#its really just my personal opinion

[dreadfuldevotee]

I'd like to discuss the elephant in the room. Why did we get zero Loumand sex scenes? We got hints and implications, but season 1 was pretty explicit. Do we think that that's a creative choice or something else is happening?

I'm glad I ended up ruminating on this for about a week because episode 7 & 8 really solidified my opinion on it.

I do wanna start by saying that it's very clear to me that there was supposed to be more explicit scenes between them. There has been some thoughts tossed around that censorship happened with the 9 pm timeslot (as opposed to the 10 pm timeslot of S1). I believed this hearing Assad and Jacob talk about the BDSM dynamic between Louis and Armand, but what really sold me on this was Production Designer Mara LePere-Schloop talking about the bedroom set and more specifically about their beautifully carved custom headboard. (If you're a production nerd like me or just want to know more about the design philosophy of IWTV I recommend giving the entire thing a listen!).

I think there are several reasons I think as to why they decided to leave any more explicit scenes on the cutting room floor but above them all is: you cannot separate Armand's sexuality from his abuse. I am really against pulling a "well if you read the books" card but reading just the first couple chapters of "The Vampire Armand" makes me understand so much about not only Armand as a character, but the care being taken to his adaptation. It's clear to me that alongside Rolin & Co.'s commitment to not watering him down to a one-dimensional villain they are also trying to not fall into Anne Rice's tendency to romanticize his trauma.

Sex and sexuality is not the same pillar of Louis and Armand's relationship it was in Louis and Lestat's and so I don't believe their story suffers from the lack of on-screen sex. But I also firmly believe that maybe we don't need to be slutting out the character who we literally just watched talk about how he doesn't remember his life before being sex trafficked. And even when he was "freed" he was still being repeatedly assaulted at the hands of, and under the eye Marius de Romanus. Like it is extremely important to remember that Armand's craving for dominion in his relationships is a manifestation of trauma that deserves the same level of care and depth given to every other trauma portrayed in this show.

I think people have gotten too comfortable calling IWTV a romance when it has always been Gothic Horror. Romance and sex are pivotal to the story but I have found the demands for sex scenes this season a bit absurd and also? unfounded? Loustat share more kisses on screen but there are two sex scenes and both are very plot relevant. I truly figured we were all in agreement that the eroticism of this show is found in the various displays of power, and the dynamics it creates and not the actual clapping of ass-cheeks...which also wasn't happening in S1 either. S2 does not suffer because of the lack of sex-scenes, but the likelihood if it suffering trying to make one work is

[toldentops]

On the topic of “reblogs>likes”, I find that I don’t reblog art with these “out of spite and hatred in my heart” or whatever the fuck, I’m just kind of sad that this is a phenomenon in the first place. Like, as an artist, I absolutely understand that reblogs do count, especially depending on who reblogs it. But also as someone who used to obsess over the numbers on notes and get frustrated about something that I put effort into not getting attention, you kind of have to learn to realize that a) it’s not healthy to seek validation all the time from people on the internet and b) post what you like to post, and you will attract people that will reblog your posts eventually. Sometimes a post will just get happen to get seen by a popular blogger and reblog it, sometimes not, and you are not “owed” their reblog because they’re popular, which is another argument I’ve seen where people think they’re obligated to reblog their art. Sometimes it just depends on the content or the fandom and you have no control over it and that’s Fine. Some art I like enough to reblog, some art I’ll just leave a like, and that’s not a measure of how “good” the art is. And everybody operates their blog differently and nobody should be obligated to do one thing or another. And before anyone brings up “relying on social media for business” I absolutely do understand as someone who does business online, but you’re going to be getting attention primarily from people who already like and follow your art, and from my experience and seeing other people, lamenting on why your posts don’t get notes and if your art is good enough for attention is just going to drive people away. Sorry for being blunt. Have confidence in your art. Idk I wish there was more nuance about this topic but most talk about it annoys me anyways post over

[3-aem]

stop telling me facts about gojo—i dont want them Anymore

[quatregats]

Something I've been thinking about is how Patrick O'Brian manages so skillfully to write characters whose actions contradict their beliefs, which I think is honestly a big part of why his characters feel so real. Mostly with Stephen and Jack—e.g., and perhaps most notably, Stephen has notably leftist sympathies (honestly I have no idea how to characterize his politics in period terms) who nonetheless becomes very comfortable with his rise to the landed gentry, while Jack is a card-carrying Tory who much of the time sympathizes far more with working class sailors and farmers than with the upper classes—but I'm sure he does it to a lesser degree with some of his minor characters (James Dillon, while perhaps not precisely minor, comes to mind), and I love that he's able to do that, especially the way in which he embeds it in the narrative. We see how they're all unreliable narrators of themselves; we understand how they want to be seen and how that does and doesn't coincide with the reality, but most importantly, this isn't presented as something reprehensible, just as a part of their own humanity. They are not their expectations for themselves, but they don't need to be those expectations to be beloved.

