#it doesn't feel fair

[feroluce]

Massive 4.2 Genshin Impact archon quest spoilers concerning Furina and her identity ahoy, but I kind of like the idea that like. After everything is said and done, when Neuvilette goes to Furina to tell her everything he saw, at the end of it he holds out his cupped hands and water condenses in them into a bubble.

Neuvilette tells her this was a gift, from Focalors. She had wanted to apologize. She knows she asked Furina to do something horrible. She knows she put her through the worst levels of hell and never even got to personally thank her after it all. With her execution, Furina's curse is broken, but she was forced to play a role for 500 years. 500 years. And that's. Something that is going to take a very very long time to unravel and work through. Years, at least.

So now, Focalors wanted to make her an offer. Longevity, not as a curse this time, but a blessing. Furina will not be immortal. But she will be able to take back the 500 years she lost and then some. She'll have plenty of time to rest, and then to heal, and then to do whatever she'd like. She can wander all of Teyvat by foot if that's what she wants, she'll have the time. She can go see every stage opera ever made. She can leave Fontaine for a generation or two or three and come back when she can start anew, when none of the humans will personally remember her.

She will have time to figure out who she is and what she wants to do. She can finally unearth all the things she buried over the last five centuries.

It's her choice, though. Neuvilette supports her either way. They find a pretty little bottle to put the water bubble in together, because Furina doesn't want to drink it just yet, she wants to think about it first. She's still going to leave for a while. Neuvilette supports that, too. But she takes the bottle with her, carefully wrapped up in cloth, and that's enough for him, just to know that she has the freedom of choice in her own life for perhaps the first time ever.

[calico-constellation]

Shoutout to people who aren't doing well this Christmas. There's a lot of pressure to be happy and joyful and it can be really hard to be feeling down during the holidays.

[egophiliac]

missed the mark by (looks at calendar) uhhh. hm. but I really wanted to do something for the 5th anniversary! happy five years to these idiots 🎉

[olessan]

Essek and the rest of Bells Hells: Okay, we're going to Eiselcross, an icy, glacially-locked wasteland. Everyone grab some stuff to dress accordingly.

Dorian, Imogen, and Ashton:

[pillowfriends]

trying so hard not to spiral over the fact that this is the last we'll ever see of Moiraine. her last words were "She's dead" and I just. can't.💔

[benevolenterrancy]

If you’re still taking requests could you please draw some more art for The Disabled Tyrant’s Beloved Pet Fish? I finished the first book and am starting the second one. I really love your art!💖

thank you (❁´◡`❁) i need to go and get the second book myself...

anyway, I really respect Li Yu's unrelenting willingness to risk his entire identity on the opportunity to get a good snack. the number of times this guy's stomach nearly gave him away in a single book...

[marshmallowgoop]

My @heishinvalentineexchange2025 gift for the immensely kind and patient @caliowl333, who graciously allowed me to participate with a video instead of fic or art! (And wrote me a 20,000+-word piece in exchange?! Oh my goodness!)

Song is the SadBois & NIO Remix of "Other Side" by ILLENIUM, featuring Vera Blue, which you can listen to in full here. Ramblings under the cut!

When I first began seriously video editing, I didn't think much about composition or how well clips flowed together—lyric sync was arguably my main goal, and anime pieces were thrown onto the timeline pretty much purely based on that.

Now, I put much more care into the very visual elements—the effects, the match cuts, the dazzle. But in the process, I fear that I'm losing what audiences found engaging about my early videos: the actual ideas.

So, for this AMV, I aimed to put the most effort into a strong concept. The titular "other side" is a world without the Black Organization, where Shinichi can freely be himself. Heiji is waiting for that world, where he no longer has to lie and pat Conan's head and pretend that they're not peers, and Shinichi is dreaming of that world because he's always dreamed of working with somebody just like him. The thought of meeting Heiji someday, when he first learns of his existence (Episode 490), fills Shinichi with excitement. He does a lot on his own, but he also loves working on a team—and doing so, being with people, sharing his enthusiasm with others—is what he wants more than anything.

(Heck, there's even a piece of official art called "Conan's Dream Vacation" where he dreams of playing beach volleyball with Heiji and Ran and Kazuha—as himself.)

