so similar in terms of appreciation in my mind. In fact, one of the great essays that never was is a Bubbline and Hollstein comparison post. "Of Nerds and Vampires," ah yes, posts that will always just be half-finished word docs on my desktop. But all that said, Hollstein are so equally matched to me they have to be following each other and I can't bear to put PB third because I've come to love her so much. So:

Bonnibel Bubblegum - She wins out because she's SO different from what people first expect of her and I just love her in all her tyrannical glory. A much, much more complex character than many give her credit for and I adore the moral grey area she lives in. Definition of women can be war criminals too.

Laura Hollis - It feels kinda strange to rank her above Carmilla as Carmilla is basically just My Type as a character and I did start the series preferring her. But Laura grows on you and she's just so damn endearing in all her naïvety and relentless optimism. I just find characters who stay kind and compassionate no matter what so damn compelling. Being nice is a superpower.

Carmilla Karnstein - Do not worry Carmilla isn’t far behind. She’s the OG lesbian vampire, what else is there to say. Well, lots, from tragic backstories to moral ambiguity to a desire, despite all that, to be good in some way. Even if that goodness only relates to connections with others, but I mean what is ‘good’ if not what we do for each other. Very Character. Much Vampire.

Brittany S Pierce - I feel there’s a clear distinction between the top three and bottom three here but I still very much like the bottom three. I think ranking Britt here above Catradora is just me being in my Glee brainrot era because I do find the other two more well-developed and compelling characters. But just in terms of how I feel right now and because I’m actively in the Glee fandom but haven’t rewatched She-Ra in a long while, I’ll say Britt. My love for her is reignited literally any time I watch a scene she’s in. Precious unicorn.

Adora - Again I feel like I “should” rank the more morally grey character first because that’s more my type but Adora called to me. Differently than PB or Laura did, more in the Korra way. If Bubbline and Hollstein are parallel versions then Korrasami... well their parallel is Supercorp, but Adora is a different universe and hero’s journey version of Korra. You know, I never used to go hard for protagonists before Korra but here I am with Adora now as well. She’s Anxiety™ and martyr complex and truly just has so much baggage but she gets her happy ending and I love her journey.

Catra - I do have a slight not like other girls bias against Catra, I must confess. By which I mean that after a certain point a character gets so popular that even if you see the appeal you kind of get turned off, which I’ll call the Zuko Syndrome. Both because he’s the first example in my fandom experience and because, well, I think there are other similarities with these two. But for real Catra is a super super complex character and I’m nothing if not a lover of messed up female characters. Catra is so deeply flawed in a way that I instinctively turn away from because it hits too close to home but also am drawn to because the story is so... kind to her. I do think her redemption is done well in a sense that it’s not like she faces no consequences but she’s also allowed to heal and move forward, exemplifying what’s so beautiful about SPOP. Frankly I don’t think audiences deserved a ch like Catra, from some Discourse I’ve witnessed, but I also think SPOP teaches us that it’s not about what we deserve.

[alexwatchesshows]

Grace & Frankie: S1E1

Spoilers for S1E1 only.

Honestly, I think this is a really solid start to the show. In the first scene, not only do we get the big shock/reveal that sets the premise of the show, but we also get a good introduction to the characters and their relationships to each other. Grace is uptight, concerned with how others see her and critical of others who don't feel this way. Frankie is more easy-going, and is openly emotionally vulnerable. Robert and Sol each seem to match their (ex) wives personalities and values, but we also see that Grace and Robert aren't exactly having the romance of the century. We also get a good introduction to Grace and Frankie's relationship. They are, above all else, very different people. They would not spend any time together if it weren't for their husbands but, because of this link, they have some empathy for each other's situations (as we see when they both talk about how they wish R & S will retire). We also get Grace's iconic martini order for the first time.

Then, as the scene progresses, some of the assumptions I made about G & F's characters are subverted. Frankie, the more extravagant, outgoing character is the one who breaks down quietly whilst Grace is the one who creates a scene. Also, throwing seafood is iconic. What a moment.

