#i avoided this fandom for years because of the way many fans were

[wildwolf-fandoms]

In HTF fandom, you can know who to trust and not trust just by listening/reading what they think of some of the characters

"I love Fliqpy and Flippy but the raccoon who implied to be poor and is mentally ill is the spawn of evil for stealing, killing his brother, and `making illogical choices`. Aka when he is being a piece of shit Kleptomanic like the show intended"

"Don't get me wrong I love Handy but I don't understand why he is complaining when Russell has it worse."

"I don't understand why Petunia is always overreacting. Can't she just calm down for once?"

"I don't get why these characters trust Mole/Lumpy/Flippy/Lammy when they are DANGEROUS and SHOULD BE LOCKED UP."

Thanks for proving that disabled people can't trust you 👍

[inthelittlewood]

Questions about Eyes And Ears AU

I had somebody ask for a brief interview regarding my storytelling for their university project and thought I'd lend a hand.

I thought those of you that follow the story might like the insight too, so here ya go:

When you first introduced the Listeners in Evo SMP, did you have a broader narrative or concept in mind, or were they more of an atmospheric element at that point?

The honest answer is that I didn't want to write too much about somebody else's character(s), that being Grian's Watchers. If I could write the conflict from the side of the Listeners then we could continue the narrative with a pre-designed opposing force but have them be relatively mute for the most part. Partly to build anticipation of when they might act or retaliate but it also worked for behind the scenes purposes too. If the series hadn't slowed/stopped as suddenly as it did, I definitely would have poked Grian to pick his brain about what story elements fit his original imagining of the Watchers. So it was mostly narrative reasoning but they also served a mechanical behind the scenes purpose of transporting us to a new area which was necessary due to bugs we'd encountered with world gen etc.

What inspired you to flesh out the Eyes and Ears AU more in recent years? Was that mostly a personal creative decision, or was it influenced by fan interest?

Honestly I hadn't premeditated too much their reintroduction into anything that I was working on. Sure I'd seen a little chattering here and there about the Watchers but I honestly just wanted to write an individual story beat (albeit a tropey one) of c!Martyn snapping and turning on Ren but that never came to fruition due to Scar taking us out. The plan was always to backstab Ren then say a cool line like "Red Winter is over, Red Spring has begun" or something else punny. Seeing the fevered reaction of the audience though gave me some confidence that I could try my hand at some layered or entirely post-production storytelling, so heading into Last Life I was all guns blazing.

The Eyes and Ears AU is quite open-ended — do you intentionally approach it with the idea of leaving narrative space for fan interpretation?

It really is right? Yes, it's a very mindful decision to leave it open-ended but not so much for the audience's benefit or interpretations, but to give myself creative freedom to take the story wherever I'd like to. Committing to too many power scale, multiverse or narrative shackles early can really strangle stories I've noticed (from reading comics and manga) meaning back pedalling or aggressive retcons are required to explore certain paths, which is rarely a good experience for the reader. I do enjoy their versatility and capability to be applied to any Minecraft or adjacent story too. Some might call it too broad, I call it malleable.

How do you feel about fans expanding the lore through headcanons and theories? Have any fan interpretations stood out or surprised you?

I think it's brilliant! People inundate my inbox on Tumblr seeking permission to write stories or create characters / AUs but I've literally no authority on that. I suppose it might be a different conversation if they were profiting off of those works, but 99% of people simply want to write for fun which I highly encourage!! I'll be honest that I haven't read a great deal of AUs or headcanons, my exposure to them is mostly via chat messages during lore talk streams or questions that come through regarding the Eyes And Ears AU. As a general rule I try to avoid reading too much of other people's works on the topic because I worry I'll accidentally regurgitate it in some way then stumble into plagiarism, you know? It's why I focus more on digesting stories outside the fandom whether it's manga, Sanderson books, reading old Japanese folk tales and the like. I can source inspiration from those on how to weave narrative and execute plot twists without having to glance in my front yard.

Has fan content (art, theories, animatics, etc.) ever influenced how you think about or approach the AU?

Oh for sure they have. It's literally why after every season we'll do a sit down stream and talk about the lore in detail. Figure out the puzzle and potential trip wires of plot points from the episodes and how we can neatly pack them into the pre-existing story. A lot of people wouldn't do that as they'd be precious about their work and believe their opinion is th only correct one, but I looooove soundboarding with the audience on it. I also take that mindset in game and sometimes think about the scenery of an impactful moment whenever I'm able to control / design it. I'll have little quips or quotes cooked in my mind for how I'd ideally deliver a blow or plot twist, buuuuut given the nature of the Life series you very rarely get to execute things how you'd like haha! I definitely wouldn't have done as many of the poems had their not been such a positive reaction to those. I often see individual lines or entire passages make their way into art pieces as typography or highlighted in animatics which is really gratifying. It's why I also put such an emphasis and priority on audio production in my editing. If I can craft something that feels atmospheric, driving and punctuating with music, staggering vocals or sound effects then the auditory portion is already done, they can focus solely on the visual aspect of things. I try and be as cinematic / TV like as my skillset allows for that reason.

You’ve mentioned trying not to fully canonise the AU, but still referencing it consistently — how do you balance telling your own story effectively, while trying not to involve other creators, particularly on the Life Series, when a lot of your time is spent in a group?

The easiest way to do this, is to not do it. For the most part the only storytelling done with the AU is done in post-production. I never name drop the Watchers or Listeners in world (believe me, I was as surprised as all of you when I saw that Secret Keeper statue in Secret Life!!) and in recent seasons they haven't even reared their head as an influence whatsoever. They're on holiday, they deserve it. But when they do whisper in my ear, they're motivated decisions that I would likely make as a player/character anyway because the win objective is always the thing I'm striving towards. I can just pepper angst around it to make things seem more manipulated rather than selfish ha. I think that's why the open ended nature of the Watchers has served me well because as much as they have a singular motive which is to feed on negative emotions, that can be achieved in so many ways ranging from bloodlust to deception, heartbreak to panic. It's versatile for storytelling. It can be in your face, or a slow burn.

What do the Watchers and Listeners represent to you, symbolically or narratively? Do they serve a specific function in the stories you tell?

The Watchers used to represent the audience when Grian first introduced them, but after departing EVO I've definitely breathed more of an egotistical and sinister air into them. They're very much a unique entity / faction now, they in some ways represent gluttony, selfishness and neglect in achieving their goals. The Listeners on the other hand, are a lot of the opposite traits, but I'm still wanting to explore how being the hard end of most conflicts can be dangerous. I want to explore that at some point, whether it be with infighting or failures. They shouldn't be seen as simply bad/good, they're just, different. It shouldn't be too hard navigating that nuance but I want it to reflect elements and motives that we find in our own lives.

[momochanners]

After a good night's sleep, I think I can better solidify my thoughts in regards to the Dragon Age trailer.

First, let's start with the positives:

- Companion diversity: This has always been part of the series' DNA that has been clearly depicted with every iteration, so those who cry foul over "Asian & Black elves", prosthethics, etc etc...I really don't get that, because values and sensibilities evolve over time. Even the series itself has course corrected when needed, eg. Player character creation influencing the family ethnicity of the Couslands in DA:O vs the Hawkes in DA2.

- Unlocked romances: Letting players choose whoever they want to romance regardless of their sexuality and race has always been a positive for me. Allowing everyone to enjoy the experience equally is great (and I'm sure the nuances of player race & gender will be addressed through dialogue and banter). Moreover, CRPGs are long and time-consuming, so to be locked out of character romances mid-way through is never going to be a good time (from personal experience and observing fandom in the past).

Now the negatives:

- Maybe it's me being on the older side of the Bioware fandom (15 years in Dragon Age, 20 years if you count older games like KotOR and Jade Empire), but I cringed very hard watching the trailer. If you followed the development of this game in the past decade, the cancelled live service element that was to be DA4 in one of its iterations was so all over the way the companions were introduced that it brought out a visceral reaction in me. The tonal whiplash from how foreboding Dreadwolf was presented in the past to the patronising happy quippy MEET OUR LITTLE GUYS YOU'RE SURE TO LOVE also did not help as a first concrete look of what to expect after all this time (also poor anachronistic choice of soundtrack when you already have Trevor Morris' compositions right there). I was so dismayed when they went with a looter-shooter-esque lighthearted vibe when they could've leaned hard on the foreboding established mood and momentum they've already got going with Dreadwolf. 

- The branding switch this late in the game that comes with it, especially one as drastic as this will always come with questions and ambivalence. I feel that mitigating uncertainty from announced changes (party number, combat mechanics, setting and environment, etc) should've have been prioritised to reassure existing and lapsed fans before appealing to new ones in such a jarring way.

-  I'm simply baffled at the marketing suit who signed off on whatever this is to be their "best foot forward" at reintroducing the final form of this game? If only there were confident with the world they've already built instead of relying on trendy gimmicks, the amount of damage control I'm seeing prior to the gameplay reveal tonight was so avoidable. Controlling the narrative from the get go is so very important especially now as opinions can easily snowball overnight into behemoth-like proportions especially from bad faith actors. You would think that lessons were learned from DA:O's "THIS IS THE NEW SHIT" and DA2's "Press a button, something AWESOME happens" debacles.

(The thing is, despite it being my least favourite DA out of the three, imho Inquisition has the best marketing campaign in the franchise despite the developmental troubles going on in the background. So it has been pulled off successfully before!)

- I think the Bioware layoffs, especially the recent extensive gutting of senior staff in September 2023, significantly depleted my goodwill as a fan. To see Varric being paraded as a mascot in the trailer, game promotion and supplementary media while having his creator unceremoniously let go after years of building the franchise we love left me so very cold. And it's a me problem, but seeing many other fans barely acknowledging that save for few hollow words before getting back into the fun frustrated me so much. I get being excited to finally get something solid after years of false starts, but with what was lost along the way...I personally don't feel right to approach this installment without cynicism.