Sure, you could argue that Shinichi simply enjoys working with Heiji as Conan because Heiji treats him as he truly is. But the times he spends as Shinichi with Heiji point to the fact that no, he just really likes deducting with Heiji. Eagerness, big smiles—in "The Scarlet School Trip" (Episodes 927-928), involving Heiji in the case of the day takes precedence over solving it himself, as he immediately shares what he knows and even jostles Heiji awake when he learns more, before doing anything else, because there's no way he's going to solve it alone. He doesn't want to.

But as things are, being Shinichi is pain. He takes an antidote, but it's poison. Being Conan is what's become "normal" and "comfortable," but Conan can't be what Shinichi is to Heiji. Conan isn't strong enough to catch Heiji when he's falling. Conan can't save him from bullets. Conan can't even talk to him naturally without hiding and secrets. His dreams have become nightmares.

And it can't be easy for Heiji, either. To see someone you care about suffering. To know that Shinichi is in a dangerous situation—and involving himself in it applies that same danger to himself. It'd make sense for Heiji to walk away and wash his hands of it... but Shinichi really wants him to stay. Despite everything, he wants Heiji to stay. For that someday when they can be true partners "on the other side."

I tried to say other things in here, too. Shinichi cementing himself as a precious person to Heiji by countering his insecurities with a one truth prevails and this isn't a competition and you don't have to prove yourself to me. Heiji finding Shinichi even after becoming Conan because he'll always find Shinichi, no matter what, because he's dreaming of being "on the other side," too (even if he didn't know it initially). Shinichi pushing Heiji away with coldness because maybe it's selfish to want him to stay, maybe it's cruelty to involve him, but he can't deny that he cares, that he wants Heiji with him, that he doesn't want to do this on his own.

And while I maybe still went a little ham on the effects, I do hope my ideas are the strongest of all! "No effects" versus effects comparison can be found here!

Thank you again for all your hard work organizing this event, Cali!!

[dustykneed]

i just think spock has great mom friend potential tbh. strong contender for the cutest thing i've ever drawn

[arcade-confetti]

Killer Croc (nearly). The Chimera. Nocturna. Night Slayer. Doctor Fang. Film Freak. Black Mask. Circe. KGBeast. Judson Caspian Reaper. The Mime. Ratcatcher. Corrosive Man. All villains introduced. in Jason's run I can think of

Poison Ivy. Manbat. Penguin. Quilt Man. Calendar Man. Mad Hatter. Scarecrow. Two Face. Joker. Catman. Captain Boomerang. Mirror Master. The Riddler. Ra's Al Ghul. Catwoman. Villains I can think of that appeared in his run, special note to Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, and Two Face for appearing multiple times.

Crisis on Infinite Earths, The Millennium crossover, and the Legends crossover are major stories during Jason's Robin run that feature him (notably Legends. PLEASE read Legends its even post-crisis please and its super short please, dangles Legends like keys or a string above you)

Everything about the Knight family, The Fang storyline, Attempts on Gordon's life + whatever was going on with the Mayor, Julia Pennyworth moving in, Harvey Bullock's character development, Black Mask storyline, Fear the Reaper, the Dumpster Slasher, the Diplomat's Son, The Cult. And hell if you count timeline rather than needing Jason, The Killing Joke happens before his death. Are storylines during his run

^not even counting stories that just go on for two issues but are nonetheless good and rife with potential (the Diplomat's Son is 2 issues. You can chew into that and call it important I say you can chew into others and think them important)

Being a character from 1983-1988 at the most BASIC estimation 5 years, 2 issues per month, 24 issues per year, making about 120 comics (not including appearances in others like the Titans or Kid Devil teamups, not discluding Detectives that didn't have him)

Majority of his run is pre-crisis and no I don't think all of it should be thrown out just because of the reboot. He was a new actively written character and it had more time for him. Many writers use pre-crisis, there's many instances of it still being considered canon for post. What's current canon is a nightmare. You never know when a story is gonna flashback a precrisis panel and bring it back to life. And again I don't think all his characterization disappeared in a poof of smoke because of a reboot that was so unfirm with itself early on I'm fairly certain some pre stories Jaybin were still being published out of Bat comics around the time post Jason died

If you can't work with this and think Jason has nothing interesting or even potential other than his death than like I dunno what to tell you. Do better perhaps

[plusultraetc]

I actually need more information about Shinsou's international hero work. like. does he travel a lot? does he know every cure for jet lag? is that why he looks so tired after the time skip? does he pick up conversational words and phrases in different languages? does he randomly send his friends and family pictures or postcards from wherever he's working? like, does Aizawa get a selfie from him at the top of the Empire State Building and that's how he finds out he's left the country (again)?