The aftermath is one of the things that really sold me on this show. It would be so easy to take the basic premise and turn it into something cliche and tired, but the emotional complexity of the conversations really moves it past that. We see Robert's fundamental misunderstanding of Grace's desires and values, alongside Sol & Frankie's deep-seated love for each other, even in the wake of such a destructive revalation. The introduction of the children (ik they're adults, but they mostly play the role of the main characters' children so just move with it) really adds to this. Off-hand comments about how F & S got a therapist involved when the family dog died and the Grace's desire to keep things hidden from her children so she doesn't have to talk about it further emphasises the difference between the two families. Yet, ultimately, their reactions are very similar. Grace and Frankie both break down and discover that, in light of everything, their children are still there for them. We see the almost palpable pain on the faces of R & S as they realise that they are the ones causing this pain and effectively destroying the families that their children were raised in. This leads quite nicely into one of my favourite things about this show: nobody is every truly in the wrong. There is sympathy for everyone. Everyone is deeply flawed but everyone also has hidden reserves of empathy and kindness. In a weird way, this show really does grasp the complexity of human emotion and morality.

Finally, the end scene. After such a heavy-hitting first half, it's something of a relief to get a more comedic take on the whole unravelling life thing. The Ben & Jerry being more than ice-cream buddies comment haunts me every time I eat any ice-cream. We do still see Grace being quite cruel to Frankie (but, again, we can never fully hate her for it, given everything that's happening to her) but also going to help her without hesitation when she gets that call from Frankie in the night. In the end, it seems like getting high on weird tea with your ex-husband's lover's ex-wife on a beach in the middle of the night will solve a lot of problems. Maybe I should try it.

[valenteal]

Hi Autumn! Thanks a ton for responding!

I totally understand what your saying, and I do realize that I’m being pretty harsh on Kunikida. I don’t hate him or think he’s a bad character, I just think that he’s the only character that the fandom doesn’t take as seriously when he does something wrong. BSD tackles hard topics by trivializing them and treating them as a joke because it’s meant to be entertainment, but we as a fandom take these jokes a bit more seriously than the show/manga/light novels themselves. Putting Kunikida in the real world where his actions wouldn’t come with funny noises or animations would change a lot of how people perceive him. If we’re going to take things more seriously than the official content than we should be consistent.

And Kunikida is both sensitive and insensitive. He is hurt easily and deeply, but at the same time he is insensitive to other people’s feelings, as is made quite clear in the third episode of the anime. He isn’t self obsessed or even selfish, but his loyalty is ultimately to himself and his goals and those will always come above other people’s needs and wants. He is a complex character with very realistic flaws.

The thing is, Kunikida is a lot like me but with executive functioning and 0 therapy. The things I am criticizing him for are things that I used to do before I learned better. Kunikida doesn’t deal with his emotions well and he lashes out at those around him because of it. The way he acts is so familiar it hurts. I can see how other people could look at him and see his actions as harmless and friendly, but as someone who used to do similar things and suffered for it… well let’s just say it isn’t fun.

When I call Kunikida an asshole I mean it in the same way I would call myself a bit of a bitch. And I’m not one of those people who thinks Dazai did no wrong either. I call him an asshole all the time. And a psychopath. And basically evil.

I just want people to acknowledge that bsd makes behaviors that aren’t acceptable seem perfectly normal and okay, and that that also applies to Kunikida. He means well but just like everyone else in the story he is incredibly fucked up and has TERRIBLE coping mechanisms. So many people act like he’s the most stable or moral person in the agency. He’s not. He’s disaster of a person who is clinging desperately to control and his relationships with the people around him all leave much to be desired.

And about the Dazai killings himself to get away comment, it sounds a lot harsher than I meant it to. But really it doesn’t take much to make Dazai want to off himself, just a minor annoyance, but if he felt like he was spending time with a true friend? If he was enjoying himself and not feeling miserable? He wouldn’t have jumped in the river. Kunikida was making him feel worse instead of better. Which makes sense because he and Dazai just don’t have compatible personalities. No matter how much they really care about or respect each other they just don’t get along. They will never be best friends. They push each other’s buttons too much and they don’t enjoy spending time together.

Anyway this isn’t a full analysis of Kunikida’s character, I didn’t feel the need to point out the things that are obvious or widely recognized. I just wanted to point out his flaws and the things people ignore because I just don’t see many people acknowledging it. This post is in no way comprehensive.