Idk, I'm just a bundle of conflicted feelings over this series I guess? When it's so good, it's really good and stays with you as memorable gaming experiences that stays with you for life, but when it stumbles and fumbles the bag...it hurts to see.

[a-moth-called-mof]

No actually I'm going to say. I honestly think that was such a satisfying and fitting epilogue for something as unqiue as the dream smp. Maybe its vague about certain things and maybe it wasn't a picture perfect happy ending but it felt so satisfying, not just because of the original shit nuke ending and the way the server originally just slowly faded (although that contributes) but also, because it's a representation of the dream smp itself saying goodbye to its fans. Jack being the point of the view character is so fitting because he's been there since the early days and it makes it so that for once, we get to see C! Tommy from someone else's point of view without his own perspective offered. And that's so fucking impactful. When C! Tommy asked Jack where he'd been and that he hadn't seen him in a long time, he was talking to C! Jack sure but he was also talking to the viewers themselves by extension. The image of C! Tommy silently standing there and treating Jack, the point of view character of the viewers, like an old friend is so haunting and comforting in a way words can't express.

And then there's just the entire theme of grief and moving on that's present throughout the entire thing? C! Jack and Tommy both reminisce about how much the SMP impacted both of them. They look on at C! TECHNO'S HOUSE as they talk about how despite all the shit it put them through, a part of them misses it and longs to be back there again because there were things there that were fun and that meant something to them. It's so fitting on a metatextual levels. The characters are reminiscing about the SMP's old days "before everyone left" and so are the content creators through the characters but also, so is the audience. The viewers. The old fans who clung on. The fans who who didn't. The fans who, despite everything the server put them through, still wanted to tune into a livestream for even a chance of seeing it again.

I just feel like the stream represented so many of us. When C! Jack says he didn't like the person he was back then but that doesnt mean he was bad, I just feel like that encapsulates so many of us during the pandemic. Like many (I think?), I used the dream smp as escapism. I was in a really bad place and I was avoiding most of my irl friends. I hate who I became during those times. But also. I had so much fun. I would tune into streams every day and scroll tumblr and the fandom made me feel so happy and included and I loved the inside jokes and I loved the characters and I loved the streams and I loved everything and a part of me still misses that. I was avoiding everything in my life and I was so isolated but I was so full of excitement and bliss and fun when I would tune into those streams. I've kinda spent the past 2 years lowkey hating who I was. But this stream, C! Jack's line and reflection specifically, genuinely made me realise that maybe I shouldn't idk view my old self so negative and that he (who I was) was probably just trying his best during a tough time even if his choices weren't always the most functional. That I've improved and that that's okay and good even. And that maybe just because I like who I am now doesn't mean he was bad.

Idk there's also something about C! Tommy telling C! Jack he might never see him again and C! Jack telling him that that's okay (also again image of C! Tommy looking at the viewer's point of view and telling them he'll probably never see them again...). There's just something about growing up and how you kind of lose contact with some people and how that's normal and it's okay and it happens and how that ties back into some of the dream smp's themes about growing up. But also there's a bit of grief there and that's okay. Idk there's something so visceral about the last piece of media about the dream smp literally being about grief and moving on and about how the characters literally say goodbye to eachother after everything but also about how that's okay. Idk I wonder how many people feel similarly

To conclude this, I feel like the moment in the stream that hit me the most was CC! Jack being happy he let go of the manishroom (and the server by extension) and that he's moving on but then later saying "I didn't like letting go of the mushroom. Felt like I wanted to cling onto it forever" and something about that just hits. Idk there's something how the characters both feel such a unique pain and longing for the old times in universe and how that reflects how the audience and streamers themselves feel and there's something about how I genuinely don't think something that wasn't as accidental and beautiful and messy and painful and earnest and flawed and unique as the dream smp could ever capture that feeling. And I think I love it for that. And I think I love the epilogue for representing that. And I think the dream smp said I love you and goodbye to its viewers with that epilogue and I think I said it back.

[rose-l-20]

GENERAL NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM HEADCANONS - Main 7 characters

SUMMARY: Just some headcanons I have always had based on the characters and the way the movie portrays them.

If you would like to request more characters, please refer to my NATM MASTERLIST for the characters, and send your request!

WARNINGS: Fluff, angst, romance, discussions of trauma, funny moments, flashbacks, mentions of loss, mentions of betrayal, mentions of homesickness, reader is mentioned a bit. My opinions! 😱

Any facts I wasn't sure of I used wiki fandom!

AHKMENRAH:

As many people have suggested, Ahk is a HUGE cat person. Before he was left in the sarcophagus for 4000 years, he had 100s and 1000s of cats. Different breads, both female and male, long royal names for each one. But his favourite will always be his childhood cat that started his love for the feline animal.

Out of all characters, Ahk experiences the most homesickness. This could be because he was barely 18 before he died, so he still has a touch of childhood in his soul.

Always ready and eager to learn something new, or info dump on the closest set of ears. When he gets with reader, he waits patiently for the “safe zone” to spill every fact about his time. Also things he read in books at Cambridge and the museum. You could call him a broken tap!

One way that calms him down is humming nursery rhymes, and songs his Mother used to sing to him. The main time it works impeccably is when he thinks of his brother’s betrayal.

Since the tablet was first created, his (along with his family) soul has always had a strong connection to night. So he goes to the roof top, or a window and star gazes anytime he can.

Ahkmenrah will defend the Kardashian and Jenner women until the end of time (if you know, you know 😂).

When he is introduced to chocolate, Garlic bread, sour gummy candies and Iced water. He felt like he met heaven.

Is very serious, yet still his usual gentle and kind self, when it comes to romantic relationships. He will take each step at a time, really wanting to get to know his potential partner. Consent Pharaoh, drinks his “I respect women” juice, will ask you to be his officially at the four month mark, and will not kiss your lips until you are official.

Absolutely dreads sunrise, as the wraps take as he would say “a whole millennium” to get them back on. At the beginning he would get Teddy and Larry to help him, but it becomes a special thing between him and reader.

Ahk most likely feels the most safe and comfortable around Larry, as he has moments where he needs advice or guidance from a father figure.

Ahkmenrah loves a good, lighthearted, non offensive prank. When he and Nick hang out, chaos will follow.

Both Sacagawea and Ahkmenrah supported each other when getting adjusted to not being trapped in their exhibits. This started their friendship.

When he became a DJ, he felt his death age the most. He found a passion that he could learn, perfect and show it off to the people he cares most about

OCTAVIUS:

Octavius talks about Rome so much that he definitely fits the stereotype of “you make your background your whole personality”. He will get defensive if the stereotype is mentioned.

If he and Jed were to be parents, they would 100% have adopted 2 Girls and 2 boys. Octavius would surprisingly be the fun Dad.

Before Larry, he had a massive hatred towards the night guards. He was fine with being locked up, he had his comrades. What angered him was the derogatory comments made by the guards. It took months upon months to wake up and not be filled with immediate dread.

He is a BIG chick flick fan! He also loves the whole concept of Christmas, so his favourite flick would be Love Actually.

He can read Dexter like an open book. he learns the signs of Dexter’s cheeky behavior to avoid another “Pompeii” situation.

Each time he hears any sword noises he smiles to himself and whispers to himself, “Ah Rome, you were a wonderful empire to be apart of”

He is also an avid info dumper, so there can be hours of time where he and Ahkmenrah bond over their “ancient times”. The 2 find so many similarities and differences that leave them fascinated to learn more.

The Cowboy hat rule, also applies for his helmet. And he will only take it off for extended periods of time if Jedediah is present. This is because he would kill for a head scratch.

Octavius will slip into Latin whenever he is feeling intense levels of emotion (positive). The amount of times it has happened, has resulted in everyone, including reader, being able to understand the language and somewhat communicate.

He uses the Latin version of pet names for Jed. He mainly uses “Amica mea” (my love), “Puer meus vacca” (my cowboy), “Solis radius” (sun ray) and “Mutum Asinum” (dumb ass).

Octavius is the type to bottle his emotions when something has deeply upset him. It takes a lot to get him to take the cap off and explain why he is feeling the way he is.

Octavius is super supportive of other religions and cultures. Which is super rare given Romans pride themselves on their religion and culture above everything.

When Octavius discovered the front desks computer, he immediately (with great struggle since the apparatus had not been made yet) he became so obsessed with it you could call him a teenager. He honestly gatekept it for ages before he found something that Jedediah would like and then it became their fun activity before sunrise.

JEDEDIAH:

Jedediah definitely has ADHD to a certain degree (This is coming from someone who is definitely has it but has yet to be officially diagnosed 😂), and has to be redirected to the main topic at least 3 times a day.

When he was trapped in the hourglass by Kahmunrah, he did everything in his power to cause havoc. Jedediah wasn't stuck with Kahmunrah, Kahmunrah was stuck with Jedediah!!

When Octavius showed him he computer, he consumed every piece of western media as he wanted to know how people perceived his time period.

He gets along with everyone, and only hates people if they have treated the people he cares about in a negative way. He is more then willing to take the blame or pain for others.

Jed will take a secret to his grave, but he will sometimes tell Octavius so technically they will be taking it to the grave. He will not tell him if the person who confided in him, was going through a difficult time. He understands boundaries...to a certain extent.

Jed is a HUGE foodie, and has a tendency to say "are you going to finish that?" even if the person eating is literally chewing their food. he would kill for anything that has an element of bread. Hence why he doesn't shut up about flapjacks.

His way of showing he is really angry or upset is going completely, utterly, eerily silent. It honestly makes people get the creeps, since they are so used to his upbeat usual self.

He can feel lost at times in regards to being a museum exhibit. He has organic thoughts of the future, but then he remembers he's a miniature figurine and feels this overwhelming sense of identity dysphoria. Reader (who is either another night guard or a child of a staff member) helps him feel more human, with a sense of purpose.

