#how it affects the emotional and psychological aspects

[umberandmochaagate]

We're starting to really talk about how oppression affects people on an epigenetic level for those victimized

We need to also look at how epigenetics are affected in oppressors and white supremacy

Because how in the hell you're gonna go to a South Asian country as a refugee from Europe and start tryna throw a fucking "white only" party and hating on the native people like what the fuck

[lassieposting]

Been thinking a lot lately about romanced Astarion post-spawn ending.

Because like. The Funnest™ thing about cptsd is how much of it gets delayed. When you're trapped in a lengthy, ongoing traumatic situation, you do not have the ability to process and start healing your mental wounds. Your brain and body go into survival mode, and all that matters in the moment is that you somehow cope with the horrors. He wouldn't have been able to even begin dealing with the physical, mental and emotional toll of two hundred years of torture, brutalization and dehumanization while he was under Cazador's control; he is in constant danger, surrounded by sharks in the water, and survival means not letting them smell blood. He can't afford to fall apart, to show weakness. He is shockingly functional and competent in-game, partly because he has to be to work as a game character, but also partly because...it do be like that, to some degree. When death, for whatever reason, is not an option, you just have to shut down and keep going. People adapt in order to survive, and when we learn that showing an "injury" (physical or psychological) only gets us punished, we learn to hide it.

Early-game Astarion is terrified - of Cazador, of Godey, of being hunted down by his siblings, of being staked or sold off at the first opportunity by Tav and the other companions, of turning into a mindflayer, of another painful transformation, of losing himself when he's only just regained his autonomy after two centuries, of what Cazador will do to him if he ever finds him - the man is overwhelmed by fear. He's on thin ice as a vampire, and he's not going to give them any more reason to want him gone. Survival instinct is still in control, and in this new situation, crafting some fragile safety for himself means not only selling his body for protection, but also being useful. Clear-headed. Good in a fight.

Endgame Astarion finds himself in a completely different situation. The time-sensitive overarching threats - Cazador and impending ceremorphosis - have been dealt with. He has a loving, supportive partner he's really starting to feel safe with - Tav/Durge has proved that they're on his side, that their affection is genuine, that they don't just want him for the one thing he's been told he's good for. They've told him they're going to help him find a workaround for his sun allergy. He's getting fed regularly. He has time to stop, and breathe, and just. Recuperate.

For the first time in 200 years, he is safe.

And it will probably take a while to catch up, during which time he will seem to be coping really well, but at some point, his brain is going to realise that he's safe, and it's going to finally start processing the sheer fucking horror he's been through. Since I haven't seen anyone talking about this particular fun aspect of cptsd, allow me to offer u some thoughts on issues Astarion and Tav might end up dealing with in the months/years postgame, during the

✨ Delayed Trauma Response ✨

Memory Gaps: Astarion realising, as he opens up to Tav, that there are entire years or decades of his life from which he has only a handful of memories. Great big blank stretches where he has no idea where he was, who he was with, what was happening to him. Some of the gaps cover years at a time where he was so dissociated and shut down that he just didn't retain any memories of what was going on around him. Some are shorter periods of particularly horrific torture that his brain has deliberately blocked out to protect him.

Recovered Memories: At some point, years into the future when he's done A Lot of healing, he might find that every now and then, a fragment of those lost memories will unexpectedly come back to him. He'll catch a particular scent on the breeze, or overhear a specific phrase in the street, or cross paths with someone whose face is oddly familiar, and he'll get a glimpse of an acute horror he'd filed neatly away where it couldn't hurt him anymore. He very rarely remembers all the context to those flashes of his past. He might recall that he was punished, but not what he was punished for, or he might remember words spoken by a greedy conquest, but be unable to recall the man's face.

Dissociation: Tav knows going into this relationship that Astarion has basically made an art out of dissociating during sex. They also know, from their shared encounter with the drow twins, that he's not great at enforcing his own boundaries - he'll always say he'll speak up and back out if he stops having fun, but in practice he rarely does; he's not used to having the option of saying no to his partner, and being punished if he tries. So they know there's going to be some practice and experimentation and negotiation necessary there, to figure out the rough limits of his comfort zone. But once he starts really processing, there may be days where he just checks out completely. Tav will touch his shoulder, and he'll startle and apologise - "Terribly sorry, darling, I was miles away for a moment there." And Tav will gently point out that he's been sat in the same spot vacantly staring into the middle distance for hours. They've been checking in on him occasionally and this is the first time he's responded. It's unsettling, to say the least.

Lost Time: Astarion was very young when he was turned, physically mature but emotionally juvenile. He was basically an overgrown teenager, in the phase of life where elves are just starting to learn who they are and what they want, and figure out their place in the world. But he never got to do that, because he spent his formative young adult years in a world where everyone became an abuser, where his only means of surviving was to smile and charm and obey while even his basic human dignity was stripped away. He learned that communication is based on manipulation. He learned that the powerful can do whatever they like to the weak. He learned an incredibly toxic, abusive way of life, and that was his family dynamic, his everyday life, for as long as he can remember. Now that he's free and safe, he's realising that the world doesn't actually work that way and that he's now far behind even shorter-lived races in social/emotional development. He's grieving for the person he could've been. He's grieving for the life he could've lived. He's grieving for all the years he already lost, and the ones he'll lose in the future as he flounders to catch up. A decent chunk of his life was stolen from him, and that's time he will never get back.

Flashbacks & Night Terrors: Specifically the kind where your brain convinces you that an injury you had a long time ago is actually an injury you have (or are receiving) right now. There are nights where he'll wake Tav in a panic, because his back feels like it's on fire, he can feel every freshly-carved wound dripping blood and he's in so much pain he doesn't know what else to do. If Tav looks, they see nothing out of the ordinary - old, long-healed scars, same as always. But the pain and the fear and the distress are all very real to him, and all they can do is try to comfort him, cover his back with cool damp cloths or healing salves, remind him he's safe now and they're not leaving him.

Boundary Shifting: Sometimes, Tav can come up and hug him from behind, and he'll melt into them a little bit and go all soft and happy. Other times, he might flinch away or go rigid at the same gesture. A lot of the time, it really depends on how he's feeling on the day, but at least a little bit of it is deliberate - he's pushing to find the limit of just how much autonomy Tav is willing to give him. He wants to know at what point they'll stop respecting his "no". Will they accept it if he doesn't want a hug? If he wants to sleep in his own room tonight? At what point will understanding turn to anger at being rejected? From the drow twins four/fivesome, we also know he's got a tendency to push his own boundaries, and jump into things he's actually not ready for, and Tav would be the one holding his hand through the fallout as he tries to figure out what his own boundaries even are.

Frustration! So, so much frustration. He wants to be Over It already. He wants to move past everything that ever happened to him and never think about it again. He hates that Cazador still has a grip on him, even in death - he doesn't want to give the bastard the satisfaction of dwelling on all his punishments, his cruelties. Sometimes, that frustration is going to explode outwards at Tav - he'll get angry at them for coddling him, or find something small to start a fight over, or he'll set an unreasonable boundary and try to defend it because he's still learning what healthy boundaries look like. Sometimes, it will implode inwards, and that won't be about Tav at all, but they'll get the brunt of it all the same - it might come out as self-loathing or self-punishment, and he'll react by doing something stupid, like trying to drive them away, because having a secure, relatively healthy relationship is terrifying and the instinct is to destroy it before Tav can. There will be yelling and angry tears and deeply unhealthy coping mechanisms, and they'd have to work through that. Trauma is ugly, and Astarion is right at the beginning of a very long journey towards healing.

Abandonment Issues: Astarion wants the relationship to be one between equals, but he's kind of got Tav on a pedestal all the same. They saved him. They helped him get rid of Cazador for good. They chose him and love him despite a wealth of better (in his eyes) options, and all his baggage. They stayed with him even when he has very little to offer them. We know his vanity and obnoxious self-absorption is a fragile attempt to obscure the fact that his self-esteem is in the dirt and he has virtually no self-worth, and there are a couple of occasions in-game where it becomes clear that he's afraid of losing the one person who somehow considers him lovable. After seeing Sebastian and all the other conquests, he begs Tav not to hate him, saying that he did what he had to. If he has a rival for Tav's affections, and Tav informs him that they broke up with the rival to be with Astarion, he's shocked and the first thing out of his mouth is, "You ended things with them for me? Why?" And if Durge tries to break up with him for his own safety, his facade drops and he immediately asks if he did something wrong. So while he's not afraid to argue with Tav, if something happens - like an angry outburst - that upsets or angers them, and he thinks he's at risk of losing that one steady, stable person in his life, he might well cling and overcompensate to try and repair what he thinks is a fracture in their relationship. He'll fawn or beg or crawl into Tav's bed to "apologise" and "make it up to them" because, well, very occasionally it worked on Cazador. With patience and good communication and lots of repeatedly driving the lesson home to overcome 200 years of education to the contrary, he will eventually start to believe that "I'm really pissed off at you right now," does not equate to, "You are the worst mistake I've ever made and I am leaving you."

Panic Attacks: I feel like honestly he'd get some symptoms of these on a fairly regular basis, but he's never been given any option other than just trying to power through them. He's used to realising he's shaking, he's used to feeling like he's watching himself from outside his body, or like he can't breathe even though he doesn't need to. He's very familiar with the sickening fear in his gut, so intense it makes his head spin. He's not used to being comforted or reassured about them - he thinks they're normal. Tav disagrees.

Anyway, cptsd is messy and complicated and often looks very different from person to person so these will not represent everyone's but these are just some ideas for what the ongoing recovery process might make them work through, based on the aspects I'm most familiar with.

Projecting? Who's projecting? I'm not projecting. Shut up.

[mercurianchild]

hey love! what does a Plutonian chart look like? i'm not sure if I have one. how would that affect me?

Strong influence of Pluto…

What a strong Plutonian influence of Pluto in the chart could look like:

Pluto in the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th house

Pluto aspecting inner planets (Mercury, Venus and Mars)

Pluto strongly aspecting the moon and ascendant, especially tight orbs

TW: mentions of s*x and death!!

Being Pluto dominant or having a strong influence of Pluto means that transformations, ego deaths, feelings of death and rebirth will accompany you for a life time. From my experience, this will be especially harsh in the childhood, youth and maybe in your early adult years. As time passes and as you get older, you might develop self care habits and safety mechanisms to protect yourself and your inner peace. Practising self love, meditation and mindfulness could be important to these individuals, as they could underestimate their beauty and their outstanding personality.

I’ve also seen that most traumatic events happen in the childhood, youth or early adulthood. But that’s just my observation.

Feelings of being deeply misunderstood rise while you are young and this feeling might follow you for years. Constantly searching for someone to understand your complex mind and depth of emotions. These people could benefit from searching for a valve to turn pain, bad experiences and any form of built up emotion into art. Be it writing, drawing, making music…

A reoccurring theme for Plutonians is sexuality. There may be blockages in regards of the own sexuality or experiencing it, but once they overcome this, they literally start to bloom in that area. This could turn into being hungry for power in general (or simply being turned on by overpowering the partner) or in being lascivious. They can be pretty much extreme and freaky in bed, actually. Being intimate never gets boring with them.

I know, this is what you read everywhere, but plutonic people are deeply magnetic and will catch your eye with their intense aura. Even if they are not seen as traditionally beautiful, these natives exude attractiveness and charisma. You just can’t ignore them and they will even stand out in a crowd. BUT! A lot of them don’t have the sex appeal like (for example) Megan Fox has. A lot of them have such an innocence to their appearance, but if you take a closer look you’ll see that they’re like fallen angels.

From my experience, plutonic people will have a deep connection to spirituality or the occult and a profound interest in psychology (for good and bad). They usually get into these things after really hard times in their life. They will attract jealousy and hate like flies, unfortunately and this could take a toll in their self esteem. Even strangers tend to be very competitive and mean to them in some way, because most people simply feel challenged by their presence.

