#i trust nora knows her characters best but i just think it would be so against jean’s whole story

[g0dhood]

noooo please let’s not have jean be bought from ichirou by jeremy he needs to stop seeing himself (and being seen) as property!!!!!! not the other way around 🙏🏻

[rachetmath]

Summer, Pyrrha and James

Ruby: Yes Ratchetmath is defending us today.

Me: Nah don't get it twisted ya'll still guilty but for once I am going to have to expose James for a minute. He's understandable but not innocent. Plus I made a promise and I'm keeping it so if you want to continue then go on. @arkosfan @expensiveeggplant

Okay, I do think it's time to keep my promise. Let’s talk about Summer and Pyrrha’s deaths and how they influence the characters. Then we talk about James's actions.

Both Summer and Pyrrha's deaths should matter. But, only to the characters that were close to them.

Summer's death was supposed to be or still is a mystery. Her death is assumed to matter to Ruby. Not only because she was a silver-eyed warrior and Ruby’s mom but because it goes back to Salem. After all, Salem met Summer and probably was the one who saw and killed her. And Summer was why Ruby became a huntress in the first place. An example is her fighting and clothing style. Now Summer’s death is being brought up more often and not knowing anything about her, Ruby sets out to uncover Summer's demise with each new detail dictating her next move.

Pyrrha's death should have mattered to Jaune. Pyrrha’s death serves as a reminder that not even the strongest can survive war like Summer. Jaune, realizing that he has to continue without her, rises to the challenge to become more powerful than herself. However, for him, how his partner and team are treated and how the world, mainly the ones in charge, react will determine Jaune’s next moves. This is due to Pyrrha’s death being very recent and so far the world has gone to madness. 

Now let’s discuss James Ironwood. James’s plan was debatable at best. I understand the overall goal was to use Amity Arena to broadcast to the entire world of Salem's existence. However the price- the means to get there was horrible. Not just for Mantle but the world.

First, Beacon; This man brought his army into Vale. Turned the Council against Ozpin. And is one of the people who saw Pyrrha and spoke of the maiden powers under Jaune’s nose. As soon as his army fails and Salem wins, he leaves. Leaving Goodwitch to clean up the mess.

Second, the world. I mean, James called in all of his troops, scattered around Remnant, to return to Atlas. This stopped trading routes. Businesses that relied on them to cease operations. Worse, lessens security around the kingdoms. Meaning more work for hunters and council members to deal with. So sorry, James’s fan but Nora and Jaune were speaking straight facts.

Speaking of Jaune and Nora, let’s discuss James’s effect on the two teams. 

For team RWBY James had more of a positive effect. James did more right for team RWBY than JNPR. Letting Ruby off with a pass and even praising her for her bravery. Giving Yang a pardon even though she struck a supposed student, breaking his leg, and not going to a holding cell. Giving Yang an arm. Backing up Weiss, even offering her a place at his school in Atlas. Blake though not receiving anything from Ironwood, hearing all his effort from her team would get her to side with him. So it’s insane why they're more against Ironwood than JNPR who he hasn’t done much for.

Team JNPR so far when it came to James had a negative effect. Mainly he’s the one halting their progress. He hasn’t done anything specially for them. And again, if he knew about Salem, the maidens, and relics, what makes you think he didn’t know about Pyrrha? Hence why I didn’t like Ren's development where he sides with Ironwood so easily, only because he reminds him of his dad. Nora had reason for Robyn was more understandable than Ren’s. Meanwhile, the only reason Jaune trusts him is because he trusts Roby. In my opinion team JNPR should have been the main ones against him. 

(Oh and let's not forget, team RWBY were the ones who missed up but James was willing to give them an option. I don’t recall him giving team JNPR any options at all. )

Now let’s discuss Mantle and Atlas. Mainly the difference between them. In Mantle, there are lower-class citizens living there. And thanks to James, most of the people have no jobs. Barely enough money to get by. And are attacked by Grimm every day. Meanwhile, Atlas has a barrier and ships defending them. The people are living peacefully and are throwing parties. Hell one kid, in RWBY Arrowfell, was sitting on the sidewalk to watch a fight. Minor but still this shows me Atlas is doing better than Mantle.

Yes, James does help Mantle with security. However, he sends a majority of robots to do the job. The same robots used to protect Beacon. The same robots that failed and nearly destroyed the kingdom of Vale. And another key detail about Mantle; it’s outdated. Everything from the Manlte’s homes and its street; which are in poor condition. To its wall; that doesn’t work cause Grimm can climb or fly over it. And its technology; which is from the military and the Schnee Dust Company. Not to mention the people of Mantle are being watched, killed, and/or arrested every few times a day. That includes the giant ships hovering over them while surrounding Atlas. 

(I don’t know about you, but if I was living in Mantle and saw not one, not two but thousands of ships above me and near Atlas, I would be scared. Because that’s giving me the impression that you are willing to destroy my home or that a war is coming that you don’t want me to find out about.)

But you know what makes this worse…. Amity Arena was James’s only plan. It was his ONLY plan, and the heroes took no processions to make sure the plan stayed on course. And when as Ironwood said,” The timeline has changed”, he was ready to lift Atlas into space. Abandoning not just Mantle, but Remnant as a whole. Someone once said, “The needs of the many matters more than the few”, let's ask this, “If you were to compare the two cities, which of them has the most people?” And I recall Mistral, Argus, and Vale have people too so… who’s the many and whose the few?

(Nah-nah. Let me say this. Let me say this. In volume 8, the first episode Pietro said Amity was almost ready in fact it only took a couple of hours. So this made me question something, how was Robyn slowing down their progress? Because it seems despite her interference she wasn’t causing too many problems. Yet Tyrian who works for Salem, has a criminal record and has been killing people left and right wasn’t on the main character’s priority list. Are you kidding me?)

So yeah, James undoubtedly had questionable methods. He had the right idea however the risk it took to bring this idea to life should not be overlooked, regardless of Salem's planned attack on Vale. James’s action only justified the world's hatred towards him and his military. Basically, even if his plan succeeded no one would have claimed done. No kingdom would simply give him their trust or aid. The sad truth is Atlas deserved to fall due to its own ignorance.

(And if you don’t believe me let me give an example. Adam who has an SDC mark on his face and mainly the mine workers are Faunues. Ilia’s parents died in a mining accident and Atlassian students just laughed about it. And then Cinder, who was a slave to her stepmom and her daughters when she was a kid and no one helped her. )

[gojossotoru]

Let me return the gesture and ask you what your OCs would think of Nora and how they would interact with her! 🌻

SURE!!!

______________________________

Frankie

Opinions: she thinks she's like the rest of the preps (except for Barbara though) and probably the worst, which is crazy to Frankie because how could anyone be worse than a person who's actually bad and done a lot of nasty things? She would not be wanting to even talk to her or even interact with her. But after the situation with Beatrice, Frankie begins to turn dislike into hatred and she would try to tell Beatrice that Nora isn't what she seems to be but Beatrice always brushes Frankie off and says "you're just over-thinking again", which makes Frankie slightly irritated. She almost hates everything about Nora (which is so out of character because Frankie didn't have this type of hatred before, so it surprised her a lot). Overall, Frankie hates her ass and hopes that Beatrice would start to realise about Nora

Interactions: Frankie would try to ignore her but with Nora's loud voice and Nora tormenting her (Frankie uses that word when it comes to the topic of Nora), she's gonna roll her eyes and storm off. She would make backhanded compliments but in her own awkward nerdy way so that Nora would NOT even notice it's a backhanded compliment, even Beatrice doesn't even know it when Frankie says it while she was helping Nora with studying. I can see the vision of Nora laughing at her quietly or making mean faces while Frankie is singing/performing (she participated in a singing competition again), which makes Frankie almost loses her confidence but she ignore Nora's gaze quickly and it helps her a lot. If Nora asks Frankie to do something for her, she would sigh in annoyance before glaring while telling her "no" and then she walks away from Nora quickly before Nora could even ask her again but in a cold tone. Overall, they would be hating each other :/ but it's not Frankie's fault though

______________________________

Charlie

Opinions: she doesn't trust Nora because of her attitude and she's glad that Nora never interacts with her and hopes that she never will. Charlie doesn't really have a lot of opinions of her because she doesn't care about anyone else, especially a bitch like Nora but if she knows that Nora likes 80s music then maybe the hatred would fade just a little bit (only like 19% of it). Overall, Charlie thinks Nora is a bitch

