#it just feels so bad. their relationship has never been 100% good and healthy by human standards but this chapter specifically

[finalexpenses]

idk if there was just One thing that clearly showed that she and smitten were on the same side would Greatly elevate the chapter for me

[sweetmariihs2]

So no one in the fandom is going to point this out?

(except for the fact that Malthus is a good person and has a somewhat healthy relationship with Hilda, differently from Frollo...)

Despite being religious figures (AND involved in politics), I have a list of comparisions of them at the end of the post. For now, let me mention the most important points

They tried to "cleanse the sins" of the girls they have romantic interests in (and the reason for this purification of sins would be because they considered these girls are "sinful and promiscuous")

These girls hate them and publicly defy their behavior (Esmeralda spits in Frollo's face while Hilda gets closer to Malthus' face)

They're both feeling this desire for the girls they deem as sinful, and this feeling (and the religious guilt) is eating them from inside

These girls can easily make them vulnerable, which is a unnusual feeling for both

They are jealous of the girls being exposed to other man (Esmeralda dancing, Hilda in the zone), and try to convince them to stop it

(This scene is not included in the disney movie, but it is in the 1939 movie and in the book - The people were waiting for Esmeralda to get on the stage and start dancing, and Frollo appears, hiding in the shadows, telling her he's madly in love with her and can't stand the sight of her dancing in front of other man. She ends up not obeying him, though! Went to dance anyway)

In the book and also in the musical of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, there is a scene where Frollo is just wandering through the streets of Paris, trying to deal with his conflicting feelings towards Esmeralda, and he hears the sound of music and dancing from the inside of a tavern.

"Frollo began to walk the streets night after night, unable to bring himself to return alone to his cold, dark chambers. He thought he saw her everywhere. Until one night, walking down an unknown alley... he heard the sound of distant music and laughter... coming from within a tavern called... La Pomme d'Eve!" (lyrics from the musical)

When he looks into the window he sees Esmeralda dancing, drinking and having fun, then he says "Brazen, lewd, and odious, this vile, depraved display... I cannot bear to watch and yet I cannot turn away..." (lyrics from the musical), which reminds me of Malthus always ending up in the bohemian zone and "accidentally" watching Hilda from afar, while he's against everything that is in that place. An angel on earth actually made an edit with this musical song making it seem like it was included in the movie, and it looks great! I just wanted to add this here because this edit deserves more recognition.

In the book, Frollo is a priest. He grew up in the church and never felt tempted by any woman... except for Esmeralda, what brings him to madness and eventually death. Got what he deserved tbh

Frollo sees himself as better than the others, just like the first lyrics of his song "Hellfire" say, "Beata Maria, you know I am a righteous man, of my virtue I am justly proud... Beata Maria, you know I'm so much purer than the common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd...", which reminds me of the talk that Hilda has with Malthus, claiming that loving humanity is not the same as loving people, with real scent, color and sins. Of course, Malthus' pride is not as bad as Frollo's, but it is still a similarity

Both Hilda and Esmeralda are 100% publicly against Malthus and Frollo. They despise them, Hilda because Malthus wants to exorcise her and he is part of that political organization "of good manners" (or something like that), which goes against the bohemian area and disturbs the residents there using their faith. Esmeralda, however, hates Frollo because of the genocide he had been commiting against her people for decades, and she sees him as depraved and disgusting, especially after knowing that he is lusting after her. Both of the girls aren't afraid of speaking up about what they believe, making a fool out of both of Frollo's and Malthus' faces, which is something that the other people don't do. Both of them have a sense of speaking up for minorities and mistreated people.

And also while Esmeralda is kind to Quasimodo, the mistreated hunchback character, Hilda says that "ugly people have hearts too", willingly letting ugly guys have a chance with her.

Frollo keeps Esmeralda's shiny scarf while Malthus keeps Hilda's shoe. Both of the objects remind them of the girls they're "in love", make them feel religious guilt for feeling lust, and both of the objects are considered sinful (Hilda's shoe is considered too vulgar and Esmeralda's scarf was used during her sexy dance at the festival, and she teases Frollo with it in front of everyone)

Frollo burns Esmeralda's scarf (out of anger of her) and Malthus tries to burn Hilda's shoe, but ended up returning it to her.

They both refuse to call the girls by their names, calling them by pejorative nicknames instead, in Malthus case he calls Hilda "camellia, Magdalene (prostitute of the Bible), sinner" while Frollo calls Esmeralda "witch, the girl, gypsy girl"

This is not really about Malthus and Frollo, but when Hilda goes to the church, the priest tells her she shouldn't be there because she commited too many sins and she's in debt with God. In the Hunchback Of Notre Dame 1939 movie, Frollo finds Esmeralda praying and tells her that that church is not a place for her, aggressively shouts that she should leave and grabs her arm.

And what can I say about this song?

Notice how he ends up passing out because of his inner turmoil, which also happens to Malthus, when he's punishing himself and was found by the priest

As you guys probably know, Frollo and Esmeralda's character relationship and interactions are extremely unhealthy and toxic, while Malthus and Hilda are cute together and they're a recognized couple in the show. Frollo's feelings towards Esmeralda are just pure lust and hypocrisy, and he tries to burn her at the stake at the end, believing that her death will bring him some peace. They're not the same.

[raisedbythetv89]

Ok ooooook OK SO.

Spike was literally made for Buffy because he was made for and by Drusilla, and Buffy and Dru are the same person:

Innocent, kind-hearted young girls, with special gifts that cause them to carry more guilt/burden than others and they are used/abused/traumatized by angelus/angel, then neglected and abandoned, with Spike being there to pick up the pieces and nurture, care for, and love them the best he can to help them move past their angel trauma (which is actually an impossible task with Drusilla because of the sire aspect but isn’t with Buffy)

WHICH is why I believe William’s first act as a vampire was to try and save his mother. He was literally created to be Dru’s knight. Not only her protector but her healer. Which is why his first instinct when it should be all about blood lust is instead, to heal his mother who he still loves even as a vampire. I mean even Dru, a certified nutcase, is like you wanna do WHAT?!?! When Spike tells her his plan to save his mom😹

This is also why I believe angel trying to mold Spike into his image never really took or rather Spike was able to break free from it. Angel was created by darla for the intent of death, torment and destruction.

Spike was created to care for and love Dru. Which required an OBSCENE amount of patience, determination, humility, and love of a challenge. Which is why he was so intrigued by slayers, another seemingly impossible task - but the joy/fun was in the TRYING, the thrill of the unknown and the unpredictability of it all. Which are all the traits he needed to be there for both Dru and Buffy while also ensuring he never gives up on them as long as they want him there, and then some lol.

IM FREAKING OUT ABOUT THIS

Because also this is soooooo not where I planned on going with this but “I was made to love you” episode title is now drawing in the connection of, is this why Spike didn’t initially see the problem with the Buffy-Bot until he saw the reaction of Buffy herself who often acts as his moral compass as he relearns what is “good” after 100+ years living by vamp code because him AS A HUMAN, in his vulnerable, dejected and devastated state was killed and made into a vampire for the sole purpose of loving and caring for Drusilla selflessly, without regard for himself, much like the bots were!! So why would he see the harm in creating something like that for himself when no one was going to die in the process and it meant he could stop fixating in the real buffy? Both of which to a vamp who’s only been trying to live by human morals again for like 14 episodes vs 120 years with NO help just trial and erroring his way through becoming a white hat which his starting point is “I would like credit for not taking advantage of bleeding disaster victims” and “what do you mean building a shrine to show how deep my devotion is and chaining you up, offering to kill my ex, and forcing you to talk to me and admit your feelings aren’t the way to do this??” 😹😹😹 like he gets it so wrong, it’s comical in season 5 because he truly is so earnest about all of it because while yes it is all for a chance with Buffy, he genuinely wants to be better for her so he can earn that chance. As he says to Riley “a fellas gotta try” after saying he doesn’t think he has a chance with her.

He was an Eleanore who desperately needed his Chidi. Which Buffy is his moral compass but she ends up being a “let them fail/push them into the deep end” kind of guide. So he makes A LOT of mistakes along the way as many of us often do in general but especially those of us who were raised by abusive parents; who in our adulthood, have to learn to discern what is healthy vs abusive to be a good person to both yourself and others and be in actual healthy relationships with boundaries and respect with zero practical experience or good instincts to go on.

NONE of this excuses any harm that Spike causes at all. That is not the point of this to say “oh he didn’t really do bad”, no he did. Spike caused a lot of harm but this perspective that I’ve finally been able to put into words is why none of the harm ends up being a deal breaker for me and many spuffys because it puts his choices in the right perspective which is not that of a human even though he looks like one a lot of the time.

