#i think hunter is fine in the show but the fandom kinda ruined his character for me tbh

[capitalcorgi351]

My fandom experience for the past 2 years

[tearsofgrace]

endings are hard... but they aren’t impossible

tldr; the good place fucking nailed the finale, supernatural completely and utterly bombed it.

tags: wc--4.5k, gif heavy, spn meta, the good place, supernatural finale, spn wank, all gifs are mine, if you read til the end there’s a pretty gif

so i recently finished the good place (i was watching w my family and we finally had time to sit down and watch the last season) and god fucking dammit that ending is FLAWLESS. literally flawless. 

and because i’m, well, me… i spent most of the time during that hour long finale thinking about how supernatural could have had even a fraction of that and avoided so much heartbreak. 

anyways. i decided to compare them. to REALLY compare them. to get into the nitty gritty of why the fuck the good place ending left me feeling, as the finale is all about, sated and complete. and why the spn ending left me confused, lost, broken, betrayed, unable to even enjoy my comfort show at all until a dear friend finally just watched an episode (8.08) start to finish with me. 

so without further ado (always wanted to say that) here’s the good place/supernatural finale meta that no one asked for

comedy

we’ll start small. both these shows have excellent comedy. in extremely different ways… but still

in the good place finale, the comedy was perfect. whether it was jason reappearing in the forest, michael trying to get through The Door, tahani reversing the “hot bod” bit on eleanor, every comedic moment was actually pretty emotional and added something to the show. they deepened characters’ meanings, added to their relationships, and made the audience think as much as they made the audience laugh.

in the spn finale… the comedy was the pie gag. the whole sam shoving pie into dean’s face. beyond this being… like meta as hell (the whole prank thing) it doesn’t have any depth to it.

and to add salt to the wound, this “hilarious” thing happens RIGHT AFTER salmondean have a conversation about missing jack and cas that is equal parts flat and infuriating. the brothers, in particular sam about jack and dean about cas, should care more. this is their family. and family is everything to them. but, no, by all means pie dean in the face.

last lines

this one IRKS me. okay. 

the last line of the good place  "I'll say this to you, my friend, with all the love in my heart and all the wisdom of the universe: Take it sleazy.” “All right.”  is ICONIC. okay?

it’s a reference to season 1 that doesn’t feel fan-servicey. it’s kinda honestly emotional cuz it’s like a message to us, the audience. it perfectly completes michael’s arc. it captures the light-hearted vibe of the show while also somehow managing to be poignant. you can see it coming like the second before it happens but it’s also not the obvious choice. it’s just. goddamn it’s good.

the last line of supernatural…. is… “and cut.” not even said by one of j2. i mean i know it’s a meta show but COME ON ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME??????????

now i hear you shouting wait but that’s just the end of the thank you message. okay fine whatever. in that case the last lines are “Hey, Sammy.” “Dean.” (i couldn’t bring myself to gif that moment)

i’m sorry but. that’s predictable. that’s obvious. that’s boring. that’s flat. sure, it celebrates the bond between the brothers. but like… that’s not what this show is about anymore. it’s not just about sam and dean winchester it’s about what they’ve created. it’s about the world they’ve saved, the family they’ve made, about how they always keep fighting but nope we get bland, boring, coulda seen ‘em coming from miles away lines for the very end. that’s fine.

montages

the spn finale is like 50% montages that don’t make sense and are poorly done and not emotional

the good place has a montage of michael being human that brought me to tears

timing

here’s another short section. the good place finale was 53 minutes long as opposed to the usual 20 minute long runtime of every episode. granted, the fandom of the good place is very different, but STILL there was no documentary telling the fans things they ALREADY knew (there was a short special after the ep, but the episode itself was still far longer than normal). it was 53 minutes of plot. of really fucking good not rushed plot. 

the supernatural finale was… what 36 minutes long?? as opposed to the normal 40 minute runtime?? granted, we did get an hour long documentary of things we’ve all heard in cons and interviews a billion times so hey. take what you can get i guess.

character arcs

this is most of the meat of this meta. one thing we’ve all been harping on a TON is how they RUINED character arcs. soooo let’s go through and juxtapose some character arcs shall we

eleanor

eleanor shellstrop starts the show completely self-obsessed. she died getting hit by shopping carts while picking up margarita mix and let’s be real she’s a total icon. love her to death. she grows a ton, becomes one of the most selfless characters on the show, and starts to actually (jack forbid) CARE about things. it’s one of the most satisfying and relatable character arcs i’ve ever seen. 

it’s not just her selfishness either, her character is super multi-faceted and complex, and i feel like even in the end we’re getting to know her better. she’s afraid of commitment, always worried about what others’ actions will do to her, loves the trivial side of life, is queer as fuck (as acknowledged by the show in a way that’s not harmful at all but also isn’t explicitly bi/pan/unlabeled/omni etc, allowing queer fans to see their own identity in her), and is all around a HUMAN BEING. her ending at the beginning of the show was her death. her stupid, trivial, meaningless death where she was, as she puts it, all alone. and her final ending ISNT that. yes, everyone goes before her. and i think that’s purposeful. to show that she’s grown enough that being alone in some sense is okay.

but she’s never TRULY alone. and in the end. the REAL end. janet is there. the whole time. because eleanor asked her to be!! she got over her crazy need for independence and simply asked for help. and eleanor dies an amazing person that has become selfless, has found joy in philosophy while still enjoying trashy content, has fixed her relationship with her mother, and has found a sense of completion. eleanor’s life ends on her terms, and it’s beautiful.

dean

alright. now just as you’re feeling all warm and fuzzy let’s look at dean winchester’s ending. you’ve heard it a million times, so i’ll be brief. dean was raised to be a hunter, a soldier, a killing machine with no feelings and no purpose. he was raised to die scared on a hunt, his life over because of some mistake he made because he will NEVER measure up. at least that’s what john and everyone else told him with the exceptions of some of his family (and family don’t end in blood). he started to accept that he didn’t have to have this. he started to realize that he could CHOOSE what his ending was. 

