#imagine you're like. a war general or something and have to make decisions regarding this and keep being fed false info and correct info

[snekdood]

i think ppl want to tell themselves that my situation wrt to conspiracy theories is like... abnormal? when I feel like my experiences were kind of the average for regular people stuffed in the pipeline... I dont think people want to confront how normalized it is that even average unsuspecting left leaning people can fall into it, I mean clearly it didn't take a lot for yall to fall into it either- maybe instead of acting like people are inherently impure bc they got wrapped up in conspiracy theories we need to recon with and accept the fact that the alt right pipeline is a well oiled machine that knows how to suck in even the most self proclaimed left leaning person just because they dont know better. this is a matter of lack of education, lack of a warning that someone might try to convince you of this, what the warning signs are, what the dog whistles are, etc. I don't think ppl falling for conspiracy theories are exceptionally bigoted like a lot of people need to tell themselves, I just think ignorance or "not knowing better", if that sounds nicer to you, is just really fuckin easy to manipulate, esp in this situation.

[buckys-arm-and-rios-dagger]

I still think about this. (I'm gonna bullet point this out so it isn't just a fuckin Wall of Text)

Even coming from the standpoint of someone who like. Kinda ships Stucky but knew marvel wasn't gonna make it canon, it didn't make any sense story-wise.

I've seen people defend it as "Tony did this one selfless thing whereas Steve did his one selfish thing"

a sentiment I disagree with for like a gazillion reasons first and foremost being I'm no Tony Stark Apologist, hell I don't even like him really, but like. Pretty sure grabbing a nuke and flying it through a wormhole with the knowledge he's probably gonna die is p selfless like Tony having a conscience isn't anything new. He was insufferable yeah but like. By the time Endgame rolls around Tony doing something selfless isn't the #deep moment everyone seems to think it is because like yeah. We know.

And don't get me STARTED on Steve, a character I actually do/did like),

But even then it doesn't feel justified because like. It doesn't feel selfish, it just feels outright cruel??

Like 3(?) Movies ago we see Bucky telling Steve "I don't know if I'm worth all of this" in regards to Civil War. To which Steve's response implies that he DEFINITELY thinks he is.

Not to mention like. Steve searched for him for 2 years after the events of Winter Soldier, and never stopped believing he could be saved after he first saw Bucky again on the bridge in TWS

So like

To have him leave after all that just feels so unnecessarily mean?

It just kinda feels like Steve thought he was worthy of being saved but not worthy of receiving any sort of help recovering and that's deeply fucked

((also like this may just be me projecting a lil but as something with mental illness and a deeply rooted fear of abandonment I can't even imagine how it would feel to watch someone who claimed to care about you, broke the law for you MULTIPLE times, and was generally just like the only person who thought you were even capable/worthy of being saved fully abandon you just as you're getting back to trying to finding who you are and put yourself back together would feel like Jesus))

Especially with how Marvel treats Bucky specifically post-Endgame it just feels like they're incapable of letting him have anything

Like the MCU has a real bad history with how they treat their mentally ill characters (Natasha, Thor in EG, etc.), but Bucky seems to be their favorite punching bag as of late?

I dunno just the fact that his pardon comes with conditions, that everyone in world sans like Sam seems to think he's a threat who's gonna snap and murder and hurt people again, when literally the only time he's ever harmed anyone was when he was tortured and brainwashed (or defending himself in the case of CW, and IW/EG but like everyone was harming everyone and the everyone was aliens so), his best friend left him behind, his therapist is... Not Good (I've been told that's pretty accurate to how therapy goes when you're a Vet and I'm not qualified to comment on that but still), he really has no one except Sam when they make up later in the series, but still no one seems to understand that he was a victim too.

ALSO RE: STEVE'S DECISION AND SAM

Putting Bucky aside for one (1) second, he also fucked Sam over here too.

We know Steve didn't even tell Sam he was leaving before he did what he did because of the way Sam reacts when he missed his jump point, and then Bucky all but confirms it in TFATWS when he talks about how "when Steve told him what he was gonna do neither of them really thought about what carrying the shield would mean for a black man" or something to that effect.