Kunikida is an asshole tho right? I’m not the only one who genuinely doesn’t like him right? Dazai brush it off and makes it seem like playful banter but the way Kunikida treats him is abusive and unlike pretty much every other instance of abuse in this series it’s happened in a legitimate business that actually try’s to be moral. It isn’t the norm or what’s expected. It is not ok to strangle your co-worker just because they’re being annoying. And the show actually said the bandage squandering machine comment actually hurt Dazai. Not to mention the way he responded to Atsushi’s kidnapping or just Kyouka in general. He has good intentions and he’s a good person but he’s inflexible in the worst way. In his attempt to balance his idealism and his pragmatism he created rigid conditions to determine when a situation was worth his time or attention. Because he acknowledges that he can’t help everybody he decided to do his absolute best at the agency and to help people only if it’s for the agency. He doesn’t do things for people. He does them for his ideals. He didn’t want to help when Atsushi was kidnapped, he wasn’t willing to help Kyouka, and he didn’t join the others in avenging the coffee man. He has little to no loyalty to anyone else, his loyalty is to his ideals and thus to himself.

The thing that really made me realize how bad he is is a scene from 55 minutes that no one seems to talk about. Right after Dazai literally dies and is brought back to life only through a lot of luck and planning this happens:

“‘… Now I’ll have to come up with a new plan to kill myself. But—’

‘DAZAAAAAAI’

‘Oof?!’

Kunikida drop-kicked Dazai from the side, nearly breaking him in two and sending him flying to the ground.

‘HOW… MANY TIMES… ARE YOU GOING TO… SCREW UP THE JOB… BECAUSE YOU CAN’T SIT STILL?!?! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH… WE HAD TO GO THROUGH… TO BRING YOU BACK TO LIFE…?!?!’

‘Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! Kunikida, please stop kicking and choking and yelling at me!’

‘The hell are you talking about?! ‘Finally managed to die’? You’re no longer human! You don’t deserve that right! If you really want to die that much, I’ll kill you myself!…’”

See this really pisses me off. Dazai was stabbed and he bled out. He died. Yosano was only able to save him when he was in a limbo between life and death, during the half a second between his heart starting again and his blood actually reaching his brain. Her ability, despite what some people seem to think, isn’t perfect. It isn’t a magical cure all in an instant. She has to work at it, use it multiple times. She used her ability on Junichiro 4 times. She could only heal Dazai for a fraction of a second. He wasn’t better. He was just not actively dying. And Kunikida goes and beats him up. Dazai actually asked him to stop. He doesn’t usually do that. He was actually in pain and making truly concerning remarks about his suicidal ideation. And the no longer human comment? Saying Dazai doesn’t deserve to feel the way he does? That’s one of Dazai’s deepest insecurities and Kunikida says it like it’s nothing. That’s a really shitty thing to do.

And considering previous things in the book, we do know that Kunikida isn’t happy with Dazai. This isn’t just worry manifesting in anger. He was mad at Dazai before this happened. He was forcibly reminded of Dazai’s history and his willingness to do terrible things.

“‘You’re a demon in human skin. You know that?��� expressed Kunikida in utter disgust…”

Now, I’m not defending Dazai or saying that Kunikida is wrong to be upset, but he is using language that he knows will get to Dazai. He isn’t saying Dazai is doing terrible things, he’s saying he’s a demon, that he’s not human. He’s dehumanizing and abusing a co-worker, he’s lashing out with the most hurtful things he can. And the worst part is that his behavior is so normalized that everyone brushes it off or interprets it as his way of showing affection. They think it’s a weird friendship, that Dazai and Kunikida balance each other. They don’t, not outside a fight. The dynamic they have is seriously fucked up. Our introduction to them is literally Dazai trying to kill himself to get away from Kunikida, okay? That’s a red flag. Kunikida is a major asshole. And I think we need to acknowledge that, just like we all agree that Dazai is also a major asshole.

[arcane-ish]

The appeal of Vander x Silco for me

I have some complex feelings on what I think is appealing about Vander X Silco and there is a lot of cheesy, surface level stuff and I might make a post on this eventually and those are all fun and that. 

But I think the main reason why it really sticks with me is a very particular one. 

I have mused before that I really like Jinx x Ekko as well and how there are lot of similarities with the whole almost trying to kill each other and the intensity of emotions and the falling apart over morals. But despite the similarities they actually have very different positions in my brain. I like Timebomb of the big drama, high octane angst. 

