#it's not my fault the husband was the only one to get any character development

[backhugtrope]

CAN this show not do anything right?? i came for a sexy bodyguard romance so Why in episode 8 out of ten am i shipping wansoo and her drunken cheating husband.......im furious . rain u had one job

[callmegaith]

The only thing ineffable bureaucracy showed me is how hyper focused this fanbase is at seeing one thing and one thing only and everything else is a result of that one thing

1) no, Beelzebub and Gabriel are not a straight couple. Nor is Crowley and Aziraphale a gay couple. Stop the non-binary erasure or go outside and talk to an actual non-binary person cuz clearly you have no clue what non-binary is "they're straight presenting" wtf? If you think that please give me your name so I can block you. Cis people, I fucking swear.

Reminder that Beelz used they/them pronouns btw. Sorry that Beelzebub doesn't "pass" for you, it doesn't make them any less non-binary. Not to mention it was stated and already IS CANON that none of them have genders. They're god damn demons and angels, bruh.

2) "it's Gabriel's and Beelz's fault that ineffable husbands didn't get their happy ending": no. It's their own damn fault for not communicating and Aziraphale's inability to accept Crowley as he is. Gabriel and Beelzebub put each other first. Y'all sound salty as hell cuz two people managed to work their relationship out and yours didn't work out. "But if they didn't get together---" y'all really saying shit like this??? Do you hear yourself? That's so sad. Wishing for the doom of one LGBTQ+ ship cuz the other fucked themselves over. THEY CAN BOTH CO-EXIST. And you know what? They will. Cuz Ineffable husbands is clearly canon, the story just wants time with them cuz they're the main characters, not like Beelz and Gabriel who were side characters so had their story summarized.

3) "that should have been ineffable husbands" no, cuz Crowley and Aziraphale aren't Gabriel and Beelzebub. They're different characters with different backgrounds, personalities, relationship structure, and different relationship dynamic in general. They'll get together in a way that fits THEM. And that way requires ups and downs that makes them finally understand that they're perfect for each other without the need for either of them to change.

4) Gabriel was such an asshole wish Crowley got his revenge and--- bla bla BLA : Crowley was happy for them. You hold a grudge over Gabriel that Crowley himself doesn't. Y'all worse than a literal demon. Smh.

Be happy for what we got and look forward to the future where ineffable husbands will certainly become canon and it'll be worth the wait. Don't tear down the LGBTQ+ presentation we got just cuz the main ship didn't get the limelight THIS TIME.

Let things cook, that's how writing WORKS.

But I'm just an Agender demi person and tbh? I would prefer if things took their time.

I love both ships a lot but I'm not gonna hold pitchforks over one ship getting a happy end and one still developing. Come next season, that happy end for Gaberiel and Beelzebub might not last. We DONT KNOW. Do we really need to sacrifice one for the other? Why can't we be happy to have both?

Just really think the vibe of the fanbase rn fuckin SUCKS and I'm not enjoying trying to go through the ineffable bureaucracy tag and seeing people complaining about how it should have been ineffable husbands or how it's their fault.

Okay? Alright.

After this imma start blocking ppl I swear. Just had to throw in my two cents.

[jon-withnoh]

Give me the hot Elisabeth and Rebecca takes!

Sure thing! (Oh boy this turned out long.)

Elisabeth disclaimer: this is purely based on vibes. I have some knowledge of the historical background, but it’s not really my field of study.

Rebecca disclaimer: this is my field of study and I have very strong opinions on it, though I do not claim that I am always correct. I do however maintain that I could back up many of my claims if I had the time to do proper textual analysis and read secondary sources.

I genuinely think Elisabeth (the musical as it was written) is a masterpiece. The framing device, the way certain melodies mirror each other to foreshadow events or indicate character development — it’s amazing! Plus, the music is ridiculously good. 100/10. I love this musical.

Most stagings/recordings of Elisabeth since 2012 though? More than questionable. Levay/Kunze musicals in general appear to be following a pattern where the original production and a maybe one or two productions after it are full of nuance and complexity, only to have that complexity broken down and reduced over time. That is no fault of the musical itself, but a worrying trend of not trusting audience to be able to handle nuance and trying to make every element of a production more palatable and easier to handle. I hate it. Both the 1992 and the 2005 Wien productions have so much to recommend them (I can’t speak for the German productions but would humbly turn over the questions to more Elisabeth-versed mutuals like @fitzrove), but it all seems to be going downhill.

HOT TAKE: I think bringing on more and more “Broadway-sounding” performers to do both Elisabeth and Rebecca is a mistake. For me, Levay/Kunze shows have a very specific sound to them, a sound that fits into European musical theatre and makes sense for when and where they were created. Hiring almost exclusively people with a way more modern, belt-y sound is not a direction I personally like for these shows. Don’t get me wrong, this is not about any specific performers, it’s about trying to change the sound of these shows into something more akin to a big Broadway musical and that really doesn’t work for me. Both Elisabeth and Rebecca are so idiosyncratic in how they sound and how they’re written, trying to make them fit into a mould they don’t belong in does them a disservice. (Looking at you, VBW.)

Maybe not a hot take: but I love the 2005 Wien production of Elisabeth so much. It was my first exposure to the musical and remains my go-to cast album. It certainly has faults and I totally understand why people might gravitate towards different productions, but since I haven’t listened to the full 1992 Wien and 2001 Essen (?) productions yet, I can only compare it to 2012.

REBECCA HOT TAKE: Michael Kunze has stated that he views Rebecca as first and foremost a love story and I think he is WRONG. Daphne du Maurier herself would probably think he was wrong (seeing as she hated the story being described as a romance). This is a core problem with Rebecca das Musical. There are many things to love (Danny, Danny, Beatrice, and did I mention Danny?), but in my opinion, the whole “this is a great love story” angle does it a huge disservice. Let’s make it weirder! Let’s make it as bleak as it fucking is! (Probably not a crowd pleaser but let me have my fun).

Rebecca the musical could have done with some serious editing.

The Magdeburg production of Rebecca, which I am aware was not very accessible to a lot of people, might be one of the best productions of Rebecca ever. Kerstin Ibald absolutely knocked it out of the park with her Mrs Danvers and gave her all the nuance and emotion we so desperately crave. Her Danny is so broken, so lost. Patrick Stanke’s Maxim strikes the perfect balance between the haughty upperclass Englishman who takes kind of a fatherly tone with his young wive, and the haunted, jealous husband who absolutely did murder his first wife. Also in this production Maxim and Ich finally have some chemistry! This production’s Ich (Sibylle Lambrecht, I think) has such a great character arc and it is completely believable that she is into Maxim, even (or especially??) after his confession. Plus, the set design was amazing!!!

More Rebecca hot takes that I’ve definitely brought up before: I know we all like to write Ich as a repressed queer woman who ends up not being all that into Maxim, but honestly, she probably is very attracted to him. We can speculate about the why, but like, it is strongly implied that they have sex for the first time shortly after Maxim’s confession. She wants him.

