#i think i like him in concept but i really hate him in execution.

[clownowo]

Teddie (Teddie)

[dykedvonte]

you make really good points, I think I used the term karmic wrong sorry. I think of it more as not how I personally think he deserved all that happened to him (which thinking back os exactly what karma means, I messed up sorry), but as his fate being directly tied/parallel to anyas. I handnt noticed the toxicity of jimmy and curlys relationship, from the first playthrough I watched and the first interactions I had w fandom I saw so many ppl just. dismiss the terror Anya went through and focus too much on him as the "ultimate victim" and that just didn't sit well w me. I really dislike seeing ppl go "oh well nothing could've been done" I think it's much more complex than that. also I forgot to mention in the last ask that I really appreciate you bringing the point that this game isn't just about the harm of patriarchy but also very very critical to capitalism, I haven't seen too many ppl touch on this. I hadn't thought too deeply about how it makes "he deserved to become disabled as punishment" come up and I agree that's really messed up. I'll try watching a playthrough again with all of this in mind. but either way thanks! I really appreciate your answer 🫶🏼

I guess this is just part of being in a fandom like this. I've noticed a lot of people don't actually see posts outside of their curated view. So some people only get like anya posting or jimmy or curly and it can make it seem like that is what is saturating the conversation.

I mainly just follow the general tags and look for anything new because I'm like obsessed but I know some are only looking for what they want or believe to be the case and can get weird about other ideas.

Sorry if I came off mean its just a last few of the asks have been like circular conversations like this and its not draining per say but seeing all the nuance and details get overlooked to fit a straightforward and basic narrative really sucks cause there's a lot to explore character and theme wise.

[laugtherhyena]

Actually i think this is a good time to let you guys know i never watched Sdra2 chapter 4 in full

[lollytea]

Lovely Complex is such a gem. In theory. How it exists in your memory from when you were fifteen is the real version. Best shoujo of all time. Don't rewatch it tho. You will learn a terrible truth.

[mxdotpng]

btw i know i have one or two mutuals who like arise i hope im not offending anyone too much. u like what u like. will not criticize anyone for that

[visenyaism]

They butchered Alicent so bad

oh i LOVED her this episode. some of the execution was a little clunky in places but moving the blood and cheese “pick which of your kids are dying” moment to be a conversation between rhaenyra and alicent was sooo fucking choice in a way i really found compelling.

like aegon this episode, alicent has been realizing she doesn’t know what the fucking point of all of this has been. again like aegon because they were raised in a deeply ableist society she cannot conceive of aegon where he isn’t the king she cannot wrap her head around what he’s supposed to be now all of the suffering she bore to get him to this point was for nothing. aemond is acting scary and out of control to the extent that he is an active threat to her and her other children she does not know him anymore.

she gets out loud explicitly asked by rhaenyra to resolve the dilemma that has been her entire character: she either has to choose her children or her relationship with rhaenyra. otto has been drilling this into alicent’s head since she was a child, alicent has been drilling it into her children’s heads since THEY were children. rhaenyra was the only one who pretended that wouldn’t be a choice forced on alicent! so then rhaenyra is the one to demand this of her it’s CRAZY. and alicent, who has been trapped for almost her whole life who has done everything expected of her and has been left with what? so much blood on her hands, everyone hates her, no one listens to her,and the children that she had to bear the conception and raising of against her will are unrecognizable to her. this war is transactional and will not stop until everyone is dead.

and alicent does something fundamentally selfish and cut them loose in the name of all of this just being over. she wants to be a person again. she can’t tell the difference between being her own and being rhaenyra’s those are the same to her. and then she steps out to look at the wide open sky, out of her cage for the first time ever while rhaenyra settles deeper into hers. that’s so interesting. 

the consequence being that she never had control of the narrative! but she’s still punished for this in how this story is told. she’s largely written into the background of the historical record and when she’s there she’s a caricature of a cold ambitious stepmother-queen. they’re trying really hard to reckon with the historical record as history is happening.

overall, I think I can understand why people are upset about this, but I loved it. I thought it was really compelling and there could’ve been a bit more buildup to that moment for her but I don’t think it’s that far out from her previous characterization at all.

[armageddon-generation]

Empire of Death was bad and cemented several fundemental flaws in this season.

I watched this in the theatre, and the contrast between everyone's excitement before Empire, and their universal disappointment leaving the theatre was super disheartening. I'm gonna try to articulate my problems with episode, and how they're linked to fundenental structural issues of this season.

SPOILERS BELOW:

Sutekh

The moment the UNIT characters died the story was robbed of any stakes. (Also? Kate and Ibrahim?? During Pride month?? Disgusting)

Sutekh was pointless, big CGI spectacle who was barely there. Saying he's been latched onto the TARDIS since Pyramids of Mars was such an asspull. Why couldn't he have latched on during Wild Blue Yonder? wouldn't that make much more sense??

You're telling me the guy who holds all life in contempt is invested enough in learning the identity of Ruby's mum he willingly reveals himself??

And then they defeat him by dragging him through the Vortex just like before, which it's been explicitly stated *didn't work* last time? He just *lets* Ruby leash him??

The 'death of death is life' bit, and the idea of the Doctor representing life as a Ying to Sutekh's Yang, is a cool concept just jammed in there with no real buildup or depth.

The issue is bringing Sutekh back takes so much effort- a literal, clunky clipshow of Pyramids of Mars, a whole episode spent building up to the reveal of a silly anagram entirely unrekated to Sutekh's previous appearance. And it just... amounts to nothing. What a silly way to cap off a season meant to be jumping-on point for brand-new viewers.

Mel was just takingup space. Pointless.

Ruby's Mother

I don't have a problem with the *concept* of Ruby's mum being normal. I really like the idea thematically. The execution was terrible.

First of all it leaves so many unanswered questions (why the snow? Why was time changing? Why was she shadowed? Literally just for the sake of the mystery-box?) and represents the worst thing about this new era- RTD using fantasy logic to handwave any logic at all, and just do whatever he wants without properly justifying it.

Second, I *hate* how easy and simple and neat the reunion is. Ruby seems incapable of getting angry with anyone. She has never once argued with 15, or Carla, or anyone besides that one moment in 73 Yards. She has never expressed any kind of negative feeling towards her mother for abandoning her. And it's fine for her to reach that conclusion! It's just bizzare we never see Ruby struggle with her feelings beyond the shallow goal of wanting to find her.

(Also Carla? Has nothing to say?? Just welcomes that woman in with basically no comment? Carla is a 2D cutout of a person, used as a plot device and otherwise relegated to the single character trait of I Love My Daughter. The children yearn for the ilk of Jackie Tyler, Sylvia Noble, even Francine Jones.)

15 & Ruby

The emotion behind 15 & Ruby's split felt entirely unearned because we've never seen their bond develop. They never argue, never disagree, Ruby hasn't learned anything about herself or grown or changed. The closest we got to that is 73 Yards, which was undone. She was already brave and kind and musical and sure she loved her adoptive family when we met her in Church on Ruby Road.

Similarly, 15 tells us Ruby encouraged him to talk about family in a way he never has, but that was in what, two moments across the season? And they seemed random, unrelated to Ruby being with him. New viewers will assume 15 is just that open anyway- he was discussing fatherhood with a dead man's hologram- and old viewers assumed trauma-dumping was just a new trait of 15's personality, not Ruby-specific.

The problem is we're told Ruby & 15 are best friends but it isn't earned. I liked 15 crying initially but both he and Ruby do it so much (15 cries about 5 times in this one episode) it loses its impact and I'm becoming numb to it. There is no contrast, no downtime.

Season Structural Issues

I think the biggest problem is Season 1's storytelling priorities. It's much more interested in selling *the show* (look at our big budget! And guest stars! And how flexible our format is! Musical episode! The Beatles as props! Bottle episode! Indie folk-horror! Black Mirror! Gay Bridgerton!) it forgot to put effort into developing and investing us in its characters. I liked a lot of the individual stories this year but in retrospect a lot of them feel like they're wasting space that needed to go to essential character and theme setup.

These skewed priorities, combined with the cut down episode count, really impact the pacing of the season. Ruby and 15 were barely together! Even in Rogue they were seperated for most of the story!! We only loop back to a flashback of 15 meeting Carla in Rogue!

This is made worse by the baffling insistence on a 45-minute runtime. We know key sequences were cut from almost every episode, with highlights including:

The Gobin King invading Ruby's flat and her banishing him with scratchcards in The Church on Ruby Road: Her missing 'companion saves the day' moment!