the beautiful thing is, we never truly got to see what that was. i personally like to think it’s similar to the roadhouse michael locked him in while he was trapped in his own mind. a safe place for hunters, somewhere he (and cas in my opinion, but that’s not important) could settle down and still be in the life. it would be an amazing tribute to jo and ellen, and just all around a great ending. he wouldn’t have to be scared, but he wouldn’t have to conform to some apple pie facade of normalcy. and ya know what?? say that he died so he could have peace i dare you. because dean doesn’t find peace until sam is there anyway so i beg of you WHAT WAS THE FUCKING POINT. 

dean winchester died scared. dean winchester died on a hunt. dean winchester died on one of john’s old hunts. dean winchester died not directly at the hands of a monster, but at the hands of a mistake. his mistake. dean winchester died without ever working through the trauma of his best friend in the entire world confessing his love in a final act of self-sacrifice. dean winchester died in a way that leaves a sour taste in my mouth and does not at all show the audience what he’s been through and how much he’s grown. dean winchester did not die on his terms, and he deserved better.

chidi

okay back to happy. chidi anagonye. by far my personal favorite good place character (don’t tell anyone i always say jason cuz he and i are very similar). chidi in the last few episodes is SO DRASTICALLY different than the chidi we meet at the beginning. he’s decisive, confident, self-assured, and it’s amazing to see. he’s not afraid of life anymore. he’s not afraid to make the wrong decision and forever alter his reality, because he’s okay with failure. 

at the beginning, chidi was so petrified of life that… it killed him. and in the end, he’s completely at peace with every decision he makes, even the final one. yes, he considered staying for eleanor, but that just shows how his moral code and his compassion for others is still very much still intact. it shows the audience that you can be confident and decisive without being a selfish asshole. 

chidi leaves the good place knowing that it’s the right thing to do. knowing without a doubt that his time has come. the old chidi never would have been able to fathom being that sure about something. it’s beautiful. it’s a development that can give the audience peace, can show them that this drastic of change is possible, and that chidi became a better person for all of it. chidi went on his own terms, and it was beautiful.

sam

… this one might be controversial… but sam winchester. god i hated sam’s ending. at first i was kinda okay with it. like, okay fine he got his normal life. but, really, in the end that’s not what sam wanted. he started to realize that he didn’t need that apple pie, white picket fence life. he didn’t need the wife and the kids and the backyard and the barbecues because that is NOT sam’s personality and i will throw hands on that. 

that’s not to say he doesn’t want some sort of romance, maybe even kids, but not in that way. he lets himself see that he doesn’t need to be defined by his rebellion to john. doesn’t need to be defined by going to college or any of those “normal” smart kid things because it doesn’t fit him. and that’s okay! but how does sam’s story end? it ends with a wife (that isn’t even important enough to show her face). with kids. with a goddamn white picket fence. we think he’s still hunting to some extent… but it’s not the arc we were led to believe would happen. it’s not this amazing leader sam that we see in season 12-14, uniting hunters and organizing them. 

he had SO MUCH potential and they throw it away on a vanilla ending that shows only surface level pain at losing his brother. he doesn’t even invite the rest of their family to the wake for fuck’s sake. jared did an incredible job. pls don’t think i’m saying he didn’t. but that script…. sam winchester’s arc was cut short. he didn’t go on his terms, and he deserved better.

jason

jason mandoza. the only character that has ever embodied my complete dumbass energy to the insane extent that it exists. he went to hell for his impulsivity. he never thought before a decision. i aspire to be as reckless as jason while on earth. but he LEARNED. he got better, just like they all did. and by the end of the show, jason doesn’t need to be impulsive anymore. much like eleanor being left “alone,” the show does a masterful job with making him be the first one to go, capturing his old impulsiveness. but he chooses to leave. he takes his time in deliberation, waiting until a feeling of peace, of completion, of well, ‘true happiness’ (sorry cas stans, i’m right there with you) has settled over him. 

the ending of his story is one of growth, just like all these characters have been. and the best part? the show makes it comedic in the most poignant and beautiful way, because it’s jason, it had to be funny. we learn that jason has been in the woods for like, eons, just waiting to go through the door because he wants to give janet a necklace. he’s learned to simply wait. to be at peace with… nothing. his torture was being a monk, but in the end, jason embodies those ideals. his arc comes to fruition in an extremely satisfying way. jason goes on his own terms, and it’s beautiful.

castiel

this one is gonna hurt like a bitch. castiel is my comfort character. he’s my role model. he’s me in a lot of ways. i love him. so fucking much. so excuse me if this is slightly incoherent. i’m actually okay with cas’ ending… in a way. because his actual ending as an on-screen character? perfect. self-sacrifice while coming out and professing his love to dean winchester. a little bit bury the gays, but let’s be real, it’s supernatural. and “happiness is in just saying it” has to be the most powerful way to think of coming out. it takes away the fear, it takes away so much of the pain that can follow. because the joy is in just saying the words.

it’s how this was treated on the show that makes cas’ character arc terrible (and we haven’t even gotten to 15.20). YOU CANNOT JUST IGNORE A LOVE CONFESSION. that is god awful writing and i will never change my mind on that. cas deserved his family to care about him. to at least address and be sad about the fact he was gone. jesus fucking christ after everything castiel deserved at least that. and then we go to 15.20. cas is in heaven. cas is serving god. cas is right back where he started. now, i’m coming off a little strong. 