His favourite western movie is Tombstone, and quotes "I'm your Huckleberry" whenever people call for him. it brings him immense joy.

In his time, I see him having a female dog named Bonnie and a male cat named Blaize. He mentions this to Larry and he sends in a request at the sculpting department to make them for him. Larry makes sure no detail is left unadded. When Jedediah wakes up 2 nights later he is greeted with the familiar bark, and meow that he remembered so clearly.

Jed has an assigned swear jar and adds to it 20+ times a night.

ATTILA:

ATTILA IS INSANLY GOOD WITH KIDS! He has that scene at the end of the second movie, which backs me up here. But even before then I got this vibe that if you accidently left your child near his exhibit, he would be the Tony Stark of the museum and think "Get me the adoption papers now!".

When Attila and the Huns discovered Harry potter, they became obsessed as it fits their belief in magic. They have watched all seven movies a concerning amount of time each.

Attila was a huge help with getting Ahkmenrah adjusted to his new normal. When he first noticed Ahk's struggles he didn't think twice before he put a hand on his shoulder, asked him to go for a walk and got him to open up. He is like the uncle you go to when your parents "Just don't get it!".

Attila 100% has a RIWTKYF, "Resting I Want To Kill You Face". This has been one of many reasons why some of his friendships with the other exhibits took a while to come to fruition.

When Nick was still young, he politely asked Attila if he could try on his helmet. Larry tried to lecture him, stating "It is sacred Nick, that is not ok". Larry received a slap to the back of the head by Attila, with a "Shush". He placed the Helmet on Nicks head and told the Huns "He is the leader for the night!". Nick Had a blast to say the least.

Speaking of Attila's Helmet, he has heard a lot of drama sessions from Jed and Octavius. sometimes he joins in, sometimes he is happy to just listen.

Attila lowkey can't stand the Neaderthal's constant "FIRE FIRE FIRE" sometimes. He can hear it either next to him or down the hallway and it gives him a serious headache. Ahk will offer his exhibit for some relief.

Before Attila passed away he had just been married, so he often wonders what happened to his wife and misses her deeply. Larry and reader enjoy reading books to him, so he knows about her life. He left the room with a smile that didn't quite meet his eyes.

Teddy and Attila definitely have conversations/interactions that show they are stuck in their 40s/50s. I'm talking getting frustrated with technology, not understanding modern day slang, saying "Back in my day" and the "Dad grunt".

If Attila discovered music, he would LOVE the band The Village people, his favourite song is "In the navy". He asks Larry or reader to put the song on by pointing to the computer saying "Navy please".

Attila had the hardest time adjusting to waking up from the tablet. because he also needed to take care of his Huns. He pretended to be strong and that the whole situation wasn't affecting him at all, when in reality he was losing it inside.

SACAGAWEA:

Sacagawea was so relived when the glass on her exhibit wasn’t fixed. She was dreading going back to only hearing the Clark brothers yapping.

Sacagawea was low key checking Teddy out to, but the glass was stopping her from getting his attention.

When Sacagawea meets reader (for the sake of the point reader has ribcage length hair) she is so happy to meet another woman, that her way of bonding is offering to braid readers hair. As she braids they talk and get to know each other.

She may be a soft spoken and rational person but get her mad, and she her voice will ring in her ears for weeks.

Sacagawea got a photo of Teddy, and hid it in her clothes when the tablet wasn’t in the museum and in London.

Ahkmenrah, Sacagawea and Teddy create a “new exhibit adjustment program” for new or moved exhibits. They would’ve love that, so they started it for them to fill that void.

Sacagawea is always the logical voice of reason when there is a difficult situation happening. Let’s just say that the men of the museum would be done for without her 😂

When Sacagawea first sees a woman in pants she is so happy to know that women get to do the same things as men in modern day. Reader loves explaining the history of feminism.

Sacagawea’s love language with Teddy is acts of service, which we get a taste for when she helps connect his lower body back to his upper body. Teddy is still trying to give her the perfect thank you gift, but she kindly refuses them saying she is happy to just be with him.

She has the job of scolding Dexter when he’s being naughty because he is low key scared of her.

When she discovers music and movies she loves 70s soft pop and action romance.

Her way of knowing how fast time was going was watching Nick grow up. Each time she noticed even the smaller changes in his appearance, voice or personality Sacagawea would feel a huge shift in time.

TEDDY:

Teddy requests a newspaper that has the current state of the US’ politics. He has on many occasions thrown it in the air, walked towards the door screaming “I AM GOING TO TEACH THEM HOW TO RUN A CONTRY!”. Lucky Sacagawea has stopped him every time.

When he gives advice it’s either well thought out and considerate of one’s emotions, or he is straight to the point and cutthroat. Absolutely no in between.

Teddy and Ahk had a very awkward period of time because Teddy felt bad for shutting him up instead of helping him get out of his sarcophagus. Ahk being Ahk put it passed him and they got on like a house on fire.

When everyone dances and has fun, he is more happy to be watching on the side. He claims he’s “to old” to be dancing, reader disagrees and gets him to let loose on the dance floor!

He started the swear jar for Jed, as he got sick of “Fuck this” “shit” “asshole!” Every single sentence. Once the jar was full he took the money and put it towards the upkeep of the museum. His way of paying for something as it made him feel human again.

He definitely called MEMEs “Meh Mehs” for the first year of knowing about them.

He couldn’t find Sir Lancelot serious at all!! Every time he spoke Teddy covered his mouth to hide his smile or laugh. He was so close to calling him “The fool” “sir Erik” or “Jingle-elot”.

Teddy’s hat or pockets are Jedediah and Octavius’s backup travel option if Attila was unable to help with transportation.

His role in the NEAP is to show the new exhibit around and get them adjusted to the place they will temporarily/permanently call home for their time there.

When he first Jump scared Larry, he realised how evilly joyful it was and makes it his mission to scare him every night.

Teddy’s way of passing time before getting ready for sunrise is making sure Texas is looking sharp and clean. He enjoys having a quiet conversation while he listens to the brush run through Texas’ Maine.

After the “At their size, they’ll bake like tiny little scarabs in the Sinai…too dark?” Moment with Ahkmenrah. He can be a little scared of him at times 😂

He loves the 3 seconds of “warmth” the sun gives him before he goes to sleep. Thats when he feels most human.

LARRY:

Larry after a while had the realisation that the instructions were actually the ways the prior guards used to punish them, and burned it. From this he wrote a whole new instruction guide to help the newer guards after him.

He has created a schedule for the Easter island statue because there were some close calls near sunrise. But he won’t stop giving him his “Gum Gum” as it causes the worst earthquakes from his screams!

He may have a love-hate relationship with Dexter, but he is ready to defend the capuchin with his whole heart.

When Nick was young he set up a little “bedroom” for him so he could sleep there on school nights and not be affected the next day. Is incredibly lenient to letting him have a sleep in or skip school when there is a reasonable gap between each time.

When Mr McPhee has pissed him off a little too much, he has 100% planned ways to beat home up or kill him.

He has shown the civil war dudes what NASCAR is and they become obsessed. He feels really proud of himself for it.

Shit talks about Kahmunrah with Ahkmenrah. They have the an ungodly amount of glee from it.

He cannot hold a romantic relationship to save his life! But once he starts teaching he meets his forever partner at the front desk of the collage he works at 7 years into the job. Nick approved immediately.

He took inspiration from Star Wars for his flashlight tricks, and will on occasion make lightsaber noises.

It still trips Larry out that’s he met, made eye contact and spoke to Hugh Jackman, and sometimes he needs to sit down and process it.

He loves to put on Kahmunrah’s lisp from time to time to make jedediah laugh when he’s feeling down. Jed is always left in stitches after.

He has nightmares of the multi-headed snake at least once a month. This causes him to develop a deep fare of snakes in general.

-

I hope these Headcanons were good!

Have a lovely day/night!

[sepublic]

Another thing I’ve noticed about Wittebane fans is that they would really rather speculate on an unseen dynamic and how codependent it was, or on Belos having religious trauma or being a socially awkward child (despite this conflicting with him being a confident, silver-tongued politician) over like. Discussing Belos’ character as he actually is onscreen.

And onscreen Belos is about Christian colonialism, he IS the religious trauma. He’s the white saviorism, the racism, the genocide, the arrogant delusions of Puritans. These are actually onscreen, and darker and deeper than like, the Wittebanes being Cain and Abel or Saturn devouring his son because what are you actually discussing here that’s topical?

But fans don’t want to talk about that, they don’t want to talk about what makes Belos his own character and what makes his writing work. They want to make Belos and Caleb into a racist, less interesting version of the Nocedas, Clawthorne sisters, Collector, etc. And when Belos doesn’t measure up to these standards because he’s a square peg being put through a round hole, fans get angry at the writers. It’s alienating to those who want to discuss Belos, the actual Belos.

And I think it boils down to fans being discomforted by topics such as colonialism and genocide, and facing just how intertwined Belos is with depicting it on a large and personal scale; He isn’t even a metaphor at this rate, but a literal example of a Christian white man from a 1600s American colony. These subjects are not something fans can romanticize, so they focus on the dynamic with his brother, on being codependent or tortured or suffering from religious trauma, etc.

It’s very faux-deep, it’s pretentious in a Dark Academia way, Cannibalism as a metaphor for love. It reminds me of fans who claim to love Dark Fics and can handle dark topics, but then implode when you ask them to discuss critical race theory. They think they’re being subversive and even punk but it’s just white guys in the end. It thinks itself deeper just for being ‘darker’ but it’s not even that dark compared to other things, it’s just edgy. King and Steve’s conversation as a stand-in for Dana’s ruminations on God are genuinely deeper than every Cain-Abel Wittebane fic.