Refrence to the Toymaker in The Church on Ruby Road, which was itself referenced in The Devil's Chord. 'I told you about the Toymaker when we first met' sir, objectively you did not.

The TARDIS jukebox playing the Sugarbabes' Push The Button in the opening scene of Space Babies, hastily cut around in the final edit. This is the setup of a running joke still in the episode, and part of the story's climax. The first encounter with the Bogeyman was also longer, with 15 taking particular interest in its skin

Extended scenes in Abbey Road from The Devil's Chord, including an apparently significant speaking role for Cilla Black, according to her annoyed actress.

Cut dialogue from The Devil's Chord explaining the musoical number was caused by Maestro's power lingering, and that banishing them undid everything they'd done. Fans inferred thos based on the rules established in The Giggle, but again, new fans haven't seen The Giggle and were left clueless.

An opening sequence for The Legend of Ruby Sunday where 15 & Ruby meet Susan as a nanny in 1947 America, a blue-skinned waitress, and an astronaut meeting a colony of giant, sentient ants. At the end of this we actually see 15 decide to go to UNIT for help. In the broadcast version he just sorta shows up.

Really what Empire of Death exposed to me is how emotionally hollow the season was. I enjoy the exoperimentalism, but not at the cost of character. And then in the finale Russell reverts to almost a parody of his RTD1 finales, with the nonsense logic and lack of consequences. All the worst bits of Last of the Time Lords and The Giggle put in a blender.

[sandsoftide]

Haven’t seen enough people talking about why timebomb and specifically ekko also suffered from arcane s2 being bad. Spoilers and crit

I’ll say more in depth later when I have gone back and revisited it with a clearer head and let me make it entirely clear I LIKE timebomb in concept. Much like caitvi. Like I see the vision I just don’t like a lot of the creative choices

Ekko in s1 was a REVOLUTIONARY he built the firelights w his own two hands and was sort of a foil to jinx and silco, he hated them but he wasn’t going to roll over to piltover either. He wanted independence but not through exploitation. He was a leader and a caretaker and mature beyond his years bc he was forced to be. And he hates Jinx bc she reminds him of that trauma and he’s betrayed by what she became like there’s SO much there look at it

In s2 he goes “hm my tree is being weird” and then gets sucked into the timey wimey thing and disappears for a whole act and the firelights aren’t even MENTIONED (and ik he wasn’t a major character in s1 either but like, he was still important and relevant to the plot throughout bc of the firelights?)

Then he gets sucked into this au portal (cool concept and cool execution) and falls in love with powder or whatever. And she ISNT JINX. SHE IS NOT THE JINX WE KNOW BC JINX IN MAIN TIMELINE IS FULLY BUILT FROM HER EXPERIENCES AND TRAUMA AND MENTAL ILLNESS. Like what Jayce said to viktor that’s part of her whether it hurts her or not. Her trauma doesn’t define her but it’s a part of her! And then all of a sudden Ekko’s sad bc he misses jinx (who iirc last time he met they had the whole I hate you and I miss you talk and they fought and both thought the other dead or whatever?) and then he’s talking her off the ledge even though he has absolutely no reason to! Because he DOESNT KNOW HER he knows literally nothing she’s done since s1 finale!!! Even the “jinx as a symbol for revolution” stuff from act 1 that went nowhere he would know NOTHING ABOUT bc he basically immediately went to Jayce? And they never did the revolutionary jinx stuff that was implied w the flag waving either so there’s no connection there either

Like a full episode was spent developing timebomb and it was interesting but also contributed nothing bc that is not jinx. She just feels like a mpdg and he doesn’t feel like ekko bc he needs to be in love w her for the plot? So they do absolutely nothing interesting they could for timebomb and still make it the entirety of ekko’s plot while tossing out the firelights and the zaun v. Piltover plotline as a whole

i mean again its hard to say bc this is right. objectively. like the stuff w timebomb was objectively well written. i just feel like it doesnt give ekko the space to be his own character outside of the ship? my point isnt that the stuff was poorly written i actually enjoyed it a lot and i think they did a good job w it i just also feel like it does ekko a disservice to have that be his only plotline and how it doesnt feel like it connects to his character in s1

i feel similarly about other plots in s2, like mel's. like yes this is good stuff! i love seeing mel in the spotlight the black rose magic stuff is interesting in a vacuum but also its totally separate from the interesting thematic roles in s1 that dealt with AGAIN THE CLASS CONFLICT AND POLITICS and dropping that for something different feels. like its a disservice to the characters, i guess?

also by having the timebomb development take place primarily in an au with powder and NOT jinx we dont really get to see jinx's thoughts at all. it feels like a repeat of s1 where someone is trying to save POWDER and not jinx, they dont see her as who she is now but rather who she was or could have been. which couldve been interesting to explore but they clearly werent interested in that ANYWAYS

[ginxyy]

Love&Hate

The cliche of loving your enemy and that enemy happens to be Seungcheol.

Every time I step into the magnificent, yet intensely competitive world of HYBE, I can feel my heart racing. I’ve always admired the bright lights of K-Pop, the perfect harmonies, the thrilling choreography. But among all that beauty, there’s one person who brings me…exasperation. Seungcheol. The leader of SEVENTEEN, and my self-appointed nemesis.

Let’s rewind a bit. I’ve been working at HYBE for a little over a year now, assisting in music promotion and marketing, but somehow, my job seems to always orbit around SEVENTEEN. And to make matters worse, I’m good friends with Seungkwan, who insists on dragging me along to their practice sessions. I get it; they’re great, talented, and sometimes even ridiculous, but the chaos that seems to follow Seungcheol and me? Infuriating.

At first, I thought it could evolve into an amicable working relationship, an understanding between two driven individuals. In fact, I remember the first time Seungcheol and I crossed paths. I was in the studio, going over some promotional material, when he barged in, demanding to know why the latest music video concept looked like “a toddler’s art project.” I shot back, "Maybe if you spent less time flexing your ‘leadership’ skills and more time appreciating the creative process, we could actually produce something worthwhile."

From that moment on, our relationship became an absurd contest of wills. I got smarter with my jabs, and he doubled down on his mockery. He would careful to find faults in my work, and I would promptly point out how clueless he was when it came to anything outside of being on stage. The tension was electric; I watched the way his jaw tightened whenever I called him out, how his expressive eyes could smolder with irritation, and bells seemed to ring inside me whenever I bested him in a particularly volatile argument.

It became a running joke among the other members when they found out I had a penchant for clashing with their leader. “You two should just date already,” Seungkwan teased, while others laughed along. I’d always rolled my eyes, but secretly, part of me thought they might be onto something. I mean, in a wild, ironic, twisted kind of way.

But there’s a line between attraction and annoyance and I was doing everything in my power not to cross it. Instead, we fanned the flames of our animosity when everyone least expected it. The insults were sharp, quick, and laughter always followed, but beneath that raucous exterior, simmered a tension that was impossible to ignore.

Then came that fateful night.

All the members had left the practice room, the thunderous claps of the beat fading into an eerie silence. I stood at the rehearsal studio, reorganizing some props and papers, trying not to think of the looming deadline but also of the contained fire that was Seungcheol. Just as I was eliminating the last of our remnants, I heard footsteps echoing on the bright wooden floor.

Seungcheol stepped into the room, his face blank, eyes scanning for some sign of my impending doom. “What are you still doing here?” he asked brusquely, a sharp edge slicing through his usual tone.

I could feel my irritation rising at his condescending demeanor. "Some of us actually take our jobs seriously," I snapped back. "Unlike others who are just a pretty face on stage."

“Are you really going to bring that up?” he said, stepping closer, his voice thick with disbelief. “I'm leading a group of talented individuals! What exactly is it that you do?”

It was becoming all too familiar, our daily sparring sessions. “Executing poorly planned promotional strategies does not entail standing and making grand gestures, Seungcheol,” I shot back, barely noticing the way his breath quickened at my words.

“You wouldn’t get it,” he yelled, the sound cutting through the silence like a knife. “You're just some marketing assistant trying to impress your favorite idol.”

And that was it. Something snapped within me. That was the final straw, and I could feel the anger coursing through my veins, clouding my judgment. “And you’re just a glorified performer letting your ego inflate to dangerous levels,” I screamed back, absolutely done with his arrogance.

There was a moment of silence thick, heavy, and swirling with palpable tension. I thought I could throw a punch at him, maybe grab an object and hurl it in his direction, but instead, I found myself mirrored in Seungcheol’s eyes. His expression shifted, a flash of intense emotion swirling as he stood still, almost contemplative.