[baejax-the-great]

I actually need everyone to read Caroline Alexander's "The War that Killed Achilles" so they can see her argument for how the Iliad lays out the contrasts between Achilles and Agamemnon specifically as it comes to leadership in the war. Homer actually does include suggestions that Achilles wouldn't have mismanaged the war and would have evaded the personal conflicts that Agamemnon not only allows but instigates and then everyone can stop saying batshit things about how Achilles couldn't lead

[lynzishell]

Prev // Next

Transcript below the cut:

Ash Texting:

Asher: I’m here. Asher: This place is dead. Where are you?

Asher: [laughing] Jesus Christ, Lex. Lex: I missed you. Asher: Me too.

Asher: So, what are we looking for? Lex: Not sure yet. I’ll know it when I see it. Asher: Of course.

Asher: How about a very tall martini? Lex: You laugh, but that would actually look so cute in my apartment. Asher: If you say so.

Lex: I’m pissed at you, by the way. Asher: [scoffs] Get in line. What have I done now? Lex: You told me when you left Rainy Day that we’d still hang out all the time, but I haven’t seen you in five months. FIVE!

Asher: I know, I’m sorry. I’ve been so busy. But we’re getting close. I’ll have more time again soon. Lex: I hope so. When are you moving back to the city? Asher: …

Lex: Ash? When are you moving back to the city? Asher: [nervous] We’re not. Lex: You’re staying in the Bay? I should’ve known.

Asher: No, we’re not staying there. We’ve been looking at San Sequoia. Lex: You can’t be serious. Asher: I know, I was unsure at first, but the more I look at it… I don’t know, I just see it. Lex: See what? Asher: Me and Atlas, settling down and raising our kids and building a life there.

Asher: Where are you going?

Lex: [sniffles] Asher: Lex?

Asher: Hey. Talk to me. Lex: This is it, isn’t it? The end of our friendship. Asher: No, of course not. Why would you say that? Lex: ... Asher: Come on, let’s go sit down.

Lex: Let’s not pretend things aren’t changing. I mean, you live an hour and a half away and we haven’t seen each other since March. And your kids aren’t even born yet! If you think you don’t have time now, just wait.

Asher: That doesn’t mean our friendship is over. We just have to be more intentional about calling each other and staying in touch. And I’ll let you know any time I’m in town. And you can come visit us whenever you want. No matter how much time goes by, we’ll always be friends.

Lex: I suppose. Still, it feels like the end of an era. You’ve been by my side forever. Hell, you were there when I got my braces off. Asher: It’s true. You were there when I adopted Jasper. Lex: We got drunk for the first time together. Asher: [laughs] And high.

Lex: You took me in when my parents kicked me out. Asher: You held my hand while I came out to mine. Lex: You put up with me when I fell in love for the first time. Asher: You put up with me when I got my heart broken for the first time.

Lex: Can I tell you a secret about that? Asher: What? Lex: I was the one who threw a brick through the window at Elias’ studio. Asher: Can I tell you a secret? Lex: What?

Asher: I already knew that. I’m the one that paid to get it fixed. Lex: Why would you do that? Asher: Because, you dimwit, he had cameras. You’re just lucky he called me instead of the cops. Lex: Well shit. Why didn’t you tell me? Asher: [shrugs] Because I kinda loved you for it.

Lex: I’m gonna miss out on so many firsts when you move away. Asher: Like what? Lex: Like the first time your kid pisses on you. Asher: [laughs] I’ll be sure to call you and give you a complete play-by-play. Lex: You better.

Lex: I’m gonna miss you. Asher: Me too. But I’m not gone yet, so how about we go get you that giant martini. Lex: Think we can carry it to my building and up the stairs without breaking it? Asher: Hell yeah. We got this.

[egophiliac]

Hi it's just to let you know that the official romanization of Revaan's name is Raverne ! Also they have romanized Baul's name to Baur !

Twst coming back at us again with the least expected romanization! thank you everybody (oh god my inbox) (no it's great, I literally asked for this and the reactions have been INCREDIBLE, thank you all!)

