#idk who you're supposed to be rooting for in this show

[fiftysevenacademics]

Tired: Zhou Zhishu x Wen Kexing

Wired: Ye Baiyi x Wen Kexing

Inspired: Ye Baiyi x Wen Kexing x Zhou Zhishu

[ddollfface]

𝐀 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐲

𝙆𝙖𝙩𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙞 𝙊𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙝𝙞 𝙔𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙣𝙨

Warnings; bad writing, might be ooc (don't come at me lol), not proofread, obsessional behavior, idk if this is really Yandere tbh, honestly, this is just be dipping my toes into fanfiction... If I missed anything, then please let me know ♡ I've only watched the tv shows, so all of my information comes from that and the wiki. If anyone knows where to read the manga, then please message me! Also, this is inspired by @mothwingwritings and @yandere-writer-momo ♡

Throughout the series, Katsumi is shown to be loyal to those he deems close and important to him. One of these people is Karate (I suppose, it's a thing, but whatever). Even when faced with people he respects, like Retsu, he refuses to give it up, to deny the power it has. This is shown during the tournament saga where Retsu demands that Katsumi admit that Chinese Kenpō is superior to Karate, of course, he denies it.

Now, what does this say about Katsumi? Well, it shows that when he feels loyalty towards someone/something, he'll cling to it and fight for it until his last breath. Katsumi is strong-willed, and never gives in without a fight; he fights for others' honor. He's been shown to have a vengeance streak, where he'll seek out those he's deemed to have defamed the people he holds dear to him.

He's very smooth with his words and has a boyish charm to him, allowing you to drop your guard when you really shouldn't. His sheepish smile and constant cocky appeal cause you to feel relaxed and underestimate him, forgetting that he's a dangerous man who could snap you in half with his pinky. It's really too easy for him to find where you live, sneak into your apartment, and watch you. All without you noticing; how sweet of you. You don't even realize that Katsumi has grown so attached, not noticing how close he sticks to your side or how his eyes darken whenever you talk to Retsu or Katou (if he ever comes around).

I can imagine Katsumi with most types of darlings, but I think he'd lean towards darlings who are a Good Samaritan. How they show that empathetic behavior solely depends on their personality. You don't have to be energetic and bubbly to be a good person and to help others, instead, you can be quiet and timid. You can be a little colder, but as long as you're willing to step in and help others when they're in need, even if you might put yourself in danger, Katsumi will ultimately find you attractive and court you.

I think that the empathetic characteristic is the root of his attraction, seeing you be so kind and caring just makes his heart swell. He knows you're a good person, and that's what makes you so attractive. Well, you're appearance is also a key factor, but ignore that.

Katsumi just wants someone selfless and willing to put themselves on the line for others, no matter if they know the person or not, as he knows that they'd make a good partner, a good mama. That's ultimately Katsumi's goal in life: to have a family. I subscribe to the headcanon that Katsumi has a breeding kink and he loves children; I don't care what anybody says.

There's no doubt in my mind that he's a loverboy who just wants someone to love, but things go wrong when that love isn't recognized or reciprocated. Not only that, but Katsumi's love can be... overbearing, to say the least. He can get a little too excited, especially when he's around you. And that's when his boyish nature comes in. He becomes too aggressive with his courting tactics (this is similar to Ali Jr. and Baki, me thinks).

These three guys, especially Katsumi, have been shown to be a little blinded by arrogance and their youth (not saying that other characters, who are older, haven't). They're all in their early twenties, and Katsumi being twenty in the Pickle saga, meaning they don't have a lot of experience with women.

Now that we're on the topic of experience, I think that Katsumi has been on dates with women, talked to women, and flirted with women. I mean, look at him. He's attractive, both physically and emotionally, and he's in the prime of his life. Not only that, but he's the adoptive son of Doppo Orochi, though I doubt that matters to most girls, but whatever. This means that he's got money, a lot of it. Doppo's wealth has been reiterated throughout the series that Katsumi is a spoiled kid, and I see that point.

So there's no denying that girls are attracted to him, and I think Katsumi isn't afraid to go up to women; he's quite charismatic. But why doesn't he have a girl? I think that's partially because of his dedication to his martial arts, making it difficult to maintain a relationship, and most girls wouldn't stick around for that. Now, that factor wipes out half of his dating pool, making it difficult for him to have anything but a one-night stand or a few dates.

He can't help but long for someone deeper, long for someone who truly cares for him. Katsumi wants someone who needs him, and relies on him to be provided for, and cared for. He wants to be acknowledged for his hard work, how calloused his hands are, and how good of a leader he strives to be. He just wants someone who'd be his cheerleader, someone who'd support him the way he'd support them.

This drive and desperate need for someone causes him to act irrationally when he finally finds someone even close to his dreams. It doesn't matter where or when you meet, whether it's before or after he's lost his arm, as long as he feels that recognition, he's lovestruck.

(This is where I go off on a tangent, I'm so sorry)

I've read a book called Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell, and it's all about humans and how we think as a species. He goes on and on about this thing called thin slicing. Thin slicing is an ability that all humans have, something we've developed through years of evolution, and it's the ability to make a split-second decision (on a situation or person) based off of little information. According to Gladwell, we do this every day. Thin slicing is fueled by our fight or flight response, more so whether or not we fight, fight, or freeze.

Gladwell says that the moment we make eye contact with someone, or speak a singular word with someone, we've already decided whether or not we like them or not, whether or not we'll befriend them. In multiple studies, Gladwell cites, he says that you can determine whether or not a couple will have a long-lasting relationship just based off of one conversation, a conversation that's no more than a minute long.

It's all about subconscious cues we give off when we speak, much like the phrase 'actions speak louder than words.' Certain cues attract people to each other, unknowing actions that we do that pull others toward us.

Honestly, it's a really interesting thing, and I think that because a lot of Baki men rely on their instincts, and they use thin slicing in every one of their fights, they'll use their instincts to determine who their darlings are. If you were to ask any of the Baki men, in this hypothetical world where they have a darling, I think they wouldn't be able to answer. That they wouldn't know. And that's because it was an instinctual decision, something they knew subconsciously the moment they met you, you, you.