There’s a Vtuber who just did an Owl House marathon and while she didn’t pick up on a lot, the discussion on Belos by fans who are explaining it to her is so refreshing, because there’s no mention of Caleb! There’s no mention of Belos being repressed or feeling abandoned. It’s all about how he actually is onscreen and is presented and what he does onscreen. It’s about the delusions and evil of those who practice Puritan ideology. And the actions that have far more impact than killing his brother.

And it makes me think, this is another reason why we don’t see Caleb; Because the writers knew fans would use him as a distraction from the actual things they’re discussing and satirizing through Belos. They would use him as a distraction from the true motives, the banality of evil, as Belos does; And Belos himself doesn’t even do it that much, he’s upfront about how he thinks witches are inherently evil and need to be killed in the name of God so even he is avoiding factoring Caleb into the discussion! Alas, the writers underestimate just how far fandom will go when they get even a scent of a possible white guy.

Can we talk about the Wittebanes as they actually are instead of retreading other characters’ old ground? The tragedy of the Wittebanes isn’t about some lonely orphan just wanting to be accepted by his community, being unable to handle the thought of his brother leaving, and not knowing any better because that’s just how things were back then; It’s about seeing your kid brother embrace the alt-right pipeline because white supremacy makes him feel special, and no matter how many years you spend trying to change his mind, he eventually, finally turns on you too.

[fellshish]

I have a question, and my name is Sal.

I grew up watching Coraline as a kid. It was my jam. I loved that movie, and I will forever say Henry Selick deserved more attention for making it.

I like the Dresden Dolls and Evelyn Evelyn (Amanda Palmer projects) I still have the songs stuck in my head. You know where this is going.

I know you said that fans of works should still enjoy the work even if the creator sucks. And I can do that with Kubrick and Aaron Fechter, but that’s because Kubrick is dead, and most of Aaron Fechter’s IP got ripped away from him and is gladly in the hands of the public (despite how much he likes to sue).

Gaiman (and Palmer) are still alive and/or profiting off their stuff. Not to mention, I want to bring attention to the situation and help bring justice to the victims. Yet everytime I post about it or reblog what someone else put into words what I think, I feel like I’m virtue signalling.

How do I handle it and is it bad that I keep thinking of the art that influenced me by them instead of what they did (in a way to soften the blow to how horribly they abused these women)?

(You can respond to this publicly, as I am sure people are thinking the same thing somewhere. I am sorry for dumping all this on you.)

hi sal!

sorry, this got long. your ask was so genuine and i was afraid of getting it wrong. 

i want to start this off by saying i am not the boss of anyone’s fandom experience. everyone gets to decide for themselves how they proceed after learning about the numerous women who have come forward against neil gaiman.

the things you mention are things i’ve struggled with too — last year when i first learned about it, when i listened to the podcasts and recently again reading even more detailed (and horrifying) news reporting.

these are also struggles shared by many fans in many fandoms of creators who were accused and/or controversial and/or convicted. for example many (trans) people i know have grown up loving harry potter, and have had to deal with their favourite writer waging a vendetta against trans lives. some still participate in the hp fandom without supporting her. they can’t help their hyperfixation and still find a lot of good and a lot of friends in the fandom. 

because yes, i do believe that someone can stay in such a fandom as ethically as possible. as in: i try the best that i can to make sure no further financial gains go to the creator. that means i avoid watching official streams, buying official merch, going to official cons, going to plays based on his work etc. i also amplify the women’s voices by spreading the article. 

the thing to keep in mind is: there is a difference and a distance between a creator and a fandom of what they created. a huge wall even. fandom is about community, friendships, creativity, … i am on a playground playing with the characters with my friends. sharing art and fics and gifs etc. and what those characters and stories mean to me are positive things. 

the core is this: if you have to live your life only consuming art by morally pure people (and who determines that?!) then you will have very little left to enjoy. 

and of course i understand the urge to want to help the victims, and the guilt/worry about virtue signaling. i’m going to break those down separately.

i think the idea of ‘helping bring justice to the victims’ is good but it also puts an unreasonable amount of responsibility on your young shoulders. here’s what’s already happened: the women’s voices have been heard, there is now more widespread media covering, he has lost his reputation, hasn’t been on his platforms since last summer, he’s losing (film) projects of his work, … what else consequences are yet to come, legally or otherwise, we’ll have to see. the responsibility for that lies not with you as one single fan but with lawyers etc. and you might find it important to keep vigilant that the story doesn’t get buried (again). in that case reblogging isn’t virtue signalling but useful.

but it’s also unreasonable to expect someone to continually do that for days and days. that’s a quick ticket to depression. ultimately tumblr is, to many, a fandom space. some people use it only for pleasant fandom activities. and what if they do? you can’t know a person’s whole life: maybe they are survivors who are too triggered to participate, maybe they’ve donated to causes that help survivors, maybe they have shared the story on other platforms etc

you asked “is it bad that I keep thinking of the art that influenced me by them instead of what they did”, and i found that the most heartbreaking part of your ask. it isn’t helpful to you or to anyone to keep torturing yourself with guilt. you’re aware of the allegations, and that’s good. but don’t burn yourself out trying to live up to the impossible standard of a morally pure activist that doesn’t exist. please stop being your own thought police. 

i think the fact you struggle so deeply, shows what a beautiful person you are.

now you’re going to be reading a lot of opinions. some very different from mine. am i right in continuing in fandom? i don’t know. this is my first time living life too. but i AM right that you’re a good person.

that said: protect your heart. block freely and curate a fandom space that makes you happy. avoid engaging in endless internet discourse that is bad for your mental health. step away for a while if that is what you need.

these are some intense days but i promise it gets better. the kid who loved coraline can still love coraline, but is just more informed now. 

the main rule of fandom is: does it spark joy? if yes, embrace it, because that’s a wonderful and rare thing to have.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

When do think Malleus’s broken horn will be reflected in future events and cards? I ask this because I can’t tell at what point in the timeline the most recent events have happened, they’re likely all prior to book 7 including the upcoming event but then how do we know which overblots have occurred yet? I also wonder if the events are even canon to the main story, any thoughts on this?

Mm... hard to say? I don't even know if it would be reflected in all future events and cards since the horn injury is a pretty major spoiler for the main story. The only other character that had a significant change in design over the course of the amin story was Ortho. His College Gear became the default form he assumed for the events that came out after book 6, such as Fairy Gala: What If, White Rabbit Fest, Stage in Playful Land, Wish Lantern. However, Ortho does appear in his old Archetype Gear in Grim's Ceremonial Robes (Twst third year anniversary) groovy.

So if Ortho's College Gear is a potential main story spoiler that appears in events, shouldn't Malleus's horn injury also appear in events?? Maybe...? But I feel that seeing Ortho in his College Gear is different than seeing Malleus's horn... If you were a new player seeing Ortho in the College Gear with zero context, you would not associate it with his independence and finding his own identity. You'd just assume it's another outfit Idia made him. However, seeing Malleus with a very noticeable physical change makes people start asking questions. It ruins the twist as to how they defeat book 7's major and powerful boss, and it also may completely shift the dynamics of how he interacts with peers (since breaking the horns reduces his magical power), which isn't the case for Ortho. This makes me think that Twst won't commit to depicting Malleus with his injury in all future instances.

As for events, the fandom generally accepts that they are largely not canon to the main story timeline. Rather, they are "what ifs", "AUs", "parallel worlds", or "things that happen outside of the canon of purview of the main story's timeline.

Yana seems to imply this as well. According to a 2020 interview: “Sometimes the relationship between characters changes completely in the main storyline, which will leave me scratching my head and wondering, ‘When did that part happen?’. However, I am sure that more and more events are going to be held in the future, so I am wondering if parallel and ‘if’ worlds are going to start appearing.” (Fan translation by Yuurei-san!)

Practically speaking, there is absolutely no way they all fit in the 8 and a half months (September to mid-May) that the main story so far spans. Some events you may be able to easily slot in (like book 5 going into February and Beans Day taking place in February too), but it overall creates way too many contradictions. For example, Stage in Playful Land takes place around Halloween. However, Ortho appears in his College Gear in that event, meaning that this must be post-book 6--it has to be the Halloween when Ortho is a second year. But if that's true, then none of the third years in the event should be there because they should be off on their internships. Yuu would also be recognized much sooner in the main story if we accept that the characters' familiarity with them in the events are true. (For example, Yuu knows Malleus's identity in the events, but does not learn his name until late book 5 of the main story.) If you tried to fit everything into the same timeline, you would very quickly find plot holes like this. Events can't really mention main story things or even OBs so as to avoid spoilers there.

It should be mentioned that there are times when events are hinted at in the main story. For example, Silver and Sebek mention taking the Master Chef/Culinary Crucibles course in book 7, which implies that those events may be "canon" to the main story (but it could just as easily also just refer to the course in general and not the story event). These instances are very few and far-between though.

[picturejasper20]

Okay, this is something that i have avoided talking for a while but i feel like i'm going to have to address it because it is getting on my nerves: There is a recent trend i have noticed lately of younger-new people joining the Danny Phantom fandom and just... shitting on the fandom and fanon as a whole, like talking about how much fanon lore sucks and its terrible and yada yada

And it is genuinely starting me to make me feel angry because it feels disrespectful to an extent

The reason of why the Danny Phantom fandom is big and has been going for so long is because of fanon, because the series has many interesting ideas or concepts that were never properly developed in canon or were dropped in the same episode they got introduced. So the fans took those ideas and decided to do something bigger with it, expanding on them.

Around 90% of Danny Phantom fandom comes from this stuff, from how the fandom tries exploring these concepts and do something more with them.

It goes to the point that i had to leave one group of over 50+ people because i noticed how much some of these younger fans were shitting on fanon and the fandom. You know, something that was build by older fans over the course of around 15 years?