I do like Raverne though, I think it's got a nice fancy sound to it! (I had kinda suspected it was going to be an R instead of an L, so the fact that it's SO close to Laverne except for that is hilarious to me personally.) and Dragoneye Duke is honestly probably the best translation for his title, I wasn't envying the localizers that one. :') Baur instead of Baul I was NOT expecting, but in retrospect I think his name's supposed to be a reference to the Bauru crocodile, so that actually makes way more sense!

someone else also said Meleanor has become Maleanor, which is the REALLY weird one to me, because I was so surprised it was written as Mel instead of Mal in the first place?! oh god no I can't decide which one I like better. 😭 (I wonder if they might change it to Mal...they have made romanization changes before) (like I remember House of Distraction being corrected to House of Destruction in Playful Land) (I did check and she's still Mel for now, but I dunno, they might Mal her up and some point and save me from having to make a decision about which one to use) (HECK I CAN'T DECIDE)

uhhhh thank you for letting me ramble about anime names, let's just say MONOGRAMMED SWEATERS FOR EVERYONE

[roboticchibitan]

I have received hate mail today T_T

I get an email every day from USPS that tells me what mail I'm getting today and whether I have any incoming packages. And for like a week there's been this international package fucking HAUNTING me because what if it's the toilet teapot.

Well

T_T

It was T_T

WHO DID THIS!?!? THE NOTE SAYS "FROM YOUR BESTIE XOXO" NOT ANYMORE BESTIE PRIVILEGES REVOKED. THIS IS A HATE CRIME AGAINST ME SPECIFICALLY. YOU'RE ALL BANNED. GROUNDED. DISOWNED. FIRED. DIVORCED. BANISHED FOR ALL ETERNITY. GET OFF MY PORCH AND TAKE THIS MONSTROSITY WITH YOU

My gf took a four minute video of me opening it and I spent 75% of it groaning loudly while my gf laughs at me from behind the camera. My gf's pixel apparently films in super high definition because the video file was way too big to upload to tumblr directly so here it is on youtube (this video is unlisted and only available via link so idk if it'll work here but here's a try)

*I do know the UK uses pounds, not euros, but I was understandably so incensed by the fucking toilet teapot arriving on my doorstep that I mixed them up, apologies to all the Europeans. My tiny American brain can only keep track of so much when faced with toilet teapot in the flesh

**Sorry about the lack of captions. I would've made actual captions but I've never uploaded anything to youtube before and in the little uploader thing the add captions button was greyed out. Idk why. Sorry about that.

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

Y'know, it's unfortunate more people don't compare Louis and Violet in good faith.

Like, when I do see people compare them, it's usually through the lens of one is good, and the other bad. One is more canon than the other, and here's why. One is objectively better for Clementine, and the other is less impactful, worse written, didn't have chemistry with her, insert several insults here, etc.

I don't think it's inherently bad to express why you might not like one of them, or why you prefer one over the other. That's fine, that's a matter of opinion. It only gets to me when it becomes hostile, or passive aggressive... but even then, I've learned to just roll my eyes and move on. Some people make it very clear that they're not worth having a discussion with.

However, I wish I could read more nuanced comparisons of the two that didn't default to the "and that's why this one is better." At least some are kind enough to tack on a "for my Clementine" at the end.

You know how it goes: Louis is cute and he makes Clementine laugh, whereas Violet's boring, her love is shallow, she's still not over Minerva and she's using Clementine as a rebound. Violentine's a bad ship because Violet's actually a traitor, and they're practically the same person and that's bad.

Violet's loyal and reliable, whereas Louis is annoying, he never takes anything serious, he's a traitor for his vote, and he's nothing but a distraction. Clouis is a bad ship because how could any Clementine possibly like him after he voted her and AJ out? That's bad!

That's always the conclusion, right? One good, one bad.

This is incredibly limiting and it drives me nuts.

They're foils. They contrast one another, highlight each other's strengths and flaws, in such an interesting way that it makes Clementine's choice between them all the more meaningful.

One is not good and the other bad, they're different, and I think that's worth exploring.

Let's start with a common argument: Violet is the more impactful option due to her connection to Minerva.

Now, to be fair, I can understand why someone on Team Violet would believe this. Yes, it's true that the confrontation with Minerva is more impactful for a violentine shipper who has more investment in Violet as a character. Louis doesn't have as strong of a connection to her.