There was just something about you that drew them in, and they would be able to give a broad definition, but they wouldn't be able to tell specifics. And that's the beauty of attraction, so if you think about it, love at first sight is a real thing, yeah?

End of tangent

Because of this, he'll take any one of your interactions and dramatize them. You say that it's cold outside? Now, he thinks you're trying to hint to him that you want his jacket (you don't; you were making small talk). You say that you think his hair looks nice today? Welp, that means you must want to play with his hair, right (Natsue just told you he got a haircut). Hell, your shoulders brush against each other while you two are walking? You're practically telling him that you want a hug! (No, you just were too close to the street).

The point is that any normal reaction or conversation is used to fuel his obsession with you. Within a few weeks of knowing each other, he's thinking that you're going to be the mama of his children. There's no doubt in his mind that you're meant to be. Katsumi will even look at your zodiacs. Did you know that you two are compatible? What a coincidence. It must be fate.

[chaifootsteps]

the other thing I thought watching that Brandon TikTok clip - besides that his response ate - was "what do these cosplayers even want him to apologize for?"

Blitzo already apologized to Stolas and it was arguably better apology than the one he gave Fizz! He straight up told Stolas 'you're too good for me, I don't understand why you would want me' and dropped all his legitimate grievances with him just to coddle Stolas' feelings (just have to Stolas give a response that shows he cares jack shit about Blitzo's insecurities and anyone would do, which he then proved by making out with the first guy who propositioned him when Blitzo was right there)

like maybe the cosplayer was just doing a bit (though why would Bee care if Stolas is weeping all over the place? she doesn't know him, as far as it's been established in the show anyway) but it feels like a lot of shippers won't be satisfied until Blitzo starts roleplaying whatever romantic fantasy Stolas wants or just grovels on the floor at his feet. that's basically what the show is saying should happen and idk how anyone can be onboard with the ship at this point if that isn't what they're rooting for, since it's obviously all the show wants to give them

and if Brandon's been getting a lot of these 'just apologize!' roleplay with me types, I don't blame him for dropping the mask and pointing out how not only shortchanged but abused his character - the supposed main character of the show - is.

the thing is he knows what the finale of the show is going to be, so if the episodes don't offer him any catharsis he might as well do it himself as a roleplay response

My thoughts pretty much exactly. I think that even if by some slim chance he really isn't bothered by the ship or the show's direction, it's got to be tiring constantly getting requests from fans wanting him to act out their highly specific roleplay fantasies.

"You want an apology to Stolas? He's a privileged piece of shit who took advantage of me and I don't care if he's crying in his mansion getting his tiny cock sucked. Leave me alone."

[stalltherain]

I'm half way through season 3 of Haven, and here's my personal summary.

So there's this woman named Audrey who is an FBI agent, except she's not actually an FBI agent at all. She has some other woman's memories. That woman shows up and then has her memories wiped and just goes away. Turns out Audrey doesn't age or something and is actually at least 3 different people I guess.

Then there's basically her 2 love interests.

First is a saltine wafer of a man named Nathan. He's boring. He's also a cop, so in 2010 that probably made him more attractive to a general audience than it does in 2024.

He's white-boy hot, so Audrey has feelings for him for some reason I don't see.

His "thing" is that he can't feel anything -- except Audrey's touch. Since he's a pretty white man cop in 2010's, it's apparently supposed to be romatic that the main reason he likes her is for what she does for him. He brings the bare minimum to the table and is unattractively jealous of Duke (to be described later).

I think I'm supposed to be rooting for him and Audrey to get together. I'm not.

Here he is. Bland & pretty (attractive you're into that).

Then there's this god-damned smoke show named Duke who serves cunt every time he's on screen . We're supposed to think he's a bad guy because at the start of the show he smuggles alcohol and cigars. He owns a bar. He also bullied Nathan in grade school. (So I guess that makes him evil forever? Idk. Nathan can't seem to let it go even after Duke apologizes. We're constantly reminded Duke is "a criminal".)

Duke spends the whole show so far doing whatever Audrey needs even when there's no benefit to himself and trying to help other people (again with no benefit for himself). Unlike Nathan and Audrey, he's not even getting paid for it.

He's snarky and claims he's only out himself -- even though that's consistently not true.

He's got "bad boy" vibes without actually doing much bad at all. Oh, and as if they didn't already make this dude hot enough, he has an ability that's basically this show's flavor of a demon hunter (except the demons are people with powers who do damage unintentionally), but he refuses to use his powers because he doesn't want to be a killer (always making exceptions when someone else needs him to - especially Audrey).

Anyway, this face

I'm conflicted about whether I want to keep watching. Everything seems to be telegraphing that I'm going to hate where this goes.

But damn would it be so satisfying if a snarky, morally gray character like Duke "got the girl" and came out ahead. (Or rather, from my perspective as "a girl", I'd prefer more stories where "the girl" chooses the more complex, devoted guy who's most looking out for her over selfish bland, blonde white guy number five billion and three.)

[letters-to-rosie]

Sorry I'm sending so many asks, tho I'm curious if you have any tips on writing race in the Arcane universe. Clearly it's not the same as the real word but it a showrunner were to say point blank that racism doesn't exist in Arcane I think I'd get really mad. Idk, if you're still figuring it out sorry, I I'm just curious

lmao no problem I never stop talking anyway

but not only do I never mind getting asks, I was THRILLED to get this one. this isn't in my wheelhouse. it IS my wheelhouse. it's what I'm getting the phd for so they'll let me teach this sort of shit lol. I was literally so excited when I saw this that I had to make myself get to a certain stopping point on my final paper for my history of race class (how fitting) as a motivation so I could come answer afterward lol

the real key to it is something you've already identified in the ask itself: that it's not the same as the real world, but it's definitely there. and with that in mind we can think of talking about how race comes about

so I'mma break this into two sections. the first is about dealing with race (or racialization) in a fantasy setting like Arcane, and the second will be on how real-world structures still have a bearing on what we write about those fictional worlds and how they're perceived. okay, let's get into it (and let me type properly lol)

Because race isn't rooted in biological reality, it's constantly shifting. It's meanings are never fixed, but because race is a way we naturalize the world around us (much like gender stereotypes), it appears more permanent than it is. Now, this isn't discounting racialized violence any group has endured. But the process of defining who belongs to what group, where the dividing lines are, what racial stereotypes mean, and so on, is ongoing.