And i'm not saying the fandom is perfect because i have problems with it myself- but if you are going to participate in a fandom that mostly works around fanon concepts and fanworks and then constanly insult said fans and fanon... then what are you doing?

Why do you join this fandom for if you are going to go around insulting other fans and people like this?

I want respect other people's opinions but this for me is less about people having different opinions and more coming off as rude and insulting to other fans. This is like if i was invited to a friends' house, started insulting their family members, breaking their furniture and took a shit on the carpet. Not the best analogy but you see where i'm getting at.

It reaches to a point that these fans aren't longer just having a different opinions but it feels like they are disrespecting certain fandom etiquette along with being rude on the way.

And that bothers me.

[thebroccolination]

Soooo when I said, “There’ll likely be a loud minority openly complaining about Krist topping and Singto bottoming and much more silent disapproval,” in my last post, I was giving the fandom way too much credit.

According to friends on Twitter, there was indeed a significant backlash over the sex scenes portrayed in the novel, some fans even going so far as to @ the series’ official account to complain about it.

(Don’t want PhiTam, yet tagging Krist first. Mixed signals, fam.)

Multiple folks say the mood among the fandom on Twitter at large right now seems to be mainly denial, that because the novel and series are written by different people, Singto’s character will surely play the top role in the series—even though he’s the bottom in the novel.

But, y’know:

And I, uh. I mean. This is:

Y’all?

Even outside the series, they’ve been—

Yeah, that.

So like. Y’know.

I mean, listen. To be so viscerally clear here, the reason I’m excited about Krist playing the top is because he played the bottom in both of his previous BL roles. (KristSingto had two shorts for Baby Bright where Krist seems more top-leaning, but I guess it was vague enough for people to ignore if they didn’t want to see it.) So I’m glad he’s getting versatility as an actor.

But it’s also because he’s been mistreated in the past by many KristSingto fans who, since they perceive him to be “the bottom” or “the wife,” seem to think this means he’s got to be docile and submissive and sweet, even when he’s pushed too far. To be honest, I had the realization recently that maybe the reason so many Peraya chose to ignore interfans calling Krist homophobic for so many years could be that they didn’t care either way. As one of the OG fandoms, it seems that their fans skew older and more conservative, so it could be as simple as that. They knew he wasn’t homophobic, everyone did, but real life queer issues didn’t matter to them, so they didn’t care that interfans were absolutely decimating his reputation among the queer community when it was OG Peraya stalking him and harassing him that made him post that story in the first place.

I mean, not to invalidate the high emotions going on over on Twitter dot com, but I can’t believe this upset over Singto’s character bottoming for Krist’s character wasn’t limited to a few silly temper tantrums from fringe fans with outdated beliefs about queer people.

Honestly, that there’s anger over this at all says plenty about how they must perceive the bottom role. Being on top is hot, but being on bottom is shameful? (What is this, Ancient Rome?)

I hope y’all know I try as much as I can to avoid making posts about fandom negativity and toxicity. I think emphasizing the positive aspects is more helpful in the long run. But many in KristSingto’s fandom continually treat both of them like products, and I am truly tired of it. Many whitewash Singto, many belittle Krist, and they need to fix their attitudes.

Personally, I consider myself part of all three of the KristSingto fandoms: Yuyu (Krist), Peraya (KristSingto), and Samoonjaopa (Singto). So when I criticize any of them, I’m not trying to burn the house down. I’m saying, “Stop playing with matches in the house.”

Many Peraya boycotted “Be My Favorite” which, like, whatever, watch what you like. But many among that many also openly complained about it while it was airing. Some went so far as to bully Gawin, using alt accounts to call him a halfbreed and a leech. When I called out this behavior, I was accused by multiple Peraya of trying to make the fandom look bad, that those alt accounts were clearly run by other fans trying to do the same. When the focus, as far as I’m concerned, should have been on protecting and supporting Gawin. There were very few Peraya who showed support for Krist’s friendship with Gawin continuing publicly, and their quiet likes and endorsements of tweets criticizing Krist did far more damage to their reputation than me standing up for Gawin ever did.

While I’m doing this, lemme just address the fandom ridiculousness that’s been going on across the board over the past year, shall I?

Some Samoonjaopa complained about Singto’s lack of solo work last year compared to Krist’s and went so far as to @ Krist to tell him that he wasn’t doing enough to keep Singto steadily employed. Which? Isn’t Krist’s job??? And ignores the possibility that Singto can get his own work, is a seasoned talent at GMMTV in his own right, and maybe just wanted to relax last year since the man is a dedicated introvert who’s openly and repeatedly said he’s prioritizing his mental health more these days? And again: there are many in Singto’s fandom who are continually, constantly whitewashing his photos. Stop whitewashing Singto. You’re his fanbase. The people who are supposed to love him most for who he is, not the fictional person you’re photoshopping him into for your aesthetic preferences. How do you think he’s felt for the past decade seeing not only the media whiten his skin but his own fans? Portray his melanin or stop posting photos of him at all. If you can’t see how beautiful he is tan, you don’t deserve to call yourself Samoonjaopa.

Meanwhile, some Yuyus have continually moaned about Singto’s return, complaining about Krist’s lack of music projects even though Krist himself said he’ll be focusing on that after “The Ex-Morning” airs. He’s already been hospitalized this year? Stop pressuring him to film a series, host, take care of his family, and work on an album? They’ve also accused Singto of coming back to GMMTV because he ran out of money, that his freelance career was bombing, etc. Calling him desperate and a leech. (People really like to accuse people close to Krist as a leech, what is that.) What’s worse is that some of them don’t even dislike Singto—they just want to piss off the Peraya. But hasn’t Krist made it devastatingly clear that he adores Singto? Was it not enough when he had to call out one of his own solo fans for trash-talking Singto last year when he was already getting backlash for his friendship with Gawin?

Fans in all three fandoms need to reevaluate why they’re even here.

This applies to all fans in all fandoms everywhere: if you spend most of your time in fandom fighting and policing people and spreading anger and toxicity rather than lifting up the real people you’re ostensibly here to support, then you’re doing this wrong.

Love brought you here. Act like it.

I left Twitter because the situation there was too toxic to stand, even to stay for KristSingto and BounPrem, and while I haven’t been there for months, I did predict that some Peraya would be upset about a possible dynamic switch. I just overestimated their maturity about it, clearly.

I probably should have said all of this while I was on Twitter, but people have to realize it on their own or it won’t stick.

So what I’m going to do instead is go on promoting KristSingto to fans who haven’t had the chance to get to know them yet, because I love Krist and I love Singto, and I think they deserve more fans, new fans who don’t treat them like property.

Obligatory final note that of course this isn’t the entire fandom behaving badly. If you’ll notice, I used qualifiers in this entire post. Some, many, etc. There are many lovely people in all three fandoms, but the ones ruining everything are loud and need to be addressed for things to improve. Ignoring them hasn’t helped so far. I say this because sometimes people get very upset and don’t utilize close reading skills.

All this over top/bottom dynamic switch.

Told y’all it was brave of KristSingto to do it.

Now to hope no one bothers KristSingto about it at the book fair tomorrow. 👁️👁️

[headcanonsandmore]

A non-exhaustive collection of my Doctor Who hot takes:

Thirteen has now taken Nine's position of "most underrated modern Doctor". I bet you people are already recommending "skip thirteen" as part of their advice to new fans. I hate this.

Nine's dynamic with Rose is more interesting (to me, at least) than Ten's dynamic with Rose. Nine and Rose come across like cool besties who may be getting into QPR territory and are trying to figure it out. Ten and Rose, by contrast, are every sixteen year old straight couple.

I think Six and Mel have a better dynamic than Six with Peri; partially because the writers started having Six be a lot kinder and gentler, and partially because Mel's personality meshes with Six's better than Peri's did.

Eleven is considered the least favourite modern Doctor by most of the fandom not because of anything wrong with Matt Smith's peformance but because a) some people hated that Tennant wasn't playing the part anymore and b) M*ffat hamstrung Eleven's characterisation.

The brigadier definitely improves over time; I found him especially difficult to like during the Third Doctors era but by the Seventh Doctors era he was a lot easier to enjoy watching (and the writers were less okay with him being misogynistic by then; never quite forgave him for being such a jerk to Tegan and Nyssa).

Twelve was the most hated modern Doctor for ages primarily because people had gotten used to attractive young men playing the character and reacted badly when the Doctor didn't look like the fresh-out-of-uni teacher they fancied at school.

Jenna Coleman is really good at Clara but I think she works better as a Twelve companion than an Eleven companion; their dynamic feels a lot more interesting.

The writing of the Chibnall era is fine. Like, a lot of it is really good. For a lot of people, it was never about the writing (as they insisted); it was because they didn't like that Thirteen was being played by a woman.

The extended fam (Yaz, Graham, Ryan and Dan) are severely underrated by the fandom. They all have so much interesting characterisation but you wouldn't know it from the way so many associate them as being "boring".

Some of the first RTD era had really not aged well, especially when it comes to how Martha was treated.

RTD deliberately avoided mentioning as much as he could about Thirteen's era in the sixtieth anniversary specials because he wanted people to forget that era happened. Thirteen's outfit? Burned away. Mentioning every companion? Thirteen's companions are left out. Every love interest mentioned? No mention of Yaz, despite her being the love interest barely three episodes before.

M*ffat seems to actively dislike writing for RTD's companions; in so many of his episodes for RTD's two eras, the companions are either shunted over to the side or the Doctor is randomly rude to them for no reason.

The Timeless Child is less of a canon-breaker than bi-generation.

David Tennant is a lovely man but I don't want him to play the Doctor for at least another ten years. He has so far played three separate versions of the Doctor; that's more than enough.

Going back to my earlier point, M*ffat's writing for Clara got significantly better after Twelve turned up and he had to write a more complicated relationship than "Clara thinks Eleven is cute".

