#i have So Many thoughts

[venusbyline]

i wanna ride Jacaerys Velaryon while he sits on the Iron Throne just grabbing my ass

[birdieapplee]

britney is so pretty in this

🩰

[elkian]

Got LOTR on tape to listen to on my commute, partly because of current events, and good LORD Mr. Jirt never in his life was in the vicinity of fucking around.

Like, the description of the Ring and what it does to people maps so closely to real world problems, right now. The greed and selfishness of those who covet it, the fact that it will always destroy them in service to itself...

What really got me was Gandalf's comment about how those who use it "would not die. They would not grow or gain life," and like, it really puts me in mind of billionaire power grabs and pathetic attempts at appearing important, taking over projects doomed to fail due to their interference, and so much more. Especially that latter part: they don't grow, and they don't gain life. Bilbo left because he was feeling stretched - faded, scraped thin. This is seated in metaphor, but it's easy to see similarities with rich fucks like EM or JKR who've become parodies of themselves, self-perpetuating caricatures who can never produce anything new, only steal and plagiarize and self-refer.

(A friend of mine has told me about the Silmarrillion, and I think it came up in the Hobbit - it's very interesting to me that in this setting, evil and the inability to create anything new are explicitly intertwined so often. Evil is plagiarism, theft, machine generation, uncredited parody, etc.)

It's also fascinating to me how the Ring seizes people: the fact that Bilbo was able to give it up at all is, textually, a genuinely heroic act. Gandalf refuses offers of it and begs the Bagginses to not do that again, because even he is not immune to temptation and he knows his own power does not need to be amplified. He's wise enough to see the ruin that would unfold.

And then the bit with Saruman? "Only one hand can wear it at a time," good god.

This is Jirt saying that evil means cannot produce good results. That some acts, some tools, are so steeped in blood and cruelty and ruin, that you cannot "use it for good", because using it is evil. There's a lot of literature on objects being inherently morally neutral, and I definitely think this is a subject that requires engaging one's brain, but it kind of a rare narrative in my experience. (Completely unrelated side note, the older I get, the more I question my US Education's conclusion that dropping nuclear bombs on civilian targets (including testing sites with Indigenous populations, which my history class incidentally blipped over, somehow,) was "necessary". That's completely unrelated to the matter at hand. Anyways.)

And when this narrative does come up, I tend to see it from NRA types - people with a very particular flavor of agenda. It's important to remember that Tolkein had an agenda, too, even unconsciously - it's impossible to create something untouched by one's experiences and personal bias - but, at least for me, this is a pretty unfamiliar narrative and kind of exciting for it.

Anyways, the bit with Saruman fucking stings because that is happening irl right now in this very country, people we previously thought to be fairly intelligent, perceptive, and on our side deciding they want to "join the winning team". The dismissal of Radagast's importance by him after Gandalf went "hey wait you have the potential to help right now, in small but vital ways", puts me in mind of how current political figures are dismissive of "hippy dippy environmentalist tree-huggers" (hippies, who famously resisted a military draft and protested the Vietnam war,). Radagast doesn't need to come in swinging a sword to be important - and I like that Gandalf recognizes that he is important. I've been talking about it but I've been reading James Bradley's book "Deep Water", which goes into a lot of a directions about how the ocean is innately connected to basically everything. It's a fascinating, engaging read that really helped me conceptualize a lot about nature and my connection to it.

Environmentalists, biologists, scientists - these people are important, their work is important. I'm reminded of people critizing that headline about marine biologists putting shrimp on a treadmill, and, like, the results of that study may never affect me personally but that doesn't make it pointless. I went searching and the study is about water quality and how that affects crustaceans' health. The water in the ocean will eventually become water in the clouds which will become rain which will become groundwater which, eventually, I am going to drink. If there's a high level of, say, mercury in the ocean and it starts affecting shrimps' health (or microplastics, or whatever else), studies like this are important. It also affects predators (a lot of things accumulate in the body higher up the food chain, and eating carnivores or ominvores will increase the chance of that affecting you), which affect other marine life, and so on and so forth.

And those studies often reveal, as mentioned, the effects of pollution and worse - the consequences of lawmaker mismanagement, bribery, oil drilling, cut funding, and so much more.

Scientists and researchers are liable to produce proof that those in power have done wrong. No wonder the first move is to discredit them.

(I can't find it, but there was a post on here a bit back about how the One Ring turning its user invisible isn't a mistaken relay of Hobbit power but rather because the first thing evil in power desires is complete immunity to accountability.)