Race is a popular way of dealing with difference, but it's far from the only one. So what we have to ask is how a group of people become not just different but fundamentally different in ways you can assign supposed traits and behaviors to them. There are a lot of ways this can happen, and every instance has its own historical specificity. Also, every instance is caught up in a "web," so to speak, of cultural context, understandings, and referents (riffing Clifford Geertz and Stuart Hall a little here) that allow people in that web to make sense of the world around them and to understand themselves. So it's very messy, but often we can find some key events that set the process of making a race, racialization, in motion. A good example IRL is the way that brown people of all backgrounds were racialized as vaguely threatening in post-9/11 America. Another is the Transatlantic slave trade, which gave economic incentives for dehumanizing black people and, eventually in the U.S., created a social structure where people who were only partially black could still be enslaved, which is how you get tan black people like me lol. Another example could be the absorption of various European immigrant groups into whiteness throughout U.S. history, or the effort to separate the Japanese from other East Asians after they beat Russia in a war in 1905.

In general, we're asking "what set racialization in motion?" A war? Colonial expansion? Mass immigration? Capitalism? Usually you don't have just one, and usually race combines with one of those forces to exacerbate a previously-held idea of difference in a society. So all of a sudden those people aren't just different, but they might as well be a different species.

In Arcane, we don't get enough backstory to say anything definitively, but we can assume that the divide between Piltover and Zaun is primarily economic. The game lore suggests some colonization, too. In any case, by the time of the show, there are already:

firmly-established delineations between Piltovans and Zaunites

a stereotyping that hides the complexity of the problems the cities face (see Jayce saying to Viktor that the Zaunites are criminals; of course, he's worried about Jinx, but he's operating on the assumption that the Zaunites are acting up because of their criminality, which hides other motivations for their behavior; in all likelihood, most of them were upset because they couldn't get to work, which would lead to a loss of wages and more economic precarity than they already experience)

a robust system of incarceration, police brutality, and environmental racism leading to disparate health outcomes across groups

and a division of labor that relies on all of the above (though I REALLY wish they'd explain more about the mines I need to KNOW)

So, again, it's not race as such, but it's helpful because we can see that it's not entirely reducible to social class, ether. If it were, Viktor would have had a much easier time, and there would be more economic mobility both up and down the ladder. I think it's more than fair to say that racilization is at work, even though the characters have a wide array of physical features on both sides of the river. Racialization can most certainly happen even when the people involved look mostly alike (see the English and the Irish for the classic example).

Okay, so we've established that some race-y things are going on. What about the second part? What about the real world?

We have to be honest and note that our real-world experiences are going to affect how we engage with these characters. This isn't inherently a bad thing, but it's important that we're aware and cautious, handling the question of race delicately. I, for one, have been really disappointed in some of the audience reception of the show's black characters (and a teeny bit in how I feel like their arcs were rushed compared to the wider cast). I'm not really invested in any ship involving Jayce, not gonna lie (though I will say it takes a lot for me to get invested in a ship in general; I have to really click with it to care), but the hate Mel gets over shipping cannot be separated from mysognoir. It just can't. Likewise, with Ekko, I'm sometimes nervous about descriptions of his body that remind me of the VERY long tradition of fetishizing black men to hell and back. But he also gets the short end of the stick in shipping sometimes, and I think his relatively lower popularity in fandom is likely related to his race.

This is me, a black woman, calling it as I see it. We could also get into Sky, but that's a whole other thing. I think that when we engage with these characters, it's important to note what is actually in the text and what might be a projection of our world's current concepts of race onto the fantasy world.

So, for example, assuming Caitlyn is better at math than Vi because her facial features are East Asian. Vi is Jinx's sister. Vi is better at math, presumably, at least in terms of talent, since Vi wouldn't have gotten to go to school. A way to work in the racialization of the show's setting could be for Vi to express frustration with people think ing she's dumb just because of where she's from, or she could be upset she doesn't know something not because she is a Zaunite but because Zaun is so oppressed that Vi never got a proper education.

Mel is a pretty calm character. If someone wrote her as very angry, for example, I'd be like whoa, sounds like the stereotype that black women are angry is at work here. Mel expresses anger at her mother, but otherwise she's very level-headed. For an example in the setting, perhaps Mel tells a close confidante she's a bit tired of the veneer of civility Piltover can put on. Race works in multiple directions. By saying the Zaunite are the rowdy ones, it's saying Piltovans can't be (not that they actually can't, just under their world's racial logic). How would this play out in Mel's life? Could make for an interesting fic.

One example I can speak on personally, because I'm writing it, is my attempt to engage elements of real-world black radicalism with the Arcane universe. Like, I have lines that Ekko says in one chapter that are deeply inspired by one of the most famous Pan-Africanists in U.S. history. But I can't map that thought onto, say, Mel, just because she's black. Her position in the society is such that real-world blackness doesn't really have anything to do with her outside of her reception by the audience. I do, however, engage that sort of thought with other Zaunite characters, mainly Jinx, despite her being white in the real-world framework. In the setting, she's racialized as a Zaunite, and I'm proceeding accordingly, working with those categories of race instead of the ones I deal with in my real life.

Another thing I'm very wary of is beauty being attached to skin color. I'm a bit wary of skin color being mentioned a lot in fics in general, honestly. In a world where skin color isn't the means by which people are divided, it wouldn't be nearly as worth noting. What about...accents? Perceived intelligence? Did Viktor go to Piltover and have people go "oh, you're so articulate"? I bet he did.

