#izzy and the right answer

[sweetfirebird]

Every so often I re-read Izzy and the Right Answer. I love how Izzy isn't treated as a "fun, quirky, weird" character but is taken seriously and treated like a real person. I find that so comforting, as someone on the ace spectrum and the autism spectrum. I just wanted to say that I really appreciate this book.

I'll be honest with you, I spent several minutes sitting here trying to figure out what you meant exactly, and then finally remembered how TV treats any 'different' character, including autistic ones. Weirdly, I flashed back to whatsherface Abby? Abbi? From NCIS. I don't know if she was explicitly supposed to be ND on that show. In the beginning, I mean. They might have done it later on, I have no idea.

Then I thought of Bones, a show that still infuriates me to this day, but anyway, anyway, *deep breaths*

Bones never happened, except for the few small side characters who did not totally suck. But any time there was a character, guest or not, who was coded as ND or ace or anywhere not on the purely het straight cis side of the spectrum, they were awful or murderers or made into a joke or changed to suit the story or were Angela whose fake progressive ass was the woooorst.

ahem

Anyway. I am like that but what actually fuels me a lot of the time is spite, and I have A LOT of spite (obviously lol) for romance novels in particular that make characters like this and then.... make them a joke, or make them the "quirky" side character, or a burden to an MC (fucking hell that one), or 'fix' them, or have them written that way when they are not the main character, and then when they are the main character, suddenly the things that make them a person are just eccentricities and they are otherwise (for lack of a better term) "normal" (aka easier for the NT/cis/straight/whatever author to write).

Like this is a rage fuel that has existed since I first read an m/f romance series in.. probably the mid or early 2000s when I didn't even know these things about myself. (Or acknowledge them, or whatever) which had a character who was seen as 'cold' and odd for not being interested in sex/women and then surprise surprise when it came time for his book, he was.... exactly the same as every other male main character re: sex and women.

SIGH.

(Though hilariously, I did not know exactly why I was so mad. Not at the time. Top ten anime betrayals to my hopeful little queer ace ass, and I fully did not get it.)

But also when making characters, you have to do what is right for the characters, not what whatever some author thinks they should do. If they wanted that, then they should have created a different character.

None of which is probably interesting to you, sorry. I apparently am just in a mood to rant today.

My fav thing about that book is how Izzy's friends, and also especially Rocco and Ronnie, sometimes clearly do not understand what Izzy is doing or on about, but they listen to him anyway, and in return, even though sometimes he has no idea what they are on about, he also listens seriously to them.

[naranjapetrificada]

I was having a WIP chat with one of my betas (@epersonae) earlier and one thing she said is there's probably a universe where people who understood what the show was trying to do with Izzy are able to joyfully dig into his character because there's no canyon and I'm currently feeling very jealous. I've already been having to think about him lately and ironically my other beta (@sabra-n) said something yesterday in a completely different context that's got me turning him over in my mind no matter how much I'd rather think about anything else.

I've mentioned before that it always feels like the Ed POV sections take the longest to feel right, and yesterday sabra was like "what if it's because your Ed's so different from canon?" So when I sat down to get some work done with that in mind, I started thinking about how it's probably going to continue to be tough to write this Ed when he a) didn't have the abusive father of canon, b) has two older sisters who love him and c) has a social position where Izzy's influence can't look the way it did in canon.

Deep in my braindump document for this fic there are plans for and half-written scenes about violence, legacy, performing masculinity, daddy issues, trauma, and other themes from the show, but in order to get into stuff like that that will help put Ed as a character in more familiar territory, I'll have to come at it sideways. And Izzy could be a really great vector for that here, even if it doesn't look the way the show did, and that means I'm stuck thinking deeper about that greasy little rat (affectionate? nah, not quite) more than I've ever wanted to.

I figured out a way to make him useful in this way, but it's going to require giving him a level of interiority I don't want to. In that other universe, where you don't feel like you have to be on your guard to defend yourself from canyon takes, giving Izzy interiority could be a really fun writing challenge! But with the miasma of just...everything that's happened in our version of the fandom that's harder, because in our reality we've had to think about him even when we didn't feel like it, just because we were trying to wrap our minds around all ass-backwards canyon takes.

I hope there's a version of me in that universe writing this fic. If there is, she's probably already posted chapter 3 because she had a lower barrier for entry with accepting the amount of thinking about Izzy that's been required. She's also probably less worried about accidentally making him sympathetic, so she doesn't have to confront her lack of experience writing unreliable narrators. That bitch is so lucky.

(another thing I said to Elaine earlier about writing Izzy is that at least we're both miserable, which should probably be its own tag. At least I have the consolation of knowing that he's definitely having a worse time living the story than I am writing it.)