I maintain and will die on this hill that making Danny sing “Ich liebte sie, doch sie hat mich verraten” is a mistake. I mean, yes please let Danny tell us she loved Rebecca, but come on. Danny doesn’t lose her faith in Rebecca. She doesn’t stop idolising Rebecca. Whatever her reasons for setting Manderley on fire may be it’s not that she thinks Rebecca betrayed her. I don’t even think Danny thinks highly enough of herself to even consider feeling betrayed by Rebecca. Rebecca is god to her.

I definitely have more, but this post is really long and I’m running out of steam… Hope you enjoyed!

[navree]

me @ you calling Lucerys boring! 😆 come on, he's just a kid! cutting out aemond's eye was bad, i agree, but i don't think he was as bland as everyone says. his imposter syndrome in 8 and 10 was interesting to watch at least. he was a brave little boy.

I mean I don't really see anything brave about bringing a knife to a fight he not only had fuck all to do with but where he was clearly at fault (Aemond did nothing wrong, he tamed a free dragon, Baela and Rhaena get a pass because they're grieving but Jace and Luke had no business being involved and certainly no business escalating into 4 v 1 violence against the clear cut victim), trying to literally murder someone because I don't know what the fuck you're trying to do when you stab a knife at someone's face but it's certainly not a warning shot, showing zero remorse for it at all, and at worse acting like a little snot when in the same room with your victim. The fact that Luke got away with this scot free (didn't he literally say "I didn't do anything" you boring little asshole you stabbed out someone's eye that is the opposite of not doing anything!) is an absolute travesty of justice that stains everyone involved (mostly Viserys and Luke but I'm not letting Rhaenyra "pls torture the ten year old stabbing victim until he tells me how he figured out that these white dark haired children aren't the sons of my black platinum blond husband" Targaryen off the hook either). Aemond could have died, not only from the initial wound, but from the myriad of infections or other issues that could have plagued him during the healing process. For God's sake, Viserys nicks himself on the Iron Throne and they have to lop off his arm, his infected injuries and their treatment have already made him pretty firmly decrepit by Driftmark, the fact that Aemond healed without any serious and lifelong and further damaging complication is a goddamn miracle. And even kids know that murder is bad, I'm pretty sure that if I were Lucerys's age and I tried to commit homicide I'd have to deal with some consequences.

And I'm sorry, but I call him boring because he is! They wrote a boring character! That's not on me for picking up on it, that's on the writers and the myriad choices they made that led to them severely underdeveloping several characters, most prominently Lucerys (Jace and Baela and Rhaena at least get another season of life to develop further, Luke gets four episodes and they knew that going in). This is a song I've been singing literally since the show was airing and it's not gonna change, cuz he's dead and therefore stuck with his boring character and complete lack of characterization.

Him being a kid is not a character trait, and it certainly doesn't make him more interesting anymore than, say, his eye color would. The impostor syndrome thing they kinda tried didn't really work because 1) it's not impostor syndrome if it's true, he's not a Velaryon and Vaemond was 99% in the right in that entire thing (I don't like him throwing out misogynistic slurs, you can point out that these aren't Velaryons but Strong bastards without stooping to calling Rhaenyra a whore, I hate men sometimes) 2) in episode 8 it exists for one single line and is not a driving force for him at all for the remainder of the episode to the point that it could be cut out and mean nothing, especially since that scene was only there to introduce adult Aemond and 3) it doesn't even make sense because the person who was set up as having issues with his lack of Velaryon heritage and Harwin being his father was Jace. Jace is the one who hears the rumors and clocks it early on in childhood, Jace is the one who is deeply affected by it to the point of bitterness towards his own mother, Jace is the one who grieves Harwin but also feels angry that he can't express it. All of that was set up as part of Jace's arc, not at all Luke's, who is literally set dressing up until he decides to commit criminal offenses in the middle of the night. And then time skip, and suddenly Jace is A-OK and Luke, who has shown no issue before now (or any personality at all) is slightly concerned about it for one line in episode 8 before going back to being a piece of cardboard until episode 10.

And I'll be honest, the second that scene came out in episode 10, I immediately saw it for what it was, which was a very obvious patch job. The writers were clearly aware that they had not given the viewers any reason at all to care about Luke one way or another, so we weren't going to feel a lot when Vhagar (deservedly, imo) munches on him. So they hastily added in this really heavy-handed scene of poor uwu soft boy Lukey who is so concerned with doing right and needs to blink up tearfully at Mommy and be her sweet boy and get little kisses to assuage his worries, so that we'd feel some emotion and then be said when he becomes the Jonah to Vhagar's whale. It just doesn't work because there was nothing for him before then and therefore I don't care, I just feel bad Rhaenyra.

Luke is a bland and boring character. That's not an attack, that's just what the writers did. They tried to cram too much into a ten episode season, literally twenty years of history, and it caused a lot of characterization problems for a lot of characters, particularly for the Team Black ones. And a consequence of that is that the character with the least amount of time for development got not development and no personality. He's a plank of wood, he's a platonic version of the sexy lamp trope; there's nothing there and he exists only for us to feel bad when the lamp is smashed. Seriously, name me five individual character traits that Lucerys has. He's a momma's boy, even though I'm not really sure that's a character trait but I'll give it to him, and I guess he's devoid of empathy, considering that he doesn't appear to feel literally any remorse for mutilating Aemond (seriously, is it like the Dothraki and "thank you"? does the word "sorry" not exist in Valyrian languages? you can't even send an apology gift basket or a note?). But he's not brave, as there is no scene that shows any bravery or courage, and he's not noble or kind or thoughtful because there's nothing that shows any of that, or anything that shows him being the opposite, cruel or cowardly or weak, because he's a basically a character who could be played by sticking a wig on a mop and waving it around. And any characterization of insecurity exists as something hamfistedly crowbarred in at the last minute in his final episode to try to manipulate the audience's emotions with less sensitivity than D&D trying to tug at our heartstrings by having Drogon try to nudge Dany awake after she's killed.

But there is a character that I do consider to be a brave little boy, though I regret to inform y'all that it is Not a fourteen year old with no depth or personality or written characterization whose main claim to fame is maiming a person without apology and then dying. Nah, the brave little boy title goes to post-Driftmark Aemond. Aemond, at ten, is delivered a life altering injury whose recovery was likely very slow and very painful, involved a lot of worry about whether he'd have to deal with infection or further risk of death, and had to relearn how to do literally everything now that he was half blind, and he did all of it. He survived, and he thrived. He relearned how to walk, how to balance, his spatial awareness. He learned how to fought and even became incredibly good at it, and maintained his bond with Vhagar, as well as trying to keep himself mentally sharp as well. He did all of that, despite the huge setback he was dealt with at age ten. That's brave, go Aemond.

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

obviously a lot of stuff hasn't been shown in the trailers, but aside from Otto the other member of team green who's barely been shown is Helaena- they've even shown more of Baela and Rhaena, which is great cause I thought they needed more (or any at all) development from season one, but not Helaena....I really hope that they don't just relegate her to a plot device surrounding B&C, but give her a character besides 'the weird sister says weird stuff', because she's probably the only one of the greens in my mind who feels the most innocent- and I really hope she doesn't become a background character.