I don't think it's really my place to comment on that as a whole, but I dunno, leaving one of your best friends to worry about your safety when you're out there doing something with science that is confirmed to be pretty volatile (see the Ant-Man/Hulk time travel scene) and then dropping your 80+ year legacy into his lap and being like "here you go bud best of luck to ya'" without even any consideration about whether or not that's even something he WANTS seems pretty fucked up to me

To clarify this is NOT me saying Sam shouldn't have been picked/I'm anti-SamCap etc., I LOVE him as Captain America and I think he'll be great, I'm just saying the circumstances under which he became Cap are kinda fucked when you think about it

(also I ADORE Bucky and I get why he was mad in the begining of FATWS but also like. Also kinda fucked imo)

Anyways Steve's ending was bad and I'm upset end rant

Avengers Endgame: A Lack of Closure at the End of the Line by Rotem Rusak for Bam Smack Pow

YEAH I STILL THINK ABOUT THIS.

[travelling-on-the-octopath]

Okay so I am lost about something. Erwin belittles Claude as a poor ruler for his stunt with the Great Bridge regarding Ferdinand's forces. And Claude - and others - will berate the decision to continue onto Imperial territory to push back against the Empire, because of Almyra attacking while they were doing so not being accounted for.

But. Like. If Claude hadn't done those two things, then the Empire... would have attacked them while they were fighting back against Almyra. At least, that's implied going by what Erwin says: "I imagine [the Empire has] reconsidered their plans following the last battle. It was foolish of them to start a war on two fronts in the first place, it would be even greater folly yet to continue after witnessing the might of the Alliance." With Judith responding: "Hold on. Are you saying the reason you volunteered to defend the Great Bridge is because you figured it wouldn't be attacked?"

But the Empire never would have known about the Alliance's might if Claude had just fortified the Bridge and gone on the defensive like Erwin and others wanted him to. And without the fight against Bergliez - where the Alliance had given him both moral and pragmatic reasons not to follow them into the Alliance - he would have likely just... invaded the Alliance? Since there'd be literally nothing stopping him now?

And that battle with Bergliez: damn near flawless, even with Jeralt and Byleth muckin' things up a bit. The plan with the Bridge: exactly as planned. Capturing Ferdinand: not a complete success, but the Empire's still without an important commander nonetheless and lost a sizable amount of troops. The invasion with Shahid: unexpected at the moment, but Claude always had Nader in his corner and expected Shahid to attack at some point, and that battle also went down without much issue (uhh I mean besides the whole forced fratricide and the emotional turmoil that is that lmao but you get what I mean).

But Claude's still doubtful, nobody really trusts Claude still, people are wondering why the Empire didn't attack them while they were retreating (maybe it's because y'all beat their asses?? Or that y'all ran through their breadbasket and so made fighting impossible without ensuring further starvation in Adrestia??) and it's like holy fuckin' shit somebody needs to grow some goddamn confidence already. Seeing all of this success the Alliance is getting - even when unexpected shit flies their way, they adapt just fine around it - being contrasted with pretty much everyone still twiddlin' their thumbs and being so unsure of themselves is just... weird?

Like, cockiness will get them killed sure, but they're acting like nothing ever goes their way when just about everything goes about as well as they can go given the circumstances. It makes the idea that Claude siding with the Empire on GW was a decision ~made in distress and desperation~ that I've seen some try to explain his decisions as seem... completely unwarranted, because he was doing about as well as he could've done fighting them. Am I just missing something? Would love to know lmao cuz the dots just aren't connecting for me 😂

I'm gonna let you in on a secret: I've stopped trying to connect the dots. This game doesn't know what it's doing with itself. The Alliance was doing . . . pretty good for a country who's kinda known for their crap military. It's like. The plots that make sense for him to concoct? The ones you mentioned (Gloucester and Myrddin, Bergliez, Nader)? People were upset that they weren't in the know, but . . . they went off without a hitch. It's literally when Claude does an about-face and allies with the Empire out of fucking nowhere that his plans get more messy for his character, then outright messy in-fucking-general. It's like . . . you're right! Things were going well for them! Like, if I'm not mistaken, exactly what was happening in the background of Azure Gleam. But then they change it for no reason. Which I cannot comprehend. Because. Because things were going pretty well

[nadziejastar]

Do not get offended, but I think you're pretty obsessed with the relationship between Axe/Lea and Saïx/Isa. I do not deny that their friendship has been fundamental and essential in many aspects regarding the development of their characters, decisions and stories. But sometimes I think that you always try to go further, gilding the lily, only looking for details to justify a relationship beyond friendship, giving your theories as real, when it's clear that this is not the case.