Anyways, Radagast is literally going to have the animals report to him which really hammers this one home.

Also, very interesting that before the Saruman summons, Gandalf tells Frodo to gather his resources and both he and Frodo admit that Frodo isn't the smartest or strongest, but Gandalf assures him that Frodo can do this thing nonetheless (the tales of the hobbits so frequently are about humble regular people accomplishing great things and I love it). Pretty much immediately moving in to see how Saruman, the brilliant and wise, has decided to change his colors and join Sauron, feels very pointed. Jirt is setting up a narrative here, a heroic journey, and has basically said "you know Frodo is going to accomplish great things, even against people even Gandalf considers powerful" and it's really interesting.

Also, just, the hobbits continue to be great. And I love that Gandalf's response to Frodo's announcement is, "yes, you must go; yes, you must do the difficult thing; and yes, it will be a hard road. But you don't need to do it alone."

I've heard that Tolkein denied that his experiences as a soldier affected/directed the narrative, and I know that evidence to the contrary is woven in nonetheless, so I can't say for sure how intentional everything is, but there are some exceeding good and relevant points in here and I've barely started.

It frustrates me to think about, because fantasy is an undervalued genre; that magic equates whimsy and whimsy equates pointlessness, that because it could never happen then it doesn't really matter. J.R.R. Tolkein is making some extremely good points about fascism and how to resist it, and some people will never accept that because fantasy - even incredibly popular and renowned fantasy - is for entertainment and nothing else.

Edit: oh yeah and I definitely paid attention to Gandalf and Frodo talking about Gollum. I've seen the Jackson movies (I know some stuff was changed or dropped) so I have an idea of how Gandalf's prediction is going to turn out. But I'm also paying attention to how Gandalf talks to Frodo about mercy. It's interesting.

[milchreste]

[zhelin-thames]

Where Danny meets the rest of the Lantern Corps and causes more chaos

[Danny gets whisked away to Oa, the Green Lantern HQ.]

Danny: [looking around at glowing green architecture] Whoa, it’s like Tron threw up everywhere. Hal Jordan: [facepalming] Try not to embarrass me in front of the Guardians, okay? Danny: [grinning] No promises, Green Dad. Hal Jordan: [groaning] I’m not your dad.

[Danny Meets Kilowog]

Kilowog: What’s the deal with the glowing kid? He’s not a recruit, is he? Danny: Nope. I’m Danny, half-ghost, full-time troublemaker. Who’re you? Kilowog: Kilowog. Drill instructor for the Green Lantern Corps. Danny: [mock salute] Nice to meet you, Sergeant Glowstick. Kilowog: [laughs, clapping Danny on the back] I like this one. He’s got guts.

[Danny Learns About Other Lantern Corps]

Danny: [flipping through a hologram book] So, there are other ring colors? Hal Jordan: [sighs] Yes, but most of them are dangerous. Don’t get any ideas. Danny: [grinning] Oh, too late. A ghost-powered Lantern sounds awesome. Hal Jordan: You’re already glowing! What more do you want?!

[Danny Meets a Red Lantern]

Atrocitus: [growling, his ring glowing red with rage] Who dares step into my sector?! Danny: [floating nonchalantly] Chill, dude. You’re gonna pop a blood vessel. Atrocitus: [angrier] You mock me?! Danny: [grinning] Not my fault you’re part of the anger issues club. Do you guys hand out stress balls, or…? Hal Jordan: [grabbing Danny and pulling him away] Stop antagonizing the rage monster!

[Danny Meets a Blue Lantern]

Saint Walker: [calmly] You radiate unusual hope for someone straddling life and death. Danny: [grinning] Thanks. You radiate spa-day vibes. Saint Walker: [smiling serenely] I shall take that as a compliment.

[Danny Tries to Join the Sinestro Corps]

Danny: [looking at a yellow power ring] Fear-based powers? I scare people all the time! This would totally work for me. Sinestro: [looming] You think you’re worthy of wielding fear? Danny: [goes ghost, glowing green with a chilling aura] Boo. Sinestro: [startled] …Perhaps you are. Hal Jordan: [snatching Danny back] Absolutely not!

[Lanterns Watching Danny]

Kilowog: The kid’s like a tiny tornado of chaos. Saint Walker: And yet, there’s potential in him. Hal Jordan: Potential to give me a headache.

