#it feels…… contradictory

[sixoclocker]

(sorry for the bad quality)

(for those who can’t see what it says, here:

first photo: “I do hope Starlo grows out of this state eventually.”

second photo: “He neees to find himself a wife and settle down.”)

i can’t find solomon’s dialogue but do yall ever think about this. and how solomon says something like “i think he thinks we hate what he’s doing, but that’s just not true”

like hm. hmmmmmmmmmmm. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[meticulousmaker]

another random thing that stands out to me rewatching Steven Universe as an adult:

throughout the show there's this clear Vibe that Steven has inherited some big magical destiny, right? and it makes sense narratively: he's the son of Rose Quartz, leader of the rebellion, now being raised by her friends who were the last remaining survivors of an interstellar war. he's like a human child in most ways, except he has magical powers that start to become more obvious as he's getting older. no one like him has ever existed before. it's a big deal. raising him and figuring out how he's going to grow is its own unique challenge, because nobody knows what to expect. so of course there's this magical destiny vibe, given all that.

What's interesting to me, though, is that this magical destiny is in no way literally, physically present in the story, it's just something everyone kinda feels. Like, there's not some ancient prophecy about a half-gem, half-human savior. He's not the Chosen One in any literal sense, he just happens to give off Chosen One vibes. And I say that's interesting because it means that the fact he was kinda raised with this Chosen One vibe is completely a decision everyone around him made, for better or for worse. And the show is aware of this, because the weight of Rose's legacy and everyone's expectations of him is a constant theme, and as Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl all grow and develop, they also realize the downsides of them putting those expectations on a child. Like, Steven spends his whole childhood being told about how great Rose was, and how because he's inherited her gem he will probably inherit her powers - and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Imagine how awful things could have been if Steven had no exposure to the Gems and no knowledge of what they were or how they worked, and then his powers started coming in? It was hard enough even when he was surrounded by the most qualified Gem Experts on Earth. But being primed for all of this "you're going to have your mother's magical powers" stuff put a heavy weight on his shoulders, and then the fact that nobody else quite knew how his abilities worked meant he was constantly faced with the adults in his life looking to him with concern because they didn't know what was happening with him. That's gotta leave an impression on a kid - and, well, throughout the show and especially in SU Future we definitely see that it does.

I like the way the show handles the pressure that's put on him, and the fact that everyone is just... trying their best in a completely unprecedented situation. Nobody knows what to do or how to raise this kid, and that inevitably causes problems but everyone is trying. And Steven can feel that everyone is trying without knowing what to do and he just wants to help and not be a burden and none of his caretakers have said that he's a burden but he can feel everyone's confusion and concern and the expectations he's not living up to and he cares so much, about everyone, about everything. He's in an extremely unique position that grants him opportunities to help that nobody else has, and he feels like he's failing everyone if he can't fulfill that, and in the end it never should have been his job to fix things but somebody had to try. Somebody had to try, and he was one of the only people with the ability to stop the Diamonds, stop the war, stop the lies, stop his world and everyone on it from being destroyed... and he was just a kid.

[grabyourpillow]

I've been thinking about the moment Lawrence tells Bellini about his papal name "John. I would choose John".

On one hand the words of Conclave writer Peter Straughan bounce around in my head like a windows xp saving screen: "Lawrence admits he has harbored that ambition, that he has prepared his name. It's true what Bellini said about him. It's true about all of them -- except for one person, of course."

And on the other hand it's such a tender little moment. Lawrence could just, not say it and retain the moral high ground literally forever. And as always, always, he chooses to step down, and comfort his longtime confident and friend by looking at him, holding his hands and telling him "look. I'm down here in the muck with the rest of you. With you." And also, perhaps even more importantly "you did not read me wrong. You do, know me."

Going insane

[amoraart]

- A short Henry x Hans fanfiction -

"What hurts the most, I think, is that they were taken before I ever amounted to anything," said Henry, wistful eyes watching the gentle fire, "the last they've seen of me, I was a lazy brat, oversleeping, skipping work due to nightly little adventures." He gesticulated, " I just wish they could've seen it."

Hans, intently looking into Henry's eyes, so far off, kept silent, listening, for once.

"I wish they'd seen my bravery, my strength," he held a breath as if it could hold all of himself together, "how I fight, with all my might, to protect their memory, to avenge their loss,"

Henry looked up, locking eyes with Hans,

"And yet, if not for the horrors they went through, if not for the horrors I've seen, I would still be a lazy, spoiled brat. How I wish it wasn't so, how foolish of me to want them to bear witness to something that could only exist through their demise,"

Henry broke the connection of their eyes, looking down to the side - what a sight, Hans realised, for even if only for a moment, he saw Henry for what he truly was: a frightened young boy, so soon deprived of his mother's kindness, his father's wisdom. So soon thrown into a world of cruelty he did not yet know of.