Interactions: if they met at any chance then Nora would be, like, rude to her and Charlie would give her the middle finger as the answer while walking or skating away from her. And if Charlie finds Nora approaching her randomly (Nora going to a party + she's drunk and Charlie is just there because she's bored and also her best friends and friends are too, so...), Charlie would be okay with it because Nora isn't that cold bitch anymore and is less terrible, the two would be vibing to the 80s music (Charlie bopping her while moving her body just a little bit and there is Nora being a party animal she isz wilding around). Overall, Charlie doesn't like her because Nora is a bitch but there are times that Noria isn't THAT bad

______________________________

Barbara

Opinions: she has mixed feelings with Nora but nevertheless, she still really likes her and is glad to be her friend!!! She sometimes is tired of arguing with Nora about being a prep related topic and Nora being mean to other cliques and students :/ and when Nora doesn't let it go for few days, Barbara would leave her alone os that Nora could cool off and, Barbara would hang out with her other friends or maybe having a date (or hang out) with Thad if he's available and not busy (or at the end, she would just study mostly math if they're all busy). Barbara likes when she calls her 'Barbie', it's just that her tone is different from Jimmy Hopkins's. Jimmy's voice is all, like, joking (which she doesn't have any problem with btw) while Nora is really casual about it. She really didn't get it on Nora being confused about her and Thad being a couple. Barbara gets it a little because he's a nerd and she's a prep and all that but is it really that serious? (Barbara's words, not mine). Overall, Barbara really likes Nora and is really glad to be her friend but she has mixed feelings about her sometimes

Interactions: just like you say about Nora and Barbara hanging out and having coffee (for Nora) and milkshakes (for Barbara), they would TOTALLY TALK ABOUT ANYTHING!!! Barbara giving Nora fashion advice while Nora talks about her life back in Germany because Barbara doesn't know her background that much and she's very much curious about what's her life back in there. The two would hang out with other preps at Old Bullworth Vale, Nora being all googly eyes at Derby while Barbara just rolls her eyes and smiles a little bit to herself. Overall, they have like the best interactions

______________________________

THANK YOU FOR ASKING HEHE :p

sorry if it's short though because I literally have no longer ideas for it 😔😭

anyways, I hope you like it 💖💖💖

[codename-adler]

uh hi uh hey what scene in a fic of yours would you most want to rewrite from someone else's perspective? and what character would you most want to explore from someone who's not super involved's perspective? (like andrew & neils relationship from the pov of someone they're playing against or something like that)

-@allforthefuckinggays

at last, i shall respond!

no bc i'm like, so sorry?? this is such a great question and it's soooooo nice of you @allforthefuckinggays 😭 i have no excuse. i only have an answer.

there are so many possibilities it's difficult to settle on one, and every second i think of another idea. overall, though, for the 'what scene in a fic of yours would you most want to rewrite from someone else's perspective?' part, it always comes back to writing Andrew's pov whenever Aaron is found injured in dance 'til you find someone to die for . partly because i would loooove to be able to write Andrew pov, accurately in character, because to me that seems impossible. Nora Sakavic really put her whole crack & cocaine when bringing him to life, it's a skill i don't think i possess. then if i could write Andrew pov well... i am like Neil. i want to see him lose control. but inside. i'd want his inner monologue while Aaron's just laying there on the concrete, motionless, paling by the second, and Andrew cannot do anything about it. plus, up until now in the fic, he was medicated still; what do those thoughts look like while in a battle with seeing Aaron, Andrew's priority despite appearances, so beat up and the physical evidence of Andrew's failure in their deal? madness. that's what i want. wish i could read that. wish i could write that.

then, 'what character would you most want to explore from someone who's not super involved's perspective?': Andrew from Jeremy pov. hands down. no hesitation. idk what it is about those 2 that draw me in and makes me want to connect them so bad. maybe i have expectations set too high when it comes to Jeremy, but i can't help feeling like he would not treat Andrew the way the Foxes have. maybe because Kevin trusts him, with Jean, and handed him over knowing/hoping it was for the best; and god knows Jean and Andrew are the same side of the same coin. (PSA: HAVE NOT READ TSC YET, PLEASE DO NOT SPOIL IN ANY WAY OR FORM.) so, i'd like to see what Jeremy sees when he looks at Andrew, what he thinks of him, what he deduces, from observing him and talking with him. oh i want them to talk so so bad. even if it does not lead to the dream friendship of my heart. and even if they never speak, i want Jeremy's version of Andrew. even if it's a brief rant of Jeremy's gushing over Andrew's Exy skills and performance. i want it. i need it. like, the Ravens-Foxes Championships showdown from Jeremy's perspective?? Andrew breaking Riko's arm live from the Jeremy broadcast?? PLEASE. and it's not about Andreil at all, i don't really care about Jeremy's opinion/perspective on that. i just want Andrew Minyard (Jeremy's Version).

[cancerian-woman]

oooh so i feel like i can guess the answer, BUT how would you rank all of bonnie’s ships *solely* from what we got in canon vs how would you rank them based on fanon/general potential!

Oooh okay, I’ll start with canon ones then go to fanon.

Beremy: It was cute, puppy love at first but in the end Bonnie was doing all the work & his unassigned but assigned babysitter. 3/10

Bonenzo: in theory he did make Bonnie happy she deserved that. Enzo is very much “one size fits all” type of character if yk. They did get together under Stockholm Syndrome purposes and it was just done lazily? I think they would’ve been more well perceived if they started building them up in s5 or something. Killing him last minute to “trigger” Bonnie’s psychic powers or magic again was just another way to aid in her suffering. 5/10

Bamon: chemistry is great. Damon abandoning Bonnie after she needed him after bonding in the prison world’s was a good moment for Bonnie’s feelings to be shown. Knowing she has issues with abandonment. But, Bamon falls into the same category as Delena. Woman is complicit to all of Damon’s bs and a lot of that happened with Bamon. The writers said ok Elena is gone Bonnie can now agree or side with him the most. There’s Anti-Bamons, then there’s people who genuinely like Bamon and then people who ship Bamon just to free Elena of that burden of Damon lol. I do think they work best if Elena isn’t around. 7.5/10

Stefonnie: you can’t pry Stefan’s protectiveness and kindness to Bonnie in 1-2 out of my hands. He actually tried to make friends with Baroline unlike Damon. Stefan’s history with Bennett’s was another good push there too. And it’s sooo underrated that Stefan was the first vampire Bonnie ever trusted. Plus she had a lil crush on him before Elena got him. I do think they could’ve been something really good in those later seasons. Both tend to play a “hero” role to someone else. Stefan promised he would’ve fixed what he did to Bonnie and idk we needed to see that. It would’ve been nice if we could’ve gotten Damon/Stefan discussing that Bonnie’s forgiveness isn’t so easy to earn. 8/10

Bonora: good chemistry but extremely underrated. They remind me a bit of the wlw Bonkai. Would’ve been a perfect time to introduce bi!Bonnie. I liked that Bonnie encouraged Nora to do something outside of Mary. We never really got those “Bonnie’s beautiful!” By other characters but the way Nora said it continously and wanted to engage with Bonnie. It was so good. Long term and fanon-wise I think they both could’ve learned to grow out of those toxic ties to people with each other. We didn’t get Bonnie with other witches a lot and it was nice to see her with one. 8/10

Bonkai: Chris was Kat’s best on-screen partner imo. Kai brings out a darker side to Bonnie that she tries ignore often. While I think Bonnie brings out emotions Kai hasn’t felt in ages. He’s so fascinated with her in an obsessive but good for tvdu type of way. She’s the only way he sees. Bonnie isn’t a pushover either with Kai. She fights him back, she calls him out and tbh she’s even goofier with him. He pushed her more into her agency than Damon ever did. Bonkai would’ve been great for seasons 6-8. Idk if i would “redeem” him per se bc redemptions aren’t real in tvd but being good to Bonnie and Bonnie only is enough for me. Canon-fanon-9/10.

