#i always knew it would come to this

[genderqueerpond]

Alright fairytale time (again)!

Alexander James Adams, the man the myth the legend:

Once upon a time in 1962, before he could even live, a boy was spirited away to faerieland and a girl changeling was left in his place.

This changeling grew up to be a fairly successful bard, and performed music at Ren Faires and the like for ~20 years. However, in 2006, "sidhe" (a word for the Fair Folk, pronounced exactly like "she") was faced with a conundrum: having recently come to understand her true nature, sidhe was tired, and wanted to go back to faerieland where sidhe really belonged.

Meanwhile, the boy she had replaced was still locked in Faerieland and discovering that he really really wanted a chance to.... exist.

So, what did he do? Challenge the faerie queen to a fiddle duel, of course, and win, proving himself Worthy of taking on the mantle of this fae music career, that he could "play better than the Sidhe".

But of course he still had to explain this to the fanbase.

So, back in the real world, the changeling released three albums in the course of a single year, all of them absolutely *chock-full* of trans angst, and culminating in a so-called "Farewell Concert".

Sidhe explained that sidhe had spoken with the Fae and they were going to grant a single wish, one that was important but which would require a sacrifice.

And then... this Faerie, this Glamour, this Illusion, whatever Sidhe really was.... walked ceremoniously off the stage, and was NEVER, EVER seen again. Anywhere.

Six months later, Alexander James Adams appeared, telling his side of the story, just as it's told in this song -- in fact, through this song -- and finally (re)claiming his rightful place in the real world, as a real boy.

Now, this did utterly baffle and bewilder a great deal of people, being as it was 2007 and this a metaphor a lot of people had no context for. It took some of the fanbase years to figure out what was actually going on, and others still haven't.

Alexander (also known as Alec or AJA), unothered by this, went on to live his best life, creating new music, recreating old music, radiating trans joy and being literal sunlight in human form, as he is still doing today.

In conclusion, LOOK AT HIM.

Isn't he precious? Isn't he just absurdly cool, an icon and an inspiration? Don't you want to give this man absolutely EVERYTHING?

Vote for AJA, the most legendary person in the world!

Bracket H - Fifteenth Set

Rusalka and the Shepherd Girl - The Forgetmenauts

“It's about an entity from slavic folklore!!! which is so so fun!!! I have no comprehensible thoughts about this song. It's SO good and i'm losing my mind over it. It's also very queer. which is a given because.........well yeah it's the forgetmenauts. […]” & “SO BASICALLY!!! YEAH IT'S A SONG ABOUT A RUSALKA AND A SHEPERD GIRL WHO SHE LURED INTO THE RIVER!!! HELL YEAH!!! DROWNING FOR LOVE!!! WITH THEMES OF SINNING AND CHRISTIANITY!!! ITS SO SOSOSOSO FUN!!! The coven (a group of like....30-50 people on tumblr who go ballistic over the forgetmenauts) is SO not normal about this song. it's in the top 3 songs we all collectively lose our minds over on a regular basis.”

He of Sidhe - Alexander James Adam

“fantasy celtic” & “okay so. listen. this is the Official Canon Lore of the world's most iconic transmasc elder. It tells the story of how he defeated the Faerie Queen in a Fiddle Duel in order to escape fairyland and (re)claim his rightful place in the real world, from the Changeling who was so long ago left in his place, and whose music career he inherited (after proving himself Worthy in this duel, of course.) This is a legend of the grandest proportion and the man is iconic, as previously stated.”

[puppyeared]

act 4 :(

@chipper-smol and i came to a realization

[danandfuckingjonlmao]

ok everybody block dnp on all socials they have eyes everywhere. they know way too much. those omniscient fuckers are always watching. no one is safe.

like what do you MEAN you know about those stupid “real voice” compilations and people absolutely clowning about jumpcuts and smudged whiskers and what do you MEAN you’re aware of those 2009 phan theories people still debate to this day? what happened to “i don’t check my indirects” “i don’t go on the tags”?? i bet you’re lurking RIGHT NOW reading this very post. all men do is lie. can’t trust anyone 😤😪

[bonefall]

Hey, what makes a character a 'plot device but not a character'? And how do you not do that? I'm trying to do it on purpose but also I need to still make them interesting because it's on purpose, yknow?

A good skill to pick up is to learn to criticise criticism itself. A "plot device" is simply a thing that moves the plot along, it's a neutral literary analysis term! Usually, when people are angry that "a character has been used as a plot device," it doesn't mean they hate plot devices. It means they're gesturing at something deeper.

Runningwind and Bumble are equally plot devices in their deaths. They are both killed by the antagonist to escalate political tension. Runningwind is rarely "accused" of just being a plot device, and yet, we're talking about Bumble for the same thing.

So, why?

Well, Runningwind is just a background character, but in life, he was a part of the community. He was characterized as impatient but responsible. Yet, he wasn't SO important that he died with a bunch of unresolved plot threads.

