#it's!! been way too long!!! since I posted theory content on this blog!!!

[novantinuum]

[Updated 11/06/24]

I've written a kinda ridiculous amount of content for this fandom at this point, so this post is intended as a fun way to organize all that content on this blog. I'll update this post periodically as I share more works.

Most of my works are gen fic- with a heavy focus on character study and "bridging the gaps" of canon with lil bonus scenes of what I feel certain characters might've been up to in between episodes. However, I do on occasion enjoy exploring the Connverse relationship dynamic... and actual ratings for my stories vary.

Ratings and pairings will be listed on this masterpost, as well as any particularly vital content warnings. For more thorough content warnings, please reference the tags on the linked AO3 listings.

~~~

Multichapter AUs:

Crack The Paragon Series

Series Summary:

In the wake of an ill-fated discovery, Steven vies to pick up all the pieces. The Gems are in turmoil: Pearl can’t speak the truth, Garnet chose to separate, and Amethyst's confidence has hit rock bottom. Somehow, his mom is Pink Diamond. But what exactly does that mean for him? Why did his mom really choose to fake-shatter herself and obscure her identity? With the very foundation of his home life shifting around him, can Steven ever hope to find answers on his own? Or will his growing obsession with seeking this truth ultimately crack his world all over again? Canon divergent as of season 3 episode 20, Bismuth.

Stories:

Crack the Paragon- 70,705 words, 14/41 chapters. Rated T. Light Steven/Connie.

In another world, he doesn't have his mother's sword or shield to hide behind when Bismuth lands her strike. The bubble pops. Steven falls apart.

Content warning: Major character injury.

Everything Is Different Now- 1,014 words. Rated G.

After her unfortunate exile, Bismuth returns to her forge to work, and to reflect on her mistakes.

Seeing Pink- 2,475 words. Rated G.

Following a video call with Connie, Steven reacts to the discovery that... his eyes aren’t always human anymore.

Misalignment- 16,680 words, 20/? chapters. Rated T.

His family’s not present the third time he runs away... They never see the creature he becomes. Early corruption AU.

Content warning: Minor body horror.

Hollowed Moon- 8,046 words, 14/? chapters. Rated T.

Stevonnie doesn't crash the Star Skipper onto that jungle moon. Instead, they crash on a craggy fragment of rock suspended thousands of miles away from its associated colony, long forgotten. On that lonely hunk of rock is a domed garden. And standing in that garden, just as lifeless seeming as the rest of it, is a pink Gem.

~~~

Other AU/Non-Canon Works:

For the purpose of organization, this section contains two fics that have since had elements of it debunked by Steven Universe: Future. However, said fics were written to be "canon compliant" at the time of posting... thus, on AO3, they still are listed within my "canon compliant" series.

Shattering Atlas- 4,274 words. Rated T.

A boy can only carry an entire galaxy upon his back for so long before the weight of it all finally becomes too much. (Written about the Corrupted Steven Theory, long before SUF's airing.)

Content warning: Depression, body horror.

The Price of Freedom- 791 words. Rated T.

Even while sightless, even when she only exists as thin fingers of light rapidly spreading outwards from her gem, Rose can sense that something is deeply, dreadfully wrong. Written for Whumptober 2020, Day 1: Waking up restrained.

Bi the Way...- 2,886 words. Rated T. Steven/Connie.

Connie has a question, and also something to say.

(Originally written to be canon compliant after the movie, debunked by Steven and Connie not officially getting together until the end of Steven Universe: Future.)

Errands- 3,034 words. Rated T.

Steven has an endless stream of items on his to-do list, so many that he often forgets to properly take care of himself in between. Sneaking off into the woods on the daily to vent out his repressed emotions is merely one of them.

(Originally written to fit between Snow Day and Little Graduation, but the back half of Steven Universe: Future strongly suggested that Steven did not visit Jasper in between the events of Little Homeschool and Fragments, thus I consider it debunked.)

~~~

Canon Compliant Works:

This part of the list contains almost everything within my "Brandishing the Star: A Crystal Gem's Guide to the Universe" fic series on AO3. Fics are listed chronologically.

Tipping Point- 1,104 words. Rated G.

Garnet helps remind Rose of what she's fighting for.

New Star- 1,321 words. Rated G.

Organic life is a fragile, fickle thing. This much is true. What's also true is how the death and resurrection of a humble lion was enough to make Rose Quartz re-conceptualize everything.

On the Origin of Hybrids- 1,684 words. Rated G.

The question— incomplete, and yet bursting with long-held curiosity— emerges from thin air while he’s about to tuck Steven into bed in the back of the van one night. In retrospect, no parenting book could’ve ever prepared him for this one.

His Shield- 334 words. Rated G.

Greg attempts to comfort his son during a thunderstorm.

Donut Debrief- 1,578 words. Rated G.

And like a burst of sunshine emerging from between the murky grey clouds, the young boy swings the door open wide, face alight with a level of enthusiasm that before, she didn’t even think was humanly possible on an overcast Monday morning. Two days after their disastrous island adventure, Sadie and Steven talk about regrets, making amends, and discover something they have in common with each other.

Autumn Bliss- 546 words. Rated G. Light Steven/Connie.

Is there any better way to spend a crisp autumn day than playing around in piles of leaves? Written for Connvember, day 1.

Alienation- 1,151 words. Rated G.

“But... I’m human,” he whispers to himself, the words tasting more like a desperate plea for belief on his tongue. “Or at least, part human. Right?” - An awkward interaction with his dad and Connie leads Steven to realize that he's now too Gem to all the humans in his life.

Ramen Soup For the Soul- 263 words. Rated G.

Steven and Connie noisily slurp some soup at the dinner table.

Creative Outlet- 837 words. Rated G.

“Log date, 7 14 9. “Today, the hybrid creature Steven attempted to further secure my loyalty by introducing me to a concept he calls... ‘music.’

Taste of Ordinary- 12,756 words. 2/3 chapters. Rated G. Light Steven/Connie.

"Connie, can we talk?" When a much needed moonlight conversation with his best friend turns into an attempted (and failed) "spring break" from all his responsibilities as a half-Gem, Steven must finally come to terms with the full truth of his heritage and all six thousand years of its consequences. Takes place between The Question and Made of Honor.

Outer Strife- 4,282 words. Rated T.

Connie clenches her fists at her sides, envisioning a world where she still feels the safe, comforting weight of Rose’s sword strapped upon her back. But instead, it’s the Crystal Gems’ darkest, most forlorn hour... and she’s absolutely useless to them. Is there anything she can do to aid them in this struggle, anything at all? (Or: the beach fight in Reunited, but from Connie's POV.)

Content warning: Panic attacks

Ballroom Etiquette- 2,809 words. Rated G.

As much as it pains him to admit it amidst all the boring protocol, Pearl is absolutely right. There’s no room for imperfection at a Homeworld Ball. In which Steven is publicly introduced to the Gems of Homeworld as Pink Diamond, and he experiences the first true stage fright of his life.

Finally Free- 1,653 words. Rated G.

Lapis genuinely doesn’t know how many hours (Days? Months? Years?) have passed when light finally graces her eyes once again.

Vulnerable- 730 words. Rated G.

Three words. Three little words, and the intergalactic conflict he‘d been training his whole childhood to defend against was over. But the hurt... he's not sure the hurt will ever go away.

Fifteen- 1,607 words. Rated G.

Every year, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, Pearl runs away.

Cycles- 1,216 words. Rated G.

Amidst their danger-fraught mission to retrieve Pyrope and Demantoid's prisms, Pearl and Steven take a much needed break.

Freedom to Dance- 382 words. Rated G.

Stevonnie celebrates the first anniversary of Era 3 with their friends and reflects on how Homeworld has already changed.

Stardust- 618 words. Rated G.

White Diamond is testing out new terms of endearment. But no matter White’s intention with this little nickname, Steven doesn’t want it.

Contact- 16,002 words. 4/4 chapters. Rated T.

The first (and with any luck, only) time it happens, he’s almost 16.

Content warning: Major character injury.

Disconnected- 993 words. Rated T.

“What’s going on—?” he croaks to absolutely no one (weakened, vulnerable, alone, pathetic—), a jolt of fresh panic surging through his entire system. He’s never seen a gem flicker before. He has no idea what this means.

The Shatter Wish- 1,045 words. Rated T.

You’re 16 years and 2 months old (give or take a few days) when you finally realize you want to die. - (Steven's POV, second person)

Content warning: Depression, suicidal ideation.

Second Skin- 9,272 words. 12/12 chapters. Rated T.

Steven can’t help but dread the undefined cocktail of emotions that trigger this newest power... 12 shorts, each delving into Steven’s developing opinions and feelings about his “pink mode” in SUF.

Content warning: Light self harm, panic attacks

The Brother on the Other Side- 2,978 words. Rated T.

Lars has no idea what he was expecting the moment Steven texted him in the middle of the night to ask if he could come over, but being immediately tackled in an intense vice-grip of a hug the second he opened the door probably wasn’t it.

White Noise- 1,766 words. Rated T.

In which Steven opens up to Peridot a little about his anxieties surrounding his recent “pink episodes.” Peridot thinks she can help him determine the root cause of this problem, but Steven— marooned amidst age-old insecurities and his fears of hurting those he loves— still isn’t convinced he wants anyone’s help.

Content warning: Panic attacks

Like Clockwork- 509 words. Rated T.

Connie's got mountains of studying to do. (It's not just an excuse to avoid reminders of old traumas, of course it's not! Everything's fine.)

Fight the Future- 3,604 words. Rated T.

She’s poofed, he repeats to himself like a dying man’s mantra. She’s poofed. She’s stuck in the rubble, but she’s only poofed. She’s fine, and I’m fine, a-and— Above the scars of Steven's wreckage, thunder claps like mighty titans colliding in the heavens. (Or: what happens in the moments after Steven and Jasper's rematch.)

Oceans- 5,358 words. 6/6 chapters. Rated T.

Her fingers clutch onto the folds of his blanket with a protective fervor, but they’re still trembling. Stars, they’re trembling. Wordlessly, he understands. His are too. - A series of shorts detailing what might've happened in the moments after I Am My Monster, told from six different points of view.

Memoir of the Marks Unseen- 6,786 words. Rated T. Light Steven/Connie.

Steven’s messy self-corruption has scarred him in a manner that transcends the mere physical. Battling through suffocating waves of self-loathing and relapse, the path towards healing and acceptance is set to be his most challenging venture yet… but in a unexpected twist of fate, he eventually comes to find a cathartic solace in the tangible marks left behind.

Content warning: Depression, light body horror.

Intake- 6,427 words. 2/2 chapters. Rated T.

Steven fills out an important form.

Content warning: Depression, suicidal ideation.

Fear of Falling Apart- 1,961 words. Rated T.

Maybe it’s a bit selfish to wish for conflict in a time of relative peace, but right now Connie would give anything to face an opponent she could physically fight. A battle she could win. Because the fact of the matter is, no matter how stubbornly she might try, there’s no way she can fight off Steven’s inner demons for him. - In which Connie receives a panicked midnight phone call, and rushes to Beach City with Lion to try and help.

Content warning: Light body horror.

Ticklish- 2,675 words. Rated T. Steven/Connie.

In which Connie’s subconscious, innocent touch helps Steven realize just how nice the sensation of gentle fingertips gliding across the surface of one’s gem can be.

No Escape From the Weather- 5,756 words. Rated T.

Amidst an unusually stormy late summer’s day, Steven finally amasses the courage to confide in his dad about one of his greatest traumas.

Content warning: Panic attacks

Just a Little Something- 1,486 words. Rated T. Steven/Connie.

Steven surprises Connie with a handmade gift. Written for Glow Week 2024, for the prompt "Casual or Surprise."

(Our) Shadows Before the Dawn- 957 words. Rated T. Steven/Connie.

It's their nights that are the most difficult.

Content warning: Panic attacks

Advocate- 5,472 words. Rated T.

There’s more to this story, Lars can feel it brimming in his very bones. He can feel it squirming around in the tangled coils of his guts, a primal, virulent rot that threatens to consume him from the inside out. Something is off with Steven, something is distinctly wrong. And oh, does he hate being right. - When an unexpected visitor tumbles through the magic portal in his hair long after hours, breathless and bright pink, Lars must amass the courage to weather one of the most difficult conversations of his life.

Content warning: Depression, mentioned suicide attempt, panic attacks.

Tides of Renewal- 2,559 words. Rated T.

Now twenty years old and living on the other side of the country, Steven spends his morning relaxing on the beach, musing about his past, and having a chat with his dad.

Nightlight- 1,364 words. Rated T. Steven/Connie.

“So, wait— what you’re saying is that you want me… to glow for you—?” - In which a drowsy, throwaway comment inspires Steven to— fueled by Connie’s implicit trust and encouragement— test the very limits of his self-restraint.