Spike pre-soul, making the mistakes he makes isn’t the same as a human or a vamp with a human soul making the mistakes because he doesn’t have his human soul motivating and informing the decisions he makes. It really mimics different cultures in a lot of ways as anya really demonstrates during her wedding with all her talk of demon culture and tradition (and her own struggles to assimilate into the human world again and she HAS a human soul and xander to help her) and the initiative being VERY n*zi coded and Riley being called a bigot because he is ignorant to much of demonology. So un-souled spike has a more potential for forgiveness of his mistakes than human soul havers because he is always genuinely TRYING to do right by Buffy even when he gets it horribly wrong. And the characters in the show always hold him accountable and make him feel TERRIBLE for the mistakes he makes.

Why does he have such potential for forgiveness you ask? The best example is to think of the concept of someone trying to assimilate themselves into a new culture. We can’t expect them to blend right in perfectly and get all the culture norms right, right away (again -anya-but also a real life example - when I travel in Italy and catch up with friends there I STILL always stumble and forget they’re always gonna go in for a double cheek kiss greeting - pre covid anyway - and I KNOW it’s a thing but if I’m out of practice it takes me a while to start greeting people that way again and it makes for some AWKWARD ENCOUNTERS until I get it down😹). It takes time, and normally guidance and patience from others that spike honestly doesn’t often have except in the form of being yelled at or beat up until he gets his soul. But his willingness to TRY anyways despite failure, rejection, ridicule and cruelty. How can I not love him?? He is me, I am him!! I was also met with so much unhelpful criticism and cruelty when I was just trying to learn and do a good job.

Both as someone who is autistic and didn’t know it for a lot of life; I too felt like I was blundering through without a guide or a rule book and I was sure I was making mistakes because people would get upset but I had NO help identifying what exactly I did wrong or what to do instead. So I knew I was messing up but had to keep guessing and trying anyway and getting it wrong again and again!

And as someone raised by an emotionally distant/abusive narcissist, navigating healthy relationships became even MORE difficult and I made a lot of bad choices along the way that landed me in some awful relationships much like what spike and Buffy devolve into towards the end of season 6 because both of them are up stream without a paddle when it comes to healthy relationships, healthy coping mechanisms, and communication. They know pain, avoidance, fighting, torment, and ecstasy from always living in extremes and life or death situations (notice Buffy struggles the most in the season with no threat of the apocalypse until the last two episodes - season 6 - which is SO common for people with trauma, you really fall apart when things are low stakes)

It’s why the tenderness and gentleness of season 7 means SO MUCH. Both of them experiencing these tiny pockets of true peace with each other after everything they’ve been through individually and together. Experiencing true peace like we see from them is one of the hardest things to accomplish if you have severe trauma.

I’m always really happy when I can digest these complex themes enough to communicate why I love them so much and why they’re so important to me. The fact that this show had so much in-fighting amongst the writers and misogynists trying to make spike pathetic and accidentally making him one of the most complex characters, plus episodes based specifically on neurodivergent/queer peoples’ traumatic coming of age experiences because the parallels are SO strong there no way they’re not lol. This all means I can probably spend the rest of my life dissecting the layers of this show and learning about myself in the process and always find something new 🙃🙃🙃 and clearly I love all aspects of spuffy so god damn much as they each embody a big part of my life experiences in so many beautiful yet tragic ways.

[ztarduzted]

So like the Illymation drama????

vile take I support illy like fully I don’t get the people who don’t rn

So like ok ok don’t get me wrong, illy isn’t like perfect 100% by any means but who is??? That one carrot and chocolate thing she said in her video could have been worded better but cmon, it’s really not that big of a deal, for the most part you out understand what she was saying. The video that TBYS posted wasn’t “criticism” the way that people are trying to say it was. People are trying to play it off as just a normal constructive criticism video, but if your “constructive criticism” includes like two whole minutes of making fun of someone’s appearance for no reason, I’m concerned. Illy’s response was a bit immature, but I understand where she’s coming from. She said not to send hate and to just take down that one video, not his whole platform, because it was damaging her reputation and mental health because TBYS never even tried to make a statement telling people not to harass illy and she got sent hate for it. People are blowing it way out of proportion saying she was trying to “deplatform him” when she just wanted one video taken down because it was causing her to be deplatformed, and she never even talked about it to her actual YouTube audience, just the small community on tumblr, then TBYS made two more hate filled videos and people just kept dog piling on her. If your gonna get mad at someone for “deplatforming” a known homophobe and transphobe, maybe practice what you preach. And alongside that, I know that some sources were shown in TBYS’s original videos, but there were no links in the descriptions, and absolutely nothing in any of the response videos I’ve seen. There was one video I saw just speculating that all of her doctors were dumb and lied to her, and TBYS also said that most doctors that specialize and make money from being good at nutrition were just wrong. Also, that one response video I mentioned tried to claim gym bros were better at health than licensed professionals???????? It just feels like this is all a massive, overblown hate campaign to a creator because of mistakes. There’s a difference between constructive criticism and just making fun of someone, and while some things that TBYS said were understandable, he made a point to straight up make fun of illy in the middle of his video, not even attempt to stop his fans from harassing illy, then when she replied (and barley received any backlash mind you), he blew up making more videos sending more and more hate and trying to ruin illy’s career. I know illy could have clarified that one point in her video and acted more maturely about the situation, but people are entirely overlooking the fact that TBYS was no where near “perfect” in this situation. (Also, final note, yes, you can absolutely be fat and healthy, saying otherwise is just wrong and makes no sense. Do your research before making half hour long videos making fun of someone)

I assume this drama will just die eventually and people will move on, but either way, I’m going to continue watching and supporting Illy no matter what. She’s a fantastic content creator, and when that video first came out (and there wasn’t some dude bro on the internet telling me it was bad) I absolutely loved at and had a great time watching it. It made me feel really good about myself (since I’ve been exercising daily and been working on myself a lot, but I’ve seen little to no weight loss despite eating healthy and going on a calorie deficit and working hard. It turns out I have something up with my thyroid, and along with that, part of it is just genetics.) I’d started feeling really bad and was trying to eat the bare minimum and it was making it harder to work out and I was feeling sick all the time. One day I was staying home because I felt sick, and I watched illy’s video. It’s not like one video is going to fix my relationship with food, but it has helped. I’m still not losing weight, but I’m getting stronger, feeling better, and eating healthier. Despite all this drama, illy’s videos have helped me feel more comfortable being myself and I will continue supporting her. And Illy, if you’re (somehow) seeing this, just know that there are some people that want to see you fail, but there are so so many more people that love you and your content.

[on-leatheredwings]

i've found your account only a few days ago but ever since then I've been STUCK here rereading your fanfics, especially ones with damian. i wasn't even a dc fan (heard about some stuf, watched some films and cartoons, but that's it) but now im reading comics since im Obsessed and need more batboys in my life (rip my productivity😔)

Anyway, after Sleepover i'm curious what will Bruce (and maybe even Thalia) think of batboys strange behaviour towards reader. He's smart, so he definitely notices it early on, but how he'll react....

I can see him being weirded out (like he was by Jason's anger issues, before his death), but he also can be an enabler, since Robin (literaly any of them) had a hard life, so if those relationships can help him why not pretend that everything is normal? you'll be safer in a Wayne's Manor anyway

All in all, thanks for a new hyperfixation 💞💞

P.s. About games:

1. Boyfriend to death 1&2 - since you're into yanderes you might want to check this game out. I prefer the second game, but the first is also fun. But beware the trigger warnings!!

2. Long live the Queen - more of a raising sim than dating sim but you still can romance some guys and girls.

,3. Hatoful Boyfriend - mostly a comedy, but there is a yandere.

4. The Royal Trap - it's been a long time since i played it, but it used to be one of my favorites so i'll just mention it.

5. Higurashi - once again not really a romance sim, but its an interesting horror mixed with a slice of life

;A; AWWWW THANK YOU IM SO HAPPY YOU LIKE MY STUFF.... THAT MAKES ONE OF US GIJSDOFAFGHFOJDSD

and yes yes get into DC!!! (girl who hasnt even read a full run since like. injustice)

damn now you got me thinking and excited. incoming spiel

i agree entirely about bruce just knowing how Bad things can get, so to make things simpler, he's like "yes, your darling(s) can stay in the manor, boys. 🙄"

mmm yes..... when it comes to bruce noticing the batboys are yandere, i think it's always sinfully delightful to just have him be reluctantly okay with it. 😈 it's also easier narratively ngl but i also like the idea that the batfam is all just corrupted.

bruce's thoughts are that they (his sons) fight for vengeance and justice but this is where they could use some leeway.... we all need our vice... they fight so hard for gotham, they deserve a little treat (getting rid of your human rights)... it's very "Dad who wants his sons to have happiness even if its not healthy" of him. in fics where bruce is a yandere, well, he's the exact same way so he can't judge. although if that's the case, i like the idea of bruce just being like "yes what we do isn't right. let's not talk about it. just don't kill <3"

still wondering what i like more. a yan!bruce who's self aware what he's doing is wrong but he just refuses to think about it. or a yan!bruce that justifies it all because of his paranoia, Tower of Babel style (if you don't know, that's when it's revealed batman has plans to subdue/kill the justice league just in case they go rogue.)

for the batboys depends on their personality... for damian, he's so resolute in things that i prefer when he just believes 100% what he's doing is okay, if not actually righteous. ^_^

hmmm talia.... I'M STILL UNSURE HOW I PREFER THAT AS WELL... i think talia being a you-arent-good-enough-for-my-son mom is a little cliche but also. she kinda would say that. you'd have to prove your worth somehow but idk how tf darling would do that LOL. in the end, i think talia is just relieved/comforted that her son indeed feels desire and wants love and will continue the family legacy (regardless if youre afab/can biologically have children.)

no THANK YOU FOR THE ASK!!! AND THANKS FOR RECS!!!! heheh yeah ive checked out btd and im not averse to the warnings its more like im not that most of into the designs ngl. fox guy seems cute? AND LMAO FUNNY BC IM ON A HIGURASHI REWATCH (never played it tho)

[actual-changeling]

Hey, about your meta on how Aziraphale emotionally manipulated Crowley in the final 15: You explained how Aziraphale didn't defend his position to Crowley after he said "I think I understand it a lot better than you do" because he knows he's in the wrong.