Don't get me wrong, I'm realistic enough to know to expect anything with HBO, but at the same time I need a scene of her actually talking to Aegon? Her brother, her husband? Father of her children? Them potentially grieving together, even for a minute, or of her screaming at Aemond because her son's death is kinda his fault ? (love my one-eyed man, but yea, it kinda is). not sure how I'd feel about them making Helaemond a thing in the show, though.

don't mean to ramble, ig what I'm saying is pls no Helaena erasure, she's such a tragic character, bless her.

-🦋 anon

Phia isn’t listed as an attendee of the London premiere either (not sure about the New York one, I can’t remember) so I am seriously worried about what direction the writers have decided to take with her character, as Helaena has barely featured in any of the promotional material. I am hoping it’s just because her scenes are so spoiler heavy, but I don’t have a good feeling. It seems an enormous waste to spend all of season one making her a dragon dreamer, then write her character out at the first opportunity in season two.

Really glad to be seeing more of Baela and Rhaena - don’t remember Rhaena speaking at all in season one, so will be nice to see her given some dialogue!

[voloslobotomyservice]

Tav Character Worksheet

thank you @elven-e-girl for the tag! always feel free to tag me in things like this because I love talking about my little guys!

no pressure tags: @my-favourite-zhent @fistfuloftarenths @leopardmuffinxo

Name: Fiadh O’Keefei

Age: 54 years old

Gender: cis female

Sexuality: fairly fluid, but no solid label

Pronouns: she/her

Tav Voice: voice 2

Family: Fiadh is an only child, with her mother dying during childbirth. She was raised by her father, Keefei, who is the leader of their druid circle. There were many other members of the circle who took care of her when his Archdruid duties took him away from their home. Though Keefei did not have any more children, she treated the other kids in the circle like her own siblings.

Birthplace: She was born in Moonshae Islands, where her parents were originally from. She and her father relocated to Ardeep Forest not long after she was born.

Jobs: Because she lived in her circle for so long, Fiadh didn’t have a “traditional job.” Sometimes she would keep watch of the circle at night, other times she would be sent out to hunt for food or to protect their land. She made sure to help out the circle as much as she could, so she could one day take her father’s place as Archdruid.

Phobias: Not really a phobia, but she does have a fear of failure. She wants to prove to the world that she is a strong, independent woman who is highly successful. She is also afraid of becoming corrupt when she becomes Archdruid, like the stories that her father has told her about.

Guilty Pleasures: She’ll indulge in too much Plum Fizz when the time calls for it. She also enjoys sun bathing in the nude, which she tries to do away from the prying eyes of the circle.

Hobbies: Sparring with her ‘siblings,” practicing lute (rather badly), basket weaving, and occasionally tailoring clothes of various members of the circle. She is also known to cook up a good meal, when the time calls for it.

Alignment: Neutral Good - calling for nature to take its course, no matter the outcome.

Sins: Fiadh tries to be without sin to become a good Archdruid, but she can have a nasty temper. It usually rises when people are making false accusations about her or other people in the circle. She nearly killed an outsider for speaking poorly of her father.

Virtues: Nature shall always have its balance, whether it is helpful or harmful. Respect your elders. Look after the small, for they are the future. Stay humble and be kind.

This or That?

Introverted/Extroverted - after spending so many years in her circle, she has found that she thrives well with others and prefers to be in a large pack-like group

Organized/Disorganized - she helps the others organize their packs and each companion is responsible for various different items

Closed Minded/Open Minded

Calm/Anxious/Restless - she doesn’t feel it necessary to spend her time worrying about the future (spoiler alert: she is worried)

Disagreeable/Agreeable - rather easy to get along with

Cautious/Reckless

Patient/Impatient

Outspoken/Reserved

Leader/Follower - natural leader, helps others try to think rationally before acting

Empathetic/Apathetic - almost to a fault

Optimist/Pessimist/Realist - tries to stay positive, despite the world falling around them

Traditional/Modern - to be fair, it’s all Fiadh’s ever really known

Hardworking/Lazy - she has worked hard over the years to one day take over her father’s place

OTP: The details of her in-game story is still in development, but I believe she and Wyll end up together. She thinks he’s handsome and witty, and has good characteristics of a potential husband. He thinks she’s elegant and handles her leadership with grace, which was refreshing after spending so many years in the wilderness of Faerûn. Eventually, they become Duke and Duchess of Baldur’s Gate and bring peace to the city! It’s an adjustment for Fiadh for sure, but she grows to love Wyll’s home, just as she loves him 🤠

BroTP: Gets along well with Gale, she likes to have scholarly discussions with him, even though she doesn’t have the same education as he does. She and Karlach have similar backgrounds, so they bonded over their untraditional childhoods. They often go on walks through the woods together. She and Shadowheart also become close, they both have respect for each other due to their devotion to their deities. She is also very close to Halsin, considering he and her father became friends when they fought Ketheric Thorm. He shares a lot of stories about his younger days with her, and she tells him of his years leading the circle.

NoTP: Fiadh is friendly with Astarion (and may have hooked up with him once), but she would not see him as anything more than a good friend. Same with Lae’zel. Both of their personalities don’t mesh with hers very well.

[ae-neon]

I'm Back Again With Feyre Should Have Gotten The Valkyrie Plot Line aka Feyre Vs Nesta (not really) part 2

If you've read part 1 you know I stated my preference for having Nesta work in politics rather than become a warrior and have Feyre have the Valkyrie plot line rather than desk work.

Disclaimer : I still haven't read ACOSF yet, but I will. I'm sick rn and as soon as I'm well I'm diving into my acotar REWRITE fic so I'll still be shitting on ACOSF without having read it for a while to come.

Anyways

As HL of the Night Court it is bad that Feyre's only friends work for her and her husband, not only does that sound like a terrible government but what message does that send to your citizens.

Some people are gonna talk about Ressina and that's cool. Moving on. Wouldn't it be cool if Feyre had more friends outside of the gang of old people she's now related to? Her own little crew?

I wouldn't mind if they were artists who all painted together but honestly I've seen many reviews of acotar where a major critique is that Feyre as an artist is failed in the narrative cause it's clear sjm didn't put any time or research into developing artistic expressions and such into Feyre's narrative.

I would say that's not her fault cause she grew up generally poor and uneducated but I've seen other people say that I was stupid for that take so 🤷🏻‍♀️ there you go, your fave gets to be the stupid one instead.

My preference is for Feyre to branch more into her warrior identity. As a Valkyrie she would have been able to make friends and hone into a side of her that we know is there but doesn't actually get explored much. And, a little controversially, I actually think taking part in the Bloodrite would have gained her respect from the Illyrians in her own right. (No wing appropriation tho)

Something that would help her standing as an actual equal to her husband outside of them just repeating it to themselves like a weird echo chamber.

Unfortunately, SJM is all about telling not showing but imagine if we had actually got this. It would show Feyre culturally connecting to a large group of her citizens, connecting to women in her court, befriending people outside her husband's nepotism circle - these would help build Feyre's standing as HL in the eyes of the citizens and non Feysand readers.

It's a little embarrassing that Feyre's only friends are her husband's employees who she thinks of as family but kept life changing information from her.

Those are not her friends.

And for the Illyrians' treatment of women to be waved around at every opportunity to call them names and lift Rhys ever higher - it's so crazy that it took Nesta's book to introduce a female Illyrian main character especially one who has suffered the gross abuse SJM insists on keeping in the narrative.