~~~

OC Works:

This subsection is the home for any fics I post in my post-canon OC-centric series, "Echoes of Chalcedony." It follows the story of a young half-Gem named Jean Maverick and their journey towards learning about the Gem side of their heritage.

First Impressions- 11,026 words. 3/4 chapters. Rated T.

A young human-Gem hybrid- a soul yet unknown to the rest of the Crystal Gems- takes their first brave steps towards greeting their heritage firsthand.

~~~

NSFW Works:

Fics in this section will be posted on my NSFW AO3 alt, Astraliies. I personally consider some of them "canon" to my own extended fic universe, but they will not be sorted as official entries in my "Brandishing the Star" series due to rating.

It Takes Two- 2,865 words. Rated M. Steven/Connie.

It’s possible. The timing lines up. What Connie fears is one hundred percent possible. The problem is, a potential pregnancy this early into their relationship was absolutely not in their plans.

Content warning: Contains frank discussion of underage sex. Connie is 17.

knowing, loving, being- 21,450 words. 3/4 chapters. Rated E. Stevencest, Steven/Connie.

A uniquely charged encounter in Rose’s Room forces Steven to contend with matters of attraction and desire he never could have predicted for himself. To what extreme is he willing to journey in fulfilling these burgeoning fantasies? And in what ways will such an experience forever transform him? (One thing’s for sure, though… once Connie’s brought into the loop, the most intimate dynamics of their marriage will never be the same.)

Content warning: Selfcest, explicit sexual content

Love Handles- 7,178 words. Rated E. Steven/Connie.

In which a stray, innocuous comment from Connie pushes Steven to dedicate the bulk of his free time to ‘getting into shape.’ But when new stressors rise to challenge him, he begins to struggle to maintain this leaner, more muscular form for her. Not only that, but is this even the kind of body he desires for himself in the first place?

Content warning: Explicit sexual content, feeding kink

[echorats]

You've met Neil! He's a long-time passionate musician as has been well documented:

This second version of the post has bonus content and blog lore under the cut!

@chaos-has-theories: You know, it's Neil Banging Out the Tunes Day today. Me: Oh, right. Damn, too bad I'm too sick to draw him. Me: ... Me: ... Me: ... Me: Oh, who am I kidding, I could be dying and I'd still draw Neil banging out the tunes.

And so now here we are, interrupting the alphabet rats for this national holiday. Fun fact: Neil is the first rat I drew entirely digitally! No real life pen sketch involved! Which is why I don't have an original scan to share, only a copy with all the color layers turned off.

And one without the carpet because why not

And last but not least, because I felt weird not having a 'just Neil' version on my blog for some reason, a lineart version of that too:

One last fun fact: I believe Neil might be the only hairless rat I've drawn so far, which is really weird since I quite like hairless animals. Oh well, I guess Neil is just extra special that way <3

[ilikekidsshows]

i’m not super active in the ml fandom anymore so i’m pretty out of date when it comes to fandom drama. are there still fans out here thinking that adrien being a sentimonster would make a good metaphor for child abuse? looking through some of your posts kinda brought flashbacks lol

i remember seeing some fans using it to explain why sentiadrien would be a good storyline in ml buy i always thought it would’ve been unnecessary. I mean adrien’s abuse storyline already existed before all that. sentimonsters were only introduced in the season 2 finale, and the whole sentimonster theory never even existed until that one season 3 episode…I think it was called “Ladybug”? and that was close to the end of season 3. Before that, adrien’s abuse storyline had no mention of sentimonsters and the show did a pretty okay job at handling it, so I think the sentimonster plotline was unnecessary for adrien’s arc (after all, why include a metaphor for something that’s already there in the story?) and would’ve just made it more complicated in a way I think the show’s writers would not have been able to handle.

The whole idea of sentimonsters in ml always gave horror vibes due to the whole lack of autonomy thing. I think if the writers wanted to make adrien a sentimonster, they should’ve leaned into the horror aspect because I think that’s the only way that story would be treated with the seriousness it deserves (but i also don’t expect them to do that since this is a kids’ show we’re talking about, which is also why I thought that idea never should’ve been included to begin with but I digress).

I remember seeing some fans say that sentiadrien was a good metaphor for abuse and while I disagreed with their takes, I figured they trying to see things from an optimistic perspective and were in that denial phase since many of us didn’t want to admit ml was becoming a shitshow…but do you wanna know something funny? actually, it’s not funny, it’s pretty sad.

I moved on to another fandom for a story that includes this character who is a canonical abuser. This character is extremely popular in that fandom, and I saw posts from this one ml blog I recognized (that used to talk about sentiadrien being a great metaphor for child abuse) defending the character that verbally and physically abused their victim multiple times throughout the story. their reasoning was that the victim didn’t react too badly to the verbal and physical abuse (victim has a habit of downplaying their hurt to seem tougher like many teenagers do) and the abuser can not be abusive because they were also abused and struggled a lot when they were younger?

so it’s kinda funny but also very sad that one of the very vocal defenders of sentiadrien being awesome for adrien’s abuse survivor arc doesn’t actually seem to know that much about child abuse…or they’re just ignoring what they should know for their faves…reminds me of some certain stans in the ml fandom.

…and i didn’t mean to make this so long, whoops

---

I blocked all the SentiAdrien defenders and the phrases they use years ago, but I do think I’ve been seeing less “this post has blocked content” posts lately, which implies the SentiAdrien defenders finally shut up after the show dropped the ball on it in a very expected but still extremely infuriating way. The only defense I’ve seen is the usual “season 6 will fix this” bullcrap.

Frankly, I think the defensive side of the fandom is mostly ignoring what canon did with their “cool concept, that's totally a good metaphor for abuse”. Now they're instead treating Marinette doing the bare minimum of giving Adrien his free will back (while risking it further by not telling him that's what she’s doing) as romantic, because Adrien's free will takes the form of wedding rings. Oh, what an act of true love, that Marinette gives Adrien his remote control without the knowledge he needs to keep it safe. She was so selfless for not keeping it for her own even though the knowledge she holds makes Adrien dependent on her for his safety without his knowledge.

Truly, if this is the fandom’s idea of selflessness and romance, I really do think Adrien giving her one or both of the rings as a sign of his commitment would be met with jubilant screeching instead of the horror it should be. This fandom already sees Adrien as Marinette's property and that's why the dehumanization never bothered them; it makes it easier for Marinette to claim possession of him and control him if he has no human rights, after all.

In hindsight, the warning signs for this fandom reaction were there. The common refusal to see anything Marinette does as wrong and the extreme hostility towards any girl being in Adrien's vicinity despite everyone knowing that the love square would be endgame, while Marinette could collect a harem with the OTP defenders’ lack of reaction to her having competing suitors shows that the fandom has always been ready to devalue Adrien for Marinette's benefit. Adrien needing Marinette to make decisions for him on who he can see was a common idea even before Marinette started making decisions for Adrien over his dad's identity and his own free will.

Almost all the Married AUs I’ve seen also have Marinette take over his father's company, while Adrien is a stay at home dad or works at the bakery or has some other “commoner” job. The idea is that Adrien wouldn't want it, and Marinette would make the company better than Gabriel ever did because she's a better designer and kinder boss, but you can see how this common, unquestioned aspect of fandom lore devalues Adrien for Marinette’s literal monetary gain. We also have so many posts about Adrien donating all of his wealth away and buying extravagant things for his friends because he doesn't want it. Basically, Adrien shouldn't have financial independence, but Marinette should, so Marinette has to seize his wealth. Everything about Adrien gets weighed based on how it benefits Marinette.

As such, yeah, I do think people in fandoms tend to overlook and excuse abuse when their favorites are the ones benefiting from it or committing it, and the Miraculous fandom is a prime example of this. The Miraculous fandom has been spouting literal abuse apologia to excuse Marinette treating Adrien the exact same way Gabriel did, stuff like “Adrien is too emotionally volatile to know the truth”, “Adrien can’t be trusted to make his own decisions” and “Marinette has good intentions, so Adrien should forgive her anyway even if what she’s doing is wrong”. And the show's writers are encouraging them to think this way, the "Adrien is too emotional" excuse came straight from them. There's a reason I've been calling Miraculous "Abuse Apologia the Show" lately.

[4dkellysworld]

Honest self-reflections

After much self-reflection, I've realized that being on here has now become an activity of ego indulgence in some ways. I started @4dbarbie-archive initially to sort & organise all of Ada's content in a way I liked as well as learn & make sense of her teachings, which creating the 4dbarbie remix posts have been most pivotal in. Then there were some thoughts I wanted to share and I created this blog and shared some of my experiences and thoughts with my writings and journal entries. I came here with some objectives and accomplished that; it was most rewarding and enlightening.

It's only been a week and a half since I first created @4dbarbie-archive and just over a week since I created this blog (feels a lot longer though lol) but now I feel like I ended up becoming too involved in this community and my ego feels a bit addicted & attached and almost obligated to continue being involved in order to help others out. This is counterintuitive to the journey of self-realization; the opposite of letting go of identity/thoughts/ego/externals in order to realize Self. It's hard to completely detach from all that while being on here.

I have really enjoyed my time here and am grateful for the experience but now I've realised it has become more of an obstacle on my path to self-realization. Of course, I'm sure others are able to continue being on this platform in a healthy way while still progressing on their own journey and not attach identity to it but personally for myself, it would be easier & better to step away for a bit and take time to just be in silence and focus inwards on Self.

To help others, I want to first know my Self completely. As Nisargadatta Maharaj said, you need not know to be, but you must be to know. To know is to be. Meaning you do not need to read a ton of information about non-dualism to realize your Self, it is not necessary at all and at some point after you have gained adequate understanding, it is just feeding the mind and ego. You need to experience your Self in order to truly know who you are. This is something that no amount of reading will accomplish (if only!!) because our Self is beyond the mind and not something that can be truly understood through words and intellect alone (which are just concepts). At some point, you just have to dive right in and do it yourself, and going all in is sometimes the best way to do it instead of having one foot in and the other foot out. This is something that success stories have all taught me and I want to thank all who shared their experiences, it most definitely does teach things that theory alone cannot. 🤍