Bonlena & Baroline: I’ll just do these together. Bonlena had the stronger chemisty 1-2 era of them perfect. You can feel how close they are and need each other. Despite the negative tones with Petrova & Bennett lines repeating you can say they could be drawn to each other naturally. But, Elena does end up ignoring Bonnie so…7/10. Baroline is all about fun but they do support each other and can be protective. Caroline does try to get Bonnie out of doing magic all the time. 7/10

Bonlijah: interesting because Elijah like Stefan and Damon have harmed or betrayed Bonnie. Elijah’s done it twice. We don’t get a lot of them. Bonnie would’ve made him work for her forgiveness. Elijah likes acting on his own needs first but needs to be forced to see his wrongings in a situation and Bonnie certainly wouldn’t let up and make him focus on their errors before continuing. He did have to thing positively of her to face his brother alone. 7/10

Klonnie: based on canon I’d say season 3-4 are would be their best moments. Klaus does like witches. Bonnie had more onscreen time with Tyler!Klaus than his actual body. But Tyler!Klaus did sort of hint he admired she defied the spirits. There’s the power dynamics that comes into play here. Bonnie isn’t afraid of Klaus no matter how much power he wants to enforce over her. I can see them fanon wise strategizing together and Bonnie agreeing to help him if it means her friends are good. Canon wise though if nothing comes between them from 2-4 then they’d have to remeet afterwards. Same applies for all the Mikaelson’s. 9/10

Kennett: they could’ve bonded over magic and they do have more scenes than most BennettxMikaelson ships. Kol called out Bonnie’s death too. He saw potential in her and wanted to work with her….that being said they caused that lady to go crazy on Twitter over a 10 second scene LMAO so despite how i feel about that 10 10 10 across the board. Fanon wise i do think other fandoms taking over Kennett has deterred my liking for them. Dollar general Kennett has nothing on them. But Bonnie unlike Davina would want to see Kol for who he is. No rose tinted glasses.

Monnie/Tonnie: we don’t have a lot of Tonnie but they’re always watching each other / protective gazes when they are allowed to share a scene. This is a ship I can see working through college or when they both left Mystic Falls. For the both of them that isn’t their home longterm. 8/10. Now, onto Matt absolutely not. 5/10. Not just because Matt’s useless, but he doesn’t like the supernatural world for himself. He’s accepting of his friends and for others but it’s not something he’s really into. Bonnie already had to deal with this from Rudy. No need in dating a human or anything longterm who doesn’t like that side of her.

Honorable mention: Batherine could’ve played a frenemies with benefits role. Idk if it was the intention to “fix” Elena’s relationships but placing Katherine in these random moments but it was interesting when it did happen.

This was long and it took me a minute but i hope i answered it the way you thought of!! Thank you for the ask!

[kitkatopinions]

Do you think Glynda would have been the only one to side with Ozpin, or at least not hold much of a grudge against him, treating him empathy, after his big secret reveal in V6? She's already displayed a great deal of uncond trust towards him when she talked with Ironwood about him having doubts about Ozpin

Honestly, if the only thing that changed was Glynda's inclusion and the same writers were still doing the same things... I don't think Glynda would've sided with Ozpin at all, because the writers love to write "and then RWBYJNOR think blah blah blah," or "and then RWBYJNORQ want XYZ." They struggle to do plotlines where people can disagree without being framed as One Hundred Percent Bad In The Wrong Needs To Change Might Be Evil. I feel like if they had Glynda be a more prominent role and involved in the story up to V6, they would've had her also be so furious and disappointed in and angry at Ozpin just like Qrow, even if it didn't make any sense.

Logically though, what I think would happen if the writers cared about consistency and making their characters have an original thought, I think that Glynda would be the most on board with Ozpin and have the least problems with him out of anyone.

I think Qrow should've sided with Ozpin, but been personally very hurt by Ozpin's lack of trust in him, creating conflict for them to work through later. I think Yang should've been against Ozpin, resolving that he can't be trusted because he lied to them and (however temporarily) icing him out and not looking to him as a leader. I think Weiss should've been mostly on Yang's side, albeit with a bit more sympathy towards Oz, sort of in the camp of "I get where he's coming from but clearly we can't trust him to be honest or to always have our best interests at heart." I think Blake should've actually taken the stance of "you guys don't know what it's like, maybe he should've told the truth, but it's easier to say 'you should trust us' than it is to actually trust people after you've been hurt so many times, I've been there and I get it" and she should've been way more sympathetic towards Ozpin because of her backstory. I think once Jaune heard about it later, he should've had problems too and been willing to work with Ozpin, but hesitant with him and frequently doubting the legitimacy of his claims and tending to rely on himself and Ruby and not really think of Ozpin as any sort of reliable guide to be consulted in plans. Ren should take kind of the same stance as Jaune, albeit with a more logical thought process of "we should only do what he says if we think he's right, everything else doesn't matter as much." And I actually think Nora should've been fully on board with Ozpin, easily assuming that he only lied to them and/or didn't trust them because he'd been hurt in the past, and that she doesn't really care and still likes him. And I think that Ironwood should've - when he eventually heard - been somewhat hurt as well, but understand the logic of it, but also just resolve to work all the harder himself, knowing that Ozpin is not always a safety net and knowing that Ozpin doesn't always share everything important. And Glynda would fully on Ozpin's side except unlike Qrow (who I feel has a very emotional and personal connection to Ozpin and would fall back on believing in Ozpin because he loves him more than because it logically makes sense) and Nora (who I honestly think is just a very loyal follower with strong intuition and a good judge of character but doesn't really have much logic behind 100% trusting Oz,) Glynda would instead completely get where Oz is coming from, completely understand why he did the things he did, completely agree with them, and just keep trusting him completely. As for Ruby (who is the most important person here,) I think that she should've been kind of in-between and not sure what to think, feeling confused on how she's supposed to react, trying to make everyone happy at once, and be understanding but also a good strong leader herself, and tries to rely more on herself instead of others in the wake of what happened.

Basically, if I was the RWBY writer, I think Glynda would side with Ozpin because that's what I think makes the most sense for her character. Everyone should be having different reactions because what Ozpin did is nuanced, not just pure evil, and I think that with what Glynda was like in V1-3, the natural thing and what would make the most sense would be her understanding and supporting Ozpin. However, I think if the writers included her, she wouldn't side with Ozpin at all, because they didn't want it to be a nuanced conversation and a chance to show the range of their characters where some people agreed with Ozpin, some people didn't, and some people were kind of in-between. They just wanted to say 'Ozpin is bad and dumb and we should all be against him,' and so they couldn't have Glynda do anything but agree with Team RWBY... Unless they made her into one of those characters that temporarily disagrees with Team RWBY so they can all be like 😮🫢😞😠 and then they either take it back later of become an antagonist.

[citadelofmythoughts]

Here’s a tough question. Top 3 favorite and least favorite things about each RWBY volume?

Sorry for the delay, this is something I've had to really think about.

V1 Faves

The initiation/Nevermore fight. Let's be honest this is where these legends started.

Blake & Yang meeting for the first time

Weiss and Blake coming to terms with each other

V`1 least faves

The animation. I know it was Poser, they had no budget, etc. That doesn't make it any easier to watch

That one line from Yang about boys that has haunted the discourse for nearly a decade.

TBH barely anyone had a character any deeper than surface level

V2 Faves

Yang talking to Blake in Burning The Candle. This is where their relationship became more than partners, deeper than just friendship

The talk between Weiss, Blake and Yang at Mountain Glenn. Something that would be directly referenced much later in V9

"Best Day Ever" - the food fight between RWBY and JNPR is just big dumb fun

V2 least faves

Jaune and his pursuit of Weiss. Obnoxious to the extreme.

Sun - that's it

"Breach" in general was kind of a mess and really was there to have a giant fight scene.

V3 Faves

"Heroes And Monsters" - It feels weird listing something so horrible and tragic as a favorite thing but what happened between Yang, Blake and Adam in this chapter would define these characters going forward all the way until almost the end of V6 and was a significant point in Blake & Yang's relationship

Also from "Heroes And Monsters" - Velvet unleashing Anesidora with "I May Fall" blasting is still so amazing to this day.

Yang being framed for injuring Mercury and Blake deciding to trust in her.

(I really could go on about V3 with many more positives.)

V3 least faves

SSSN vs NDGO - I DON'T CARE

Might be controversial but Pyrrha's death. I understood the narrative need for it but it doesn't mean I liked it

Same for Penny

V4 Faves

Meeting Blake's parents. Ghira and Kali are treasures.