[Danny With the Black Lanterns]

Danny: [walking into a dark room] So, what’s the deal with these Black Lanterns? Hal Jordan: [panicking] No. Absolutely not. Get out of here now. Danny: [grinning] What? I’m technically dead. I’d fit right in. Hal Jordan: [dragging Danny away] You’re not meeting Nekron. End of discussion.

[Danny Shows Off to the Lantern Corps]

Danny: [blasting ectoplasm everywhere] My powers are cooler than your glowsticks, admit it. Kilowog: Let’s spar and find out, kid. Danny: [cracking his knuckles] Bring it on, Hulk Lite.

Danny phases through every construct Kilowog throws at him, laughing the whole time.

Hal Jordan: [watching in the background] Why do I even bother?

[Later, Back on Earth]

Tucker: You went to space and met aliens with power rings?! Danny: Yup. Turns out I’m way better at glowing than they are. Sam: Did you actually join any of the corps? Danny: [grinning] Nah, they’d never survive me.

[ghost-proofbaby]

[salty-fryingpan]

Celebrity Derek Hale being incredibly private and having absolutely no internet presence of his own just casually goes "Oh yeah my Fiancé-" on a talk show and the world fucking explodes looking for this super secret relationship with any famous woman he's ever interacted with and then they never figure it out cuz it's just some dude

[shkika]

exactly where u belong

[perpetuallyscreamingbird]

Going feral over "this is a love story" because it so is.

How could the Narrator tear a god in two and expect them not to love each other? Not to love the first thing they knew that wasn't them, not to love that lost part of themself? Maybe it's because hating yourself is such a human thing, it's impossible to imagine a being torn in two loving its lost parts. Even when they're not perfect. Especially when they're not perfect.

Even when you get the worst outcome on a route, or one of the vessels with so many reasons to be angry, The Shifting Mound still loves The Long Quiet because they're gods, and death is to them what a paper cut is to us and this too shall pass and she loves him through all of it.

They are everything. They can be as good as they can be bad. They can love each other and hurt each other and those things are rarely mutually exclusive. They can meet afterwards and talk with kindness. There isn't a single part of them that doesn't have the potential to be something better. There isn't a single part of them that doesn't have the potential to be something worse. They're the same entity. Theyre the only different being the other has ever known. This is a love story.

[soldrawss]

@funneylizzie got me in that Casey Jones Jr brainrot and I haven't known peace since

[venusbyline]

GUYS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!!! I NEED TO RIDE THIS MAN IMMEDIATELY

[thedramaclubs]

POV: the epic: the musical fans atm

[annaliselis]

[hangmanapologist]

DIED 2022 BORN 2024 WELCOME BACK HANGMAN

[zhelin-thames]

Danny’s chaos with the Lantern Corps

Lantern Corps Shenanigans

[Danny with the Indigo Tribe]

Danny: [confused, looking at glowing purple Lanterns] So… you guys are all about compassion? Indigo-1: It is a power most misunderstood but deeply effective. Danny: That’s cool and all, but how do you fight with compassion? Hug people into submission? Indigo-1: [smiles serenely] Something like that. Danny: [turns to Hal] Okay, this one might be too wholesome for me.

[Danny Accidentally Meets Larfleeze, the Orange Lantern of Avarice]

Larfleeze: [hissing, clutching his orange ring] MINE! Danny: Whoa, chill, Tangerine Nightmare. I don’t even want your ring. Larfleeze: [growling] Everything you want belongs to me! Danny: [grinning mischievously] Oh, really? Then I totally want a pet ghost dragon. Larfleeze: [pauses, conflicted] …I don’t have one of those. Danny: [floating off] Thought so. Later!

[Danny Teams Up with a Violet Lantern]

Star Sapphire (Carol Ferris): Love is the most powerful force in the universe. Danny: [grimacing] I dunno about that. Love’s more Sam’s thing. Star Sapphire: And what drives you, young one? Danny: Mostly snacks and spite. Does that count? Star Sapphire: …We’ll work on that.

[Danny at the Green Lantern Bootcamp]

Kilowog: Alright, Poozer, time for training! Let’s see what you’re made of. Danny: [phasing through the ground] Made of ectoplasm and bad decisions, thanks. Kilowog: [laughing] Kid, you’re alright.

[Lantern Corps Debate]

Hal Jordan: He’s too unpredictable to join the Corps. Kilowog: He’s got guts, though. Saint Walker: His hope shines brightly. Sinestro: He could wield fear effectively. Larfleeze: MINE! Danny: [floating nearby, munching on chips] You guys know I can hear you, right?

[doctorsiren]

Imagine Billdysseus during the Vengeance Saga…