Sorry if you've already answered this somewhere, but can you elaborate? Theories aside, I've always interpreted Aziraphale in the final 15 as someone who genuinely thinks they're doing the right thing.

If Aziraphale knows he's in the wrong, why would he go to Heaven in the first place? What would his motivation be? And what made you think he's aware?

Thank you!

A good question!

It's a central issue when it comes to Aziraphale because a big struggle of his is that he can belief two technically incompatible things at once.

There is always his initial belief, e.g. heaven is fundamentally good and angels cannot do the wrong thing, but then he is confronted by an experience he cannot ignore that shows him the opposite, e.g. God and heaven being fine with killing Job's children for a bet with Satan.

Now, he could take those two beliefs and realize what Crowley (and most demons) probably realized at some point: heaven lied to them and is not infallible, so when reality proves to be different than what they were taught, they can make up their own mind—there are more options than what they were presented with.

However, doing so would require Aziraphale to do several things.

become self-aware enough to realize that he made wrong choices

accept that he can still make wrong choices and that being an angel gives him no moral superiority

understand that "angel" and "demon" as categories are fundamentally meaning- and useless

move away from seeing heaven as the one true authority and build his own moral compass

find an identity for himself that is completely separate from heaven, angels, and demons

learn how to have healthy relationships without replicating the dynamic he had with heaven

Crowley was forced to learn all of this in quick succession before, during, and after his fall, and he's been in a good place for millennia at this point

Aziraphale, on the other hand, was never actually confronted with a situation that would explicitly force him to change his thoughts and behaviours. He got comfortable on earth, was mostly left alone by heaven, could do what he want, and had Crowley around—who, no matter what he did, always eventually came back to him.

Aziraphale benefited from Crowley's severe abandonment trauma and fears and decided that he does not have to make himself uncomfortable because Crowley will do it for him. All of the points I have listed above would vastly improve his relationship with Crowley and with himself, but they would mean making himself uncomfortable.

It would mean having to work through feelings of shame, self-hatred and guilt, learning how to actually listen to Crowley and treat him like an equal, understanding and accepting that he has hurt not just Crowley but probably also many humans throughout the centuries (e.g. the entire situation with Elspeth and Morag).

In short, it's a never ending journey that will make you feel really bad at times but is ultimately necessary to have healthy relationships and a content life.

Aziraphale KNOWS all of this, otherwise he would be at peace being exactly like the Archangels are. He wouldn't even TRY to convince Crowley that his morals are wrong and his own correct because why try to convince someone of something you are 100% sure of?

We never see any of the other angels and demons having those morality discussions because they are at peace with who and what they are. On top of that, it's not like Aziraphale does not notice when he hurts Crowley or makes him intentionally upset—he does notice, and he does not like it.

BUT, and there is, unfortunately, a 'but', he prioritizes his personal comfort over Crowley's wants, needs, and emotions.

For example, he coerces him into giving him the Bentley and leaves him alone with Gabriel, two things that deeply distress him. When Crowley does not do what he wants, he threatens to withhold his presence/affection and punishes him with rejection, which is him abusing Crowley's trauma for his own comfort. Any moral arguments are not about Aziraphale making a realization, they're him trying to come up with EXCUSES so he can justify continuing to think/do x-thing even though reality is telling him that he's wrong; Edinburgh is a great example for that.

In the final fifteen, we basically see how far Aziraphale is willing to go to protect his own comfort. I made a rough little list of his initial belief, the reality he gets confronted with, and the conclusion he comes to/decides on:

However, Aziraphale has finally reached the one boundary Crowley will never be willing to cross, not for him, not for anyone else. He will not go back to heaven and he sure as fuck has zero desire to be an angel again. Aziraphale could pull out whatever manipulation tactics he wants (and he does) but Crowley will not change his minds and is rightfully upset that Aziraphale is asking that of him.

So where does that leave us?

Belief 1: Returning to heaven and taking that position means he will be in charge and can change heaven so it is 100% good the way it is supposed to be. It's the right thing to do as a Good Angel.

Belief 2/Reality: He knows heaven is cruel. He knows there was a revolution with thousands of angels trying to change heaven and they failed. He knows that demons are not inherently evil and that angels are not inherently good. He knows that Crowley wants to save the world, that he makes choices are are kind, that he saves people, that he cares—and he won't go back to heaven. He knows he does not want to be without Crowley.

If the Metatron had given them the time to properly, actually talk about it, I think Aziraphale would have come to the conclusion that Crowley is right about heaven and has been all along—but the Metatron was purposefully hurrying him along and so they didn't.

When Aziraphale panics like he did then, he (like many other people) stick with the belief(s) that feels safest, the one that is instinctual, the one that requires the least amount of thinking. For Aziraphale, that is do as heaven tells you, so that is what he argues for. He gets stuck in that corner and when Crowley rightfully sets boundaries, he panics even more because that hasn't happened before, Crowley always relented in the end.

So he panics more and more and more, says increasingly hurtful things and becomes more manipulative, which in turn makes Crowley more upset, and they spiral until Crowley reaches his breaking points and accepts that he is choosing heaven over him.

Again.

By the time we reach the "you don't understand what I'm offering you", Aziraphale is out of arguments. I mean, what's he going to say? No, you the demon who fell for trying to change heaven don't know better than me, the angel who never faced any punishment from heaven whatsoever?

He pushed his angelic superiority as far as it will go and resorts to what he always resorts to once he is out of arguments.

Rejection. Silent treatment. I will never talk to you again, we're not friends, it's over, you're at liberty to go, if you won't you won't, then there is nothing more to say.

The Metatron has planned the entire encounter very carefully, he intentionally does not give him time to think, urges him to talk to Crowley immediately, enters the bookshop immediately after Crowley leaves, keeps walking when Aziraphale tries to change his mind, enters the lift first with his hand above the button.

Don't allow him to think so he will do as he is told, and it works unsurprisingly well.

I hope that helped clear that up, he is definitely very. convoluted in his decision making at times.

[agentoffangirling]

Ranking AoS ships (canon & non-canon) bc I can:

FitzSimmons. If you don't have this as your top, I DON'T TRUST YOU. They are the blueprint, the very epitome of romance. If someone doesn't dive through a space rock to reach me on another planet, I don't want them

Dousy. Ik some people much prefer Sousa and Peggy, and they have a great relationship, but I don't know, I just like Dousy more. Maybe bc I want Daisy to be in a healthy relationship for once? But for only appearing in around half the episodes of s7, they don't feel rushed, and Chloe and Enver have great chemistry. They're so sweet together, I can't say much else other than I love them

Skimmons. Okay okay ik what a lot of people are gonna say, but I just think they're wonderful together. I've drifted a bit from shipping this, I do see the sisters aspect of them (I don't see them as sisters and romantically at the same time, that is WEIRD), but I still have a small soft spot for it. I think it's mostly Chloe and Elizabeth's love for the ship that sells it

Philinda. Tbh this and Skimmons could be switched, they're very close in my brain. While I don't necessarily feel too bad about them splitting up in s7, I like both the platonic and romantic versions of them, I think they were really great. They so obviously love each other, and what more can I say to that?