And that’s when he did something so astonishing, it sent shockwaves through my body. His hands shot out and grabbed my shoulders, drawing me closer, our breaths coming together in sync. “You’re infuriating!” he growled

seconds before crashing his lips against mine.

I’m not sure how long we stayed like that. It was the kind of kiss that felt like a call to arms, a challenge, and an unbidden attraction igniting like gasoline, burning through every confrontational moment we’d shared before. My anger dissipated, melting into something far deeper, something I hadn’t been prepared for.

But reality crashed back in. I pushed him away, panting, desperately inhaling the scent of adrenaline that lingered between us. “What the hell was that, Seungcheol?”

He looked just as stunned, mouth slightly agape, unsure of what to say. “I don’t know,” he finally confessed. “I—”

“Think this is funny?” I interrupted, my heart pounding in protest. “Is this how you deal with all your enemies?”

“No! Not like this,” he retorted. “I don’t know what came over me. But you have to admit there’s something here.”

The realization hit me like a lightning bolt; I wasn’t ready to dissect, to label it, to change the dynamic we had. “This is a disaster,” I finally said, locking eyes with him for only a heartbeat.

But before I could formulate another coherent thought, he closed the distance again. “Or it could be the beginning of something incredible,” he said quietly.

Seungcheol’s words hung in the air, sending a shiver down my spine. The intensity in his eyes was unmistakable, a fiery determination that seemed to flicker and waver with something else something that mirrored my own unspoken desire.

I felt my pulse quicken as he closed the distance between us again, his gaze dark and unreadable. There was a magnetic pull between us, as if some invisible thread was pulling us together, and I could feel his breath, warm against my skin, stirring something deep within me. My fingers clenched at my sides, grappling with the sudden, intense proximity. But it was futile.

“Fine,” I whispered, my voice almost betraying me. His eyes widened slightly, as if daring me to say more, and a soft smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. But before he could respond, I reached out, grabbing his collar and pulling him to me in a move that surprised us both.

Our mouths collided with a hunger that was barely contained, fierce and fervent, as though we were both trying to pour weeks no, months of pent-up tension into this single moment. His hands slid down my arms and found my waist, pressing firmly, possessively, as if he had no intention of letting me go this time.

The soft glow of the practice room mirrored on the walls seemed to dim as everything narrowed to just the two of us, locked in a dance of passion that was far from choreographed. His touch ignited a fire beneath my skin, his fingers finding their way to the small of my back, pulling me closer still until our bodies were flush against each other. I could feel every inch of him, every breath and every heartbeat as we continued to tangle together.

“You drive me crazy,” he murmured, breaking away just enough to look into my eyes, his gaze hazy yet intense. I could feel his grip tightening on my waist, like he was afraid to let me go, like he was anchoring himself to this moment.

“You think I don’t know that?” I shot back, breathless, trying to muster any trace of the snark I’d used as a shield around him for so long. But it melted away the moment his thumb brushed the side of my face, gentler than I’d ever expected from him. I leaned into his touch instinctively, feeling my own barriers begin to crumble.

His hand found the back of my neck, drawing me to him again, and we crashed together, this time slower, more deliberate. His lips softened against mine, the ferocity giving way to something unexpected and infinitely more dangerous. The world outside faded, and all that mattered was the steady rhythm of his breathing, the warmth of his body pressed against mine, and the realization that this dance was far more potent than any words or glances we’d exchanged before.

He let his hands roam along my sides, his touch searing through the thin fabric, and I felt my own hands glide up his chest, feeling the rapid rise and fall as he struggled to catch his breath. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew this was risky, that there would be consequences for crossing the line we’d so carefully toed all this time. But for once, I didn’t care. This was exactly where I wanted to be ost in the intensity of his embrace, caught in the electric pull between us.

With a smirk, he leaned in close, his voice low and rough. “I knew you couldn’t resist me.”

“Oh, shut up,” I shot back, before pulling him down to me once more, determined to silence him. And this time, neither of us held back.

Our bodies melded together in the soft glow of the practice room, each movement deliberate, each touch and kiss uncovering something we’d both hidden beneath layers of irritation and competition. It was a rush, a heady mix of passion and release that left me breathless, caught up in the warmth and weight of his touch, the way his lips explored mine with both urgency and reverence. There was no longer any room for words; this was the language we spoke best in that moment raw, unfiltered, honest.

And then, just as quickly as it began, we found ourselves pulling apart, the intensity simmering but settling into a heavy, charged silence. His face hovered close to mine, his breaths mingling with mine as we slowly came down from the shared high, both of us wide-eyed, still caught in the disbelief of what had just happened.

I swallowed hard, staring into his dark, penetrating gaze. His lips parted as if he wanted to say something, but I couldn’t wait to hear what he’d come up with. The reality was creeping in too quickly, and I needed space to think, to breathe, to process.

So, I slipped out of his grasp, muttering something about needing to go. He didn’t stop me, only watched with that same stunned, contemplative look as I grabbed my bag and left the studio, practically running down the hallway as if to escape the whirlwind of emotion left behind.

The next morning, I made my way to HYBE, a tangled knot of nerves twisted inside me, still replaying everything that had happened in the practice room. I tried to brush it off as an anomaly, an impulsive mistake, but even I couldn’t deny the way my pulse had quickened just thinking about it. Worse still, I had to act normal and pretend nothing had happened. And, knowing Seungkwan, that was going to be harder than ever.

True to form, he found me almost immediately, waving me down with his usual bright grin and practically skipping over, somehow managing to radiate sunshine and chaos before even 9 a.m.

“Y/N!” he called, bounding up to me. “I heard you were working late last night. Everything okay?”

I hesitated, my eyes darting down the hallway. “Um…yeah. Just, you know, a lot to handle.” I attempted a smile, desperately hoping he’d buy it and let me go before I said something incriminating.

But Seungkwan’s brow arched, his curiosity piqued. “Oh, really? And how did you handle it?” He leaned in, his voice dropping to a mischievous whisper. “Maybe with a certain leader we both know?”

I froze, my heart dropping straight to the floor. He couldn’t possibly know, could he? “What are you talking about?”

His grin widened, sly and all-knowing. “Come on, Y/N. You think I haven’t noticed the way you and Seungcheol are constantly butting heads? That kind of tension has to come from somewhere.” He poked my shoulder, his eyes bright. “So…what happened last night?”

I sighed, glancing around to make sure no one was in earshot. “Seungkwan, you can’t tell anyone, okay? Not even the guys. This…this is huge.”

His eyes went wide, practically sparkling with excitement. “I swear, you have my complete and undivided attention. Now spill!”

Taking a deep breath, I leaned in and whispered, “Seungcheol and I…we kissed. Well, more than that. It was… intense.” I felt a flush creeping up my neck, recalling the way his hands had felt on my skin, the way he’d looked at me with that fire in his eyes.

Seungkwan’s reaction was instantaneous. His mouth dropped open, his eyes widening in shock before he broke into an ear-splitting grin, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me excitedly. “Oh my god! You and Seungcheol? I knew it! I knew there was something going on with you two!” He released me, practically dancing in place with his glee. “I am so proud of you! My best friend is finally seeing the light!”

“Seeing the…Seungkwan, calm down!” I hissed, glancing around as he continued his celebratory mini-dance. “It was just one night. It didn’t mean anything at least, I don’t think it did…”

“Oh, it meant something, all right,” he said, waggling his eyebrows at me. “You don’t just spend months bickering with someone and then share a random kiss like that.” He crossed his arms, looking me up and down like he was putting together a master plan. “You two are soulmates in denial. This has been a long time coming.”

I rolled my eyes, though a part of me couldn’t deny the flutter in my chest at his words. “Please, Seungkwan. Just because we kissed doesn’t mean we’re destined to be together.”

He shook his head, clearly not taking no for an answer. “No, no, no. I refuse to let you brush this off. I mean, do you know how rare it is to find someone who gets under your skin in just the right way? Who challenges you, makes you better, forces you to be honest?” He crossed his arms, as if daring me to argue with him. “You’re both too stubborn to admit it, but you’re into each other. And now that I have confirmation, it’s my mission to make this happen.”

“Oh, really?” I asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically. “And how exactly do you plan to do that?”

Seungkwan’s grin turned devilish, his eyes glinting with a gleeful determination. “Easy. I’ll make it impossible for you two to avoid each other. Oh, trust me I have ideas. Lots of ideas.”