The fight with Tyrian

Yang getting her new arm and starting her healing process

(Honorable mention to Blake, with Sun's help, starting to understand that sometimes you have to let people in and it's THEIR choice to want to be in your life. Also honorable mention to Ruby's letter in "No Safe Haven")

V4 least faves

Tai's "advice" both in "Family" and "One Step Forward..."

Sun. (I didn't start to be able to tolerate him unti V5)

Not nearly enough Yang

V5 Faves

Yang and Ruby reuniting - I always cry

Weiss' talk with Yang in "Alone Together" (which is also when I'm convinced she realized that Yang loved Blake)

"Yang...?" *Dumbfounded stare from Yang

(Honorable mention to Yang reading Raven for filth)

V5 least faves

The pacing wasn't great and yeah the big fight was lackluster

While the animation was fine the colors always felt very muted to me

Lionheart (not that I resented his use in the story, I just hate the dude)

V6 faves:

The Bees Vs Adam (was I gonna say anything else?)

The Brunswick Arc (why is CRWBY so good at horror?)

The fight with the Leviathan.

V6 least faves:

These are mostly really minor complaints

Dee and Dudley - annoying

The big lore dump, while not BAD was a LOT

Oscar vanishing and getting a new set of clothes off camera not that I care that much but I think it could have been handled better

V7 Faves

The makeovers, with the possible exception of Wess I thought everyone looked great and TBH Yang never looked better

The Bees getting ready to go on a date

Nora spilling the tea ABOUT the Bees

(Honorable mention to RBY standing by Weiss when she confronted Jacqass. Also honorable mention to Yang/Blake VS Elm/Vine)

V7 least faves (not writing critical just characters getting on my nerves)

Harriet is annoying

The AceOps being Ironwood's unthinking lapdogs

Ironwood coming out as a complete dumbass.

V8 Faves

Beeunion 2.0

Yang, Jaune and Ren infiltrating Salem's HQ and the fight that ensues. Especially Yang getting to talk smack to Salem and blowing her tits off.

Penny frying Cinder

(Honorable mention to Maria kicking Neo's ass)

V8 least faves

Ironwood continues to be a complete and total dumbass

Ren being a jerk. Thankfully he gets over it

Yang's fall. (not bad on a value level but it HURT)

V9 Faves:

The Bees confession - absolutely perfect. Could not be improved on

The fight scene in Rude, Red and Royal

Ruby getting her groove back and showing CC just how powerful she really is.

V9 least faves: (and I'm allowing for what I know was a difficult production)

We could have used at least another two chapters because some scenes and transitions were way too brief and as a result didn't have the emotional impact they should have

We didn't get the prologue that was shown at RTX

Minor complaint but in Chapter 1 I wish Blake had been shown as being a bit more worried about Yang since she saw her "die"

Wow, this was a LOT!

[pragmatic-optimist]

This week's theme: Rec a fic that starts with the same letter as your username (or, if you like, a part of your username). 

The rules: Tag a fic that starts with the same letter as your username and describe why it's so good / how it has a hold on you. Then tag some people to see what everyone else is reading. Spread the love! Please tag @welcometololaland or tag #fic rec friday so they can compile the masterlist.

Okay, so clearly, I can’t read because I chose fics that started with an “S” for my actual first name and not my URL lol. I tried to fix this, but the amount of fics that start with a “P” in my bookmarks is almost nonexistent. So I’m going to just stick with my incorrectness; forgive me. Lola - thank you for always tagging me; I finally managed to post because looking through my AO3 bookmarks made this “easier.” You know how indecisive I am. Lol. I also promise I tried to keep this short, and this is what keeping it short looks like.😂

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911 Lone Star

Say You’ll Remember Me: This is a Ryderdie WIP by @myemergence, and I really look forward to more. It’s one of my absolute favorite tropes (Amnesia!) and a canon-divergent AU for 2x9 featuring one of the best fictional couples to ever exist. I love Judd and Grace Ryder so much. Jenny nails the angst in that way where it hurts but GOSH it is good. It’s just *chef’s kiss* and I can’t wait to see where the rest of the journey takes us. 

Searching For A Trail to Follow Again:  Paige’s (@sunshinestrand) fics are classic, butterflies in your stomach, grinning from ear-to-ear, romantic comedies. This AU was so charming and, like all of Paige’s writing, leaves you with the biggest smile on your face because you’re just over-the-moon Carlos and TK have found one another in this story and in all her AUs (again and again and again). Contrary to popular belief among certain showrunners, letting characters just be happy is quality and compelling storytelling, and I’m grateful for fic writers like Paige who know that and give us a slice of that joy. 

So Many Somethings: Rae’s (@iboatedhere) AUs are iconic by now, but this one will always be near and dear to my heart. Not just because it’s the You’ve Got Mail AU and it’s an incredible nod to the film, but also because it was the first fic I ever beta-read for her, and the whole process bonded us. Rae, thanks for trusting me! This fic is remarkable, I love the balance of enemies-friends-lovers and the banter. Oh, the Banter™️. Nora Ephron would be proud! 

Sanctuary: If I had to use one word to summarize this fic, it would be ✨DESTINY✨. Honestly, I think all of Kim’s (@reyescarlos) fics have a destiny vibe to them, you can feel that these two characters are meant to be together, and they will find a way. I loved the first meeting in this one; the tension in the scene was palpable, and Kim’s writing always makes you feel like every interaction is happening right in front of you. She’s magic in that way ✨. 

Slowly Becoming Lovers: I love fics that show us the little moments between Carlos and TK, how they fall in love through the little things, and the way Holly (@morganaspendragonss) portrays that journey in these short vignettes is so so SO beautiful. This is one of the fics I have reread the most, according to the AO3 clicks lol, and there is a reason for that. It is truly lovely. Also, the title is inspired by one of my favorite Ben Platt songs, and fits the story perfectly! Highly recommend! 

Red, White, and Royal Blue

Snowed in? Snow problem: This fic is such a blast to read, lol. I laughed so hard, and I still laugh just as hard when I reread it because the ugh!Hunter slander is top-tier. A direct quote: “Well, I’m not bunking in with Hunter or you’ll be dealing with a murder by the end of the day.” Same, Alex. Same. Forever mood.😂 Add to that, “there was only one bed” plus Rae’s (@rmd-writes) ability to write Sexual Tension™️ x 5467893204858, and this college au is a must-read. Also, THE TITLE. YAAASS. A+ pun. No notes. 

Sink Beneath the Waves: This fic. THIS FIC. You know how in every fandom, there are stories that are essentially required reading, this one by @indomitable-love is one of those fics for me in the RWRB fandom. The love, the yearning, the pain, and the utter joy at Henry’s “I’m into making History.” Getting the chance to see these canon plot points from Henry’s POV is a gift, and I’m so grateful this fic exists for us to revisit again and again. 

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I think this has made the rounds already because it is Saturday for me, so consider this an open tag to whoever has fics they would like to share with us! 

[kitkatt0430]

2, 7, 14, 23 and 27 from salty ask please

2.) Are there any popular fandom OTPs you only BroTP?

KillerVibe, aka Cisco/Caitlin. I do get why it's a popular ship for those two, but I just can't. Their platonic love for each other is so lovely and I think I happened upon them right as I was feeling a bit burnt out on the 'men and women can't be just friends' trope. So these two being bffs and never a hint of anything else no matter how much they clearly loved each other?

Beautiful. Why would I want anything else for them?

Colette/Lloyd from Tales of Symphonia (which was just re-released on the latest consoles, if you haven't played it before and are looking for a new game to play... pick this game up, it's so good!!!!) - it's not enough to turn me off a fic for there to be Colette/Lloyd going on but I just... read them as having a sibling relationship. There's nothing really romantic about their interactions - honestly the only person who really says anything shippy about them is Genis. And Lloyd sounds like an exasperated older brother telling Genis to shut it when he does. Like... Colette is in many ways Lloyd's person - he does love her and he pays closer attention to her than the others do because he knows she's got a bad habit of not admitting when something is wrong. I just don't read what's there as romantic.

7.) Is there anything you used to like but can’t stand now?