However, what they're failing to recognize is that Minerva isn't the only ghost to haunt this narrative. Violet may have Minerva, yes, but Louis has Marlon... and that doesn't just go away once Marlon's dead.

Violet's route has Minerva as her ex-girlfriend, and her bond with Tenn that all comes to a head on the bridge. Louis' route has Marlon's death and how that specifically impacts his relationship with AJ and Clementine, and the slow burn of forgiveness on all sides.

Marlon and Minerva are also reflective of Clementine's worst outcomes.

Clementine and Marlon were tied together through Brody's blood splattered on their hands and faces. They both killed a part of Brody, but only one of them lies about who killed her first.

After Marlon dies, Clementine gradually replaces him throughout the game; Rosie is her dog now, she uses his bow [which Louis gave her], she becomes the leader. Clementine gets them to fight back, and when three of her people are captured, she doesn't cut her losses. She does what Marlon couldn't; "we're getting them back."

When she chooses Louis, he does for her what he never did for Marlon: he steps up.

Clementine proves she won't become Marlon just as she proves she won't become Minerva.

After getting James to agree to help them, Clementine and AJ talk about what to do if she ever gets bit. AJ says he'd want her to bite him, too. He repeats this sentiment after she's actually bitten, telling her he wants to stay and they could turn together, peacefully.

When Minerva confronts them on the bridge, she's dying... and she wants Tenn to die with her. She doesn't care who she has to kill in the process. She's more monster than human at this point, and most times, she succeeds.

They're both bitten. Clementine could've become a monster like Minerva in the end. She could've killed AJ, and they could've become walkers together. But she didn't. Minerva wanted Tenn to die for her, and Clementine wanted AJ to live for her.

Also, I should mention she has Minerva's axe. She carries the key weapons associated with Marlon and Minerva throughout different points in the game, further solidifying these connections. She uses Marlon's bow to save her friends, and she uses Minerva's axe to save AJ, who in turn uses it to save her.

What's also so interesting about this is how Marlon's alive in episode one, and Minerva is thought to be dead. Louis has his best friend, and Violet's lost hers. But, at the end of the episode, Marlon's dead and Minerva's revealed to be alive.

Marlon becomes the ghost, and Minerva becomes the monster. Clementine becomes to Louis and Violet what Marlon and Minerva never could... how does that not drive anyone else insane?

So, no. One is not objectively better, or more impactful, because of a connection to Marlon or Minerva. They're different. It just depends on which storyline you personally find more compelling.

Actually, let's talk about that a little more.

In my opinion, the most intriguing point of comparison between Louis and Violet stems from their perceptions of survival, and how that impacts Clementine.

An argument I see made against violentine is that Violet's boring because she and Clementine are too similar. This usually comes from clouis shippers who prefer the "opposites attract" dynamic Clementine and Louis have.

On the flip side, there's the counter argument that Louis is reckless, that he doesn't take survival as seriously as he should and Clementine wouldn't want him because of that.

These are interesting to me because I get where they're coming from... but they ultimately miss the point.

The other day, I replayed TFS. Except this time, I did something a little bit differently. I played my usual clouis route, but then I had the violentine route pulled up on my laptop so that I could watch these scenes, comparing them side by side… and something occurred to me. 

Louis is about challenging Clementine's perception of survival, and Violet is about validating it.

Louis challenges Clementine from the very moment we meet him—he’s playing music. His initial philosophy on survival butts heads with Clementine’s. The fact that hunting with him and Aasim challenges your perception of “your choices have consequences.” These games have conditioned the player to think along the lines of, “Yeah, Louis is more fun… but if I don’t hunt with Aasim, we won’t have any food.”

Except that’s just it. I hate to say it, Aasim, but in the grand scheme of things… hunting with you doesn’t matter. It's actually less rewarding. You know why? Because in the next section, we get food from the train station. It would’ve been more beneficial to spend time with Louis over hunting, hence how he challenges you.  

This then primes you for the choice between choosing to follow Louis or follow Violet. I know people complain about how this is presented with Violet doing something productive [checking the walls] and Louis playing piano… but that’s the point. If you’re going through with Louis’ full route, you need to meet him at his level, and in turn, he will meet you at yours. You need to accept the challenge, the idea that Clementine isn’t entirely right about the way she’s gone about survival.