Dear plutonic people,

you ALL are wonderful and you deserve so much more. I feel for every single one of you and I hope you will find true happiness and self acceptance. You’ve been through so much and you deserve the world for all that. I’m sending you all the love you might need right now or later! 🩶

[mstase]

— ; ASTROLOGY OBSERVATIONS

mercury-venus people usually possess nicely shaped, plump, and rosy lips. their voices are soothing and pleasant to listen to, and they have a charming and articulate way of expressing themselves. 🤌🗣️

people with moon-neptune aspects feel emotions more intensely and get easily hurt by the slightest things. their emotions are like sponges, soaking up feelings from around them because their emotional boundaries are not as clear. it’s crucial for them to develop healthy ways to handle emotions and set boundaries to navigate their feelings.

i have never met someone with mars-pluto who isn’t deeply committed to their pursuits. these people exhibit a fervent and determined approach to their hobbies, goals, and preferences. very intense when passionate about something. 👺

people with venus in 4th house are so sentimental, which they express by taking photos and collecting things that hold significance to them. these individuals find joy in revisiting cherished memories, often feeling a strong sense of nostalgia and fondness when reminiscing about the past.

aries risings are so easy to spot, imo. their goal-oriented and driven personalities are so noticeable. they always effortlessly carry themselves with a sense of confidence, even if they aren’t feeling that way. also, they have the body goals and can seem to be everyone’s type. 👠

i feel like people with venus in 10th house are more inclined to keep their romantic relationships private and not show off their partners in a flamboyant or public manner. there could be a preference for a more reserved and discreet expression of affection, aligning with the conservative traits associated with capricorn.

also, they value their reputation highly, and as a result, they may be sensitive to criticism. the fear of negative judgment or criticism can affect them emotionally, leading them to be cautious and selective in how much they disclose about their personal life in public settings.

jupiter in 11th house natives are so lucky when it comes to friends. they have a natural ability to gain favor and support from others, especially within their social circles. their optimistic and generous nature can attract friends who are willing to help them in their personal and intellectual growth

natives with saturn-ascendant may naturally have a serious or contemplative facial expression, which can lead others to assume they are upset or mad even when they may not be. 🤷🏻‍♀️

pluto in 7th house people have *major* trust issues, often stemming from deep-seated experiences of being used or witnessing toxic relationships, particularly within their family or home environment. this placement can make them psychologically inclined to analyze and understand someone on a profound level before forming close connections.

mars in taurus individuals tend to exhibit a slower pace in their movements, including walking. these individuals may find comfort in taking their time, preferring a measured and persistent stride over hurried or impulsive actions.

this is really short but i hope you enjoyed reading it <3 @mstase

[aeth-eris]

★ indicators of an abusive household ★

★ moon in hard aspect to saturn often points to an emotionally distant or restrictive household. this could look like a lack of warmth, affection, or support, usually from one or both parents. criticism or high expectations might’ve created feelings of inadequacy or a belief that love must be “earned.”

★ moon opposite saturn tends to reflect a push-pull dynamic in emotional needs, where support and boundaries are inconsistent. this might mean experiencing emotional neglect, being pushed to “grow up” too soon, or taking on responsibilities early. the mother figure may have seemed distant or emotionally unavailable.

★ moon conjunct saturn feels like a heavy emotional weight. it’s often a home where vulnerability wasn’t encouraged, creating an atmosphere where emotions had to be controlled or hidden. affection could feel conditional, and nurturing was often linked with obligation rather than warmth.

★ moon in hard aspect to pluto points to an intense emotional environment marked by power struggles and manipulation, often with the mother or primary caregiver. control may be exerted through fear, and the atmosphere could feel stifling, creating deep-rooted mistrust or secrecy.

★ moon opposite pluto sets up a tug-of-war between emotional security and control. family members may use intimidation or emotional dominance, leading to a household where fear or anxiety was often present.

★ moon conjunct pluto adds a layer of emotional entrapment, with a caregiver’s influence that might feel overwhelming, making it difficult for the person to establish their own boundaries or independence.

★ mars in the 4th house/aries ic can bring aggression directly into the home environment, often manifesting as arguments, explosive temperaments, or even physical aggression. people with this placement may feel like they’re always on edge, as if the home is a “battle zone,” and they may develop strong defenses as a means of protection. if mars has difficult aspects to saturn or pluto, this can suggest a highly toxic or abusive environment where boundaries are frequently violated, either emotionally or physically.

★ pluto in the 4th house/scorpio ic can create a family environment steeped in secrecy, control, or even hidden trauma. it often indicates a home life with intense power struggles, where manipulation or coercion might be common. this placement may hint at family secrets or a history of trauma, resulting in a household that feels heavy with unspoken issues. if pluto has challenging aspects to personal planets like the moon or mars, this could make the home environment feel more oppressive, adding themes of emotional or psychological control.

★ saturn in the 4th house/capricorn ic usually signals a restrictive, often cold household, where there might be a strong emphasis on discipline or duty over emotional support. people with this placement may have experienced an authoritarian parent or a home life that felt more like a set of obligations than a space of warmth and acceptance. if saturn has hard aspects with mars or pluto, it can intensify feelings of neglect or suppression, sometimes indicating harsh discipline or an emotionally closed-off environment.

★ venus in hard aspect to pluto reflects complicated family relationships, where love and acceptance might be tangled with control or possessiveness. this aspect often brings a theme of conditional love, where the individual may feel they need to earn affection, leading to issues with self-worth. when venus and pluto are in conflict, family relationships can feel like a power struggle, with themes of jealousy, control, or manipulation affecting how the person relates to love.

★ moon conjunct, square, or opposite neptune can reflect a confusing or unstable home life, often where boundaries are blurred or reality is avoided. this is common in households where denial, addiction, or mental health issues create an atmosphere of uncertainty or instability. with this aspect, the person may feel that their emotions are invalidated or overlooked, leading to confusion and a struggle to distinguish between fantasy and reality within family relationships.

★ the ruler of the 4th house in hard aspect to mars can bring conflict, aggression, or volatility into the family dynamic. this may manifest as frequent arguments, an unpredictable atmosphere, or even physical aggression. when the 4th house ruler is in hard aspect to pluto, there might be hidden power struggles or control issues that color the home environment, sometimes leading to feelings of being trapped or dominated. with hard aspects to saturn, the home environment could feel cold, strict, or devoid of emotional warmth, where rules and expectations overshadow affection.

★ chiron in the 4th house often represents emotional wounds connected to family and home. this can mean feeling “unwanted” or “unaccepted,” as if the individual didn’t fit within their family. chiron here might signal a caregiver who was emotionally unavailable or critical, leading to long-lasting feelings of inadequacy or shame. people with this placement may also feel a strong sense of responsibility for family issues, as though they’re meant to “heal” or “fix” familial wounds, even at their own emotional expense.

★ moon in hard aspect to uranus often suggests a highly unpredictable family environment. with this aspect, the person may have experienced sudden changes, separations, or erratic behaviors from family members. this setup can create emotional insecurity and make it difficult to form a stable sense of trust or attachment.

[niniiko]

Astrology Observations

*not a profesional astrologer these are just my personal observations

🎀 Leo risings with Saturn in Cancer individuals tend to not like being the center of attention and actually dislike being in the spotlight, they also tend to be shy individuals (all depends on the different placements!!!)

🎀 You tend to enjoy doing daily activities such as cooking, taking a walk, going grocery shopping etc... with the sign that falls in your 6th house, the 6th house is all about daily activities and collegues so if you have an Aquarius 6th house you might enjoy doing daily activities with Aquarius placements

🎀 People who have a LOT of 5th house synastry might have a very intense yet short relationship and if the south node or moon is also aspecting it they could still miss or remember each other for a very long time

🎀 Scorpio moons always have this darkness in their face, they are very intimidating if they are not speaking or smiling, these individuals also tend to have very dark or bushy eyebrows

🎀 If you have an 11th house stellium you could either be very detached from your friends to the point of ghosting them or very close to your friends to the point of thinking of them as your family, these people usually need companionship to be stable and can get lonely and sad if they don't have friends

🎀 Gemini mercuries always have this high-pitched tone of voice, whenever they talk it seems as if they are smiling while talking and i think it's very very cute

🎀 Taurus placements usually show affection through actions not words

🎀 Mars conjunction pluto individuals have a lot of stamina if they are tired they are quick to recharge energies (depending on the sign and its aspects)

🎀 Pisces placements and their eyes or lips . . . they have the prettiest eyes ever and their lips are either very plump or small but they always have something beautiful to them that may be shape, color . . . (could also apply to people who have pisces degrees 12° 24° in their big three, sun moon or rising)

🎀 Virgo placements (Sun, moon, rising and even virgo degrees 6° & 18°) like to do things correct and perfectly or they rather not do it all, they are extremely perfectionist and if something doesn't turn out they way they wanted they can get pretty frustrated with themselves, this is a reminder to be patient with yourself ♥️

🎀 Capricorn over the 3rd house and the way they are so passionate about their goals and studies??? They are always so hard working and they want to be the best in their class, typical bookworm that nobody talks to and everyone thinks they are stupid but they are actually a smartass

🎀 Unevolved Aries placements find it hard to own up to their mistakes and say sorry

🎀 Air moons are always analyzing every single emotion until they become numb, you are not a robot, you are allowed to feel emotions, they are teachers, pay attention to them

🎀 Libra moon over the 11th house might evade conflict with their friends, they despise having fights with friends

🎀 Cancer mercuries most of the time have such femenine and cute voices

🎀 Scorpio moon with an Aquarius MC (midheaven) could be interested in psychology, this is because Scorpio wants to know everything thats hidden, they want to know the unseen and Aquarius is a very humanitarian sign, they want to help society for the better and with the help of Scorpio they make a very great combination for psychologists or someone whos interested in psychology

🎀 Virgo risings love to look put together and even if they didnt put any effort into their appearance they always seem to manage how to look good

🎀 Earth mars women tend to like doing a natural makeup type of look or they don't wear makeup at all

🎀 If someones rising sign is your venus sign there could be some form of jealousy from the venus person towards the rising sign person, but it could go both ways

🎀 Nobody will understand you better than someone who has the same moon sign as you, you will always feel safe and at home with them, it's like you've known them for forever, people who share this placement usually have a one in a billion type of connection

🎀 You might disagree a lot of times with someone who has their mercury in opposition to yours, you might not share the same views in a topic and it's hard to get along with them

🎀 You look up to someone who has their moon in the sign of your 10th house

[anobsessedwriter]

𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑪𝒚𝒄𝒍𝒆ִֶָ࣪☾.

Rafe Cameron × reader (ANGST)

Warning: toxic relationships, manipulation, gaslight, just rafe being toxic.

๋࣭ ⭑✮˙⭑

˖⋆࿐໋

Rafe Cameron had a way of drawing people in with his magnetic charm and effortless charisma, not to mention his good looks. When you first met him at a summer party, the way he smiled and looked at you, made you feel like the most special person in the room. you were easily captivated by his charm.

In the early stages of your relationship, Rafe was the perfect boyfriend. He showered you with affection and gifts, constantly surprising you with dinners and weekend getaways. “You deserve the world,” he’d say, making you feel over the moon, These moments created a deep bond between the both of you, but they were also a smokescreen for the darker aspects of his personality.

As their relationship progressed, the cracks began to show. Rafe’s controlling tendencies started subtly. When you went out with friends, Rafe would text you frequently, questioning where you were and who you were with. “I just want to know you’re safe,” , "Can't you see that i'm worried",his frequent messages felt suffocating, as you couldn't enjoy a moment without him making you feel guilty for leaving him alone so you'd quickly return.

whenever you decide to attend a party with your friends, Rafe’s demeanor would immediately shift from affectionate to cold as soon as you mention your plans to him. he'd always say “Again with the parties?” or “I thought we had plans tonight.”, "they're more important than your own boyfriend?" you always try to explain that you need a bit of space, but Rafe’s disapproval was palpable. you were left with feeling guilty and ashamed for wanting to enjoy a night out.