Olicity. Oliver and Felicity had some really cute ship teasing going on in the early seasons. But when they actually acted on it... I can't really say they brought out the best in each other. Felicity struggled to trust Oliver but would paper over that with complaints about Oliver doing the same to her. But Oliver's issues were, at least, born out of ptsd and a lack of mental health self care. With Felicity's character, it just seemed like the writers were Flanderizing her to some degree and her character suffered a lot. Most irritatingly, Oliver grew further away from his comic book self instead of closer as was initially promised. I think their lowest point was hijacking the Westallen wedding, where Felicity made someone else's big day about her and Oliver just... went with it. But she also made a scene at the rehearsal when she'd thought Oliver was re-proposing to her and he wasn't. It was very uncomfortable to watch.

They were a lot better at dealing with other people without each other, but... *waves hands in a resigned fashion* together they were just kind of obnoxious in the end.

14.) Unpopular opinion about your fandom?

I guess that depends on the part of the fandom.

Eobard Thawne was massively mishandled post S2. He should have remained a posthumus character. All his interactions with Barry's future should have been in Eobard's past. Either with Barry traveling to the past to interact with EoWells or Mattobard showing up from points in his timeline that predated killing Nora Allen. S2 set that up really nicely, but unfortunately there was no follow through and they went in a different direction.

We'll never know for certain that Iris chose Barry because she was truly in love with him and not because everyone was saying it was her destiny. Even their E2 counterparts were married. If everyone tells you that something you aren't sure you want is the best thing for you ever and you'd be foolish to not do that thing then... if you do what you've been told by everyone in your life, is it actually because you want to? Or because you think you're supposed to? The show did, finally, sort of kind of not really acknowledge this. But... S9 when they've been married since S4 was... not the time to do that.

In S3 Future Barry should have been the one with the facial scars and Savitar with the ridiculous Emo!hair.

I... actually really enjoy Zoom coming off S1 with all the parallels that Team Flash is so oblivious too. It's only because of Savitar (and not to forget the Rival and Trajectory) that I feel like the show got overloaded with too many evil speedsters in the first three seasons. There were five - that was about three too many. (That said, Zoom probably should have been the S3 villain with S2 centered on the Rogues. Give the team some breathing room after dealing with Eobard.)

23.) Unpopular character you love?

Eobard Thawne. I will complain about him being overused and misused all day if prompted, but there's a reason why I gravitate to him as a lot as the main villain in my own writing. S1 Eobard on the Flash in particular is just such a fascinating and compelling villain. And Matt's take on him over in S2 of Legends is really great. His exasperation with his co-villains makes them all such fun.

Julian Albert. He was very unlucky in love, falling for Caitlin who clearly just... was not interested in return. And very unfortunate to have whatever was going on with Savitar and 'Alchemy'. But he gave Barry a much needed coworker at the CCPD. (Barry cannot be the only CSI in the entire CCPD. He just. Cannot. But it certainly seems that way sometimes, doesn't it?) If they'd followed through with making the not-Caitlin-not-Frost character in S4 the way S3 seemed to clearly intend, then perhaps Julian might have become the new team medic? Alas, we just get a single brief mention of him in S4 and not even a proper send off for him.

27.) Least shippable character?

Hmmm... Bart since I just haven't seen enough episodes with him to get a good read for his personality at all. And since most of the characters I have seen him interact with are either his parents, his grandparents, his honorary grandfather (Jay Garrick), or members of Team Flash who are presumably honorary aunts and uncles... who would I even ship him with? Certainly not Godspeed.

Sherlock and Joan from Elementary both read as different identities under the arospec umbrella that while I ship them as a QPR together, shipping either of them romantically with anyone - including each other - just feels like it'd make them out of character. They say they love each other in canon without it being automatically romantic. (big deal to me!!!!) So they're equally least shippable to me on that show. And it bewilders me that people do ship them romantically. (Did we not watch the same show? Did people not see how aro they are and how their friendship defies amatonormativity? *heavy sigh*)

[new-eyes-extra-colors]

1, 6, 7, 15, B, D, & H for the uncommon asks?

[uncommon character asks]

1 What’s the maximum amount of time your character can sit still with nothing to do?

I think it would depend on her current mental state. If she's in a real "can't do anything but stare into the middle distance" funk, I'd say an hour or two of that before she manages to shake it off. In a more manic state of mind, I think it'd be down to minutes before she'd start bouncing a leg, pacing, or playing with her hair.

6. Do they consider laws flexible, or immovable?

Nora considers law flexible, in that she believes more in the spirit of the law than the letter of it, and it's the spirit she tries to uphold during her time as a lawyer. (That doesn't always go so well, or earn her many friends.) She believes that circumstances do affect whether something is right or wrong, and takes things on a case-by-case basis rather than believing morality is black and white.

After the War she has certain standards of morality she tries to stick to, and for a while falls into the habit of asking Nick, Piper, or her other friends what they think the best way forward is. The Commonwealth being what it is, she also occasionally just resorts to violence to get the outcome she wants (and then struggles with herself over whether that was really the only/best way forward). She's not convinced she should have the authority to make those kinds of decisions.

7. What triggers nostalgia for them, most often? Do they enjoy that feeling?

Taste and smell is a big one for her. Favorite foods she had before the War (tamales and lemonade are the main one) tend to make her feel nostalgic for family (especially her grandmother, whose tamale recipe Nora uses and tries to replicate once she's in the Commonwealth). Whether that's a happy thing or a sad thing depends on the day, so once she knows something will elicit that feeling, she's careful about triggering it.

15. How do they speak? Is what they say usually thought of on the spot, or do they rehearse it in their mind first?

Nora usually thinks through what she says, or prevaricates if she can't come up with something on the spot. She gets lax about this if she's around people she trusts, being more willing to say what pops into her head or ask questions she might otherwise be expected to know already. After waking up in the Commonwealth, it takes her a while to become comfortable asking stuff that she perceives might be common knowledge, because she doesn't want to appear naive or easy to manipulate.

B. What inspired you to create them?

I talked a bit about this in this post under the "milky way" question, but I originally started playing FO4 as the male sole survivor and didn't think of Nora past being a background character in his story. It's why when her husband is referred to, he's named Dana instead of Nate, and Nora has the default name. I just got sick of hearing about all the other characters' dead wives and decided to un-fridge the one I had narrative control over.

Rest in peace, Dana. (...I have a few sketches of a very self-indulgent AU where he and Nora both survive. It's significantly more comedic than the fic I'm writing.)

D. Have they always had the same physical appearance, or have you had to edit how they look?

Nora's general appearance has stayed the same, yes. I've edited her in game more times than I can count--her hair especially I haven't managed to get right with the mod options available to me, but I think I've finally settled on a face for her. Also, here's some old art showing some of my first sketches of her (~2020) to more recent stuff.

H. What trait do you admire most?

Probably her ability to keep outwardly calm under pressure, so that even if she's feeling anxious it doesn't show. It's a skill she honed both during her childhood and her time as a lawyer.

[tumblingxelian]

OK,s o I am breaking main cast into like, central characters to major storylines, show comic, game, manga movies, ETC. Thus we have:

RWBY, JNPR, CFVY, Oscar, Sun & Neptune, Qrow, Penny, Emerald, Cinder, Neo & Winter.

The worst group coalesces with people like: Cinder & Neo who unless they go through major or more major arcs likely cannot be trusted around kids without the risk of just hurling them out a window.

Next up is just like, bad at being parents: Sun, Neptune, Jaune, and Winter. The former two are too flighty to handle it and the latter are such a mass of issues its not even funny.

Neutral tier, not good but not bad, messy even: Qrow, Coco, Blake & Ruby, hear me out! These people would try, but they would be in complicated circumstances. Qrow is a good uncle and mentor, but there's a hug gap between that & parenting so I think as he is currently trending he could eventually get there, but he might trip and fall. Coco is in similar position of needing some more growth.

Now, Ruby and Blake are more complex, because they know what a good parent looks like (The Belladonna, Yang, ETC) but also have a lot of complicated history. Being raised by a sibling 2 years older & time spent as a child soldier.

Made more complicated by the fact both are liable to be huge public and political figures. For Blake especially this would be a struggle as she'd fear her kids going down the same path she did but also want to give them freedom and basically ping pong a lot. While Ruby would struggle to know how to balance her various complexes with parenting. Again, with growth and help they'd be great, but as it stands, they'd be messy but well intentioned.

Good parents: Weiss, Oscar, Penny all have the makings of good parents I feel, especially Weiss and Oscar. Penny might have a bit of a learning curve, but I also don't see her becoming a parent till she feels she's ready. Provided that context she'd do well I think.