As Lester Levenson said "If anyone of us could stop thinking right now and remain that way, he would be an unlimited Being from this moment on. It really is that simple, though not necessarily an easy accomplishment." Session 4: Happiness of The Keys to Ultimate Freedom

This is not goodbye but more of a see you later. This blog will remain up but I will be taking a pause from Tumblr to let go and go within. How long? However long it takes. I have no expectations or idea on that nor do I care. Though when I do come back (whenever that may be), I hope to see many more success stories of others who have also gone within, realized their true Self and are experiencing beautiful dreams. 🩷

It's going to be a bit hard to go cold turkey cos there is some attachment to this community so I might linger for a bit but again I know this is my ego and mind grasping on and I want to let go of this (the quote "Let go of your earthly tether" from Legend of Korra comes to mind and I love that). I know Ada would agree with what I'm doing too.

Special shout out to @adadisciple for creating her blog as a hub for all of 4dbarbie students to come together and share their experiences! Without your blog (and the anons!), I could not have had some of the realizations I have now so thank you! And it was nice working with you as a team at times over the past week to answer some asks. Don't forget to take care of yourself and don't sacrifice your own personal journey for the sake of your blog! And this goes for the other ND blogs too! You guys are all amazing.

Take care, everyone! Do what's best for you first and remember that this is all just a dream. There is no "must" in anything. It's all just a dream so make it beautiful 😌

May we all realize our Self.

--- Kelly out ♡

[fromtenthousandfeet]

https://www.tumblr.com/fromtenthousandfeet/754230657283162113/a-few-days-ago-i-saw-a-post-on-x-from-a-kpjm-that?source=share

I'm confused why would they wanna punish the fans, the cash cows for their future payola album? (I'm just curious to hear about ur thoughts more since I love to read ur blog lot)

Thanks for the ask. It's a good question. Why punish fans?!?

I've probably said this too many times, but I'll say it once more. I think Bang PD can't stand the idea of anyone under a HYBE label being successful without his direct influence. Threatening to put NewJeans on an 18+ month hiatus when they're doing so well is such a red flag. And while HYBE probably can't afford not to release Jimin's music and content (or they are contractually obligated to), they can gatekeep the heck out it by not giving him playlisting, not servicing his music to radio, only promoting his new album on Instagram, not providing pre-save or pre-purchase options. The company accepts that Jimin has a loyal fan base, but the goal is not to grow it.

Think about the extraordinary amount of money Jimin's fans spend on his birthday events/promotions. Can't you see BSH seething at the sight of all that money spent to support Jimin that could have been spent on BTS merchandise? And the fact that no other member - even his precious chosen one - gets that kind of love and loyalty reflects badly on the group. Jimin is a brand unto himself. That's only a boon for the company as long they can control his popularity and make money off of it. At the end of the day, I think BSH resents Jimin's huge appeal and popularity. He, so far, hasn't been able to recreate that love and loyalty for other BTS members or TXT, his other brainchild.

So, BangPD punishes Jimin's fans by gatekeeping Jimin's projects and Jimin himself. Has anyone else had the nagging sense over the last year that maybe Jimin's access to fans is being intentionally thwarted? Why wasn't he given more opportunities to perform live? Why was CTT released when he was already in the military even though the song was records long before? And can we talk about how the company completely ignores fans' requests for better promotion, more CDs, and radio play? That's another form of punishment.

Your question is, how can the company afford to anger and alienate Jimin's fans when they are going to need their purchasing power when the group returns in 2025? Two things.

HYBE can't lose. If they treat Jimin like crap (as they have so far), the fans get their "revenge" by raising and spending even more money on album sales and streams. The right response to his mistreatment should be a complete boycott of all Jimin and BTS merchandise, but nobody wants to hurt Jimin, so it'll never happen. While making Jimin's music rank high on Spotify and Billboard charts may feel like revenge against the company, I promise you it is not, because the company is laughing all the way to the bank as fans mass buy and mass stream.

Chapter 2 has proved that a large portion of ARMY do not care at all about the music and are in it for the parasocial aspect of fanning. Look at V's photo book announced this week. Selling out on the first day, multiple printings, and for what? Photos of his feet? Madness. $100 for BTS Minions Funko Pops? What?!? I keep thinking maybe fans will realize how they're being used as an endless cash stream, but so far no.

Ultimately, none of us know what the heck is going on in BSH's head or within the company, so your guess is as good or better than mine. I leave you with this interview from Billboard Magazine, which has some little gems that I think explain a lot. Let's talk about it soon.

[rubberhoze]

ive had thoughts abt this for a while now and i guess im finally voicing this but

for so many years before i had so many concepts and ideas and aus for like toon content (yknow me yknow this blog) but what i did ever end up posting was a very very small fraction of the ideas i did have. like i was very inspired in that time and i was always thinking of like neat concepts and ideas but because i was so afraid of backlash or people thinking im weird or """cringe""" or taking toon content too seriously i never ended up posting those ideas (and the stuff i did post was once again a very small fraction of all of it) and they ended up forgotten in the many many folders i have on my computer.

once in a while ill go through and look at my old art that ive saved over the years and ill think like.. damn!! this rules!! why didnt i ever share this!! and i guess in theory i Can still share those but because of both memory issues and also loss of interest i wouldnt really be able to tell you about all the neat little concepts i had in my head in that time, not the way i could have back then. and its just a shame yknow?

i really wish that back then i had the confidence to really express myself and my ideas through my art (i did do that back then and i also do now but i know i also had So much more back then that i never showed) and on that note i really wish that during that time on the internet people hadnt gotten so hostile to like.. genuinity and all that you know? sincerity? i feel like its gotten a little bit better since then (or maybe i just curate my stuff better lol) i do see many artists express themselves they really want to which is honestly different to the things i saw back in the mid-late 2010's. everyone was so full of irony back then (and theres still a lot of irony-poisoned people to this day BUT I DIGRESS) and im just so tired of that

id rather be genuine and sincere even if it means that ill be like cringe or embarassing or whatever. who cares!! sure peggle make phone calls who gives a shit anymore!! im tired of being afraid of the reception i will get if i post the content that i really truly feel something towards, even if its something like a silly au or whatever, if it makes me happy i should be able to post it to my own damn blog without being afraid of what responses i will get

overall i really regret not posting things that even if they were silly they Did make me happy back then or brought me comfort or anything. maybe other artists feel different about this but i really wish i had posted more of just whatever i wanted!! maybe if i did i probably would have been a little embarassed but i feel i wouldve been happier still than not sharing anything at all

so if you see this post and maybe youre afraid of the same things i did back then, take this as a sign to let loose and do whatever the hell you want. as long as youre not harming anyone and you just want to have fun then you can use your blog however you like. and if anyone harasses you or bothers you or questions you about it ill bite their head off ok? im cheering you on forever 👍

[guusagi]

Welcome to my Blog!

My name is Guusagi or Guu for friends, I'm 28 years old, my pronouns are She/Her, and I'm Bisexual!!

What kind of blog is this? Anything I'm currently into, or obsessing over! As of me posting this, it's currently My Chemical Romance and Alien Stage. I am mostly a reblog page, but I will occasionally post my thoughts, reblog art from my art blog or more recently I started recommending MCR-related fanfiction.

My current interests you'll see me reblog/post about:

Fandoms: -My Chemical Romance (photos of the band old and new, fanart, fanfiction/shipping: frerard; frikey) #mcr -Alien Stage (fanart and/or theories) #anstg -FFXIV (less so now but it's my fave mmo ever) -Vocaloid (Hatsune Miku mostly, or Gumi) -Indie Vtubers (as a twitch streamer myself and my fellow vtuber friends) -Mermaid Melody (fave childhood anime) Other: -Art (reblogging my own art or anything i find pretty) -Misc. memes (whatever makes me lol xd) -Yapping: #mythoughts for anything I like sayin'

Links:

Art Blog: @guusagi-art Twitch Instagram Bluesky Youtube Tiktok

A song that's stuck in my head:

More about me cus I'm a yappaholic:

tw: yapping; oversharing; self-diagnosed neurodivergent girl plz be kind to me.

Nice to meet you, and thank you for taking the time to read this! I'm currently working a full-time job, while streaming as an indie vtuber twice a week! I've been an artist for as long as I can remember, I found art and my love for it through anime and manga. I love indie games, like rpg maker games, or rhythm games like the Project Diva Series. I also LOVE FFXIV, I calmed down since finishing the latest expansion Dawntrail, but I'll still like and reblog art <3

I don't watch anime anymore, but my favorite was always Mermaid Melody!! Other than my previously mentioned obsessions: I love cute and girly things, the color pink is my personality, but I'm also a tomboy at heart! I love listening to music and watching youtube videos, also am an avid reader of manga/comics as well as fanfiction.

My music taste at the moment is pretty much: Radiohead, Muse, MCR, System of a Down, Vocaloid/Hatsune Miku. I love alt-rock/prog. rock; vocaloid pop music; jazz; genre-mixing like rock x jazz; math rock; getting into pop-punk/punk-rock recently.

FAQ/Yapping:

A bit of my history with tumblr: I started this tumblr way back when sometime between 2012-2014, I don't remember much from that time but I do know I was very into Adventure Time and Undertale especially, lots of reblogs of art and such! My main motivator for coming back to tumblr now after over a decade? MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE!! I got into them very recently, like in 2022! I won't yap about how much this band means to me now, but just know I'll be reblogging a lot of MCR content!

Am I neurodivergent? Great question! I actually don't know, I think I am but I am NOT diagnosed professionally. I've only self-diagnosed myself very recently, perhaps within the last couple of years. Take what I say here with a grain of salt, but I felt it important to get it off my chest.