Eh. I feel no reason to be offended because I know that what you’re saying about me is simply not true. I mean, I am obsessed. But…I have an obsessive personality. For better or worse, it’s how I have always been with anything that interests me. But I’m not obsessed in the way you are characterizing. It sounds like you’re saying I have shipping goggles on and I am deluding myself into seeing “signs” that don’t exist just because I’m so obsessed with this fictional pairing.

But that’s not the case. I’m so “obsessed” because I think there was a really great idea behind this ship, and it would have made a great story if it was allowed to run its course. But it was so underrated compared to Roxas/Xion/Axel that it got treated extremely badly in canon.

Axel: Well, I think you can be inseparable even if you’re apart.

Roxas: Really?

Axel: Sure, if you feel really close to each other. If you’re best friends.

Roxas: What’s it like having a best friend, Axel?

Axel: Couldn’t tell ya. I don’t have one.

Let’s not forget that this isn’t the first time Square-Enix has used a combination of sunset and waning crescent moon imagery for their characters. Final Fantasy X did this, too. Nomura is quite fond of that game. He knows damn well what those symbols mean.

Yuna: I want my journey to be full of laughter.

Tidus: Okay.

Yuna: If we should get separated, just whistle. I’ll come running. I promise.

The Okinawan word tida means “sun”. Yuna means “moon”. Most people probably know their story. They are Twin Flame lovers. Complementary opposites. Light and Dark. Yin and Yang. Inseparable.

Yuna: Pretty…

Tidus: Sure is.

Yuna: I wish I could live in a place like this. Peaceful… Living with a smile on my face every day.

Tidus: You can, once you beat Sin, right?

Yuna: But then a new Sin will be born anyway.

Tidus: Well then, you can just beat it again.

Yuna: I wish I could.

There are two particularly important scenes. One is the sunset on the Highroad where Yuna was recording a sphere saying her goodbyes to everyone.

Yuna: “So… So this is what it feels like. It’s a much more wonderful feeling than anything I had ever imagined. Wonderful…but it hurts, sometimes. I wonder. I…I just want to say, thank you for everything. Maybe…maybe that’s why it hurts. When I… When I think about us never being together again at all…”

She accepts that they cannot be together, even though she loves him.

Tidus: “Let’s go to the sea, before the sunrise. The city lights go out one by one. The stars fade…Then the horizon glows, almost like it’s on fire. It’s kinda rose-colored, right? First in the sea, then it spreads to the sky, then to the whole city. It gets brighter and brighter, till everything glows. It’s really…pretty. I know you’d like it.”

Yuna: “I’d like to see it, someday.” Tidus: “Well you can, Yuna. We can both go! Yu..?”

Yuna: “I can’t. I just can’t! I can’t go!”

And the other is the lake where they share their kiss under the moonlight. Tidus tells her that the sunset in Zanarkand is so beautiful and he wants her to go.

Yuna: “Stay with me until the end. Please.” Tidus: “Not until the end…Always.”

Yuna: “Always, then.”

She can’t, but they promise to always be together.

Yuna: “Everyone…everyone has lost something precious. Everyone here has lost homes, dreams, and friends. Everybody… Now, Sin is finally dead. Now, Spira is ours again. Working together… Now we can make new homes for ourselves, and new dreams. Although I know the journey will be hard, we have lots of time. Together, we will rebuild Spira. The road is ahead of us, so let’s start out today. Just, one more thing…The people and the friends that we have lost, or the dreams that have faded…Never forget them.”

Yuna was planning on sacrificing herself to bring peace to Spira. She kept it a secret from Tidus so he would not be sad. His cheerfulness made her journey happy. She lives, but Tidus fades away in the end. He kept the fact that he was a dream a secret so Yuna would not hesitate defeating Sin. She never wanted to forget him.