Great Parents: Yang already raised Ruby and that started when she was like 5, she's only had room to grow and improve since then. She's well aware of all the ways a parent can hurt a child intentionally or on accident and work to avoid them while creating the best environment possible.

Nora, and Ren would I think, once they work out their issues, also be excellent parents. The main trip up would be in more common knowledge stuff they may have missed, rather than a lack of ability to handle a child. Still as a pair and with their friends they'd cover those things before they became an issue and rock on.

i feel like causing discourse. who in rwbys main cast would be the worst parents. bonus points if answers are funny

[thebvbbletea]

I just finished skam italia season 5 today and...... surprisingly i love it so much!!! I think from all of the original season that we got from the remakes, it deserve to be put on top 3 after druck's nora and skamfr's lola.

The whole thing about elia's body insecurity is makes a lotttttttt of sense. It may seems simple, but honestly penis size always become a great deal among boys and a lot of teenager experience it. It also feel refreshing because this kind of theme never got explored in another skam.

I also love how they potray how elia still can't get over his mother's death and despise his father for having a new relationship. I mean, I know it's not fair for his father, but it's always hurt most how the people that you expect would be in as much pain as yours slowly moved on.

I also really love how they handle the friendship dynamics between the whole cast. Contrabbandieri always be my favorite version from all of the boy squad, and it super clear that they learn a lot of thing from martino's problem in season 2. They notice elia is down? They immediately ask him why. They notice that luca is uncomfortable? They immediately say sorry.

And not only the dynamics within contrabbandieri, but also the dynamics between the whole group. Elia x fede bonding, elia x le matte heart-to-heart moment, elia x fillipo roommate bonding, elia x niccoló moment we've never thought about before, le matte's internal friendship, the fact that they also never forget to include rose squad everytime they having a party.

And!!!! we even get the contrabbandieri x villa boy moment that we've been waiting since season 1 (the fact that netflix once again bringing chicco rodi and mention rocco martucci because we obsessed with them is so funny lmao). I also surprisingly love viola and all of her friend. I love how similar they're to le matte in season 1, asia definitely stood out to me.

AND ONE THING THAT I'M SOOOOO GRATEFUL FOR is how sana mention that malik would convert back to Islam, and it's not for her, but because he find a great imam and finally believing in Allah again. I LOVE THIS MOMENT SO MUCH!!! We never got sana x practising muslim in any other version, so this moment got me in tears 😭

ALSO! The whole spera thing is a really massive plot twist. Butttt, I kinda like it. It show us that sometimes the person that you supposedly trust the most (he is a teacher + counselor, he is supposed to be one of the people that you should trust the most) could be a horrible person, a pedophile.

The final scene when le matte closing their radio is also an emotional thing for me, it kinda look like they saying goodbye and passing the torch to the next gen, I mean it's fine by me if they decide to have a next season with a next gen, but it just don't feel the same......

The only 'meh' thing I found in this season is the car crash. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE HECK all of the remakes seems super obsessed with car crash?! 😭 It didn't give any depth to the story itself. And also the moment in the finale when elia suddenly ready to have sex with viola? Right after he talk about it to the new school counselor. It just feel too rushed out.....

ANYWAY, I honestly love this season. The friendship is amazing, the storyline is good, the cinematography is top notch, i also love the effort of bringing almost all of the characters from season 1 - 4 (It would be perfect if we could see ele and incantava moment for the last time though), and the acting!!!! especially from francesco is super good, he definitely one of the best actor in skamverse. This season feels just like any other season of skam italia, and I honestly need to see more of them, maybe please give us another season netflix? 🤞

[aequitas-if]

loved the update! (and that jasper snippet!!) your writing <33

some ask game questions:

for the ROs,

1. How does their social personality differ from how they act when they’re alone?

2. What is your character's trigger point? What makes them angry, sad or makes them go off?

and just in general (for whoever youd like!)

1. What colours best represent them and why? Does this differ from their favourites?

2. Are they the type of person to have a favorite shape?

im really loving your stuff! you're doing great!

I'm so glad you enjoyed the update and the snippet I posted! It's always nice to hear that someone is enjoying my writing!

Now onto your questions!

1. How does their social personality differ from how they act when they’re alone?

Alex: When she is alone, Alex is a lot less put together. She acts less serious and lets herself be a lot less composed than she is when she is around others.

Jasper: Jasper's a lot quieter when he's alone. He also tends to heavily focus on his work so he's a lot more serious. He's the opposite of Alex in an odd way.

Zoe: Zoe's similar to Jasper in the sense that she is a lot quieter when she's alone. Her favorite part of Earth is humanity so she actually struggles with being alone a bit.

Rowan: You would think that he would be calmer when he's alone but he's actually the opposite. Being alone just leaves him festering with his anger but he's only able to direct it at himself. That's why he's usually out beating the shit out of criminals when he's not working.

2. What is your character's trigger point? What makes them angry, sad or makes them go off?

Alex: Alex's trigger point is a lack of commitment. She is someone who cares deeply about her work and duties and expects the same from the ones she respects and cares about.

Jasper: Jasper's trigger point is a lack of trust or loyalty. Make a stupid mistake? Just tell him. Have a dumb plan? Let him know and he'll probably go along with it! If you're close to him, he wants you to trust him with things, the same he would do with you.

Zoe: Zoe's trigger point is lacking an open mind. The world and humanity are incredibly fascinating to her and it makes her upset when people don't even want to try to see the different parts of it. She also can't stand unnecessary cruelty. Nobody on the team can, but Zoe in particular hates it with a burning passion.

Rowan: Rowan's trigger point is similar to Alex's. He believes if you got a job to do, you should do it right, and it enrages him if you don't even try to. He also hates when people give up. You don't need to succeed, you just need to try. That's all he wants.

3. What colours best represent them and why? Does this differ from their favourites?

Alex: Her favorite color does actually suit her! Blue represents things like tranquility, stability, and authority which are all important traits of hers.

Jasper: I think that the color that best suits Jasper is orange. It represents things like happiness, friendliness, and enthusiasm.

Zoe: The color that best represents Zoe is yellow. It represents things like joy, warmth, and kindness. I don't remember her favorite color off the top of my head but yellow is definitely one of her favorites.

Rowan: Rowan is best represented by the color red. He's passionate, strong, and has his fair share of rage. It does differ from his favorite colors which are green and black.

Vesper: The color that best represents Vesper is grey. Based on my research it represents things like neutrality and detachment which I think suits them pretty well.

Vesper doesn't have a favorite color so I can't say that it differs in any way.

Leon: I think Leon is best represented by the color green. His entire character and its arc is about growth. His favorite color is blue which also suits him!

Juni: Juniper is another one I see as being represented by yellow. She's very energetic and full of life. It does differ from her favorite color but I think that green also suits her in some ways.

Nora: Nora is best represented by the color white. She is very hopeful and has a pure heart underneath her timid nature. She's another one who's favorite color I can't remember off the top of my head but white is definitely up there too.

Sebastian: Sebastian is best represented by the color purple. It signifies regalness, strength, and maturity. His favorite color is black which I think also suits him a lot.

4. Are they the type of person to have a favorite shape?

Vesper: Yes, it's definitely some weird shape though.

Jasper: He will argue to the ends of the earth that the best shape is an octagon.

Juni: She thinks circles are super fun!

[deeppenguinstudent]

First off, the Thea stuff are headcanons! Like how most of you hc like every single character and how hcs are a very very very VERY common thing in fandoms? Secondly, I've never seen anyone call her the youngest court player only about how she's a dark skinned woman and I think quite frankly one of the first few to be able to make it to court

And to say Nora cares only about white boys? Have we even been reading the same book? The diversity in aftg is one of the best I've ever seen - just because the main characters are white doesn't make it less representative? And quite frankly we have no idea on Theas relationship with Jean, all we know are three things:

1) she was the one who trained Jean

2) they are to some degree close with her nickname to Jean, Thea trusting Jean to be Kevin's messenger for their relationship and Jean saying Kevin brought Thea here because he knew Jean couldn't lie to her.

3) Thea did not know of the Ravens and what they did to Jean and called it his usual tendencies or whatever. Meaning she heard and believed the rumours Riko had spread and Kevin also not knowing the full extent of it despite seeing everything behind the curtains since he was perfect court.

