#it's not queerbaiting y'all

[sapphireofmars]

agatha all along really got me fucked up in the best way possible because who would've thought we'd be witnessing a canon wlw ship on a marvel/disney+ show

[shinpikurage]

Okay but, if Byler isn't canon, we can definitely say it's queerbait

They will try to say it's not, that it's a beautiful story about a boy learning to love himself and accept himself, despite being in love with his best friend at a time that is wrong. But it's not that, it's queerbait, even if one is canonically queer

Everything inside the show points to them being canon in a narrative sense, and there's interviews, tweets, likes on Instagram and Pinterest, songs on Spotify playlists, that tells us it's leading to Byler

Do not let anyone tell us it was still a beautiful story, that it was obvious it wasn't meant to happen and that we are delusional. Especially when we have people that work for the show making cheeky references to it

[i-dreamed-i-had-a-son]

Broke (2016): BBC Sherlock is a phenomenal piece of media and anything that seems like a flaw just hasn't been fully explored yet

Woke (2020): BBC Sherlock is an incredibly flawed series run by an egotistical writer, it never deserved the hype and is actively bad on so many fronts (especially representation)

Bespoke (2024): BBC Sherlock is flawed and bogged down by increasingly poor writing, which many fans refused to see while it was airing, leading to hugely misplaced expectations (particularly for the final series), AND it has the seeds of some compelling characterizations and portrayals, some genuinely solid performances, and touches--albeit imperfectly--on complexities that are still being discussed today (particularly as it relates to the relationship between Sherlock and John). The huge cultural impact of the show has created a massive pendulum effect in its public perception, leading to most people today remembering a caricature of the show (whether positive or negative) rather than appreciating its nuanced merits and failings...that being said Season 4 sucked

[raventrigonsdaughter]

I understand the beef with marvel but calling agatha x rio QUEERBAITING is insane...it's not baiting, it's not even subtext its just a explicitly queer relationship between two women

[to-be-a-dreamer]

A brain dump of thoughts after Agatha All Along ep 6:

Okay but like. The parallels between Agatha and Billy that we get to see now????

Both of their mothers chose to protect other people, complete strangers, over their own children??? Like. We know Wanda made the right choice, sacrificing her family for the greater good, but in her own twisted way did Evanora believe she was doing the same? Did she ever love her daughter? On some deep level, beneath the anger and hatred and warped sense of justice did it hurt her to try to kill her own child? She believed Agatha would bring countless death and destruction, that she was destined to be evil. As warped as her justifications were did she see it as a selfless sacrifice like Wanda's? Does that make it right? Does Billy have as much reason as Agatha to be angry with his mother for choosing to let him and his brother die? Do her truly selfless intentions matter to a child was just desperate to survive? Will he be able to forgive Wanda before that resentment is used against him? Is Agatha just trying to manipulate him by taunting him about Wanda or does she truly see a bit of herself in a child whose mother tried to kill him? (Edited)

Both of them were forced to do something horrible just to survive??? Agatha had to murder her own family. Billy had to steal the body of a boy who had just died. He had to pretend to be the child of these poor unsuspecting parents who just want their son back. Who have no idea their child is dead. The Kaplans will never get to bury William. He has to look them in the eye every single day knowing he's not really their son but what else was he supposed to do? He hates what he's doing to these people but what choice did he have? Could he even control it or did his soul instinctively seek out a new vessel to protect itself? Agatha was just a child who didn't want to die. Billy was just a child who didn't want to die. Were they selfish? Could they control it? Can we truly blame them if they could?

Both of them do terrible things when they feel backed into a corner or overwhelmed or emotional??? Things that they come to regret as soon as the emotions clear??? Billy looked horrified when he finally realized what he had done to Lilia and Jen but he's an intensely powerful and traumatized child who was overcome with grief and anger. Do we really think every single one of Agatha's kills was 100% self-defense? Do we really think she never killed someone in a fit of anger only to regret it after? And maybe Agatha has come to accept and embrace that now but she must have been like Billy when she was young. (Billy is literally the same age Agatha was when she killed her coven and was even younger when he took William's body) She must have been horrified at her power, at the things she did when she felt trapped. She must have bent over backward trying to defend herself and justify her own actions before realizing no one would believe she didn't want to do those things so she might as well embrace her power to its fullest potential ("I'm not that nice").

Both of them are walking the road for someone they lost??? I know Agatha says she's on the road for her power back but that's not how the road works, right? It doesn't give you what you want it gives you what you're missing. I think if Agatha was really able to get anything at all in the world, it wouldn't be her magic. Agatha is looking for Nicky. Billy is looking for Tommy. I don't know if either of them will really get that at the end but they are absolutely in this for the same reason.

I know there are mixed responses to this episode (at least when I first scrolled through the tag) but I for one really enjoyed it. I was really worried they were going to half-ass the explanation for why Billy was being Like This and fuck up one of the only queer Marvel Comics characters but comparing his actions to Agatha's and showing us this kid who is SO MUCH like how Agatha must have been when she was his age is so much fun actually. Like, it would have been really great but pacing-wise we probably couldn't have spent the necessary time going back into Agatha's past and diving deep into her progression from "scared child who does horrible things out of desperation for survival" to "cutthroat witch who is more than eager to hurt and betray others for her own personal gain". But we get to see it happen to Billy over the rest of the season and maybe even multiple MCU projects!!! Or maybe we'll get to see him make different choices. Maybe Agatha will be able to give him the chance no one gave her. Maybe history doesn't have to repeat itself. Maybe Billy's journey will give Agatha the chance to change her own story once and for all.