[batsarebetterthanpeople]

Alright everyone, new personality test just dropped pick your fav shitty white guy

Edit: I have polls now

[ourflagmeansgayrights]

[something-about-sunflowers]

Not pretending that the voting is gonna be unbiased because I know my audience but I AM providing some actually good answer choices;

[skyhawkstragedy]

if we have to get a returnee can we at least get someone who was booted pre-jury

[izzyy-stuff]

IDK WHAT TO REQUEST FOR UR BASH 💃💃 (please help I’m genuinely struggling)

I have no idea 🥹🥹🥹

[pigeonwhumps]

"Did you think you were worth something?"

- Izzzzzzyyyyy *tackles*

Izzzyyyy!!!

Some Cass for you. Set during his early WRU training, between remembering his name and being sent to the US.

CWs: BBU, pet whump, WRU fuckery, restraints, dehumanisation, muzzled, implied beating, mentioned organ harvesting, talk of death, implied non con, drugging, overstimulation, low self esteem, verbal degradation

"Did you think you were worth something?"

Cass grits his teeth, straining against the restraints holding him prone to the table. Sweat runs off his body in rivers, pooling beneath him, his nerves lighting up like they're on fire every time the handler brushes against him. As he makes sure to do frequently.

Cass isn't sure what he's been injected with, but he's never felt like this before. He's pretty sure of that.

"Because you're not."

The handler trails the end of his baton down Cass' spine, and it erupts into a line of fire. Cass screams, tugging mindlessly, his agonised cries muffled by the leather dog muzzle they've shoved onto his face.

It's a regular feature. He hates it. He is not a dog.

He's worse.

"You're no better than an animal. You think your word means anything here? You don't get to say no. You don't get a say in your training. If I order you to jump, you don't even stop to ask how high. And if it's determined that the best way to train you as a Guard Dog is for you to attack live bait, then you do so. Unquestioningly. You don't say 'no', you never say 'no'. It's not a word that should be in your vocabulary."

Cass pants into the muzzle as the raging fire subsides slightly. It doesn't last long before the handler tugs his head up by the collar, choking him and making him want to scream at the contact.

"You didn't save her. 147. She was well past her last chance. She's been sent to the bottom floor, no anaesthetic. All you did was ensure her end will be more drawn out and probably excruciatingly painful. Organ extractions tend to be. Your refusal didn't save her."

The handler twists his fingers in the collar, pressing against Cass' neck, increasing the pain as he fiddles with something. The electricity doesn't even need to be on to set his nerves on fire at the moment.

"You didn't manage to rescue the other one either. 643, right? She's cute. Feels so good and she's so eager to please. I don't know why you keep trying. You're only a stupid pet, you don't have the brainpower for that. You do not get a say in anything. You do not, ever, say no."

The handler drops Cass' collar, his head hitting the metal, impact barely noticeable over everything that's already there. He can't breathe so well anymore.

"You're worthless. A useless failure. You can't save anyone, you're just a stupid pet. You won't ever be worth anything." His voice sounds from further away now, footsteps going away, coming back, circling. Cass whines. "I'm working on permission for you to see 147, all prepped and ready for donation. So you can fully understand the consequences of your actions, because clearly you're too stupid to do so yet. But for now, until the Director approves of a different punishment, this will have to do. The only way to make you mutts learn is through corporal punishment anyway."

Something swishes through the air.

And then Cass knows nothing but pain.

Taglist: @littlespacecastle @whumpymirages @flowersarefreetherapy @painful-pooch

[avastyetwats]

'I can see it already. Death by sled.' From Iz

“Oh, come on now, Izzy.” Stede huffs as he positions the makeshift sled on top of the large, somewhat steep snowy hill. “Where’s the harm in a little fun? We’re pirates, aren’t we? And the pirating life is full of all sorts of dangers and risks! How can this be any worse?” Because he was Stede Bonnet. And Stede had quite the way when it came to getting himself hurt. He was a man that did things he really probably shouldn’t. He was a man that thought he could something when he really probably couldn’t. And didn’t. And right now, it was all about having fun!

So, all bundled up in his coat, mittens and winter hat, the Captain sits himself on the sled and scoots closer towards the edge. “Okay, Izzy, I’m ready! Send me off!”

@izzyeffinhands

[dervampireprince]

you have absolutely no business giving me a new dilf to obsess over right now /pos

but if i'm not giving you all new dilfs to obsess over then i'm not doing my job right

[madzillus]

Izzy being dramatic, pining for his boyfriend

[itsraininghorses]

LMAOOOOO YOU'RE PATHETICCCC people can reblog whatever they want lol. With art as bad as yours Id take whatever exposure I can get especially from a blog as big as ourflagmeansgayrights..... All you canyon idiots are the same, please stop breathing.

*Sigh* Okay. Let's tackle this like you're a person that's going to give a shit, even though you're not.

1. I'm not part of the Izzy canyon. I'm barely part of the ofmd fandom in general. However, I've witnessed the awful ways people in that community have been treated by people like op and their circle of friends. I don't know that many players in the ofmd fandom, and yet even I know of those more infamously cruel ones.

2. I don't post my art to be noticed or to gain followers. I just want to share my special interest of ponies and enjoy art.