While in a weird way, Zaundads is a comfort ship for me. Which, you know, kind of insane with the whole tried to kill each other/probably genuinely thought that they succeeded in killing the other/scarred each other for life/betrayed the joined dream etc. 

But the thing is, I really love Arcane. I just really love all the characters, even the villainous ones like Silco (naturally), Sevika and Singed. 

And Vander and Silco (still) loving each other feels like the best, the most natural way to get a real feeling “One Big Happy Weasley Family” ending. 

It’s not that having Vander in his life is like the only way I could ever picture Silco being happy. Like, I could picture like an AU where it’s just him and Jinx and her and the environment is just slightly more healthy and he gets genuine joy from her achievements. 

But at the same time, in my head, Vander loves Vi, Silco loves Jinx and Jinx and Vi love each other. Silco and Jinx against the world, I could picture making Silco happy. But it would leave Vi sad. Because I don’t think that Silco wants to share, he would hate sharing and if I could maybe with a lot of twisting around picture a version where he makes peace with sharing Jinx with Vi it would 1) likely be a compromised happiness 2.) it would still leave Vander out in the cold. 

Like, if I really force it like maybe I can picture a version where Silco is like with some OC who mellows him out and he has both kids and I dunno, Vander is dating Benzo and they are raising Ekko together so he is happy too? And Vander and Silco are at least cordial together? 

But to me Vander X Silco loving each other, whether platonically or more is just the easiest and most natural way I can imagine that would resolve the Gordian knot of relationships. And even though it is befitting of the kind of show it is that it is intentional that this knot cannot be resolved, that not everybody can be happy, that’s kind of what makes it a comfort ship. And even though the vast majority of Vander x Silco fic is appropriately tragic and flawed, what makes it special to me is that that taste of just how much better things could be if they got their shit together or if they had never had a falling out is still there, underneath it all. 

And it’s just fascinating to me to imagine in what ways the world of Arcane and/or their lives would be better off if they loved each other (again romantically or platonically) and how fascinating it would be for them to find a compromise between their positions on morality vs. action against Piltover. 

When I compare it to Timebomb, one thing that is different about Zaundads is that we know that they used to be “happy” together at some time in the past. And it’s also that in a lot of ways, both Vander and Silco are a lot more flexible characters. We know that The Drowning deeply changed Silco, we know fathering Jinx changed his outlook. With Vander we know that he changed from more violent to less violent and we know that as Warwick he will change fundamentally yet again. So trying to imagine a way how they could compromise feels like less of a betrayal. 

Like, I could imagine an older, hardened Ekko, who has a rougher, more cynical opinion on murder, but it feels like betrayal of a character who is so neatly positioned as being all about hope. So when I imagine happy timebomb to me it’s often easiest as an AU, where certain things just didn’t happen rather than the problem being more how they have to change their point of view. 

Another big thing about Zaundads to me is that Silco feels ... stuck. He’s hung up on that night. He cannot stop talking about Vander. He keeps going back to that night. 

And I perceive that trauma to be absolutely fundamentally essential to Silco’s character. 

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think that that night is the reason why Silco is “evil”. He clearly had pre-existing traumas that made him hate Piltover. 

But to me the Vander trauma is so essential because I think it is what keeps him from trusting others, from making genuine connection with others. And as such it’s imo the biggest obstacle that keeps him from changing and becoming better (whether as a “better person” or as being less miserable). Because in the end this is how we change, by connecting to others, learning from others, accepting others. 

And that is what Silco’s paranoia closes him off from, why he is hyperfocused on Jinx, why he doesn’t want to share Jinx even though that might be good for Jinx. 

Don’t get me wrong, I think it is entirely possible that Silco was paranoid and had trust issues before meeting Vander (just like it’s possible that he had less of it when he talks about brothers and sisters), but he was clearly willing to open up to Vander and it was traumatizing to him when didn’t work out. 

And no, in real life you don’t resolve your trauma by hooking up with the person who tried to kill you and caused that trauma. But this is fiction and in fiction sex and romance and shipping are ways to resolve dramatic tension and lead it into different paths. For a way to have climax and release in a way that isn’t through violence and with love as a way to make it feel more lasting. 