This started off with me noticing small things about myself, then the list just kept getting longer and longer: my intense focus ONLY on my interests, my tendancy to info dump/over-explain things/repeat myself, my sensitivity to sounds/taste/touch, my hyperfixations that take over everything else (eating, going to the bathroom, abandoning adult responsibilities...), able but also not able to read social cues; stimming such as hair tugging/pulling, biting nails, pacing around when talking or thinking or excited/stressed, bursts of emotion after a long period of staying neutral, needing to shut down and be alone after socializing, being upset if a routine gets changes/if a routine stays the same for too long, unable to follow conversations or getting bored of them, unable to focus on what poeple are saying if in a loud room... I was also told that as a child I wouldn't smile much or ''look sad'' in photos, stand/walk on my tippy toes, and I was generally excluded/bullied in middle school for being a bit ''weird'' about anime. I also made quite a few friends on the spectrum and find myself relating to them quite a bit. The fact that I went on a such a rabbit hole of research, watching videos, taking online tests, listing things and finding out more about ADHD and Autism, is also a factor to why I suspect it for myself. I also found out that I am prone to masking, which is common in neurodivergent AFABs, but releasing said mask at home around family. I don't know which one I could be, or if any or both, but I just hope to not be dismissed or told I'm trying to get attention because I don't have the paperwork to prove myself. I guess idk if this counts but a lot of my friends have mentioned me being neurodivergent in general. Will I ever get officially diagnosed? It depends, I'm afraid of the costs and taking meds for it, in online tests I usually get borderline or a ''lower'' score so I'm afraid of being dismissed professionally as well, when I really can't afford it at the moment. Anyways sorry for the info dump LOL. All being said this could all just be anxiety symptoms as well.

Is this too personal for a blog intro? Eeeh who cares, this just shows my personality more than anything, and how I just can't stop talking about myself or my interests. You're free to go!!

[s0lar-ch3ri]

i make a new theory post on a frog (psoilers ahead)

with theories such as felipe is evil and/or working with niklaus:

(post from aethlingg, his post can be found here! note: after research they no longer do jrwi content but rather qsmp content [specifically q!bbh and q!forever from what i noticed! theyre still very cool so go follow him [heres to hoping ik how he/they pronouns works btw])

(post from redcloverf3y, their post can be found here! i cannot find if they still do post jrwi and just talk about other fandoms rn, but nonetheless go follow them!)

(post from razberrypuck, its post can be found here! they def are still into jrwi from their lil bio and shit, but theres also others things they post, like q!charlie [or qsmp in general] and stuff, follow it too!)

to theories of what demon actually got felipe:

(post by pulchrasilva, their post [correct the pronouns if im wrong, i couldnt find anything on the blog] can be found here! considering how five or so minutes ago they made a jrwi post, they def still talk about it, as well as other things, go follow them!)

to even some on felipe BEING niklaus (which i reblogged and stuff):

(post is from aethlingg again, this one can be found here! for once i cant get a full image because its a long one but ill be talking bout my tags on it too)

theres been 2 posts on how felipe wasnt the culprit (heres one by wrinklemcdinkle) (heres another by ralexsol) ive seen, so im throwing my own theory into the mix: the demon is kuba kenta and kk (or mr. kenta) has relations to both niklaus hendrix AND the compass. lets get into it!

lets start with the tags i wanted to use (i found they werent actually on the felipe is nk post, but rather on the second felipe is being framed post i linked)! theres a couple details here i mention but why do i say kuba in particular?

the only person who could actually have something against gillion straight up is jayson ferin, mainly cause he got stabbed by him twice, but jayson isnt a demon! you know who is a demon though? kuba kenta. so for jayson, mr kenta was the perfect way.

as for felipe's escape, the rope was burnt, correct? who has fire powers again? mr ferin. when felipe was being investigated or whatever, kuba contacted jayson and he got him out of there, leaving there be reason to assume felipe was dragged to hell.

yes i do think felipe was controlled by kuba to hurt gillion, it plugs up some plot holes thats for sure. so how would felipe been target if he only pulled the card the next day? because felipe probably was a target since he was born.

its important to point out the compass not only having effects like kk's scratches do (give nightmares, cause physical reactions/changes, etc), but a similar color pattern to both niklaus and felipe. (pointed out by several people before me, like aethlingg in his actual essay about evil felipe working with niklaus shown above) another interesting detail is the nk tattoo is used with a moon attached, felipe's choice of goddess to worship. he immediately finds a friendship with chip when about 4 eps ago, niklaus had been given a stick by chip (important cause of how it was harder to spy on niklaus since the stick was in his room and stuff before, i think itd also add in an idea of "greater connection with the person" and stuff). i could go on and on abotu their connections.

lets get back to the connection of niklaus and kuba. how would they even have met? probably something like chip did for his deal. as the quote above shows (found from the post by redcloverf3y, heres another link to it), people who have that desire for their goals will find him, not those who look for it. why would kuba need to strike a deal with desire daddy? because how else would he be able to use felipe. theres no way the curse would change the free will of felipe (it didnt do that for chip or gillion), so if he wants felipe to be a better puppet, he needs something to interfer with that. niklaus and kuba cut that deal, and felipe doesnt lose that curse on him, well to the others. kuba wouldnt have been able to give felipe the nightmares, anytime we see him hes with the three, so someone would have seen him get scratched! even if he got scratched in the couple months before they met him (cause felipe was six months old, not a couple days), the scars dont fade, rather theres the black ooze to them that burns, making it not a forgetable thing.

speaking of that, lets move onto the daggers situation. why the fuck would a tour guide have such dangerous daggers, poisonous ones to be exact (i heard it had poison effects somewhere, but sadly cannot find any info about that)? felipe has no need for poison daggers! he literally can spit acid! that means its only being used for its forgetfulness, which doesnt make too much sense to me since its not like being stabbed isnt just something you remember but theres the fucking pain of it too (example being, when i was younger and we were in the car getting ready to leave some place, there was this like tightness on my foot and i look at the door and [because it was one of those automatic doors and shit] it was closing on my foot. i didnt remember getting my foot in there and i still dont know how it happened, i do remember though how much of a bitch the pain was. not close to the pain of stabbing im sure, but you still remember the pain even without the memory of how it got there). that leaves one last usage: actually stabbing. again, hes a tour guide, he has no reason to need to stab people, no reason he should have a dagger that damaging, let along access to one like it. you know what has good weapons, ones with magic and shit? the navy. hell, theyre building a mechicanical leviathin! they of course have magic weapons for combat and such. and being a vice admiral, kk would have access to all of them. he gets a dagger for felipe, uses his deal to make sure felipe does whats needed, there.

so why would pulling the card get kuba as his enemy? its the magic of the cards! why would felipe hate gill? why would gillion dissappear only able to be brought back by powerful magic (whole can of worms for niklaus's abilities btw, needed to point that out)? the cards! theres also how felipe did reveal what his plans with gill were gonna be, but its probably just the cards.

i do also think the compass is related to kenta cause of their abilities being matched and it kinda fits him, a man driven even beyond the grave to reach a goal, even if that goal is only known by him...but this is long enough!

i hope i fed someones wants and if theres any contradiciting (or even more proving) evidence, lmk and ill try to counter it, bye and ill see you probably in a writing thing ive been putting off since this morning to write this

[trappedtowers]

Trapped Towers Dev History ~ How We Got Here (Part 1)

(Middle art piece done by @/evilredyoshis)

Hey everybody !!

Today I'm going to be introducing another type of post I can end up doing - development history/update posts! These will likely be rarer than other types of posts (after this 3 parter anyway), purely because development on this project is just pretty slow due to my lack of ✨ focus ✨ and all that. However, there is definitely some old development stuff I can talk about! Plus, for those of you who are new - you get to learn more about this project that has been ongoing since early 2018!

So lets get into this, shall we? It's going to be a lengthy read.

February 2018 - August 2020 ~ The Beginning/Undertale AU Era:

February 2018 was a time, by this point I'd spent almost a year making music for my friends and very small audience in the Undertale community. One day, I was simply bored and had no ideas - so my sister told me "hey make an Alton Towers megalo"... how I hadn't done it yet shocked me, I'd been going since 2014 and loved the place dearly. However, with a laugh I agreed and got to work.

A few days into creation, I began theory crafting the basics for an Undertale AU. The first ever concept for what would eventually become Trapped Towers - explains a lot about the name and premise though huh. I eventually uploaded a song or two for the AU, including the megalo I did finish - "Ministry Of Death".

One person found and covered the megalo. Then another. And another. And soon enough the whole thing spiralled - I would consider it to this day my biggest impact on the Undertale Community, even if it was still relatively small and not long lived. Either way, it got me to take the project a little more seriously... but quickly it spiralled into development hell. I was only 14 after all, if you asked me what a leadership style was I probably would have no idea what you were on about or given a dumb answer.

Reboot after reboot was attempted. New server after new server. Eventually though, one server was made and kept. However, the project had already fallen into more obscurity and my motivation was low, so I moved to new things. Every so often a new Trapped Towers post would occur, mainly new Smiler content as that's what really brought in people. Things would stay like that for a bit unfortunately though...

Old Content:

How about some art and concepts from the time though huh? For an Undertale AU it was... something. Tom wasn't called Tom and was literally just called Frisk. The world layout was just Undertale and I just made stuff fit - The Beornen were almost located in X-Sector because of Wickerman being the Grillby replacement. Th13teen wouldn't have really even been in the story as she was Gaster. Half the characters didn't even have designs! People loved Smiler and Enterprise, and any serious work focused on the Ruins portion with Terra. They were still trapped because Nemesis was too dangerous to be let free, however Nemesis was also in a permenant sleep - only prophisised to reawaken. It wasn't an active threat.

(I don't entirely remember who made what here, so I'm sorry for no credits)

OLD SOUNDTRACK LINKS:

Trapped Towers V1 Soundtrack

Trapped Towers V2 Soundtrack

It's all quite funny to look back on. There's so many bits that clearly influenced the project as it is today. Many old designs haven't had drastic overhauls either, which is quite funny to think about... maybe I should get on some...

Anyway, with that brings the conclusion of part 1 of this 3 part blog series. The next two parts will come out day after day, with tomorrow being "August 2020 - June 2021" and Friday being "June 2021 - Present Day". Figured it'd be much easier for reading if I split them into a couple parts !! Also gives me a few extra days to consider what else I want to post haha.

Until then, cya ! - JustDaniel

[keepmeinmind-01]

Hi! I was wondering if (in the context of your au) both Theseus and Newt had been kidnapped by Grindelwald, what would have been different?

Have a lovely day!