During the next few months together, Rafe’s outbursts became more frequent and intense. He would criticize your appearance, and say things like “ why are you trying too hard” or "isnt that way too revealing?",One afternoon, as you were getting ready for a casual lunch date, Rafe snidely remarked, “Are you really going out in that? looking like a damn hooker.” The comment left you feeling self-conscious and hurt, despite your attempts to brush it off.

he'd constantly accuse you of cheating, whenever you don't text him instantly, when you don't pick up immediately or when you come home a bit late, he'd yell and break things, making you cry and flinch then he'd try to comfort you saying he's sorry and he just love you.

Rafe’s manipulation was psychological as much as emotional. When you tried to discuss your feelings, he would deflect or twist the conversation. “You’re too sensitive,” he’d say when you expressed how you felt by his actions and words. “I’m just being honest. If you can’t handle the truth, maybe this isn’t going to work.” you felt like you were walking on eggshells, afraid to express your emotions in for of making him upset or starting another argument.

The relationship became more toxic as Rafe started to slowly isolate you from your friends and family. Whenever you spent time with them, Rafe would accuse you of neglecting him. “You’re always with them,” “Don’t you care about us anymore?” The guilt he built in you led you to eventually distance yourself from those you loved, making you more reliant and dependent on Rafe.

you still remember the time when your friend kiara noticed the change in you, you never were this distant or this quite. When She talked to you about it,Rafe blew up with anger. “She’s just trying to control you,” “She is probably jealous of us, i dont want you talking to her okay?”, you just couldn't say no or disagree with him.

Rafe’s apologies were frequent trying to manipulate you into forgiving him, he would show up at your apartment with flowers and a box of your favourite chocolates. “I’m sorry for what happened,” ,“I love you more than anything. I’ll change, I promise.”

and if that doesn't work? he'll switch it up on you balming you for it all, "it's all your fault", "maybe this wouldn't happen if you just listened to me", you would forgive him, hoping that these sweet and caring gestures were a sign of change.

Despite these moments of sweetness, the cycle of toxicity continued. On one occasion, you discovered that Rafe had been secretly reading your messages, When you confronted him, Rafe’s reaction was defensive. “I just wanted to check, whats wron with reading my girlfriend's messges” he said. “why are you upset? are you hiding something?.”

The last straw was when Rafe had taken you to a dinner with his family and friends where he criticized you in front of everyone When you tried to defend yourself, Rafe would get angry “You’re embarrassing me you know?" , “Why can’t you just behave".

That night, as you laid in bed, you realized that the person you once were had been overshadowed by Rafe’s demands and criticisms. The realization was painful, but it needed to be acknowledged. you knew you needed to leave for your own well-being.

you got up and started packing things to leave. Rafe’s pleas for you were too hard for you to ignore. “im just trying to protect you,” he said, “We can work this out. I promise, I love you.” and you couldn't say no to him,you couldn't just ignore him and leave you were too far in love.

would he really change....probably not but you still had hope.

[darielivalyen]

Eldritch Tales: Inheritance [WIP]

Eldritch Tales: Inheritance is a game that blends elements of psychological, supernatural, and cosmic horror with a good dose of drama, investigation, and romance. You and your high school friends are reunited after five years by a mysterious letter, and through this letter, you inherit an old Gothic manor and a substantial fortune.

There is only one condition: you must live in the manor together.

As you arrive at Blackthorn Manor, strange, unsettling events begin to unfold. Shadows move on their own, nights are unnaturally dark, and the atmosphere grows increasingly tense. The manor is full of secrets, and the more you learn, the less you seem to understand.

Play as male, female, or nonbinary.

Customize your appearance, personality, and sexuality.

Romance or befriend a wealthy and carefree playboy, a no-nonsense scientist, a disciplined and protective ex-soldier, or a sweet and free-spirited artist.

Manage your relationships, or face unforeseen consequences.

Pay attention to your sanity and health, or…don’t.

Search for clues, solve puzzles, and learn the truth behind your inheritance.

Discover hidden rooms, secret passages, and eldritch artifacts.

Confront moral dilemmas, and be careful as they may have far-reaching consequences.

Face randomized events that will keep each playthrough unique.

Experience multiple endings based on your choices and actions.

What darkness does Blackthorn Manor conceal, and how will it affect your fate? Can you uncover the truth and survive, or will the manor’s sinister influence consume you all?

TYLER REYNOLDS

Background: Born into wealth, Tyler has always enjoyed privilege and opulence. While his party-going ways have quieted recently, he still likes to boast about his family’s status.

Personality: Tyler has a confident, carefree spirit that can be both alluring and unnerving. He enjoys living in the now and isn’t too concerned with the future.

Physical description: Tyler is tall and lean with an athletic build. He has dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a preppy yet sophisticated style. He is fond of loafers and owns over two hundred pairs.

Smell: Blend of citrus and sage.

CALEB MITCHELL

Background: A former soldier, Caleb has spent the last couple of years doing different security jobs. He’s very protective of his younger sister Julia, with whom he shares a close bond.

Personality: Caleb is disciplined and protective, with a dry sense of humor shaped by his military background. Despite his rugged exterior, he dreams of a peaceful life.

Physical description: Caleb is tall and muscular, and has an overall rugged appearance. He has a dark brown undercut, deep brown eyes, and a bit of stubble. His style is mostly casual.

Smell: Cedarwood with hints of amber.

JULIA MITCHELL

Background: Julia has a deep passion for science; she excels in engineering and physics. Her career and research define most of what her life is about.

Personality: Julia is a no-nonsense individual who values efficiency and clarity. She’s methodical in her approach to problems but can get puzzled in overly emotional moments.

Physical description: Julia is of medium height with a lean physique. She has neck-long black hair, deep brown eyes, and wears stylish glasses. Her style is Parisian chic.

Smell: Paper and ink, with hints of lavender.

LUNA HARPER

Background: An artist first and foremost, Luna’s whole world revolves around her paintbrush and palette. She embraces all forms and aspects of spirituality and loves crystals.

Personality: Luna is a free spirit, and her vibrant personality is reflected in her artwork. Her optimism is infectious, her humor innocent, and her soul seems to be untouched by cynicism.

Physical description: Luna is petite and has an ethereal presence. She has long platinum-blonde hair with pink highlights, green eyes, and loves the bohemian style.

Smell: Patchouli and sandalwood.

FORUM | DEMO | PATREON | PINTEREST | TUMBLR

[majokkid]

Basics of Servitor Creation and Implementation

For those new to chaos magic, or who are unfamiliar with the terminology, a servitor is an entity created by a magician to perform certain tasks autonomous from its creator.

Phil Hine writes in Condensed Chaos: Adventures in Chaos Magic that servitors are essentially a kind of psychological complex created "by deliberately budding off portions of our psyche and identifying them by means of a name, trait, symbol", after which "we can come to work with them (and understand how they affect us) at a conscious level.”

Servitors can be created to perform a wide range of tasks, from the specific to the general, and may be considered as expert systems which are able to modify themselves to take into account new factors that are likely to arise whilst they are performing their tasks. They can be programmed to work within specific circumstances, or to be operating continually.

Phil Hine, Condensed Chaos: An Introduction to Chaos Magic (New Falcon Publications, 1995)

Note: While some purport that servitors are a part of a ‘thoughtform continuum’, starting with ‘unintelligent’ sigils and eventually getting to the complexity of egregores and godforms, I think it would be prudent to mention that I don’t think I agree with the distinctions people tend to make between servitors and thoughtforms, namely that servitors are simpler and have less agency than thoughtforms. I can see why it may be helpful for some to keep them disparate but I find the separation unnecessary especially since there are certainly instances where servitors can be sophisticated enough to harbor agency and even intellect.

Generally, I’ve seen magicians follow a model similar to Austin Osman Spare’s sigil creation technique to encode a particular intention for a servitor to operate within. Alternatively, a magician may choose to create servitors from negative aspects of their psyche so they can interact with those traits as personal ‘demons’ and eradicate them. This is to say there are probably limitless ways you can program a servitor to aid you in your magical and mundane life.

When creating a servitor, I begin with a similar mindset as creating any other magical tool by first determining my intentions. What do I need help with? What am I seeking? Try to take note of the thoughts and emotions that are influencing your intentions and even try to imagine what things will be like after the task is complete; by collecting and holding all of this mental data during servitor creation, you can strengthen the complex it is born from.

Note: This is why I find there can be varying degrees of success when trying to use a servitor that someone else has created. While someone could have had great success with their servitor and enthusiastically shared the steps for its creation, you do not have the same psychological and magical ties to that entity and therefore may not really be tapping into what makes it tick.

During this inception process, also consider the level of sophistication you want your servitor to have. Ask yourself questions like:

Is your servitor made for one specific task and then it is banished or does it work in perpetuity (or until you stop it)?

Do you have to summon it each time you need it to perform a certain task? If so, how?

Is your servitor like a magical automaton, doing a set action like a machine, or can it learn from its experiences and adapt how it operates?

Does your servitor have a lifespan? Are you able to resummon the same entity if needed again or would you create a new version of itself?

Does your servitor have agency?

Does your servitor communicate? If so, how? Can it interact with other beings besides yourself?

Does your servitor require energy or sustenance? What does it require and how often?

By having set rules or constraints baked into the creation of your servitor, you can ensure it operates the way you want it to.

As you are thinking of all of this, picture what your servitor looks like, how it moves, if it has a sound or a voice—the more detail, the better.

Give your servitor a name and a sigil. You can create the sigil based on the servitor’s name or task using something like Austin Osman Spare’s sigilization technique or something more abstract. (My personal divination deck, much like Sakura Kinomoto’s cards in Cardcaptor Sakura, also houses an entity in each of the cards and the art on the card is essentially the entity’s sigil.)

Before launching your servitor, determine a ‘kill switch’ for the entity if anything goes sideways or you need it to cease working immediately for any reason. This can be a phrase or an action but make sure it is something you cannot accidentally do. If you connect your servitor to an object, simply destroying that object would also work.

Finally, with all of this information at hand, you can launch your servitor. You can do this as you would fire off any other sigil or you can choose to do something more ceremonial. (The defunct account @trollkunnig outlines a method of essentially ‘contracting’ a servitor in this post.) At this point, you can tether your servitor to an object, if you choose to do so. I have also connected a servitor to an additional object after its programmed task was completed with a renewed intention and a course of action should its original services be needed again.

This post is part of my Magi Praxis series. If you have any suggestions for future topics, or you have attempted anything I have shared and want you share your experiences, please send me a message! I am always happy to go back and provide further explanation as well. ☆

[vivmaek]

Hi! I hope you’re doing good! Do all aspects and placements in someone’s chart make up their appearance? I’ve heard that it does, and I’ve heard that it doesn’t. Just curious to know :)

THE NATAL CHARTS RELATION TO PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Hi, I love this question! I can see arguments for both sides, but in my opinion I think all placements within someones chart make up appearance. I say this because our emotions and inner psychology directly affect physical appearance. And the same can be said for our physical environments. Here are some examples:

Gemini Saturn in the 12th House - Prone to getting bags under the eyes due to poor sleep. Struggles with anxiety and poor appetite.

Venus in the 2nd House - Having the resources to maintain ones appearance. Having access to high quality food, clothing, makeup, and skincare.

Neptune in the 8th House - Prone to drug usage, and is especially susceptible to the negative side effects. These types look spaced out and detached even if they have never used substances. They've probably been asked, "Are you high?" even if dead sober.

12th house stellium - Looks mysterious, even when you get to know them. No one ever truly knows a 12th house stellium. My life long friend constantly reveals details about her life that change the way I view her. And I never really know what she is up to, even when we were in each others daily lives. She travels more than any young person I know, yet remains humble and wise. 12th house stelliums are the ultimate mystiques, and this is an incredibly attractive quality.

1st House stellium - Their distinct personality overpowers whatever their physical appearance may be. Usually people attach traits onto others based on their physical appearance, but the reverse happens for 1st house stelliums. It is almost like they're cartoon characters, its like their personality and sense of character was developed before their physical form even came into existence. Their physical appearance suits who they are so well, I don't know how else to describe it.

Pluto in the 6th house - There are periods in which people with this placement will be overworked.

Scorpio Uranus in the 12th House - The wild card. Their subconscious state shifts drastically and changes unexpectedly, and this most definitely affects the ways in which they present themselves to the world.