[incorrect-primarchs-quotes]

I'm.. surprised.

I just saw people calling "tourist" a person who is actually an enciclopedia of Warhammer.

I bet my ass they have read max 2 short stories in all their life yet the bro who read literally everything is a tourist now. This just because they had a neutral (maybe even good) opinion on the female custodes.

Do.. do these people have mirrors? Don't they see how big their red nose is when looking at their own reflection?

Don't these people know that opinions exist? You don't agree with them? Ok fine, but attacking them at random spitting lies seems a bit too much, especially when it comes from someone who has never read a book.

[kaslanistest]

*ryoshu voice* I.D.N.A. if this looks like yuri to the viewers

[marblerose-rue]

click for better quality!

the planes of existence

[blighted-lights]

do you ship ravage and drift? you draw them a lot and they're always so touchy lol

nah. they're really touchy amicas, tho. probably because im always touchy with my friends and it just kinda rubs off on my art. ravage is my Me character so i do end up giving him traits i have. one of those is being touchy with people he cares about 🤷‍♂️. he's especially touchy with drift as when they were grouped together in the dead end (which is where they met in my brain), ravage spent a lot of hours curled up in drift's car alt with laserbeak and buzzsaw for shelter. that touchy aspect never really left their dynamic.

and besides,

drift/deadlock's candle has always been lit for someone else.

(plus an extra doodle of them)

[local-limebug]

jason todd has so many underrated canon love interests. essence, isabel, artemis, and rose are all characters i love with him. like those are good ships. why is everyone ignoring them?

[moghedien]

I don't want to be a spoil sport or whatever, but I just feel like every fantasy story set around the Salem Witch Trials which suggests that the victims of the trials were actually witches is almost certainly regressive and bad and the writers should be shamed

[inamagicalhallucination]

my toxic trait is i get really annoyed when ppl make atsushi and akutagawa's relationship about dazai

[clownery-and-fuckery]

PheeTech !!! The brainrot will never stop

Tech found himself following a lot more than he used to.

Before Eriadu, before Hemlock, it was always safe to assume Tech would be off the ship and scanning as soon as they touched the soil. It was his thing, his habit.

He liked to explore, before it all.

Now he stuck beside his brothers like glue, hands wringing and following them. Despite his interest, despite his curiosity. He was lost, clinging to his brothers stability and sense of place.

They knew what they were doing, they knew what they were made for. It was safer to follow them and not risk stepping out of place.

That was what he usually did. Now, he didn't know what to do. Phee was waiting for him by the ramp. They had come earlier than the others to scout, why had he done that? Why had he chosen to break away?

His hands twitched, his skin itched while his bones seemed to crawl underneath him.

"Love?" Phee called. "You coming?"

That was why. Phee.

Phee, who despite his lacking sense of direction and purpose, stood bravely against the current and held him. Like he was deserving of such kind gestures, of such loving ways.

The way she spoke so sincerely of him, it almost tricked him into believing he really was worth the effort it took to create him, to remake him when he so carelessly broke himself.

Tech sighed, scrubbing his face until it hurt, before he walked out. Phee had already reprimanded him once, he should hurry up and join her. He took his place just behind Phee, and they walked off.

The planet was beautiful, but this was not their rendezvous. He turned to her, questioningly.

Phee shrugged. "Thought we could take a detour," She said simply. "Have some fun, do some sightseeing."

He blinked. "That–" sounded fantastic. That was exactly what he wanted to do. How did she always know?

Still, hesitance pulled at him, urging him to follow the order Hunter had given: meet them at the rendezvous.

She took his shaking hand in hers. "It's a short walk, nothing serious," She assured. "Besides, we haven't had an adventure in forever. And I think that's just criminal, don't you?"

Tech found himself smiling privately, and nodded. "I supposed it is," He agreed. "We should do our best to rectify that misstep immediately."

"Indeed we should." Phee grinned, squeezing their hands before walking away. They strolled away from the ship, listening to the ramp shutting as they took in the surrounding forestry.

"Pretty terrain," She commented. "Lovely for crops."

"Yes," Tech agreed, digging his heel in to feel the ground better. "The soil is in prime condition for plantation. Strange how the weather pattern doesn't seem to agree."