Hey, thank you for this question and sorry I took so long to answer! I hope you had a lovely day too :D I was mulling it over ahah. For context for anyone who sees this little blog, my AU is based on a fanfic I’m writing where after Theseus is kidnapped from the German Ministry in SOD, he becomes a prisoner of Grindelwald (which is, generally, an unfortunate experience).

So also spoilers below in case you are someone else reading this post and interested in reading the fic (“keep me in mind” on AO3). And also a content warning for torture and referenced sexual assault (as usual, will not be an explicit or detailed, but it happens in the fic).

What if Theseus and Newt were captured together by Grindelwald?

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(spacing for the CW/TW)

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This is a really interesting question and I’ll roughly follow the main parts of my plot, if that’s what your question is asking about? Also, please do excuse if it’s more intense or in depth than you expected haha. I really got thinking about this and I was even like “wow I should have written it this way because I could get all the Scamander bro backstory in earlier rather than the current plan of ramming it all in at around the 40% mark.” Anyway!

So I think this actually could have happened if Lally had let Newt follow Theseus at the German Ministry, since he sort of saw the abduction as it happened and was half-ready to go after him.

I’m hoping that Newt wouldn’t have taken his case with them as this could be game over pretty quickly as Grindelwald would know from their first encounter at MACUSA that Newt would do anything for the creatures.

Obviously, it’d be nice to think he’d do anything for Theseus too, but Grindelwald definitely wouldn’t be above wiping out a load of creatures over going straight to killing the Head Auror of the British Ministry, just based on the fact he didn’t even pause when killing the Qilin. He doesn’t strike me as an animal-rights guy.

Grindelwald would probably evaluate both of them and decide it’s better to work more on Newt. He knows Newt and Dumbledore are close, and Newt’s not an Auror, so in theory he’s an easier target. I think this could manifest in Grindelwald still deciding to torture Theseus but with the aim to get Newt to summon Dumbledore. I think Newt might actually have a way - I can’t remember if in the movies, he had a little device?

But Newt is loyal to Dumbledore to a fault and would share Theseus’s opinion that they should try and hold for a while before giving in. Grindelwald would probably rough everyone up a bit and then go for the throat with Theseus while making Newt watch.

The start in the factory where Grindelwald and Theseus first meet would be difficult and emotional for everyone involved. Theseus taunts Grindelwald much more than he would have otherwise in an attempt to redirect attention solely onto him and protect Newt. But as Grindelwald tortures Theseus, Newt desperately tries to interfere and draw Grindelwald's attention. "Hurt me instead.” Theseus redoubles his efforts to keep Grindelwald’s focus on him instead of Newt, and it works: Grindelwald ignores him.

Afterwards, when Theseus is unconscious and Newt is still conscious, Newt tries to help him with some of the wounds and bleeding by tearing up his clothes and making bandages before Grindelwald’s lackeys come and stun him to take them both off to the Black Forest manor.

Now, it would make more sense for Grindelwald to use Legilimency on Newt, as Newt is the one who seems closer to Dumbledore. Theseus probably still tries to punch Newt in the face and I think Grindelwald would just knock Theseus out for the entirety of the time he’s looking through Newt’s mind after this, seeing a potential problem brewing in the way the brothers are keen to protect one another.

After Grindelwald leaves and Newt and Theseus are both awake, Theseus is first all logical Auror brain and shakes Newt, asking him if he gave away any crucial information, anything about the plan Dumbledore told him and not the rest of the team. A bleary Newt admits he doesn’t know and then starts tearing up at all the other difficult memories Grindelwald unearthed going through his entire brain. Theseus softens at this and gives Newt a reassuring hug, apologising profusely for the situation he’s accidentally landed them in. Newt seems like the kind of person who wouldn’t ascribe blame for this, or at least not at the time.

During early escape attempts, injured Theseus has to lean on Newt. Newt helps him slip through the halls undetected. They debate whether Newt should go alone and send back help. Theseus insists this is the best idea, but Newt is stuck on the idea that they must escape together or not at all, which triggers a few bickering arguments as they try and find a way out (classic Scamander brothers).

Oh man, the love potion bit. I think Vinda would still go for Theseus just because in my fic, part of the reason was just because she knew he was trying to arrest her specifically because of Leta, and she enjoyed the irony. Perhaps Newt and Theseus had to temporarily separate to avoid getting caught and that’s when Vinda finds Theseus. And then some other henchman finds Newt hiding in some crazy place and reunites them, temporarily, in Vinda’s bedroom.

Newt is relieved at first but then realises Theseus is looking at him but looking past him. He waves his hand around and realises his brother can’t actually see anything. At first, Newt doesn’t suspect a love potion and puts it down to shock. Weird, but he supposes difficult times bring out different sides in people. But Theseus is also kind of vacant when questioned. And Theseus is never vacant.

Vinda comes in and Theseus isn’t exactly bubbly or effusive but his attention has very clearly shifted to her with a scary intensity. Vinda sees Newt there and, claiming she wants some privacy, grabs Theseus and disappears, leaving Newt there in whatever bindings the henchmen put him in to think about it.

This part could go really badly very quickly, I won’t lie. In my fic, even though Theseus doesn’t remember much of it, the snippets he does suggest Vinda was quite shameless. But even so, I think Newt being his brother would put her off, so he’d be relatively saved from a worst-case scenario.

Grindelwald tells everyone that Newt is allowed food, a bed, free rein, and more, because he wants to try and coax Newt into betraying Dumbledore. Newt accepts this outwardly but instead spends all his freedom constantly hunting down Theseus and Vinda. Whenever he can catch Theseus alone, he desperately tries to talk sense into him, reminding him of his true self, his love for Leta, and their mission to escape together.

But the potion has too strong a grip. Sometimes Theseus doesn’t even seem to listen, especially when Vinda is using the blinding spell, and just panics and pushes Newt away outright, which is very painful for Newt. This situation would really test him as he’s always criticising himself - is it because he’s awkward? If he was just different, would he be able to get through to Theseus faster? Is this his fault?

Vinda delights in flaunting her control over Theseus in front of Newt. When she finally kisses and caresses a passive, compliant Theseus, Newt finally cannot take it anymore and manages to break free of his captors for a moment. He tackles Vinda away from Theseus, shaking him desperately. "Theseus, please! This isn't you.” The physical shock helps dull the potion's effects briefly. Theseus comes halfway back to his senses, meeting Newt's terrified gaze with dawning comprehension.

Theseus stares down at his hands, feeling the artificial adoration for Vinda briefly waver. But Vinda grabs Theseus's chin forcefully, wrenching his gaze back to her. "You are mine, do you understand? That pathetic brother of yours cannot help you now."

Theseus nods vacantly, the potion quickly drowning out the confusion Newt stirred. But when Vinda presses her mouth to his, Theseus involuntarily recoils. Vinda narrows her eyes. "Kiss me, Theseus. Show me you want this." But her touch makes his skin crawl worse than ever before. He feels suddenly naked, exposed. Newt's intervention unlocks something in Theseus's mind and he wakes up.

Grindelwald forbids Vinda from trying any of the love potion business again. All she’s doing is ruining his plans to gently sway Newt to his side. There are some awkward moments when Grindelwald treats Newt like a guest and Theseus is just there. Theseus is not too bothered by it when he’s not actively being hurt.

In fact, sometimes he even seems to find it funny that his shy little brother is getting the spotlight, and tries to make jokes about it, but underneath he’s deeply concerned about what Grindelwald’s attention to Newt might bring. Newt is, as is common in their relationship, mildly bemused by Theseus.

When they encounter Graves, it’s a much tougher reunion. Theseus remembers him as a friend, comrade-in-arms, and even more. But Newt remembers him as the man who almost took away his creatures, almost executed Tina, maimed Credence, and tortured him on the train tracks.

The real Graves only vaguely knows Newt as Theseus’s little brother who worked with the dragons while all three were in Ukraine. Newt, understandably, has a panic attack at Graves’s face and Theseus slowly calms him down from a suitable distance, as Newt doesn’t like to be touched when anxious. Grindelwald is swift to catch up with them and it’s not long before everyone’s locked up once more.

There’s probably no Vow in this version and no Brazilian Ministry either. What I think would happen would be something along these lines: Grindelwald forces Graves to rough Newt up a bit, pressing on old wounds and memories, and then takes over himself and puts Newt under the Imperius Curse. Like Theseus, Newt would be stubborn and try to throw it off, but Grindelwald would be very persistent.

So, Grindelwald sends Newt out into the world to literally bring Dumbledore to him under a ploy of gentle depiction to take advantage of the trust the two have.

Theseus convinces Grindelwald to let him go with Newt to make sure it goes smoothly. Grindelwald does something that ensures they can’t actually escape at this stage. Maybe an enchanted brand or some kind of other spell or a drastic threat on Theseus. But Theseus talks Newt out of the Imperius Curse using their shared memories—"You're stronger than him, little brother. Come back to me."—and a mixture of tough love (“fucking wake up, Newt!”) and gentle encouragement (“think of the creatures, they need their mummy”) and in the end they make it back having failed the mission.

Probably something bad happens to Theseus again as a result as orchestrated by Grindelwald that leaves them unable to think about escape for another few days because of his resulting condition. Because I don’t see Grindelwald letting that go unpunished.

When the followers of Grindelwald come looking for some easy fun, and latch onto Newt as a result, Theseus just nukes them. No restraint. Not very many regrets. Again, it doesn’t end very well for Theseus but at least he doesn’t have any awkward scars spelling out words and Newt is spared what could have been intense trauma from the group.

Newt gives Theseus some of his food whenever Grindelwald isn’t looking. Theseus always insists he’s not hungry but does a really bad job of hiding it. Newt can’t quite share all the amenities Grindelwald is giving him to try to convince him to betray Dumbledore without Grindelwald punishing Newt for trying to help Theseus, but they do a decent job at getting through.

In return, Theseus tries to calm Newt down whenever he has panicked nightmares, if Grindelwald’s busy and not deliberately making sure Theseus is getting worse treatment to prove to Newt how “lucky” he is.

Occasionally, Newt can even get away with allowing Theseus to sleep on the bed rather than the floor when the henchmen aren’t watching them. Even though it’s a dire situation, both are very keen on creating the pillow barrier/divider down the bed as always, claiming the other’s sleeping habits are just intolerable for a million reasons.

Theseus keeps reminiscing about things that are really not worth reminiscing about. “You know, they used to give out free tea in the Auror break rooms…and biscuits too…” and Newt is like Theseus PLEASE be quiet for just a moment, I know this counts as bonding time for you but I’m trying to worry about my creatures in peace. Theseus is like “yeah…ok…wow, you know, I really miss feeling the London rain on my face…and you know, I also had this really lumpy pillow on the sofa I sometimes used…actually I miss the sofa, you know…?”