Scorpio Mars in the 5th House - People with this placement are baddies. Cool af and might partake in some dangerous hobbies.

Chart ruler in the 4th House - Nostalgia frames the ways in which these people present themselves. Might have a timeless look about them.

Virgo Mercury in the 8th House - Could partake in hygienic practices that are diligent and maybe strange.

Cancer Saturn in the 5th House - Handyman vibes. Down to earth in their self expression.

Sun in the 3rd House - Seemingly youthful, the eternal student.

Strong 11th House placements - Their appearance is somehow associated with whatever group they belong to. This could be church, clubs, sports teams, humanitarian efforts. (For instance, Tom Cruise has his Jupiter in the 11th house and you can't look at him without thinking about Scientology.)

Strong 7th House placements - Tend to take on traits adapted from their relationships. They mirror people.

Uranus in the 9th House - Might end up living amongst a culture that differs from the one they grew up in. This will affect the ways in which people perceive their appearance.

Saturn Square Pluto - 😐 <- this face

Mercury Trine Pluto - 🤨 <- this face

Mars aspecting Uranus - Prone to accidents, bodily injury, scars.

[astrologged]

Narcissistic Tendencies

Some placements have characteristics that can manifest in narcissistic tendencies. Narcissism in its extreme clinical form (a personality disorder) is a specific psychological condition, not something directly caused by astrological placements. However, some placements lean more toward narcissism, like focus on self-image, attention-seeking, or an inflated sense of importance. These are some placements & aspects that are associated with traits that reflect narcissistic tendencies, like vanity and the need for admiration and an overly inflated ego.

Sun in Leo, since Leo is ruled by the Sun, and people with this placement often have a strong desire for attention, recognition, and admiration. In its higher expression, Leo can be very generous, warm, and inspiring, but when out of balance, it can become self-centered or crave constant validation.

Sun in the 1st house amplifies the persons desire for recognition and the need to project a certain image of themselves to the world.

Venus in Leo (especially in conjunction with the Sun). Love is expressed in a very dramatic and attention-grabbing way. The person wants to be adored and admired, especially in romantic relationships, and could have an inflated sense of self-worth. When Venus is in a close conjunction with the Sun, their esteem is tied to how others see them, prioritizing how they are loved & validated over deeper emotional connections. This combination leads to a "performative" love nature, where they seek admiration and affection from others as a way to feel important or valued.

Pluto in the 1st house, this is someone who is intensely focused on their image, identity, and how they present themselves to the world. People who have this placement often desire control over how they are perceived by others and will exhibit manipulative tendencies and they feel the need to maintain dominance in their relationships. They'll struggle with letting go of their need for power, leading to behaviour that might appear narcissistic to others, like emotional manipulation or dominating conversations. They expect everyone to adapt to them at all times.

Having an Aries Moon leads to an emotional landscape that is very quick to react and demands instant emotional satisfaction. Aries Moon people are highly independent & dislike being emotionally vulnerable or dependent on others.

Ascendant in Leo or aspect to the Sun gives a strong desire for recognition and visibility. If Leo is poorly aspected by planets like Saturn (which will bring restriction) or Neptune (which distorts their image), the person could possibly lean into the role of the "performer" or "star," overemphasizing self-importance and neglecting the needs of other people.

Sun conjunct Pluto, like Pluto in the first house, induces the person’s need for control, power, and recognition, blending the ego with a desire for dominance. This aspect can result in a highly intense and forceful personality that craves attention and admiration, sometimes resorting to manipulative or controlling tactics to maintain their sense of superiority or to reshape their image in the eyes of others.

Venus in Aquarius seek admiration for their originality or avant-garde choices in love, which veers into narcissistic behavior if they view their relationshups more as sources of validation rather than as equals. The person is more interested in self-assertion than actually nurturing the needs of their partner.

Uranus in the 1st house, can make the person want to project a highly unique and unconventional persona. This placement can foster a strong desire to stand out from the crowd, but if not balanced, it can lead to self-obsession with the image of being different or revolutionary.

Having any of these placements doesn't neccesarily mean the person is a narcissist. It might actually indicate they aren't...

[hollowed-theory-hall]

this is probably stupid to ask, but do you like snape? or the marauders? there's always fanwars happening between marauders stans and snape stans. tbh i'm just curious where you stand (i like both, and prefer their canon selves rather than the fanon which is btw really stupid. they feminized sirius so much its not even sirius anymore.) what made you like snape? if you do, or are you neutral with him? just for a change of question since i always ask about harry.

Thanks for the ask! I don't think it's stupid.

I prefer their canon counterparts as well, the Marauders fanon has so little to do with canon I can hardly call the characters by the same name. They just aren't the same characters. Anyway, I'm gonna try and summarise my highly subjective opinions about them here.

1. Sirius Black

He's my second most favorite character and my favorite among the characters you mentioned. I wrote about him a lot on this blog, so I don't really feel the need to write more.

But, he's smart, resilient, and goofy on occasion. His love for Harry is one of my favorite aspects of his character because he loves Harry so much. And he has his flaws. He can be cruel, cold, and arrogant and I wouldn't like him as much if he wasn't visibly a member of The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black regardless of how much he tried to get away from his legacy. I love how messy his feelings about his family are. He left Regulus' room as it was, even though the rest of the house got cleaned by the Order. He stayed in his mother's bedroom even when all the conversations he had with her portrait were in screams. I love his distrust in Dumbledore after everything he's been through and how he chooses to remain for Harry's sake — he's willing to do anything for Harry's sake.

I just truly love Sirius.

2. Severus Snape

He's the next on this list because I do like Snape, he's not a character I'm passionate about, but I like him. I think he shouldn't be a teacher (I think he hates being a teacher more than his students hate him teaching them) but he's a talented potion maker and wizard. And he is a very entertaining character, even without knowing everything about him.

But what really makes me like Snape is that I find him interesting. I think his psychology is interesting, as is his dynamic with Lily, Dumbledore, and Voldemort. Snape is a fascinating character to study from a lot of angles, and even as a reader, there is quite a bit that's up in the air about him because he's that good at being a spy and not giving us anything.

The other major thing I like about him is his competence as a spy and wizard. If there's one thing I love in my fictional characters — it's competence (and intelligence). I often joke with my irl friends that Snape is the only competent Death Eater and the only competent member of the Order of the Phoenix. We then joke that if we were in his shoes, surrounded by a lot of people who don't actually do anything and we're the only ones affecting this war from both sides, we'd probably be bitter too.

A little note that seems overlooked about Snape often in the fandom, in general, is how we think, "Oh, he's so great at Occlumancy and not being emotional" — that's not strictly true. When it comes to Lily or the Marauders all his well-crafted Occlumancy kinda goes out the window. In books 3 and 5 he throws actual temper tantrums about Sirius Black. Like, I feel Snape, deep down is actually super not well adjusted and is an emotionally unstable mess, but he learned to pretend otherwise. Basically, all the cold facade is just that — a facade. He isn't really that stoic.

3. James Potter

I'm weird about James. Like, he's almost a nonentity and what we do hear about him is either negative or comes from biased sources.

I do tend to give him more of the benefit of the doubt than a lot of other fans who prefer canon James do. He was awful when he was younger, he was a bully and he assaulted Snape and there is no excuse for his actions. That being said, I can believe he changed. War changes you and you'd be hard-pressed to find a 21-year-old who isn't ashamed of a lot of what they did or said when they were 15. And yes, some of what James did is definitely more extreme than that of the average person, but it isn't that extreme compared to the environment he grew up in. Remus tells Harry everyone was casting Levicorpous on each other in the halls. I'm not saying any of the bullying is okay, I'm just saying it probably seemed normal to him and this is important context. Same as I don't think Snape is abusive towards students when put in the context of their culture and environment where, until recently, they caned students (Snape actually seems very averse to corporeal punishment. He also likely treats Harry very different than he does literally any other student, but this is the James section).

I just, like the idea of James changing for the better. I'd like to think he did. That life and war and loss taught him something.

4. Peter Pettigrew

Probably an unpopular opinion, but I like Pettigrew more than Lupin. He's awful, he's pathetic, he's a cowardly rat man and I find his sniveling funny. Whenever I try to think of a what-if scenario in my head, Pettigrew is somehow the key to it. Because he's a character that affects so much of the plot in some incredibly crucial moments — he betrayed James and Lily, he resurrected the Dark Lord, and later, he allows Harry's survival. Idk, I just find his situation and just how pathetic he could get fascinating. It's, like, there is no rock bottom for this guy, he keeps digging. Like, you can't get more pathetic than living as a rat for 12 years when you could've moved to Argentina or something.

And at the same time, he clearly has some residual care for Harry for his father's friendship. He has so many opportunities to kill Harry or kidnap him when he runs away to join Voldemort — but he doesn't. Even after Sirius escapes and he knows his time is up, he still leaves Harry alive. When he is supposed to kill him in book 7, he doesn't, he again lets him go and pays with his own life for it. Like, again, idk, it's just how I feel.

5. Remus Lupin

I know I placed Lupin last, and it's because I don't personally like him that much. Pretty sure this is a little controversial, but I don't really like book Lupin, he does not vibe with me, at all. (Though I'd choose book Lupin over Marauders fandom Lupin every time)

Like, it bothers me that he doesn't actually care about Harry (the only one on the list who willingly physically harmed Harry, in a moment of anger, but still). It was Harry who asked to be taught the Patronus, if it was up to Remus, he wouldn't be involved in Harry's life at all. He tried to run on his wife when she got pregnant because he was scared. Like, Petttigrew is given shit for being a cowardly Gryffindor, but, look, you need some guts to betray your friends, so I'd argue Remus is the most cowardly Marauder (it's easy to be brave when you don't care for your own life).

But, all of this is part of his character and the story wouldn't be what it is if Remus bothered to get his head out of his own ass and check up on Harry. How he behaves makes him my personal least favorite Marauder, but I want Lupin to be a cowardly guy who runs away from attachment and responsibility because he doesn't trust himself with anything (especially not anything good). He's not cool, or suave, and he's desperate for people to like him but without actually knowing him because he thinks that if they do they'd run away screaming like he wants to run from himself. Honestly, I don't get why the Mauraders fandom made James the people-pleaser when Remus Lupin is right there always telling people what they want to hear so they'd like him.

Again, these are all my own personal subjective opinions, but yeah.

[suchawrathfullamb]

Sacred Submission - Hannibal, Will, and the Theology of Surrender

This essay delves into the spiritual, philosophical, and psychological aspects of Will and Hannibal's relationship, focusing on how their mutual surrender reflects the process of shadow integration. It connects this dynamic to the erotic devotion seen in Hindu philosophies, suggesting that their bond represents a sacred, almost divine merging of light and dark, self and other, in a journey toward wholeness.

Is the true nature of love found not in fulfillment but in the longing, the reaching beyond oneself toward something ineffable?

Lacan, the French psychoanalyst and psychiatrist, famously posited that desire is always about something that is unattainable, what he called the objet petit a —the elusive object of desire that is forever out of reach.

In Lacan’s view, our desires are structured around a fundamental lack, a gap that can never be fully closed. This gap is not a deficiency but a defining feature of human experience.

Could passionate love, in its truest form, be not about possession or attainment, but rather about the continuous desire and yearning for something that remains elusive, mysterious, and beyond complete comprehension or ownership?

Hannibal becomes fascinated by Will Graham because he is unlike anyone Hannibal has ever encountered, possessing a unique gift of uncontrolled empathy. This gift, in a way, threatens Hannibal's carefully constructed facade, as it allows Will to see deeper into him than anyone else ever has. For Hannibal, who never believed anyone could truly see or understand him, this connection stirs something profound within him.

But Hannibal's interest goes beyond this; it is not just that Will can see through his masks—something that both intrigues and unnerves Hannibal—but also that Will remains, in many ways, unpredictable. Unlike everyone else, who appears obvious and predictable to Hannibal, Will is a mystery, a puzzle that he cannot fully solve.