Oh, and do I even need to mention the vote? The debate over Louis’ vote is exhausting. Often times, people tell on themselves in how they talk about it. It’s not actually about the fact that he voted against them. If it was, these people would have a bigger bone with pick with Mitch, Willy, Ruby, and Omar… and yet Louis is the one who takes all the blame as if he’s the only one personally kicking them out. 

Louis is reacting to the death of his best friend, and the complicated feelings that come with it being caused by AJ. He wants accountability, even if he knows something's wrong. You can either agree with him that it was murder, and set AJ on the path of atonement… or, you can double down and tell him to fuck off, AJ was justified. 

But here’s the thing… the vote adds to the appeal of Louis’ route. To someone who hates him, or at the very least is critical of his vote, that sounds mad or delusional.

Except it’s really not.

Ever heard of a thing called tension? Because there’s a lot of it in ep2 between clouis + AJ and it’s fantastic.

Yes, Louis voting them out is problematic because we need a problem to solve. We need something to feed the tension between him and Clementine. He stepped in front of a gun held by his best friend in order to protect her, forever changing their relationship… only for that to seemingly be taken away from us the moment AJ shoots Marlon. 

Yes, Louis’ route is about being challenged, but it’s also about challenging him. That he’s able to forgive them, that he’s able to question his own survival philosophy and understand theirs, that he’s able to apologize and actually change for the better… that right there is what makes clouis so damn good. 

He becomes hardened whereas Clementine softens. By the end of the game, they’re on a similar level now without neglecting their differences, and they can move forward together. 

That’s what makes Louis’ route appealing… and it’s also what makes it unappealing to people who prefer Violet. 

By contrast, Violet’s already on Clementine’s level when it comes to this perception of survival. She validates that Clementine’s on the right path.

They have other similarities in the way that they’re both female, queer, they both have a kid they look after, they’re not always great with other people, etc. 

People who prefer Louis might consider this boring, but I think to Team Violet, it’s comforting. It’s comforting to have a partner who takes this as seriously as you do, who wants to get shit done. They’re playing Clementine with a similar attitude, and don’t believe it needs to be challenged. It’s comforting to feel validated on something you already firmly believe in. 

We also see this if we compare the hunting and fishing scenes. You have to make an effort to choose Louis by choosing to neglect hunting, but the game makes you fish with Violet no matter what.

Violet’s prioritizing fishing because they need food. That’s what they’ve set out to do, so let’s do it. The game is letting you know that’s the case, and if you value that, continue pursuing her. 

While fishing, they discuss why things are weird with her and Brody. Violet doesn’t take well to Clementine’s blunt, “Because you make it weird. Brody tries and you just make fun of her."

That’s understandable because I think she already kind of knows why and is looking to have her feelings validated. She prefers it when Clementine suggests that it’s because Brody never said sorry for what happened to the twins. 

There’s also comfort and validation in the way Violet sides with Clementine and AJ after Marlon’s death. She votes for them to stay, vocalizing how much she disapproves of the results. There’s this feeling that I recognize from a lot of the sapphic romance I read; “it’s you and me against the world, I’ll always have your back, even if you’re in the wrong, I’ll fight for you.”

In our case, it’s violentine + AJ against the rest of Ericson, save Tenn and Aasim. Violet validates that AJ was justified because Marlon was a liar and murderer, claiming that AJ and Clementine did nothing wrong. Violet fights to keep them. 

The tension between violentine in ep2 is different because instead of one pushing the other away, they’re being forced apart by the vote and there’s nothing they can do about it. That tension is somewhat released when Clementine comes back and they’re reunited, working out a plan to best defend the school. 

It’s also why Violet’s presented as doing something productive when you follow her instead of Louis, and why she asks if you want to hang out after checking the defenses. 

All that being said, allow me to reiterate that one is not good and the other bad, they're different. These concepts of challenge and change/validation and comfort exist on a neutral road as diverging paths. It’s up to the player to pick what path they prefer, but that doesn’t mean the other path isn’t worth acknowledging or analyzing. 

I should also mention that they’re not exclusive; there is overlap with validation being present in Louis’ route and challenges in Violet’s. They’re just more present in episodes 3 and 4 after we’ve made our decision. 

There are several more examples of how this all fits together, buuuuut–

Ya’ll wanna compare some allegories?

Those familiar with my content might already know where I’m going with this as I’ve made a post about Louis and the piano in the past. 