But even outside of shipping I genuinely think that if Silco wanted to change as a person, he would have to properly, more healthily deal with his Vander trauma before he could ever move forward. (again no shade on the “Silco did nothing wrong, you go heavily amoral crime boss revolutionary” crowd, those are cool too) 

So the focus is more on imagining how a situation could ever arise where Silco would be willing to be open enough about his trauma and where Vander would be open enough to properly receive that openness so actual catharsis can happen. (again with shipping or without) Something that likely both of them are too stubborn and paranoid about, but that’s why it’s kind of the tantalizing, impossible dream. 

Which in my head looks kind of like them meeting on neutral ground and Silco being in essence: “I loved you so much and what you did really hurt me and it really fucked me up” and Vander just pulling him into the world’s biggest bearhug and going “I get it and I’m sorry” and then they both cry like babies and vow try better and to never hurt each other again. 

Art Source

Art Source

Which again, would never happen, wouldn’t work for the show, it’s debatable whether it would be even deserved. But at the same time I can’t help but feel like it would just be *better* if it were possible, pretty much like I feel like “wow, wouldn’t it just be better if there were a world where Jinx and Ekko didn’t have to fight each other”. 

[elijahmiles]

sometimes i feel like a portion of this fandom flattens luke's personality a lot in fanworks so he's reduced to becoming this domestic doormat self insert that needs to be positive and nice most of the time or cries a lot while serving another character's needs. of course he can be kind and compassionate but he also gets frustrated and annoyed too and isn't out there to redeem every single enemy or fascist he sees just because he wants to bring vader back to the light side, for god's sake he had no problem blowing up that deathstar and chucking jabba's allies into the sarlacc pit. he was willing to beat the shit out of vader for even suggesting that his sister would be corrupted.

his anger is very much of part of who he is as much as his love for his family and friends. it also doesn't make him evil, and yes i agree his flaws are what make his growth through the story matter more. all these traits combined are some of the reasons why luke is a compelling character and i wish i didn't have to see that cursed fanon version of him so much because it's boring.

on another note, people also sometimes boil the twins' personalities down to "leia is the sassy girlboss and luke is the sweet clueless one" like sure have fun with that idea but let's not pretend that luke himself doesn't get sassy and leia doesn't have a soft side.

no yeah exactly!! Luke’s anger is a MAJOR part of who he is, one of the major obstacles in esb. His love manifests as anger sometimes, with his indignant and rebellious nature. Rebellions are built on hope, but they are also built on anger. fanon luke always seems to forget how incredibly competent and complex he is beyond wanting to save Vader (which is a really complicated emotional issue) and fandom memes that have become really fucking annoying. no I don’t need to hear about how luke is a twink okay y’all have driven that word into the ground. Luke can be angry, and impatient, and reckless, as well as religious, compassionate, and deeply feeling. People often regulate him to schoolteacher, and while I feel he would absolutely teach kids and adults alike in the force, his place in peacetime is hard-won and an ongoing struggle. He is a veteran, a rebel, and a backwater farm kid from Tatooine too. All these things lend to him being a Jedi, and he is so much more than a Jedi at the same time.

There’s something really poetic too, especially in juxtaposition with Leia. Luke’s love for Leia inspires his anger, while Leia’s love for Luke inspires her vulnerability. They bring out the parts of each other they have learned how best to hide or never felt strong enough to show. To classify one as being strictly one way or the other as well as opposites ignores the major theme of them being extremely similar and connected to each other.

[critical-thinking-is-mandatory]

Kagami's existence really highlights the narrative flaws of Adrien, when they're supposedly reflections. / Adrien had twenty friends in 2 episodes, while Kagami had one friend in 26 episodes. / Adrien shows no regret for placing his romantic desires over his friends, Kagami at least acknowledges Marinette's pain. / Adrien is actually aware of his bad behavior, Kagami interprets information incorrectly from apps & manga. / (TLDR: The writings somehow made Adrien's reflection more compelling.)

Yeah like, I've seen narrative foils and mirrors done really well (from AtLA there's Aang & Zuko, Sokka & Jet, Katara & Zuko, Katara & Azula, Katara & Aang and Sokka & Zuko) and foils can add so much to a narrative, add or highlight the depth and complexity of the characters and their dynamics.