For those with a more profound sense of emptiness—whether due to their upbringing, their inherently deeper nature, or their tendency to be easily bored and difficult to satisfy— Will represents something irresistibly compelling. In this context, Hannibal represents all individuals who, like everyone, harbor an inherent lack, yet theirs is more acute. It takes far more than money, romance, or superficial pursuits to satisfy them.

In Lacanian terms, Will represents the eternal search, the elusive objet petit a that drives desire. For Hannibal, Will embodies this endless pursuit—he is both the mirror in which Hannibal sees himself more clearly and the enigma that keeps Hannibal engaged, edged, excited, and longing. Without this sense of mystery and unpredictability, there would be no excitement, no longing—no desire. Will, therefore, becomes the focal point of Hannibal's emotional landscape, representing both the possibility of fulfillment and the perpetuation of the eternal lack that defines Hannibal's existence.

In loving someone, we are not merely seeking to possess them but to connect with something within them that we can never fully grasp—a deeper essence or truth that always lies just beyond our reach.

"Love is the pursuit of the whole."

- Plato

This elusive "something" is what drives us to long for union, but it also raises questions: What is this thing we are truly seeking? Does desire end if we actually manage to grasp it? Or does desire die when our illusions and expectations about the other person shatter, revealing that what we perceived in them—the source of our longing—was never really there?

In the relationship between Will and Hannibal, this conundrum is particularly poignant because Will continually defies and exceeds Hannibal's expectations. Unlike the typical experience where desire might fade upon realizing the object of affection was merely a projection of our own fantasies, Will consistently surprises Hannibal, challenging and deepening their connection. Even in the end, when Will acknowledges what Hannibal always saw in him, the dynamic remains complex. Hannibal's final words, "what I wanted for you...for both of us," reveal that his desire was not merely about Will's becoming, but about what that transformation could mean for both of them—a union that transcends their individual identities.

Hannibal's desire for Will's acceptance goes beyond mere fascination or control. It speaks to a deeper need within Hannibal to be fully seen, understood, and accepted by someone who can truly match him. For Hannibal, Will represents not just a partner in his dark endeavors, but someone who could potentially complete him, fulfilling that elusive desire for connection that he has been chasing all his life. The union with Will, in Hannibal's mind, would be the culmination of both of their journeys—a merging of selves that transcends their individual limitations. But why did Hannibal need Will to accept him? Perhaps it is because, despite his self-assured exterior, Hannibal is searching for validation, for someone who could see the darkness within him and still choose to embrace it.

"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed."

-Jung

Throughout the series, Will's empathy seems to be selectively engaged—he truly connects only with other killers or individuals he perceives as sharing his own psychological struggles, such as Peter or Georgia. This selective empathy suggests that Will is not necessarily empathizing in the traditional sense but rather recognizing in others the deeply repressed feelings and impulses that he harbors within himself. It is as if he sees in them a reflection of his own darkness, something he struggles to acknowledge in himself. This dynamic raises the question of whether Will’s empathy is genuine or simply a recognition of his own suppressed desires in others who express them more overtly.

What is undeniable, however, is that Will is profoundly lonely. He admits this to Hannibal, saying, "I'm as alone as you are, and we are alone without the other." Both Will and Hannibal crave the connection that the other represents, yet Will cannot fully accept this part of himself. His discomfort with his own nature leads him to run from his feelings, resulting in convoluted and often contradictory behavior. Will’s reluctance to embrace his darker impulses and his connection with Hannibal mirrors his struggle with self-acceptance—he is drawn to Hannibal and what he represents but is equally repelled by what this connection reveals about his own identity. This internal conflict drives much of the tension in their relationship, as Will oscillates between rejection and longing, unable to fully reconcile the two.

And this unfulfilled desire that they chase after is not a flaw or failure in love, but its very essence. Love, rather than a state of being, becomes a process of endless becoming.

In the show, "Becoming" refers to the process of transformation, where an individual sheds old aspects of themselves and embraces new, often darker, parts of their psyche. And can be correlated to the concept of spiritual enlightenment. For Will Graham, this process is catalyzed by his interactions with Hannibal, who serves both as a mentor and as a mirror, reflecting back the potential for darkness that exists within Will.

Despite his attempts to run from or destroy this aspect of himself, it becomes evident that Will derives pleasure from it. His identity is constantly shifting between the poles of desire and repression. This instability is both the source of his inner turmoil and the key to understanding his complex relationship with Hannibal.

The way identity can be shifted, dissolved, challenged, or redefined can be viewed in light of Advaita Vedanta’s dissolution of the self.

Advaita Vedanta , a hindu philosophy, posits that the ultimate goal of life is the realization of the unity between the self (Atman) and the universal reality (Brahman). This realization involves the dissolution of the ego and personal identity, transcending the individual self to experience oneness with the universal consciousness. Moksha, or spiritual liberation, in Tantric philosophy is achieved through the realization of non-duality. When the individual self (jiva) recognizes its unity with the universal consciousness, the cycle of birth and death (samsara) is transcended. The union with the sacred lover is a microcosmic reflection of this cosmic truth.

Throughout the series, Will is confronted with the darker aspects of his psyche. Hannibal, recognizing this darkness in Will, seeks to draw it out, to bring Will into what he perceives as a more authentic existence.

Will's "Becoming" is a psychological journey of confronting and integrating his shadow—the unconscious part of the psyche that contains repressed weaknesses, desires, and instincts.

Although many viewers may interpret Will's journey and Hannibal's intentions as inherently evil, a deeper understanding reveals that the show's narrative is framed from Hannibal's perspective. Hannibal views the integration of the shadow self as a positive and liberating experience. Unbound by societal or moral expectations, Hannibal operates according to his own rules, striving to embody a god-like figure. From his viewpoint, Will embracing his darker self represents progress and growth. This transformation is not merely about a desire to kill; it signifies Will's acceptance of Hannibal and their potential union. Hannibal sees this as a spiritual experience, one that involves the complete destruction of limitations, such as shame and restraint.

Will’s journey can be seen as a struggle for self-actualization, a battle between his desire to maintain his moral compass and the pull toward the power and freedom that comes with embracing his darker instincts. Hannibal represents the temptation of absolute freedom and power, unbounded by conventional morality. Of surrender.

In Bhakti , another hindu philosophy, surrender is seen as a personal dissolution, where the devotee gives up their ego and identity in total devotion to a deity. This kind of devotional surrender can be understood in mundane situations where individuals are overwhelmed or transcended by powerful, often erotic forces that erase the boundaries of the self.

Violent scenes where Will experiences pain, often carry a sexual undertone. In these, he exhibits a profound release, hinting at the deeper, ultimate moment of bliss he experiences on the final episode. These moments reflect his journey toward surrendering to Hannibal, demonstrating that when this surrender occurs willingly, driven by love and devotion, it culminates in a state of bliss. This contrasts with experiences where surrender is compelled or forced, where pleasure is invariably accompanied by pain. The erotic and violent elements in these scenes symbolize a transcendence of self-boundaries, suggesting that genuine, voluntary surrender to powerful forces, whether in love or otherwise, can lead to a profound and pure sense of fulfillment.

When Will and Hannibal willingly surrender to each other—Will by joining Hannibal in the fight with the Dragon and Hannibal by allowing Will to pull them off the cliff—this act can be seen as a profound destruction that leads to a new creation and a new life, free of fear. True spiritual surrender means transcending the fear of divine will or whims, and realizing that one is, in essence, a part of that divine force. This realization dispels the illusion of separation, eliminating fear because one understands that they themselves are god, and that god is love.

In this context, love is not merely an emotion but a force—a force of union that compels opposing parties to unite and annihilate illusion, thereby destroying duality. All other rules and restrictions are illusory and lack a true foundation in reality. They are temporary barriers against the irresistible current of this powerful force. Love, as understood in this spiritual sense, transcends the limited scope of human emotions. It is the uniting of opposites and contradictory elements, which then causes their annihilation. This mysterious aspect of love defies the rational mind and human personality, actively seeking to challenge and overcome these elements.

When Hannibal expressed the desire to be alone with Will, in the "Achilles and Patroclus" scene, where he admits wanting everyone to die so that he could be with Will, reveals a profound element of his psyche. Mads Mikkelsen's once said that Hannibal wants it "to be Will and himself and that's it", and it further confirms that Hannibal's fixation on Will eclipses all other human connections, reducing others to mere obstacles in their potential union. This desire to eliminate all others signifies more than just romantic or obsessive love; it symbolizes Hannibal’s yearning to obliterate any trace of duality or separation. In wanting to be alone with Will, Hannibal seeks a form of spiritual and psychological merging where individuality dissolves, and they become a singular, integrated self. This merging, in Hannibal’s view, would lead to total bliss and liberation, echoing mystical concepts of unity and the dissolution of ego. For Hannibal, this merging represents the ultimate fulfillment, the obliteration of all external distractions that keep him from his true desire.

However, for Will, this same merging represents a loss of self, an annihilation of his individuality, leading to the opposite—a terrifying loss of autonomy and the potential descent into madness. This difference in perception underscores the tension between their characters: what Hannibal views as the ultimate union, Will sees as an existential threat, a conflict that drives much of the psychological drama between them.

In Tantric philosophy, the act of love is seen as a profound form of surrender. The surrender here is not just emotional or psychological but total—it involves the mind, body, and spirit. The surrender to the sacred lover is symbolic of the surrender to the divine. When one gives oneself fully in love, without holding back, it mirrors the surrender to the divine will. This act of surrender is seen as a way to transcend the ego, which is often the source of suffering and separation from the divine.

In this context, the lover becomes a gateway through which one can encounter the divine. Through the practice of Tantric rituals the practitioners aim to dissolve the boundaries of the individual self and experience a state of unity with the cosmos.

And although Hannibal is more aware and accepting of his feelings toward Will, he takes considerable time to fully surrender to them. For Hannibal, surrender represented a form of annihilation, a total merging with the beloved or with a divine entity. In his view, surrender to God—or to Will—entails yielding to a force that might be capricious and destructive. This perception renders the act of surrender profoundly dangerous and destabilizing. Hannibal’s attempt to kill and consume Will echoes his desire to dominate and conquer, similar to his act of consuming his sister Mischa. By doing so, Hannibal seeks to assert control over the vulnerabilities that Will represents.

For Will, surrendering to Hannibal symbolizes a profound threat to his own sense of self, as he fears that Hannibal’s overwhelming presence could overshadow and annihilate his own identity. This interplay of fear and desire underscores the complex dynamics of their relationship, where surrendering to each other reflects a deeper existential struggle.

Advaita Vedanta 's teaching that the self is ultimately one with Brahman can be seen as a radical redefinition of identity, where individual distinctions dissolve in the face of a greater, unified reality.

The culmination of Will's "Becoming" is most vividly portrayed in the series finale, where he finally confronts the totality of his relationship with Hannibal and his own identity. By the end of the series, Will has integrated his shadow, understanding that the darkness within him is not something separate from who he is but a fundamental part of his identity. This integration is symbolized in the final act of violence they commit together against the Red Dragon, an act that unites them in a way that transcends both of their previous identities.

Spiritual progress does not require denying one's desires or affections. On the contrary, in many occult traditions surrendering to what we love most brings us closer to God through the destruction of the ego via love.

"God" is not cruel, in this perspective, and there is a genuine spiritual reason for finding certain physical or sexual characteristics arousing. This is not sinful but indicates the vibration one is meant to merge with in a religious sense.

Mystics describe the joy of fully immersing oneself in the object of one's affection, merging with it forever in their writings to encourage others to seek it. They even suggest that God "seduces" one into liberation through passions and temptations. Mirroring the show's entire arc between Will and Hannibal.

Love, from this perspective, can be seen as a formidable force that shatters the illusion of individuality. It appears as a terrifying monster seeking to devour the self to those immersed in ego-based consciousness, as Hannibal and Will were for most of the story. The more one resists this total submission, the more love seems to pursue and compel this yielding.

Pouring one's life force into a divine partner out of love is the most rewarding activity, according to these teachings, as it contributes to creating our own paradise and reality, where we can be with them and enjoy the true purpose of the universe—pleasure, games, and loveplay without shame or guilt, which is exactly Hannibal's desire and so much of what he believes and who he is at the core of his character.