To fill the time, Theseus also produces a million fond childhood stories that Newt doesn’t even remember, from when Newt was like 1 or 2 years old. Some tales about an adorable/stupid Newt hint at the tension in their house by accident but Theseus waves it away.

Newt decides he’ll get “revenge” for the embarrassing baby stories and starts giving Theseus encyclopaedic monologues on his creatures in an attempt to show Theseus how boring it is to have someone always talking to you when you’re locked up and suffering together. But he’s a little humbled when Theseus actually intently listens, seemingly keen for anything to take his mind off his injuries. Although Theseus does still determinedly yawn after each creature.

With Grindelwald so distracted from having to constantly deal with both brothers, I think maybe Percival makes the move that leads to the escape and arranges a meeting with Tina, as it’s implied they know one another before he was replaced by Grindelwald. Tina starts setting up a rescue with the full rest of the team (so it’s a group effort, rather than just Newt managing it in this version).

Crucially, as the turning point, Newt pretends to give in and agree, acting as though he has been persuaded by Grindelwald’s hospitality and “mercy”, given that an example hasn’t been made out of him like it has Theseus.

He has to genuinely convince Theseus this is a betrayal otherwise Theseus is going to throw a massive spanner in the works (as usual). So he leaves Numerngaard with Grindelwald, and leaves Theseus behind.

This obviously wrecks Theseus, who mopes around and tries fruitlessly to escape and evade the followers who are keen to find him now Grindelwald’s not supervising.

By going with Grindelwald, and stepping into the outside world, Newt manages to leave some breadcrumbs for Tina and hints for Dumbledore too that mean the team follow the pair and are able to intercept and rescue Newt before he has to return to Nurmengaard with Grindelwald. Graves slips out on his own in the chaos as Grindelwald is distracted and bored of him.

I don’t think anyone can break into Nurmengaard, so my idea for this part is perhaps Grindelwald just returns Theseus (lol). In trying to convince Newt, Theseus’s reactions and resistance to the torture or ideas presented probably would have made Grindelwald move on from the idea that Theseus could help with getting Albus. Sure, he’s probably useful in other ways, but Grindelwald assumes it’s inevitable they’ll cross paths once more and he’ll make good on his ideas at that point in the future.

Shared trauma and not shared trauma and guilt abound. I’d like to think in the vulnerable quiet moments, they discussed their feelings about their estrangement and childhood and Leta in a way you couldn’t outside of a cold dark cell. I’d also like to think the depth of their care for one another is really shown and tested, so they come out of it closer rather than more distant.

Theseus has to help Newt with the aftermath of being Imperiused by Grindelwald, while Newt tries to help as much as he can with the things Theseus alone went through without opening up any gaping wounds.

I feel like they wouldn’t get quarantined, since a deception with two people would be a lot harder to pull off than one. Then again, if Theseus got returned a significant amount of time later, it might still be house arrest for him because that is admittedly suspicious as hell. And maybe Albus is proved right for a dramatic twist? Or maybe Theseus can grit his teeth and bear it because he had the support of both Percival and Newt through it all.

Wow, this was a bit of a ride to write and I hope it’s not too wacky a read! I hope this answers your question ahaha. Angst material abounds :D

[pansy-placebo]

About me

Hi! Call me Pansy, or Bo.

I don't know what this blog will be yet, so it'll be a lot of reblogs for the time being. I'd like to make some friends here, though.

Content warning: brain damage, drug use, trauma, sex and rape mention, mental illness, er... politics? Also the DNI section includes a lot of difficult topics, I need to mention stuff to be sure to ward away assholes, sorry.

I'm mlm and polyamorous.

I'm a very gender little goblin man, I'm a drag artist with a couple shows under my belt. Said shows are very rare at the moment, so the drag I do the most is just dressing up lol. I'm really considering making a drag society/club in my local town- I'm Welsh, and re-learning the language since I went to live in England for a few years and completely forgot how to speak it.

My pronouns are he/him or xey/xem.

I have a degree in fine art, but got some brain damage (oops) which means my art production really slowed to a halt for the past few years. I still occasionally draw, paint and make jewellery though. At the moment, I'm too disabled to have any kind of job but I hope over time those issues will get better and I'll be able to support myself on my art again.

I have ADHDtism, here are some special interests and hyperfixations, some of which are active, some have passed and just left a lasting impact on my psyche:

goth music

nutrition, digestion, and diet culture (which is a scam btw)

art and art history

human anatomy

aquatic life, especially aquatic snails

religions, particularly shingon

sexual paraphilias, the more niche the better (that one lasted a decade) and I won't be posting about it here because honestly wtf is my brain

I write. So far this post has been a truly terrible showcase of my writing skills, because my brain is very blob-of-goo-sloshing-in-a-bone-fishbowl right now, but I used to produce mass amounts of poetry and I still write occasionally. Maybe I'll even post some of it from time to time, who knows!

I'm ok with some nsfw stuff, but I won't be reblogging or posting porn, and I don't want any of that on my dash please. PLEASE DON'T PUT PORN ON MY DASH.

I'm very mentally ill, but I'm reticent about it because I'm still feeling out the culture here. For now let's just say I have a lot of trauma in my past and sometimes my brain says "fuck you, lmao" and takes all my memories out of their filing cabinets and lights them on fire.

I'm also a drug addict, which exacerbates the amnesia, and a former alcoholic still wrestling with the bottle.

My politics: I'm very left leaning and very aware of societal issues. I'm somewhere in the arena of socialism and communism, and I've read enough theory to know I don't know how to correctly pick a precise label for my politics in that area. Initially while writing this post, the political section was super long and then I realized that this is not the point of this blog, so fuck that. You get the idea. I give a shit.

DNI:

porn blogs

SWERFs

transphobes, "gender critical" people, transmeds

aphobic people: if you think ace people are not discriminated against, you are included here, so DNI.

racists, nazis, islamaphobes, antisemites: for example if you think white people/culture are under attack, you are included in this section, so DNI.

discourse-havers: I mean the people who will bring the discourse to my dash. I mean a sensitive topic discussion which devolves into a screaming wall of reductive rhetoric and contrived logic where everyone who disagrees in any way is a bad person and people just start attacking each other for having the wrong opinion instead of having actual conversations about the subject at hand. I was on twitter for years, and I learned early on that The Discourse was never something to engage in, and I'm aware that it happens here too. Keep it off my dash. Thanx.

Pedos, MAPs, lolicons and their supporters.

ableists, anti-self-dx people. Do you think you can tell when people "aren't really" disabled, or that there are a hoards of people out there claiming to be disabled for the money? if so, DNI.

if your blog has a lot of self harm, gore or rape content

people who think doxxing is generally okay. I don't think it's okay in most situations

classists: Do you think poor people deserve to be poor, that they have done something to "deserve" poverty, that they should just spend their money better and stop being poor? do you never give money to homeless people because they'll "spend it all on drugs"? if yes to any of these, DNI.

Do you think people with eating disorders should just "eat a sandwich?" if yes, DNI. EDs are complex, I won't want to interact with people who belittle ED havers.

can't currently think of anything else to add here but yeah i think you get the idea.

See ya,

xxx

Bo / Pansy

[trialbymagicks]

Insert Witty Title

Hello and welcome. For now, this post serves as a brief introduction to this blog’s purpose and as a messy placeholder while I figure out what I’m doing with it. Nothing fancy at the moment, I’m afraid.

TrialByMagicks was first conceived as a Youtube channel for skits, an idea I’d had floating around in the back of my head since I was in high school because I always loved writing and improvising funny stories growing up. Alas, the idea never came to fruition, but the concept of a creative outlet to share my thoughts and stories came back to me as I began my college journey and learned about blogging as a medium.

On July 1, 2021, I felt compelled to create the Trial By Magicks WordPress blog as a space to curate a hopefully somewhat professional archive of my thoughts and observations about media that sparks my interest while simultaneously honing some new skills on a platform I had no prior experience with. But my affinity for casual blogging and browsing on Tumblr has been hard to shake, so I finally decided to make a blog on here too for cross-posting and silly stuff.

Examples of subject matter will most likely include books, movies, TV shows, manga, anime, hidden object games, theatre, and a sprinkling of divination because that seems to be where most of my thoughts pool, but anything goes so long as I have the time and energy to overthink it and produce some type of coherent content discussing it.

Why “trial by magicks” though?

It is perhaps a deceptively straightforward name. The original Youtube idea that spawned the title involved a series of original characters being put on trial in court cases which may have included magic in some form or another. A literal trial by magicks, if you will. Nowadays, the title has stuck and would appear to accurately describe the way I figuratively put the media I analyze on trial to pull out all sorts of explanations and theories for seemingly minor details.

[moonlitcravings]

𝕴𝖓𝖙𝖗𝖔𝖉𝖚𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 ▸𝓐𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓶𝓮

— ❝ 𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘥���𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘻𝘦𝘳𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴. ❞

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𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐒 ▸ 𝐒𝐡𝐞/𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐄 ▸ 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐁𝐓𝐈 ▸ 𝐈𝐒𝐅𝐏 𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐀𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐌 ▸ 𝟒𝐰𝟓 / 𝟒𝐰𝟗 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐒 ▸ 𝐄𝐍𝐆 / 𝐄𝐒𝐏

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About Me

I'm a writer and a fanartist. I've written it countless times so at this point those two things are to be known. So if you didn't know, now you do.

This blog was created so that I could share my written works, characters, and headcanons, amongst other things that are unlisted.

Other places where you can find me (or where you may know me from) are Wattpad and Quotev. If you know me from either of those places, you should be acquainted with my writing.

I don't follow a schedule. Don't expect me to be posting/writing on a specific day of the week. I'll be posting when I feel like it (and frankly, I feel it should be that way).

Main Account: @taintedbenevolence

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Rules

Smut? ) There'll be explicit content in this blog. It will be seen commonly. Since there will be explicit content, I would ask that no minors interact with such posts.

Yandere Prompts? ) I'm fine writing/taking Yandere prompts (I'm more than happy to), I'll willingly write them. I will, however, still stick to canon. Just because I altered the character with Yandere traits does not mean I will contort the actual character to the point they're just basically an overwritten blank slate of obsessiveness.