if the show had decided to show us cas and jack in heaven makin’ the world a better place… i woulda come around to it. i woulda realized that that’s not REALLY erasing 12 years of character development and cas realizing that his whole identity isn’t just him serving heaven and isn’t just him being an angel and that he’s so much more than all of that and he could still be happy as a human… because really he’s with his son. but they didn’t show us that. they barely even mentioned him. and to me. that counts as a bad character arc. and i’m sorry if you disagree. castiel may have gone on his own terms, but they treated that beautiful sacrifice with disrespect and disdain, plus resolved his arc by putting him back where he started. he deserved better.

tahani

*deep breaths guys this is a long post i’m sorry* anywayyyy tahani!!! we love tahani obviously. let’s talk about her arc, because it always kinda bothered me. throughout the show, we see all the other character’s growing and expanding their knowledge of right and wrong. and, don’t get me wrong. we see tahani grow a lot. but she makes a lot of the same types of comments and shit like that. but it’s how she treats the reactions to those comments. by the end of the show, she laughs at the caricature of herself that the others see. she isn’t looking for vindication in name-dropping, she just does it. she is far less self-absorbed, and is genuinely interested in those around her. she fixes her relationships with her sister and her parents in a way that doesn’t feel forced and actually feels like a beautiful, healthy family reunion. 

she has a list and she does everything on it. it’s worth noting, that the things on her list are not at all what they would have been at the beginning of the show. most of them are humble “labor” type tasks, and all of them are in self improvement. tahani’s end on the show is not the same as everyone else’s. she realizes that she doesn’t need to be done. that there doesn’t have to be an end to self-improvement. and she becomes an architect. the writers perfectly embody her transformation from a self-obsessed rich girl who has never done a thing for herself and laughs at the lower-class to a down-to-earth worker that simply doesn’t want the journey to end. 

it’s incredible how perfectly the writers were able to close off these character arc’s without it feeling forced, and without ignoring their character development. imagine that. tahani chooses her own way, and it’s beautiful.

jack

jack’s ending may be the only one that i’ve actually somewhat come to terms with. it’s not terrible. it’s not great. but it’s not nearly as bad. because ignoring that awful monologue about every drop of rain and shit, jack really does end up helping people. he ends up doing something that he loves and that makes the world a better place. and he doesn’t lose his personality in it. but. i dunno, that’s still his destiny, right? to create paradise. and this is a show about ripping up the rule book, about choosing free will above all else… so to have every single character just fulfill their destiny is cheap. 

still… i’ll try to be unbiased. because really at the beginning of jack’s time on the show, he’s unsure what he wants. and at least, in the end, he’s sure. he has a wisdom that he’s always had but he’s now using. and i’m good with that. but what’s NOT okay about jack’s ending is the lack of on-screen family. jack learns that family is important. sam, cas, dean those are the people he cares about. and you’re telling me he would just NEVER see them again? and be okay with that? i know he rebuilds heaven with cas, but we don’t even get a story about him rescuing cas from the empty. and he seems in 15.19 to not be that concerned about it (after the amazing emotional scene at the beginning). jack should have cared about his family. he did. but they ruined that for him. so jack kline deserved better.

michael

oh man where do i start. michael’s growth is the biggest on the show. i mean. he starts as a literal demon and ends a human. he gets better, he falls in love with humanity (*castiel fan in me sobbing again*) and he chooses over and over to be good instead of bad. his whole arc is a classic redemption arc, and every single beat just gets better. he chooses selfishly to side with humans but in the end it turns out to be the best decision he could have made. because he develops emotions, he develops compassion, he develops a moral compass. 

and his end reflects that. because to complete this arc of a demon becoming more human… he literally becomes human!!!! it fits so well. and he’s allowed to make mistakes and be happy and gain all that humanity has to offer. this just shows that human!endgame for cosmic beings that become more human WORKS SO WELL (and it shoulda happened for cas and jack that’s all i’m saying). michael went on his own terms, and it was beautiful.

eileen

oh boy… this one stings. because they brought her back, used her up, and we never saw her again. eileen was one of the best side characters on the show, and they rarely addressed her arc. she comes onto the show as a hunter seeking revenge, and gets that revenge in the same episode. her s15 arc is focused on what’s real and what’s not, with her relationship to sam admittedly being a central part of her character because… it’s supernatural and women can’t exist without that. but still! eileen grows throughout the show and in the end… we don’t even know what happens to her. it’s as if her arc wasn’t important enough to even glance at. 

it’s as if the connections the boys make outside of each other mean nothing when in reality they mean everything. they prove that the co-dependency is behind them and that family doesn’t end with blood and that real connections can be formed between people that last a lifetime. eileen was a disabled hunter that was shown to still be one of the best in the business, and they didn’t even give her the courtesy of a goodbye. eileen didn’t go on her own terms, and she deserved better.

janet

this is gonna unbalance my list but goddammit janet’s ending was perfect. she was a not-robot, not-girl that should have been incapable of feelings. but throughout the series we get to watch as she learns first-hand about human emotions and processes them. she cares about the humans in her charge and fights for them on multiple counts. 

in the end, we see janet come to terms with both her cosmic being side, and her human side. she never stops being with the “cockroaches.” she sees them all leave, she’s there for them while they’re there, and she also continues to speak her mind and live autonomously. janet was a non-human character done right. she lived on her own terms, and it was beautiful.

some honorable mentions

spn ignored (in the finale) chuck, amara, stevie, charlie, jody, donna, garth, bess, the other angels, claire, kaia, patience, alex, and the list goes ON in favor of focusing on JUST sam and dean. did none of those characters at least deserve a quick goodbye??????

the good place wrapped up multiple arcs i had completely forgotten about in a totally natural and not forced way. mindy, doug forester, (the mushroom guy, i know, it took me a second), pillboy, donkey doug, kamilah, tahani’s parents, eleanor’s mother, eleanor’s friends, chidi’s best friend, vicki, shawn, glenn, simone and so many that i’m forgetting all got satisfying ends that they totally deserved. 