From his perspective we could venture that Jesus' command to "love your enemies" was not about allowing them to harm you but about dissolving their ego and assimilating them into one's own being. This is the true nature of love, which is not evil but a misunderstood concept of self-realization. To achieve wholeness, one must assimilate all disparate parts of the inner self. External enemies represent parts of ourselves that we have not yet integrated. Conquering internal weaknesses also leads to overcoming external adversaries.

Viewing something equal as an enemy reflects a dualistic consciousness, typical of those entrenched in material illusions and distant from unified consciousness. Which reflects Will's position for most of the series. True marriage between equal but opposite (yin and yang) partners embodies the Vajra or Thunderbolt power, as seen in Greek and Hindu myths. By uniting opposing forces—yin and yang —we generate something immune to time and decay.

Muhammad, the founder of Islam, famously stated that "Marriage is half of religion". Similarly, the Catholic Church regards marriage as a sacrament, reflecting its sacred importance. The New Testament quotes Jesus, saying, "And the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh". At its core, the purpose of all religion is to achieve Union with God, and marriage, in many traditions, serves as a sacred path toward this ultimate union, mirroring the spiritual unity between the divine and the human.

The doctrine of "twin souls," central to Jyotish astrology and other esoteric teachings, posits that a single human soul incarnates into two individuals. In a world defined by duality and division, each person has a true "other half," a soulmate who embodies the other half of their soul. According to this belief, true wholeness can only be achieved by reconnecting with this twin soul, as the union of these two halves is the only path to complete spiritual and emotional fulfillment.

According to western occultism, the Yin partner goes on nightly astral huntings, whether unconscious or conscious, and they stalk and pursue any yang they choose, having perceived them in the light of day as an interesting target to master. Once the yin has set their mark, one of three outcomes ensues: the yang allows themself to be consumed, falling under the yin's spell and being engulfed by the powerful void energy they generate; they find protection from their own spouse, who shields them from the attack; or they recognizes the yin as their soulmate, willingly allowing them to consume their ego and embracing the protection they offer. This dynamic reflects the yin's potent influence, where the yang's response determines whether he is devoured, defended, or transformed through the union, mirrored by Will and Hannibal's dynamic throughout the series, with Hannibal seducing him, and Will resisting it until he awakens to that love and surrenders to it, which grants him freedom and transformation, seeing that it is confirmed canon by the creator that they survived, and the alternative ending shows Will in a peaceful state, sharing his sacred spiritual space with his soulmate.

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."

-Lao Tzu

The actual final scene that shows both of them explicitly, where Will and Hannibal embrace as they fall off the cliff, can be seen as the ultimate act of transformation—an acceptance of their intertwined fates and a literal leap into the unknown. This moment symbolizes the death of their previous selves and the potential for a new form of existence, one that is free from the constraints of their former identities.

If successful, this dynamic of twin souls, or soulmates, creates a marriage where the yang's individuality is shrouded and consumed within the safety provided by the yin. On this path, the yin partner understands that true satisfaction comes from the total absorption of and energetic fulfillment through their partner. Consequently, they initiate a process of deep connection by channeling their naturally devouring tendencies, drawing their partner into a profound, consuming union.

Interestingly enough, season's four concept seemed to mirror this, according to Bryan Fuller, the creator, and Hugh Dancy, who hinted at the plot being about Hannibal taking Will away and them building their shared mind palace together, engaging in intimacy and shared interests.

Through Will and Hannibal’s relationship, we are invited to explore the terrifying possibilities of surrendering to one’s darkest impulses, questioning the very nature of self and the boundaries of human experience. The series challenges us to consider whether true liberation lies in the integration of the shadow self or if such a path leads to the ultimate destruction. And is destruction negative? As Hannibal himself inquired at one point. Or can it be used to destroy the ego, the limitations, the illusion of separation that permeates all of us when we think about God?

Perhaps their relationship could reveal that God, in all of His mysteries, can be found within the love we surrender ourselves to. In the giving up of a fixed identity in order to consume the beloved. Not as an act of compliance or oppression, but out of an uncontrollable desire for union. A desire to empty ourselves out, just to be filled up with our perfect opposite.

In this way, surrender to God is not an abandonment of the self. It is purification of the self through the destructive fires of Love, in which a new, unified self is born out of. In this way, surrender to the beloved is really the surrender to the part of ourselves that resists the vulnerability of love. It is the surrender to death itself, as this resistance originates from the fear of destruction. Therefore, in this case, there is nothing more powerful than surrendering to love. Embracing death, welcoming destruction as a means of transformation, and loving fearlessly.

*****

Refs:

"Sexual Aggression: Issues in Etiology, Assessment, and Treatment." by Neil Malamuth and Nancy M. Koss

"The Dark Side of Love: Positive and Negative Aspects of Intimate Relationships" by Debra L. Davis, William J. Ickes, and Sheila A. Knowles

"The Psychology of Sexual Aggression" by Terry A. Wilson and David Richard

Hugh Dancy said at a Comic Con that he was really excited about the plot of season four, and at a recent convention he said he'd like to explore the specific part of the last book which is about Hannibal taking Clarice away and them enjoying their alone time, having sex and building their mind palaces. Clarice was replaced by Will on the show, and they do not have the rights for that character which means Hugh meant Hannibal and Will, not literally Clarice. And I specifically said he hinted at it because he seems to always go with answers that are closer to what Fuller told him about what would actually happen in season four, he never truly gives answers that seem personal or too creative in regards to his wishes for season four, as well as Fuller saying at an online interview that season four can be described as "lurid erotic intimacy".

Feel free to ask me if you want more references to anything mentioned in this essay.

[luckyblackcatxiii]

Hello! Sorry in advance if this has already been answered somewhere. I really admire the way that you design outfits for your characters and wanted to ask if there were any reference sources that you recommend for designing D&D-ish fantasy outfits. Have you just picked up trends/patterns over time? Are there a certain time periods or fashion eras that you like to emulate in your designs? Media that has inspired the designs? Thanks for sharing your amazing art with us!!

Hey there!

No apologies needed, you'd be the first to ask me this (that I remember in the last couple of years, at least)

I think my biggest suggestion to anyone who wants to design outfits for characters--fantasy or not--is to first do some studying on how clothing is structured, as well as historical and/or regional fashion. Whether that's taking a class or just going through various medias that cover the topic, such knowledge helps you get an overall roundness on the basics of how clothes work, how they can be applied to the human figure, and just why certain fashions became in vogue via the times, emotions, economies, psychology and culture they reflected. All which can then serve as inspiration and guidance on how to go about clothing your made up person/society/etc, because after all: not only do we dress ourselves to reflect our own individuality, but people have been doing that for generations before us. Whether it's the fabric used or the shape of the silhouette, clothes tell a story! And a lot of it is interesting!!!

Also, the more you understand clothing, the more believable and strong your designs will present themselves.

(You'll also suffer the curse of recognizing how inaccurate a lot of historical TV shows and movies are with their depictions of costuming, then have to stifle this down so as not be obnoxious to those around you! Yay!!)

When it comes to designing fantasy things though, the best part of drawing from reality and historic fashion is you can have references without the feeling of having to be entirely beholden to accuracy (while still--I should hope--being respectful enough to avoid borrowing more personal aspects of cultures who may not appreciate parts of their identity being used without knowledge/context applied). I often like to mix and match different time period/regional aesthetics and mesh them into something that becomes seemingly familiar yet unique enough to call my own, and it seems to pay off in the long run.

Aside from that, I like to keep in mind the practicality of an outfit--why is it being worn and what is its purpose?--while also making sure it defines the most important aspects of my character, as well as has a nice shape/sillhouette. After that, aesthetics, personal enjoyment, easter eggs, and overall fun make up the rest of the designing process. Be sure to indulge once in awhile, if not always if that's your vibe!

On that note: I personally like to depict western clothing between the 15th-early 20th century, with the Georgian and Edwardian era being my favorite. Though, thanks to my VtM game, I've definitely grown a deeper appreciation and affection for the 20s more 'recently' and with Curse of Strahd, I've been having a ton of fun getting more familiarized with Slavic and Eastern European clothing. I have a lot of CoS NPCs that need designing (and I'd like to do a fashion zine for Barovia someday, so I've been doing a lot of research as of late...)!

If I'd have to give credit to any media that's inspired my own designs, I'd have to say Odin Sphere (or any fantasy based Vanillaware game, really) is always there in the back of my mind when I'm tackling a fantasy look. I'm absolutely blanking on anything else, but i'm sure there's plenty of inspiration that subconsciously sits in my brain just Ratatouille-ing my hand when I decide to design things AHAHAH~ I'm sure once this is posted, it'll all come rushing to me...

This has gone on pretty long and I admittedly feel like an unqualified egomaniac after yapping as much as I have, but I hope this helps, if not offers some overall insight on my own process! Thank you so much for your inquiry and kind words, I'm so glad you enjoy my stuff and look forward to supplying you more in the future! :,3c <3

[silver-soul00]

This is an extremely sensitive post to make because I am going to try yes to dismantle this narrative that someone have about Tyler, but still trying to be somewhat amenable to confrontation.

I had already made posts inherent in the problematic nature of the ship with Tyler and how unsuitable he is as a partner (or in general just impossible for him to have feelings for Wednesday with the information we have now).

“Tyler genuinely smiled after talking to Wednesday.”

A smile is not necessarily a sign of genuineness. Social psychology teaches us that a smile can be used as a tool to manipulate or reassure.

In the context of the series, Tyler proves adept at earning Wednesday's trust through seemingly sincere behavior.

For example, the way he engages her on their “first date” is carefully constructed to leverage her passions and preferences, a classic example of “emotional mirroring,” a manipulative technique that creates an apparent connection.

Obviously, the date was carried out to cheat and remove Wednesday from her room so that Laurel could enter Wednesday's room and carry out the plan (with Thing stabbed I might add)

Moreover, Tyler's smile may reflect personal satisfaction with her success in manipulating her, rather than genuine feelings.

This type of behavior is common in manipulators, who use nonverbal signals to build a false perception of trust and affection.

“He said he liked killing because he was possessed by the Hyde.”

Tyler's statement during interrogation, “I enjoyed it,” cannot be ignored as simply an expression of his Hyde. Although it is true that the Hyde is a monstrous aspect of his personality, the relationship between the “monster” and the human in Tyler is complex.

Studies of individuals with dissociative behavior show that the sense of pleasure felt in negative actions, even under pressure, is often indicative of an at least partially consensual will.

Moreover, the way Tyler expresses himself suggests not distress or remorse, but complacency. This is a sign of moral disengagement, a psychological mechanism in which a person justifies his actions through emotional detachment.

“Wednesday was furious because of betrayal, not because of the murders.”

Reducing Wednesday's anger to personal betrayal alone ignores the depth of her character. Wednesday is motivated by a strong sense of justice, as seen in her constant efforts to uncover the truth and protect others, particularly the marginalized.

Her reaction is a combination of anger at personal betrayal and outrage at the murders committed by Tyler.

The episode in which Eugene is almost killed is emblematic: Wednesday is devastated by the idea of losing a friend to Tyler's senseless violence.

Her guilt and determination to avenge him show that she considers the murders a central issue, not a secondary one.

"He was tortured, drugged, abused to unlock the Hyde”

It is true that Laurel manipulates and unlocks Tyler's Hyde side through cruel methods.

Tyler is a victim of abuse and there is no compromise on that...but once the Hyde is active, Tyler shows that he is a willing participant in Laurel's plans.

There are no signs that Tyler tries to resist or escape his condition.

On the contrary, he fully immerses himself in the role of assassin and enjoys tormenting Wednesday during the scene in the police station.

This kind of behavior is consistent with what the theory of submission to coercive power describes: an individual who is initially a victim can become an active perpetrator if he or she derives benefit or pleasure from the new condition.

“Wednesday is not an angel, she hurt normies and almost tortured Tyler.”

Comparing Wednesday's actions to Tyler's is a classic example of whataboutism, a rhetorical technique that seeks to distract from the actions of one character by highlighting the flaws of another.