Thasmin is not queerbaiting. Two queer characters falling in love but not kissing or becoming a couple is not queerbaiting. Please actually research what that word means.

I actually really like the season 19 TARDIS team of Five, Adric, Tegan and Nyssa; I know a lot of people think it's overstuffed but I like seeing the characters bounce off each other.

"Kerblam!" isn't an amazing episode but most people who criticise it online have never actually watched it; they just saw an out-of-context photo set and decided they knew what it was about.

The best writing Nyssa got in the classic show was "Legopolis" and "Arc of Infinity"; especially in the later, Sarah Sutton did a great job when she was given more to do than "being the sweet one".

Also, she was (and is) in love with Tegan and vice-versa (but that's not a hot take since they're a canon couple now XD).

I personally don't get the appeal of Four. I know they're considered the "iconic" incarnation for the classic era but I don't get it.

The way Yaz is treated by the fandom now is rather similar to how Martha was treated back in the 2000s (although Yaz doesn't have to deal with people hating her for not being Rose).

[cantmakeyouloveme]

Random rant about fandoms that nobody asked me for but I feel like writing about: I think some people should just use YouTube and Pinterest.

I think at this point we've all heard the phrase "let's go back to when fandoms were for freaks" and while I miss that too, I think I like the phrase "let's go back to when people in fandoms knew what being in a fandom consisted" better because I can't think of any fandom on any social media that isn't plagued with people who are in fandoms but hate everything involved by them.

This has been going on for years now and it was progressive, but I sometimes find it unbearable to constantly read things like "it's not that deep", "why do people argue about this, we should just make/watch gifs and that's it", etc. Like obviously there are things I find "ridiculous" to discuss, but I find those things ridiculous outside of fandoms too not just in them (ex: most things related to physical appearance).

Fandoms are community, they are spaces created by and for people who share the same interest to interact, share and discuss ideas about that piece of media they have in common. Like any human community, there are going to be people who agree with an idea and people who don't, but that's true of any social interaction. It's not something that can be avoided, even in the fandoms of the "simplest" media you can think of.

The basis of fandoms is the interpretation and dissemination of ideas. If all you want to do is watch the series/film/interview/etc and look at gifs/fan art/edits/etc, you should consider just lurking on YouTube and Pinterest, because if what bothers you most about fandoms is interaction and discussion, then I don't think they're for you.

There's nothing wrong with fandoms not being for you, they are recreational spaces after all. A lot of people (like me) enjoy that interaction as a way to escape from everyday life for a while, even if that interaction involves discussion, but some people don't and that's fine! You're not less of a fan, or a worse fan of something/someone for not wanting to interact with their fandom. At the end of the day, we all want to escape our problems for a while, and if that discussion affects you or creates anxiety, your priority should be you and your peace, therefore you should consider stop interacting with them. I know it's hard sometimes because of emotional attachment, but if you suffer more than you enjoy a fandom, that's a problem. It's supposed to make you happy and clear your head, not create discomfort.

That annoyance that your fandom generates in you is reflected in your interactions. They show that you're genuinely not enjoying it, and that often causes other people to stop doing it. On social media there are many ways to filter, mute and block content, you don't like something? Ignore it, not difficult. You don't have to be interested in or have an opinion on every topic in fandom, it's not a requirement of them. You can choose which discussions to participate in and which not to.

Of course I roll my eyes too when I see Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande fans fighting over who has more stage presence on Twitter, but I don't need to get involved and let everyone know how idiotic I find that conversation. I don't pay attention to it, if they want to fight let them fight. Just because I say "hey, don't argue" isn't going to change anything. That's why we have to know when to pass by and ignore. If the conversation matters to me because of X or Y, I give my opinion, but if it really "doesn't interest me", why do I give it? The only thing I generate is bad feeling for myself, because my one opinion doesn't have the power to change everything. If you enjoy giving your opinion on anything and it doesn't cause you stress, do it! But if you are aware that it does, what's the point?

The media is there to analyse it, discuss it, re-interpret it, create more media based on it, etc. I don't accept that anti-intellectual bullshit "it's not that deep, the producer of this film/writer of this book didn't do X thing intentionally". If you don't want to read interpretations, don't voluntarily look for interpretations. Nothing and no one forces you to participate in a fandom. You can be forced to participate in many other social interactions, but not this one. If you don't like them, it's as simple as leaving.

"This fandom is extremely toxic" is it really that toxic on the level you're talking about, or do you just think that when everyone is discussing and exchanging ideas, everyone is fighting and suffering and this creates stress for you, even though they can be totally fine? Besides, I speak not only from my own experience but also from the experience of many friends, you can argue and seem to be negatively affected and in reality it is indifferent to you, not a problem. So even if the argument seems to "super affect" those who make it, it's not so in many cases. You who see it interpret that because that's what they communicate, but what they communicate is not necessarily what they feel.

The fandoms are drama because all media is dramatic. You're supposed to be here to scream about problems and situations that don't exist in your job/family/studies/etc. Every conversation is a "non-serious issue". You don't have to talk about "real issues" all the time, learn to have fun. If every time you see someone arguing about anything, you automatically just think that person is miserable and suffering because of fandoms, you are the one who is actually miserable and suffering because of fandoms, because if your first interpretation of any interaction is with such a negative outlook, you have the negative outlook.

No matter what your fandom is about, you are here to create your own world, your own adventure. Engage with fan art of that headcanon ship, read/write that rpf story, post your personal interpretation of that song you like that is probably not the original reason the artist wrote it, put together characters from various fandoms, do whatever you want. You have so many rules already in your day to day life, why do you want to put rules on your fun? What the fuck do you care how the others finds a way to not suffer so much from this horrible system we live in?

When I say "fuck the police" I mean the fun police too. Be gay, do crime <3

[musicalmoritz]

this is a silly question sorry if you already answered it but why do you ship aoinene? any canon material you especially like that make you ship them? i like to hear (in this case, read) people talk about their (fav?) ship and see their reasoning ^_^

Omg hi!!!! Thank you for this question, I love talking about this kind of stuff. I know I’ve made a few posts on TikTok about it but I don’t think I’ve ever talked about it on here. So let’s get right into it!

The first reason is a little silly so I’ll go ahead and get it out of the way. I have a major femslash bias. This doesn’t mean femslash ships are always going to be my favorites (I have plenty of favorite mlm and het ships as well), but it’s very hard for me to dislike a wlw pairing or to flat out not care about it. Take Bungou Stray Dogs for example, when I was writing for that fandom I was heavily invested in Dazai and all his ships, but Higuchi x Gin (a wlw couple) still ended up being my second most written for pairing in the fandom. And so before I even watched TBHK, when my sister told me Aoi and Nene were best friends and that people shipped them, I knew I was going to be a fan of the ship. However, I never expected it to become my favorite

I had quite a journey with what I deemed to be my “favorite” TBHK ship. At first I was saving that spot for Mitsukou, but the anime made me really adore HanaNene. It was also Sakuhiko for like a day, and I briefly anticipated AoiAoi would take the throne. It’s a little funny to me that before I got into Aoinene, I was so fascinated with their main rival ships. Aoinene became my favorite purely by accident, because of the femslash bias. This is how I accidentally get invested in many sapphic pairings that don’t have much basis in canon, lesbian content is a huge comfort for me and so I end up seeking it out the most in fandoms. Even before Aoinene became my favorite, it was the main ship I was reading fan fiction for. I was also searching up edits and fan art for them far more often than any other ship

Don’t laugh, but I do think it was the fanfics that solidified Aoinene as my favorite. Which is funny to me because nowadays I have a lot of problems with the way they’re typically written. But I still have such fond memories of fall of last year, staying up late every night and burning a candle whilst reading Beecalm’s Aoinene fics. It was one of those times in my life when everything felt right, and so I associate the ship with a lot of positive things

But fanon isn’t the only reason I like Aoinene, far from it!! I have plenty to yap abt with canon Aoinene as well

My favorite ship trope ever is friends to enemies, and though Aoinene only had that arc briefly, it’s still my favorite part of the manga (not just Aoinene, Grim Reaper arc as a whole!). I love the built up resentment between them, how they both hide so much from each other. Aoi wants to tell Nene who she really is, and Nene wants Aoi to talk more about herself, and yet they’re both too conflict-avoidant to realize they want the same thing!

That brand of friends to lovers has always been my favorite, when there’s so much unresolved tension between them wrapped up in a history that both of them feel tied to. They can’t walk away from each other, but they can’t quite stay together unless they talk about things. It puts them at a standstill. Many fans use this as a reason to hate Aoinene but for me it only makes me love them more, that miscommunication is so delicious to me. When it happens with Aoi and Akane we get a little bit of resolution as soon as Aoi lets it all out, whereas with Aoinene that resolution is dragged out more (and their development is expressed through smaller details). Don’t get me wrong, I love Aoi and Akane’s development too, but the subtlety of Aoinene’s conflict makes it sm more interesting to me. Like c’mon, don’t be shy. Tell me moooooooooooore

I also strongly feel that their type of conflict is unique to female friendships. I have had so many relationships like theirs, where you share a whole life together yet you know nothing about each other beyond a surface level. It’s interesting to me how women can just sorta cling together like that, how willing we are to fake it ‘til we make it just to keep our best friends in our lives. I like to joke that some female friendships act like old married couples who are bored of each other but don’t want to divorce. It’s very codependent by nature which is an element I love to see in ships (for the toxicity ofc, if I like a ship for its healthiness I don’t want to see them that way). And female friendships are so layered, the line between platonic and romantic is very blurred. There are women who have fully made out with their female friends and still identify as straight because that was nothing serious or romantic to them. On the other end, there are women who never got o kiss or hold their female friends but were still deeply in love with them. A woman might say her best friend is like a sister to her and then later realize she was misplacing the root of that intimacy. I have had friends go from “she’s like a sister to me” to “we’re best friends” to “when did she get so pretty??”. And that kind of complexity is exactly what draws me to sapphic ships like Aoinene