Before I could protest, he clapped his hands, already deep in thought, and practically skipped away, muttering to himself about “love at last” and “a love story for the ages.”

I watched him go, a mixture of exasperation and amusement settling over me. But even as I tried to brush it off, I couldn’t ignore the small thrill of excitement tingling at the thought of what lay ahead.

And despite myself, I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face.

Over the next few weeks, Seungkwan’s “mission” played out with a maddening intensity. If there was a strategy meeting, Seungcheol and I somehow ended up seated next to each other. If a team was needed to coordinate with SEVENTEEN, Seungkwan somehow made it so that I was the only person available to assist. Even after-hours gatherings were no longer safe. Seungkwan took every possible opportunity to shove us into each other’s orbit, and each time, the tension between us seemed to double.

What began as a flurry of heated glances and subtle touches soon turned into an unbearable itch. Each encounter seemed to build upon the last, a constant, simmering tension that left me on edge, aware of every one of his movements, every fleeting look he’d shoot my way. Seungcheol, for his part, seemed to be caught in the same push and pull, always finding reasons to be near me, to brush past me, his hand grazing my arm in ways that felt anything but accidental.

Then one evening, after another long practice session where Seungkwan “accidentally” forgot to tell me that I was the last one needed to clean up, it happened.

I was gathering my things, mumbling under my breath about Seungkwan’s meddling, when I heard a low voice behind me.

“Y/N.”

I froze, recognizing that voice instantly. Turning slowly, I met Seungcheol’s eyes, dark and intense as they locked onto mine. There was an undeniable heat in his gaze, the kind I’d grown all too familiar with over the past few weeks but had tried my best to ignore. I felt my heart hammer in my chest as he took a step closer, his gaze searing and unyielding.

“Seungcheol,” I murmured, my voice coming out in barely a whisper.

“You know he’s doing this on purpose,” he said, his voice low, rough around the edges. His lips curled into a faint smirk, though his eyes held nothing but intensity. “Our dear friend Seungkwan.”

I nodded, swallowing hard, trying to ignore the butterflies that his proximity was stirring. “Yeah, well, he thinks he’s a matchmaker or something.” I attempted a laugh, but it sounded hollow.

He took another step, and suddenly, I found myself pressed back against the cool wall, his body close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from him. My breath caught, trapped somewhere between excitement and anticipation, my heart racing as his hand found my waist, holding me firmly in place.

“Maybe he’s right,” he murmured, his eyes dropping to my lips for a split second before returning to meet my gaze. His hand came up, his fingers brushing along my neck, leaving a trail of warmth in their wake. I could feel his breath, warm against my skin, as he leaned closer, his lips ghosting over the curve of my neck. “You’ve been driving me crazy, Y/N.”

I shivered, his words sending a spark through my veins. “You’re not exactly innocent either,” I managed, though my voice betrayed the effect he was having on me.

He smirked, and before I could utter another word, his mouth found the curve of my neck, pressing a searing kiss to my skin. My hands instinctively found his shoulders, my fingers digging into the firm muscle as he moved his lips against my neck, marking me with a possessive intensity that stole my breath away. Each kiss felt like a claim, a silent declaration of everything we’d been holding back.

“Seungcheol,” I gasped, my fingers clutching him tighter as he continued, his mouth tracing a line from my neck to my collarbone. The world around us faded, and all that remained was the press of his body against mine, the feel of his hands roaming along my sides, the way he left my skin tingling with every touch.

His hand slipped beneath the hem of my shirt, his fingers splaying against my waist, his touch igniting a fire beneath my skin. His eyes met mine, dark and burning with an intensity that mirrored my own desire, and without another word, he crashed his lips against mine.

The kiss was fierce, filled with all the frustration and want we’d kept bottled up for so long. Our lips moved together in a heated dance, desperate and hungry, as though we were both trying to make up for every second we’d spent fighting the inevitable. His hands roamed over my body, pulling me impossibly close, and I melted into him, letting him take control, letting him show me exactly how much he wanted this wanted me.

Time seemed to blur, and before I knew it, he was guiding me toward the nearby couch, his movements deliberate, his touch electrifying. I followed him willingly, lost in the heat of the moment, in the way his hands gripped my waist, his mouth leaving a trail of kisses down my neck, over my shoulder, igniting a blaze that I couldn’t extinguish even if I’d wanted to.

We stumbled onto the couch, a tangled mess of limbs and breathless laughter as we surrendered to the pull that had been building between us for what felt like forever. His hands were everywhere, his touch searing into my skin, leaving me breathless and aching, as though he was determined to memorize every inch of me. Our movements grew frenzied, each kiss deeper, each touch more urgent, and I felt myself getting lost in him, in the way he seemed to know exactly what I needed, in the way he murmured my name against my skin like a prayer.

And in that moment, nothing else mattered no titles, no rivalry, no tension. Just us, tangled together, lost in the heat and intensity of something that had always been there, waiting for the right moment to explode.

The next morning, as the early sunlight streamed through my window, I lay in bed, my mind reeling from everything that had happened. I could still feel the ghost of Seungcheol’s touch, the warmth of his skin against mine, the way he’d held me as if he never wanted to let go. A part of me wanted to overthink it, to analyze every detail, but another part of me the part still basking in the afterglow of last night wanted nothing more than to hold onto the memory for as long as possible.

I didn’t get much time to dwell on it, though, because my phone buzzed with a message from Seungkwan:

Seungkwan: Y/N! You won’t believe what I dreamed last night. You and Seungcheol FINALLY got together! Haha! Just imagine if it were real.

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. I had a feeling Seungkwan wouldn’t need to imagine for long.

I stared at Seungkwan’s message, feeling my stomach twist into knots. My heart pounded as I remembered every vivid, heated detail from last night, and I knew it was only a matter of time before Seungkwan pieced things together. It was as if his sixth sense for drama was on high alert. I bit my lip, hesitating before typing a response.

Me: Um, Seungkwan… about that “dream.” It wasn’t exactly a dream…

There was a moment of silence—too long a silence—before my phone exploded with rapid-fire notifications.

Seungkwan: WHAT

Seungkwan: ARE YOU SERIOUS??

Seungkwan: Y/N, this is HUGE. WHERE ARE YOU? I’M COMING TO YOU.

Before I could answer, my door burst open, and Seungkwan, looking entirely too wide-eyed and dramatic for this early in the morning, practically lunged into the room. “Y/N!” he gasped, throwing his hands up in theatrical shock. “I cannot believe this. YOU AND SEUNGCHEOL HOOKED UP?!”

I grabbed his arm, trying to shush him as I dragged him inside and shut the door. “Seungkwan, can you not yell that out loud? We’re not exactly trying to announce it to the world.”

“But, but…” he stammered, his eyes practically sparkling with excitement. “How am I supposed to stay calm when my two best friends just hooked up? This is epic! This is legendary! How was it? Was it magical? I need every detail!”

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. “I’m not giving you details, Seungkwan. Just know… it was intense.” I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks, and Seungkwan’s grin grew even wider.

He let out an exaggerated sigh, clapping his hands together. “I knew it. I knew it! All that unresolved tension finally had to go somewhere.” He grabbed me by the shoulders, shaking me gently. “Do you know what this means? This is fate, Y/N! You two are meant to be together!”

“Seungkwan, please,” I said, half-laughing, half-panicking. “It was one night. It doesn’t mean anything… at least, I think it doesn’t…”

He shot me an exasperated look. “One night? Are you kidding me? This is just the beginning. We are not leaving this as a one-night thing. Nope, not on my watch.”

Before I could stop him, he grabbed my wrist, practically dragging me out of the room. “Wait, where are we going?”

He turned, a glint of determination in his eye. “To the practice room. We’re going to put an end to this ‘maybe it’s nothing’ nonsense, and we’re going to do it in front of everyone.”

“Seungkwan!” I hissed, trying to pull back, but his grip was surprisingly strong. “You can’t just march me in there like this!”

“Oh, yes I can,” he replied, a wicked grin on his face. “Trust me, you’re going to thank me later.”

A few minutes later, we reached the practice room, and I could already feel the nerves building as I saw SEVENTEEN’s other members scattered around, talking and stretching. They glanced up as we entered, and I tried to shrink back, but Seungkwan had already caught their attention.

“Attention, everyone!” Seungkwan announced, his voice ringing out dramatically, his expression far too smug for my liking. “I have important news!”

A couple of the members groaned, while others raised curious eyebrows, clearly intrigued by Seungkwan’s antics. Then, I saw Seungcheol look up from across the room, his gaze meeting mine. My stomach flipped, and I was sure my cheeks were already burning.