Remember that Tyler still harmed and hurt loved ones in Wednesday's

Wednesday's actions, while questionable, are always motivated by a sense of justice or self-defense.

Her extreme behaviors (such as the piranhas in the pool) are directed against people who have done harm, while Tyler targets innocent victims to satisfy his own instincts or to please Laurel.

Wednesday is not perfect but through the series understands when she is wrong or not, such as admiring Wheems only on the finale.

On this point, however, the novel did a better job, where the vigilante mentality is felt more and she thinks so much about the fact that she cares what people think.

“Tyler hated her so much he kissed her and planned a date.”

The argument that Tyler could not hate Wednesday because he kissed her and planned a date is naive. Emotional manipulation often involves seemingly romantic acts to gain the victim's trust.

Tyler exploits Wednesday's feelings to distract her from the truth and to assure her that he is “on her side.”

This is an example of emotional triangulation, a manipulative technique in which the manipulator alternates between affection and betrayal to confuse and control the victim.

"They liked each other and were in a toxic situation, not a toxic relationship"

Tyler and Wednesday's relationship is inherently toxic because it is based on lies, manipulation, and violence.

According to healthy relationship theories, an authentic relationship requires mutual trust, respect and open communication. None of this is present between Tyler and Wednesday.

Their dynamic is defined by a profound inequality: Tyler is in control of information and exploits Wednesday's emotional vulnerability, while she is kept in the dark about her true nature. This asymmetry is the very definition of a toxic relationship.

But in general, this post presents a common narrative that tends to confuse victimization and personal responsibility.

Being a victim does not eliminate personal responsibility

The fact that Tyler was abused, drugged, and manipulated to activate his Hyde is a significant element of his background. However, the psychology of victimization makes it clear that undergoing trauma does not automatically justify all of an individual's subsequent actions.

According to the concept of posttrauma agency, an abused person still has a decision-making capacity, even if it is affected by the trauma suffered.

After his Hyde is activated, Tyler shows no signs of inner conflict or attempts to rebel against Laurel, his manipulator.

On the contrary, he embraces his role complacently, declaring that he took pleasure in killing.

This behavior suggests a conscious choice to indulge his dark nature, despite the Hyde's traumatic origin.

“Wednesday loves murder, so they are meant to be together.”

This statement is based on a superficial understanding of Wednesday's character. Although Wednesday has a fascination with the macabre and a dark personality, she is not motivated by a sadistic pleasure in killing. On the contrary, her actions are guided by a strong sense of justice.

For example:

The piranhas in the pool are punishment for those who bullied his brother.

Her obsession with the Hyde case stems from a desire to protect her friends and other students at Nevermore.

Wednesday never kills without a reason related to justice or self-defense.

Tyler, in contrast, shows a pleasure in committing murder.

This pleasure is completely incompatible with Wednesday's worldview.

Their apparent affinity is superficial: she loves the macabre in an aesthetic and moral sense, while he embraces destructive mayhem without remorse.

The “innocent victim” narrative in social psychology

The idea that being a victim of abuse automatically makes one an innocent person is common, but psychologically incorrect. In reality, traumatized people may develop destructive or abusive behaviors toward others, but this does not eliminate their moral responsibility.

According to the “cycle of abuse” theory, victims of abuse can sometimes become perpetrators, but this does not excuse them from their actions. Tyler is a victim of Laurel, but he becomes an active accomplice in her plan. He shows awareness and pleasure in his actions, which go beyond mere submission to Laurel's control.

The manipulation of Wednesday's emotions.

Tyler not only kills, but also exploits Wednesday's feelings to manipulate her. He presents himself as the sweet, caring guy who tries to understand her, but this mask falls away completely when his role as Hyde is revealed.

The scene in the police station is emblematic:

Tyler humiliates Wednesday with a monologue in which he reveals how easy it was to deceive her.

He shows a complete lack of empathy or remorse, using betrayal as a psychological weapon.

This dynamic is not a basis for a healthy relationship, but an example of emotional manipulation and relational toxicity.

The concept of “meant to be together”

The idea that Tyler and Wednesday are “meant to be together” because they both have a dark side completely ignores the foundations of healthy relationships. According to John Gottman's relationship theories, successful relationships are based on:

- Mutual trust

- Respect

- Honest communication

None of these elements are present between Tyler and Wednesday.

On the contrary, their relationship is based on deception, betrayal, and violence. The fact that Tyler and Wednesday share an interest in the macabre is not enough to build a relationship, especially when this interest manifests itself in completely opposite ways.

Relationships similar to the one hypothesized between Tyler and Wednesday, which are based on dynamics of manipulation, deception, and trauma, are often considered highly problematic.

According to the work of Lundy Bancroft in her book Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men,” relationships in which one partner manipulates the other cannot be considered healthy. Manipulation, such as that displayed by Tyler toward Wednesday, undermines mutual trust and creates an environment of emotional control and abuse.

Healthy relationships require transparency and respect.

Tyler exploits Wednesday's feelings by building a connection based on lies and betrayal.

This type of behavior creates an unbalanced power dynamic in which one partner maintains control by exploiting the other's emotional vulnerability.

Victimization does not excuse toxic behaviors

Abuse cycle theory (Walker, 1979) shows how victims of abuse can develop abusive behaviors, but emphasizes that this does not excuse or justify such actions. Tyler, despite his traumatic past and manipulation by Laurel, demonstrates an active pleasure in killing and manipulation.

Furthermore, a study by McNulty and Fincham (2008) on forgiveness and personal responsibility in relationships points out that:

Suffering trauma does not eliminate personal responsibility for subsequent actions.

Healthy relationships require mutual commitment to avoid destructive behavior, even in the presence of trauma.

Tyler, as far as we have seen, does not show remorse or an attempt to right his wrongs, which makes it difficult to imagine a redemptive relationship with Wednesday.

The importance of equality and respect

According to Gottman's model of successful relationships (The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work), relationships flourish when partners share a sense of mutual respect and engage in open communication.

However, in the Tyler-Wednesday dynamic, Tyler exploits an advantageous position by knowing the truth about his identity as Hyde while Wednesday is kept in the dark.

Recall how betrayed Wednesday felt because, thinking placing trust after so long might be good for her, she eventually found herself stabbed in the back

The relationship is based on systematic deception, which makes genuine trust impossible.

Gottman points out that without a foundation of respect and transparency, relationships are doomed to failure or, worse, become toxic.

The idealization of toxic relationships

A study by Knox et al. (2000) on the idealization of toxic relationships in the media shows that romantic narratives involving manipulation and toxicity can negatively influence audience perceptions of real relationships.

Young viewers, in particular, tend to normalize abusive behaviors when portrayed as romantic or inevitable.

In the case of Tyler and Wednesday, the idea that “both are dark and therefore meant to be together” is an example of this idealization:

It ignores the real harm caused by manipulation and violence.

It romanticizes a dynamic that, in real life, would be devastating to the psychological well-being of both partners.

Psychological impacts on victims of manipulation

Studies on victims of emotional manipulation, such as Stark's (2007) in Coercive Control, reveal that relationships such as the one hypothesized between Tyler and Wednesday can lead to:

Chronic distrust: The difficulty of trusting others after such a profound experience of betrayal.

Emotional trauma: Victims of manipulation often suffer from anxiety, depression and a distorted perception of future relationships.

Self-isolation: Wednesday, already naturally inclined to protect her emotions, may further close herself off from the world after being betrayed in such a brutal way. But still in this case we could specify that Wednesday will be even more careful about placing her trust, since right now she trusts Enid and the other Nevermore friends who fought against Crackstone much more

IN CONCLUSION

Remembering that this is yes an analysis but not necessarily a gallows, anyone who appreciates the ship is not necessarily a bad person, you simply have to bring data and sources to the table when you have to discuss and from my perspective rather than romanticize this relationship, it would be more constructive to use their dynamic as a narrative example of how toxic relationships can negatively affect both partners and serve as a warning to recognize and avoid similar dynamics in real life.

Rather create stories where Tyler is not a murderer, Weyler stories like this I would love to read so much

[narcissisticpdcultureis]

VERY LONG SUBMISSION SORRY I HAVE A LOT TO SAY

SELF DIAGNOSED "I'M SO NICE" NPD CULTURE IS. LITERALLY ALWAYS KNOWING YOU HAD SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU. BUT SOCIETY HAS SPOONFED YOU THE PROPAGANDISTIC IDEALS OF NARC DEMONISATION SINCE THE DAY YOU WERE FRESH OUT THE WOMB, SO EVEN THOUGH YOU PERSONALLY BELIEVED YOU DIDN'T DEMONISE NPD, YOU NEVER ONCE CONSIDERED HAVING IT BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS TOLD YOURSELF "I DEFINITELY DON'T HAVE NPD, I'M WAY TOO NICE FOR THAT!"

BUT YOU STILL KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY FUCKING WRONG WITH YOU. CLUSTER B PERSONALITY DISORDER SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT.

"HEY WAIT, I SEEM TO RELATE TO BPD EXPERIENCES!!! THIS IS WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME!"

IT WAS NOT BPD. THE THINGS I FOUND RELATABLE WERE JUST GENERAL CLUSTER B SYMPTOMS OR EXPLAINABLE BY SOMETHING ELSE.

SEVERE IDENTITY ISSUES? JUST NPD.

HAVING A FP AND PLACING YOUR SELF WORTH AND EMOTIONAL STATE IN THEM? ANY PERSONALITY DISORDER CAN HAVE A FP.

SUDDEN MOOD SWINGS? IT'S PROBABLY NPD WHEN I'M MET WITH DIRECT CRITICISM / RUDENESS / AND I FEEL INSANELY OFFENDED OR ATTACKED AND INSTINCTIVELY AND UNCONTROLLABLY GET SUPER DEFENSIVE AND COMBATIVE AND GRASP AT ANYTHING I CAN TO "GET BACK" AT THEM TO COPE WITH FEELING LIKE I JUST GOT FUCKING STABBED IN THE CHEST

FEAR OF ABANDONMENT? CHILDHOOD UPBRINGING + TRAUMA LOL ALSO IT CRUSHES MY EGO BADLY THAT PEOPLE FIND ME SO INSUFFERABLE THAT THEY NEVER WANT TO TALK TO ME AGAIN SO LOWKEY NPD TOO

SUICIDAL THREATS? UMM OK SO THIS IS AN ENTIRE STORYTIME FOR ANOTHER SUBMISSION SO JUST. GO FIND IT FROM MY ANON SIGNOFF TAG IF YOU'RE CURIOUS. TLDR I WAS 10 AND PLAYING ROYALE HIGH 💀

BLACK AND WHITE THINKING? AUTISM. OR POSSIBLY NPD

"WOW, I FEEL LIKE I RELATE A LOT TO HPD SYMPTOMS!!!! I MUST HAVE BOTH BPD AND HPD!"

HPD IS BARELY TALKED ABOUT EVEN IN PD SPACES, THE DSM CRITERIA FOR IT IS VAGUE AND UNSPECIFIC AND WACKY MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO ACCURATELY SELF DIAGNOSE IT (OR EVEN ACCURATELY DIAGNOSE IT IN GENERAL), AND ALL OF MY HPD SYMPTOMS CAN BE EXPLAINED BY SOMETHING ELSE.

UNSTABLE EMOTIONS? LITERALLY JUST CLUSTER B AND AUTISM.

ATTENTION SEEKING + TWEAKING WHEN NO ATTENTION? MOSTLY JUST NPD, BUT COULD ALSO BE SOMEWHAT CATALYSTED BY MY INSANELY EXTROVERTED, OUTGOING AND SOCIALLY DEPENDENT PERSONALITY.

DRAMATIC BEHAVIOUR? I HAVE MANY OUTBURSTS OR EPISODES OF LOSING MY SHIT BECAUSE OF A COMBINATION OF TRAUMA, AUTISM, AND JUST BEING CLUSTER B.