Huntingbird. 100% compatible 50% of the time, as Hunter puts it. I don't believe this to be the healthiest of AoS relationships, but not everything has to be perfect all the time. One moment they could be making jabs at one another, the next they're making out. Who knows? Their moments are a fun time either way

MackElena. I think what this ship needs is more time. Compared to the other relationships, MackElena doesn't get to share the screen all that much. I do love how they learn from one another, and they've always given me a kind of comforting type of vibe. They're just cute together

Simmorse. This feels like a relatively newer ship in the fandom, and I am all for it. I don't ship it massively, but I 100% see the potential, I think it's very easy to see that Jemma was crushing on Bobbi a couple times

QuakeRider. Just like Simmorse, I do see it, but I've never really been a big fan of it. Not that there's anything wrong with it, it has great vibes, I love the rogue x rogue type ship, I just don't ship it that much. I personally see them closer to older brother, younger sister type of dynamic. But I do see the potential

Staticquake. HEAR ME OUT OKAY? I used to like Staticquake a lot, but on my rewatches I see myself getting farther and farther away from it. It's not that they don't have good chemistry or that I don't think they're really in love, oh no, they have all of it, it's just not the best relationship for Daisy. There are more than a few moments where they're arguing, majority of the time Lincoln being in the wrong, and later Daisy apologizing for it? It always struck me as odd. I also feel like resolved too many issues behind the scenes, relying on exposition to make the audience believe they had gone further in their relationship

DekeDaisy. Idk if they have an actual ship name, so I'm going with this one for now. It's just wayyy too one-sided and doesn't seem like it would work anyway. Daisy was not in the right frame of mind for a relationship, and she seemed relatively blind to Deke's advances. Also considering that Deke sold her to the Kree earlier... yeah, it was never gonna work

Skyeward. It might get up one spot for the Framework version of them, but as it stands, the real life version of them is AWFUL. Ward lied to Skye on almost everything, hurt her, hurt her loved ones, kidnapped her, became obsessed with her, and countless other things I can't remember rn. They're so toxic and if you ship them (not Framework or pre-betrayal), I have genuine concern in your love life

[yennas-stuff]

There’s this one e/riel who recently said “azriel was loyal to the mor for hundreds of years and he hadn't even gotten confirmation she liked him back so what makes y'all think he's about to be giving up on elain anytime soon Imfao” and then another one replied “And that man is evidently more down bad for Elain than he ever was with Mor so imagine at least another 500+ years of yearning for Elain. He physically can't stay away”

Rhys asked Azriel about Mor and wasn’t able to respond. Didn’t tell Rhys that he doesn’t love her anymore, doesn’t have feelings for her anymore, or is starting to get over her, and I think that’s why Rhys acted the way he did, because Azriel wasn’t able to give an answer, but if Az did give off the slightest hint of having genuine feelings for Elain then Rhys would’ve acted differently and likely would’ve told Az to wait for Elain to break the mating bond with Lucien or to be patient. And Azriel being “evidently more down bad for Elain than he ever was with Mor” is so funny to me. All we got with Az & Elain in his chapter was lust and jealousy when Sarah could’ve put something that showed romantic interest (genuine feelings) but didn’t. It would’ve been easy for her to do so. Lust doesn’t mean love. Sexual attraction isn’t that deep. There’s nothing wrong with the sexual attraction, but him not being able to plan beyond his fantasies and his self loathing toward himself wasn’t okay. That’s the problem I and others have. How he talked about himself was very unhealthy. There were actually people who did ship e/riel but stopped after reading the bonus chapter/acosf, and that’s saying something.

If Mor showed the slightest interest in Azriel or told him she wanted to be with him, then I 100% believe he would leave Elain for Mor. I don’t think he’s completely over Mor, but I do think he’s slowly starting to move on from her and has accepted that it’s never going to happen, and Elain is his rebound just like he is Elain’s rebound for Graysen. I think Az is jealous because everyone around him is getting into relationships/mates and is becoming happy. Rhys says in the third book that Az spent years waiting for a mating bond to snap between him and Mor. He wants a mate and is jealous because he doesn’t have one.

Lovely Anon, agreed 10000%. Thank you for the message. Great points were made.

I think Azriel just latches on to something he considers a pure and perfect embodiment of femininity. Maybe I am reading into it too much, but I don't really think it was love he felt for Mor. I think it was a combination of lust and platonic love. I think he wants to feel some of that purity and perfection, for it to rid him of his *sins* or wrongdoings.

If a female like that loved him, it would mean that he is good. But at the same time, he feels as if his touch was taking away some of that purity he assigned to Mor or Elain. We don't need to even get into it to know it's not healthy.

Also, I've never felt like him being down bad for 500 years was romantic or a good thing. It was not reciprocated or appreciated by Mor. It seems very self-destructive. At some point you need to actively look for happiness somewhere else. And I dont see him being more down bad for Elain than for Mor. Its been just a year and he's been avoiding her. With Mor he actually spent time with her. And as you wrote, he waited because he wants a MATE. He is so laserfocused on that. He doesn't even entertain pursuing anyone without thinking about bonds. Even when he knows that Elain already has one. He still thinks about it instead of how he feels ABOUT HER as a person. Just about having sex with her, which we know... means nothing (Nesta in the beginning of acosf).

We could get some deep loving words from Azriel about Elain when he was talking with Rhys but alas...

His mate obsession just shifted from Mor to Elain. But he knows she's already taken, which makes it impossible and more painful for him, which he probably thinks he deserves. Sad.

How sad it would be to always have this 3rd person in your relationship (Lucien)? He would probably think about him way too much and let these bad thoughts brew. Comparing himself and whatnot.

I hope he finds his happiness when he least expects it, he he. �� And for him to learn how true love feels. With no space for these self-deprecating feelings.

(These are just some thoughts my bestie, and I shared about Azriel and his state of mind. We might be talking crap, so if you don't agree, Im open to hear you all out).

[jcs-singular-slut-strand]

@sandumilfshou

Okay, I didn't really explain myself when answering my previous anon, so I'm gonna do that now as well as the new editions (warning: i am a hater)

Chengxian:

Chenxian compels me so much, childhood romance, what could've been, body mutilation on two linked occasions. What more do you want? I understand why people despise it, however I am a JC stan and honestly just want at least one person from his teen years to still be with him and love him. I think that he deserves it.

Xicheng:

I am not a xicheng enjoyer. I feel like every fanfic I read of them is just Lan Xichen taming and flattening Jiang Cheng's "bad" emotions. They dull down his character until he's nothing more than a plain digestive biscuit, and all for a man. There's also something of a running theme in Jiang Cheng ships where a lot of them are centred around WWX, and I fully believe that Xicheng is one of them. "Oh, my brother has a Lan? Well then so am I!" Guys pls let him have his own things 🙏

Zhanchengxian:

I don't really have any opinions on this other than good luck trying to write the Jiang Cheng x Lan Wangji dynamic in character whilst also making it romantic and not ooc, I feel for you. I think that this is 100% just WWX trying to tie all the people he loves to himself and never let them go again, which isnt exactly healthy but where's the fun in the ship if it is. Imo, it's 50/50 on whether or not we get diluting juice Jiang Cheng or not, which can be a bit tricky. I do however understand it for the porn. Which is nice ig.

Wangningxian:

You are a WWX enjoyer and like it when he is happy. Fair enough. I think the relationship regarding Wen Ning and Wei Wuxian (platonic and otherwise) is really under explored in this fandom along with Wen Ning's lack of agency and autonomy, which would be really interesting if worked into this trio. I'm always a bit worried about Lan Wangji and throuples, just in case Lan Xichen's curse is biological.

[agenderpunked]

just finished lost. will not be recovering, ever, me thinks...

I'M GONNA RAMBLE BECAUSE WHAT WAS THAAAAT OUUUUUGH I DIDN'T SEE ANY OTHER WAY FOR IT ALL TO END BUT THE FACT THAT IT *IS* WHAT THEY WENT WITH hURTS

I have so many thoughts and many of them are spoilers so if you haven't watched Lost (2004) stop reading this and go watch it instead.

- Jack dying in the same place he started. The cinematography and spiritual implications of making a trek back to the beginning and finally closing his eyes... DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON VINCENT LYING DOWN NEXT TO HIM I CRIIIIIIIIIIIED. THE DOG KNOWS "LIVE TOGETHER OR DIE ALONE" AND HE MAKES SURE JACK DOESN'T DIE ALONE IM IN SHAMBLESSSSS DONT TALK TO ME

- rose and bernard. i care you so bad. i want a bob ross energy survival show spin off that just follows them making their cabin and garden and traps and such and exploring the area around their cabin. Unproblematic favs, truly. THE FACT NO ONE BELIEVED ROSE WHEN SHE SAID SHE KNEW HER HUSBAND WAS ALIVE???? who visited you and told you that? are you just that faithful??? Did that hope, faith, and love protect both of you from dying on the island before you found each other??

BC ALSO. sorry but i view faith as energy, and when you focus and devote that energy to something it becomes concentrated, and what do our brains run on? electricity. what is everything about Lost about? electromagnetism. What can spirits fuck with? electromagnetic frequencies. That energy can be used to attract what you're searching for. Rose is such a necessary character ESPECIALLY for Jack's development because of how she displays such radical acceptance when she knows there are things she cannot change, ie. cancer, being trapped on the island, being surrounded by danger, and focuses instead on what she can, confirming her husband's status, creating an environment that feels safe, and enjoying the time she has left with the people she loves.