Okay, this is getting very long. Pretty much what I'm trying to say is that the answer is to think about what race does in the real world and then think about how it would work in Arcane or any other fantasy setting. What gets people designated as a race? What stereotypes are associated with them? How do people resist this? and so on.

And on the flip side, we have to be attentive to how race in the real world might be coloring our perceptions of certain characters. By being conscious of this, we can avoid potentially reinforcing real-world racial logic. And by examining what racial logic is and what it does, we can become prepared to deal with it in the real world.

(and yeah I would also not enjoy a showrunner saying it doesn't exist in the universe lol)

[marcilled]

hi Vivian! I've been meaning to ask about reading dungeon meshi for a while but I've been super low on things to read for a bit now so I want to take the plunge! I wanted to ask, are there any "caveats" you have about recommending it? I know sometimes people will love a thing but actually not recommend it to others lol. I don't think this is one of those situations but I wanted to check :) Or if there's anything like "the first couple chapters are slow but then it picks up" you know. Also do you have suggestions for a good place to read it?

You've just activated an unskippable cutscene. *rubs hands together gleefully*

For those not aware (if you follow me you're probably aware... but just in case), Dungeon Meshi is a fantasy comedy manga by author Ryoko Kui about a group of adventurers who have to cook and eat monsters to survive in a dungeon. It's a seinen, meaning it's targeted more towards adults, which really shows in a lot of its plot beats and humor- like how the party nearly disbands because Laios (the party leader) can't afford to pay everyone upfront, etc. It's also not entirely accurate to call it a comedy, really, it's an action/adventure series that focuses on comedy, oftentimes dark humor. Which brings me to your question!

I don't have any big caveats for recommending Dungeon Meshi, I think it's a series just about anyone can pick up and get enjoyment out of! But there are some things I think are worth warning about, since the story actually gets pretty serious later on, and explores some potentially triggering themes.

Here's some content warnings for dunmeshi I can provide just off the top of my head (that shouldn't spoil anything on their own); Body horror, eye trauma/eye injuries, asphyxiation, cannibalism, blood, some gore, unsettling imagery, uhh general warning for? psychological themes (idk how to word this or even warn for this without spoiling though) and mentions of child abuse.

There's probably more that I'm forgetting, but despite its reputation for being silly, dungeon meshi gets pretty damn dark at times!! All the same, it is, to its core, built upon the humor- even in the tensest, most dramatic chapters, there's always something to lighten the mood, something to make you smile. It's kind of surprising, really, how masterfully Ryoko Kui finds this balance of drama vs. humor. No one illustrates this dichotomy better than Laios...

(least spoiler-y image I could find)

As for slow starts... I suppose it depends on what you're hoping to see in dungeon meshi! If you're excited about izutsumi (the catgirl), she doesn't show up until much later on in the manga. There's some other popular characters that don't show up for a while, either. Also, I just re-read the first chapter before answering this ask- the start is a bit slow, i.e. everything seems low stakes at first, but I think that's only to dungeon meshi's benefit tbh. I kinda dislike when series will show their hand way too soon. I think the premise and presentation of dungeon meshi is strong enough on its own, although the early art style is really unrefined and messy compared to the modern chapters. The art gets so much better as time goes on! As do the characterizations... You really get the sense that their personalities weren't entirely figured out yet in chapter 1. I think that's fine, though, the roots are all there.

All this being said... I'm gonna be honest with you, I've never actually re-read dungeon meshi from my initial read of it! and I've been keeping up for each new chapter since, like, 2018, which is crazy to think about... I really ought to do a re-read sometime, it'll give me a fresh perspective I'm sure. truthfully I just struggle to read things, which is the only reason I haven't reread it like 10 times. I still love it to bits anyway. I hope that this answer is enlightening regardless, and- oh! also! you can read dungeon meshi on Mangadex, though I recommend buying it physically if they sell it where you live :-)!!

Anyhow thank you for indulging me, i love talking about dungeon meshi & introducing new people to the series! i hope you enjoy it!!!

[brsb4hls]

I might be the only one upset at this, but what happened to Neil saying that Aziraphale and Crowley rescue each other? If I'm remembering correctly, in an ask he said that Aziraphale has saved Crowley plenty of times and it just wasn't in s1? It's such a tv show good omens thing and I don't take what is said outside of the media as canon, but S2 has only enforced that Crowley saves Aziraphale and not the other way around. That Crowley saves the day, that Crowley is main character material, and that Crowley is supposed to be who we're rooting for and sympathize with more. Having Azirpahale say out loud that saving him makes Crowley happy (like so many other things, explicitly said instead of shown) pushes it more and more. I don't like it. And I don't like that even after that scene where Aziraphale says he does have a plan, he does one thing and is like that was my plan that's all I've got. It's a characterization thing and a pet peeve for me mixed into one. Idk if anyone else feels the same way, but this whole saving business has gotten away from me.

You're definitely not the only one struggeling with that characterization.

They way they are presented reinforces a very cliched (and imbalanced) character dynamic.

Aziraphale is the soft (albeit slightly bitchy) reluctant one and Crowley the bad boy with a heart of gold who saves the day.

Which is a) boring af and b) pretty straight.

Which is why it works so well in fandom.

It's a character dynamic that a lot of people are familiar with, because typical romances work that way, we have a lot of them and are used to them, so they resonate.

It does take away from the uniqueness of their characters though.

The fun thing about Crowley and Aziraphale is that they are not fullfilling typical roles.

(Book) Crowley tries to be cool, but is failing spectacularily, while Aziraphale is supposed to be the rightous one, but his moral compass is all over the place.

That dynamic creates comedy and some great philosophical points to think about.

And it could have easily be transferred to the show.

I also agree that the one-sidedness of the tv relationship makes it feel a bit off.

Yes, Aziraphale makes heart eyes (thank you Michael Sheen for saving the script I guess), but is pretty passive otherwise.

He doesn't even ask why Crowley's plants are suddenly living in the Bentley, even though he carries them around.