No Spoilers ) Please do not give me spoilers on a series/fandom I am in. Unless I specifically say I've finished it or am comfortable with spoilers of said series, don't spoil anything. It just ruins the experience.

Anons Allowed ) I've seen it around, so I'll just mention it. Anonymous asks are allowed, feel free to make yourselves at home and send some asks, I don't mind at all. I encourage it.

Limited Requests? ) It's never a good thing to feel overwhelmed with the number of requests one may be tasked with. Be aware that I hold my right to refuse a request/ask if I don't feel like it or don't agree, so if I don't answer in a long period of time (over three days), it's most likely that I have decided to ignore your ask. (Either that, or Tumblr has eaten your ask or something...)

Discussion? ) I am more than happy to discuss fandoms, ships, theories, and such. Ask away all you want and I'll be delighted to answer. I'll be happy to discuss and talk about it.

Recommendations ) Feel free to recommend to me a series, anime, song, artist, etc. that you like and enjoy! I'll look into it and watch it when I have the time. It's likely I'll be willing to discuss it too once I'm done with it. If you want me to write about it, I'll also consider it.

Minors DNI Posts ) I'll say it once and I'll say it again—this blog has dark content. Most of my posts will have the Minors DNI text. Do not interact with such posts if you are a minor, please.

Blank Blogs and Bots ) If I see that your blog is blank, has no BIO/has the basic Tumblr pfp and/or zero reblogs/posts in it (blank), I will soft-block you. Don't be the person who got blocked by accident.

Blocked Accidentally or Intentionally? ) It's not likely I'll block you accidentally, but, if you have been blocked [ or soft blocked ], feel free to go to my Wattpad and DM me about it. We'll talk about the matter and deal with it there. If you have been intentionally blocked and message me through Wattpad/Quotev about it, I'll explain why you have been blocked. I'm open to hearing you out.

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𓆩⟡𓆪 Fandoms 𓆩⟡𓆪

Red - No spoilers, please Purple - Spoilers allowed / Finished Green - Unfinished, I don't mind spoilers

✦ 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 / 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐮 𝐧𝐨 𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢 ✦ 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧 / 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐤𝐢 𝐧𝐨 𝐊𝐲𝐨𝐣𝐢𝐧 ✦ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐬 / 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞 ✦ 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚 𝟓 ✦ 𝐏𝐨𝐤é𝐦𝐨𝐧 ✦ 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐢: 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐥 ✦ 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐢 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝟑𝐫𝐝 ✦ 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 ✦ 𝐇𝐚𝐢𝐤𝐲𝐮𝐮! ✦ 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 ✦ 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 ✦ 𝐁𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐮 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐃𝐨𝐠𝐬 (No Spoilers from S4-S5)

Important Note!

I'll be writing OC content here, so, do expect that. If you want me to write about my OCs, feel free to ask about it. I'll be willing to write depending on the request. I also write AUs, so, go wild.

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𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐒 ▸ Where you can find me

𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐩𝐚𝐝: 𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫_𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 / 𝐀𝐳𝐮𝐫𝐚 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐯: 𝐀𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐬𝐭𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞 / 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞

[self-spaghettification]

rb as this is my pinned post, (despite rebrand) here’s a

preface to my blog

hellooo i’m riley :) they/he, young adult, adhd, pan+nb, & my side / general stuff blog is @freefloatingtemporally , dm for nsfw tdp acct

i moved over to twitter in early july !!

@viiravos : art, writing

other stuff:

top posts, aaravos masterlist & my meta (analysis) list, aaravos playlist full explanation

fic recs

april fools rayllum shipper bit

go here to view the site with the theme as intended :)

this blog is primarily sfw besides cussing i believe!

My page WILL have TDP spoilers and they WILL NOT always be tagged (bc I don’t catch everything/don’t have the time for that tbh) additionally i will be posting tdp criticism sometimes, post s6, but it also will usually be tagged

about me

eensy teensy op lore rant: i am a programmer but i also have a variety of hobbies and bounce between them like a ping pong ball. im adhd, nonbinary, pansexual, and ace-spectrum. my username came from this, i’m not too shy about sharing info about myself. and i’ve been in fandom & drawing since 2016 :)

you can learn more about me here

i also took ap lang and lit in hs so like? analysis credentials ish hwejrwehrwejr lmfao

i’ve been in the fandom since may 2023, although i’ve been casually watching the show since season 1 came out.

i’ve only watched the show like 3 times total except for, mainly, the aaravos scenes (look don’t @ me HFJSKJFDSK) or for screencap reasons aaand i haven’t read through much of the bonus content </3 [puzzle house, tox, etc…. though i believe i do know most of the important bits :) ]

i'm kinda lazy and am a slow reader buuut i do like making fic, meta, code, art, uhh probably whatever you can think of i'm down to make it. actually, i'm not super familiar with 3d art. so. not that. rip

my fav characters are aaravos, viren, terry, claudia, and callum, and crow master (tho every character has their merits) —tier list

i generally do not take interest in ships outside of viravos & kimditi, except in specific contexts: ie, the relationship dynamic affecting how characters will be manipulated

i also made a guide on what i've learned about tumblr so far if you're interested!

boundaries:

be an interesting person worth talking to I guess

I don’t like Leola and try my best to forget much of season 6 happened so—discussion and new perspectives are great, but please don’t come into my askbox only saying how good it was or feeling sad about Leola or Aaravos. Expect a short response if you do 😭

not a pro or an anti but a secret third thing

if you’re going to call proshippers groomers keep that shit to yourself. i’m friends with some and saying stuff like that is not ok i don’t like incest, underage, aged up, or noncon, so you won't see any of that on this page, but —everyone deserves a safe space to do what they want if it’s not harming anyone 👍 also depending on how u look at it like viravos is a weird ship for age differences, dubcon depending and all that too so yeahhh :) —>

i try to operate on a don’t like, keep scrolling, basis: outside of people with the same stance, the occasional salt and sometimes being a hater in a lighthearted way (or i hope that’s how it comes across), i kinda keep my opinions to myself. but if someone is bothering me for what i post, i'll hear you out but i'll defend myself. + if we’re mutuals / interact a lot and something i did made u uncomfortable or upset, please let me know! Feedback is important-it’s the only way people can grow and change. At least, if it’s considered.

i'm picky with blocking ppl. generally, it's fine to disagree with me about things. even if certain things bother me abt someone in fandom as long as we can still connect over something else it's usually not a deal breaker by any means. i favor blacklisting content and tags.

i will take writing/art/analysis requests

feel free to tag me in things, tag games, send posts/asks, or dm me! i take a sec to get back sometimes but i always try to anyway!

i’m fine with tdp crit, and i sometimes have my own (but it will always be tagged dw) ! + i kinda yap alot

co-creator of the aaravos cult discord B)

It’s tiny and while I’d say u gotta like aaravos generally please don’t ask to join if I/someone there doesn’t even know you, yk, is mutuals/friends with you!! that’s about it

find me here!!

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/users/self_spaghettification Twitter: https://twitter.com/viiravos Tiktok: https://tiktok.com/@viiravos Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viiravos C.AI: Aaravos Bot (39k chats) ->my thoughts on AI usage Discord: freefloatingtemporally

tagging system

all of my original posts are under the tag #self-spaghettification if you’d like to see what i think without scrolling thru rbs! (not all my thoughts are bangers. but hey, they’re there!)

i also very much enjoy organization so i tag everything i rb, so anything related to aaravos will be under #aaravos, any tdp theory will be under #tdp theory, and so on :)

analysis tags: tdp meta, tdp analysis, tdp theory, tdp speculation, tdp parallels, tdp s5 speculation, tdp s6 speculation

Foil/ non-shipping-relationship tags:

Claudia & Aaravos: starlight

Callum & Aaravos: caallum, keys

Misc: parallels

other big tags: #my art, #my writing, #my edit (s) my #aaravos playlist! #tdp poll ,,

stuff not always under my main tag: #q&a , #tag game & then general shit that is like #riley rambles and #spaghetti salt

i do have tdp s6 spoilers / leaks but they’re all tagged. if something’s not initially tagged it will be eventually

have a nice scroll! ❤️

new banner because these fuckers wont leave my brain and they don’t pay rent >:(

[tmae3114]

Diath & the Waterdeep Underground

Okay!! So!! It’s high time that I actually got around to cross-posting this over here!! I can’t believe it’s taken me so long!!

This is a theory that I’d been working on since *wobbly hand motion* mid- to late Season Three? I polished it up enough to post about two months ago but only ever got around to doing so on the DCA subreddit (bc that’s where there was more activity at the time) and always intended to get it over here as well and then just. never did.

So! Here’s the theory, as originally presented two months ago. I intend to add an edit/update at some point with all the new evidence from Episodes 116 and 117 but I haven’t had the time or energy to do so yet.

So! Without further ado! My “Diath’s got a history with Waterdeep’s criminal underground” theory!

(Note: due to the recent complications re: Tumblr And Links and the fact that I want this post to show up in the tag, all the timestamps which were linked in the subreddit version have been changed to URLs in this one. It’s a bit clunky to read but it’s the best I can do rn *shrug*)

I think Diath has a history with some part of the criminal underground in Waterdeep. Specifically, that he was part of it.

Diath’s past is something about which we know very, very little. He very rarely talks about it and usually in the broadest possible terms when he does; Episode 73 is the exception to this, with the stories he shares there being the most detail he has shared about events in his past. There is, however, one consistency which can be identified on the occasions when he does talk about it – he only ever talks about his time on the streets as a part of his childhood. This is not a solely in-universe thing either – Jared and Chris both do the same. (I believe so, at least. If I’m incorrect, please let me know and maybe provide me a timestamp/link to when whatever they say is said, if you can! It’d be useful information to have on hand for future theorising in this regard) Diath very much seems to be a precision oriented person by nature. His wording of things is often very deliberate. Therefore, with his time begging on the streets being specifically referred to as a part of his childhood, along with the meta-aspect of this additionally being consistent out of universe, we can surmise that he was no longer in the position of begging on the streets after his childhood.

If we’re to assume that childhood is including his teenage years (which seems a reasonable assumption, with how often Diath is teased about being a child post-Youth Potion) then Diath was, presumably, off the streets either at or around the age of eighteen/nineteen.