He is mostly an extension of the entity of ThunderClan. His killing by Tigerstar, and the fear and paranoia that settles on the group after this, feel like a progression of the story insteas of something forced.

Bumble, on the other hand...

Is hated immediately by Gray Wing, when she's established as Turtle Tail's friend. Bumble's abuse at Tom the Wifebeater's hands invites even MORE investment. The rejection is shocking and upsetting. There's a story there about our main characters being imperfect; jealous, bigoted, and judgemental.

But, she is simply killed off. Everything they set up for this character is gone with little personalized fanfare. It's not a tragedy with a lesson about cruelty, or something anyone regrets.

It's just... plot. Gray Wing whinging that no one will like his shitty brother now that his body count is 2.

More than that, in the discussion of women in particular, "Fridging" was coined to give a name to the way women characters often don't get their stories told at all. There is a CULTURAL trend of female characters facing disproportionate violence, for the sake of advancing male plots.

Bumble has a lot going for her. Petal had a lot going for her. Turtle Tail had a lot going for her. Bright Stream had a lot going for her. When they died, they took their potential with them.

It's not always wrong to kill off a character of high potential, mind you. In Gurren Lagann, Kamina's death is sudden and shocking, leaving a massive hole in the hearts of the cast that never heals. Grappling with that loss, but also letting his memory fuel them, is a major theme of that story.

All that to say... there's no formula for avoiding it. You've gotta identify what the deeper issue is, in your specific narrative.

I can't say for certain what that will look like for your story, but here's some things I keep in mind;

When you make characters who exist to die, make sure they're people before you axe them.

Ask yourself; what about them does the cast miss?

If they just miss them because they were (pre-existing relationship), go back to the drawing board.

Fluttering Bird as an example. Who was she? Dead sister. Why do they miss her? Dead sister. No traits until after her death.

Runningwind was short-tempered and helpful. Kamina was a valuable leader who made people believe in a brighter future. Swiftpaw was fiesty and desperate to prove himself. The better characterized, the more profound the loss usually is.

If this is a female character who is dying just to serve the plot, be aware of cultural bias and tropes. How is the gender ratio looking in your cast? Is this happening disproportionately with your girls?

Note how Quiet Rain's litter had both a boy and a girl, but the girl was chosen to be "weaker" and wither away.

And how most of the time in DOTC, whenever a man had to be upset, a girl would get killed for it.

If you ever feel like the character on the chopping block is NOT a full character, ask yourself why it needs to be a character at all. You don't need to spend narrative time building out someone when a literal object of high value might suffice.

"My sister died when I swore to protect her and I can't face my family" = Old. Tired. Ive seen this.

"I lost my heirloom sword when I swore to protect it and I can't face my family." = Fascinating. Why was the sword so valuable? Will they really not take you back? How did you lose it?

When you do kill off "high value" characters, try to make sure you're not leaving too many plot threads hanging. Or at least make a point of how they will never get closure.

[daeyumi]

au Impa 👁️💧

[sableeira]

there is something about magic systems that borrow from a specific craft that makes them so special. Maybe it’s because they feel more tangible and it’s very easy to get swept away by the passion for the craft that is clearly written on every page.

Whether it’s the art based magic system in Witch Hat Atelier. Or the translation based magic system in Babel. Or the alchemy/chemistry based magic system in Fullmetal Alchemist.

The relation to a specific craft makes the characters passion for their magic feel so personal and relatable. Because there is magic in art, in translation, in chemistry and any other craft that people partake in. The magic system becomes a love letter towards creation and everyone who creates and there is nothing world building wise that could be more charming.

[tetzoro]

we’re laughing because they don’t know we eloped (ㅅ´ ˘ `)

commission done by the amazingly talented @saexy ᰔ thank you !!!

[mischiefbuckley]

I love love love how my smart beautiful amazing buck was really coming in for the ultimate rescues on the calls this episode regarding the bees like time and time again buck is underestimated as a person and the knowledge he holds on the most random topics is brilliant and don’t ever underestimate my gorgeous 6’2 curly haired bisexual man ever again he truly is THAT spectacular

[demonslayedher]

I finished posting the unabashedly educational Sword Fic.

It includes a detailed (but hopefully beginner-friendly) explanation of all the steps of making a Nichirin blade from a sunny mountain like Mt. Youkou, a touch of swordsmith and metalworker folk lore (including demons), meta about what must make Kimetsu no Yaiba's swordsmithing methods different from real life methods, some character exploration for Haganezuka and his polishing method, vocabulary and additional resources in the chapter notes, and hopefully, an endearing, silly POV character to learn this all through.

[demigodofhoolemere]

Does Disney know that one of the best friendships ever depicted on any of their television shows was that of a nerdy teenage boy and his step-uncle the redeemed former villain?