And it's like, Kagami and Adrien are supposed to be reflections of each other, the same but different, just one fundamental difference. Except, lol, they're really not that similar.

There's the superficial similarities ofc, the wealthy single parent families, the lonely upbringing, the fencing...thing and the whole repression of their true desires but that's honestly where the similarities end. Kagami, as you said anon, is genuinely lonely. She doesn't even have a kwami to talk to and her only friend for the majority of her time is Adrien (and we all know how well Adrien treats his friends smh 🙄😒). And when Kagami finally makes a genuine friend, it's because Kagami did her damndest to do so! She's there trying out icebreaker questions and putting herself out of her comfort zone trying to make friends with Marinette (who at the time, Kagami believes is Adrien's preferred partner, ouch). Kagami is out here, working her ass off to get one (1) friend.

And Adrien? In Origins, his whole "goal" was to have friends his own age and that goal? Accomplished in one 2-parter episode. He shows up in Origins and the whole school is falling over themselves to get in his good-books and Adrien is perfectly happy to consider these people his friends smh.

and don't even get me started on how Adrien treats his "friends" 😒. Nino gets akumatised? Whatever lol, party time! Marinette's house is crushed by an akuma? Who cares! Ladybug didn't kiss him 🥺. Adrien's dating Kagami? Lol Ladybug has to love him now!

Like for crying out loud, Kagami actually feels bad over her decision to pursue Adrien even though she's friends with Marinette and Marinette wants him too. Adrien doesn't feel anything for his friends! At most he gets his knickers in a bunch about Marinette being happy in Malediktator, at Chloe's defense. The only time he cared about Nino was in Animan *counts on fingers* THREE three seasons ago. Like???

One half of this "mirror" is an awkward, honest, caring, loving person who's reconciling their feelings with the way they were raised, trying to fit love and friendship into their competition mentality. And the other half is a fake, charming, liar, who cares about nothing more than himself and his own superiority over anyone he deems morally lesser.

Like hm. I mean, let's go over a good reflection, Aang and Katara.

They have a hell of a lot in common. They're both kind, deeply compassionate and caring kids. They're sweet and optimistic and they care so, so much. They have phenomenal power within their grasp and they use it for good. And, they are the survivors of genocide. Both regarded as the last of their kind. Aang, the last airbender, and Katara, the last waterbender in the Southern Water Tribe.

The key difference between the two, is that while Aang lost his people in the blink of an eye, and has known the full life and beauty and glory of his people, Katara has known nothing but loss her whole life and carries the weight of the past and the hopes of the future on her shoulders. It's the way sudden, very personal grief and generational trauma differs.

Wow that got deep. Anyway. The point is, Adrien and Kagami are not true reflections of each other. They're so, so different. And like, it could work, that's the worst part. They could both be kind, honest, awkward people, but the way people react to them could be different. Kagami is (maybe? idk) a famous child athlete and people find that intimidating. Adrien, is a famous child model, and people find that more, alluring, or perhaps, he's more of a celebrity so that people don't have that idea of boundaries toward him.

I mean, not necessarily a great example but there are definitely ways to make the pair reflections and for it to add to their characters.

[divorcedcaejose]

i would 100% be down to hear you infodump about the True caejose dynamic, i don't even care about jojo ships and i'm riveted

Okay, I tried to keep this short because I have a lot of thoughts about Caesar and Joseph and the post would have turned to word vomit without some limit lmao. I focused only on what in their characterization makes for the TRUE caejose dynamic.

So much fanwork boils caejose down to: Joseph “annoying himbo man” Joestar and Caesar “grumpy sexy guy” Zeppeli and blegh... I see where they are coming from, right? Joseph and Caesar have an appeal as a ship because they are “opposites” but it’s more complicated than most fic writers make it.

Joseph’s characterization in the fandom as a whole is... bad... He is either represented as the “dumb” Joestar or the “genius” Joestar or the “haha infidelity amiright guys?” Joestar. When in canon he is none of these. The genius one I guess is the closest? But even so, it is more about his cleverness/resourcefulness than actual “intelligence” in the traditional sense. Araki even refers to Joseph more as a conman than a hero, which I think it a fantastic way to think about his character.