- Boone and Shannon getting into a bar fight at the end??? Boone walking up to Hurley and chatting??? Boone and Shannon are severely underrated characters in my opinion, and it's 100% from the emotionally incestuous aspects of them, which is a shame because I truly believe they are one of the most realistic depictions of relationships like that that I've seen in media. I didn't immediately like Boone. I thought he was an asshole because the show presents Shannon and Boone to you as they would an unhappy romantic relationship, but they never confirm it, even joke about it, to the point I nearly immediately realized 'They're not dating at all. They're siblings that were emotionally neglected by their parents and are codependent as all hell.'

Watching further, I was so scared to think I'd find Boone slander all up and down in the fandom while Shannon gets victimized and absolved of her fucked up actions, because of the way we immediately see Boone treat her without the context for understanding their relationship and that Boone was only on 815 to bail her out of another abusive relationship. But what I actually got from the fandom was NOTHING. ABOUT EITHER OF THEM!!!!

HOW ARE WE NOT TALKING ABOUT BOONE HALLUCINATING SHANNONS DEATH AND ADMITTING THAT HE WAS UTTERLY RELIEVED 😭😭😭 IM GONNA BLOW MYSELF UP ABOUT IT GOOD GOD.

The fact that Shannon also does find a potentially healthy relationship with Sayid, and that Sayid can allow himself to feel and care for someone and have gentle and tender moments in such a hostile environment while serving as the groups main mercenary, and make her feel safe, regardless of her clearly morally skewed history of dating. Sayid has morals, and he wants to stick to them, but he's been put in environments that do not allow him to adhere to that. He has restraint, and emotional intelligence. The glimpse we get into Shannon's life shows she hasn't been around men of those qualities, at least recently, save for Boone, who even then, doesn't compare next to Sayid. Imagining how Shannon would have felt about Sayid being brought back in the temple and seeing how extremely empty and different he is 😟

- Thinking about the general implications of what the island is, as well... Did they ever survive the initial crash? When they leave the island, were they alive? or was it merely an illusion of life? Is death on the island equivalent to someone accepting that they're dead and moving on for realsies? Is the island symbolizing purgatory? The themes of duality and shadows and light and twins are also not lost on me and rank this media even higher because these were not on my bingo card or prior knowledge of the show and they are damn near a critical criteria for intriguing me and getting me into a media.

Are the souls whispering in the forest of the island trapped there? Michael says they can't move on, but is it a personal choice grappling with what they did? Or is it related to actions done after death, while passing through purgatory, that decides whether you are bound to a place or able to move freely???

Oooooooough.....

[cod-dump]

Chilling with my twin brother and now all I can think of is Gaz having a twin sister, or even Price, maybe Nik, but definitely Gaz.

Just whichever one it was still being super close with her. They've been best friends their whole lives despite being very different people. Being able to have silent conversations with each other, totally freaking the others out. Whoever it is getting a random moment of "I need to call my sister" or "hey, I haven't spoken to her in a little while, something tells me I should let her know I miss her and love her and that everything's okay" only for her to tell them that she was having a bad day and really needed it.

If it's Gaz to have a twin sister (which seems the most likely tbh), everyone is a little shocked when one day Gaz is pacing in Price's office in a panic (I see Gaz as being pretty empathetic). Price looks somewhat concerned, but also tired at this point, and Gaz is clearly struggling to get in contact with someone. He's practically in tears by the time his twin sister answers, all confused and sounding sick. He tearfully explains he had what they call a "twin-tuition" moment and thought something was very wrong. She has to assure him that she was indeed sick, but that she's fine and it's just pneumonia, she just went to the doctor and has medication, she's fine. He ends up just having a moment over the phone with her, partly because he was anxious, partly the sleep-deprivation, and another part being homesick (ie mostly missing his sister). That's how they all learn about his twin sister, and then they never hear the end of it from him.

He's always telling them about everything she's doing. How he's so incredibly proud of her; she followed her dreams and became a schoolteacher and is beloved by her students. She's still single, and Gaz is heartbroken for her. He truly sees all the good in his sister, how amazing she is, and he's borderline distraught she doesn't believe anyone could ever love her. He's her number one supporter in everything she does, and she supports him. She may randomly call him in a panic similar to Gaz's earlier one because she somehow knew he got injured during their last mission. She had such a severe panic attack when he was dangling out of the helicopter in that one scene despite having no clue what was happening. She had a feeling it had to do with Kyle, but didn't get a chance to call him until several days later. She tried several times to call him over the span of those days, and both were in tears by the time he was able to answer/call her back.

When they finally meet her, she's clearly his sister (they look like siblings, but no one would ever guess twins). She's a lot shorter, lot more reserved and much more soft spoken. She's not very sarcastic, mostly just an absolute sweetheart. But then, they spend more time together and they're all shocked by how 'mean' she can be to him. They'll bicker and insult each other like there's no tomorrow, but then immediately ask the other what they want for lunch or how is momma doing? Sometimes, Price will get verbal whiplash from listening to their conversations with how back and forth they can be, but there's never any malice, they each seem to know where the limit is without ever having said anything about it.

This is 100% a self-insert, but it's so personal to me, and I just wish to see one of these guys have a good, healthy relationship with a sister, and based on personal experience, having a twin is one of the best ways to have that. Price is like the only other one that I would die if I read something where he had a twin sister, and the idea of Nik having a twin sister is hilarious, but honestly? Gaz with a twin sister makes me want to cry, it's perfect.

Being home and spending time with my twin has made me really emotionally about this whole concept. He's not able to work right now due to health issues and so we're the only ones at home during the day. Him having health issues has made me really emotional (I'm the empath in this duo) so this idea is just brain-rotting me worse

Like I am so fucking close to writing a short story where Gaz has a twin sister because holy fuck I am close to tears

You should definitely write a story if you're up to it!! I really like this!

I had written awhile ago about Gaz having a sister because he just seems like the type to have a sister (I don't know how to explain it). Him being a protective brother, willing fight anyone for his sister, very protective when she's dating someone but he's not overbearing about it because he trusts her judgement. Can imagine Soap flirting with her in a joking manner and Gaz almost beats the shit out of him because he knows Soap, he knows this man is a heart breaker and there's no way in hell he's letting him around his sister.

Like, 141 really adores Gaz's sister after things settle and they get to know her. Soap flirts but it's playful and Gaz isn't trying to kill him for it because he knows Soap won't try anything. Gaz's sister actually really gets along with Ghost because she's a teacher and Ghost's reminds her of a troubled kid so she really gets him and they bond quickly. Like, she of course loves Gaz and spends 80% of her time with him while with 141, but she also spends time with Ghost and Gaz doesn't like to be the jealous type but he is jealous watching his sister bond with Ghost. But he also is happy to see Ghost open up to someone and he can see Ghost light up when she walks over to him.

[rise-my-angel]

I think choosing Arya and/or Sansa for Jon is so much worse than Dany. I don’t like any of those, but if you’re going to argue that they’re better for him, it’s sooo much worse and twisted. He didn’t know about Dany when they got involved, they didn’t know they were related. BUT he did grow up with the other two as their older brother and he sees them as his little sisters. Like you said it is 100% predatory.

He pushed Daenerys away, he would never pursue his little sisters, and that is a fact

Jons intentions do not need to start out as sexual or romantic to even be predatory. Look at Petyr Baelish. He did not right away pursue Sansa as a romantic replacement for Catelyn. But, he met her when she was a girl and knew her for many years as a girl who thought she could trust him as a safe mentor. He came to see her in that way, and begun to use that existing trust to groom her closer towards him.

Jon has seen those girls raised every single day of their lives, he was an older brother they knew they could always trust. So for Jon to suddenly see either of them in a romantic way, it means he is now using that preexisting trust to pursue them in a fashion that preys on their younger ages to trust in his intentions.

It's extremely predatory to know someone as a little kid, let alone all the way from birth as someone older, then begin pursuing them later in life at an appropriate age, because you are using that pre existing trust and feeling of saftey to now pursue them in a way that that dynamic was not used for until now.

But they think because Jon is a good person, that it means it's not predatory because it's him. But the fact is, to make the ships make sense, they still have to twist Jon into seeing two little girls he's seen as sisters from the day they were born, into something romantic where he holds the power over them. They trust him as a big brother and see him as someone safe, and now he does not view them as girls to keep safe from that sort of behavior because it now does not benefit his interests otherwise.

Jon is NOT that man. He never will be. The incest aside, which I've made clear he would be against, pursuing his little sisters or wanting him too, is to want Jon to break that trust and saftey they feel towards him as an older brother, to pursue something that they never trusted him for in the first place. And if they are saying he felt this way in the first place, and not just something that developed when they were all older, then it is direct grooming. Getting his little sisters to trust them because it benefits an interest that conflicts with the reasons they trust him.

But they have no idea this is what they're painting Jon out to be, and it is an insult to his character to ever think he'd behave that way towards two girls he has always been there to protect.