Axel: “As long as we remember each other, we’ll never be apart. Got it memorized?”

She was always very guarded about sharing those memories with anyone else. Axel always gave off the exact same sense of secretive sentimentality that Yuna did when it came to his memories. He had the sense of a person who was heartbroken over a lost love. The day Axel said his memories of the past were what he valued most, it’s titled “Too Precious to Lose” in Roxas’ Diary. Yuna would whistle into the air sometimes. Tidus taught her how. It was like Axel eating ice cream all the time. It just helped him feel connected to his memories.

Lea: “I want everybody I meet to remember me. Inside people’s memories, I can live forever.”

Isa: “I know I won’t forget you. Believe me, I try all the time.”

Lea: “See, I’m immortal!”

Sunset and waning crescent moon are used as symbols of death, tragedy and parting in both games. The final stage of a cycle. The ending. I would argue lost love as well. Isa basically died and Axel is left with nothing but the memories of him as he looks into the sunset. The Moon Rabbit is a symbol of self-sacrifice, just like Yuna. Moon characters in general tend to be very empathetic and willing to sacrifice themself. Tidus couldn’t accept Yuna sacrificing herself. Same as Axel. Sun characters are bright and cheerful and inspire hope and optimism.

The letter χ can be pronounced both “key” and “kye” (leading to some confusion) and symbolizes the perfect crossing of light and darkness. The χ-blade can be forged via a high-dimensional clash between those two poles. It is believed that the Recusant’s Sigil also derives from χ. —KH3D Glossary

Gilding the lily is basically trying to improve what is already perfect. Basically you think I’m imagining signs of a romance when it’s a perfectly good friendship, right? I’m just seeing what I want to see. I guess that’s one big disagreement I have with you right there. I don’t think their relationship, even platonically, was handled well. At all. Isa and Lea’s platonic friendship turned out to be pretty pointless in canon, if you ask me. Didn’t amount to much of any substance or value. That’s not what I wanted to see.

Xehanort: Behold… These lifeless keys used to be full of power–united with the hearts of their masters. On this barren soil, Keyblades of light and darkness were locked in combat…as a great Keyblade War raged. Countless Keyblade wielders gave up their lives, all in search of one, ultimate key. And it will soon belong to me…

TAV’s main theme was their unbreakable connection. No matter what, they always found their way back to each other. That’s the power of the heart. What was Lea/Isa’s main theme in canon? Anything involving the Recusant’s Sigil? Nope. Anything involving the power of the heart? Y’know, what Kingdom Hearts is all about? Nope. Just sequel-baiting. I guess Isa was also a plot device for fan pandering, too. I don’t view anything in the story with a shipping bias. I think Lea/Isa was written like total shit in canon. Doesn’t matter how much I like the ship. I’m not going to lie to myself and say it was well-written. I know how to separate my wishes from my observations.

Terra: Yep, hard to believe there are so many worlds out there besides our own. The light is their hearts, and it’s shining down on us like a million lanterns.

And I am just observing what is there. I think that everything you said sounds more true of all the Axel/Roxas arguments I’ve seen than Lea/Isa ones. People seeing things beyond a platonic friendship when there is absolutely no textual basis in the story to support that interpretation. It all comes down to artistic intent. You analyze the story the same way you would during English class. Critical reading. Why are events being presented in such a manner? What message is the author conveying?

Xemnas: There hangs the heart of all hearts–Kingdom Hearts–shining down on us at last. See the countless hearts that have gathered? Hearts full of rage…hate…sadness…and bliss. There, in the sky, hangs the promise of a new world.

There is a TON of evidence supporting the existence of artistic intent for a very specific idea. Xehanort is trying to forge the X-blade by initiating a clash of opposite polarities. An idea inspired by Freemasonry, hence the black and white checkerboard theme associated with him. Scala ad Caelum is Latin for “Stairway to Heaven”, a big idea in Masonry. And Masonry uses the two luminaries, the Sun and Moon, to represent Light and Darkness. The letter “X” is all about opposite polarities, as well as death and endings. Saïx sports a big fat “X” on his face as his defining characteristic (which is never explained). Lea and Isa are described as complementary opposites in the novel.