Again, you don't have to agree with me but don't say this is anti Feyre just cause you prefer the canon narrative where she got to be the victim of an old man deciding her reproductive rights for her

[thelioncourts]

You’re definitely right they can remove some of the useless love interests but even if you do the stories are still about Lestat. Louis would just be there to offer support or whatever but he has no arc or character development in these books after TVL. That’s why it’s impossible to keep him a main character with these book storylines cause even if he’s there in every scene he wouldn’t be doing anything.

So I totally get why people would rather he just leave the show than be used as set dressing for lestat.

But I don't think they're going to just do book storylines??? Like??? They've not done book storylines as they're written thus far, so why would that be subject to change???

I'm sorry, I'm not meaning to come across as short or anything, but I have 11 asks in my inbox all about this right now and I don't have answers and don't really know why people are coming to me.

As I've said in previous asks, I have said most of what I can and have to say on the matter.

As a Louis-fan, I get where everyone is coming from, I truly truly truly do. Knowing his fate in the books, regarding material, is enough to have us all on edge, so please don't take this as something it's not, I just --

The show has already given Louis so much more than what Anne ever did. Not even talking about what the change of time period and race adds to him as a character, we have a fully fleshed out development of him as an individual, as well as him and Lestat as a couple and as parents to Claudia.

Show!Louis has this family that we learn so much about, at least in comparison to the book. In the book, we know Paul, and we know Paul because he's the catalyst for Louis. It's similar here, only we get Grace and we get Florence and we get Paul and we get Louis' relationship with each other these characters. We know that Paul and Louis were extremely close. Paul could come preaching at Louis' establishments in Storyville, causing scenes and making trouble for Louis, and Louis could threaten him and pull a knife on him and the next day they could be sitting at the breakfast table, bitching to each other like any set of siblings when telling on the other to mom. We know that Florence has insane expectations riding on Louis' shoulders and that the death of Paul was a catalyst for her too, no doubt since it's very obvious the entire family knew of Louis' queerness before Lestat even came around, but it was a thing they didn't talk about, and then he goes and moves in with Lestat anyway. We know that he and Grace are close, that he was the first person to know of her pregnancy (via vampirism), that they drifted immensely in his fear of himself as a vampire. We know that the loss of that family for Louis was the reason for so much of his pain, for so much of his struggles with vampirism as a whole.

We know that Louis is a businessman, and a good one too, and he likes it. Sure, he didn't like all the racist shitbags he had to deal with, but he was better than all of them and they knew it and he liked that. He was ruthless in his business, strong and fierce and proud, and the loss of the Azalea, the race-war waged against the black population of New Orleans, was yet another source of devastation.

We know, as a parent, Louis is smothering sometimes, motherhenning Claudia to the point that she had to learn how to shut him out of her head. We know, as a parent, Louis is softer, to the point of fault at times, but that he also gives in to her whims, drinking human blood again when she points out that his criticism of hers and Lestat's eating habits make her feel poorly. We know, as a parent, he watched her go out to hunt on her own proudly, like a parent watching their kid go drive to a friend's house for the first time.

We know, as a lover, Louis is spoiled by his husband. "How can I say no to you?" followed by Louis' most pleased, beautiful smile. We know, as a lover, Louis can look at his husband like he hung the damn moon that guides their nightly hunts. We know, as a lover, Louis can be argumentative, assured that he is right and not afraid to tell Lestat so. We know, as a lover, Louis will smile brilliantly at his husband as they sneak around in coffin together, acting like damn teenagers in love. We know, as a lover, Louis, for all his issues with Lestat, loves him tremendously so, to the point that their hearts sync up and that, when Lestat is lying there, "dead," Louis cradles his body to his chest and screams his agony.

None of this is in the books.

It's all made by the writers of the show. And, as of now, the writers have yet to disappoint me with their writing of Louis. So until that moment comes, I'm going to be optimistic because 1) they've yet to prove me wrong and 2) if I'm not optimistic, what am I really sticking around for then? I don't want to stick around and be miserable at the thought of something all the time.

[echoarts03]

In Defense of Persephone (Lore Olympus)

Many seem to argue that Persephone is portrayed as a bratty, pampered baby in Lore Olympus. I don't agree, to be honest. I love the series and how it portrays her. She's strong, compassionate, empathetic, and avoids conflict as much as she can. (or until someone manages to push her over the edge, which is something I think we can all relate to)

Please keep it civil if you think otherwise, okay, guys? Be adults. I am not here to start a fight, only to discuss why I think some people are wrong about Persephone.

Continuing on reading this means you are going to act maturely as requested of you by me if my opinion isn't like yours. You have been warned.

Point 1: Demeter is a Helicopter Mom

What many people SEEM to forget and/or overlook about Persephone's character is that Demeter was and still is not only a helicopter mom, but she also treated her like a baby up until the day she moved to Olympus. She even went as far as to raise her like one would a mortal, which is brought up in episode 177 during Hermes' backstory on how he met Persephone during the trial.

She is only just now getting a breath of fresh air. She didn't know how to properly adult just yet because Demeter kept her so isolated for almost the entire first two decades of her life. But now she has people like Hades, Hera, Eros, and sometimes even Artimis in the earlier chapters who are helping her figure it out and teach her the way of the world.

Hell, the poor girl didn't even know how to use a PHONE, and Demeter only let her get an email because her school required it.

Point 2: The Act of Wrath

On the topic of the trial, what happened wasn't her fault in the slightest. It wasn’t a kid throwing a tantrum as I have seen people say it was, what happened was a result of disrespectful mortals destroying a sacred ground and pissing off a fertility Goddess who had no control over her powers and wrath.

It wasn't Demeter going. "Ohhh, baby, it's okay, mommy will just pay off the messenger God to stay quiet! That way, there will be no repercussions on your part!" nonoNO, that is NOT how it was! It was Demeter trying to protect Persephone from Zeus' bias towards Demeter, now leaking into a form of bias towards Persephone.

Hades even goes on to explain that Gods make acts of wrath all the time anyways, and as long as they have enough mortals for their amusment, why should this be treated any differently?

It really does go to show how biased Zeus can be, and how just because Persephone was a lesser-known Goddess, he thought it would be okay to treat her as lesser than.

Point 3: Persephone's Kindness

Persephone has gone through a lot of character development, but I think a LOT of people mistake her kindness and openness to help others as childish. She may have started off as childish, but now she is a queen with a loving husband and subjects who also love her too.

What everyone seems to gloss over, however, is her ability to be so ruthless when someone really deserves it, like with Apollo in chapter 98, the photographer who was Hera in disguise in chapter 54, and most recently, Kronos in chapter 206.

Kindness is NOT ignorance in 99% of cases. There can be the occasional dumbass in the mix, sure, but in most cases, kind people are very smart and know when situations require a different approach.

Anywho, thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. Please keep it civil in the comments, and have a good day!