I like that Aoi so desperately wants to open up to Nene about her true personality, and in fact she makes multiple attempts to throughout the manga. But she’s so terrified of Nene hating her that she can’t bring herself to fully do it. Similarly, Nene does notice that something is going on with Aoi, but she brushes it off because she’s too overwhelmed with her own problems to pay too much attention to what her friends are doing. She also has a highly romanticized view of the world that causes her to see everyone in an idealized light. Aside from Aoi she also does this with Kou, Teru, Akane, and Mitsuba (briefly). There are times when she empathizes with certain characters- she saw right through Yako and Sumire, showed a deep care for Mei, and makes an active effort to understand Hanako. So her selfishness is a lot more nuanced than people think. But when it comes to the people she’s familiar with in her every day life, they become part of a routine. It’s easy for her to develop expectations for how they behave because she spends more time with them. Whereas with Yako, Sumire, Mei, and Hanako, she doesn’t really know what to expect from them. This allows her to approach their problems with a more unbiased view and- okay now I’m rambling

After the Grim Realer arc, Aoi and Nene are still lying to each other. Nene still hasn’t told Aoi about her lifespan, Aoi hadn’t told Nene about her hand. It’s likely Aoi hasn’t told Nene the extent of her problems either, tho they seem more comfortable around each other after their chat in the firework chapter. It seems to me like they’re working through things bit by bit, but they still have a long way to go. Their combined character flaws (Aoi hiding her true self vs. Nene being blind to other people’s true selves) make a recipe for disaster. And as much as I really want to see them struggle with that, I also want to see them overcome their problems together and develop a stronger friendship

I also want to add that I love how Nene interacts with new timeline Aoi. This is an Aoi that doesn’t hide herself; she’s forward about what she wants and her attentiveness towards Nene seems very genuine in comparison to OG Aoi’s fakeness. What makes me hopeful is that Nene really seems to like this version of Aoi!! She looks at her with interest and indulges her clinginess by going to the festival with her, giving her the kind of reassurance OG Aoi needs (actually OG Aoi needs wayyyyy more reassurance but it’s a good start). They seem to be much closer in this timeline than they were in the OG so I am very excited to see where their relationship goes from here. I’m hoping this leads to development for OG Aoinene

One of my favorite things about Aoinene is how they fall into the hero x damsel in distress trope. Nene has had to watch Aoi die so many times, it’s insane. First the Misaki Stairs, then the Picture Perfect arc, then the Grim Reaper arc where Aoi actually was fully dead for a while, and she had to grieve her in the Ghost Hotel au too. I understand why a manga with so much going on doesn’t have time to unpack all of that but I do wish we had a few more scenes addressing the trauma Nene is sure to have from watching her best friend die over and over again (MadoHomu core?). From the way she reacts to seeing Aoi again after watching her die, it’s clear those memories do impact her. And I love love love how protective she is over Aoi as a result. Nvm my favorite parts of the manga are when Aoi gets kidnapped by a supernatural and Nene sets out to find her. They are so classic fairy tale coded (yes I do have a fic about this…technically two…technically three…)

That makes it even more interesting when their hero x damsel trope turns into hero x villain. Ughhhhh the panel of Aoi throwing Nene into the pit is so famous to me, I really wish antagonist Aoi had lasted longer. Her fakeness leading up to the betrayal!!! The ultimate act of her faking her personality, and Nene still doesn’t notice because she never noticed before!!! Rahhhhhhhh they make me ill. There is a reason the Grim Reaper arc is my favorite and admittedly a lot of it is of Aoinene (other elements too tho, I love everything about it). I did not know the “damsel becomes the villain” plot line was something I need it but reading it in TBHK was so mwah mwah mwah, 5 stars I need to see that a million times again

Another thing I like about Aoinene is all the cute details we have about their friendship in the manga. Their character designs complement each other so well, I can’t help but feel that was intentional (like Gojo and Geto). There are so many official arts of them in matching outfits or just doing cute things together. They canonically go to the beach together every summer. They canonically do karaoke together. Aoi canonically buys snacks to share with Nene at school. They are at the forefront of so many AUs, namely HKOM where Aoi tells Nene she loves her. They have been friends since middle school. Aoi initiates physical affection with Nene a lot which often makes Nene stunned or flustered. Aoi shares all her rumors and ghost stories with Nene. We’ve seen Aoi cry in front of Nene and Nene comfort her. I like how panicked Nene gets when she’s trying to comfort Aoi, it’s clear she’s not good at that sort of thing but still makes an effort. I like that Aoi can be passive-aggressive with Nene at times. I just like. Man. I love every single thing about them

Given the Hanako possession scene, I would say the yuri fan service with them is intentional (that scene as gross but it was still very much fan service). The fact that AidaIro have thought of their relationship that way makes me so giddy…I just wish they could fan service them in a way that wasn’t lesbian fetishization and SA but ig beggars can’t be choosers. Ultimately tho idc if this ship has implied moments, as I said it’s just fan service and it’s never going to be canon. It does seem to me like Aoi might have been intended to have a crush on Nene at the start of the manga with the whole “I missed my chance to tell her” thing, but if that plot line was ever considered it’s clearly been scrapped. I don’t need my pairings to be canon in order to be happy, the fun of shipping is getting to make shit up!! And I have so much fun reading into their friendship and fleshing things out. These two have become one of my favorite ships of all time. Possibly my favorite. I am so unwell about them

Anyways, sorry this took me months to answer. I had typed out part of it and then got lazy and let it collect dust in my drafts for far too long. It feels good to finally be replying, I’ve been looking forward to posting this one. Hope this response satisfies your curiosity!!

[sandpapereater]

The alien assault scene in episode 1 of Dandadan isn't that bad, actually

Reasons below the cut!

WARNING: mentions of S/A and spoilers for DanDaDan

With the popularity of DanDaDan being on the rise due to the recent anime adaptation, I got into the series full of hope and excitement at the thought of a new shounen with actually compelling plots and characters.

And I got that. Easy to say, the characters are great, the plot points are great, the set-up is great, at least from my perspective. However, there was one scene that bounced around in the back of my head when going into any sort of fandom spaces to speak on the show.

The scene where the main female lead, Momo, is kidnapped by aliens and nearly raped.

The reason I kept thinking about this wasn't some perverse fantasy, it was rather fear of how others would interpret the scene. With such a touchy subject, there's sure to be lots of opinions, including ones that are very similar to my own. There's also lots that aren't similar to my own.

To say there was no issues with the scene would be a lie, as even I can recognize that it did feel a bit odd to portray an underage girl in such a compromising position. While ultimately nothing happened, I still felt disgust at the prospect of what could've, and I think that's just a human response.

However, I am not of the belief that this scene is exploitative, used purely for comedy, or even meant to be gratifying (the three main points I see).

(This paragraph is just an explanation of the scene, if you've see the show you probably don't need to read it) To give a simple summary, Momo is kidnapped by aliens after a dare to go looking into a common abduction sight. Not believing in their existence and wanting to prove a point, she does so, and ends up strapped to a metal bed surrounded by aliens. In her underwear, she attempts to escape, and this is the catalyst for her powers displayed throughout the rest of the anime. Blowing the aliens away with her psychic ability and the help of Okarun (the male mc) she escapes.

I can see where the discomfort comes from. Momo, a girl who we can presume to be roughly 17 years old is put in a very dangerous, often overly sexualized scenario (in anime) not long after a comedic scene.

Now, to get the basics out of the way, this scene, at least from my perspective, did not appear exploitative, at least not towards young women like many have said. It's shown as a horrifying, awful thing, and ultimately, nothing comes of it. Is this to say it's not still traumatizing for the characters and uncomfortable for the viewer? No. It is, and it's supposed to be that way. I understand that the anticipation of assault and being in threat of it is a trauma in of itself.

However, it's still different from what actually happened. This scene does a good job at making you uncomfortable, specifically with the designs of the aliens and Momo’s obvious disgust. You're meant to feel repulsed and upset, and the few tidbits that could be seen as comedic are hard to view as such with the context of the scene.

Momo is never once shown from an unsavory angle that most fan-service anime typically target. Despite being in her underwear, there are no gratuitous boob butt shots meant to titillate. If anything, it seems to avoid that. It establishes a threat and a potential later plot point, and it eliminates said threat without a need to focus the shots on Momo’s body.

Even still, I've heard complaints that this scene is comedic. This, I didn't understand one bit, as I distinctly remember being uncomfortable and on the edge of my seat while watching. Despite the previous comical presentation of the show, Momo’s distress is shown as serious, and while in retrospect after knowing nothing bad is gonna happen, you might find some of the lines funny, the scene itself doesn't seem to be a purposeful leeway for that.

Just because most scenes up to this point were comical does not mean this one is. I'd say it does a good job at establishing a setting and the reality of it, cutting through the initial mystification that both main characters experienced. This is like saying a horror movie can't have jokes, or that a kids show can't handle dark themes. It doesn't really make sense to act like having varying tones throughout a show means they're all meant to be taken the same.

In my opinion, this scene is purely something to present what's happening and make an impact. Could it have been done differently? Yeah, probably. Does it work as it is? Yeah. To act like any mention of sexual assault in media is automatically exploitative or meant to be titillating to the audience is a ticking time bomb, and ultimately just a wrong assumption. If you're getting your jollies off to this scene that's more a problem with you than it is the anime. And yes, I understand accountability and effect over intent, but when it's so deliberately in the angles, dialogue, and even sound to make it uncomfortable, that “effect” is only gonna be gratifying to a certain subsect of people. Unfortunately, we have to deal with them existing, and we can't cater all scenes around it.