EXAGGERATED AND OVER-THE-TOP PERSONA? THAT IS LITERALLY JUST THE ARTIFICIAL PERSONA I MOLDED MYSELF INTO BECAUSE MY NPD THOUGHT IT'D MAKE EVERYONE LOVE ME BUT MY NPD SWEARS THIS IS THE REAL ME EVEN THOUGH I'M JUST FABRICATING MY PERSONALITY TO BE CLOSER TO THE IDEALISED ME I HAVE IN MY HEAD.

HAVING "STRONG OPINIONS" THAT ARE MALLEABLE AND DEPENDENT ON THOSE AROUND ME? PROBABLY A COMBINATION OF BEING AN FE DOMINANT IN TYPOLOGY (THIS MEANS MY MORALS AND DECISIONS ARE BASED ON HOW SOMETHING AFFECTS OTHERS) AND BEING LOW EMPATHY + COMPASSION (SOMETIMES I CAN'T UNDERSTAND OR CARE FOR HOW SOMETHING WILL AFFECT OTHERS, BUT I TRY AND GUESS / ASSUME WHAT THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS ANYWAYS BECAUSE I'M A GOOD PERSON) *SORRY FOR THE TYPOLOGY MENTION IN A PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTEXT I THINK MANY PEOPLE FUCKING HATE THAT IN PSYCHOLOGY/MENTAL HEALTH SPACES I DON'T TREAT IT LIKE ASTROLOGY OKAY? 😭 I JUST THINK IT'S A GREAT TOOL TO EXPLAIN AND CATEGORISE THE ASPECTS OF YOUR PERSONALITY UNRELATED TO MENTAL ILLNESS OR TRAUMA SINCE EVERY TYPOLOGY SYSTEM IS UNIQUE

THE HPD SELF DIAGNOSIS WAS ON A WHIM BTW I WAS REALLY STUPID ABOUT THAT .. ☹️ I HEARD "PDS ARE VERY COMMONLY COMORBID" AND I TOOK THAT AND JUST DIAGNOSED MYSELF WITH WHATEVER I FOUND SLIGHTLY RELATABLE. I SAW A VID OF SOMEONE WITH HPD TALKING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE + THEY MENTIONED SOMETHING LIKE "WE HAVE A GOD COMPLEX BUT WE HATE OURSELVES AT THE SAME TIME" WHICH HELPED ME COME TO TERMS WITH MY EGO AND GRANDIOSITY (WHILE STILL THINKING IT WAS BPD AND HPD), SO I SELF DIAGNOSED MYSELF WITH NPD TOO . WHILE ONLY DOING THE BARE MINIMUM OF RESEARCH 😟 LIKE OBVIOUSLY I DIDN'T THINK NPD WAS Symptoms: Kills people, eats babies, manipulates everyone, takes over the world, is ONLY CAPABLE of feeling EVIL and can NEVER be kind EVER, CAUSE I WAS CONSCIOUSLY ACCEPTING OF PWNPD EVEN THOUGH I HAD SOME DEMONISATION STILL SUBCONSCIOUSLY INTERNALISED BECAUSE OF WHAT SOCIETY SPOONFEEDS US + ABSOLUTELY NOBODY IS 100% FREE OF AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT OF SUBCONSCIOUS INTERNALISED BIGOTRY BUT I BASICALLY HAD JUST JUMPED THE GUN

AFTER A WHILE I LOWKEY REALISED THAT BPD AND HPD DID NOT SEEM TO FIT ME . AND I UNDIAGNOSED MYSELF WITH NPD TOO CAUSE THE TWO MISDIAGNOSES MADE ME ASSUME I DIDN'T HAVE A PD AT ALL. SO I HAD A SHORT PERIOD OF "DAMN I GUESS I DON'T HAVE ANY DISORDERS THAT EXPLAIN WHY I'M SO FUCKED UP AND INSANE AND MENTALLY UNWELL"

BEFORE I FOUND OUT MY FP HAD NPD. AND I WAS LIKE "WAIT, REALLY? BUT THEY'RE SO NICE TO ME... HONESTLY, IT MAKES SENSE". AND THAT MOTIVATED ME TO ACTUALLY DO RESEARCH ON NPD BECAUSE THIS TOLD ME I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT ENOUGH. I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THEM.

THAT WAS BASICALLY HOW I STARTED TO REALISE I HAD NPD. I TRIED DENYING A LOT OF CORRELATIONS . AND I NEVER SUSPECTED I HAD NPD FOR YEARS BECAUSE THE COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS HAD NORMALISED SO MANY THINGS TO ME + I QUITE UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED BOTTLING UP THINGS I THOUGHT WERE MEAN (WHICH BASICALLY MADE ME BELIEVE I'M SECRETLY AN AWFUL PERSON AND NOBODY KNOWS IT) . I THOUGHT MY GRANDIOSE FANTASIES WERE NORMAL UNTIL I WAS LIKE 15. I THOUGHT NEVER BEING ABLE TO COMPREHEND YOU'RE IN THE WRONG BUT PRETENDING YOU DO AND APOLOGISING TO "DO THE RIGHT THING" WAS NORMAL. I THOUGHT MY LEVEL OF EMPATHY WAS NORMAL. I THOUGHT MY JEALOUSY AND ENVY WERE NNORMAL. I NEVER WORDED MY THOUGHTS OF CONTEMPT AND SUPERIORITY TO OTHERS IN A WAY THAT WAS LIKE "HEH... YOU'RE SO PATHETIC.... I'M SO MUCH BETTER THAN YOU" IT WAS MORE LIKE "LOL I'M _ AND THEY'RE NOT" SO IT WASN'T OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THIS WASN'T NORMAL . BUT WHEN I DID WORD IT THAT WAY, I DIDN'T THINK I WAS A NARC I JUST THOUGHT I WAS SECRETLY AN ASSHOLE 😭 I SERIOUSLY NEVER THOUGHT MY KINDNESS HAD SELFISH INTENTIONS I THOUGHT IT WAS NORMAL TO ONLY BE NICE FOR PEOPLE TO LIKE YOU ┛◠ ┛ ANYWAYS IT'S 2025 AND I AM NO LONGER BLINDED BY BIAS OR DELUSION COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT MY PROBLEM IS NPD!!!!!!!!! AND LITERALLY NOTHING ELSE I THINK . I AM 16 AND GONNA "TRY TO GET DIAGNOSED" SOON (NOT GOING TO EVER SAY "I THINK I HAVE NPD". I'M GONNA SPECIFICALLY MENTION ALL MY NARC TRAITS TO MY THERAPIST AND WORD THEM IN A VERY TEXTBOOK NPD WAY WITHOUT EVER LYING I'M JUST GOING OUT OF MY WAY TO TELL THE TRUTH AND WORDING IT IN A STEREOTYPICAL NPD WAY)

THX 4 READING I LOAV U (^з^)-☆Chu!!

— 🍋‍🟩🍃

[pt: very long submission sorry i have a lot to say

self diagnosed "i'm so nice" npd culture is. literally always knowing you had something wrong with you. but society has spoonfed you the propagandistic ideals of narc demonisation since the day you were fresh out the womb, so even though you personally believed you didn't demonise npd, you never once considered having it because you always told yourself "i definitely don't have npd, i'm way too nice for that!"

but you still knew there was something seriously fucking wrong with you. cluster b personality disorder sounds about right.

"hey wait, i seem to relate to bpd experiences!!! this is what's wrong with me!"

it was not bpd. the things i found relatable were just general cluster b symptoms or explainable by something else.

severe identity issues? just npd.

having a fp and placing your self worth and emotional state in them? any personality disorder can have a fp.

sudden mood swings? it's probably npd when i'm met with direct criticism / rudeness / and i feel insanely offended or attacked and instinctively and uncontrollably get super defensive and combative and grasp at anything i can to "get back" at them to cope with feeling like i just got fucking stabbed in the chest

fear of abandonment? childhood upbringing + trauma lol also it crushes my ego badly that people find me so insufferable that they never want to talk to me again so lowkey npd too

suicidal threats? umm ok so this is an entire storytime for another submission so just. go find it from my anon signoff tag if you're curious. tldr i was 10 and playing royale high 💀

black and white thinking? autism. or possibly npd

"wow, i feel like i relate a lot to hpd symptoms!!!! i must have both bpd and hpd!"

hpd is barely talked about even in pd spaces, the dsm criteria for it is vague and unspecific and wacky making it difficult to accurately self diagnose it (or even accurately diagnose it in general), and all of my hpd symptoms can be explained by something else.

unstable emotions? literally just cluster b and autism.

attention seeking + tweaking when no attention? mostly just npd, but could also be somewhat catalysted by my insanely extroverted, outgoing and socially dependent personality.

dramatic behaviour? i have many outbursts or episodes of losing my shit because of a combination of trauma, autism, and just being cluster b.

exaggerated and over-the-top persona? that is literally just the artificial persona i molded myself into because my npd thought it'd make everyone love me but my npd swears this is the real me even though i'm just fabricating my personality to be closer to the idealised me i have in my head.

having "strong opinions" that are malleable and dependent on those around me? probably a combination of being an fe dominant in typology (this means my morals and decisions are based on how something affects others) and being low empathy + compassion (sometimes i can't understand or care for how something will affect others, but i try and guess / assume what the right thing to do is anyways because i'm a good person) *sorry for the typology mention in a psychological context i think many people fucking hate that in psychology/mental health spaces i don't treat it like astrology okay? 😭 i just think it's a great tool to explain and categorise the aspects of your personality unrelated to mental illness or trauma since every typology system is unique

the hpd self diagnosis was on a whim btw i was really stupid about that .. ☹️ i heard "pds are very commonly comorbid" and i took that and just diagnosed myself with whatever i found slightly relatable. i saw a vid of someone with hpd talking about their experience + they mentioned something like "we have a god complex but we hate ourselves at the same time" which helped me come to terms with my ego and grandiosity (while still thinking it was bpd and hpd), so i self diagnosed myself with npd too . while only doing the bare minimum of research 😟 like obviously i didn't think npd was symptoms: kills people, eats babies, manipulates everyone, takes over the world, is only capable of feeling evil and can never be kind ever, cause i was consciously accepting of pwnpd even though i had some demonisation still subconsciously internalised because of what society spoonfeeds us + absolutely nobody is 100% free of at least a little bit of subconscious internalised bigotry but i basically had just jumped the gun

after a while i lowkey realised that bpd and hpd did not seem to fit me . and i undiagnosed myself with npd too cause the two misdiagnoses made me assume i didn't have a pd at all. so i had a short period of "damn i guess i don't have any disorders that explain why i'm so fucked up and insane and mentally unwell"

before i found out my fp had npd. and i was like "wait, really? but they're so nice to me… honestly, it makes sense". and that motivated me to actually do research on npd because this told me i didn't understand it enough. i wanted to understand them.

that was basically how i started to realise i had npd. i tried denying a lot of correlations . and i never suspected i had npd for years because the cognitive distortions had normalised so many things to me + i quite unsuccessfully tried bottling up things i thought were mean (which basically made me believe i'm secretly an awful person and nobody knows it) . i thought my grandiose fantasies were normal until i was like 15. i thought never being able to comprehend you're in the wrong but pretending you do and apologising to "do the right thing" was normal. i thought my level of empathy was normal. i thought my jealousy and envy were nnormal. i never worded my thoughts of contempt and superiority to others in a way that was like "heh… you're so pathetic…. i'm so much better than you" it was more like "lol i'm _ and they're not" so it wasn't obvious to me that this wasn't normal . but when i did word it that way, i didn't think i was a narc i just thought i was secretly an asshole 😭 i seriously never thought my kindness had selfish intentions i thought it was normal to only be nice for people to like you ┛◠ ┛ anyways it's 2025 and i am no longer blinded by bias or delusion cognitive distortions and i know for a fact that my problem is npd!!!!!!!!! and literally nothing else i think . i am 16 and gonna "try to get diagnosed" soon (not going to ever say "i think i have npd". i'm gonna specifically mention all my narc traits to my therapist and word them in a very textbook npd way without ever lying i'm just going out of my way to tell the truth and wording it in a stereotypical npd way)

thx 4 reading i loav u (^з^)-☆chu!!]