[pickled-flowers]

It's my birth right as an asexual to be irritated all the time

[ghostlypawn]

honestly think saying wicked is a ‘story about friendship’ does a disservice to the show when at its crux its a story about discrimination and corrupt governments

[dykedvonte]

wanted to say I appreciate your nuanced takes on MW and especially Curly. i don't get the claim that the fandom is full of Curly apologists when majority (esp yt and tiktok) say he's worse than Jimmy. Yes there's commentary about bro culture defending people, he def messed up in trying to placate Jimmy (tbh "we'll fix this" sounded more like trying to keep someone prone to outbursts like Jim calm and not hurt Anya/himself) but I don't think he did nothing to help Anya, since she continued to confide in him and he had less than a week to resolve it before the crash (I also don't get everyone saying he knew for ages when it seems like Anya told him that same week). I get Jimmy's a pos but saying stuff like Curly should've known he'd crash the ship or that Jim had a criminal record he ignored, reducing them to obviously horrible villain and willfully ignorant sidekick feels like a disservice to the game. If your best friend turned out to be horrible, what would you do in a confined space in the span of a few days to respond? I'd say some of the horror comes from trying to do good but ultimately failing, Curly's state after the crash is meant to be tragic horror not revenge/punishment

Thank you and this is what I want to get across.

A lot of information we have to supplement when it comes to how long things have been happening on this current ship. I think people try to add on to the horror and negligence by making things more obvious so it can feel like it was easier to avoid when, true to life, its not. Jimmy clearly didn't deserve or appreciate what Curly did for him in getting him the job, but do you think if Jimmy was that big of a menace on Earth he would've given him a position where he could have that level of power over people's lives? There's something in the fact he specifically chose to pick a position so close to himself where he could watch Jimmy.

I hate the bro code argument because that is a whole can of worms people really don't get. That sort of mentality is born from the general respect and preference of male matter over female ones. Curly is clearly not that guy, he is absent minded about the issue and inadvertently dismissive but he clearly believes Anya, he just can't understand what she's going through. It's an onslaught of information that no one really reacts right to. Additonally, the entire discussion of her assualt plays to heavy into the idea that there is fault outside of the perpertratior when it comes to SA. It's too close if she only did this or if Curly had protected her better but the fact of the matter is Jimmy did what he did. He did it before any of the conversations with Anya about it and it's why her behavior seemed to change so drastically in those last two days.

He has other conflicting thought and while his role as a Captain should've taken over, people act like it's not a very human thing to have such a toxic presence cloud your judgement. It is never easy to separate friend from coworker once that connection is formed, you want to help them, especially if they were friend first and for a long while like in this case. It's not right, but people act like it would be easy when the game clearly points out that no choice is easy to make, especially when you have to make it for more than one person. You have the weigh the consequences, look at all the options and make a plan. People can headcanon and decide how long things where happening, but if we look at what we were presented through the characters eyes, the only person given time to do that was Jimmy.

He waited two months after the crash to appoint himself Captain. Every time a problem was brought up he immediately took action and refused to sit on it and find a better solution. I think it's important to look at the warped way Jimmy takes initiative where Curly didn't as it works as a good contrast of why you don't just run in to "fix" things. The quickest and easiest option may not be the safest or most beneficial. I think some thoughts on the game suffer from the black and white thinking the game doesn't operate on along with us being voyeurs. We see what exactly led to what but the characters don't. They don't have the hindsight and foresight we do and even ours is scrambled by the non-linear story telling.

Like it's hard to talk abuou those grey zones without sounding like an apologist because you're explaining why taking responsibility isn't easy. It's not and it's weird to act like it would be in a scenerio that led up to the events of the game knowing what we know. We see all these characters in such isolated moments with various things before, in between, after and even during we aren't privy too. The idea that Jimmy is worse than Curly heavily banks on the words Jimmy was saying to Jimmy before he crashed the ship. That whatever happened on the ship was his responsibility to bare, which is true due to his position. But, are they not still not responsible for taking the actions Curly then must bare?

Like i feel like people think that these are situation that become easier with age or when you are in a postion of authority and they aren't. You don't lose your biases or gain some sudden knowledge that makes it easier. It just becomes more tiring as you keep dealing with it. I would be first in line to say Curly fucked up and should've done more but the idea he knew how bad it could get or he really saw the worst in the people around him and ignored it pretty much ignores a huge aspect of his character and the game.

[hypervoxel]

Oh, so, like, the entire first season's establishment of the characters and their interactions don't actually matter in Helluva Boss. Okay, cool.

Like, I get that characterization develops over time and the writers come up with new ideas and places they want to take the story, but. So much of the Stolas/Blitzø stuff recently isn't character development: it's retconning.

[bookmovietvworm]

Happy to say I called the Benvi endgame all the way back at the s1 finale and never had a doubt about their endgame status. The narrative was always leading in that direction and it was obvious (at least to me).

Glad my patience paid off, Benvi endgame

[doodlebloo]

I’m sure I’ve said this but Penelope Scott “Feel Better” is so c!Tubbo it’s actually insane.