they even fucking resolved FROG GUY’S arc and gave him a real frog. that’s right. frog guy (jeff) had a better character arc resolution than dean motherfucking winchester. 

heaven and hell

obviously in very different vehicles, both shows explore in depth the realities of the afterlife. and lemme tell ya, at the end of the day, one sits a whole lot better than the other. 

the good place finale ends this quest for the perfect afterlife by saying that everyone can improve and that an eternal paradise shouldn’t keep you from eternal rest. they pretty much make me wish that this is what our afterlife looked like. they handle everything with care so it’s balanced precariously in a way that doesn’t give you anxiety looking at it but instead fills you with peace and faith in humanity. 

supernatural addresses this series long battle between heaven and hell by creating a heaven where you drive for forty years without seeing the people (cough cough cas and jack not his parents) that matter to you and drink beer that tastes like shit. a place you can’t be happy or find any sense of peace until your brother has died and he’s there too.

and hell… well they barely even address it. there’s a new queen of hell i guess? but so what. it’s still very much heaven and hell in a way that’s the worst and hey plus to them… makes me wanna stay alive thank you very much. oh and purgatory is in shambles and not functioning properly cuz all that eve bullshit.

loose ends

whenever something is ending, you gotta tie up the loose ends. not in a “oh, we must wrap everything up and leave no stone unturned” kinda way but in a “wow, we should probably try to make this unambiguous because this is the last time we will ever see these characters” kinda way. 

the good place does that. so fucking masterfully. all these side plots with all these different characters were taken care of all while focusing on the main six characters. we get to see how their intervention has changed everyone else. for example, mindy’s arc is wrapped up perfectly, with eleanor going to save her.

plus different running jokes like “take it sleazy” are wrapped up, we revisit really old callbacks like the original neighborhood, and all of it feels natural and in the moment. it feels like full circle in a way that doesn’t erase growth. 

supernatural, on the other hand, left a million loose ends open. what happened to the boys they saved? where the fuck are jody, donna, etc.? did eileen make it back? cuz sam was pretty upset about that. what happened to it “being loud” in the empty? hell, what happened to the empty? what happened to hell? what about chuck? it woulda been nice to see just for a second what became of him. did charlie and stevie make it (i’m very invested in that relationship)? if we’re taking the original ending… why the fuck is jimmy there? did kansas just all,,, die? 

i’m not saying they needed to address everything… but god a few wrapped up storylines besides the brothers wouldn’t have hurt

coloring

can i just… real quick… as a giffer lodge a complaint

the good place has beautiful vibrant coloring in the finale

spn has like bland washed out whatever the fuck that is coloring. it’s not even the dark early aesthetic cuz they dropped that it’s just… ew. so. do with that what you will. 

conclusion

first… while writing this i realized just HOW MUCH it’s not about destiel… like believe me. i knew i wasn’t just pissed about destiel. but holy shit it’s not destiel at all like did i even mention destiel that much???? this was never about a ship. this was just a trash finale. 

in the end. the good place writers knew what they were doing. they knew their fans, they knew their characters, they knew their world, and they knew how to wrap it up in a way that was satisfying and sad and perfectly fit the tone of the whole show. it wasn’t out of character or rushed, basically every loose end was tied up without the audience even realizing that’s what they were doing, and i feel happy and complete having watched it. 

the supernatural ending was a betrayal. flat out. to the audience that has stuck by it in a way bigger way than the good place fandom. to the characters that have helped so many people. to the actors that have given so much of their lives. to the other members of the crew, to certain writers… all of it was just a slap in the face.

we deserved better guys. there are better endings possible. so i’m sorry. i really am. but i guess… that’s what fanfic is for, right?

[everythingsinred]

Okay with the character bingo, I must inquire about your fandoms bc I don't want to be like "ahh what do you think of this fine lad"

And you being like :/ idk who that is nice bird tho

Like that would be kinda funny, but also it would be neat to hear about your other fandoms than GA. Like I've seen Go Piss Girl (Gossip Girl, but the only thing I know about that show is that meme 😅), The Office, something to do with spies? And one with characters that have big ol eyes but idk what it is.

In any case, for the time being, what your thoughts about ✨Mikan✨? My impression of her has changed a lot over the years, I first thought she was annoying but now I'm just kinda sad for her :,)

hi!!

yeah i dont watch owl house but im pretty sure thats hunter? if its not im sorry i only know what i see on my dash in passing lol. nice bird tho (hehe)

yeah i like gossip girl! i was at the height of that when i was 13 but its a nostalgic show for me. its not a show that i think too much abt ig. mostly i just quote it all the time w my sister. i have a gossip girl character as my icon now bc i like having matching icons w my sister! we like to switch through fictional friendships/sibling dynamics. 

i also LOVE the office and also all sitcoms of that nature (i love parks and rec, superstore, new girl, etc. i love funny shows that focus on sentimental relationships that end up making me ugly cry. i think the office might be my fav but tbh i thought that abt superstore AND new girl before so idk if i even have a fav).

spy x family is a new anime im into these days! its found family and very cute!

and show w big eyes... im not sure which one u mean hhh. i like a lot of anime, my favs being ga (ofc), jibaku shounen hanako-kun, and fruits basket. im also really into the webtoon hooky, which is abt witches.

anyway mikan time:

ONE OF MY FAV CHARACTERS OF ALL TIME. i talk abt natsume all the time so it might feel like hes my all time fav, but he and mikan actually share that place in my heart. 

yes similarly i also felt she was annoying when i first watched the anime (i was twelve when i first got into it). at such a young age i had a tendency to get irritated with the female mcs in media (internalized misogyny, etc) and mikan was 1. loud 2. bold 3. stupid, which are naturally unforgivable traits for a character to have (sarcasm). when i rewatched/reread at 14 i realized that i was looking at her all wrong. around the time i started observing the ga tumblr fandom around age 15 (i only recently started being active in the ga fandom bc i was too nervous before), there was a pervasive idea that mikan was a mary sue.