[mybrainproblems]

the thing is i'm hyperaware of the fact that i'm Weird About Andrew Dabb but it comes from a place of me realizing back in fall 2021 that i wanted to identify why exactly i didn't like him and deciding to do a close watch of his spn eps. and when i realized i was enjoying parts of it, i decided to see what i could turn up any of his non-spn work. (this is something i've always tended to do with creatives: tracking down older stuff for a more holistic view of their work.)

i was so stuck on how much i hated some parts of his writing (s7 dabb-loflin is horrendous) and couldn't get past that... then i found out independently that he was showrunning the upcoming netflix resi show (a franchise i both love and have complicated feelings about) which filled me with dread that the guy who co-wrote 07x22 would helm a show with a predominantly black cast -- especially with the ultimate villain, albert wesker, played by a black man (RIP lance reddick, you are dearly missed). i wanted to be optimistic but i was ready to be infuriated and was so nervous that i'd hate something i'd been looking forward to as some camp horror tv.

but then. oh. OH. it was everything i ever wanted from resi and never thought i could have. i could not conceive of a resi like this. a resi where women and poc are treated with empathy and as nuanced characters with interiority. where they are the central characters. the video games have their own issues but the movies are truly egregious when it comes to black characters. so to have a predominantly black cast (and a black female protag, no less!) and have them treated respectfully was amazing. this was a show that had heart and a somewhat diverse writer's room and bts crew (not saying it was perfect) and you could see that difference in how characters were treated and how the plot and direction was handled. (i think having female directors and producers in particular helped a lot.)

for those who have not seen the anderson/jovovich movies: there is always a token black character and they will always die by the halfway mark bc they make stupid decisions. it's non-stop tits and ass shots of jovovich (which feels super weird when the director is her husband). alice (jovovich) is an Action Girl who is frequently subjected to sexualized violence but unfortunately, i love the camp horror of it. it's complicated. the video games have their own issues with the portrayal of women and ada wong being DLC feels really shitty when she's so pivotal. women are largely either helpless or Strong Sexy Action Women.

like i really cannot express just how much 8 episodes of tv so wholly changed my opinion of a writer/showrunner bc it showed such growth. a showrunner is only one piece of the puzzle of a tv show but they are the ones guiding it and the ones who have substantial influence in the hiring and development/direction of the story.

it's like. i don't forgive dabb for 07x22 and the shit he wrote with loflin (or solo, tho he improved a lot without loflin), but to see how resi turned out and to read/watch interviews with him and the bts crew is like. oh, okay. i think this person gets it now. i don't think i can forgive and forget bc s7 makes my blood boil, but i can accept that growth has happened here and that's what we should want from people.

also i'm gonna say that when i look at how i am Weird About Dabb and take a step back, i can see that i'm about as weird about him as some folks are about other writers and actors from spn (and willing to acknowledge his faults). i just chose a weird writer to be Weird about.

sorry but i just have a lot of feelings about resi.

[the-owl-tree]

Aster and/or bluebell?

Aster: Who’s your least favorite character? Why?

im stealing straight from here except just uh elaborating lol

Crowfeather sucks like on a whole other level oh my god his angst is boring and contrived, they killed off Feathertail to justify his shitty angst, and his ""romance"" with Leafpool sucks if you read it straight. Then we spend an entire arc watching him be a shit father, be a shitty ex to Leafpool, and be a shitty husband to Nightcloud only for the books to turn around and say nope! it's the woman's fault not the shitty dad! Crowfeather's trial further cements what a fucking shit character he is by having his development come from his dead mommy having to come down and tell him to make an effort. There's something so infuriating about him being promoted to Deputy while Leafpool went on trial for doing what was asked of her. I hope he dies!

Bramblestar is pretty obvious, he does shitty things and the narrative rewards him. He's allowed to be controlling, abusive, corrupt, distant, and cruel because the author's like him. It sucks! Hope he dies!

Clear Sky and Gray Wing are irritating protagonists and i do not understand why people tote them around as "complex characters." Clear Sky's motivations are weak, cliche, and nothing new to the franchise and his half-hearted redemption only for him to slip back to being a dick whenever the books call for it makes me wish they just stuck to him being a major antagonist. Gray Wing is shitty to those around him, rarely takes action against his brother, and all around sucks. dotc sucks, thank you.

Sandgorse is a shitty dad who, for some reason, gets to be honorable after death?? because he saved someone???? remember! icing out your kid for not doing everything you want and expect of them regardless of their own personal desires is okay if you dont leave someone to die! idk, i just can't help but compare him and Rainflower, like one is played straight as an antagonist/generally shitty parent (not arguing otherwise) while the other is shitty but it never gets called into question.

Nightheart's writing relies entirely on you closing your eyes to everything pertaining his arc. It's weak, shitty writing and his character shows off just how little the Erin's give a fuck about tackling the sexism within the text. His motivations are weak, his "conflict" relies on others being written completely out of character to work, and he has to change entirely when around Sunbeam lest the Erin's actually have to work to make a relationship actually work.

for other characters that i dont like but don't nearly have as much uhh anger towards thistleclaw for not being more interesting, rowanstar for not being russetfur, lionblaze for sure he's continuously violent and aggressive towards others without actual consequences, aannnd (if my oots doesnt go well) maybe ivypool

Bluebell: Do you ship any rare-pairs?

i wont lie after reading tigerheart's shadow AND thinking about an offensive eternity....you kind of got me intrigued by darktail/spiresight

idk how rare some of these are but lionberry, leafnight, willowholly, aanndd heatherholly

i dont have any actual rare ones simply because i do not remember anything at all at any time

[dude-iloveu]

the m'sian government: depression and anxiety are on the rise among higher education students. we want to do a correlation study on this with an important factor that might have influenced this behaviour

also them:

noctis and aeron are probably the most developed ocs of mine i've had. not probably. definitely. hdkdjdjjd. the ones that come close to their level are characters that were basically self inserts. i mean i guess they're the only ones i've ever cared to give a proper consistent story going on and all. and maybe. i guess. since i'm starting to learn and unlearn stuff, they're like, the best outcome of uh. my general thoughts i guess. mmh. i want to talk but i can't.

anyway. general idea for noctis' story that has been in my mind for a while is that she and her twin who i'll call C, are very differrent. like, C is the 'better half' of it while noctis got the shorter end of everything. it wasn't as obvious when they were younger kids but only after their parents separated. the mom is a jealous and kinda controlling person, she has a high position in a company or whatever, and the dad is also somewhat a person with a slightly high position. yeah but it's all like just a cover because 1. they're not that well off but act like they're living high class or something, with perfect children that have good grades and are active and stuff. 2. is that the dad is not a faithful husband (which amplified the wife's suspicions) and the one time he was caught was because noctis had mistaken a jewellry thing she found lying around as a gift her dad wanted to give her mom or whatever instead and well since it belonged to like. another woman. the dad tried to cover it up and wanted to get it back but then things escalated and yea. ah who would win. a private detective gathering info for months vs 1 curious kid who just wants the best for their parents. anyway at this point the parents just, endure it and hide the fact from anyone because perfect family. all the while the company they work at is in hot watsr and that the parents kinda fell into their drinking habit tendencies (nothing bad happened directly to the kids the parents just argued alot) anywayi forgot to say. that the kids relationship witht he dad is good. like. hes not that much a present father but he takes them out to places and do fun stuff on the weekend. noctis' interest in acrobatics and stuff started when the dad brought them to a circus and stuff. so yea anyway the last straw was when the parents were drunk and had a big fight that led to bottles being thrown (no one got hurt) but the kids saw it on the sidelines(?) and the parents stopped arguing when they realised their kids were watching after things got overwhelming for noctis. so like fastforward a little they had a divorce and just some messed up manipulation shit by the mom that the dad wasn't allowed to see his kids again. some parent alienation shit going on and aghhh kid noctis sees this as their fault and neither parent explained to them both properly what had happened.