3. I assume you're a follower of op's. I really feel like even they wouldn't want you to go around telling people to die just because they post art about cartoon ponies.

4. I'm barely an adult. I'm not good at dealing with these kinds of things, so I'll ask nicely: please don't drag me into your spiral of hatred. I want nothing to do with it. I'm just here for art.

[iturbide]

Magistrate, winking: This mission must be completed, even if one of you must die to do so. Understand?

Lundulf, not understanding at all: I completely understand.

are you kidding, the magistrate wasn't even that subtle:

This matter with the masked rogues is of utmost importance, above all other concerns.  Should it happen that the mage falls in the pursuit of this greater justice, then it will be a necessary, if unfortunate, consequence of success.  Do you understand?

She basically said, point blank, we will cover it up if the mage dies, essentially giving Lindulf free reign to dispose of Miryn however he wanted. Unfortunately, she asked Lindulf, the most straight-forward man in the guard, and the one who has a crush on the mage in question. This whole thing was doomed to fail.

[neutronstcr]

📱 robbie & emma

five texts meme.

[ 15:58, not sent ] [ ✉: ems woods 🎀 ] sabia que eu tô com saudade de você? uns dias que a gente não se vê e as coisas ficam assim, quem diria?? acho que virei professor mesmo, hahah

[ 16:40, not sent ] [ ✉: ems woods 🎀 ] eu não sei, acho que talvez não seja uma boa ideia você sair com ele. ele não me parece o mano que iria gostar de conversar, e sabe, você tem uns papos muito bons, conversar com você é muito legal.

[ 18:10, not sent ] [ ✉: ems woods 🎀 ] é muito doido você gostar de alguém e não contar pra essa pessoa.

[ 20:28, not sent ] [ ✉: ems woods 🎀 ] é ele quem é quem perde se ele não se tocar logo, na real. me parece coisa de maluco desperdiçar uma chance contigo, tipo?? quer dizer, sabe, você é linda, e divertida, então...

[ 20:30, not sent ] [ ✉: ems woods 🎀 ] você não deveria estar tão nervosa por ele, ems. você merece alguém que vai parar o mundo por você, e não alguém que não consegue enxergar as suas qualidades.

[ 22:40, sent ] [ ✉: ems woods 🎀 ] ems, tá por aí? tá afim de sair? sem as preocupações, crushes ou coisas assim, só eu e você. a gente vai se divertir!! e aí, topa?

[unhingedpirates]

I’m actually fighting for my life trying to find an explanation to how exactly Izzy Hands is a racist. I’m Māori myself and I just cannot understand.

Hmmm..okay. First, you have to know that everything concerning Izzy (whether he is racist, homophobic, a bad person, a victim, an asshole, etc.) is a BIG ISSUE in this fandom. It has raised a lot of discussions and fights.

Secondly, I am not in the position to take part in the discussion, partly because i'm not indigenous nor poc, but mainly because i am not sufficiently informed and i can't argue from ignorance.

From what I understand, Izzy is not blatantly racist at any point in the show (like the English Navy guys were) and he seems to hate everyone equally lol, but he contributes to the existing racist system, with his arrangement with Chauncey, by agreeing to "own Ed" once they get rid of Stede, although it's unclear whether he understands the implications.

I'll leave you some links I found where they discuss it, and I'm sure you can find a lot more in this site or in other social media (like I said, it's a big issue):

I have no authority to declare whether he is racist or not, and sorry if i've done it in the past. I understand he is not written to be so, but really i don't know.

[grapecaseschoices]

!!

Farryn Leshy

Ryn (also Les in my head) is my latest OC and my third Wayfarer MC

Current fc is Bailey Bass, pronouns are ey/em. Ey's an elf (though this isn't canon, ey has pointy teeth bc I believe elves SHOULD).

I'm still figuring out eir's personality and dynamics -- well, at least the more fiddly aspects.

Essentially I wanted a character that fit this sorta persona: the lying liar who lies. Why? Just because ey can, just because it's none of your business.

When ey isn't just saying shit, ey is talking shit. Definitely the cheekiest of my three Wayfarers. And when ey're not doing any of THAT, silence is surprisingly eir go too (ey have to get SOMETHING from grumpy Dad)

I've been trying to balance what I want for eir's personality and em being raised by Cenric. I will say of my three ey is the most loyal to eir mentor, point blank. Like Ryn ended up being more sentimental than I expected and ey miss home a lot (child of the fields), but ey has a lot of genuine love and respect for Cenric. It's more straight forward between them (as opposed to Varyn and Peter or Sero and Izzy). I also think, actually thus far this is true, Farryn is the only one whose loyalty stems from Cenric being Cenric rather than having SOMETHING to belong to (like the other two).

Last fact: Ryn is impulsive and highly adventerous. Tends to be 'let's do this and see where it goes' and at times even 'kill now, ask questions later'.

With every “!!” i get, I’ll introduce you to an OC!

Thanks @magefaery !