UGH so let me go off real quick. i will talk way more abt mikan in my next nm essay, but ill summarize some of my ideas briefly for this. mikan’s arc is all about feeling useful, having agency, and how best to help others. she is maybe one of the few characters who undergoes OVERWHELMINGLY negative character development. i dont mean she was flanderized or ruined, i mean that this little girl started developing the idea that she should smile all the time and hide all her negative feelings in order to make OTHERS feel better. this is not good! but its treated like its good, like thats the best choice she can make (this is the actual reason that i only ship her romantically w natsume actually, but ill go into that in my essay). it can be fun for a character to devolve, to make the wrong choice, but this change wasnt treated that way.

another issue is i genuinely HATE mikan having the stealing alice. she should never have had the stealing alice. do i realize thats more than half the manga im talking about? YES. it completely upended her character arc. her nullification alice was so understated! she felt like it was useless and was SO insecure about it. then all of a sudden she has the stealing alice, which can be dangerous, but definitely cannot be called “useless” and her story about uselessness/having a “boring” alice just. falls short. yukas story w the stealing alice was so meaningful and impactful on its own. mikan ALMOST being the next yuka couldve been compelling if it didnt ruin the set-up that the entire first half of the manga was focusing on. 

anyway mikan is NOT a mary sue for the above reasons. she is not effortlessly perfect. many people in the manga call her plain. she can be really stupid. she doesnt always save the day. in fact, other people often have to save her, making her feel useless (which is why she shouldve saved natsume. they were each other’s key to resolving arcs and yet. and YET.) she can be loud, brash, bold, and often says the wrong things. she has a really apparent character arc and calling her a mary sue ignores all that. ppl who think mikan is a mary sue are my worst enemy and i will fist fight them.

now ill talk a little about mikan in fanfics bc i think its worth mentioning, especially since i filled out that square abt her being done dirty. like i said, mikan is stupid. im not insulting her. some people are stupid. shes not good at academics. shes a lot more sporty than she is brainy. she rushes to conclusions and doesnt always think things through. shes not really a rational person all the time. fanfics often treat this stupidity as a negative trait to be fixed. maybe shes stupid when shes little but she’ll be a genius when she gets older! look how smart she is now! instead of just letting her be dumb. she has other traits, like deep empathy, athleticism, passion, optimism, that are often sacrificed in fanfic in order to make room for her made up intelligence. 

mikan in fanfic (especially if shes supposed to be older) is often painted as more subdued than her loud manga counterpart, more often cynical, introverted, skeptical, etc., and ALWAYS pretty even if SHE doesnt see it (despite being described often as plain in the manga). i have some theories about this. 

1: western fans are more comfortable making mikan like a western mc than one more typical of anime. if u think abt what a typical western female lead looks like, she’s usually less feminine, “not like other girls,” a smart bookworm who is cynical and rational. this is familiar so i think a lot of western fanfic writers end up leaning mikan this way even at the cost of making her unrecognizable. so mikan being stupid and loud and optimistic are all traits to be fixed, bc theyre not as familiar in a lead role. 

2. fans want to have a mature mikan, and they think theres no way she can keep her childish traits, like stupidity, boldness, impulsiveness, and idealism, and NOT be a child. i find that ridiculous. why cant mikan be a giddy, happy, upbeat adult? why does she have to lose all the traits that make her mikan in order to demonstrate maturity? 

3. i might be off base with all of these, but this one... i feel the most strongly about. mikan is the main character. in a lot of stories, the reader is invited to relate to the main character, to project onto her. often, the main character is vague or universal BC imagining her as you is the whole point. fanfic (especially the older fanfic) turns mikan into that easily recognizable and relatable mc we can insert ourselves into. 

anyway i have a lot more thoughts on mikan, way more than i could ever say in one post (which is why im doing an essay series) but these are some basic thoughts i have. im sorry its so long. 

[outivv]

KSDJKSVB- okay so,,,The Boys are out eating with their crush after a hard commission, and they're eating their respective meals. Then she offers them a bite of her meal and extends her fork/spoon towards them. But when they lean in to take a bite, she just kisses them out of nowhere, then just goes back to eating, and leaves them a blushing mess. Also, don't stress over stupid ship wars, it's really pointless, so don't let it get you down! And lemme hug you, you adorable child, accept my love.

Synopsis: tall boys have dinner with y/n after they get back from a commission and y/n kisses them out if nowhere.

Warnings: none

Game/ fandom: genshin impact

Pronouns for reader: I tried to make it clear that y/n goes by she/her in this one (cause I’m assuming that’s what you wanted based off of your request?) but I typically don’t mention pronouns.

Characters: zhongli, childe, kaeya, Diluc, and dainsleif (tall boys gang)

A/n: hello again! Thank you for requesting! I know not to worry about shipping wars, and I’m pretty neutral on them myself, but it’s still nice to have that reminder not to worry too much about them :). And I’ll only except that hug if I get to give you a virtual one back >:). Lol I hope you enjoy, and have a beautiful day, and take care if yourself! Drink some water and eat something if you haven’t yet! ❤️

Zhongli:

I think the moment zhongli knew you were back from your commission he’d invite you to one of (if not the) most fanciest place in liyue. To congratulate you on your safe return.

He’d want to hear everything about your adventure, and he’d listen intently the whole time. Zhongli may like hearing the sound of his own voice at times, but he’s truly a great listener deep down.

When your food comes you offer him a bite, to which he happily agrees. Though when you swiftly move your chopsticks out of the way and kiss him he’s taken aback. Happy. But surprised.