Joseph is a great character with just as many flaws as he has strengths. For every dumbass moment there’s a moment of him outsmarting an enemy with a brilliant trick. For every time he is selfish, he is caring towards friends/family. And for every time he is a brat or let’s his ego get to him, he is allowed to have a more humble and respectful side.

THEN we have Caesar, who the fandom either largely ignores as the dead catholic kid or overtly sexualizes, leaving nothing more than a perfect Sex God rather than the deeply flawed man he is written to be.

Just like Joseph, Caesar is a fairly well rounded character (especially for how little screen time he truly has.) His strengths are balanced out with weaknesses. He’s romantic, but his also lies and cheats. He’s confident, but it leads to annoying arrogance. And he is prideful, but to an extreme fault.

What works for Joseph and Caesar’s relationship (romantic or not) is that they are written as foils to one another. Not only are their flaws balancing out their own strengths, but their traits are often perfect opposites to each other. Caesar is a ladies man: Joseph is a virgin. Joseph has no siblings: Caesar has 4. Caesar has a hidden criminal past: Joseph openly fistfights cops. The list goes on and on (and should be saved for it’s own deeper analysis.)  

What makes Caesar such a great side character (the best jobro tbh) is how well Araki balanced him for Joseph. He is written as a interesting character on his own, and also he was written to complement Joseph’s in almost every single way.

It’s a great dynamic that you can use in many ways! If you want, you can write an angsty fic about foils and soulmates OR you play up their annoying flaws making them the perfect court jesters for all of your little shitposts!

TL;DR The TRUE caejose dynamic is two annoying, but complex dudes who irk each other with just how similar they really are that also harbor deep love and respect for the other’s strengths.

[sparksadrift]

Gellert Grindelwald Character Recs.

You know, for fun. My small list includes chaotic, charming, manipulative and emotionally distant characters. All of them remind me of Gellert Grindelwald in some way, sometimes in an eerily similar manner. This is based on personality - less so on actions, so no dictators taking over the world, or anything too wild. Link added to each one, if anyone's interest is peaked. I'm sure there's more to list, but this is all that I have for now. Coincidentally, they all happen to be gay men:

Brendan Brady, Hollyoaks - Sociopath, difficulty being close to others, callous, manipulative, deeply flawed but embraces the hell out of it. He's charming, quick witted, sassy, very rough around the edges, but - there is a softer side to him that he keeps buried. Deeply complex character - when I watched Brendan's story this year, my constant stream of thought was how much he reminds me of Gellert. A charming villain. Has a grace to his actions.

Likes to assert dominance by taking bites out of other people's food. Shows affection with threats and violence. Will bludgeon a man to death for even thinking about hurting someone he loves. Does a lot of fucked up shit. Brendan is fearless, and bulletproof.

A very damaged man, who keeps it well hidden, and will snap and do something drastic - just for fun. Likes fruity drinks and confusing the hell out of everyone, will be an intimidating piece of shit while singing under his breath, walks into church and taunts Jesus - would definitely steal candy from a baby. He also reminds me of the brothers from Boondock Saints - Irish, religious, usually murders with good reasons.

I highly recommend watching his story, it's long, and devastating. You will despise him, then grow to love him. You will sob your eyes out by the time you're done. I have never in my life, seen a character as well written as Brendan Brady. He is absolute chaos, and you won't regret watching his story.

Brian Kinney, Queer as Folk - A God amongst men, unapologetically queer, callous and dry, emotionally distant, might also be a bit of a sociopath. His mantra is no apologies, no regrets. A master at getting what he wants, and giving no fucks.

An asshole, always, because it amuses him. Deeply charming. Self centered, because he knows he's beautiful and can have whoever he wants. Aversion to love and intimacy, keeping everyone at arms length, but inevitably does break his no relationship rule. King deadpan humour.

Brian will always be one of my favourite characters, because he is authentic and unapologetic.

James Nightingale, Hollyoaks - This one is more loose, but there are similarities. Cold, detached lawyer; very dry and clever insults, highly intellectual - but James has a grace, and a flair that I see in Gellert.

He is very elegant in how he carries himself and speaks, and is rather particular about his style. Classy, kinda old fashioned. Feels that he is above others. Highly unethical, problematic and angsty.

A little damaged and broken inside. Discovers what it means to truly love someone. Occasionally will acknowledge when he goes too far, and will feel remorse. I adore James, the problematic little gay ball of trouble that he is.