Phee looked up to the stormy clouds rolling in. "A little extra nutrition never hurt anyone." She bumped their hips together with a laugh.

"I am slightly concerned with the possibility of overfeeding." Tech murmured, but leaned into the gesture regardless. Phee laughed again, shaking her head. "You would be." She said.

They continued walking. The trees stretched high above their heads, tall to the point that they couldn't see where the leaves started bunching together, the way they had seen on the flight in.

Tech found his gaze wandering to the surrounding area while Phee continued staring upwards. The local fauna were gorgeous combinations of blue and pink hues. Aesthetically very charming, however, most likely inedible.

Tech found he enjoyed the pleasing colours that swirled around them, and he sighed softly, breathing in the fresh air contently. Something in his chest loosened, a calm lull falling over him.

It was peaceful, he liked it.

"Look here!" Phee urged, pulling him over towards a large cliffside. Tech, for a moment, refused to look down, shielding his eyes from the sudden onslaught of sunlight. When his eyes adjusted, he blinked, looking out over the edge.

He couldn't contain his quiet gasp. There was a waterfall gushing over the edge of the cliffside, close enough that sprays of water danced across them both. The water cascaded into a beautiful lagoon, leading out into the sea.

The forest was much more visible up here, too. The treetops were lined with nests and habitats, and across the ocean, just on the horizon, Tech could make out another island.

The sky was a brilliant blue, and it was silent aside from the rushing water. The sudden, euphoric sense of peace rode over him like the waves of the sea, and he relaxed.

"It's beautiful," Tech breathed, watching the ripple of the sea from atop the cliff. Phee smiled beside him, taking a deep, calming breath.

"It really is." She replied. Phee was staring at him, rather than the view, unbeknownst to him.

He glanced towards her and paused, admiring her for a moment. She allowed him, openly staring straight back at him. He ducked his head after a few minutes, clearing his throat as he felt his palm, still holding hers, begin to sweat.

He moved to let go, to apologise for the uncomfortable stick of their hands now, but she only clasped them tighter to together.

"I don't mind–" She blurted. "–my hands are pretty sweaty, too. It's alright."

He blinked, and stopped pulling away altogether. Instead, he turned back to the view, admiring it once more. He took another soothing breath, the ache of everything inside him easing up.

"I've never seen anything like it," Tech mumbled into the quiet. "I've always wanted to see the prettiest sights in the galaxy. One day." He admitted, shuffling his feet as he tracked the water flow.

Again, Phee's gaze never left him. "I think I already found it." She said softly, smiling at him.

Tech tilted his head, looking back to her. "Where?" He asked, equally soft.

Phee's face flared, and she laughed, too loudly, before turning away. "Where do you wanna go next?" She asked.

Tech blinked. "Ah," He shrugged. "Are you not leading us?" He hoped she was.

He didn't have a clue, he hadn't done much independently in so long, he wasn't sure he could anymore.

Phee shrugged. "It's an adventure," She reminded him. "The point is that neither of us actually know where we're going. So pick a path, and I'll follow you."

There it was again. Phee knowing him better than he knew himself. Right now, he was very greatful for it.

He turned to the woods again, thinking. He caught sight of wildlife, and without question, without pause or without consideration, he lit up.

The action was far too like who he used to be. The nostalgia would have killed him had he been any less excited about his find. Had he the rationality to think his actions through, he was sure he would have shut up immediately.

Instead, he pointed wildly into the trees. "There!" He exclaimed. "Did you see that?"

Phee looked amused, but shook her head. "Nope, but you did. Let's go check it out!"

Thoroughly overjoyed, Tech took off. If it wasn't for the tug of Phee's arm, he would have sprinted straight into an overgrown root.

Thankfully, her moment's shock stopped him, and they stepped over it before continuing their sudden sprint into the forest.

Tech led Phee deeper into the woods, their joint laughter and speculation on what he had seen filling the calm tranquility of the woods.

If they missed the rendezvous, Hunter was only a bit angry. His initial reaction of fear-induced, haphazard questions melted at the happy, flushed look on his littlest brother's face when the two of them finally joined them.

"And where have you two been?" Echo asked, already smiling as the duo panted, still connected by hand.

"We went on a walk." Phee shrugged them off. "Saw some pretty sights, you missed it. Big time."

"We saw one of the largest herbivores in the galaxy!" Tech gasped out between breaths. "It was– huge. Like, four times the size Wrecker, maybe even as tall as a walker!"

Hunter couldn't help the fond laugh thay left him. "Was it now?" He asked, watching Tech's enthusiastic nod. "Well, you can tell me all about it on our way to the contact. Come on."