Naminé: We don’t disappear… We’re only reborn.

Axel: I’m not like you and Roxas. It’s because I don’t have a heart. I don’t want to disappear, but I’m not upset or sad about it.

There are seven Guardians of Light. There are seven colors of the rainbow. Light is made up of seven different colors. Lea’s Keyblade is based on the Phoenix, a solar bird. It represents the red Rubedo stage of alchemy. It’s called the “Flame Liberator”. In alchemy, the Phoenix symbolizes “the freeing of the spirit from the bounds of the physical”. It’s about spiritual enlightenment and eternal life. They made a point in Days of showing that cutscene about the red sunset right from the get go. It was important.

Axel: Hey, Roxas. Bet you don’t know why the sun sets red. You see, light is made up of lots of colors. And out of all those colors, red is the one that travels the farthest.

The Sun sets red because red light travels the farthest. In Luxord’s tarot deck, “The Sun” is Hazard Gear.The Sun card represents a feeling of optimism and fulfillment, and the dawn which follows the darkest of nights. Saïx’s weapon in this category is called “Light Year”, and is shaped like a Reiki angel. Reiki is a method of energy healing using one’s aura—their inner light. The weapon has a pale yellow aura. The color of renewed hope and emerging spiritual awareness. Axel’s weapon in this category is a red weapon called “Omega Trinity”, and it is shaped like a transmutation circle. The name is referring to the Tria Prima of alchemy. Sulfur (Sol), Mercury (Luna), and Salt (the Philosopher’s Stone).

“The Moon” is Dual Gear. Dual means involving two parts. The Moon represents your fears and illusions. Axel’s weapon in this gear is “Dive Bomb”, as in Dive into the Heart. And Saïx’s is “Luminary”. It’s also shaped like Reiki, and is gold. The ultimate aura color of enlightenment. Both “The Sun” and “The Moon” are shaped like the 4 of Pentacles. This card indicates that you are trying very hard to cling onto people or possessions out of fear of losing them. “The Sun” is pink, which is associated with love and forgiveness in Tarot.

Saïx: Pitiful Heartless, mindlessly collecting hearts. The rage of the Keyblade releases those hearts. They gather in darkness, masterless and free…until they weave together to make Kingdom Hearts. And when that time comes, we can truly, finally exist.

Isa is a Moon character, and pretty much all of his weapons are feminine terms. He has a weapon called “Queen of the Night”. In Japan it is known as “Gekka Bijin”, meaning “Beauty under the Moon”. This white flower only blooms one night a year, usually under a full moon. This weapon is listed under Glory Gear. In Luxord’s deck, this is “Strength”. This card is about inner strength and the human spirit’s ability to overcome any obstacle. It represents the ability to ‘tame’ your animal instincts, gut reactions, and raw emotions, and channel them accordingly. The symbol on the card it the Two of Cups. It represents a partnership that is built on the union of forces, a strong connection and a balanced and equal partnership. Each party’s emotions are intertwined with the other’s, and each participant’s feelings have profound effects on the other. It symbolizes the joy of two becoming one.

“See anything interesting out there, Poppet?” Xigbar patted her on the shoulder.

Meanwhile, Axel plopped down on the sofa and pretended he wasn’t listening in. Xion turned to look up at Xigbar. “Just Kingdom Hearts.”

“Is it all that interesting?”

“It’s kind of pretty.”

Xigbar let out a low chuckle. Axel didn’t see what Xigbar found so entertaining about that reply. But then he could never quite follow what he was thinking.

Xion looked rather confused herself. “What’s so funny?”

“Oh, nothing—you’re just making so much progress.” Xigbar kept laughing, as if there was an uproariously good joke in it somewhere.