He never thought you’d be so bold. He’d just stare at you in awe with his mouth slightly agape. When you look at the flushed god in front of you, you merely chuckle and talk about how you bravely fought abyss mages of all kinds.

‘How can she just ignore that?’ He’ll think over and over again until he forgets about the food informs of him. He’ll be in shock for the rest of the night, though on the outside he’ll keep his composure and continue as if nothing happened just like you are. He feels like talking about it any make you feel uncomfortable and he doesn’t want to push you :(. Please bring it up sometime throughout the night or else he’ll be kinda disappointed.

Childe:

“Comrade! Welcome back, I heard that you fought well on your mission! You’ll join me for a victory dinner right?” Childe will say running after you in the hallways of the fatui headquarters. (Yes y/n is a fatui agent. No I don’t take criticism.) who are you to deny the harbinger of his request?

You walk into a very, very, very nice restaurant in snezhnaya. ‘Dang harbinger paychecks don’t disappoint.’ You think as childe acts like this restaurant is nothing.

Childe will ask you many many questions about what happened, listening very intently, and even responding a few times to show you just how engaged he was in the conversation.

When your food arrives it looks amazing, sure it’s just normal snezhnaya cuisine, but this is on another level. Childe asks for a bite of your food to which you agree, though you got a sudden idea.

You offer your fork towards the redhead but move it away at the last second, and leaned in to kiss him.

Needless to say all he says shaking his head is, “well... wasn’t expecting that.” His face turns a bright shade of red all the way up to his ears as he try’s to stuff his face full of food so he won’t have to respond to any questions you may have about his current flustered state.

It takes a lot to get the infamous childe, to be flustered and actively trying not to speak, so honestly kudos to you.

Kaeya:

“Ah welcome back honorary knight, good to see you’ve returned in one piece.” Kaeya will say greeting you at the gates of mondstadt. “Why don’t I treat you for being so responsible hm?”

He’ll bring you to good hunter for a meal, and catching you up on everything that’s happened in mondstadt.

When your food comes he’ll teasingly ask for a bite of your food, so when you agree to give him some he’s kinda surprised. I mean he’s not going to say no... but still it’s kinda a shock that you said yes.

He’ll lean in to take a bite but once again moving your fork away last second kissing him, he’s surprised at first but leans into the kiss, and cupping your cheek in his hand.

Once you finally break away you’re the one that’s breathless. Kaeya is flustered, yes, but still had to make you breathless at least once. If you got to surprise him he has to surprise you at least once.

Diluc:

“Ah I see you’re back, how about a drink? On the house.” Diluc will say when you walk into angels share. He heard you went on an important mission to some ruins in stormbearers point.

As he makes you a drink he’ll talk about how he could’ve helped you out if you needed it. Though you simply say that he had his own work to do and that you did just fine without him.

When he’s done making your drink you offer him a sip, while he’s tasted his own creations before, he didn’t think it could hurt to try it now. He leans in to try some when you move it out of the way and kiss him.

His face trunks to one of shock and he tries to cover his face with his hand to hide his embarrassment. He truly didn’t think you’d do that, not that he’s upset, but a weird side of him wishes he would’ve made the first move.

When you start talking about your commission like nothing happened he’ll just look at you with a look that says “really? Are you kidding me-“ because he wanted to say something about it but now it seems taht he’s lost his chance.

Dainsleif:

He wanted desperately to go on your mission with you but you told him that he couldn’t and to stay in mondstadt waiting for him. He oddly likes staring in once place for a while, so he didn’t complain... much.

“Welcome back traveler. I can make you some of your favorite food to celebrate your return if you’d like?” He’d ask once you walk into your home which he’s been staying in while you were gone. Food made by Dainsleif?! How were you going to refuse!

You’ll talk about your mission as he makes the food, and he’ll talk about some of his own adventures from all over teyvat.

I don’t think that Dainsleif eats too much, he’s just typically not hungry, and when he is it’s typically just for something small like a sandwich, so he takes up on the opportunity to try some of his own cooking.

Guiding the fork to his mouth you lean in quickly to kiss him. Shocked he doesn’t pull away, and when you pull away he stares at you in Shock, cheeks becoming dusted pink from his embarrassment.

He tries to muster up enough courage to say something, but when you go back to taking about your mission he quickly shuts up. He’ll make sure to talk about it later though, he’s big one to ignore something like that.

[backofthebookshelf]

MAG 142: the only thing better than doing character analysis is when other characters do character analysis

(this was gonna be a post with direction but instead it’s a transcription of the notes I took while listening for the second time last night)

yep, there’s the clock - he’s in Elias’s office. I still think he’s always in Elias’s office but when Peter’s around you can’t hear it.

“Did he - *sigh* did he look like he hadn’t slept in like a week?” “Mm-hmm.” I love that that’s our solitary descriptor of Jonathan Sims. “Looks like he hasn’t slept in like a week.”

Martin is so DISARMING and CHARMING and GOD he’s...really good at this?

our...statement-giver?...was trapped under a fallen brick sewer (you know the brick sewers are Victorian vintage right) under Kentish Town (my London geography is bad but I’d love to see someone map Smirke’s buildings plus the London statements)

she talks about time not passing down there, “before that I never really thought about time, y’know?” as the clock ticks in the background

two weeks ago Jon cornered her in a coffee shop, you know, the nice one just next to Pimlico? My London geography is still bad but I’m looking at a map right now and JONATHAN SIMS HOW DARE YOU PROFANE SASHA’S COFFEE SHOP LIKE THIS

also two weeks ago -> Basira and Jon are on their way to Norway right now -> Basira said they’d leave in a fortnight -> did this happen just before or just after Basira laid out her plan?