[Edit: If you actually check anyone out, let me know what you think! These characters aren't very common, and I'd love to hear other's perspectives.]

[hamliet]

Hi, hamliet....why do you like hamlet, romeo & juliet, and othello .....? Now I know what hamliet stands for (so cool)....Thanks...

I find each play (along with many others of Shakespeare’s!) deeply psychologically and thematically interesting. They capture the intrinsic complexity of humanity in how they explore the characters, and that makes them timeless in a sense--you can still read and relate to the characters today, even though they were written 500 years ago.

Othello tackles racism (and sexism and arguably homophobia--Shakespeare was almost certainly bisexual, so that’s not anachronism), and while it is certainly antiquated in certain aspects, it is also sharply relevant. It’s difficult to hate any of the characters except Iago, who provides a meta commentary that makes him fascinating. He never tells the audience what his motive is, and while he drops some hints, the hints all contradict each other, making it utterly impossible to definitively nail down Iago’s motives. These hints are that he’s angry Othello promoted Cassio over him, he’s angry Othello slept with his wife (while not true, we don’t know whether Iago believes this or not), and that he might himself have feelings of a romantic/sexual nature for Othello and projects them onto Othello (he paraphrases Shakespearean marriage vows when discussing Othello). 

Iago manipulates different factions of society together, preying on societal flaws (toxic masculinity, racism) to amplify the flaws inside Othello’s character (jealous, insecurity, and a fear of being dehumanizeD) to turn him into a man who commits monstrous acts (murdering his beloved wife), Desdemona’s (she laid it all down and was disowned for eloping with Othello, which isolates her from any person who might be able to save her from Othello’s growing instability), Roderigo’s, Cassio’s, even his own wife Emilia’s. Iago’s lack of transparency behind his motives is actually extremely important in a meta sense: it reinforces that societal flaws (racism, sexism, possibly homophobia), have no purpose or logic to them, yet bring about tragedy. Similarly, Iago’ actions are inscrutable and probably pointless. 

Hamlet... oh, where to begin here? Hamlet is The Tragedy of Passivity. Many writers attempt to write passive protagonists with passivity framed as a flaw, few succeed, and none succeed so well as Shakespeare with Hamlet. It posits the question of how, if we pretend to be something, where is the line between pretending and actually being that? To quote Vonnegut (in another story unrelated, but the quote has always applied to Hamlet) “we are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.” 

There’s also a brilliant ambiguity in how we never find out if the ghost, the instigator of this whole drama, is actually Hamlet’s father. Hamlet himself muses it might be a demon, and surely, its never appearing again and the utter tragedy that consumes everyone in the play hint that it may have in fact been a demon. However, it also told the truth about the king’s murder, so... much like Hamlet, the audience has no clear answer, and thus we empathize with him. 

Anyways, while for most authors ambiguity can be frustrating, Shakespeare brilliantly crafts it to emphasize his themes. Troilus and Cressida, although often considered a problem play, is underrated and perhaps one of Shakespeare’s best uses of ambiguity. 

Lastly, Romeo and Juliet. This tragedy is actually significantly more optimistic than Othello or Hamlet, and is more a tragic romance (romance in both the modern understanding and the literary sense, a la Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, The Tempest, and Cymbeline, the latter of which I adore alongside these three I’m discussing here.) See, while Othello and Hamlet’s flaws bring destruction to everyone around them and indict society for its flaws, Romeo and Juliet’s flaws might lead to their own deaths, but their strengths lead to the salvation of their society. 

The “it’s not a love story, it’s about two stupid impulsive teenagers and their hormones” is a cynical modern take that is not textually supported. Yes, impulsivity is a flaw for both Romeo and Juliet, but they are the victims of the feud in society more so than anyone else. The play emphasizes parental and mentor figures epically failing both of them, failing the youth, bringing death upon them all. It is only through love that everyone is saved: because they loved each other, Montague and Capulet make peace at last. It’s actually kind of thematically similar to Eremika’s relationship in SnK, in that yeah it’s flawed, but that love is still what saves everyone. The play also directly states that their love is what saves Verona, and their deaths bring life (it’s alchemy; actually, seriously, it’s alchemical; think of Mercutio’s name). It’s a beautiful love story.