“Seungkwan, what are you doing?” Seungcheol asked, his brow furrowing as he took a step toward us.

Seungkwan threw an arm around my shoulder, pulling me forward. “Our dear Y/N and your fearless leader here had a little rendezvous last night!” He grinned, looking between us like a proud matchmaker. “And I’m here to make sure they take the next step. Seungcheol, ask her out on a date. Properly.”

The room went dead silent. My eyes went wide as I looked up at Seungcheol, my pulse racing. I could feel everyone’s eyes on us, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Seungcheol looked as stunned as I felt, his mouth slightly open, clearly trying to process what was happening.

“Seungkwan!” I whispered, feeling both mortified and strangely thrilled. “You can’t just… make him do that.”

Seungkwan crossed his arms, looking every bit the proud mastermind. “Oh, I think he can. In fact, I think he wants to.”

Seungcheol seemed to snap out of his shock, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at Seungkwan, then back at me. I could see a mix of emotions flashing across his face surprise, amusement, something that looked a lot like determination.

Finally, he let out a small sigh, rubbing the back of his neck as a faint smile played on his lips. “Guess there’s no getting out of this, huh?” His gaze softened as he looked at me, the teasing edge in his expression giving way to something far more sincere. “Y/N,” he began, taking a step closer, his voice dropping so that only I could hear, “will you go out with me?”

The room collectively held its breath, and I felt my heart stutter in my chest. I wanted to smack Seungkwan for forcing this situation, but I couldn’t deny the thrill that raced through me at Seungcheol’s words, the gentle, honest way he was looking at me.

“Yes,” I managed, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’d love to.”

Seungkwan cheered, pumping his fists in the air, and the other members burst into laughter and applause, some clapping Seungcheol on the back while others teased me with exaggerated winks and thumbs-up.

Seungcheol leaned in, close enough that only I could hear. “Guess we have Seungkwan to thank for this,” he murmured, his lips brushing my ear.

I shivered, feeling a familiar warmth flood through me. “Yeah,” I whispered back, my heart fluttering. “But something tells me we would’ve found our way here anyway.”

He smiled, his eyes glinting with that familiar mischievousness. “Then let’s make it worth the wait.”

[here-for-eddie]

rating the possible solutions to the bt problem in s8

according to my very specific and arbitrary criteria: likeliness of the solution, in-story satisfaction (how would it work in the show) and pettiness factor (how much would it piss off the bt fandom/tommy fans)

Tommy stays, bucktommy endgame

Very unlikely (thank god)

Storyline satisfaction 0/10

Pettiness -1000/10 (they would become insufferable forever)

Buck is single in 08x01, Tommy is never mentioned again

Unlikely

Storyline satisfaction 3/10 (would mean we suffered through 7b for nothing)

Pettiness 10/10

Buck is single in 08x01, bucktommy breakup only mentioned

Possible (happened with natalia)

Storyline satisfaction 5/10 or more (depends on how it would be discussed, what did Buck learn from that relationship)

Pettiness 9/10 (bonus points if it's not due to unavailability of lfj, just Tim deciding he has enough of That Mess)

Buck is single in 08x01, confirms they were only on a few dates and were never in a relationship

Possible

Storyline satisfaction 5/10

Pettiness 11/10 (bucktommies would explode)

Buck experiences buddie summer of infidelity

very unlikely (fortunately for me, because I love this concept in theory but would hate it in the show 🙃)

Storyline satisfaction 2/10

Pettiness 5/10 (would make Tommy the wronged party here, so I'm not vibing with that)

Tommy dies

Unlikely

Storyline satisfaction 0/10 (buck would have to mourn him)

Pettiness 6/10 (their fave would be gone forever but bt would be immortalised as a tragic romance)

They split up because of their incompatibility

likely

storyline satisfaction 7/10

pettiness 7/10 (would mean that Tommy is not the perfect partner they claim he is, but the solution itself is a boring as Tommy)

they split up because Tommy behaves like a jerk to Buck

possible

storyline satisfaction 9/10 (his behaviour in s7 is not brushed aside)

pettiness 9/10 (would contradict all those baffling interpretations of tommy's behaviour being peak romantic in s7)

They spilt up because of Tommy's past and/or present attitudes towards the Gerrard problem

likely

storyline satisfaction 10/10 (it would mean his past behaviour is not brushed aside and forgotten)

pettiness 10/10 (would contradict all those baffling theories and his fans ignoring his past behaviour)

They split up because Buck learns that Eddie was Tommy's first choice

unlikely

storyline satisfaction 9/10 (it would play into Buck's issues)

pettiness 10/10 (as an Eddie fan, I love it when everything is about Eddie)

they split up because Buck realises he is in love with Eddie

likely

storyline satisfaction 13/10 (a logical conclusion to everything that's happened in s7, especially 07x04)

pettiness 7/10

They split up because Tommy realises Buck is in love with Eddie

possible

storyline satisfaction 3/10 (it's something Buck should discover for himself, not have pointed out to him by anyone)

pettiness 5/10 (would mean that Tommy is forever intertwined with the beginnings of buddie, which I'm not vibing with)

They split up because of a threesome with Eddie

very unlikely

storyline satisfaction depends (could be 10/10 if they executed a very specific scenario but I don't really trust them to)

pettiness depends (could be 10/10 hilarious if they managed to convey that Buck was only ever crazy about Eddie)

They split up because Tommy is moving away

possible

storyline satisfaction 8/10 (buck would get to realise there are more important things in LA for him than his relationship with Tommy)

pettiness 4/10 (their relationship would have to be quite serious first)

They split up because Tommy doesn't want children

possible

storyline satisfaction 9/10 (buck would have to think about what he wants and maybe that he already has it)

pettiness 5/10

if you have any more scenarios, let me know!

[redhoodinternaldialectical]

Thoughts on Jason Todd’s choice of weaponry?

:D an ask! Yay!

Oooh, lets see, I'll start with the crowbars because I appear to be like one of three people on the entire planet who actually likes them.

They're a tacky as fuck riff on the fact that Jason's death is central to his character. They overemphasize the manner in which he died, muddy the waters about what part of his death is important to him, and strangely cheapens the manner in which he died through the parody feel of it.

No one seems to really disagree with my analysis here, but I happen to enjoy that about them and think it's very on brand for Jason. What can I say? They're fun!

Best Quality - His Wiggles

This ultra-sharp curved blade used to be his signature character design feature, the way the white streak in his hair is now, and I'm really not sure why it didn't stick!

Best weapon he's ever had, bring it back please!!!!!

The All-Blades

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...

I have mixed feelings about the All-Blades. Like much of Lobdell's work: phenomenal idea, poor execution. Giving the guy who is most known for being morally grey a set of powers that is exclusively based on moral absolutes sucks shit, I gotta be honest, and the trick he pulled on the blood blade was cool but ultimately does nothing to solve those problems.

HOWEVER

I want to love them so fucking badly. A set of glowy soul blades is a dope sicknasty off the chain concept and I wish the well wasn't poisoned with the moral implications and the restrictions to use them only on the "Untitled", a set of enemies that only exist for Jason so far as I can tell. If someone seriously took Jason down a magic based path that removed the DnD alignment chart bullshit, I would be so game to see them come back! Hell I wouldn't even insist on a better cooler design for them!

...though uh, yeah those are the least interesting magic sword designs I've ever seen tbh

Normal Ass Swords

They're alright I guess. Like, there's nothing in it really, but it's not bad?

Guns - Real Bullets

Excellent, evocative yet simple, straightforwards and to the point. It makes hella sense thematically to boot, love this for him, please give him back his pistols and miniguns and shit

Guns - Rubber Bullets

Hate. HATE. hate ick disgusting bad NO.

I just fucking hate rubber bullets, like, as a concept. I refuse to accept "non-lethal" bullets as a valid use of gun, either in real life or in fiction. Guns are for putting many holes in things very fast!!!! If you're gonna use a gun, fucking well own up to that!!! Do not play this silly ass game of pretending that you can change out the material and do the same things as with lead bullets but with the video game status effect of "non-lethal" applied. YOU ARE GIVING PEOPLE SMALL CIRCULAR BRUISES. This is still harmful, yes, ooph ouchie, but it is not even slightly a good use of a gun, you are wasting holster space, and carry weight, and the physical materials used to make it all!!

JUST USE A FUCKING STICK! YOU DON'T RUN OUT OF STICK AMMO!