fast forward to school years C became a very high achiever student while noctis struggled. there were recommendatjon from teacher for special ed but the mom sees it as an insult and insists that she could tutor noctis herself. it also is worth noting that the mom kinda leans more to C than noctis and while she is harsher(?) to noctis, she doesn't like, neglect her needs (except emotionally ig). all this doesnt affect noctis and C's bond as siblings, theyre close as ever.

then highschool , noctis managed to enter a higher prestige school that her twin entered too. well, it was mostly normal but the school wass well known for their olympiad teams. noctis kinda became a delinquent and often skipped school things, while still managing to not get any disciplinary trouble, while her sister was a top student and tried hard to enter an olympiad team. even tho they're significantly different, noctis doesnt really have anything against and is protective of C. also she got a friend who she sort of helped from being bullied. the two kinda became best freidns from then on. meanwhile C got accepted into the team, which led to her being a target by people that were also competing to get in. something something an important exam came up and after that, C had been accussed of stealing the answer sheet and cheating. and there were like, camera footage or something. which would be a big fuckin problem no. anyway noctis maybe like, found evidence of answer sheet being found in the perpetraitors possession but ultimately. it led to noctid having to take the blame and with everything piled up, she was expelled. the mom was mad but also like, she didn't want to deal with any problems noctis had. she then enrolled noctis to a different school that sooner later met again with her friend, who had also moved schools because they wanted to join a certain team or band or something that only that school offered. so yey rejoice.

all this while i didnt mention noctis being really into acrobatics and have been training by herself (imprtant detail that i didnt talk about wtf) and she has been looking up on how to join those acrobatics schools or teams and stuff. and applying to institutions that offer these courses and stuff. welp, a long list of rejection but there was one school in particular that she did loom forward to get an audition of. it was one she had higher hopes in because it didnt have the requirements of having experience professional training and whatnot. well. the mom noticed she'd been really into something and asked and noctis explained about the whole thing. while the mom didnt object or anything, noctis probably asumes she thinks its dumb since the mom didnt allow or wanted to pay for noctis to attend acrobatics classes when she was a kid. but she doesnt think much of it, because lowkey. she does want to be accepted so she could show the mom something she has accomplished (and get parental affirmation ooughfhs). well no noctis doesnt get this luxury. because the letter came and the mom got to see it first, she saw noctis got accepted, but also realized that if she didnt get any sort of scholarship, the pay would be really expensive. so the mom kept the letter, though the jntention was that she wanted to discuss with noctis first on "better academic choices". then time went on and noctis found the letter while cleaning up her mom'a study room and. well. ouch. the betrayal and all the anger she had just bursted. worth mentionimg that the twin had known this before but didn't say anything. anyway noctis confronted this and while the mom explained it was an honest mistake or whatever, noctis didn't want to give any more benefit of doubt. not when the mom didn't give them the same benefit when they had been accused of that stealing and cheating stuff from high school.

so the desicion has been made. she ran away from home. with help from their uncle and his wife, that didn't have close relationship with noctis' mom anymore.

whoah. i've been talking so much. i should stop now because damn. noctis biography be long

[girljeremystrong]

Ramble inbound, your tags made me think :) personally I love how cold rava can be towards ken. I really enjoy that aspect of her character, IMO it tells us everything we need to know about the progression of their relationship up to when we first meet them. I would think her coldness is a direct result of Kendall being an almost entirely absent father & husband for years upon years, one who makes no genuine effort to meaningfully reach out & connect to her or his kids, who instead tries to develop closeness by centering his life & asking her to play the role he envisions for her as Wife Of The Waystar Royco CEO. She clearly has underlying love for him, I do think she just can’t let go of her fondness for him, but he chooses work over family 100% of the time (always in the Kendall Roy: CEO Of Waystar mindset, and never the mindset of Kendall Roy: Husband And Father) and she’s just tired of fighting upstream with him. Cos let’s be honest Kenny is very stubborn and doesn’t take no for an answer when he’s decided what he wants. He has this pattern with his other flings too, that girl he whisked away from the play for example; the way he was always brushing off the consequences she’d face from jumping out of her life and into his, because he thinks he could patch it all up with his money and influence and it’d all be fine. As if the material cost is the problem and not his self centered relationship style. He doesn’t make an effort to truly invest in his partners’ personal lives/priorities/interests outside of the context of the Roy familial corporate structure, because that’s the only environment in which he has any practice connecting with people. He has 0 normal family experience to draw on so he really can’t leave the Roy headspace and connect with his family as a human person. Obviously it’s Logan’s fault that ken has a hard time fostering stable relationships outside of the context of the corporate world, as business IS love to Logan. I think this is why his closest relationships are with people already in the belly of the corporate world (stewi, naomi), and why he doesn’t really Get why she doesn’t want to be with him even if he becomes The Man. This is one of many ways he’s inherited Logan’s worldview. He treats his family much less abrasively than his father (at least until the end when he goes Full Loge and aggressively threatens to sever custody in an attempt to keep his life from crumbling), but even accounting for the extra kindness it’s still the same fundamental way Logan treated his family; narcissistically. Poison drips through innit. So TLDR I think rava’s coldness is justified, from the perspective of a long-embittered ex wife, left to be their children’s sole parent while their father focused exclusively on his work life and the enmeshed family relationships within. Ok that’s all my thoughts hope you enjoy. ^_^

wow this is very eloquent and very well said. fundamentally i agree with everything you said (and you said it very well) especially the point you made about him being way too immersed in the corporate world and being too focused on his role as the man at the top and it's true that he's treated rava like crap and he's been a horrible father BUT consider this: i love him!!!!!

he's my sopping little wet rat who grew up in a very unstable environment with a man who was borderline abusive to him and his siblings while at the same time being promised he was gonna be just like him when he grew up only to be disappointed and castigated time and time again and of course it's on him to learn and grow and be a better man and father than logan but at the same time he was made to think that he had to be this strong cynical unaffected man so that he could be like his father from his childhood and that's difficult!!!! and once more he's a fictional character and i love him!!!!!

of course rava is allowed to be cold and tough towards him and i understand she must have been let down so so many times and she must be so worried about their kids but so many times he went to her for some assurance and she's just always been so stern!!!! i wish my boy could have heard a "good job" from a person he clearly still values in his life

[enemyoflactose]

Hey! :3 For the ask game: Joey and Yami Bakura?

Hiiiii

Joey:

Why I like him

He's a funny guy with a really interesting and compelling backstory. A former bully with an abusive dad and (seemingly) neglectful mother, who hates himself and people like him, who changes because the boy he bullied thought of him as a friend, who tries his hardest to become a better person.