Secretly, Echo and Hunter shared a smile as their youngest brother managed to light up more, squeezing Phee's hand as he happily bound forward again, taking the lead as he dove into the recount of their adventures.

Hunter listened intently the whole way, enjoying the familiar, long lost sound of his brothers voice. One sound he thought he had lost forever, now back again, and this time, it wasn't a holo.

Echo caught the shine in Hunter's eyes and allowed him some privacy, asking Tech questions to pull his attention away from the eldest.

Tech readily complied, Phee jumping in with points of her own. The walk was filled with chats and delight. The normality brightened Echo's heart, and eased his mind.

His little brother talking as he once did, Phee helping him stay on track, a new but not unwelcome normal, and Hunter's shoulders finally dropping with the presence of his family back with him at last.

Yes, things were finally beginning to feel alright again.

[eldritch-araneae]

You know what's painful about ISAT (but also it's best feature)? It's the fact the story so niche that it appeals and understood to specific people! People who are exactly like Siffrin! Even the timelooping can be an easy metaphor for being stuck in same mental illness without any help will lead to degradation. So it's very upsetting seeing people who didn't like the ending, believing that Sif should be forgiven or the ending is too happy, or how Sif didn't earn it... just wow.

Because if people think this about Siffrin, what they would think about me then? Should I be thrown away into garbage pile for making a mistake and hurting loved one and the apologizing for what I did??? Should I just die? Should I cut my limbs or do other forms of self-harm to "earn" my happiness?? Should I suddenly be cured from my mental illness bc loved ones showed love and hugged me???

Like it's wild how just people cannot grasp the story and criticize it, but then I just have to accept it that a lot of people WONT understand, bc they never been there. They never had an mental illness rotting their mind to the point of violence and rage. They never felt so overwhelmingly alone and so filled with self-hatred that would force you to play a perfect role for you loved ones to love you and if you slip once, it's over! They never had loved ones who forgave them for mistakes and supported them when they needed it the most. Like it's complex story that I can pick it apart all week and still never getting all details and how all this resonates with me. Yet some people overlook it and make false conclusions.

Which tbh, makes me feel more alone, knowing people out there who seem decent, yet won't understand me or show a little compassion, wgo who I must appear perfect to be even remotely accepted.

But I guess it's like part of life andf I gotta cope with this fact. There are a lot of people who understands, which is good. So that helps at least.

[all-thestories-aretrue]

There are many jokes floating around the shadowgast nation about the nature of Caleb and Essek's relationship (eggplants and winky faces abound), and most of them are good natured and perhaps true (eventually or at some point). I find most of them entertaining and sweet, but some of what I have stumbled across post-reunion have highlighted that it's only a joke up to a certain point to me.

Please keep in mind that everything in this post is my opinion and my opinion only. I'm not asking that anyone agree with me. This post is mainly for me because I felt like I needed to make it.

I have seen several comments/posts/tags in many different places talking about Essek and Caleb and that scene in the reunion, and describing it as horny or saying they can't keep their hands off each other or following up that conversation with sexual intimacy. I know a lot of these comments or conversations are not malicious or ill-intentioned, and I understand that people are excited for the first new content in nearly 2 years.

But, one thing I have appreciated about Critical Role is the variety of sexuality and genders represented, including various asexual and aromantic identities. Essek is confirmed by Matt on Twitter to be demi (romantic or sexual is unclear to me so it could be taken as either. If anyone has any other sources I would greatly appreciate them). As someone who identifies as aspec, I deeply appreciate the representation that Critical Role has given me.

The shadowgast scene in the reunion was not sexual to me. It's only been six months since the end of c2, which granted, I have not completed yet. As of this writing, I am in the middle of episode 133. Whatever is going on between Caleb and Essek is still very new, especially for two people who thought they would never have love. An aspect of being demi is that it takes time and closenes and a strong emotional bond for romantic and/or sexual feelings to develop. Six months, to me, feels like an incredibly short time for those feelings to take root for Essek even if he is on the path of developing them.

Seeing people make light of Essek's sexual attraction or feelings for Caleb or treat them as common place or casual, even innocuously, has made me feel as though this aspect of Essek really is ignored or forgotten about sometimes. Not by everyone nor, I would even doubt, the majority. Maybe not intentionally or maliciously or maybe it's a lack of understanding about demisexuality or aspec identities.

This is a feeling I have had for a while, and I mean this about nothing in particular but rather a sum of the parts I have encountered over the months.