It might be the lack of Terry Pratchett, it might be Gaiman, it might be Finnemore (I'm not familiar enough with his work).

It's a shame though, their original dynamic is amazing.

I do recommend 'Crowley gets summoned and Aziraphale saves him fanfic, there's some really good stuff.

(If I remember correctly there's also a bamf!Aziraphale tag, for balance).

[canonically47]

reviewwwwwwwwwwwww

hi anon ur on time as always!!

disventure camp all stars episode 5 spoilers!

(but you knew that)

i was wrong on... so many theories, but that's fine! i actually think this might be my favorite episode of the season so far and i couldn't really tell you why, i think stuff is just finally being put into motion

it's annoying as hell to see my favorite alliance be exposed by one of my favorite characters, WHO AM I SUPPOSED TO ROOT FOR?? jk it's the villains' alliance because three of my favs are on there. miriam is craftyyy though

i audibly giggled at some stuff yul said but "thunder thighs"?? THUNDER THIGHS?????????? oh my god i need this twink obliterated. get in the grinder i will turn you into a burger patty

riya was pretty fun this episode. i have to admit i'm disappointed grett wasn't the one to vote yul but i think it's too early in her arc for her to stand up against him anyways. it's definitely being built up, but it's not the time yet. it's also in-character for riya to do that, and letting connor take the fall instead of herself? god how does connor even stand her? i love evil women i have turned a new leaf i support women's rights AND wrongs riya kiss me let's have a PASSIONATE make out session

tomden friendship has become one of my favorite dynamics, and while i'm still unsure if i like tom, aiden definitely has some good moments in this episode as always

i wonder if tom and jake will EVER make up like this is just so complicated atp.. tom admitting he's been ignoring jake and that hesitation he showed in the confessional - oh my god pleaseee talk to each other pleaseeeee

ellie lying to gabby :( please don't miscommunicate lovelies you're the only good couple left to see on the show

fiore being scared to lose :( my sweet little girl :( she's a manipulative bitch but she's still just an eight-year-old girl :( i love her sooo much :( please go forth baby you can do it :(((

i am so curious as to how ally's arc will play going forward, i wonder if tess will have a role in it too. i'm definitely excited to see the next few episodes

speaking of the next few episodes, EMILY AND YUL??? SNEAKING OUT????? i think a cheating plotline is too far-fetched, going against the chat here lol, but i wonder if emily could be helping yul cheat in the game. she seemed nervous to leave kristal, trevor and derek, i don't think she would've been as nervous to leave for her secret lover rather than a contestant she is secretely helping. then again, since yellow team just lost last episode, i don't know what she could be helping him with. THEN AGAIN, THEN AGAIN, what if yul texted her BECAUSE he was angry with her for not helping? idk man i'm just happy to be here

brushing past the fact that alec barely had any lines, fiore and ellie were in the trenches, aiden did almost nothing, and james still isn't here, even though my top five were pretty useless this episode, i kinda liked it. the plot advances really nicely, paving the way for a grett comeback at yul arc that i am sooo sure will happen, fiore's revenge on her team, ally's comeback and her possibly making merge - though how much plot armor will magenta team get? jake still has to make up with tom, fiore with alec, so only ashley could be voted out, but how? i wonder if they'd want her to make merge this time or not?? - ellie and gabby fighting, tess and ally reuniting, just... a lot of good stuff all around that i am excited to see. i hope the villains can pull through, because if yul and riya could work together, NOBODY would be safe. and i am also curious about grett's fate... she is the lesser evil among every villain, and i am excited for her story!!!

solid episode i'll give it a 9/10 which i think might be the second highest rating i would give an episode (the first episode gets a 10/10 just because it's so fun!!)

[noahtally-famous]

favorite new gen ships?

I'm assuming you're cool with canon and fanon ships (bc if it's just canon ships then uh...it's just gonna be rajbow lmao).

I'll have you know this was painstaking for a multishipper like me, but here we are!!

disclaimer: I've personally only watched four of the episodes (I'm tryna find time to watch the rest 😭); the rest that I know of abt the characters and/or dynamics are bc of tumblr lmaoo

(also if you have a problem with any of these, don't bother commenting, I don't need the hate)

rajbow (raj x bowie): o b v!! can't have one of these asks without these two, tbvh, I adore them and from what I've heard abt them, I love how Fresh handled them--the fact that the only canon gay ship is also on the list of the healthiest ships is wild and I freaking love it!! they're so adorable together too--and let me say I noticed the connection between Bowie getting crowns and Raj's name meaning 'king' immediately and it made me love them more! I can't wait to see more of them next season, and I hope Fresh doesn't fuck around with them like they've done with other ships 🤞

emwayne (emma x wayne): while I understand where the zemma shippers are coming from, I'm gonna have to say that I can see them as a pairing, but mostly I see zee and emma as friends than lovers. moving onto wayne and emma, I've seen a couple of rlly cute fanart abt them that roped me into rooting for them; also, I saw this tumblr post that talked abt wayne helping emma see that her and chase aren't right for each other bc of the break between bowie and emma's friendship; I thought it'd be cute that emma realizes what an actual relationship is supposed to be like based on the way wayne treats her and the two grow closer as he helps her come into herself more. overall, really cute pairing!!

nichaxel (nichelle x axel): MY LESBIAN BABES!!! ever since I saw that one scene where they interacted, I was HOOKED, I'm SO SO on board with these two getting together, ugh, I can just imagine how badass and amazing they'd be!! axel teaching nichelle to fight so she can make her comeback next season??? nichelle helping axel tune more into her emotions and her heart??? sign me tf up!! they'd be unstoppable, legit, I want this so bad! seriously, I hope Fresh does smth with them next season and if they don't get them together, I hope they at least let them be friends, goddammit!