I know that's a tricky line to tow, but on the topic of this scene, it does it well. Momo is upset, the aliens are gross, she ends up kicking their assess. If that doesn't say “the aliens are the bad guys” then call me blind, because so clearly is it trying to depict it as negative, not exciting.

If you were uncomfortable with it, that's fine. I understand if it's a bit much for certain viewers. But overall, I think it's a scene that could've been handled far worse. Does this make it the best scene in existence? No, but it also doesn't mean it serves no point in the story.

What happens in the scene is bad, obviously, but the way the scene is constructed isn't.

[jeonscatalyst]

Hello there, I am new to this platform. I am so happy I found your blog. I love the way you write and tackle different topics in regard to Jikook. I also appreciate how you never put any other members down just to prove your point.

I started out as a Taekooker, and that was because I spent most of my time on tiktok, Instagram, and YouTube. I had no idea that what I was watching was heavily edited stuff, and most of the edits even Incude fake text. Stuff that neither Tae nor Jungkook even said. I was so convinced the edits were real. Then, somehow, I stumbled upon jikook videos. My stomach sank, there was something, I felt something but I couldn't explain it. It was a gut feeling. I, however, didn't want to admit Jikook was real. So I gave up on shipping all together. Then, one day, I stumbled upon a Jikook analysis on YT. Then GFC in Tokyo. That was a done deal for me. I went back to the edited videos of Taekook, researched original content, and realized it's all been lies. On that day, I gave up Taekook, and don't get me wrong. I love their friendship. I just gave up on the possibility of them being a couple. But after GCF in Tokyo, Saipan, and Are you sure (this is just to name a few). There is plenty of evidence pointing at them as the real deal. I 1000% believe Jikook is the real couple.

Hey anon,

Welcome to tumblr and I really hope you are enjoying it here so far.

Many fans were first introduced to shipping through heavily manipulated videos shared on YouTube and other platforms by Taekookers. When new fans join the fandom, they often turn to YouTube to learn more about the members, and the algorithm is very effective at pushing Taekook edits their way, making them hard to avoid. While Taekookers may lack in many areas, they excel at editing videos to push a particular narrative.

For years, Taekookers relied on those tactics to sustain their theories, even when there was little to no interaction between Taehyung and Jungkook. Ironically, they now claim to hate (or pretend to hate) company content, yet for years, company content was the only way they could see Taekook interact. They would overanalyze and sensationalize every small interaction captured in official content because they had no other material to work with. The solo era atleast for the first time helped them take a little break from making up numerous outings and sightings of Taekook lol.

Taekookers are also master storytellers. They skillfully weave angst into their narratives, as it seems to resonate deeply with their audience. Their recurring theme often portrays two helpless individuals, deeply in love but trapped in a homophobic society, suppressed by a company intent on keeping them apart. One of them, they claim, is forced into unwanted fanservice with another member, while the other suffers silently, watching in pain. Stories like these evoke strong emotions, draw people in, and create a sense of duty to “support their love.” Many Taekookers are simply misguided, and those who direct their hatred at Jimin often do so because they genuinely believe he is an obstacle or even malicious….beliefs fueled by manipulative YouTube videos and the indoctrination of their “cult leaders.”

When people describe Taekookers as cult-like, they’re not exaggerating. Many behave as though they’ve been brainwashed. Whenever an outsider or even a BTS member says or does something that could challenge the reality of Taekook, they immediately create excuses, even going as far as calling them liars. What’s most baffling is that none of them seem to step back and question these contradictions. For instance, the entire Taekooker community firmly believes that, in documentaries showing moments when Jungkook was ill or injured, the company deliberately prevented Taehyung from being by his side and instead sent Jimin to “feed shippers.” They genuinely believe this and even provide so-called “proof.” It’s remarkable how quickly they come up with new ways to reinforce their beliefs, even twisting narratives or calling Tae and Jungkook themselves liars when their version of events doesn’t align. This is how they’ve coped for years, and much of it stems from YouTube and manipulated edits.

In contrast, those who believe there may be something more between Jimin and Jungkook tend to approach things more logically. And I’m not saying this just because I’m a Jikooker. Taekook is easy to fall into. Their interactions are light, straightforward, and wholesome…there’s nothing particularly complex about them (beyond the complications added by shippers). Their behavior doesn’t align with the dramatic, secretive love story Taekookers promote. There’s no visible panic, hesitation, or anything that suggests they’re hiding something. Taekook’s dynamic is effortless, which is one of the main reasons I’ve never believed there was anything romantic between them.

Jikook, on the other hand, is far more nuanced and layered. Their interactions are filled with complexities and subtleties that require experience and logical thinking to fully grasp. When you consider their circumstances and everything they’ve likely endured over the years, their dynamic and actions make so much sense. It feels deeper and more meaningful. Personally, while I’m not 100% certain that Jikook are a couple, I’m certain their relationship..whatever it may be, hasn’t always been purely platonic.

[elainsgirl]

I was pretty ambiguous about Lucien’s character and the Gwyneriel ship.. as long as elain was happy I didn’t really care. But Lucien and Gwyneriel fans really pushed me towards Elriel..

Like what do you mean Elain owes Lucien an apology? What do you mean Lucien is too good for Elain and elain needs to get on her knees for forgiveness? According to them, Lucien is this little baby that needs to be coddled and elains this evil, apathetic woman. Are we forgetting that Lucien literally helped kidnap elain and did nothing while she was unwillingly turned into a fae? Are we forgetting that he did nothing as Jurian made a disgusting joke about elain? Are we forgetting that Lucien is a grown man who’s hundreds of years old while elain is still in her twenties?

Not to mention Gwyneriel. I like gwyn - I think she’s a good character. But I can’t stand the headcanons that people make of her becoming Nyx’s mother/favorite person, that she’s going to show Feyre how to mother her own child and snatch nyx away from her because only she can calm him down, that Rhys will go gwyn over his own wife because gwyn understands him better. And don’t forget gwyns going to yell and shame elain and Feyre for not being good sisters while everyone applauds in the background and Azriel swoons… like c’mon.

Ever since I’ve read that I’m firmly Elriel. Elain doesnt owe anyone anything - especially not Lucien or gwyn a woman she doesn’t even know. Elain is Nyx’s aunt - not gwyn. If anyone is going to take care of nyx, (outside Feyre of course) it’s going to be Feyre’s sister elain..

It’s like people have this fantasy about elain/Feyre being humiliated and humbled all to prop up their fav characters. It honestly rubs me the wrong way. Idk… all I want is for elain and Feyre to be happy. I know that they both made mistakes, but you would think that they were worse than Aramantha with how some people treat them. With how the fandom constantly vilifies them, I want SJM to give them the best ending ever.

Twins.

Antis pushed me towards being firmly elriel. I actually didnt even care that much, like you, I just loved Elain and wanted her to be happy, however I soom quckly learnt how many eluciens actually hated Elain and only wanted her to make sure Lucien gets his happy ending bcs they couldn’t fanthom anything outside of mates = the only way to remain eternally happy. I would constantly see takes of how Elain needed to grovel (🤢) for Lucien yet when you asked what has she done wrong…”she’s so mean to him!” “She didnt give him a chance!” “She’s leading him on” (? Didnt know avoiding a man and shrinking back around him gave off the impression your interested) you get the gist. As someone who loved Elain, these takes would just irritate me and I would find myself defending elain from stans that claimed to “love” her so much…which they do. The fanon version of Elain they’ve curated for their ship. The elain that will be friends with Vassa/Jurian, bicker & be sassy with Lucien, Elain that will follow Lucien wherever he goes - basically its a version of Elain thats in the background whilst her mate is the centre of attention. Eluciens wanted Elain to get jealous over Lucien, to be humbled for what she lost and get karma for “hurting” Luciens feelings. Recently, they’re accusing her off cheating on Lucien? When eluciens say they love elain, in my experience- they love her on their terms. Not the way she currently is and how her story is set upto go. You’re just speaking facts after facts, Lucien isn’t a saint. Yes he has had trauma. But again, he is not perfect. Him not defending elain when Jurian made 2 disgusting jokes about her was already icky. But then him becoming besties with the man ? Elain deserves better.

ahh. The gwynification of the fandom…that fic still haunts me where Gwyn basically takes Nyx of Feyre and soothes him, telling Feyre off for not knowing how to handle him properly whilst everyone just looked around in awe, including Lucien which made Elain seethe with jealousy. I read acosf and liked Gwyns character. She was strong, empowering, just a beautiful well rounded character. Her stans however? Put me completely off Gwyn, I still dont like interacting with content about her bcs they’re mostly putting Elain down. Gwyn’s character has literally been dragged in a love square she isn’t apart off and her whole character is now about Azriel which is just sad considering she has shown 0 interest in him romantically.

Facts: Elain owes Lucien nothing. They’re not in a relationship. She can do whatever she pleases with who she pleases just as Lucien can do the same. Feyre & Gwyn arent close. Gwyn isnt going to suddenly become Nyz’s favourite babysitter or auntie when he’s been blessed with two aunts that will love him so much. Two aunts Feyre loves and trusts. Gwyn isn’t going to be apart of the IC - she’s Nesta’s friend.

You worded it perfectly anon. People want to see Feyre and Elain get knocked off a peg or two and it doesn’t make sense as to why. They’re both flawed yet are absolute sweethearts. Two characters that have been through so much and more then deserve their happy ending which Mass will definitely give to them.

Feyre’s made her found family whilst healing her relationship with her sisters. She’s mated to a man that would put her above everyone else and would lay down his own life for her. She’s made friends that love her for who she is. And now has a beautiful son that will adore his mother.

Elain has a beautiful friendship with the twins. She spends her day doing what she loves whilst being adored by everyone around her. She has two of the most wanted bacherlors both wanting her. One risked his life to save her whilst the other is her mate.

Both girls will have the best lives despite what their haters might manifest otherwise.