You see, I believe that there are allegories for Louis and Violet’s hearts present in their routes: Louis’ piano, and Violet’s pin. 

I already have a thorough, in-depth analysis of Louis and the piano that you can read, so all I’ll say about it is that on the night of the raid, he asked Clementine to carve a piece of herself into his heart so that no matter what, their initials will be immortalized together in its wood…

And that makes me fucking feral. 

But I'm also so normal about it.

As for Violet, her heart is the star gazing pin she gives to Clementine. She gives it to her so she’ll always remember that night… but she doesn’t give it to her until after Clementine’s saved her, and that fascinates me in the context of it being allegory. 

Louis asks Clementine to carve herself into his heart right before the raid, cementing that from that moment on, he is utterly devoted to her. I believe this is part of the reason why Louis is still happy to see her if he’s the one who’s captured. Yes, yes, he’s also incredibly traumatized from having his tongue cut out and he’d be happy to see anyone, yada yada… but listen, if you romance Louis and he’s captured, his heart remains with her—that piano with their intitals is on full display. When he sees her, he’s still so devoted to her that he refuses to accept that it’s at all her fault. Even when she says it is, he shakes his head... and he so easily accepts her when they’re together in the end. From the moment Clementine puts knife to wood, he’s hers. 

Now, look… you might think I’m going somewhere not great with this but hear me out. 

I think after Clementine’s gone star gazing with her, Violet is fully ready to give her heart to her. Y’know, give her the pin. But, think about what Violet said about how people have left, but Clementine came back. Plus, with the impending raid to think about, maybe Violet should keep the pin until the right moment. 

I believe a key difference between her and Louis is that Violet needs one last thing to solidify that Clementine’s the one. 

Louis gives her his heart prior to the raid because of everything that’s already gone down between them following Marlon’s death. Violet needs to know that Clementine’s willing to fight for her the way she fought before. When Clementine saves her from the raiders, it’s solidified. Even after she sees Minerva again, it changes nothing.

It’s also worth noting that the pin is something Clementine wears. Like the piano carving, it’s a piece on display for everyone to see, to let them know whose heart Clementine has.

Violet literally handed Clementine her heart as a means of saying, “I’m yours. I’m devoted to you.” 

This is why romanced/captured Violet is devastating, and is why she behaves the way she does in the cells. She was so ready to give her heart away and then nope, sorry, Vi! You get knocked unconscious by raiders instead! 

If anything, you kind of deserve to be told to fuck off if you romanced her and then let her get captured. Just sayin’. 

Look, I have a lot of complicated feelings about the captured violentine route, mostly with Violet being as forgiving as she is after her eyes are burned—yes, yes, I know, her eyes are burned and Minerva messed with her head so of course now she’s not hostile, yada, yada. 

But I think it’s rather telling that you don’t get the pin in this route. Sure, Violet’s willing to forgive and possibly pursue this romance in the future… but she’s not ready to hand over her heart, not truly. Not after everything that’s happened. 

And if you want to get extra angsty about it, imagine that Violet made the pin right after they parted ways, but before the raiders came. Meaning that if she’s captured, it’s possibly still sitting somewhere, abandoned. 

Mmhmmm, very normal about this. I feel normal. My normalness about this continues... normally. I'm not losing my shit thinking about that. Nope. Why would I? I wouldn't! So normal.

Okay just let me talk about their reactions to Tenn's death and then I'll shut up.

This makes me want to gnaw my own foot off, I can barely handle it.

AJ shoots Tenn on the bridge because Clementine trusted him to make the hard calls. This saves Louis or Violet's life.

When Louis jumps across, he's completely silent as he watches Tenn die... and then he's pissed; "What the fuck?! How could you just shoot him like that?!"

AJ explains himself, that he did it for him, and Louis is so upset that he forces AJ to look at what he's done, to watch the walkers eat Tenn; "Tenn's dead. He's dead! Do you realize that?! Look! [...] He's... he's gone, because of you. Just fucking gone."

If Clementine says AJ saved his life, Louis says, "So what, we just cut him loose? Gun him down like he was nothing?"

If Clementine says nothing, Louis says, "Tenn was just a little boy!"

The reason Louis responds this way is because in this moment, he just relived Marlon's death all over again, but worse. So, SO much worse!

When Violet jumps across, she breaks down, begging, "Oh, my God! Oh, my God! No, no! No, no, no..." as she watches Tenn die... and then says to AJ, "No! What the fuck?! How could you do that?!"