One truly must put their faith in God, lest they be taken by the fear and grief that plagues this world.

"You're the best man I know, Henry," said Hans after a pause, eyes still locked on his distressed friend . "Not only for your unparalleled strength and bravery, of course, but for your cunning, your wisdom," Hans stretched his hand to touch that of his friend's, "your kindness, Henry. "

Hans brought his other hand to Henry's face, ever so slowly, ever so lightly, and turned his friend to face him and, in the dim light, Henry hugged Hans.

For the first time since it all began, Henry let himself weep.

[hyperfixate-on-ninjas]

‘The lore doesn’t make sense anymore.’

Shut up. This is Ninjago. The lore was pulled out of Tommy Andreason’s ass. Get comfy.

[alexhatessupermarketcola]

Ooo, I love the idea that Yassen sent Alex to Scorpia not because he didn't know John's true allegiances, not because of bloodloss persay and not because he'd conveniently forgotten his desire for Alex to stay out of all this either but because he was feeling petty and his dying wish was to fuck Scorpia up.... something he felt sure that Alex could achieve 😆

[mr-weirdo-mcgee]

Things that can co-exist

Straight trans men, who hate when transphobes say they're a lesbian. & Lesbian trans men who hate people pushing them out of the label.

Lesbians talking about how bad comphet is. & Lesboys. Just like ..existing. (maybe surprising to you but lesboys can complain about comphet)

Lesbians talking about gross men who are trying to flirt with them by insisting that lesbians don't exist and insist they're bi or multisexual in general because they can't accept lesbians exist & Mspec lesbians.

[pareidolla]

i've been thinking a little about the belief that true freedom can only be found in isolation. reasonably, you can do whatever you want when not constrained by laws or the public eye. yet, without limitations, what's the point of doing anything? it's connection which give you purpose and it's other people who define your reality.

and, where the princess is imprisonment, i think abt how the long quiet represents freedom. without the narrator imposing his limitations, tlq can accomplish whatever he wants if he believes himself capable. according to the shifting mound, even after escaping from her shackles, the princess recognizes, if subconsciously, that the long quiet is a gateway to her freedom.

and then i think abt cold. and i think about how he wants us to do whatever we please without fretting over emotions or morals. the long quiet is Nothing, but the only way for him to encompass Nothing is through isolation. to be freed of the princess who gives him shape.

and cold helps you but at the same time he urges you to chase new sensation because even then he represents longing. he uniquely understands the princess's since he, too, has spent an eternity in the cabin, and he longs for connection with her. to feel anything other than oneself. it's not only rage and sorrow he hopes to repress but Love.

and then i think abt the new ending. how if you choose again and again to choose cruelty, to deny your connection with the princess and slay the shifting mound then you'll lose the voices along with her. true freedom at the expense of losing the sums which makes you You. is this anything

[officialspec]

What do you think gay men are attracted to in men that they can’t be attracted to in women?

It can’t be anything about femininity or masculinity obviously. That’s both sexist, and cultural so can’t be what drives men-only attraction.

It can’t be anything about stated identity because someone could lie just as easily as they could tell the truth in such a statement, and it makes no sense because homosexuality and heterosexuality exists in other species with no stated identities. It’s not like other animals without gender are all pan.

Saying idk it’s the vibes or some indescribable trait men have that women can’t but “I can’t explain” is a nonanswer.

Soooooooo what is it? Or do you think any sexuality but bi/pan is just cultural performance or an identity rather than an inborn orientation?

- [ ]

first off i hate this ask and i think youre a freak. in any other world i wouldve blocked you for this but unfortunately for both of us i actually like this type of philosophy. dont send this shit to anyone else though

i dont think its right to compare human sexuality to the same thing in animals, to get that out of the way. im sure until a certain point it comes from the same biological impulses, but human beings have way more complicated social structures and reasons for coupling that just do not exist in other animals. our social behaviours are what make us unique in the animal kingdom and that definitely extends to gender and sexuality. so theres that

people love to tout 'gender is a social construct' around like its a criticism in and of itself, which i think betrays a misunderstanding about social constructs in general. theyre the foundations we build language on to better understand each other, and affected by a whole host of cultural and historical factors. just because theyre subjective and complicated doesnt mean they arent real. in terms of the effect they have on peoples lives they may be the most real thing that exists