Joey constantly works towards improving himself, as a person and as a duelist. It's very admirable and nice to see from someone who's also considered comic relief.

What do I like about their appearance?

His face mostly. He's very expressive and that makes him fun to draw ^w^ just wish his hair was easier.

Do I prefer his dub name or sub name?

Dub. Clearly. It's easier to spell and remember for me. Joey is also just a name I like for characters. I think it fits his personality a lot as well. Not really sure how fitting Jonouchi Katsuya is. I haven't seen any stereotypes for it like I've seen with Joey.

OTP

Polarshipping. I love his dynamic with Mai so much! I wish it got explored more because they're so much fun and super cute!

NOTP

After making that ship list for my fic project and learning almost every ship we got, probably Joey/Yami Bakura. I just don't think my beautiful husband ever thinks about Joey. I don't even think he remembers his name. I also just don't find the dynamic interesting. Like, what do they have in common? Being stupid during duels? Everyone is like that! Dueling just makes ya dumb! That's not unique!

OT3

Petshipping. I can just imagine a duel between Seto and Duke to see who has to get Joey through the week and let him stay at their place while he watches in dismay like, "Ya can't just take turns?"

Favorite card they use:

Unpopular opinion probably but Flame Swordsman. Flame Swordsman all the way. He was there when Joey didn't have his red eyes, and he carried Joey through seasons 1 and 3. So happy that man has an archetype now. I also just can't stand the amount of ace monsters that are dragons. It's so repetitive and I wish there was more variety.

Favorite moment they were in

The entire end of his and Yugi's pier duel. It's emotional and I feel like it captures all of Joey's development in a really beautiful moment.

Least favorite moment

Stupid panty plank moment in the manga. I burn it. Didn't happen. Not canon.

Would I experiment, marry, kill them

(changed due to asexuality)

Experiment. Put him in a puzzle maze and give him a pizza when he solves a riddle. See his brain development.

Yami Bakura

Why I like him

He's a very interesting and unique antagonist. There from the beginning, always trying to kill Yugi and the others while never succeeding, never leaving, never giving up, never being right about their personalities apart from basic things.

None of his plans work, but it never feels like a fault on his end. It wasn't his fault that Ryou woke up and had his own NPC character summoned, it wasn't his fault Yami top decked Slifer and rendered his entire strategy useless, it wasn't his fault that the God Cards were never properly explained to him without directly contradicting former statements, it wasn't his fault that all the times he's seen Yugi the kid was never brave or strong and always needed someone's help, it wasn't his fault that he didn't have anyone there for him. He had no one. The only thing he had was thousands of years of the hatred of 100. I don't think anyone would do well in his circumstances. Losing everything you ever knew, friends, family, a proper home, and then being told you deserved it, and then being corrupted by darkness.

Ignoring the Thief King half of him because someone will try to correct me, Yami Bakura is a failure and I love that. It just feels like that's the only human part of him, that he just can't succeed at anything. He can't win a duel against professionals, he can't gather all the items and do his evil plan, he can barely convince Yugi that he isn't evil anymore, and he can't even execute a plan with hurting the very thing keeping him alive. It also gives him more to think about for when I finally write that redemption fic.

He's also so fucking hot and both his dub and sub voice scratch that itch in my brain that calls for something sinister and silly.

What I like about their appearance

He beautiful, handsome, amazing, gorgeous, pretty, stunning, charming, graceful, aesthetic, all these other words that hopefully have the same feeling

Do I prefer the dub or sub names

Yami Bakura is more fitting than Other Bakura.

OTP

Other than my s/i ship with him, museumshipping of course (⁠◡⁠ ⁠ω⁠ ⁠◡⁠)

NOTP

Thiefshipping and fetishipping. Just icky IMO. Especially the second one. Both Mariks are so mean to him :( He doesn't deserve that 😔

OT3

N/A. This man is monogamous and doesn't share. My s/i ship doesn't count because Zorc is technically still him.

Favorite card he used

Dark Sanctuary and Dark Necrofear really made me wish he dueled more. So iconic.

Favorite moment

He deserved that victory over Ghost. As much as I love that little freak, I did cheer when Yami Bakura won. He deserves nice things.

Least favorite moment

He lost 50,000 aura when he agreed to help Marik out in getting his body back. Should've just went back to bed.

Would I experiment, marry, or kill him

Marry. I love him. He's already my husband but I'd marry him again just because.

Thank you for the ask 💕

[notsp1derman]

a rambling review of sense and sensibility, by jane austen

[this contains spoilers for the end of the book. Proceed with caution]

"I wish, as well as everybody else, to be perfectly happy; but, like everybody else, it must be in my own way."

As my second time reading Jane Austen, this experience was at the same time vastly different and, as expected, similar to Pride and Prejudice. For me it's impossible to analyze one without comparison to the other, them being books by the same author in the same setting, but I believe that doesn't demerit any of them. The plots have a lot of similarities too, and Austen estabilishes well her archetypes, but it was still different enough for it to not bother me.

While Pride and Prejudice's strenght lies in the sweet fantasy of falling in love with rich men that aren't complete assholes, and in opposing personalities that are very interesting to observe, Sense and Sensibility delivers much more of a moral and political discussion, far more directly too. The romance between the two main couples is almost secondary in face of the relationship between the sisters Elinor and Marianne, and their shared hardships in a social circle full of vain, egotistical and materialistic people. It almost feels as if the sisters, Elinor in specific, are there to be a model of how a woman should behave according to Austen, and are constantly put in situations that compare them against characters almost cartoonishly flawed with the worst of high society at the time. Even the impulsive and at times childish Marianne is vindicated when compared to her peers.

It's not like we don't get the classic tense moments of doubt for the feelings of the romantic interests here, and some yearning sighs and swooning there, but the focus is much more on the characters' hubris because of their flaws. This is expressed over and over through Willoughby's own demise and regret of breaking Marianne's heart; through the funniest irony possible for mrs. Ferrars after disowning his son Edward; so on and so forth. Even the better characters of the story — like sir John Middleton and mrs. Jennings — have their part in the drama, when their well intentioned nature melts into excessive meddling and a lack of tact bordeline offensive.

The answer Jane Austen gives to all these characters is an impressive growth for most of them, with reactions appropriate to the gravity of the turmoil the Dashwood sisters go through between London and Barton. Sir Middleton and mrs. Jennings repay their faults with true kindness towards the sisters, mrs. Ferrars tastes her own medicine and is forced to go back on her harsh words and accept some things she didn't want to, and Marianne most of all had the kind of maturing that only happens after a heartbreak, emerging as a better and less impulsive person that values her friends and family as much as finding the perfect husband.

The only one without this much development is Elinor, which is a shame considering she isn't a perfect character (though it sure feels like Austen is trying to tell us this sometimes). Still, I think it's ok for a piece of media to have characters that don't grow as much; we all have different paces, and Elinor was already very mature for her age.

These descriptions of stereotypes of high society, gossip and discussions of money and properties take up a good chunk of the book, which makes it kind of slow to catch up. Still, conversely to Pride and Prejudice, we get a strong message of the true nature of the rich. The lavish parties and gatherings turned stiff because of the atendees, and the supposed elegant ladies were either bitter and greedy or just plain annoying. But it was fun to have main characters that didn't keep up with all that bs for a change. The two sisters are definitely the soul of the book.