He has another weapon with the same shape called “King of the Night”. In alchemy, the Sun is the Red King, the Moon is the White Queen. This is Raging Gear. In Luxord’s deck, this is “The Devil”. The Devil card represents your shadow side and the negative forces that constrain you and hold you back. The Devil card appears in a reading when you have been tricked into thinking you have no control over your shadow self or these negative forces, and that you can never break free from their hold. It is shaped like the 10 of Pentacles, which is an omen for success, no matter what your current lot in life is. Axel’s weapon is the yellow stage of the Phoenix wings. Citrinitas represents “the transmutation of silver into gold,” “the yellowing of the lunar consciousness”,  and “the dawning of the solar consciousness inherent in one’s being”.

In alchemy, the Red King and White Queen are associated with the Emperor and Empress arcanas. The Empress represents the feminine principle and is Valiant Gear. Axel’s weapon is purple and called Double Edge. It is shaped like the Third Eye chakra, which is on the forehead, and controls the ability to “see” things with the mind’s eye. It’s where Saïx’s “X” scar is located. Saïx’s weapon is “Moonset”, which is when the sun rises and the moon disappears in the sky. It’s pink and shaped like the symbol of Vesta, a goddess of chastity known as the “Keeper of the Sacred Flame”.

The Emperor represents the masculine principle and is Ultimate Gear. Axel’s weapon is called “Rapid Spinner” which refers to the chakras and is shaped like the Crown Chakra. The highest one that connects a person to higher consciousness. Saïx’s weapon is called Horoscope and is shaped like Venus/Sagittarius (a fire sign). It is pink, an aura associated with love, affection, compassion, healing, and a new or newly revived romantic relationship.

Star and Crescent—the symbol on Isa’s jacket in the epilogue—is a Sun and Moon symbol meaning a union of complementary opposites, and romantic love. Alchemy is all about a union of complementary opposites. The Sun and Moon’s marriage and sexual union is a symbol of the Philosopher’s Stone, along with the Phoenix, gold, and the color red. It’s all there in the story. I certainly didn’t put it there. The writers did. Some people might just say that Sun and Moon imagery is not necessarily romantic. 99% of the time it is, though. But if ALL that wasn’t enough, there’s the way Axel was paralleled with the Beast.

Beast: The last rose petal is about to fall… When it does, I’ll lose– No! I can’t bear it–I don’t even want to think about it!

Axel: I guess the closest thing we Nobodies have got is our past. You know, memories of the stuff we couldn’t bear to lose, back when we couldn’t bear to lose it.

The Beast’s rose is like Axel’s memories. The rose represents the Beast’s last hope to return to his past. And it also represents his desire to love and be loved by another in return.

Beast: Belle… I couldn’t bear to see you…or the other’s hurt. A master protects his castle… I don’t want to lose you.

Roxas: That still doesn’t explain what love is… Is love fighting to protect what’s most important to you? Where does its power come from?

Love is fighting to protect what’s most important to you.

Roxas: I found out about love on today’s mission–that it’s something powerful.

Axel: That’s true. It is. But I’ll never get to experience it.

Axel’s memories are what he considers most important to him. “Because that’s all we have to remember the pain of losing something.” The Beast is tired of strength. He wants to experience love, but thinks he never will. Axel doesn’t care about Xemnas’ promise of power. He wants to complete Kingdom Hearts to experience love, but thinks he never will. Wink wink, nudge nudge. I’m sorry, but you don’t just write things this way by accident. It’s all intentional.

Axel: Love is what happens if there’s something really special between two people.

Roxas: More special than friends? Like…if they’re best friends? Inseparable?

Axel: Well, you can care about your friends, I guess, but that’s not what I’m talking about.

I’m not imagining any of it.

Roxas wouldn’t let it go. “Do you think we would, if we had hearts?”

“Once Kingdom Hearts is complete, I bet you’ll be able to figure it out.”

The magic words again, Axel thought. It’ll all make sense when Kingdom Hearts is complete. But was that true? No one had ever seen it happen before. So who knew?

Still, all they could do was believe in it. Pitiful Heartless, mindlessly collecting hearts…

It all supports the idea of Lea and Isa originally being viewed as a romantic pairing by the writers. I don’t get what you mean by me giving my theories as real. I’m not claiming to be a Square-Enix insider or anything. I post my opinions and I assume that the people reading are smart enough to decide for themselves whether they find them persuasive or not. I don’t have to force anyone to think anything. If the evidence is strong enough people will be able to see it themself.