The Dany thing is much more about foresight. I do have the knowedge that they are related. I am aware Dany is his aunt, meaning that to support them getting together only before he knows the truth, is still to say, I want to see Jon unknowingly have sex with his aunt, despite knowing that revelation will be extremely traumatizing for him.

I do not support the idea of wanting Jon to willingly enter a situation that will later traumatize him in a manner that would likely destroy his ability to develop a healthy relationship in the future. It's now not me painting Jon as predatory, it's now me wanting to see Jon enter a relationship that will inevitably leave him traumatized. No one should want that. No one should want Jon to get into a situation that will inevitably leave him very fucked up from it.

The Sansa and Arya shipping with Jon is very bad because it means twisting Jon into a predator just to satisfy the optics of a ship you think you like. The Dany thing is very bad because you as the audience member, want Jon to get into a relationship that will leave him traumatized and unable to have a healthy relationship ever again.

The me thinking incest is bad and harmful and wrong and think none of the Starks would ever come close to supporting it, aside? Jonsa and Jonrya rely on Jon acting like a predator towards two girls who trusted them to be a safe person they can rely on. In these two ships, the problem is the shippers painting Jon to be the one committing harm.

Jonerys relies on the audience themselves supporting the idea of putting Jon in a traumatizing situation just to satisfy your own whims, and not caring of what wanting a character to be in a trauamtizing situation because you like it, looks like to other people. In this ship, the problem is the shipper themselves wanting to force Jon into a situation where we already know will harm him down the line.

Jonsa and Jonrya is wanting Jon to harm the girls, Jonerys is the audience itself wanting to harm Jon. And no amount of cope can change that. In this series especially, they really should have a better understanding by now of the ramifications of putting characters into situations that will knowingly harm them, and should want to avoid the desire to see those characters in further harmful situations for your own personal shipping satisfaction.

Jon, Arya, and Sansa all deserve better then to be trapped in this toxic incestual shipping war.

[rist-ix]

Hi Rist!

I’m Tbhtbh, Valtor is the kinda guy who’d want to know everything about Bloom. Has he ever gone back to Bloom’s house in Gardenia to learn more about Bloom and her childhood or has he just stayed in the MD to keep an eye out for her?

You are 100% correct, he absolutely is. The thing is: he has gone back. And it made him really, really anxious.

It's not very obvious in the chapter, because he doesn’t acknowledge it to himself, but there's a moment where he feels very acutely that he shouldn’t be here.

Valtor views their entire relationship through the lense of their origins. He's Dragon Fire incarnate, she's the guardian of the Flame and only survivor of Domino. That is very strong connection, and one he can use as proof that he is 100% justified in his belief that Bloom will return. Fate demands it, they’re meant to be, yadda yadda, you’ve read it all.

He has a pretty good understanding of Bloom's past on earth in this fic, but he doesn’t dwell on it outside of thinking it a potential weakness to exploit. He'd rather focus on the past she didn’t have on Domino, the life that was stolen from her, because that’s something they have in common, right? Their rightful place had been denied to them. It’s why he's so happy to indulge her need to know more about where she came from. The minute Bloom had the chance, she started to leave Gardenia behind anyway, chose the world he considers his over everything she knew.

But here's where that logic fails: Bloom loves her home on earth. She loves her parents, she loves Gardenia, she feels so safe there that she returns there at least once every season when something makes her Feel Kinda Bad for a sec. Even though she never felt like she belonged there, even though she abandoned her entire earth life for the chance to go to Alfea and become a fairy, it does not lessen the meaning and importance this place has to her. And being in her home, Valtor is confronted with undeniable proof of that.

This is where their origins diverge, this is what Valtor could never possibly relate to. It's a part of her he has no access to, and going by his own convoluted thought process, no right to either. He's infiltrated hundreds of places he wasn’t welcome in, but something as simple and uncomplicated as a loving home on Earth makes him feel foreign. Being surrounded by all the things she doesn’t need yet loves anyway, marks him as a complete stranger. There is nothing he can do to force himself into this part of her life. He can feel acutely that he has no place here, while Bloom does.

It means that his entire sense of entitlement to her is flawed.

So he does the Valtor equivalent of sticking his thumbs into his ears and going LALALALALALA, and promptly runs back to Domino, her real home. Where she'll totally be one day, because deep down she totally wants to, shut up Darcy. Denial is such a healthy coping mechanism.

TL;DR: He wants to know everything about Bloom except for the parts he feels would separate her from him. So he pretends that place doesn’t matter to her anymore, and happily forgets it exists.

[youroomwasquare]

Hey just wanna pop into your inbox and say: I think your analysis for Marcy really understands the core of Amphibia's theme (change) and the basis of Marcy's arc. I could nitpick with small details I don't agree with (saying that Marcy doesn't have confidence issues (Marcy tends to overcompensate thus coming off as confident but really they're a scared kid) or Marcy doesn't have control issues (Marcy has control issues in the sense that they did feel the need to drag their friends into another dimension (those these control issues do mostly come from a lack of agency in Marcy's life)) but honestly the core of the analysis is spot on. You entirely understood exactly why Marcy's arc went like it did! And I really liked you pointing out in your response to an ask about it that escapism is not inherently bad rather how much we let it take over our life is when it becomes an issue!

It was really refreshing to see someone take a look at the end of Amphibia, and realize that it really did do Marcy justice and personally I feel that it does justice to people who have those same issues in life AS Marcy. Showing us that change will happen showing us that we will never be alone even if there is physical distance even if our relationships change even if things change that doesn't mean that life is over. The end of Amphibia I feel like a is a love letter to the fact that life is not stagnant, change is not an ending it's just a new chapter. And we see Marcy after the time skip have that agency in a world that isn't Amphibia by Marcy CHOOSING what they want to do in life. Hell we see that set up for that agency when Marcy rejects the CORE. Marcy finds healthy coping mechanisms Marcy finds a way to indulge in fantasy that isn't being consumed (or assimilated). It's something that's so wholly them how can you possibly be upset that that's what they did with their life! It's looking kids like Marcy in the eyes and saying "things get better. Throwing your life into fantasy will not save you from change but that does not mean you are doomed."

Marcy's sort of "unfinished arc" is a beautiful love letter to growing up. Just like how Anne and Sasha's arcs are love letters to growing up in their own ways.

I just wanted to say thank you for such a refreshing take :]

this is so 🥺🥺. THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I read your message and was on cloud nine the entire rest of the day, this message warmed my heart SO MUCH. aaaa I cannot thank you enough for connecting with it and sending such a lovely piece of writing in response :,) looking back on my analysis, I do agree that some of my points were a bit off ahaha. especially the point I made where marcy was 100% self confident in herself.. oof. during her stay in amphibia, while marcy DID grow into herself, and was truly able to see the extent of her skills and knowledge, she still had a ways to go when it came to other aspects outside of her intelligence. and you brought up a very good point, in that marcy does tend to overcompensate in order to be well liked!! but I've never even thought of the idea that marcy could have control issues. and I love this point!! you're SO right-- marcy had a lack of control when it came to what she truly wanted, so sending them to amphibia was her way of trying to gain back control & not feel extremely helpless. agh, I love how all the girl's issues seem to bleed into one another. I'll definitely think more about this, thank you for the amphibia brain food :) your whole last paragraph, yes, this, exactly. marcy's journey IS a love letter to all those like her-- kids who are (or have been) terrified of all the change that comes with growing up. kids who retreat back into their safe spaces-- the things they've known their entire lives-- for comfort amidst all the turbulent times. kids who will eventually learn, through one way or another, that change will always be present. but that it doesn't have to be a bad thing!! "even if things change that doesn't mean that life is over"-- this, to me, perfectly encapsulates the entire message of amphibia. the epilogue showed that life goes on. amphibia healed-- the amphibians healed, grew into themselves, and finally got the chance to live the lives they wanted to. amphibia honored the impact the girls made on them, and mourned their absence (and still mourn in some ways). but they still kept living. and they still carry all the memories, experiences, lessons, and love as well. the girls continued to live as well-- and they still honor amphibia in their own ways. we see it so much in the epilogue!! to me, it shows that nothing truly ends-- even worlds apart, they all still live on and still continue to love and still let new people in, and are able to let them go if needed. because of that experience they all shared together-- they all still trickle into every friendship, relationship, and connection the others have.

***

the girls learned through their experiences in amphibia that change IS scary. and that it's okay to acknowledge that. and that there are so many people going through the same thing as them. and in that way, they will always have a connection. the girls are not connected forever because of their experiences in amphibia-- amphibia ended. what they are connected by though, is the fact that they will always have a place in each other's lives. and the love that radiates out of all of them-- for each other, and for their friendship as a whole.