for example, 'kindness' is a social construct. the definition and ways it is enacted differ greatly across personal and cultural lines. but no one would ever suggest a world where kindness doesnt exist or loses meaning, because its an essential part of the way we interact with each other (in the same way i dont really see a world where gender entirely ceases to exist, mainly just one where people have more fun with it. im not a psychic though so who knows)

similarly, sexuality in humans is another social construct. i think the driving biological forces behind it are very real, but the labels people attach to those impulses are subjective attempts to express their inner world to the people around them if that makes sense. and those same biological impulses are ALSO subject to social ideas of gender, because those ideas are established at birth and reinforced over a persons entire lifetime

to use myself as an example, im a gay trans man. ive identified as other things in the past, because i was trying to pick apart feelings i had and express them to others in an attempt to find community. my identity might change as i get older and experience new things, or it might not. i identify as gay because im not attracted to the social concept of women, and someone i would otherwise be attracted to might lose all appeal after i find out they fall under that concept (this has happened before w transfems pre and post coming out lol)

of course, the real REAL answer to this is that trying to give queer identities rigid and objective definitions is a fools errand, and also lame as fuck. someone might identify as gay and be more attracted to general masculinity than men as a social category, maybe they fool around with a couple of butch women without considering themself any less gay. two otherwise identical people might be a butch lesbian and a gay trans man without either of those identities coming into conflict. they might even be the same person at different times of the week

the labels people choose to use are communication tools, not objective signifiers. if you dont understand them, they probably arent talking to you

social constructs are everything. we as humans have the unique ability to interpret our own messy desires and impulses into words that other people can use to form an idea of someone else in their mind. its how we build connections, and of course it isnt perfect because trying to squeeze someones entire personal history and the centuries of context that defined it into a handful of syllables is going to leave some room for error. but its all we have, yknow? so we keep trying. and i think thats much more human than any imposed objective 'truth' could ever be

tldr we live in a society dipshit. get with it

[some-zer0]

Peter's statement in TMA 159 is so interesting to me cause of how aware he is of sociopolitical issues in it: he's actually really well-spoken when it comes to explaining how he chose his tenants, and how their traits (namely, most being white) contributed to the ritual failing, despite the fact that he's a literal embodiment of the concept of loneliness. But, like, that's really just the core of Peter's character, isn't it? I mean, he says it himself -- he can only feel forsaken if he's aware of the society that he's forsaken from, so of course he would be knowledgeable about sociopolitical exclusion. And that deep contradiction adds so much to him as a character, especially because he himself is an extremely privileged person.

[calware]

headcanons on who would have kids

june: i don't think she'd have kids, she feels more like an aunt to me that lets her nieces and nephews stay up past their bedtimes. that said i am so intrigued by the concept of everyone being gods that are centuries-old and virtually detached from their humanity and she snatches a random kid. and everyone is like june you can't. you can't do that. put it back

rose: i don't think she would have kids 😔 she feels SOOOOO GUILTY about it too because she feels like she's Supposed to have a kid and is Supposed to be a good mother to like, prove something, or make up for her own childhood, but she just can't. i think if she did have kids she would be one of those moms who loves their kid and takes care of them and provides for them but still regrets it and hates herself for regretting it. she likes helping with kids though

dave: depends on the scenario honestly there are so many ways this could go

jade: i think she would have kids, i imagine she ends up like a grandmother with 100 grandkids lol. they all get together for big family reunions with lots of food and warm rooms and laughter and music

jane: LOL no

roxy: i also don't think she would want kids, i think this is something she would realize later in life, maybe even after having a kid

dirk: allergic to the idea of having a kid so so bad. despite this he cannot help but unwillingly end up as some kid's mentor/guardian/pseudo father-figure because he's cursed. with a support group he's okay though once he chills out for 2 seconds

jake: take a wild guess

karkat: doesn't decide to have kids but he somehow ends up taking care of like 5 random ones. where did they come from? maybe they were adopted. maybe they all started following him around and never left. maybe they were all left at his front door in a milk crate. either way, they're his responsibility now. he's not the stepfather, he's the father that Stepped Up

kanaya: i also don't think she would have kids but i do think she would be very involved with kids. i like the idea of her working with grubs in the brooding caverns before they find families/communities/lusii/etc to take them in. or a short-term foster parent. again i'd like to think rose helps her with this

terezi: realistically i cannot see her raising a child by herself unless it's in a very comical context like the paradox space comics, which i imagine would be VERY entertaining from an outsider's perspective. terezi teaching a baby legal jargon. terezi wearing those baby carriers that you strap to your chest while careening down the interstate. terezi fingerpainting with a baby, but she's picking up the baby and using it like a baby-shaped paintbrush