damien x priya (idk their shipname 😭): from the screenshots I've seen of the two, I think they're cute together!! wonder if next season will involve them more 🤔 it's funny too bc it's the guy who doesn't have a clue abt total drama with the girl who knows everything abt it; like imagine priya getting damien to watch the prev seasons and damien returning next season like a fricking icon with his newfound knowledge. honestly I'm on the fence abt these two; I like them as a pairing, but also I think they're great as good friends too! (also I've seen a lot of ppl talking abt millie x priya; I personally don't have an opinion abt that, I haven't gotten that far to have one. So, to me, they're just good friends!) (on that note, for the scary girl x damien shippers, I personally see them as friends, I just can't see scary girl with anyone sorry 😅)

chazee (chase x zee): okay, hear me out on this one. before the season came out, when all I knew abt everyone were those random pics of episodes, I remember wishing chase to be gay (or bi or smth that isn't straight or he realizes he's not straight while in the show) bc it'd break that stereotype which I thought would be cool--and I shipped him with zee like offhandedly, nothing extreme, just lowkey. like I thought their shipname was cute (chazee?? hello?? literally adorable?? and I've found out that ppl are calling them cheese now too and fdhdjf that just makes it cuter). then I started watching the season and got to know chase's whole personality, I was like 'ehhhh' and this pairing just...got shunted to the far corners of my mind. THEN I came across this freaking adorable fic of these two (it's this one!) that somehow converted me back to shipping these two??? then I started thinking up random scenarios involving the two and yeah imma say I adore these two. idk I feel like zee would be good for chase, like their way of viewing the world would be pretty helpful for someone like chase?? (plus the whole sexuality crisis can still exist on chase's end bc imo zee is the kinda person to already be aware of a lot of things abt him (their gender, their sexuality, etc) but not put much emphasis on it, y'feel?), and maybe chase's way of expressing himself would balance out zee's??? who knows?? idk I feel like this ship has a lot of potential and it's worth exploring-

mkulia (mk x julia): they'd be the queens of meet-uglies lmaoo but no rlly, they'd be rlly great together, I feel! they give off alenoah vibes too, which I think is pretty neat! idk much abt them rn bc I'm only a fourth in the season, but I will def let you know my thoughts once I do!

I think that's it! these aren't all the ships I ship obv, but if I had to pick favs, it would be these ones!

oh, btw, as a treat, let me talk abt my least fav character in the season after I talked abt my fav ships fhjdfhI okay so I genuinely dislike ripper so much lmfao, like in the beginning he was 'meh' to me and he just plummeted the more I watched the season. I would not subject anyone to the pain of being shipped with him at all (the only ship I can tolerate is chipper but even then it's shipped ironically and I've hardly any interest in it; sorry chipper fans lmao)😭 literally hope he gets eliminated early next season--it's what he deserves after the whole deal with axel's elimination this season.

[daz4i]

man I've been watching a lot of saw videos lately and ppl keep coming back to "jigsaw always breaks his own rules, his morality is always so wishy-washy and flimsy at best, and he hurts people for really dumb reasons sometimes like addiction or mental illness" and it's like. yeah that's the point. ppl say the movies take it too seriously and try to show his morality in a positive light and no, no they don't?? at least the way i see it. imo his character (and honestly every predecessor he later has) is a p good criticism of the whole concept of laws and the justice system and how one person's morality shouldn't dictate who lives or dies and what punishment they get for what crime. idk if that's even the goal of them bc I'll admit i never read too deeply into it but imo if you look at it through this lense then the whole thing about his morality makes way more sense. also you're not really supposed to root for him like guys he is a serial killer who tortures people for what he thinks is a noble reason it's not like you're meant to agree with everything he does or thinks 😭

[strawberryjamsara]

Ngl wen I sae the Kai minisode I felt bad for Gashu.

Imagine the org tells you to raise another boy and being like "aight" and then showing the two sons you now have what affection you can show

(Im pretty sure Gashu was raised in the org too, since he brushes Kai off in the poison gas training thingy when Kai was worried bout him - implying he had poison resistance too? And he didn't seem to know the org had already taken root in the underworld, which id assume he would know if he got scouted in - so some stuff the big wigs are keeping from the members?)

And then just when you're gonna go chill with your kids your hot evil superior straight up tells you "hey your kids are gonna do a battle royale with a bunch of other kids so we only need one of ur kids lmao, and if you disobey the org on this we'll kill them both.... AND you too lol"

Like what was he supposed to do in that situation 😔 He can't take them and leave, the org will find em and kill them.

So he did what he could do, training one of his kids up even more to ensure they'd at least have a high chance of surviving. And knowing only one of his kids was gonna live, started distancing himself from them.

Idk that whole minisode just made me sad, can't believe im out here doing Gashu character analysis 😔

Gashu is in fairness, a complex character. He is by no means a good person. Even before the assassins tournament, Gashu was a cruel strict father, one who clearly had a favorite son, and I by no means think that should be erased from the work.

I also don’t think his strange, twisted love for his family should be erased either though. Gashu, in his deranged mind, wanted his son to succeed. He bought in a whole other kid to make his son succeed. When that other kid happened to get along with his son… he was going to allow it. He was going to see him as part of the family. It was simply that, there could only be one who survived, and Gashu chose the one.

Yet he regretted that lost son deep down. He regretted the child, so full of life and potential, who if he hadn’t foolishly allowed to become kind and weak, would’ve stood a chance. So he made a new one. One who would’ve stood a chance.

What a shame that son made another mistake. Just as worthless as the rest of them.