Was she in the wrong for not questioning statuary rape? Yes, of course. Was she also somewhat brainwashed by the CULT they were in? Yes. Does that excuse her actions? No. Do people completely disregard the notes in the EC saying that Kevin did nothing to stop Riko and Tetsuji from harming Jean yet go around and blame Thea for not doing anything EVENTHOUGH Kevin had much more jurisdiction since he was perfect court and knew so much more? Yes!! If the King or master wouldn't listen to number 2, why the hell would they listen to some random Raven

Do we know enough about Theas character to make a conclusive arguement? Absolutely fucking not. These are why headcanons exist btw

To the last anon about how we should stop giving moral reasons for why we hate certain characters.

You’re half contradicting yourself. You just said that when we dislike a character we should just say that don’t get it cause it’s fiction and it’s not a moral debate and that’s it. Then in the next paragraph you said “I don't think it’s cause they genuinely dislike those things about the character. I think a lot of these people dislike them because they have an unchecked bias, and then try and nitpick every wrong thing they did to justify why they hate them and should be shunned by fandom.”

Right there you just morally justified why disliking or “not getting” certain characters is wrong?? It’s because of fans like you that other fans make walls of text justifying themselves, otherwise they are misogynists and racists. I’m sorry but if you wanted unlimited love for AFTG POC and female characters you picked the wrong series, cause Nora is all about the white boys and never bothered with the others.

Also “ You don't like that character you don't have to make up fake lore that didn't happen”. Anon I know the groomer allegations towards Thea are idiotic, but come on Thea fans also make up fake lore like how she protected Jean at the nest, and how she was the youngest court player in history, or that she’s bisexual.

.

[dragynkeep]

I think Volume 7-8 would have been so much more interesting if part of Team RWBY was actually agreeing with Ironwood. Like, minus everything else that made it a dumpster fire, having the team itself split between agreeing with Ruby or Robyn and agreeing with Ironwood would bring more tension, add flavor and spice to the story, make them seem more like INDIVIDUALS. Then you can have whatever “trust love” message you wanna put in as they (including Ironwood) come back together to fight the real villain: Mommy Salami, the Grimm witch trying to end the world, and not the traumatized general trying to fix everything with the limited time and information he has!

this has been a common criticism of the volume & for good reason, especially since the show had seemed like it was setting up this interteam conflict between who would believe that the plan to flee & fight another day was best while the others couldn’t stomach leaving anyone, no matter how much of a suicide mission it was. pragmatism versus idealism is a fantastic narrative fuse & it was barely used in this conflict. where it was used, it was used poorly.

the conflict with ren is essentially wrapped up after he shouts at jaune for something that doesn’t even matter instead of the multiple ways rwbyjnr have actually failed or caused harm in their travels, something i absolutely believe was intentional by mkek because they didn’t actually want to criticize their faves. having ren criticize something seemingly inconsequential & then have the audience follow through with disregarding it is exactly what they did with the criticism of blake & yang only partnering with each other & had marrow seem like the asshole in the scene.

even yang simply disagreeing with ruby is treated like she spit in her face & then slapped her when it was a valid argument; ruby shoved all of the adults out of the way to place herself as the leader which means she now has to take responsibility for when things go wrong. it doesn’t matter that she’s “young”, she can’t have her cake & eat it when she had pushed away all the adults who actually knew what they were doing with her cult mentality of “you’re with me or against me.”

even the theme of “trust love” fails on so many levels in the story because there is no trust. they ruined renora’s relationship with how they painted ren as the bad guy for having boundaries that nora ignored because it wasn’t what she wanted, all to then paint them as finally not knowing who they are without each other after 8 years? really? bumblby can’t even be apart for five minutes without  either girl breaking down & wondering if the other hates them for having free will  /  making their own choices which? why is this mirroring tauradonna of all ships, a relationship where blake was canonically abused? why does she look at yang when she enters the mansion the same way she looked at adam in the trailer when we’re supposed to believe this is a healthy relationship worth rooting for? when there’s been absolutely no evidence of yang being abusive unlike blake in volume 4 but yknow.

this didn’t even get into the instances of ruby & penny’s relationship, or qrownision’s whining over clover, or the bizarre last minute romantic feelings harriet apparently had for clover being shoved into the story to “justify” her descent into condoning mass murder. whatever themes these writers try to tell just fail consistently because at the end of the day, these characters aren’t driving the plot, the plot is driving them. they’re nothing more than lego dolls being moved & pushed into actions according to the demands of the plot & it leads to these massive inconsistencies in characterization & plot.

[theseerasures]

RWBY V08C14 reaction post

haven’t done something like this for this fandom yet, but the finale was so much all at once that i could not muster any level of critical thinking the first go-around. my thoughts have...settled somewhat with a second rewatch. still nothing conclusive (obviously), but at least coherent enough to be written down.

in rough chronological order:

i am very into it, of course, but i’m still not quite sure what to make of the fact that this finale very explicitly pivots around Winter Schnee, to the extent that the episode (sans prologue and coda) are bookended by her. she begins the episode charging into a fight, and ends it the same way. even putting aside that her in-universe presence has increased by magnitudes, that we end a season where she has mostly been a sparse supporting player with THIS has implications i can’t suss out for her narrative role going forward.

going into the finale i thought that Ironwood vs. Winter would turn out to be another RWBY Flagship Fight (ie long and flashy and indulgent in the best ways), but i pretty much knew that wouldn’t be the case once the fight began in earnest and they immediately started talking to each other.

for what we did get i’m happy to say that the Core Dynamic of the fight was exactly what i predicted: Winter rushing in to melee and not giving Ironwood enough time to fire, Ironwood trying to make room by shoving her away and using his cannon as a makeshift club--even down to breaking the cannon formation BACK to dual wielding to give himself an edge.

i will say that for Winter to have blocked him head-on--this is James Ironwood, who once stopped an Alpha Beowolf cold with one bionic hand, and now he’s got TWO--with her broken noodle arms is...incredibly cool. stupid! but cool.

Ironwood doing the double pistol whip while screaming about how no one is grateful has i wouldn’t have to be doing this if you just behaved all over it.

in retrospect i’m not sure why i expected a RWBY Flagship Fight when just about every fight this season has been extremely different. the camera work is always fucking frantic, we’re often cross-cutting between different simultaneous fights, and there are far fewer shots where both combatants are clearly shown and evenly matched. about the only fight we’ve had resembling that is AceOps vs Penny waaaaaaay back in Strings--even the low-stakes triumphant JNPER + Winter vs. Ironwood fight in Creation was extremely short and crosscut with BRA vs. AceOps.

case in point: the showdown in Grand Central takes up pretty much the entire episode, but combatants are continuously entering and exiting, the setting’s physical dimensions feel wonky and surreal, and the fact that half of the people fighting have flight capabilities means we’re relying on wide shots and oners to figure out what the fuck is going on. it’s a war now, and even though we follow only a handful of characters in it the fights carry that grander and more desperate tone.

Cinder relies twice this episode on just fucking nova-ing herself to overwhelm her Maiden opponents. it’s different from how she usually fights, which is still fireballs and conjured swords/projectiles--she’s learning to use her Maiden powers to wreak havoc on a larger scale, which a) reinforces what we already know of Cinder, but b) complements her recent relearning of subtlety and manipulation. still a tenuous balance of extremes that can and will shatter, though.

Weiss got to save everyone during the fight, and none of it mattered in the end.

the thing about priority one is that they all planned for this. they all went in planning for the contingency where they don’t make it out, where they have to watch others not make it out.

Weiss plucking Penny out of the air and Penny pleading to make the sacrifice play is an EXACT recreation of what happened in Enemy of Trust, down to the saved looking up at the savior while the savior is looking onward. she’s just swapped places with the Schnee in question, and...they are the priority targets this time, unfortunately.

Cinder smugly flipping her hair out of...her eyepatch...she really is living her best life and she knows it

Blake made the right choice, and it didn’t matter at all.

Qrow ending the last episode with a berserker charge at Harriet and then immediately pulling back here and trying to talk her down really got to me, as did him trying to block the bomb with his body. the man is so desperately trying to be better than he was, and it doesn’t take a lot anymore for him to realize the right path.

Elm and Vine--

the thing about Elm and Vine is that both their powers boil down to getting attached. so watching Elm hold Vine in place while Vine holds the two airships together, everyone in this little world, it’s...everything i could ever want, out of how the story of the AceOps would end.