I choose to believe the sporty guy she’s going on a date with is Georgie’s Hungarian mountain man

“He says he works here, at the Magnus Institute, and I say what even is that and he says he wants my story. He says he needs to hear what happened to me.” Did he do the statement intro? It kinda sounds like he might have done the statement intro. That’s WEIRD, Jon.

“He looked at me like he’d just eaten, like, a perfectly cooked steak. You know what he said? He said thank you.” mmhmmm know that one yep

the way Martin says “You’ve seen him since?” so soft, like he just - gah

“He’s all eyes. He’s all eyes.” GIVE! JON! MORE! EYES!

she sees him every time she has a panic attack - “not when I look properly but just at the edge.” Christ has he been dealing with that, too?

“What the hell do I do with that? I mean Christ, Jon, that’s not - that’s not okay! I can’t - I can’t - I mean it’s not him, is it, it’s what, addiction? Instinct? Maybe mind control or something like that? I can’t believe he’d choose to do something like that.” Well I feel very called out after last week’s frantic justifications.

“Peter’s right, though, it really is easier than trying to actually communicate with people.” BABY. DO NOT LISTEN TO PETER’S RELATIONSHIP ADVICE.

“What do I do?” he moans and Daisy shows up as an answer, like, right away

the first time I listened to this I would’ve sworn they’ve talked before, and now I’m less sure, but I still think they’re both entirely too casual for who they are for this to have been the first time they met since Daisy’s come back

“Just ignore me. Continue with - whatever.” “Are you all right?” 1) Daisy goes to hang out with Martin just the same way she goes to hang out with Jon, adorable; 2) Yeah, easier than trying to communicate. Martin you SUCK as a Lonely avatar.

Martin...thinks no one talks to him because he’s working for the bad guy? Honey you TOLD Jon to leave you alone. Also he’s probably genuinely difficult to find; does he know that?

Martin interrogating Daisy about the coffin to get back at her about the MURDER INVESTIGATION - Martin Blackwood is a bitch and I like him so much.

Daisy takes responsibility for what she did as a Hunter, “doesn’t mean it wasn’t me.” Ooooh some baby monsters are gonna have a reckoning sooner or later.

“But Peter didn’t even - I don’t believe this.” Okay, did Peter even know, is Peter distracted with his family thing/conjugal visits with his husband, or is Peter trolling Martin? All three?

Daisy’s rundown of PTSD responses is SO QUALITY I love it. Yes, this is Jonny calling out fandom for calling Jon a moron. (We meant it affectionately, really we did.) But also - yeah, she has reason to know that, where Martin doesn’t really. Also - “Anything to not feel helpless.” “Oh god.” My heart is BREAKING

also “he thinks he’s not human,” she’s so dismissive, like she can’t believe he thinks that but fine we’ll humor him I guess

“Well,” Martin says, shirty, “we’ve all had trauma.” “And everyone’s changed.” Martin is - Martin is not coping. Martin has probably not done any grieving at all, or thinks whatever he did in the four months before he joined Peter was sufficient. (It’s not, clearly.) Martin has NO self-awareness at ALL he’s so completely focused on Jon, he has no idea how hard Peter’s got him, and more than that he can’t see how what he’s doing is hurting Jon

I yelled about this in tags earlier this week but Martin is absolutely gonna pull a Marcus Cole and it’s going to ruin me because nothing hurts like your first dramatic self-sacrificing favorite character goddammit

Daisy’s breakdown of Basira is EXACTLY what Basira said about herself in Testament, right before the Unknowing, and that hurts me in ways I cannot describe, I’m so soft for Dasira I want them to be happy oh god

“Wanted to go with them, protect them, but life’s always more complicated than that, isn’t it?” “Not really.” MARTIN. Martin. M A R T I N.

[geoffreytoday]

The Mandalorian - Ep.3

The next chapter of the Mandalorian is out. The show continues its upward trajectory, as this episode is better than the last. I am warming up to this version of Mandalorian society/culture. Once again, I’m not really here to give an in depth review, but I will make a few observations. Spoilers to follow, so for those who don’t want to read any further, I give this episode: 

8/10, this was a worthwhile use of my viewing time. 

So, right off the bat I want to talk about the continuity error. It came up in the first episode, but there was still some grey area to work with there, it was only possibly an error. Unfortunately, this episode has illuminated that grey area and revealed it to be an actual continuity error:

In Episode 1, the IG droid says the bounty was specific that the asset was to be terminated. The Mandalorian did not seem surprised by this, and we were treated to the old trope of the bounty hunter who goes soft on the target and turns protector. I’m fine with that turn, but the problem was that it made no sense, we were aware that the bounty was for a live capture. The obvious answer was that the IG droid was hired by a different party. Unfortunately, this episode reveals that all of the bounty hunters were hired by Herzog (I do not know  or care what his character’s name is). So now we know that scene was written that way specifically to give us that trope without regard for continuity. That’s the kind of sloppy writing that bothers me. I like internal consistency. 

I’m not sure where the whole mandos-don’t-take-their-helmets-off thing comes from. I can’t think of a single example from the canon honestly. I mean I’m down for it, it’s just that once again, it’s not very internally consistent, this time with the larger continuity of the Star Wars universe as a whole. 

That said, I am really starting to warm up to this version of Mandalorian culture, I’m interested to see where it goes. 

I’m pleased the yodler was saved. I’m curious why the Mando assumes that the baddies are working for the Empire though. My take was that this guy was eccentric and had a thing for the old Imperial aesthetic. I’m curious to see what happens in the next episode.

I’m kinda bummed that they seem to be heading down a villain track with Greef Carga. I love Carl Weathers and I was hoping he’d wind up as part of the Mandalorian’s, I dunno, entourage? posse? crew? But who knows, maybe they won’t go antagonist with him after all, we shall have to wait and see. 