My belief in his capacity to take out enemies is shattered the instant those fuckers are on panel. Maybe this ain't entirely rational, or realistic to how fights go with rubber bullets IRL, but I hate them so much on principle that I will ignore any counterargument you might have that they'd work. I will die on this hill. Rubber bullets BAD. Please stop making him use this!!

Bombs

Love it, give him more bombs forever

ka-BOOM!!!!

His Brain

This is actually his best weapon - sorry wiggly knife, you're being shunted down to number 2 on a last minute technicality! I think Jason is at his best when he's outsmarting people and making long term fucked up schemes to ruin people's lives.

He's so good at it! It's so fun to watch him do it!

Genuinely a shame that this facet of him was mostly lost after Flashpoint, though to give credit where it is due, in Rebirth Jason did ruin the Penguin's life in an impressively elaborate way, which I did really enjoy. I want to see him be a tactical deliberate menace to one person in specific again idk, that's part of why I do kinda agree that he works better as an antagonist than a protagonist - which it should be noted does not mean I think he works better as a villain necessarily, his ethics aren't what matter here - he's just had his best moments as the schemer, and it's hard to have a protagonist schemer even when you make them ethically the good guy.

I hope you enjoyed my nattering on about Jason's weapons :D thank ye again for ask!

[tocomplainfriend]

Episode 4

TW: Rape, Sexual Assault and Abuse, Physical abuse.

So uh, I really did just guess "there is no way it's that bad, right?"...

OK, SO LET'S TALK. So again if you haven't seen the episode big Trigger Warning for its content! It's real heavy, explicit and on your face. I'm a Sexual abuse victim talking about this, just so you know.

I think the bigger problem I have with the episode, it's the context surrounding it and what happens later on, specially. Many people can have different views on the poison scene itself, for their own. But that scene, even if you as a victim relate, can only really work in a vacuum. Why? Let's see... hum.... The jokes of male SA in Helluva Boss? How it's written as funny to Moxxie to get assaulted? By the Succubus, Blitz, Chaz? Not seeing any problem in Stolitz, and victim blaming Blitz.

Suddenly Viv wants to be like: "Male sexual assault and abuse it's so not talked about, I'm going to write about it". As if she didn't write all those HB jokes. All those jokes are only men getting assaulted too, by other men or woman. The SA and r-pe it's funny when it's done to men, why did this even happen?

Even if the entire episode 4 was good, why did the same person write all this jokes? Is the sexual harassment Angel does to husk, even going to be addressed later or...? The biggest problem, it's the bad execution. Something happens a lot with HB and HH, it's that scenes and concepts work In isolation, that way you imagine in infinite possibilities of the "what if this". But they give you is in it'self not that good. The series does expect you to be a fan, and have to watch the pilot. Because it doesn't really bother to introduce the characters or anything. So the emotional bits don't hit that hard if you didn't already care about the characters since or before the pilot.

Since the first episodes, Valentino has being changing between fucking idiot and horrifying monster. In episode 2 he is treated as a stupid dumbass. I feel like all the episodes until 4 were too much, on the comedy shit- to immediately jump into explicit abuse and SA is a lot. In the end of the episode they also shift back the tone, weirdly.

So we jump into Val and Angel's work, showing how shitty val is. Charlie jumps into interrupting the hole thing. AND VAL ASSAULTS HER TOO??? I didn't expect that. He grabs her kisses and lick up her arm, and gets too close to her in other scenes. Then Charlie accidentally ruins the set, and Val ends up physically abusing Angel. Living him with a black eye, and it's shown Angel did a deal with him. Leaving him fully trapped with him (not a legal contract, but a devil/sinner bound magic thing). Then it's poison music number.

Many people feel like it's too graphic. Other people will say it's okey, because it shows the problem straight on, and it's supposed to make you uncomfortable.

Explicit doesn't = good.

You can talk a lot of what does this level of graphic/explicit add to the conversation.

My main problem with it being so explicit comes from who is directing that hole part of the episode. I talked about it in the post above. The person in question:

(BLURRED CUT PICTURE)

Does this scene above seem familiar to you? This person put together with how the poison part of the episode is played out AND all the disgusting "SA is funny" jokes HB make this a fucking problem.

AND THEN THE FUCKING ENDING IS CRAZY BAD LIKE HELLO???? At the end, Angel is at a bar, and his drink gets spiked. Husk gets him out and fights against the guys that spiked the drink. Then they kindly have an argument... To get through the whole heavy ass episode- to then Husk hit with a song calling Angel a baby IS FUCKING CRAZY. I see what the point was supposed to be, but the execution absolutely kills it. The song tries to compare Husk and Angel, to say shit sucks but hey it's okay we are in this together, BUT HOLY SHIT. Why, comparing Angel Dust being sexually abused under a demonic contract (HE IS STILL UNDER)- to Husk having to work for Alastor. Yes, Husk fucked up his life in hell do to gambling- that's not comparable to Angel being in an abusive relationship where he gets taken advantaged of. Calling Angel dust a baby loser, "everyone got it difficult get over your self"- it's fucking crazy. The fact that the episode ends on everyone happy and laugh it off it awful! WHAT HAPPEN???????? Like Angel is still under Val's contract- his going to have to go back to work, or to any other place where his drink could be spiked. We are still in the same problem. I don't- I don't understand. The song wasn't even a "I'll help you", it felt more like "Hey shit sucks, get over it". How did you write that? I don't think the series has the time or good enough space to treat the subjects- and they are dealing in the worst way.

EDIT:

I cannot believe this woman made a cum joke, about the song that it's about being trapped with your abuser- that comes with really graphic scenes of assault and r-pe. Like the whole song it's about that???? It's not a "Hot sexy" song, it's literally all sexual assault and workplace abuse.

This scene is from a non canon comic from the same artist above, got immediately referenced in the scene after poison. That's crazy. Also, The artist is... uh......... Did you know that in episode 4. It got showed that Angel's real name is Anthony? They changed their name to Tony, make themselves look like Angel? Now does sex work like Angel. They choreographed the pole dancing in Addict?

AND Viv just reduced Angel's Sexual Harassment of Husk as:

Angel trows himself to Husk, grabs him, touches him, makes unwanted sexual comments. You, have never left the weird shipping of queer of mean that revolts around sexual harassment. It's like old ass garbage Wattpad yaoi, not acknowledging those problems. Why is there more attention to that than Charlie and Vaggie, who lacks so much personality and everything. WLW with no condiments and artificial as fuck MLM with microplastics.

[bisupergirl]

Can I ask why you don't like Jon Kent? Not that I disagree or anything. It's just that, as someone who really hated Jon's kid years for a lot of reasons (the writing in general, clois having a bio kid at all, etc.), I'm more interested in the opinions of people who hated him from the beginning as opposed to those who are only mad because of the age-up.

i don't like jon because i find the entire concept and execution of his character to be so, so dreadfully boring.

part of what makes him so boring to me is how fully centered around clark he is. he's named after clark's dad, he grows up in a small farm town just like clark, he looks exactly like clark did when he was his age, he's superboy just like clark used to be, he picked up clark's mantle when he came of age and he's carrying the legacy of the house of el on his shoulders—where does lois fit into any of this? there's nothing about jon's character that tells me he's lois lane's son. he's undeniably the son of superman, but what qualities did he gain from his mother? and even when trying to define him as his own character the narrative still centers on clark—what would superman do in this situation? how can jon act in a way differently than clark? it's still all centered around his dad.

and this leads into another reason why jon just sucks to me: i really feel like he doesn't benefit lois's character at all. in the early rebirth era she was relegated to being jon's doting mother and clark's loving wife. sure she got to anonymously write those books tackling corruption or whatever but that never got as much focus as whatever clark and jon were doing as superman and superboy. it's superman and his superson who looks and acts just like him, and then lois also gets to be there sometimes. idk! i think her treatment got better when she was allowed to return to the daily planet, but then obviously her work there doesn't involve jon. so it's either she gets to be an active reporter with interesting stories OR she has to be jon's apple pie baking mother who sits at home waiting for her husband to come back from whatever dangerous mission he's on. not a fan!

additionally—and i've mentioned this before when someone asked me about jon—i feel like most of the appeal of his character (at least for kid!jon) has to do with the supersons friendship with damian and i just don't care. i've lost SO much interest in the batfam over the years and i just can't bring myself to care about superbat jr. don't take this as damian hate btw because i don't hate him at all, the batman & robin series with him and dick is like. one of the first comics i've ever read. and i still have a lot of affection for him, but there's just nothing about his friendship with jon that i find appealing. sorry to damian.

as for aged up jon... i just don't care about him. i actually find kid!jon to be more annoying to look at than teen!jon, but either way i just don't find him super interesting. this is more of an editorial problem than anything else, but i find the way that he's focused on and favored over other more established superfam members to be so, so stupid and annoying.

tl;dr he's boring as fuck and i don't care about any relationship that he has with literally any character. sorry to jon.