In Episode 73, when telling the story of how he met Strix, Diath states that he “was just trying [his] hand at being an adventurer” (https://youtu.be/6SuM1qebiXM?t=19m29s), indicating that they met relatively early into his adventuring career, which we can use to make a rough estimate of what age he began adventuring, admittedly with a lot of guesstimating.

We know that he was twenty eight at the beginning of the show. As of Episode 1, the Wafflecrew had been together for a “short while”, which we know was long enough to have been on a few adventures together but short enough that they were still figuring out group dynamics and the like – I would place this period of time as somewhere between two months and a year. We also know that he and Strix had known each other for “a few years” before they met Evelyn and Paultin – a period of time which I would place as being roughly three or four years, as five or more feels too many to be accurately described as “a few”.

Therefore, working with the largest numbers estimated above, it’s possible that Diath began adventuring somewhere in the range of five years prior to Episode 1, at age twenty three.

With the previous conclusion of Diath having no longer been begging at eighteen/nineteen and this new conclusion of him having not started adventuring until twenty three, this gives us a four/five year window in which to wonder ‘what exactly was he doing?’

But why think that he may have been involved in crime during that potential period? I have a few reasons, which are as follows:

Firstly, it has been alluded to on multiple occasions throughout the show that Diath has been in trouble with the law in Waterdeep either a significant number of times or one very memorable and impactful time. While I haven’t gone through the whole show to track down every reference to this, mostly because I don’t remember which episodes they’re all in and I don’t have the time (or, admittedly, patience) to go searching for them, I have got a very early one – in Episode 7, when he’s being arrested by the guards in Vallaki, Jared remarks that this is “not [Diath’s] first time [being arrested]” (https://youtu.be/STnBV8C61vM?t=19m52s).  Additionally, Jared mentioned in an Idle Champions interview that Diath “technically […] has a criminal record.” (https://www.twitch.tv/videos/292683322?t=38m03s) While that could be a reference to the times that Diath (and the rest of the Wafflecrew) have got into trouble over the course of the show, the use of the phrase “criminal record” implies, to me, that that is a circumstance that is rather more official than most of the trouble the ‘crew have been in. Additionally, when he triggers the trap door in Castle Ravenloft and gets dropped into a dungeon cell in Episode 30, Diath’s response of being sad is explicitly noted to be because “[he] never wanted to be behind bars again.” (https://youtu.be/Y03julVmXNE?t=40m27s) This could quite likely be linked to Diath’s issues with cages (as displayed in Ironslag (https://youtu.be/dS_QMZOO5Og?t=1h4m33s)) but, again, the wording leads me to think there’s other possible connections – that phrase is usually used to refer to being in a jail cell or in prison, after all. Diath’s response to being in the cell is also quite markedly different to his reaction to being in the cage – frustration and sadness, as opposed to a borderline panic attack. The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive, though; Diath’s dislike of ending up in that cell could be related both to past trouble with the law and to whatever his trauma regarding cages is.

Secondly, in Episode 53, it’s revealed that Diath was sold by his family when he was young enough that he barely remembers them (https://youtu.be/jZrd26ImgyU?t=56m49s). A human brain generally starts laying down retrievable memories at roughly the age of three, so the presence of any memories of them at all means that Diath must have been at least that old when those events transpired. We also know from later reveals that he remembers at least enough to know his father’s name – Ashton – though this was clearly a later recollection as he did not recognise the name at all when first confronted with it when given Gutter by the dworc in Citadel Adbar. With that information, I would estimate that Diath was between the ages of three and six when he was sold. Additionally, as far as we know, he came from a working class family with an adventurer father.

Why is this significant information to this theory in particular? Simple.

Diath can read and write.

There is no point in his backstory that we currently know of where he could’ve learned or been taught those skills. Even had his birth family had access to the skills or resources to teach him, he wasn’t with them, and spent a large portion of his childhood begging on the streets. Diath having either of those skills, let alone both, is odd. And in addition to reading and writing, he’s also got a fairly refined speech pattern and even knows some words that Evelyn, a noble-born child primarily raised in a temple, doesn’t (see: the stationary exchange in episode 94) which is, again, pretty unusual for someone who seemingly went straight from beggar to adventurer. It’s possible that Diath is self-taught but it’s just as possible, if not more likely, that there’s some unknown period in his past where there was someone who taught him. The questions left to us in that scenario, then, are who and why? Knowing Diath and how things generally go for him, it’s unlikely it was someone performing an act of altruism. In concert with the other possible pieces of evidence for this theory, it doesn’t seem too out there to speculate that he was, perhaps, taught because it could be a useful skill for him to have for whoever he was working for. This could also explain his speech pattern, as it could account for him being around a person, or people, who spoke like that enough to start doing it himself, something which would be much more unlikely on the streets.

Thirdly, it seems to have been implied that, in certain parts of Waterdeep at least, Diath has a reputation that paints him as a thief, or someone with the potential to be one. In Episode 73, when talking about how he and Strix met the rest of the Wafflecrew, Diath is very, very certain that the hostility and accusation from the innkeeper was because of and directed at him (https://youtu.be/6SuM1qebiXM?t=25m16s). The only elaboration that he gives on being so sure that the innkeeper was accusing him specifically and not targeting him and Strix because of Strix being a tiefling is stating that "when you stay in Waterdeep long enough, doing the things you do, you do develop a sort of... reputation, either by- either through truth or not.” (https://youtu.be/6SuM1qebiXM?t=23m59s). He doesn’t actually tell us what that reputation is or give any hints as to how it may have come about. While stereotypes could arguably be at play, given that the Rusty Pommel was apparently fairly seedy and in a seedy part of town, it seems unlikely that Diath was the only former street kid or the only rogue in the establishment. His certainty implies it was something about him specifically that caused that incident, especially with the comment about reputations. In Episode 90, Evelyn of Shar’s use of the fear spell reveals to us that one of Diath’s worst fears is Awful!Diath, his mirrored self. Specifically "He hates seeing that that is what everyone else sees him as, and that's what he could have been, that he tries to fight every day to not be." (https://youtu.be/PDG4KidCIXU?t=1h28m48s) This fear is likely linked to the aforementioned implied reputation. What is of particular interest to this theory, however, is the latter part of that sentence – “that’s what he could have been, that he tries to fight every day not to be.” While this could simply refer to how Diath could have taken a different path growing up, it could also mean that it was a path he had already started down, and turned back from. With that possibility in mind, it’s also entirely possible that the reputation he seemingly has that caused the conflict in the Rusty Pommel is not, as would seem the first interpretation of his statement from what we know of Diath, an untruthful reputation of being a thief, but rather a truthfully earned one of being a criminal – after all, everyday people who don’t know Diath would have no way of knowing about his personal moral code against stealing. If he had a reputation as a criminal, there would be no reason for people not to assume that this would include thievery. The ambiguity of his wording, “doing the things you do”, could also lend credence to this possibility. Diath is very good at keeping secrets and using an ambiguous phrase to not technically lie is something he could very easily have been doing with that statement.

My final reasoning is that, since the return to Waterdeep but particularly in Episode 102, we have been shown that Diath has a pretty wide network of contacts – referred to by Chris as his “society of confederates” – to the point that with their help he was able to rally the city guard to catch the Xanathar Guild members who stole Waffles within hours of returning to Waterdeep. Combined with the potential evidence for this theory, this is interesting, since it could point to what degree he was involved, but it isn’t strictly evidence for this theory on its own.

None of these things alone necessarily point to Diath having been involved with some aspect of the criminal underworld in Waterdeep but I feel like they make for a compelling case when looked at together. What do you think?

[sparkliingdust]

Since I've been standing by Amber Heard, I'm just gonna put it out there that I'm not taking questions or commenting on House of Insight's latest substack post other than this one post.

Jessica Reed Kraus, to me, is an unstable Depp stan gaining traction by being a social media pariah. She's been defending him for a long time with increasingly absurd hot takes, stanning witnesses and people involved in the trial like the steonographer, and building up her audience as a Hollyweird (as her fans say) conspiracy theorist. She supposedly had a 90 minute conversation with Depp during the trial, where he praised her work covering the trial but said the real journalism is dead. Yet - at some point post-trial, she said she made her way to London to see him in concert with the help of his friends and was supposedly a private guest of his, but she didn't talk to him. How can you be his personal savor of media and journalism and be invited to one of his concerts but not have a face to face convo with him? It's just the beginning of behavior that is sketchy at best.

She also has a substack where she's recently posted an expose of Amber being a leader in sex-trafficking, demonic lesbian sex parties, and having 'insider knowledge' of her relationship with Musk - peddaling theories that he's her baby's father.

We can all say that mainstream media is flawed, but there are pockets that still lend to credibility beyond the scope of blogging and social media influencers. When we see her 'journalistic' leanings, we can make a decision to believe what she is saying based on what she puts out there: she's also anti-mask and anti-vaccine, has made numerous racist-implied posts against Meghan Markle, practically fangirls over Ghislaine Maxwell...and does not have a background in journalism. Good legitimate reporters are unbiased with their coverage. With internet journalism turning more and more into hit pieces and op-eds, I bring all this up to say: consider the source.

#overusefloppyfishmarket - an insult Depp used in his global humiliation threat against Amber - is now trending on twitter with Deppstans believing it and pushing her insanity as truth.

Like....there's a million things that make me question what's going on in the world, and her getting 1 million followers and counting because of her content just sticks out a little too much in my mind today. And it makes me incredibly sad and frustrated how people can create this kind of havoc and misinformation and reap the rewards of public adoration. I keep wanting to have hope that people like Amber will survive this kind of social media mutiny, but the comments in her posts supporting it seem hopeless.

No, I do not believe her substack and will never believe it, and people who do, need to get a life.