The show has been a bit of a sausage festival so far. I’m hoping we get to Gina Corano’s character next episode. And a few more ladies would also be welcome. 

I’m enjoying the show, I don’t really see why so many of the whiner contingent have latched on to it as the best star wars media since uncle George sold the franchise, but I’m not surprised, and indeed I predicted as much in my first review. 

I am disappointed in the rumours that the whiner contingent have so fervently latched on to about the possibility of Jon Favreau taking over Star Wars from Kathleen Kennedy. I’m sick to death of the sexist bullshit that sector of the fandom throws at her. “it’s not sexist, that’s just their opinion man.” Yeah, bullshit. It’s sexism. Their arguments hold no water, they’re smoke screens covering their true motivation: Women can’t Star Wars, only men can Star Wars. If women Star Wars, it must be under the ultimate control of men. Whether they’re consciously aware of that motivation or not makes no difference to me nor the outcome. 

“Kathleen Kennedy doesn’t know what she’s doing!” is a common theme. Pure sexism rooted in the notion that because she’s a woman she is somehow less qualified than a man. Kathleen Kennedy is the single most successful producer in Hollywood history. She knows exactly what she’s doing, and she’s better at her job than anyone else. Period. 

“Kathleen Kennedy doesn’t understand Star Wars! She is ruining Star Wars!” is the other most frequent argument. Kathleen Kennedy is the one who green-lit the Mandalorian and brought Jon Favreau aboard Star Wars. You can’t complain that she’s ruining Star Wars while at the same time lauding something she is responsible for as ‘saving’ Star Wars. Guess what? She’s responsible for Rogue One as well, and you lot were falling all over yourselves for that mess too. 

Here’s the problem: When you lot like something from the Disney era of Star Wars, Kathleen Kennedy gets no credit, that credit is heaped on the men involved. When you lot hate something from the Disney era of Star Wars, suddenly Kathleen Kennedy is the root of all evil, doesn’t get star wars, doesn’t know what she’s doing, is incompetent, etc etc. It may be that you lot are the problem with Star Wars, not Kathleen Kennedy. 

I have spoken. 

[aerialflight]

You've totally ruined me with your Storm the World With Reckless Abandon fic (I'm desperate for more quality content on his characterization) so Finnick Odair for the send you a question thing!

Holy crap, I haven’t looked at these asks in a while. Been avoiding tumblr lately, but now I’m back! Sorry this took so long. And YES. FINNICK. (rubbing hands gleefully)

Finnick Odair

(First impression) - Very very wary of this character and what his play is. There was no instant, “I love this character” moment, kinda like Urahara. Just very suspicious, hahaha.

(Impression now) - I’M NOT CRYING YOU’RE CRYING STAY AWAY FROM ME. (sobbing in corner) But seriously, I was so pissed off that they killed him at the end. He’s one of the most interesting and tragic characters in the entire book next to Haymitch and Annie, like holy shit that’s messed up. And just, he’s generally the kind of person that makes me want to cry a lot on his behalf? And his personality and masks and how he maneuvers through this messed up world is fascinating and admiring. How he managed to stay sane is a mystery and a huge sign of his strength and capacity for love. (ANNIE!~) He’s without doubt my favorite character next to Katniss.

(Favorite moment) - Maybe I just like seeing people panicking or showing how much they care about other people, but when Finnick heard Annie’s voice through the jabberjays. First sign of his mask cracking through the entire book, humanizing him. That’s when I slowly started falling for his character, and how much he loves Annie. That he is’t smooth as people first think.

(Idea for a story) - ahahaha. Well, that’s pretty much why I wrote Storm the World With Reckless Abandon in the first place. A fic where someone pulls Finnick out of depression, his dark world, and flips it sideways. Worldshaking characters or arcs are my favorite type, and Ichigo is the biggest example of them all. So yeah, I don’t know who or from what fandom they come from, but someone who just rips apart the status quo and saves the day. There’s way too many depressing Hunger Games stories out there. And while it’s probably not realistic, a nice hopeful, strong story where someone out of this world kills the bad guy, saves the day, and nobody dies (that is unless you’re a bad guy, haha).

(Unpopular opinion) - DON’T PUT DOWN CHARACTERS. I will be honest in saying that while I absolutely love Annie/Finnick, pairing Katniss and Finnick together is fine too, though their friendship is the best thing ever to exist. But can we please, just, RESPECT ALL CHARACTERS. Peeta, Gale, and Finnick all have their faults, but don’t escalate it to the point where it makes no sense and just follow what the actual characters would do and NOT demonize them? Please? For example: The Avalanche And Little Pebbles by Dyce is literally the perfect, best story I’ve read so far that respects characters (Katniss included), romance, and story line that’s about strength and community and rebellion. (This is hands down my favorite Hunger Games fic, no question. READ IT.)

(Favorite relationship) - Katniss and Finnick. The power of friendship is strong! I really love that they have this understanding and both sharing losses and finding comfort in each other. And how it DOESN’T escalate into a romantic scale, cause that does not make sense to me at all. I love them just the way they are, it’s great.

(Favorite headcannon) - That District 4 is crazy. Full on nuts. A close-knit, viciously friendly place.They share the mindset of you’re whether with them or against them, sharks ofthe sea who follow the scent of spilt blood, especially if it’s theirs.

There’s a reason they’re one of the Career districts.Their whole livehood depends on being fearless, to be able to jump into thewater and face on whatever creatures they face. To be hunters, patient withtheir nets and waiting for the right time to strike with their fishhooks. Thrill seekers, every last one of them. If it weren’t forthe fact the world around them was contaminated and limited, they’d eagerlyexplore more dangerous waters, discover another world beyond the shallow reefs.

I’d like to think that’s District 4 in a nutshell, and the fact Finnick growing up in that kind of environment makes so much goddamn sense. (grin)