[helenofsparta2]

kind of related to your post about zoe just now but: what do you think of the hunters in general? I've got a lot of thoughts on them myself.. most of them not that positive lmao lots of "could have been good, but very poor execution" and "sounds cool on the surface, but very questionable when thought about more"

First of all, thank you for the question :)))

Oh god, this might become a slightly longer post, because I have a lot to say about the hunters of Artemis.

From what you’ve written, it sounds like we might have a very similar opinion. I personally think they are one of the worst-written parts of the original Percy Jackson books. I love their idea, I love their basic concept, but their execution was pretty atrocious.

There are four main points regarding them that I want to talk about.

The portrayal of Artemis (though this one is by far not as bad as the others)

2. The behaviour of the huntresses

3. Bianca

4. Lacking Development

Artemis

Now, I know that the gods and goddesses of the Riordan verse, are sanitized caricatures, and shouldn’t be compared to their actual myth versions. I think everyone in this fandom has at least heard some well-founded criticisms regarding the portrayal of Ares, Athena, Aphrodite, Apollo or any of the other gods.  

I even understand why Rick Riordan made most of the decisions that he did. Obviously, the gods had to be sanitized for a book series primarily aimed at children, and, to be fair to him, even if their characterizations are a far-cry from their myths and sometimes overly stereotypical (Aphrodite), they are fulfilling the roles they have in this story as deeply flawed, but powerful individuals, because of whose careless mistakes and pride demigods, and other ‘lesser’ beings have to suffer.  

And I actually do not hate Artemis’ portrayal that much, if we exclude the behavior of her hunt, and the initiation of Bianca. Her taking Annabeth’s place in holding the sky and her loudly arguing against killing Percy and Thalia at the winter solstice was a great portrayal of her being a patron goddess of children, and the idea of including the hunters of Artemis as a group of girls, both from mortal and immortal parents, who have been hurt by the world, and found a safe place with one another is actually really great. Generally, whenever she appears in the books, I have the feeling she is handled with far more graze and respect than a lot of other godly beings.  

However, as someone who very much loves Greek mythology, I just want to point out some small parts, which are not entirely accurate, though, again,  I understand Rick’s reason for omitting them in the context of what he wanted to do with her character and the hunt , and I acknowledge that even in ancient times, there existed a variety of different interpretations of the gods.

(Please note, that while I read original sources like the works of Diodor, Apollodorus, Hesiod, and Euripides, I am not a classicist, and that my knowledge of the greek gods primarily stems from personal research and my own interest. If anyone knows more about Artemis, please feel free to correct me if necessary)  

While Artemis is primarily the goddess of the hunt, and in later interpretations of the moon, she is not only the protector of girls, but the patron goddess of children in general and a goddess closely linked to childbirth.

Yes, she expects her followers to remain chaste, but to say that she is completely against men would be a grave mistake. Male followers of Artemis did exist in mythology, most famously Orion, who later became a constellation, and Hippolytus, the son of Theseus and the Amazon Hippolyta.

So, her cold behavior towards Nico and her degrading words towards boys in general is an attribute primarily added by Rick Riordan.

Though, like I said, I understand making certain changes to gods and goddesses, or rather choosing different interpretations of them to have them fulfill a certain role in a book series, so Artemis portrayal itself doesn’t bother me that much.

But if we’re talking about the hunters themselves, things easily take a turn for the worse.  

The behavior of the hunters

Now, I understand the hunters point in the story.

A huge theme of Titan’s curse is to explore the difference between old ideals of what heroism entails and the modern take on it, represented through Theseus and Herakles on one side, and Percy on the other. The hunters, and especially Zöe, represent a group, who have suffered through the actions of those old, primarily male heroes, and have developed a strong bias against all boys and men as a result. A bias, Percy is supposed to break in this book.

This, in itself, is a pretty awesome concept. But, like I said, the execution mostly failed.

Most of the Hunters of Artemis in Titan’s curse were written without any nuance, without development and without any sense of self reflection.

To express it plainly, they completely suck. And that hurts to say, especially as someone who is asexual-sex-repulsed and aromantic, because, like I said, they could have been an absolutely amazing part of the overarching story and theme of the book series, but with the way Rick Riordan wrote them, they suck. They’re insufferable.  They’re a group of immortal teenagers with a superiority complex, who act the way right-wing republicans and trump supporters think feminists act like.

They’re completely antagonistic towards the campers at camp half-blood for absolutely no good reason, act really childish and immature, and their overwhelming bias against every male character, especially Percy and Nico, is just plain annoying and goes to a point, where it makes them act like absolute idiots and assholes.

Zöe’s behavior at the meeting to decide who should go on the quest to save Artemis is a pretty good representation of everything I dislike about the hunters.  

She doesn’t want to take campers with her on the quest, even though the oracle plainly stated that them working together was the only way for them to succeed:

“You’re missing something as usual,” Thalia said. “Campers and Hunters combined prevail. We’re supposed to do this together.”

“No!”, Zoe said. “The Hunters do not need thy help.”

Immediately afterwards, she makes fun of Silena Beauregard (who is around 14 or 15 at the time, might I add.):

“Percy is right,” Silena Beauregard said. “Two campers should go.”

“Oh, I see,” Zoe said sarcastically. “And I suppose you wish to volunteer?”

Silena blushed. “I’m not going anywhere with the hunters. Don’t look at me!”

“A daughter of Aphrodite does not wish to be looked at,” Zoe scoffed. “What would thy mother say?”

And then, she decisively refuses Percy’s help for the quest, even though he is objectively the best person for the job. I really can’t reiterate enough that Percy is the most accomplished hero present at that meeting. He has successfully led two quests, one to stop a civil war between the gods, the second to recover the golden fleece. Even in comparison to Thalia, Percy is more accomplished and has gained more respect within the mythological world.

As I walked back through the city of the gods, conversations stopped. The muses paused their concert. People and satyrs and naiads all turned towards me, their faces filled with respect and gratitude, and as I passed, they knelt, as if I were some kind of hero. (The lightning thief)

Yet Zoe refuses his help to save the goddess she serves and increases so the risk of failure, simply because he is a boy.

“Oh,” Grover said, suddenly aware of the problem. “Whoa, yeah. I forgot! Percy has to go. I didn’t mean… I’ll stay. Percy should go in my place.”

“He cannot,” Zoe said. “He’s a boy. I won’t have Hunters travelling with a boy.”

Another huge problem in their characterization is their immortality. Here I want to focus again on their ongoing beef with camp half-blood, because, yes, while the campers also act pretty antagonistic in return, I think it’s important to note that most kids at camp half blood are between the ages of 10 and I’d say maybe 17 years old, while the huntresses are immortal.

Now, it’s obviously possible that most of them are still teenagers and haven’t been part of the hunt for that long, but considering the fact that Zoe is over 3000 years old, and could very well be older than most Olympians, the chance of most hunters being older than at least 30, is pretty high, which makes their behavior seem even more ridiculous.

And obviously the whole situation with Bianca paints the hunters in the worst light possible.

Bianca

There are already some pretty good and detailed posts on tumblr regarding the subject of Bianca and the hunters, so I don’t want to dig into this subject too deeply, because this post is already way too long, but you can’t possibly write about the hunters without mentioning her.

The hunters, especially Zoe and Artemis convinced Bianca to join them in a moment of huge distress. Bianca was a twelve-year-old, vulnerable girl, who just found out she was a demigod, almost got kidnapped by the manticore, and watched a girl fall down a cliff, yet they expect her to swear allegiance to them after only a couple of minutes of knowing them.

They paint her this beautiful picture of having no responsibility and a new family, telling her exactly, what she wanted to hear without giving her even a moment to breathe or give her time to talk to her brother or fully think this through.

I want to point out that at this point in time, Artemis had already decided that she needed to go after the monster alone, and knew, that her hunters would spend some time at camp half-blood. But instead of giving Bianca these couple days/ weeks to accept this new reality of the mythological world and get to know both camp half-blood and the hunters, she wants an answer at this very moment,

Yes, Bianca’s answer was rash, and yes, I do think it’s rather cold that she didn’t first talk to Nico about it, but it’s pretty plain to see that she was overwhelmed and pretty much manipulated during this entire conversation.