"The end of Amphibia I feel like a is a love letter to the fact that life is not stagnant, change is not an ending it's just a new chapter"-- I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THIS!! and it's actually how I view the marcy from the end of the show. one of the beauties of marcy's unfinished arc is that marcy now has all of the time in the world to choose who she wants to be and what she wants to do with her life. she has so many lessons to learn, people to meet, tears (both happy and sad) to shed, smiles to make and love to share. amphibia may have ended, but for marcy-- it's a whole new beginning. the possibilities are so endless.. and that's such a good feeling!!

growing up is hard to do. we see that all the time in media, reflected in our own experiences of growing up. I'm so happy the calamity trio exists. I relate to them so much already-- I cannot wait to see the ways I'll continue to relate to them as I keep growing.

[thewritingmagician2022]

The Tortured Poets Department (Taylor Swift) - Dateables Part 1

Okay, this album has been by far the hardest to do for the boys. Some of them jumped out at me really quickly but most of these took a lot of thinking and, when thinking failed, I turned to the vibes. A lot of these songs are dark, sad, or introspective which doesn’t lend itself so well to healthy, happy relationships - just as a warning. So here’s part 1 - TTPD the original 17 tracks. There will be a part 2 next week with the songs from the anthology.

Levi: TTPD

Sometimes, I wonder if you're gonna screw this up with me But you told Lucy you'd kill yourself if I ever leave And I had said that to Jack about you, so I felt seen Everyone we know understands why it's meant to be 'Cause we're crazy

This song is a love song even though the person is also making fun of the person they were with, which just seems fitting. It really highlights how both people can be so completely not stable or develop codependency when you’re guided by strong feelings rather than logic. I think Levi is absolutely one of those people who, once he’s in love, is 100% dedicated to his partner and would lowkey be suicidal if that person ever left him. I’m sorry, I say it with love, but Levi absolute is capable of that toxicity. It’s part of his envy, you know? If he can’t have you, there’s no point to anything. I can also imagine MC telling him that they’re just two idiots in love, not some super important people with a modern day perfect love story so he can’t go around over romanticizing everything and getting swept up in the glamour of a relationship rather than the actual relationship itself. 

Lucifer: Fortnight

I touched you for only a fortnight I touched you, I touched you I love you, it's ruining my life

The sound is what leads me to Lucifer’s choices most of the time and this song has the sound/vibes that fit the most for my vision of him. I also think Lucifer is so entirely not thrilled with loving MC; it was never his plan and he’s a lot more reluctant to acknowledge those feelings than some of the other dateables. He’s never struggled with separating friendship or sex from love but, with you, he gets caught up in it. It doesn’t take long, just your brief stint in the Devildom, to make a permanent mark on him and lead him into a love that can’t be ignored or forgotten. He loves you and it’s ruining his life to know that that love will have to end when either you leave or change your mind or die eventually. 

Diavolo: Down Bad

I'll build you a fort on some planet Where they can all understand it How dare you think it's romantic Leaving me safe and stranded

I see this song as MC post Diavolo after he breaks up with them. He’s the kind of person who will always want to put his partner first, even if that means breaking both of their hearts. He loves you more than anything else in this world so he will do anything to make sure you’re safe. Once it’s time for you to return home to human realm, he’s going to to let you go and wish you the best. There’s nothing you can say to him that will make him change his mind and let you stay, not when it’s so much safer and easier for you back there. He knows you can find a good life back home but you know that you’ll never be able to see the human realm the same way again after your adventure. How can you ever go back to normal after that kind of life and love? You can’t and you hate him for taking that away from you. You’d rather be damned and happy with him than safe at home; fuck everything else. 

Mammon: My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys

'Cause I knew too much, there was danger in the heat of my touch He saw forever, so he smashed it up, oh, oh My boy (My boy), only breaks his favorite toys, oh, oh

I love Mammon so much that it actually hurt a little to make this his song but I think it just fits him very well. The sound, the lyrics, the idea that a man can love you so much that he has to break your heart. Mammon loves you but Mammon also knows that he destroys everything he touches. He’s scummy and a cheat and thoughtless and selfish and the list goes on. He’s happy with you, happier than he’s ever been in his entire life, but he knows he’s only going to bring you down if you stick around. He does his best to do right and give you the world but it’s always hanging by a string, his sin keeping him one misstep away from losing it all. So he does the only thing he can for both of your sakes - he runs. He’d rather you hate him for leaving than hate him once you realize who he really is. 

Solomon: But Daddy I Love Him

Now I'm running with my dress unbuttoned Screaming "But Daddy I love him!" I'm having his baby No, I'm not, but you should see your faces I'm telling him to floor it through the fences No, I'm not coming to my senses I know he's crazy but he's the one I want

The song sounds like Solomon to the very core. Something about this man makes me think feral country music just fits. Solomon is definitely considered a bit of a madman by anyone who knows him; you try being sane when you’ve lived for thousands of years and have the rest of eternity to go. We all know MC was warned up and down about the shady sorcerer but they ended up falling for him anyway. They don’t care about his past or reputation or mental stability and, honestly, the more people push against the union, the more compelling it is. Deep down, Solomon is a good man and he’s good for MC. They may be a chaotic pair but they love each other to death and have fun the whole while, just them against the world. 

Barbatos: Fresh Out the Slammer

And no matter what I've done, it wouldn't matter anyway Ain't no way I'm gonna screw up now that I know what's at stake here

Finding one for Barbatos was a lot tougher than I expected honestly. The sound of the album fits with him but none of the songs were really sticking with me when I thought about him. This song was the closest I could get because it’s about Taylor serving her time (aka dating someone and suffering) and leaving to return to the person she really wants. I think of this as MC going through everything the brothers and Diavolo put them through, including dying, and how they’re so ready to move on from everything. MC has made a lot of mistakes and they would be afraid to make them with anyone else but with Barbatos there’s no worry about that because he knows everything and is always going to keep them on the right path. He’s there for them every time without fail, waiting for them to ‘come home’ and offering a safe place to land when everything goes wrong. 

Simeon: Guilty as Sin

What if the way you hold me is actually what's holy? If long-suffering propriety is what they want from me They don't know how you've haunted me so stunningly I choose you and me religiously

This song was the very first one to come to me and it was like a lightning strike. Like, hello? Simeon who spends all of his grappling with his less than platonic feelings towards MC. He keeps it sweet, keeps it chaste, keeps it clean but, in his head in the darkness of his room at night, his thoughts are anything but. MC is the only person who makes Simeon feel more like a man than an angel. He feels so so so guilty for the thoughts he has and even though he doesn’t act on them, he feels like he’s just as guilty as if he did because the thoughts are just so strong and never ending. Then we get to watch as he loses this internal struggle against himself and his upbringing until he’s right at MC’s feet, ready to receive whatever they’ll give him. He chooses them because surely nothing they offer him could ever truly be wrong. 

Satan: I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)

They shook their heads sayin', "God, help her" When I told 'em he's my man (I told 'em he's my man) But your good Lord didn't need to lift a finger I can fix him, no, really, I can

Satan is great. He’s typically polite and studious and vaguely charming. However, no one can ever forget that he is made up of the darkest parts of Lucifer. To see Satan lose his temper and unleash is sin is to be in serious danger. That’s why the citizens are more terrified of this brother than they are of most of the others. There’s something so deeply disconcerting about a demon that seems so tame having such a wild and deadly side. When you get together with him, onlookers are holding their breath. They warn you about the risks, about how easy it can be to flip the switch in him once he’s passionate, but you’re not worried. You’ve spent all of your time in the Devildom navigating dangerous situations and even more dangerous demons who actually wanted you dead. You’re not afraid of Satan; you know you’re the only one who can tame him and, truly, he’s such a good boy it won’t be very hard work at all. 

Asmo: I Can Do it With a Broken Heart

All the pieces of me shattered as the crowd was chanting, "More" I was grinnin' like I'm winnin' I was hittin' my marks 'Cause I can do it with a broken heart

This is possibly the most depressing song on the album lowkey. It’s so cheerful sounding and you can dance and sing your heart out but the lyrics make you want to cry. I think this song is so Asmo coded because we watch him perform for his fanclub and for strangers all the time. He always has to look his best, be charming, be flirty. He’s expected to be this wonderful ray of sunshine to everyone he meets and to never show a single flaw - that includes any negative feelings as well because, let’s be honest, emotions can be very ugly things to witness. So he keeps any anger or sadness or bitterness tucked carefully away where no one can see it. You won’t ever see Asmo fall apart in public. You won’t ever set it at all, actually, because Asmo can live through the worst things in the world and still come out a superstar on the other side and you don’t get there by letting anyone see you cry. 

Belphie: Smallest Man Who Ever Lived

Were you sent by someone who wanted me dead? Did you sleep with a gun underneath our bed? Were you writin' a book? Were you a sleeper cell spy? In fifty years, will all this be declassified? And you'll confess why you did it and I'll say, "Good riddance" 'Cause it wasn't sexy once it wasn't forbidden

Belphie, Belphie, Belphie. I would’ve given him something lighter if I could have but, with the options I was offered, this song was truly the one that made the most sense. Taylor feels so incredibly betrayed and confused in this song; it’s less about wanting revenge or belittling the man behind it and more about getting some closure. MC doesn’t see it coming at all when Belphie goes in for the kill. To them, they have a wonderful friend (maybe something more), someone they’re doing their best to save, only to have that person turn right around and stab them in the back. It’s heartbreaking and trust shattering, and MC can’t help all of the questions running through their mind at the end about why Belphie is doing what he’s doing and, in the end, the why doesn’t matter as much anymore either - just that he was willing to commit such betrayal says everything they need to know. 