Anairis Quinones for dark horse MVP. why can’t you just let me do my job, delivered in the way that it was, is the perfect encapsulation of Harriet Bree desperately trying to outrun her personal feelings and the grief it has given her.

Elm tells Harriet that she’s their friend, to stop her from killing a part of herself as she tries to kill others. it’s the first time this happens in the episode, but not the only time.

Penny saved Blake so they could save Ruby together, and it didn’t matter at all.

our heroes have GOT to stop falling for the “watch the thing flying in the air! OH WAIT I STILL HAVE A WEAPON IN MY HAND WALLOP WALLOP” trick. it happens multiple times in this one episode.

Harriet, who has the fastest Speed Semblance known, says there’s no time to make it out of the blast range. she doesn’t try to outrun it. she just...stays put, and admits that she brought them all here, to this. i’m sorry.

here’s the thing: they’re soldiers. they were prepared for this eventuality, where they don’t make it out. that’s why Elm let Vine go grab Harriet; because she thought they were all going to die, and if that happened she wanted Harriet close enough to reach.

but--just like with Team Hero--some of them do make it out. they just have to watch.

Vine and Hazel sacrificed themselves in the same way in the end: pulling their loved ones close wasn’t working, so they threw themselves around the thing trying to kill them instead.

Ruby was clever, and pragmatic, and brave. it didn’t matter in the end.

Cinder letting Neo fall as soon as she gets a chance proves that she still lacks patience, and that’s going to bite her in the ass.

the Penny-Blake fastball special and the fall; Penny crying tears for the first time, but not moving immediately to rage, as she had last episode, when Yang fell.

Weiss’ shaking hands around Gambol Shroud, crying berserker tears as she tries, desperately, to pull off another miracle. it’s another role reversal in a way: her sister’s the Riza Hawkeye, but she’s the one emptying useless clip after useless clip into an enemy she can’t kill, because her heart has been ripped in two.

the last time Nora Valkyrie saw Jaune Arc, they clasped hands, and their eyes met with determination, and hope.

it figures that a Schnee would be the last one standing, letting all her friends die first. she was right, but again: wrong Schnee.

Weiss diving past Cinder’s blind spot to slice the Grimm Arm, to save Penny--the same script, but the wrong player. and too late.

at Haven, Jaune went from trying to do harm to unlocking his Semblance, and realizing that he was meant to heal. here, he goes from trying to do what he is meant to do, what he has made peace with, to...

it will take a long time, i think, for him to learn to live with himself, even with Penny reassuring him that this is what she wants. to go from wanting to harm to being the one who does no harm, to being forced to acknowledge a person’s right to die, and carry out the deed himself. it’s a new variation on what he’s always had to wrestle with since Pyrrha’s sacrifice.

Weiss managed to outlast Cinder Fall without an Aura WITHOUT getting her entire body broken, Winter

the boundary between material worlds is made of darkness. the boundary between souls is made of light, and there is no danger of falling.

where...what is this? of course Winter doesn’t know. she never would have, even if she had gotten the powers, because she would have used the Transfer machine.

i thought of you, and here we are. that was all it took. the last time Penny saw Winter, Winter was still loyal to Ironwood. she’s only known abstractly, secondhand from Weiss, that Winter was on their side again and trying to help save Mantle, for about an hour. and yet: i thought of you.

and in the face of this thought that is love, Winter averts her eyes. tries in vain to hide her face, because she knows she is unworthy. she doesn’t deserve this.

but here’s the thing: no one deserves this. Penny. are you...the one? even Penny herself wasn’t sure.

you were my friend. the second time it happens this episode. friends save friends from themselves. friends transform what would have been murder into sacrifice.

remember what Penny said to Cinder, shortly before Cinder killed her? you wouldn’t know anything about friends. she’s right. it wasn’t Cinder’s choice, but she’s right. and now Cinder has learned how to use that.

i’ll be part of you. it is, of course, something that’s been brought up repeatedly this whole season. but it’s also what Winter said to Penny after Fria died: she’s a part of you now.

and i do love this yoking together of arc words. Winter is of course the firstborn Schnee, but Winter is, more broadly, The Firstborn in this new generation. so here we have something similar to the chain that begins with Winter letting her sisters go, through Penny letting Emerald go, through Emerald helping Oscar escape, to Atlas’ however ephemeral victory over Salem. what Winter begins--haltingly and with resentment--becomes transformed into radiant grace in the hands of her younger siblings. and she gets to be the direct benefactor this time. the prodigal daughter returns to her family.

during Enemy of Trust we watched from the outside as Oscar fell and Penny rose, as one set of eyes closed as another opened. during The Final Word, we watch from the inside: one set of eyes close. another opens.

Winter’s leitmotif plays on the piano for the first time since the previous season as she comes back to the world. it makes sense. the piano version is for her sisters, and she just left one of them.

here is the apotheosis of Winter Schnee: she gets back up. she falters and sways but she gets back up, and then she, the person who once managed to convince herself that so long as she could make peace with someone else’s choice it meant she too was choosing, tells the man who has been choosing for her for years: you chose nothing. and she rises.

in the end James Ironwood was finished by his petard thrice over. Atlas had defected against him. his greatest creation had become the Maiden and unshackled herself from him. and there is of course, the cannon: a literal petard, in the other words, which he fires at Winter, and Winter reflects back upon him.

Jaune Arc used the heirloom that his family has held for generations to kill a defenseless girl. he took the blade and sunk it in deep, because Penny trusted him and he had to be sure.

and then it shattered in his hands.

there’s something here in the second fight between Maidens, about Cinder having a named weapon and forsaking it for what she can make on the fly, and Winter insistent on using a weapon with no name at all, but i still can’t put my finger on it.

Winter never got to see Weiss try to Summon her Nevermore.

the thing that gets me about how it turns out is: Winter was winning. she’d managed to get her hands on the Staff, and even with Cinder’s immediate counterattack she managed to get the Staff away from Cinder. but then Cinder saw Jaune and Weiss, and she remembered a few days ago, when Penny saved Winter instead of going after Cinder, when Winter attacked Cinder to save Penny.

so Cinder attacks Weiss and Jaune instead of racing for the Staff. and Winter--

this is Winter Schnee. she saves people despite herself. she runs toward them, despite herself. and it has always, always been what saves her.

not anymore.

last time it had been Winter who was in mortal danger, and Weiss who, with Ruby’s help, drove Cinder off. same script, wrong player. and too late.

Weiss falls and for a moment, the camera makes it seem like Winter is falling too.

she wants to. no one deserves this.

the thing you have to ask when characters leap for the exit and fall just short is: is it about faith, or friendship? in Jaune’s case it’s both. his faith broke with Crocea Mors. and the portal is one-way, so he had no friends to grab him from the other side.

but Nora was still trying. they clasped hands. she promised.

the first time Winter sees her family--really sees them, after years of separation--she averts her eyes. she hides her face from them, because how can she tell them that Weiss is gone? how can she tell Penny’s friends that Penny is a part of her now, when Penny is just a part, now?

there are people all around her looking to her. there are voices within her. she has never been more alone.

(Winter Schnee has never met Pyrrha Nikos, and Pyrrha Nikos never became Maiden. because Pyrrha Nikos never became Maiden. Cinder Fall did that, too.)

this is what Winter Schnee thinks, as she screams and charges, as she kills Grimm faster than they are drawn in by her despair: in the fairy tales, eldest siblings never win.

i failed you again, master. master, but not queen.

Cinder won this. the heroes tried and tried and tried and none of it mattered, and she won this. but here’s the thing: Cinder won because she was LUCKY, and because she made her own luck. that she was able to pin things on Neo and Team Hero depended on things going exactly as planned, and some things going better than planned. and the reason she’d even made it that far was because she cheated, with the last use of a divine relic. it doesn’t take away her from her victory, but what i do know is this: this is her finest moment. she will never win as completely ever again, and she will fall farther than she has ever feared. (and that will save her, in the end.)

and that’s checkmate. i said that i wanted Atlas to fall the same way that Amity rose, but of course they did it like this. of course it would horrific yet unspectacular, with its General slumped in defeat, unable to fire a single shot from his gun. with the city in the sky falling onto Mantle, in Mantle’s palette. from the Dust from which it arose into Dust again.

as below, so above.