[shuihuzhuan]

my honest review of helluva boss after getting stupid with a couple friends and watching it all the way through because weve known each other for years and think tht kind of thing is funny is that it's, like, decidedly mid but like at a point on the mid scale where i can wish that it was decent. like if you redesigned all of the characters (because its not that some of the jokes that weren't just "hey we can say the word fuck did you know?" werent funny they were just coming out of the mouths of character designs that gave me carpal tunnel to Imagine drawing much less animating) and gave the script another pass with, like, maybe a professional writer who could refine it so they don't say fuck every four words and took out that one episode that entirely retconned the main relationship that viv wants you to root for it could be like. fine. middling show that airs on adult swim late at night and only a few people end up catching. you can tell it's a side project developed much later than hazhotel and that works entirely in its favor: vivziepop still can't kill her darlings but at least this time she's less attached to bullshit she probably made up in high school. it gets to sidestop most of the problems with hazhotel because of its smaller scale & the fact it simply does Not dwell on the whole "yo why are all of your sinners marginalized people" thing like it simply does not have the chance. and also they're not major characters so they're Not.

the show's biggest problem is just how ridiculously yaoibrained vivienne is - which results in the classic sidelining female characters & just... like, fucking up the characterizations of both them and the guys she wants to ship whenever she feels like it'll make the former or latter party feel less or more sympathetic respectively whenever it's convenient. like initially stolas' wife wants him dead and/or divorced because he's an asshole cheater. like, yeah, that's how it works, but later it's just like Well actually no she's just hated him and tried to get him killed looney tunes style the Whole Time they've been married which on paper is kind of funny but it's, like, come on man this guy sucks. he's an asshole that couldn't give less of a shit about his family. you're told that his only redeeming quality is trying to keep his family together because he cares about his daughter but then in the episode dedicated to him and his daughter he simply does not show it, instead spending the entire thing hitting on the main character who, in the context of what we're shown in that story, embodies the whole "he's a piece of shit but has the one redeeming quality of giving a shit about his daughter" INFINITELY better than we're supposed to believe w stolas. it's fascinating.

theres generally just a lot of Tell Don't Show going on when it comes to retconning these things. this is getting long sorry so basically ill just say all of the episodes written by people who Aren't vivziepop are like. honestly i'd go so far as to say like. decent. i think she needs to just kill herself and give her shit to someone else or something man idk

[mur-art]

For the music prompt: 10

I got the song "Gilded Lily" by Cults.

Did I stretch my interpretation of this song as an excuse to write angst about Hollywood!Cali? ...Maybe a bit.

Anyway, heavy angst ahead and TW for fun stuff like alcoholism, drugs, disordered eating, flashbacks, religious trauma, and possible implied body horror? idk. This fic goes to dark places so don't proceed if you're not cool with that.

Every city's got a graveyard

The service bought and paid for

Now I'm sleeping in the backyard

Passing out as night turns into day

Haven't I given enough, given enough?

Haven't I given enough, given enough?

The newspapers rave about the mysterious and alluring Cal Fremont, Hollywood's golden boy. He's got the power and charm to sway audiences. He's got a hypnotizing gaze that sells out theaters. He's in film after film– sometimes front and center, other times in the background, but he always steals the show. The years go by and his youthful beauty doesn’t fade. (It’s almost unnerving.) 

His life is an endless parade of agents and studios. They say he's "perfect," but never hesitate to tell him how much more perfect he could be. 

But by now, he's used to it. 

You have to behave yourself, the “holy” men said. You’re supposed to set a good example. You’ve been chosen by God for a higher purpose. Give up your sinful ways and follow our rules. Work hard. Keep your head down. Don’t fight back. 

The studio makes him sign a “morality” clause. Cal makes a long list of promises that he has no intention of keeping. He plays the perfect “boy next door” by day, whenever the cameras are on. It’s never enough to shut the rumors down. Cal has never been one to keep quiet and play by the rules. How can he, when the ones enforcing the rules have always been the ones who harm him the most?

It was exciting at first. People were coming from all over the world because he had something valuable: gold. But soon the excitement turned to fear. How far would they go to get what they wanted? Would they ever listen if he told them how much it hurt? Or would they forget about him the second they found something better? 

“He’s our most profitable star this year,” they say. He’s bringing the studio millions of dollars. They’re working him to the bone with long days, hot lights, and toxic makeup.  He’s given them all of himself, but they still demand more. How much more can he possibly give without giving up everything?

The rivers stopped flowing to the ocean. They were rerouted, dammed up for agriculture, channeled into aqueducts, their natural banks replaced with cold concrete. 

Some tabloid makes a snide comment about Cal's weight. He stops eating in front of people, replacing his cravings for food with a habit of binge drinking. No one cares. They just tell him how much better he looks now. They can’t see that he’s wasting away slowly. Even if they could, they wouldn’t care as long he was making them money. 

Vast fields of mustard bloom yellow every spring. It's beautiful, but it doesn't belong there. It's an invasive species, choking out the vibrance of the native flowers. 

Cal dyes his hair blonde to look the part. His agents tell him that it makes him look more "all-American." Every time he walks by a mirror, he checks the roots obsessively for any signs of his natural dark hair growing back. That would ruin the illusion, as they say. He tells himself he looks better this way anyway. Maybe if he repeats it often enough, he’ll actually believe it. 

The logging companies cut the redwoods. The beauty of the forests meant nothing to them; they saw the trees as profit, and nothing more. Sure, they might grow back, but will it ever be the same? 

They decide that his nose is "too wide," whatever that means. They give him some pills to take, and he wakes up days later in a daze with bandages on his face. When the swelling goes down, he looks at his face in the mirror and barely recognizes himself. They say he’s even more beautiful now. 

But no matter how beautiful he is, no matter how much he gives, no matter how he acts… he’ll never be good enough. They’ll always want

More

More

MORE.

But he has nothing more to give. 

Cal Fremont causes one last stir in Hollywood when he disappears under mysterious circumstances. The tabloids have a field day. Some say he overdosed; others say he died by his own hand. Others swear they’ve seen him in the decades since, seemingly having never aged a day.

[sunfaggot]

What music does Copper and Travis listen to and what kind of music will you add to their playlist and why??????? Or just talk about your thought process when making them idk go crazy

What music they listen to: hmmm... let me think of music from the 80s..... Travis definitely listens to Queen and The Smiths. Copper maybe listens to Bon Jovi and Survivor? In a character playlist, Travis would have a lot of religious themed stuff, while Copper would have... violent angry sounding music.

Think Hell's Coming With Me and Take Me To Church for Travis and... Skillet songs for Copper, just anger issues.