Idk this is really rambly and maybe my opinion will change as I think about it more but my first reactions are positive. Yeah on a meta level it sucks that the wlw couple is moving so slowly in their own show while the young, conventionally attractive mlm couple got to kiss within their first few minutes of screentime and they probably could have put in the effort to intentionally combat the miserable lesbians trope. But on a story level, I'm personally glad they're not rushing Agatha and Rio's arc. They're definitely going to get their moment but the reason they're so compelling is because of their history and the tragedy between them. We don't have all the details of what really happened between them yet but I don't think it's something you can just kiss and make up about. Billy and Eddie are teenagers with no real baggage between them. Agatha and Rio have possibly centuries of hurt and anger and betrayal to work through Let Them Cook! It'll be that much sweeter and their relationship is one of the CORE overarching plots of the show you don't want them to rush it. (Also I personally am too ace for the "we're gonna make up by having hot sex about it" type of conflict resolution and would have hated if Agatha and Rio were intimate before sorting at least some of their shit out but that's just me ik a lot of people would have enjoyed it and I'm sure it could have been really compelling but I actually cannot stand those kinds of plots most of the time.)

Also just keep in mind that the only other named queer characters we've had in the MCU literally ever are Phastos and Ben in the Eternals and like. Yeah it shouldn't have taken this long for a queer lead but the massive jump??? We went from one character (out of like ten mains) whose partner has minimal personality traits and like five minutes of screen time to a show with two main character on-screen queer romances!!!! In the Marvel Cinematic Universe??? And one of them is a season-long complex and interesting story that is a central plot of the series and not just half-baked fanservice!!! And one is just sweet innocent love between kids who care about each other!!! I do wish wlw stories didn't always have to come with attractive cis gay men but do y'all understand how huge this is for the MCU????? It shouldn't have taken this long and we can definitely criticize the negative tropes the show falls victim to but net positive progress is always something to be happy about. If you're not familiar with the greater MCU and the history of Marvel in general just understand that this is actually insane for them and I'm so excited for the doors that just opened for future queer storylines, but that can only happen if we show Marvel that, yes we do want queer characters being openly intimate on screen. Be happy for Billy, keep being happy for Agatha and Rio during all stages of their story and maybe we'll get to see more of this!!!

[fanfic-thesis]

Quick question

I did some more academic reading about fandom and ...

Bonus points if you comment (or tag) where you heard the word "hoyay" and in which contexts you're using it.

[team-118]

thinking 201 thoughts...what do you think 911 fox's plan was when they introduced eddie like That and had buck react Like That. like what was even the goal

[hereforthe911buds]

i am someone who believes if buddie is going canon, production or anyone isn't going to give us much warning. it would honestly be bad marketing to be like "this is happening" weeks before an episode occurs. will they won't they keep people on their toes and talking about the show.

[azurecanary]

Anytime i see people accuse Teen Wolf of queerbaiting i remember that one Danny and Ethan scene in Motel California.

[foxedfriend]

9-1-1 || 7x04

here before buddie canon!! 😜😜

(🤡🤡🤡)

also currently listening to bad omens by 5sos and that exactly describes how i feel about this.

[dual-fantasy]

why are people still crying about mkulia queerbaiting. I understand why you're mad and everything and lesbians are unfairly treated in media, especially "imperfect" relationships like mkulia, but like. queerbaiting isn't new. this isn't something Terry invented to make you specifically suffer. it's bad but it's not worth attacking people over like leave the the writers and other people alone! you can be upset but some of y'all are taking the queerbaiting discourse too far. please relax

[ridiculously-over-obsessed]

RIGHT, I’m watching Rizzoli and Isles and FUCK ME are they the two gayest simps for each other I ever did see???? I’m like... halfway through the final season?? and I have yet to see evidence that convinces me they’re not wives I cannot deal with this, BEST FRIENDS DON’T LOOK AT EACH OTHER LIKE THIS 

[emmalily]

Listen ok everyone is (rightly) talking about Loki making sure his hair/clothes look perfect before approaching Mobius but no one is talking about Don/Mobius just straight up dropping all his kids' toys and immediately showing Loki his jetskis.

Sir, what romance novel do you think you're living in??

[yeouvii]

fit check getting ready to watch loki s2 guys wish me luck!!!!!!

[villanellecter]

thankfully I haven't seen a single post on this website calling go2 queerbait because twitter is pissing me OFF

[jesncin]

Would you like for people to send you niche/unpopular/obscure characters they like

I mean, I don't mind people occasionally talking about their faves, but generally I'd prefer people ask about characters I'm currently into! I don't want people to send characters with the expectation that I'll remix them, since I like gaining an interest in a character naturally and putting aside time to read their comics to make an informed take (time I have very little of between my jobs lmao,,,). It's great seeing people talk about their obscure blorbos, but that doesn't have to happen in my inbox. I enjoy reading them out in the wild.

Usually when I get an ask about them, the most I can say is "sounds neat!" haha.