Later, Zoe decides to take her with her on the quest, even though Bianca is completely unprepared for it. She is probably, aside from Nico, the most unprepared person in the entirety of camp half-blood to go on a quest.  

I don’t think I have to explain how terrible of a decision that was.

The hunters are objectively the worst thing that could have ever happened to Bianca and the main reason why she died.

Lacking Development:

Now, all of this, every single flaw I just pointed out, could have actually worked out, if there would have been some sort of change in the hunters’ way of thinking and an acknowledgement that their opinions on boys and males in general are misguided and lead to more harm than good during the course of the books.

Especially after their actions led to Bianca’s death.

Them seeing how much love Nico had for his sister and how much he suffered from her death could have been a great moment for some character development.

But nothing happened.

Camp half blood and the hunters grieving together at the end of Titan’s curse for both Zoe and Bianca could have resulted in a genuine moment of friendship between the two groups, leading to understanding and change.  

But nothing happened.

The only person who took responsibility for Bianca’s death at the end of Titan’s curse was fourteen-year-old Percy. The only person who cared enough about Nico to search for him and make sure he was safe, was Percy. The hunters didn’t care at all. Took no responsibility whatsoever.

All that happened at the end of that book was that Thalia became a huntress, and that Zoe and Artemis acknowledged Percy as a hero.

This, while admittedly, a great moment for Percy’s characterization and also somewhat for the character development of Zoe, had very little effect otherwise.  

Because, in the end, Zoe and Artemis treated Percy as if he was the exception. As if they had been only wrong about him, and not boys in general. They didn’t revisit their line of thinking, they didn’t self-reflect and they didn’t acknowledge that their bias was utterly flawed, and that they should treat male demigods generally better.

She (Zöe) grasped it contently. “You spoke the truth, Percy Jackson. You are nothing like… like Hercules. I am honored that you carry this sword.”

Then, she (Artemis) turned to me. “You did well,” she said. “For a man.”

Percy Jackson is fundamentally a story about the circle of abuse, and, Percy specifically, breaking that circle, but nothing of note happened with the hunters.

Because even if Zoe had confronted her own bias, (and there is admittedly an argument to be made that she did) she would have been the only hunter to do so. And she died.

Thalia becoming the lieutenant of the hunters as someone who is best friends with Percy and Grover, and who misses Jason more than anything, could have confronted this distorted line of thinking, but the other hunters remain pretty much unchanged in the last Olympian and The Lost Hero.

There were hugs and greetings al around- or at least Thalia was friendly. The other hunters didn’t like being around campers, especially boys, but they didn’t shoot any of us, which for them was a pretty warm welcome. (The last Olympian, chapter 10)

“Oh, no way,” Leo said. “We’ve been sitting in a cave and you get a luxury tent? Somebody give me hypothermia. I want hot chocolate and a parka!”

Phoebe sniffed. “Boys,” she said, like it was the worst insult she could think of. (XXXVI Leo, the lost hero.)

Conclusion:

So, yeah. They had huge potential, both as individual characters and as part of the overarching plot and theme of Percy Jackson, but their execution was absolutely abysmal.

The only possible positive thing I could say about them is that they are at least better than the Amazons (though that is not particularly hard)

I hope my rambling was understandable, it's already pretty late:')

[orangelemonart]

what is your favorite arc in Naruto? i read something where someone explained the land of waves arc and how some of the themes were abandoned that Naruto hated how ninja was and he wanted to be the change but he did not do that - i did not finish watching shippuden i will but i don't care for spoilers and i wanna know what you think? and if you would change something to reflect back to the whole lets make a better world cause the one before us was terrible if you care about that kinda stuff

I used to feel that way. A million years ago, when the manga's war arc felt endless, I thought the series was abandoning all it's themes.

But after years of thinking way too much about this series, I believeJiraiya's "Quest For Peace" idea creates a through line from Land of Waves to the rest of the series and proves the themes WEREN'T abandoned. Putting this under a read more cause I rambled.

I'm sure the anime is worse because the war arc takes much longer there (I didn't watch the anime as is), so it really feels like we're losing the point for long stretches. But Naruto stays true to his feelings after the Zabuza and Haku stuff through the whole series. He refused to be a tool- his whole thing in that arc- when everyone was telling him to let Sasuke be executed, when they tried to keep him from the war, every thing or flashback about Nagato or Jiraiya's concept of a quest for peace. Hell it's WHY he was able to reach Obito. It's what he yaps about in every Talk-no-Jutsu

I think the entire series strongly supports that idea that Naruto would keep his vows to everyone he T-n-Jed about finding the best, least-violent solutions to conflict and oppression, all flowing from his Land of Waves experience. They're practically OVEREXPLAINED, not abandoned, that's why people make fun of T-n-J so much. And from what little I know about the spin-off series, his whole quest-for-peace/not-giving-up-not-being-a-tool/fix-everything/my-own-ninja-way is why he's busier than other kages, and why the antagonists are ninja moon aliens. Naruto is maintaining world peace, the only place left for villains is OUT OF THIS WORLD.

Anyway that's probably why the 5-Kage Summit is my favorite arc. A lot of (DUMB) people hate it because they think "well the whole village likes Naruto now, that should be the end of the series!", failing to realize Naruto's real goal has changed from being leader so everyone would treat him better, to being a leader who makes the world better for others. He spends that arc grappling with just how difficult that is through the microcosm of how he can't even do that for Sasuke, meanwhile Sasuke is dealing with the emotional ramifications of the cycle of revenge and CONSTANTLY being used as a tool by others. I think that arc strengthens the themes and character development.

I don't think it's perfect, of course. I think there's some muddiness in "not being a tool" and maintaining the ninja system. These things should have been addressed on a world-scale, not just a Sasuke-scale, after chapter 698. There should have been at least a cursory sentence about how Naruto as hokage is working hard to end oppression and cycles of revenge around the world, how even though he hasn't fixed everything, he isn't giving up or backing down! That's all it'd take, but nooooo we had dedicate the entire last chapter to introducing spin-off characters instead of addressing the themes of the series. The 5 Great Nations have more amicable summits, that's all we got.

I have a comic about what I would do differently, SOMEDAY I'll finish coloring it.... someday......

[fandomsfordays21]

This is no hate to any Hazbin Hotel fans but I just need to say this.

I think the thing that's the most disappointing about the bad writing in Hazbin Hotel is how they executed the whole "Heaven is corrupt" thing and also how they executed the "Rebellious angel who saw the corruption and was shunned for it."

I fucking LOVE both of these tropes. I would even go as far as to say they are my favorites. But HH was just... So underwhelming with it.

Vaggie just feels so one dimensional and her being cast out of Heaven just didn't have any impact on me in the way it should have. Not to mention how Adam and the other angels are written. There were so many opportunities for Adam's character and his motivations for being a part of exterminations. For example, it could be because he holds a grudge against Lucifer because of Lilith and the apple, or because he has been conditioned to see himself as a higher being because of his status as the first man so he sees others as being lesser. But no. They didn't do that. Adam is like the adult show version of the bully/mean girl trope in kids shows.

Gabriel ULTRAKILL is a good example of what Vaggie or Adam could have been. (I know I'm talking about ULTRAKILL again cut me some slack).

He was conditioned to believe everything the council told him and that the things he was doing were "God's will" even though God had long since left. He literally killed Minos again despite Minos just wanting his citizens to live in peace because the Council wanted the denizens of Hell to live through their punishments. He was a loyal soldier through and through, doing everything he was told to do without question. Then, once he loses to V1 for the first time, he is immediately shunned by heaven just because he failed once. And they only leave him with the options of dying or proving himself useful again. Once he loses to V1 the second time, though, he takes the time to think and realizes the manipulation of the council and kills them in order to make a point to the rest of heaven. He's definitely going to die now, but he's fine with that because he is dying by his own rules.

See how that's so much better than Vaggie's lazy backstory of, "I didn't want to kill a child and heaven was mad." Or Adam's, "I'm just a dick and I kill people because it's fun."

I know that people have their own tastes in terms of storytelling and themes, but I think this is just really upsetting for me because HH has such an interesting concept and I feel like Vivzy really missed the mark on it with the bad plot and character writing. HH is just one of those pieces of media where you can read fanfiction of much better quality than the source.

(And we're not even taking into account the parallels between Minos and Charlie and how the idea of what sins deserve punishment are handled because that's a whole different can of worms and I'm already really upset that Vivzy can't seem to execute certain themes as well as a fucking Doom inspired FPS can.)