vriska: 😬

gamzee: he's already kind of calliope's dad? in a way

[aalghul]

another thing about boy wonder is that jason is made out to be unhygienic and crass and impulsive and stupid because he is poor. then talia is made out to be the princess who's never lived her own life and mindlessly acted on her father's orders to make herself love a man and have a kid with him only to abuse the kid and also others who she deems below herself. the only way you can win in this comic is if you are a rich white boy apparently because tim drake is the saviour of the poor who don't need to think for themselves because he, ceo of wanye enterprises, is there to be the hero in their place. there is no need to involve those irrational lower classes who don't know what's good for them (which this comic certainly has proven to believe). it's impressive the lengths to which juni ba bases characters off of 2D assumptions based on class and situation rather than actually engaging with the characters as they are when not being reduced to stereotypes.

[optimistic-autistic]

nothing so aggravating as seeing people claim what Hades did was just a misunderstanding because he ''loved Persephone too much''. like i don't know about you, but it's pretty hard for that to turn into building a town based on slavery and later getting a girl and assaulting her (even if it's just implied, he still at least had to pretend to do something like it, because his goal was to make Persephone mad).

[hickeygender]

enjoying 2012 les mis is like. yes i love parts of it. yes aspects of it are absolutely sinful and straight up bad. the acting is terrific. the singing is dogshit (please give jackman a glass of water) except when it verges on angelic (redmayne, barks, and seyfried). the casting is iconic (blagden served cunt for his .2 seconds of screentime and barks is legendary). who let tom hooper direct this (it was mackintosh (derogatory)). why did they cut parts of the songs only to ADD an entire new number. would i recommend watching it? absolutely. should it be your first exposure to les mis? absolutely NOT. was it mine? you know it babes! is it the most well known/popular/easiest version to find? again, yes, but i'm begging you on hands and knees to watch it live or find a bootleg or the 25th anniversary concert or ANYTHING else as an introduction or i promise that the version of the musical that burns itself into your memory will include ugly singing (i speak from experience)

[peachdoxie]

Your resume should include any relevant work experience and skills you have and it's good to include your volunteer work and internships (ideally four of them) as well as your multiple graduate degrees and the certifications you've earned during the process, and also your resume can only be one page in a font that's easy to read. This field is hard to break into because we have a lot of applicants for not a lot of openings and we'll keep them open for years until we find the perfect candidate. A great way to distinguish yourself is by taking any adjacent job you can find even if it means you have to work two or three part time jobs to make ends meet until a new opening is made. It's also good to tailor your resume to the companies and jobs you're applying for so that they know you researched the role and didn't send out mass applications, and oh, I highly, highly recommend that you keep your resume updated and a digital copy on hand so that you can email it to people at a moment's notice because it's good to keep an eye out for opportunities as they come up. Everyone around you has a master's degree and it's basically the new bachelor's and a PhD is the new master's and we really like seeing several years of work experience because there's a lot of stuff you can't learn in a classroom setting. It's a great field and I love working in it and you should pursue it if you're passionate about it!

[haine-kleine]

The fact is, had the League and especially the LOV trio started trauma dumping on each other, by the war arc they would have been undefeatable.

And now that we are at the finishing line of the story, it's starting to stand out as a fairly odd fact that they hadn't. The culmination of all three's stories was the part about unblocking their tragic backstories, and the heroes being the ones to hear those backstories first is kind of. Weird? You could argue that Shigaraki, Dabi and Toga weren't particularly inclined to open up about their past, but wasn't the entire point of LOV being a place where all the members felt accepted, when their previous environments never allowed them to feel this way?

The story takes so much time to explain this fact in great detail but then becomes short-sighted when it comes to LOV's actual relationships with each other and always jumps to the 'they are villains' point. Sure, they are, but they are also human individuals, who have spent around a year being extremely close in conditions that naturally encourage bonding. They didn't commit crime 24/7 and it's not like they stood around AFK the rest of the time when they weren't actively breaking law lol. All of them save for Shigaraki could have left at any moment, but they didn't, even when they became homeless and had to go on the run, even when Shigaraki's life became a non-stop battle with Gigantomachia, no one exhibited any desire to leave the League despite the fact Shigaraki had never forced anyone to stay. They were loyal to him, and to each other. The friendship was there. The trust. They even had time at their disposal.

So why is it the ones who get to hear their stories and sympathize for the first time are the hero kids, literally minutes before their deaths?