AJ explains himself, that he did it for her, and Violet is faaaar from okay; "For me? I can't... Tenn is gone! That soft little boy who liked to draw, he's gone, because of you!"

If Clementine says AJ saved her life, Violet says, "You think that's okay?! Just gunning down one of our own?!"

And there it is.

Louis is hardened in this situation because he already went through this... Violet hasn't, not with AJ. She softened up throughout her route due to her relationships to him and Clementine... but this is the moment where she realizes that maybe AJ wasn't as justified as she believed, and this is the consequence.

This leads us to the ending where AJ asks if they're still mad about him killing Tenn, and I just... I'm biting my foot right now because the script has flipped.

Louis is forgiving and understanding. He's soft, he's sympathetic, he shakes AJ's hand to let him know that all is forgiven and they're okay; "I... AJ, I guess it's like... You saw something I didn't. About the situation, I mean. Minnie and the walkers and Tenn, it's just all this chaos in my head when I think back on it. [...] Clem says you saved my life? Well, then, that's exactly what you did. And how can I stay mad at anyone for doing that?"

Or, alternatively, "He was your friend, AJ. I know you are hurting just as much as I am."

As for Violet? She's understanding, too... but she's not quite ready to forgive yet; "The thing you said on the bridge...that he was messing up all the time. It wasn't something new, you know. Tenn got himself or other people into trouble all the time, long before you guys got here. He was always so lost. He lived in a world that just...isn't there, you know? And that's why I tried to look after him. But when I was pulling him away from the walkers, and Minnie, I could also see...he just wasn't there anymore."

"So you're mad, but sad."

"Can I be that for a while?"

And it's completely understandable that she's hurting and struggling with how she feels about AJ moving forward! She wants to be okay, she wants to forgive him, she just needs time.

Now, because I'm forever bitter, but I'm gonna mention this as well: whenever I see someone point at Violet's scene and say, "See!? This is how LOUIS should've acted in ep2!" like... they're telling on themselves again. Not just that they don't understand Louis as a character or his route, but that they don't fully grasp Violet's part in this either. Or time frames, for that matter.

Let me put it to you in simple terms... they react the same.

After Marlon and Tenn die, they're upset. They're pissed. They blame AJ and yell at him. After they've had time to process what happened [Louis after the two week time skip, Violet after time passes between the bridge and the ending] they share the same, "I'm still upset about Marlon/Tenn. Can I be that for a while and still be your friend?" sentiment.

The difference is that Louis is treated poorly for it because of the vote, and because we feel it first hand for longer... Violet got to grieve off screen and come back after she's sorted herself out.

It's a disservice to both of their characters because it's rooted in that same mentality that I criticized at the beginning: "This is why one is better than the other."

Do I need to say it again? I'm gonna say it again.

One is not good and the other bad. They're different.

There are so many fun discussions that could come from putting Louis and Violet side by side, and examining them. I haven't even covered the different ways they're introduced, or compared their ep3 dates to see what it says about them and the overall narratives! What about the cell scenes!? How they react when Dorian's about the cut off their fingers! The way they approach James upon meeting him!

That last one in particular is especially funny! They're all under stress about blending in with a herd of walkers to infiltrate a boat to save their friends, and yet Louis easily saunters up to the guy wearing walker skins with a smile, and makes him laugh by saying, "Functional and fashionable. I'll take two."

Violet approaches James like he's an injured wild animal that's going to bite her, and bless her heart, she tries with, "I, uh… hey. Hey there, James. Sorry about Willy." Then James gives her this judgmental side-eye, like buddy? She's not the weirdo here.

There is so much potential to dissect here, and I want to see people do it... but I want them to do it fairly, in good faith.

I want to get away from the idea of comparing them to "prove" which is better because there is no objective better. There isn't! That's a waste of time!

I'm so done with The Debate™; it's unhelpful, it's annoying, and it's boring as shit. I've heard it all before, and you probably have, too.

I want to put Louis and Violet under a microscope and study them with the thought process of, "one does this and the other does that... what does it mean!? what does it say about the narrative!? Oh my god, they have the same opinion on this thing, WRITE THAT DOWN!"

So yeah, that's my ramble for the night.

I'm gonna go replay TFS for further research.

[finalfivecarts]

by god I will learn how to draw you Zackary Fair