In addition, I think Essek's sexuality can be overshadowed by how sexual Caleb can be/is. He makes comments throughout the entirety of the campaign that directly or indirectly reveal his sexuality, and that part is clearly important to him, even if he has not acted on it in a very long time.

I am not saying that Essek is NOT sexually attracted to Caleb or that their relationship does not involve sex at some point or at the time of that scene. I do think, at the very least, that Caleb and Essek would have a conversation about it as some point, and I find it likely it would turn sexual. At the very least, Caleb is attracted to Essek. Liam has confirmed that. I would guess those feelings are a combination of romantic, sexual, platonic, etc.

But I cannot imagine, and again this is my opinion, that feeling sexual attraction or acting on it for the perhaps first or second, maybe third time, is not a life-altering moment for him, let alone acting on it. From what see of his character, he's extrmely gaurded, extremely lonely, extremely shameful. Showing his emotions and attraction to Caleb, or to anyone really, is an extreme show of trust and vulnerability, and I don't think it should be taken lightly.

Treating it, at least in those early months, as though it is common or casual, something taken for granted, feels, to me, as though it undermines the importance and gravity of Essek's feelings, whatever they may be. Further, it undermines aspec identities, relegating them to sidelines if it is even acknowledged at all. I feel as though a lot of the jokes ignore Essek's demisexuality and how integral it is to how he builds relationships and interacts with people.

As someone who is aspec, I find it disheartening to see these sort of jokes and offhand comments being circulated about a character who is confirmed, canon aspec whose identity centers on deep bonds that take time to develop. Applying sexual under/overtones to scene where a small chaste kiss and an innocent pet name are shared feels like, in a way, a forced sexualization of a new, developing relationship that may never turn sexual.

There is such little aspec representation in media, and Critical Role does a fantastic job of showcasing a variety of aspec identities which is so, so rare. To turn around and have the fandom ignore or disregard these identities (intentional or not) that the cast and crew work hard to incorporate feels bad. It makes me feel as though I still have to fight for my identity to be seen and understood by people who, theoretically, support and want to understand and respect various identities, who claim to love Essek and Caleb and their relationship. It hurts.

I have spent a lot of time convincing myself that I and my sexuality belong in the queer community, that I deserve to have a voice, that I deserve to be respected and heard. With my feelings about Essek and his demisexuality, I didn't feel right standing by any longer and remaining silent when these portrayals were bothering me.

I am not asking anyone to change their opinions, to agree with me, to change the fic they write, the art they draw. The Critical Role fandom is beautiful and amazing and absolutely incredible. I have met so many kind, caring, wonderful people since joining. It's an experience unlike any other. But, I needed to make this post for me and anyone else who was feeling like me.

[dolls-self-ships]

the awkward moment when you’re in the middle of an x reader fic and start crying out of nowhere bc you want someone to treat you/desire you that way irl but every time you try and be with someone the aromantic feelings TM start happening again and you have to go through the slow painful realization that you only like these scenarios in fiction so you will forever be consumed by this eternal feeling of heart wrenching longing and desire for something that disgusts and churns your stomach in reality.

[oifaaa]

Bruce should kill the Joker because he created the Joker. Batman is the one that chased him into ace chemicals which resulted in him falling into the acid and the Joker is obsessed with Batman. We’ve seen (at least in one DC movie) that the Joker just stops being the Joker when Bruce dies. Could this all have happened without Batman? Yes and then it would be someone else’s problem but right now Joker is a monster of Batman’s creation and he should be the one to end him.

On your same logic should it also be on Joker's parents since they also created him, or maybe on the government / social systems since they were the ones that failed joker to begin with and made him turn to a life of crime ? If anyone has the legal right in America to kill the joker it would be the criminal justice system so why dont they sentence joker to death? Bruce hands joker off to the local authorities every other week shouldnt it be their responsibility at that point to keep joker incarcerated until he can be deemed no longer a threat to himself and others? And just bc one dc movie said joker would stop after Bruce dies doesn't mean that always happens especially with how dc keeps insisting there are multiple jokers- does Bruce have to kill all the jokers or just the one he personally spooked off the side of a platform by accident? I don't totally think you can blame Bruce for joker being as insane as he is since harley took the same dip and she still redeemable, and I don't think it should be on Bruce to compromise his morals just to kill a clown that literally several other people can kill - and I know " "ohh but Bruce gets in the way" then don't tell batman about it don't invite batman to your execution of the joker don't let him find out when Bruce's no kill rule is at its maximum (bc writers can't decide how extreme it should be) he can't let anyone die if he knows about it so just be sneaky and don't let him know