Beel: The Alchemy

Call the amateurs and cut 'em from the team Ditch the clowns, get the crown Baby, I'm the one to beat 'Cause the sign on your heart Said it's still reserved for me Honestly, who are we to fight thе alchemy?

Any song about Travis belongs to Beel simply because they are the same person. Let’s be honest, what else could I possibly have put with him? Three guesses what his song is for part two. Anyway, Beel is just here to love and be loved. The man has been struck by tragedy and kept his heart closed to any one but his family for a long time but then you come along and he starts to open up again. You have a bunch of other demons fighting for your time and attention but you know that Beel is the only one for you. There’s no point in pursuing anyone else or him trying to fight the growing feelings because you’re going to end up together regardless. It doesn’t matter how slow it moves or how many times one of you goes back and forth either - the alchemy is going to turn whatever relationship you have into gold and it’ll last. 

[acidh2otoby]

Dating Headcanons

Warnings: Opinions

This was one of the posts that I made my complaint about because the amount of times I fat thumb pressed something and it forced me to delete everything is insane.

Chris Redfield

• Teddy. Bear.

• Just look at him, those arms 100% give the best bear hugs, are amazing for cuddling, and also to keep you safe and protected.

• Chris' love language is physical touch and he's most likely touch starved to the extreme, so expect him to have his hand somewhere on you.

• His time is spent a lot at work or is even still doing work when he's home or in public and he feels bad whenever he can't spend time with you. But when he can, he will not leave your side.

• Chris has some flaws and issues but he's working through them and you helping is something he deeply appreciates.

• He deals with alcoholism, severe PTSD, and anger issues. He's always been working on these flaws of his because they are somewhat fixable but now that you're in the picture, his need to fix himself has grown stronger.

• Chris takes pride in the people he cares about, meaning that if anyone says anything remotely bad about you, some of his coworkers might, he'll immediately warn them with something. You've talked with him about it and now all he really says is, "Hey..." and giving them a look.

• Pet names aren't Chris' go-to way of addressing you, especially to your face. He does use them, but not a lot. You might here, baby, honey, sweetie.

• All in all, he's truly a good boyfriend and his little flaws get overshadowed by everything else that makes him awesome.

Leon Kennedy

• Awkward lil guy.

• Leon is the kind of boyfriend that if he has no idea what your telling him or asking him, he'll either shrug or just give you a thumbs up.

• He cares about you, a lot, he just has a hard time showing it.

• He's kinda shy when talking to you as his partner, normally he's fine with talking to you, but if he's trying to flirt or tell you how much you mean to him, he's a stuttering mess until he eventually just says something stupid like, "You're awesome."

• Leon can't cook. At all. It's a disaster when he does. He needs help.

• He also has some flaws that are kinda hard to work with. He also suffers from alcoholism and PTSD like Chris, but his other thing is that he has the tendency to run away, mentally and sometimes physically, if a confrontation gets too heated.

• He hates fighting with you but knows it's a healthy thing in relationships, he just gets a little scared when things start to get loud. He isn't scared of you, he feels like the reason you're upset is because of him and his thoughts get the better of him.

• Leon will come back after he knows you've calmed down and then you two will continue with the topic in a more quiet manner. A lot of the beginning of the conversation is you reassuring him that you weren't mad at him and that he did nothing wrong and that you're sorry.

• Pet names for Leon are simple and he uses them a little more than Chris but he still says your name more. You might here sweetie, sweetheart, honey.

• Overall, he's a good boyfriend, you just have to be a little patient with him from time to time.

Jill Valentine

• Badass with a big heart.

• Jill has made it clear to a lot of people that she isn't someone to fuck around and find out with. But for the people that she cares about, she's nothing but a sweetheart to them.

• When she loves someone, they know it, and they should never throw that kind of affection away. Ever.

• The beginning of the relationship might not be as grand as all others but that's mostly because Jill is testing the waters with you, her trust issues will always get in the way but she's always willing to try.

• After you've gained her trust, there is nothing, absolutely nothing that stops her from showering you in all the love she has to offer.

• Her love language is also physical touch and she won't stop showing it to you, even in public. The only difference outside is that it's in small ways, her favorite thing to do is just simply booping you on the nose.

• Jill can cook but it's mostly just easy stuff or stuff that have instructions on whatever packaging it came in.

• Her issues/flaws are trust issues, PTSD, and anxiety. She gets nightmares and gets a little panicked whenever she hears or sees something alarming, leaving you to be the person to comfort her in her times of distress.

• Jill uses pet names sometimes, more-so if she's in trouble or is about to tell/ask you something that could potentially get her in trouble. You may hear, honey, hun, babe.

• Jill's a great girlfriend to have and is all around amazing, getting with her is like finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

Sherry Birkin

• (I honestly need to do more with Sherry because she's genuinely a character I feel everyone loves but gets overshadowed a lot by other characters so, this is a little short to maybe a series?)

• Sherry hasn't had the greatest life, to say the least. But she doesn't let that stop her from being happy and content with who she loves and cares about.

• Her childhood probably wasn't the greatest, her teenage years undoubtedly got ripped away from her, then she became an agent, another time consuming thing.

• The chances of her not having a romantic partner prior to you was incredibly high due to the way the government... or, Derek Simmons, treated her.

• She loves you to death and would do anything for you, even without asking. Her love for you was a little startling to you at first but you eventually got used to it and found it cute.

• Sherry is a sucker for classic and even cheesy romantic stuff and her optimism about it makes you feel the same, seeing her face light up every time the two of you do something together that would be classified as such is just amazing.

• Her flaws are not terribly bad but they do sometimes worry you. Hers consist of PTSD, parental issues, and having a hard time with confrontation.

• Not all bad things necessarily but can be a little troublesome for times. Her PTSD can give her nightmares or keep her up all night and she has a hard time going to doctors appointments, especially if needles are involved. The parental issues is something she doesn't really talk about but you notice she gets a little sad around September. And the confrontation thing? Well...

• The first time you and Sherry had a fight, she knew it was normal but she felt like the little defenseless girl she once was and hated the feeling. She ended up breaking down and crying, it was the first time you saw her cry and it felt like someone stabbed you in the heart.

• She uses some pet names but kinda only uses your real name. You might hear, sweetie, honey, baby.

• Sherry truly loves you and in her dreams, she plans on growing old with you. You landed yourself an amazing girlfriend with a heart of gold.

Finn Macaulay

• Big puppy energy.

• Finn is undoubtedly one of the sweetest and nicest guys out there, also just the most wholesome.

• He cares about a lot of people but it's pretty clear that once he meets you, he'd do anything and everything to keep you safe and feel loved.

• Like I mentioned with Sherry, Finn probably didn't have a whole lot of relationships before you so he's kind of the hopeless romantic type.

• His love language is physical touch to an extreme, he always has to be in reach of you or it's like he's in a depressive mood. It's very sweet but he also gets in trouble for it a little when working.

• Finn's flaws aren't terrible, to say the least, and they're actually rather cute when you really think about it.

• He has some small PTSD but it's not too bad (yet), some anxiety, and a little paranoia.

• Now, they all sound bad but they're not severe at all, and they mostly come off as Finn worrying too much.

• The PTSD is just hearing a loud bang and thinking it's a gun or missile and nightmares that keep him up at night.

• Finn uses pet names a handful of times but prefers to use your name. You might hear, honey, baby, princess/prince. (I was gonna put Pumpkin but I thought if he had a kid, he'd call them Pumpkin instead.)

• In the end, Finn is an amazing boyfriend and does everything he can to make sure you're the happiest you can be. Finn wants to have a family with you when he's ready and he hopes you'll let him.

Jake Muller

• Oh, this assho--

• Jake's an asshole but he's not an absolute dickbag. He just has his moments.

• He has a different way of showing he cares about someone that's not like everyone else's way.

• Like I said, he has his moments of pure asshole-ness and being incredibly nice and sweet.

• His flaws aren't necessarily as bad as others either, just something you have to get a little used to them or talk with him about it.

• Jake has some daddy issues, anger issues, and a touch of dickishness.

• All of these things Jake can work through and also some things you get used to at some point but they also make him who he is.

• His love language is pebbling, he finds something he likes or something that reminds him of you and he'll just give it to you without explaining.

• Jake's pet names aren't what a lot of people would expect but you call him a lot of these things in return to even each other out. You might hear, dumbass, idiot, fuck-head.

• Jake truly is a good boyfriend when it comes down to it and he cares about you deeply. Also like Finn and Sherry, he wants to grow old with you and have a family eventually.