One of my only disappointments with Sense and Sensibility was, ironically, the romance. Edward Ferrars feels like a dull copy of Darcy, and was so removed from the general events of the book that I honestly didn't believe he would be the romantic pairing to Elinor until the last few pages. Even worse, the age gap between Marianne and colonel Brandon and her (implied) unrequited feelings for him until the very end irked me. I really loved Brandon as a character, but him and Marianne just didn't have a SINGLE drop of chemistry.

Still, even though there's little to complain, this book wasn't AMAZING to me either. The cast annoyed me more than entertained me, and I finished the book completely neutral about it. Though, I have to admit it: the plot twist of Lucy eloping with Edward's brother was very unexpected. The chaos of the latter 3rd of the book was my favorite part. Overall a fun book with a nice little message and nice main characters.

★★★☆☆

[writingwithcolor]

Black woman saves and houses abused white woman and child

@dykecalianna asked:

Greetings! I follow this blog whenever I can and I recently came out with something in my story that I wanted to inquire about:

There’s a white woman in her late 30s, let’s call her “Vicky”, who (along with her daughter) is a victim of domestic abuse, and another character, a Black woman, “Cherry”, is made aware of this after a change encounter the two have at a café. She helps Vicky flee from her husband and lets her stay in her home - later, the two fall in love and get together.

I’m very aware of the White Saviour trope, and do my best to stay away from it. This is nothing like it, but does this fall under some sort of negative stereotype for Black women, like “saving the fragile white woman”? I should note that Cherry and Vicky are the exact same age, only Cherry is single and living alone. She is described by many as being very cute, and she is also secretly a well-renowned writer (she uses an alias when writing, so she kind of feels like a super heroine, which then ties with her storyline about Vicky). Also, I think it’s pretty clear, but the abusive husband is also white like Vicky.

I think it’s touching that Cherry saves this woman and her child from this abusive situation. I would like to discuss some areas that may help you explore if there’s a mammy / strong black woman / sacrificial negro dynamic here.

The chance encounter

Did Cherry (Black woman) meet Vicky (white woman) for the first time and instantly decide to get involved? I feel that it’s a bit sacrificial for Cherry to place herself in the middle of what could be a potentially deadly situation, as domestic abuse too often leads to, for a perfect stranger. 

This level of involvement would not align with how much one might put on the line for someone they do not know at all. Cherry is now at risk of retaliation from Vicky’s abuser if he finds them, or Vicky allows him back into their lives and lets them know where her home is / they make up and he learns about Cherry’s involvement etc. 

Their relationship prior to Cherry helping Vicky

The risk might feel worth it for someone you know, but it’s a lot to ask of a stranger. In the case of a “chance encounter becomes savior” situation, she also doesn’t know anything about Vicky and is letting a perfect stranger into her home. Of course, everyone is different and based on her personality and experiences may be willing to assume these risks. The child being involved might also influence that. Cherry might be one of those people, but it’s worth acknowledging as a big undertaking in the narrative. Her actions should not be brushed aside as nothing or just “her duty”. Too often servitude is just assigned as natural for Black women. Their own lives take a back seat and to take care of other people / ensure their well being comes first.

Suggestion: built a history between the women

A better fix might be to develop some level of a relationship between the two before Cherry risks so much to save them. They could even just be acquaintances. It helps if they know each other on some level,  at the least. Even if it’s strangers that see each other often at the cafe and strike up small talk all the time but never speak outside of that, old high school classmates that ran in different groups, friends of friends. This creates some sort of relationship where Cherry feels she knows Vicky “enough” to assume the risks, especially as a child is involved. 

Without knowing the exact circumstances, I’ll pose a few scenarios and explore the pitfalls.

If she witnesses the abuse

Witnessing the abuse and getting involved as she sees it happening - I wouldn’t fault her for that. I’d instinctively get involved too!

If something happens in the public eye, it would help if other bystanders get involved too; Cherry just happened to take it to another level and offered her sanctuary.

Again I’m still having a hard time figuring out why Cherry has been placed in this situation before proper authorities, women’s shelters, etc. if she doesn’t know her at all. As I’d suggested, it might be best if they had some sort of relationship prior, no matter how subtle.

The escape from the abuser

What role does Cherry play in the escape?

Physical strength / sacrifice 

Is she expected to use brute force aka be “Strong” to physically save Vicky or fight off her abuser? I would avoid that, as you will have a Strong Black Woman on your hands.

Must Cherry put herself in direct danger with the abuser to save Vicky and the child?

It's asking a lot for Cherry to storm into the home, potentially get harmed or die for a stranger in a domestic abuse situation that she does not know a lot, if anything, about. For example, what if  there’s deadly weapons in the house? 

Could Cherry involve others to help?

Maybe Cherry could call authorities and possibly show up alongside them.

If authorities aren’t involved, perhaps she waits outside to drive the getaway car as the friend and child escapes (I’m 100% inspired by Enough with Jennifer Lopez). Even better, if she could bring along someone else, preferably non-Black, who could help in the situation.

Emotional strength 

The Strong Black Woman is often about being forced into emotional labor.

Is Cherry allowed to react with fear, sadness and anxiety about the situation? Or must she keep it together for the sake of the White woman? Perhaps it’s triggering based on her past; she should be allowed to process that.

Allow Cherry to deal with her own wave of emotions. Even better if she has an outlet for that. She might not lay them on Vicky, but she also shouldn’t be expected to be a perfectly composed rock whose purpose is to comfort and support Vicky. 

Vicky shouldn’t rely completely on Cherry for emotional support. She needs other sources to expel her own fears and emotions. Whether a therapist, parent, other friends, chat forums, journal, or a dog!

Mammy (dynamic between Cherry and the white woman and child)

Given the other factors in the story, I would stay away from Cherry being asked or offering to care for the child. Vicky should take primary care for her child or get help from others besides Cherry or other Black women, as this would give their dynamic mammy and servitude vibes. 

Same applies to Cherry physically taking care of and serving Vicky - avoid it. Also, once Vicky is up for it or she has the means, they can split the chores or Vicky does the majority or contribute to housing expenses (again, if she has the means) but in some way she should pull her weight, so all the domestic care does not fall on Cherry. 

It’s all about avoiding putting Cherry, the Black Woman, in the position as savior of white woman and child + servitude role any further than the implications the first incident creates. Initial comforting and support is fine, but the rest of the white woman and child’s world shouldn’t continue to rest on the Black woman’s shoulders.

Explore Cherry’s life outside of the white people

A very important aspect that will keep this away from SBW and Mammy tropes; give Cherry her own life. Cherry absolutely needs to have a plot line that does not revolve around Vicky and child. She needs to talk to other people, and about other subjects, besides those two. Her main problems, drama, and highlights of her life shouldn’t revolve around them. 

Give her emotions, weakness, and vulnerabilities. She needs other friends and/or family, interests, and a little romance absolutely helps too. She is this amazing writer, so you’ve got something to work with right there! Ultimately, she needs her own life, things going on that have nothing to do with them.

Good luck with your story!

Colette