Thought process for Travis: at first he was just Copper's love interest, and then I thought about him more, what kind of impact he would have on Copper, and realized he was kind of... Boring? I mean, he didn't have anything that made it really feel like Copper needed him in the story. He wasn't his own character, he was just Copper's accessory, and I didn't want that anymore. So I added more character qualities! He's Copper's opposite – he's a nice church boy who the other children around him admire, including Copper. Then I thought.... How else can I make him interesting? How do I make him compelling as a character? What if the kindness was a facade for something else, something resentful, something terrified? Travis is a nice church boy who is completely terrified of the people around him and resents them all, every single one of them, except for Copper – who he worships almost like a god in this crappy little town where monsters haunt the forests and houses shake in anger. Travis loves Copper because he's everything people are afraid to show. Copper is rage, dirt, blood, sin, and the inability the hide how you truly feel, and Travis adores that about him.

Thought process for Copper: ok... so Copper Davies, right? He's the main protagonist here. He's the guy you're supposed to root for and follow around and his main goal is to murder his abusive uncle in cold blood and bury him in the forest where nobody will find him. The house shakes because of how angry he is, forests burn when he bares his teeth, and he's wounded like a feral dog. His uncle's blood is on his hands and he sniffs it, hungrily and hungrily, before biting off his own hands, that's how hurt he is because of his uncle; biting the hands with his abuser's blood stained on them is the only way he'll have ever been loved by him; by consuming him until there's nothing left. That's just a metaphor, but who knows, with my fucked up mind it may actually happen in the story atleast once. Copper's only place of comfort would be his best friend, Travis, who he thinks may just be the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. In a way, Copper worships Travis like a god too, because sometimes he's the only thing that can heal the hurt. Copper is the only one who genuinely sees Travis for who he is (something broken and terrible and utterly disgusting) and he doesn't mind as long as he gets to hold his hand. Maybe when this is all over he'll actually ask him out on a date. Just the two of them while the sky opens up and fire rains down on all of them. It's the end of the world and he's setting up a candle-lit dinner for Travis.

they actually have very similar goals that parallel each other. Copper wants to kill his uncle. Travis wants to burn down the church. They just want to get rid of the things that hurt them.

(they both have unhealthy mindsets but they'll unlearn it post-story... or try to.)

[scoobydoozies]

you mentioned liking fred SR and he def is very interesting i reallywish he had been freds real father butohwell.. plus him/the sherrif are the true gay represtation..

anyway it reminds me of how everyone in the velma show is well mean/minus norville/ yet i love FRED the guy who was suppose to be someone to root against and i found myself drawn towards Fred.. its inteessting how the characters made to be unlikable on purpose turn out to be more fun to watch in the long run.

yeah, i haven't seen velma so idk if this applies to hbo fred, but i feel like it's bc characters who are written to be bad on purpose are typically held accountable for their actions in some way, or at least condemned for them, and so you know the writers aren't trying to present those things as being okay. we can all just be like "haha, what a tool". whereas on the flipside, when characters you're supposed to like and root for do terrible things, and then don't face consequences, or admit they were wrong, or get called out by another character, ANYTHING, it's just uncomfortable lol

[rotisseries]

the next cut is . after hours of walking. "these tunnels go on forever and we've been down here for hours." <- theo. "no real news from the  last time you said it 20 minutes ago." "i wasnt doubting thr plan 20 minutes ago." "if you're so concerned just go. i mean no ones forcing you to stay here." "yeah and leave you and our 'army' in charge of my survival? dont think so." "whatever it takes just to save your own ass, and just nobody elses." which is objectively not true. saved liam. saved scott. "im Here arent i? .. maybe i wanna be in the pack." he sounds so hopeful and . well. after he says that mason slows down and theo doesnt realize at first and looks back at him bc he walked past and mason js like "yeah Right. you-you expect me to believe that? " and hes breathinf HARD. he feels strongly about this "a pack js about trust.  i mean the first thing youd do is figure out a way to kill all of us. and and it doesnt matter who forgets. i wont." his hand is shaking on his bat in anger and fear and also because his leg got shot and its killing him and mason says "i saw scotts mom. i saw what you did. and as much as im terrified of whats down here, i am way more terrified of turning my back on you." excuse me while i wipe a tear. theo looks so hurt when he says that and his hands start shaking and he hadn't really shown any physical signs of fear until then. and then he shifts and tackles mason to the ground and its NOT what you think. HE WAS SCARED BC THE ANUK ITE WAS NEAR AND HE KNEW IT. HE SENSED IT. AS SOON AS HE TACKLED MASON , AARON SHOWED UP BESIDE THEM AND SWUNG A PIPE OR SUM WHERE MASONS FACE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. he probably noticed his fear along with masons because of what he was saying and how hard he was shaking and sweating and . his voice cracking and . yeah. say what u want about theo but never say he's not perceptive. idk why i said that thats like one of the first things u learn ab the guy. core character trait. 

i need to talk about mason saying "and and it doesnt matter who forgets. i wont." because i know hes talking about liam. mason knows theo and liam are close now. in a way. liam is his best friend he knows why he was okay with mason leaving and being alone with theo. yeah sure he can handle himself but he knows liam sees theo's different now. masons not saying hes not. hes saying he's not going to let it go. that its something he cant erase no matter who he gets to trust him. BECAUSE HE KNOWS LIAM IS STARTING TO TRUST HIM AGAIN. (MAYBE EVEN REALIZES THAT THEO IS IS LIAMS ANCHOR) AND THIS IS WHY MASON HAVING THIS DEEP ROOTED FEAR AND HATRED FOR THEO IS SO BAD. theo knows thats his best friend!!!!!!!!! that no matter how theo acts now for years and years no matter how much he helps and sticks by liam, mason will never approve. because its him!!!!! and that fucking sucks. the CLOSEST PERSON TO LIAM besides scott!!!! literally like your boyfriends best friend telling you you'll never be good enough for them. that you will never be good. basically what happened. i can get worse tho. just a little bit.

shovel talk!!